College News, 1936-03-04, Vol. 22, No. 15

              The College News
VOL. XXII, No. 15
BRYN MAWR AND WAYNE, PA., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1936
Copyright  BRYN  MAWR
COLLEGE NEWS. 1936
PRICE 10 CENTS
+m.$tudents Should Act
On  Teacher's   Oath
Miss    Park    Believes    Measure
Unconstitutional, Likely to
Curb Free Speech
LEADS     TO     HYPOCRISY
Goodhart, February 28.�The teach-
ers' oath, said Miss Park in Chapel,
is required by law in twenty-two
states, and twenty more states have
similar legislation pending. The oath
is not particularly dangerous as it
stands in the statute books, but it may
be used as a handle to curb freedom
of speech, radical teaching, etc. It
is an issue about which people should
be well informed. We should go to
the polls to vote against the legisla-
tors who pass such measures, for they
are unconstitutional, they are insult-
ing in that they apply to teachers only,
they are futile and senseless, and
worst of all, they encourage hypocrisy
in those who take the oaths.
There have been two movements in
the passing of laws requiring an oath
from teachers, after the war and again
after 1929. In the recent movement,
caused probably by hysteria rather
than by any definite intention of
forcing people to declare for or
against the government, the general
form of the oath is as follows: "I
will uphold the Federal and state Con-
stitutions, and will faithfully dis-
charge my duties." In general the
laws affect public or state-helped
schools, but in ten states they are
applied to private schools and colleges
and parochial schools. The Hearst
papers and patrioteering societies like
the American Legion and D. A. R.
are openly pushing these bills.
Against them are working the Ameri-
can Federation of Teachers, the Pro:
gressive Education Association, chap-
ters of the Organization of University
Professors, sections of the National
Education. Association and many
prominent people.     _______
Dr. Henry S. Cadbury, formerly
Professor at Bryn Mawr and now at
Harvard, has discussed with Miss
Park in detail the workings of the
the Massachusetts law which is as
Continued on Page Five
Audience Boos, Cheers
At Early Comedy Films
Goodhart, February 26.�The first
of the five programs planned by the
Undergraduate Association, in col-
laboration with Haverford College, to
show the development of different
types of films, consisted of four early
"comedy" films.
The first films were made to amuse,
and their spirit was free and unre-
fined. They developed all sorts of
situations, possible and impossible,
and used all the sorts of motion of
which the camera is capable. The
Doctor's Secret, the first of the films
shown, was produced in 1900 by
George M61ies. The action concerned
a very excitable doctor who placed his
helpless and very fat patient in one
machine after another. When he had
reduced the hapless man's body to dis-
connected pieces, he and his two abject
assistants collected the pieces from
around the room and put the limbs to-
gether. The victim emerged with a
much slimmer figure and twice the
energy he had exhibited at first.
Winsor McCay was not the first
man to experiment with the "flippers,"
or magic booklets (of outline draw-
ings of animals), and to create the
animated film cartoons, but his ex-
periments went farther than those of
his predecessors. He made Gertie the
Dinosaur, the film shown here, in 1909.
Gertie was a charming and somewhat
wayward creature, but under Winsor
McCay's guidance she waved her legs,
drank a lake dry, chewed whole trees
quite absent-mindedly and showed that
she was a good-hearted if somewhat
imposing looking monster. The film
was made solely with black-and-white
outline t drawing, and Gertie was the
only figure shown until the end, when
McCay mounted her back and she bore
him off.
His Bitter Pill, produced by Mack
Continued  on  Pag* Four
Philosophy Club Meeting
The Philosophy Club will hold
its first meeting in the Common
Room at eight o'clock on
Wednesday evening, March 4.
All those who are interested are
invited to attend, and any who
have May Day rehearsals sched-
uled for that time are requested
to come for at least part of the
discussion. After a paper on
Space and Time by Augusta
Arnold, '38, has been read, there
will be a general discussion of
these problems as treated in
Aristotle's Metaphysics.
