College News, 1937-03-24, Vol. 23, No. 19

              The College News
VOL. XXIII, No. 19
BRYN MAWR AND WAYNE, PA., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24,   1937
Copyrlflht   TRUSTEES   OF
BRYN   MAWR   COLLEGE,   1937
PRICE 10 CENTS
{
Cornelia Skinner
.Exhibits Mastery
Over Diseuse Art
/
In   "Loves  of   CharleS Second"
Character of Unseen King
Dominates Stage
GOOD NATURE TEMPERS
SENSE    OF    RIDICULOUS
4     �   '
Goodhart, March 21,.�This evening
Miss Cornelia Otis Skinner laid the
financial corner-stone for a pro.jecteTl
theater workshop with the most fit-
ting of all instruments, a presenta-
tion of her own monologues. A group
of modern skits was followed by The
Loves of Charles II.
The art of the diseuse, which is al-
ways tinged with the supernatural,
remains a mystery for almost any
member of the audience. In this case
each of the first group of monologues
was the well-developed, three-dimen-
sional portrait of a lady, who con-
versed and moved about on a stage
crowded with other characters in such
a way as to expose herself 'as in-
evitably, although with somcwhiit
greater economy of words and actions,
as the ordinary human being.
It is possible to observe in retro-
spect, however, that Miss Skinner
treated contrasting examples of her
subject: a lady of the middle-west
preparing for a presentation at court,
a variety of women found in Times
Square at night, a Boston lady speak
ing on the Indian, at a woman's club
meeting�with a devastating sense of
the ridiculous tempered by under-
standing and good nature. She
avoided any sort of repetition by
utilizing the tremendous scope of her
subject, defining geographical and so-
cial position with distinct shades of
dialect.
In the second half of the evening
Miss Skinner showed a kind of dra-
matic art which, while unnamed, docs
not fall under the simple title of "a
group of monologues." The Loves of
Charles II was rather a single drama
in six scenes, the drama of the char-
acter of a man as lit up facet by facet
through the personalities of the women
surrounding him and their relations
to him. Apart from her acting, Miss
Skinner has accomplished an exciting
piece of stage writing in this the-
atrical view of history. The closing
scene, in which Charles' wife watches
him die, resolves the note of tragedy
Continued on Page Three
News Elections
The Netvs takes great pleas-
ure in announcing the<Hection
of Ethel N. Henkleman, '3% as
Manager of the Business Board
and Mary T. Ritchie, '39, as Sub-
scription Manager. The board
regrets to announce the resigna-
tion of Dewilda Naraniore, '38,
as Subscription Manager.
Mile.   Bree  is  Selected
Head of French House
Students   to  Spend   One  Semester,
Desired Quota is Ten
Plans for the French House, while
still incomplete as to details, are
rapidly taking shape, according to
Mile. Germaine Bree, of the French
Department, who will be in charge of
the house next year. The experiment
will not in any way interfere with
the junior year abroad, but will bene-
fit both students who wish to keep up
their French without majoring in it
and French majors who ca+mot, or do
not, want to RO to France.
The present plan calls for ten stu
dents to occupy the house . each
semester. So far about twelve haw
applied for admission, but Mile. Bree
expects no difficulty in filling the
quota, as applications are still com-
ing in. The Dean's office is making
every effort to see that students en-
tering the French House will be able.
to go back to their own halls, and, if I
possible, their own rooms, at the end
of the semester. In any case they
may reserve their rooms for* the fol-
lowing year. Though many students
feel that in moving they will lose touch
with their friends in the halls, Mile.
Bree thinks that living in a smaller
group of people with a common inter-
est in the language will compensate
for what campus life they will miss.
The important question of rules
governing the speaking of French will
be discussed with the group chosen
before anything definite is decided.
Students will certainly speak French
during the two meals eaten at the
house, and probably in the smoking
rooms in leisure . hours. Any rules
decided upon must be strictly kept,
Mile. Bree warned, or the experiment
will lose its value. She cited a simi-
lar plan, though one attempted with a
larger group, which has worked very
successfully at Bennington while defi-
nite rules were enforced.
