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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review, June 1913

(The Editor, Spike.)

(The Editor, Spike.)

Dear Sir,—In ancient times, when a man had a grievance, he took down his trusty battle-axe, went into hard training for a week, sallied forth and alleviated his injured feelings by tapping his opponent firmly on his medulla oblongata. In modern times one writer to the papers—hence this epistle. Some five or six years ago, when one received an invitation to attend a dance or other social function, it was customary to reply within a stated time, in order to assist the hostess or committee, as the case might be, in making the necessary arrangements. Now, alas! another generation has arisen, to whom the mystic symbols R. S. V. P. are as meaningless as Belshazzar's warning. This is a pity, as these blasé ladies and gentlemen are as a rule the first to complain if arrangements, through their own negligence (one might almost say discourtesy), are not everything they expected.

Our own University Ball, the Capping Dance, and the onetime annual Vitoria College Ball, are all examples of the gamble, which the committee has to take as to the number to be catered for.

Coming nearer home, at the various dances held on "the hop floor on the top floor," the greater percentage of the dance tickets are sold at the door, thereby causing great inconvenience to the Committee. Let me give a concrete instance. At a recent dance flaring notices were displayed in the vestibule, and tickets were offered for sale everywhere. Ladies were to be admitted free, but they were asked by general proclamation to notify the Committee if they intended being present. The result was twelve tickets were sold and ten girls notified the Committee. The Committee were naturally somewhat at a loss, and decided to cater for forty couples. Some sixty couples attended, and these same individuals grumbled because the supper ran shout about one o'clock, or because some other minor detail went wrong.

While on this subject, I have had a little experience as a Committee member, and it is a wonder to me that more conscience-money is not received after these dances. There are a number who go in on the "dead-head" ticket at every College dance. This is a statement easier left unsaid, but it page 82 is high time that such a blemish should be removed from College life.

In conclusion, I may add that I have not this year been a member of any dance committee, but these facts have at one time or another been brought forcibly before my notice, and I think it is that this state of things should cease.—Yours,

N'Importe.