Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception - Annual Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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ST. THOMAS MORE LITERARY SOCIETY

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A N N U A L l 9 3 6 0 ' The Library Staff URING the past year, because of definite progress in the cataloging and classifying of its books and in the careful and wise selection of new additions, our library has achieved a new efficiency as a bibliographic tool. A complete shelf-listing of our books has been effected, and from this list we hope to have a very practical and complete dictionary catalog shortly in use. New additions have been chosen with a view to their reference value and their usefulness as auxiliaries to class work. The field of recreational reading has not been overlooked, and here the reading habits of the students have been considered. Additional magazines have widened the range of our periodical files, and back numbers have been bound. ln the early part of the year, Columbus Day was the occasion of a dis- tinguished gathering of librarians, who met together in Cathedrals library for the fall conference of the Brooklyn-Long Island Unit of the Catholic Library Association. Mr. Weldon acted as chairman and under his presidency an interesting and informative meeting was held. Student assistants performed an excellent task in acting as ushers and aides. We of the library consider it a distinct privilege to be able to cooperate in whatever way we can with the efforts of the Catholic Library Association. We believe our library can and will be a unifying force in the curriculum of Cathedral. To this end we have always cooperated to the best of our ability. And we have furthered our efforts during the past year by extending along planned lines the work in library instruction for the high school depart- ment. lf we have succeeded in making the library better known to the stu- dents and in creating it anew as a focal point for their study interests, we feel amply rewarded. Besides serving as an integrating unit in the curriculum of a school, a good library achieves a social aim through the promotion of whatever projects and activities can be of benefit to the extracurricular life of the student body. ln line with this policy the library has been happy to extend its fullest facilities to the specialized work of the St. Thomas More Society. Cooperation has also been freely given to the members of Cathedrals stamp club. An oversize stamp, picturing some sort of l-lottentot contemplating space, never fails to attract the eye to the stamp corner. Although he otherwise considers himself highly flattered by the resemblance, this reproduction is definitely NOT a portrait of the librarian. We were also very happy to accommodate those who engaged in the chess tournament. l-litherto we have been unaware of the large number of chess fans who frequent our sacred portals. During the year they suddenly broke out like a rash. The Gargoyle first inoculated them, and then quaran- tined them in the library where with the aid of friendly kibitzers they work off the virus by means of feverish skullwork. In whatever small way the library has helped promote these activities, we take pleasure in the fact and are grate- ful to have been of assistance. We beg also to remind the faculty and student body that both the librarian and the library are at your service always, 109

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A N N U A L l 9 3 6 0 ' St. Thomas More Literary Society T. THOMAS MORE has a great many wise and witty sayings in his fine writings. But it was rather in view of what another famous Englishman of letters, Francis Bacon, said about reading making a full man and writing an exact man, that a literary society was started at Cathedral College. Father Mulrooney, whose years as a professor of English have bred in him an interest in sponsoring good reading tastes among the students and a whimsical faith in the impossible, first conceived the idea and began igniting little sparks of interest here and there among the student body. Gradually the heat of enthusiasm spread and, although we have not reached anything like a conflagration, yet for the eight months since October a small but steady flame has been kept burning. The club is formed of students from fourth and fifth years. At present that is the only actual restriction upon membership. All things else vary with the individual member. An ideal member, however, is one who either derives entertainment and profit from good literature and wants to increase his capa- city for enjoyment and profit or else one who, although having done little reading, is convinced of the latent pleasures of literature and is eager to be introduced to them. He is one, moreover, who is willing to criticize and be criticized, to contribute his ideas to the forum at the end of each meeting and to submit original work, poetry, short stories, etc., when such is the order of the day. l-le is not a litteratus , he is not one who thinks he KNOWS all about about literature but one who wants to LEARN all about it. At the first meeting, deciding that the dual aspect of the fame of Thomas More as Saint and scholar was not incompatible with our particular interests, we called ourselves the St. Thomas More Literary Society. We include about twenty-five in number. At some meetings we discussed an author, the order consisting of papers on his life and works, readingsfrom his works, criticism of papers, questions and discussion. Authors thus far discussed have included our patron St. Thomas More, Francis Thompson and Mark Twain. A few of the meetings have been enlivened by reviews of current books. After a few months of such procedure we decided upon an innovation which proved very popular. We select a particular branch of literature, e.g., the short story, poetry, have papers read on the history and technique of that particular form and have original work submitted voluntarily by any member. This program has proved less formal and more agreeable. lt has also fostered a more spirited discussion. A literary society in Cathedral is not something entirely new. Two pre- vious ones existed at various times in the history of the College and both died after an early blossom. Profiting by these experiences we are guarding against over-enthusiasm, and too lofty ambitions. Father Mulrooney, our faculty adviser, and Mr. Weldon have aided us by their suggestions and efforts to keep interest alive. We are grateful. We feel that a literary group such as ours has a place in Cathedral and we are determined to make it a permanent part of the life at the College. lll