Page 2 - TheGoldBug1955-56

K Students Return To Campus And life Freshmen Face Rat E E Moves From Ocean City To The Hill Rules As Torture P P This is the beginning, or the end, depending that way because you cknew that you too were Program Begins I 0 upon how one looks at it, of a king-sized piece about to go, but there is nothing so dead as a There is a musty old tradition at Western of living for most of the college clan. It has been deserted hotel lobby, or a deserted dining room, NS a good summer and it will be a good winter and or a deserted bar. Look at the empty boardwalk Maryland, stuffily referred to·by the faculty in Indoctrination formal terms as the Freshman open and the windswept beach. This too is dead, and we are welcomed back to The Hill with deemed the G T arms. Everyone smiles and says hello, laughs the sky is cloudy and brooding, promising the Program, Race" but more appropriately which is re- by upperclassmen, "Rat at the rats and kids about the new freshmen fall. And this is why there is that void. habilitated and dusted off each autumn. As the E girls, criticizes the class schedule, swears at the of anticipation. With the fall comes a new name implies, this tradition has to do with fresh- But for college people there is always a kind thought of upcoming term papers, drinks beer D with Herculean gusto at The Pit. Good. We are college year and a renewal of responsibilities men and with what they mayor may not do. Actually it serves two purposes, which are (1) that were left behind with the musty books and home again. What'of the summer? Where was it spent-- the worn erasers. There is a prospective term to instill a kind of humility which can match or standards the highest Godfrey of Arthur and where did it go? Was it spent on a farm in paper, possibly the graduate record examina- anyone else interested in humility, and (2) to New Perspective Accident, Maryland; behind an air hammer in a tions, the silent contemplation of the Military give the freshmen the proper perspective. (This Baltimore shipyard? Was it spent as a clerk in a Department, the incoming freshman class, the perspective should be one from which the fresh- Here we are, some of us just beginning our department store, or as a snort order ~ook in a not-tao-distant fraternity and sorority bids, the man realizes that his importance is roughly collegiate careers, others back on their second, hash house, or behind a desk with a lot of tele- football season culminated by the Homecoming third, or final round. phones and a lot of responsibility and not much game with Drexel and the annual finale with equivalent that of a landslide on Mars.) We're fresh from bookless vacations for the credit? Was it spent in Ocean City, as a guard the Hopkins. You think of the dances, and pos- Already, as this issue is published, the pro- most part. A good deal of us worked this sum- or a beach boy, or a waitress, or a bus boy or a sibly a special girl, or a special guy who will gram may be seen in action. The frosh are all mer to come back with a little money jingling in bartender? Probably it was, and if it was, there take you to those dances, and, yes-you think wearing their ridiculous little hats, to the back our pockets, at least we had a little money. are fond memories of it all-memories of the of the fraternity parties, which somehow threat- of which are attached equally ridiculous name Doesn't Mr. Shaeffer look well? swirling waves and long days on the sun-baked en to keep going in spite of all the divine oppo- cards, prefixed by the appropriate title, "Rat". It was a bit disappointing to everyone that beach. Memories, too, of dances at the Pier sition the Methodists can muster. They are armed, if memory serves, with such the new men's dormitory still is in the process Club, of moonlit drives along the beach road, of Eye On The Present equipment as matches, pencils, paper, stamp-s, of construction. Soon, fellows, soon. You know, riotous evening around a table at the Beach Club So no one at the college age lives in the past, ete., for the convenience of upperclassmen, who, _lhey say, the best things arc worth waiting for. or Hagan's or The Cork. You still hear the only in the present with a wary eye on the in their pre-occupation with more important Sp~aking of construction, look for that oft- music, and when it plays it bespeaks something future, which lurks surreptitously in the dis- matters, may have neglected to pick up such mentioned new chapel soon. We understand