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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1922)
VOL. XLI NO. 9 oiieqe Leqree vatfipw A T. .11 TV lA 7 1 Y lean, universities no longer TJW TI '1 RjmHSM II: JO- -XX V 'T ti I Y'V Z.KXfr Co-rCK& The Potency of the Powder Puff and the Coy Glance in Winning High Marks for Pretty Co Eds Impel This California University ; Girl Author to Write a Play Exposing the Practice; 'OUNO. women-students In Amer ican, universities no longer study for degrees; they get them ' by the simple process of "vamping" their instructors. Such, in effect, is the sensational charge of Miss Eileen Eyre, a third-year student at the University of Cali fornia at Berkeley. Though Miss Eyre's charge is spe- , cifically aimed at California vamps, she thinks and is quick to'say so that the same conditions prevail In other American co-educational Insti tutions. Wherever a personable and unmarried male instructor is in charge of a personable female pu pil, there's bound to be vamping, thinks Miss Eyre. , In some cases it's worse than in others. In .certain .recent cases at the University of California, the vamping process became so obvious that Miss Eyre was inspired to write a one-act. farce called "Delilah." It was "Delilah" that caused all the rumpus, for in, this little drama Miss Eyre made a subtle but unmistakale expose of the .methods employed by typical vamping co-eds. Publication of this playlet in. The' Occident, a leading campus periodi cal, caused a two-fold sensation. Fol lowed anger and consternation not only Arriong" the pretty co-eds, but among the faculty as welj.; For ob viously, if students were , vamping their way through college,' certain professors were paying' more atten-; tlon to' curves than to calculus, were thinking more of "twinkling eyes of Mr- Samson.. Batchellor.' a violet "hue" than of "twinkline stars . Ann Be, careful. He's- liable la the heavens blue." As Miss Eyre 'Is; herself, tremely good-looking and 1 ,'". mill mm tilisiiifiii , 5 - f'!iS''4V-!:'V wmmrn mm m i U J f 1 I Z'Xpos'ecf 7Zite f sister?' My dear! ing engagingj brilliant, magnetic and Probably his f i Old Crisp's pipe. (She picks, up let- Crisp. Short,: be-whiskered, peppery, terfrom desk.) Look,' Samson's .'got Given to frequent flashes of cynicism, some mail! (reading address). "For Ann and Virginia are visibly disap- - pointed.) '. to Crisp .Tin Crisp. Anybody here walk in while you're reading it. want to see' me? an ex- Virginia (still holding - letter.) Ann We are both waiting for Prof, talented From Boston! ' Is that a woman's Batchellor. Have you any idea how tirl and well connected socially in handwriting? . soon he will be here? San 'Francisco, no one-could accuse Ann It 'doesn't, look' like 'a.m&n'a. ". crisp No. no, no idea, no idea. her, of being stirred by envy. So Those fancy capitals--most likely (Seats himself and sorts papers. En- everybody 'the faculty included de- lrom sister. ;.. ters Prof. Batchellor. Toung, dash- cided to ignore' her. Professor S. C. .Virginia JHls Pepper of the philosophy department, Use your head! In a review of The Occident, advised ancee. all his colleagues to skip Miss Eyre's play. This advice practically quad rupled the magazine's sales and made Miss Eyre's charges a university scandal. In discussing her farce, Miss Eyre admitted frankly that its motif had been taken from a campus episode, but had been extremely "modified" in its telling. - "If I had made it as bad. as it really was," she said. . "they never would have got through talking about it. But I hope my HtUe play . will be a warning to the vamps as well aj those who are being vamped." A similar charge was leveled at college vamps and susceptible pro fessors in a recent article written by Lawrence Blochman, a student editor at the university. In Blochman's case faculty pressure forced a re traction from him by threatening ex pulsion from the university. Miss Eyre's farce opens up by showing an office occupied by two Ann But he can't be engaged. You know the way he raves on about marriage. Remember the day that crazy Alaska girl read a paper on gypsy wedding rites and Jhe said: "Almost as bad as a regular wedding, eh. Misr Allen?" And than thfl timft he talked about some French author Mlss Ames-i-that English instructor, and said: "He. had the courage not But we never dreamed you'd talk to to marry."