Wednesday, the Law in Atlanta. Enjoy One of Its Famous Ticipation of Its
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Vol.. 34. SPELMAN SEMINARY, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, JANUARY, 1918. No. 4. HAPPY NEW YEAR. Say it with a bounding heart. Happy NewYear! Bright-winged birds will skyward dart, Happy New Year! Daily mercies wait for you, Sweet flowers fresh with morning dew; Hopeful be. and pure and true! Happy New Year ! Say it with a loving heart, Happy New Year! Joy to other lives impart, Happy New Year! Keep a bright smile always near, Let the voice ring out good cheer; Let the hopeful hand appear; Happy New Year! Say it with a grateful heart, Happy Now Year! Never will God’s love depart, Happy New Year! Has ' Our Father” been your guide, Freely every need supplied? tions. The radiators also rattle out a re¬ in glory, not in discomfort and humilia¬ Still will He be close beside; minder—“Time to tion. Let us notbe deceived, but watching Happy New Year ! sleep! No coal wasted Selected. at Spelman!” toward the East. How restful and inspiring Last it was to on campus ©€i£<- night, according to custom, when get back the Spelman ! ready for sleep, I raised the shade and Here humanity feels its frailty, but lays THE SPELL OF SPELMAN. opened the window. It looked to the South hold by faith on the power of the Infinite Tuesday is meatless day ; Wednesday, and there flamed Orion in all his grandeur, and is at peace. wheatless day. This is the law in Atlanta. unchangeable, undisturbed, just as he was How Father Time has hurried us on! It I learned of the latter by sauntering into when I was a child and knew nothing of is three years since I was at Spelman be¬ the “Old Southern Kitchen” the other war. 0, the gladness of it! “ The heavens fore. Then 1 undertook the stupendous night hoping to enjoy one of its famous declare the glory of God and the firma¬ task of seeing all the work carried on in a chicken dinners. My mouth watered in an¬ ment showeth his handiwork. ” As I day. Of course, I failed. Though I came ticipation of its delicious rolls. Imagine thought of the sin and the lust and the short of this, what I had to tell to my friends of what I did see my disappointment when instead of the slaughter among men and the consequent opened their eyes longed-for rolls there was placed before me hunger and cold and barrenness of soul to the uplifting power centered here—to the thing I most strictly taboo under ordi¬ where should be plenty and comfort and the marvelous work being accomplished. I was nary conditions—corn pone. Yes, I hear you mental and spiritual growth, I seemed to getting talked out; I needed fresh say, “There may be eatless days;” that hear God speaking— ‘ ‘My ways are not your inspiration for my own life; so I am here was a near-one. ways nor my thoughts your thoughts,” — again. And the nights, too, must come under and a wave of gratitude swept over me Before entering the gate I noticed new rules. No lights after a certain hour, that his ways and thoughts are infinitely changes. Two new buildings had risen! r.o electric advertising signs, etc., is the de¬ higher than ours. He put man in a fruitful Spelman is still growing. There are more cree. Speaking of the reason for this ordi¬ garden; man has wandered away in the boarding students than ever before. There is no nance, Atlanta could almost defy King desert. O, the pity of it! shutting down here because of war conditions. I must seek the reason Coal, as her Company’s current is princi¬ Walking down town to-day, I met a pally derived from water power. Not so, barefoot man, dressed in thin cotton robes, for this. Other institutions in many cases however, Spelman. Here lightless nights, walking on the icy streets. One said to feel compelled to narrow their fields; and sightless nights, may come, unless the me, “He says he is the Christ.” Poor Spelman is widening and striking deeper root. cars “carry on. ” At 9 : 30 the lights give a man ! What a delusion ! Christ foresaw warning wink, and at 10 depart. One must that he would come and told us about him. Going to lunch, I get light. Spelman needs be prompt with her evening ablu¬ When Christ himself returns, he will come is “Hooverizing,’’—living plainly and 2 SPELMAN MESSENGER. patriotically. Following that clue, I noted good lesson may be one taught by the war. It is that every one is cautioned to turn off the It is a joy to look into the library of an being learned at Spelman. How steam when not absolutely needed. In evening as the