Sunday, October 20, 1957
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Sunday, OctoberTM,1l957II L Page Eleven
I
At Michigan and Elsewhere,
The Ages-Old Entertainment Form
Is Undergoing New Interest and Popularity
{Cont hued from Page(, 10)
discusses two: Negro and Southern
Mountai Ballads.
Negro music finds its roots in
West African culture. The banjo-
essential to Negro folk instru-
mentation-is a supposed descen-
dent of a primitive African instru
ment.
From Negroes imported for slay
cry came different musical and
philosophic traditions. They took
English as a common language,
but environment and background
marked their folk music.
NEW ORLEANS we found a
tendency for ,jazz, which Saxe
labels a form of folk song; in
other parts of the South, planta-
tion melodies. Jamaica, where
Spanish, French and South Amer-
ican influence was strong, pro- I
duced today's rage: calypso.
Southern Mountain ballads, on
the other hand, have a distinctly
Old English flavor. Even today in
the more remote areas the resem- ".
blance to the era of cockney ac- .. . AND THE PLAYERS
cent, three-cornered hat, music-
hall singing is striking, group and songs. Handed down up" of the real tradition, he con- The folk singer is really a part
Why old ballads long dead in orally, lyrics of songs were brought tends. of his art. It's through his own
their native land survive here is up to date, but the music remained Saxe is not only a folk song feeling and interpretation that the
an easy question for the history the same. student, he's a performer and he tradition continues.
student. Englishmen settled here takes this role just as seriously as Accomplished on the guitar,
when such songs were popular. SAXE GOES on to correct the the other. banjo, and harmonica, performer
Some moved to the mountains, "hillbilly misconception." This He defines the folk artist as "a Saxe always tries to "give an hon-
where they were cut off from cul- music, which many of us consider vehicle of his own expression and est show." That is, he makes an
tural progress. Through genera- true mountain folk song, is just a means of carrying on the deep- effort to present the folk music
tions they perpetuated their own a commercialization or "jazzing rooted folk sing tradition." true to its idiom. If his number
is Russian, he keeps lyrics and
music in their own environment.
He criticizes other artists for
straying from the idiom in their
presentations.
Switching roles, student Saxe
has optimistic predictions for folk
singing.
ON AN ACADEMIC level folk
music is receiving more and
more attention, he remarks. Col-
leges and universities across the
United States are opening folklore
departments.
So far, continues Saxe, a lot of
work has been done just collect-
ing folk music. Realizing their
sources are fast disappearing-old
timers who remember pre-com-
munication days are often pri-
mary information givers-students
are frantically collecting data
without arranging any of it.
The field is thus wide open for
a systematic analytical study of
the art,
Saxe also sees folk songs as a
continuing evolutionary process.
"You saw the' development of
blues as part of an industrial so-
ciety," he says. "This was no more
than folk song adapting to a dif-
ferent way of life with changed
pressures and ethics,"
One thing is clear, Saxe de-
clares enthusiastically, Whether
it's a country sing, popular re-
cording or family gathering, folk
song has been well-established.
And it's here to stay.
STATE STREET SURGERY
A Nostalgic View of Compustoiwn Face-Lifting
"WHAT OCCUPIES the polished shelves and glass eases? Radios. Cameras. Binoculars. Clocks.
Typewriters. Pipes. Tobacco. Records. Why not just put in a soda fountain and electric toasters and
call it a drug store?"
By JO ANN HARDEE of plunging into the midst of one's
W/HEN THE world is shaken by fellow human beings during the
some minor change such as first week book rush. That feeling
the invention of gunpowder, man of closeness, that sense of strug-
proceeds with all deliberate speed glinttogether for common goals,
to adapt himself to an interrup- that competitive spirit; all has
tion of the norm. He learns to give been discarded with the ancient
up his life more rapidly, if not so flooring.
romantically as by the sword. Once there was the excitement
But the mind of man can cope of wondering if someone, over-
with only so much. There are up- come by eagerness for an art-gum
heavals in his universe which eraser, might not fall or be shoved
necessitate remoulding the very (by someone eager for 3x5 file
foundations upon which he stands. cards) over the familiar book-
Such an upheaval has shaken blockaded railing into the base-
more than 23,000 people to their ment stairwell,
sneaker-covered roots. Sacrilege
has been committed against that ALTHOUGH THOSE consulted
most sacred of institutions, tradi- (four freshmen and one house
tion. director) could remember no such
They have remodeled a book- incident, the possibility of such an
store. event remained to liven the im-
Where once there was cheerful agination; particularly the imagi-
clutter, there now reigns unin- nation of people reaching over the
spiring order. Where once there railing for art-gum erasers and
was challenge and a sense of ac- 3x5 cards. Now where the stairs
complishment, a feeling of pride once threatened is nothing more
in a battle well fought, there now interesting than heel-scuffed green
is only dull routine, floor tile and English books.
From merely glancing at the Even the loss of the spirit of
new facade, one knows that the adventure could be borne. Even
old atmosphere is gone, never to the fact that the store has been
be recaptured. The U-shaped con- widened from friendship-inducing
versation area in front of the door cattle chute size to ungenial big-
is gone. The window filled feet- ger - than - the - Fishbowl capacity
deep with multitudes of soon-to- could be tolerated. These chisel-
be-discontinued books is gone, ings at the base of the educational
community might possibly have
UPON ENTERING, an already been adjusted to, had the new
disheartened student is faced shelves been consecrated to liter-
with insensitively colored cubby- ary and artistic works. (Naturally,
holes into which, for his "con- included are pocket books and
venience" he must place any arti- "Studio Cards," representative of
cles he has with him. Gone are the a struggling new culture.)
days when a personable young
man was stationed on the land- BUT WHAT occupies the polish-
ing of the stairs leading to the toy ed shelves and glass cases?
shop to see that the customer was Radios. C a m e r a s. Binoculars,
not inconvenienced by carrying out Clocks. Typewriters. Pipes. To-
any articles for which he had no bacco. Records. Why not just put
receipt. in a soda fountain and electric
Forgotten soon will be the thrill toasters and call it a drug store?
For those faithful to the grand
Jo Hardee, a sophomore Pan- tradition of things as they were,
ning to msajor in ETnglish and a there is one refuge from shattered
memiber of Studet Gor'rnment memories; the toy shop.
Council, once ranted to e an Little has changed upstairs. The
actress. "Not 1'm.Practical and stairs still creak and the soft spot
m the floor keeps getting larger
hardheaded - I sant to e a every say. Multi-colored yarn dolls
veriter." This is her first ap- (Little Nauseas) leer from the top
pearance in the Maga;ne. shelves secure from the carnag*
Se . SIATE, Page 19
"MORE SERIOUS are the changes in the drug store, which has minimized the thrill of the search
by placing merchandise in reachable locations and installing mid-twentieth century lighting."