Page Two
THE GUILFORDIAN
Entered nt Guilford College, N. C.. as
second-class matter under the act of Con
gress, August 24, 1912.
Published semi-monthly during the
school year by the students of Guilford
College.
Editor-in-Chief Tohey Laitin
Managing Editors
Winifred Ellis, Bette Bailey
Business Manager Paul Pearson
Editorial Stuff Corlnne Field, Nancy
Graves.
Sports Staff Sol Kennedy, Fred Taylor,
Paul Carruthers, Rudy Davis, Helen
Lyon, Frances Johnson, Talmadge
Neece.
Business Staff Mildred I'egrain, Sadie
White, Arthur Johnson.
Reporters —Shirley Ware, John Hobby,
Hazel Key, Margaret Jones, Barbara
Sprague, Betty Wilson, Patricia Shoe
maker, John .Ternigan, Peggy Watson,
Barbara Williams, Jean 11. Tliouias,
Virginia Ashcraft, Thornton Sparrow,
('laus VietOrius, Pat Locltwood, Sarah
Gray. Ruth Bab, Carolyn I'rout, Hud
son Bowne.
Pictures .lames Patton, I'urnell Ken
nedy, Emory Culclasure.
Fa en It j/ Advisers- —-Dorothy I/. Gilbert,
William O. Suiter.
Subscription price SI.OO per year
1941 Member 1942
Pbsoc'tated Collegiate Press
The Long View
We believe that there is only one course
for students of Guilford college to follow,
as there is only one for all others in the
United States.
Yet the very nature of our position as
students will permit us, we believe, to take
this path more wholeheartedly than those
whose complete effort is of necessity de
voted to all-out defense.
Seemingly, there are two patterns which
face the student.
One is that of immediate predaredness.
This has been stressed as of primary impor
tance. Courses in tirst aid in particular
are being given in every locality.
Emphasis has been placed even more
strongly on the position of the student in
the reconstruction which will follow the
war. In this light, there is a definite duty
of the student to" continue his studies and
his research, technical and otherwise, so
that he will be well-equipped to take his
place in the developments after the war,
which must be a "New Order."
Vet, if there is any justification for a stu
dent to continue in his studies, we believe
that he must put forth his greatest efforts.
It is 110 longer a matter of mere grades
and quality points. Education is now of
more immediate practical importance, and
of more far-reaching results than it has
been in recent years.
The student has a chance to look to the
future and his part in it; he must take
advantage of his position now to learn as
much as he can from daily newspapers and
radio bulletins about the physical develop
ments of the war.
More important, lie must learn the his
tories and the various ideologies of the peo
ples involved in this war, our own people
included. He must be well-grounded 011
the various problems of the past, present,
and the future, and be ready to defend and
oppose their points. lie must have a back
ground of our cultures and civilizations as
they have been and are now, all over the
world, so that he may be prepared to deal
with them as they will be.
There must be a balance between im
mediate preparedness and the more in
trinsic preparation for the reconstruction
which is the student's primary job.
,We can neither afford to neglect the
physical nor dare to ignore the spiritual
and moral consequences which will follow
in the wake of the present destruction.
An Interpretation of
Chinese Literature
By RUBY NAN
The language and literature of any country
are not explained in n few words. It is also
difficult for a layman to talk about such topics,
for sometimes not even a scholar can make
certain points clear and vivid. Nevertheless.
1 shall try to interpret briefly Chinese language
and literature.
Chinese writing is an art. There are about
ten different variations in the writing of words.
An example is "sun," for which there are seven
symbols. As can bo seen from this, the writing
is derived from pictures. The sign meaning
"bird" comes from an early sign after six or
seven changes.
Chinese wrting is very imaginative. For ex
ample. the sign meaning "man" is composed of
two parts: one means "the field"; another part
means "energy." Put together, they mean "one
who uses energy in the field." Since Chinese of
ancient) times were almost entirely farmers, this
word came to mean man in general.
The words derived from pictures came first
and many are four thousand years old. They
were formed in China and taken from no other
country. Japan and other lands used our lan
guage as a basis for theirs.
The first Chinese writing was found engraved
in stone. Later, wood was used, then bamboo,
and, last, silk and cotton were taken as a base.
Paper lias been used for only 2,000 years. The
Chinese pen is a brush, made from the hair
of the weasel.
With "the father of Chinese philosophy," Con
fucius, about 2,000 years ago, all literature im
proved. China was not yet one country, but
was divided into seven parts, each fighting the
other, although the people were of the same
race. The troubled times gave the people a
strong feeling of nationalism, which was respon
sible for the literary development.
The philosophy and political ideas of Con
fucius were written down in tile form of talks
with his students. Ilis ideas are expressed ill
a consciously simple and concise style. His in
fluence was very great and he had more than
.'5,000 students, of whom 100 are famous.
