THE UNITED AMATEUR
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE UNITED AMATEUR PRESS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
VOLUME XIV GEORGETOWN, ILL., MAY, 1915. NUMBER 5
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC CRITICISM
THE BLARNEY STONE for January-February is replete with good literature,amidst which may particularly be mentioned Arthur Goodenough'sharmonious poem, "God Made Us All of Clay". The theme is not new, butappears advantageously under Mr. Goodenough's delicate treatment.
M. W. Hart's short story, "The Redemption", is intended to portray arighteous transformation from conventional false morality to trueChristian life, but in reality presents a very repulsive picture ofbestial atavism. The meaner character was not "reformed by mercy", butmerely withheld from wholesale vice by isolation. Mr. Hart is so plainlyin earnest when he relates this dismal tale as a sermon, that we mustnot be too harsh in questioning his taste or condemning his freestandards of civilized morality; yet we doubt seriously if stories oressays of this type should appear in the press, and especially in theamateur press. Two or three technical points demand attention. The word"diversified" on page 2 might better be "diverse", while "environment"on page 4, could well be replaced by "condition" or "state". On page 5occurs the sentence "All intelligence ... were ... instinct". Obviouslythe verb should be in the singular number to correspond with itssubject. Mr. Hart is developing a prose style of commendable dignity,unusually free from the jarring touch of modern frivolity.
H. B. Scott is proving himself a finished scholar and a thoughtfuleditor in his conduct of The Blarney Stone; his able essay on"Personality" is eminently worthy of more than one perusal.
THE BOYS' HERALD for May presents us with a highly interesting accountof Robert Louis Stevenson's career as an amateur journalist, togetherwith a facsimile reproduction of the cover of "The Sunbeam Magazine",Stevenson's hand-written periodical. The column of reminiscences,containing letters from various old-time amateurs, is extremelyinspiring to the younger members, showing how persistently the amateurspirit adheres to all who have truly acquired it. "Nita at the PassingShow" is a witty and entertaining parody by Mr. Smith, illustrating thetheatrical hobby of Miss Gerner; one of the latest United recruits. TheBoys' Herald discharges a peculiar and important function in the life ofthe associations, connecting the present with the past, and furnishingus with just standards for comparison.
DOWDELL'S BEARCAT for December opens with a Christmas poem of greatbeauty and harmonious construction from the pen of Dora M. Hepner. Thethoughts and images are without exception lofty and well selected, andthe only possible defect is the attempt to rhyme "come" with "run" inthe last stanza. Edward H. Cole's review of a recent booklet in memoryof Miss Susan Brown Robbins, a former amateur, is more than a criticism.It is a rare appreciation of the bonds of mutual esteem and respectwhich grow up amongst the congenial members of the press associations.Mr. Cole is peculiarly well fitted to deal with his subject, and nopraise is needed beyond the statement that the review is characteristicof him.
DOWDELL'S BEARCAT for January marks the metamorphosis of that periodicalinto a newspaper. With youthful ambition, Mr. Dowdell is resolved tofurnish the United with the latest items of interest concerningamateurs. While the general style of the paper is fluent and pleasing,we believe that "Bruno" might gain much force of expression through theexercise of a little more care and dignity in his prose. For instance,many colloquial contractions like "don't", "won't", or "can't" might beeliminated, while such slang phrases as "neck of the woods", "makegood", "somewhat off", or "bunch of yellow-backs" were better omitted.
DOWDELL'S BEARCAT for March is notable for an increase in size. "A Visitto Niagara Falls", by Andrew R. Koller, is an intelligent and animatedpiece of description, which promises well for the development of itsauthor. What looseness of construction exists may be charged to youth."An Ambition and a Vision", by Nettie A. Hartman, is a neat andgrammatically written little sketch, probably autobiographical,describing the evolution of an amateur. Greater cultivation ofrhetorical taste would improve Miss Hartman's style, and we are certainthat it possesses a fundamental merit which will make improvement aneasy matter. With the usual regret we observe an instance of "simplespelling", which Mr. Dowdell, who does not fall into this vice himself,has evidently overlooked in editing. The news items this month aretimely and vivacious, exhibiting "Bruno" at his best.
THE LAKE BREEZE for March inaugurates a very welcome revival of theUnited's foremost news sheet, now to be issued monthly. Mr. Daas is soactive an amateur, and so closely connected with the development of theassociation, that his ably edited journal has almost the authority of anofficial organ.
