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About The Rimrock Echo (Billings, Mont.) 1930-1943 | View This Issue
The Rimrock Echo (Billings, Mont.), 20 Dec. 1933, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/TheRimrockEcho/1933-12-20/ed-1/seq-2/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
2 THE RIMROCK ECHO THE RIMROCK ECHO Published by EASTERN MONTANA NORMAL SCHOOL AT BILLINGS, MONTANA Student Editors _Holly Wafts, Juanita Davis Associate Editor Elizabeth Patterson Faculty Adviser Mary J. Meek Student Members—Agnes Arestad, Gunnard Jphnson, Margaret Lamers, Dorothy McFatridge, Josephine Strawn, Jean Todd, Helen Utterback, Elda Watkins. Dorothy McDonald, Donna Paley. EDITORIALS 4 1E90 2 KNOW YOUR SCHOOL Attending a school and not knowing the running principles is like working in a firm and not knowing its business. Of course one can complete assignments and earn good grades and still not know anything very definite about a school. In doing this, however, a student loses a very valuable part of education. Spend a few minutes reading articles, both in the school publication and in the Billings newspapers, which concern the Eastern Montana Normal School. Be able to answer with a certain degree of intelligence, such questions as: What is the Greater University of Montana? What is the student loan fund? By what methods are we trying to obtain funds for school buildings? And even such a small question as, What credits and courses are necessary for graduation from E. M. N. S.? \CHISELING\ \Chiseling\ is a word of comparatively recent coinage and applicable in modern slang to almost any situation in which an unfair means of getting ahead at some one else's expense is used. When considered from the viewpoint of a student it is a ridiculous practice. (Except perhaps when someone has used you as a stepping stone in the process.) The idea of spending money and effort to put yourself in line for an education and then doing everything possible to keep from acquiring one after you get to college is funny, to say the least. Our school, like every community, has its share of chiselers— people who have their eyes fixed on the ends rather than the aims of education. First in this group are the people who by a process known as \apple- polishing\ hope to make an \A or keep from flunking as the case may be. Since this takes time, effort and a knowledge of \teacher\ psychol- ogy I believe these people, if successful, should be dubbed \diplomats not \chiselers.\ The real chiselers are the ones who finally emerge with a certificate and a set of high grades after \borrowing\ and bluff- ing their way through school. These high grades raise the standards and lengthen the assignments so that the average student—the \non- borrower\—is over-burdened with work. By working night and day he is perhaps ,able to make a \C\ average, while missing most of the recre- ational opportunities which it is his right to enjoy, and which are a valuable part of his education. The other student goes his way, appar- ently more successful and certainly having a better time. His work is in on time and well-done usually, with very little effort for himself. \Am I gaining or losing by trying to do my own work?\ the honest student asks himself. This question I believe we must answer for our- selves. But. if in the future, too many answer \losing what will be the effect - on'the morale of the school and its reputation in the state? A QUESTION FOR DEBATE One of our fellow Congressmen from Meagher county has expressed the belief that all institutions of higher education should be located at Lewistown, the geographical center of the state. This would involve either selling or salvaging institutions at Missoula, Bozeman, Dillon, Havre, and Billings. It is true that this closer alliance would save money for the state from the standpoint of building main- tenance. However, probably many students living in the vicinity of one of these schools is able to attend because of its nearness. The long distances necessary to travel to one point and having only Lewistown people be able to attend- at home would probably result in smaller enrollment, thus reducing-funds. Quite allimmestion for debate, especially if you live in a college town. •-• A MORE ABUNDANT LIFE \A certain core of governmental activities must be continued, irre- spective of current economic conditions, if organized government and civilization are to endure. The lives and properties of our citizens must continue to be safeguarded; their health must be protected, and relief must be provided in emergency periods. The education of our children is as essential a part of this core of government functions as any of the foregoing.