College News, 1928-05-09, Vol. 14, No. 24

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News
VOL. XIV.  No
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BRYN MAWR  ("AND WAYNE).  PA..   WEDNESDAY. MAY 9.1928
PRICE,
10 CENTS
________________*��_________________
TWO FAIR DAYS
GIFT OF THE GODS
Unprecedented     Success     of
This May Day Caused
by Spontaneity.
Campus at its best
A good two days they were; some
unkngwn god of chance deserves a rather
tremendous burnt offering. The campus
quivered at perfewion. for a brief mo-
ment each spring there is this perfection,
but it was a sheer miracle to have it
achieved this year on the exact, two days
of May Day, to have the sun fining to
give the right tone and color to the
achievement.
Everything was new and alive. From
the silly green fuzz on the slopes about
-Goodhart to the ven slightly, ini.re
mature cherry and dogwood blossoms,
it .was all fresh and spontaneous. And
so was the performance. Every dancer
on the green seemed really to be having
a good time; the plays completely lacked
the artificial formality which usually
falls like a pall.on dramatic productions
of any sort. People in costume wandered
about the green, lolled under the treei.
drank from bottles, drifted among the
spectators. Clothes were not 'treated
with the deferential stiffness usually ac-
corded to theatrical costumes; they were
worn unself-consciously, treated with
easy familiarity. Even at the last per-
formance, after-a hot. hard day, there
was a spontaneous enthusiasm and in-
formality about the whole thing.
Audiences Variously Enthusiastic.
This fresh spontaneity was what made
the 1928 May Day the rare and perfect
achievement that it was. All the ex-
ternal detail* were carefully correct and
finished but the inner spirit, something
on which BO director can count ahead
of time; the spirit was what caused the
unprecedented success. The audience
felt this. "The real spirit of Elizabethan
England", said one authority. What
higher tribute could be given? Large
and enthusiastic audiences they were too;
larger and more enthusiastic on Satur-
day than on Friday of course. No one
afterwards sec;.. ' "'"' � �,-;->'>.-i'^J
whai- had �been the best part of tin- per-
formance. Some liked the pageant best,
others the Green; the different plays all
had their,unquenchable enthusiasts. All
agreed that the May Queen could not
have been more charming, and that there
had never been a better Robin JHood.
Yes, it was all a huge and overwhelm-
ing success.. Bigger crowds than on any
other May Day he had seen, said Mr.
Dougherty; the best May Day since 1010
was the definite comment of many'others.
From the beginning to the end it ran off
smoothly.
Of course there were a few behind-
the-scenes incidents. The Robin Hood
cast nearly, had convulsions of agony
when the horse of Sir Richard of the
Leas reared so that it all but toppled
over backwards. The good knight stuck
on mpst nobly, however, and the audience
went into convulsions of admiration and
joy. Nor did the spectators who saw
the pageant swing by the grandstand in
perfect formation know of the frenzied
flight that took place in back of Merion.
Proud gods and goddesses humiliated,
clutching their shields and helmets, cling-
ing to the backs of wagons, lifting their
classic draperies for the mad dash.
Things like these were strictly in the
family, and the"'general public saw only
the ivory smooth exterior.
AMrs. Collins. Miss Applebee, Mr. King,
and Miss Palache deserve to have beds
of roses suspended in the semi-vacuum
which has followed the passing of the
year's big occasion. They all gave a
great deal to the college, but the college
also gave a great deal to them. The
May Day committee should consider as
its greatest achievement the surprising
and surprised enthusiasm of the under-
graduates, for the genuine enthusiasm
with which the college found itself cheer-
ing the crowning of the May Queen was
indirectly a tremendous tribute to the
committee.
An Explanation
The attention of the college has
for the past month been focused
upon itself. By concentration in-
ward we have built up a^great lUCj
cess. But now, before the renewed*
intensity of exams, it is time to
relax, to expand, and turn our
attention outward. The College
News therefore takes tins oppor-
tunity to print some of the infor-
mation which it has been accumu-
lating about other colleges and the
student world in general. We try
to print what will l>e of -speciaf
interest to the student body.: But
we thinR it only fair .to state that
we have also on file, and will pro-
duce on demand, information con- .
ceming Summer Courses for
Foreign Students at the University
of Gottingen, the International
University Cruise. Near East Re-
lief, Public Relations.o#*the East-
ern Railroads, and various other
matters.
