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THE WARTIMECIGARETTE SHORTAGE-CAMELS SUIT ME BEST/
/
VOLUME:¢°
OCTOBER, 1947
COVER BY JIMMY BANKS
LET'S TALK IT OVER, Pat Velenovsky
SPIDERS ARE REPULSIVE, W. F. Saunders '13
THE OLD PLAYHOUSE, Baine Harris
To lvfADELINE, Douglas S. Freeman AND 1\1AYBE IT WIAS, A1.Leonard Segal
MAKING RELIGION COUNT, Bctine Harris
BALLET, Ellen Largent .
PRELUDE To STOR M, Patti Black
AT THE SIGN OF THE SKUNKS
D1sc'N' DATA, Kenny Butler
LOST WEAK END, f o_yceParrish
Editor-in-Chief
PAT VELENOVSKY
Law School Editor
lJVesthampton College Editor
PEGGY HARRIS
Assistant lJVesthampton Editor
DOROTHY TOOLE
Feature Editors
KENNY BUTLER
MIMI THALENBERG
Ellen Largent
Hannah Barlow
Al Dudley
Ann Wiley
Walt Mahon Joyce Parrish
ALBERT RUSSINOFF
Art Editor
JIMMY BANKS
Assistant Art Editor
SETH DARROW
Exchange Editor
WALLY McGRAW
Art Staff
F,t/itorial Staff
Charles Wilson
Jim Payne
Elizabeth Webb
Acting Richmond College Editor
FRANK WENTZEL
Poetry Editor
PATTI BLACK
Fiction Editors
WILMA LUM
WILBUR THOMAS
Fred Wilson
Don Wilson Flora Jeanne Zbar
Published in October, December, February, April, and May by University of Richmond Publications, Incorporated. Right is reserved to alter contributions to meet publication requirements. All communications should be addressed to The Messenger, Box 114, University of Richmond, Virginia. · Member Virginia Intercollegiate Press Association
[ 1 )
VERYYEARliterally thousands of new staffs take over the work of putting out college publications. With blue pencils and ideas in hand they go forth to do battle. From the battle they of ten return beaten and battere~, but with the hard heads they have they return for moreit gets into your blood.
We are trying to put out a magazine which will reflect the best in thought and creative ability not only of the student body, but also of the faculty and the alumni. This does not mean that this will be a faculty or an alumni magazine. It is for the student body-the others can afford to buy magazines.
THE MESSENGERwill try to print only those articles which will provoke thought and discussion of a constructive nature. We will print also those stories, which, in the opinion of the staff, are up to the literary standards which we have set up. We do not fancy ourselves as the best judges in the literary business, but we do think we are capable of handling our new jobs . We expect to make some mistakes, and we expect the student body to take us to task for making them. Any written, and signed, criticism will be accepted. We do not say we will always agree with the criticism, but we will give it honest consideration.
Let us be frank about the situation. You want a magazine of which you can be proud; we want the same thing; and those wishes will come true if you give us your wholehearted help . If you can w rite, or if you think you can write, come see us. We will try to set you straight. If some changes are suggested, don't get your dander up . If you were go9d enough not to need criticism you wouldn ' t be giving your material to us; you'd be selling it. If you can rhyme "moon" and "June" into a poem _:_d~n't ' do it. It has been done too often before. But if you have poetry with something to it, abstract or not, we would like to see it. Don't be bashful.
If in your wanderings you come across an ide a you think would be just the thing for THE MESSENGER , let us know about it The chances ar e good that we may not have thought about it. But please remember that the material in the mag azine must be held within certain limits!
All of this comes under the heading of "makin g policy," which is the surest way known of sticking one ' s neck out. There is always someone aroun d to chop heads. Another difficulty encountered in making policy is the ever-present possibility of backfire. If we start off giving roseate pictures of the future, they will probably burst like the we llknown bubbles which someone is always blo wing. If necessary we will write, edit, and do all of the work on the magazine. But that wouldn 't be very representative. You give us the materi al and we will give you a magazine.
For those of you who don't know, there is mu ch more to putting out a magazine than just 1the collection of material. The average college stude nt stopped learning to spell in the third grade, an d the only comma rule he knows is, "Throw a han dful of the darn things in the air, and let them fa ll where they may." Then there is the person wh o falls in love with words, thereby using two pag es and a semicolon to describe a woman walki ng across a hotel lobby. There is more, but you ha ve troubles of your own. And to be honest about th e thing, we'd feel lost if someone told us we could n't fool around with the magazine any more.
This year we are bringing to you not only th e best of student, faculty, and alumni thought in short stories, articles, and poems, but proudly we present a section devoted to popular and classical music, records, and those things connected w ith music. The humor will not be forgotten eith er In addition we are lifting selections from T HE MESSENGERof bygone days.
Well people, here is your magazine. We ho pe you like it. P. V
By W. F. SAUNDERS, '13
Mr. Saunders, a loyal alumnus, was the first man in the history of the school to win a letter in three branches of sport: football, baseball and track.
JCT I be the object of the finger of scorn and be ostracized for heresy, in suggesting a substitute for "Spiders," 1• should like to set forth my reasons for advocating a change. The following is therefore offered as food for thought.
T here are some very significant facts overlooked by him, who fastened our pickname upon us and by those who wish to retain it. Adult male spiders, of the web-weaving varieties, are rare individuals for the reason that, after they have served their biological purpose, they are often attacked and eaten by the females. This is rather shocking to the masculine ego and indicates that "Spiders" is a misnomer when applied to men. The name would be h ig hly appropriate for a team of women, such as might compete with men, but when referring to adult males, it is definitely a misfit. To complete the picture perfectly, our teams should appear in skirts, since their nickname indicates that they are old women.