A thousand years later, writers tried to cul
tivate a beautiful language. They did not try
to make rules of style, as did Confucius, but
wrote about their country and all its people.
This is my favorite period in Chinese literature.
Afterwards came writers who used a bril
liant and extravagant style. They wrote sto
ries, letters, poetry, and essays about love and
friendship. Both style and theme were emo
tional. Their sentences stand first in beauty
in Chinese literature, but I dislike their work
because it expressed only shallow ideas.
In the next century came the Tong and Sung
dynasties. The writers of this time went hack
to Confucius for their ideas and elaborated on
them, so that common people could understand
them.
The Ming and Ch'ing dynasties came to rule,
four centuries later. This was a period of very
strict, narrow literary rules, imposed by the
government. A writer had to follow a very
definite style and form. Good literature could
not develop under such conditions, which lasted
for more than 500 years. The requirement for
public office at that time included a knowledge
of these literary rules. This is the "dark age"
in Chinese literature.
Since the Revolution, almost 30 years ago,
literature has revived, but it generally uses the
language that is now used in speech.
i mortimer
its a sad 1 if* i thought as i heard the moans
of a campus frill last Sunday i dont believe i
shall sleep at all she said what a waste to go
to bed for i shall lose an hours sleep and she
turned haggardly back to a volume 011 somnam
bulism i mortimer am stiff in the joints i got
lost] in the pocket of a gym suit and was shang
haied into modern dance it was a big mistake
i thought as i tried to turn my head and gaze
fondly at dr victorius cockroach i swooned in
the freshman biology class at the beginning
of the week i was investigating the anatomy
of a frog from a purely objective viewpoint
when tiie fragrance of formaldehyde overpow
ered ine and i slipped gently to the table and
managed to conceal myself in an abandoned
locker today is st. valentines day i shall never
forget for i was conversing with an itinerant
spider yesterday afternoon 011 the edge of an
open ink bottle we became involved in a friend
ly little argument and fell into the red ink
i am a monument to all bleeding hearts
THE GUILFORDIAN
OPEN FORUM
A FRIENDLY GUILFORD
Two weeks ago the Chapel choir of Capital
university of Columbus, Ohio, presented a con
cert of religious music here.
Students and faculty and town folks filled
the auditorium that Sunday afternoon. The
music was superb. We enjoyed it, we whispered
softly to one another between selections, "Aren't
they wonderful," and we are still talking about
them. After the program was over the group
left in their bus, bound for an evening concert
in High Point. They left quietly, quickly, un
ceremoniously. Three students and a few mem
bers of the faculty loitered 011 the steps of
Memorial hall to bid them goodbye—just a hand
ful of Guilfordians giving a hearty send-off to
one of the finest college choirs in the country.
Many of us rushed out of the auditorium,
contemplating a cup of hot chocolate at Clyde's
or a date with a certain someone, or anticipat
ing a favorite radio program in the quiet
warmth of our room.
Last year our A Capella choir toured the
South, stopping to sing in such places as Atlanta
and Ft. Screven, Georgia, Orlando and St.
Petersburg, Florida. ■ After concerts in many
of these places, the entire town crowded around
our bus, waving, thanking the Guilfordians for
coming, inviting them back. It gave one a warm
feeling of satisfaction and delight and a kind
of homelike feeling in a strange place. Guil
fordians never forgot that continuous display
of hospitality.
And now we stop to ask, "Where was our
hospitality two weeks ago, when a strange choir
came to sing in a strange place?" Yes, we in
vited them to dinner, but was that enough?
Guilford has long been known for its spirit of
friendship. It would lie unfortunate to lose
that spirit, especially in times like these.
E. C. B.
GRIST
He tightly held his Violet
While driving fast, poor silly;
Where once he held his Violet,
Now he holds a lily.
•—Furman Hornet
•
Alibis for Klunkers
(1) "Y'see, mom. the prof's got the wrong
text anil doesn't know it yet . . ."
(2) "The instructor hates me because I comb
my hair —and he hasn't got any."
(3) "I didn't know he was in the classroom
one day and 1 took his name—in vain, that's
why."
We found these handy, but the best one is
still to intercept the mailman when reports go
home. —The Gamecock
•
Neighbor: "Say, have you folks got a bottle
opener around here?"
Parent: "Yes, but he is away at school right,
now." —Maryland Old Line
•
The little moron thinks that the "Lost Chord"
was a missing woodpile.
Dumb Dora thinks that the Stamp Act was
passed for jitterbugs.
•
He: "May I kiss you? May I kiss you? Say,
can't you hear?"
She: "Yes. Are you paralyzed?"
—The Lenoir Rh.vnean
•
Remember, friends, the old Chinese proverb :
If Coca-Cola you ain't got,
Pepsi-Cola hits the spot!
