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Page 2 THE WOLVERINE OBSERVER i ! | Comments j Editorials j features ! i _ i THE STAFF James C. Reese Editor-in-Chief John R. Sanders Associate Editor Naomi Whatley Society Editor Donald Smith Sports Editor James T. Redd Business Mgr. Paul Owens News Reporter Lillie Glads News Reporter ARMISTICE DAY The whole earth was in tu mult. Greed and hatred had plunged the world into a con fusion such as she had never before experienced. Thous ands of years of culture were sacrificed in the comparative ly short period of four years. Man himself was transform ed into a cruel savage brute. Could no force stem this tide of cultural retrogression ? Why did the controlling Pow er allow this carnage of hu man beings? These questions were re-echoed and rehearsed momently by thousands who were affected directly or in directly whilst hundreds of young men, the flower of their nation, the potential backbone of their races, were prematurely ushered into eternity for reasons which thev never understood. The poor children of fate. Much has been said about the glories of War. Have we ever stopped to view the oth er side of the picture—the blood, the filth, the stench, ever present death; to men tion a few of the things which contribute to make war despicable and undesirable. And it was in the midst of such a situation that the Guardian Angel of this world intervened disguised in the form of an ARMISTICE and saved man from self-exter mination. The word Armistice is de rived from two Latin words, arma-arms sto-stand, hence the meaning is a cessation of arms. On the 11th of Novem- 1918 this word carried with it a wealth of meaning. Not only did it mean a cessat.on of arms, it also meant a re turn to civilization, a return to sanity, a cessation of bar barity. In a word it meant Creation instead of Destruc tion. Is it very meet and right that we should dedicate some time to those, who, for our sakes have willingly sacrific ed health, and wealth, ambi tions, and even their lives that through their death we might live. Should not our thoughts fly to Flanders on whose fields lay many a hero who unstintingly paid the ex treme sacrifice for a cause of which they knew not the least about, but because they felt that they were use ful to humanity. May their names live forever. From the throes of another such strug gle, Good Lord deliver us.! James Williams Humor Dorothy Cobb Feature Harold Arnold Advertising Esther Jones Press Walker Solomon Press WHAT PRICE PLEASURE It is said, a man of a po lite imagination is led into a great many pleasures that the vulgar are not capable of receiving; he can converse with a picture and find an agreable companion i n a statute. But what is pleasure? For many it is a snare, a trap: “Few learn her wiles, her treachery and perfidious ways in time, ere it is too late.” Of all things pleasure is one of the most fleeting, de ceiving, dangerous, and ex pensive things man has ever set out to find. Even while we possess her she fleetb, and like the winds of the morn ing is soon gone. Millions have sought her, millions at this vgry moment are still seeking and risking all for her. They are giving, losing, and staking health, reputation, character, friends, a good name, -opportunities and even life itself only to find that the wine of this dis appointing Goddess is filled with the drugs of dispair, pangs of hunger, excruciat ing pains of loathsome dis ease, shameful misery, dire want, lasting sorrow' and blasted hopes. Then too, from the gloomy depths of anguish, come the piteous cries of slavish souls, groping and cringing as they grovel in the woe of hope less and abject souls the ages have known because of her. Now ask yourself today, since pleasure lasts only as long as that upon which it feeds: Is my pleasure expen sive? Is it all pleasure or fool hardiness? Is it fed upon things that are lasting and abiding, or upon things of the moment. Shall I gamble for the mo ment and perhaps lose, or shall I dare to venture out into the deep ? Shall I fol low the line of least resist ance and stick out my hand for a pittance or a “Mess of Pottage” at the loss of self respect? Or shall I “swell from the vale” and leave the crowd and mount up to breathe the rarified air of God’s “where the ordinary freeze in the ascent?” Freshmen it is your duty to keep alive the school spirit. Yours is the task. NEW ADDITION TO FACULTY The faculty for 1936-37 of Morris Brown College is one of the best to be found any where in the United States. This is not unusual, however for this has always reigned true with this noted institu tion. President Fountain knew that there would be va cancies to be filled very early during the spring term of 1935-36, therefore he travel ed far and near, judging wisely as he made these se lections. These new additions, to the faculty are true ex amples of the reputation that proceeded them. Not only were there additions made to the teaching staff, but also to the administrative faculty. We are happy to welcome to our teaching faculty: Boggs, Herbert C., Mathe matics, A. B., Talladega Col lege, 1933; M. S., University of Michigan, 1934; Residence requirements for Ph. D., Uni versity of Michigan, 1934-36; at present working on disser tation for Ph.D. Patterson, Emma W., Eng lish, A. B., Fisk University; A. M., Fisk University. Reed, Mary W., Home Eco nomics, B. S. in Home Eco nomics, Wilberforce Univer-* sity, 1927; B. S. in Education Wilberforce, 1928 , Gradute Study, Ohio State 'University Graduate Study, University of Chicago. To