\ (Report of National Conference on the Financing of Educa- tion, November, 1933.) No one factor will so influence our future as the education of our children: and yet, this year more than a million rural school children are being- deprived of their educational opportunities. Thousands of rural schools have closed, many more have cut their terms to less than six months, and teachers' wages have been reduced to a minimum. President Roosevelt in his address before the federated churches said that the ultimate goal of the new deal is a more abundant life for the 120 millions of people, and not for the 5% at the top of the pyramid of our social structure. Certainly, when economic conditions are such that educational opportunities are decreased, there is a need for a more abundant life, for our educational system is the very foundation of our civilization. Certainly, when a million rural children are being deprived of their rightful share of education through closed schools, and curtailed school terms; when 84,036 rural school teachers are teaching for $450 a year, it is apparent that \the more abundant life\ is being withheld at the strategic point where it is most needed, since the very foundation of civilization lies in the youth. Schools are being closed and beside them $7000-a-mile roads are being built. Teachers are receiving $50 a month when the minimum wage for unskilled labor is $60 a month. Libraries are being closed and fences are being built around golf courses. Churches are closing and saloons are opening. Good roads are undoubtedly needed; and yet our American Destiny will not travel ahead very far, even on the best of roads, with an ignorant generation at the wheel. In Montana several hundred rural schools did not open this fall. Why can not our C. W. A. be extended to the rural school situation? A FRESHMAN - REFLECTS • ON CHRISTMAS ---I-L- Christxnas holidays are impend- ing, and 0 how much that means to me! Nothing especially grand perhaps to most people, but to me and mine it is the cherished rite of customs long established and the only proper and fitting termination Of another year. Preparations, the important ones, are not begun too early, for to us the last minute hustle and bustle is all a necessary part of the fun. Such a glorious confusion it is, too --of final adjustments of details, of house cleaning, of polishing silver and glassware, of concocting deli- cacies which are family favorites, and leaving the best 'till the last, the trimming of the tree and the delivering of gifts to friends. According to family tradition our holiday proper begins on Christmas _ve at six o'clock, when we all gather :trotted the brilliantly candle- lighted table laid with crisp white linen and sparkling silver and glass- ware, where we partake of such dainties that only \Our Mother\ can produce. The menu is the same each year, and although it is hum- ble and simple fare it is a banquet in our eyes. It includes such dishes as savoury meatballs, mashed po- tatoes, creamed cabbage, Scandina- vian dishes such as lefse, berline kranzer, and fattigmand. For des- sert there is ice-cold raspberry sauce, canned the summer before with this occasion in mind. After the dinner hour we girls clear away all vestige of food and dishes, while Mother puts final touches on and under the tree, Dad puts on his glasses, gets the Bible and, settling himself in an easy chair, selects a Christmas story from one of the Gospels. Finally, all things adjusted, we turn our thoughts and steps living-room- wards, where we gather in com- fortable chairs around the tree, which is now brightly lighted. After the Christmas story the son and heir distributes the gifts, and the ensuing hour is one of \Ahs\ and \Ohs.\ When the excitement is over we spend the remainder of the evening reminiscing on past Christmas eves and planning for t he morrow. often we share this festivity with a friend or two, but never do we depart from our own fireside on that evening, for cherished memo- ries and customs have instilled in us the thought that \homekeeping hearts are the happiest\—at Christ- mas time.—Audrey Edmonds. President to Enroll Seniors in Advance Second year students will have an opportunity to choose from the following courses for their sched- ules during the winter quarter: Applied Design, Toy Making— Manion. Picture Study—Roberts. Rural Education—Dean. Psychological Testing—Hines. Dramatic Art—Dewey. Advanced Composition — Short Story, Modern Drama, American Literature—Meek. Arithmetic—Foote. Harmony, Instrumentation- Ridgely. Folk Dancing, Tap Dancing, Coaching—Stevenson. Chemistry—Shunk. Montana History, Montana Geog- raphy, Sociology, World Geography, American History—Abbott. Origins of American Civilization —Hawkes. The advance registration for sec- ond year students will be continued in the president's offiCe today and tomorrow. Fees may be paid on January 2 and 3. Those who en- roll in advance will net report until Wednesday. January 3, Women can keep a secret just as well as men, but it generally takes more of them to do it. Christmas Custom Has Ancient Origin For centuries the fir, time pine, and the spruce have added their cheer to the Christmas season. There are many legends concern- ing the origin of the Christmas tree, but the following are the most hiteresting. ; When Mary was fleeing with the Christ Child from the soldiers of :he wicked king Herod, she came to a forest. Being too tired to go on, with the baby she sought refuge in a grand old pine. The ancient legend says that the old tree, to prove the love of plant life for the holy pair, lowered its massive branches and hid the precious fam- ily until the soldiers had passed. The Christ Child blessed the old pine for its shelter, and in so doing left the imprint of his tiny hand in the marking in the heart of the pine cone. Another legend, delightful to all. tells about the family of the poor miner in the Harz Mountains. The miner became ill and was unable to secure food and fuel for his fam- ily. Each morning the wife went up into the mountains to gather cones to obtain money for their daily needs. One morning near Christmas when she entered the forest and started to gather the cones, an imp named St. Nick jumped out of a fir tree and said, \Gather only the cones from this tree, for they are the best.