Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Reform, Ye Debaters, or, By the Gig gles of a Co-Ed., Ye Shall Perish.I Most students who read this article on reform will be terribly incensed and will probably rush to their tenement windows, poke their heads out, and, with guttural voices puncture the in nocent atmosphere with "Fool I" "Id iot 1" "Crank 1" and other epithets used in society novels. But that's all right. I am a Reformer, and history doesn't record the accomplishment of a single grand reform without the re former having been the object of criti cism, ridicule and brickbats. So, in undertaking the leadership in this sub lime reform movement, I do so with a perfect realization of the dangers I shall encounter from students, anarch ists, and co-eds. But, being the fortu nate possessor of a nature "Indomit able as it is indefatigable," as Mr. Geoffrey Chaucer said of Mr. Shakes peare, or ought to have said, if lie didn't, I will skim over these dangers in precisely the same manner as a skifflet skims over the sad sea waves, or words to that effect. And when success finally lies lightly on my crown and my place in history is assured, you will all call me benefactor, and will wonder how you ever existed un der the conditions that now prevail. But this is not yet. For the present C-3 I iust be contented with your indul c.4 gence while I explain the evil influ ences of the condition I am endeavor ing to reform, at the same time men 3 tioning, as I had probably better do, cS that the condition I am endeavoring to reform is College Debating. College Debating, as now practiced in the leading institutions of learning in our country, is a slap on the wrist to such venerable gentlemen as Ed mund Burke, John C. Calhoun, and Henry Clay. These gentlemen were -debaters I And when I make this statement with the exclamation mark at the finish, I do not mean to intimate that the men in our colleges today are not debaters. Certainly not I Some of our present-day college youths could make Burke or Cal houn seem like mutes in a coal-cel lar when it comes to handing out magic speech. And this fact brings forth the point I am desirous of drag ging out - that the superiority of Burke, Clay, and that bunch, did not lie in their linguistic dexterity or gym nastic agility, but in their selection of such grand, human-interest subjects. The college debater of today debates as good as the debater of any other old day. He does not, like Burke, etc., etc., have to rely on table pounding, chair juggling, and acrobatic obligatos, but debates almost wholly from the mouth. But lie loses out where the debaters of the old school won out in proper selection of subjects. The subjects upon wvhich the college debaters of today debate, are, in the first place, too deep. They are of such a nature that it is necessary to resort to histories, encyclopedias, at lases, etc., for data, and this requires time that could be more profitably de voted to football practice, afternoon strolls, pool, poker, and other diver sions that are so essential to a twenti eth century college education. A de bater should be able to call upon his previously-acquired store of knowledge for whatever data is necessary. If he isn't able to don this, then the subject of the debate, by this fact, is proven to be too deep to be debated upon. Further more, the audience should be consid ered, and a subject that is too profound for the debaters is also too profound for the people composing the audience. They do not understand what the de baters are haranguing about any more than do the debaters themselves. Take, for example, a subject recently debated upon by a quartette of students: "Resolved, That the ratifi cation of the peace treaty with King Goo Goo of Figi Islands was not con stitutional prior to the making of soup of Missionary Gray Whiskers accord ing to the Act of Congress repealing the Corbett-Fitzsimmons Bill regulat ing the Ships that Pass in the Night." This subject is too profound, and too parliamentary. Of course it is. Fur thermore, it's of no importance whether the ratification was constitu tional or not. Suppose it was. Does this fact make the mess hall coffee any stronger? or butter any weaker? Suppose it wasn't constitutional? Does this fact make cigarettes any cheaper ? or pool less than 2 1-2 cents a cue? Of course it doesn't. Then, what's the use of ranting before the public about a question that doesn't interest or benefit us either way ? Why not pass up this line of antique ware and debate upon more modern, more intelligible, and more interesting sub jects ? Eventually, this change will take place; but it should be taking place now; and I am going to put my shoulder to the automobile and take the initiative in the matter by suggesting, for the next debate, thet following query: "Resolved, That-n, fellow should kiss a girl during his first call and not defer this gracious ness until some subsequent call." Here's a subject that would interest all. The professors would actually enjoy this debate instead of, as ordi narily, considering such an evening wasted. Even the Co-eds would not remain entirely apathetic. Besides, any student would be able to enter such a debate without preliminary readings, simply relying upon his varied experi ences to furnish the necessary material for his argument. Plenty of able de baters could be secured for both sides. Mr. White and Mr. Girardeau would make an excellent team for the nega tive. Their argunints would start a leak in the eye water-works of many a pretty girl in the audience as they would graphically describe the fiend ish work of that little microbe that takes a transfer when we engage in osculation. But a team like Mr. Lee and Mr. Manning for the affirmative could offer some powerfully strong ar guments, based upon their own per sonal experiences, to prove the