Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Gamecock Founded January 30, 1908 ROBERT ELLIOTT GONZALES, First Editor Issued Weekly by the student body of the University at South tarolina during the college year except during examinations and vacation periods. Entered as second-class matter at the postoffice at Columbia. S C.. November 20. 1908. Student activities fee Includes $1.00 subscription for students. Subscription rate per college year ...................$2.00 A. Member f" fssociaed Colle6ate Pmn Vistributoi of f .I Colle6iae Diesi SPAUssNTS SON NATIONAL ADVRINTBNI ey NationalAdvertiuingService,Inc. * 'CUs PuIIiebers ereustaiwe 420 MADISON Ave. IP NIw YORK. 0.-y. eNtGAse . NStoG . L*s ARESLIN - SAm FRANC19CO STAFF Editor ....................................Virginia Raysor Managing Editor .............................Mart Smith Associate Editors-Eleanor McCall, Sidney Wise, George Celusta. News Editor ............................Billy Routh Feature Editor ........ ...................Harriet Lee Society Editor ............,...... Martha Steadman Sports Editor ..............................Donald Moore Photography Editor .........................Betty Brown Cartoonists......................Jinx Giles, B. 0. Jarrett Columnists-Mary Helen Shawhan, George Celusta, Saul Lavisky, Charles Wickenberg. Exchange Editor ........................ Ralph Ferguson Society Staff-Rives Kelley, Sidney Brandenburg, Doris Moorhead, Bert Hemingway. Sports Staff-George Howell, Joe Piedmont, Jerry Krupp, Frank Scruby, Jim Fulghum. News Staff-Mike Karvelas, Belinda Cullum, Dorothy Perkins, Mary Shoun, Victor Barrett, Elizabeth McDaniel. Business Manager ........................ Joe Lumpkin Business Staff-Ed Teague, Candy Taylor, Victor Barrett. Typist ................................. Barbara Binnicker Circulation .............................. Frank Chapman A CHALLENGE Last semester the students at Carolina had an idea too. They felt that it would be to their advantage to have a student assembly program each week. After a great deal of work had been accomplished, details worked out, and protests overcome, the goal was fi nally reached-Student Assembly, Tuesday 12 o'clock. Now, a new semester has come upon us. The majority who wished and worked for the assembly is gone or outnumbered by the influx of new students. It now remains for all students, both old and new, to declare themselves in favor of assemblies by AT TENDING them, or else to make it known that the assembly is not wanted. We must remember that this is not a new venture; for it was tried once before, and it failed then. Most emphatically we cannot let this happen again, for this assembly program is essen tial for understanding between students and faculty and education and entertainment for both. Why did the attempt fail last time? Let us say for two reasons: first, the students were not solidly backing their own innovation be cause they opposed the idea from the start; second, programs presented to them were not of such quality to attract the students viewpoint. Today it is in your hands to meet both of these challenges, but the second point in Volves less work than the first. Your assem bly committee is in charge of programs. They are doing and will do their best to give you the type of program that will please the ma jority, and yet be good. While the program thus far cannot be classed as spectacular, nevertheless they are improving. No, it is the first challenge that must lbe met by you in order for the assembly to click ; for once YOU have really made it known that you want this activity, then arranging good, sol id programs is but a decta il! WHEN WE ARE ANGRY Nothing infuriates us more than unsigned letters to the editor! THE GAMECOCK appre ciates signed letters because it pleases us to know anyone has that much interest in the paper and the school it seeks to serve; but unsigned letters are not only worthless to us but also cowardly. THE GAMECOCK received a letter last week which among other things said this: . .* it seems THE GAMECOCK has drift ed into personal as well as political interpre tations of the news. This is true in the cases of the various fraternity write-ups and is coming more and more to the student atten tion and dislike." We print this simply because we feel that our critics as well as our friends should have a voice through T HE GA MECOCK, but we re fuse to he the least bit influenced by anyone who hasn't courage enough to sign his name to his letters or gets excited everytime THE GAMECOCK doesn't print all the news of his fraternity as he wishes it every week! THE GAMECOCK takes opportunity to state firmly that it has no desire to color the news for the benefit of one group or any group! THE GAMECOCK is written by, for, and to University students, alumni, and friends all over the world! Our greatest job is to serve you, the reader! ONE SOLUTION There exists at Carolina a situation which THE GAMECOCK feels must be cleared up. We are referring to the confusion and conflic tion which results from the listing of the social, literary, religious activities of such an organized campus as the University. Let us illustrate: Last Friday evening, the night of the Beauty Pageant there was sched. uled in Euphradian Hall an oratorical con. test between the University of South Caro. lina debating team and the University 0f North Carolina debating