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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1925)
hi Library Browsings @ Edited by Glen T. Burch Tsr. Late Books THE REVOLT OF THE OYSTER, By Don Marquis. THE MOTHER ’S RECOMPENSE, By Edith Wharton. THE GEORGE AND THE CROWN, By Sheila Kaye Smith. TABLE TALK, By Archibald Henderson. THE TREASURE, By Selma Lagerlof. THE NEWER SPIRIT, By V. F. Calverton. POETS OF AMERICA, By Clement Wood. THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS, By Jerome Tharaud. PROFESSOR, By Stanley Johnson. EASTWARD, By Louis Couperus. L CREATIVE SPIRIT A PAN ACEA FOR HUMAN ILLS “The one great magie of human life consists in man’s ability to conceive an ideal above where he stands, to express his ideal in some thing material, and then, by living with this material expression, to be lifted up toward the ideal itself.” This sentence is, in a sense, the keynote of Walter Rollo Brown’s latest book, “The Creative Spirit.” Brown assumes as a major premise that the so-called creative spirit is potential in everyone, and that the realization of thie potential spirit is the chief end in the individual life. With this beginning, Brown launches out in an attack on the existing social order, and fires -the opening gun in a crusade for the release of the creative spirit. The writer is not, however, purely an idealistic enthusiast. He is a keen observer as well, and his work as a critic justifies the sub-title: “An Inquiry into American Life.” In sofar as he confines himself to an analysis of existing conditions, his book is a sound and admirable piece of work. His comment upon the present attitude of the church, the industrial situation, and the modern problems of education, are and science, are decidedly relevant and penetrating, and indicative of a remarkable breadth of vision. But he is not content with point ing out the existing evils, he offers a panacea: “Release the creative spirit!” And in the proposal of this panacea, Brown ceases to be the critic, and becomes the enthusiastic, the man with a hobby, with a defi nite bias. He attempts to settle the industrial question with vague sug gestions about four hour days, and experimental laboratories for work men; he places education on a qualitative basis (arbitrarily), and advocates other changes so dear to the heart of the idealist. The average reader will prob ably not attach any particular practical significance to Brown’s conclusions, but he may take some time to examine his premise. In the first place it is true that every man has a latent “creative instinct” (aside from that of re production). The proposition is debatable. But granting that he has, would it be beneficial to the social order that this “creative spirit” be released? In short, Brown is something in the position of the optimist who ad vocates the greatest happiness for the greatest number; he is so wrapt up in his ideal he forgets the fact that a general release of the creative spirit would be th£ prac tical negation of the release for the individual. But that is a fallacy common to all idealists. * * AMERICAN BUSINESS MAN CRITICIZED IN “LOTTERY” Horatio Alger Jr. wrote scores of books telling of triumph of the poor hut virtuous. His heroes always started with honest parents and a great desire to succeed and ended with a million dollars and the re spect of the entire community with the exception of the bewhiskered villain- who chewed his nails in helpless rage at seeing the triumph of the upright young hero. W. E. Woodward has apparently started on the same sort of a career as Mr. Alger. His first hook, “Bunk.” told of the career of a poor, if not virtuous, automobile manufacturer and his rise to fame and fortune. His latest work, “Lottery,” is the story of a poor, unmoral, very hu man button manufacturer’s ac quisition of a million^dollars and introduction into the great class of owners. Mr. Woodward includes in this novel even keener criticism and more biting sarcasm than in “Bunk.” He emphasizes the increas ing importance of the second rate man. His hero is a young button, manufacturer who, through a ser ies of lucky chances, succeeds in spite of his stupidity. He is en tirely devoid of culture, executive ability, or knowledge, yet he suc ceeds. Woodward makes him an example and points out the defects of the American dollar aristocracy as he sees them in his hero. The book is full of epigrams and wit. The rather light style carries vou imto a philosophic passage be fore vou are aware of it. There are : clever criticisms of business meth ods, advertising, middle class cul ture, and government. The Ameri : can business man is characterized i as “insensitive to ideals, to deli ! cate feelings, of narrow intellig ! ence, ready to accept any standard of false values, saturated with a sort of careless greed.” More than any of the books of [ the younger generation on the de plorable state of modern civilization this book by a retired business man tells us of our faults. Merciless in his observations, heartless in his mirth and logical in his conclusions, Mr. Woodward points out to scorn and ridicule the great American middle class. The book is not con structive. The author does not set himself up as a prophet. Perhaps he sees no hope. He certainly ex presses none. Since the writing of “Bunk” the writer has learned a lot about writing novels. “Lottery” shows more versitilitv, more sense of the dramatic, more of an original style than was evident in his previous book. The work of Mr. Woodward should gain great fame. A man who shows such improvement may well be watched.