literary

THE SPECTATOR^ [

VOL 3—No. 10

NUMBER

STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE, EDINBORO, PA., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1936

Sketches

While the City Sleeps

Meadow

Chained Thoughts

By Alfred Wheeling

By Wilma Seabrooke

By June Welker

By Gilberta Bartoo

Last summer we had a picnic there,
and it was very beautiful. In the
shade of the giant willows the creek
slid along, catching the little golden
glints of sunshine when they peeked
between the tree leaves. Along the
banks splashes of color, daisies, but­
tercups, and the bright devil’s paint
brush bobbed in the warm breeze,
and a little brown bird sweeping low
over the meadow called loudly and
swerved as he saw us. A freshly
dug hole in the creek bank lent it­
self to our wonder and observation,
and we lay on our stomachs on the
bank and gazed into the water.
There, sorrounding our own faces,
we saw floating white clouds, dancing
shadows, and, far below the surface
the silvery flash of a twisting fish.
Today I was there again, but the
place is not the same. The stream
flows, black and forbidding between
white cakes of ice. The clouds, the
birds, the flowers—all are gone. The
bare soggy meadow stretches bleak­
ly under a heavy grey sky, while the
willows stand silently begging for
new foliage to cover their nakedness.
Persaps, next summer, there will
again be bright water and sunlight,
and life. Then we shall go back.

The thoughts of a child are free to
follow investigation and imagina­
tion each thing that fascinates him;
butterfly, word, or toy. Notwith­
standing this, his thoughts may be
limited by distracting physical dis­
comfort, by his acceptance of the say­
ings of his parents, and by the nar­
rowness of his experience. They are
chains to himself and can hardly go
far beyond him.
Chains, too, are the thoughts of a
frenzied college student. His work
and his lessons may hold him with
strong bonds. Under a schedule
which calls for more time than he
actually possesses, teachers feel that
they must try to lure away their
share in stiff competition. They may
have discovered that through threats
and through requiring such tasks as
comprehensive outlines, work books,
miles of outside readings, and elabo­
rate notebooks they can quite ef­
fectively fill the pupil’s time and gain
a lion’s share of it.
Of course, certain types of short­
cuts have been found, but to the con­
scientious student these mean loss of
time and lack of mental freedom.
Much time must often be taken in a
rushing for marks, and this, with
setting of time limits in the case of
projects, must often decrease free
play of imagination and originality
(Continued on Page Four)

