College News, 1936-02-12, Vol. 22, No. 11

              The College News
VOL. XXII, No. 11
BRYN MAWR AND WAYNE, PA., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1936
Copyright  BRYN  MAWR
COLLEGE NEWS. 1936
PRICE 10 CENTS
May Day Fame Rests
On Dancing on Green
Vast Undertaking Demands Full
Support of Students to be
Ready May 8
WAGON PLAY IS NOVELTY
Goodhart, February 5.�"The danc-
ing on the green is what makes May
Day known as the best piece of page-
antry in America," Mrs. Chadwick-
Collins told the students at a mass-
meeting. "It is the great opening
procession and the dancing which
sound the keynote of May Day, and if
these go well, the stage is then set for
a successful May Day. The perfec-
tion of the dancing, however, can be
achieved only by complete cooperation
on the part of the student body, for
the dancing must be so perfect, so co-
ordinated as to appear spontaneous,
and this can be obtained only by re-
peated rehearsals."
May Day is scheduled for May 8 and
9. This means that the whole work
of May Day, which is .a vast under-
taking, must be completed in twelve
weeks. "Everyone must enter into
May Day with a spirit of cooperation
and a willingness to work, to contrib-
ute rather than to gain individually,
yet there must inevitably be a gain.
May Day is the only opportunity the
college has to work together as a
unit."
"The plays are not chosen in order
to feature any one person; they are
chosen because they belong to such
an Elizabethan celebration and the
players are chosen to fit the parts.
The tryouts now going on should not
be a cause for disappointment. If a
students cannot get the part she wants,
she should try out for some other part.
There is some part in the pageant
for every person in college."
Mrs. Collins announced that despite
the short time left, the students are
not going to be asked to give up any
part of their spring vacation, as by
that time everyone will need a com-
plete break from the routine of prac-
tices and rehearsals; but they will be
asked to give up their Saturday morn-
ings, since Alexander Wyckoff, the
professional coach who is coming to
supervise Midsummer Night's Dream
and two other plays, can be on the
Continued on Page Four
Rao Calls Diffusion
Of Culture "Unequal
Common Room, February 4.�To
"westernize" the Orient is impossible,
said Sjt. P. Kodandra Rao, associate
of Mahatma Gandhi, secretary of the
Servants of India Society, and Car-
negie Scholar at Yale, in "a talk on
the nature and diffusion of culture.
Civilizations cannot be divided into
racial categories; every cultural ele-
ment begins with an individual and is
meant for the whole world, although
it may not spread and diffuse uni-
formly.
One of the great social problems of
today is the effect of western civiliza-
tion on eastern. The difficulty in solv-
ing it lies in the common belief that
culture is inescapably bound up with
a race and is not transferable. Be-
cause the western or white civiliza-
tion upholds certain cultural elements,
it regards itself as peculiarly emanci-
pated and unquestionably superior.
The American points with pride to two
of his most cherished institutions, the
freedom of women and democracy, yet
twenty years ago women could not
vote, and in 1800 the only true
democracy was Switzerland. Insti-
tutions arise in time from individuals;
the race to which those individuals
belong is a coincidence. There is no
inseparable union, therefore, of races
and institutions.
The misleading factor which results
in the classifications, "western" and
"eastern" civilizations is the fact that
the diffusion of culture is not uniform.
The cultural elements which diffuse
most widely are those which have an
objective validity, while those which
are most limited have a subjective
validity. Science and mathematics,
without involving the personal feel-
ings of anyone, are universally true.
The fine arts and religion, on the other
hand, are not universal because they
are purely subjective, localized in time
and personality and involving chang-
ing human moods. Thus the fact that
certain cultural traits are limited in
their range does not mean that they
are limited to any one race. A lan-
guage is not the inherent property of
a people; anyone who learns it owns
it. The Darwinian theory is not for
Europeans alone. Genius belongs to
the world and to all time and is cir-
cumscribed only by external prohibi-
tions and limits. In view of these
Continued on Page Six
Noted Madrigal Group
Give Matinee Concert
Singers   Render  Various   Forms
of Elizabethan, More Modern
Part-Songs
VOICES SUITED TO MUSIC
Vigorous Dances, Haunting Songs Feature
Exhibit of Rumanian Folk Arts, Crafts
Deanery, February 9.�In a Dean-
ery transformed into a fairyland of
brilliant colored handiwork, Mme.
