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CAMPUS MIRROR
5
Dr. Robert Nathaniel Dett
For many of us, Dr. R. Nathaniel Dett’s
visit to our campus during last college year
is a vivid memory. Therefore, the news of
his death on October 2, was most affecting
to us as well as to thousands of music lovers.
He was a nationally and internationally
known composer and conductor whose death
has robbed the world of further productions
of his matured art.
Robert Nathaniel Dett was born October
11, 1882, in Ontario, Canada, and died sud
denly October 2, 1943, in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, after being stricken on an assign
ment with the USO in Battle Creek.
At the age of 15, Dr. Dett started his seri
ous musical career at the Oberlin Conserva
tory of Music, after having studied in Ni-
agra Falls, Ontario, and Lockport. It was
the beginning of an eminently successful life
of varied experiences in his field. One of
the most interesting of these was during his
period of service at Hampton Institute,
when he directed the famous Hampton Choir
in a number of engagements in European
countries.
His musical compositions include numer
ous numbers for orchestra, chorus and piano,
some of them arrangements of Negro spirit
uals. He was also the author of essays and
books, and was widely known as a lecturer
and contributor to educational publications.
His address in Sisters Chapel last year ad
mirably displayed his ability as an interest
ing speaker.
“Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadows,”
written especially for the choir of Bennett
College , where he taught for five years, and
dedicated to the Bennett girls, is a favorite
of the Spelman College Glee Club. “Listen
to the Lambs” is sung often by the Atlanta-
Morehouse Spelman Chorus. On the Sunday
following the receipt of the news of his
death, the chorus sang his “Eli Never Turn
Back” in his memory.
At the completion of his assignment in
Battle Creek, Dr. Dett had expected to go
to the Pacific Coast.
Swinging Along At Spelman
Edwardi ne Taylor, '46
We're back at it again; yes, we’re back
from the country, back from the beach and
the mountains, back from the camps, the
stores and the war-plants, too. Spelman Col
lege is once again a “full house.”
It seems strange, getting up at six o’clock
these days, but after a few days of school
work (and homework!) we realize it’s time
now really to settle down and prepare our
selves for the jobs which await the young
women of tomorrow.
As college young women, we realize we
are living in a world of chaos and confusion;
that our brothers, fathers and friends have
given up the pleasures of life to help make
The Barracks
Geraldine Phillips, ’47
This year there are 201 freshmen enrolled
at Spelman College, the largest freshman
class in its history. Because of this large
number of students, arrangements for more
sleeping room than Morgan Hall afforded
had to be made immediately.
Laura Spelman Hall w r as the only build
ing with available space that could be trans
formed into sleeping quarters. One room on
the second floor and the entire third floor
were, therefore, cleared and made ready for
furniture to be brought in.
Double decked beds were carried to the
third floor and placed in two of the rooms.
A sitting room, study, and a room for the
housemother were furnished. The room on
the second floor was fitted for a reception
room.
When we moved into Laura Spelman, the
first thing we thought of was the WACS.
There were fifteen double deckers in one
room, and nine in the other. The beds were
arranged in typical army style so that it took
only a second to decide that we would call
our home “The Barracks.”
The first night in “The Barracks,” we
stayed awake until after midnight discussing
our strange quarters. We were disappointed
because we had twenty-nine roommates in
stead of two. One girl asked, “How am I
going to tell anybody who my roommates
are, when there are twenty-nine people in the
room with me?” Another girl suggested,
“Don’t tell who your roommates are, just
give the name of your bunkmate.” That
brought a laugh, and it was in this amused
atmosphere that we finally fell asleep.
The following morning we jumped out of
bed telling our dreams. This was when we
discovered our advantage over girls in other
halls. We could awaken in the morning and
say hello to twenty-nine people without
leaving our room, and listen to a variety of
dreams before going to class. That night we
discovered that we could have a party right
in our room. Each person would contribute
some food, and we could gather around in
a circle to eat. We could tell jokes and
laugh together as one big family. Debating,
discussing pictures, books and magazines
could add greatly to our knowledge. A per
son could present a performance and have a
large audience. These discoveries diverted
our spirits and we began to like our home,
and each day we like it more and more.
Now that we have grown fond of “The
Barracks," we can see the great beauty in
it, and we who live there desire to live in no
other place. It is our home and we adore it.
this country a free one in which to live. Our
job is to prepare ourselves so that we shall
be able to carry on where they have left off.
We have chosen as our motto: “Prepare
today for tomorrow," and we are living up
to it. Till next month, then — Bye.
Platter Chatter
Greetings and salutations to you new ’uns
and ole ’uns! We’re off to a brand new
start!! You know, it really doesn't seem as
if this is the third or fourth beginning of a
new school year on the deah Spelman ter
ritory — but as impossible as it seems it
truly is. And you freshmen — I know you
can hardly believe that all those childhood
dreams of college life are about to unfold in
your very laps. But, that’s true, too The
days that lie ahead of you are to be the most
enjoyed days of your life — so get the lap
prepared with abundant space because there
is much to hold.
I firmly believe that some Spelmanite
should get busy and compile all of these
various summer stories into a book and en
title it “Spelman Summer Sagas." I have
never heard such a conglomeration of tales
in all of my days. Doris Daniels came back
with an exciting story concerning a “hold
on for dear life” ride in a jeep. Edith
Johnson tells a breath-taking tale of her
almost fatal accident while on the job. There
are many more that have been told after
hours.
My, My! are we proud of ourselves, all
of us little working girls. Gussie Turner
returned bubbling over with enthusiasm in
stigated by the 0. D. B. in Newark. She
even brought back a souvenir in the form
of a desk card entitled “Miss Turner”—tut
tut. Now calm yourselves — here comes
something really colossal. “Becky” Guyton
obtained a job at the beginning and really
kept it up for the duration of the summer.
And — now here it really is — Vivian White
was stock-room girl in one of Oklahoma's
swankiest of swanks. She tells tales of brush
ing shoulders with quite a few of Okla
homa's elite. What are these times doing
for people???. It is needless to make fur
ther mention of our working girls. You
know if Vivian White obtained work, you
may draw the conclusion, through the induc
tive syllogism, that everyone else did, and
feel that you have been fairly accurate.
There aren't so many changes in our sec
ondary domicile this year. Nothing much
but — an over-flow of one hundred and fifty
(approx) freshmen — and a new dormitory—
shall we say improvised? A few "little men
who aren't there” (referring to our ex-fac
ulty members) and ice cream sundaes in the
Snack Shop — other than these little things,
everything is the same. Oh! Spelman, be
loved Spelman!
Good-bye, now, until the next time.
1st Person: You know, I came from a
great family. W by, Queen \ ictoria touched
my grandfather over the head and made
him a knight.
2nd Person: Why, that’s nothing. An
Indian touched my grandfather with a tom-
myhawk and made him an angel.