College News, 1935-02-13, Vol. 21, No. 12

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The College News
VOL. XXI, No. 12
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BRYN MAWR AND WAYNE, PA., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1935
.opyiitflrt   HHYN   MA Wit
COLLEGE   NKW.S.   1934
PRICE'10 CENTS
Christopher MorJey
Urges Concentration
Art   and   Literature   Must   Use
Modern*"StreamIine" Style
To Get Attention
CURIOSITY     IS    NEEDED
Deanery:     January   16.
The faculty of attention is, accord-
ing to Mr. Christopher Morley, man's
most valuable asset, and modern
writers in all fields have invented
new forms and new styles in an ef-
fort to stimulate and hold this facul-
ty in the art-consuming public. He
added that it is the people who keep
the attitude of a foreigner or
stranger and who never permit
things to become everyday and usual,
whose faculty of attention remains
the keenest.
This ability for concentration is
the most extraordinary and complex,
as well as the most delicate and sub-
tle of man's faculties. The great
mystery that surrounds it can be
understood if one considers the act
of writing, when in a moment of
conscious or unconscious concentra-
tion a writer makes the instantane-
ous choice of one word instead of
another to express his idea. Mr.
Morley himself, although he owns a
very handsome fountain pen, always
uses it as a dip pen, because the
moment it takes to dip the pen is
just the right amount of time his
deeper faculty of concentration
needs to choose the right word or
the right idea. If anyone could tell
exactly what happens to a writer
in that instant of intense concentra-
tion, he would know more about
writing and psychology than all the
existing books in the world have
said  on   the  subject.
Mr. Morley believes that most peo-
ple are completely ignorant of their
own mental ^tfocesses and that they
do not know about what they really
arc thinking, because their atten-
tion is spent in directions of which
they are unaware. Because his mind
is so often focused on things he
thinks he is thinking least r.bout,
Mr. Morley continually reads detec-
tive stories. He feels that they are
Continued  on  Paere Five
S. Kaye-Smith Will Speak
on Feminine Novelists
Sheila Kaye-Smith, an English nov-
elist familiar to many through her
stories of Sussex fields and farms, will
speak on Pioneer Women Novelists at
Goodhart Hall on Thursday, Febru-
ary 21, at 8.20. Miss Kaye-Smitrf has
been compared with Hardy and Gals-
worthy, particularly because she de-
scribes one section of England in her
books. She was born at Saint Leon-
ards-on-Sea, near Hastings, in Sussex,
and has lived there until her marriage
in 1924. Her father'was a country
doctor there, so that she knows from
first-hand experience the Sussex of the
past and present of which she writes.
Her marriage to the Reverend Theo-
dore Penrose Fry, who was then in
the Anglican Church at Saint Leon-
ards, but was later transferred to St.
Stephen's, Kensington, took her to
London, but she has maintained her
connection with Sussex by frequent
visits.
Miss Kaye-Smith published her firsl
novel, The Tramping Methodist, at
the age of twenty. In the series of
Sussex stories which she thus began
in 1908 some of her better-known
early novels are Sussex Gorse (1916),
and Tamarisk Town (1919). The
former is the story of a man's strug-
gle to own a wild common of gorse
and furze called Boazell, and ,is the
book which first brought Miss Kaye-
Smith to the attention of the critics.
It was not until the publication of
Tamarisk Town, however, that she
had a wide circle of readers. A list
of other familiar novels includes Star-
brace, Isle of Thorns, Three Against
the World, The Village Doctor, Susan
Sprat/, Summer Holiday, and South-
ern Corners. In her writing, Miss
Kaye-Smith takes an almost mascu-
line point of view. She is stimulated
by the inspiration of her locality, and,
unlike most of her contemporaries who
depend on instinct and emotion, she
relies on close study and observation.
Although her novels are her best-
known literary productions, Miss
Kaye-Smith has published two books
of poetry. Both of these, Willow'*
Forge and other Poems (1914) and
Saints in Sussex (1923), show the
wide range of interests characteristic
of her novels.