In spite of ingenuity in constructing webs, spiders have practically no intelligence. Their every action is instinctive. Even the construction of wheel webs is automatic. If in the course -of construction, one strand of a spiral is broken, it produces a corresponding deformity in the ne~t. The Lycosid will accept a pith ball i~ place of.h~r egg-cocoon and a Theridian will industriously entw~ne a piece of paper, if agitated with ~}:ee1le pomt. Could there be action Il).Oreidiotic? Entangling a bit of paper, rather than its prey, is like tackling an offic'ial instead - of the man with the ball. Yet it's ·a fair sample of the mentality our teams sh€mld display, as long as they are called "Spide'.lisJ' ,, , , '::
Contrary to public opinion, there is no aggressiveness nor fight in even the much publicized black widow : If one touches it with a twig, it immediately curls up its legs ·and plays dead. Incidentally, it derives its name from its black coat and its habit of devouring its mate. Should there be one who doubts the accuracy of the above statements, let him consult his biology professor or the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
I advocate changing our nickname because I like to think of our teams as virile and intelligent and do not wish to continue to insult them by calling them the name of a species of female cannibal, that is incapable of thinking. But if, as reported, the boys are "proud of the name" and if they think the characteristics which it connotes apply to them, it will have to stand. However, as a former athlete and as a man, I strongly resent its implications. The name is unworthy of the dignity of our Institution and of the spirit, vigor and intelligence of her athletic teams. As time goes on, more and more people will become acquainted with ..the , characteristics and habits of spiders and our name will appear increasingly ridiculous and ludicrous.
The web is nothing more than an unsportsmanli~e snare. Those who insist upon featuring it evidently do not realize that they are ignoring all ideas of sportsmanship and are lowering us to the sta tus of a trapper. An aggressive team makes its own "breaks," but a spider leaves all to chance, in effortless waiting, for an unwary victim to stumble into its trap. In addition to being one of the most loathsome of creatures, there is no sportsmanship ii:ia spider. It is even lower than one who will shoot a rabbit in its bed or a bird on the ground. Considering these facts, there is no wonder that the idea of' a· spider and its web has little appeal to sportsmen. It is to be hoped that none of our teams will be guilty of the unsportsmanlike condoct and nonaggressive play, which their nickname ·may well lead others to expect: ·Since our [3}
teams are sportsmanlike and aggressive, I feel that " Spiders " does not apply and that a change of name would be not only appropriate, but highly desirable.
The meaning which we have read into the name " Spiders" is missed entirely by strangers and is not readily grasped by even our local public. Consequently they think it a silly and a sissy name. If we are to retain it, someone should write the best possible explanation, in defense of it , and henceforth have it prominently displayed in every football program so patrons of the game can have some idea of its intended meaning. As it is now , they are always at a loss to know what significance could possib~y be ascribed to the name. They don ' t bother to think of Robert Bruce's spider, or any of the other fantastic stretches of the imagination, by which we attempt to excuse and justify the name, and by which we have lulled ourselves to innocent slumber through the years In complacency we have slept, while more alert schools have selected attractive nicknames and are now enjoying the benefit derived therefrom. The writer remembers when Hampden-Sydney adopted "Tigers" and William and Mary chose "Indians. " While that was some years ago, it is very recent when one considers the ages of those Institutions. Isn't it time for us to awaken from our lethargy and adopt a name, which is not a handicap and a laughingstock?
I propose substituting "Spartans" for " Spiders." However, I am not holding out for " Spartans," if someone will come forward with a better name . It is suggested because its meaning needs no explanation The name denotes a spirit worthy of emulation , especially among athletes. Since our teams have shown a Spartan spirit to a marked degree, it occurs they might be pleased with our recognition of the fact. It also occurs they might wish succeeding teams to have the inspiration to determine competition which the name affords It is right in line with Southern California's " Trojans." By choosing a big-time name, we will be in better position to go forward with the expanding athletic program which lies ahead. Also, "Spartans " may attract more athletes to our campus or at least will not keep them away. With several schools from which to choose and with no ties binding him to us , I can't for the life of me see why a boy would elect to be called the name of a
creature devoid of all characteristics which are descriptive and worthy of an athlete.
Someone has said that several colleges h ave " Spartans" for a nickname, while "Spiders " is distinctive, in that Richmond is the only school with that name. There may be others, but so far as I know, the men of Michigan State are the only ones called "Spartans." We discarded our for mer colors and selected red and blue. Incidentally , red and blue were, and are , the colors of the Uni versity of Pennsylvania. Despite that fact, they w ere chosen by us because we also admired them. He nce, if we discard "Spiders" and choose the nickn ame of some other school, we merely will be foll owing a precedent which we established long ago. Michigan State is farther removed than Penn sylvania and it is improbable that we will play th em. In the event we d ~ what matters it if Sparta n be pitted against Spartan? It is Indian against Ind ian when William and Mary plays Dartmouth, and Bulldog against Bulldog when Georgia m eets Yale. However , I am much more interested in the best possible nickname for Richmond than in h aving my choice accepted. May we not have many suggestions and from them pick the best?
It is doubtless true that Richmond is the only school with the name "Spiders " Apparently few others would have such a name. The statemen t of · my critic that we alone are known by our n ickname, raises a question as to its merit. "Spid ers" has no local significance and therefore could h ave been chosen as well by some other school, either before or after it was fastened upon us. We appear in the unusual and unenviable position of a boy, in love with a girl whom no one else admires. For example, consider the number of te ams known as "Tigers" and then reflect upon this question: If there were public appeal in our n ickname, isn't it reasonable to expect that at lea st a sand-lot team of grammar school age would be playing under "Spiders"? Small boys disdain such a sissy and inappropriate name while we, who supposedly are he-men, cling to it. How can we expect hero worship from them or have them look forward to attending our Institution when, in their eyes, we lack self-respect? May not this offer partial explanation as to why we draw so scantil y, in normal times, from local athletes?
"Spiders" was given us in derision . The n ame is still the object of derision and we have had l ittle
[ 4}
enough pride to retain it. Other alumni, as well as myself, have had experiences similar to the following. About three or four years ago , our cheering section was in the concrete stands at the Richmond City Stadium. The students were whoop1ng-it-up about "Spiders," manifestly proud of the name . At the same time many of the spectators, sitting around me, were laughing at their naiveness and were making fun of and jeering at their nickname. With that and like experiences, I don ' t see how anyone could blame me for wanting a cha nge.
