The
5^, through
MOUW'
Decree
u. s. postage,
PAID
Pannit No. 217
Rocky AAoun», N. C
Non-Profit Qrganixation
Vol VIII
No. 8
RO£KY MOUNT, NORTH CAROUNA
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1967
CALDWELL TO VISIT WESLEYAN
r
AAC Recognizes NCW
At Annual Meet
North Carolina Weisleyan Col-
lej'e achieved natianal recog
nition by its oloction to full
membership in the Associa
tion of American Colleges at
its annual meeiting held in Los
Ange-les recently.
Notice of the favorable vote,
which followed the recom
mendation of the Executive
Committee of the Asisociation,
came by telephone from Presi
dent Thomas A. Ootllins who
attended the meeting.
“This constitutes full regiiion-
al nnd national recognition and
grants a distinction to North
Carolina Wesleyan College ac
corded to very few new insti
tutions. In the shiorteist period
of time Wesleyan has met and
exceeded standardis for nation
al mombersihip in the associa
tion which includes most of the
nntion’s distinguiiishied colleges
and universities. We are proud
O'! this record and are dee-ply
conscious of our diebt of grati
tude to our many friends and
supporters in North Cairolina,”
cammentel Dr. Collins.
N. C. Wesleyan was the first
colloge in the state to be
gianted early candidacy for
membership in the Soutliern
Association of Colleges and
Soiliools. At tihe earliest eligi-'
bio date, last November, it
was elected into full member
ship. This early recognition
(Continued on Page 3)
On The Inside . . .
THE DRAFT TEST pa^e 3
The DECREE lists the procedure for
students who wish to take the Se
lective Service College Qualification
test.
ART IN THE 60’S page 5
DECREE editor Ronnie Crouch dis
cusses a growing opinion of art and
the artist in the complex world of the
1960’s.
WESLEYAN HOSTS TOURNAMENT page 6
A review of entries, schedules, etc.
for the upcoming DiAC wrestling
tournament to be held at Wesleyan
February 11.
Renowned Author To
Give Lecture, Visit Classes
One of America’s most fam
ous authors, Erskilne Caldweli,
will come to North Carolina
Wesleyan College on Feb. 14.
A literary giant in every
sense of the word, Enskine
Caldwell continues a spectacu
larly successful career year
after year. A new novel, “Miss
Mamma Aimee,” (spring of
1967), and a book of essays,
“Writing in America,” (fall of
1966), are his latest works. In
addition, he manages to keep
constantly on the move, seeing
the world around him with
fresh eyes and a mind that
reflects deeply on the social
srene.
Erskine Caldwell’s workshop
is the world. An observant,
widely traveled man, he is one
towering literary figure who
does not like to be thought of
as only “literary.” He has tra
veled to almost every state in
the Union, to every country in
Europe and South America. A
perceptive observer of the con
temporary scene both here and
abroad, Mr. Caldwell’s keen im
pressions invariably find their
way into his work.
Mr. Caldwell’s novel, “God’s
Little Acre,” which The Satur
day Review called “one of the
finest studies of Southern poor
whittts that has ever come into
our literature,” is probably the
most widely read contempo
rary American novel. It is a
perenial classic in the U. S.
and, during World War II, was
sent overseas to American ser
vicemen in an Armed Services
t^dition. It has been translated
into 24 languages and been
Iiublished in 26 countries. A
moving picture was based on
it.
No less well known is Mr.
Caldwell’s “Tobacco Road,” the
stage and sicreen versions of
tliis novel having made its title
a by-word througihout the na
tion and the world.
When Ersfcinie Caldwell was
eigliteen, he enrolled at Erskine
Co'llege, Due West, S. C., but
lemained only a short time.
He went to sea on a boat that
wa.s running guns for a revolt
in a Central American repub
lic, and ended Up several
months later in Mexico. His
■next attempt to complete his
education was when he entered
the University of Virginia after
having won a scholarship of
fered by the United Daughters
of the Confederacy. He re
mained there almost a year,
working nights in a poolroom
for room and board. He had
begun to write sihort stories
tliough, before he left, and con
tinued writing while working in
a variety store in Pennsyl
vania, playing professional foot
ball, managing a lecture tour
for a British soldier of fortune,
soiling building lots in Ala
bama, working as a bodyguard
and as a cub reporter on the
Atlanta Journal. The stories he
was writing were not good
enougli to suit lum, amd he
made no attempt to get them
published.
After a year, he gave up
his newspaper job and went
to Maine, where he remained
for eight years, vowing not to
come out until he had suc
ceeded in writing a good short
■story. At the end of four years
ha sent a story called “Country
Full of Swedes” to various
magazines. Later the story
turned up at the Yale Review,
where it was given the maga
zine’s $1,000 Award for Fiction
in 1933. During these years in
Maine, he had written a num
ber of novels, also. “The Bas-
(Contlnued on Page 8)
D. S. JOHNSON
D.S. Johnson Appointed
Assistant To Dean
D. S. Johnson, a former super
intendent of Schools and a long
time resident of Rocky Mount,
lias been named Administrative
Assistant to the Dean of Stu
dents, according to Dr. Sim
Wilde, Dean of Students.
Mr. Johnson, who has been
employed by the school since
last fall, wiU serve as an agent
of the Dean of Students office
to deal directly with student
problems. His duties will in
clude dealing with general stu
dent problems on campus,
handling dormitory problems of
a minor nature, and acting as
a counselor for students.
Dr. Wilde sees Mr. Johnson
ito be “a real addition to my
staff” and feels that he will be
an invaluable asset to the de
partment because of his vast
experience in dealing with stu
dents and their problems.
Mr. Johnson says he is eager
to assist students in any way
possible. “I am looking forward
to working ’with the students
and hope I can be of help to
them,” he says.
He has served for 17 years as
Superintendent of Schools in the
iRocky Moimt School System,
having retired last year, and
was more recently employed by
Jasper Smith in the mimeo
graph and supply office at Wes
leyan.
His office is located in the
Student Union Btiilding across
the hall from the CoUege Book
store. His hours are to be con
fined primarily to the morn
ings, buit he says that he wiU
be available at any hour day or
night if he is needed.
Mr. Johnson’s appointment was
made to help clear the Dean
of Students office for some of
the more important problems
with which it must deal.