—T. M. G. The Toastwitch Shoppe College Brick Ice Cream Light Lunches Open till 10 p. m. 24 W. 9th Street Mrs. BENNETT Formerly with the !l!IHII!IBIIIIIH!HinilllllllllllHllinMllllliain Beaumonde Beauty Parlor is now opening a shop at 1200 Willamette St. For Appointments Phone 1491-R PATRONIZE EMERALD ADVERTISERS ALUMNI DRAWS PLANS FOR TRI-DELT HOUSE Plans for the new Delta Delta Delta house were drawn up by Mar garet Goodin, ’23, a graduate of the Oregon school of architecture, who is now employed as an architect in Portland. Miss Goodin is a member of the local chapter of Delta Delta Delta. Construction of the new house on Twentieth and University, facing University street, began last Mon day, and will be ready for occupa tion at the beginning of the fall term, according to Alberta McMon ies, who is in charge of the plans. ! The house is to be French in ar chitectural style. It will have six teen study rooms and is planned to accomodate 32 girls. It is to be I constructed ot' clinker brick, and the cost will be $35,000. Jack MacHolland is the contrac ; tor. The Very Best KALSOMINE IS MURESCO It must be used with boiling water but cannot be com pared with ordinary brands. OXNER’S Paint Store Phbne 348 8th & Olive Sts. linWBjllWIKWJlIjlJWIMWmilWVIWJJIJSSlSHiiiiH H991 IHIBB RIALTO THEATRE Junction City SUNDAY ORANGE PARFAFF —AN ICE CREAM TO COOL A WARM SUMMER DAY Orange Parfait lee Cream will seem like a trip up the race on Sunday. Treat the folks down for the week end to a real College ice cream. Orange parfait. va nilla and maplenut ice cream completes the special. Order now. Eugene Fruit Growers’ Association 5TH & FERRY PHONE 1480 MRS. PATTEE ENJOYING HER STUDIES IN PARIS i _ Mrs. Edith Baker Pattee, a grad uate of t.he University in 1911, who das head of the romance language department in the University high school, and who left during the lat ter part of March o an leave of ab sence is enjoying her work in Paris, according to letters received by her friends. Mrs. Pattee is studying French pronunciation and idioms in Paris, and declares that the French which ; [she learned in America is a great aid to her. While in Paris she met j Mrs. Jay Cooke Allen Jr., who was ! formerly I?ufh Austin, and her hus | band, both of whom are former Ore | gon students. Mrs. Pattee will re I turn to the campus in September. Rex Shine Parlor The Only Place to Oet Your Shoes Shined Bang! There Goes Another Light Globe HOW MANY ARE LEFT? Better Replenish Your Stock Bailey Electric Co. PHONE 234 ‘Get the Bailey Habit” 640 WILLAMETTE ST. Chiropractor Moved to New Location— Dr. Geo. A. Simon Now Located Over Penny’s Store A spacious new location occupying the whole front, of the second floor of the Penny building is this new loca tion. One of the mostly completely equipped institutions in the state consisting of nine separate rooms. Adjusting, Galvanic, Sinusoidol, Violet Ray, High Frequency, Light Therapies, and Dressing Rooms. COME IN AND INSPECT OUR OFFICES INSIST ON A PURE MILK SUPPLY Try our perfectly pasteurized milk and cream. THE ONLY SAEE WAY REID’S DAIRY, 842 PEARL u Ourselves in Our Time Puzzled Parents and Bewildered Youth In An Age of Confusion The above will be the theme of a sermon g| by the Rev. Frank Fay Eddy at the Uni tarian Church Sunday morning. A sermon appropriate to Mothers Day. Special Musical Program arranged by Robert McKnight and Mildred Welsh, including two solos and a duet. The Unitarian Church is known as The Little Church of the Human Spirit.” It is a church of free thinking directed toward a constructive idealism. Services Begin at 10:45 O’clock PATRONIZE EMERALD ADVERTISERS o n Honor Her Mother's Day SUNDAY, MAY I0TH An occasion to honor her if she is living or cherish her memory if she has passed on. Do it with Flowers. We can send them any where with our telegraph service. If she is here don’t forget a corsage for her to wear to dinner. Flowers Telegraphed Everywhere Chase Gardens FLORISTS COR. 9TH & OAK STS PHONE 1950 Eureka's superiority is immediately and unmistak ably evident, otherwise could never have been the choice of over a million care ful buyers t EUREKA VACUUM CLEANER COMPANY 27 E. 9th Phone 1750 QU.I3T. ” The PAINTED RAISED Coming Monday Tuesday Larry Evans Saturday Evening Post Story featuring Dorothy Mackaill and George O’Brien K I