COLLEGE CALENDAR
Saturday, April '10.-,�Sopho-
more Cotillion. Common Room,
9.30.
Sunday, April 11.�C. Emer-
son Brown, former director of
the Philadelphia Zoo, will speak,
on wild animals. Movies. Dean-
ery, 5.
Monday, April 12.�French
Department tea. for Miss Leet,
who' will speak on Reid Hall,
Paris.   Deanery, 5.
Lecture hy Mrs. Barbara
Wootton on Standard* of Living
and Social Habito.-t Goodhart,
8.20..
Tuesday, April 13.�Current
Events.    Common Room, 7.30.
Wednesday, April lb.�Sem-
uel Fleisher will speak on Ploy'
grounds. Movies. Music Room,
8.30. .
Thursday April,�15. �Non-
residents' tea. Common Room,
4.30.
Mr. Thomas Tippett will
speak at a Summer School meet-
ing.    Common Room, 8.30.
Sunday, April 18.�Program
by the Hampton Quartet. Dean-
ery, 5.
Monday, April 1.9.�Lecture
by Mrs. Barbara Wootton on
�the Soci/tl Services: Their
Working and Significance. Good-
hart, 8.20.
MISS SKINNER EXPLAINS
VALUE    OF    WORKSHOP
Problem of Education is Well Presented
By Articles in March Issue of 'Lantern'
Miss
(Especially    contributed    by
Katherine Holler.)
In the March issue of The Lantern
the editors have continued their policy
of building each issue around a cen-
v , tral theme. The problem of education
forms the theme in this number, and
jt ' the chief articles and one short story
present various aspects of this sub-
ject. We have a right to expect from
students serious, intelligent thinking
on- these matters and clear, vigorous
writing. In general, We are not dis-
appointed. The editorial and the
articles by Miss Goldwasser and Miss
Coplin are honest and interesting
presentations of some of the aspects
of education with which the writers
are familiar. To criticise the limita-
tions of these essays would be unfair,
because the writers are making
thoughtful analyses of questions with
which they are confronted in their
everyday experiences. In Criticism
and Appreciation in Education, Miss
Coplin moves from the realm of theory
to the actual problem which she sees
at Bryn Mawr and clarifies her points
by illustrations. Miss Goldwasser's
note to her very fine provocative
article seems unnecessary. Good.lion-
est. criticir-         "_.>&- ^yrjfi^l
essay and the poem Sprinted from
the Summer School magazine, Shop
and School, are moving and present a
side of education which the writers
of the other essays must consider at
some time.
A Valentine's Day, by Miss Farrar,
brings to mind similar occasions in
every one's school days, which mark
>a step in growing up. The somewhat
wordy introduction does not spoil the
story, which is significant and told
with sympathy. Miss Meigs' char-
acter sketch is sharp and vigorous as
the subject demands, and^Miss Grant
has written some excellent description
in the third part of Fair. The dia-
logue and vivid graphic description
in- Two Ways of Looking At It de�
serve   commendation.     Although   she
has much to learn in character de-
lineation, Miss Tucker sh>ws definite
promise as a writer.
The poetry published in this issue
of The Lantern affords a study in
contrasts: two poems by Miss Simp-
son, modern in form and idea, and one
by Miss Pope, a dramatic monologue
in a more conventional pattern. Some
bad lines in Cotton Mather are bal-
anced by some good lines, concentrated
and meaningful. Miss Simpson has
written better poems than these two,
although her contrasting metres in
the second Poem are interesting. .
. On the whole, the March issue of
The Lantern desetaiss praise. The
essays are thoughtful and well writ-
ten. They .-��-�'� <*F}>0* stb^lat-
ing argument on ~ the campus. The
fiction is more vigorous than usual.
Let us hope the students will continue
to produce more material of this sort,
which gives indication of independent
thinking.