team. Can't you imagine the embarrassment it was to the University to invite another university of another state to our school and then let then debate before empty seats? We can chalk uI one black eye for the University right there Also, there was scheduled last Tuesday evening these activities: (1) Kappa Sigma Kappa, men's leadership fraternity meeting (2) Public Affairs Forum, and (3) the Vet erans' meeting at which Christie Bene spoke, (5) Both the men's literary society meetings to top it off. All of these are fine well-planned, and noteworthy functions, but they each hurt the other by being conductec on the same night! We could continue citing such conflicts for each night in the week but we haven't the space. THE GAMECOCK suggests a plan similar to this to relieve the situation: All extra-curricula activities should be listed in Roy Garrett's office. The heads of every organization-social, literary, artistic religious, service, honorary - should meel and decide on a schedule which would place social functions on one night of the week (or two, there are so many of them), religious functions on another night, and so on dowr the line. Of course, several types of organi zations would have to be listed for the same day or night, but the presidents of the organ izations in this meeting, could decide which would conflict the least with each other. Cer tainly, something must be done at once to ease the present confusion and bad feeling. Further, THE GAMECOCK believes that the organizations should be strongly requested -even required-to list their activities only on the days or nights assigned to them. This last point is important: We say em phatically that this plan has no desire to see any organization at Carolina regulated by anyone in any way. All are organizations which should have a definite contribution to make to Carolina; we recognize them as such. But THE GAMECOCK says that all this confusion and embarrassment must be elim inated! AH! MORE TENNIS COURTS! THlE GAMECOCK has heard a decided cry from University students for more tennis courts. The tennis courts in Maxcy Gregg Park have been allowed to fall in disrepair There are 6 tennis courts; but up to the pres. ent time no student (or anyone else) can us< any one of them, because weeds have growr up. there have been no nets, and the gate: have been kept locked! We know student: who have trekked down to Five Points t< play tennis. The tennis team has expressec the (desire to play on the courts in Maxc3 G;regg. The gir-ls' physical education depart ment has sought to schedule tennis classe: on the cour-ts, but hasn't been able. Now before many of you become too an gered (as some tennis enthusiasts have tha we have talked to) over this situation let u1: reviewv some facts and seek a constructiv< remedy to the problem. The University spent several thousand of dollars building those tennis courts an< equipping them. Yes, a tidy sum was spen anyway you look at it. It's a fact that tenni courts must be used continuously to remail in good condlition. Well, the courts were no used. There were not enough students usinj the courts to keep them from falling int< disrepair. Therefore, the administratio1 came to this conclusion: "Why should th, University, which is poor enough as it is continue to put money in a project which th students will not use?" And remember, th students wveren't using them at the time. Now, through efforts of KSK, the Studen Council, and Blue Key, the Athletic Associa tion is repairing these tennis court. TIo GAMECOCK commends Rex Enright for hi alert attention to this problem when it wa presented to him. Athletic Director Enrigh announces that the courts should be read~ for studlent use within ten (lays. That's th kind of action we like. More power to th Student Council, Blue Key, KSK, and ouw Athletic Director! 4'4 "Just push her around the Hors maybe *at My Op The K.S.K. beauty contest Is over. Carolina has chosen her May Queen. Long live the Queen. But behind this election, as be. hind every other election on th campusi there was politics. Not poli tics in it's good sense( that Is sup. posing it to have a good sense) but politics in its ugliest form. The Car olina campus is filthy with politics. And this situation would make any election reek with the odor of the unclean. Take a more important election than that of a May Queen. Too often the first question a voter asks about the candidate (if he asks any question at all) is "what fraternity does he belong to?" in .stead of "what are his qualifica tions?" And too often this is the only question asked. A voter who knows no more about the candidate than what fraternity he comes from, would do better not to vote. In the long run, the end may jus tify the means. But there are two attitudes that you and I can take towards the campus politics and politicians. We can say "Oh well, life is really that way and the sooner we get to know it as it is. the >e.ter we'll get along." Or we can say "we'll meet up with the sor didness and unfairness of the worid soon enough. While we are still young, let's kcep our i Oj a true basis and maybe do our share to wards changing the bad state that politics is In today." Everyone will admit that frater nity and sorority politics can be carried to a point of excess, where upon it becomes detrimental to the school as a whole. I maintain that. at the University of South