THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1953 Belles Lettres Hears Of Pirandello's Life Drawing from a.background of personal experience, Elio Gian turco, associate professor of Romance languages and well known art critic, lecturer, traveler, and biographer, Tuesday night enlightened members of the Belles Lettres Club on “The Life of Luigi Pirandel lo.” . . Gianturco, who was acquainted with Pirandello through natural acquaintances in literary circles some 25 eayrs ago, laid stress on the connection between the per sonality of the’ man and his writ ten. work.. Although ■ most writers accen tuate the emphasis on the intel lectual value of Pirandello’s work, Gianturco’ said, a. knowledge _ of the biographical facts are essen tial, to the study of Pirandello, the man., / Will Reveals Personality Gianturco explained that Pir andello, one of the best known and .--most celebrated of Italy’s modern dramatists, - was more than just a conceptual or philo sophical writer. He read Piran dello’s last will and testament to illustrate the depth of the writer’s personality. “Let my death pass in complete silence to friends and relatives. May I. ask that I never be spoken of anywhere. Do not announce my death in the newspaper. I would like to be wrapped naked in a sheet and placed in a plain box. The hearse should be like that of the poor. I wish no relatives to attend the funeral, just the hearse, the coachman, and a horse shall accompany me. I would like to have my body cremated and dis posed of entirely. It shall be dis persed to the winds. If this can not be done let the urn of my ashes be taken to Italy hear the place where I was born and let it be encrusted in hard stone.” No Use for Riles ’ Gianturco explained that Pir andello had no use for religious customs. He .wanted to be utterly devoid of the customs of man af ter death., He wanted to revert to the “initial nothingness.” The only semblance' of a tie was the provision that his ashes be brought back to his native soil which stemmed from the strong provin cial feeling of the isle of Sicily, his home. • Gianturco described Pirandello as a gdod father, a loyal husband, a very generous man, and, at an early age, a very religious man. He explained that the people of Sicily are intensely religious - and that this fervor attains the color ation of superstition. Pirandello had an intense aware ness of the consciousness of . the human condition, being an avid student of epistimology, Giantur co said. Epistimology is a scien tific inquiry into the mechanism of our senses, its principal prob lem being to decide how much of an object exists within our senses and how much of the object has an independent existence in it self. Reading a passage written by Pirandello, Gianturco attempted to explain his theory of illusion. “Life is a theater of illusions erected by us in order to live. At the bottom of all there is some thing greater which we cannot I Chuck Wagon I 200 E. COLLEGE | JiiiiiitiiiiuiiiiiiitiuuKiiuiuiiuiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiutiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii? By HANK DiPIPI ej. acjem en 1$ Bushkoff-Gerson Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gerson of New Castle announce the engage ment of their daughter Ina to Stanley Bushkoff, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Bushkoff of Philadelphia. Miss Gerson, a seventh semes ter elementary education major, is a member of Sigma Delta Tau. Mr. Bushkoff is a graduate of the University and a member of Zeta Beta Tau. He is now attend ing Hahnemann Medical College where he is a member of Phi Lambda Kappa medical frater nity. Headlee-Purks Mrs. Sophie Dieterich of Doyles town announces the engagement of her niece, Patricia Purks, to Richard Headlee, son of Mr. and Mrs. William G. Headlee of Waynesburg. • Miss Purks is a seventh semes ter home economics major , and a member of Alpha Omicron Pi. Mr. Headlee is a seventh se mester arts and letters major and a member of Chi Phi. Delta Zeta Delta Zeta held its a n.n ua 1 pledge dance at. Beta Theta Pi Saturday night with music sup plied by Jack Jenkins and his orchestra. Catherine Foglia was dream girl and Dorothea Bourne was named ideal pledge. reach. It takes death or madness to fully comprehend.” •- Some critics say that the thea ter of Pirandello is the theater of illusion. The theme of madness is obvious in his brilliantly suc cessful comedy Cosi’ e’ (se vi pare), produced by Players last year at Center Stage as “Right You Are (If You Think So)”. The fact that his wife lost her mind because of- an intense, un founded jealousy, played an im portant part in the-, writings of Pirandello, Gianturco said, the madness theme having preoccu pied him in many plays including “Six Characters in Search of an Author,” and “Henry IV.” Pirandello was an extreme rel ativist, Gianturco said, and - be lieved that there is no reality be yond that which lies in the mo mentary form of sense perception. He believed that when people die we mourn not for their loss but for the reality which is no longer in our feeling, Gianturco said. His theory is that ideas are. cre ated in the mental, psychological, and moral framework of man, that all things are relative to the man, and that nothing is real. Although some tag Pirandello as an agnostic and an atheist, Gianturco said, it is evident that he had a fundamental sincerity and authenticity. He wanted to see this thing called life through and see if he couldn’t find grounds for living. ■ iiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiu: EYH WINNING NUMBER of the TV SET will be DRAWN TONIGHT AT NINE by DICK LEMYRE at the . . . THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA Lewis Chosen Alternate for Mideast Team Barbara -Lewis, third semester student in the Division of Inter mediate Registration, has been chosen as alternate to the mid east hockey team which