For the past few months, I have been sharing Douglas’s preaching and published articles during the 1919-1920 school year. He also wrote anonymous limericks in the Michigan Daily, the student paper at the University of Michigan. These were all meant as advice to incoming freshmen. “The Newcomer” tells about himself and an “Old Timer” (an upperclassman) offers advice. The first of these limericks was printed sometime in October 1919 and it was titled, “Concerning Confusion”:
The Newcomer Says:
I like the looks of my new books;
They cost me three weeks’ wages;
Therefore I fain would ascertain
What’s written on their pages.
But every day, where I now stay,
The racket is increasing –
A dreadful din, a mandolin –
And chatter without ceasing.
Oh how, indeed, is one to read
In such wild agitation?
I’ve lost my poise in all this noise:
Please deal with this vexation.
The Old Timer Replies:
You’ve told the truth, oh wretched youth;
The tumult here is awful!
We also used to feel abused,
Declaring it unlawful.
But every year, this earthly sphere
Grows noisier than ever:
Our peace of mind we’ve left behind,
To be recaptured never.
‘Twould be unkind to train your mind
To think in peace and quiet,
Then shout someday, ‘Get in the fray
You cloistered monk – and try it!’
So: to have noise, we’ve hired some boys
To furnish great confusion;
They think that they are here to stay
But this is mere delusion.
If you can toil in this turmoil,
And practice concentration,
You will agree someday with me
That it was your salvation.
Editor’s Note: The above verses with some others which will appear in later issues of The Daily were written by a prominent man of Ann Arbor who is very much interested in student affairs but who, in his own words, wants his ‘anonymity carefully preserved.’ They were written for the purpose of printing them in a booklet for the freshmen. As the latter plan did not materialize, he has given them to The Daily for publication.
I will share the rest of his limericks over the next few posts.
The Lloyd C Douglas Page 