Realizing that "Spiders " is a handicap and a liability, I have made it my business , over a period of five years, to test friends and acquaintances in an effort to determine their attitude toward our nickna me None of them went to the University of Richmond A few didn ' t attend college, but are interested in sports. They are a part of the general p ublic whose admiration , good will and support w e so ardently covet and on whom we depend, not only to fill our athletic coffers, but also to contribute to our endowment and building funds In all that company , I found no one who likes the name "Spiders ," who thinks it is appropriate or who feels that we should keep it. When I asked a former associate, from Massachusetts State, what he thought of " Spiders, " he said : " It is a h ell of a, name. I have often wondered how you g ot it and why you kept it. " Another former associate, from Yale, thought the name ridiculous. Right here in Richmond prominent citizens, who are our friends, have said: "The name is a liability." " No school wi,th the proper self-respect would keep such a name ." " An institution which assumes to represent the Cultural Center of the South, should discard ' Spiders ' for a more dignified and more suitable name. "
Such remarks may be resented , but resentment doesn't change public opinion . If we wish wholehearted support , it is suicidal to ignore and flout the ideas of the public. Our friend, Ben Wahrman, fo rmer sports editor of the N ews Le ader, is in a po sition to know public sentiment. He said with emphasis: "The name certainly should be chang ed. ''
Af ter all, changing an athletic nickname is not an un heard-of thing. Notre Dame did it some years ago during the regime of Knute Rockne Previous to that time they were called "Ramblers "
[ 5]
and were being criticized for rambling all over the country The name fitted too well, so they changed it to the "Irish ."
I am well aware that there are those who rise in holy horror at the suggestion of doing away with a " time honored tradition. " Surely they are unacquainted with our history or have forgotten , for we have discarded many traditions . Our University now bears its third name and occupies its third location. Our original colors were Orange and Olive. Th e Web was formerly Th e Spider. Each of the above changes involved breaking a tradition and it appears, by now, we should have become accustomed to the practice Breaking traditions is traditional with us. In fact, it is the only tradition to which we have consistently held, from our beginning. This is as it should be , for only by change is betterment possible.
If it was proper to disregard the traditions noted above, will someone be kind enough to explain what there is so sacred in "Spiders " that it should not be discarded for a better name ? If changes are wrong, let us admit our mistakes of the past and be logical and consistent about the whole matter. Let us forsake our 300-acre campus with its beautiful buildings and return to Spring Farm for it was there, just north of the present Bryan Estate, that our parent, the Virginia Baptist Seminary , came into being in 1832. Is there one who would vote to backtrack through the progressive strides of the ·past? If not, then breaking a tradition isn ' t such a heinous sin, for surely all of those listed above were "time honored."
No one regards a worthy tradition more highly than the writer and if our nickname were not a ridiculous and pathetic misfit, he would never raise his voice against it. But he is unwilling, without protest, to have us continue in blind idolatry . For when we sacrifice self-respect and the respect of others, to an unworthy tradition, we descend to the depths of depravity and worship a false god.
It is indeed lamentable that we have allowed such an inappropriate name to be fastened upon us and that we mistakenly have esteemed it. But why perpetuate an error , made years ago, merely for the sake of tradition? Isn't it more sensible to display the judgment and moral courage of Notre Dame and adopt a name in keeping with the dignity of Alma Mater; one which will be an asset
(Continued on page 16)
IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE that our campus ranks among the finest in the East because of its Gothic splendor and the simple beauty of its grounds The natural vegetation, stately pines , and small hills all seem to fit into the scheme of some master pattern wrought by the hand of nature.
There is one building on our campus , however , which does not live up to the reputation of Gothic splendor or simple beauty. Its distinctio n lies both in its antiquity and in its rich store of experiences , for it has witnessed firsthand the beginning and growth of our present campus. The old Playhouse now stands not only as the oldest building on the campus but also as a symbol of the many and varied ways in which Richmond College has been of service to those who have entered its doors.
Richmond College did not own the present site until 1910 when a land company gave the entire tract of one hundred acres for a campus. Before then it was an amusement center and a zoo, housing the wildlife of Virginia At the turn of the century the lake was the gathering place for Richmonders who took special delight in Sunday afternoon picnics or "outings," as they called them. The Virginia Electric and Power Company built the old Playhouse and extended the streetcar line to make a loop between what is now the Administration Building and the Dining Hall, passing down along the north side of the Playhouse, and
circling back on the east side of the Admin istration Building.
Hot dogs and soft drinks were sold in the "Amusement House, " ;).nd shows were occasionally presented The present " Student Shop" was then home of the caretaker of the animals of the zoo. Boats were kept on the lake, which also supp lied water for an old corn mill. This mill had been standing for over a hundred years and had been in operation during the Civil War, supplying meal, no doubt, to the Confederate Army
In 1914 the college moved from Lombardy and Franklin Streets to its present location. The Playhouse was first used by the college as an assembly hall and chapel '. Soon after, World War I broke and Richmond College turned its entire campus over to the army for a hospital camp. The Playhouse was converted into a dormitory and filled with cots for over two hundred and fifty orde rlies. It was then that the inside galleries were constructed, making the building a two-story structure. A door was cut in the northeast side and a ramp built for a second-floor outside entranc e.
The soldiers left after a stay of a year and a half, and the college returned to the campus. Again the Playhouse was used as a chapel until October of 1926 when the old Science Buil ding near the lake burned. Again the old Playhouse was remodeled and made to serve in three capacities, (Continued on page 16) [6]
{ ___ , ----(F,om Fa,, Old Love', Soke) )
f .____
When the sun is slow to shine, l
\ All its radiance is thine, J. 'f Madeline! \
\ When the stars to sleep incline, J.
( Light thou with thy gaze divine, ) Madeline.
With such loves as gods repine, 'f Such love for thee is mine, \ \ Madeline. J.
f With thy hair so soft and fine, l \ Like it were some dream's design, J Madeline. )"" f
In its tresses wreathe and twine
\ Flashes of a lost sunshine, }
{ Madeline!
And thy breath, 'tis sweet as wine, ""' f When thy rosy lips meet mine, \ Madeline! J.
And thy sigh is as a sign, ) f For the hushing of the wind, \ Madeline! 'f
At thy sobs the skies incline, \ And thy tears are honeyed brine, J. f Madeline! \
\ Ah, ye men, ye mortal swine, J. { Let this word your thoughts refine\ Madeline! §.
