3

Tuesday, May 1, 1956

THE COLLEGE NEWS

ere

Page Three



te Ann Barthelmes

” Before deciding to come to Bryn
Mawr, many people probably also
applied to Mount Holyoke. For
their benefit, may I say that Bryn
Mawr is probably quite a different
experience for them than these
same years would be in South Had-
ley, Mass. I have studied at both
colleges, and feel in a position to
comment on and compare them. .
An obvious disparity is size.
Mount Holyoke has nearly 1200 un-
dergraduates. Yet in effect, this
difference amounts ~to nothing.

Faculty-student relationships are

similar, and classes are the same
size. If anything, there is more
college coherence and less dormi-
tory loyalty than here. A compli-
cated and all-enveloping “big sis-
tet” system adds to a general at-
mosphere of. friendliness -and
warmth,

Residence life there is striking-
ly different. Nearly all rooms are
double; many are single rooms
used for two students (a result of
increasing college population).
There is no maid service at all.
Girls wait on table and share dish-
drying and bell duty throughout
the year. There is little mingling
between classes within’ the dorms;
and an awareness of age differ-
ences exists, particularly between
freshmen and-séniors. ©

The housemother ig a very prom-
inent and ubiquitous figure. One
must dress for breakfast, and wear
heels Wednesday nights and Sun-
days at dihner. The latest one can
stay out is 1 a.m. on Saturday
nights, 12:00 Fridays and Sundays,
and_11_p.m. other nights. Fresh-
men may spend only five nights
away from the college first semes-
ter and seven the second. Consid-
ering these and many other regula-
tions, I think Bryn Mawr gives us
greater freedom and a more gen-
uinely adult approach to college
years.

The status of religion is differ-
ent at Holyoke than here. .Many
students do their major work in
the religion department. Grace is
sung before all meals. Church at-
tendance is required six Sunday
mornings per semester and chapel
attendance at 8:05 a.m., three
times every two weeks. There are
Sqnday evening vespers. These
services draw everyone to the
chapel which is, perhaps, the most
beautiful and prominent building
on campus. There is considerable
student antagonism toward the va-
rious forms of religious imposition.
—especially among Jewish girls.
It must be remembered that the
school still carries the strong re-
ligious undercurrent fostered by its
founder mab 2 4k Mary Lyon)
in 1837.

Physical location is an important
point of contrast between BMC and
MHC. Although both colleges have



N
































Barthelmes Finds Brun Mawrters
‘Differ From Mt. Holyoke Students

lovely large campuses, one might
say that the latter is truly in the
country while the former is sub-
urban in its proximity to.a cultural
city. If desired, concerts, museums,
and theaters are accessible to us
at any time. The town of South
Hadley (a small block of stores
and a P.O.), nearby Amherst,
Northampton, and Springfield offer
nothing substantial in this line, and
it is impossible to travel to Boston
or New York and back in a day.

To. compensate, however, the col-
lege has an excellent lecture and
concert series. Last year, Norman
Thomas, Harold Stassen, Alfred
Kazin, ‘Robert’ Frost, Eugene Isto-
min, Andres Segovia and The
Cleveland Symphony Orchestra
were-guests. Despite this, the iso-
lated location is a definite lack for
someone accustomed to the many
delights and quick eters of
a city.

The curriculum of MH is anak
broader and more varied than at
Bryn Mawr; five units are taken
per semester the first two years.
However, Mount Holyoke is less
thorough in its particular courses.
Especially is this notable in “baby”
courses. A more solid and inten-
sive foundation is laid for us here
in our introductory work. There
is, however, an advantage in hav-
ing a wider scope of background
from which to choose the major
subject,

Differences in student attitude
and college atmosphere are evident
in the two institutions. At MH,
collegiateness and conformity pre-
vail over slightly taboo individual-
ity. Bryn Mawr, on the other hand,
concentrates on individuality and
tends to allow it to spill over even
more than it should in what is
sometimes a_ self-conscious form.
At Holyoke, social life and dating
occupy a much more dominant part
of the college life. No one need sit
home on a Saturday night. In
most campus corners “intellectual”
conversation, like individuality, is
taboo and, when it does crop up,
it is usually among a small group
of rebellious “‘pseudoes” or quasi
scientists.

Holyoke is a close-knit, friendly
college, rich in community, enthus-
iasm and spirit. Its students are
vital, youthful and intelligent. Col-
lege life overflows and carries with
it a good solid brand of learning.
The student “emerging from it is
well-rounded. Bryn Mawr, on the
other hand, is primarily a scholars’
institution less interested in well-
roundedness. Its spirit is that of
the individual, the enthusiastic stu-
dent, and the thinker. If, at times,
this is distorted into an unhealthy
egoism, a drowned or mutilated
femininity, and a pompous I.Q., it
is an injustice to the college and
certainly is not advocated.

