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.

Sorority, Frai Began Whirl. During Boom What period in the history of the University of South Carolina has witnessed the greatest change? Although, this is a debatable ques tion, the fall of 1927 and the win ter and spring of 1928 witnessed an important addition-the instal lation of fraternities and sororities on the university campus. Until 1927, Phi Beta Kappa scholarship fraternity was the only honorary organization here, hav ing been installed in 1826. That year witnessed the repeal of the anti-fraternity law, and the boom began. In the spring of 1927, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership fraternity was installed on the campus, and in September, the Rho chapter of Kappa Alpha social fraternity and Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity to the campus. February saw the coming of the first sororities. Chi Omega, in stalled Feb. 5, and Alpha Delta Pi, installed Feb. 18. Alpha Delta Pi had been petitioned by the Scar bean Club, founded in 1924 and the first co-ed club on the campus. By that spring petitions had been Meriwether i Students Are But Fair Anc By JANE GEtAltD One of the oldest institutions at Carolina, barring the Caroliniana Library and a few other land marks, is Dr. Robert Lee Meri wether,. head of the history depart ment. The white haired professor, who would be a veritable Santa Claus had he a beard, has graced the lecture rooms of Legare some twenty-nine years. It) addition to presiding over the history department, Dr. Meri wether is director of the South Caroliniana library. A noted au thority on the colonial period of the state, he is the author of "The Ex pansion of South Carolina," an ex haustive account of the state's colonial period from 1729 through 1765. The first impression on walking into his office is one of ease and comfort. Things log)c as if they hadn't been changed since the day the gentleman set foot inside the door, and weren't likely to be changed until the day he leaves. It seemed likely that Dr. Meri wether, in his thirty odd years of residence at Carolina, must have undoubtedly formed some definite conclusions about students in gen eral. So he was asked to discuss them. He paused a moment, then look ed up with a noticeable l.inkle in his eye. "Well," he said, "I think they're lazy and they're dumb. But very nice people to deal with. They're honest, considerate, cour teous, and intend to be fair." What more could you ask for? Dr. Meriwether has an interest ing conception of his students' at titude toward his teaching. "They think I'm fairly easy," he stated, "but you see (now here's where the, VI? SO X'S S TE - Speciali $1.00 Short And Sam 72 Sln,da -ernity Life At Carolina Of'28 -'29 submitted for four sororities and 10 fraternities to be instituted here. May, 1928, found a women's lead ership fraternity, Alpha Kappa Gamma, founded by Farmville and Carolina girls and installed here. Fraternities installed here that year were: Gamma Omega Pi, Sigma Nu, and Phi Epsilon Pi. They were followed the next year by: Phi Sigma Kappa, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Ka'ppa Sigma, Sigma Chi, and Phi Kappa Sigma. Lambda Chi Alpha was installed in 1945. Sororities followed the fraterni ties by adding Delta Delta Delta and Delta Zeta to ADPi and ChiO in 1928. They were followed the next year by Zeta Tau Alpha, and in 1931 Pi Beta Phi was installed. Kappa Delta came in 1940, Alpha Epsilon Phi in 1945, and Delta Tau in 1946. All are social sororities. Meanwhile several honorary and professional fraternities have been added, and secret organizations have become prevalent. And since Alpha Delta Pi gave the first sorority dance on the campus in 1928, these groups have kept a con stant boom of entertainment for the campus. -olds That Lazy, Dumb f Considerate psychology comes In) they try to kid me into thinking that I'm a hard man. They figure a professor is flattered if they tell him he's hard-boiled, so they try to make him feel twice as hard as he really is. But," he added, sitting back in his chair, "it's a nice game to play on both sides. Nobody is fooled; we go through the old forms and everyone has a pretty good time." About the most interesting job, according to Dr. Meriwether, that he ever had was during the year he spent teaching in a college for women. "Ah yes," he recollected with a wistful smile, "I was the only single man on the faculty. The