University of Arizona - Desert Yearbook (Tucson, AZ)

Page 31 text:

BY ORDER or THE REGENTS. fiCOHGIANA COl.TON, 'Co nIGHT was beginning to brood over the University. The rr.ain building looked grave and silent, as though resting from the toils of the day and preparing for success on the morrow. The copper twilight wrapped the cactus garden in gloom, while the flagpole, bare and gaunt, seemed to stand like a sentinel guarding the campus. Now and then a light appeared in South Hall, but most of the rooms seemed lifeless, and probably their occupants were holding kangaroo court in some back room, for occasionally there was a shout and a clash of music, showing that there were boys somewhere around. North Hall stood silent and looked as dignified as it is possible for a dormitory to look, which is'nt but half a dormitory, after all. Inside, things did not seem as calm and peaceful. Down stairs all was silent, save the creak of a rocker in the matron's room; but the upper hall echoed with a confusion of excited voices from the transom over Carrie Westfall's door. It was a girl's mass meeting. Within, the girls were

Page 30 text:

appeals to popular sentiment and gratifies the demands of human nature, can it expect to succeed: and that the institution that is most willing to recognize and best prepared to m.cct these demands, is the one that will live and prosper and accomplish i»s purpose. It is a clear case of natural selection, a survival of the fittest. Any institution that depends on the public both for its support and its material, would show a lack of wisdom and business ability if it did not make itself as attractive as possible, and do all in its pbwer to win public regard and create in its friends a feeling of pride and devotion. But this can be done only by taking into account the whole of man’s nature and meeting its various demands. That the cap and gown appeal strongly to the aesthetic taste cannot be doubted. The fact that they arc so universally worn, and that the largest, most prosperous and most renowned of our educational institutions are loudest in their praise would seem to be sufficient evidence that they have a practical utility, for it is hard to believe that the foremost men of our time would encourage and perpetuate the custom if it were only a dead and worthless form. 4. Again, the friends of the university should favor the adoption of the cap and gown because the action indicates to the public that the principle educational institution in the territory, the school to which the people of the territory intrust the training of their boys and girls, does not believe in the popular heresy that ‘ anything is good enough for Arizona. It is virtually saying that nothing is good enough for Arizona that is not good enough for any other section of our country: and that as it is it is the duty of each individual to be self-respecting and to honor and be guided by the rules and regulations, the customs and ideas that society has found useful and necessary in its various associations, so it is much more the duty of our educational institutions, since they have intrusted to them the transmission of a large body of our knowledge and social tradition, and the training and guidance of the boys and girls to whom each generation looks for its leaders in every department of life, to comport themselves with proper dignity and not only to place themselves in line with the best institutions in the land, but to respect and be guided by. whatever customs and methods have been found to be educationally and socially useful, and that indicate to the people that they have a proper conception of their importance and are worthy of confidence and respect.

Page 32 text:

sitting about the room on almost anything that could be used for a chair. Some on chain, some on the bed. while others lounged on the rugs. The chief speaker and chairman sat on the table, and all eyes were fixed on her. You didn't know it. Amy Brigg? Dreaming your old Marble Faun. [ suppose—Oh! Down town to dinner with aunt ? Well. I'll tell you. Its all over in University Hall. A notice right up on the bulletin board—a map of the grounds all marked in red ink. where we may go and where we mayn't; everybody can read it. penalties and all; its an insult: an insult to every one of us! I think its a shame that we college girls should be treated like kids. said Mary Watts. Why don't they chaperone us to classes and have us all sit in a row. and then take us across the 'limits.' back to the dormitory after class. exclaimed another. Madge Collins was one of the leaders of this outburst. She was thoroughly disgusted with the University in general. Madge was a general favorite in school; she did not have any more knowledge than the average student, but she was bright and quick, and ever ready for fun. There was one thing that always disturbed Madge's peace, and that was the strict rules. Madge rebelled at these. Well we will just tell the boys how things are.” she exclaimed, just how we are shut up like prisoners. and not allowed to walk where we please, for fear we will see a boy. Why don't they build a board fence from the gate to the dining hall: then we wouldn't be tempted to look at South Hall. Well. Madge if things are this way we shall have to stand them. I shan't rebel.” said Carrie, while I would gladly change the condition of affairs. I don't think that any hard feelings or outbursts of anger can alter things. And telling the boys won't do any good, we're just in for it and we will have to give in. “I won't. Madge replied doggedly. The boys can sympathize with us anyway. I don't care what you girls do. I shall tell Will all abcut it. Do as you wish but you know what I'm going to do. Miss Brown, assistant matron at the dormitory, was greatly loved by all.the girls, for she sympathized with them and entered into all their trials and fun. She was not much older than some of the students and her own ways were very girlish. Let's appoint Carrie. Madge and Amy on a committee to go and see Miss Brown. said Emma Smith. All right, ask her just what she thinks and tell her what we think. said Madge, rapping on the table with the ink bottle. So the meeting broke up: the girls went to their rooms, and the committee rushed to Miss Brown to get her opinion on this momentus question. Now what shall we do Miss Brown? We want to show the authorities that we wont submit to anything so foolish, as having our limit marked off. You know just how things stand. Now do give us your opinion. they exclaimed.