MARCH 3, 1961
Music, The Uni
JOANNE PREZKOP
[Editor's note: Joanne Prezkop of
421 East Diamond Avenue, Hazleton,
is an alumna of St. Gabriel's High
School, class of 1960. She is now
a student in Medical Technology and
is also a member of the Theta Sigma
Pi Sorority.]
The “sound of music” flows
everywhere. Music can be experi
enced universally from the com
plexity of a symphony orchestra
to the simple melody of a
whistling boy, and from the
earliest church music to modern
jazz. It is an incomparable
language that everyone should
understand and enjoy with great
pleasure. Yet, to understand mu
sic more fully, one must learn
some of its major ideas.
In turning to the definition in
Webster’s New Collegiate Diction
ary one finds this: “Music is
melody or harmony; any succes
sion of tones so modulated as to
please the ear, or any combination
of simultaneous tones in harmo
ny.” Although the dictionary def
inition is useful, only experience
In listening to music will help one
to appreciate and enjoy it.
At this point, one must know
what it means to appreciate and
enjoy music. Therefore, in appre
ciation, the more knowledge and
facts one has about music, the
End Of An Angry Day
All is quiet now in the little
grave yard south of town. The
sun is not yet gone, but this night
no crickets will be heard, only the
constant low moaning and wailing
of the wounded and dying. No
rabbits tonight, just weak and
weary soldiers. The acrid smell of
gunpowder mixes with the fra
grance of splintered trees and the
smell of sweaty, dying men to
form a smell which is sickening
in every aspect, physical and
mental. A cloud seems to hang
over, not only the cemetery, but
the whole country side; a shadow
of violent death present, not a’
mist of peaceful death past. A
cannoneer moves to prime his
piece and stumbles over a sign:
“NO SHOOTING PERMITTED
IN THE CEMETERY.” The
place? Gettysburg, July 1, 1863.
iversal Language
NE PREZKOP
richer the meaning' of music will
be. Yet, to enjoy music, it must
be pleasing to the ear, and it also
should have its own special way
of giving emotional satisfaction.
Of course, the principal factor
in music appreciation is listening.
There are four different ways one
may listen to music. First, passive
listening includes background or
dinner music which does not have
a direct effect on the listener.
Next, the sounds one likes to hear
because of their tone are called
sensuous sounds, because hearing
is one of the senses. This can
apply to such things as bells,
birds, and even cannons. Then,
there is emotional music which
depends upon the individual person
himself. For example, a certain
song is remembered, because it
was played when one danced with
a special person. Finally, percep
tive listening needs most serious
concentration.
In order to be able to concen
trate on music, one must develop
perception to a great extent.
Nevertheless, there are obstacles
to perception which must be
conquered in order to enjoy
music. What one hears depends
largely on the attention one gives
to music. If one cannot hear it
distinctly or is disturbed by
someone, the tone will have no
value. Also, one should try to
deepen his awareness of musical
material by listening to the same
piece of music a number of times.
Here one may develop prejudices
about a particular composer or
composition. This can be the
greatest hindrance to perceptive
listening. Only an impartial view
point for all musical material will
develop a taste for all types of
music.
Finally, after these points in
music are considered, one may
now discover how much he has
neglected the beautiful world of
music. One should probe more
deeply into musical forms for
greater enjoyment. In understand
ing it, music may definitely add
a significant dimension to one’s
satisfactions in life.
POLITICAL MAIL BAG
Congressman J. A. Blatnik:
How can we prevent this story
from becoming a reality?' It’s the
end of the Third World War, and
every human being on earth has
been killed off except one man who
is badly wounded and is leaning
up against a tree—finally he, too,
keels over dead.
An ape sitting in the tree
watching what has happened,
turns to his mate and exclaims,
“My God, do we have to start this
whole thing over again!”
Senator H. M. Kilgore:
I don’t know why the Senate
wastes our valuable money and its
time investigating the Housing
Shortage. There really is no
Housing Shortage. This is just a
nasty rumor started by people
who have no place to live.