The editorial entitled "Ashes and Roses" is a powerful and convincingreply to a rather weak attack lately made on the United by a member of aless active association. Mr. Daas uses both sense and sarcasm to greatadvantage, leaving but little ground for his opponent to occupy.
"The Amateur Press" is a well conducted column of contributed reviews,among which Mrs. A. M. Adams' eulogy of Mrs. Griffith's essay in OutwardBound is perhaps the best. "What is Amateur Journalism?", by "ElImparcial", is a sketch of the various types of amateurs, with asuggestion of the ideal type. While free from glaring defects, the essaygives no really new information, and brings out no strikingly originalideas. "Some Objections to Moving Pictures", by Edmund L. Shehan,presents a strong array of evidence against one of the most popular andinstructive amusements of today. We do not believe, however, that theobjections here offered are vital. The moving picture has infinitepossibilities for literary and artistic good when rightly presented, andhaving achieved a permanent place, seems destined eventually to conveythe liberal arts to multitudes hitherto denied their enjoyment. Mr.Shehan's prose style is clear and forceful, capable of highlyadvantageous development.
LITERARY BUDS for April is the first number of a paper issued by the newAthenaeum Club of Journalism, Harvey, Ill. Though the text of most ofthe contributions has suffered somewhat through a slight misapprehensionconcerning the editing, the issue is nevertheless pleasing andcreditable.
"A la Rudyard", a poem by George A. Bradley, heads the contents. Whilehampered by some of the heaviness natural to authors of school age, Mr.Bradley has managed to put into his lines a laudable enthusiasm andgenuine warmth. The editorial column is well conducted, the second itembeing especially graphic, though the "superdreadnought" metaphor seemsrather forced. Clara Inglis Stalker, the enthusiastic and capableeducator through whose efforts the club was formed, gives a briefaccount of her organization, under the title "The History of anEight-Week-Old", and in a prose style of uniformly flowing andattractive quality. "A Love Song", Miss Stalker's other contribution, isa poem of delicate imagery and unusual metre. "Our Paring Knife", byGertrude Van Lanningham, is a short sketch with an aphorism at the end.Though this type of moral lesson is a little trite, Miss Van Lanninghamshows no mean appreciation of literary form, and will, when she hasemerged from the "bud" stage, undoubtedly blossom into a graphic andsympathetic writer. "Co-Education", by Caryl W. Dempsey, is aninteresting but only partially convincing article on a topic ofconsiderable importance. The author, being enthusiastically in favor ofthe practice, enumerates its many benefits; yet the arguments aredecidedly biased. While the advantage of co-education to young ladiesis made quite obvious, it remains far from clear that young men receiveequal benefit. A desirable decline of cliques and hazing might, it istrue, result from the admission of women to men's universities, but theyoung men would undoubtedly lose much in earnest, concentrated energyand dignified virility through the presence of the fair. The experiment,radical at best, has failed more than once. The style of this essay isslightly wanting in ease and continuity, yet possesses the elements offorce. "The Traitor", by Agnes E. Fairfield, is a short story ofartistic development but questionable sentiment. The present fad ofpeace-preaching should not be allowed to influence a writer of senseinto glorifying a socialistic, unpatriotic fanatic who refuses to upholdthe i
nstitutions that his fathers before him created with their toil,blood, and sacrifice. It is not the right of the individual to judge ofthe necessity of a war; no layman can form an intelligent idea of thedangers that may beset his fatherland. The man is but a part of thestate, and must uphold it at any cost. We are inclined to wonder at MissFairfield's mention of a king, when the name Phillipe La Roque soclearly proclaims the hero a Frenchman. France, be it known, has been arepublic for some little time. "Penny in the Slot", by Vaughn Flannery,possesses a humor that is pleasing and apparently quite spontaneous. Weshould like to behold more of Mr. Flannery's efforts in this field.
Viewed in its entirety, allowance being made for its present essentiallyjuvenile nature, Literary Buds may be regarded as a pronounced success.That it will mature in consonance with the club which it represents iscertain, and each future issue can be relied upon to surpass itspredecessor.
OLE MISS' for March, edited by Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Renshaw, easily fallsinto the very front rank of the season's amateur journals. In thisnumber Mr. Joseph W. Renshaw makes his initial appearance before themembers of the United, producing a very favorable impression with hispure, attractive prose. The introduction, credited in another column toMr. Renshaw, is of graceful and pleasing character, recalling theelusively beautiful atmosphere of the Old South which is too soonpassing away.
