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THE CHARLOTTE COLLEGIAN
September 18, 1957
Miss September
(Staff Photo—Killoujfh)
Miss Judith Mauldwin
iMiss Judith Mauldwin, a .sophomore at Charlotte Colle^?e, is employed
by Ivey’s Department Store. Judith, lit, is 5'5' tall and has blonde hair
and brown eyes. She is a jjraduate of West Mecklenburj^ Hi^h School.
Book Review
By (iooTRe KilloiiKli
The Hlack Obelisk, tiy Erich Maria
Kemariue, transliiUni from the
Cerman liy Denver Lindley; 431
pp., price $4.50.
In 11I23 a vanquished (Jermany
experienced a wild inflation, and
it is durintr this uncertain era, in
the city of \Verdenl)riick, that the
author places his youn^ hero, Lud
wig Bodmer. Bodmer, a twenty-five
year old veteran of World War 1
and man of literary aspirations,
wanders across a vivid liackKround
in his quest for the true meaning
of human existence, encounterinp;
characters which possess a strik
ing I'irHe. Through his humorous
and sometimes touching adventures
sifts a messapre which is now cyni
cal and now hopeful.
The black obelisk is an unsalable
monstrosity, the first aciuisition
of the firm Heinrich Kroll and
Sons, Funeral Monuments, with
whom young Bodmer is employed.
The obelisk, having been in stock
for many a year, has become al
most a trademark of the company.
The firm is operated by Georg
and Heinrich Kroll, the younger,
the elder Kroll having passed
away. Bodmer and the cheerfully
cynical Georg get along well to
gether, but Heinrich is the butt
of an unceasing cannonade of jest
ing. Heinrich is a highly successful
salesman and is well acquainted
with the ins and outs of the tomb
stone trade, but his long-term pay
ment plans cost the company dear
ly in the face of the ravaging in
flation. IHs combination of a nar
row mind, ludicrous eccentricities,
and Nazi sympathies provide an in
teresting contrast between humor
and foreboding.
Also among the colorful dramatis
persontiae are Kurt Bach, the ag
nostic monument sculptor of ques
tionable achievement, whose phi
losophy embraces only pleasures of
the flesh: and old Wilke, the super
stitious coffin-maker, whose ro
mantic endeavors have been
thwarted by the nature of his
work.
Then there is Lisa, the volup
tuous wife of Watzek, the horse
butcher. Boiimer is almost slain by
her jealous husband, who guesses
that she is having a love affair. He
is placated by our young hero, and
in friendship’s name, the butcher
sends him a generous portion of
horse sausage.
Bodmer earns extra income by
occasional tutoring and by playing
the organ at Sunday Mass at an
insane asylum. It is here that he
becomes infatuated by a beautiful
inmate, a schizophrenic who calls
herself Isabelle and who fancies
him to be a former lover of hers.
Her eventual recovery results in
the loss of her love for him.
Also included in his romantic
adventures is Gerda, a pretty girl
acrobat, who causes him consider
able annoyance when she discovers
a questionable attraction for Ed
uard Knobloch, the parsimonious
owner of the Walhalla restaurant,
a man with whom Bodmer has been
waging a good-natured feud.
An excursion of the local poet’s
club for the purpose of educating
a naive young poet to certain facts
of life may prove humorous to
many readers. The poet’s encount
er with the Iron Horse provides
him the inspiration for many fu
ture verses.
Bodmer finally receives the op
portunity to work for a Berlin
newspaper. The Iron Horse's death
and Bodmer’s sale of the black ob
elisk to mark her place of rest
seem to be a symbol of the story’s
turning point. The last chapter
could be styled an epilogue, for it
SHOWDOWN
The Traveling
Salesman
A lady who lives in the wealthy
section of New England has a
small son who fell out of a row
boat on a pond near the family
mansion and came back home
soaked from head to foot. She told
him he must stay in his room until
she could dry out his suit and iron
it for him. A little later she heard
a commotion in the cellar. Exas
perated, she left the ironing hoard,
and called down from the top of
the basement stairs, “Are you down
there wetting your pants again?”
There was a dead silence for a
moment. Then a deep masculine
voice answered meekly, “No ma’am.
I'm just reading the meter.”
In Washington, a government
survey was ordered to study the
migratory habits of birds. Thous
ands of species were released with
metal strips attached reading, “No
tify Fish and Wildlife Division.
Wash. Biol. Surv.’’ The abbreviation
was changed abruptly following re
ceipt of this penciled note from a
vexed Alberta agriculturist:
“(!ents: I shot one of your crows
last week and followed instructions
attached to it. I washed it, biled
it, and surved it. It was awful. You
should stop trying to fool the public
with things like this.”
Carl Sandburg was persuaded to
attend the dress rehearsal of a very
serious play by a very serious
young dramatist, l)ut unfortunately
slept through a greater part of the
performance. The outraged dram
atist chided him later, “How could
you sleep when you knew how
much 1 wanted your opinion?”
