Vol. XII. No. 1. November, 1931 Autumn “...........................The landscape thru the haze O f a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock— When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’ s in the shock*' — James Whitcomb Riley 2 THE ALEMBIC November, 1931 TABLE OF CONTENTS An Open Letter to a Freshman— The Alumni Corner— By Matthew F. O’Neill, ’34 11 By Frank G. Shea, ’32............. 3 Athletics— By George Tebbetts, ’34....................... 12 Hearn— Japan’s Interpreter— By Paul Curran, ’32................. 4 Frank Stanton— Dixie’s Bard— By Howard G. Norback, ’33. 5 Verse— By John J. McDonough, ’34— 0 Quam Pulchra est Casta Generatio 5 Published monthly from October to June, by the students Memory Gaol ......................................... 9 of Providence College, Providence. R. I. Entered as second class matter at the Post O ffice. Providence, R . I., December Pride Cometh— By Thomas A. Nestor, ’32........... 6 18. 1920. under A ct of March 3. 1879. Editorials ...................................................................... 8 “ Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage pro­ She Dined Alone—By Charles E. Leverone, ’32. 9 vided for in Section II03. Act of October 3, 1917; authorized Campus Chronicle'— By William D. Haylon, ’34. 10 January 13. 1 92 1." We Now Bring You -a marvelous reproduction of a fine H O M E SPU N SU IT from the famous New Haven Custom Tailor. -in texture and weave of the fabric; in the smart lines of the university model. It is COLLEGE HALL S a w y e r-s p u n .50 LOOMED • By-T H e -AM ERICAN-W O O LEN . CO M PANY $ $29 Heather Browns and Greys, Navy Blue Nubbed Effects and Pin Checks Men’s Store November, 1931 THE ALEMBIC 3 By A n Open Letter to a Freshm an FRANK SHEA My Dear Freshman: you are, a lark? Rank injustice, buckler in a pair of corduroy trous­ HE amazed expression on you cried. And we believe it. ers and a carefully opened neck­ T your immature countenance All this you could have swal­ band, one of those superior beings as you dart nervously lowed as a bitter pill and said noth­ who would flit through College as through the corridors has aroused ing, but when that nasty Sopho­ a hero, a devil-may-care sort of my sense of pity, and therefore, more sent you over to what you chap yawning through triumphs this letter. I intend to set down thought was the Gymnasium and and conquests, nonchalantly smok­ a few facts which you will arrive found to be the City Hospital, you ing a pipe and bringing sorrow to at anyhow and—although I shall felt that things had gone far the hearts of innumerable females, be accused of blatant optimism for enough And paying two dollars whom you carelessly dismissed this—you may have the capacity for a seat in Chapel was no joke, with a disdainful shrug. Ah-ha, necessary to appreciate this en­ either, when you discovered that you would be made of sterner lightening document, the seats were cheerfully and free­ stuff; your recreation would be Words of wisdom, like the seed ly given and sold only to young­ found in singing “Sweet Adeline” sters like yourself. And now those and building bonfires. But, alas, in the Parable, are apt to fall on you found only a terrible discord, stones and be choked by thorns. mean Sophomores are going to and instead of huge bonfires only Knowing, however, that a few of make you wear those pesky little a handful of cold ashes. the seeds found fertile ground and head-gears and affect black ties, ’Twas ever thus, my boy, and bore fruit, it is possible that, while too. And if you don’t, their dis­ now that you are in the slough of you may not be free from the den­ torted sense of humor demands despond, like a ministering angel sity of rocks and the unreceptive- that you perch in a tree on the I come. I have few illusions left ness of thistles, yet something in Campus and mumble, “I’m a nut, but, I confess, I am fostering the this letter may take root and assist I’m a nut, etc.” And the Profes­ hope that when I am no more, I you in your present bewilderment. sors? I know what you are going may be remembered as a man who Of course, you are not to be con­ to say. They don’t even seem to always lent a helping hand when demned for this freshmanlike care that you were a Big Fellow a foot would have done