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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1923)
ESSAY CONTEST ON PIONEERS TO OPEN Cup Donated by John Almack to Promote Interest in Ore gon’s Early History The Oregon Council of English, a professional organization of English teachers of the state, has announced the opening of the “Know Oregon First Essay Contest,” which is conducted by them annually in all high schools of the state. The conditions of the contest are that the subject be a pioneer story, lo cal history, of not more than 4000 words and it is preferred that it be under 3000. The information given will not be considered, if taken from books or published records, except to establish dates or essential facts; but must come from personal accounts of pioneers, family traditions, letters, unpublished records and newspapers. It is also re quired that neither the name nor high school of each contestant be written on the manuscript, for the es says are to be numbered, with a corres ponding number and name in an accom panying envelope. These contests were started by John C. Almack, formerly of the extension division of the University, three years ago, because of his interest in the pio neer history of the state, and to stim ulate interest in it among high school students. The cup which Mr. Almack gave was won for three successive years by the Salem high school, which entitled it to permanent ownership and so a new cup has been purchased by the Oregon Council of English in order to continue the contests. This cup is silver, of Greek design and is about fourteen in ches tall. The cup is banded at the top by a simple design, and below this the name of the council has been en graved. The names of the high schools will be placed below this, as it is won each year. The closing date of the feontest has not been announced, but it will be sometime during the spring term, and it is expected that the majority of high schools in the state will enter the contest. Judges for the contest will be Miss Edna Mingus, of the State Normal school at Monmouth, and Miss Julia Burgess, instructor in rhetoric in the University. CONDON CLUB PLANS HIKE Prof. Read Bain to Lead All-University Jaunt Sunday Morning ' An all-University hike, led by ftektf' Bain of the school of sociology faculty, is scheduled for Sunday, February 18. The hikers will leave Villard hall at 10:00 o’clock and start out in the di rection of Springfield. According to the leader of the hike, the trip will be a rambling, exploring sort with no definite destination in view. Mr. Bain stated that the party would probably cross the two hills near Springfield, then skirt along the river until they reach the Springfield mill race. The two mountains will be climb ed in order to get a view of the Spring field quadrangle. Condon club hikes have been well at tended, say the promoters, and this one will appeal to a large number of stu dents. The hikers are requested to bring a commissary tax of five cents, a tin cup and lunch. WELCOME IS WANTED ! FOR MERCHANT VISITORS Business Ad School Urges All Students to Say Hello “Say hello and mean it,” is the re quest being made by the school of bus iness administration to all students of the University who will come in contact with members of the State Retail Mer chants’ association which meets in Eu gene next week. The school of com merce believes that this is one way in which every student can show his interest in the convention, and make the merchants who are attending feel that a cordial spirit of hospitality pre vails at Oregon. The fact that for three days the mer chants are going to attend classes con ducted especially for them by Univer sity faculty members, entitles them to every consideration of an Oregon stu dent, so all regularly enrolled students are asked to treat them as such, and better. Regular class work will continue in the school of business administration during the convention week, but seniors in the various classes will be the in structors in those cases where the reg ular instructors will be engaged in the work of the convention. The decision to care for classes in this manner was the result of a meeting of all honor societies of the school of business ad ministration, held at the Anchorage on Monday. The seniors who are to have charge of classes have been appointed by the instructors with the approval of the classes. All plans are rapidly nearing eom pletion, and every effort, is being made by those in charge to make the part of the school of business ^ministration in the convention a success. The program as it has been outlined will appear in a later issue of the Emerald. Mean time students are asked to bear in mind that they are expected to take an ac tive part in the plans of the convention by being sure that th%'*iini8s no oppor tunities of saying hello. Get the Classified Ad habit. Sandburg Declared to Express Spirit of America, in Unique Form; Noted Writer Portrayed By Norman T. Byrne With the announcement of Carl Sand burg’s visit to the Oregon campus we are greeted with—“Who is he? What does he write? More of this modern stuff?” Well—Carl Sandburg does not begin with “I shot an arrow into the air,” or “The stag at eve had drunk his fill.” Nor does he say with Ger trude Stein, “We address the readdress they readdress in between.” With reference to modern poetry I should like to call your attention to what is a critical platitude—Poetry has no integral connection with rhyme nor rhythm. Nor can you lazily label a poem with reference to capitalization or other printers ’ ear marks. For those who are more timid, how ever, it is easily pointed out that Sand burg uses both rhyme and rythm, es pecially in his later and better works. That it is of a form and type unique is of course very much to his credit. Take for instance this stanza from “Fins." “Ride over, ride over bars of sea riding, the sun and the blue riding of the sea sit in the saddles and say it, sea rid ers.” It is replete with rhyme—internal rhyme of consonants, which, with Sand burg, takes some three forms. The first is shown by the alliteration of“s” in the last line, the second by the repiti tion of the syllable “ride” throughout the stanza, and the third form in a combination of the two and a mixing in of vowel repetitions. Here is another pronounced example: “Beat, old heart, these are the old bars All strugglers have beat against. Beat on the bars like the old sea Beats on the rocks and beaches.” And this will also serve as an exam ple of Sandburg's rhythm. It is not the old rhythm of regular long and short feet, but a rhythm of quantity which has small reference to the short feet. It marks stress or weight and is not a joy to the lazy reader, but when read aloud by an experienced reader shows an amazing poetic force. It has often, and truly, been said that Sandburg writes in “American.” He does not do this as Weaver does, but controls his media as a means of force and vitalized expression. Sandburg is not one to come to us reeking with platitudes but he has expressed the spirit of America in a form unique as the subject matter he presents. He points to,new associations between ob jects; he brings us thoughts in a new garb—one which appeals. Witness: “Civilizations are set up and knocked down the same as pins in a bowling alley. “ Civilizations get into the garbage wa gons and are hauled away the same as pota toe peelings or any pot scrapings.” “Of any fool, gabber, gabby mouth, stand up and say: Let us have a civilization where the sacred and beautiful things of toil and genius shall last— If any such noisy gazook stands up and makes himself heard—put him out—tie a can on him— lock him up in Leavenworth—shackle him in Atlan ta lioosegow —let him eat from the tin dishes at Sing Sing— Slew him in as a lifer in San Quentin.” I said that he expressed America. He has done this as a poet who sees the vital relations of things. You will not find him expressive of the spirit of “ ’76” nor that of “ ’17”—but he writes of the unique America of energy, work, dirt, grime, the rush of commerce—of “Smoke and Steel.” In the “Sins of Kalamazoo” we have Main Street in a hundred vivid lines. In the “Windy City” we have Chicago—dirt, romance, sin, glamour, jazz—burnt with a sear on the mind. “Slabs of the Sunburnt West”—what could more adequately in troduce this portion of the West where, as the overland hurls itself into the night: “Six men with cigars in the buffet car mention ‘civilization,’ ‘history,’ ‘God’.” Or read “Threes” with its tragic contrast—or “And so today, with its lurid picture of the aftermath of a world disaster. Taking the small volume using “Slabs of the Sunburnt West” as a title page and “Smoke and Steel” as Sandburg’s best we have here a critical picture of America, complete and poetic, which ranks the author as one of the three or four men whom America has to offer to the world’s panthenon of genius. BEST PSYCHIG TEST Psychologist Believes Mental Examinations Show Stock Intelligence 'While physiological tests of intelli gence are not perfect, °they are far superior to any other scientific means that are available. A set of these tests should be devised to fit the need of the immigration bureau, is the belief : of Professor Kimball Young, psychol- j ogist' with this service, states in his article on “Intelligence Tests in Certain Immigrant Groups,” appearing in the Scientific Monthly. These intelligence tests, says Profes i sor Young, reveal significant facts. The army tests proved that the Nordic stocks were much superior to the Gat ins and Asiatics in intelligence. Early immigrants that come to this country were of Northern and Western Euro pean stock. They came to colonize the free land and enjoy permanent citizen ship. Within the last thirty years the demand for cheap semi-skilled and un skilled labor has resulted in a deluge of immigration from southern and southeastern Europe and Asia. Tests on school children reveal the same facts. Americans and Hebrews have a high average intelligence. Ne groes and Italians have a low average j intelligence. Of the two the Italian is 1 the lowest. Below the Italians are the Portuguese and Spanisli-Mexicans. Stu dies of these same groups of children from year to year show that their aver age does not improve with longer edu cation. Preliminary testing of Japan ese and Chinese shows that they com pare very favorably with American population of Nordic ancestry. The probate bearing of these findings j on the problem of immigration and mix ture of immigrant stocks is that if the j deluge of these weaker stocks contin ues it will ultimately and disastrously affect the average intelligence of our' population, states Professor Young. “What we want is sueli a selection of European peoples that they add var iety to our population, but not lower its intelligence. Cheap unintelligent labor from abroad has fastened a serious ra- j cial social-economic problem upon us. At the expense of the general well being the few are profiting. Immigra tion should be controlled. A reading and writing test is not adequate. Sub normal people can often read and verite.” The writer believes that a well work ed out physical and psychological test should be applied for. entrance into this country. Only in this way can we look forward to a true national greatness I and a high minded race. By realizing - the problem soon enough and solving i it soon enough we can assure our coun try’s place of leadership in Ihe world. LECTURE SERIES BEGINS Mazama Club in Portland Takes Course in Geology Given by University A special course in general geology is being given the Mazama club in Port land, by members of the geology de partment of the University. A lecture will be given each Friday night, for twelve weeks during the year, at the Portland Public library. This week, Dr. E. L. Packard will lecture on “The Dawn of Life.” Each lecture is arranged in such a way that it is a complete unit, one not depending on another. This course does not correspond with any Univer sity course, and is given merely at the request of the Mazamas. ' RECITAL TO BE GIVEN (Continued from page one) and resonance, and very pleasing qual ity of voice. He was very cordially received.”—Portland Oregonian. “He is an artist whom the kind peo ple here seldom have the opportunity of hearing. His rich, clear tenor voice carries very easily, and he reaches his high tones without ffort. He has that delightful ease and simplicity that comes with perfect mastery,”—iCoos Bay Times (Marshfield). The recital is to be given at 8:15, and the student body of the University and any one interested in music is in vited to attend. The REX LAST TIMES TODAY! By popular demand— WILLIAM S. HART in “WHITE OAK” and MACK SENNETT’S latest laugh lotion “ON PATROL” Starting Tomorrow— BUSTER KEATON in “The Blacksmith” If It Is New, Wade Has It New Collar Attached Shirts Copyright 1922 Hart Schaffner & Mart 4 Successful Is the Word for Hart Schaffner & Mark Clothes They give you that “successful look;” suc cessful men wear them; they’re success ful in giving you long wear and in sav ing your money. The New Spring Suits are already heri let us show them to you today. Wade Brothers Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes Try Emerald Want Ads PHONE 452 FOR LUMBER, LATH, SHINGLES AND SLABWOOD The BOOTH-KELLY LUMBER CO. I At the End of the Hunger Trail The Hunger Trail leads to the Rainbow as surely as the prospector follows the trail which leads to gold or the student to knowledge. Do you fol low the hunger trail that leads to distinctive food and happy crowds? After the play, after the movie, or after a shopping tour, your steps will naturally trend the trail to 1 The Rainbow Herm Burgoyne