City College of New York - Microcosm Yearbook (New York, NY)

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I II II II A«»ing-Pr«y»n» N»ho P. M«ad gtotfd th« Prom with hi pmonce ond eff.ci- olad «a lha «rowning ©t Avdray CKr-Oi© oad Oerlai Wolfao 01 Queen ond King retpact'realy (right, top). the season, the College flagship met an ocean vessel in the Hay and shook hands too roughly. One life, that of the Mandalay, was lost. When the final accounting gave 39 the largest share of the profits, the class was once more “out of the red . The City College Store having been cleaned up”. Student Council ami A.S.U. turned their attention to the lunchroom. In a short while closed container milk appeared; milk prices were lowered: the list of 5e sandwiches was increased. The Campus uncovered a budding opposition newspaper. Supposedly hacked by Norman L. Marks, former chairman of the City College Host of the American Legion, the S iakfsman gained unfavorable publicity by the White Jew incident. The New- man Club ami the K.O.T.C. leaders of the newspaper denied that the call for “White Jews” for the staff was derogatory. The Spokesman died in the embryonic stage. For the first time, the Administration actually cooperated with the anti-war demon- stration. “Lift the Fmbargo on Loyalist Spain became a battle cry which reached a cli- max in a special stoppage for peace. In Lewisolm Stadium (with loud speaker equip- ment provided by President Robinson) one thousand students heard Congressman Jerry O’Connell, who had flown from the capital, call for action by the United States against aggressor nations. Unity in the anti-war movement, however, was gone. Although more students than ever before left class, the Great Hall Anti-War Strike meeting was smaller than that of the previous year. Outside in the Lewisolm Stadium, a smaller audience, composed of Socialists. Trot- skyites, Oxford Pledge supporters, and simple isolationists, was addressed by Norman Thomas. The Great Hall heard the former Ambassador to Germany. William K. Dodd, lash into “Dcr Fuehrer”. The ranks of the honor students were nearly doubled hv the institution of an arrange- 23

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n I) LI before clubs appeared in the jVcic Yuri; Times. The New York popu- lace Wiis informed that C-C..N.A. was nol a hot-lied of Coinniiinisin. but a good investment for the people of the city. A frequent visitor to Stu- dent Council meetings. Mrs. Medulie compelled that “august body to be- come a bit more decorous. beginning a semester with a $150 deficit was a new experience for the 39 Class Council, but it proceeded to take care of the lack of money by running more social functions than ever before. Holding two gym dances rather than the traditional one. the class successfully put over Statesman's Dance and later the Hick Hop (featuring Zeke Goldberg's balalaikas), besides a novel ticket, the latter dance was enriched by a cow (with Dave Goldman inside), a chicken, and a duck, and parsley in each of the four corners of Farmer William- son's barn, opposite the Little bed College , lastly, the class sponsored a theatre party to Haiti, the W.P.A. production. gain the most popular event of the term, the boatride outdid the previous years. “All-College was a fact, for Main and Commerce. Day and ICvening joined in the affair. Outdoing Hollywood publicity, the Com- mittee set the campus agog with girls, a monkey, a platinum blonde. “Pennies from Heaven” and a Tarzan beauty Contest. So great a sale resulted that the $.$. Mandalay had to be supplemented at the last minute by the S.S. IFaitkela. Sunday. May 22. was memorable in more than one way. Not only did the C.C.N.Y. flotilla dominate the river from the battery to bear Mountain, but also the day marked the last completed voyage of the Mandalay. The following week, on her first regular trip of Thontjgiving weet-ond »01 more tho' Pilgrim’s Progron to member» of tbo 39 dost Oi they enjoyod ono of the moil tvocettful Son lor Prom» In Co-logo krt- lory. On No ombtr 2S. 1931. fifteen lonion onnounced their engogemenli. 24

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CAUSE ANO EFFECT! Fi«d- •riel 8. R«b!«®« (righ ) ond »K »«»• dot body. pi m CXf L:- incut for interncship of College students to tlie municipal government, under the guidance of Commissioner of Investi- gation. William B. Herlands. For the second time since the World War. the K.O.T.C. took no part in the Charter Day exercises. The Officers Club. Lock and Key. and Cercie Jusse rand vied to carry the flags. A compromise was effected by leaving the flags on the plat- form. The 1500 who attended came away on good terms with France, for the accent of the French Ambassador who con- gratulated us on our marvelous “librarcc wiz zc fiftee thou- sand volume” was most intriguing. Although still comparatively tame, school elections echoed the split on the peace question. Most of the vehement Oxford Pledge group having seceded from the A.S.U.. a new party, with isolation as its keynote, was formed. The election, how- ever, was decided at the American Student Union Convention. As the new United Action party was concerned only with Student Council, the majority of class officers went unop- posed. The A.S.U. swept the class and all the major positions. Harold Both advanced to Student Council President, ami Marvin Rotheuberg and William Kafsky were elected Vice- President and Secretary respectively. Klliot Rosenbaum be- came President of the February '39 graduating class. Included on the ballot was a referendum on the union baud issue. Clever phrasing of the ballot plus strong union sentiment combined to require union orchestras at all college functions. Losses, as well as wages, went up at many gym dances. V In July. City students, concentrated in Coney Island, the Catskills and Rockaways. were startled by the announcement of the granting of a leave of absence to President Robinson. Since at the end of the next year President Robinson was to he eligible for a pension, it was a foregone conclusion that his resignation was imminent. In the meantime, without fanfare. Professor .Nelson P. Mead, chairman of the History depart- ment. was installed as acting-president. Expectations were fulfilled on December 16. when tile Board of Higher Educa- tion accepted the resignation of Frederick R. Robinson. Further democratization of the staff resulted from the Hoard of Higher Education's order requiring election rather than appointment of department heads. All went well at first, and in the voting held in the middle of the term, five depart- 26 ments chose new chairmen. However, these new democratic by-laws were, in the spring term, fated to cause one of the greatest furors witnessed by the ‘39 class during its stay in college. During the summer, the resignation of Dr. W. Parks Rich- ardson was announced. Previously the Teachers Union had leveled charges of anti-Semitism at him, based on the reports of subordinates. Dr. Richardson gave no reason for his with- drawal. With its last vacation behind it, the class settled down to make up for D’s and F’s of the first three years. Graduate schools, law schools, medical schools, dental colleges filled the students’ minds. Higher averages were a necessity. Studying required by the rapid approacli of commence- ment, however, did not prevent the turning of attention to the history making events in Europe. Throughout September. Hitler and his Sudeten stooge, Henlcin. shouted threats at Bene ’ Czechoslovak Republic. The Western democracies and Soviet Russia lined up against the dictators. But England’s Prime Minister, Chamberlain, decided on his version of “peace in our time”. The brave little bulwark against Fascism was sacrificed at the “Peace” of Munich. The Nazi lust, however, was not satisfied. When bewildered Hershcl Grynzpan shot a German attache, savage violence, organized by authorities, broke out all over Germany against the Jews. To complete the job the government demanded an indemnity of $400.000.000. I he latest news from abroad was the only topic of discus- sion going to and from school and between classes. Hitler was cursed vehemently but to no avail. The House Plain radio interrupted meetings and parties with II. V. Kaltcnborn’s al- most hourly analyses. Social science courses were devoted almost exclusively to current events. Staid Math professors dropped “pi to discuss the cutting of the European pie. Professor Root of the Biology Department deeply touched every student in a Physiology lecture when lie broke down 1