Oriole and Tower-Light, 1922-1927, Part 132

Author: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Publication date: 1922-1927
Publisher: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Number of Pages: 1024

USA > Maryland > Baltimore County > Towson > Oriole and Tower-Light, 1922-1927 > Part 132

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Sunday School teacher-"What hoy in the Bible killed a giant?" Pupil-"Jack, the giant killer."

Junior (studying for Geography test)-"What is quartz?"

Classmate-"Two pints."

Miss B .- "Are you two girls sis- ters?"

Eva and Alice-"No, we're twins."

Page 6

TOWER LIGHT

December, 1926

MY IMPRESSIONS OF MARYLAND.

First of all, I will introduce myself. I am, or rather I was, a New Eng- lander. I have been a Marylander for the last nine or ten weeks. Do I have to say that I miss New Hamp- shire, the particular State that I came from-the rugged, wild beauty of the White Mountains, the arresting charm and mystery of the Glen Ellis Falls, the rippling loveliness of Echo Lake, the Great Stone Face of Haw- thorne's story, the villages with their New England prettiness of scenery ? I think not ..

I have always longed for new ex- periences, new phases of life, new impressions. It is true that I love new England, but I can also love Maryland. She is so friendly, so gracious, and so different from what has been customary to me. It is such a delightfully new experience, for instance, to wear light clothing, to hear the balmy, Southern winds in- stead of chilling, cold winds of New England.

Maryland, in December, you are still clad in green. No deep snow covers your rolling, gently sloping landscape. Your boys do not have to shovel snowpaths as yet. Your housewives are not obliged to have frosty windows greet them in the morning. Your flappers do not have to quit wearing silk hose for a good long time to come. You hold Dame Summer tenaciously and you urge her to remain long in your realm. Your smile is sunny and sweet, and Dame Summer escapes from New England's shores to respond to your plea for a lengthy sojourn in your kingdom. The little pickaninnies laugh and play in the mud and their brown little faces shine with the joy of living. It is warm, and a gentle breeze blows their fuzzy black pig- tails.

As I walk on York Road to school 1 can't help thinking of the brave soldiers on foot on

and horse who hastily tramped the very road that I tread so calmly. Last week, on one of my rambling walks, I noticed a house on York Road that carried such an old-fashioned. air about it! Immediately my imagin-

ation constructed

picture of a

crinolined, dark-haired Southern lassie standing on the veranda and waving goodhye to her soldier lad in gray, who was disappearing in the distance. I am deeply thrilled with historical Maryland, the Maryland of the Revolution, and of the Civil War. It is romantic to live in a State steeped in old historic traditions.

I enthusiastically sing with the rest of you Marylanders, "Thou shalt not cower in the dust, Maryland, my Maryland!

Thy beaming sword shall never rust, Maryland, my Maryland!"

Susanna R. Welsman, Jr. 5.

BABBITT.

(By Sinclair Lewis-Grossett and Dunlap).

George F. Babbitt is a typical pro- duct of a standardized industrial age. His thoughts, even his very religion, are the result of some one else's thinking.

Sinclair Lewis has drawn us the picture of the Modern Business Man, the man to whom business is a pas- sion, who makes a religion of busi- ness, and business of religion.

Babbitt appears to the world at large as a success-but he is a fail- ure-and he knows it. Dimly he wonders what this life he is living leads to. He experiences that vague unrest, but falls hack into the old way, because it is easiest.

He possesses a convenient moral sense that can be sketched to cover shady business deals and affairs with women, hut rises in shocked horror at anything "libera]."

To men of Babbitt's stripe to be a liberal is to be in league with the Devil.

A good fellow, a one-hundred per cent. booster, yet wanting something higher and not knowing what he wanted. At last the dawn breaks for him. He sees the light-not for himself, hut for his son.

Bahbitt is a true type. We recog- nize in him many of our fellow men. We see summed up in this rough character some of the pitiful weak- nesses of our modern age.

Happy should we be if the chain breaks for us as it did for Babbitt.

Antoinette Darley, Sr. 6.

ART AND LIFE.

Dr. Hans Froehlicher, art lecturer and head of the German Department at Goucher College, was the Honor Society's guest and speaker at its dinner Friday evening, November 12. Part of what he said follows:

"Let us think for a moment of beauty in relation to life. What part do beauty and art occupy in life? To answer this we shall have to imagine the world without them. "In the first place, our houses

"We ornament our churches and our homes. A wedding is made more would be reduced to mere shelters. i beautiful if it is performed in a There would be no cathedrals, nor magnificent halls and palaces, but rudely constructed huts would dot the earth.

