What do you think about chaperons?

Media

Part of The Carolinian

Title: What do you think about chaperons?
Creator: conducted by E. M. Diola
Language: English
Year: 1955
Rights
Fulltext: 7Vfat yu 'Ifatfa Conducted by • E. M. D I 0 L A • ... About Chaperons? Just as tresses tumble to the level of the hips one season and soar to the nape the next, so do the formalities and conventions of an age. We happen to live in an era of push-buttons and jet-propulsions, an age which refuses to recognize the stilted formalities of another age. Chaperons, for instances, are now virtual strangers eyed with indifference by our young people. But then there are those who still maintain that they are as necessary as jailhouses. There has been a lot of bilge and bugwash about this seemingly simple question. Writers on modern etiquette and Vogue assert that chaperons are extra baggage in any social affair. It (Vogue, that is) holds the argument that we should look more to the temper of the times rather than to the echo of old traditions. Modern girls, they observed, are their own best chaperons. But again, these are in the books. We decided to find out how our own college students re-act on the question. So here............ OLIVA CAST AR ARES, College of Pharmacy, says: A prudent girl needs a chaperon when going out on a date or to a party. And an intelligent man should not feel offended or even take the mistaken notion that his character and dependability are being questioned. He must give little concessions and sacrifices to his whims if he is to preserve the friendly tie. The necessity of a chaperon comes in handy when a girl is out on a date with her boy friend, because as Monsieur de la Rochefoucauld says of lovers: "All their talk is of themselves." It must be added here that not only their talk but also their thoughts are of themselves. If this be so, then a chaperon can very well serve as a breakwater for sudden selfish impulses. In a predominantly Catholic country like ours, it is a sad commentary that the chaperon chivalry is gradually vanishing. But I am sure that there will be a moral reawakening and then we shall be able to cut loose from the fads and fashions of this highly emancipated age which knows no chaperon and recognizes no apron strings. EDUVIGES ESQUELA. College of Pharmacy, says; There is a person whom progress and modernity should not discard. One such is the chaperon — that inconspicuous entity who, in one moment, is spoken of in terms of joy and, in the next, is scorned as belonging to an age long consigned to the history books. Whatever may be said about chaperons, pro and con, the fact persists that the chaperon is indispensable. A girl in her teens who has not been invested with enough responE. Esquela sibility but who has to fulfill some really important engagement, should consider the chaperon a ''must' item. I must hasten to add, however, that even in full womanhood, a girl wouldn't be the less dignified if she had a chaperon with her when she attends some social function or some such thing. A chaperon, to my mind, is not a voodoo designed to scare people away and to stand in the way of real happiness. For actually, a chaperon's role is that of an anonymous heroine who discourages the "foolish little things" which, as it happens many times, develop into gross indiscretion. Pa g e 40 THE CAROLINIAN JOSEFINA MANUBAG, Secretarial Department, says: Going out with a chaperon is a good tradition which should not be "thrown to the dogs." Even in this era of precocious technology, we still find our morality wanting of safeguards simply because we refuse to profit by our traditions. While it is true that we have advanced in technical know-how, our standards of morality are at a standstill, if not on the down grade. Today, our comics-crazy teen-agers are so busy with jam sessions and so engrossed in terpsichorean acrobatics that their chemistry lessons and/or religious obligations are often neglected and relegated to the ash can. Now, must we blame chaperons for playing mother-hens to these bunch of misguided missiles? — MAURICIO FELICIO, College of Law, says: It depends who the chaperon and to what a girl is going out for. If she goes out to formal parties I with her mother, that's perfectly okay. Or her father for that matter. But if Ma or Pa tags along like a five-centavo stamp to jam sessions or to a movie date, it's simply unbearable. Either will freeze the fun and it is not unlikely that the man would dismiss the girl as squeamish and antic, and therefore like an old furniture in a 1955-model bungalow, out-of-place-and-date. In our times of atomic fission she will not, nay she cannot lead a hale of a life. Chaperons should be discarded and stashed away to rot with the past. ROMULO BACOL, College of Liberal Arts, says: I suggest that chaperons, like the knee-long bathing suits, be conCaroliniana (Continued from, page 48) Reverend Rahmann's Field Work Among the Aetas seems to goad scholarly-minded Filipinos to do a "double-time" on researches made on the Aetas. He says that one who's familiar with their dialect should turn out a good thesis on these people — and this seems to be swiveled at our direction. But the question is: How many Filipinos are "scholarly-minded? (This is a boogie-woogie world, Father.) But anyhow, those who consider themselves capable may take their cue from the former Graduate School Dean. Now comes Reverend van Linden's poser: What do You Think About the Graduate School? Think, fellas, think! — or would rather let Senator Recto handle the situation? V. Ranudo, Jr. "comes