wives of the other members kept pretty close tabs on them, but I had a pretty nice time, myself." After coming to Carolina, how ever, Dr. Meriwether decided to settle down and promptly married one of his own students. When asked if he ever kept his wife after school, Dr. Meriwether smiled. "Well, occasionally I had to tell her that we need a little conference on her wvork." Since that day, Dr. Meriwether has sent both his children to Caro lina. His daughter graduated here last year and his son is a present member of the senior class. In parting, we asked the profes sor for some explanation of his rather lengthy, unperturbed resid ence here. He smiled. "Well, when I first came here way back in 1919, they asked all the new faculty members to stand up and give a little speech over in the chapel. I gave the shortest speech of all--one sen tence. I just stood up, looked around, and said, 'I'd rat.her be here than anywhere else.' And I've felt the same way ever since." ~IT AK HOUSE sing In - STEAKS Orders dwiches 5 Points "Y" Canteen Will Be Open Friday Night The canteen sponsored by the sophomore council of the 'YM YWCA will be open after the Wake Forest-Carolina basketball game, sophomore advisor Sam McKittrick announced this week. "We have issued an invitation to the Wake ,Forest students who are down for the game and to the Wake Forest team," McKittrick said. "All of -the Carolina students who are able should come over and meet these people. We think they'll have a good time," he added. In the past, it has been the pol icy of the "Y" canteen to stay open every night during the week of examinations and serve free coffee. It is planned to continue this practice this semester. The canteen was first opened Monday, Nov. 8. Since then it has been open every Monday night from 8 p. m. to 10 p. m. on the second floor of Flynn Hall. The purpose of the canteen is to give Carolina students an inexpensive place to take their dates and dance, play cards or other games, and get refreshments. In charge of the canteen are Mary Louise Gaillard, Columbia, and Terrell Glenn, Columbia, co chairmen of the project committee. Bandleaders On Problem Emphasize C Several name bandleaders are out to cure the ills that exist in the dance business. Paying particular attention to college engagements, these progressive maestri have been collecting information from dancers and buyers wherever they appear. The consensus is that whatever problem exists was brought on by the bands them selves. Showing the way during recent months have been trumpeter Ray Anthony and pianist Elliot Law rence, the latter an all-time prom favorite. Both leaders claim that they have found the answer to suc cessful campus engagements. An thony, with 41 prom dates in 1948 and Lawrence, with 89, are fully qualified to speak en the subject. Says Anthony, "You have got to provide more than just music. The days when nineteen guys Bat on a bandstand and played for their own amusement are over. From now we'll have to please the dancers. "I've got my orchestra doing everything but cartwheels during a dance. We play, we sing, we march and we even smile (an unusual feature in music today). In every arrangement the accent is on tempo so that even while we entertain the dancers can have their way. I have spoken to prom czmmitteemen everywhere ard ihelieve that my band has incorporated all the con structive ideas and majority sug gestions that have come our way. By majority suggestions I refer to the hints given me by the greater number of dancers at all our en gagements. After all, who knows what the public wants more than the public itself." "Music today is better than at any time during the past twenty years," says Elliot. "Popular bands are Improving their styles and arrangers are showing more versatility than ever before. But much of this improvement has not been directed at the dancing pub lic. Bebop and progressive jazz are not danceable in their present forms. The 'new music' as played by the jazz enthusiasts is intended for concert audiences. COLUMBIA DAIRIES MILK ICE CREAM 917 Main Street COLUTMBIA. St C. Scholarship V Betty Jean McLean, Holly Ilill, Blanche Corry, Bennettsville. are cup which was given to Alpha Del the highest grade average during Ifellenic council awards the cup ei has the highest average. 