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iUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE LITERARY SOCIETIES Terms-$1.50 a Year Entered at Columbia, S. C., postoffice on November 20, 1908 as second . class mail matter FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12,1924 EDITORIAL STAFF C. Braxton Williams.--...Editor Clyde L. White..-----Associate Isadore Polier.-------Associate Kershaw Walsh, Editorial Writer S. W. Eichel-------Sport Editor BUSINESS Furman R. Gressette....-Manager Ernest B. Castles...-Assistant S. L. Ready.----------.Assisant J. R. Pate---------.Circulation Advertising rates will be gladly fur nished on request-Apply to Business Manager. THIS WILL BE THE LAST ISSUE OF THE GAMECOCK THIS YEAR. MERRY CHRISTMASI THE DIVINITY OF INTERROGATION Perhaps the greatest single factor in the progress of human civilization is also the worst bugaboo of society. It has been cursed, spat upon and called every sort of evil name from sin, in the case of Eve, to atheism in the case of Voltaire. The much abused term in ref erence is known as Curiosity. It holds a somewhat similar place in life as gold and it is nip and tuk between them as to which shall produce the most joy and the most pandemonium. Gold requires 4o exposition of its paradoxical powers of good and evil. It shouts its wares from any street corner. But we seldom consider that disguised goddess, Curio sity as being other than vulgar at its best, and sacreligious at its worst. We are more or less disagreeably familiar with the peeping-in-the-window, listen ing-at-the-keyhole, naughty-gossip drink ing shapes that this mysterious force is prone to assume. Let us for a moment glance at a less noticed and more wor thy phase of the seeking impulse. What follows may seem an attempt to flay the obvious to death but, at the risk of being trite, the story must con tinue. In an age when to doubt was like carrying dynamite, Copernicus doubted that the sun was a satellite of the earth. In his proof of the infinitesimal speck that our world is in the universe, he utterly upset a whole structure of sup posed knowvledge, and eventually this bombshell led to the discovery of anoth er continent. All of which is very wick ed, because "The Authorities" said that the world was flat and the stellar uni verse, mere decoration for man's delec tation. Be tolerant of platitudes for a moment and recall that Galileo was brought to the Inquisition for daring to accuse His Majesty the Sun of having spots on His face. Bruno died 'at the stake because he questioned the omnis cience of the Papacy. There is practi cally no limit to the names of men who were infamous enough to think and who suffered for this awful sin. As a final example of the criminal, bolshevist, an archIst or whatever tag you choose to put on him, consider the person of the arch-doubter and revolutionist, Jesus Christ. What was His iniquity ? Merely that he called God, who was a recognIzed tyrant, a loving father, and men, who had 'be his slaves, his children and therefore brothers. Can anything sur pass thIs story of how happiness was born into the worl,d thru the courage of martyrdom. burned with the greedy flames of greed. There is more love and more hope than ever before. But many doors are yet closed on human vision, many more un dreamed of hands and ears waiting for His use. Thought is the fuel of prog ress, intolerance, the ashes that smother it. There was a time when the name, "University," suggested an incubator for the eggs of truth. Now, it means little more than a cold storage house. Let us strive with hearts and souls to create an attitude of friendly questioning towards both old and new ideas. In this way, somewhere, sowehow, sometime, there may be light. Let us gather ,wood for it. HIGH SCHOOLS The high schools of South Carolina are not deteriorating .but are on a climb which has never been equalled. "They are not teaching the funda mentals," one says. "What do you conside fundamentals?'" the speaker is immediately asked. "I meanf' he replies, "that the high schools are turning from the teaching of Spelling, Reading, English, Arithmetic, History, Latin, Algebra, and Geometry and are laying stress on Biology, Chem istry, Physics, General Science, and Commercial Geography. Science is taught at the expense of the literary work. Some are substituting Agricul ture for Latin. Just a second-are the high schools teaching science at the expense of arts? A student not many yeari ago spent three years in high school. There was no, time for science. State high schools now require four years work and in this extra year science can be taught with advantage without harm to the literary course. Have they cut out any courses in mathematicsA t.lgebra, or geometry in order