Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Dec. 9, 1926, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page Two THE TAR HEEL Thursday, December 9, 192$- )t tEar $rc Leading Southern College Tri weekly Newspaper . Member of North Carolina Collegiate Press Association Published three times every week of the college year, and is the official newspaper of the Publications Un ion of the University of North Caro lina,; Chapel Hill, N. C. Subscrip tion price, $2.00 local and J3.00 out 01 town, , lor tne college year. Offices in the basement of Alumni Building. Telephone 403. - J. T. Madry.. Editor F. F. Simon. .....Business Manager Editorial Department Managing Editors J. F. Ashb? ..Tuesday Issue Byron White....-.- Thursday Issue L. H. McPHER90N...........Saturday Issue D. D. Carroll- .Assistant Editor J. R. Bobbitt, Jr. Assignment Editor Staff, - : J. H. Anderson W. P. Perry J. M. Block . , J. P. Pretlow Walter Creech T. M. Reece .T. R. DeJnurnette D. T. Seiwell E. J. Evans" S. B. Shephard, Jr. D. S. Gardner J. Shohan ' Glen P. Holder F. L. Smith - T. W. Johnson W. S. Spearman H. L. Merritfr " W. H. Strickland J. 0. Marshall Wm. H. Windley Business Department W. W. Neal, Jr...A8t. to Bus. Mgr. Charles Brown : Collection Mgr. G. W. Ray. .Accountant Managers of Issues Tuesday Issue.. .M. E. Block Thursday Issue.... Saturday Iesue.. ...James Styles .Worth Eby Advertising Department Kenneth R Jones..-Advertising Mgr. M. W. Breman XocaZ Adv. Mgr. Edward SmithottmoI Adv. Mgr. William K. Wiley Ben Schwartz G. W. Bradham W. R. Hill Oates McCullen ' W. B. Bloomburg J. H. Mebane Circulation Department Henry C HarperCw-cu2atwi Mgr. R. C. Mulder.. Filer of Issues C. W. Colwell ; Tom Raney Douglas Boyce - ' W. W. Turner You can purchase any article adver tised in the THE TAR HEEL with perfect safety because everything it advertises is guaranteed to be as represented. The Tar Heel so licits advertising from reputable concerns only. Entered as second-class mail matter at the Post Office, Chapel Hill, N. C. Thursday, December 9, 1926 GOLDEN FLEECE The campus . was very much surprised last Friday to learn that Golden Fleece had held an unheralded tapping in the dim hours of the morning. This sort of election is not without pre cedent, but such has not been the custom in recent years. The regular time is at the close of the scholastic year when seniors and .rising seniors are eligible. ., v There appear to be two reas ons ?f or .the .early tapping this year. The first is not generally known to the campus. Accord ing io reports that are believed to be well founded; another or ganization of national standard was about to invade the . cam pus and gather into its folds the outstanding student leaders. 1 The Fleece got word about the new. movement, so the story goes, and fearing for the life and prestige of their organiza tion, decided ; that something must be done and done quickly. So they went out and took in some of the men who would have caused the Fleece no end of trouble had they gone into a rival honorary organization. The Fleece got three good men, but these men no doubt under stood full well why they were invited "within the portals" at this particular time. : The second reason is more ob vious. Dut to politics that are said to have played havoc with the -selection last spring, when only four men were picked in stead of the usual eight to twelve, the Fleece has enjoyed less prestige this year perhaps than, at any time since Dr. Hor ace Williams founded the wor thy organization back in 1904. As the result of last year's lean picking there were only two un dergraduate members in 1 the University this year to carry on the work of the organization. In view of the fact that, Golden Fleece was founded to bring the student leaders together in one honor- organization, for the greater purpose of unifying the campus, it was evident that these two men and they are worthy men could not possibly be the only leaders in a student body of nearly 2500. Golden Fleece is supposed to represent the out standing men in the various fields of student activity, such as scholarship, athletics, debat ing, religion, publications, and student government. Surely" two men could not represent ai these activities. Both are ath letes; so the idea may have been that this early tapping would not only keep these three men just tapped out of the hands of another organization, but would make the Fleece a more repre sentative group. But let's see what has been accomplished. The three men just elected are able and deserv ing and should have been "pick ed last spring, but we can't see that they have made the Fleece a representative organization. Of the three, one wears his mono-. gram as captain of the footbal team, the second, his monogram as, cheerleader, and the third to get his monogram next spring as track manager. It is probable that the last two were not pick ed chiefly for their athletic abil ity, but it is also true that ai' of them will be able to don ath- etic monograms and it is to be wondered if the campus 5 won't be reminded of what a "yellow journal" said last spring; name- y, that "It is rumored that Golden Fleece is considering con solidation with the Athletic As sociation." And the campus may be further reminded