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The Spike or Victoria University College Review June 1918

The Editor's Chair

The Editor's Chair

This year one or two changes have taken place in connection with the management and the running of "The Spike." The committee now consists of an editor, three sub-editors (representing Arts, Science and Law), a representative from the Graduates Association, and last, but by no means least, a financial secretary. Mr. A. E. Caddick has been appointed by the Graduates' Association as their representative, and we are delighted to have him back once more on this committee. He is, as always, a tower of strength to us, both with practical help and with suggestions. It is the wish of the Students' Association Executive that the present students at V.U.C. keep in closer touch with past students, and, in order to do this, certain pages in "The Spike" are to be devoted to news likely to be of interest to past students, these pages to be under the care of the representative of the Graduates' Association. Unfortunately, Mr. Caddick has not had sufficient time to prepare these pages for this issue, and, apart from original contributions (we always hope for "something" from certain of the past students, and they seldom disappoint us), no special effort has been made in this direction. We hope, however, to make a start in the next issue.

The October issue of 1917 was the 32nd number of "The Spike," and, as "The Spikes" are bound in sets of four, the eighth set was completed. The time seemed an opportune one in which to alter "The Spike," by enlarging it, and making it, in appearance at least, more like a University College magazine. Some years ago a committee was set up to go into this same matter, and they decided that all alterations necessitating an increase in expenditure should be deferred until after the war. It was found this year, however, after enquiry, that the additional cost would be practically negligible, so the Students' Association Executive have adopted the proposed alterations.

* * * * *

In the June, 1915, issue of "The Spike" a suggestion was made by Mr. Broad, who was then editor, that the first number of 'The Spike" in each page 54 year be a purely literary number, and that the second number contain the club reports and matters of purely College interest, such as reports on the Carnival and on the Easter tournament. Such a suggestion seems to me to be an entirely happy one. At present, each club may send in a report (some of them necessarily so short as to be of little interest) for each issue. Under the new system, if adopted, there would appear in the October issue a full account of each club's report for the year passed, thus ensuring one complete report instead of possibly two scrappy ones, and doing away with certain, more or less, unavoidable repetitions.

The objections I have heard raised against this proposal fall under two endings: (1) That it penalises unduly those clubs whose main activities are carried on in the summer, since their reports would appear so late that members would have lost interest by that time.

There is an interval of four months only between the two issues of "The Spike." Is it true, then, that in that short time interest will wane? Besides, the suggestion was first brought forward by a keen cricketer P. B. Broad, and was, and is, strongly supported by an equally keen cricketer, A. E. Caddick.

(2) The second objection is, that to the majority of students, the club reports in the magazine are the only thing of real interest to them. Hence It is possible that there would be a decided slump in the June sales of "The Spike." I do not really feel inclined to treat this objection seriously. I think the students would buy the College magazine as they buy tickets for College concerts, etc.—there may be nothing in them, but they are run by the students, presumably for the benefit of students, and so the students will, and do, support them.

Now I come to another important reason for the change. We are at present, not laying sufficient stress on the purely literary contributions to the magazine—contributions that are the only ones in the magazine that will be likely to be of more than passing interest. Perhaps you have never read old copies of "The Spike!"—they are in the library. If you do, I do not think that you will linger over club reports; but it is well worth while to read "How V.C. Bachelors' Club Stock Fell Below Par," or the "Ode on the Laying of the Foundation Stone of Victoria College, 27th August, 1904," etc., etc.

Finally, I should like the clubs themselves to discuss the matter, preferably under the following motion: That it is in the interests of the clubs as a whole to have one complete account of the year's work of each club, to be published in the October issue of "The Spike."

I do not think it is for the editor arbitrarily to adopt this change, nor do I think each club should consider it from its point of view only; but the change should take place only after the majority have considered the question with regard to the interests of the College as a whole, and have voted accordingly. So I leave the matter to the College clubs and await their decision.

* * * * *

This year there has been an excellent response from the students in the form of original contributions. A truly remarkable number of poems have made their appearance; some of these, it is true, are not up to "Spike" standard, others it has been found necessary to hold over for the present; but it is most encouraging to the committee to have so many sent in. We should like to express to all the embryo poets our appreciation of their efforts. Ideas they have in plenty, but often they lack poetic expression, often there is an unfortunate disregard of metre. We advise that they study rules of poetic diction, and for this purpose suggest that they read "An Introduction to Poetry," by O. Elton—it is in the library.

Our thanks are also due to those students who have produced some new pictorial headings for the various club reports. It is many years since we had a change, and it is a most pleasant surprise to find that we have some such artists among us.