- - her for a whole hour! Virginia Ann! Tou . remember .Virginia But we didn't mind a bit rather fond of being so.) Batch. Ah! Were any of you wait ing to see me? Ann Tes.'we both are. Virginia We've b,een waiting . for ages. ' "' - - ' - '--' . . - - ' Batch. Iwas detained. . Ann We- we saw you talking with ' - ' fcsasi X:. every word that man says. " Ann Well, why not? " ' Virginia Now don't . get waiting here in your office. It's the cosiest place so different from the we are in trouble. of a serious nature? Perhaps your families . - Virginia (eagerly) Yes. That's it peeved.- others. I'd like to spend the whole It will look more afternoon here. (Batchellor looks Let's : sit down, natural if he comes ' in suddenly, alarmed. Here' we'll fix our chairs right near desk.) his. (Both sigh.) Look, he's been Crisp slams a drawer in liis can I- Ann Terrible trouble, Batch, Vireinla O. it's lust awful. (She Batch. Well, now that I am here. dabg at her eyes '-with a handker- reading a book! (Virginia rises and what was St you wanted to ask about? cnief.) walks to Batchellor's desk.)? ' Ann (nervously) Virginia, I do wish you'd sit down. If he should find you there! (Footsteps'are heard outside In , the hall). - - Virginia (scuttles back to her chair as a shadow flits across the door and professors, one handsome and un- passes down the -hall.) .Gosh! What married and the other crabbed and a. narrow escape! (They discus "his" attached. Ann and Virginia, two preferences for several .minutes when typical campus vamps, are standing men's voices are heard outside.) - near the door. The dialogue goes on Ann Shh! It's him! r , as follows: . '. Virginia (giggling) Her : master's have you been to see Miss Stebblns? Ann What-an awful odor of cigar- voice. (Several noisy shadows stop . Virginia To the deanery?. Keav ettes! It's like the inside of a tun- outside the door. Ann, and . Virginia ens. no! ' (Girls turn and regard each other questioningly. Crisp slams drawer in his desk.) Ann I we wanted to see you on a personal matter. Crisp The devil! ' Girls Why! , Crisp Beg your pardon, beg your pardon. Batch. I do not quite understand Virginia (aside to Batch.) Send that dreadful old man away. Ann (aside to Batch.) Yes, please. He makes us nervous. Batch, (ignoring the asides, stares I am most sorry, but .how helplessly at Crisp) Jeff! Crisp Sam, if you don't send these young fools out of here, I will! Virginia Young fools! The very idea! ' ' Ann Imagine! Batch. It's a fine idea. Girls O! Of. 1 . (Crisp draws. a chair up to Batch's Treses ' Ann Don't cry,- dearie. You have beeni so brave up to now, , don't weaken. : (Aside t. Virginia): Your mascara 13 runningau over youriu;c. (To Prof. Batch.) : You know how it is desk and sits with his back to the a smiling face is often the mask for women, conversing in a low voice to a shaking I mean, a breaking heart. Batch.) ... . . : Batch. I beg of you, don't weep. . Virginia: I can't help it I'm so dreadfully upset. But you you are how I can be of any assistance to any so wonderfully sympathetic. You un of you in your personal affairs or derstand. . Batch. But I do- not understand. . Ann O, .you do! You -wonderful man ! nel in here, (bhe opens a window.) take a last glance at the; mirrors and , Batch. You seem worried. Have ...Crisp My God! (He. begins to pass Virginia Cigarettes? I bet it's a last pat at their hair., Enter Prof, you become involved In any trouble up and '3wn.) Ann (aside to Virginia) Wo might . as well go. . We can come back when Crisp has a class. Then he'll be here . . alone. Virginia All right; isn't Crisp, the protect himself ". from the campus hence abnormally clever. As with the old bear? , . vamps is to pretend he's engaged, college girls, Crisp may. as well be a Amu Perfectly disgusting. Let's They are discussing this when a piece of furniture. ' She goes quickly "go. (They both exit.) . knock is heard and Delilah enters. : to Batchellor's side.) ' After 1he girls are gone Crisp tells (Delilah is superficially unintelli- Delilah I knwv that you are busy, Batchellor that the only way he can gent but Instinctively -feminine and tGoncluda.-un ,Pago 2.)
