Archival Review 1967 Pipes of Pan

Written By: Shula-Aixian Yuan

Inscape Magazine, formerly Pipes of Pan, is archived in the Pasadena City College library, and is also shelved in the stacks. Any student or community member can stop by when the library is open to review back issues beginning from the 1940s. The 1967 issue has a beautiful blue cover with black ink letters and sketches on it. Gently flipping to the first page, readers will see a little silhouette holding a pipe. This little one seems to be shouting out his thoughts through the pipes. ​

Flipping through the pages, readers will see how the sketches inside perfectly match the selected creative work. I was personally drawn to   the short poems:

 "Animal Cookies" by Timothy D. Wren

​
and "Bells" by Anne Grodzicki,
which is a concrete poem in the
shape of a bell.

---

     The pieces in this issue seem to focus around childhood, and this might engender a lot of empathy and nostalgia with readers. For example, the piece "I saw a Child" describes exactly what I did and how I felt as a child. 

       I saw a child running gaily in the city.
       He held a large pencil in his hand,
       Planning to draw upon the blank walls
       In millions of houses
       And the churches
       And schools.
       But the mothers
       and the ministers
       And the teachers
       Were waiting to protect the walls.
​

​     This short poem leads me to my childhood memories and forgets all the mundane and busy works temporarily.

       Also, some pieces serve as miniatures and reflect the time in which they were written, a precious recording of history. For instance, in 1967 "The Immigrant" depicts how a boy went through the long journey of immigrating physically and emotionally to the United States. He and his family migrated by boat, which is different from the wide array of travel options we have today.

        Many might not think reading back issues of old literary magazines reveals much, but the 1967 inscape/Pipes of Pan issue is an issue that brings me a sense of warmth. Every one of us has had a childhood; most of us have experienced moving from one place to the other. These warm words in its pages will calm readers’ and assure that they never stop smiling.


​

Shula-Aixian Yuan

​Spring online issue editor and art editor Aixian Yuan is an Jewish Studies major with a challenging goal to defense the truth for Christians among Chinese-speaking. People are confused with mountains of different teachings out of people who are not technically equipped with professional knowledge. After schooling, Aixian's plan is to search and study the original language of every word in the bible. Many people will benefit from knowing the process of change of words' pattern and literature. She believes that words have the power to wake people up from believing superstition. Through reading the relatable words based on scientific studies, people would have clear discernment of what is true and what is made up by people. Aixian's job as an online issue editor and art editor is to help pick creative and meaningful literature pieces and artworks that can be known and enjoyed by PCC inscape readers.