Renowned Pro Arte Quartet of Brussels
Gives Brilliant Series, Stressing Moderns
Outstanding Among All Chamber Musicians for Perfect Taste,
Marvelous Finish of Ensemble, Sincere Interpretation.
Wide Range of Music Covered
MRS. SPRAGUE COOLIDGE IS DONOR OF RECITALS
Goodhart  Hall,  Jan.   20-Feb.   10.
The distinguished Pro Arte String
Quartet of Brussels presented on
Sunday afternoon the seventh of a
series of ten recitals of chamber
music, given every Sunday afternoon
and Wednesday evening from Janu-
ary 20 untilv February 20. These
recitals are being given through the
generosity of Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague
Coolidge's Library of Congress foun-
dation. This group is known inter-
nationally as one of the greatest ex-
ponents of chamber music in the
world and in these recitals it has
even surpassed its glowing reputa-
tion.
The members of the organization�
Alphonse Onnou, first violin, Laur-
ent Halleux, second violin, Germain
Prevost, viola, and Robert Maas,
violincello^are not only superior
artists- Individually, bin irrrough long
and constant musical association
have endowed their playing with a
unity of artistic conception and of
technical perfection that has en-
thused and delighted increasing au-
diences. They are outstanding among
all string groups for their marvelous
finish of ensemble, their sincerity of
interpretation, and their perfect
taste. Their versatility is remark-
able, for they play with equal
land  effectiveness   the  works
of all the great composers from
Mozart and Beethoven to the ultra-
modernists. The Pro Arte Quartet
has long been famous for champion-
ing the moderns and the ultramod-
erns, and its sympathies for them
combined with its faultless interpre-
tation of their works have justly
made this group famous as one of
the most eminent and understanding
exponents of the new  music.
The choice of programs has been
as remarkable- as the performances,
for consummate taste has marked the
selection of works in the balance of
old and new and the variety of com-
positions presented. Every program
thus far has contained at least one
work by an acknowledged master of
the quartet, while moderns such as
Hindemith, Milhaud, Bartok, Pizetti,
and Malipiero have received a large
share of the programs.
The entire sefies opened on Janu-
ary 20, as was proper, with a work
of Beethoven, the D Major quartet,
op. 18, no. 3, played in the classic
manner throughout with great beau-
ty of tone and perfect balance, par-
ticularly in the slow movement. This
was followed by the Two Serenades
for String Quartet of the famous
Belgian eomposer Joseph Jongen,
whose music in these works tends to
the modern idiom but is well-written
Continued on Page Four
College Calendar
Wednesday, February 13. Pro
Arte Quartet Concert. � 8.30
P. M.    Goodhart.
Saturday, February 16. Var-
sity Basketball Game vs. Moravr
ian.    10.00 A. M.    Gymnasium.
Sunday, February 17. Pro
Arte Quartet Concert. 4.15
P. M.   Goodhart.
Sunday Evening Service con-
ducted by Dr. Alexander C. Za-
briskie. 7.15 P. M. Music
Room.
Monday, February 18. Mr.
Desmond MacCarthy on The
Literary Climate in England at
the Present Moment. 5.00 P. M.
Deanery.
Wednesday, February 20. Pro
Arte Quartet Concert. 8.30
P. M.    Goodhart.
Thursday, February 21.
Sheila Kaye-Smith on Pioneer
Women Novelists. 8.20 P. M.
Goodhart.
Originality, Aliveness, Spirited Presentation*
of American Ballet Receive Warm  Praise
Harmonious Combination, of Scenery; Music, Modern Costumes,
With Occasional Moments of Superb Choreography,
Are Result oi One Year's Work
TABLEAUX, ENSEMBLES, SOLOS WELL JUXTAPOSED
Midsemester Quizzes
Reduced in Number
Curriculum    Committee     Plans
Elimination of Quizzes
in Some Courses
CLASS   VOTE  TO   DECIDE
(Especially contributed by Elizabeth
Monroe,  1935)
The Curriculum Committee of the
Undergraduate Association is organ-
ized to consider suggestions from
the students at large for improve-
ments in the arrangement of aca-
demic work whether relating to a
single course or to the general struc-
ture. After investigating criticisms
it may at its discretion present
recommendations to the Dean and
the Faculty Curriculum Committee.