The March

How different from the zipping
rush of day is the placid -stillness of
night in a city street. Night and the
stars have come to town. The
street is still. The vacant windows
look down like darkened eyes. The
street is a hollow tomb, haunted by
ghosts of echoes that lurk in the
looming walls to challenge any sound.
Far away a sleepy motor hums. The
wind walks up and down, shuffling its
feet in the litter of papers strewn
Down from a
on the pavement,
distant steeple a deep bell note
solemnly tolls.
For a time the city is left to the
rustling wind and the omnious silence
of the buildings. A sparrow wakes
and chirps. Now the milkman comes,
routing the silence and awakening the
echoes as he jangles by. The night
is gone. In a little while the daily
crowd will throng the street again.
With cries and horns and clank of
doors the town will pour forth to
feverish work or play. The pavement
(Continued on Page Four)
will reverbrate to rumble and swish
^of cars and trucks. A steady pro­
cession on sharp heels will grind and
crush the papers and dust into the
sidewalk. The wearp windows will
By Elizabeth Hillier
look down upon clamoring mobs in a
Term Examinations
roaring street.
are
Term examinations, I believe,
the most useless and valuless things
which a teacher can inflict upon his
students, especially when they so
greatly influence his final marks. In
fact, they often go beyond the valu­
By Wilder Michael
less stage and end in being harmful.
To put upon a student, at a time
There came a lull in the warm,
when he is easily excited, the strain
drizzling, late Fall rain, and the soft
of a test is quite unfair. In the pre­
light of a half-waned moon, showing
paration for such a test he often
dimly behind wind-driven, misty
works himself up to a great peak of
clouds, came sliding through the
anxiety, so that when he is actually
drop-jeweled branches of tangled
confronted with the test he cannot
hard wood tops, and buried itself in
s: think as clearly as he should. Under a blanket of fragrant leaves. In the
such conditions it is hardly fair for
deep woods where the three of us
the teacher to mark the student for
J: his whole semesters work. Certainly sprawled, half lying, half sitting
against a moss-cushioned log, it dim­
. after eighteen weeks in which they
med our smoky lantern, made queer
two have worked together, the teach­
shadow-pictures about us, and in the
er should be able to judge the worth
short distance, starting, stopping
of the pupil without the use of a final
and turning among the part shadow­
examination.
ed tree trunks it created any sort of
Sudden Storm
creature or figure that the imagina­
It was dark—a darkness that fore­ tion might desire. A hoot owl’s
tells an oncoming storm; and it was mourn, far in the distance, might
silent—a silence that hushes all be­ turn the scene from an Elfin dance
fore it breaks. Then, as though tim­ to one of Giblins and “Headless
i' ed by a given signal, the storm broke, Horsemen”. Then a puff of moist
and torrents of rain, cold rain, rip­ wind, that whirred through the tops,
ped and dashed through trees and shook off thudding drops, and sent
houses. Lightning flashed in white by cart-wheel leaves, whispering pro­
zig-zags across the sky. Sweeping test against being driven from their
wind hurled huge limbs to the ground sheltered spot, drove a curtain of
and slapped soaked leaves against black and silver between the moon
everything in its path. Trees crack­ and earth leaving the damp, steaming
led and groaned under the strain. night dark and melancholy.
Then, just as suddenly as it came,
the storm left, and an October sun
peered feebly from behind a few grey
God loves adverbs,- and cares not
clouds.
how good but how well.—Joseph Hall.

Through mist and clouds the sun
sent lazy rays upon water laden, sog­
gy earth. Away to the west, up hills,
through valleys, along sluggish
stream, wound a weary road, mile
after mile. This should have been a
happy road, for on it marches a vic­
torious army, but it was not. Each
soldier, khaki clad, dragged slowly
onward as if the next step might be
his last. There was one who, ex­
hausted by a hundred miles, could no
longer place one foot before the
other; and so he sat, or rather lay,
beside the road while others passed.
His aching feet were blistered; for on
his back he had carried a fifty pound
pack—the sum total of his earthly
possessions. His stomach lacked es­
sential food, and hunger seemed to
gnaw at his vital organs; as he sat
his mind refused to think. There
was no hope to stir him on, for well
he knew his bed, at best, that night

Sketches

Night Woods

An Airplane Ride
By Clarence Boerstler

My eyes watered somewhat as we
tore across the tarmac. The plane
picked up speed every second. At
the airport boundary was a web of
high tension lines which we had to
clear. Grimly, Lloyd gave the ship
full gun, held the stick back and
zoomed. Shadowy lines of cables
streaked beneath the fuselage as the
“Bird” climber higher.
As he leveled off at ten thousand
feet came the thrill. Wing over
wing, glittering as its fuselage caught
the rays of the sun, the ship cork­
screwed down toward the field as
though it were out of control. The
ground whirled and leaped toward us
in- a dizzy spiral. A wierd . scream
filled our ears as the grey-blue treetops whirled to meet us.
Lloyd’s
foot shot ahead on the rudder pedal,
the stick moved forward. We strain­
ed against the sudden pressure. The
controls moved neutral as the ship
moved into a planing dive. I heard
the motor thunder and soad to a
higher wailing note. The sprawling
earth rushed up to meet us with in­
expressible speed. Closer and closei' it came. Then the softly waving
tree tops slid beneath us. “Phew,”
I murmured, feeling a cold drop of
perspiration trickle down the inside
of my soft helmet; It was just anothei* tailspin.