7ive Views Of Dance, cllege Hops Anthony and Lawrence are not the only bandleaders who have been keeping tabs in dancing trends. Ray McKinley, second to Elliot in total pron dates during '47 and '48, has claimed that "the college dancers have consistently set the trends." Mac is another who takes pains to determine pub lic tastes. "It has been proven down through the years that the prom dates can teach a leader more than ballroom or theatre appear ances. The college students are the best judges of modern music." Jimmy Dorsev-"More than 2500 dance dates including over 500 in colleges have taught me that the public likes to dance and wants to dance." Stan Kenton has been selling non-danceable "Progressive Jazz." He gave up his band this month to crusade for "Halls Of Jazz" where fans can enjoy unadulterated bop and Kentonia without being ham pered by a dance floor. Says Stan, "I am not against dancing. But my music has to be heard to be enjoyed and I cannot show to best advantage when there are a multi tude of side-features to detract from my performance. I owe the college kids a vote of thanks for the confidence they have given me. I'd like to play all the college dates there are, but it wouldn't be fair to sell Stan Kenton's music for a prom. We'll play the auditoriums and field houses in concerts. Let those who are best qualified take the responsibilities of a dance date. "Music must be broken up into three categories now. Classical, popular and jazz are the basic trio. The jazz bands and instrumental ists should be sold as such and not as dance artists who neither like nor feel popular music." Of course there are the reaction aries. They want to go on year after year playing the same things in the same way. But the progres sive element is running them out. Agents and other minds behind the band business are insisting that their attractions talk to the public and find out what is needed. The day o( reckoning has come in pop Vinners in '47 Becky Fuller, Florence, and Mary shown above with the scholarship ta Ii as a reward for maintaining the spring semester of 1948. Pan ich semester to the sorority which Fraternity House Entered By Thief Posed As Janitor By JAMES M. GRAHAM Everything can't be learned in books so a few of the members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon frater nity of the University of South Carolina learned yesterday morn ing. An unidentified negro dressed as a janitor entered the fraternity house, Tenement 11, yesterday morning and began cleaning up. This caused no excitement, since this has always been the proce dure for the past semester al though it was a little early. He entered one room in which Mr. L'Artigue Riley of Aiken, was dressing for the morning and up on leaving the janitor was some $10 richer. lie then went into the room of Mr. Jim Creed, Camden, and upon performing his duties and while in the midst of doing so, he awoke Mr. Creed. Mr. Creed looked up at him and rolled over to catch another five minute nap. That five minute nap cost Mr. Creed $30. This was the system he u.sedl in the entire fraternity house. Hie left just a few minutes b)efore the regular janitor came on duty and left some $70 richer. The boys in the fraternity would like to know if there is someone on camp)us wvho would like to lend them some cash until check time. Music Fraternity Hears F. Parker Speak At Banquet The Delta Omicron music frater.. nity for girls was entertained by one of their patronesses, Mrs. James W. Haltiwanger, with a din ner party on Jan. 11, given at Mrs. Haltiwanger's home at Gibbes Court. Dr. Fred Parker, dean of music at Columbia College, spoke to them on his recent trip to Chi cago where he attended the Na tional Music Convention and also the Delta Omicron banquet. Later the fraternity hopes to have a program over WUSC on which recitals will be given. ular music and the colleges and universities are being used as the examples. For the first time in ten years popular music is being given back to the people. eibeih Wolfe IUAS NAZIg -12 Essay Contec Open To Ur Must Be In , Matthew Woll, chairman o reau of the American Federa the opening of an essay cont dents in U. S. colleges on the Do You Choose: Anarchism, ism, Americanism?" Six priaes-$350, $250, $200, $100 (two) $60-will be awarded Here's Story Behind'Sims SecondEast' By JANE DOWE "Sims, second East," you say hastily, wondering why a feminine voice does not answer more quick ly. But few know the story behind the call-and behind the University of South Carolina switchboards. New telephone switchboards were installed last