College News, 1937-02-10, Vol. 23, No. 13

              The College News
VOL. XXIII, No. 13
BRYN MAWR AND WAYNE, PA., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1937   J)flfilg&liflffiEtttfm
PRICE 10 CENTS
Empirical Science
Is Important Aid
For Studying Man
Darwin's  Theory  of Evolution
Changed Concept of Man's
Place in Universe
PSYCHOLOGY UNITES
FIVE   STUDY    FIELDS
. Music Room, February 9.�Mr. Hel-
son emphasized the" importance of
empirical scientific method, especially
that of experimental 'psychology, in
contributing to the knowledge of man.
The Darwinian doctrine of evolution
revolutionized man's" concept of his
own position in the universe, so that
he recognized himself as a part,
rather than the center of creation,
and established the fundamental co-
ordination of his physical and mental
aspects. .
There are four traditional sources,
says Mr. Helson of the Department
of Psychology, for finding out the
nature of man prior to modern psy-
chology. The first is primitive man,
whose concepts persist today�his
view of himself and his place in
nature. The developed religious sys-
tems of the world are a second source,
in the rules of conduct which they
prescribe for better living in this
world or in that to come. The third
source is from philosophy, whose con-
tributions are carried into a scien-
tific view of man�and the fourth is
found in the great literature of the
world, or what is called "literary
psychology." There is a fifth source,
too�the doctrine of evolution in bi-
ology and geology, which revolution-
ized people's views about man.
Primitive man regarded himself as
part of a nature endowed with mys-
terious forces and powers. His god
existed in trees, he saw him in clouds
and heard him in the wind, and
through the propitiation of this na-
tural god, customs  and taboo arose.
Our second source was the religious
systems of the world. They usually
postulated mysterious forces in man
which were subject to. particular
methods of control as a basis for
Continued on Page Six
COLLEGE  CALENDAR
Change in Literature
Course is Considered
Plans    to    Drop    the    Conferences
Announced in Council
College Inn, February 3.�Mrs.
Manning announced at the February
College Council meeting that the plan
at present under consideration of the
English Department is to drop the
conference sections in First Year Eng-
lish Literature, so that it will become
more strictly a lecture and reading
course requiring the services of only
four members of the department staff.
Leeway will probably be given to stu-
dents who have covered the ground
in school by allowing substitution of
some other literature course, probably
Victorians, for the required course.
As a temporary settlement of the
honor grade question the faculty have
decided this year to count the final
examination as one unit of work and
to count this in with the general
"average.
Several student officers reported ap-
proval by their groups of the pro-
posed change of officers at mid-years.
Despite minor delays everyone seemed
satisfied with the new method of re-
porting grades and approved the send-
ing out of incomplete cards if after
a certain period faculty members
have not reported the marks.
Miss Ward warned Council mem-
bers that almost every weekend be-
tween now and commencement is
partially or entirely filled, and that
there are lectures on weekdays until
final examinations. Anyone planning
entertainments ( should speak to the
Planning Committee as soon as pos-
sible. The Council reported to Miss
Petts tlfet they believed the students
interested in walking trips during the
spring would be more interested in
one rather than in two day trips;
Wednesday, February 9. �
The second lecture on The Na-
ture of Man will be given by Mr.
Helson. Music Room. 7.30
p. m.
Friday, February 12.�Square
dance.   Gymnasium.'   8.30 p. m.
Saturday, February IS.�For-
um for speakers of Montgomery
County Citizens' Committee on
Public Assistance. Deanery. All
day.
Varsity and Second Team
Basket vs. University of Penn-
sylvania.    10.00 a. m.
Denbigh hall dance.    9 p. m.
Monday, February 15.�The
third lecture on The Nature of
Man to be given by Miss Cora
DuBois.  Music Room.  7.30 p. m.
Tuesday, February 16.�Cur-
rent Events. Common Room.
7.30 p. m.
