Henry Ford Hospital School of Nursing - Sonah Yearbook (Detroit, MI)

Page 78 text:

lullS'I' FUR hIFE by Irving Stone Book Review Lust for Life, by Irving Stone, is a biographical novel of Vincent Van Gogh, salesman for a firm of art collectors, evangelist, painter. His career was made tragic largely by circumstance of heritage and the fact that he lived during a transitionary period, when moral, social, and economic principles were being subjected to vigorous attack. The group of Dutch painters of whom Vincent, because of his place of birth and Dutch ancestry, was really a contemporary found disfavor with his work and his philosophy. This secluded group carried the Dutch conviction that no work or labor was justifiable unless it was financially productive. As a consequence, these men painted portraits of wealthy people or found artistic subject matter from a source that insured a ready sale to the wealthy class. Van Gogh, on the other hand, believed that any work of artistic ex- pression should have as its first objective an accurate reflection of contem- porary life, whether or not this subject matter reflected social, economic, and moral principles unpleasant to a certain class. He was concerned with truth and not the justice or equity of what existed. inadvertently, Van Gogh found himself an exponent of the mass. He was, accordingly, considered an outcast of the group he justifiably should have been a leader. Van Gogh's paintings themselves reflect his impatience. An idea in his head, he could not eat or sleep until its satisfaction was realized. Thus, many of his paintings were started and completed in a day or less. So impatient would he become to complete them that he could not stand to take the time to spread his oils upon the canvas with a brush, but instead, in a mad frenzy, would take the tubes themselves and garishly place the Oils upon the canvas by squeezing them. He was professionally and socially an outcast. These two circumstances, along with his discouragement in failing to see his own philosophy prevail, led to periods of insanity, during one of which he committed suicide. lm- petuosity, impatience, and sensitiveness only hastened this ending. The book should by all means be read. lt can demand the closest atten- tion of the most fastidious critic of the novel as an instrument of literature, as well as serve as an interesting and enlightening source of information to those persons whose interest in the works of Van Gogh has made them curious to know more about the man. True appreciation can come only from thorough understanding. These two objections have been pleasantly harmonized by the use of a simple but expedient technic. As the narrative of Van Gogh's life unravels, and his spiritual development grows with each succeeding step, the author has placed among the pages, colored and two-tone reproductions of the art- ist's work, contemporaneous with that period in Vincent's life with which the accompanying pages deal. Study of the painter and the paintings is made easy with study of the man. If there is any criticism, it is that the book will unfortunately have a limited appeal. Not many readers will be likely to go out of their way to procure it unless they have some interest or attraction in the paintings of Van Gogh. To those of you who do, however, there is an emotional experi- ence in store for you to equal which you will have to read many a novel. Had Van Gogh never covered a canvas, a study of his life, told as this one is, would be reason enough to spend two or three close hours with this book. -Thais 1. Bolton.

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ACCOMPLISHMENT I gazed in admiration long And called my friends to seeg I even wrote a letter home, So they'd be proud of me. I threw a party too that day To honor the eventg And everybody drank a toast To my accomplishment. It thrilled me more than anything That I had seen or read- This, one great masterpiece of mine- Of perfect corners on my bed. CRAZY QUILT OF LIFE Each friend a different pattern Each love a new design, Each disappointment an imperfection Stitches out of line Each effort a different color Each day a different knot Designing each tomorrow As the prettiest of the lotg Each adventure another block, Stitched carefully in with strife Each dream a different fashion In the crazy quilt of life. -L. Fain -.7l ,

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T0 OUR NURSING INSTRUCTORS URING the busy day, under pressure from a number of immediate details and worries, we are sometimes unable to grasp the purpose behind your suggestions and criticisms. You have a two-fold responsibility, to see that our patients get good nursing care, and to see that we are able to provide it. But when we come home at the end of the day, and think over our experi- ences, we realize the purpose and plan behind your supervision, and are grateful. We realize the value of that sympathetic stimulation toward learning which we are only able to derive from your thoughtful suggestions. We are here with one purpose, to learn nursing, and it has been chiefly through your constant efforts to teach us nursing that we are able in some measure to succeed. The task of offering criticism is difficult, and at times we are afraid, a thankless burden. To those who have so willingly assumed it, we wish to express our sincere appreciation for your guidance during three years training. --D .G. -73--