The University Student
LUX ET VERITAS
Vol. 4. No. 1
JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY, CHARLOTTE, N. C., OCTOBER' 1927
Price 10 Cents.
CIVILIZED LIFE-A TRIPOD
By W. W. Jones, ’28,
(Delivered in the Junior Prize Contest, May
le, 1927).
When men gaze on the physical forms of
nature they see everywhere that death has
been the penalty of peace. Nations have
come on the scene of action, but in a small
course of time have perished, and passed
from the face of the earth. Civilization
has been so often overthrown by calamities
until men scarcely trust their senses when
facts of prosperity confront them. Doubting
habits of mind affect even those who see
within the dim future the unfolding of a
new civilization, and who dwell upon the
ills of the present, in order to brighten the
glories of some distant day. But a race of
people cannot realize a perfect moving ma
chine until years of toil, years of trials,
and years of tribulations will have come
and taught them that civilized life is a
tripod—a tripod which is able to adjust con
ditions and create a cycle by which a race
of people can move with the slightest bit
of friction. Then, an higher civilization
will appear on the scene. It is ready to
appear now, but its appearance necessi
tates a change of opinions, a change of
ideals; a change of the modern trend of
society and adopting the three factors which
contsitute the life of a people which are:
Efficiency, Cooperation and Love.
Efficiency, Cooperation and Love are the
civilized tripod life any caste, race or na
tion must live if it is to stand the blows
of the present century; for it is written on
the pages of sacred literature.
Drift with me in your minds, if you
please, to the Far East; there we see a
huge mass of stone, drowsy in appearance,
having looked for many thousands of years
into the lurid eyes of the rising sun, peep
ing from behind the Eastern horizon, com
ing out o,f its chamber, rejoicing as a strong
man to run a race. Changing its view often
from the lurid eyes of the rising sun to the
rippling water that dances so sprightly by
at its base, moving on in its course to the
great ocean, while many and varied forms
of humanity lived in ecstacy, cherished
hope, foi-got that civilized life is a tripod.
Thus their bodies perished and added to the
particles of dust that lay lifeless before its
figure.
This huge mass of stone has within it
self a three-fold purpose—the human head,
representing capacities for thought and
governments; fair-featured body of a wom
an, reminding us of the story of tendei-
ness, pity and love; stern feet of a lion,
telling us of strength—strength which
made -4jax the bulwark of the Trojans;
t»trength, which made Samson the slayer
of the Philistines; strength which made
Helios the Greek god of light.
Then we must liken our lives unto this
huge mass of stone, for it has stood the
obstruction of many years of life on this
planet of ours. Its human head tells us
of thought and capacity for government;
body of a woman reminds us of tenderness,
nity and love; stern feet of a lion tell of
strength in efficiency.
Efficiency, then, is the first of the Tri
pod in the life of a people. Being once the
term to mark the ratio of service gained
per unit of time, today it is necessary that
we extend it into every field of human en
deavor.
Make a transition, if you please, with me
into the past, and W'e see that the 18th
century was a century in which theological
doctrines were taught teaching man’s rela
tion to God. Make another transition, if
you please, from the 18th into our present
century, and we see coming out of its sci
entific research reform which is strictly
elucidation of natural and scientific phe
nomena and scientific principles of nature.
Make another transition, if you please, into
the anticipated realms of the 29th century
which is veiled behind the horizon of time,
and we see bursting forth on the sheened
countenance of approaching years an au
rora and this aurora is efficiency.
Efficiency allows man to drift to any de
sired destiny on the wings of etheral blue,
defying the law's of motion, disregarding
the fundamental principles of gravitation.
Even though the darkness shadow the deep
and a veil of night cover the face of the
sky, man is able to drift unmolested across
the tumultuous w'aters, plow' through un
explored w'ilderress, and listen to sounds
uttered by beings who long since our day
have bleached the sands of the earth w'ith
their bones. Then efficiency is needed as
the basis in order that a race of people
may proceed w'ith perfect assurance of its
validity.