Richards   Lectures
On Choice of Words
*     ______
Approach   Criteria   of   Choice
Through Inter-inanimation
Word Theory
NEW   WORDS   DISCUSSED
Librarians Must Have
Initiative,   Scholarship
Common Room, February 27.�"I
would like to look into your minds to
find what sort of picture you have of
a librarian," Miss Mabel Williams,
of the New York Public Library, said
to the undergraduates. Library work
is not the dull, dusty work that many
of us imagine, nor are librarians
merely people who charge books and
hand them out over a desk. There
are almost as many types of library
work as there are types of people.
It is absolutely essential to take a
year of preparation in a library school
before one can get -any sort of a job
whatsoever. The first semester of
library work will probably be devoted
to general courses in cataloguing, ref-
erence books, book selection and ad-
ministration. During the second
semester the student will be allowed
to specialize in her own particular
field, and on graduating from the
school is awarded a B. S. degree in
Library Science.
Labor Needs Political
Party,   States   Burge
Hosiery Worker  Warns  Group
of "Reign of Terror Against
Union  Workers"
QUESTION   IS   NOT   NEW
Goodhart HaU, March 2�Mr. I.
A. Richards announced that the sub-
ject of his fourth lecture on the
Interpretation of Prose would be
a Criteria of the Choice of Words.
Last week the various kinds of in-
ter-inanimation of words was ex-
plained in order to show that a
word used in fluid discourse partic-
ularly cannot have a fixed meaning.
The traditional usage theory, which
holds that words can be isolated
from their context like the parts of
a mosaic, is fallacious. Words inter-
penetrate in various ways and, when
spoken, evoke in the back of the mind
nuances of words which have not been
uttered.
The approa&i to the criteria of
the choice of words must be made
through the doctrine of the inter-
inanimation of words and the recog-
nized interdependence of meaning.
The habit of isolating the meaning
of words must be mistrusted. A habit
once formed is difficult to destroy, and
the least that we can do is to use.
moderation on the subject of the be-
havior of words. Particular care
should be used in the case of ab-
stract words which we use generally,
for example, in clhcussions of political
principles, of principles of conduct,
or in all discussions of art. In
such cases there is always a shift
of senses with the sentence and
context from which they derive. The
shifts may be in the minds of those
who are talking as well as in the lis-
teners.
The extent of the shifts in the mean-
ing of words, and more important, the
plan of these deluding shifts of mean-
ing is hidden by the attacked assump-
tion (which is impossible outside tech-
nical language) that words have their
own proper meanings. The shift is
not a breakdown or a flaw of mean-
r.              r.          � �             �-.     ,     ! ing,  but  a   growth   or   at   least   an
Common   Room,  February 26.�La-      . ,           ,                  �,.,,   �.     .,;*�.
,                    r   .   '                ' /          ...  evidence  of  power.     Without   shifts
bor needs a Labor Party or there will    ,                          ,    .   �   j�_�,��j;��
� ut l           .l    ,t  �   j a..         �f   meaning,   mutual   understanding,
result right here in the United States     .... .            , ,    ,,   _____    � *u����,*
�d~;~~   ~*  t.�~~v.   o�o;�of   tt^.j��> ! criticism and furtherance of thought
would be lost.    Language would lose
College Calendar
Wednesday, March 4.�Fash-
ion Show. Common Room, 6
p. m.
Thursday, March 5.�Confer-
ence with I. A. Richards. Room
F, Taylor Hall, 4.30 p. m.
Friday, March 6. � Square
Dance.    Gymnasium, 8.30 p. m.
Sunday, March 8.�Dorothy
Pilley will speak on Alpine
Mountaineering. Deanery, 6
p. m.
Monday, March 10.�Fourth
of Flexner Lectures by. I. ,A.
Richards.    Goodhart, 8.20 p. m.
Spectators Applaud
French Guild Acting
Talent   of   de   Vestel' Proved
By Direction of Company
In "Son Mari"
GOOD   CHOICE   OF   PLAY
Nicholas Poussin Was
A Great Story-Teller
Deanery, March 1.�Dr. Walter
Friedlander, formerly of the Univer-
sity of Freiburg and at present Visit-
ing Professor of Art at Columbiaand
the University of Pennsylvania,
changed the scheduled subject of his
lecture on the Landscape Painting of
Claude Lorraine and Nicholas Poussin
to Nicholas Poussin As a Story-teller
in order to show his audience the
lesser known side of the great French
painter. By a series of slides he
traced the development of Poussin's
style in illustrating mythological tales
from the youthful drawings done in
Paris to those of his old age which
returned with new vigor and more
massive composition to mythological
subjects.