My First Barn Dance
By Olive Huff

The dance was held in a huge hayfilled barn on a good old fashioned
farm.
Partners all”, shouted the caller,
and the floor was immediately filled
with fellows and girls, eager for the
dance to begin. The strains of “Dar­
ling Nellie Gray” filled the air. The
old organ, sadly out of tune and with
a few keys that refused to respond
to the touch, managed to wheeze out
a few muffled sounds. Shrill, squeaky
tones came from the ancient fiddle;
the banjo, minus one string, strum­
med an occasional note. Feet shuffl­
ed on the crude, splintered barn
floor. Girls screamed as husky far­
mer boys swung them off their feet.
Mosquitos buzzed about in the stifling
night air, and moths fluttered about
the dim lanterns. Bats swooped eer­
ily in one window, dipped down and
around and then out the other. All
the while the sing-song voice of the
caller rang out.
“Oh, the next couple lead to the
couple on the right, and circle right
and circle to the left.” Restless feet
shuffled on the sidelines, keeping
time to the rhythmic music, as the
couples continued to sashay and
promenade the hall.

THE SPECTATOR

Page Two

THE SPECTATOR
........... Jane Zahniser
................ Lois Gaylor
.......... William Coyle
................. John Swift
................ Neil Peiffer
.Frances Cochanides
.......... Edward Noble
........ F. L. LaBounty

Editor-in-Chief.....
Social Editor........ .
Literary Editor ...
Sports Editor........
News Head ...........
Club Editor .........
Business Manager
Faculty Adviser ...

Editorial
A literary number of the school paper can have several values
beyond the mere recognition of excellent composition. The most
important result is, no doubt, the exchange of student ideas through
this publication. A paper devoted exclusively to news cannot ex­
press the thoughts of all students; a literary paper con do so much
more easily.
A second result is the appreciation that is developed among
students for the good writing of their fellows.
When a person writes
well, or, for that matter, does anything well by honest effort, he is
even further stimulated by well deserved applause. To see his name
“in print" often brings him the reward he should have.
By this interchange of ideas and opinions we hope that stud­
ents will gain a deeper insight into other peoples problems and in­
terests, and will thereby learn to be better thinkers.

Characterizations From
“Summertime Ends”
by John Hargrave
“Sir John Jordans, really only a
heaviness; a thumpiness—a hhrumph!
“Mrs. Len Smith, no more than a
wheezy asthmatical backache float­
ing in soapsud steam.
“Ditmold, a spiritual war, a psy­
chological conflict raging round a
symbolic Cross.
“Mrs. Hotchkiss, a mere deafness.
“Dr. Senlac—a tired bedside man­
ner rushing from one illness to an­
other and kept going by compressed
cheerfulness.
“Lord Swingletree, nothing in par­
ticular talking of nothing in particu­
lar a propos nothing in particular.
“Jenny’s mother, a busy motherli­
ness.
“Len Smith, a mechanised 6*nmble.
“Lady Jordans, an automatic Al­
manack watching the days go by, and
waiting, waiting . . .
“Puddlefoot, a scowling growl
prowling.
“Robert, a vague belief in nothing
unconsciously groping for something.
“Sylvia, a thwarted desire running
away from itself.
“Ismay Jones, a themeless theme
trying to form itself.
“Sir Solway Jones (his brother), a
simple political weaselishness.
“Sir Otto Speidlehus, an inter­
national financial interdependence
spinning a numerical web in vacuo.
“Lady Speidlehus, a hard bright
determination to defy decay, a paint­
ed laugh echoing down the corridors
of time.

Mr. Doucette was in Nashville,
Tenn., last week attending the West­
ern Art Conference. He left Mon­
day, March 30, and returned Mon­
day, April 6.