—The Tiger Hag
•
"Waiter! There's an ant on this sundae."
"Hminin . . . so they're going in for winter
sports, too." —The Northern Review
•
It has been learned that Pomona college is
the proud possessor of George Washington's
watch. That's really nothing very great, for
after all, we have Adam's apple.
—Quaker Campus
•
It's fun to lie a vagrant breeze
And blow about the ladies' knees;
Though many knees, without a doubt,
Are nothing much to blow about.
—Case Tech
•
First Prof: "My sister is a gay child. She
was horn in the spring."
Second Ilalf-Wit: "It's a wonder she wasn't
drowned." —The Stute
February 14, 1942
From the Files
April 1, 1923—1 Hie facility in response to spe
cial petitions from the students have agreed to
allow men and women of the college the privi
lege of meeting each other informally during
the period after dinner at 7 o'clock each eve
ning of the week except Thursday, Friday, and
Sunday; the only condition attached to this per
mission is that the students will be on their
honor not to abuse t lie rules governing the half
hour social, and that if the plan is not success
fully carried out, the privilege will lie taken
away, and the old form of "half an hour a week"
will go back into effect.
March 16, 1918—The Guilford college student
Imdy and community will have the greatest
treat of the year on March 13 and 14, when
the famous Frederick Hay Cinemalogues will
be shown in the auditorium at Memorial hall.
"Pilgrim's Progress" will be shown on the tirst
night and "Parsifal" on the second. The two
motion pictures represent an investment of
SIIB,OOO. They are accompanied by a lecture
and music and singing of an unusually high
order. In this day when much trash, horseplay
and mushy sentiment predominate in the aver
age entertainment, and the dexterous hurling
of custard pies is a prominent feature in many
film presentations, it is refreshing to turn to
artistic efforts which satisfy our nobler senses
and leave us with a consciousness of an evening
well spent.
October 10, 1917—Algie Newlin, '2O, and Hugh
Moore, leaders of the Prep. Bible classes, treat
ed their youthful disciples to a 'possum hunt
last Tuesday night. Three 'possums were treed
aiul caught. The most remarkable feature of
the occasion was the tree climbing ability dis
played by Algie Newlin. No tree was too big
or high for Algie. Algie declares that he ex
pects to continue his education in the higher
branches.
September 26, 1917 —This year soccer football
may l>e Introduced as a college sport. Many
students either cannot or do not care to play
basketball during the winter months. An effort
will be made to find some sport for them that
will be more recreative than close communion
with a radiator. Last year the students showed
much interest in soccer and this year a schedule
may be arranged with some of the southern
colleges.
Typical 1917-18 Heads: NEW MEN SHOW
UP WELL. IBSEN AND MAETERLINCK AT
THE LITERARY CLUB. SCIENCE OLUB
HEARS ABOUT GENETICS. DOUGIITON
DOES NOT LOVE IN VAIN. YOUNG MEN
ABLY ADDRESSED. THE GYM HAUNTED.
PHILOMATHEANS AS FAIRIES AND HOST
ESSES. PHILOMATIIEANS HAVE SMALL
BI T SPIRITED MEETING. BIOLOGY LAB
ORATORY INCORPOIITED WITH THE MU
SE! M. BI'GS AND EATS JOYFULLY COM
BINED.
I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER
I think I shall always remember these days
in February when the burning leaves bring a
whiff of autumn and roasted chestnuts, and
the wind is like March and howls about the
corners of the buildings, leaving a suspicion of
the smell of liew-eut grass. I shall always re
member the first bluebird I saw this spring,
and the startling whirr of Bobwliites as they
started from the meadow grass one Sunday
afternoon. I shall remember the liusli during
grace at each meal and vegetable soup on cold
days and pineapple upside down cake.
I shall remember the chatter in the store at.
!t:4. r > and McGinnis's gallant "Ladles lirst," while
we order push-ups anil cokes and streak back
to the dorm. I shall remember the clatter of
heels in the halls at Sunday noon, when all
footsteps sound alike, and the warm sun on the
walk as couples saunter to the library.
I shall remember the bare red clay in the
winter and the greenness of spring; the excite
ment of one of the annual formula—lines for
the tubs and the warm steam and velvet wraps
hanging near the showers.
I sha'l remember the mad dash for the station
wagon to Itohhs in the cold darkness of early
morning and the smell of coffee in the kitchen.
I shall remember supper at Iloblis before Christ
mas, eating by candlelight and singing carols,
and the comfort of hot tea during exam week.
I shall remember the warmth of the laundry
and the good clean smell on Fridny afternoons
and the muffled sound of the bell, when the rope
was stiff with ice, or the rain and wind moved
the clapper at night.