Delaware Valley College - Cornucopia Yearbook (Doylestown, PA)

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'PHE GLEANER 5 nesses of the frame upon which we are trying to erect our school life machine. Because of the fact that the entire -student body depends upon the Seniors for leadership, it is incumbent upon the Seniors to have a smooth running class organization to insure harmony wth external forces. And this has not been true this year. Have those men who have been the officers of the Senior Class performed their duties? And if they have, as I believe most of them have, why have they not then received the backing that was due them? Undeniably there has been a distinct break within us. Our main purpose in the heat of argument has been lost sight of, as is usually the out- come in such a case, and almost ludicrous situation fto the disinterested non-participantsl has ensued. Talk has replaced action. We have heard yapp from all different sides of the question that was so deadly serious to us and nothing real, practical, or concrete has been accomplished. Dis- sension has not only disrupted the political harmony of the executive or- ganization of the student body, but it has also spread into insiddious influence among the rest of the student interests and has all but paralyzed construc- tive activity. And not only that. Our social affairs have been directly influenced by this political function. ls it possible that one will put his best effort into putting across any sort of a dance, entertainment or gathering when he gets the impression that somehow he is not getting any benefit by it? Or when he instinctively feels that he is beng excluded? There has been a feeling fo restraint even in our moments of joy and relaxation. Isolated as we are, and living togther as we do, there should at a time of universal merrymak- ing a universal indulgence of it. At those times, at least, should be created a fraternal spirit that would insure a wholehearted enjoyment of the affair at hand. Then we could look back upon our days at Farm School with pleasant thought. When a class 'gives a dance, or when the Literary Society announces a program, they should be backed by the support of all of us. No one should be allowed to feel that he has been neglected. We should all participate. When the Junior prom was held, the Freshmen were thoretical- ly ibut evidently not practicallyl snubbed, and the Seniors seemed to feel since it was nothing of their own business, it need not be supported, so that the Juniors entertained a very select and exclusive crowd. This occasion should have been turned over to the use of the entire school. As it Was, We did not get the benefit of the money, labor, and time that was spent on it. And what dull evenings have been those turned over in honor of our letter men! How execrably attended! They should have been gala events. Oui social attempts are the brighter side of our school life. They relieve the un- avoidable monotony of our class and industrial work. We should exploit our opportunities to the nth degree and make the most of them while we may. Athletically we have been a brilliant failure, which also can be traced 'directly back to our disastrous attempt to fight each other. When we do not produce a winning team, there are always plenty of alibis to be found. Either the m-en on -the team are poor, or the coach is to blame. We can always find enough fellows who feel that the authorities have a personal grudge against them that prevents them making a team. These fellows seemed to think that if a coach would' only give them a chance, they would undoubtedly bud into stars. And yet when they did get a chance, they invariably failed. Why should they think that unless they get on the team, it isn't Tsorth support- ing? Every athletic organization, even the most successful. come across such petty problems: they are not relegated to Farm School alone. They must be met and overcome. The real cause for the poor showing any sport makes is either that there is trouble a.mong its participants themselves, or there is insufficient co-operative work done by their supporters, or else that the coach is not iitted for, the Job. Of all these the SBCOHU is the one that -can be applied to the dilemna faced by our atheltic organization this year.

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4 'l'H:'I G!.!2.XTClCR your best in the creating of a higher standard to be set up as the goal for future classes to attain? And to the rest of the students I say: Have we as undergraduates done our best in co-operation with the Seniors? Let us be trunk with ourselves. Une ot Ill? best ways ot digging out I2lllllS and GOI'- recting them is vigorous self-criticism. We niust set forth the failures und success of the past, that we may profit by them, and thus be able to com- mence the new year with definite aims, ambitions and with tangible prob- lems to settle. To do this. I inet r-sk the nrivileze of entering into this article. the per- sonal element. Since I take upon myself, the role of critic, and since I think that my thoughts have not been dissimilar to those of the rest of you, I believe it is pertinent for me to assume the above mentioned dignity. .ind l ':1 c fr '-cc 'rt rw-mor . fC!!0V'- f'f 'fQ, M -'K dav of my en- trance into the portals of this institution: a warm day in March, 1922. Fami School is quite different from the aevrage training school. and it is therefore rather hard for the newcomer to adjust himself to his novel sur- roundings. lt is done. however, and very nicely. Those fellows who came here when the term first began will probably remember a little event that took place. lt is commonly known as the Seniors' Social Affair. That it WEB a complete success, I as a Freshman was not at that time prepared to say. As l look back upon it now, I can readily see the purpose it served. There is a great doubt in my mind, however, as to whether or not, this initial admoni- tion of the Freshman created the effect that was intended. Has terrorization in any form ever induced true loyalty? With no little temerity I voiced these thoughts to an upperclassman. I was told that Class Distinction was an absolute necessity to a school of this kind. With great eloquence, it was pointed out to me that perfect harmony in our work in the fields sans class distinction would be practically nil. I agreed. Yes, to a certain ex- tent there must be class distinction, but there are such things as extremes. I have been pleased to observe that, beginning with the present graduating class. that class distinction in Farm School's social life has become less and less of an all dominating factor, for I am convinced that we can have a much more etlicient organization among ourselves if there is less ill feel- ing between the classes. For we must remember that a student body of 100 can be very easily be divided upon the merest trifle. The first month of a new student's life, here, is of the most vital im- portance, for it determines just what his attitude will be for the rest of his stay. We must have the correct spirit instilled right from the start. Has this been done to the classes of '23 and '24? Their careers show that they do not possess it. I shall explain this statement anon. In this respect, how- ever, I believe the present Freshman Class has been fortunate. Because of a milder and more just enforcement of Class Distinction, they have more heartily entered into school activities, and with the aid of certain of its former members, it has been able to establish an enviable record. All of the mistakes that the present graduating class has made and there have been many, can be directly traced to an alarming lack of pep, which is so necessary in producing results. As I mentioned before, it is expected that the Senior Class shall be the leaders of the student body. It is, therefore, unseemly and a very bad example to the underclassmen when this selfsame Senior Class is divided against itself. It hinders progress and certainly does not inspire confidence in others. We have had a very bad season in athletics and not a very bril- liant success in our social affairs. Our paper has been only partially sup- ported anfl there has been very little activity throughout all of the student organizations. And what has been the cause of this general breakdown in our morale? What is the reason for our lack of co-operation? It is hard to state one particularly reason, for the causes are many and the instances manifold and seemingly petty. I will try however, to bring to light the weak-

