Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-02

of Biblical content has very little
bearing on conduct
Any discussion of American stu
dents brief as it may be- is not perfect
without n mention on slang. ! was
wholly at sea on my first arrival to
make out the meaning of some such
expressions as kick the bucket" .cut
il ont" ding bust it, cheese it,"
"skidoo,a and the like. Now, after
living in it for six years, l feel at
home. Aside from slang, very many
students are far from using choice
English. Their grammar is very Of
ten outrageous. Still, home conditions
are a strong factor. here. In their
speech, as in anything else. not only
students. but all Americans. want to
get there by the shortest cut possible.
Social Side Charming.
Academic life had mixed with it So
eial life which, in New England, is
perfectly charming. | speak especially
of New England because / spent most
of my time with the Yankees with
whom ! have much in common. Their
serenades Halloween parties, bon
fires. sleigh rides, corn huskings,
Christmas trees, picnics, church So
cials, parties of all descriptions. WED
dings, church services. lawn fates,
concerts, opera lectures, town meet
ings, auctions, state fairs. circus, and
elections, are interesting and enjoy
able. The ball game is a great in
stitution in this country, and for
eigncr, Americanized as he may be,
cannot rave over ball" quite as Wild
ly as the native American. The mad
enthusiasm Which the common Ameri-
can crowd displays is unintelligible TO
the uninitiated.
Some Yankees do rot seem To real
ize that there is anything else to eat
except baked beans and apple pie. 4
high school senior ca GRID once asked
me if we had baked beans in Syria.
No ! said. Well, do YOU have apple
pie" Again | answered in the mega
tive. Finally she broke out with dis
gust and disappointment. What do
you have 10 eat over there" Dozens.
dozens and dozenssof New Englanders
ask me if we have their fayorite dish
in the Holy Land and it always breaks
my heart to diGappnint them
AT any rate, feel perfectly at home
with Americans. In fact, l am more
American than anything else. / have
not taken out any papers-do not ex-
rect To. for that matter-but | consider
r1yseif American never theless. For to
be an American is one thing and
American is quite another. The first is
simple and mechanical; the second,
complex and more worth while. Slow
~, during my six year course / have
been completely Amerieanized ] am
proud of the tact and owe it to my
friends and TO the sensible Americans
with whom il has been my good for
te1nc to come in contact. II is a great
thing for a foreigner To have the best
Americans Interested in him-not pay
his bills, but Interested in him. 10
bring him To their standards of
thought and action by placing trust
and confidence in him. How many
foreigners are lost to America merely
because they had not one. at first, TO
guide them as t. the best in American
life. ! owe a great debt to my
American friends for taking me right
into their own homes and bringing out
the best that is in me. Five years I
spent in New England. most closely
associated with Quaker families.
like New England, / like its baked
beans and brown bread. l enjoy Whit
tier. Longfellow. Emerson. Lowell and
the rest. But of all the things that
admire in New England and in other
parts Of the country. nothing quite sur
passes home life. To my mind. the
home of Il m.ddle-class American with
its industrious father. devoted mother
and Vell-bred children falls short OF
nothing sayc heaven itself. If my
American education gave me nothing
but Il keen appreciation of the joys of
simple. genuine and a true home life.
my six years were not spent in Ameri-
ca III vain.
Impressions of American social life
hat leave out the subject OF woman
arc not complete. for woman is a
most vital factor in American socie
ty. 1t cannot run without her. Per-
ir;tslss- no other social group makes
quite SO much of her; and the true
American woman. TO my mind. is worth
every bit oil this attention. Many
ladies in this country abuse this
throne, while many women grace it by
their character, personality and breed
ing The American street girl, With
ner enormous masses of hair, ridicu-
lots head gear absurd and tastelesS
apparel is not a fair type by which to
Judge American taste and esthetie ma
turt. The girl ut the circus. Naude-'
VILE public dance, and citys park,
does not represent American maiden-