Epitaph for Co. B-1, First Battalion, First Regiment

The following was written by some person or persons and was published below the picture of the First Classmen of Co. B-1. It does capture some ambivalence of life in Co. B-1.

After four hot summers, and as many frigid winters, 69 is leaving but we take with us many memories of our years in Beta House. We remember our four Tacs and how some of us chose our branches accordingly, how we always rested until the decisive moment which was usually the night before, and how we got things done while making as few waves as possible.

We didn’t capture many drill streamers, and we didn’t win very many brigade championships; but when it came down to the serious business of academics we were pretty stupid, too. We managed to overlook small deficiencies in our environment as long as the important things worked: the telephones and the coke and ice cream machines. And so it went - the good, the bad, and the indifferent and now in the philosophical retrospect we discover that the Ring Hop, Christmas Leave, and cars provided just enough glue to hold the rest of the year together. Now as we go our separate ways to Germany, Korea, and The Nam who can foretell how often we will look back with fond memories on these past four campaigns and recall that it was truly the best and worst of times?