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5 THE GLEANER 1 believe that the fellows on the baseball and football teams have done their I -lx. -o Q-'yi'-r H-fe I-fy---vvvv--fone-no -and havn ehnwn their lovaltv 'Phil Hnnnhni have done their utmost. in spite of the unjust criticism voiced against them publicly and privately by some of us. The athletic board has performed admirably and is above reproach. The fault is with us, the erstwhile critics. We have not done our duty. Instead of offering our services, and inspiring confidence in our players. we have done just the opposite. We have talked and talked during the baseball and football seasons, but that is all. And the result is general hard feeling and restraint among us. Instead of waiting a more opportune time to air grievances and irregularities of which we were aware long before: we chose to cause trouble by unjust criticism of the coaches at a crucial time, and by breaking down the morale of the players by hasty talk. We have ourselves to blame, but l know that the harrowing experiences that the year has brought forth will only be as lessons to Ill, in the creating of a better understanding and better spirit for next year. l do not believe that Farm School offers a very inspiring field for liter- ary effort: due probably to the practical nature of most of our work. So, of course, we could not expect more than a certain amount of writing done by the students. but this year rand I say it with sorrowl there has been a much less trend in that direction than usual. Fellows, if we need anything, we badly need more of a literary atmosphere. Our work is cut and dry, and leaves little room for the imagination, and surely athletics alone does not cultivate that culture that is so economically and socially necessary in this world if we expect to have intercourse with the outside world. There are two channels at present, through which we can express our thoughts-the Literary Society and The Gleaner. The Literary Society Cat what times it actually did functionb has afforded us very little attraction, and this leaves practically one thing to support-The Gleaner. Have we taken advantage of this? We have neglected our most vital organ, the mouthpiece of the stu- dent body, the most cherished privilege that we have. An editor-in-chief and a staff were appointed, and then we patiently turned our backs and left them to do the work so that we could make a decent showing. I wish to compliment and sincerely thank the editor and his staff for the work that they turned out for us, in spite of the coldness and apathy shown them. I have not said all this through a spirit of malice. It hurts me because I con- sider myself an accomplice to these facts. The problem of the lack of co-ordinate work, after all, is not new. lt has been met in past years by former classes. It has been a little more apparent this year. That is all. The cause, which should have been elimi- nated long before, has been allowed to develop. And by the cause, I mean the secret society within the student body. We all know that it exists. We all know the harm that it has done, in spite of its good intentions. We all know in most cases its leaders have been popular, brainy, and sincere fellows. But they have allowed their good intentions and their manner of work to defeat their purpose. They meant to keep up the old Fami School spirit, and.yet they did the opposite by the lack of con- fldence they inspired within us by their secrecy. This society was the cause. l know, of the break which has been so evident in the student body this year. By the time this article goes to print, it is to be hoped that the unpleasant pressure that lt has lately received, and the publicity its leaders have received, not through our good work, so much as the needed help of the faculty, have caused it to disband. We have had about enough of bitter feelings: it's about time for some unified action. Up to now I have devoted my space to severe criticism, and mayhap, have created the wrong impression that the Senior class was responsible for the lethargic year we have passed. That is not so. The under-classmen have been as much to blame, if not more. We constitute the-majority. And we could have greatly helped thc situation by a little clean thinking, less talk, and