“Jenny, a hope flying on a Lucky
Swastika.
“Lady Swingletree, a longing to fly
away, spellbound in a dream within a
dream.
“George, an impulse impelled to
pulse . . . each one the same, only
different . . . and only different in
egocentric slant
“George, nearer the protoplasmic
norm than any of them; less formed,
less finished, rough hewn, more simp­
ly no one, a slab, a rude dolmen
amidst a multitude of intricately en­
graved god-images, mere body bulk
—a clod, an animal? Yes, so it
seems and so it was.”
« « *
“is that Sly via with Teddy Barlow?
His slidback forhead permanently
puckered
his damp blue eyes midly puzzled
his voice a thin, tired mew
his ego a flatfish dying on a mudbank
and ... is that Robert over there
with Nina Tolly?
whose face is like an oval cake of
buttermilk soap
whose mouth is a large overripe
cherry
and gummy like an overripe cherry
whose voice is a husky hoot of wind
blown through a dried-up hemlock
stem
so fascinatingly fatuous, forlorn and
flippant . . . ?
* * *
“cosmic explosion in space
a flash, a flare of speeding gas—a
gaseous clash!
all so dim and long ago
a blinding glint, a blaze of light—
head-on starcrash!
is that the planet Earth in a spinning
wobble—newly born?”

A Soldier Speaks

Kommuter’s Kolumn

Tom asked, “What is war like?”
Could I tell him what was is like?
When asked the question the whole
horrible picture came before me. I
saw war; heard its ghastly noises.
If I could only shut my eyes to the
raging, thunderous cannons that
mowed down human forms as a far­
mer swinging his singing scythe in a
grain field! But those perpetual ob­
literating noises have become an ob­
session.
At night there comes the shrill
whining of the air raid and the stac­
cato beat of shells exploding on
earth which brings back the loud,
hoarse shouts of men and the pierc­
ing, emotional cry of women; then
all is still and the vague whisperings
of frightened beings grows again in­
to shouts, shaken by the last fright.
This is just routine, but the hell of
battle with its machine guns vomit­
ing death in every direction still
beats its rhythms in my brain. The
sudden silences and then the burst
of noises, which split my eardrums in
just thinking of them are enough to
make one mad. Perhaps we are mad
because in these periods of silence
we listen for death which we imagine
floats in the dumb silent spaces.
When the roar of cannon, the sharp
crack of rifles and the muffled throb­
bing of machine guns are interspers­
ed with shouts of men lustful for
victory, and the wails of dying
soldiers, we are mad. We wait, tense
for the bark of orders and then we
hurl headlong into the confusing
chaos of rumblings and shoutings.
These ccasless noises deaden our
minds, they deaden our feelings so
that we may carry out the selfish
plans and insanity of ambitious dis­
tators.

By Flora Harding

“War is not kind, Tom, that is all
I can say. Always strive to keep
your country out of one.”

A Theme Defined
By Anita Veith

So J. Streit goes in for animal
husbandry in a big way. We wonder
if he wasn’t mixing his formulae
when he illustrated on the blackboard
that wool plus accessories yields cow.
That was pretty cute, also the one
about the dog in Arizona! Well,
well, well, guess what we found in
Grignol’s vest pocket—a hairpin. The
little man asserts innocently but oh,
so vehemently that he uses it to dig
the wax out of his ears but we doubt
it very much. Rather afraid that
Seabrooke is going to get curvature
of the spine the way she twists her­
self around when masticating a
doughnut. By the way, she got the
blue ribbon for doughnut dunking at
the “Fried Cake Exhibit’*.
Clemy
Chromick should enter the auto races
at Minneapolis this year. The dash­
ing Speedster says that to him forty
miles an hour is just like being in
second gear. Clem got an E in Psy­
chology this quarter which signifies
intelligence in the superlative degree,
don’t you think? Lois Miner admits
that her favorite pastime is knitting.
Shields has been doing a little “Sher­
lock Holmesing” on the side—he
can’t just decide how he rates with
F. Peters. A hundred paths present
a hundred difficulties, as the Chinese
say. Wonder where Olsen comes in?
The A’s and B’s seem to be in the
limelight lately; with A. B., B. A., and
B. B. comprising the eternaT triangle.
(Lost—A couple of hearts within the
vicinity of the “Gem City” or there­
abouts.) Bill will never be the same
again. Even 0. 0. MacIntyre knows
when to stop which should be my cut.
Rather fear that this column is doom­
ed to perdition. Adios and buenos
noches.

