“Every step on ward in civilization is finding an apply ing truth,” —Shepard Our goal: at least 10 per cent of the student body “A” students for the 3rd quarter. Volume 3 NORTH CAROLINA COLLEGE FOR NEGROES, DURHAM, N. C., MARCH 8, 1939 Number 5 I > German Universities Students Graded According to Political Standing; Knowl edge a Minor Factor By F. Elwyn Jones The Universities no longer play a determining part in Ger man life. The Reichsminster for Education himself stated in 1936, “The new Germany will be the heir of Sparta with its idea of discipline, and not of Athens with its culture.” Since the conversion of the university into an instrument of the Nazi totalitarian system, a rot has set in which has eaten up more and more of Germany’s cultural life. The first step in this process of deterioration was a racial and political purge of university staffs. Thus in Heidelberg the percentage of new appointments in the faculty of theology was 36, in law 38, in philosophy 49, and in medicine 56 per cent. In Gottingen 52 out of 238 pro fessors were expelled, including Max Born, one of the most dis tinguished contributors to theo retical physics; Felix Bernstein, director of the Institute for Mathematical Statistics; James Franck, winner of the Nobel prize for physics in 1925, who resigned when his colleagues were being dismissed; Edmund T^andau, one of the greatest mathematicians of our day, also resigned; Karl Sailer, anatomist, himself once a Nazi, could not swallow the “race” theory and its implications in science, and so resigned and was attacked and abused. This elimination of professors who would not toe the totalita rian line was accompanied by a complete change in curriculum. Thus in Heidelberg the faculty of law has abandoned the course on international law. The stu dent is urged, however, to at tend lectures on folk and race, German military law, or recent political history. In the faculty of medicine, where the dismissals have been (Continued on page 6) How Well Do You Observe? Here are questions about ob jects that we see and use every day. But how many can you an swer? 1. Is the U. S. Coat of Arms shown on the dollar bill? 2. How many buttons are there on a man’s vest? 3. How high is the usual of fice desk? 4. Is “Post Card” or “Postal Card” printed on the back of the penny post card? 5. In all standard playing cards there is one king that does not have a mustache; which is it? 6. What is the smallest frac tion of an inch shown on the or dinary ruler? 7. What is the diameter of a half dollar? 8. How many wavy lines are there in a post mark cancella tion? Dr. A. Clayton Powell, Jr., Gives Lectures at N. C. C. During the week of January 9, the faculty and student body heard Dr. A. Clayton Powell, Jr., of Abyssinia Baptist Church of New York, in a series of four lectures. His general topic for the four lectures was, “Present Day Life and Education.” Dur ing his first lecture, he outlined and discussed many of the pres ent day problems, such as the machine age and its dangers, so cialism, communism, dictator ship, nazism, and democracy, etc. Dr. Powell, in his final ad dress, pointed out the fact that there is no such thing as differ ence in efficiency between the two groups; and that we have contributed to society in spite of obstacles. We have numbered among us musicians, painters, sculptors, men who give to our race just representation in na tional and political affairs, and unexcelled participants in sports. We have long been called a race of introverts, but the very fact that we exist today on the level which we do is because of a revolutionary character and a spirit which will not accept the age in which we live. He urged that we should re discover those basic virtues of our forefathers; those of com mon honesty and integrity, sim plicity of life. We live in an at mosphere which is too compli cated and cluttered with unu- necessary things, things which impede our progress because of their very existence — rugged ness of character, a social sense of sharing, and an implicit faith in a new order. Dr. Powell, in closing, showed us that the salvation of the race depends on the church in that it is the mecca of Negroes every where. It has always been the foundation of hopes and actions which have done more than any other factors to put us where we are today. He pleaded that we not forget this one institution and that we support it and think not of it only economically and socially, but also as a haven from which to seek refuge in times of need. Rev. Chas. A. Stewart Preaches at N. C. C. The first sermon in the New Year was delivered by Rev. Chas. A. Stewart, pastor of A. M. E. Church of Portsmouth, Va., Sunday, January 8. Rev. Stewart’s subject for the service was, “When I am weak, I am strong.” He developed the subject by illustrating how many of the outstanding charac ters of the Bible and in history though weak physically, and with social handicaps, but were strong in spirit. Rev. Stewart pointed out that one should not let limitations keep him from going ahead in life, and that physical handicaps should not keep one from devel oping his innerself; and that if one has something in him, he is never weak. Dr. Nathaniel Tross Preaches at N. C. C. Dr. Nathaniel Tross, district secretary of the American Bible Society, was vesper speaker at North Carolina College, Sunday afternoon, January 22. After paying tribute to the wonderful work of Dr. J. E. Shepard, presi dent of the college, for his suc cess in building up a strong and outstanding i n s t i t u tion. Dr. Tross spoke on the following subject: “Let this mind be in you which was always in Christ Jesus.” The speaker suggested the fol lowing for consideration; First: Amidst all the difficulties and the misunderstanding of the present day, one should have the mind that was in Christ Jesus. Second: The mind of Christ is not sought seriously today by our group, whereas the mind of Christ is sought more and more by w'hites. He pointed out that he knows this to be the truth as a result of the experience in his official duties. Third: This is an age of dis illusion and so one should seek the mind of Christ Jesus to guide him. Fourth: Finally, it was point ed out that in all of one’s accom plishments, he must have the mind of Christ Jesus to succeed. Things Worth Knowing Arrows are no mean weapons, as the exploits of old-time arch ers prove. Once a famous Welsh marksman shot an arrow thru an oak door, four inches thick. Up to 100 yards, the long-bow is supposed to be as deadly as a modern rifle. Guns began to compete with bows and arrows in the 14th century.