"Poetry is art. So, if we remove beauty and art, we take away from the world the poems which have in- spired humanity and which have given beauty to the world.

Music also is art. Can we con- ceive of the absence of melodious harmonies to satisfy the ear?

"If there were no beauty in the world we would dress only to pro-|expressed in art."

tect ourselves from the weather.

There would be no social functions. In fact, life without art and beauty would be the same as the world with_ out the sun.

"Earliest man was sensitive to beauty. He spent more time beauti- fying his utensils than he did in mak- ing them, originally. What is the source of this?

Beauty is the one product of hu- man effort which does not serve a utilitarian purpose. Honesty is use- ful. The statnes on Mount Vernon Place are of no value but to look at. Why then do we always show visi- tors to Baltimore such places rather than some factory where nseful things are made?

"We who are teachers realize the effect of surroundings on the spirit of the children. We want beautiful things in our class rooms-cheerful curtains and pictures, plants, and exquisite cleanliness.

Beauty is the only thing we do not need. We get pleasure from it just because of this fact.

The way of producing art is differ- ent from any other activity. We sow seed and expect a crop. An artist begins to paint, hut no one can tell what the end of his work will be. He, himself, does not know. We can tell a person how to build a house, but we cannot tell an artist how to paint.

"Art in the highest sense is play.

"Art and beauty are intangible. If we are hungry and see fruit, we eat it and are satisfied. Look on art. The more we see the more we want. We are never contented. Again, we cannot share that which we eat. All of us can share music and still not he impoverished.

In 1893, at the World's Fair in Chicago, the country awoke to the fact that it was poor in art. Build- ings were ugly. There were no standards of architecture. Painting and sculpture were pitifully ugly. No fine music was being written. The next twenty years saw a revolu- tion against ugliness, a war for beauty.

beautiful building with fine music and solemn ritual. A child's life is enriched if beautiful lullabies are sung to him when he is little.

"Most art is symbolic of that which cannot be expressed. A country is gauged most of all by its art. That sums up everything in the noblest way.

Whatever there is noble and spir- itnal in life, in thought, in deed and in feeling since man began, is best

Margaret Rohrer, Sr. 12.

Page 7

TOWER LIGHT

December, 1926.

THE BANQUET SPEECHES.

The banquet of the American Country Life Association was held at the Willard Hotel in Washington. All the speeches were given by people who have visited in foreign coun- tries and have studied the conditions existing in his particular country.

Dr. Warren H. Wilson was toast- master. He is a tall man, very humorous and was equal to any occasion which arose.

Dr. C. J. Galpin was the

first speaker of the evening and he told about Europe's farm youth. Dr. Galpin is a most interesting talker and you just settle down and make yourself comfortable for a magnifi- cent time when you see him rise to speak. Dr. Galpin spent six months in Europe and visited thirteen differ- ent countries. He -said Europe's youth is just tasting the unaccus -! tomed liberties of freedom, and they plead that the farm youth of America seriously take hold of the rural prob. - lem and give them skill in agricul- ture.

Dean T. R. Mann of New York City, spoke on Rural Europe's Ten- dencies. He said Norway was the country without a village, so the farm life influence is so very great. There is a great call for land area, and in Italy they are cutting down forests aud irrigating the lands in order to have more acreage. In conclusion, lie said they were train- ing for a higher type of personnel for the farm youth.

Miss Grace E. Frysinger spoke on the Women of Rural Europe. She is a tall, sleuder woman and a very forceful speaker. She says there are four distinct groups of rural women in Europe. First, those who live on large estates or manors, and are the cultured people; second- the laborers, who live on these estates. They have no recreation, but live a hard, crude life. Third, are those in the small village, who live a happy group life. Fourth, are those who own their farms and live ! independent lives. They are isolated from the community life, but are in a minority in Europe.

E. C. Lindeman of High Bridge, New York, is field secretary. He has been working with rural Denmark, and he says they have allowed the speculative motive to enter their mind and as a result they are failing.

Next we had the pleasure of listen- ing to a very attractive and unique

little Japanese woman. She was quick of movement and alert of mind. Her dress was her native costume and she made quite an impression upon her audience. She said she wonder- ed what her grandmother would say if she could see her then. She said she would most likely say, "Michi, come down from that high place!"