College Men Prefer
We find college men frantically'
eager to express their opinions. T’e
following list is taken from “Vogue”.
1. Prefers smart girls to pretty
ones.
2. Wishes to heaven girls would
do away with trains, muffs that
drop, long earings that dangle,
and do-johnnies in the hair.
3. Likes these qualities—neatness,
vitality, sex appeal, beauty, dis­
tinction, style, sweetness.
4. Prefers sport clothes (unani­
mous) ; sweater, skirts; tweeds,
ankle socks and sport shoes.
5. Like perfume (not too much).
6. Dislike imitation jewelry.
7. Hate make up, and red fing^r'
nails.
8. Detest slang and low-heeled
. shoes.
9. Loathe baby talk.

A theme is the subject of topic or
discourse.
For students a theme
means a type of exercise which may
result in the form of a masterpiece
on the part of some, but which for
the great majority proves a burdenome task. It requires the racking
of the deep crevices of the brain for
suitable ideas and then an hour or
two of writing and rewriting and
crossing out of words and phrases.
A theme for radio performers is a
song which opens and closes their
programs; it is Kate Smith’s “When
the Moon Comes over the Mount­
ain” and Fred Waring’s “Sleep”. In
a debating society a theme is a pro­
DEFINITION OF AN OPTIMIST position or subject for argument;
while in music it is a simple melody
Isham Jones’ vacation dance in
A man who does cross-word puzzles repeated several times throughout
Erie
looked like an Edinboro Old
with a fountain pen.
the composition. On the whole, a
Grad night.
A man who takes down snow fences theme is the text or basis for either
Vacations are the thing you
on St. Patrick’s Day.
talking or writing.
up after during school.