( Then pledge her in the ruby wine, l To thee, to thee, sweetheart mine, · Madeline!
( -DOUGLASS. FREEMAN. ) t · , (Reprinted from THE MESSENGER, Mr:n-rlr,1904.) \ \ - -- Jr - I
[ 7 ]
HEY TALK IN WHISPERS of Old Matt Haines and his farm in the valley. They talk of it like it was a Bible story . And maybe it was.
Old Matt Haines had a place in the valley. It was a good valley because the earth was happy. It giggled in the spring and chuckled in the summer and laughed out loud in the fall. And there were creeks and streams from a hard, fast river to keep it that way. The lime was deep and the land was fla,t and no one wanted in the yalley. But there was no place like Old Matt Haines' .
Oh, the tales they used to tell. Why, they said that Old Matt could plant his crops a month late and they'd still spring up like crickets before anyone else's. They said you could stand in one spot of Mrs. Haines' patch and pick berries for half an hour. And Matt's corn was as clean and straight as if it were planted in a sand box. His potatoes never had the blight in twenty years, and the bugs just stiffened and died the minute they crossed the line back of the Haines'. His cattle were the biggest and the strongest in the country and they gave cream so thick you had to push it through a th.ree-inch funnel. It might storm or drought on other farms, but on Old Matt's place the rain came once a week on Sundays, slow and steady. Old Matt prospered and he put it all into the farm. He had three teams of horses and more machinery than the whole valley put together.
Now the women they sighed, and the men they cussed, but there was n~ one that was sorry at Old Matt's luck. He had a back like a bull and hands as big as shovels and at fifty was as spry as a woodchuck. He loved his wife and he loved his land and he never asked for nothing that wasn't rightly his. He snarled at his horses, he bellowed at his sons, but he smiled at his neighbors and he smiled at God, and no one was jealous of Old Matt Haines.
Twenty years they all lived in the valley and twenty years they prospered. Never a drought, never a plague, never a problem. But in the spring of the twenty-first year there came a drought, hot and crisp as burnt toast. Streams were mud and creeks were dust, and the cattle lapped at them both. AlL over the valley it was hot and parched, all over except at Matt Haines' place. The streams
rippled and the creeks were full and it still raine d slow and steady every week.
All over the valley the cattle were dying, an d the men became frightened. So the day came whe n Judd Thompson called on Matt.
"Matt," Judd Thompson said, "the cattle are dying. We were thinking we could run some ditches to your streams and save 'em."
'Tm right sorry to hear that, but I don't reckon I will."
"But Matt," Judd Thompson said. "It wouldn 't pinch you but a little."
"The Lord made the sun and the rain and H e gives 'em to them that's got it."
"But you got it and we ain't."
"Let them that's got it keep it."
Matt's face was set as a river bed, so Judd didn 't try any more.
The men fumed like hornets. In time it raine d and they forgot. The drought was bad and th e hay was late and then it rained on St. Swithin 's Day. Though it rained for forty days and fort y nights, it never bothered Matt. But it bothere d the other men in the valley, and once again they called on Matt. And it was Judd Thompson th at came, although he didn't want to.
"The drought's made our hay a bit late, an d then the rain. The men and me was thinkin', maybe you could lend us a hand."
"I don't reckon we'll be able to."
And then young Matt spoke up. He had a back like a bull and hands like shovels and he spoke up for Judd Thompson.
"Reckon we've got all ours in," young Ma tt said. But Matt kept his face stiff as granite.
"Fences need fixin', knives need sharpenin'. Let them that's able get their crops."
Now the winter was sharp and painful. Hay wa s poor and scarce, and milk was thin and wate ry. And the times were bad all over the land. Not so with old Matt. His hay was rich and plenty, an d it filled the barn to the rafters. His milk was thic k as pudding. It wasn't sick milk and it wasn 't stringy milk. It! was good milk, thick and rich as pudding. And his cellar was brimming with bags of feed.
But all over the valley the feed was high and
the money was low. First they scrimped, then they saved, and then they borrowed. They borrowed fr om Lawyer Sharpe. The loans were low and the interest was high, and they knew that if feed stayed up, Lawyer Sharpe would get them all: lock, stock, and barrel. All but Matt Haines. He had plenty of money and his cellar was brimming with feed. And once again, with anger in their eyes and malice in their hearts, they sent for help to old Matt Haines. Not Judd. He wouldn't go. So they sent Dell Yurdon. His cheeks and his eyes were h ollow and he spoke in a mild way. But Dell was th e smartest man in the valley and he thought h e could reason with Matt.
" Prices are high, Matt Haines. We can't afford to feed our cattle."
' Tm right sorry to hear that. "
" The men and me was getting ourselves in with Lawyer Sharpe, and if the feed stays high then Sha rpe'll have us. If you help, we can force feed down and even sell milk a mite cheaper. You'd be helpin' yourself, too. What have you got to say, Matt Haines?"
" We've bought alike for twenty years and we sold alike for twenty years; my dad didn't need no change and his dad didn ' t need no change and I'l l be damned if I'm gonna change things now "
" Matt Haines," Dell roared, "we 're gonna have to sell our hides, lock, stock, and barrel to Lawyer Sharpe ."
" Let them that's got it, buy it," Matt said.
And then the men were true to their word. They sold out to Lawyer Sharpe, lock, stock, and barrel. Mat t saw it all. But his thoughts were big thoughts . Th ey w ere bigger than his heart so they comforted him. Old Matt believed in what he believed, so he n ever raised a hand to stop it.
Before many days, Matt went after wood and called Dell when he saw him.
"Halloo there , Dell, kinder cold for January , eh? " Dell never answered.
An d one time he had to go way over his pastures to find a stray heifer. (He went the long way so he could pass Judd Thompson ' s place.) Matt waved to Judd when he saw him and Judd never moved. And so Mah never bothered any more. W hen he passed his neighbors, t9ough his heart stared like a full moon, his eyes looked ahead.
And then things began to happen The first time he went to town for feed, Jim Morgan told him he couldn't have it.
"They say they won't buy off a me it I sell yuh, Matt."
"But that'll mean I'll have to tote feed from down to the next valley ."
