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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1958)
BOOK REVIEW 'The Subterraneans 'chaotic; but powerful’ By BEN TROWBRIDGE Emerald Staff Writer Jack Kerouac, “The Subterran eans," Grove Press, $1.45, New York, 1958; Evergreen Review, “San Francisco Scene,” Ever green Press, $1.00, New York, 1957. In William Carlos William’s in troduction to Allen Ginsberg's violent poetic spasm “Howl,” he warns the reader, "Hold back the edges of your gowns, ladies, we are going through hell.” An appropriate enough warn ing for “Howl” to be sure, but just as apropos for Jack Ke rouc’s "The Subterraneans.” By now those strange inhabi tants of San Francisco, known as the "Beat Generation,” or "The Subterraneans,” are familiar to many. What and why they exist the way they do is not so well known. Most people refer to them as “terrible Bohemian” and leave it at that. •Chaotic Prose’ Kerouac’s book is referred to as a testament of this group. It is a messy affair, the book and the subject, but powerful, at times, in its chaotic prose. What you see here is a group of misfits, dis content with society and them selves. They are not a sympa thetic group. The “stream of consciousness” writing style will give the reader no end of trouble. Words are hopelessly scrambled. Every rule of the English language goes down for the third time. Kerouac says of the "beat gen eration; “They are hip without being slick, they are intelligent with out being corny, they are intel lectual as hell and know all about Pound without being pretentiousness or talking loo Dean Wickham to host women Golda Wickham, dean of wom en, will host the Faculty at Home Evening Wednesday. The purpose of the informal gathering is to acquaint the students with mem bers of the faculty and admin istration. Dean Wickham will speak on her travel experiences. Women interested in attending are asked to meet at 7:40 p.m. in front of Gerlinger Hall. The dean’s address is 1746 19th Ave. E. Windows... (Continued )rom page one) commonplace in Adams and Clark dorms. One Douglas man went further by saying, "life is now worth living.” Offense Formerly Flneable Until Friday Walton Hall resi dents were not allowed by dor mitory policy to open their up per (larger) room windows. A safety screw in the window latch kept them closed. The only way the windows could be opened was by removing the hinge screws. If this was done, however, a $10 fine was imposed. The policy is based on the idea that the new dormitory, as built is sufficiently ventilated with out opening the windows. How ever last week’s warm weather hiked Walton room temperatures and aroused student opinion against the closed windows. Several men from Douglas dorm conferred with the Lane County building inspector and the campus health service. They were assured that the matter would be looked in to. much about it, they are very quiet, they are very Christlike." Book Cleared of Obscenity For the adventurous reader planning to tackle this slim volume I would suggest as back ground reading "The San Fran cisco Scene,” an Evergreen Re view collection of works by the "beat generation.” The most im portant entry is Allen Gings berg’s “Howl.” "Howl” has a stormy history, brewed mostly in the California Supreme Court, where it was being tried as obscene. Cleared of the charges this long, jazz beat piece of poetry, is now avail able and of great importance in understanding the true problem of the San Francisco malcon tents. Confession of Faith The “high potentate" of this literary group. Kenneth Rexroth. said. 'Howl' is the confession of faith of the generation that is going to be running the world in 1965 and 1975—if it's still there .to run.” What this controversial work points out is that the “Beat Gen eration" is going through mental hell in these times of unrest and conformity, but that they are holding their heads high and si lently ploaing on in their dark back alleys with humanity's cross on their backs. Annual tug-of-war set for Wednesday Wednesday the freshmen will again challenge the sophomores to a tug-of-war for the honor of becoming social sophomores. The contest is traditionally held at the millrace with the sopho mores on one side and the fresh men on the other. If the fresh men win they will be able to dis card their ribbons and beanies and become social sophomores. If they lose they will remain fresh men and will continue to wear their ribbons and hats. In the past years freshmen have rarely lost. The "war" begins at 4 p.m.'at the millrace. All freshmen and sophomores may participate. Awards, tapping highlight dinner Monday nignt Kappa Rho Omi cron, radio honorary, held an awards dinner that included tap ping of new members. The six awards given were the KVAL-TV award to Bob MacN'ab, the KUGN Award to Jim Dutcher, the KERG Award to Claire Kelly, the KEED Award to Donnalee Dunkeson. the KORE Award to Joe Mayer and the KASH Award to Dick Bond. ?Jew members chosen were Judy Andersen, Linda Luper, Errol Loving, Jan Sorrels, Gary Wills, Tom Y'Blood, Greg Mc Leod, Dave Whitbread, Dean Woodring, Ron Ogle, Bruce Trafton, Bob Stalick and Barton Cronin. ’Good taste topic of today's speech uooa rant*' l.osts no More will be the contention of Richard Gump, artist, architect, compos er, and art collector us he speaks today at 1 p.m. la the Student Union ballroom. Third in his family to head Gump's department store of San Eranciaco. he has recently re turned from buying trips in In dia, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Ha waii, Japan, Scandinavia, and England. His topic is derived from his book, "Good Taste costs No More" published In 19.r*l. He also spoke in a coffee hour at 4 p.m. in the SU. “Many people have good de sign in their homes, but it is anything but good taste,” he says, and it is to correct this that he lectures on some of the follies of "keeping up with the Joneses" in home furnishing. Art Tradition Long The art tradition in the Gump family began in 1865 when Solo mon Gump, a former ship’s chan dler, began to sell mirrors and bric-abrac to the newly prosper ous west. Business boomed and by the second generation Gump's had added Oriental art to the stock of European paintings. Expensive Jade Collection The store is most famous for its Jade collection which includes all colors and shades from the dark green shade flecked with black in which large decorative pieces were carved to "Imperial emerald over wnose possession wars were fought. According to publicity releases the pieces range in value from $25 to $100,000. Ah third-generation manager, Richard Gump, the store kept its buyera at "home” in order to neck art from the American cul tures. In 1043 Gump opened a new department In the store to display and sell the creative work of artists of the San Fran cisco area. He has also helped develop Mexican crafts for the American market. ‘Accident’ Begins C'urrcr Gump's hopes for a career In baseball were shnttercd at age 10 by a shotgun accident. During the convalescence he became in terested In art, music, architec ture, and design. Since then he has designed furniture which is still being produced and sold in Gump's. He has also written chor al, symphonic, and chamber mu sic, all of which lias been per formed in public concert. On the light'side he plays the clarinet In an eight-piece German band, "The Guckcnhcimer Sour Krauts.” which he organized. Reuther proposal DETROIT iff! Walter P. Reuther proposed Saturday that economic demands of his United Auto Workers, including profit sharing, be submitted to binding, impartial arbitration. MEN OF AMERICA: ON VACATION Soakin’ up a tan l In the summer sun. Smiles come easy And the livin's funl Make it part of your Vacation plan To take big pleasure , When and where you can ... CHESTERFIELD i .•::: &.. ... <3> liggeti & Myers Tobacco Co. Nothing satisfies like the (. BIG CLEAN TASTE OF TOP-TOBACCO I v REGULAR KING
