University of Minnesota - Gopher Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

Page 23 text:

T 1 IO

Page 22 text:

place. The power for culture inherent in these organizations cannot be calculated. If these societies could be banded together to build a common club house, a structure which would be symbolic of their greatness and importance in general culture, in the individual life of each student, there would be a more united effort and a more permanent zeal in the promotion of literary interests. Such a Society House would be to this University what the historic Debating Union has been to Oxford University. Such an institution would be a Students' Club. It could be equipped with a general reading-room and numerous other accessories that would meet the peculiar needs of students in this University. As it is, when a student leaves the class-room and laboratory he is forced to seek his amusement and rest in some resort that corresponds to the cheapest corner-grocery of a frontier town. A University which offers only a few hours ofubook- larnin to four thousand young men and women is only half equipped. NWN!! WO important interests have been added to the features of C 3 the religious world of the University within the past half- ' ' decade. These are the establishment of the University f Q . 5 Liberal Association and the University Catholic Associa- -Iq ll tion. The latter Association has already secured a place n' . , , , . . . opposite the Qampus for a Church House. lhis will become the center of social and religious life among the Catholic students. The University Liberal Association can hardly be called a religious society. lts chief purpose is to provide students with a course of lectures upon liberal subjects, to present those topics more suited to emancipate the mind from every narrow provincialism, whether of egoism or tradition, and simultaneously to foster good fellowship and broad charity among its members. Such an organization as this could easily join hands with the literary societies in the Hmunding of a students' club. ' - N l NO I Hhli vhase of student life is the Dramatic .D Q' 4 , . l , . . 'J Y Club which was started seven years ago. I his .. -. Club has a commendable purpose and has W A been very successful in the short period of its V existence. lt has sometimes Ruled to grasp :. , kv, , 3 the higher ideals of an intellectual entertain- .. f fa, b ment. The gay science often finds the . H V 'I ' ' u straight way a hard one to travel. The pre- sentation of dramatic literature is one thing and the presentation of a popular success is another. By a community's entertainments its general culture may be 13

Page 24 text:

quickly gauged. A man cannot lift himself over a stone wall by his boot- straps. A University dramatic club has a rare chance. It can produce those masterpieces of English drama which the cheap stage of today fear to present lest the box-oHice receipts will tally with the cheapness of the stage itself. But thatys another story! The University Dramatic Club, however, has shown its ability and has proved its right to live, it has in- terested a number of students and aided in the development of their histrionic skill. lt is enlisted on the side of general culture, and, if rightly directed, it will make for art and higher appreciation of artistic life. This same history and criticism may be recounted of the organiza- tions known as the Glee Club and Nlandolin Club. The establishment at the University of a so-called School of lVlusic should provide a means for the encouragement and for the rendition of more music, particularly music of classical character. Today we can only register the beginnings of things artistic. Five decades hence the chronicler mayjokingly refer to our small beer.'l '. X f k .'g.N the other hand, there is a practical side to art, - 'K' C5 .Q and the journalistic efforts of the past few years , I. may be said to represent the growth of practical ffq .- literature. lt is a relief to find the Arie! that KJ I ,. . it 1' howl'd away twelve winters, more or less, r - finally freed and a new Dzzilv, correspondent to commandf, doing Ariells Uspriting gently. Q, CAS College journalism kills a good many birds, ...H . . ., ..2 but it was never known to injure a student. It is really the best and most successful school of journalism ever founded. Departments ofjournalism have been established in many eastern universities, with a blare of trumpets, too, but they have signally failed. A good course in daily writing is worth more than so-called courses of journalism. The Daily is an important adjunct to University life. lt supplies the demand for news, and experience shows that the better the news the higher the grade of the journal. When the University outgrows its small clothes the Daily will be ready to don its doublet and hose. 39 HIS is true also of the Minnesota Nlagazine. An effort C 3 was made last year to widen the scope of this monthly l ' periodical. This was a step in the right direction. But f Q . 'T it must not be forgotten that this periodical is primarily .Int a literaryjournal. rl he reason for its existence, domain of its influence, will always be commensurate with the nature and extent of culture to be found in the body of this University. 20