SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1936. Volume 7. Number 4.

A Call to Arms

A Call to Arms.

Sir,—

I read in your last issue a report on the Executive's discussion of the Professorial Board's desire to hold the 1936 Capping Ceremony in the Concert Chamber and to give admission by ticket only. Your report concludes with a paragraph stating, "We understand that the Board has refused to alter the arrangements planned and we can only regret. . ."

"We can only regret," Sir, I desire to express my strong disapproval of this spineless attitude on the part of your paper. With statements such as these, you are encourageing instead of killing an attitude ofmind amongst us which has grown rapidly for the last few years, and is showing no signs of disappearing now. I refer to the immense growth of apathy amongst students at V.U.C. towards their college and their college's activities. I am quite unashamed to refer to the good old days when there really was an active student body-a complete body-which for all its diverse ideals was united in its enthusiasm for college activities. This enthusiasm has declined, and instead of your endeavouring to resurrect it we see your lamentable article on this latest blow to student activity. Where you should lead you unjustifiably take the lazy course of merelamentation. Lamentation never did anyone any good.

Were I quite disinterested, I would be inclined to say that we have been treated as we deserve. If we are not interested enough to make the Capping Ceremony an affair of note and of interest, then the Board is quite right to alter it. But despite the prevailing apathy and the lack of leadership in the Executive, I have yet been able to retain a little of my pristine enthusiasm for student life to point out sincerely that we can do more than "only regret."

I disagree that capping is the Board's "own particular racket." We hae a very vital interest in it and it is surely your duty and the Executive's duty to foster that interest to such a degree that the Board will realise that the Capping Ceremony must be held in the Town Hall.

Yours, etc.

J. Nesbitt Sellers.