crash- i ing into an alley of fear" after he ; saw the nightmarish sights of his I Sanity's Last Stand. The latter is i a methodical, imaginative person- | al description of the writer's own i interpretation of the stages the sane mind undergoes until it completely conks into the realms of insanity. "Sanity's Last Stand" was written ; by Ranudo while he was yet in ! j high school. Somehow the article i | found its way to the 1950 edition I | of the Carolinian as yet red-penciled | by NGR. Giving it a new twist. Nene (yep, that's his handle) obliges us with "newer methods in his literary madness." (Continued on page 42)' 11. Bacol signed to the dead files of history. A century ago the doctrine that a woman's place was in the house was in fashion. Consequently, women lived practically sequestered lives. In today's world of hoity-toity people, are our women as blind and meek as they were during grandma's time? No, siree! Try Don Juan's tactics on a barbered, painted female specimen, where does it lead you? Nowhere. Or pilot a sixteen-year old schooner to a port of your desire and where do you land? On a port of her choosing. Yes, sir . . . these females are as shrewd as Wall Street bankers and as slippery as Russian diplomats. As Nestorios Morelos aptly puts it, "These gals can pack a wallop that can demolish a tartanilia." Does a girl need a chaperon? One female is enough for a guy's nerves. (Turn to next page) <~Plural. then you came and pour nearness taught me the distance of the stars. I bled: and your touch kindled fire among the ashes of my forgotten love! —E. M. Diola AUGUST, 1955 Pa g e 11 STAND, SUN . . . (Continued from page 22) Copernicanism “appears to contradict Scripture". On March 5, 1616, the work ol Copernicus was forbidden by the Congregation of the Index untji corrected", and in 1620 these corrections were made known. Nine sentences, by which the heliocentric system was represented as "certain", had to be either omitted or changed. This done, the reading of the book was allowed. In 1758 the book disappeared from the revised Index. VALUE OF HIS WORK. Copernicus was not the first to realize that the apparent movemen! of the sun from east to west is no conclusive proof that it does actually move in this way. In the 14tli century, Oresme drew attention to the fact that Heraclides of Pontus had put forward the hypothesis of the earth's movement. And it seems that Oresme considered the hypothesis of the earth's daily rotation on its axis to meet all requirements better than the opposite hypothesis. In the 15th century, Nicolas of Cusa, Cardinal, stated clearly that both the sun and the earth move, although he did not say explicitly that the earth rotates round the sun. But ordinary observation alone cannot convince anyone of the earth's rotation. As Roger Bacon, the 13thcentury Franciscan, had insisted, astronomy requires the aid of mathematics. (Continued on page ltd) ROSS COVER'S . . . ABOUT CHAPERONS . . . (Continued from page 41) ROLANDO LEYSON. i College of Engineering, says: A chaperon is a dead hero — and a girl going out with a chaperon is something of a shy lass taken from out ol an antique page of history. Which, I might say, is not wholesome at all. We must admit that the spirit of culture — or shall we say manners? — does not die with the age, but it must also be admitted that its expression changes with the mood and idiosyncracies of the times. In the “good old days" it was unthinkable for a woman to go out alone; it simply was against the moral temper of the day. But as often said, nothing is constant than change. Today, it is proper and fit for a woman to go out alone; after all, nobody can best serve as chaperon other than herself. I dare say, a chaperon spoils the fun and takes out the very purpose of engagement. His presence affords a man an opportunity to be what he is not. (Continued on page 4->) (Continued from page 30) CAROLINIANA. . . (Continued from page 41) Buddy Quitorio is back. Registrars, Cashiers, Clerks, Mail-clerks, Librarians, professors and especially you, girls, take heed of his column. On da Level. Something about him: he doesn't pull his punches. What Do You Think About Chaperons? A question difficult to answer but, at least, one finds fun in answering it. Erasmus Diola has seemed to have stirred a hornet’s nest by this quizzer. We'd like to know how you answer this one without detriment to your allowances from Ma. ---------The way Shirley Evangelista treats 'em Campuscrats reminds us of Maria Delia Saguin's lackdaisical mood. Shirley seems to be a neophyte of this university but her qualities (literary and non-literary) simply convinced us (and adviser Faigao too) that she's really fit for campuscratting. ! USC has a new basketball coach. Read BQ's Sportscope and RG's highball for the sportsman for further details. So far, he's doing all right. But how far this will go, we can't say. The team has everything (including jackets and Chuck Taylors) but discipline. Somebody seems to have a hard time hinting to D. Deen and recruit E. Michael that there's only one coach and playmaker in the business who goes by the initials of JA jr. Spare the rod, and spoil them children Maestro! Another thing: not all of the credit however, goes to JA jr. and the jackets, — Lauro Mumar (if J that name means anything to you) also has to be given a lion's share on the job of whittling these ballupstarts down to size. On this business the umpires, gatekeepers, oafs, louts and selfstyled experts are your colleagues. They give you the dopes; know who's going to