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Published During the College Year by the Students of Spelman College, Atlanta. Georgia
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Volume IX. November 15, 1932 Number 2.
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Lecture by Will Durant
"Is Progress Real?"
Mr. "Durant presented several views of
the strides of mankind both upward and
downward, from a pessimistic point of view
and from a more or less optimistic point
of view. One of the earliest optimistic
philosophers of our times was a young
French aristocrat who, although hiding him
self in an attic during 1794 so as not to
meet the fate of the guillotine, Avrote
one of the most optimistic of books, called
A Sketch of Progress of the Human Spirit.
In this he said that within one hundred
years the sun would shine on no slavery,
women would be free of men and all prob
lems of society would be solved.
Mr. Durant further stated that there is
a prediction that our civilization is enter
ing into darker ages. This decay, or pes
simistic idea, may be due either to religious
views or to war. The pessimist says, al
though Ave think Ave are doing more than
mankind has ever done before, still in In
dia and Asia there has been found archi
tecture which has never been surpassed by
the generations following. Another pessi
mist likewise says Rome lost power, so did
Spain and Holland. Thus they conclude
all things that go up must come down. We
are taking backward strides through birth
control, moral decay, religious decay. One
hundred years from now savages will
roam the earth. Probably football is a
first step toward that condition. From such
pessimistic views it is best to consider
while we are young that these things are
coming. It is best to consider too, that
America Avill pass away. “Everything that
begins must cease to be,” says the pessi
mist.
But from optimistic points of view na
tions do not die Avhen they lose their
power and seem swallowed up by another.
If a nation has been truly great, its great
deeds live forever. Is Home dead? Any
Sophomore will declare, “No, it is not dead
enough.” Its laws have marched down to
us. Real history is not after all a story of
rise and fall, but rather a brief sketch of
those things done by men of genius in
darker ages, those stops that cannot lx* re
traced. Historians themselves are pessi
mists because they don’t walk in this light.
Mr. Durant said there are one hundred
steps to progress of which lie would name
but ten. They are as follows:
First, speech, which was the greatest of
all inventions. It enabled man to think in
groups. Before abstract words were invented
our thoughts were limited to a few concrete
things.
Thanksgiving
“We praise thee for life’s gathered
gains
And blessings in our cup that brim
But more for pledge of what remains
Past the horizon’s utmost rim.”
The climax of harvest time is dawning
upon us. We are about to face another
Thanksgiving. Is this a season for our
emptying to God our store of thanks which
has been collecting since the last Thanks
giving or for all of the present year? No.
If Ave assumed such an idea, our thinking
Avould prove disasterous to our social and
spiritual Avell-being; our minds would be
veneered; our outlook Avould be limited.
Nor is the season a time when Ave are ex
pected to empty our purse to the poor as
a compensation for all that Ave have not
given previously. This is a child’s philos
ophy of Thanksgiving as is adequately ex
pressed in this A’erse of a child’s poem :
“Said old Gentleman Gay,
On a Thanksgiving Day,
If you want to have a good time,
Give something away.”
We who have this feeling must modify
or mature our meaning of Thanksgiving.
To keep the spirit of “giving”, why not
extend it to three hundred sixty-five days
instead of one? Then Ave Avill lniAe a good
time all of the time. And when avc come to
I hanksgiving Ave will seek to make it more
than a day to give, the happiest day of
days—one that we have been waiting for,
jo]best of jolly days.
We will find it a convenient day to make
(Continued on page 2)
Julia Peter kin, A Guest At
Spelman College
Lucile Pearsox, ’35
Spelman College welcomed to its campus
on October 24th, Mrs. Julia Peterkin, au
thor of Black April, Scarlet Sister Mary,
and Bright Skin.
Classes were dismissed in order that a
greater number of students might be able
to hear Mrs. Peterkin’s lecture. At the
appointed time HoAve Memorial Hall Avas
filled with the college students and their
friends Avho listened attentively to the art
ist, showing their appreciation of the rare
treat of hearing an author discuss her A'ieAvs
of life, her desires as a human being, her
problems as a writer.
Mrs. Peterkin had a message for the
youth who regarded her eagerly and curi
ously. In substance she said that youth
has a chance to choose Avhat he is to be
and Avhat he is to do. It is his duty to
choose while he is young in what wav he
is to express life. There is a warning in
these Avords. “Live your own life. Never
listen to a criticism of a thing done honest
ly. Do a thing as you see it, but do your
best always. Mrs. Peterkin stated that
there are roots among us out of which must
spring creation, but that in all forms of
expression it is one’s obligation to tell the
Honest-to-God truth.
The students were AA’ell pleased with Mrs.
I eterkin and Avent away meaning to take
her advice in doing all things.
Dr. Hope Sees Russia
In speaking of matters related to people,
Dr. Hope stated that there are three Avords
to keep in mind, the mass, the cause, and the
individual. It seems to be a rather difficult
thing to concentrate upon all three at one
time. He pointed out the fact that the great
trouble in the South comes from giA'ing too
much attention to individuals and not enough
to the mass.
In Russia the mass of people are sacri
ficing comfort and happiness in order
that years hence there may be more com
fort for the individual. People Avork all day
tor practically nothing and don’t complain.
Russian Avomen look very bad and most
men have lost all initiative. On the other
hand, some people are very happy; they
go to playgrounds and theatres Avhere they
spend very pleasant afternoons. Not far
a way in another part of toAvn, people are
found who are tired, hungry and ill dressed.
e find young people ruling who have
no grasp of the existing conditions. The
older people are more or les* discarded.
(Continued on page 7)
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