\ The old woman thanked him and did as she was told. The cones began to fall rapidly, and soon her basket was overflowing. As she journeyed homeward, her basket began to grow heavier and heavier. She could hardly carry it Upon reaching home she emptied the cones on the table and found that they were made of pure silver. Now-a-days people decorate the cones with silver paint, and they are sold as fuel for the Christmas fire. The following story is the one that lays claim to the origin of the Christmas tree and the legend of St. Nicholas. St. Nick lived in a fir tree on the Harz Mountains. it was the cus- tom of the peasant girls to dance around a fir tree at the religious festivals, singing songs and deco- rating the tree with lights and many other ornaments. By doing this, they thought they could hold St. Nick a prisoner until he came out and gave them what he had in the tree. The Christmas tree is now the center of the festivities in homes in many lands, a beautiful symbol, enjoyed by young and old at Christ- mas time. CHICAGO NEWSPAPER TO CONDUCT SURVEY E. M. N. S. STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE QUESTIONNAIRE The \Daily Maroon,\ official stu- dent newspaper of the -University of Chicago, is conducting a nation- wide intercollegiate survey, accord. ing to information received here recently. Questionnaires are being sent to one hundred representative universities and colleges through- mit the country to be filled out by all undergraduate students. The questions_ are designed to show student opinion regarding the real values to be expected from a col- lege education. The survey will last about four weeks, at the end of which time results will be com- piled and the material released for publication. As E. M. N. S. is par- ticipating in the survey, students will soon receive the blanks to be filled out, - I have discovered that the flu is both affirmative and negative. Sometimes the eyes have it and sometimes the nose. `MISS 'BISHOP\ BY BESS STREETER ALDRICH \Miss Bishop\ by Bess'Streeter Aldrich \Miss Bishop\ is the life stor of a teacher, written in an interes lug and absorbing manner. Ella Bishop's life, from her school day and one love affair through he long years of teaching and servic to her school of the pathetic en of her career, is representative the lives of many school teachers The characters are true to lif and the plot is well constructe The book has a fine theme and very likeable human heroine whos life story presents a true picture o l a i nimportant phase of America life. Mr. Fosdick Believes World Needs Idealist The next time you are feelin especially down in the dunips may I suggest that you read an artici by Dr. Fosdick in the ,Ian any Cos mopolita n. \Christnimpr-4 Dawn. on our World at thetsa i roads' is the title. Your first reaction to the artici will be one of disgust at : s our own self pity, and you will finish the article feeling that the world isn't such a had place after all. Dr. Fosdick maintains that today the world does not need hard- hearted realists, who see the facts as they are, but, needs clear-sighted idealists, who see facts as they might be. He convinces you that your troubles are primarily a men- tal attitude, and he leaves you with your fighting blood aroused, ready to meet a host of depressions. Christ was born into a world of disillusionment, and today we are suffering from nothing more than acute-disillusionment. Do you agree with me? Read the article and draw your own conclusions. The Forgotten Child Boys and girls come' flocking into schools in the fall . of •the year. These are our future Americans. They are a mixed group to be fitted into the same environment. They come from so many homes, as dif- ferent as daylight and dark. Here sits a boy from a home that ts all it should be. Near him sits a boy from a home so different, one where tragedy and misfortune are common. This is the boy with whom the teachers must labor long and patiently. He comes to school without suf- ficient food, clothing, or books. The latter he gets in the hest way he can. He feels so often that he is being left out of things. He is shunned by other children. He craves tenderness, love and under- standing, and all are denied him.\ Like Shochy, he feels that even God has forgotten him. He• is cer- tainly the forgotten child.\ The teacher must have an un- limited amount of patience to deal with this child, as he Is so often troublesome and disobedient. But he will grow to be a mani, a citizen in sonic community. Haq.the teach- er taught him to love our country, and our people, and to respect the rights of others? The teaching of civics and history is not enough. The very soul of this child a tim of poor heredity, aid unfortun- ate environment, must be reached. He must have an equal chance with every other child. \Let us make the New Deal in Education for him mean a square and fair deal in the classroom and on the playground. —A digest of an article by Ertis Sasseen in The Kiwanis Magazine. Horace Greeley, who always in- sisted that the word \news\ was plural, once wired to a reporter: \Are there any news?\ The reply came back by wire: \Not a new.\ —Christian Advocate.