that following the , tapping last spring, one of the outstanding members of the Fleece, who was editor of the Magazine, said in a page editorial that he "hoped to see the Fleece die." If the basis for this organiza tion is that it shall include the outstanding men in scholarship, athletics, debating, religion, pub- ications, student government, et cetera, then the Fleece has lost its reason for existing as an honor body. The president of Phi Beta Kappa who is also editor of the Buccaneet is not a member. Debaters are not numbered in the ranks. Not a single one of the four Univer sity publications is represented in the group. And so far as student government is concern ed, the president of the student body is not included in the mem- ership. Nor is the president of the senior class. Now we sim ply want to ask : Is the organi zation representative ? After the farce tapping last spring the editor of the Fresh man Handbook, in introducing Carolina organizations to the soon-to-be Carolina men, said that Golden Fleece is "supposed to be composed of the most out standing men in various fields of college activity" and is con sidered by some as the highest honor that may come to a stu dent iri the University. ' Up until that time the words "supposed" and "some" had not been used. Golden Fleece like the old grey ' mare ain't what she "uster"be. . $750 in Prizes for Essays about Roads The American Road Millers' Association, with a branch office in Raleigh, is offering seven hun dred and fifty dollars in prizes for the best essay on "The Bene fits to a Nation -by Improved Highways." The contest is open to all college and university stu dents. Prizes ; will be awarded during the week of January 10th. Additional ," information can be secured from a circular which is to be found in the Tar Heel office. The Driftwood Fire Dave Carroll Here I gather up and store Sticks that drift upon my shore; And you may find what you de ' sire " On salty rainbows of my fire. . Ay, tear, her tattered ensign down! Long has it waved on high, ; And many an eye has danced to see That banner in the sky. ' Holmes. The reappearance of .this column so early after , our -denunciation of the Golden Fleece can be attributed to no girlish glee which moves the writer to sensational ventures. For the second time we hope to 'show that the University's highest honor ary organization for students is bit terly unworthy of confidence and es teem. The fight for the slaughter of these gilded sheep was begun sin cerely; it shall be prosecuted with no less earnestness of purpose. If ever a wolf masqueraded in sheep's clothing, that wolf is Golden Fleece, Today we consider other aspects of the body. Lordly Disdain It has been intimated that an or ganization so high of prestige will not condescend to notice any attack upon it. Perhaps an ostrich, head-burying policy of refuge from criticism will be adopted. But if Golden ; Fleece thinks it can withstand this move ment against it by cocky indifference. let it. try that defense. While we fire, others load their guns, and lead ers of the leaders should see that their powder is dry. At its next meeting, the Dialectic Senate will consider a resolution favoring the abolition of the Golden Fleece. Gen tlemen of the Fleece, , you dare not evade the issue. Victims of the Fleece After a survey of unwholesome interest by the ambitious in election to "Fleece baits"; the officers who become unconscientious after the Fleece has tapped them; the incon sistency in their morals after the Fleece has been won by men with good principles; and generally speak ing, the decline of leaders after their entry into . tne organization, we charged that Golden Fleece; by its lure, made office-grabbers and charlatans of politics. Now we ask What becomes of the men who are beaten by politics and by less scru pulous Fleece seekers? Some of these near-Jasons are capable men, prema turely crippled and denied deserved positions by others who crush them with political machines on their self ish way to Golden Fleece. The men who barely lose out are forced upon the shelf by their failure to reach this honored body. They are made to feel a much greater breach between them and Fleece men than ' that which really exists. Those whom they equal perhaps in work, merit, and all but office, are their lords in the realms of honors and social prestige. This difference, the lack of an office and consequently loss of Golden Fleece frequently is due to fickle fortunes of politics. Therefore, we arrive 'at this con clusion: Even if Golden Fleece were to establish a fellowship among a few leaders, such as it claims, it sets them up so high above their less for tunate erstwhile; associates that co operation between lesser leaders and Fleece men is made impossible. And even the gods (tin) of a campus can not carry out the best plans claimable by this organization if they have on- resentment among other leaders. Kid Gloves and Work How can Golden Fleece expect to work and be so honorary? It must, if it functions properly, assume 'the heaviest and perchance the most r urowme ;i -'ik. amplest not camera J. Brownies Christ mas gifts that are out of the ordinary. There's a complete line of Brownies at this store." We'll be glad to . show thorn to