will com pete at Hunter College against sectional teams from throughout the country. Grace Needham, third semester physical education major; Flor ence Williams, fifth semester physical education major; and Margaret Choate, first semester liberal ars major, represented the University with Miss Lewis at the Gettysburg play day Oct. 31. All four were selected to play Nov. 7 on the southern section of central Pennsylvania team at Bucknell University. At Bucknell, the south central Penn teams com peted against teams from north ern Pennsylvania and the Harris burg Hockey Club. The four women were again chosen as outstanding players at Bucknell and played Nov. 14 on the central Pennsylvania team at Wilson College. At the Wilson tournament the central Pennsyl vania team competed'with teams from Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and the Finger Lakes area teams. Miss Lewis was selected at these tournaments to play on the mid east team, representing colleges, universities, and city clubs from the mideastern states. This is the first year that, the University has participated in col legiate hockey competition. Wilkes College Invites Students to Attend Dance Students have been invited to attend an all-college dance Nov. 27 sponsored by the Student Council of'Wilkes College. The-dance will be in the Wilkes College gymnasium from 9 p.m. to midnight with Herbie Green and his orchestra. Admission and refreshments will be free. Sigma Alpha Mu Sigma Alpha Mu recently en tertained Carol Perlmann, Doris Weinstein, and Leah Cohen of Sigma Delta Tau at dinner. They participated in the lighting of the Sabbath candles. Members of the fraternity held a party for the Lion Party the night of Elections. Refreshments were served. Visit to UN Holds Pleasure, Education A hectic fun-filled yet educational weekend in New York is in store for students attending the annual United Nations seminar Dec. 10 to 13. Sponsored by the Penn State Christian Association, the Depart ment of Political Science, and the Education Student Council, the tour is open to students and fac ulty. Most of the more than 50 stu dents who attended the seminar last year will make the trip again. Participants will attend UN ses sions, . visit and have lunch at the Rockefeller International House —where graduate students from all over the world are liv ing—and take sightseeing excur sions through the city. UN Members to Speak Andrew Cordier, assistant to the Secretary General, and other important UN members, will brief the group on current problems confronting' the UN and the ations of the international organ ization. Dr. Elton Atwater, associate professor of political science, Dr. James H. Moyer, professor of ed ucation, and Mary Jane Wyland, program coordinator for the Christian Association, will serve as faculty consultants for the seminar.. Delegates Sponsored Several church foundations, honorary fraternities, and other organizations in State College will sponsor delegates to the UN trip. Students may sign up and pay a $5 deposit in the PSCA Office, 304 Old Main. Cost of the three day seminar, which will include transportation by bus, rooms at the Hotel Diplomat, and New York events, will be approxi mately $3O. The Dean. of Men and Dean of Women’s offices will grant spe cial excused absence slips for students participating in the seminar. C^o-£lclits Phi Kappa Sigma Present at the Phi Kappa Sigma monthly. alumni luncheon on Monday were Frank J. . Simes, dean of men; Maurice K. God dard, professor of. forestry; Rich ard C. Cunningham, associate pro fessor .of engineering research; and Mr. Fred R. Axelson, associ ate professor of mineral industries extension.. . By BETTY KOSTER WRA Officials' Club To Meet Tonight Compulsory meeting of the Of ficials’ Club of the Women’s Rec reation Association will be held at 6:30’ tonight in 2 White Hall. Members of the club who are unable to attend may contact Con stance Belli to receive officiating schedules for intramural basket ball, according to Mildred Mc- Cowan, WRA clubs chairman. Two club schedule changes have been announced by WRA. Bridge club will meet at 7:45 p.m. on Mondays and badminton club will meet at 8:45 p.m. Tuesdays. thru the Looking Glass It’s vacation time for the campus carousers as we pack clothes and laundry for the great exodus. With thoughts of mom’s cooking and late hours (I wouldn’t wish those 1 o’clocks on an import) we dream our favorite fantasy— no 8 o’clocks. Nothing like a 4 day break for renewed vig orous studying. (Who put that strychnine in my coffee?) . \ Pamper the parents with preserves from Meserves . . . and make it palate-pleas ing to boot. ETHEL’S have imparted jellies that are real ly “gone” and that’s what you’ll be after digesting some Burgendy or Port Wine jelly. For the tee-totalers, take home some Mint and Apple jelly and leave the peanut butter and crackers to the dorm diet. Dainty indulgence for the gourmet . . . what’s more delectable than French Onion Soup, large luscious black Californ ian olives or Hot-N-Tots, namely tiny burr gherkins? ETHEL’S have these fancy tidbits to tuck in your suit case as samples to show the. folks you’re learning about the finer things in life (aside from your souvenirs from the rathskellars). To lop off the Thanksgiving turkey ... Wine vinegars spiced with garlic for savory salads, vin tage marmalade or jasmine tea for taste pleasure or curio treasure. I was only wishing that ETHEL’S was giving free samples so I could dip my grubby fingers into these potpouri packages of delight. But no taste tester is better than your family, so drop in ETHEL’S before taking off pick up something un usual to offset the below grade that is preceding your arrival. ETHEL’S wants to wish you a festive Thanks giving and Gabbi says happy holiday and have fun! 111 E . COILE6I ivi, STATE <011165, fi. PAGE STYE with Gabhi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers