Carleton University - Raven Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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Carleton College Year Book 1944-45 CURRENT HISTORY CLUB C. Froats, Ethel Leacock, Jean Conger, Violet Nelson, Gertrude Wolansky, f .1 , ' .. STUDENTS' CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT Sgt. H. Dewdney, Marny Emmerson, Violet Nelson, Ethel Peacock, Wrn. I. Illman

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24 Carleton College Year Book 1944-45 Current History Club A group of students at a meeting on De- cember 5 organized the Current History Club to hold discussions every Tuesday night at 9.30 about contemporary national and inter- national questions. Thus, during the third year of Carleton's life the third College club came into existence to fill a need in College life which was not provided for by either of the two older clubs, the Latin-American Club and the French Club. At the second gathering on December 12 an executive consisting or Cecil Froats, as President, and Violet Nelson, as Secre- tary-Treasurer, was chosen. The subject for the evening, What Is a Canadian? produced lively argument. The discussions covered a great variety of topics which frequently led to heated con- troversy. They ranged from the problem of Germany's and Japanls aggressive spirits, the place of the U.S.S.R. in world affairs, and the Dumbarton Oaks proposals for a uni- versal political organization to maintain peace, to social security measures in Canada, slum clearance schemes, and the influence of eco- nomic and social issues and of the French- Canadian culture on the Canadian political pattern and national unity. While the initial number of participants in the discussions was small, it has grown until nfwg there are about twenty members in the c u . The aim of the Current History Club is to obtain a deeper insight into the design of present political, economic, and social affairs by analyzing the complexities of international power politics which are inextricably inter- twined with Canada's domestic, political, eco- nomic, and social issues. The members wish to progress to a wider appreciation of the part that Canada can play in world affairs and of, not only the ideal, but also the most prac- tical way by which this role may be enacted for the greatest benefit to Canadians and the rest of humanity simultaneously. -CECIL S. FROATS Students' Christian Movement The following is the official statement of the basis and aim of the Student Christian Movement of Canada: The Student Christian Movement of Canada is a fellowship of students based on the conviction that in Jesus Christ are found the supreme revelation of God and the means to the full realization of life. The Movement seeks through study, prayer, and practice to know and follow Jesus Christ and to unite in its fellowship all stu- dents in the colleges of Canada who share the above conviction, together with all stu- dents who are willing to test the truth of the conviction upon which the Movement is founded. The Movement desires to share with others the values discovered in Jesus Christ, and to join with those of like mind in all lands and of every race and rank in the creation of a world-wide order of society in harmony with the mind and purpose of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. Two features of the S.C.M. which em- phasize its difference from ordinary Church are first. the complete absence of national and racial discriminations, and secondly, in the inclusion, with convinced believers, of those who wish to test the truth of the Christian conviction. The utter lack of a Hpietistic Sunday atmosphere makes the Movement valuable to many. Others ap- preciate the opportunity to express questions and new understandings without fear of mockery, disapproval, or indifference. The student's duty is to take nothing for granted, to investigate and analyze every- thing in his field of study. To many uni- versity students this approach, so different from that of high school or collegiate, is confusing, disillusioning, and frightening. The S.C.M. gives them a chance to examine their religion in the same way, and to share their uncertainties with others, a most helpful procedure. . In Carleton College this year a small group has met regularly to discuss such problems as Christianity or Chaos in the Post-war World g After Death-What? The Rev. Alexander Miller visited Ottawa early in March under the auspices of the S.C.M., and gave many a new inspiration as he spoke of the problems of the Church in 'Great Britain. Owing to the difficulties of time, the discussion group is the only type of activity carried on this year. Plans for next year, when day classes are expected for the College. include expansion into a variety of activities, such as wor- ship, study groups, and social events. Prob- ably the group will find it advisable to adopt a more formal organization, for thus far it has carried on without president, chairman, or secretary. -HAROLD DEWDNEY

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26 Carleton College Year Book 1944-45 e International Student Service In the midst of a war of such unpre- cedented horror, our faith in the future of our Christian civilization could hardly sur- vive were it not that we have witnessed equally unprecedented efforts on the part of people of more fortunate lands, through a great variety of organizations set up for the purpose, to send as much help and comfort as possible to war sufferers everywhere. One of these efforts which gives hope for a better future world-especially because it is an effort of future citizens to help future citizens and presumably, future leaders, everywhere -is the enthusiastic and concerted action of students in the crisis. In order to send aid to their fellow stu- dents in war-torn countries, the students of more fortunate lands-Great Britain, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Sweden, Switzerland, Portugal and many other coun- tries-have set up a number of organizations to raise funds which are used to help in all possible ways the students who are suf- fering through war: prisoners, internees, refugees or evacuees, wherever they can be reached. These funds are consolidated in, and distributed through, the organization know as World Student Relief which has its central office in Geneva, Switzerland. World Student Relief is a world-wide or- ganization for the purpose of relieving suf- fering and creating understanding among students. It is non-sectarian, non-political and non-racial, it appeals to students, stu- dent bodies and friends of students through the world to assist in its universal aim. Since the advent of war its work has been chiefly one of relief, that is, raising money in those countries which still have free universities in order to provide books, food. clothing, medical supplies and recrea- tional equipment for the moral and intel- lectual preservation of students in war prisons, internment and refugee camps as well as for students who are attempting to carry on in occupied and battle-ground countries. The following short extract is the last paragraph of a letter from Yngve Frykholm, the Swedish assistant general secretary for the European Student Relief Fund. The let- ter is a description of one of his visits to an American prisoner-of-war camp in Ger- many. It is dated June, 1943. -like most of his fellow prisoners. this student had not yet received a single communication from home since being taken prisoner more than four months previously. And here he was unexpectedly approached by a fellow-student from the outside, offer- ing personal and individual assistance for his particular intellectual needs. 'This is a perfect godsend, I must say!' was his half- stammering reaction. 'I thought my time in this camp was going to be completely wastedl' His eyes were simply shining be- hind his spectacles as he thanked me for this offer, which to him meant a new ray of hope, a tiny bit of meaning in a mean- ingless world. A small group of new-found friends fol- lowed me on my last lingering walk through the grey barracks, only coloured here and there by a bright, and just slightly wicked cartoon, showing the various hardships of camp life. tThe artist was one of Max Fleischer's assistant cartoonistsj. They fol- lowed me down the sun-baked and dusty camp street until we reached the inevitable line of barbed wire-the line which I could pass but where they had to stop. Their parting words might have been a greeting to the friends and supporters of the E.S.R.F. all over the world: 'We can't really tell you how much we appreciate your visit and what you are doing for fellows like us. We can only say: Please don't forget us, and please come backl' In Canada, funds are raised for W.S.R. through the Canadian Committee of Inter- national Student Service twith headquarters at 151 Bloor Street, Torontol, co-operating with the Student Christian Movement, and by the Federation Canadienne des Universi- taires Catholiques twith headquarters at Laval University, Quebecy-the representa- tives in Canada of Pax Romana. These three organizations are all members of an ad- visory consultative committee called the Eapadian Committee of World Student Re- ie . Funds, once raised, are used for work .in Europe, carried on through European Student Relief Fundg in China, through National Stu- dent Relief Committeeg and in Canada, by Dale Brown, national secretary of the World Student Christian Federation. In 1944, 55'!c of the total was allotted to Europe to be used for prisoners of war, refugees, etc. Problems facing these students are lack of proper food, insufficient clothing and need of library supplies. E.R.S.F. helps these prisoner-students in all Ways possible and thus much is being done to alleviate that malady of the spirit which starts as a simple listlessness and ends in such complete with- drawal from the life around them, that neurosis or psychosis is the final outcome. 32W of the funds went to evacuated Chinese students. Social centres are provided for these evacuees when possible. Amounts are allotted for clothing, books, etc., as in Europe, as well as food. Health of students in China is a serious problem, due to con- sistent malnutrition over a period of years.