{ title: 'The Rimrock Echo (Billings, Mont.) 1930-1943, December 19, 1934, Page 2, Image 2', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about Chronicling America - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/TheRimrockEcho/1934-12-19/ed-1/seq-2.png', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/TheRimrockEcho/1934-12-19/ed-1/seq-2.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/TheRimrockEcho/1934-12-19/ed-1/seq-2/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/TheRimrockEcho/1934-12-19/ed-1/seq-2/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
About The Rimrock Echo (Billings, Mont.) 1930-1943 | View This Issue
The Rimrock Echo (Billings, Mont.), 19 Dec. 1934, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/TheRimrockEcho/1934-12-19/ed-1/seq-2/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
THE RIMROCK ECHO Published by EASTERN MONTANA NORMAL SCHOOL AT BILLINGS, MONTANA Editors Olive Lindland, Vivian Selle Reporters Margaret Hunter, Mary Ellen Hunter, Arline Janke, Paul Johnson, Ernestine Ross, Hilton Utterback Faculty Adviser Mary J. Meek FRONTIER MIDLAND ACCLAIMED SUCCESS Drama Appreciation THE RIMROCK ECHO Commercializing Christmas Recently, our attention was called to the fact that a Montana maga- zine, The Frontier and Midland, is being acclaimed as one of the fore- most literary magazines in the northwest. This magazine is pub- lished under the editorship of Pro- fessor H. G. Merrian of the English department at the State University at Missoula. The winter issue, which was pub- lished December 1, contains some of the best works of the modern writers of the northwest. Of spe- cial interest in the historical de- partment is \President Garfield's diary of a trip to Montana in 1872,\ first edited by Oliver Wendell Holmes. The Frontier magazine was found- ed in 1919 as a quarterly. The Muse and Mirror magazine of Se- attle was merged with the Frontier in April, 1932. In November, 1933, the Frontier was combined with the Midland magazine and its name was changed to The Frontier and Midland. It is strictly a literary magazine and as such has constantly stood for the sincere expression of Amer- ican life. It publishes only stories and poems of the highest quality. Frank B. Linderman, James Stev- ens, Lew Sarett and many of the leading modern authors and poets are contributors. One of the most interesting fea- tures of the Frontier and Midland is its historical section. Each issue carries some authentic account, diary or journal or reminiscence of valuable historical material, prefer- ably of early days in the northwest. The magazine has a very valuable and interesting Literary News sec- tion and a section devoted to book reviews. Mrs. C. H. Clapp, wife of the president of the State University, in recommending the Frontier and Midland say* \Our Montana maga- zine, the Frontier and Midland, is making such a name for itself out- side of the state, and even across the water, that I feel as proud of my copies of its early issues as a Bostonian used to feel of his first volumes of the Atlantic. For spon- taneity and freshness, the stories, articles and poems outrank many of those in older magazines. Fron- tier and Midland is readable and stimulating, and best of all, it is Montana's.\ During recent years the vast ma- jority of American cities have had little opportunity to see plays ex- cept in motion picture form. The movies are thus serving as a medium in bringing to the people outside of New York City a considerable amount of appreciation of legiti- mate drama. The Late Christopher Bean, Another Language, Barrets of Wimpole Street, Dinner at Eight, Little Women, Alice in Wonder- land, and One Night of Love are only a few of the plays of merit that have come to us in almost the exact form in which they appeared on Broadway, and the acting is equal to that on the stage. Mary Garden predicts that legiti- mate drama will be revived on a greater scale in the larger cities, but that the motion pictures will continue to serve the public outside of these centers. This view may be modified somewhat by the wil- lingness of cinema-houses to admit plays to their stages. At present the theater is virtually confined to New York City, Boston, Philadel- phia, and Chicago. EDITORIALS igairtut 2 TAXES We are continually hearing the cries that the tax rates are becoming so burdensome that there is danger of taxes crushing the taxpayers of this nation. Are taxes really so alarmingly high and are there possibil- ities that taxes are proving disastrous to private enterprise? What are a few of the benefits derived from taxes? These are questions that every taxpayer should carefully analyze before they utter their cries of resentment. As compared with England and other foreign countries, taxes are moderately low in this country. If the income tax rates were the same in the United States as in England, the present administration could carry on its emergency program with a balanced budget and would still have a comfortable surplus instead of a rapidly growing deficit. When we consider all the benefit derived from our tax money we can easily see that no other investment brings such large returns. For moderately small sums paid in taxes we can enjoy the scenic beauties of mountains, valleys and plains from thousands of miles of carefully kept highways. Factories are kept clean and healthy, families are pro- tected against epidemics. Schools and other institutions are provided and thousands of other services are returned to us from our tax money. If all these services and benefits were to be supplied by