just as characteristic, as it is well known in your High School days and rated well. that you have been battered from with the Faculty. Alas, ignorance As I said before, the simplest, pillar to post since that eventful isn’t just bliss anymore; it’s and therefore most appropriate day when you secured an admit­ blight. idea in the College Manual is the tance blank to the College. Cer­ Yes, my boy, all this is true, too attainment of this Big Broad Flex­ tainly it was a silly question that true, and it should not be. But ible Outlook in the possession of you had to answer on that applica­ here you shall find a bright ray in which you can shrug away your tion. “Why do you wish to attend a somber sky. Realising your troubles with a smile. Keep a stiff Providence College ?” Why, to get pathetic state of mind, I have come upper lip and don’t try to grow a an education of course. What did to lead you to the light. Out of moustache until you’re a Junior, they think you wanted—a chance sheer beneficence I am prompted to anyway. After you read this over to eliminate garters from your at­ give you the Key to Collegiate Suc­ ten or twelve times you will get an tire ? And the next thing was that cess, both academic and social, in inkling to the B. B. F. 0. and like English Exam which suggested two lessons—I mean paragraphs. the Count of Monte Christo, you that you didn’t know enough about In the Book of College Life the can call the while world yours, that your native language to use “two” first and most fiercely-written item is, if you are not previously Count­ and not “too” when you meant is this: get a Big Broad Flexible ed out by the Soph Court. “to.” And such a lot of ridiculous Outlook. Perhaps—in fact, I know Very sincerely yours, words that they wanted to know darn well—that the mention of a Frank G. Shea, ’32. the meaning of—why Sam John­ Book of College Life recalls those P.S. By the way, did you buy son himself could not have sur­ rosy dreams you dreamed last a ticket to ride in the elevator ? All mounted that barrier But even summer. “Baseless fabric of a the really serious thinkers are that you accepted in the proper vision” that they were, they came joining this uplift movement, and spirit until they became real mean from another book of college life you don’t want to waste your en­ and made you rise at a time usual­ which was tragic although labelled ergies running up and down stairs ly associated with the hour milk­ Comic. From reading them you in this machine age of ours. Any men start the day’s work, in order pictured yourself, not as the un­ Soph will be delighted to give you to subject you to an 8:10 class in happy browbeaten little fellow a ticket for a full year’s ride. In Sub-English. What do they think that you are, but a modern swash- fact, you’ve just had one. 4 THE ALEMBIC November, 1931 Hearn, Japan’s Interpreter PAUL c u r r a n 32 AFCADIO HEARN, one of Catholic Church and its religion. years, during which time he the greatest stylists of the His education was. however, con­ formed some ties of intimacy, de­ L nineteenth century, was bom ducted under Catholic auspices. He spite his shyness. He became a June 27, 1850, on the island of spent two years at a Jesuit school warm friend of H. E. Kriehfcel, Lefcada, erstwhile known as Leu- in Northern France, and two years who later won fame as a music- cadia, on which Sappho, the poet­ at the Roman Catholic College of critic and lecturer. Hearn, ever a ess of the tender passion, snuffed Ushaw, at Durham. Here he sus­ lover of the strange, made studies out her light. Hence the name tained one of his greatest misfor­ similar to those of Kriehbel con­ Lafcadio. His father was Irish and tunes, that of the loss of sight of cerning old folk-songs and folk- a surgeon-major in His Majesty’s his left eye while playing a game. music. He had fallen under the Army; his mother, Rosa Cerigote “Giant’s Stride.” The excess work spell of the French romantic by name, Greek. The Hearns were placed on the other eye during the school, with all their love for the a line of soldiers, historians, and remainder of his life kept him in exotic; the grotesque, the fantas­ painters. The Cerigotes, too, had dread of the awful affliction of tic. He assiduously translated from an old and honourable descent.