The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-01-27
MISS MCCOY OPENS
CLUB PROGRAMS

Vic "AOlC oVuNy sSVNAoS 90 'OAS
lined by the committee. Her pape
which is printed below serves well it
function in laying the foundation TO
the study course and should be real
especially with that thought in mind
'tAs have attempted to resolve int,
definite form what should say upol
this subject have found myself feel
ing like a person in the most crowded.
th0roughfare of a large city, wher.
people are moving in every direction
but of whose destination and import
ance in the city life I, as casual OBJ
server, can form little notion. From
their dress or manner l can easil!
guess that some are laborers, some
business men and women, some of TIN
professional class, others mere idlers
But as to who of them as individuals
or as group are important in shaping
and directing the life of the city
have no means of discovering. have
no way of determining what in detail
or literary type will survive except by
a comparative study of this and SINH.
lar pevious periods.
"A comprehensive study Of the lit
erature of one nation or of limited
period is both difficult and unsatis-
factory. It is no more reasonable to
fix such limits in the study of litera-
ture than in the study of science, of
history, or of economics. This fact
is becoming more true with the facili-
tating of intercourse between nations
In addition to this an outstanding
event, such as war, may bring ma
,tions together in close relationship
The fact that they oppose each other
only insures the fact tnat each will be
profoundly influenced by the other.
An important change or movement
that brings country to the general
attention has a similar result in dis
persing that country's influence. 1t is
necessary only to suggest Russia at
the present time. Russian short stor-
les, novels, books of philosophy-those
by Russian authors, not only those
by outside observers-are among the
most popular of the day. Illustra-
tions of this fact might be multiplied
indefinitely. ,.,. 3.
Coming to the point of those in
fuences which are now at. work l
shall summarize what l have to say
under three topics: ST. ~
l. The influence of the recent war;
2. General tendencies in theme and
form of expression;
8. General tendencies in literary
type. ).
~ what l have to say regarding the
influence of the war is largely mega
tive. believe that it has exerted
practically no influence that is per-
manent. Of course it has called forth
a tremendous output Of printed mat
ter. But all printed matter is by no
means regarded as literature. Ac-
cording to the broadest definition, any
thing to claim place in literature
must possess some degree Of excel
lence in form, and must be permanent
and universal in it's appeal; hence it's
appeal must be fundamentally emo
tional rather than intellectual. It is
true that people are in high emo
t;onal state when war is in pro-
gress, none perhaps so much SO as
those whom we may term literary. But
people do not give the most artistic
expression to an emotion when that
is most highly aroused. A
person in state Of anger can hardly
be expected to give artistic express
sion to anger. 1t is true that war or
military life furnishes the setting for
many great literary prodr S:ions. The
reason for this fact is obvious. It has
been said that the activities Of ma
tions have consisted of three things:
for war, carrying on war,
recovering from war. War is an ac-
ivity in which people have always
been engaged; hence the use of war
as a setting has become literary con-.
vention. Milton goes out of his way in
Paradise Lost" to picture the war in
Heaven, not because it is of any i'm
portance in the development of his
theme but because all great epics de-
scribe war. In the "Iliad" the Trojan
war forms a background on which to
picture the wrath Of, Achilles. Words
worth says that poetry is emotion re-
called in hours of tranquility" Some
generations hence no doubt this war
will furnish excellent material for
literary activity, but it is safe to
that little that has been
written about the war as theme will
survive.
"The second observation is regard
ing the present day tendency in theme,
and in form of expression. Both tend
toward the creative rather than to-
ward the initiative. In theme the de-
sire is toward a fuller expression of
economic democracy; in form, it is
to find suitable means for the express
sion of modern ideals. The spirit Of
today cannot be conveyed through a
Victorian literary style. There is
definite tendency to abandon the con-
ventionalities of the last century;
hence the so-called free verse Of the
various types, and general tendency
toward looseness Of construction.
s''My third observation has to do
with general tendencies in literary
types. This point bears directly upon
our program Of study as it has been
arranged. From 1850 to 1900 the
chief interest seems to have been man
Tested in the novel; New themes and
new theories regarding the novel were
being advanced. Such writer's as
Hardy, Meredith. Howells. James. and
Stevenson are among the most prom
inent, and each stands for some de-
finite new theme or idea in the devel-
opment Of the novel. From 1890 to
1910 the drama attracts the widest
attention. On the continent as well
as in England and America wesfnd a