Fordham University School of Education - Grail Yearbook (New York, NY)

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3 Social Service Club Activities On April 25th of our Freshman Year, we witnessed the introduction of the third new extracurricular activity into the over-all school program. On that date, the Social Service Club held its first formal meeting with Dr, Crowley as guest speaker. The organization had been formed by Dr. Balmain after the students displayed a great interest in contemporary social problems and a strong desire to do something in their small .way to arrive at a solution to them. With great e th ' F ' ' n usiasm the newly formed organization set about achieving its purpose, that of serving the community in keeping with the principles of Christan Brotherhood. Under the leadership of their former resi- D dent, Phil Grossman, and their present prexy F d ' re Fenter, the group has early achieved much, both in the fields of personal enrich- ment and service to the community. Lectures d. . . . iscussions and field trips were held. Plans were made for guest speakers to be invited. They planned, promoted and exe t d cu e a suc- cessful appeal for food and clothing for the destitute children of Europe and plans were made for an annual Christmas drive for fo d o . clothing and other necessities for the poor on the lower East side The most striking feature of this organiza- tion is the great enthusiasm with which its members engage in their activities. There is a spirit of unselfish devotion to humanity that char t ' ' ' ' ' ' ac erizes this organization and if a like spirit could be infused in all of us, then we could truly say we had benefitted from our education at Fordham. 23

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I leo with my right , . lt was during this time that a group of us organized the Junior Gannon Council. Under the astute and always interested guidance of Mrs. Lylian Poland, we made great progress in the art of declamation. The highlight of the program was a searching exposition of the topic Should Unescorted Women be Allowed in Barsf' lt resulted in a stalemate despite Helen Curranis battlecry, Beers or Babies. Unlike the other contributions of the class of 'Sl to the extracurricular activities program, the Junior Gannon Council was slated to sur- vive and to yield each year an increasingly adept crop of debaters until this year when an exceptionally talented group was produced. Every so often on Saturdays, some of us attended football games and the Concourse Plaza. The 75-O Pennsylvania debacle cast us into deep shades of gloom. Spirits were lightened when we remembered that N. Y. U. was still to come. Between times we attended the Sophomore Barn Dance in the lounge, the N. Y. U. victory dance on the campus, our own first lounge Social on December l2th, where for the first time we became financially solvent, other so- cials, club meetings and also some classes. But these activities did not consume all of our time. Democracy in education was pre- sented to us in the form of Freshman elections. Almost immediately popular leaders arose in our midst. Machines were fabricated and set in motion. Machiavellian political schemes floated among the coffee vapors in the Balti- more lR. l. P.l, speeches were made and coat lapels grasped. Plans were formulated and hands shaken. Only the fire department regu- lations prevented a torchlight parade. Finally everyone voted just the way they had originally intended to vote and our officers were elected. Thus officered, the Freshman class proceeded to do nothing politicially until the next election. In the Student Council, Lou Staiano and Jim Ryan aided in the construction of the Stu- dent Council Constitution. Jim Ryan's fiery speeches in defense of obscure points will long be remembered by council members of that year. Then came Christmas and all the traditional practices of the Yule season at Fordham. We set up our Christmas tree and attended the Dean's Christmas Party, so-called, Miss Scan- lan explained, because the Dean financed it. We heard our classmates sing the traditional carols in the Glee CIub's performance and watched the Thalians present The Mad Break- fast a Yuletide farce. Marisa Petraroja played an endearing ingenue while Gloria Marchesi entranced the audience with her interpretation of the poker faced maid. After the entertain- ment and an address by the dean, we adjourned to the lounge where we danced, exchanged Christmas cards, consumed the traditional Nedick's Orange Drink and Schrafft's cookies and heard the farewell performance of the School of Ed. orchestra. During the Christmas season, one or two of our number attended the snowbound Sopho- more Christmas dance. Returning from our Christmas vacation, we were immediately faced with the problem of end terms. After several sleepless nights and worried days most of us succeeded in passing most of our exams and thus we closed our first semester of college life. The second semester went quickly by. We joined the Swimming Club and our reception seemed the kiss of death to this one year old organization. lt was not renewed. Parents' Day came and we listened to the Dean and consumed Nedick's Orange Drink and Schrafft's cookies under the watchful eyes of our loving progenitors. Look what Santa brought me.

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