Carolina, that point has been reached. .1 maintain that it was reached long before this past election. And I se r'iously believe that if we keep on progressing (or regressing) in the manner in which we have started, the time will come when fraternity big-shots wvill decide to back cer. ~TeiVtea By ED MOORERt SNAFU, situation normal all -! That about expresses the opinion of the average veteran on the campus. Swapping a uniform for tweeds and bow-ties of a college Joe has mirac ulously enllivened their spirit. Now, all that is necessary is to get in the swing of things. This column will do all in its power to aid veterans with their problems and bring sug gested remedies to light. We're not here to gripe or to take over the school. We merely wish to have the chance to express our viewpoint on~ campus affair's. At present, the biggest problen seems to be the one of housing. Ad. ministrative officers are doing. anti have done, everything possible tc rush work on the government hous. ing units. As you all know, the ground has been broken, and work, men are on the job. Time alone car complete the project. ''However, even with these addi. tional living quarters, there is stil: the question of what is to be donc about the present habitations. True they will he hack to normal quo t tas, but what of crumbling plaster -mice holes, jammed windows, torr screens, and Inadequate and inet ficient showers. Something shoult be done and will be done If poss!. bie. Most of us expect cleanliness b Along with cleanliness we learn ed the necessity for order. Several people brought it to the attention of this writtr that plain yellow~ scratch paper was used at the pout only this week. The lack of printer1 ballots Itself wnould not have beo., Dahoe one more time, Garner, and ie'll start." 0 0O in ion by Saul Lavisky tain candidates, and will force their respective fraternities to vote that way. In other words, if the stu dents don't realize what's going on, sooner or later, some one with a little more than the ordinary run of brains, will bring about the same situation that now fills American politics. Here at Carolina, political degre 'dation is in its Initial stage. No one at Carolina has risen to the possi bilities. But that doesn't mean that no one will. In the May Queen election, I overheard one girl remark to an other one, "I'm almost glad that nobody from my sorority is in the finals, and I can vote as I please." If you'll pardon my language, that's a hell of a state for any school to let itself get into. In any election, there will be campaigning. That is a natural out growth of our political system. But when sororities and fraternities have gotten their members in such a position that they prefer the other member's good graces to their own hnnest conscience, something must be done. I have no specific suggestion for ridding the campus of its undesir able politics and politicians. I can only say this. The reformation or revolution if you prefer, must come fioim within. Students, members of fraternities and sororities, must show that they have mind; of their own. Don't be sheep, always fol lowing the crowd. Think of your self. Balance good against evil, and true against false. Your college life is too short to spend following the dictates and wishes of others. Be independent. Carolina has reached a situation that the students themselves must face. You andi I together miust face the situation as it is. How will you leave it ? Can you think of any bet ter gift to future classes than that of a campus freed from the poison ous venom of politic's? n pewpom a sufficient reason to even raise one's eyebrows, but coupled with this fact that incomplete lists were used to check who had voted. To my knowledge no extra be its were cast (thanks to the e mil scrutiny of Kappa Sigma 'spa boys on the ballot boxesi .jut it did work an additional hardship on the entire student body, and per haps even laid temptation in the paths of a few. Tennis is not the only sport suf fering from lack of equipment. in the recent Intramural basketball tournament, the gymnasium and field house were often not opened until the players searched diligent 13y for some responsible person with the keys. Scorepads were not fur nished and as a result Inaccurate scores were occasIonally turned in. The entire tournament seemed to have been run inefficiently, and contradictory statements by one of the officials certainly didn't help any! Perhaps in the future such mistakes will be rectified and not repeated. Let's hope so. With such a large number of stu dents, membership in most groups has reached capacity. It is desirable for every student, veteran and civil Ian alike, to become a member of at least one organization. A pre-war census showed that 51 per cent of all male students and 49 percent of all female students here at Caro lina belonged to no organization whatever! Participation in the vari ous activities will stimulate a great er school spirit, Carolina is a growing school. Let's make it one of which we can be proud. Let's eliminate the faults and accentuate "situation normal," --and that.'s the three.o mark. ETAOIN SHRDLU1 by Charles Wickenberg, Jr. "We wuz playin' de New Brighton Theatre, de furst place we played when we landed in England. Outside de theeatuh de company of de "Mammouth Minstrels and Old Plantation Company" wuz lined up an' Mr. Fred S. Milligan