She said something which is very

surprising and that is, that the coun- try people still live as they did in the feudal days. They know nothing of the outside world and have no desire to learn. She was showing their iguorance of new things and told this story:

Once when she went back home from this country she took a swing with her and was showing it to many of her friends. They all thought it was very strange looking. Finally she presented it to one of the group. The next day the man came to her and said it was a very dangerous thing to have. She asked why it was so dangerous. He said, "Well, my little girl she tried to put her head in first, she fall out and hurt herself awful bad! Then my little boy, he tried to put his feet in first, he fall out too and hurt his head on the floor! I tell you it is a bad thing to have!"

Michi said, "Why don't you try putting your middle in first?"

She said they possessed leadership and poise, but it was quite hard to tell from where it came.

President Kenyon L. Butterfield, of East Lansing, Mich., is a very serene, calm, collected and affable man. He has thoroughly won the hearts of the Association, a fact which was clearly shown by the ovation given him when he rose to make his speech and also at its close. President Butterfield spoke on the International Country Life Conference held at Brussels, where twelve countries were repre- sented. He told what a success he thought it was, but not in comparison with this conference, for they did not arrive at any definite conclusions as did we. President Butterfield said we were dealing with the human welfare of a billion people, and the time had come for us to take the leadership in every possible way.

Theo. Gary, Senior 5.

GIRL SCOUTS.

Leader-Miss Willis. Lieutenant-Rose Famous. Activities of the Scouts.

1. Indoor Meetings-

Every other week we meet indoors to learn our duties, pass off tender- foot tests and second-class tests. We learn and sing some scout songs and play games. At some of these meet- ings we are able to have scout lead- ers come out from Baltimoire and talk to us about organizing a troop of

our own, and ways in which we may help our community.

2 .- Hikes.

Our hikes come in the week be_ tween our indoor meetings. We get to learn more about nature, how to build fires, cook and many other use- ful things, but what we enjoy most of all is the spreads.

3 .- Red Cross Roll Call.

The Girl Scouts had charge of the Red Cross Roll Call again this year. We were very successful in this. The amount taken iu was twice as much as that taken in last year and three times as much as was taken in the year before last. We received a membership from every section, but were unable to get a liundred per cent. from the faculty. We took in $95.82. The Elementary School also cooperated with us in getting memberships.

4-Extra Activities.

At the beginning of this year the new Scouts were taken into the troop during an overnight hike. Everyone enjoyed this very much, and are look- ing forward to a similar one in the spring.

E. T. Colton, who is a marvelous speaker, talked on Russia. Russia has been known as revolutionary Russia, but now the peasants are be- During the home-coming week-end we had a breakfast hike in honor of the old scouts. ing recognized more and more. They have a new economic policy and are allowed more freedom than ever before. They are becoming more Fund. We are also preparing a socialized and their political strength is being increased.

This year we are undertaking to raise a sum for the Community Christmas basket to be given to a poor family in Towson.

R. L. B .- G. S.

BOOKS WE SHOULD KNOW.

The Fortunate Youth-William J. Locke.

The Fortunate Youth is a book of adventure; a story of youth, filled with the optimistic, indomitable self- willed spirit of youth. It is interest- ing, it is joyous, and very improbable and hardly possible. It is the story of a vagabond, a beautiful hoy, who (since Locke must always have his vagabond ) craves culture and de_ lights in books and old paintings.

The story is very much like a fairy tale, for it tells of the life of a boy from the time we see him as a dirty little mistreated step-child, hiding away in a hole in a back lot so that he may read a much battered edition of Ivanhoe to the time after many, many adventures he finally marries a beautiful princess.

The tale is interesting, exciting, and on the whole, quite stunning, al- though it has its weak spots. If you are at leisure and want to be en- tertained, read the Fortunate Youth and you will find the spirit of it contagious.

If you like this, why not read the Beloved Vagabond, by the same author. It is just as delightful and in many ways superior to it.

-E. France, Sr. 9.

Page 8

TOWER LIGHT

December, 1926

TOWER LIGHT

PUBLISHED MONTHLY

Cireulation Manager HOWARD FLOOK

BY THE STUDENTS OF THE MARY- LAND STATE NORMAL SCHOOL,

Student Editors

RACHEL POWELL

TOWSON, MD.

ADELE FLOOK

ELEANORA BOWLING

Business Manager

FOSTER FORD

Managing Editor ALICE L. MUNN

Advertising Managers SYBIL LAVIN

Price :- One Dollar Fifty Cents For Ten Copies.

