Down the Lavatory!

"[unclear: Obsenity] can be found in any book except the telephone directory." Otago Capping May, 1957.

Once again "Man" devotees will have snapped up "Cappicade." and gloated at Procesh and Extrav. and probably once more the Association will have made financial benefit from its mag, and show of smutty reputes (though it is not always 100 per cent, justified). Hut does this make it worth while? Must we delight the dirty old men in town, and disgust the ordinary citizen for a little fun, and a few soiled pounds? A lot of work went into these Capping functions, and to a certain extent a very good job was done. Our reputation was maintained and upheld. It is time, however, to consider whether the reputation is one we can be proud of, and whether the hard work is justified. We maintain that Universities can never avoid all sex and grime. Growing up is painful, to many too much of an effort. All communities have black sheep: men and women facing adulthood in particular must have a large share. But it is one thing to recognise the inevitability of this, however regreatfully—quite another to encourage and glory in it. How many young Freshers arrive with the impression that students enjoy special license to drink, commit vandalism, and to indulge in sex? Do we not foster this, intentionally or not? if we had dearly shown officially that this is equally reprehensible within the University as without, then it is likely that the stupidity on the cable-car would not have occurred. There is far too ready an acceptance of the idea that we must drink till we roll on the floor, that in public we must revel in filth, that in the dark we must make love—to someone.

The situation is not helped by the Association officially producing "Cappicade" and running Procesh, with the only proviso that nothing must be so far over the odds as to risk prosecution.

It is up to the Association to set the tone of the College to the best of their ability: through strictly vetting their official functions and stating regularly and unequivocally that in our actions we must be judged as ordinary (of rather better than ordinary) members of the community. Even students should have some moral codes—and strict ones. We can enjoy ourselves, we can have proceshes and "Cappicades"—but let's break this tradition and remember that the most amusing productions are by no means necessarily smutty. Perhaps if "Cappicade" took "Punch" and the "New Yorker" as its model it would not make such a profit, but it would be of a higher level and a level which we believe should and can be our natural one. It might also find that there are more contributors who can be witty than who can be sexy (for publication) and puerile. This is not an attack on this year's organisors, for on the whole, they have produced efforts of reasonable standard: in the same odd and worthless tradition. It is up to us, theoretically the rules of our own association, to see that the whole tradition is changed, and that we allow the better elements in our student community to set the standard.—Sal.