A. C. Rich To Read
Her Poems At BM

Adrienne Cecile Rich, who is con-
sidered by many to be one of the
best younger poets writing today,
will read selections from her works
on Thursday, May 3 at 5 p.m. in

While Miss Rich was still at
Radcliffe, her first volume, A
Change of World (1951) was chos-
en for publication in the Yale Ser-
ies of Younger Poets. In 1952 she
was awarded a Guggenheim Fel-
lowship for ‘travel and study in
Europe, and in 1955 she published
a second book,. The Diamond Cut-
ters, and Other Poems.

Her work appears frequently in
The New Yorker and other period-
icals.

Senator Fulbright
To Talk At BMC

The Honorable J. William Ful-
bright will speak in Goodhart Hall
on May 7. His lecture, “The Place
of the Senate in our Government,”
is sponsored by the Alliance for
Poltical Affairs.

Senator Fulbright is a graduate
of the University of Arkansas and
holds a degree from Oxford Uni-
versity. At the commencement of
his career, he practiced law in
Washington, D, C. and then serv-
ed as special attorney for the Anti-
Trust Division of the U. S, Depart-
ment of Justice. He lectured in law
at the University of Kansas, and
was president of that university
from 1939-41. He was a member
of the 75th Congress and since
1945 he has been in the Senate,
representing the third district of
Arkansas.

Common Treasury
To Finance League

The College Legislature, at a
meeting on April 25, voted to put
the League operating expenses un-
der Common Treasury, and. also
voted several changes in the col-
lege election system.

It was unanimously voted that
all ‘League “expenses, with the ex-
ception oF summer “camp, be~ae~
rived from Common Treasury. As
the League budget, without sum-
mer camp, is approximately $500,
this would mean a maximum in-
crease of $1.00 per person on Com-
mon Treasury dues, which now
‘stand at $6.50.

Anita Kaplan, League President,
urged that discussion on the value
and operating procedures of sum-
mer camp be reserved for next fall.
The League is able to finance the
camp -this summer, and plans are
already under way for it. The
camp budget is generally $3,000,
part of which comes from soda
fountain profits, but the bulk of
which has come from the League
Activities drive. It is felt by some
that a reevaluation of summer
camp is needed; that if the camp
is to be continued, a new method
of financing it would have to be
devised.

The Legislature also voted that
upperclass hall representatives to
League, Alliance and AA be elect-
ed-in the spring rather than in the
fall. However, upperclass hall reps
to Chapel Commitee will continue
to be elected in the fall.

Some discussion arose as to the
advisability of having freshman
hall reps to the organizations
elected by the freshmen only, in-
stead of by the entire hall. How-
ever, it was voted to continue all-
hall elections. It was also decided
to let the various organizations
determine when the fall hall elec-
tions would be held.

. Changes in the straw-ballot elec-
tion system were discussed. It
was voted that candidates for the
presidency of Self-Gov be given
the opportunity to discuss their
beliefs and plans for Self-Gov,
whether through written state-
ments, mock cases, or discussion
groups,

~ It was decided that the question
of weighted straw ballots would
be discussed in the halls. Other

Wyndham. +--+ >> election “Ghanges that were meén-

tioned for further thought- were
the presentation of all-college
elected candidates, other than
presidential candidates, and open-
ing the presidency of AA to a
sophomore-junior.



The proposed increase in the
size of the College is 10% not
100% as reported in last week’s
College News.





Copies of her books are avail-
able in the Bookshop. -





Visits To Father

by Eve Pollak

Following its policy of introduc-
ing students to many different
forms of worship, Chapel Commit-
tee has this spring. sponsored two
trips to Father Divirie’s Circle
Mission Church in Philadelphia.

We began one of our visits by
attending a devotional service,
which opened with Scripture read-
ings by Mother Divine. After the
Scriptures, various followers arose
and talked on religious topics or
gave testimonials as to the benefits
they had derived from theif belief.
Between each of the statements,
the followers joined in singing
rhythmic songs in praise of Father
Divine. These ‘songs were so
catchy that we Bryn Mawrters, who
had come strictly out of curiosity,
found ourselves’ tapping our feet
and humming or singing along.

At the banquet, Father and
Mother Divine sat at the head of
the table and passed down im-
mense quantities of many varieties
of delicious food. We were all im-
pressed by the grandeur of this
meal and by the efficiency with
which all details of serving and
clearing were carried on. Through-
out the dinner, many followers
stood around the table singing
songs-and giving. tactimaniale_

The visits served a far greater
purpose than mere entertainment.
The worshippers were very willing
to reveal their whole philosophy
of life and religion to us, and many
of us were impressed by a number
of facts which emerged.