THE SPECTATOR

W. A. A.

Page Three

BAKER ’ s

By Betty Kafferlin

1850 - 1936

I

More big news! The W. A. A.
We extend a cordial invitation to all Edinboro men
girls are just as successful in bowling
to come in and see the new
as in anything else they attempt...........................
On
Spring and Summer Styles
Wednesday afternoon the Phi-Delta
!
in
Tournament was staged. The Deltas
had one game to their credit from a
Men’s Clothing, Furnishings and Shoes
previous date and on Wednesday, the
State at Seventh
Phis won two games; thus capturing
ERIE, PA.
the championship. In the first game,
Covert had highest score, 118, and in
the second Boyce ranked high with
130 points. The Delta team was
composed of: Boyce, Hillier, Russell,
McQuilken, and Swiecki. They were
By Margaret Miner
By Walter Hall
opposed by the following phis: Cov­
ert, Forrest, Dinges, Kilgore, and
I like to walk on a rainy day. I
Things look pretty bright in the
Fisher.
future at Reeder since we have locks peep from beneath a slouchy felt hat
Last Tuesday the W. A. A. held an
on the switch boxes....Jim Pogue’s at strange things. Tiny puddles of
important meeting to discuss spring
new radio seems to hold the spot­ water are formed on the roughened
sports. Speedball, hockey, archery,
light at present. Fellows in nearby muddy path. Every twig is drenched
golf, tennis and volleyball appeared
rooms find his aerial a most conven­ with the steady downpour. Birds are
as the popular choices of the group.
ient place to hang towels, etc.... Bert huddled on branches, their feathers
Next Tuesday, a group meeting is is certainly making a nice stay of it; ruffled around them.
scheduled for the purpose of award­ hope he isn’t ill.
The feelings on a rainy day are
ing emblems, sweaters, E’s, blazers,
Arden Davies had a bad break— even more appealing. A fine spray
and National Pins to the Phi and
was placed under the “knife” a little of vapor on your warm face is cool­
Delta girls who are eligible. Follow­
over a week ago. The chances are he ing. Even the steady dripping from
ing this meeting a tea will be held.
won t return this spring....Wonder the bottom of a rubber coat or an
It is to be in the form of an Easter
how Benny likes his new home.... occasional drop trickling down your
event and quite different from form­
George Hctra looks lonesome lately neck is soon forgotten as a small pool
er ones. The group of girls who
without him....You know, of course, comes into view. Here one can pause
participate in 3:15 activities will act
that the well known Hastie-VanSlyke and then wade to the depth permit­
as hostesses. We assure you it will
combine in Room 34 has disintegrat­ ted by two shiny overshoes, in suck­
be a delightful affair and urge you
ing, feet-tugging sand.
ed.
all to come.
Even the dull grey clouds overhead
Yes, Bill Crunick still lectures on
Social dancing classes in charge of
are not a cause for gloom, for the
student
teaching...Thanks
to
Dr.
Ross,
Miss Ruttie and Misses Bole and
rhythmic pelting that they cause
Walz are making splendid progress. two rooms in the basement seem to sends thhrills of delight up your back.
Tap dancing has also proved to be have been completed. These bright A feeling of mastery comes when the
new rooms will certainly be appre­
very popular with all the girls.
wind lashes against your unflinching
ciated.
figure. It is pleasant to walk in the
Merle Andre’s brother got him out
of bed the night of April 1st to- be rain.
best man at his (the brother’s) wed­
ding. Merle got all dressed up and
made arrangements for his depart­
By Rachel Williams
ure when—yes, you guessed it; it was
The Y. W. C. A. held its regular all a joke.
Mr. Mallory wears Mallory hats.
weekly meeting on Wednesday even­
Mr. Wheatley’s favorite breakfast
T see James Wilson is going to re­
ing, April 1. Ruth McFadden and main with us at Reeder this quarter. food is Wheaties.
Vergie Fuller had charge of the de­ It had been rumored that he was go­
Miss Hudson drives Hudson cars.
votions, with Marjorie Welsh assist­ ing to commute....Spring must be
Mr. Haller uses Haller’s Catsup.
ing at the piano. The speaker for here, for the golf enthusiasts are
Mr. Bates catches fish.
the evening was Miss Jane Ludgate, back on the football field, whipping
Does Mr. McNees have a niece?
who spoke on “What the Bible Means themselves into form after the winter
Dr. Crawford teaches in Crawford
to Me”. She gave a fine picture of lay-off.
county once a week.
what the Bible means to people who
do not have access to its teachings.
She also talked about the Bible as a
TRASK, PRESCOTT & RICHARDSON COMPANY
great piece of literature and pointed !
out the characteristics of the various
books of the Bible from the literary
viewpoint.
Trask, Prescott & Richardson Co. are not just selling
On April 8 the Y. W. is sponsoring
merchandise, they are offering you joy, happiness and con­
an Easter party for the girls of the
tentment that is your right when you invest your money.
college. This gathering will be held Y
in the Haven Hall dining room at
We sell nothing but
7:45. Jean Kilgore, chairman of the
X
social committee, is making elaborate
FIRST QUALITY MERCHANDISE
plans and intends to have this party
°ne >f the most unique that the
Mail and Phone Orders Filled
college has given. Refreshments will
be served. Come out and support
the Y at the Easter party.

I

Ii

ISAAC BAKER & SON

Reeder Snooze

Rain

Y. W. C. A.

Faculty Freaks

I

I

PHILOSOPHY

I?

I

Ned Whipple has had a tough time
finding out which keys fit which locks,
but he’s winning out at last.

1

I
?

Trask, Prescott & Richardson Company
DEPARTMENT STORE

ERIE, PA.

I

?

i

Dorm Doings
By Ruth McFadden

People come and people go but
nothing ever happens....That is your
columnist’s thought every week as
the time approaches for this epistle to
be written.
Sis Bole and Barbara Reed certain­
ly enjoyed themselves April Fool’s
day by heckling people at the dinner
table.

Paul Pfeiffer makes poor Sneddon
lose lots of sleep. Tuesday she had
to wait until he returned from a
basketball game to find out if they
could go to the Bowery Brawl. And
speaking of that, affair, wasn’t it one
of the best dances this year? An
orchid to ourselves.
Tuesday afternoon everyone on
and off campus gathered around the
radio in Haven Hall to listen to Clara
Behringer make her radio debut.
She gave a grand performance and
Edinboro has every right to be proud
of its talented daughter.
While we are discussing people on
the second floor, we might mention
the fact that the residents of this
floor are taking up a collection to
buy the Misses Jones and Walters
new bathrobes.