private enter- prises the costs would prove prohibitive. If tax reductions are going to be made let them be taken from the huge sums that are being used to build weapons of destruction. People are continually shouting their disapproval of the huge sums spent by the F. E. R. A., C. W. A„ and P. W. A. but we seldom hear anything said about naval and army appropriations. At least, the former projects will have something to show for the expenditure of their money. GLASS HOUSES It is a common failure among all sorts of people to condemn most bitterly in others those frailties in which they are most tempted them- selves. A man will speak scornfully of another's laziness when he may unconsciously be fighting the same tendency in himself. There comes an embarrassing moment when he catches himself not living up to the mark which he has set for others, and he is covered with confusion because he, too, has failed in the very thing in which he thought he was strong. Why is it that we are so much less understanding of those weaknesses in which we are most tempted than we are of those in which we have no tendency to err? It may be because of the continued struggle which we wage to overcome them. It is, after all, a fine art to be uncom- promising with oneself, but merciful toward others; and it is one which very few of us practice. Would it not be better, then, and perhaps less embarrassing to us in the end, if, when our struggle makes us bitter, we would condemn the sin and not the sinner? If all the wealth in this country were just $100, and if only 100 men represented the whole country, here is how it would be distributed on the present basis: One man would have $59; one man would have $9; twenty-two men would have $1.22 each; seventy-six, all the rest, would have less than seven cents each.—R. M. LaFollette. LET'S BE INDIVIDUALISTS The insistent cry of society today is conformity. We hear on all sides of us such remarks as, \What will the public think?\ or \But that is taboo now.\ Then we all stop and listen, perhaps squirm and blush a little, go home, put ourselves in a cast to set over night, and come out in the morning a reproduction of the pattern society has sealed with her stamp of approval. We are afraid to turn up our noses when Society points her finger at us and says, \There goes one who must have his corners rounded off.\ Emerson has said in his essay on Self Reliance, \It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.\ Is it so difficult to have a little confidence in ourselves? Let us, figuratively speaking, close our eyes and ears to what is going on around us for a while. Let us express our own opinions and latent convictions. Let us be individualists. We should not be afraid of our lives, or afraid to live them as we see they should be lived. Let us not try to make something of ourselves that we know is not in us to be. Here again we are reminded of a quo- tation from Emerson. \None but he knows what that is which he can do; nor does he know until he has tried.\ The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows whither he is going. SHORT CUTS In this era of speed, people are being reminded continually that a goal must be achieved rapidly if it is to be worthwhile; that to do a thing quickly is better than to do it well. Everyone's efforts are being ex- pended in making records, in striving to attain some end in a little shorter time than somebody else did previously. In educational achieve- ments as in all others this tendency is vitiating the true purpose of edu- cation. To find short-cuts to a degree or a diploma is the aim of most of those who crowd the colleges and universities. Cramming and cheating are two of the short cuts used in all institu- tions of higher education. Those who seek such short cuts still confuse knowledge with information, ideas with facts, experience with book- learning. Some people cannot understand that education does not con- sist of making an \A\ in a course, or earning a letter in athletics, or attaching A. B. or Ph. D. to their names. These are only external sym- bols which may be attained by the undeserving. True education is a slow process, the acquisition of ideas and attitudes which offer the person a more abundant and more useful life in his own business or calling. SEVEN OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION Education is guided growth. It begins by helping children acquire simple habits of daily living. It continues to develop these habits and attitudes into the fine charac- ter of worthy manhood and woman- hood. The ideal of the American public school — working hand in hand with home, church, and all the other positive forces of the com- munity—is to guide human growth into the following sevenfold way of life. The school seeks to prepare every child, regardless of race or condition to achieve for himself: 1. A sound mind in a strong and healthy body. 2. A home life that is happy, un- selfish and democratic. 3. The ability to read and write, to think, study and act. 4. The knowledge and skill need- ed to earn a good living. 5. The use of free time for wor- thy activities and pleasures. 6. An informed citizenship dedi- cated to the common good. 7. Fine spiritual character that is trusted and admired.—Exchange. A very interesting and valuable book recently accessioned in our library is one entitled \Teachers and Teaching by Ten Thousand High School Seniors.