the familiar, stirs some memory of some long-to- tance, filled full of mid-term exams and irate things. Also, the freshmen are required to speak architect's already sharpening his pencils and be-recalled night. professors, but also Christmas leave and turkey to any and all persons on the campus and in come next spring, there should be further de_, _ on the table and snow on the ground. When the Westminster. This helps them to be noticed and velopmenbs. The Forgotten Days. mistletoe comes down off the front door and prevents their getting underfoot. A familar face in the English Department is Those were the days. Forgotten are the days once more there are the masses returning to an gone. We want the Ohio students to know how when the people came in hoards, many times empty campus, this will have been pronounced a Great Care By Sophomores lucky they are. faster than you could carry a plate, pick up a fast and eventful semester, ia-regar-dlesa of what Dr. Thomas F. Marshall is not jjlst a pro- tray, or mix a drink, or set up a beach umbrella. actually does lie ahead now at the start. Always They are relegated to certain well-worn routes [eseor, He holds degrees in Encouragement, In- And if you were a guard, sometimes it seemed the wheel turns, and the cycle "makes another of travel and are not permitted to wander aim- spiration and Helpfulness. like they could drown or get lost faster than you full revolution, and almost we can say, "This is lessly about and trample the college's carefully A word of advice to Kent State University where I came in." cultivated grass. Great care is exerted by the students. Dr. Marshall is known to growl a bit could hunt up a wayward parent or fish out a Once more we are at the beginning. Everyone sophomores in order that these routes might be vanished soul. Everyone cursed the tourists and new and then, but his nips are like hypodermic vowed that Ocean City would be a better place all smiles and says hello, laughs at the rats and the most round-about and inconvenient of all needles-injected for your own good. around if only they would go back to their kids about the new freshmen girls, criticizes the possible ways to or from a place, for in this Our deepest sympathy to Capt. Thornton's crowded streets and their dirty front porches class schedules, swears at the thought of up- way freshmen ~in a better knowledge of camp- family. - and smelly cellars. And when they did leave, coming term papers, drinks beer with Her- us geography much more rapidly. Everything, To the new faculty we offer greetings. when that last day finally hit the calendar, culean gusto at The Pit. Good. We are home of course, has an important purpose. Hey, all you musically gifted students. Seems' somehow there was a void. Maybe it seemed again. But in spite of the tone in which these com" like there were a few complaints last year that ments are rendered, and in spite of the spirit in the college band is not what it should be. Polish which the whole Indoctrination Program may up those horns and tighten up those drums. We seem to be imposed, there iB a very satisfying want a little noise at our football games, don't These Doubting Freshman Girls purpose to it all. The freshmen cease early to be we! Who dares say that a certain high school a heterogeneous mixture of incongruities. A great band is more snappy and has more initative PLIGHT OF' THE COED mass of unknowns who know very little of their than the Western Maryland College Band? surroundings and even less of each other could Them's fighting words! Let's show them! They walked up on1he campus jWlt as timid as could be, easily take a long while to foment into a unit A new system of Campus Citizenship is upon Had it in their heads that coltege men were mu,ch too wild and free; which could rightfully be referred to as a class- us this year. We get the feeling tha\; the plan They saw the purple jMkets----and they wes-e wary here, were it not fo'\- this warped old tradition. And is vague and sprinkled with a lot of ands, ifs, And they saw the blue and white ones, and the ste1118filled witk beeI'. through it all, the frosh learn a great deal about and buts. Still, there's a little system known So tkU8 they kept on looking, until they'd been a.round, ' the college and its ideas. as Democracy which is vague and sprinkled with And fina.lly concluded things are tough in this college town. And you can bet on this one thing: come ands, ifs, and buts. The greatest nation in the September, 1956, they'll be eager to pass on this world has proven it works. How much easier But soan they ca.me to realize tha.t they'd have to make some playa knowledge to a new freshman class in the same it should be for 600 to prove that Campus And date these evil-looking nW1l. and chance their desperate ways. "way, This is the way it is. Citizenship is not just a theory! 