Page Two STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE NEWS LETTER November, 1952 NEWS LETTER Freshman Opinion - .'M Published by STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE NEWS PRESS CLUB Elizabeth City, N. C. '•* Member; Coiumbia Scholastic Press Association Editor-in-chief Roland V. Bowser Associate Editors Carroll Rodgers Myrtle Borden Hill Managing Editor - Doris Flood Feature Editor Esmeralda Forbes Sports Editors - - - Alfred Marbley Lonnie Davis, Mazor Slade Exchange Editor Nancy Gary Columnists Rosa Ebron Lola Joyner Business Manager Herman Horne Typist - Queenie Ferebee Adviser Mrs. E. C. Mitchell ARE AMERICANS PROPERLY INFORMED Before the election, a major insur ance company published a bulletin on the percentage voting of seven free- world companies. It was noted that the United States had by far the low est percentage of people who actually voted in any of the countries men tioned. With the other six countries polling from 72% to 96% of the vo ters, the United States stood at a shameful 51%. Only about one-half of our voters went to the polls. How ever, this year millions of the regis tered voters turned out in unprece dented numbers—after having been practically begged. What causes this lack of interest on the part of the American people? Are political scandals the cause, or is it sometimes the belief that those in power will do an adequate job? Is the lack of knowledge the cause, or is it the “Let George do it” attitude? Yes, any of these could be the cause, but are they? American education could be par tially responsible. According to J. P. Taylor in an article in the Readers Digest “two-thirds of our colleges and universities do not require American History. Only one-fourth require His tory for admission. One out of four of our teachers colleges do not require any course in American History.” This is a terrible indictment on our educa tional practices. With the persistent rise and threat of international communism, Ameri cans cannot afford to jeopardize their position—already shaky. Everything done in the United States is scrutiniz ed and used to advantage by propa gandists. There should be no faltering now. W’e look to American education to give us the knowledge that will en able us to protect our heritage. Con sistent with this knowledge will come the realization that government is our business as well as the politi cians. AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK REING CELERRATED Between November 9 - 15, Ameri cans are celebrating Education Week. The theme “Children In Today’s World” is especially significant be cause of the tremendous increase in problems facing youth today. Forums, panels and special programs have dominated the week. Too often the search for beauty takes a longing for the distant and the glamorous, for anything outside our experience; yet crowding in on all sides is beauty, the beauty of the commonplace. One needs only the power of keen observation to enjoy it. Try awakening your senses to the beauty of our college campus. You can make every building seem beauti ful; for instance, the library which to the casual observer may seem unat tractive. Here is our silent world. Into that rather small place are condensed the seas, the lands, the heavens—the en tire universe. Here the learning of centuries is to be found. Here vivid romances seem real. Here great bat tles are fought and^ great voyages taken. Yes, here we have our world— the large world condensed. Here our library stands. One needs only to awaken his senses to its beauty. There is also beauty in the intan gible. In friendship and in service is a deep satisfaction more lasting than the poignant flashes that come with tang ible beauty. The exchange of ideas and half-spoken confidences are forms of beauty. So also is the satisfaction that comes from loyal service, from conscientious performance of duty— from work well done. My search for beauty begins where I am this minute—here at the Eliza beth City State Teachers College, where beauty tangible and intangible crowd in on every hand. I AM here, I AM seeing, I MUST conquer. —MARGARET LEWIS The first sight of Elizabeth City State Teachers College should impress anyone, but to a Freshman it means a lovely background for four years of growfth Its spaciousness gives a feel ing of freedom few city colleges could offer. After being in school for a little more than three weeks we are pretty- well acquainted with the curricular and extra-curricular activities. The needs for our growth should be ade quately met; nevertheless the replan ned schedule for our daily activity finds us scrambling for our “where to next” paper. Give us a few more weeks, and it will be difficult to dis tinguish a freshman from an upper classman. By this time we are pretty well ac quainted with the mores and tradi tions of the school. We understand that it has in many respects become a foster parent that will guide us wisely in our chosen field. A freshman’s advice is that indivi dual honor cannot be overemphasized. The transition from adolescence to adult life will mean