A Glance Outside
College Papers Indicative of Spe-
cial Campus
Interests.
After reading innumerable papers from
almost innumerable colleges, we have
come to the conclusion that the best way
to comprehension of another college lies
through its newspaper. Through fre-
quent reading of that you can find out
not only most of the external, the
mechanical ' facts that lie concealed in
the catalogue, but' also the more subtle
things, such as the underlying spirit and
character of the college* And of course
the more you read, the better you under-
stand.
From  a  summary of  the   news  items
in a paper you see whaucvents are con-
sidered important at that particular place,
what matters are of greatest   interest  to
its   students.      (We   wish   to   say   here,
without  any  excuse or explanation,  but
just  so as to say it before anyone else
does,   thaf   the    Ni:ws   has   often   been j
criticized   for   its   preponderance   of   re-.
ligious   articles.)     For  example,   in   the
Stanford Daily and the Daily Nebraskan
a  large number of columns are devoted I
snorts, while in the McGill Daily and
'  TSr*m3^J^^eT^re   never!
many articles on this subject, and sojne-
times   none at  all�unless  chess tourna-
ments   be   included   in   sports.     And   of"
course this does not mean that there are i
no   sports  in   the   Canadian   universities,
or  that  there  are  no events  other than
sporting  in the   Western  universities�it
is  merely an  indication of interests.
' - Columns of Opinion Popular.
In almost all of the papers there is a
column for the expression of public
opinion; that is. for letters commenting
on college affairs. These columns, to-
gether with the editorials reflect the
thought�or lack of thought�of the stu-
dent body, and its opinion of passing
events, and existing institutions. Of
course it very often happens that these
letters are in criticism of some editorial
comment on the part of the newspaper;
this" fact gives the reader at least two
pc lints of view on the subject, two angles
for discussion. In many cases the edi-
torials are concerned with college affairs
alone, but in others, notably the Harvard,
Crimson, the Yale Keivs,, The Daily
Princclonian, and the Canadian papers
mentioned above, there is always at least
MM editorial of more than local interest.
The Harvard and Princeton papers;
have one feature that is unique in our
knowledge of college newspapers. They
publish, under the headings of The Stu-
dent Vagabond and the Third Elective,
lists of lectures. with their lecturers,
which they consider of interest to the
students generally. This could not help
but be useful and interesting, specially
in a large university, where the oppor-
tunities for hearing unusual lectures is
large. These two papers and the Yale
News also issue a monthly literary sup-
plement, consisting of book reviews and
articles on literary matters. Most of.
the other papers print occasional re-
views-in their daily or weekly issues.
CONTINUED   ON   PAGE 6
Crystal Bird Speaks on
Possible Race Problem
Miss   Crystal   Bird,   one   of   the. Out-
standing  young   leaders of   t+ie   colored!
race, will speak here on Sunday evening '
at 8.1.') o'clock.    Miss Bird comes to the;
college under  the  combined auspices of j
the  Undergraduate  Association   and  the
fortner   Chilian    Association,   through
the  oourtesy   of   the   American   Friends'
Service   Committee.    The  predominating
purpose of this committee is "to create
a   better   understanding   between   races,
nations -and   various   groups   of   people.
Realizing the deep need in American life
for a  more intelligent .understanding of
the  colored  people, the  Interracial   Sec-
tion   of   the   American   Friends'   Service
Committee  is   presenting  Miss-Bird   for
speaking engagements."
The subject of Miss Bird's talk will
be: "Is There a Race Problem"? The
relent C. A. questionnaires showed a
widespread interest among the students
in the race question. It is _a Problem
which all thoughtful people should con-
sider, and about which they should know
something before --forming an opinion.
Miss Bird is a�graduate of the Boston
Normal School and has done graduate
work at Teachers' College, Columbia
University. She taught in the Boston
Public Schools for three years and then
Iwcame Secretary for Younger Colored
Girls, Girl Reserve Department. -Na-
tional Board of tiie Y. W. C. A. To
most of us she is better known as a
singer of Negro Spirituals than as a
speaker. Hut her wide experience with
both white and .colored groups equips
lief in a remarkable way to interpret her
people. "She speaks with great vivid-
ness and with the utmost frankness, but
without rancour or bitterness.-' Her elo-
quence and power as a speaker and her
personal charm have impressed everyone
that*-has heard  her.