1::e;: :~:!z:~;~:~PM~t!:;::;t~::tk!~;: ~~:~it~:~out. Big doings from the College Choir again this year. This extremely talented group (can't help Bnt when the lovin' started, do you think tha.t they'd ttpike it] More Poetry being a little prejudiced), led by a whip wield- Ok no, ok no, not that, they'd aay,-YOl~ know damned well We like it! ing slavemaster, after has been nursing a collective WILLIAMF. MUHLENFELD. We have a poem here, matter of fact it has them who'll say that it's not worth it----for once q,4q tu, q. II. q. are not too sure where it came from, and since hoarse hours of practice during throat been here for the duration of a summer, and we Week. But there's not one among Orientation again the College Choir is singing with the it is anonymous, we are not too sure who wrote Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. it. However, we present it now as a springboard into the intellectual jungle with the hope that we think it's wonderful, Professor deLong. its readers may find Shelley a trifle easier. Keep playing this melody. The whole student body is singing along with you and our marvel- ous Choir. MAN ALONE Anybody notice the new signs over the Grille, Frain the pleasant valley of supcrstit.ion Book Store and Public Relations office? We He tn,"ted his steps one day, should say, did anyone miss them? Brightens up And once be'!/ond its borders, the place and also saves confusion for the new- Could never return that way. Tn the dismal forest of despair, Welcome to our five new foreign students. Where darkness ever reigns, We, of the GOLD BUG, particularly want to He was temlJted by light pleasures invite you to drop in and see us. The customs To forsake his quest for gains and ways of the folks in your country would Through the desert of reality, make interesting reading. How about sharing lVhere he wae sore beset, them with your fellow Western Marylanders? By what seemed to be so purposeless, So, here we are-c-al! ready to tackle those By the hot sands of regret. books-waiting for the final, and let's hope, Now before him rise the mountains, winning touchdown. And he 8eCS their silvery gleam; Yet Ihe way is bleak and stony To the sltmmit of his dreams. THE GOLD BUG But Sh01dd he chip one 8tep away From out that rocky wall, Ofn~ial $tud.,nls new~paper or Western Maryland C<>l- Though he perish on that mountain lege, Pllbli&hed .~mi-monthl:r on Tu...day, dudng October, And never climb at all, November January, Febnlary_ March and AprH. and montbly dllring Septj:!mber, O""ember, and May. Entered Still tho1!gh he nwre/y break the path a•• ""ond ~la.. matter at W...tmin.ter Poot Office, llnder And has but just begun, the Act of March 3, 1879. He is, in some far brighter day Member Assured his goal is won. Associated Collegiate Press For those that struggle after SllbSl'!fiptionPrice $2.00 a Year Ol~ t~e path that he ~as told, Plight Of Th. Gold Bug And The Return Of Gipe Wtllmount up upon hU/ efforts And greater truth8 unfold. We are confident that the initial issue of the improving our literary standards at least 100%. ANONYMOUS GOLD BUG in 1955-56 will be favorably re- George has devoted a summer to the United ceived by the incoming freshman class as well States Army, and, having successfully fought as the appreciative and indulgent upperclasa, and won the Battle of Fort Meade, returns to .. "war is IAh, The Dining Room I men, in spite of the fact that this one is the the campus. He reports that the Fate of Our work of a skeleton staff, none of whom claims Country is in safe hands, and that any outstanding abilities in the field of journal- hell." ism. FRESHMANCOED: See here, you incompetent BUSINESS STAFF In the case of the Feature page, we report The above cartoon is a Gipe original gleaned lout, there's no chicken in the chicken soup. ~d!ie~ti:in~aM!~~ger==-=--=-=-:=.-E!'rl~ ii~~: ;:~ with some satisfaction that the talents of from a hasty scrawl on a lavatory wall in COLLEGEWAITER: Take it easy frosh; there's Clreulation Ron WilBon. '51 G€orge Gipe will return momentarily, thereby Hall. no horse in the horseradish either. E<:rchanIl'E _Lynnda Skinner. '57