Rollins College - Tomokan Yearbook (Winter Park, FL)

Page 33 text:

42nd AND BROADWAY Added incentive and enthusiasm have been stimulated by speakers introduced to the classes by the respective professors. They may have been eminent authors, lecturers, critics, novelists, or poets, but they have never failed to aid and encourage us on our steep climb upward in the Held of English Literature. We are indeed saddened by the loss of Mr. Edward T. Dewey, who was temporarily affiliated with this department during the fall term. He was extremely popular with both students and faculty, and we all miss him very much. PI KAPPA DELTA Pi Kappa Delta, National Speech Fraternity, like a num- ber of other and even bigger things, has suffered with the restrictions of war. Rollins no longer has a debate team making its way to those meets of eloquence and reasonings. Since the chartered standards for new members require experience impossible to obtain now, the Speech Fraternity has sifted down to a lonely threesome ; Tom Fruin, Peggy Tomlinson and Marie Rogers. But public speaking and debating still flower at Rollins. The Speech Society, under the leadership of Tom Fruin, is busy preparing students for an enlarged Pi Kappa Delta, for the time when Pi Kappa Delta will ride and rant again. PI KAPPA DELTA 27

Page 32 text:

We are greatly indebted to these professors and wish to express our appreciation and gratitude for their skilled guidance, deep interest in our work, and unfailing patience at all times with us in our often futile efforts to develop originality and clarity in expression. However, let it never be said — not even whispered — ' that all of us fall into the above classification of frustrated authors because it is a well established fact that many manuscripts have been published from the English Department and countless Rollins students have been inspired to go on in the field of literature. DR. GRAN BERRY ' S CLASS ENGLISH Remember the year when each Freshman Reports His World ? Themes, essays — some of us even aspired to poetry — but most of all the fundamentals of grammar and sentence structure were thrust upon us. The next year, as exalted upperclassmen, we struggled through more composition and grammatical constructions, getting tangled up in dangling participles and splitting infinitives galore. We tackled — some of us with gusto only, others with wisdom, too — the masterpieces of Chaucer and Spenser down through Byron and Shelley and on to contemporary works. Then came a fling at the dramas and comedies of the immortal Shake- speare. We were advancing — they told us. But, oh, how we burned the midnight oil, night after night, pouring over memory passages ami trying to produce meritous pieces for publication — or otherwise. We tried, anyway. From the old, hallowed classrooms of Pinehurst, focal point of the English Department, comes inspiration in Jour- nalism, creative writing, and English literature under the talented direction of our distinguished professors, who have set the standards high for us. The great works and good usage of our language were taught us by the chairman of the department, Dr. Nathan Starr ; and the staff consisting of Mr. Charles Mendell, Dr. Willard Wattles, Mr. Edwin Granberry, Dr. William Constable, Mrs. Nina Oliver Deane, and Miss Mildred Nelson.

Page 34 text:

DRAMATIC ART CARL FOWLER, MR. ALLEN, MR. BAILEY C ' est la guerre! No men, no costumes and no repairs. Thus, with three strikes against it, the Rollins Players and the Drama Depart- ment rolled up one of the most successful seasons of its varied career. The plays were chcsen with amazing skill as far as presenting diversified and popular dramatic entertainment. What with Greek gods imported from A.A.F.T.A.C., new worlds, silver cords and British queens, a season of smash triumphs was inevitable. Tomorrow the World by James Gout and Armand D ' Usseau, recent Board way hit, opened the Annie Russell season of 1944-45. Rollins ' all star cast included Captain Frank Goss, A.A.F.T.A.C. ' s gift to the theater and Rollins co-eds. Eleanor Plumb, who did a magnificent job as the teacher and prospective mother of Emily Bruckner, deftly played by David Donnely. The play was directed by Howard Bailey, competent director of the Rollins Players, and Lynn Bailey, his daughter, played the precocious Pat who stole the show with her now-famous line, Emily Bruckner, you STINK! Out of the Frying Pan by Frances Swan proved a sharp and humorous contrast to its dramatic predecessor. Although the play wrs locsely constructed in too many places for it to be good theatre, the actors deserved the utmost credit for making it seem both con- vincing anil amusing. Especially noteworthy was the performance of a newcomer to the Annie Russell, Jennell Gregg, her portrayal of the beautiiul but dumb Dottie Coburn was played subtly and to the hilt. Also in the receiving line of footlight orchids were Eddie Bracken Humphreys and Gordon Felton, two unemployed actors who brought Broadway to Interlachen and succeeded in Stamslavsk- ing their way to fame. Also from A.A.F.T.A.C. was Hugo Mel- chione who already proved his ability in Tomorrow the World and did another fine job in this production. Anita Rodenbacck out did herself as the sardonic and witty Kate. Hie strains of God Save the Queen floated out across the audi- ence and the curtain came down on one of the finest plays either Rollins or Winter Park has had the privilege of seeing, Laurence Housman ' s Vistoria Regina. One of the theatres most stirring sagas, it portrays Victoria ' s reign from 1837 to 1897 and left the audience with an unforgettable picture of the splendor of the oft heralded a KAY ' — director of Alice in Wonderland