Anisora Stan presented an exhibit
of Rumanian peasant arts and crafts
and a program of Rumanian folk
songs and dances by the Rumanian
Folk Group of Philadelphia.
Old ' rugs, tapestries, embroideries,
costumes, woodcarving, dolls in au-
thentic costumes and a few icons from
each of the provinces filled every
available chair, table and bookcase in
the two outer rooms, while the walls
of the palm room were covered with
large and enticing photographs of
Rumania. A chorus of forty people
sang several native songs: the na-
tional anthem, the Bene Ne'am Gas-
sit, the Battle Song of the Rumanian
Republic and several church songs.
The most unusual of the dances was
the Calusarii�a men's ritual dance
which goes back to Roman times and
is still danced in the mountains of
Transylvania by men in belled boots,
Phrygian caps and gloriously embroid-
ered waistcoats. The burst of ap-
plause after the brilliant execution
of this intricate and vigorous dance
of heel-toe steps, jumps and lunges
demanded two encores before the danc-
ers were allowed to rest. Two haunt-
ing doinas, or native ballads, were
sung by the Rev. Joan Popovicin, of
Philadelphia, accompanied by low
humming from the chorus. A series
of couple dances of increasing tempo
and intricacy followed by a Rumanian
version of All In completed the pro-
gram.                                       ^*
The Rumanian Consul-General from
New York  attended  the  afternoon's
program on behalf of the Rumanian
Minister to the United States and
spoke a few words of thanks to Mme.
Stan and the college for this splendid
opportunity to display the beautiful
folk art of his native land. Mme.
Stan in a brief talk described the coun-
try which borders the Black Sea and
the Danube River and whose exten-
sive area embraces snow-covered
mountains and rolling plains. The
majority of the population is rural
and descends from the Dacian race of
Roman times. Constant invasions
have influenced the strong artistic im-
pulses of the race, and today the pea-
sant art is a blend of east and west,
a harmonization of old forms with a
strong originality in design. The
language is itself Latin in root, but
there have been numerous Slavic ac-
cretions. The peasant's art has arisen
in answer to his own needs, and uten-
sils of everyday use and costumes are
objects of grace and beauty. The
abundant natural life of the region is
everywhere reflected in the arts, par-
ticularly in the bird and flower designs
of the rugs on exhibition.
Superstition forbids plastic repre-
sentation of the human form, and
therefore the abundant woodcarving
on utensils, trinkets, crosses and way-
side prie-dieux, on the pillars and
gateways of the rural homes, is
primarily decorative ornament of
geometric and natural design. The
highest expression of the peasant's
art is found in the wooden churches
and the numerous monasteries. Many
of the monasteries were built with
stout fortress-like walls to provide
refuge in times of invasion.
(Especially contributed  by Horace
Alwyne.)
Goodhart, January 18.�A matinee
concert was given by "The London
Madrigal Group," consisting of seven
singers" and their director, Mr. T. B.
Lawrence. This group is the succes-
sor to the group known as the "Eng-
lish Singers," now no longer extant,
although consisting of an entirely dif-
ferent personnel. The "English Sing*
ers" appeared at Bryn Mawr five
years ago and the present "Madrigal
Group" follows their traditional cus-
tom of singing, seated round a table,
in the charming intimate and unself-
conscious manner of the original
domestic performance of the Madri-
gals of Elizabethan times. In the six-
teenth century it was the custom for
the hostess, supper being finished, to
bring out the "part-books" and invite
her guests to take part in singing con-
temporary music just as they were,
seated at the table, and the present
singers managed to preserve very
largely the illusion of this same inti-
mate delight in "Home-music," al-
though one must of course turn indul-
gent eyes on the "boiled-shirts" of the
male singers. It is rather a pity that
the illusion cannot be still further
preserved by some form of costume
consistent with the times for the men,
though the ladies did manage to pre-
serve some sort of unity with their
�simple similar dresses of plain green
velvet.