'Tm right sorry, Matt."
But Matt Haines was a hard man. He believed in what he believed, so he gritted his teeth and toted feed from the next valley.
And he wasn't surprised when they told him he'd have to bring his milk way over near the county line because the men wouldn't have theirs with his. And when the snow was high and the rnads were bad , Matt couldn't carry his milk; so he cussed and swore and threw it to the hogs. All the while they never acted like neighbors should. They gravelled their roads and le£t it where Matt would have to shovel it away. So after a while Matt didn't prosper so much. But Old Matt was a hard man, so he gritted his teeth and took it all.
Spring came and the snow melted, and Old Matt and his sons set themselves to planting. They plowed and they seeded and they didn ' t bother their neighbors. Now and again Matt saw them. He saw Homer Baker, grim and stringy. He saw all his neighbors ' faces sunken and dull. They looked like moulty chickens, thin and bent. He saw that they were up at three o'clock for milking and never finished evening chores before nine o'clock . But the hurt in Matt Haines was a deep hurt, so he and his sons didn't bother their neighbors.
But one day things came to a head when Old Matt found his prize heifer, half starved over in the woods where Judd Thompson could see it. It was just before morning chores, so he sent his sons back to do the milking. With fire in his eyes he went to see Judd Thompson. As he walked his eyes became slits and his blood puckered and popped like a boiling pudding. When he reached Judd's place, his face was a clenched fist.
He finally left Judd's place and that anger was still with him. Only it was different. The fury was still there but the fire became a glow and the boil became a simmer. And no longer was it because of the valley folk. ·
When he got there they were just finishing chores. They never looked at him and so he thought they were angry . He watched them work. There was no joy in their tasks. Every breath was a battle, every step was a struggle . He saw their dried-up bodies and their stricken faces, and his heart hurt
[ 9 J
him They never spoke, they never smiled, they never laughed.
He approached Judd slowly and spoke in low tones to him.
" Judd, I've a piece of my mind to tell to ya."
Judsl didn ' t look at him.
" Yuh ain't actin' neighborly like you should. Now I know how you feel about that drought and all , but at least I never went out of my way to do you any harm. Now Judd, I'm talkin ' like a neig hbor and . . . "
Then Matt got a little frightened. The kind of fear that's way deep inside and then gets bigger and beats against your ribs and pounds into your head. Matt tapped him on the shoulder , he yelled , he shrieked , he beat his fists on the man ' s head and Judd never noticed it. He grabbed him bodily and tugged and wrestled, but he could no more stop him than you could stop a waterfall by putting your hand in front of it.
And then suddenly he didn ' t scr-eam or pound any more . He stared, horrified. Were these men? Were they cattle? Wide eyed, he followed them around to the breakfast table. He listened for the children ' s laughter, but they didn ' t laugh He waited for the mothers to hum, but they didn't hum . They sat straight and still in their chairs , always looking straight ahead . They were chickens with their heads chopped off and they hung, limp and still.
His bloodshot eyes glared at them like the noonday sun . He saw their food and he shriveled up inside. They were shadows of machines They walked like machines and they worked like machines. When the thistles scratched them, they never bled . When the sun scorched their skins , they ne ver sweated. They were men without hearts of men , men without the souls of men. They were chickens without their heads and they hung limp and still
Matt thought of his farm and how it used to be How the crop hopped up like crickets, and the cream so thick you had to push it through a threeinch funnel. And he remembered his neighbors and how they used to joke about the "bug in
Haines' barley" when he came to town; the bu g nobody' d ever seen . .,, .· -' "I bet Matt pays him to stay out of sight, " Ji m Morgan ' used to say. And they'd all laugh abou t the bug in Haines ' barley. And he thought abou t his wife and ·his children , and their children, an d he shuddered and he closed his eyes. He though t of twenty years in the valley. Healthy, happy, an d prosperous years. And then he thought of Jud d Thompson and the things that would curdle h is dreams, and he covered his face with his hand s He walked straight to the house and into th e kitchen.
" Lillian , I been to Judd's place. He ' s sold ou t , lock , stock , and barrel to Lawyer Sharpe. I'm kin dof scared , Lillian. "
" Matt, you've a back like a bull and hands as big as shovels and they ain't none that can ma ke you do what you hasn ' t a mind to do. "
"Now mind what you say, Lillian , it's a tou gh job lickin ' Sharpe and it'll mean dryin ' off m ore cows than we already done "
" Reckon we got to share what the good Lord gave us, Matt."
"And it ' ll mean helpin ' the valley folk an d chorin ' with 'em." ·.
"Reckon pitchin ' hay ' s worth a mite more time than sharpenin' knives, Matt. "
" And mind now Lillian , it ain ' t only till we lick the pants off Sharpe ; why I was thinkin' th at together we could get together , force feed, and sell milk cheaper. "
"Reckon Dad ' s been dead a mighty long ti me, Matt."
" Well then, what are we standin ' around fo r? There's cows to be milked and chores to be don e."
And Old Matt stomped out into the valley. He walked fast with his face set tight like he was planning all the chores for the day. And Old Mat t's heart hopped two beats ahead of his feet , 'cau se he was planninl some mighty big things.
They talk in whispers of Old Matt Haines and his farm in the valley. They talk of it like it was a Bible story, and maybe it was.
-'-'-M. LEONARD SEGAL.
HAVE YOU EVERstopped for a moment to consider just how much your religion is worth to you? At first this seems like a tr ite question, for everyone knows that all of the h igher values of life cannot be measured in terms of quantity. Yet, our religion is worthy of judgment because now, more than ever, we need to discover just what is effective in dealing with the problems of the world.
Now there are a great number of people who believe that religion is the most effective force in the world but who, for some reason, do not make it count in their own lives. Perhaps it is the wrong approach to religion to consider what we can get out of it. Perhaps the proper perspective is, of what value am I to my religion? But in either case, surely we will all agree that in order to make our religion count we must count on our religion.