"The Humble Swallow", an anonymous essay, praises with singularlydelicate art a feathered creature whose charms lie not on the surface.The concluding paragraph, condemning the wanton slaughter of this wingedfriend to mankind, is especially apt at a time of hysterical peaceagitation. While the well meaning advocates of peace call wildly uponmen to abandon just warfare against destructive and malignant enemies,they generally pass over without thought or reproof the wholesale murderof these innocent little birds, who never did nor intended harm toanyone. "A Higher Recruiting Standard", by Mrs. Renshaw, is an ableexposition of the newer and loftier type of ideals prevailing in theUnited. Our association has never lacked numbers, but would undoubtedlybe the better for an increased standard of scholarship such as is heredemanded. Mrs. Renshaw's work as a recruiter is in keeping with herpolicy, and this, together with Mr. Moe's work amongst the Englishteachers, seems destined to raise the United far above its lessercontemporaries. "An A. J. Suggestion", by Mr. Renshaw, deals ingeniouslyand logically with the always difficult problem of selecting a printer.Though evidently written quite independently, it ably seconds Paul J.Campbell's original suggestion in the UNITED AMATEUR. The advantages ofhaving one printer for all amateur work are many, and the well presentedopinions of Mr. Renshaw should aid much in securing this desirableinnovation.
The poetry in Ole Miss' is all by Mrs. Renshaw, and therefore of firstquality. "Some One I Know" is a lightly amatory piece of tuneful rhythm."Night of Rain" gives a peculiarly pleasing aspect to a type of scenenot usually celebrated in verse. The only jarring note is the rathermundane metaphor which compares the trees to a "beautiful mop". ThoughMrs. Renshaw holds unusual ideas regarding the use of art in poetry, wecontend that this instance of rhetorical frigidity is scarcelypermissible. It is too much like Sir Richard Blackmore's description ofMount Aetna, wherein he compares a volcanic eruption to a fit of colic;or old Ben Johnson's battle scene in the fifth act of "Catiline", wherehe represents the sun perspiring. "Man of the Everyday" is a noblepanegyric on the solid, constructive virtues of the ordinary citizen,portraying very graphically the need of his presence in a world thatheeds him but little.
Considered in all its aspects, Ole Miss' is a notable contribution toamateur literature, and one which we hope to see oft repeated.
THE PASSING SHOW for February is the "second annual production" of anexcellent though informal little paper by Nita Edna Gerner, a new memberof the United, and the daughter of an old-time amateur. Miss Gerner isan enthusiast on all matters pertaining to the theatre, and hasimpressed her hobby very strongly on the pages of her publication.
The dominant theme of the current issue is that of amateur romance,exhibiting the press associations in the role of matrimonial agencies."The Twos-ers", by Edwin Hadley Smith, is a long list of couples whobecame wedded through acquaintanceships formed in amateur journalism.This catalogue, recording 26 marriages and engagements from theearliest ages to the present, must have cost its author much time andresearch. "A Romance of Amateur Journalism", by Edward F. Daas, is avery brief statement of facts in unornamented style. "An 'Interstate'Romance", by Leston M. Ayres, is more elaborate in treatment, anddisplays an easy, colloquial style.
The editorial column, headed "Through the Opera-Glasses", is bright andinformal. We note with regret that Miss Gerner has seen fit to adopt thepopular mutilated orthography of the day, a fad which we trust she willdiscard in time.
PEARSON'S PET for April is a bright and attractive little paperthroughout. "Burnin' Off" is a delightful specimen of dialect versewhich conveys a graphic image. We have never witnessed such anagricultural function as Mr. Pearson describes, but can gain from hisclever lines a vivid idea of its weird impressiveness. "How I Met ElbertHubbard" is narrated in commendably easy prose, which same may be saidof the sketch or editorial entitled "Broke Loose Again". Mr. Pearson isassuredly a competent exponent of amateur journalism's lighter and lessformal side.