The program on Saturday afternoon
included various forms, such as the
Madrigal, Ballet, Motet and Ayre,
and more modern Part-Songs and set-
tings of Folk-Songs. Although, in
conformity with the original manner
of singing, Mr. Lawrence did not
"conduct" the singers, yet his is the
credit for the interpretation and the
exceedingly fine and sensitive unity
of ensemble; and his presence on the
stage, though apparently merely to
give the pitch by a soft chord on the
piano or to make some very brief re-
mark about the composition in hand,
gave to the singers some feeling of a
benign guiding hand and inspiration.
The voices had been chosen by means
of a long and careful weeding-out
process to give just that sense of
blending, lightness and buoyancy
needed for this music, and though not
in any sense remarkable as separate
units, yet one felt that the end at-
tained entirely justified the exclusion
of voices of possibly a fuller, richer
texture, with their usual accompani-
ment of a tendency towards a vibrato
which would have been entirely out of
place in music of this nature.
It is difficult to single out particular
items for comment from such a rich
and generous program, though per-
haps one of the most beautiful effects
of the afternoon was reached in R. 0.
Morris' setting of the Sussex folk-
song, "The Cuckoo." Mr. Morris, a
brother-in-law of Dr. Vaughan-Wil-
liams (who, it will be remembered,
was the visiting lecturer in Music
under the Flexner Foundation at the
college in 1932), is a master of six-
teenth century counterpoint and has
made here a setting of quite ex-
traordinary beauty. That vexed ques-
tion of whether the Cuckoo sings a
major or a minor third, which seems
to crop up inevitably in the news-
papers during the "silly season," has
Continued on Page Six
College Calendar
Wednesday, February 12�
Dancing rehearsals: general,
7,30, 8 p. m.; sword, 8.30, 9 p.
m.; Morris, 9.15 p. m. Gym-
nasium.
Thursday, February 13�Me.
I. A. Richards, the Flexner lec-
turer, will conduct a conference
for students of advanced Eng-
lish and writing courses. Room
F, Taylor Hall, 5 p. m.
Dancing rehearsals: general,
7.30, 8 p. m.; sword, 8.30, 9 p.
m.; special, 9.15 p. m. Gym-
nasium.
I
Friday, February 14�Danc-
ing rehearsals: general, 12 m.
Gymnasium.
Saturday,  February   15�The >
class of 1939 will present 19S6
and All That.    Goodhart  Hall,
8.20 p. m.
Monday, February 17�Mr. I.
A. Richards, the Flexner lectur-
er, will speak on The Interpre-
tation of Prose. Goodhart Hall,
8.20 p. m.
��^Dancing  rehearsals:   general,
4 p. m.   Gymnasium.
Wednesday, February 19 �
Horace Alwyne, F. R. M. C.
M., will present a pianoforte re-
cital.   Goodhart Hall, 8.30 p. m.
I. A. Richards Talks
On English Language
Study of Rhetoric Should Aim
To Remote Understanding
Of Words
MEANINGS   NOT   STABLE
Mr. Alwyne To Present
Pianoforte    Recital
On February 19 at 8.30 p. m. in
Goodhart Hall, Horace Alwyne,
F. R. M. C. M., Director of the De-
partment of Music, will once again
honor the college with' a pianoforte
recital. If reserved seats are desired,
the favor of a reply is requested to the
Director of Publication, Taylor Hall,
as seats are rapidly being claimed.
The program is as follows:
Beethoven: Thirty-two Variations
in C minor; Bagatelle in E flat, Op.
33, No. 1; Ecossaisen (Scotch tunes).
Brahms: Sonata in F minor, Op. 5.
Allegro maestoso. Andante espres-
sivo. Scherzo. Allegro energico.
Intermezzo. Ruckblick (Retrospect).
Andante Molto. Finale. Allegro
moderate
Liszt-Paganini: Etude No. 2 in E
flat.
Liszt:   Sonnet of Petrarch, No. 104
(from Annies de Pelerinage.)
"Warfare  I  cannot  wage, yet  know
not peace;
I fear, I hope, I burn, I freeze again;
Mount to the skies, then bow to earth
my face;
Grasp the whole world,  yet  nothing
can obtain."
Variations on a motive of Bach
(from his Cantata, Weinen, Klagen,
Sorgen, Zagen, and the Crucifixus of
the B Minor Mass). This group is
in commemoration of the fiftieth an-
niversary of Liszt's death.
Strauss-Gieseking: Stdndchen (Sere-
nade).
John Ireland:  April.
Medtner: Fairy Tale, Op. 34, No.
