=University of Texas=
THE Menorah Society closed a successful year with a banquet held May
18, 1914, at the Hotel Driskill, Austin. In addition to forty-three
students and faculty members, there were present four honored guests:
Dean W. J. Battle of the University of Texas, Rabbi Henry Cohen of
Galveston, and Messrs. J. Koen and N. Davis of the Austin Jewish
community. The opening address was delivered by the President of the
Society, Mr. L. W. Moses, who traced the growth of the Menorah Society
of Texas from its beginning in 1907 through its affiliation with the
Intercollegiate organization and its consequently renewed vigor. Dean
Battle, as head of the department of Greek in the University, spoke on
"Hellenism and Hebraism," discussing the essential principles of the
two cultures and comparing their influence on modern civilization. Mr.
H. J. Ettlinger of the University Faculty elected as his subject, "The
Menorah in Its Relation to Other Student Activities," and he
elaborated on the many reasons why the Jewish student should select
the Menorah Society as one of his extra-curricular activities. Rabbi
David Rosenbaum of Austin and also of the University faculty, taking
excellent advantage of his position as a representative of both the
University and the community, gave an instructive talk on "What
Judaism Expects of the Student."
Rabbi Henry Cohen, speaking eloquently on "Judaism as a Factor in
Modern Life," took up each one of the Ten Commandments and summarized
their influence on society to-day. A poem written especially for the
occasion was read by Mr. Israel Chasmin, and piano selections were
rendered by Miss Beatrice Burg and Miss Minna Rypinski. The program
closed with the installation of officers for the year 1914-15.
We lost ten members by graduation last June, but our membership has
none the less increased on account of the greater number of Jewish
students at the University this year.
The opening meeting of the year was attended by fifty out of the
fifty-eight Jewish students. In enthusiasm it resembled a football
rally, and the new students caught the spirit of the occasion. Since
then a number of other meetings have been held, with an average
attendance of forty. At the first meeting, Professor L. M. Keasby of
the Department of Institutional History gave an eminently just
interpretation of Jewish history from the point of view of the
economic development of mankind. At the next meeting, Israel Chasmin
reviewed Dubnow's Essay on Jewish History. At the last meeting, Rabbi
J. Bornstein of Houston, Texas, spoke on Jewish Music. We are looking
forward to an illustrated lecture by Professor Gideon of the
Department of Architecture on "The Architecture of the Synagogue, Past
and Present."
Through the fund for local speakers which we are raising and through
the aid of the Intercollegiate Menorah Association, we hope to have a
speaker at least every month for the rest of the year.
The Menorah Library which we have received through the Intercollegiate
Menorah Association is greatly appreciated by the University and will
be of much help in the work of the Society.