LOUISE MANUEL

Single Issues Fifteen Cents.

NOVEMBER, 1926

Editoria

THESE ARE THE LAWS OF THE behavior of the school, they take an

JUNGLE.

"Now these are

the laws of the

Jungle,

And many and mighty are they, But the head and the hoof of this la w

And the haunch and the hump is "obey."

-- Kipling.

When I first entered the Maryland State Normal School, one of the first things I noticed was the absence of a bewildering list of rules, the breaking of which is usually accompanied by punishment. There were no rules which "laid down the law" as to what one should do in one's free periods;

there was no prescribed form of walking in the halls, as many schools

which stairways were to be used as

"up" stairways, and which as "down" Such a rule as this last has been the cause of many a poor freshman's tears and lamentations In the high school from which I came.

Unlike the Jungle, the laws, or rules of the Normal School are not many, but they are not the less mighty despite their paucity. On the contrary, I might hazard the, Our visitor was Dr. Patty Smith Hill of Teachers' College, Columbia Uni- versity.

opinion that the scarcity of rules, hard and fast rules that are followed because of a fear of the direful con- sequences attending an Infraction of them, is one of the main reasons why the students of the school seem re- sponsihle for and interested in their school, why their corridors are

quieter and their campus cleaner than those of many another higher institution of learning. Because no wise council of elders who preceded the present students has assembled to draw up rules and regulations, whereby the present student body should comport itself, because these students feel, that in the absence of the rules of higher and more dicta- torial authority, they are responsible for themselves, and therefore for the

interest in creating a favorable im- pression that the members of a school, shackled hand and foot by commands, often useless and entirely inapplicable to the present condi- tions, never achieve.

Standards of action seem to be created as the need for them arises, and then by the students. And, as- suredly, since this is a training school where we are trained in self- control and dependence as well as in subject matter and technique, what better means of teaching control of others could we possibly have than that of learning to control ourselves. The laws of the Jungle are "many and mighty." The rules of the Nor- mal School are few, wide-spreading in their influence, and indelible in the impressions they leave. - Eleanora Bowling, Jr. 1.

WHAT IS WORTHWHILE. TEACH- ERS' COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.

(By Dr. Patty Smith Hill)

One of the most interesting speak- ers we have ever had came to us here at Normal, Tuesday, November 30th.

In addressing the assembly, Dr. Hill said that she and others at Columbia had been watching our Normal School with great interest.

"We think," continued Dr. Hill, "that we own Lida Lee Tall at Teach- ers' College, and when she left us to come down here to you to do this piece of work for our southern land, we grieved over our own loss, yet I am rejoicing to know that she did come to you in the teaching pro- feszion.

"As my topic today I chose a gen- eral topic for students to carry with them in the future, in order to make the profession of teaching worth- while to us. This includes the gen-

eral field of education as well as the field in which I am interested. It is to be regarded, if we are to make life worthwhile to ourselves and in the homes from which the children come. My topic is the sense of worthwhile- ness in the home, school and in life, and the things that are essential to keep this before us.

What promotes

this sense of

worthwhileness, and what hinders it in the home with the parent, and in the school with the teacher? We must have a sense of individual worth. As individuals, we

are worthwhile and can lead a worth- while life. We must have a sense of self respect. To be able to get this sense over to society and make it impressive, we must link it with the sense of gratitude. There must be a sense of worthwhileness for little children as well as grown peo- ple. It is a game to be played and must not be just for a future life, but must be for life in the present. It is this sense of worthwhileness that children naturally feel unless we break this up, or unless we leave children in the home uncared for. I would like to have you spend a day in the tenement district of our great city. It is very sad to find what a large proportion of our children we see reared with grown people who say that things will be worthwhile in the future and not at the present is time. It is the same in our religious life, counting too much on our fu- ture life. It our

part as teachers to help bring about a better standard in the schools and with our children. It is true that many schools have remained in a neighbor- hood many years, and the life around the school is unaltered. It seems to me that we have failed to realize that the school life should go outside of the schools and the homes.

Dr. Dewey, in protesting upon the curriculum of the day, said: "Edu- cation is not preparation for life, for the simple reason that it is life."

I have outlined some of the things that will help us in teaching:

First is physical health. With it it is easier to keep a sense of wortli- whileness in life, knowing that we are well and are strong. The right to a healthy environment, the right to healthful knowledge and health- ful habits

make us fresh,, free

and joyous. This is the one thing to keep with our children and with ourselves.