\ This book was collected, compiled and ana- lyzed by Dr. Frank W. Hart, Pro- fessor of Education at the Univer- sity of California. However, for the most part it is a collection of the viewpoints of ten thousand high school seniors on teaching and teachers. The purpose of the book was to afford seniors in 66 high schools an opportunity to speak for themselves concerning their former teachers. For this they were provided with survey blanks- on which they were asked to write about the teacher they liked best, the teacher they liked least, and the best teacher. These were to be labeled \Teacher A\ \Teacher Z\ and Teacher H\ respectively. In each case they were asked to state their reasons freely and frankly. These high school boys and girls were in dead earnest about their viewpoints. Of the thousands of responses read, only one in ten thousand bore the attitude of a \smart-aleck.\ The book is dedicated to \Teach- er A\. In it is a tabular summary of the qualities and characteristics which go to make up both good and bad teachers. All in all, it is a very valuable book for teachers to read, in order that they may see themselves as their pupils see them. Book for Teachers A STUDENT PLEDGE FOR PEACE I renounce war for what it does to our men. I renounce war for what it forces us to do to other human beings, whom for the time being we call our enemies. I renounce war for its consequences, for the deaths it lives upon and for the financial, social, economic, and moral ruin which follows in its train. Finally, I renounce war for its futility. This last war settled no arguments. The French still fear the Germans. The Germans still hate the French—with an even greater hatred than before. For four years the world has suf- fered the greatest disaster in history—the world depression— as a result of the World War. For these reasons do I renounce war . The industrial world is taking ad- vantage of the Yuletide spirit for the furthering of its own interest, and is leading the public to look upon this holiday season as a time for material indulgence. Little of the original meaning of Christmas can be retained if merchants and commercial houses continue to ob- scure the reverent observance by dramatic emphasis on materialism. Holiday time is designated by the \Only Ten Shopping Days Until Xmas\ sign. The Santa Claus tra- dition that has been such a joyful mystery to small children is being commercialized. Singing cowboy Santas are stationed in the stores fully three weeks before Christmas. Carols no longer are sung for com- munity enjoyment, but are used in connection with the \X. Y. Z. cures for indigestion.\ Yuletide peace can not exist in the mad rush of gift shopping com- petition and the fretful worry about how we can afford to meet our Christmas obligations. It used to be that good will, fellowship, sym- pathy, and wholesome rejoicing symbolized Christmas time. Em- phasis upon the true spiritual sig- nificance of Christmas should not be considered old-fashioned and ob- solete today. RADIO GIVES US OPERA IN ENGLISH Radio is now bringing to its pub- lic a weekly program of opera. Deems Taylor has been given charge of English translation of familiar operas in order that they may be brought to the American people in an understandable and vital manner. Eddie Cantor has been placed in the opera series; and Wilfred Pelletier, Metropolitan Opera conductor, is directing Eng- lish versions of the operatic songs with no attempt to change the music. Bruno Walter planned four excellent broadcasts for the Sun- days of December, two of which have already been presented. On December 23 at 1 p. m. the offering will be Overture and Act II, scenes 4 and 5 from the \Flying Dutch- man,\ and Act III, final scenes from the \Valkyrie.\ On December 30, a \Faust\ Overture, preludes to Act I and III from \Lohengrin\ and Act I from \The Valkyrie\ will be heard. FACULTY VACATIONS The majority of the faculty mem- bers intend to remain in Billings during the Christmas holidays. However, there are several who are going elsewhere to spend their vacations. Miss Stevenson will visit with relatives at Dillon. Mr. and Mrs. Manion will spend most of their vacation at Belt. If the weatherman permits, Miss Meek plans to spend a part of her holidays at her cabin, which is lo- cated in a beautiful spot on the Cooke City highway just below Richel Lodge. During the late sum- mer and at week-ends all fall Miss Meek, with different groups of friends, has enjoyed the out - of - door life and the simple tasks of house- keeping without aid of gas, elec- tricity, furnace, and other advan- tages found in city homes. ABRAHAMSON HONORED Dr. McMullen received a letter last week from John Abrahamson, who is attending the University of Chicago. John will receive his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science at the convocation on De- cember 18. He was also elected to membership in the Illinois Chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa, one of the oldest honorary societies. Member- ship to this society is based entirely upon scholarship. John will con- tinue his work at the University of Illinois as a graduate student. He was a graduate of E. M. N. S. in the class of 1931 and while he attended was a member of the bas- ketball team, was interested in dra- matics, and was a member of the Katoya Players. After graduating from E. M. N. S. he taught school for several years in Belfry. GREETINGS FROM ECHO STAFF Joyeux Noel! Schlastlive vianoce! Gluchliche Weihnachten! Wesotych Swiat! Merry Christmas! Hundreds of ways to say it and it all means the same—abundant health, steadily increasing security, new friends, and above and crown- ing all, a love for the adventure of living, such as no other year has ever brought before.–Adapted from Kiwanian Magazine.
