Towson University - Tower Echoes Yearbook (Towson, MD)

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Q'-' r . flfglg, x .E !'A, i .M i '- , .. I - , THE TOWER LIGHT Assist In New Zealanders' Problems HE Auckland Training College of New Zealand from whom we have received a letter is trying to establish a connection between various Normal Schools and Teachers Colleges in all parts of the world in order to broaden their international outlook. They hope to do this by an exchange of ideas concerning our schoolstudies, political is- sues, our sports and campus life 5 in general, our complete curriculum. Mention is made o the fact that no difficulty, such as we ex e- rience here, is encountered in New Zealand in obtaining a reasonably good position after graduation. This year it is surprising to note that the student body is composed largely of those of English, Irish, and Scotch descent and strangely enough, there are none of the Maon race Cnative New ZealandersD attending. They are curious to know just what nationalities are represented at our college. There are two of these training schools in New Zealand with a student body averaging about two hundred each. Only one-third of these are men, a situation similar to ours. An allowance of twenty pounds a year is given by the government for incidental expenses in- curred during the school year. As the majority of students o not re- side at Auckland, this causes much heart-burning in order to meet the extra living expenses incurred by non-resident students. Both colleges serve as training centers for elementary and secondary school teachers. The latter are only about twenty in number, all of whom prior to ad- mission have been graduated from a university. It is with all this in mind that the college is trying to set up a con- nection such as suggested, and the only way by which we can do this is by further communication which they are eagerly awaiting. Will you help them? Give your suggestions to William Podlich, Fourth Year Senior. . Reported by DOROTHY KNooP, fr. 1. igi Opportunities The room is still 5 only shadows whisper In their faraway dusty corners. And the poet sits silent before his bright fire, Thinking-remembering-thinking-remembering That God-given graces neglected by man Droop in their prison-and die. M. C. 9 - ' i',1 K t If LgH.l a,lF G

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THE TOWER LIGHT Models: New Tools for Education HILDREN teaching themselves! Many thousands of them, and how slow we teachers are to learn their lesson by heart! Every- where in America our boys and girls are building fascinating models of ships, airplanes, and trains. Their wondering teachers look on, a little bewildered, nod their heads and say, , Oh, they surprise me so much sometimes . . . I could never make that myself. Why . . . I haven't the patience! Are an intelligent, gifted body of people-those capable teachers to whom the world concedes most extraordinary patience-are these very teachers going to turn pale green at the very suggestion that they too are capable of doing what any twelve-year-old accomplishes with- out half trying? Are we, the teachers, unable to spend a ew thought- ful hours with glue, cardboard, and razor blade putting together some- thing which can be used repeatedly in science or social studies? Cer- tainly not! There is nothing mysterious about those handsome, finished look- ing models which one sees so often in movies, papers, or show cases. That difficult, complicated appearance need not deceive you. Most models are little more than a thick coat of good paint. Underneath they are all cardboard, wire, glue, and little blocks of soft wood. Effective educational models are easy to construct. The only diffi- cult models are those painstaking copies of mechanical perfection, carefully machined on metalworking lathes so as to demonstrate the skill of the maker. With such work we shall have little to do. They possess far less educational value for the average child than simplified objects. Why do children make models? There are two reasons. One is to satisfy their innate creative instincts. The other, to learn more con- cerning the marvellous world abut them. Why do teachers make models? CWe all do make some models.j For both of the previous reasons, and a third greater one: to help others to find out about their world. In both cases it is an educative process, but teachers are educating others as well as themselves. lima-oR's N OTEZ This is the second of a series of articles by Charles Meigs on Model Making for Teachers and Children. Any teacher can with little trouble turn out in his or her spare time dozens of fine-looking, highly educational classroom models. Explicit details will appear in later articles. 8

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THE TOWER LIGHT Dog Sense HE creak, creak of the chair as it groaned resentfully beneath the weight of its occupant was the only disturber of the silent late afternoon. The person to whom the rocker so strongly objected was extremely rotund, measuring every bit of live feet in circumference. His eyes were small and gray, and possessed a perpetual twinkle. This twinkle was accentuated by the lines of humor that ap eared around his eyes and mouth whenever he smiled-and this was oflgen. His nose, which was short and very broad Ccoinciding nicely with the rest of his personD, was at this time the precarious perch of a pair of spectacles. His ventral expanse taxed to the utmost the strength of his vest, already shy two buttons, positive proof that Mr. Wifllebottom had once more exceeded the limits of his or his vest's capacity. Suddenly came a terrific disturbance in the rear of the Wifflebottom abode, a series of tantalizing yip-yaps coming from the throat of S arky accompanied by the an ry squeaks of an enraged female. Mr. Vgifllebottom moaned. He haf expected something of this sort, and was, in a slight degree, prepared for it, but this revolution being en- acted in his backyard was very remote from his expectations. Ever since Sparky had become a member of that household, si- lences were continually being disturbed. It seemed that this animal just couldn't stay out of Mrs. WiHlebottom's turnip-bed. Repeatedly Sparky's master had taken him aside and given him lessons in bow to stay where he belonged. But it was useless. Sparky would get into the turnip-bed. This was only one of his misdemeanors. Another annoying habit of his was to carry away everything he saw lying around. The fact that daily the Joneses received two evening papers, and the Wiflle- bottom's none at all, was attributed to Sparky. Yet, with all his faults his master liked him, and was determined that whatever befell, he Would not part with his dog. The noises came closer and closer to Mr. Wifllebottom's agitated ear. A haunted expression crept into his eyes. A sigh escaped his trem- bling lips. Then Sparky roun ed the corner of the house and raced into full view. The cause of this great speed was due, beyond a doubt, to none other than his beloved master's wife. Armed with a garden rake, and puffing noisily with exertion and anger, Mrs. Wifllebottom also rounded the corner in hot pursuit. This was too much for her husband. Seeing Sparky tearing around the place with the sad remains of what once ha been a perfectly healthy turnip clutched tightly in his mouth, pursued by his ordinarily stoic wife, was, as I said before, too much for Mr. Wifflebottom. The haunted look disappeared from his eyes. The sigh turned into a chuckle, and the chuckle turned into a laugh. Tears -10