PASTE POT AND SHEARS
OASTE POT and Shears were having quite a discussion when I
entered the Dance Room the other evening, and, as I soon
learned, it was all brought about by those essays in criticism
which have lately been appearing in college magazines. Shears
was quoting from the Brown Magazine , the Wesleyan Lit , and the
Bowdoin)Quill , and sharply expressed himself in favor of excluding
all stories which were not stories of college life. Paste Pot did
not agree with him; said, “It’s impossible to run a magazine un
less you accept them.”
“Snip, Snip!” said Shears. “Look at the Bowdoin Quill. It’s
a perfect college magazine from the outside cover to the ad’s.
That ‘Dark Gray Secret’ was worth three ordinary stories.
Where can you find a lighter and more pleasant treatment than in
Gray Goose Tracks and in Ye Postman, or a more dignified style
than is used by that meditative old Study Window up at Wesleyan.
They’re purely college creations.”
Paste Pot was stirred. “Don’t you know, Shears, that a col
lege is a world by itself? It has its own ideals, its own expressions,
and its own social life. Now, these things exert a strong influence
on the student, and, whether he write a story of college life or of
adventure in the Klondike, he will treat it from the student’s
standpoint and, what’s more, it will be read by persons who are
surrounded by the same influences and who look at things in
pretty much the same way as did the author. Of course, if you
view such productions from the standpoint of the outside world or
bring to bear upon it the light of higher criticism, they are of no
value, but such tests are over severe and unreasonable. ” Here
Paste Pot came down flat and stuck firmly.
There was more said upon the subject, but they finally agreed
to agree that a story should not be rejected simply because it does
not treat of college life. Both Paste Pot and Shears seemed to be
full of the subject, and I would not be surprised if they should
break out again next month.
After the above discussion, Shears naturally wanted me to men-