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THE WESLEYAN DECREE
January 17, 1962
Editorials
Keep This In Mind
There are many students at Wesleyan with active, crea
tive minds sitting back and letting someone else do the
work. Why?
The S.G.A. strives to encourage student participation
and cooperation, but their efforts are seemingly for
nought. The majority of the work is done by a minority
of students. This minority is often referred to by disgrunt-
ed non-participants as a “click.”
These complaints must be based on a real concern and
definite interest, but is it fair to criticize those who get the
job done? Not everyone is expected to lead but for leaders
to be effective, good followers are essential.
The extracurricular activities at our school are limited
because we are a small and new college, yet that is not the
main handicaps because the activities that are offered are
hindered, mainly, by poor student participation. In fact,
the small enrollment at Wesleyan presents an opportunity
for students to excel in “outside” activities, otherwise not
offered at a larger college or university.
When you entered college you began a new and differ
ent life with new friends and ideas. Therefore what you
did or did not do in high school is not the criteria for
participation in activities at Wesleyan.
Keep this in mind next semester. It takes the combined
efforts of every student to make our college community a
success.
—Dan Jacobs
What We Came For
You say you love college and you’re getting F’s in all
your courses? You say you’re broke and can’t afford
cigarettes? And you say the girl across the hall has a pet
snake and she expects you to treat it like a brother? Is that
your problem?
You say your best friend is an English tea drinker and
she has your church key and the six pack under the bed
is getting hot? You say you stole the corner stone from
the new student union and the house mother found cement
crumbs in your blazer pocket? Now you have your name
on record in the Dean’s office for stealing university pro
perty. Is that what’s bothering you? You say you had a
blind date and his seeing-eye dog bit you? You say your
room faces the men’s dorm and the shade is broken and
you have to dress in the closet and the closet door fell off
this morning? Is that what’s getting you down?
You say your boy friend had a date last night and the
girl turned out to be your roommate? You say that cute
boy you’re after is married and has two children and now
his w’ife is aft)er you with a shot gun? Is that what’s on
your mind? You say you stayed up all night cramming
for a test and then you slept through it? You say the house
mother knocked on your door just as your boy friend was
climbing in the second floor window and you had to push
him out and he broke his leg? You say when you finished
cramming for the test at 4 a. m. this morning your bed
was short-sheeted and filled with cracker crumbs and
somebody set your alarm clock 'back an hour and after
that you missed the class? You say your books are be
ginning to interfere with your education and you tried to
drop all your classes but the dean wouldn’t let you stay if
you did? Don’t despair, it’s a cruel cold world, but you’ll
learn to like it. After all, that’s what we came to college
for!
—Anonymous
Wesleyan Female College
While rummaging through some
old papers and books the other
day, Mr. Gray, our librarian, found
a modest, unassuming little cir
cular about a female Wesleyan pre
decessor at Murfreesboro, N. C.
This fair institution was fondly
called Wesleyan Female College,
with Rev. W, G. Starr (A.M., mind
you), president, assisted by “an
able faculty and a full corps of
assistant teachers.”
The folder is an advertisement
for the fall session beginning Sept.
22, 1873, and ending Feb. 10, 1874.
Exam Time
Once upon a time there was a
little college in North Carolina.
During the second year 235 stu
dents came from about. Some came
to study, some came to play and
some just came. Now, those who
came to study played, those who
came to play, played, and those who
just came, played. Among their ac
tivities were dancing, card playing,
T.V. watching, “bull shooting,” and
ping ponging. The students enjoyed
these activities and found plenty
of time to have fun. But there was
one activity they just could not
work into their schedule. That was
studying!
One day a big surprise came to
all the students. They learned that
the exams this year were not going
to be on any of the activities that
they worked so hard at all year.
It was announced that they would
be on such things as Math, English,
French, Music, etc.
Horrors, Horrors! was the cry
that filled the halls and parlors
of Wesleyan. Doom! Doom! (we’re
sunk) shouted some. What could
be done to save these students
from total destruction?
For awhile there seemed to be no
way out. But hark! Someone did
save them. It was Noah Webster.
He had invented a new word—
CRAMMING! Because of the in
vention of this word the students
will be able to do a semester’s
v/ork in a few short hours.
The students learned what was
expected of them at Wesleyan, they
thanked Mr. Webster and studied
happily ever after.
It solicits the patronage of the pub
lic for several erstwhile reasons,
some of which we will consider.
The school, besides being of “long
standing and approved character”
since six years before the war,
had graduated over one hundred
young ladies, many of whom be
came “distinguished ornaments” in
their communities. The school,
though of Methodist conception,
never attempted to seduce young
ladies of other sects away from
the “faith of their fathers.”
The location, “as healthy as any
in Tidewater Virginia or North
Carolina,” was easily accessible by
rail, steamer (The “Helen Smith”),
mail boat, or conveyance. Statis
tics are furnished on the almost
negligible fatality rate of this
health haven for girls.
The building, where resided the
gracious president and his wife,
was “one of the best in the South
for convenience, health, and com
fort.” The lawn boasted abundant
room for recreation and a “valuable
Mineral Spring,” which, used reg
ularly, was found to be a “specific
remedy for Dyspepsia and General
Debility.”
The teachers, of course, were
excellent and the course of study
extensive. The prestige of the Col
lege enhanced the value of its
degrees.
Strictness and utmost kindness
toward and sympathy with the
pupil combined was the attitude
expressed. There would be daily
prayers in the college Chapel. Ex-
travagence in dress was gently
tabooed.
Except in case of serious or pro
tracted illness, a student dropping
out of school would receive no de
duction from her bill.
Then, as now, the cost of higher
education was dear. The entire ex
penses for Board and Literary
Tuition during the scholastic year
of nine months was in the Aca
demic Department, $148, in the
Collegiate Department, $158. Special
rates were given to daughters of
intinerant ministers.
For full particulars, one need only
go to the librarian’s desk and ask
to see the circular containing infor
mation on Wesleyan Female Col
lege.
THE WESLEYAN DECREE
(Published by the students of NCWC)
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Wanda Exum
NEWS EDITOR Grace Markham
SPORTS EDITOR Mary C. Hodgin
SOCIETY EDITOR Evelyn Harris
PUBLICITY Kay Hobbs
CIRCULATION Jerry .Miller
TYPISTS Frances Tankard, Butch Nichols
REPORTERS—Winni Stine, Betty Carol Spain, Lucy Christine
BrasweU, Ronnie Kent Brockenbrougli, Mona Co-
zart, Helen Jackson, Max Fitz-Gerald, Pat Martin
and Mary Jo Barkley.
BUSINESS MANAGER David Caison
ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Pete Doerfler
PHOTOGRAPHY Tony Harold Inscore