Page Two

THE COLLEGE NEWS

 

 

THE COLLEGE NEWS

FOUNDED IN 1914

 

Published weekly during the College Year (except during Thanks-

ving, Christmas and Haster holidays, and during examination weeks)

in\the interest of Bryn Mawr College at the Ardmore Printing Company,
Ardmore, Pa., and Bryn Mawr College.

\

 

The College News is fully protected by copyright. Nothing that
appears in it may be reprinted either wholly or in part without per-
mission \of the Editor-in-Chief.

 

Editorial Board
\ Joan McBriwe, ’52, Bditor-in-chief

JANE AUGUSTINE, "2 PAULA STRAWHECKER, ’52, Copy
JOANNA SEMEL,\’52 BARBARA JOELSON, ’52, Make-up
FRANCES SHIRLEY, *53

. Editorial Staff.

Pee EMMY. CADWALADER, 52 MARGIE COHN, 752.
PATRICIA Murray; "52 Junie ANN JOHNSON, ’52.
4) JupirH Konowrtz, ’51 _Mary-BERENICE ‘Morris, .’52
4... Fipeem Karz, “53°03 :

Staff Photographers
FRANCINE \Du PLEssix, *52
cory +p SUE, BRAMANN, 752

fo "= * “Business Maitagers

y -TAMA SCHENK, ’52 & Mary Kay Lacxritz, ’51
pros esis To ene Business Staff .
Lita Hann,’ ’52: BarBARA GOLDMAN, ’53
JANET CALLENDER, 752 Joan\Ripps, 752
HELENE KRaMEX, 753 BETTY \ANN SCHOEN, ’51

~-
core

Subscription, $3.00 Mailing price, $3.50
Subscriptions may begin at any time

 

 

Entered as second class matter at the Ardmore, Pa., Poss Office
Under Act of Congress August 24,\1912

 

 

 

Academic Pressure And A

Healther Attitude

It is generally agreed on eampus that there is ‘a definite
Bryn Mawr tradition of individualism: each one to\his own
lifeboat, and if there aren’t enough lifeboats to go around, let
the rest of those on board sink or swim. This attitude is evi-
‘dent in every phase of college life. There is no college spirit ;
attendance.at-step-singing and. similar affairs must be eked
out of the smal] group who are bored with bridge, and seek
‘another méans of diversion. There is little class spirit; the
little that, does exist is evidenced half-heartedly in Freshman
Show, ‘Maids ‘and. Porters and Sophomore Carnival, and Jun-
jor, Show. fais ae
:». ‘Phis cold and introverted state of mind is commonly
blamed upon the academic system, and the need of rigid se-
clusion for survival. Regardless of how much bearing the
academic rigidity may have upon the situation, such a state
of mind is unhealthy. This has been made obvious by the
more outstanding cases of nervous fat?gue during the year.
Two solutions, one actual and one potential, have been men-
tioned to remedy this situation.

The consulting psychiatrist is already present on cam-
pus ; a-consulting religious counselor has been proposed. The
objections to these solutions are obvious. The very name of
“psychiatrist” is an anathema to those who might need to

consult him, in addition to the fact that in order to consult
the psychiatrist, one must go through administrative chan-
nels. There could hardly be a religious counselor in a college
so rigorously non-sectarian as Bryn Mawr; a non-sectarian
religious counselor is an impossiblity.

There is a third possible solution, that of a personal
counselor. This has never been brought up officially, but has
often been discussed among the students. A personal coun-
selor is a definite necessity, but he or she, once instated, could
not do the entire job. There must be a revision of the inter-
student relationship to provide a sympathetic background
for this work. A small group of students has proposed a
simple project to be undertaken in the short time remaining
before the end of the college year. Atfter seven months, even
those who arrived at college last fall are acquainted with at
least a plurality of their fellow undergraduates. It would
not be a hard task to say “hello” to the other students one
passes on campus, and might be the opening wedge to the
needed feeling of fellowship. This could at least be put on

trial for the remaining three weeks. With the beginnings

of a spirit which makes each individual: feel a common bond
with her fellow student, and tlie solution of the vital need
for a responsible personal counselor, whose main interest
does not lie in the student’s academic work per se but in the
l orientation, a real start could be made to

   

‘has. been a major calamity which
has given birth to two World Wars. |
. Today, however, it is acquiring also

 

|

‘press the dozen custom frontiers

 

we like.