Not to be outdone by Eileen Yea­
ger’s ducks, Louise Carlberg has
started a garden, beginning with a
pot of ivy. Some day soon those
quiet people who live on first floor
promise to do something that will be
real news. When it happens we will
devote the entire column to explain­
ing it.
To start a heated argument, just
discuss the Hauptmann case. Fay
Parker received an unexpected and
unwelcome shower bath the other day
and she is still hunting the culprit.
Helen Kessler’s niece and nephew,
who were visiting her last week, pro­
vided the whole dormitory with
amusement. Especially with their
vocal numbers. We are hoping for
their return in the near future.

Dottie Duncan’s theme song is
“Brother can you spare six cents”.
One of Peg Adler’s pupils asked
her if she weren’t a lady the other
day when someone called her a girl.
Ah me, the trials and tribulations of
approaching age. Various flood yarns'
are being swapped by those who had
a difficult time getting home last
week-end.
So bidding all my six readers a
very happy Easter. So long until
next time.
If it takes two men four days to
mow a field, how long does it take
four men two days?
How much does a gram of hydro­
gen weigh?—Chemistry class.

Page Four

Things We Can
Do Without
By Eleanor Harned

There are a lot of things in this
old world I could do without, but I
don’t want to do without them. For
instance, I could do without pillows
to sleep on, but I like to sleep on
pillows. I like cream in my coffee,
silk stockings, radios, and a million
other things. Humans are all like
that. We are such selfish beings that
we think we must have all the things
we can possibly afford to buy. If
we should stop to count all the things
we could do without, we should cer­
tainly be surprised at the large
number. There are some things,
however, that are necessary and are
very much finer and nobler, but we
never stop to be thankful for them.
We rush on, wishing with all our
hearts for some luxury. A few of
nature’s priceless gifts should be
made the most of and appreciated
more.

Spring Ebullitions by
Contemporary Poets
April Snow Storm

Softly, softly, see it come,
See it fluttering to the ground
Like a million fancies drifting
Through your mind without
sound.

a

Here today and gone tomorrow—
Lots of beauty, not much sense,
As the April snow-storm quarrels
With the springtime’s recompense.

SKETCHES
(Continued from Page One)
would be some rain-soaked turf, or
hard board floor.
The Man
No doubt at some time he was the
son of a proud and happy mother;
but alas! now he had no one to whom
he may turn for sympathy.
His
back is bent until he has assumed al­
most the exact form of a question
mark. By his neighbors he is called
“Old Hook”—a name appropriate to
his shape. His long thing face is
covered with a shaggy beard, His
hair, if one were to judge from a
casual glance, might be that of an
unkept collie dog. His hands resemble more some vulture’s claws
than human form.
Some nearby
cornfield scarecrow could well have
supplied his entire wardrobe, The
trousers which bag at the knees, are
covered with untidy patches, while
the buttons of his entire costume
have been replaced by bent and rusty
nails. He wears no shoes in Sum­
mer, but seems to enjoy entire com­
fort with his shoeless feet. To see
him gives one the impression of com­
plete delapidation and forlorn des­
pair.

The After Effects L

It’s TOPCOAT TIME
headquarters
There’s a beautiful Belcourt Topcoat here for you
that tops the world in value.
1It’s styled in the
University manner . . . preferably■ a smartly design-'
ed Raglan, or a flowing Bal that’s; a doggy affair . . .
and the colorful fabrics are really hilarious . . . and
You
there’s nothing high-brow about the price.
Get
into
action!
needn’t hesitate.