a personal dis cretion and an ethical attitude in our personal, intellectual and social lives. A freshman views Elizabeth City State Teachers College with the hope that his aspirations and desires will be satisfied. Even after a few weeks, I think we can safely say that they will be! —AUDREY WYANT The striking featiure of the college to me is not the book-knowledge alone, but the part the school plays in fitting young people for abundant living. These features are Sunday School, Vespers and regular devotional ses sions. Christ said, “I come that ye might have life and that we might have it more abimdantly.” Today we must form a true conviciton of Christ and his relationship to life in order to live a full life. This school pro vides religious organizations which offer spiritual values. Attendance is not required; the doors are open and the students are welcome. As a yoimg man, I have alrsady learned something about living to gether in brotherly love. I conclude that any school which possesses these fine qualities is not merely a school or a colleges, but an institution, a place for the best train ing of young people. —WAKEFIELD THOMPSON During the close of the 1951 - 52 school year two instructors from this college visited my high school. As I sat intently listening to their talks on the ciirricidar and extra-curricular of ferings here. I was much inspired and fully decided then and there that Elizabeth City State Teachers Col lege was the college for me. So on the 12th of September, I was among the group of frightened fresh men who enrolled here. I thouglit that college life was so different from high school life it would be difficult for me to become adjusted, but not so. My instructors and many students seem kind and con siderate. I find myself liking the col lege more and more each day. Thanks to three inspiring instruc tors! —BARBARA HARDY N.P.A. SEEKS ORIGINAL POETRY All college students are cordially invited to submit original verse to be considered for possible publication in the Annual Anthology of College Po etry. This is the Tenth Annual College Competition. The recognition afford ed by publication will reflect definite credit on the author as we]l as your school. Over a hundred thousand mss have been submitted to the Na tional Poetry Association in the past ten years. Of tliese, about four thou sand have been accepted for publi cation. Rules are simple—as follows: Mss. must be typed or w'ritten in ink on one side of a sheet. Student s name, home address, name of college and college address must appear on each mss. Students may submit as many m:s. as is desired. Theme and form may be in accordance with the wish of the student contributor. In order to give as many students as possible an opportunity for recognition, and be- The Old Man and the Sea (Charles Scribner’s & Sons New York) A short review by Bettye Tillerv Ernest Hemingway captures the hearts of many of his vivid explana tions of a man’s love of nature and a boy, that winds up with smoothness and brightness which will capture tbe heart of any reader. For that note of optimism and hope that characteris- tises the book read. “The Old Man and the Sea” now is to be found in the fiction section of the library, NOVEMBER When the thistle-blows do lightly float About the pasture-height. And shrill the hawk a parting note, And creeps the frost at night. Then hilly ho! though singing so, And whistle as I may. There conies again the old heart pain Through all the livelong day. In high wind creeps the leafless tree And nods in the fading fem; The knolls are dun as snow clouds be, And cold the sun does burn. Then ho, hollo! though calling so, I cannot keep it down; The tears arise unto my eyes. And thoughts are chill and brown. Far in the cedars’ dusky stoles, Where the sere ground-vine weaves. The partridge drums funereal rolls Above the fallen leaves. And hip, hip, ho. though cheering so, It stills no whit the pain; For drip, drip, drip, from bare branch tip, I hear the year’s last rain. So drive the cold cows from the hill. And call the wet sheep in; And let their stamping clatter fill The barn with warming din. And ho, folk, ho though it be so That we no more find a cheerful mind Around the fire at home. —C. L. Cleaveland FOURTEEN NEW STAFF APPOINTMENTS FOR E. C. S. T. C. The office of the President an nounces the following instructional and staff appointments. They are Frank Carter Bell, Social Studies; Thomas Lee Caldwell. Dean of Men; Louise Christine Davis, Secretary to the Dean; Albert A. Greenlee, Assis tant Librarian; Rose Howard Robin son, Dean of Women; Dorothy L. Taylor, Physical Education and Lea- trice M. Traylor, Guidance. Also Robert Louis Vaughan, re turning as Basketball Coach; Gloria M. Harper, Bursar; Marguerite E. White, Assistant Registrar; Robert M. White, Director of Athletics; Broadus B. Jackson, Social Studies; Estella Eaton, Education, and Mamie Bedell, Dietitian. cause of space limitations — shorter efforts are preferred. Cordially yours, DENNIS HARTMAN, Secy National Poetry Association 3210 Selby Avenue Los Angeles 34, California