Chosen to represent every hall and
class and as many departments as
possible, the committee tries to ex-
press student opinion as a whole.
At present the committee is con-
sidering a proposal to reduce to a
minimum the number of scheduled
quizzes by abolishing them in all
courses in which the professor and
the majority of students feel that
quizzes are not vitally necessary.
Such quizzes as remained would
then be scheduled in a period of
probably eight college  days.
The proposal is the result of a
feeling on the part of a number of
students (cf. also College Neivs for
December 5) that preparing for
quizzes interrupts the regular pro-
gress of their other work, since even
the student who has conscientiously
kept up with her work from week to
week and is not inclined to become
hysterical about quizzes will find it
necessary to take special time for
review in order to be able to move
from point to point with the rapidity
required in a fifty minute examina-
tion. There is also some feeling
among the faculty that over the five
week period of scheduled quizzes the
quality of the students' regular work
is markedly Jojvered. Cutting also
increases.
On the other hand many students
definitely want quizzes, particularly
in those courses where a considerable
quantity of material is not the sub-
ject of any sort of written or oral
discussion, in the nature of inciden-
tal quizzes, exercises, weekly or bi-
weekly papers, or, conferences. In
such courses many students find a
quiz either a reassurance that they
are comprehending the matter or a
revelation that they are not. Also
where the student gives no other re-
port of herself she would ra_ther not
stake her semester's grade on the
Continued on  Fage  Six
Goodhart:    February  7 and  8.
To behold the promise of great art
in its first experimental achievements
is one of the greatest thrills in the
world, and enthusiastic audiences re-
sponded to this thrill with vigorous
applause for both the aims and the
present accomplishments of the
American Ballet at its two perform-
ances last week. As if this thrill
were not sufficient, the company also
while his entrances and crossings can
be both intricate and simple with
equal effectiveness. Perhaps he can
be accused at times of lack of clear-
ness in his artistic aims, of occa-
sional confusion in his group move-
ments, and of a too great emphasis
on leg and foot movements rather
than complete co-ordination with
body and arms. "But moments in the
second part of Transcendence reach-
gave the audiences a most delightful  ed a Peak oi effective group cho'reo-
evening's entertainment. The aims
of the company seem to be to com-
pound as many of the arts as is ar-
tistically possible into a whole, which
uses the human body in movement as
its chief medium of expression, and
in particular, to create a purely
American art form representing the
American scene and temper. Both
performances showed that these aims
have been in a great part achieved
already, and that even greater
achievements will come of the com-
pany's  work.
One could not help feeling on view-
ing the dancing how much water has
flown under the bridge of the dance
since 1924 saw the decay of the great
Russian companies, Duncan, Wig-
man, Graham, de Mille, Kreuzberg,
St. Dennis and Shawn. The musical
comedy groups of Weidman, Rasch,
and others have all set the popular
form of the dance for almost ten
years,, and their influences and new
trends must necessarily affect any
revival of the ballet. But this Amer-
ican Ballet is not a revival in the
sense that other companies are�
their aims are new as well as a
combination of' the past. They
should be judged not in comparison
with the glories'pf the past nor with
present achievements of other com-
panies, but rather for their own
individual merits, which are tremend-1
008. The company is particularly
outstanding for its originality, the
generally high level of dancing in
the corps, its spirit in presentation,
its aliveness, its harmonic combina-
tion of scenery, music and costumes,
and the occasional moments of su-
perb choreography. When one real-
izes that such a roll of achievements
is the result of one short year's work
together, one cannot help waiting
breathlessly for what should follow
as the company reaches maturity.