2, in E minor.
Rachmaninoff: Two Etudes Tab-
leaux, Op. 33, No. 8, in G minor; Op.
33, No. 7, in E flat.
Committees
Lists have been posted on the
bulletin board outside the Pub-
lication Office. Students inter-
ested in working on committees,
other than the Director's Com-
mittee or the committees of Miss
Petts, Miss Brady or Miss
Grant, are asked to sign there.
Please don't sign on any list un-
less you are able and willing to
give extra time to the w?rk.
Goodhart, February 10.�"My sub-
ject is the English language," an-
nounced Mr. I. A. Richards, the Flex-
ner lecturer for this year, as he be-
gan the first of the series of six lec-
tures which he will give on that same
extensive subject. Yet he did not call
the field of his investigation solely by
the title, "the English language"; he
called it also by the name of rhetoric.
Rhetoric is a science which has sunk
into evil days, until it is now com-
prehended under the head of "Fresh-
man Composition," but it is essentially
a nobler study than this. Since the
purpose of language is communication
and understanding, and since rhetoric
in Mr. Richard's view is the science
of language, the proper purpose of
rhetoric is the study of the mis-
understanding which prevails and of
its possible remedies.
To be talking of these remedies in
terms which themselves need remedy
for distinct comprehension presents a
difficulty to any lecturer. He cannot,
like Berkeley, ask his listeners to for-
get his words and merely understand
his meaning. Berkeley was fond of
talking of "bare notions" and "un-
disguised ideas" and of disencumber-
ing them from their "dress" of words,
but without this "dress," an idea is
virtually nothing. An idea is known
only by its effects and its accompani-
ments, which in turn can be signified
in communication among men only by
words; deprived of words, the thought
is an ineffective abstraction.
The history of the study of rhetoric
begins with Aristotle and ends with
Archbishop Wakeley, who wrote an
Continued on Page Four
Sociology Students Honored
Four graduate and two undergradu-
ate students of Bryn Mawr attended
a dinner given in their honor by the
Philadelphia branch of the American
Association of University Women on
Sunday night, February 9.
The University Club had sent out
questionnaires concerning the inter-
ests and avocations of its members.
The Bryn Mawr students worked out
statistical studies based on the results
of these questionnaires and presented
their findings to the club.
Director's Announcements
The News will publish on
page three of every issue com-
plete news and official an-
. nouncements of May ' Day
activities. Director's announce-
ments and schedules for re-
hearsals and dancing will be
published here regularly. Keep
this page of your News and
keep posted on everything to
do with  May Day.
Van Gogh Painted Love
Of Humanity on Canvas
Deanery, February 6. � "Vincent
van Gogh is able to say more about
the human race, more of love, human
kindness and compassion in a small
canvas than any novelist other than
Dostoievski could in a six-hundred
page novel," declared Irving Stone,
author of Lust for Life, which is
based on the biography of the painter.
"I challenge you to despise your fel-
low-men after looking at one of his
canvasses."
Van Gogh was almost the first
painter to show that in nature nothing
is ever still. He penetrated beneath
the surface stillness to find the uni-
versal rhythm into which all things
slowly pour and from which all pour
back. When he painted an apple, he
wanted to portray the seeds inside,
pushing toward their fruition; when
he painted a grape, he tried to show
the juice surging up beneath the skin,
and when he painted a man, he wanted
to give the feeling of the millions of
years of striving, suffering and loving
that went to make him what he was.
The strange whorling cypresses and
suns in van Gogh's paintings and the
unnatural juxtaposition of sun and
moon are attempts to show that noth-
ing is dead in nature, to give the feel-
ing of motion and rhythm. This move-
ment or rhythm is not objective�or it
ceases to be when our subjective eyes
perceive it.
About three months ago a group of
van Gogh's canvasses arrived in New
York aboard the S. S. Rotterdam.
They were met by three police squads
and were valued at one million dollars.
During his life, van Gogh made only
on. hundred dollars by his painting.
People are wont to label his life as
tragic, yet it was in reality a glorious
one. Although he knew loneliness,
starvation and privation, although
only one critic had the audacity to
like his work while he lived, and al-
though he died at the age of thirty-
seven, completely worn out, yet he had
said all he wanted to say and painted
all that he wanted to paint. That in
itself is enough for any one man.

..*