The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-27
Opposition of Last Year to Modern Dances Seems to
 Have Subsided
RECOGNITION THAT
 "WORLD DOES MOVIE
Years Reflection and Observation Convince Authorities That New Steps Were Apparently Not
 So Bad After All
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

Tuscaloosa May .--tSpeciaL)-votari
 of the various dance gods will be permit ted during the ensuing commencement
 season to didulge their passion for the tango.
 That this is true is given as proof by
 those who hold Tuscaloosa dear that the
 world does move" For few are those who
 cannot remember that just year ago. the
 more temperamental of the members of
 the university faculty drowned terribly
 when some damsel more modern or more 'progressive' than her fellows led her
 partner out of the innocent glides of the
 old-fashioned waltz and permitted the ex-
 pression of too jubilant spirits in the tam tiizing and fascinating "one step"
 As matter of fact, strong was fac
 ulty opposition that a pail was thrown about the festivities of commencement.
 The outside world. made up principally of those too old to dance, laughed. And, in It's last analysis it was amusing-this op- position on the part of men who dreamed that their strength was sufficient to check a passion with which the entire world was made. At the time. frivolous individuals pointed out the historical truth that years ago mothers criticized other mothers who permitted their daugh- ters to waltz, and that later still the more careful or prudish, as the case might have been, considered that damsel beyond the pale who permitted a masculine partner to slip his arm about her waist, and run | away In the wild abandon of the two step.' These frivolous people declared
 that the august faculty. tempermentally professorial, would, with the passage of time. smile at what they were then at tempting. T told you so.' is what the frivolous are saying now.
 A year ago the faculty prepared a for nal pronunciamento. a proclamation. sig nificant chiefly in what it hinted between its fearful lines to the end that no one connected with the institution should dance the tango. the one step, the walk ing George. the kangaroo dip or the oys- ter wiggle. This was just a year ago. The effect then was pall-lke. Gradually, however, students forgot what had been declared by their mentors, and during the months past the new enterprises have been
 attempted. Schools of dancing have profited. As a result, everybody in Tus- caloosa knows how to dance, which means that everybody has forgotten how to waltz and two step"
 And it happens that 1t Is generally un- derstood that at the commencement dances this year no hindrances will be thrown around. The professor who formerly was stauoned on ballroom floors to prevent a. violation of ''ethical' dancing will be re- lieved of his guard duty. Of course. no proclamation will be made by members of the faculty. and members of the faculty will not formally admit that their action of a year gone was unwise. But dancing
 will be indulged in. and Birmingham girls
 and boys who attend the frolics this year
 will not be disappointed. and will not be
 forced to return home with the idea that
 m g.al. te. Co. |. Of course, there are great many people
 who adhere secretly to a desire that Tus-
 saloosa In this regard were behind the
 times But the admission is general that
 it Is foolish to resist where resistence
 IS preposterous." And the admission is general that when the germ of dance is
 in the blood no body of men or women
 can prevail against it.
 Tuscaloosa will dance the modern dances
 until new disease takes hold