Religion grows through prayer and meditation Everyone who has really prayed, everyone who has conscientiously tested the effectiveness of prayer, knows its great value. Yet, it is so easy not to pray. O ftentimes it is difficult to pray. This is true because prayer essentially involves the surrender of our wills to the will of God. It is not always easy to surrender to God. The greatest battle that any person has to fight is the battle with himself. Yet history will agree that the men who have done the grea test good for the world were men of prayer Prayer is closely related with Humility. Effective religion is based on Humility both before God and man. This involves the willingness to be taught, the desire to be helpful, and the absence of intolerance and prejudice. God has promised to exalt those who humble themselves under his mighty hand.
By nature religion is vivacious, stimulating, and joyful. We misrepresent it when we make it appear otherwise. It grows through activity and by meeting opposition, just as a Uving organism. Religion needs to find expression in some form or else it might appear stale and uninteresting. It centers its interest outside itself upon the greater needs of the world. It harnesses the individual to work for some goal, some purpose in life. It assumes a denial of self and may lead to self-sacrifice
If religion is all of this, why do we need to do anything to make it count? Why will it not count by itself without our help? The answer is that it is a false conception to think that the world belongs entirely to God This is our world as well as God's world. He made it for us ( or us for it) with enough in likeness -to His image that we do have a part in its affairs . He expects us to use what rationality we have and to do the best we can with what we know. He carries on much of His work through human hands. Therefore, God needs our help in running the world.
Faith in God is a human as well as a divine affair. God cannot force a Faith. He seeks to lead us in spiritual growth, but we can limit His power in our . own lives and in world affairs by refusing to co-operate with Him. If we lack in faith, it is our own fault. We have no right to blame God for it.
God never fails to grant a Faith sufficient for the need to those who are submissive to Him. But submission is necessary before He can act. Likewise, Religion is only effective when it is allowed to count, whether it be in a world congress, in a factory, in a home, in a meat market, or on a college campus.
-BAINE HARRIS
The Star On twinkling feet Came out and kissed the moon; , Then tumbled down the Milky Way To Earth.
-ELLEN LARGENT.
[ 11]
There is no quiet like the quiet that I feel surge through the woods before a storm, When all the restless creatures cease to chat, And tired wings seek shelter that is warm. The lake has on a gray and stilted face, Wide trees stand mute like over-pranced old steeds; The shore is edged with foamy, ragged lace, And haunted stillness frames the rigid reeds. The pulse within the woods is sound asleep, A fear stirred by the quiet chills my brain, • Then suddenly I feel a joyous leap As peals of thunder spur on1eager rain. And as the lightning tears the clouds apart, The woods recover with a -pounding heart.
-PATTI BLACK.
[ 12]
Him: "Do you osculate?"
Her: "Waddaya think I am-a pendulum?"
-Mis-A-Sip.
People who live m glass houses shouldn't.
Professor of Economics: "You boys today want to make too much money. Why, do you know what I was getting when I was married?"
Voice from rear: "No, and I'll bet you didn't either."
-Mis-A-Sip.
Sign near Westhampton College: Sharp curves.
Grandpappy Morgan, a hillbilly of the Ozarks, had wandered off into the woods and failed to return for supper, so young Toliver was sent to look for him. He found Grandpappy standing in the bushes.
" Getting dark, grandpap," the tot ventured.
" Yep."
" Supper-time, grandpap." (tYep."
" Airn' t ye hungry?"
" Yep."
" Well, air ye comin' home?"
" Nope."
" Well, why ain't ye?"
" Standin' in a b' ar trap."
-Mis-A-Sip.
" Sure our coffee looks like mud! It was ground this morning."
-Mis-A-Sip.
"That's a nice suit, Joe. How much was it?"
"A hundred and ten dollars."
"Isn't that kind of expensive?"
"Oh, I don't know, I got fifteen pairs of pants with it."
-Stanford Chapparral.
Proud parent on meeting new first grade teacher: "I am very happy to know you, Miss Smith. I am the father of ,the twins you are going to have next September."
-The Log.
Funeral Director (to aged mourner): "How old are you?"
''I'll be ninety-eight next month."
"Hardly worth going home, is it?"
-The Log.
WEATHERFORECAST:Thunder showers Friday, probably followed by Saturday.
-The Garnet.
"Can you tell me the name of the dean?"
"No, I'm just a football player here."
-Mis-A-Sip.
Irate Father: "Why were you kissing my daughter in that dark corner last night?" ·
Dubious Youth: "Now that I've seen her in the daylight I sort of wonder myself."
, -Sundial.
Stude (to prof.): "What's that you wrote on my paper?"
Prof.: "I told you to write plainer."
-Sundial
Student: "Big sale at Mayo's."
2nd: "Yeah? What is it?"
1st: "Two three-cent stamps for six cents."
"I had a rotten date last night."
"Yeah, what did you do?"
"Oh, I spit it right out."
-Mis-A-Sip.
Old Woman: "Little boy, I wouldn't kick my sister around the street, if I were you."
[ 13}
Little boy: "Oh, it's all right, she's dead."
By KENNY BUTLER
Albums: Two of the best albums waxed in the past few months are the Beneke-Miller Prom Date and Les Brown ' s Sentimental Journey. Beneke brings to the music public a collection of college songs orchestrated for dancing, but much more enjoyable for listening. Gary Stevens sings "The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" backed by the deep string section of the orchestra. On the reverse side is the famous " Washington and Lee Swing." Record number two has the traditional "Alma Mater " which is changed from the organ effect opening into a danceable beat by the string section. On the back is a typicaE Miller arrangement with the full band backing the M?onlight Serenaders' vocal on "The Eyes of Texas." Both sides of the third record belong strictly to Tex Beneke. On " Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech," Tex takes the lyrics backed by the Serenaders . Backing this is the Naval Academy ' s "Anchors Aweigh" featuring Beneke ' s terrific tenor sax . Concluding this fine album are two of the country's best-known college songs , "On Wisconsin" and the "Notre Dame Victory March ," which show the excellent balance and brilliance of this top-flight band. Brown ' s Sentimental Journey album naturally features the ever-popular "Sentimental Joi:i.rney"with blonde Doris Day in the vocal spotlight. ·"Mexican Hat Dance," one of Les' best instrumentals, is outstanding, along with "Out of Nowhere" and "Daybreak Serenade." Butch Stone's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" could have been replaced by any Brown tune and not have been missed.
