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66
THE MAROON TIGER
been lifted so that the mob gazes upon the working of
the wheels in the machinery of Fate. Perhaps if Metter-
nich could come hack and see the wheels of new di
plomacy grinding, he would go into a monastery and
say his prayers.
DO WE CONTRIBUTE OR JUST FIT IN
M. H. Watson, ’30
Each age has had its distinguishing feature and has
sponsored something which has sent civilization with
leaps and hounds to a broader and more well rounded
development. To one age has been accredited great
mechanical inventions, to another, sublime literature,
to another, great territorial discoveries. In attempting
to characterize our present age, we most commonly
say that it is an age of competition. Much talk is
afloat about the great competitive scheme. Being an
active part of American life, the Negro awakens to find
himself entangled by this system and tossed helplessly
into the sea of competition. As a result many lectures
are being delivered now which urge Negro college men
in no uncertain terms to engage in that profession or
into that thing which will give them a guarantee of the
greatest immediate economic return and thereby place
themselves in a condition to cope with the white man
in this great scheme of competition and not to be swept
from off their feet by the tide.
Then these questions arise which I think every Negro
college man has to face: Is it true that Negroes will
have to compete with white people on their level or be
crushe 1 out of existence? Is it probable that at his
stage the Negro can successfully compete with the white
man on his level? It seems to me that the white man
has a decided advantage inasmuch as he has arrived at
his position of economic security as a result of hun
dreds of years work and accumulation of wealth. It
seems extremely imaginative to say that a race less than
a hundred years out of slavery and far less versed in
the arts of money-making should hope to compete eco
nomically with the Anglo-Saxon. In the next place
I feel that this system of competition as inaugurated by
the white man comes in the form of his contribution
to the age.
Now on the other hand it may be that if the Negro
would lessen his demands and decrease his wants and
needs, there would be no reason for attempting to com
pete with the white man economically on his level.
Then the next question is, Has the Negro a contribution
to make to this age? I believe he has; but I do not
believe it is identical with the white man’s contribution.
Therefore, I feel that the energy and industry which the
Negro is expending in an attempt to cope with the
white man economically on his level should be set in
operation to make some definite contribution to this age.
THE DIGNITY OF SIMPLICITY
E. G. Barksdale, ’33
A certain writer in describing the music at a formal
party said, “The throbbing melody seemed to permeate
one’s very being and fill one with a desire to dance,
dance, dance, dance. The pianist played exceptional
ly well. When I say that he played, I am expressing
it mildly. Why, that man actually opened up that piano,
got in and threw out so much rhythm and harmony
that you could see little baby rhythms and harmonies
dancing around in the corners of the room. The saxa-
phone player extracted some notes from his instrument
that would make the kingdom of the devil look like
a Sunday school.”
The writer displays an exceptional ability to describe,
but his statements lack dignity. They lack simplicity.
Elaborate style detracts from the vital message, because
the reader’s attention is drawn to the flowing, vivid
adjectives, and picturesque similes, instead of the theme
of the message. Simple, direct, tense statements make
the best impression upon the mind. Imagine a lieuten
ant telling his platoon to charge, saying, “Ye progenies
of America’s soil, fix your murderous bayonets, and
cast your anatomies in the direction of your enemy.”
Absurd, is it not? Sucb a statement is alarmingly
devoid of the dignity expected of an army officer.
Dignity is that quality suited to inspire and command
respect. Simplicity is the absence of excessive and ar
tificial ornament.
So, if you would possess the quality of dignity, elimi
nate some of those artificial ornaments, vivid adjectives,
and elaborate actions. If you would possess the quali
ty of dignity simply do it.
MOREHOUSE ORCHESTRA OF 1929-1930
By J. Cullen Fentress
The orchestra of any college or school should be an
important organization of that school. Besides offer
ing training to the musicians it creates a live interest
in music in the student body and friends of the insti
tution. Therefore, it should be made an important extra
curricula organization.
Although my connections with the Morehouse Or
chestra of 29-’30 have been short-lived I believe that
the orchestra will always be one of the main extra-cur
ricula activities of the college. The reasons for my be
lief are: the talent of the musicians in the orchestra;
the enthusiasm shown by them; the likelihood of the
addition of a few members that were in the orchestra
last year, and a man well versed in the music art,
sympathetic and patient, as the director.
The first time I heard the Morehouse Orchestra in
concert was last year on the spring tour when it gave
a concert in the Institute Chapel at Tuskegee. At that
time the Orchestra and Glee Club showed that they had
been trained and disciplined to a very fine degree. All
of the numbers were well rendered.
The Orchestra has lost some of the men from last
year’s ensemble but it seems that the new men are ca
pable of filling their places.
The repertoire at the present time is made up of clas
sical arrangements from the masters, and marches. By
spring this repertoire should be well diversified and the
lovers of music will be benefitted thereby.
It is the hope of the student body as well as of the
friends of the institution that the Orchestra will progress
fast enough to play a few out-of-town concerts. This
can be done and, men, we can do it if we practice hard
enough and attend rehearsals.
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