The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-03
O'Banyoun's
Observations

The special Holiday features
succeeded in running me out Of
the paper for a spell, but am
back again, to start my fifth
year as a scribe, and my head is
bloody but unbowed." Hope ev-
erybody has as happy and pros
porous year as I expect to have
Succeeded in getting UP quite
an argument at my "Hecklers
Delight" last Sunday, at the
regular meeting of the Samuel
Coleridge Taylor Musical AS
ISOLATION. None of the scheduled
talent appeared and the usual
drafting from the audience re-
suited in a piano solo by me,
reading by John Powell, vocal
solo by Ella Martin, and, after
the discussion, reading by
Josephine Taylor. Everything
was well received. But the dis
cussion opened by me on the
subject, For Christ's Sake, :"
was the cause of much digging
into theology and philosophy, SO
much so that it had to be cut
off. This program is a novelty,
as heckling is invited and en-
couraged. That is, if you hear
anything you wish to dispute, or
if you hear anything you do not
understand, you must rise in
your place, be recognized by the
speaker, and settle the moot
question Immediately. This does
away with the probability that
yor will have forgotten the
point you wish to raise by the
time the speaker has finished.
Riotous heckling is not encour-
aged nor permitted; but I am
sure you would enjoy it, so, bear
in mind that I am to present
another subject, not yet decided,
for the meeting of February. +
am pursuing knowledge Of Di-
vine Truth, and will present "a
subject looking to the solution
of some problem in the interpre-
tation of the same. The discuss
sions are not intended as a bat
tie Of wits or a display Of know
ledge; but are intended, sincere
ly, as a means of arriving near
err the knowledge of Truth, and
to stimulate the establishment
of the brotherhood of man. Keep
this in mind. You will hear more
about 1t.
1 have heard many enthusiast
tic, favorable comments upon
the performance of one Of our
singers who has an inter-na-
tional reputation. I have also
read some comment which was
not so favorable about the same
performance. 1t would seem to
me that the critic is o fellow who
is supposed to publicize every
fault that he can possibly de-
tect, while grudgingly admitting
that the performer is good in
spots. I suppose the critic is a
necessity on the papers, al
though I still cannot see how
a fellow can come out and tell
me that a performance was not
good, when I heard that same
performance and enjoyed it.
There may be something mali
cious in the criticism Of some
Of them. One that / read signed
his name, and thereby con-
WINGED the public of his honesty.
He is willing to back up his
criticism and give reasons. He
must earn his pay. Another crit
ic, who gave whale Of a knock
n last Thursdays Post, neglect
ed to sign his name. This was
the roast which sounded malic-
ious. When mankind becomes a
brotherhood. there win Be no
more knocks, no more discour-
agement, but constant boosting.
feel there will be no more un-
qualified persons trying to ape
those who are qualified. and
sticking their chins out, by try
ing something they cannot do.
But now, pending the millennium.
if you must knock for the pub
lie, sign your name.
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