The ballet was organized one year
ago by E. M. M. Warburg, its direc-
tor, Lincoln Kirstein, and George
Balanchine, maitre de ballet and
choreographer. Mr. Balanchine's
work in the Diaghilev and de Basil
ballet  companies  has  eminently   pre-
graphy, tableau, and establishment
of mood, that made up for many oth-
er little lapses and proved Mr. Bal-
anchine capable of creating the very
finest choreography.
The program consisted of three
ballets, one a world premiere, all new
and with choreography by Mr. Bal-
anchine: Serenade with Tschaikov-
sky music arranged by George
Anthiel, costumes by Jean Lurcat,
and set by Gaston Longchamp; Alma
Mater, with the book by E. M. M.
Warburg, music by Kay Swift, cos-
tumes by John Held, Jr., and set by
Eugene Dunkel; and Trtiuscttula nee
with Liszt music arranged by George
Antheil, costumes by Franklin Wat-
kins, and set by Gaston Longchamp.
The company has been most fortu-
nate in being able to command the
Continued on  rage  Six
Bryn Mawr is Visited
By Vienna Choir Boys
Old     Latin     Hymns,     German
Songs and Schubert Operetta
Arc    Presented
VOICES ARE VERY CLEAR
The sacred music with which they
pared   h.m   for   h.s   task   with   this               hag                     ^   gung   jn
�owly-organized   group.   ,,                  \,   "    .    .    _._��.    .___... .�����
ly-organized   group
His abilities are varied, for he can
create equally effective tableaux, en-
semble   movements   and   solo   dances
French Club Play
The French Club announces
that it will present Maurice
Maeterlinck's La Soeur Beatrice
on March 22. Mile. Maud Rey
will direct the production.
Desmond MacCarthy Will Speak
Mr.    Desmond     MacCarthy,    well-
known  author and   literary critic,   is
planning to lecture here on Monday.
February   18,  at  5  o'clock.     Because
(Especially Contributed by Helen
Ripley, 1935)
Goodhart Hall, January 18.
The popularity of the Vienna Choir
Boys in Bryn Mawr is well attested
by the quantities of undergraduate-
who, without a thought for the coming
exams, deserted the library and flock-
ed to Goodhart. They knew from last
year that this was a concert they did
not want to miss and their hopes were
fulfilled in the performance of the
boys. From the opening chord to the
last encore we sat charmed and amaz-
ed at the tonal quality, assurance,
ease, and feeljng with which they sang
a difficult program. The singing of
The StarSpangled Banner put us
into a sympathetic frame of mind and
we followed the boys with ease
through the various types of song.
the,ir. choir almost since its beginning
in 1498, 2nd has lost none of its charm
with frequenf'repetition. They inter-
preted it with feeling, eSpCCMciy tl'.C
Palestrina number, and the clear, sus-
tained tones of the choir carried beau-
tifully in the large hall. In fact, the
volume of tone was almost overwhelm-
ing to those who remembered certain
of the Glee Club's difficulties in try-
ing to  make themselves   heard.     The
of his first-hand as well as extensive
knowledge  of  both  old   and   new  lit-   final number of the first  part of the
erary generations in London .Mr.
MacCarthy's talk on "The Literary
Climate in England at the Present
Moment"  should  be valuable.
Mr. MacCarthy is the editor of
Life and Litters and the author of
several volumes of criticism, includ-
ing Portraits, Criticism, and a third
volume which is forthcoming. In
England he is well known for his
contributions to periodical literature
and for his literary talks over the
British Broadcasting Company. In
this country, to which he came for a
month's residence in Calhoun d?l
lege, Yale, he reef*
Clark Lectures at H
program, Repleti sunt Omnes. by Cal-
lus, which was repeated as an encore,
was lovely with its marked crescendos
and quick succession of AI It I mas re-
peated by the various parts. The
words of all the Latin songs were, re-,
mark&bly clear and we really had *a
feeling of being in a cathedral and
assisting at the Mass. We quite for-
got they were a group of small boys
and were carried away by their ma-
ture interpretations^.^aMkL music.,
The Schuh.
ful, tU
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