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C \ M P r S Ml R R 0 R
5
The Ivy Oration
Gwendolyn Harrison, '44
The creeping tendrils of ivy with their
rich, crisp greenness add untold beauty
t<> any building that they grace. Con
sider these two diametrically opposed ele
ments: a building of brick or stone, a
static entity, a monument to man s abil
ity to create; the ivy. a green plant, alive,
growing, serving as a protection from
dampness anil decay. The building, even
though beautiful in itself, becomes more
beautiful when it is clothed with ivy. a
link bringing it closer to nature, the very
nature that produced its component
elements.
There are two elements in human life,
analogous to these, that are variously
known as the body and the soul, the
material and the spiritual, the real and
the ideal. The building represents the
body or the material; the ivy, the soul
or the spiritual. This concept is as old as
history, and through the ages there have
been various philosophies which figure
around it.
Many ancient and medieval philo-
phies maintained that the body is evil,
and that it must continually be punished
for the exaltation of the soul. Buddha,
who lived five centuries before Christ,
taught his followers to abjure the outer
world, to give up their goods and to live
as mendicants; through this means they
hoped to win escape for their souls from
the tortures of physical existence. Plato,
born a century later in a different land,
taught that the soul is more real than
the body, and that the body is the prison
of the soul. Christian writers introduced
a new idea, speaking of the body as the
temple rather than the prison of the
spirit. Nevertheless, the ascetic ideal per
sisted among the Christians and was
practiced widely up through the Middle
Ages.
Other thinkers have gone to the oppo
site extreme and have considered pleas
ure or power as the supreme goal of life.
Cervantes, in hi- great novel Don Quixote
shows the absurdity of going to either
extreme. Don Quixote, the idealist, and
Sancho Panza. the realist, are both
absurd figures. Don Quixote cannot cope
with the objective issues of life; he
denies their existence, and so is con
tinually being thwarted hv them. Sancho
Panza sees nothing of value except wealth
and jmwer. \ seeming paradox i- the
fact that these two men cannot get along
without each other they complement
each other and each gives meaning to
the other's existence.
The twentieth century novelist. Charles
Morgan, -tate- in The Fountain that
asceticism is a refusal of the nourishment
by which the soul s journey may be sus
tained. The body i> evil only in dom
inance. It is the instrument of the soul
(Continued on Page 30)
Looking Backward
Gwendolyn Cooper. '44
Four years ago. on September 11.
1940. Spelman College enfolded within
her gates one hundred and seventy Fresh
men. The expectant and joyful yet
frightened bevy of girls had launched
upon a journey that they hoped would
end in June, 1944. We were an interest
ing group of all types, kinds, heights,
and names, but all of us had one thing
in common—newness that glowed all over
us like a light and singled us out in
any group as Freshmen. The excitement
of being in a new place and seeing new
things kept our spirits bouyed up for
a few days, but in spite of the activities
of Freshman Week, it was not long
before homesickness became as apparent
as an epidemic of the mumps.
Finally, we became so engrossed in
adjusting ourselves to our new sur
roundings we had little interest in cry
ing. By the time we had become ac
quainted with Dr. Albro and the amoeba
some of our sheen of expectation had
worn off and had become replaced by
p -lightly dull finish of bewilderment.
Mrs. Curry and her formidable “we
made us feel that a whole army of his
tory teachers had “ganged up" on us. As
yet we have not discovered to whom
the “we” refers.
The first semester of our freshman
year savr a slight epidemic of measles
and flu. but passed successfully for most
of us. although, like any other class, the
number had decreased by January. After
the ordeal of our first semester exams,
everyone felt like a real conquering
heroine. We attacked the work of the
second semester with renewed vigor and
enthusiasm.
Our Freshman year, however, was not
all work, though I suspect it was for
those whose problem was our guidance.
It was marked by the extended visit of
Mr. IPS. Ede, who linked art and every
day living. Two groups of Shakespearian
Players visited the campus. Dr. Mays,
newly elected President of Morehouse
College, made the first Vesper address
of the year. Miss Julia Denham entered
the Physical Education Department and
under her direction the first out-of-door
dance recital was given. With great
anticipation we watched the construction
of Clark College on Chestnut Street, and
made afghans for Britain.
One hundred-twenty-one of the origi
nal one hundred-seventy returned the
second year to continue this long, hard
journey. This term we met Dr. 0. W.
Eagleson. whose Psychology course con
vinced us that we really did not know
everything, after all. Many of us also
took Bible with Dr. Hubert. Everyone
remembers how he always talked about
Jerome, and how lie gave us oranges
Class Poem
Nina L. Charlton, '44
Success, a brilliant bauble, beckons us.
There in the distance, shining like a star.
With winged feet we would pursue its
dazzling ray
To dizzy heights beyond the far horizon s
arc.
But if we seek the warmth of its bright
glow.
And on our way pass by the weary souls
\\ ho plodding barefoot o er the rocky
road, have fallen.
In need of a helping hand and youth like
ours
To lift them up and help them on their
way—
Though we should reach the prize, its
golden gleam
Would crumble into dust before our eyes.
The time so snort, we fear that should we
for a moment pause.
E'en though to help a brother to his feet.
We would not reach the heights for
which we strive.
But somewhere from the clouds there
comes a voice
In tones as clear and strong as though
a knell.
“If you would have your name Hung to
the skies
Engrave it first upon the hearts of men.”
at Christmas and eggs at Easter. All of
us grew to love him and to appreciate
his honest wisdom, which undoubtedly
helped to guide us.
On December 7. the Japs attacked
America at Pearl Harbor. Immediately
we on the campus began many defense
activities: calisthenics, typing, shorthand,
and the sale of Defense Bonds and
Stamps.
Out of this school year came the Spel
man Students Association and the first
Spelman College Handbook. We thrilled
to the voice of Dorothy Maynor at tin?
City Auditorium, and attended the first
annual exhibition of Negro art held by
Atlanta University. That year there was
snow in March and the Floridians were
enthusiastic over their first sight of it.
We presented a skit which reflected our
profound knowledge of Biology, Pseudo-
podium Goes to College and "Pseudie
has since become a sort of classic with
our class.
Our Junior year saw ninety-seven of us
a little more steady, and with a coat of
knowledge a little thicker and stronger.
We had begun to spread out into our
separate fields of interest, and to talk
about majors and minors. 1 his year we
returned to find two id our teachers in
the Armed Forces: Mr. Owen Dodson in
the Navy and Mr. Joseph Jenkins in
the Army. \t the end of the first se
mester Mi-- Edna Gallahan left to join
the W AG.
(Continued on Page 32)