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THE CAMPUS MIRROR
February 15, 1936
The Campus Mirror
The Students’ Own Publication
“Service In Unity”
THE CAMPUS MIRROR STAFF
Annie Louise Motley.— Editor-in-Chief
Beulah Johnson Associate Editor-in-Chief
Mable Murphy— Editor of News
Frankie Smith Associate Editor of News
Anita Lain Editor of Special Features
HaJoise Walker Asso. Ed. of Special Features
Frances Brock —Exchange Editor
Ella Mae Jones— Editor of Sports and Jokes
VVilhelmina Chapman Social Editor
Business Staff
Minnie Pinson : Business Manager
Johnnie Childress Treasurer
Raymond Whigman Secretary of Staff
Jessie Hubbard Circulation Manager
Clara Ivy Advertising Manager
M. Mae Neptune ^Faculty Advisor
Subscription rates
75 cents a Year, 10 cents a Copy, 40 cents a
Semester—Postage 2 cents a Copy
Volume XII February 1 5, 1 936 No. 5
Editorial
We have often heard that ■when
young people go away to college there
is a drastic religious change which they
go through; they come home totally
disgusted and sometimes ashamed of
the religion of their youth with no bet
ter type of religious belief to replace
the former one. It seems as if they
are dangling in space, and have noth
ing real to cling to.
We of the Spelman Community
had a very rare treat on Wednes
day, February 5, when Mr. John Ben
nett, of the Auburn Theological Semi
nary, spoke in chapel, a courtesy ex
tended us by Gammon Theological
Seminary, in Atlanta. Mr. Bennet, who
is an authority on religion, spoke on
the topic, “Where Religion Begins—
a Starting Point.”
Just as we clear grounds for the site
of a new building which we want to
have firm and well-built, so must we
clear the grounds for a sure religious
foundation upon which we are to grow
richer and richer in happy useful liv
ing. In clearing the ground, says Mr.
Bennet, we must first realize the limi
tations of our former religion; then we
must realize the limitations of scien
tific culture. Man may be ever so wise
and scientifically efficient to delve in
to and understand the very intricate
mechanics of the human body, but
alas! He reaches his limit of compre
hension and still the most important
thing is missing. When we are able to
look with detachment on our scientific
culture, then we are on the threshold
of religious contact with God.
The sooner modern man recognizes
that at every moment of his life he
is dependent, the sooner he will come
to realize that he has a sure founda
tion upon which to build. The self-suf
ficient or “Bourgeois man” has great
ly molded the American man. He lives
in cities, and is dependent on trade
and manufacture, seeing only the ar
tificial works of man. He never sees
the wonders of nature—the sky, the
sea, the forests and trees which cause
a person to realize his dependence.
Upon what is man dependent? Is
he dependent upon an essentially be
nevolent being who brought us into be
ing? Is this being a malicious one?
When we observe the beauties which
are around us we cannot believe in
this. Then is man dependent upon a
God that is blind who accidentally
produced us? Had this God no pur
pose in our creation, and do we alont
know that we exist? Are Ave forgotten
by all other realities—if there are
any? Or, are Ave dependent upon the
God of the Christian faith, the God
AA’ho has purpose, who knows good and
eAul? Truly this is believing Avhere we
cannot prove, but it is far more rea
sonable to believe than either of the
other two.
We are not compelled to call this
Being God; Ave may call it a Cosmic
Drift, a Process, a Force, or Avhat you
will; but, said Mr. Bennet, no man
can really be religious unless he has
a great gratitude for something beyond
himself or unless he faces frustration.
The general make-up of man is essen
tially for loyalty and devotion—Avliich
can be attached to any thing—to a na
tion, which is perhaps the greatest God
and the greatest devil, or to a “Com
munistic Utopia.” What is there in
man which forces him to hold to the
things which he believes good and
true? His consciousness. But Avhat
is consciousness? Is it an accident? or
an awareness of our inmost thoughts?
or is it a mystical experience?
We realize the fact that nobody can
discover for us Avhat Ave believe, but
Ave also admit that such authorities as
Mr. Bennet can stimulate us to the
point where Ave will do a little intro
spection, investigation, and draw our
OAvn conclusions concerning our re
ligious life and beliefs.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to
Ella Mae Jones, a member of our
staff, Avho recently lost her father.
True Friends Are Few
John H. Combs, ’39
‘Friendship, like love, is but a name,
Unless to one you stint the flame.
The child whom many fathers share
Hath seldom known a father’s care.
’Tis thus in friendship; Avho depend
On many, rarely find a friend.”
(Continued on Page 3)
Thanks
Despite the fact that Freshmen have
so many new and varied adjustments
to make and despite the fact that they
are young, our Freshman Class is to
be commended for its lively interest in
the student publication. They seem to
realize that the worth of an institu
tion is measured by Avhat its students
think, and seeing the College paper as
a medium of expressing their thoughts
to the public, they, under the leader
ship of a feAv officers whom they
elected, have enthusiastically respond
ed to the invitation to share the re-
ponsibility for this issue of the Cam
pus Mirror.
Dorothea Boston Editor-in-Chief
Anatol Reeves- Editor of News
Ruth Pope - - Feature Editor
Bloneva Pride... Editor of Jokes
The Half-Mile Post
Dorothea Boston, ’39
The first half-mile post for the class
of ’39 has been reached, salutes in
blue books have been given Avith re
sponses, and the journey is resumed
once more.
This eighteen-week non-stop flight
has not been altogether rosy, for dis
appointments and agitations have pre
sented themselves on every side—the
class is minus a feAV members due to
illness in their homes. Mattie FoAvler,
absent since December 2 has lost her
mother. We Avelcomed her back on
registration day.
All have had to make drastic ad
justments to the new environment and
have had to reach decisions betAveen
the accumulation of Avell-rounded
knoAAdedge as taught by the faculty
and the accumulation of Avell-rounded
knoAvledge as taught by the Morehouse
men; yet a profound loyalty and a
sincere loA’e for Spelman has grown in
the heart of each freshman.
Although memories of the first half
mile are still vivid, the girls are only
absorbed in them to the extent of pos
sible use of incidents as stepping
stones toAvard the improvement that
they aim to make by the time that
the second half-mile post is reached.
They are striving to start on the right
foot and see to it that some of the
childish doings of the last semester
may be avoided. They hope, also, to
secure certain reasonable considera
tions Avhich they have discovered to
be absent. The Freshmen are aware
of the fact that their best accomplish
ments can only come through patience,
tolerance, tactfulness and hard Avork,
but they anticipate the cooperation of
all in meeting real needs so that the
fruits of their efforts may be realized
by the time that they are called to
salute the first mile post, in June,
1936.