Sandburg reminded him, “Young
man, sleep is an opinion.”
The origin of Kissing: prehistoric
man discovered that salt helped
him survive the fierce summer heat.
He also discovered that he could
get salt by licking his companion’s
cheek. The next thing he observed
was that the whole process became
ever so much more interesting
when the companion belonged to
the opposite sex. First thing you
know, the whole tribe had forgotten
about salt.
Thanks to Bennett Cerf for the
above, taken from his book, (iood
For a Laugh.
ties together a number of loose
ends and answers the reader’s
question, “What happened after
wards?”
Bodmer’s various philosophies,
evoked by divers stimuli and
changing moods, provide many fas
cinating contrasts, as do his ad
ventures. Almost any reader will
find that some portion of the book
will ring a bell from his own ex
perience, if he does not immediate
ly identify himself with Bodmer.
In this, his latest work, the au
thor of All Quiet on the Western
Front has penned an unassuming
masterpiece. Even the most criti
cal reader must admit that what
the book lacks in epic dimensions
and sensationalism is fully com
pensated by the author’s insight
and the force of his simple style.
The lack of a strong plot is a defi
nite asset to this type of novel,
which attains its unity through its
vivid characterizations, rather
than a labyrinth of complex
events.
A wealth of continental atmos
phere seeps through the excellent
translation by Denver Lindley.
By Johnny Craig
Don’t quote me, but . . .
I’ve started my column in the
Collegian in the same manner for
almost a year, and for the benefit
of the new students, I would like
to say that I have been called the
“New Look” Collegian’s answer to
the syndicate’s Earl Wilson or
Walter Winchell, and my aim is to
give you a behind the scenes look
at the forthcoming attractions here
in Charlotte.
DEALER’S CHOICE . . .
The picture “The Joker is Wild,”
starring Frank Sinatra, Mitzi
Gaynor, Jeannie Craine, and Eddie
Albert, is the relived biography of
Joe E. Lewis, perennial and popu
lar night club luminary. Based on
a book by Art Cohn, the screenplay
traces the life of the funnyman
from his debut in Chicago niteries
through the present time when he
is still knocking ’em out of their
chairs with his inimitable, puck-
ishly suggestive, hard-drinking
brand of humor.
This Paramount production is
due to be released the first of Oc
tober.
ACE IN THE HOLE . . .
Since we are playing table
stakes. I’ll bet all my loot that the
movie “Around
the World in
80 Days” will
play at the
Manor Theatre
until Thanks
giving. /
You nrv y
think the price
is high, but the
entertain-
ment will far surpass the admis
sion.
THE DEALER’S DOPE ....
“Affair in Reno” is 75 minutes
of delightful comedy and drama,
starring an all-star cast. This
movie—along with “Sea Wife,”
with Joan Collins; “House of Num
bers,” starring Jack Palance; and
“Pickup Alley,” featuring Victor
Mature and Anita Ekberg—are all
due to be released in September.
THE POOR MAN’S STAKES . . .
For your best entertainment buy,
mark October 1!) on your weekend
calendar.
(MESSA(iE Continued)
ment in curricular and extra-cur
ricular activities. Although you
may be employed part-time in ad
dition to your hours of study and
class preparation, there should also
be some time for extra-curricular
affairs. The Student Government
will offer a variety of activities
in which you will be invited
to participate. Your area of
service may he found in selling
advertisement for the yearbook,
writing an article for the news
paper, or playing on the basketball
team. Your contribution to Char
lotte College will go far in pro
moting its progress.
It is our sincere hope that your
days at Charlotte College will be
happy and successful ones and that
you will come to love your college
as you assume your part in building
its future. This is your college;
let’s work together to make this a
better year for you!
Bonnie E. Cone, Director
Poet’s Corner
By Hal Kellanis
(Editor’s Note: the space do
nated to Mr. Kellams is his own,
and does not necessarily reflect the
mental ability of the rest of the
staff.)
THE I’RO.MISE
The sunlight’s flash on scarlet and
gold
Sends out the season’s message.
Fall encroaching ever on,
Marks the summer’s passage.
Gone are the beachside frolic times.
Memories now, no more.
Time here for more studious pas
time,
Than lying on the shore.
Soon coming on are the winter
days.
Whose frigid arms shall hold,
All the land in its icy grip.
Nipping, chilling, cold.
With the land now dying all
around.
Oh, to hear a robin sing.
Held close and dear to the hearts
of all,
The promise of next spring.
GOODBYE
Hy diddle, diddle
a cat and a fiddle
a cow jumped over the moon
if your brains are so rattled
that you now believe this prattle
You'll be going away real soon.
LUNACY
Quickly, quickly I must away
a minute longer I cannot stay
I’ve things of much import to do
and if you believe that you're
crazy too.
GIVE ALL
To pass my course
I’ll surely try.
My motto is
to do or die.
If such the case
shall be with me
where is the spot
my grave shall be ?