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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1935. Volume 6. Number 3.

In Defence

In Defence.

Dear "Smad"—

As the year grows older and students become brain-fagged (some never suffer from this), grumbling and grousing become very prevalent. Freshers, having cast their down, produce the real feathers of undergraduateship, and, at this stage, commence to find fault with the nest that has, and still is, sheltering and mentally feeding them. The older birds, both cock and hen, having lost interest in their scholastic eggs (addled, no doubt, through age and failure to hatch) commence the moan.—"The 'Caf' has gone off;" "The food is poor;" "The library never has any books you want:" "The library staff is not keeping up to scratch" This last one is the favourite subject for a moan.

All I say is, let these grumblers (and they do arise), go elsewhere try and find another nest.

It was my misfortune to have to attend one of our other Universities last year, and, compared with the life at V.U.C., the place was miserable.

Its library contained a minimum number of books, 75% of which one could not take out as they were specially reserved: the library staff was hopeless, knowing nothing about the infinitessimal number of books they did have. The cafeteria was supervised by a — words fail me! It was female in gender, elderly, who actually stopped students from putting more than one spoonful of sugar in their tea! This takes some believing, but I can vouch for its truth. The men's common room was large, in fact, more like a barn or manger, where a few silent, God forsaken students ate their lunches, making the room even more unpleasant.

There was no student-life of any importance; older students were hard to get to know and the atmosphere of the whole place was depressing. I missed being shuffled along by "Brookie,' 'and if I could have heard his familiar snap it would have helped to brighten things up. It's surprising how old V.U.C. men who go to other colleges, miss "Brookie."

To those students, fledgelings and old birds both, who do not like this nest at Salamanca, I will quote the following passage from the Scriptures:—

"If yer knows a better 'ole, go to it.'

—Petulengro.