The final goal of Father Divine
is to achiéve world peace. The first
of his programmatic aims is to
achieve brotherhood. The policy
includes the peaceful striving for
integration and absolute accept-
ance of all peoples. The move-
ment is international, with both col-
ored and white followers through-
out the world. Secondly, Father
Divine insists upon obedience to
the government, His followers
served faithfully during the war,
and all pay taxes regularly. In fact,
honesty is so stressed, that, over
the years, his followers have paid
back to the government the money
they accepted on relief during the
depression, That they may be able
to pay these debts, he has estab-
lished’schools at which they can
be trained for various occupations.
All who have ever had occasion to



President Appoints
Katherine McBride

President Eisenhower has. ap-
pointed President McBride as one
of 31 members to his Committee on
Education Beyond the High School.
In announcing plans for creating
this committee in his January State
of the Union message, Eisenhower
said he wanted the group “to lay
before us all the problems of edu-
cation beyond the high school in
order to encourage active and sys-
tematic attack” on such problems.
The first meeting of this group
took place on Friday, April 27.

Miss McBride is a member of
the American Council on Educa-
tion, and was. chosen on October

the first woman to become chair-
man since 1925, and the second
woman ever to hold that position.

>



Since there has been such an
extensive program of repairs to
the tennis courts, the Gym De-
partment would like to request
that they be used properly.

The use of the courts is re-
served for students, faculty and
staff only, They have the right
to ask anyone else to leave.

' Tennis shoes must be worn on
the courts, — Th







/



Divine’s Church

Are Of Interest To Brun Mawirters

work with or supervise followers
of Father Divine claim them to be
thorough and dependable workers.

Father Divine’s program for sal-
vation includes keeping the body
and soul pure. This requires a life
of abstinence from liquor, cigar-
ettes, and sexual activity. Relig-
ious experience is the substitute for
these more mundane pleasures. His
method for maintaining the respect
of these people is to live the god-
like life which he preaches.

‘Most of his followers appear to
be people from the bottom rung of
the social ladder. To these people
he gives social acceptance and
hope. In him and his program his
followers have found a purpose for
life and a source of happiness. Re-
gardless of the cynicism with which
we may view his claim. that he is
God and regardless of our opinions
on the doctrine of celibacy through-
out life, we cannot help but mar-
vel at the fervor with which the
people believe in him and follow
his teachings. For his followers,
Father Divine hag filled some im-
portant needs which otherwise so-
ciety might have been called upon
to supply. Much of his program
is in line with what the world to-
day is trying to achieve.

These visits have provided us
“wrtn sisignt in iivo™ Ware reves: ara
mechanics of the movement. It is
important that we understand and
appreciate all that he is doing,
though we remain aware of the
fallacies and shortcomings of the
system, as well. The experience
of the visits was an educational and
enlightening one, showing a man-.
ner of life with which we were
quite unfamiliar, but which, since
it exists, it is best to recognize
and understand.

Harvard Publishes
Visual Arts Report

Mr, Sloane has brought to our
attention a book just published by
Harvard, Report of the Committee
On the Visual Arts at Harvard,
which has some interesting figures
on the study of art at the college
level in general. The committee
which made the report is composed
of distinguished ,scholars from
many fields. They sent out ques-
tionnairés to the major men’s and
women’s colleges and universities
throughout the country, receiving
forty-three answers.

Among the statistics gathered,

, there appeared the fact that Bryn

Mawr has a larger number of His-
tory of Art majors per 1000 stu-
dents than any other institution
included“ in the report.

Bryn Mawr’s figure is 25.4,
whereas Harvard has only 2.3.
Among students taking courses in,
but not majoring in, History of
Art, Bryn Mawr boasts a smaller
number than do several other col-
leges such as Vassar and Smith.
This does not include our Archaeol-
ogy Department, however, which
the other schools lack.

In geographic terms, the North-
eastern schgols were found to have
fewer dents in practical art
courses than do the Midwestern

9, 1955, to head that group, She-is|and Southern colleges and universi- —

ties. As to Harvard itself, the com-
mittee found a need for greater
emphasis upon the creative arts,
especially those of the theatre.
They suggested that a new build-
ing be erected (at an estimated
cost of $6,000,000) with a view to
increasing artistic activity at Har-
vard.

Mr. Sloane feels that the report
should be considered good “food
for thought,” although certain of
its conclusions are debatable. As
yet. there is no indication of what
Harvard’s action will be on the sub-



ject.