HIGH ACRES COLLEGIAN
MEET MRS. BODENSTEIN
For this issue of the Collegian,
Miss Joanne Rossi has interviewed
a member of the German and
English Departments, Mrs. Eliza
beth Bodenstein. Perhaps, you
have wondered where Mrs. Boden
stein acquired her charming Brit
ish accent. She was born in
England and spent her formative
years in London. The fact that
her accent is British and not
Cockney surprises her.
Mrs. Bodenstein’s father was a
member of the European staff of
the Associated Press. As a result
of his various assignments, she
has lived in both Holland and
Germany. During the five years
she spent in Berlin, Mrs. Boden
stein taught English in private
circles, attended classes at the
University of Berlin to perfect her
knowledge of German, and did
much German to English transla
tion work. She even produced a
small text book in English for use
in the German schools.
In 1933, while still in Germany,
Mrs. Bodenstein married. Her
daughter was born there before
they came to the United States
where she has been a naturalized
citizen since 1940. Her first
teaching experience in the United
States was as a “native-speaker”
with the Intensive German pro
gram at Yale University. Then,
while teaching at the University
of Texas, she qualified for both
her Bachelor of Arts and Master
of Arts degrees from that
institution.
In 1956, she came to Pennsyl
vania and began teaching at
Highacres. Teaching English and
German, and being advisor to the
Theta Sigma Pi sorority keep her
busy as do her Russian studies
HAZLETON CAMPUS
PROFESSOR DIES
Aaron Herschfeld, assistant pro
fessor of mathematics, died on
Sunday, February 12, 1961, at the
Geisinger Hospital, Danville,
where he had been a patient for
three weeks.
A member of the Hazleton
Campus faculty for the last four
years, Professor Herschfeld came
here from Canisius College, Buf
falo, N. Y. He previously served
as an instructor in mathematics
and mechanics at the Polytechnic
Institute of Brooklyn, N. Y.
He was graduated from the
College of the City of New York
with a Bachelor of Science degree
in mathematics in 1932 and earned
a Master of Arts degree from
Columbia University in 1934.
Surviving are two brothers:
Morris, Brooklyn; Sam, Miami;
and two sisters: Mrs. Louis
Cherkasky, Brooklyn; and Mrs.
Louis Landweber, lowa City, lowa.
The administration, faculty, and
student body extend their deepest
sympathy to Mr. Herschfeld’s
relatives.
PAGE THREE
MRS. BODENSTEIN
and College Community Chorus
work. During this spring term,
she is teaching a new one-credit
course in Social Usage open to all
students at the Hazleton Campus.
In undertaking this new assign
ment, Mrs. Bodenstein says, “I
expect both students and teacher
will gain much valuable insight
into basic human values by
studying the fundamental patterns
of behavior in ordinary life. Study
of social usage—the simple rules
of etiquette —should contribute to
one’s self-assurance and to
harmonious relationships with
others.”
All in all, Mrs. Bodenstein finds
life full here at Highacres, and
the full life, whatever it may
bring in the way of fair weather
or foul, is her idea of really living.
LIBRARY NOTES
Mr. Frank Kostos has presented
Max Weber’s Religions of the
East in three volumes, to the
Library in memory of Professor
Herschfeld.
In addition, Mr. Kostos gave
these books as gifts: T. Herberg’s
A New Geometry, J. A. Nyberg’s
Plane Geometry and F. E. Sey
mour’s Plane Geometry. Also,
thanks to Mr. Kostos’ gift of a
roomy display rack to our ever
expanding Library, Mrs. Ferry
has been able to arrange a
Vocational Guidance file on the
wall of the Charge Room. Stu
dents can read about all types of
occupations and professions to be
found on this rack.
Professor James Steel has
loaned an extensive collection of
books about Egypt to our Library.
These include The Nile, The
Mummy, etc.
The Library has purchased the
fifteen-volume Encyclopedia of
Science and Technology, published
by McGraw-Hill.
Roll Up Your Sleeves
“Success will come to you
If you but let it,”
They said. But I found out
You’d better go and get it.
—Rosa Marinone