—Southwest Magazine. Men catch pneumonia much more easily than do women. The reason for this is probably the fact that the male attire calls for collars and high-necked shirts, while women go about with their chests uncovered, and thus are more inured to exposure. Then again, women are chest breathers while men are inclin ed to be abdominal breathers, with the result that the fair sex have better lung machinery with which to fight off pneumonia at tacks.—Successful Living. If a woodpecker persists in pecking at shade trees—let it. The reason: Every time the hard-billed birds lunch on trees they help preserve them. Each hole they drill, explains Dr. J. Logan Ben nett, of Pennsylvania State Col lege, means the birds have lo cated the larvae of a destructive wood-boring insect. With their heavy bills they get niany in sects other birds cannot reach.— National Humane Review. Among the 815 patents grant ed during one week recently in Washington, were the following: a diaper that requires no pins; a gadget that crushes used razor blades into powder; a bathing suit which can be taken off and put on while wearing clothes; a (Continued on page 6) Dr. Howard Chidley of Boston Lectures at N. C. College Dr. Howard Chidley, pastor of First Congregational Church of Winchester, Mass., delivered four very inspirational lectures to students and faculty members during the week of January 23. The subject of the first lecture was, “Need for Optimism or Cheerfulness.” This subject was discussed by stating that (a) sense of humor is needed, (b) historical perspective, (c) to have imagination, and (d) faith in God. The subject of the second lec ture was, “The Builders of Des tiny.” Dr. Chidley developed the subject by explaining the im portance of character building. The most outstanding lecture of the series was the third one, wherein the speaker discussed the reason for most of the pres ent failuures in economic and social affairs. The speaker point ed out that most nations and people want immediate results without going through a period of painstaking training and ex perience. Dr. Chidley used many illustrations from the Bible to prove that God’s way of doing things was the long way around to toughen bodies and charac ters. Then he pointed out how Russia had failed in her eco nomic plan since the World War by trying to take the short cut in economic life. This was fol lowed up by explaining how (Continued on page 6) ... Depths International Diplomat Speaks at N. C. College On Monday, February 6, Dr. Julian Arnold, American Com mercial Attache of China, spoke to the students and faculty on present day conditions of China. At the outset, the speaker out lined the eating problem. Dr. Arnold explained the import ance of the soy bean as a food diet. In China it was pointed out that the soy bean takes the place of milk in food diet for babies, as cows are few in number, and that the bean plays an import ant part in industry. Dr. Arnold also discussed the present economic conditions as result of the invasion of Japan. He stated that the reason for the ruthless invasion is to crush Chi na from an economic point of view and to kill her spirit. It was pointed out that the unfor tunate part is that the U. S. is supplying Japan with more than 54 per cent of the ammunition to help Japan to carry on this onslaught. In conclusion. Dr. Arnold said the U. S. spends money in the Far East to teach English and to spread American ideas, but the U. S. fails to learn anything about the people of the Far East. And as a result, the people of the Far East know us, but we don’t know or understand them. The speaker concluded by saying that education is needed to un derstand and appreciate the Far East. A recent cooperative project by the United States Office of Education provides a yardstick for measuring student mortality in universities. . . The central figures are these: Of 100 enter ing freshmen ... 34 leave in the freshman year, 17 in the sopho more year, 8 in the junior year, and 4 in the senior year. With each succeeding year one-half less students leave. The most startling fact re vealed by the study is the amaz ing lack of knowledge of the universities about the causes of this mortality. In 45 per cent of the cases the cause was not discovered even by the project questionnaires. The average uni versity knows that 20 per cent of separation is for failure in work and disciplinary embar rassments. There are no records in the universities for the other 80 per cent, and no place in which they now can be found. Using an industrial analogy, the universities carry only 37 per cent of their initial products through to the end and 63 per cent are rejects. In industry any production unit which had such a record would be ripe for an administrative over-hauling. The universities are in exactly the same position. It can be claimed that indus try can select is .materials while the universities cannot. (Continued on page 6) That’s What I Call a Friend One whose grip is a little tighter One whose smile is a little brighter. One whose deeds are a little whiter. That’s what I call a friend. One who’ll lend as quick as he’ll borrow, One who’s the same today as tomorrow, One who will share your joy— and sorrow. That’s what I call a friend. One whose thoughts are a little cleaner. One whose mind is a little keen er. One who avoids the things that are meaner, That’s what I call a friend. One when you’re gone who’ll miss you sadly, One who’ll welcome you back again gladly, One who, though angered, will not speak madly, That’s what I call a friend. One who is always willing to aid you. One whose advice has always paid you. One who’s defended w'hen oth ers flayed you, That’s what I call a friend. One who’s been fine when life seemed rotten. One whose ideals you have not forgotten. One who has given you more than he’s gotten, That’s what I call a friend. —John Burroughs.