$21.50

and

$2CJ

P. A. MEYER & SONS
817-819 State St., Erie

On Following
If I Could Be
Someone Else
One’s Nose
By Loretta Walz

By Eleanore Harned

What does it mean to “follow one’s
nose”?
Taken literally, everyone
follows his nose. Taken for what it’s
worth, I don’t think following one’s
nose amounts to much. Sometimes
the follower of an inquisitive nose
finds himself in unpleasant situations
because he is curious to the point of
being rude and personal. But it may
be just as unpleasant to follow a
turned-up nose as an inquisitive one.
And yet there is no surer way of be­
coming the main topic of conversa­
tion than to follow a turned-up nose.
But would the conversation be com­
plimentary? No, I wouldn’t want to
follow a turned-up nose. After all,
just a plain nose used as nature in­
tended is better to follow than any
fancy kind.
Why “follow one’s
nose” anyway? We are supposed to
have some intelligence stored away
behind our noses; that is what we
should follow. I think “following
one’s nose” is a silly expression. If
it has any sense or humor I shall have
to admit that my nose fails me in
finding it.

By Winnifred Bannister

V<

The game has whirled to a cL
and the team was screamed to a vie
tory. In two and threes’ the p^’
ed group filed out the door, a
with a soprano voice calls out—
a game, what a game”. A boy who^
voice ran from bass to soprano wayelling “yippee! Told you! Yippee!IS,
and the victim whose neck he had
-J en.
circled grinned joyously as he Pound,
ed the boy in front of him on the
back. A string of girls sailed
—I by
screaming variously tabout the ice
cream, the team, the opponents, and
the six chapters to read before
eleven. Feet squeaking on the snow,
small boys, large boys, medium size
boys galloped along behind a campus
width and their total expression
seemed to be “o-boy-o-boy-o-boy-what
a-game”. In the dorm windows slam­
med and doors slammed. Some “bas­
ket bug” gave the kitchen bell a wild
yank and its wagging tongue gave
fresh starts to others—a penny
whistle shrieked, a gust of laughter
and handclapping came and died,
soon the gym doors closed hollowly.
The dorm squirmed with excitement
Now the lights in the gym are out
and my pen nibbles merrily along all
alone.

How often have I heard this trite
expression voiced; it is the expression
of that old human urge to overpower,
to be looked up to, to be catered to,
to be sought after. Little boys have
wanted to be policemen—a man of
great power in his little mind; little
girls have longed to be beautiful
CHAINED THOUGHTS
princesses, envied by every other
little girl, worshipped by all the little
(Continued from Page ’One)
boys. Big boys have dreamed of
suddenly inventing some great thing,
as the student sits late at night over
of being a man of great political
his work.
powers. Big girls have dreamed of
Because of the time taken by les­
being the world’s most famous act­
sons his leisure is markedly decreas­
ress, sought after.
ed, and many opportunities are sys­
And so it goes in bg and little ways.
tematically kept from him. As he
I have heard girls say “If I were the
assists in extra-curricular activities
dean of women”, etc., etc. I have
he may find some of these opportuni­
heard fellows say “If I were Presi­
ties if the activity is suited to his
dent of this place, I’d make it....” etc.
inclination, otherwise it, too degener­
Sometimes I wonder at such com­
ates into a time-killer.
Time for
mon discontent, this feeling of un­
reading newspapers, magazines, and
founded superiority.
I dare say
good fiction is shortened and time for
that those people whom we admire
free study and reading on outside
and secretly enjoy, are just as happy
subjects ceases to exist. However, I
and just as unhappy as we ourselves
think he might be immensely better
are. We all could find some nice
off if teachers would try to cooper­
things about us—if we would stop them; we might in some soon day
ate in methods of efficiency, not time
to analyze ourselves, and to capital­ produce the idol of our dreams; mir­
wasting; if upon our cirruculum was
ize on them, to stick to working on ror the image of ourselves.
imprinted the doctrine of quality as
well as quantity, if the student and
faculty could make arrangements
for a sensible and wholesome budget­
ing of his time, and if he might be on
all sides encouraged to think of his
highest possibilities and follow his
highest inclinations; then his thoughts
would not be chained, but stimulated?
and to a greater extent would be hi$
own.
NEW CATALOG

BOSTON
STORE
ERIE, PENNA.
If unable to shop in person use our
MAIL ORDER SERVICE

I
Our next year’s catalog is expect'
i ed to be in the hands of the student’
before Easter vacation. The proofs
for this publication were returned
April 2. As the catalog for the sum­
mer session has been published'
distributed, we are looking forward
with keen interest for next years
program.

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