Nicholas Poussin was the greatest
French painter of the seventeenth
century, although he lived most of his
Continued on Page Six
First A. S. U. Meeting
Defines   Objectives
Social    and    Political    Reforms
To be Undertaken Here
By Petitioning
OFFICERS    ARE    ELECTED
a "Reign of Terror against Union
Workers." This was the warning
given by Joseph Burge, ex-Communist
and present member of the Hosiery
Workers' Union, to the meeting of the
Industrial Group. Never before has
the need for a political weapon to be
its subtleties and power to serve.
Shifts in discourse should not be
resisted but followed. They recur;
they have a common pattern which
experience helps us to discover.   That
tne neeu ior a  punucai  weapon  iu oc                      .      .�j� ��� -.us-f+o nt  .,�.-,i.
. ,,  ,   ,      ,    '           ,,         ,        e     a systematic study of shins ot mean-
wldded   by   laborers   themselves   for,.      ^.^ ^ enablc M tf) ^^
the* own protection been so ,mpera-j ^ ^         -^ ^^ m & gca,c
t.ve as it is now    Law, force and the;                      contemporary   dictionary
pressure of the times are all directed;                  ^ be made> js a reason.
against them; without such a weapon ^              Eyen a s]jght a(,vance .�
they are all helpless.                             .^  abmty  ^  compare  one  kind  of
The question of a Labor Party i8jshift wjth an analogous kind, would
not a new one. Back in 1850 immi-: brjng jnto siKht a new era 0f human
grants from England and Germany understanding and thinking. The
organized a rudimentary Labor Party, | rigidity of the proper meaning theory
and in the industrial centers of the j impedes this advance.
East they even put up candidates for j gh.ftg of meaning jn familiar
election. The movement was absorbed, j wor(Jg often pass unnoticed. The
however, by the excitement  of Abo- WQrd �<book� for instance, can be used
lition and the Civil War. When peace
and financial stability were re-estab-
lished, workers renewed their agita-
tions, but they were unable to find
concrete expression for their theories
and plans. In 1900 the Socialists
seemed about to assume the role of a
mass Labor Party, yet they too failed.
The reason for their failure lay in
the peculiar structure of American-
capitalism. Where in Europe all
workers were down in a cellar with
the door closed tight above them so
that tlley had to organize and push
together if they ever meant to get out,
in America the situation was slightly
more hopeful. There was a crack in
the door that allowed some men to
get through if they fought and struck
their fellows back. Now the cracks
have been mended and American work-
ers must do as Europeans did�form
a political party or stay in their hole.
That the Labor Party must be
based on the Trade Unions is agreed
by everyone except the Union lead-
ers. They are either afraid of new
policies or top much engrossed in re-
forms within Jheir group to pay at-
Contlnued on Page Fire
currently in many senses. A maga-
zine or a weekly may be spoken of
as a book as well as a bound volume.
In each of the following sentences
the meaning of "book" has shifted:
his mind is full of. his book, he is
writing a book, his book is being
printed, or his book is being bound.
The meaning of "book" has shifted and
sometimes the meaning is incompati-
ble. What will be printed or bound
will be different from the set of
ideas involved. These shifts pass
unnoticed because we are familiar
with the situations which make the
mutations possible. In time we may
learn to handle abstract and semi-
technicalized words with the ease of
a simple word like "book." This possi-
bility is the fundamental justifica-
tion for advanced verbal education
which will lead to a better under-
standing of abstract discussions.
Words gain force by pulling with
them others which are not con-
sciously noted in reading. On this
ground the theory of the choice of
words can be exposed. The reasons
given for liking or disliking a word
Continued on Page Six
Common Room, February 27.�The
recently formed local chapter of the
American Student Union had its first
meeting tonight for the purpose of
electing officers and ratifying its con-
stitution. This includes the general
program of the national organization,
summarized under the four headings,
peace, freedom, security and equality.
The local constitution, which outlines
these points as well as more specific
laws of organization, membership and
so forth, was ratified at the meeting
and Martha Van Hoesen was elected
executive secretary for the chapter.
