Dominican College of San Rafael - Firebrand Yearbook (San Rafael, CA)

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THE ARTS, 1947 jUR ELDERS tell us that we are living in a rest- less world, and the conservatives say that mod- ern art is an unhappy reflection of this restlessness. Perhaps that is because they do not understand it. We might seem to be in danger of stiffening into conservatism, because in our first two years of college we become steeped in the cultures of the Ancients and of the Middle Ages as we follow the course of the Hu- manities. Obviously such a danger must be averted. For this purpose our President, collaborating with Madame Rau, thought out the program of The Arts, 1947, a program in which the artists were to be al- lowed to speak for themselves and then have matters resolved in a panel discussion. As a result of this wise planning the college students have had the privilege of hearing lectures by the arch- itect, Eric Mendelsohnn, the sculptor, Jacques Schnier, the composer Darius Milhaud, and by critics of art, music, and literature, Douglas Mac Agy, Mar- garet Prall, Reverend John S. Kennedy, and Mark Schorer. Since the lectures, all over the campus conversa- tions have sprung up like autumn fires among those who bring nineteenth century expectations to twen- 114

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activity of the var years— all these make a story no other American city can equal in color. Gertrude Atherton calls it My San Francisco. The great charm of the city is that to all who know her she is My San Francisco, this city of Saint Francis by the Golden Gate. Patricia Franks ' 50 113

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tieth century art, and those who believe themselves competent to judge modern art or at least to appre- ciate it. The former are really more docile than the latter, for they admit that their expectations can not be satisfied and so, hope for a glimmer of understand- ing. The others are not willing to accept anything that conflicts with what they have already learned, but a third group, wiser than the others, know some- thing of the new seethings and the new accomplish- ments and wish to correct, as far as possible, whatever may be short-sighted in their viewpoint. Mr. Mendelsohnn ' s suggestion that the buildings along the waterfronts in San Francisco be torn down, fired a faction of those who love their city as it is and have no mind to think with the great architect of architecture as a world concern; and still others leaped up, the supporters of the Romanesque and the Gothic styles that Mr. Mendelsohnn says should no longer be. The profound changes of the present age, he main- tains, have brought modern architecture to life, and this new birth has an important function in the new social life man is trying to start. No one of us can deny the beauty and fitness of Mr. Mendelsohnn ' s Palestin- ian architecture as we see it in the photographs in our art gallery, but some of us still wish to cling to the beautiful designs that mean the best to us. 115