non existence of the osculatory microbe, and it is not improbable that they would make the negative debaters seem like nature-fakirs. It is a ques tion, however, as to which side would win in a debate of this kind, but it is obvious that, in order to render the decision absolutely impartial, judges should be selected, as follows: One professor, one student (not a Fresh man), and one Co-ed. (preferably a Senior). A small admission fee of 25 cents could be charged to hear these debates as packed houses would surely be the result. The Societies could form stock companies, the offi cers could be paid fat salaries, and we will have accomplished one of the grandest reforms?6f the twentieth cen tury. A. R. Come Out For Baseball. The stand which the University has. taken in the past and especially within the past few years, along athletic lines has been gratifying indeed to the stu dent body as well as to the friends of the institution throughout the State, and, if we may count on signs and outward appearances for much, it would seem that her past achievements would be eclipsed by.the result of the season just ahead. "Baseballistically" speaking, it is a "cinch" that the bunch who is able to get off with the scalp of Carolina dur ing the coming season will be "going some," for not only many of last year's pennant winning aggregation are back in college, but many of the new men look good, several having had expe rience at other colleges in battles on the diamond. This is a season of hopes and fears by the students and one looked to with much anxiety by every college boy. Now is the time to put our anxiety into activity an( dispell our fears by putting into the field for Carolina an aggregation so formidable that no foe will be strong enough to cope with us, and this can only be accomplished by every man doing his part. By all means, wlhen the call is made for applicants, lay aside your studying cap for a short time each afternoon and come out on the ball field donned in baseball "togs." If you can play ball, come out; if you don't know, come out and try, and if you think you can't play, come out anyway. Your judgment may not be good, and who knows but that you are a diamond in the rough and with a little polishing you may become a shining jewel. Anyway, be sure to come out for prac tice, if for no other reason but that we may, as Cope Massey would say, "see your corpus." Death Claims Two of Carolinas Oldest Alumni. During the last three weeks two of Carolina's oldest alumni have passed from the roll of the living. They were Maj. Samuel Tompkins, of Columbia, and Mr. Frank M. Rogers, of Flor ence. Mr. Rogers was one of the most prominent planters of the Pee Dee section. His death occurred on Feb ruary 13, at the age of 77. Major Tompkins was a native of Edgefield and was graduated at the 01l1 South Carolina College in 1840. His four years at college were rich with memories of men who have con tributed to our history, among them Preston S. Brooks, George McDuffic, and Win. C. Preston. A recent num ber of "The Carolinian" was enriched wvith a fewv of his reminiscences. Major Tompkins was a gallant Con federate soldier and in his death the State as well as the University loses a b)rave, gentle and loyal friend. Mr. John Bacon, of Edgefield, the founder of The Collegian-nowv T|-e Carolinian-was in the city the early Evergreen's Letter to His Mother. Recorded by Brian Bell. University of Skiddum, Varsiton, September 6th. Dear Mother: Am all right in spots, but not so good in other spots. I got here all right and was met at the train by a Committee from the Y. M. C. A., who showed me up to the University. I met some professors, whom I heard fellows calling some very disrespectful names, such as Humpty, Dicky, Wooly, Plug Ugly, and some others that were so bad that I won't ev.en write them to you. I have made a resolve that I will never no, never, speak of a professor in any way at all disrespectful. Will close now as I must fix up my rooms. One young fellow told me a few minutes ago that I would probably have some visitors. I don't know any one at the University, and can't imagine who the visitors can be. Your obedient son, Evergreen. Varsiton, September 13th. Dear Mother: I can only spare a minute, but I must tell you about an other very funny professor; in fact, two of them. One of them tries to catch everybody unawares. He will come right up in front of you and ask you a great long question, and when you are just about to tell him you don't know he will stop you and say: "No, let Mr. Smith answer that. I see hini over in the corner, reading the Saturday Evening Post," or, "Mr. Jones seems to have time to sing 'Home, Sweet Home,' back on the rear seat. Suppose we let him answer it." Another professor whistles between every two or three words. I am sure that if I were not a freshman I would laugh at him. He was called on to pray in chapel the other morni,ng, and as everybody else laughed, I had to do likewise. I like things better now, and think if I don't prove too popular with the fellows after bedtime, I will get along "all to the mustard," as I heard a fellow say today. Yours merrily, Evergreen. The Universal Answer. "Logic ?" "Naw, H- I You ?" Subscribe to The Gamecock. CLARIOSOPHIIC SOCIETY. Next Saturday night the society wvill take tip its work again after a recess on account of examinations. It is customary for the societies to sus pend exercises for a few wteeks just before and dluring the examinations. These few hours thus gained are very valuable to many of the boys. The society will have from nowv until June without interruption, and as there are several important contests to come off, there (will doubtless be some hard work done by the members. At the next meeting the newv officers will take up their terms of office. We wish for them a successful adnminis tration.