Editorial

The criticism to which we were gratified to find our last number subjected has set us pondering on the matter of College magazines in general and our own "pathetic periodical" in particular. We have been accused of publishing malicious personalities, we have been execrated for our destructive criticism of University functions and for the levity of our references to the College staff, we have been told that our magazine was not truly representative. The latter charge, with which we associate the delightful epigram that heads our page, we acknowledge to be only too well-founded—would that it were possible to refute it!

A representative magazine—how impossible of attainment, yet how manifestly in our power, if each one of us contributed his share. Then, page 2 indeed, we should have a magazine that would be at once a record and a portrait of our life here—a microcosm of our particular pimple in this ant-hill of a world. It would be a magazine that would reflect something of the feelings and impulses of youth, something of its recklessness, its impatience of control, its righteous egotism, something, too, of youth's deeper under-currents—religious ponderings, a hint, perchance, of youthful passion, to prove that, despite our diplomas and degrees, we are still fairly normal young animals. And our magazine would be contentious, intolerant of insincerity and pretence, scorning all that is petty, malicious, mean. In it would be encouraged the artistic expression of our students—etchings, sketches, caricature would find their due place. Nor would sport be overlooked; our paper would contain no mere chronicle of sport, but some indication of its deeper significance; why it is that girls and men sweat and strain for dominion over a paltry piece of leather. And so our thoughts mount upwards until they culminate in the Uncle-Ponderevo-like fizz of the visionary, and we return, realising what an emasculated parody of our ideal we have succeeded in producing—"that pathetic periodical published by apathetic people."

But we shall close in no gloomy strain of despair. There are, despite ourselves and our contributor, glimmerings of hope on the near horizon—our vigorous fellow-publication, "Smad," the single issue of next year, the new spirit of energy that is abroad. Let us express our death-bed wish that these stimulating influences will vivify next year's issue, making that rankling taunt a false one. Let there be in our College magazine some of the spirit, the potentialities, the beauty that are in every youthful thing. Let us absolve ourserves from those direct indictments of youth, apathy, effeteness, exhaustion.

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We feel that some editorial notice is wanted of the fact that this will be the last (for some time, at least) of our biannual issues. Following an amendment to the Constitution, next year will see only one "Spike." We are now in the equivocal position of bidding our Hail and Farewell—Hail to what we trust will prove a tenaciously hardy annual, Farewell to the long line of "Spikes" that have, subject to the traditional vagaries of University publications, appeared twice annually for so many years. Fit occasion, perhaps, to shed a tear of affectionate and reminiscent good-bye; fitter, we think, to bid a welcome to the magazine which will be rejuvenated by the energy and the literary effort that have formerly been dissipated over two issues. And so, with another "Ave atque vale!" we shall end this valedictory-cum-welcome paragraph.

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As a further proof that the literary forces of Victoria College are not remaining quiescent, we must record the birth of a sturdy infant, rejoicing in the distinctive appellation of "Smad." Considering our (comparatively speaking) hoary age and immemorial traditions, we think it not presumptuous to confer on "Smad" our blessing, and hope that its future appearances will be as comprehensively entertaining and valuable as its first. We commend, too, its chivalrous references to its fellow-publication —may that note of friendly co-operation be a permanent one.