fade out this year, throw you out of the gym or cry upon your shoulders. Fans yell the loudest when that bonehead of a writer doesn't include their bean-poles in his make-up. From day to day you rub against strange people. You have to be on constant guard against mental infection and collapse of the brain cells. A wag once told me he rates the ref just one notch below his most hated human being. So if people like me aren't careful they'll find themselves one day carrying a cane and sporting darkcolored glasses. A series of disintegration would set in and six moons later you could kick him on the seat of the pants to the gutters. Take the first “t" from TRIOT and what do you have? RIQT. Take the last “t" but retain the first. The word? TRIO. Try reading pages 38-39 and you'll know why the last letter “t" was added to the triot. Some cornball, huh! Come October issue, the red pencil will have new fingers for its master. It was great knowing you, Carolinian. Pa g e 42 THE CAROLINIAN STAND, SUN . . . (Continued from page 42) Copernicus with his great mathematical ability made his lifework a success. Commencing his labor at a time when the belief in the immobility of the earth was universal, he conceived the idea of its motion, and pursued it with unwearied diligence, nor for a few years, but through the greater part of his life, constantly comparing it with the appearances in the heavens. All these observations he did a hundred years before the invention of telescopes, with imperfect wooden instruments. That is the scientific value of his work, to have opened the gate of the heavens by his precise and steadfast nursuit of the celestial phenomena, observationally and mathematically. Kepler, the great countryman of Copernicus, has described his character in the following words: "Copernicus, vir maximo ingenio, et quod in hoc exercitio magni momenti est, animo liber". Vir maximo ingenio — his genius appears in the fact that he grasped the truth centuries before it could be proved. Animo liber — at the beginning of Book One Copernicus himself reveals to us: "A property of all good arts is to draw the mind of man away from vice and direct it to better things; these arts (i.e. astronomy and mathematics) can do that more plentifully on account of the unbelievable pleasure of mind which they furnish. For who, after applying himself to things which he sees established in the best order and directed by divine ruling would not through contemplation of them, and through a certain habituation be awakened to that which is best and would not admire the artificer o' all things, in whom is all happiness and every good? — That was the intention of his labor that is the moral value of his work, the glory of God. ALUMNI CHIMES. . . (Continued from page 28) are not certain but someday we'll see him in the arena of politics. Last word from St. Joseph College, Maasin, Leyte has it that Miss Presentation Garde is marming the National tongue out there. This is something for one of the personnel in our Registrar to crow over. Well, good luck to you Sing.... ABOUT CHAPERONS . . . (Continued from page 42) ESTRATONICA TAN, College of Commerce, says: It is true that a chaperon sometimes spoils the fun, but it is also unimpeachable that more often than not he or she plays an important part in whipping our morals into line. As we see, even angels can be tempted. Having a chaperon along has its merits and demerits. For instance, gossip is minimized, if not all done away with. Occasion to sin is eliminated and our parents who are usually left at home do not have to worry as regards our personal safety. Of course, chaperons are kill-joys no matter how you look at them. But one should also consider that joy is not always the solitary motive behind every date. ANYTHING YOU SAY . . . (Continued from page 45) Dear Editor: I beg to disagree xvith Mr. Fabroz’ “On Women's HitchLine'' in the March 1955 issue of the Carolinian. I can’t subscribe to his ideas. His contention that women nowadays are in a hand-to-mouth state of hooking a man (what a phrase) because they don’t know their do’s and don’t’s is unfair. Why refer it to all women? Why not speak of those who have lowered considerably our social standards, instead? There are those whose faces are as saintly as Mona Lisa’s but ivhose whereabouts reveal exactly the opposite of tvhat their faces ought to reflect. This could have been the appropriate subject for him to break into print. I believe Mr. Fabroz was only motivated by his desire to attack women for revenge. He must have been the victim of an unattained desire. Can’t you be patient for a moment, Sammy? Remember: “the greater the conflict the more glorious the triumph.” NATY ILAO, College of Law It’s your right to disagree. — ED. GRADUATE SCHOOL FORMS CLUB In a meeting held by the Graduate School teachers and students last July 17, the first Post Graduate School Club was formed. Fr. Cornelis van der Linden, S.V.D., the Dean of the Graduate School; Fr. Joseph Baumgartner; Mr. Alfredo Ordona; and Mr. Sesinando Buot were among those present. Fr. van der Linden gave a short talk followed by the election of officers. Officers elected are: George Sychuan Guy, Praeses; Lourdes R. Quisumbing, Scriba; Esperanza Manuel, Press Relations Officer. He stands — tough and gentle ... A powerful being — yet, weak in itself... He sits — an uncontented being ... a King all his Own ... A Ruler — yet, Woman-ruled ... He walks — proud with every step__ humbler with each defeat__ A mass of Atom Clay — the Man! By: ELSIE JANE VELOSO AUGUST, 1955 Pa g e 43