Wednesday, May 17, 1950

 

IRC Receives Letters

Concerning World Peace
Continued from Page 1

historical events. Time has shown
what ‘they were worth. Let us
therefore consider objectively the
real situation. We have two main
roads before us: one is the union
of Strasbourg — the other one is
the Atlantic Pact; they both lead
to peace and to a better organiza-
tion of European peoples. The
milestones of the new world are
already being layed (sic.) down.
Of course, the task is a difficult
one; but at this point only blind
men — whether voluntarily or not
— can indulge in: useless talks,
speaking of Utopias.

Do you know what is actually
becoming a Utopia? The myth of
the absolute sovereignty of the
National State. This sovereignty

another character, which is even
more indefensible: it is becoming
a. historical and a moral absurdity.

The common salvation can only
be found in Unity. If we would sup-

(sic.) which are now separating
us, we Europeans would soon be-
come as rich as the United States
and we would be better furnished
of raw material than Russia is.
And what would this superadded
wealth mean? It would above all
mean this: peace; and furthermore,
for those who think in human
terms, it would mean a _ higher
standard of living for all, even in
the most distant and desolate re-
gions; a human dignity and peace
of mind extended (sic.) at last to
all the suffering folk.

The Council of Europe at Stras-
bourg, the Atlantic Pact operating
in each of the allied capitals and
— in the field of economic organi-
zation — the OEEC, all these
agencies are working earnestly
(sic.) and loyally in the direction
of this supreme and common ideal:
peace in freedom. There is one
thing which must be borne in mind
by all free peoples; it is also up to
them to act and insist. The great-
er will be the initiative taken. by
public opinions, the more expedi-

 

ent and fruitful will be, in turn,
the action taken by Government. |!
From Senator Robert A. Taft:

If we want to meet the ideology |
of Communism we must. keep this
country strong. We cannot adopt
the deadening policy of socialism
or statism or impose tremendous
taxes which destroy the very ma-
chinery which produces the taxes
necessary to fight Communism.
We cannot win by apologizing for
a free system.

The decisive struggle today is
one of ideas and not of arms. If
we can win this struggle, we need
not have another war. We cannot,
however, defeat Communism if a
lot of our own people compromise
with its basic ideas. We need to
arouse the same religious fervor
for the American Doctrine of lib-
erty and free government as the
Communists have for Communism.
In such an effort, objective study
by vigorous college minds can
throw much light where light is
badly needed. At no other time in
history has our nation had a great-
er need for the deep patriotic in-
terest of thinking people.

From George Bernard Shaw:

In reply to President Glassberg’s
EG/deh, dated the 9th _ instant,
your students can do nothing bet-
ter than to study the history of
their own country from English
versions and of English history
from American versions, and in the
light of the knowledge thus ob-
tained form their own conclusions
from the conflict of ‘lies, slanders,
and accusations, meanwhile tak-
ing such natural contacts as may
come to them as they go their own
‘ways.

Artificial contacts and contact
parties should not be attempted.
The language being common, the
contact zealots will quarrel just
as they do at home.

 

_ The better we know the worse

Incidentally

It seems that Roorit D, Taylor,
was recently the scene of great
agitation, on the day that a fac-
ulty conclave was held therein. The
faculty apparently have not learn-
ed by their experience through the
years, by watching their own aug-
ust presences in the process of. be-
ing slightly undermined by the
undergraduate sense of humor.
Due to this longstanding lack of
perception, the faculty were sur-
prised to find themselves imprison-
ed within their meeting-place by a
length of rope tying the doors firm-
ly closed. It has been rumored that
one of. the ‘more agile members of
the group departed via a window,
and heroically freed his fellows.
The key. to freedom was a _pen-

knife wielded by the rescuer, who’
left a strand of rope dangling from.

the doorknob, .a tribute: to student
valor and a momento of. student
daring.

| Le “Te
Bard’s Eye View
by Barbara Joelson, ’52
Dear Mr. President, I feel I should
tell you
Of a sad mistake in your statis-
tician’s ink:
For according to everything that I
can figure

There is one less person in the
country than you think.

It’s this ‘way: You see I went
home this weekend

And the census-taker came, with
his questions, to the door.

“How many live here?” he asked
politely,

“Well, my parents and my sister
and myself make four.”

Up to that point all seemed quite
in order,

But this morning at college, imag-
ine my surprise “

When there was the census-taker
counting noses,

And he counted mine—so the cen-
sus now lies!

