Your editorial in the Oct. 17 issue of The Amherst Student "Disappearing into History," rightly deplored the erosion of Amherst traditions. The rest of the issue exhibited the problem. Your sports pages reported an undefeated soccer season. A day later, closer than the soccer field, in the Eli Marsh gallery in Fayerwether Hall, the man who brought soccer to Amherst in 1920 was honored. The Student gave no notice of the event, ignoring yet another opportunity to bring home a source of sports and educational tradition that is almost sacred to those who understand it.
This was a celebration of the Eli Marsh retrospective of his paintings, with works also by his daughter Ellen. Howard Burnett '52, one of Eli's All-Americans, president emeritus of Washington & Jefferson University, spoke of the breadth of the man, his view of athletics and the arts as part of the College's total educated package, his love of his players and theirs for him.
Some of his most valued players also attended but I can testify, as a lowly junior varsity type one season, that he loved us all. Other old college friends attended also, including the Rev. John Coburn, longtime chaplain of Amherst and later Episcopal Bishop of Massachusetts. The retrospective will remain in Fayerwether until Oct. 28.
John P. MacKenzie '52
Revive Traditions, But With Certain Tasteful Alterations
Amherst used to be known as The Singing College, and every spring there was a contest held in College Hall called the Intrafraternity Sing in which various singing groups competed for the prize. (As choragus I led my fraternity to victory one year.) So your editorial in the Oct. 17 issue of The Amherst Student urging students to learn Amherst songs struck a responsive chord.
But there may be some attendant problems, as lines such as the following may suggest: "First she gave me whiskey,/And then she gave me gin,/And then she gave me crème de menthe for kissing her on the chin" ("Hand Me Down My Bonnet"); or "She's a dear little old lady who lives on a hill/ With some hundreds of kids at her knees ("In This Blessed Old World … "); or "If you want to be boys again without a care" ("Good Days"). Such blatant examples of alcoholic indulgence and sexism have no place in today's "college for men and women."
However I am willing to conduct workshops, perhaps in the (inadequate) music building, during which offending lyrics can be purged and altered to more acceptable forms. As for Sabrina, let's forget about her (leave her to the rich alumni), but how about reviving the Marching Band, in which I once played clarinet? And what of the mandatory wearing of "beanies" by freshmen; or the freshman-sophomore rope-pull held over the creek below Memorial Field? Again, I would be willing to oversee all such events, so that Amherst tradtitions can be revived.
Faithfully,
William H. Pritchard '53
Professor of English