Paul Weiss is Made
Guggenheim Fellow
Will Begin Study of Foundations
Of Ethics on Completion
Of Present Work        L
AWARD   IS   FOR   1937-1938
As soon as Mr. Paul Weiss, of the
Philosophy Department, has completed
his present book on systematic phi-
losophy he will begin work on a new
subject as a Guggenheim Fellow for
the year 1937-38. The new book will
be a detailed, speculative study of the
foundations of ethics in the light of
modern logic and metaphysics, and is
a sequel developing some of the inipli-^
cations dealt with in Mr. Weiss' forth-
coming book.
Ethics, Mr. Weiss believes, offer a
fundamental test for the validity of
logical and metaphysical speculation,
illuminates the nature of man and
yields basic patterns for historical,
political and social inquiries. During
his sabbatical year he intends to
travel through the country discussing
these questions with various people.
He will, however, spend most of his
time in California.
The purpose of the Foundation is
"to improve the quality of education
and practice of arts, to foster research
and provide for better understanding."
Evidence is required "that the candi-
dates have an unusual capacity for
research demonstrated by previous
publications and contributions to
knowledge of high merit." �
From the 1000 applications received,
only 35 were chosen for academic
awards, and for the second time one
of these awards has come to a Bryn
Mawr professor. Mr. Roger Wells
was the previous recipient.

Prominent Taxidermist
To Speak -on Animals
Lecturer is Author, Member of
Boston Art Club
Mr. C. Emerson Brown, former Di-
rector of the Philadelphia Zoological
Garden and at present corresponding
member of the Zoological Society of
London, will give a talk on My Ani-
mal Friends on Sunday, April 11, at
5 o'clock in the Deanery. Mr. Brown,
besides being Director of the Phila-
delphia Zoo for eighteen years, is thc^
author of several books and maga-
zine articles, and is also an artist.
For many years chief taxidermist ana
collector for the Boston Society of
Natural History, he designed and pre-
pared many habitat groups for its
museum, having studied wild life in
its native habitat.
\
Cites  Possible  Use  in  Future  May
Day Preparations
The Memorial Workshop "will be
as valuable as anything can be in
preparing for the commercial the-
ater," said Cornelia Otis Skinner as
she calmly administered grease paint
to her face a few minutes before her
performance of The Loves of Chariot
II. "This �ort of thing has been done
very successfully by Dr. Baker at
Yale," and an advantage of having ;i
workshop on the campus is that it
will be even more stimulatinj^�,uscd
4n conjunction with such courses as
play writing and stage production.
When asked if the workshop could
be used to" prepare for Big May Day,
she answered definitely that it could.
"When I was here," she said, "we. gut
ready for May Day practically in our
own rooms." The integration in such
a project would undoubtedly be an
advantage. In Big May Day she
played the part of Sacrapante in The
Old Wives' Tale, a part which has
continued to be of great importance in
every May Day.
Miss Skinner was ;m undergradu-
ate at Bryn Mawr for two�yea"rs, 1919
and 1920, when she lived in Merion
Hall in a suite of rooms now unro-
mantically turned into study rooms
and the maids' sitting room.
She was interested and astounded
when she learned Players' Club gave
a play with Haverford this yfcir and
last year. It seems when she was hers
no men even appeared in the audience.
"There'was no Players' Club then.
We had class dramatics, and in my
freshman year I played the part of a
man of ninety."
A. S. U. Will Support
Enlarged   Court   Plan
Lash    Announces    Plan    for    Rally
In Colleges,  April   15
(From   a   publicity   release   of   the
a. s. r.)
A nationwide rally, occurring simul-
taneously in one hundred and fifty col-
leges at noon .on April 13, will sup-
port the President's move to enlarge
the Supreme Court to "lift the judicial
blockade on human rights," Joseph P.
Lash, executive secretary of. the Amer-
ican Student Union, said yesterday.
Decrying the attempts of "a hand-
ful of students" to create the impres-
sion that the campus is opposed to
liberal action of the Supreme Court,
Mr. Lash disclosed that an emerg-
ency meeting of the Union's Executive
Committee concluded the session yes-
terday (Monday), at the Union's
office,  112 East  19th street.