Tell the World Almanac, Mr.
President,

That either statistics should be ed-
ited right away.

For they counted me twice, a
tragic error,

And there’s really one less person
in the U. S. A.

NOTICES

Essay Prize
All «manuscripts for ~the ~M.
Carey Thomas Essay Prize for
Seniors must be submitted not lat-
er than Saturday, May 20. Manu-
scripts should be turned in to the
President’s Office.
Late Luncheon
Luncheon will be served late on
Friday, May 19, to provide time
for the Class’Day speeches.

 

The long-playing recording -of
the Haydn Mass in D Minor as
performed by the Bryn Mawr
and Haverford chorus and orch-
estra has been released for sale.
The Mass is under the direction
of William Reese. The solos
are sung by Elizabeth Jean
Conner, Nancy Ludwig, Robert
Grooters, and Thomas MeNutt
The price of the record is $6.75
for chorus members and $8.00
for others.

 

 

 

NSA Regional Officers

Refuse to OK Motions
Continued from Page 1
tion from the student body of
Lincoln. Mr. Brock reiterated that
such action was “completely out
of order with the principles, pol-
itics, and practices of USNSA.”
Little was heard of the contro-
versial motions on the Bryn Mawr
campus, but at several other uni-
vertsities there was definite reac-
tion. ‘As a result the NSA head-
quarters felt it necessary to ab-
solve NSA from any part in the
resolution. . - ah

Freshness of Vision
Advised in NEWS
Criticisms

To the editor of the COLLEGE
NEWS:

I found the review of the Arts
Night Dance Production disap-
pointing and misleading. Although
it seemed to have been written sin-
cerely and _ conscientiously and
each dance was analyzed thought-
fully, it failed to convey the “lift”

that one had in viewing a success-
ful performance. I feel sorry ,for
the ‘reviewer if the first dance
seemed too complicated for her to
understand, ‘but I: question -wheth-
er she has the right to give the im-
pression to the large number of

that they were, merely “the sort
of thing the dance club should be
doing.” And if her judgment is to
be harsh, I believe that she should
not allow herself to be uneven in
her judgment.

For instance, her decision that
the Death of a Marionette was
successful and Marche Slave was
not, seemed dictated largely by her
indulgent attitude in regard to the
former and her rigid intolerance
in regard to the latter. It is high-
ly debateably whether comedy en-
ables. the artist to laugh off his
mistakes as if he intended to make
them . An artist performs at all
times with purpose and authority.
Originality of choreography can
be greatly marred by indecision of
movement and inconsistency of
concept. On the other hand, lack
of originality can be considerably

and projection of mood.
‘Originality Not Essential

I believe that the audience could
feel and enjoy the technical skill
and the serious concentration of
the dancers in Marche Slave, with-
out craving originality and novel
gesture. i

As for the reviewer’s criticism
of Rhapsody on a Windy Night, I
am amazed at her preoccupation
,with the “embarrassingly poor”
‘parts. Why does she attack the
inexperienced male dancers? Their
presence in the dance represents a
step toward a more complete real-~
ization of the possibilities of dance
composition, and I felt that they
performed with vigor and sincer-
ity. It is natural for spectators to
disagree with the choreographers.
in some respects, but her critical
reaction seemed to prevent her
from feeling that the dance as. a
whole was an exciting and success-
ful affair.

If she ¢hooses- to dissect the
dance rather than take it as a.
whole, ought she not be sure of her:
facts? She is right when she says.
that| more than a small part of a
dance’s success depends upon the
feeling within the dancer herself,
but I think she should make it
| clear that although this feeling-
will inevitably show in the facial
expression, the dancer aims to
translate her feeling into the lan-
guage of movement, of which the
facial muscles are a very small
part.

 

Need for Comprehensive Crew

And what is the reviewer’s auth--
ority for her outline of the best.
procedure of composing a dance?
Is she reviewing the end result.
with a freshness of vision or has.
she delved into the process of com-
position and decided on her own
how a dance should be composed ?
There is no rule about the number
of choreographers. The best pro-.-
cedure for adapting the music to.
the dance has not been decided
upon, but it is generally conceded
that the dance should be given pri-.
ed as an accompaniment after the:
- Continued on Page 4 —

 

people who did not see the dances ~

redeemed by fluidity of movement —

ority and the music should be add--