wuz atellin' 'bout how much cottoit and corn each one of de darkies could pick and which of de southern states dey wuz from. "Me an' Gracie, de 'Carolina Sunbeams' wuz de last in de line and when dey got to us de Prince of Wales liked to died laffin' 'cause Gracie an' me wuz dressed in de clothes of de southern Negroes. "Well, de Prince liked de show so much he went back to de Palace and told de King and Queep an' a few days later we gets a message sayin' de King and Queen wants a command performance. And dats how it wuz." And that's how it was. This was no fairy tale. The boom. ing voice that more than filled the room came from the 72 year old, chesty, bald, well dressed frame of "The Original Diamond Tooth" Billy Arnte. That, in his own words, was how the "Man Who Danced in 26 Inch Shoes" happened to appear before King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of England in 1908. The moment of silence seemed strange as "Uncle Billy's'" pudgey hands unbuttoned the snappy double breasted blue pin striped suit and fumbled with the large gold watch chain that crossed his grey vest. "An' dis medal," the voice boomed again, "wuz presented to me after de performance." He thrust forward a gold, diamond studded medal about , the size of a biscuit. The medal was open. On one side was a picture of "Gracie," and on the other side was engraved: Presented To Billy Arnte By H. M. King Edward VII for his entertainment July 26th, 1908 at Buckingham Palace London England The exterior of the medal was set in diamonds. One side nine diamoids formed a horseshoe with a large stone in the * center. The perimeter of the other side was set with nine more diamonds. The diamonds were not originally on the medal, Uncle Billy says. He had them set himself and noyg. values the token at $1800. "Gracie an' me took de train to London an' ws, mp at rs station by a coach wit white horses. Now, when we got to de Palace-ya' knows ya' (loll jest. walk in-furst we wuz met by a general an' den he takes us thru de guards whats astandin' 'round wit spears. We had to walk thru seventeen -rooms 'fore we got to de throne, an' in each of de rooms dey was playin' adifferent song. "Well, when we gets to de room dey have a little ceremony for us an' we winds up oin our knees 'fore de King and Queen. Den de King say, 'Rise up celebration,' an' I gets up an' shakes hjs hand ani' says, 'ne nKig meeting' 'nother King.' 'Wihat are you King of?' de King asks. . ing of Comedy,' I says, and lie laffs. "'Have you ever been before a King?' lie asks. " 'Four of 'e1,' I say. "'Really,' de King say, 'Who.?' "Den I tells himi, De king of spades, de king of hearts, do king of diamonds and (de king of clubs,' an' lhe laffs again. "'All dlis time Graceie wuz talkin' wit (de Queen. De Queen she rubbed Gracie's hand to see if (de black would come off. It wuz (de furst time she'd ever seen Negroes an' she couldn't un derstandl why de p)almls of de hands wuz white and de backs wuz dlark. "'Wel, dey wanted .to see southerni Neogr'es an' hear 'bout de cottoni and de corn so Gracie an' me' sings furst, '.Swanee River' anl 'My O1(d Kentucky Home.' After (lat we didl some1 niove'lty number's what makes deml laff, and den we finishes up by sing ing de King's favorite, "Til We Meet Again.' D)ere wuz tears ai his eyes w~hen we finished. "'What (1o youl want ?" dhe King asks us. We told him dat all we wantedl wuz a souv'ignir to show our miammysv and pappys dat wie'd really suing 'fore a King and Queen an' a few days a later d1ev sent me (1iss here medal.'' Billy Arnte soon signed a conltralct for five mont hs at a salary of $1500) a week'. It. was dluring this time that he toured France. lie recalls that Paris wa'is onie o'f his favorite cities. Durinig his stay in the French C'apital lie and his wife daned( " The Rabbit Dance" atop the Eiffel Towe~, 900-feet up. The tower was then the tallest building in the world. F('lowing thle NYC appearance lhe wvent to Atlanta where ho took a role in the first all colored mo'ving picture ever to be filmed. T1he title of this "rip roarin' " comedy w~as, "The Fall of the Body," anid the star was a seven foot, eleven inch, 450G p)oundl Negro niamledl George Bell. Uncle Billy later made two more p)ictures. A long series of road shows, carnivals, and circuses followed, and( for ai mlere ten years lie traveledh with Mr. Leon WV. Mar shall's "happy D)ays in D)ixie Land Minstrel." In 1927, while e touing 'lexas, (Gracie dliedl, but Billy Arnte continued in the old radhititon ot enitertainer01s. Th'le '30s found hinri in Hollywood running his own dramatic schol and dancing school. His prize pupil w'as ,Step)in Fethit, l&In(,us Negro comiedy star, lie too'k time off from Hollywood to- e featured in Duke Mill's " Plantation lollies" at. the Cen my. of l'rogress, Worldls Fair in Chicago, 1933. It. was while lie wa's in Ilollywood t hat lie (lecidled to have hi te t r A e foe d r11 eplacedl by platinum teeth set with "l thei licI i d frl eing a first class showman and realizing tepubhcty value of dliamnond teeth, Uncle Billy says that lie aiv eoin hEurope with diamond fillings and that a lady once upper fron thathi ofld ilmprove his looks. Today ho has four companly w'ill ever be able t rigseta o toothpaste The 1(1tim unistrel muan has retir'ed ''for the time beings t itled "From Shanity to BucigRhays Paa e,is arn hoe book have it finishe soon.ndhoe t