VIRGINIA FAIN WILL HEAD
UNDERGRADUATE ASSOCIATION
Shall It Go On?
For the guidance of the next
generation of students The News
wishes to ascertain exactly the at-
titude of the present generation
towards Big May Day. If you
would recommend that May Day
should be given again in X'X.Vl mark
Yes; if you object to continuing
the tradition on any grounds
whatsoever mark No. The votes
will be collected Thursday eve-
ning. Please leave them on your
door.
Yes ...;..                          .'.-�.
No  .......
Uumphrey,   Loomis,   Caparn
and Howell Fill Other
*                 Offices.
NEW BOARD COMPLETE
Virginia Fain, '29, has been elected
President of thy Undergraduate Associa-
tion for next year and Martha Rosalie
Humphreys, '29, Vice President. Both
were elected by a large majority on the
first ballot; that is the nomination in both
cases was- large enough to constitute an
election. Miss Fain, who appeared as the
charming shepherd, Learchus, in The
Woman in the Moon was secretary of
Undergrad this year and on tlje" Curricu-
htrtt and Speakers" Committee, m which
last capacity she introduced several of
the speakers during the year. For the
pasl two years she has been on the com-
initttee for Varsity Dramatics, and she is
also a prominent��member ofi.the Art
Club. Several-oof her draitfikgs appear
in the present  Art Club Exn/bition.
Miss Humphrey was president of her
class as a freshman; as a sopho'more she
was secretarv'of C. A. and (his vear she
appreciation of her services in'the cause � |l;(s ac(cd as ,he firs, Junior member of
of   May   Day.     The   president s   report
follows:
President's Report
New Head Takes Chair at Last
Meeting of the    *
Year.            .       .
At a meeting of the Undergraduate
Association held on Tuesday, May 8,
Alice Palache, '2H, read her president's
report, and turned over the chair to the
new president, Virginia Fain, '29. Miss
Palache was given a Iwok of Blake's J
pencil   drawings   by   the   association   in
Honors Work Discussed
by Dean and Dr. Gray
The meaning and intention of Honors
H ork was the subject of Dean Manning's
talk hi Chapel on Monday morning, April
83rd. To many people the purpose of
this type' of work has been to find a
means ol letting those students work
rapidly who are capable of so doing.
This has been true in many European
and American universities. Here at
Bryn Mawr, however, we need not take
this idea into' account; the student body
is unusually small, and proportionately
few People go info very advanced work.
It this were the sole reason "for adopt-
ing the new plan, it would -probably -nut
have been considcrd as a necessary addi-
tion to our curriculum.
Our Need for Honors Work.
However, the Dean proceeded to point
out the fact that there is a need, even
here, to differentiate between the type of
work that is- done by lower and upper-
classmen. Freshmen are put immediately
into classes with people who have had
previous experience of tile lecture sys-
tem, and they have little or no chance to
become, accustomed to a form of work
which is entirely different from the one
with .which they have studied at school.
On the other hand, students have become
thoroughly used to the lecture system, by
the end of their Sophomore year, anil
they are prepared to go on with a more
advanced type of work. The ideal of
study is, of course, to see things as a
whoje. and to connect up the work of the
several semesters; it is hardly possible
that this ideal may be attained under the
presort system. A correlation of sub-
jects is to be desired, and it is towards
this new purpose .that the^ Honors work
is hoped to reach.
Dangers of Irresponsibility.
There will be a great deal more indi-
vidual work done under the new plan,
and this element, in itself, has disadvan-
tages. It presupposes a well-developed
sense of responsibility on the part of the
student; therefore we must be serious
bl the experiment. "I hope," concluded
the Dean, "that the students will lend as
much initiative to the attempt as the fac-
ulty, as it is only in this way that we
can succeed wih Honors work."
Dr. Gray on History Honor*.
On Wednesday morning, April 25, Dr.
CONTINUED  ON    PAGE   S
President's Report, 1927-1928.
Committees Discussed.
