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THE CAMPUS MIRROR
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SOCIAL NO T E S !
A VISIT TO THE DAY
NURSERY
The Wheatley Fauset Story Telling Club
and V. W. C. A. made a visit on Friday
afternoon, December 21, to the Davis Street
Day Nursery to tell stories and carry Christ
mas cheer to the children who are cared for
there during the day.
There were 50 or more children seated in
rows of tiny chairs forming a hollow square
around their Christmas tree in the kinder
garten room.
They listened attentively to the story tell
ers who in turn occupied the low chair in
their midst.
Both children and visitors in turn sang
Christmas carols for each other.
After the program, which was directed in
a pleasing and informal manner by Florence
Jones, candy, fruit, and nuts were served.
These children showed a very good mark
of training and expressed in childish ways
their appreciation to the visitors.
Y. W. C. A. ENTERTAINS
WITH A TEA
A tea given by the Y. W. C. A. in More
house North, December 26, 1928, was one of
the leading holiday features.
The room was appropriately arranged and
decorated by girls who have a sense of the
proper appointments for such events.
Misses Elnora James, Nancy Abernathy
and Gaston Bradford were gracious hostesses
for the afternoon.
Miss Ruttkay presided at the tea table
with a grace and charm that was good to
see.
Miss Rebecca Duhart’s piano selections,
which cairn at intervals, added to the pleas
ant chat of guests to make a delightful oc
casion.
THE ERICK BERRY
EXHIBIT
Well, well, this is the second day that
lines of students covering almost all the dis
tance between Rockefeller Hall and the plant
have stood eager for something (one could
not tell what as he looked upon them) and
have finally paraded across the campus on
the walks leading to Laura Spelman Hall
and entered. Besides that, on the Sunday
following, several cars were seen standing in
front of this same building and a number
of spectators entering who were later seen
in chapel. “What in the world is up?”
1 lie fact is that these spectators had heard
about the exhibit in Laura Spelman and had
become interested. Around the walls of the
assembly room were large drawings and
paintings of the noted artist, Frick Berry.
I hese pictures are of West \frican natives
whom she had come to know and love. Her
work gives evidence of her greatness and
interest.
There has been one other rare thing in
the library, too. On the desk for several
days has lain a beautiful, new, artistically
designed, orange colored book—very attrac
tive. The title is "Girls of Africa,” by Miss
Berry and it is placed with the pictures.
Are these contributions appreciated? I would
say that they are, and I am sure if the li
brary or the Spelman assembly room could
talk, they would say even more.
EMANCIPATION PROGRAM
The following is the program given at 10
A. M., January 1, 1929, in Sisters Chapel.
Organ Prelude.
Scripture and Invocation—Lois Davenport.
Battle Hymn of Republic.
Emancipation Proclamation—Edythe Jackson.
Selection—Spelman High School Quartette.
Ode to Ethiopia—Catherine Burris.
Selection—Spelman Glee Club.
Introduction of Speaker—Willie Barnett.
Main Address—Dr. W. Faulkner.
National Negro Anthem.
T he challenging thoughts of the speaker were
not lost in the minds of his audience. Not the
achievements of the Negro, but the “spirit of
freedom and progress” was the theme. Out of
the proclamation of January 1, 1863 continually
arise questions that are puzzling the mind. The
Negro must take his place as a responsible
citizen, as a part of this great government. The
speaker made a direct appeal to women, telling
them that if they do not stand forth in the
glory of their womanhood, they offer an insult
to those men who died for their cause. He
stated that he would not flatter them with use
less notions of “true emancipation,” rather he
would spur them to exercise every real phase
of the rights of citizenship—claim and win
suffrage, protection for business interests and
property rights, and fuller school privileges.
Thus will we help realize the purpose of the
original proclamation.
CHRISTMAS CAROL
CONCERT
The season which celebrates the birth of
Christ was made impressive this year by the
annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol
Concert. Given by students of Spelman and
Morehouse Colleges, it made an impressive be
ginning for the Christmas celebration on the
campus.
Our President Read was among those who
attended the National Interracial Conference
in Washington, I). C., during the month of
December. Some of the most prominent and
alert men and women of both races were pres
ent and discussed matters of social better
ment.
THE PASSING OF THE
THIRD FLOOR BACK
The success of the play, “The Passing of the
Third Floor Back," given Jan. 11, was due to
many things, such as talent among Spelman stu
dents, their willingness to cooperate, but above
all to the director, Miss Anna Cooke. It was
she who selected the play, conducted the try
outs and arranged the cast. She worked harder
than any one else to bring the production to
what it was.
There have been good plays given on Spel
man campus, but this one was of higher literary
and artistic quality than any given in recent
years and made a higher appeal to the audi
ence. The quiet eyes of the stranger that
pierced the soul and took away one’s breath
not only caused pretty, innocent Vivian to stop
and consider, but caused members of the audi
ence to question their own souls.
Myrtle Lagard, as Mrs. Sharp, is transformed
from a person of selfish greed to a dignified,
gracious lady of the house, exercising motherly
care over her friends.
Beatrice Tucker as Major Tompkins anc
Edythe Tate as Mrs. Tompkins represented the
fact that two may be lovers—may be gracious
and kind—though married.
Mrs. De Hooley of the aristocracy, played by
Frankie Berry, discovered that being what one
is, is more the mark of a thoroughbred than is
the affectation of assumed rank.
Phyllis Kimbrough did an effective piece of
acting as she took the part of an old man lover
who saw that loving is giving, not getting.
The artist, Christopher Penny, as played by
Annie Hudson, was most convincing, and the
audience was gratified to find that he gets his
sweetheart in the end.
Lilian Peck, playing Vivian, struck a re
sponsive chord in the audience, not only by her
superior playing, but because hers was pe
culiarly a girl’s struggle.
Miss Kite, Frances Callier, found that wo
men are fairer and more attractive as time and
natural living brings out character than are
any painted dolls.
Jew-boy Samuels proved himself a worthy
member of an honorable race. In this char
acter Elsie Edmundson showed that self-respect
and the honor of one’s race are worthy motives
for doing right.
Eddye Money was very much herself in the
character of Harry Larkeome who becomes a
tine, gracious entertainer, cheering others and
lightening their burdens with the tact and taste
of an artist.
1 he character of Stasia showed a more de
cided change from first to last than am other.
Catherine Burris deserves unusual credit in that
she was able to play so convincingly the slattern
ly, thieving, gum-chewing slut as well as the
thoughtful, gentle girl who becomes a real lady.
\\ illie Barnett played well the most unassum
ing. yet most difficult, part in the drama. The
Stranger's virility drew out of the other char
acters their latent, better selves. The moti
vating force of the entire play, the pivot around
which it revolved and the culminating effect
was her dignity and power.
The Campus Mirror congratulates itself that
it siMinsored a play of such literary value, such
artistic finish and high ethical significance.