Evening star., 1924-01-24
Criticism of College Girls
As LicentiOus Is Condemned

The world has never known the
turning loose of such an army of
hard drinking, cigarette-pufing, Ii
ceutious Amazons as walk our streets
and invade our campuses today"
When DIR. Charles J. Smith. president
OF Roanoke College, made the fore
going comment before the National
Lutheran Educational Conference he
stirred up a veritable hornets nest.
"Hysterical and slanderous reference
that is objectionable" is the way
most editors characterize it. Any
possible good that might have been
done by calling attention to cases
where there is perhaps too much lax
ity is offset by the resentment nat
urally aroused by such appellations,
editors agree.
"The nationwide echo to the wor-
thy Smith is Pooh. Pooh,.'" Is the
way the Reading Tribune sums it up.
and it goes on to say, Young women
of other generations have done fool
ish things. They possibly may con-
tinue to do them in the future. The
specific bad habits which DR.. Smith
mentions probably are more prev
alent outside college walls than
within" So far as the Brooklyn
Ea gle is able to determine the wick
ed girl collegian isn't shocking her
family to any great extent or degree.
II she is influenced by the social
habits of modernity, her papa and
her mama refuse to get excited about
it,; anyway, "her wickednesS is pure
ly initiative, and reformation with
maturity, is possible; even probable,
so the jeremiads of DR.. Smith are
wholly uncalled for"
The Portsmouth Star is particularly
cha agrined that the charges should
have come from a Virginia educator.
because lit will inevitably be thought
that the horrible examples of coed
depravity he cites are OF local origin.
So sweeping a charge as that made
by DIR. Smith is outrageous and will
stir up a storm of indignation with.
out fail" -.
Another thing that DR.. Smith could
do would be to put his opinion of So
cial life at his college in the college
catalogue, as parents would appreci-
ate this advance informatior, accord
ing to the Raleigh Times, which fur
ther suggests. '1f DR.. Smith is un-
willing to give the parents of girls
who are endangered by the Roanoke
collegiate life the lowdown on the
campus, he should refrain from TAX
ing his troubles to national con-
ference.
The Kalamazoo Gazette also be-
Iieves DR.. Smith may be unduly pes
simistic" because "in every age the
sober older generation has been
gravely concerned over the moral
derelictions of the Younger while
Or. Smith ever "saw the ecstatic COM
bination of dear little camp fire
girl and a fudge sundae." That such
statements will be regarded as ex-
Sentinel agrees, but mo parent with
the welfare of son and daughter at
heart is entirely satisfied with the
present situation"
The Sentinel is also impressed with
the avowed intention of the co-eds
at Cornell University not to dance
with men who have even a faint
smell of liquor on their breathS, be-
cause here is an indication that re-
action has set in against alarming
social affairs of MANY young folks"
The Wilmin gton News-Dispatch claims
"in considering accusations against
girls it is we1l to remember that our
statements are always tremendously
Influenced by our wishes" for too
an old maid wishing that she had not
missed all this 'wildness,' or a man
wishing what he says about them
were true"
Judging from a letter by DR.. Smith
to the Roanoke World News, the
Norfolk Ledger claims he has been
misrepresented. Nevertheless, at can
not be successfully denied that DIR.
Smith is right in his assertion that
there has been a moral breakdown,
which many believe to be a direct
product Of the world war;" but ut
is not confined to any particular
grade of society,"" and had the whole
Of DR.. Smiths address been consid-
cred there would have been no SEN
sation to print"
The Roanoke World News also la
ments that his remarks have been
widely misconstrued> and commends
DR.. Smith as one of the most tolerant
and broadminded Of men, and what
he actually said needed to be said.
even IL he did employ few rather
picturesque sentences to make his re-