Wednesday, February 17.�
The fourfn lecture on The Na-
ture of Man. Miss Cora Du-
Bois will speak. Music Room.
7.30 p. m.
Non-resident supper. Com-
mon Room.   6.30 p. m.
Saturday, February 20.�The
1940 Freshman Show, Forty
Bust.   Goodhart.   8.30 p. m.
Sunday, February 21.�George
Edward Slocombe will speak on
The Spanish Situation and Its
Repercussions.  Deanery.   5 p. m.
Chapel. Music Room. 7.30
p. m.
Monday, February 22.�The
fifth lecture on The Nature of
Man will be given by Mr. Mac-
Kinnon. Music Room. 7.30
p. m.
Seniors Find Reading
Period   a   Necessity
Majority Agree Time Was Used
To Finish Back Work Rather
Than to Start New
LENGTH    IS    DEBATABLE
Cooperation Prevails
Among the Americas
Notable   Work   of   Conference
Is the Agreement to Confer
In Case of Threats
NO     ARMS     LIMITATION
Goodliart, February 2.�The most
significant aspect of the Inter-Ameri-
can Conference, held in December at
Buenos Aires, was, according to Mr.
Fenwick, the unprecedented spirit of
cooperation which prevailed. There
has been a complete reversion of the
feeling of the South American repub-
lics toward the United States, which
was regarded twenty years ago as the
Colossus of the North, hated and
feared.
The most important work of the
Conference was the drafting and ac-
ceptance of the Monroe Doctrine
Treaty. Its original form, as con-
ceived by the delegation of the United
States and introduced by Brazil, was
opposed by the Argentinians, who
feared the domination of Pan-America
by the United States. In this "Bra-
zilian Treaty" was incorporated our
invitation to the other American
states to share in the benefits and dif-
ficulties of the Monroe Doctrine. The
treaty was revised in secret confer-
ences and now signalizes the agree-
ment between the American republics,
in the case of their being threatened,
to confer upon the best method of
treatment of such threats. It is
tacitly understood that the terms of
the Monroe Doctrine, which has al-
ways been looked upon with resent-
ment by the Central Anterican repub-
lics, although it was drawn up for
their benefit, will be enforced by the
navy and other resources of the United
States.
Coordinating the existing peace
treaties was the rr/ost difficult task of
all. There were actually five treaties
which should have prevented the war
in the Gran Chaco between Paraguay
and Bolivia, but they had not been
ratified and it was decided to sum up
all these and have the one ratified.
By this "American Treaty" the diffi-
culties arising between the republics
are to be solved in a peaceful man-
ner, and the steps taken to that end
are to be reported to a Permanent
Inter-American Consultative Commis-
Contlnued on Page Three
The reading period is an essential
and good thing according to a recent
informal survey of current opinions
of the Seniors who have just lived
through it. However, most of them
agreed that the period was used not
for new comprehensive reading, but
for catching up on back work, and
for writing Honors reports. The
majority of them want another read-
ing period of at least one week just
before the final  examinations  begin.
Barbara Colbron, a History major,
sums up the advantages of the period
by saying that "whether we spent it
in catching up, or whether we spent
it in reading for the final exams,
makes little difference. The impor-
tant thing is that it enabled most of
us to get all our work under control
to find out where we stand, and to
make a definite plan for our work in
the second semester."
The differences of feeling within the
various departments all seem to hinge
on the question of the length of the
period. Science majors, for instance,
had no time to do reading. Students
in Biology, Chemistry, Geology and
Mathematics spent their time catch-
ing up on laboratory work and back
assignments; whereas a French stu-
dent and one in the Latin department,
complained that-- they had done all
their comprehensive reading during
the fall before the reading period
even began. English and History
majors found it necessary to do back
work, and when they did have time
to work ahead they found the assign-
ment too long to finish in such a short
time. Elizabeth Lyle, who is ma-
joring in English, said, "Broadening
a field, which actually means covering
a new course, is too difficult to accom-
plish within two weeks'." Two. weeks,
then, would seem to be a good length
for a period of review and general
assimilation of material, but much too
short to get anything out of a huge
bulk of new reading.