high school girls are study¬ good it is to be at Spelman at class rooms there is supervision that paper ing there. There is evidenced the results Christmas time ! In the city is the rush of trade and the be not wasted. Always economical, old- of training a taste for letters. One girl is paltry show—seemingly fashioned New England thrift comes easy eagerly reading the daily paper to keep in no thought of the Holy Child. The streets swarm with soldiers as the pressure of high prices is felt. No touch with current events; another studies ; there is no forget¬ pretense is made that the school could the Literary Digest to follow the trend of ting that the nation is at war. But here on the stand alone financially, but it is believed public opinion. Here a girl consults the Spelman campus the very air seems that the good friends who hold it steady dictionary to clinch the exact meaning of charged with the spirit of Christmas. Here one knows the Prince of Peace reigns. do not approve of spendthrifts, and the the text before her ; there one stands ab¬ There is no school is striving to deserve their favor. sorbed reading from the Encyclopedia Brit- clangor of horns, no foolish, The Bessie Strong Nurses’ Home is a fine tanica. As I stood glancing over the file of garish display. Dining-rooms and as¬ attractive building. In it the nurses are papers, a girl shyly asked me to tell her the sembly halls are beautifully decorated in the best housed people on the campus. All meaning of certain letters inserted paren¬ greenery and colored paper and bells. Christmas boxes come from dear ones at the modern improvements for comfort thetically in the history text she was study¬ home. The and sanitation are there. The private rooms ing. And these girls, be it remembered, are opening of these give great are ample and cheery. Provision is made but a generation removed from those who joy. In many cases parents had been asked to send for the accommodation of 26 nurses. It is were with difficulty taught to read at all. money for contributions to the Christmas offering rather than gifts. close to MacVicar Hospital, so that com¬ Stopping to admire the Pictorial Reajieav, I Service, not munication is easy at any time day or night. carelessly asked one who spoke highly in its selfishness, is the dominant note. The duties of the nurses grow more ar¬ praise if she would like to have it a year for Christmas Eve was a beautiful moon¬ duous as the number of hospital patients fifty cents. She smilingly informed me that has greatly increased. Applicants now she subscribed for it last summer; she light night. The singing bands in their earnestness to cheer the morn with their must speak early to gain admission. The thought it fine. No love of art ? Tell it to carols were out shortly after midnight. profession of nursing takes on new in¬ those who do not know Spelman girls ! Then terest owing to the many calls to the front The teacher of geography methods is again at three o’clock they came. And how a to care for the wounded. Spelman nurses making a special study of the war with her they sang! What wonderful have made good in hospitals and private class. The pupils are enthusiastic to keep gift is theirs! One thinks of the only time the celestial choir ever chanted to human homes; I have not learned that any have well up with events. Meeting a young man ears and wonders not at all that the shep¬ crossed the seas yet to nurse soldiers, but in uniform who began talking on war herds listened awe-struck. Listening to they would doubtless prove themselves as matters, one young lady of the class found these sweet voices taking up the same efficient there as they have been here. herself quite ready to hold her own in the The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Home conversation. Another was asked by her song sung that first Christmas morning, one seems to be Economics Building is not yet ready for minister where she learned so much about transported to the place of the consecrated flocks of Bethlehem. occupancy. Delay in transportation of the war. Spelman pupils need not giggle To hear the Christmas Carols at Spelman materials has held work back. It is hoped and titter and make silly remarks or keep is a thing to remember with gratitude that it may be opened at the mid-year. I silence; their heads are being stored with during years. shall take that and its specialties up later. real knowledge and their hearts seek all the coming On Christmas morning, teachers and Another innovation I find is the Upton wisdom.