Sentiment for such a demonstra-
tion is widespread, according to the
committee members who journeyed
from all parts of the country to dis-
cuss the Union's stand. They ex-
pressed the belief that the over-
whelming majority of students favor
the President's proposal, and will also
support attempts to obtain more far-
reaching - legislation through an
amendment giving Congress the power
to pass social legislation.
One hundred thousand copies of a
call supporting the rally are being
printed immediately, Mr. Lash said.
Declaring that "our generation is
menaced by the judicial dictatorship,"
the call declares that we "support the
quest for liberalization of the Su-
preme Court and for ultimately curb-
ing its power."
The American Student Union has
chapters' in about one hundred and
fifty American colleges with a mem-
bership of more than twenty thou-
sand. It was formed in December.
1935.
Summer School Drive
The drive for funds to help
**MHK Ahe^Bryn Mawr Sum-
mer School for Women Workers
in Industfy will begin next week.
$1500 is the goal.
Every possible, contribution is
needed.    Please be ready to help!
English Population
Faces Extinction;
Says Mrs. Wootton
Efforts   to   Reward   Parenthood
Have Had Singular Failure
On   Continent
ENGLAND IS BECOMING
WHITE-COLLAR NATION
Goodhart Hall, April 5,�In her dis-
cussion of the basic conditions and
trends of contemporary England, Mrs.
Barbara Wootton refft-red to herself
as au uncle, representing an old in-
dustrial civilization, talking to his
young American nieces and nephews,
who are the products of a newer civili-
zation. Mrs. Wootton cited three ma-
jor points: first, the pros|>ect of an
alarming decline in English popula-
tion; second, the growth of a new
white-collar class, and with it the de-
cay _of agriculture; and third, the in-
adequate outlet which the present ceo-"
Domic system offers for ability.
England is making for its own ex-
tinction. Its population is just about
to reach its maximum, but it will
begin to move downward probably in
the middle forties, in the event of a
continuation of the state of peace.
One can say conservatively that one
hundred years from now, with the
same rates of birth and death, the
population of England and Wales will
be one-half its present size. The de-
crease is due to a decline m the birth-
rate, and it has been made less rapid
only through the prolongation of life
by improvements in sanitation.
There are two explanations given
for this decline, two which, character-
istically enough, contradict each other.
The first is that life is so good that
people have no time, to devote them-
selves to the care of children or to
undertake the responsibilities of par-
enthood. The second is that life is so
disagreeable that we do not want to
impose the kind of hardships we have
experienced on sons and daughters.
On the continent of Europe, the efforts
which have been made by the govern-
ment to reward parenthood have had
singular failure, so there is no rea-
son to expect similar efforts to be suc-
cessful in England. The forces mak-
ing for reduction in population with-
stand "small pecuniary inducements."
The outlook is not, however, en-
tirely gloomy. England is the rich-
est empire in the world, but she can-
not afford to educate her children.
With a smaller population, education
can be more extensive, and there will
no longer be an excuse for the size
of school classes remaining on its pres-
ent scale.
Unfortunately, England has been
living on "middle-aged fat" since the
depression. Its complacency and in-
ability to initiate new experiments is
associated with the elderly nature of
its population and rulers. It has a
Peter Pan government where the mis-
takes of the middle aged are put down
to youthful indiscretion.
The growth of the new white-collar
class was Mrs. Wootton's second point. �;-�
There are three types of industries in
England: primary industries, which
concern land and its products; sec-
ondary ones, or staple manufactures;
and tertiary�services, or "taking in
one another's washing." Most of us
live by the third, which includes pro-
fessional business, sport, entertaining
each other, transport, defence, and so
forth. Forty-five per cent of the
population lives by services and not
by"industrial activity. The staple in-
dustries of England are no longer
staple; there has been an increase in
the production of luxuries and frivoli-
ties.
The decay of agriculture, really the
supreme achievement of civilization,
is* partly the result of the growth of
the white-collar class. The English
people are paying taxes to keep agri-
culture            '"]gjwgy of*<M>ious
merit, since in the event of a war
three-fourths of England will starve
whether the farmers are supported
or not. But there are several im-
portant results of the appearance of
Continued on Pmc* Four
'i