Some students felt that the work
could be more carefully planned with-
in the various departments. A Psy-
chology major, for instance, said that
if her department had given her some
idea of how to space and plan her
work, she would have been able to
follow it more continuously instead
of spending time on her Honors re-
port. � The explicit directions given
by the English department, although
somewhat too long, were a great help
to the student, since they made her
more confident that she was accom-
plishing something very definite.
Some questions arose which have
nothing to do with the individual de-
Contlnued on Page Three
Keep Off the Grass!
Miss Park asks that everyone
keep off the grass on wet days.
All student officers are asked to
help enforce this request.
FIRST RADNOR DANCE
HIGHLY   SUCCESSFUL
NEWS TRYOUTS!
First call for the freshmen who
wish to try for the editorial board of
the College News is set for this Thurs-
day at 6 p. m. in the News office.
While the assignments will be made
immediately, work will not have to be
begun before Freshman show. The
end of the competition for member-
ship on the editorial board will be
March 6, two full weeks after the
show is over.
Competitors for places on the edi-
torial board must cover several trial
assignments in different branches of
the News field. The present board
reads these tryouts and elects the most
promising among the competitors.
Several position^ are open on the
board. A music critic is an immediate
need, and new drama critics and fea-
ture writers will have to' fill further
gaps in the board. Good general re-
porters are always in demand. N<
previous training on school or cam
papers is required. For any further
information about tryouts see mem-
bers of the board or Helen Fisher,
Rock 10.
Miss Park is Chosen
Committee Chairman
p *
Montgomery   County   Promotes
Adoption of Goodrich Plan
of State Relief
SPEAKERS'   FORUM   HERE
The Graduate Club broke a long-
standing tradition on Saturday eve-
ning, February sixth, when it gave the
first dance in its history. The sug-
gestion for the dance came from sev-
eral grads who had looked in at the
Denbigh Dance last fall, and the re-
sult was a most successful formal
dance held in the Common Room of
Goodhart Hall and attended by about
forty-five couples. Program dances
were interspersed by several novelty
dances and enlivened by the presence
of a men's stag line.
Among the patrons and patronesses
were Miss Taylor, Mrs. Keator, an*
Mr. and Mrs. Lattimore. Sharp's
orchestra furnished the music. The
success of the evening depended upon
the work of the Dance Committee,
headed by Dorothy Traqu�ir and Sal-
lie Anderson. The other members of
the committee were Paquerette Nasse,
Betsy Polk, Marjorie Stewart and
Mary Terrell. Possibility of another
dance to be.held in the spring is al-
ready being discussed.
The place of the college in commu-
nity life has been definitely estab-
lished by the appointment of Miss
Marion Edwards Park as chairman
of the Montgomery County Citizens'
Committee on Public Assistance, an
important civic movement to promote
the Goodrich Plan for State Relief.
The purpose of the committee is to
present the Plan, which is a non-
partisan program providing for the
standardization and reorganization of
d to interpret it for them in all its
implications. In addition to Miss
Park, Miss Mildred Fairchild, of the
Department of Social Economy, and
Mr. Charles Rhoads, President of the
Board of Trustees and Directors, are
members of the committee.
On Saturday, February 13, an all-
day institute will be held at the Dean-
ery under the direction of Miss
Hertha Kraus, of th� Department of
Social Economy, which residents of-j
this county interested in social reform
are invited to attend. Its purpose is
to acquaint a group of public-spirited
citizens with the Goodrich Plan and
to prepare them to speak on the sub-
ject at meetings throughout the
county. After the Plan has been pre-
sented to the audience with a thor-
ough treatment of its background and
potentialities, the meeting will break
up into small discussion groups which
will later merge in a panel meeting
to study both its positive and nega-
tive aspects.                                  ^
The committee hopes to be able to
promote the Plan, which has now
been drafted as a formal bill, by mak-
ing information about it more general
and more enlightened. Several dras-
tic changes in the proposed relief
program have caused civic antago-
nism which can be overcome only by
extending the Plan to the public in
its true light. A wider understand-
ing of the Goodrich Plan is needed
for its successful passage when it
comes before the State Legislature.