to teach science? No. The teach ing of solid geometry is made possible by this extra year. Have they cut the courses in English or spelling? No-instead a course in literature is possible in the eleventh grade. Have they cut the courses in history? No--a year's work has been added. With what they had before they have added science, but not substituted it. High schools should teach children to spell," complains the college profes sor. He gets the reply: A student should know how to spell before he enters high school. One will have to search below the eighth grade to find the fault in the teaching of spell ing. But where is the fault? The criticiser of the high school would like to know. He gets the answer: Students are taught how to spell orally and not how to spell in writing. A teacher recently had a class in spell ing which was her pride. Hardly ever was a student "turned down." But one day she made the class write the spell ing lesson. She was horror stricken. They could spell the words orally but not write them. Nowv she is teaching her pupils how to write words. The high schools in teaching science are not trying to usurp the fields of the college. They ard only giving their graduates a primary knowledge in the great modern science. The big majority who are graduated into life from the high schools of today should have such knowled.ge. It opens up a new field for the high school student to plan his college work. As always the deaf old school critiser is sitting in the audience of the world and weakly piping in a shrill refrain, "Something new I I'm agin it." You see a beautiful girl walking down the street. You are struck with her Feminine charm. If she is Singular, you become Nom inative. You walk down the street changing to the Verbal Subj$ect and then become Dative. If she is not Objective in this Case, you decide to become Plural. You walk home together. Her mother is Accusative; father becomes Impera tive. You go in and sit down and find that her little brother is an indifferent Arti cle. You talk of the Future; she changes the Subject for the Present time. You kiss her and she favors the Mas culine. He father is Present and things become Tense, and you are a Past Par ticiple after the Active Voice s ov-. Ulle Uttklyg0racd ONCE UPON A TIME there CAME TO the state university A LAD whose home WAS IN ONE of THE corners of the state. THE BOY was much LIKE ANY OTHER boy. HE came * * * * WIT,H A head full OF DREAMS AND ideas of * * * * THE GREAT THINGS HE would do SOMEDAY. HE came - TO THE UNIVERSITY expecting TO FIND A GROUP of men who WOULD be friendly and * * * * SYMPATHETIC A TYPE that ENCOURAGED and inspired THE BEGINNERS. THE days passed * * * * LIKE MOST of the men passed * * * * WITHOUT a sign * * * * OF RECOGNITION or camradie * * * * ONLY a small CIRCLE of associates GAVE A CHERRY or HEARTFELT "Howdy." THE BOY became a sophomore AND forgot his HEARTBURNS. * * * * HE WRAPPED himself up [N his little clique AND ignored * * ** * THE "rats" and * * * * 'OTHERS." * * * * P~OR TWO years more TOO busy as a junior TOO DIGNIFIED as a senior. * * * * LIKE this lad MANY OTHERS went through THE portals of THE GREAT SCHOOL. AND though the machinery OF education ROLLED ON as BEFORE * * ** THERE WAS something MISSING from' THE look oif things AND it was thsat* SOMETHING* * THA T "makes.i .:..~ "As Copeland Goes, So Goes the Pashion" 1,%ARN 'RA WAY CLOTHING Stylish Clothes for College Men who $25.00 to $55.00 want quality as well as style. HATS The New Shapes and Colors most de $3.50 to $10.00 sired always in stock. FURNISHINGS* Manhattan Shirts, Van Heusen Collars Everything That's New Cheney Neckwear, Munsing Underwear. Ful Dress Suits Copeland Suits Made to Por Rent Measure Company 1535 Main Street Columbia, S. C. -College Styles AUTHENTIC AND CORRECT-NOT IMITATED Cricket Sweaters in Carolina Colors .................. $3.50 up New Brogue Oxfords ............................. $7.60 up Grey and Blue Flannel Sport Pants ................ $6.50 up Light Grey Two-Panits Suits English Models ... $30 to $35 up FASHION -PAiK CLOTHIERS Tuxedos For Rent - - This Store Has Been Carolina Headquarters' for 17 Years - HOPE - DAVIS COMPANY LADY AND MAIN PHONE 6213 CLASS RINGS CLASS PINS - WATCH REPAIRING - Our Watch Repairing Department is well--known all over this section of the country for its efficient and accurate work. We give you the best work at very reasonable prices P. H. Lachicotte & Company - Jewelers - 1424 Main St. Columbia, S. C. COLLEGE MEDALS - TROPHY CUPS Welcome University Students -TO BURNETTS DRUG STORE DRUGS, DRINKS, CIGARS, STATIONERY - Agents for - Whitman's Candy and Eastman's Kodak Supplies One Block from Campus Phone 3191 Cor. Main and College Sts. McMASTER, Inc. - ATHLETIC GOODS -