Cooperation is the second part of the
tripod in the life of a people. Naturally the
word cooperation brings ro our minds that
old adage that a chain is no stronger than
its weakest link. Each link holds within
itself the possibilities of the chain; so it
is W'ith our complex organization of soci
ety. It prospers faster than the athletes
of the Olympian games when each individ
ual functions properly in his capacity.
Past experience has taught us that
strength is only produced in this fleeting
age by unity in cooperation; and we as a
race of people can only cope with the situ
ation w'hen each individual realizes his re
sponsibility: not to himself, though that is
the first law of nature, but to the human
family, to ecclesiastical ceremonies, and to
that Tripod in heaven: God our Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. This,
then, built as the frame w'ork on efficiency
and strength as the base is the second of
the tripod in the life of a people.
The last of the tripod in the life of a
people is love, and naturally this w'ord,
love, invokes the attention of all sw'eet-
hearts; for they picture themselves on a
beautiful summer afternoon, dow'n in a lane,
basking in the smiles of a lover; rays of
sunlight trickle dow'n fused in one great
ray kissing the panoi'ama of the eai'th.
Birds sing songs of love in the tops of
trees; strains of music produced from the
instruments of demigods blended w'ith col
orful tones from the breeze add to the
sweetness of the occasion.
Let us shift from the love of sweethearts
and consider the love of our neighbors;
and I need but tell you that the lowly Naz-
arene said: “We must love our neighbors as
we love ourselves.” Love that makes us
walk in His footsteps, even though w'e see
meandering down his pierced form a
stream of blood W'hile around his head is
a crown of thorns. Love that makes us
render our lives as living sacrifices to hu
manity and to God. It is then we build a
tripod mansion of our lives. With efficien
cy and strength as the base, cooperation in
thought and government as the frame
w'ork, covered by a plastic and endurable
covering—love, so that generations yet un
born, veiled behind the cycle of approach
ing years, may live peacefully in this man
sion builded by our lives, covered by the
influence of our love.
Often you have stood in silence and
gazed on the lifeless form of a friend
whose soul has been hurled by the myste
rious stream of time into the heavens,
leaving you only in pain to lift your eyes
to the measureless realm above w'ith o’ut-
stretched hands, and W'ith your sinful.
wretched and scarlet lips murmur a prayer
to the Almighty God, that He in His wise
Providence might show you the w'ay. But,
finally, the echo returns; it is the answ'er
to our prayers that civilized life is a tri
pod with efficiency and strength as the
base; cooperation in thought and govern
ment as the frame w'ork, covered by a plas
tic and enduring covering—love.
Then w'e can exclaim with that poet w'ho
said:
“Though the sun forget to shine on me,
-My steps become unsteady and slow;
The only hope I pray for.
Is, that I stronger in this tripod grow.”
COLLEGE GLEANINGS
By “Van” H. Chavis, ’29.
September 20th marked the beginning
of the sixtieth year of school work at our
greatly beloved Johnson C. Smith Univer
sity. During these years the institution
has grown into a mighty structure. Like
the tiny acorn planted in the soil, through
sixty years it has grown into the tow'ering
oak sheltering and protecting those who
care to come under its sheltering branches.
Throughout the many years the institution
has devoted itself exclusively to the edu
cation of Negro youth. Beginning as Bid
dle Institute with poor equipment and
small endow'ment the present institution
has passed through a complete transforma
tion emerging from the miserable obscur
ity which enveloped it into the great uni
versity which it is today with a national
reputation. Today Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity has the largest endowment of any
college of liberal arts and sciences for Ne
groes, one of the most modernly equipped
school plants in the South, and a faculty
of experts trained in some of the best Uni
versities in this country and England.
The recent opening of school bi'ought to
the Hill more new students than ever be
fore in the history of the institution. They
have come from all sections of the country—
from coast to coast and from the Great
Lakes to the Gulf. Each one of the new'
men seems to have already caught the old
Smith spirit of “Do or die.” They have
very readily adjusted themselves to the
ti'aditions of the campus and are certain
to be found taking part in all of the cam
pus activities, such as debating, dramatics,
Y. M. C. A., athletics and W'hatever else
their hands find to do.
