Newspaper Page Text
4
DEBENTURE
By Pauline Nelson, '29
THE CAMPUS MIRROR
For some weeks college freshmen and
others have been wondering and asking
"What is debenture?” Farmers and business
men are wondering, thinking seriously, and
trying to find out what it means. Repre
sentatives and senators in the Seventieth
Congress of the United States are disagree
ing on the meaning—at least, on the value—
of debenture.
Debenture? How much of this word was
contributed to the English vocabulary by
the Romans? Their world debentur meant
"they are due." One English meaning of the
word comes from the Latin expression deb-
cntur milti. These were the opening words
of a certificate which, when signed by the
proper public officer, was evidence of a debt
or a right to demand or receive a sum of
money. That is what debentur meant to the
Romans, hut what does debentur plus the
“e" mean to us Americans? The Romans
pronounced their debentur, just as we do our
debenture, but does it have the same mean
ing?
Probably it could be that the new-word
faddist wanted something new and therefore
he "coined" a new word. Since the period
of the World War when people were looking
at the newspapers everyday to keep up with
the meaning of new words that were appear
ing, word-making has been at a sort of stand
still. Since everything—and I think that I
am safe in saying so—revolves in a cycle
with the following periods, namely : Prosper
ity, crisis, depression and recovery; then
probably we could say that this vogue of
new words was in its period of prosperity
during the World War. Finally the people
became “fed up" on new words. They were
at a crisis. For sometime they have lagged
in their business of hunting for and creat
ing new words. It is possible that they are
getting eager again for new words and re
covering from the period of depression or
standstill? Xo, this cannot be true, for N T oah
Webster has a long list of definitions of
debenture in the last revision of the new
International Dictionary. The word is neith
er a twentieth century coinage nor a re
cent adoption.
Is it possible that a technical word, lying
ready in the dictionary has passed swiftly
nto common use on the tongues of millions
of people all over the United States—has be
come a colloquial word? The written and
spoken word has certainly spread far more
rapidly than its meaning. They say that Sen
ator Harris, of Georgia, with many other
senators, is a staunch supporter of debenture,
whatever it is. President Hoover disapproves
it. and the House of Representatives has
refused to approve it as a measure of Farm
Relief.
Until congress can come to some sort of
A TRIBUTE
By Estelle R. Bailey, '29
Miss Miriam F. Carpenter was Dean of
Spelman College for the j^ear 1927-1928, and
every student of that year can recall some
such experience as this:
“Why, here is my friend, Miss B—. Won’t
you come in and sit down? How are you
today? Isn’t this a beautiful day? Oh, I
just think it is wonderful. I never want
to work when I come into this office. I
just want to get out and romp with the
girls when I see them out playing. Do you
always have such days?”
“Miss Carpenter, do you play games?” ven
tures the girl.
“Why, yes, I love them.”
Her pa : st experiences had given her a keen
insight into the impulses and desires of
young people. She would rather have a con
ference with a student than do the routine
work of a dean. And a conference with
her was something to prize and remember.
Students came out of her office feeling as
if they had had a pleasant social call—but
the result was sure to be new inspiration,
new desires and a warmer friendship.
When one went to see her, even for a
misdemeanor, she was always pleasant. She
would talk about the weather, the chapel
talks—anything that would interest the stu
dent and win her confidence. If there were
any possible ways, she would lead the stu
dent to make her own confession or ex
planation.
She loved to work either with individuals
or with groups. It was she who proposed
the idea of Sister classes, of class emblems,
of rotation ot class colors, and started the
machinery of community government on our
campus. •
an agreement on the word, I forbear to at- ! She had a peculiar charm in her chapel
tempt an interpretation. talks and could give such intimate things
that each person present almost felt that she
| was having a private conversation with Miss
1 Carpenter. Such subjects as “Birds,” “My
Mother,” "Dr., Grenfell,” “Good Sportsman
ship," still inspire us and fill us with memo
ries of her.
Miss Carpenter’s presence on this campus,
for that one year, made an atmosphere here
that, for the girls who knew her, will al
ways he here—a fragrant memory, and a
source of strength that a girl can never get
away from and will never want to get away
from. To know her was to know the feel
of a warm, throbbing personality that you
know you love and whose love you never
doubt.
"A perfect woman nobly planned,
I o warn, to comfort, and command ;
And yet a spirit still, and bright
With something of angelic light.”
Besides sending individual letters to girls,
she sends an occasional telegram to the
Spelman Community. She is an honorary
member of the Senior College class and they
are particularly happy to have her deliver
their commencement address and to witness
their graduation in June.
INTELLECTUAL RELISH
(Continued from page 1)
best because she was habitually associated
with that type. Likewise in literature or mu
sic in all the arts—taste is chiefly a mat
ter of continued exposure to effects. One
must live in the atmosphere of the field of
his interest. Familiarity breeds evergrow
ing admiration.”
The works of the masters offer a standard
| of judgment, models for comparison. Ac
quaintance with a few productions tested by
time, and approved by authority gives us
standards of excellence, and we test others
by these.
When a standard has been established,
practice in evaluation tends to become a
habit. 1 hrough practice one develops an
ease in judgment; it becomes a part of his
life. Xor is this limited to material arts.
1 hrough practice we choose the wisest
courses in life, we act in the best manner,
and live in the fullest sense. Taste, the
power to discern and appreciate beauty and
the fitness and appropriateness of things, is
an important factor in good character. It
is a part of one’s personality, revealed by
his reaction to things.
Appreciation may be had without an ex
tensive study of the fundamental principles
of an art, but in cultivating taste, these prin
ciples govern the study, construction, and
comparison. One needs a scheme for analy
sis, or how T is he to know what to look for
in order to build his scale of values?
This Intellectual Relish, sensibility to ex
cellencies, power of discernment—whatever
it may be called—is in itself an art. Hab
it, comparison, practice, and intellect are
its keys. Taste is creative, producing the
things it likes. It is sanely sensitive, keep
ing one at the point of richest enjoyment.
“It is the art,” says John Erskine, "not of
the cook, but of the guest at the banquet.”