Continued on Page Six
Audience   Praises
Shan-Kar's  Power
Of Graceful Motion
Mythology   of   Ancient   India
Is Flawlessly Presented
By Hindu Dancers
SWORD DANCE RHYTHM
CAPTIVATES   AUDIENCE
Goodhart Hall, February i.�Newly
interpreted by the artistry of Uday
Shan-Kar and his troupe, the sophisti-
cated, ancient dance of India was pre-
sented to capacity audience. Shan-
Kar, who is acknowledged by the
Hindus to be the finest dancer in India,
amazed the audience with his marvel-
ous command of isolated movement.
A slight turn of his head, a change
in the position of his hands, a lift of
an eyebrow, and a whole phrase or
sentence had been expressed. Every
dance had a definite meaning which
could be understood in spite of in-
volved, subtle dancing.
Many of the dances contained re-
ligious motives^ usually depicting
various phases of life among the gods.
Shiva and Vishnu, the two principal
gods of Hinduism, were most fre-
quently represented. Udwcga, danced
^by Shan-Kar, as Indra initiating the
lesser gods in the perfect art of the
dance, was a superb exhibition of flaw-
less grace and control. Never in his
dancing was there extraneous or harsh
movement. A change from one posi-
tion to another was accomplished
smoothly and without break. A con-
stant flow of movement from begin-
ning to end characterized this dance.
Lavish costumes gracefully draped
added to the brilliant effects.
One of the most popular was a tra-
ditional sword dance of Northern
India used during the festival of sun-
worship. The flashing swords and
simple martial rhythm captivated the
audience, although there was less of
the grace or intricacy found in the
more interpretative dances.
The <l4M>IL^ "' Simkie as the wife
of Shiva in the Udwega revealed a
IMM ai|tL humorous touch in the deft
inn�rpla> ' of mood. Madhavan is a
vigorous  young  dancer   whose  ener-
public assistance in  Pennsylvania, to
he  citizens  of   Montgomery   County. ��^ indTvidraU gMta^P^ttid
strong contrast to .the supple smooth-
ness of the older master.
The individual dancers, Shan-Kar
above all, were undoubtedly of greater
interest than the dance form itself,
but to a western audience the domi-
nance of silhouette pattern, the repeti-
tion of conventional poses, the em-
phasis on detail in plastic profile
contributed to an evening of unusual
artistic experience.-
Dancers Display Power
Of Indian Imagination
Recital
Emphasizes   Symbolism
Religion
Quiet Please
The Self-Government Associ-
ation requests that students who
- are returning to the halls after
10.30 please refrain from shout-
ing, and singing.    They disturb
.other students and neighbors of
the college who are trying to
sleep.
The Deanery, February 7.�The
depth of imaginative power possessed
by American Indians was displayed
in an interpretation of* ceremonial
dances given by Tokaniya and Paal
Batab, two white men who made a
study of Indian culture. The per-
formers emphasized the essentially
religious character of the dances,
which follow a set pattern expressing
thanks to the Great Spirit for the
gifts of nature.
The Indian prays with his body,
but songs are also an inseparable part
of the performance and are actually
necessary tc</-Indian life. When the
chief wishes to gather the people to-
gether for a council meeting, the crier
sends out the call, which differs for
each tribe. At these gatherings the
dance of friendship is the usual
sign greeting. Every dance has its
song and the Indian music is often
written in quarter tones.
In the hunting prayer every action
pertains' to some procedure of the
hunt. The hunter prays for success;
he makes his arrows, and dedicates
them to the earth and the four winds
so that they will fly straight. After
Continued on P��e Five