College News, 1914-10-29, Vol. 01, No. 05

              The College News
Volume  I.     No.  5
BRYN  MAWK,  PA., (KTOBKK  29,  HH4
Price .") Cents
CALENDAR
THURSDAY,  OCTOBER  29
7.80�Budget   Mooting of  the  Christian
Association.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
8 P. M.�Laiiti-rn Night.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
10 A. M.�'Varsity Hookey vs. Aluimue.
SUNDAY,  NOVEMBER  1
6 P. M.�Vespers. Leader. II. Bradford,
�15.
8 P. M.�Chapel. Sermon hv the Hev. G.
B. Stewart.
WEDNESDAY,  NOVEMBER, 4
8 P. M.�Miss Palmer's Mission Class.
THURSDAY,  NOVEMBER 5
4.20�Inter-class Hockey Matches begin.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER  7
10 A. M.�'Vanity vs. Germantown.
/8P. M.�Banner N itiltt
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
G P. M    Vespers.    Leader, A. P. Smith,
�10.
8 P. M.�Chapel. Preacher. The Rev. P.
Merrill.
SUNDAY, NOVEM8ER 15
6 P. M.�Veapirs.   Leader, K. Chambers,
�11.
8 P. M.�Chapel.      � Preacher,   Dr.   II.
Lubeck.
We hear that our subscribers have hit
upon a new method of economizing, that
they are buying one copy of the "College
News" for each corridor. We are glatl,
of course, that the "News" is appreciated
even to the extent of one copy per cor
rldor. But we would remind you that tIn-
paper cannot be run on a purely altru-
istic basis. In as small a college as ours,
the support of every member is necessary
to keep a weekly going. If you really find
the "College News'" useful, it is very false
economy to form the habit of reading
your neighbor's copy, for if the habit be-
comes too general, there may be in time
no neighbor's copy on which to depend
We must again use our editorial col-
umn to ask for the second kind of rapport
which you can give us. The amount of
worK*in getting out a weekly is sufficient
to keep a number of people busy. The
staff must be large and the work much
subdivided that the burden may not fall
too hard on anyone. If you are a friend
of the "News" you can show us no better
evidence of your interest than by visiting
the office immediately and offering your
services either for reporting or the busi-
ness enW. If you can give up a half hour
a week, writing up a lecture or a meeting
or addressing mailing copies, you will be
helping us. We mean this for 1'nderclass-
men especially. It is hoped the lower
classes will want lo continue the work
begun by the "News" this year. If next
year you would like to be on the board
or do editorial work. O Freshman or
Sophomore or Junior! come out and re-
port this year.
MEETING OF PRESIDENT THOMAS AND THE
STUDENTS CONCERNING THE
ATTENDANCE RULE
President Thomas opened the meeting
held on Thursday, October 22, by giving
the Faculty's reason for making the new
rule regulating attendance at lectures.
She said that over 43 per cent, of the
student body took eight or more unex
cused cuts during the first semester,
1913-14. The faculty committee had con-
sidered the question carefully, taking into
account the systems in other colleges.
Henceforth, moreover the numerical
grades shall be given in all examinations.
In this way the student may know how
much her mark was changed on account
of her cuts.    This regulation will be tried
for at least two years. If it does not work
well, it will be simple to alter it. Presi-
dent Thomas emphasized especially that
"a Bryn Maw,r degree means four years
attendance on lectures as well as passing
final examinations eight limes a year. IT
we did not believe this we should not be
a reald�BCe college." She closed by say
ing. "I want you. as all past students of
Itryn Mawr College to realize that that is
what I care about, what the Faculty cares
about -the standard of work and we all
desire the same thing. And just because
we care so much, the Faculty felt it could
not let the altitude shown by some un-in
bers of the student body -could not let It
go without trying to turn the tide in the
other direction, and if the tide is turned
I shall be most happy to take away any
restriction which this seems to have im-
posed."
In regard to the student Council, Presi-
dent Thomas said, "It has never been con-
sulted about Faculty regulations. Many
of the Faculty do not know of its exist-
ence. It was organized by the two Deans
of the College and myself in order to gel
your help in administrative questions,
We invited representatives of this body
to meet us at rather long intervals lo dis
CUM such college matters as residence
halls, the library, office administrations of
Faculty, improvements and abuses of the
various executive offices, all things in
which we thought the students could lie of
great help. We have never brought fac-
ulty matters before the Council. Nothing
was further from my wish than to dTTany-
thing opposed to the rights of the lOun
cil."
The   undergraduate   speakers   included
H. Taft. D. Shipley. H. Bradford.  II    Kv
�    V
erett, M. G. Brownell, A. Hornberger, M.
ltussell,. F. Hatton. The points made by
the undergraduates during the discussion
may be summed up briefly. The students
declared that they felt the need of a cer-
tain number of free unexcusedscuts for
tnree reasons: First, because girls who
are not very strong are often obliged to
cut their lectures and to sea the doctor
for every sick headache, is a "galling re-
striction"; secondly, there are times
when a student feels'it of more profit to
spend a continuous length of time on one
subject rather than to go to her olasses;
thirdly, since a student cannot feel her-
self entirely separated from the outside
world there are limes when she must ful-
fill certain family obligations. The sta-
tistics of cutting in the past do not give
quite 'he right Imprnsnlnni since many of
the cuts registered as "unexcused" Plight
have been excused had the students taken
the trouble to see the office about them.
The undergraduates do not think that in
tellectual" training consists in being
made to attend classes regularly Before
teaching the outside world a student
should have some experience in responsi-
bility and self-dependence, which � hoard-
ing school life denies her. The under-
graduates feel that they are old enough
to have the right of discrimination. The
lowering of academic grades for any
other reason than poor academic work
e,.ms ,, misrepresentation: If professors
liave, as it was said, lowered marks for
absence in the past in a subconscious
manner, it would seem that the lowering
of marks by the office would double the
process. So great an Innovation should
have been announced a longer time ahead
in order to give students out of sympathy
with the attitude of the College the op
port unity to go somewhere else. It
seems to the undergraduate that the Col-
lage authorities have laid too much stress
upon the extreme cases and do not real-
ize that the majority of students do not
wish to cut. Bryn Mawr has stood in the
past for freedom and individual responsi-
bility, has in this respect been "charac-
terised and differentiated" from other col-
leges. Itecause of this the Itryn Mawr
type has evolved "If the liberty and tree
dom  is changed, will DOt  the typo change
loo?"
LANTERN    NIGHT
Lantern  Night comes this rear on Fri
day, October SO,    Tickets may be bought
from any 1917 Hall Representative or at
the door that  evening.    There are no re-
.i red seats.