The new additions to our faculty this
year are Mr. G. Frederick Woodson, B. S.,
Wilberforce University and M. A., Ohio
State University; and Mr Randolph Tay-
Taylor, B. S., Tufts College, of Massachu
setts. The former is at the head of the
Mathematics Department and the latter is
head of the Physics Department and is also
athletic director. We feel that they will
be an asset to the school. Already these
men have shown ability and efficiency in
their lines of work. We wish for them the
cooperation of the entire College Depart
ment.
We were gWd to see on the Hill last
week several Alumni, namely: Messrs. S.
C. Johnson, ’26; G. Q. Gordon and R. L.
Watt, both of ‘27. Messrs. Johnson and
Gordon w’ere enroute to Meharry iledical
College. Mr. Watt is to be instructor of
Chemistry and Biology at the Maxton High
.School in Maxton, N. C.
The University feels quite proud in hav
ing secured the services of C. Randolph
Taylor as Athletic Director. Mr. Taylor is
of Eastern foot ball fame, having been a
versity foot ball player on the Tufts Col
lege team for several years. He is also a
letter man in basket ball and track. In the
latter sport- he has won several medals.
He is known to the sporting fans as “Ran
dy,” the idol of Tufts. Under his brilliant
leadership and that of our own W. P,
“Perk” Williams, we presage a foot ball
team without a parallel in the history of
the institution.
The students extend their heartfelt sym
pathy to Mr. .4. .4. Blount in the recent
demise of a brother at Fairmont, N. C.
We are thinking that if the influx of the
Leaping Lemas, struggle buggies, in other
words, dilapidated Fords, get much great
er the University will have to employ traf
fic cops for the safety of the indigent, pe
destrian students. We wonder also how-
many times “Fats” will paint the struggle
buggy.
On last .Saturday the Smith Bulls played
the North Carolina College fast eleven to
a 12-12 tie. The game was full of excite
ment. Although the Bulls did not emerge
as victors, they fought a wonderful fight
and are still full of encouragement. ^ ^
THE PfflLOS^ CLUB
By Leroy Young, ’28. ~
In resuming the various University activ
ities at this season, one is reminded of the
final meeting and elaborate reception of
the Philosophy Club in the refectory of
J. C. .‘^niith University, on April 27, 1927,
which was an occasion of vital interest and
unu-sual pleasure. The chairman, Mr. W. E.
Belton, masterfully broke the quietude of
the assembly with cordial words of wel
come. After this a musical and literary pro
gram w-as rendered by the Junior members.
President H. L. McCrorey, the principal
■speaker, highly endorsed the ideals and s
cial good of the organization, imploring and
entreating that other such clubs be estab
lished at .Smith, in order to facilitate a prac
tical student interest in the difl’erent d .
partments. The refreshments and entire p: ,,-
gram were immensely enjoyed by all. ,c.
pecially the Senior Class of ’27, for whom
the reception was given.
The follow'ing officers for the ensiii g
year were elected:
-Mr. W. W. Jones, President.
Mr. W. D. .Seales, President.
Mr. W. E. Belton, Secretary.
Mr. H. L. Foster, Treasurer.
Leroy Young, Historian.
An impressive installation exercise w-is
conducted by Prof. F. H. Bowen, who care-
lully told us of the ideals of the favorite
philo.sophers, advising each of us to emu
late the character, personality and reflec.
tion in realizing our duty, responsibility and
the destiny of the club, in view of the fact
that beauty is abstract unless it is free
to express itself in color tone and the like:
that knowledge does not profit much if it
is not free to serve; that training and cul-
nire which molds life in all its excellencies
IS nothing unless it is liberal, emancipated
service.
The official staff with the guidance of
1. F. J. Andei‘son, head of the Department
of Philosophy, and with the cooperation of
each member, intend to serve, putting over
an extensive program for the year.
-Membership is offered to .Juniors, Sen
iors and professional students who wish to
do further research in tlie field of philos
ophy. The first meeting was held in the
b-a.=ement of the Library, Tuesday, Octolx-r
18,^ at I P. M. Topic for discussion.
“Why does the scientist prefer a mechan-
i.stic un,ver.se rather than a .spiritual one?”