our Administrative Fa culty : Collins, Anne R., Asst. Reg istrar, A. B., Morris Brown College, 1936. Graves, Artis P., Dean of Men, B. S., Bluefield State Teachers College, Graduate Study, University of Iowa. Mitchell, Bessie \\\, Ma tron of Dining Hall, A. B., Morris Brown College, 1936. Robinson, Pinkney, Super intendent of Bldg., and Grs., A. B., Morris Brown College, 1936. THE KEY TO CULTURE Webster’s definition of cul ture is “refinement.” As we of this generation view it, however, it covers or implies more than simply a knowl edge of etiquette. It means the avoidance of all embar rassments due to lack of knowledge of the niceties of society, or as it is sometimes termed — social usage — it means the possession of poise, charms, or as is sometimes the expression used—a pleasing personality. The ability to entertain, and the apprecia tion of another’s entertain ment or conversation, may well come under the classifi cation of culture. In fact the definition of culture is so broad a subject that we real ize the difficulty of fully cov ering it in a single volume so for that reason we will dedi cate this column to the cus toms, manners, niceties, of society. Look forward to this col umn in the next edition. THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY The Dictionary is one of the most important books in the English language, or any other language for that mat ter. It is the foundation for books. Authors must make use of it to build their books into meanful and clear pieces of literature. The conversa tionalist must use it to choose the best words so as to con vey clear and distinct ideas. The reader must use it so as to understand what the writ er is saying. The good Dic tionary is a store house of valuable information and knowledge. The Dictionary contains many things. Not only do we use it for the meanings of words, but for the history of the words. We also find the tenses of the words. Some of the Dictionaries give the uses of the words from past stages of civilization up to the present time. So very often we take the Dictionary, as well as the Bible for grant ed, we take it as part of our everyday use and necessity without much thought as to its origin. In this article there will be given a brief historical back ground of The Oxford English Dictionary. In the more enlightened attitude of the Society for Pure English or distinguish ed from most purist efforts in the past, it is impossible not to see the influence of a great work which came about in the latter half of the nine teenth century. In 1857 at a meeting of the Philological Society in London, a commit tee was appointed to collect words not in the Dictionaries, with a view to publishing a supplement to them. The committee consisted of Her bert Coleridge, Dean Trench, whose better books on English Past and Present and the Study of Words has shown his interest in word history, and F. J. Furnivall, that great student and inspirer of students of Early English Literature. Furnivall seems to have suggested the under taking. The most important out come of the committee’s ac tivity was a paper read to the Society by Dean Trench “On Some Deficiencies in Our English Dictionaries.” In it he laid down the historical precepts on which a diction ary should be compiled. As a result of this paper, the Soci ety decided that a supplement would not be satisfactory, and in January 1857 it pass ed resolutions calling for a new dictionary. A formal Proposal for the Publication of a New English Dictionary by the Philosophical Society was issued the following year. The two principle aims of the new project were to record every word which could be found in English from about the year 1000 and to exhibit the history of each —its forms, its various spell ings, and all its uses and meanings past and present. The last named feature was especially to be shown by a full selection of quotations from the whole range of Eng lish writings. There was no idea that the undertaking would be so com plicated. In November 1859 Coleridge was appointed ed itor. To take care of the ma terials on which the Diction ary would be based, Coler idge had a set of pigeon-holes made capable of holding 60,000 slips at the most. With Coleridge’s death in April 1861 the task of con tinuing the Dictionary fell upon Furnivall, who saw clearly the task of continuing the collection of material. While he was doing this and urging volunteers to help him the work of the Dictionary was almost still. The Dictionary went under many leaders during its early stages. Dr. A. H. Murray later succeeded Mr. Furni vall. Along with these lead ers much credit is due to those thousands of Volun teers who have contributed largely to its success. The history of The Oxford English Dictionary is a very interesting one and the next installment will give further information as to its develop ment. POET’S CORNER SUCCESS Some men build their dreams of success Upon ladders which they nev er climb, While others sit, and rest, and wait, Upon the generosity and fate of time. There are other men who work From morning till night and believe That some day fortune will smile on them. And then they too will achieve. There are other men who know That success is not easily found, And you must earnestly work, To climb the ladder round by round. For success is not only ma terial gain That marks the highest score, But the foundation laid, the good achieved, As on the road one goes. DOROTHY COBB. The Wolverine Observer is a publication printed monthly under the direction of Professor V. C. Clinch EDITORIALS