you. Kodaks $5 up s Fdister's Chapel HilL N. C. disagreeable tasks on he campus. Men who are true leaders make enemies. The present organization has no work to justify its existence. If it. ever assumes its responsibility, it will court unpopularity instead of disgusting worship. If these Fleece men have so much ability, we know that they can cure existing evils with out such pomp and splendor. Golden Fleece sets congratulations above the actual merit, offices above ability. How It Exists But the Golden Fleece actually de pends for its existence upon the melo drama of its ceremony, mysticism, and voodooismi What interest would students show in their glorious lead ers were it not for their weird black robes, tense rites, and childish black- hand procedure? Men of intelligence dare ridicule the Ku Klux Klan, but the cream of this student body stages an insult to reason every year. Why does the list of initiates not appear in some newspaper or impersonal agency of the whole organization? Why must an appeal to emotions by kinder garten bug-a-boo tactics at a public spectacle be adopted? You of the student ' body know " the . reason. Golden Fleece- thrives on publicity; it gloats over the sensation it creates.:-- ' ' : Hero Idols . Why must a University student body be fed upon heroes made by brawn or politics? . Some say Golden Fleece sets up the best ideals stu dents might follow. No individual who has begun to think for himself should be taught to follow any bhhv tal man as his ideal. Must growth of bones take a boy away from apron strings only to be tied at this Univer- ty to ideals chosen by others? Some might even rebel at the variety of "ideals" which Fleecemen repre sent. North " Carolina's - legislature refused to limit this University intel lectually; but the, men of Jason dare to pose as idols for us. . Why should the faculty, which .has $10.00 Nunn-Bush and Smith's Smart Shoes at V2 Price. Varsity Slickers $4.85 at sale now go ing on at LACOCK'S SHOE SHOP rap re freedom of enterprise than stu dents, not set up a group of ideals for its professors to follow? Or why could the faculty not tap the group of men whom it considers good lead ers of students? This classification of campus heroes is an institution to be relegated to the sling-shot age and not to university students who strive upward. But new critics are con sidered only literary abortives here. The Change Golden Fleece, as we have it, must go. Why, if it exists for praise worthy functions, is it unwilling to, act as an executive committee with business-like procedure instead of fanciful gestures? Do you who are members of it prefer sheepishness to human identity? Can you value your black robes and horseplay as influ ences which bind you to benevolent duties? We doubt your ability to convince men with whom you deal in life that such tommyrot is part of business." Why can you not meet in simple monthly sessions as a non-mystic group of students? Why can you not do work without making your selves appear so supernatural? Our fundamental grievances with the Golden Fleece, we have said, ori ginated thirteen months ago. There! fore, let it be understood that the conflict between Golden Fleece and Sigma Upsilon yesterday only adds to an old case against the organi zation. We see only a new cheapness, probably not officially sanctioned, to be found in the action of the two Fleece men. Sigma Upsilon (and cer tainly this columnist) will never bow to such impulsive tactics. Our case is not one of an organization opposed to Golden , Fleece, however just Sigma Upsilon's side may be. We op pose the Fleece, not for its rottenness of sportsmanship, but for even its. best representations of supposed vir tues. Golden Fleece will never deceive the campus again; its rumored fear of competition from a new honorary society , and latest behavior against Sigma Upsilon, unless an official ex planation is forthcoming, will damn it in the eyes of all thinkers. The torn sign belonged to Sigma Upsilon, but our thoughts are ours. We defy anyone to destroy our thoughts for no power can dictate our opinion of University institutions. Let it try. MiMMnmt m Tt'tmilllllltTttr UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA GLEE CLUB : Paul John Weaver, Director IN CONCERT Playmaker Theatre Thursday, Dec. 9th. 8:30 P. M. Admission $1.00 - stupents 75c All seats reserved On sale at 14 New West This is an entirely new program and will not be repeated this year. ;:H8:ii;iKtiimiiiiia A sermon in stones Common ication I . i GECIL RHODES, the diamond king, had a real idea which he passed on to diamonds in the rough. "Be well-rounded men, broad in your sympathies," he said, and he made this the basis for selection of Rhodes scholars. Surely there's a lesson for every man graduates alike in arts, in pure science or in applied scienceto balance the student in him with the athlete the individualist with the man of sociability, the specialist with the "citizen of the world." For Rhodes' idea was no theory. It is shared by hard-headed business men today. Electric Comnamr lit .fi Makers of the Nation's Telephones Number 64 f a Stria AT "
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Dec. 9, 1926, edition 1
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