THE PIPER for May is as pleasing and meritorious as the first number,both in its verse and its prose. "The Modern Muse", exhibiting Mr.Kleiner in a somewhat humorous mood, is very forceful in its satire onthe altered ideals of the poetical fraternity, but is marred by thenoticeably imperfect rhyming of "garret" and "carrot", it is barelypossible that according to the prevailing New York pronunciation thisrhyme is not so forced as it appears, but we are of New England, andaccustomed to hearing the sounds more classically differentiated. Thedefect is trivial at most, and mentioned here only because Mr. Kleinerprofesses such a rigid adherence to the law of perfect rhyming. "TheBooks I Used to Read" is the most delightful appreciation of juvenileliterature that has appeared in amateur journalism within our memory.There are few of us in whom this poem will fail to arouse gladreminiscences. "Spring" is a pleasing poem on a subject which though notexactly new, is nevertheless susceptible to an infinite variety oftreatment. The four stanzas are highly creditable, both sentimentallyand metrically. Apart from the poetry, criticism seems the dominantelement in The Piper, and it would be difficult indeed to find a morelucid and discerning series of reviews. Mr. Kleiner's unvarying advocacyof correct metre and perfect rhyming is refreshing to encounter in thisage of laxity and license. Perhaps he is a little stern in hiscondemnation of the "allowable" rhymes of other days, especially in viewof his recent "garret-carrot" attempt, yet we admit that there is muchto be said in favor of his attitude.
THE PLAINSMAN for February contains a gruesome moral tale by RicardoSantiago, entitled "The Bell of Huesca". It is proper to remark here,that an important sentence was omitted at the top of page 3. The passageshould read "'Sire, thy bell has no clapper!' 'Thy head shall be theclapper'; said the king, and he sent him to the block" etc. Whatever maybe said of the aptness of the allegory, it is evident that Mr. Santiagopossesses the foundations of a pure and forcible prose style, and acommendable sense of unity in narration and development of climax. Thisstory is undoubtedly worthy of its distinction as winner in ThePlainsman's post-card contest.
THE SPECTATOR for June-July, 1914, though somewhat trite in title, isthe first number of a magazine notable for its quality. Walter John Heldis without doubt one of the most enterprising youths who have everjoined the ranks of the association, though his views on paidsubscriptions and advertisements show his still imperfect acquisition ofthe true amateur spirit. Mr. Held mistakes commercial progress forartistic development, believing that the aim of every amateur in hisascent toward professional authorship is to write remunerative matter.He therefore considers a publisher's advancement to be best shown inability to extract an odd penny now and then from a few subscribers whoreally subscribe only out of courtesy. We wish that Mr. Held might cometo co
nsider amateur journalism in its higher aspects; as a medium forimprovement in literature and taste; an aid to the cultivation of theart for its own sake in the manner of gentlemen, not of cheap tradesmen.The selection of commercial prosperity as a goal will ruin any trueliterary progress, and dull the artistic aspiration of the student assoon as his mercenary instincts shall have been satisfied. Besides,there is really no sound business principle in the so-called "sale" oflittle papers. No youth could ever found or sustain a real magazine ofsubstantial price and more than nominal circulation. The variousten-cents-a-year journals which some "amateurs" try to edit are nological steps toward actually professional publishing. The latter comesonly after literary skill has been attained, and literary skill must atfirst be developed without regard for immediate monetary profit.
But the merit of Mr. Held's work is none the less unusual. "The FrankFriend" gives evidence of considerable critical ability, despite thetouch of arrogance, apologized for in a latter issue, shown in imperfectappreciation of Mr. Edward H. Cole's phenomenally pure English. Mr.Held, in his enthusiasm for "local color", forgets that all theEnglish-speaking world is heir to one glorious language which should bethe same from Cape Colony to California or New York to New Zealand.
The only poem in this issue is Olive G. Owen's "How Prayest Thou?", apiece of true sentiment and artistic beauty. The only fault is metrical;the use of the word "trial" as a monosyllable. This tendency to slurover words appears to be Miss Owen's one poetical vice, as exemplifiedin the imperfect rendering of "jewel", "realness", and "cruelness"elsewhere.
THE SPECTATOR for August-September is marred by a resurrection of theever odious topic of Consolidation, but is otherwise of remarkablemerit. Elbert Hubbard, a professional advertiser and writer ofconsiderable popularity in certain circles, relates in an interestingway the history of his most widely known literary effort. Mr. Hubbard'sprose style is direct and pointed, though rather abrupt and barren. "TheMidnight Extra", by Dora M. Hepner, is a humorous short story of unusualmerit, leading from a well created atmosphere of terror to a clever andunexpected anticlimax.
THE SPECTATOR for October-November contains much matter of verysubstantial worth. "Creation", by Edward R. Taylor, Dean of theUniversity of California, is a beautiful bit of poetical sentiment andharmonious metre, while "Half-past-twelve", by Miss von der Heide, islikewise of great merit, both in thought and in structure. We havelately been told that many apparent metrical defects which we have notedare really no more than typographical errors, wherefore we will herecontent ourselves by expressing the belief that the third line of thesecond stanza of "Half-past-twelve" was originally written thus:
"Across the dark their shrilling laughter floats".