The most important event this year is
the final handing over of Goodhart Hall
to the college. The ideal of many years
has* at last materialized and the large
auditorium will be dedicated the day be-
fore Baccalaureate.* The Common Room
lias "already been dedicated before Christ-
mas, at a small ceremony, which marked
the first final step. ' A'eommittec has this
year been appointed to work out prob-
lems, connected with the use' of the Stu-
dent's wing, which is to be entirely the
responsibility of the undergraduates.
There arc many things connected with
the auditorium and stage that are still
very 'unsettled and that the future officers
and boards will l>e more than, able to
settle as they come up. Everyone feels
I think, that it is to her interest as well
COXTINI KM   ON   PAGE   2
C  A.
Virginia Loomis, "80, has- bcciii-clccted
secretary; Agnes Howell, '10, first junior
member, and Rhys Caparn, ':tl. treasurer
of the association. Miss Loomis acted as
treasurer this year, and was secretary of
her class last year. Miss Howell has been
president of her class this year, and
Miss Caparn has sprved as secretary of
her class.
Open-Road Tours Offer
Attractions to Students
The National Student Federation lands
annually to Europe several hundred- stu-
dents, who go'in two ways. One is the
C. I. K. delegation, where the American
students arc received in Euro|>c by the
international Confederation of Student-.
The C. I. E. tours have already been
described in the Nkws. Tlfe other is
through the N. S. I". A.-Open Road
tours, for which the arrangements' in
ibis country are made by the X. S. F. A.
tiavel agent, the Open Road incorporated,
and for which the reception in Furope
is by the International Student Hos-
pitality Association. The purpose of the
()|>cn Road tours is "to give first-hand
insight into European conditions and
problems."
Exploring Russia.
Under these auspices, in co-operatfon
with Russian organizations, will be car-
ried out the only student tours to Soviet
Russia this year. Several itineraries,
covering from three to six weeks in RttS-
Cut Systems
Bryn   Mawr   the   Only   College
Where Undergraduates .
ControTT^
The "proper way to'dcal'.wiL^'lass* cut-
ting is of g'r"e?t*nifeT'e5?'^i,alro1 us now.
Our present system is not very satis-
factory, and we are" in the midst of
evolving a new  method.
At Smith. Vassar. and Mount Hol-
yoke, and at the University of  Wiscon-     ^   ,         ^   ammfBd.    a�d   stlldent
tin ^.N^^f^^^^J^gnMipi   are   being  organized   in   various
parts  of the country.     In keeping  with
cutting is entirely under the manage-
ment of the faculty. This is also the
case at Swarthmore. where three cuts
a semester'arc allowed for a three-hour
course, two for a two-hour, etc. At
Vassar the cuts are considered unlim-
ited, but as each professor attends to the
cuts in his classes the system varies, and
some are stricter than others and take
offense when a stiident is absent. At the
University of .Wisconsin each depart-
ment is responsible for the cuts taken
by the student, and regulate them as
they see fit. Freshmen at Mount Hol-
yoke are supposed to obtain excuses for
all absences, but. on the whole, the
faculty takes little notice of cuts if the
work is satisfactory.
�An experiment is being tried at Prince-
ton this year whereby seniors are given
unlimited cuts for the second semester.
If this works out well, the privilege may-
be extended to all classes.
Nearly all the women's colleges have
rules pertaining to attendance on the
days preceding and following vacations.
In most colleges no cuts are allowed for
twenty-four hours before and after, and
at Vassar attendance is required at this
time lor two days. Bryn Mawr seems
to be unique in having its cut system
under the control of the undergraduates.
the central motive that opportunity lie
had for making (direct contacts, the size
of these parties, as of all others under
Qpep Road auspices, is limited. The
Russian groups will lie limited each to
eight members. The leader in each case
will be an American familiar with Rus-
sia. In the U. S. S R. each part will
add an English-speaking Russian who
will act as host and interpreter. The
Russian Government has extended its co-
operation in making it possible fur
American students to clarify their numer-
ous impressions of that much-discussed
country by personal observation.
For Students of Government.
For women students of international
relations and governmental problems, in-
cluding undergraduates and recent grad-
uates, a ten weeks' visit to Furopean
countries where international problems
are realities has lieey arranged under the
leadership of Mary Noel Arrowsmith,
M. A. This party, which wilt be limited
to   ten   member*,   will   journey   through
CONTINUED  ON   PAGE  9
Song Mistress
Laura Richardson. '29, has been elected
Choir Mistress for next year.