' Naomi Coplin, the temporary chair-
man, opened the meeting by explain-
ing that the American Student Union
is a new organization formed early
this year at a convention in Columbus,
Ohio, by the amalgamation of a num-
ber of student liberal and radical
bodies. The purpose of the associ-
ation is the formulating and carrying
out of action leading to political and
social reform in which all or most of
their members believe. For this rea-
son the national organization drew
up an outline for a general program
which it hopes will be followed by all
its local chapters. Its policy includes:
opposition to American war prepara-
tions, abolition of the R. O. T. C,
support of the Oxford pledge, defense
of students' and teachers' rights
against reaction, opposition of trustee
domination of education, opposition to
Fascism in all its forms, the seeking
of extension of federal student aid
and adequate social security legisla-
tion, extension of universal educa-
tional opportunity and abolition of
Negro discrimination and segregation.
The local chapter intends generally
to carry out this program and spe-
cifically to determine its action by a
majority vote of the members. All
of the members are not expected to
agree on every point, but the dissent-
ing minority is not expected to oppose
the action of their fellow-members ex-
cept within the organization. The
chapter expects to begin its campaign
by bettering such conditions on this
campus as they believe need reform-
ing. Their action for the furthering
Continued on Page Four
Goodhart, February 28.�The play
given by the French Theatre Guild
was of necessity not of interest to the
many, but to the members of the audi-
ence on Friday night it was thorough-
ly enjoyable. We do not often have
the opportunity here in America of
seeing foreign actors play in their
native language, and the French
Guild players fill this lack admirably.
It is, moreover, always agreeable to
see professional acting at Bryn Mawr
and the French actors appeared to be
high quality. The play itself, "Son
Mari," by Paul Geraldy, was an ex-
cellent choice from the point of view
of clever dialogue and of opportuni-
ties for character acting. It must
be admitted, however, in all fairness,
that the play requires acting of the
calibre of these Theatre Guild play-
ers; it could not be nearly scr effec-
tive with actors of less talent and ex-
perience.
The men of the company gave out-
standing performances. Guy de Vestel
had a sympathetic part as the eager
lover, and he made the most of it,
putting into it all his ability, which
amounted in this case to real genius.
The part of the incredibly dull hus-
band was very difficult, but Pierre de
Ramey succeeded in making himself
understood and pitied in the midst of
his own misunderstanding.
Lina Martine was a very charming
Jacqueline, and her acting improved
steadily, till she was at her best in
the third act. Her personality and
her manner were completely French
and different from the more restrained
behavior which we are accustomed to
seeing on the American stage. She
was the most difficult to hear, and
some of her lines were unfortunately
lost. Her role was a hard one, and
she did succeed admirably in convinc-
ing her audience of the change in her
character, which was essential to an
Continued on Pace Four
Neutrality is Subject
For Editorial Contest
The Foreign Policy Association and
The Nation have announced that they
are jointly sponsoring an editorial
contest open to all undergraduates in
colleges and universities. The sub-
ject of the contest is the timely one
of Will Neutrality Keep Us Out of
War?
The editorial must not be over one
thousand words in length and must
be accompanied by a statement from
the student that it is original and not
copied from any source. It must also
carry the endorsement of an instruc-
tor in the college. Neither the en-
dorsement nor the signature are to be
on the editorial itself. All papers
must be sent to the office of the Stu-
dent Secretary, Foreign Policy Asso-
ciation, 8 West Fortieth street, New
York City, by March 15. Each en-
trant must also submit his editorial
to the College News on or before that
date. The News reserves the right
to decide whether or not to publish
any of the editorials, but students
whose editorials are not printed in the
News are not barred from the contest.
Manuscripts will be judged by four
well-qualified judges, who include the
President of the F. P. A., R. L. Bull,
and an Editor of The Nation, Freda
Kirchwey. Factual background, logic
and effectiveness of presentation will
be the basis on which the papers will
be judged. The winning editorial
writer will receive a prize of fifty dol-
lars and the second best paper will
be awarded twenty-five dollars. There
will be five third prizes of a year's
subscription to The Nation and five
fourth prizes of a student membership
for one academic year in the Foreign
Policy Association to each of the re-
cipients. The prize winners will be
announced in the May issue of The
Foreign Policy Bulletin.