This rendering would do away with two seeming errors in the printedcopy. Olive G. Owen's "Battle-Prayer" is powerful in its appeal andfaultless in its construction. Of marked interest is "DivineSelf-Tower", a brief essay by Takeshi Kanno, the Japanese philosopher.These words, in a tongue foreign to the writer, contain material formore than a moment's thought.
"The Frank Friend" is in this number as interesting a critic as before.The passage of four months has tempered his undue severity; indeed, wefear that he has in certain cases veered a little too far toward theother extreme. The most ambitious review is that of "Pig-pen Pete", byElbert Hubbard, which gives Mr. Held an opportunity to display hispowers to great advantage. Of the two editorials, that entitled "Life"is the more notable. Though its philosophy must necessarily be ratherartificial, considering Mr. Held's age, it is none the less a veryartistic and generally creditable piece of composition. The cover of TheSpectator would be less Hearst-like if the fulsome announcements wereeliminated.
TOLEDO AMATEUR for April greets us in altered form, as a two-columnpaper. Having given over the previous issue to the credentials of newmembers, Mr. Porter very justly claims a goodly space for himself thismonth, commenting ably on the affairs and activities of theassociations.
"Camp Columbia", by James J. Hennessey, gives an interesting outline ofthe American army routine in Cuba during the years 1907 and 1908."Observations of an Outsider", by Mrs. Porter, mother of the editor,sheds light on amateur journalism from a hitherto unusual angle. We notewith pleasure that Toledo Amateur remains immune from the destructivebacillus of deformed spelling.
THE WOODBEE for April contains "The Cycle Eternal", a lucidphilosophical article by Samuel James Schilling, wherein is describedthe dispersal and new combinations of the organic cells that compose thebody of mankind. By the perpetual reincorporation or reincarnation ofthese cells in all other forms of matter, man is shown to be immortal,and in the closest degree akin to every natural object surrounding him.His outward form is merely one transient phase of a ceaselessrearrangement of atoms; he is simply one aspect of infinite and eternalNature. Save for a few slight traces of rhetorical awkwardness, Mr.Schilling's expository style is remarkable for its force and clearness;the arrangement of the essay into Prologue, Body, and Epilogue isespecially favorable to comprehensiveness.
While Mr. Schilling deals with mankind in the abstract, Miss MabelMcKee, in "A Gift from the City", presents a concrete example of theworkings of the human heart. Her subject and treatment are notstartlingly original, but such themes lose very little when repeated inpure English and attractive style. The story is distinctly pleasing, andartistically developed throughout.
A notable feature of the April Woodbee is Miss Hepner's fervent andunstudied tribute to Mr. Leo Fritter, candidate for the United'sPresidency. Though the editorial is bestrewn with slang and distinctlyfamiliar in construction, it produces upon the reader an impression ofabsolute sincerity and intensity of feeling which more elaboraterhetoric might fail so forcibly to convey. Great as is the tribute,however, we feel that Mr. Fritter is worthy of it, and must congratulatehim on having such support. Our own efforts for his election, appearingin The Conservative, seem slight in comparison. The only verse in thisnumber is "My Shrine", by Harriet E. Daily. Though containing an attemptto rhyme the words "time" and "shrine", this ethereal little poem ofspring is of great attractiveness.
ZEPPELIN for March, a publication emanating from the pen of Mr. O. S.Hackett of Canton, Pennsylvania, is scarcely as formidable and menacingas its name, being distinctly friendly and fraternal in its generaltone. Mr. Hackett's prose has obviously not received its finalpolishing, but it is so filled with aspiration, ambition, and enthusiasmfor the cause of amateur journalism, that it evidently requires onlysuch development as is obtainable from a closer study of grammar andrhetoric, and a wider perusal of classic English literature. In onematter Mr. Hackett seems to harbor a wrong impression. The name"credential", in the language of the amateurs, is not applied to allliterary productions, but only to those which are submitted by the newrecruits as evidence of their educational fitness for membership in theassociation they seek to enter.
Joseph R. Schaffman's poem, "Think of Times Yet Coming", shows the sameinnate sense of rhyme and metre that has distinguished his earlier work.Only the conclusion lacks perfect ease and naturalness. Mr. Schaffmanhas so far confined his Muse to optimistic opinions and moral maxims; wehope that in the near future he will vary his efforts and attempt toreflect more of his general reading in his poetry. The field is largefor one so happily favored with the gift of song.
H. P. LOVECRAFT, Chairman.