Notes on the Notable: After a six-month layoff due to illness, Stan Kenton is back with his band. They opened at Balboa Beach ·the first of
October. ... June Christy, Kenton's former vocalist, is now doing a single around the supper club circuit. . . . Thornhill is now packing them in at the Hotel Pennsylvania after completing a musical short for Warner Brothers patterned after those Beneke and Kenton made last spring . . . . After a year of combo work, Woody Herman is back waving a baton. He will present -the new "herd" to West Coast fans November 1st. . . . Don ' t miss Sinatra and Martin in their fine arrangements of "Ain'tcha' Ever Comin' Back?" Tony backs his with "Too Marvelous for Words," while Frank does "I Have But One Heart." ... Vaughn Monroe adds anoth er hit to his already lengthy list with "I Wish I Didn't Love You So " On the reverse side is the too often recorded "Tallahassee. " . . . Check Margaret Whiting's "What Are You Doing New Year ' s Eve? " She pairs this with "Don't Tell Me." "The Eve" may take its place with "White Christmas" as another hit on the holiday hit parade. . . . Elliot Lawrence's arrangement of "The Echo Says 'No' " makes fo r easy listening, as does his " Near You, " which is by far the best arrangement yet waxed-composer' s included .. . Tommy Dorsey and Pau l Whiteman have joined the ever-increasing list of disc jockeys. TD has an hour show each weekda y afternoon during which he not only spins th e discs, but also comments on them. Whiteman 's outstanding feature is his weekly hit parade formulated from the numerous reports from the man y Paul Whiteman fan clubs. Jerry Gray, Miller's former arranger, is now fronting his own ban d which sounds more like the "old master" tha n Miller himself .... Doris Day is soon to appea r in Melody in High C for Warner Brothers. Dori s is one of the best-liked and most vivacious of the newcomers to the screen. If her acting is half as good as her singing, she'll be terrifi c. . .. Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden hav e just cut "Jack-Armstrong Blues" and "Rocki n ' Chair." These two were backed by an all-st ar group which included such greats as Budd y Hackett, Al Casey, and Cozy Cole. . . . Late st King Cole releases include "Naughty Angeline " and "I Miss You So." . . . Ellington has just finished a collection of blues records which includ es such favorites as "Memphis Blues" with Johnn y Hodges' weird sax screaming the lead; "St. Louis Blues," an old Ellington stand-by; and "Drawin gRoom Blues," an Ellington-Strayhorn original.
[ 14]
Claude Thornhill: "Dancy" is the way to describe the music of Claude Thornhill. Achieving a symp h onic effect by the use of flutes and French horns, h e is giving the dance world the type of music it wants. Claude started to study music at the age of four, and gave his first concert two years later. T ha t same year he headed his own eight-piece orches tra which played for ice cream socials in Terre H aute, Indiana. After finishing high school he stu died at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and late ; attended the Curtis Institute in Baltimore. It w as while in Baltimore that his fine arranging abilities were developed. After leaving the conservatories he wanted to b·reak into a band rather than hit the concert trail; h~wever, Hal Kemp, ha ving heard of his talent for arranging, offered him a job scoring for the Kemp outfit. From there he w ent to Goodman, Crosby, Spivak, and Miller. In 1940 he organized •his own band after interviewing hundreds of mu;icians in an attempt to form a well-balanced crew In the manner of all new bands he rehearsed about sixty melodies which he ha d arranged, and then started his climb to the top. Just as the band started to catch on, Claude enlist ed in the Navy. But he could not get away fro m music, and after the completion of his boot train ing he was assigned to front The Rangers, one of the outstanding musical groups of the Navy W ith this band he toured the entire Pacific area an d made thousands of friends. After his discharge he and his newly wed wife traveled 13,000 miles, covering the southern United States, California , and Mexico. When they returned to New York, Helen, Mrs Thornhill, was ready to set out again. This •is typical of her spirit about the onenigh ters and tours which the Thornhill aggregation plays. No matter where Claude plays, Hoboken or Los Angeles, the "Mrs ." is with him. The best summation of the Thornhill crew is the one recently given by The Billboard, a critical trade magazine: "It has everything, fine vocals, danceability, imagination, tootler ability , a \som1d', a well -r ounded book, and a talented leader."
Classics, Light and Otherwise: To many the name Ravel brings to mind one composition, "Bolero." Undoubtedly this is his most famous ~ork, but 'La Valse is approaching it in popularity. This composition was sketched during World · War I , and was completed in 1920, giving a ·per£ect picture of the type of work done by a brilliant mind during this period. Following the lead of the Strauss waltzes it unrolls waltz after waltz in all of the forms possible It is a work which has on the surface the brilliant gaiety of a glamorous era , but deep in it there is the bitterness and depression of war and its aftermaths. The Victor album is done by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with Pierre Monteux conducting, and it is well done. Monteux conducted at the first performance of this work in Boston in 1922. If you like to buy your records one at a time rather than in albums, don ' t miss "Polka and Russian Dance " from The Age of ,Gold Ballet. This offering of Shostakovich : is really something to hear. You will probably not like it at first, but try it a few times before giving final judgment. It is fascinating with its seeming discords, gayness and spirit. Part of it seems very close to Offenbach's Gaite Parisienne collection, but we can forgive that as it has happened to other composers during their creative stints On the other side of this Victor record is De Falla's "Spanish Dance No. l." This side of the record which reposes in my collection is almost unscarred This is due not to a dislike for one side, but rather to a fatal fascination for the other side. The Polka is done by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Golschmann.
. . . If you ' like Grieg you will like his Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra. When you go looking for it be certain to get the Columbia album. Walter Gieseking handles the piano in masterful f;i.shion, beautifully backed by the Berlin State Opera Orchestra conducted by Hans Rosbaud. The album done by Rubinstein with the Philadelphia -Orchestra under Ormandy is not done with as milch feeling. Some of the followers of Rubinstein will beat their chests and tear,,.their hair at this heresy, but my vote is still cast for Gieseking
15 J
DID YOU EVER TRY HARD, so very hard to concentrate on every word the professor said, and did you find that your mind just refused to be attentive? For example:
"And now, class, take the leaves on that tree out there; did you ever . . ?"