Second, is mental health. Mental wholeness means mental wholesome- ness. Often hours are long, classes are large. Often there are papers to mark in the evenings. With all. of these things, the tendency may be for us to build up a mental attitude that is not good for us to build for our- selves and for our children. Then watch yourselves and do not let any acid enter Into your thinking and

possess; and

directions as to

Page 9

TOWER LIGHT

December, 1926.

your feeling. Tranquility, respon- sibility and serenity are three things that are especial requisites in the school with little children.

Then, there is a sense of fun. We must develop in ourselves and in our children, the sense of enjoyment and keep it alert and active. This, children should always hold on to. Do not develope fear of failure, of defeat, of invalidism, of tendency to be worried and anxious, or a sense of timidity which is so characteristic of children. The dreadful thing is that you never realize all of your ability and possibilities, and with children the keeping of timidity in the back- ground is so important. We have suffered from the grouch type of teacher. All of these are things that, in your own life, you must avoid. Temperament and individuality is a matter of careful training in little children from the very beginning, for training in the right walks of life. People in the wrong line of work often rob children of the sense of worthwhileness. One must feel the thrill of being in the profession of teaching children. Our natural dis- abilities are to be reckoned . with, and if we do not get the sense of thrill from the development of chil- dren under our care, let us leave it.

Next is the sense that we know that we are growing. If we know this, we can help ourselves and help others develop strength, worthiness, and efficiency. These are the things that you are participating in as tea- chers. You are one of those who help to bring about the great pageant of development and growth. If we can thrill with the idea of achieve- ment with little children, it is one of the greatest causes of rejoicing. We must have outside evidences and we must know that other people know that we are growing. The schoolroom organization ought to be such that, if a child can achieve by himself, he should get the knowledge that he not only had accomplished something but that the other chil- dren in the room should rejoice with him because he has made this con- quest.

There is the sense of freedom. Little children get this sense, and we should know that they are getting it. Every one of us must have some sense of freedom, something to do with the planning of our own lives. Without it, we wither and die. No one can remain well long unless he can have something to say as to what he must do and when to do it. With the growing to

tendency shortened hours of labor, it is highly important that we look to it in the sense that children have opportunity to create. We must look to this creative power as a problem of leis- ure.

Another phase is human affection.

In its finest sense, from our affection comes wholesome living, but we ought not to have an overwhelming dose of it to make us weak. To (Given by Hughes Mearns-New York University. )

know that somebody does know when we go and come, that somebody does care, that we make the school a hetter place, so that our coming is noticed. I often think of our child- ren of the street and those who are looked upon as little pests in the home, who have no great affection poured upon them. We should all develop in our personal relations in life the right kind of affection. Good work is done under conditions where we respect and have affection for those people with whom we work.

[ must speak of adventure. Mothers do not provide for it. In our many schools, we are planning devices by which we can get adven- ture, hecanse in the homes so large a proportion of mothers say "No" when a haby wants adventure. Willing- ness to face anything for what you can do, is all right, but with our venture there is no progress. We must have and keep the willingness to work ahead, and not just fit into things as they are. In proportion to our fitting into things as they are, we have lost our sense of adventure.

AN ASSEMBLY TREAT-POETRY IN THE MAKING.

In Assembly, Mr. Mearns, after having been formally introduced by Miss Tall, said:

"I am an adventurer in education, because I went into education as an adventurer. I was very much afraid of work, and saw a little means of making money. With a very super- ior air, I stayed in the field of edu- cation for four years before I left. You girls understand that more than the men; I stayed in because I would have romance, and so I am still in. I soou had the opportunity of be- coming an adventurer in the State of Pennsylvania for I had received a telegram, in which I was offered a job. On the same day, another telegram came, offering a job. One opportunity was to teach in a grade school, with this item: "You may be your own boss, and do as you please, without a course of study." This of- fered a chance to live in New York where I was to take a position teach- ing. My family was delighted, and so we went to New York. I felt that if they would let me do what I pleased, I could do it. I really was frightened. Nevertheless, I took the position and went to this school as directed. The children came in, and I saw that they were a different sort of children than I had ever seen in my life before. remembered

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Oriole and Tower-Light, 1922-1927, Part 132

Author: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.) Publication date: 1922-1927 Publisher: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.) Number of Pages: 1024

Author: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Publication date: 1922-1927
Publisher: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Number of Pages: 1024