The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1920-01-30
"MOST ENJOYABLE
EVENT IN HER LIFE"
IS COLLEGE DANCE
Medina Young Woman, in Let
ter Home, Tells of New
Dances Being Fostered in
Oberlin College.
PROVING TO THE WORLD
DANCE ISN'T DAMNATION

DANCE ISN'T DAMNATION
A Medina young woman, student at
Oberlin, has written home to her
parents telling of the social pleasure
in and about the college and con
functions. Naturally, III
Oberlin, one ofthe big things of in
terest this winter are the student
dances, made possible by the new
ruling by Oberlin College trustees.
A few days ago there was whao
was called the Conservatory Ball, by
the students. This young lady say;
that it was the most enjoyable even
of her whole life. Then she goes OH
to tell Of the dress, the music, tn"
hall and it's decorations, the profes
sors in attendance and the careful
oversight of the young men antl
women present
But chief among the things to in
terest this young woman-who, b.,
the way is one OF the most conscien
tious of Medina's younger citizens
was the painstaking care of the youne;,
men and women to live up to the high
est amenities of the Social side of thp
function. Naturally the students anc
professors wish to "shine to the
world" as it were now that they havt
been given this greater liberty. Ant;
each and every one, so accounts from
Oberlin say, is doing his part to give
the lie to the criticisms that have
been scattered broadcast for many
years in the past relative to dancing.
1t seems that here is an opportunl
time to emphasize a truth that manN
christians and ministers have tried t.
bury deep for years, which is this:
The minds ofthe young people do no.
run to evil, never have and never will.
Church people in the past have oftel
judged things without due knowledge
OF consideration, and once having.
made up their minds thing was baU
they have started out to prove it b..
contributing to the evil themselve
in the hope of making their. owl
statements good.
" To make certain that their criti-
cisms Of dancing be accepted at fac
value, they have gone out of thei.
way to encourage evil conditions a.
dances; they have not tried, in an eff
fort to save from evil the children
their neighbors, to remove the evil
that might otherwise creep in; the.
have hoped these very evils woul
creep in that they might say, II tol
you So"
But at Oberlin the spirit is differ
ent. Now that the faculty and trus
tees have admitted that they wer
wrong in their first deductions, thi
faculty and trustees are determine
that evil shall not creep in even ii n.
keeping it out they prove to tn
world that they were wrong at frs !.
hoping in accepting the new conditio
to show the world that at least the,
were honest il tl:eir original restrit
tions and tie. ro\, seeing they werr
too severe, they are willing to mall
amends for the past.
That is an evidence of true chri;
tianity. When man will turn fac
about, admit he may have bee /,
wrong, agree to give the new plans u.
fair trial, then there is some hope fl
his sincerity.
But the man who wont see, Sc
up a fight against the majority ar
declares-in acts if not in words
that the Devil will certainly get tt
man Of liberal views, then the wor
has a right to believe that his pub
professions are nothing more nor lie j
than "religiosity," and judge him a
cordingly. And the man who preach
Christ without sincerity can't hope f..
very great returns, neither can he e.
pect his converts to show very go(
brand of religion.
For years Oberlin teachers and or.
fessors nearly broke their necks in "A
effort to convert young students j.,
Christ. Back of this strenuous effo.
was the belief-backed by statis,l, j.,
they said-showing that if a you. :.
man passed his Freshman year wit =.
out conversion there was no hope i :,
him-he would never accept Chri !.
Observing philosophers said, tlfoul i,
that if Oberlin could not browbe |;
a young man or woman into the kin :
dom before they passed the Freshm.
class that the constant nagging wou /
SO harden them that they becal. 4.
confirmed infdels for life. "You D.. Y
your money and take your choice"
But as we understand it from ii. !,
on the beauties of the Gospel are %
be preached in Obrlin, and effol !,
made to lead men to Christ. L At
now and henceforth there is to be }
effort to tie and gag young people a. |
to cast them Sound into the xii odo /.
And this liberalization in the mat :
OF dancing and theaters is but Il
earnest that the "world do m.vc .
even in poor, benighted Oberlin.