"Well,-you know, prof, now that you mention it, I never did realize what unusual leaves they are. And such a day !-Much too pretty to be wasting away while I'm in this d---class. Why did I ever come to school, anyway?! Gee, I'd give anything to be playing tennis right now. I wonder if I brought my racket down from home ?-Great Cesar's ghost, I know I didn't. I'U have to write mother for it. I can see Mom right now-bet she's baking a luscious chocolate cake. She always does on Friday. Gosh, I almost forgot to ask Beckie if she's going to town with me tomorrow after class. I simJ?ly must get a new dress before the dance next week end. If that cute guy in Chemistry doesn't come across with an invite, I'll just have
/Continued from page 5)
rather than a liability; which will command respect rather than provoke jeers, and which will be an honor ra,ther than a reproach, to our fighting teams?
In the event my suggestion is not kindly received, I should like to say this: As an alumnus, I shall try to turn a deaf ear to the jeers of those who deride our "time honored tradition." And when you undergraduates join the ranks of the alumni and sit where you can hear the remarks of the public, I hope you will be spared the embarrassment, which others have suffered. If you wish to be insured against that embarrassment, change the name. I have sufficient confidence in the judgment and good taste of a future generation to believe that some day it will be changed. Why not now? Why not take credit for this forward step yourselves?
fits. All the girls would die if I showed up with him.
"Gee, I never noticed before, but that freshman in front of me has peroxided her hair. I wonde r how she got in here-I'll have to wash mine thi s afternoon so it'll be dry before I go out tonight. I wonder where we'll go--not to another movie , I hope. That show we saw Sunday was prett y good. The setting was so different-a little fishing village. That's what I'd like to 'have right now, a hot deviled crab.-1 wonder how the crab got its name? That would make a good question. 'Whic h came first, the prof or the crab?' I never did lik e that guy. How on earth did I get him for thi s course anyway!? I'll never pass, and at that rat e I'll never get out of this place.-1 wonder at wh at rate of speed the earth moves around the sun?I'll bet I could get a good sunburn today. All I had is fading now. I should still be at the beach. -Huh? Sir? Did you call on me? Why do th e maples shed their leaves in winter and the pin es not? Ah-h, gee, I don't know. Yes, sir, I was listening. I just didn't quite grasp your last stat ement."
-JOYCE PARRISH
/Continued from page 6)
as Chemistry laboratory, Zoology laboratory, and chapel, until a new Chemistry building was completed in 1927.
After the completion of the Cannon Memor ial Chapel in November of 1929, the building was made into a college auditorium, which it remain ed until the invasion of the playmakers who chang ed its name to the Playhouse.
Although we should honor the old Playhouse for its old age, colorful history, and years of service to the college, it falls far short of meeting the auditorium needs of a fast-growing university with a total of more than four thousand students and a Chapel which seats only eight hundred and fifty. May the day soon come when all of the wood en structures that mar the beauty of our campus are removed and replaced by buildings adequate for our needs.
-BAINE HARRIS, [ 16]
Mohair Moron, the upholsterer's son, was found huddled up and shivering in his refrigerator one day. He explained by say ing , "I was th-thirsty for a P-pepsi-C-cola and was t-told it shou ld bed-drunk when co ld. Now I can drink it. I'm c-c-cold!"
You don't ha ve to be a moron to write these but it helps. $2 for each accepted we'll pay you, and not a penny more.
Sing a , ong of sixpence, pockets foll of dough. Here's the way you'll get it from Pepsi -C ola Co. Make us laugh .•. if you can. We 'll pay you $1, $2, $3 as much as 5315for stuff we accept - and print. Think of it. You can retire. (As early as Q P. M. if you like.) You don't have to me ntion Pepsi-Cola but that always
If you· r e a "he" or a "she" (as we suspect) writing HE-SHE jokes should be a cinch for you. If you're not a "he" or a "s he " don't bother. Anyway, if you"re c razy enough to give us gag s like these, we might he crazy enough to pay y ou a few bucks for them. *
He: G ive me a kiss and I'll buy you a Pe p s i-Cola ... or something.
She: Co rr ection. Either you'll buy me a Peps i ... or nothing!
He: li e n a man leans forward eagerly, lips parted, thirsting for lov eliness, do n ' t you know what to do?
She: Su r e , give him a Pepsi-Cola.
He ghos t : I'm thirsty. Let's go haunt the Pepsi-Cola plant. She ghos t: That's the spirit! *
$_3.00 ( three bucks) we pay for stuff like th i s . if printed. We are not a shame d of ourselves, either!
(age 16 to 19 plus)
A famous sage has said that people are fu · al]nn,er, t han anybody. If that were true, you d have to do would he listen to what the k1"dd· · · · d 1es are saymg, wnte it own, seud tt in, and we'd buy it. If that were true It h h h · mig t e, for all we know. We .iveu t t he slightest idea what we'll ac-
makes us smile. So send in your jokes, gags I and no bottle tops to Easy Money Dept., Pepsi-Cola Co., Long Island City, N. Y. I
The very next day you may receive a I de-luxe radio-phonograph combination and I a nine-room prefabricated house. It won't he from us. We'll just send you money if I we feel lik e it Easy Money, too. I
> At the end of the year we're going > to review all the st uff we buy, and > the item we think was best of all is going to get an extra $100.00
This is easier than taki:1g ca:1dy away from a bal, y And less squawking. Maybe you don ' t want to be ri c h, but just force yourself. You ' ll like it. And, if we like the title you write for this cartoon we ' ll force ourself to give yon $5. Or if yon send us your own cartoon idea we'll up it to $10. For a cartoon that you draw yourself, we ' ll float a loan and send you $15 if we print it. Could you expect any more? Yes, you could expect.
cept. Chances are it would he things like these unless we get some s ense.
"My George, who will just he 17 on next Guy Fawkes Day, had his appendix removed last month. When the doctor asked him what kind of stitching he'd like to have, George said, 'suture self, doctor'."
"Elmer Treestump says his girl Sagebrush, only 22¼, brings a bottle of Pepsi-Cola along on every date for protection. She tells everybody, 'that's my Pop!"' $ 1 each for acceptable stuff like this.
