A Nomenclature of Brazilian Spiritism and an Evaluation of Christian Defenses

Spiritism is one of the oldest cults in existence. Practically every major civilization has indulged in spiritistic practices. Through the centuries it waxed and waned in popularity, but still it managed to survive until this present day. Estimates of the number of practicing Spiritists are as high as half a million in the United States and more than three million in Brazil.l Good statistics are difficult to obtain because of the stigma attached to one who claims to be a Spiritist. The ancient history of Spiritism is both interesting and informative. In the literature of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Chinese and Greeks there can be found positive evidences of spiritistic practices.2 Although the names of the deities change from civilization to civilization, there are similarities among these gods which cannot be ignored. The Umbandan deity Ogum, the god of war for example, corresponds with: Ares (Greek god), Marte (Roman god), Wodan or Odin (German god), Mitra (Persian god), Krichma (Hindu god) and Morduc (Babylonian or Syrian god). There can be no doubt as to the antiquity of this form of religion. One might say that Spiritism is as old as the oldest of civilizations

The Epidermal Characteristics of the First Seedling Leaves of Certain Grass Seedlings

The epidermal characteristics of the first seeding l eaves of thirty species of grasses common to the mixed Prairie Association of West central Kansas were studied. The thirty species represent seventeen genera and six tribes of the Gramineae. Seed was gathered in the Hays, Kansas area and the seedlings grown in the Fort Hays Kansas State College greenhouse under optimum conditions. Slides of both abaxial (lower) and adaxial (upper) leaf surfaces were made from preserved specimens by the peel method which utilizes acetone and cellulose acetate film. These slides were compared with stained mounts of the abaxial epidermis. Photomicrography of both leaf surfaces were taken and these supplemented with line drawing of certain diagnostic epidermal elements. The differing cell types occurring as part of the epidermis were studied and recorded. Silica bodies, cork cells, macro-hairs, micro-hairs, prickle hairs, papillae, stomata, and certain undifferentiated cells were studied. The form or shape of these epidermal elements was emphasized rather than the number or distribution. The form of the silica bodies and bicellular microhairs were found to be most useful in distinguishing or characterizing species and other taxa. In this survey of a number of grasses of several genera and tribes, the form and arrangement of the epidermal elements were found to be more diagnostic than distribution or frequency

British socialist theatre 1930-1979 : class, politics and dramatic form

The field covered contains the major phases of British socialist theatre between 1930 and 1979. It focuses on the issues raised by the concept of socialist theatre, such as those of class, politics and dramatic form, in order to discuss the relationships between agendas of political tasks, the development of suitable forms for their dramatic expression, and the nature of the audiences which have been attracted. The discussion draws on a range of contemporary sources which include unpublished scripts and other material, together with oral evidence from some practitioners.The historical episodes covered begin with the career of the Workers' Theatre Movement and its successors the Unity Theatres and the Left Book Club Theatre Guild in the 1930s. It then examines how this was continued during the Second World War; and how it was affected by the political and other circumstances of the immediate post-war years. Finally it deals with the revival of socialist theatre in Britain during the 19705.The thesis is intended to contribute to the understanding of the relations between theatre, politics and the labour movement by means of an historical perspective on concrete examples. It examines the extent to which the different examples achieved the objectives they set themselves, and in so doing discusses the circumstances which have made successful socialist theatre possible in Britain during this period