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^CAMPUS AACIRROR^
Published During the College Year by the Students of Spelman College, Atlanta. Georgia
Volume X January 15, 1934 ' No. 4
Africa Contacts with Spelman
Human influence is somewhat like elec
trical currents in the extent of its reach,
as long as it is kept connected. Long years
ago, Miss Clara Howard brought to Spel
man a young African girl whom Spelman
deeply impressed. She must have impressed
Spelman none the less, for those who knew
her still speak warmly of her; and students
who have only heard of her usually say to
every African they meet, “Did you know
Flora Malekebu ?”
When in 1926 this young girl, by that
time grown to womanhood and become a
bride on Spelman campus, returned to Afri
ca, she put in “an extension cord” and the
light flowed to many more boys and girls
and men and women with whom Flora
worked. Spelman has been faithful on its
part of the connection; for every year, ac
companied by sincere interest in what she
is doing, this community takes great pleas
ure in sending her a part of the annual
thank offering. Let her give her own
graphic account of these active years in
which Spelman has been favored to have
a part. It comes warm from the tangled
jungles and broad open spaces, and holds
something of the flavor of the tropics.
Providence Industrial Mission,
(’hiradzulu-Nyasaland, Africa,
November 25, 1933.
My dear Friends:
Many years have passed since you heard
personally from us on this side; we wish
to thank you very much for the copies of
tlieCampus Mirror, and the Spelman Mes
senger. Our minds are carried back by
these to old, cheerful and happy school-days,
and during these years of long absence, I
have been trying to make a little Spelman
here in (’hiradzulu-Nyasaland.
In 1926, February 3, the day and year
in which we arrived here, there was not a
house on the Mission for us to live in, only
bush for miles and miles, snakes and awful
looking reptiles of all sizes and colors, wild
animals of all kinds, such as the hyenas,
leopards, monkeys, and deer. We were for
tunate to find a Christian family who lived
a few miles from the Mission premises and
who kindly gave us a home while we were
trying to prepare a place on the Mission
>ite. For several days, weeks, and months,
we called together men and women, boys
and girls to help us clear away the wild
bush for even, before we came here, the
same people were afraid to walk through
the premises during the day at twelve
o'clock high noon, to say nothing about the
African black night, which is so hideous
and dangerous to pass through. Finally,
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U nf ini shed
Ruby Celeste Flanagan, ’36
0, Master Day! Behold yon setting sun
Emblazons all the tinted West with gold
In whose rich glow thy finish is foretold,
While I am helpless with my tasks undone!
These weary hands have labored soon and
late;
But, Master, thou hast fled on swiftest wing;
There was so little time to pray and sing—
So much to do—thou wouldst not stop and
wait.
Here is my flute untouched; but in my heart
The melody awaits which I must try:
Hold yonder sun within the gold-set sky
That I may sing this song before we part.
Greetings from fnanda Semi
nary in South Africa
The letter which follows came to Miss
Read from Miss Anne Brookings, a former
Spelman teacher who went from Spelman
to teach in Inanda Seminary, Phoenix,
Natal, South Africa.
She also sent a copy of their school mag
azine as an exchange for the copies of the
Spelman publications which have been go
ing to her. It is a partnership publication,
the work of young ladies of Inanda Semi
nary and the neighboring young mens’
school, Ohlanga. This magazine will be on
display for students to see in the Spelman
reading room.
Dear Friends,
The other day we started to make a flower
garden, and to make a nice bed, we took
some soil from a place where men had
thrown <>ld bean stalks, making the ground
beneath black and rich, like leaf-mould. We
mixed it in well and planted our flowers.
Two or three days later, after a good rain,
we looked at the garden and saw stout green
leaves pushing through the soil. Beans!
We pulled them up, but the next day there
were more, and the next day more. From
three, four and fives inches under the
ground they bravely pushed their way up
into the light, until we hated to pull them
up. It seemed as if a thing which was
trying so hard to grow should be allowed to
live!
But that seems to be the way of Africa.
Tilings just persist in growing. Cut down
a tree ami a dozen trees spring up from
the stump. Cut a fence pole and stick it
into the ground and the next time you see
it, it will have leave- and blossoms cheerfully
growing to hide the scarred stem. And as
for the umTombe tree! It can’t be stopped
even by putting a house on top of it. The
Coming ! !
The Curtis String Quartet
Another number of the Student Series, ar-
rnaged for 8 o’clock, January 29, will be an
attraction for the interval between semes
ters.
The Curtis String Quartet, despite the
youth of its personnel is unusual in the
field of chamber music. This quartet has
already gained a distinctive position among
the foremost ensemble organizations because
of the high order of musical talent of iits
members together with their thorough mas
tery of ensemble playing.
The young artists of this organization
have each one been honor students at the
Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia—
the Institute from which they take their
name. Their talents have also been enriched
by the artistic direction of Dr. Louis Bailey,
one of the world’s greatest masters of en
semble playing.
Spelman-Morehouse
Christmas Carol Concert
Frances Brock, '36
The Annual Christmas Carol Concert, on
December 21, in Sister’s Chapel, an event
to which one looks forward each year, met
all expectations of music lovers.
The lighting of the candles, which were
arranged in artistic designs about the stage
and along the walls was an impressive cere
mony suggesting the spirit of Christmas as
the two girls passed quietly from candle
to candle leaving it aflame.
In addition to such universal favorite-
as Stille Saelit, Go 'I ell It On The Mountain.
and Mary Had De Leetle Baby, new numbers
for the concert of 1933 were: The Indian
Carol, Stars Lead f’s Ever On, the American
after many hard struggles, we managed
through God to put up about eight brick
(Continued on Page 5)
house may crack and split, but the um
Tombe tree will come through.
So I would like to send you some of the
Spirit of Africa for my Christmas Greeting
this year. It has been a bad year for many.
Malaria, drought, starvation and depression
have all done their best to cut down and
kill, but still we are growing in Sunda>
Schools, in Wayfarers, in Women's Work
and at the Seminary- not always in mini
hers, perhaps, but in spirit and progrc—
and faith.
It is the Spirit ot Africa. Tilings just
can't be prevented from growing!
May Christmas bring you happiness, and
your New Year be filled with the Spirit of
Africa!
Sincerely yours,
Anne Brookings.