spring on the first floor of Maxey College. With posi tions for four operators they allow for faster service, especially with off-campus calls. They operate from 7 a. m. until 11 p. m. on week days and from 8 a. m. until 11 p. m. on Sundays. Busiest time on the switchboard is on Saturday morn ings, when four operators are usually on duty. These operators, who have be come so familiar with student voices that they recognize many of them, have a few words of com plaint, "Sims' girls never answer the phone," says Mrs. Ruth Dugan, chief operator, who contends that the co-eds are either contented or lazy. Some dormitories have their pranksters who answer the tele phone with such remarks as, "Some's in, some's out," or "Third floor of Heaven - which angel do you want?" Mrs. Dugan begged phone users to put the receiver back before making another call and, above all, to have patience. And operators receive a few com plaints. The standard one is, "You gave me the wrong number." This condition is attributed to Co lumbia's main switchboard, where the numbers slip after they are dialed and are sometimes confused. Students often complain that the operator has "cut them off." This usually happens in the connection 'between the University and the Columbia switchboards. "But," Mrs. Dugan says, "we hear few complaints, and we think we have a nice group of people -t work with." The switchboard has its humor ous moments, too. Professor Yagh jian's name has a different version with each call. Professors Kulcin ski and Walsh run second and third as tongue-twisting names. Dr. Turney-High's name is split, and he receives Mr. High's calls. It's all in a day's work at the switchboard. CORA 1457 MAIN WHY WALK at Laundry and Dry There's a Station o cially for stude, e SPECIAL RATE * HOURS -- 9-5; U.N IVI LAUNDktY & I SER Next Door t4 On "Isms" idergraduates; lanuary 30 f the Workers Education Bu tion of Labor, has announced est among undergraduate stu subject of "Isms": "What Ism Communism, Fascism, Social to the winning papers at the 25th anniversary dinner of the "New Leader" at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on March 6. The Board of Judges consists of Dr. Harry D. Gideonse, president of Brooklyn college. Professor Allan Nevins of the American history department of Columbia University, and Pro fessor Sidney Hook, chairman of the department of philosophy, New York University. Th eessay contest, Mr. Woll stated, was inspired by the re cently published autobiography "Tomorrow Is Beautiful" by Lucy Robins Lang (Macmillan), 'but," he added emphatically, "This pro -ject is not a subterfuge to pro mote the sale of the book." The author has forfeited royalties to make the contest possible. "I feel," Mr. Woll said, "that the Ism con test represents an unusual oppor tunity to focus the student mind on the social political problems which they must face and even tually cope with." "Tomorrow Is Beautiful" is an intimate story of four racy dec ades Lucy Robins Lang spent fighting social injustice. She be gins her story with her early days in Russia's Ukraine, her birthplace, traces it swiftly through her $1 a-week apprenticeship in a Chi cago cigar factory at the age of ten, follows through her struggle to help free Eugene Debs, fight for Tom Mooney's release and with the support of A. F. of L.'s Sam uel Bompers, goes on plunging from one cause to another. She skirts past Anarchism, past Com munism takes a bout with Fascism. She poses all the "Isms" of yester day and today. But what of the Isms of tomorrow? "Tomorrow Is Beautiful" is sponsored by the Workers Educa tion Bureau of America. The con test closes January 30, 1949. Hillel Celebrates 25th Anniversary At Script Dance The Hillel club will have its an nual script dance Saturday from 9 p. In. to 12 p. m. at the Jefferson hotel, Karolyn Katz, dance chair man, announced today. Tommy Thornley and his orches tra will play for this 25th anniver sary dance which is open to all students. The dress is semi-formaL. Officers and dates who will lead the grand march are: Melton Klig man, president; Rita Ness, vice president; Anna Mae Warshaw, re cording secretary; Estelle Wagner, corresponding secretary; and Har old Kline, treasurer. Burnett's Drug Store Corner Main and College Only one Block Fom The Campus FOR DELIVERY PHONE 3191 ross town to get Cleaning Service? n the Campus espe its' convenience. S FOR STUDENTS Sat. 9-1 RSITY )RY CLEANING VICE The Canteen