Page Two
—____ __________________________ I
W\)t#utlforbtan
Entered at Guilford College, N. C., as second-class
matter under the Act of Congress, August 24, 1912.
Published semi-monthly during the school year by
the students of Guilford College.
Editor-in-Chief Harry L. Johnson, Jr.
Acting Managing Editor Darrel Peeler
Business Manager James Pratt
Advertising Manager Janet Sumner
Sports Editor Robert W. Payseur
Feature Editor Darrel Peeler
Society Editor Betty Venable
Editorial Staff Josh Crane, Marty Burton
Reporting Staff —Howard Coble, Wilda Mae Briles, Lesley War
rick, Dot Cheek.
Circulation Managers Mary Alice Briggs, Jane Hockett
Photographers Paul Metzger, Bill Utley
Faculty Advisor Dorothy Lloyd Gilbert
Subscription Price SI.OO per year
Christ in Christmas?
Moves are now on in many North Carolina cities and towns
to "put the Christ back in Christmas," We can think of noth
ing more noble.
But those working toward that end are going to run into
more opposition than even the most pessimistic probably ever
imagined. It seems that in our world of today, the almighty
dollar has replaced Almighty God in every nation. The lead
ers of most of the nations of the world, though probably sin
cerely desirous of leading their respective countries in the
manner of God, are instead being sucked into the vacuum
of monetary worship.
There is no need to mention the undoubted fact that mate
rial things are at the root of the killing, stealing, cheating—
all of the crimes for which men must sooner or later pay.
What is hard to understand, though, is how a holiday of
the tremendous significance of Christmas can be used purely as
a stepping stone to better sales, and resulting larger incomes.
The Christmas season is one of the few times during the
year that gives us an opportunity to turn our thoughts away
from the horrible degradation of warfare, and direct them
toward a way of life that could lead to nothing but peace. Even
those who profess not to believe in Christ as a Savior cannot
deny that His teachings are of utmost importance in obtain
ing peace.
Let us not only remember the significance of Christmas,
but do our part toward bringing about those things for which
Christ died.
A Noble Effort
The Guilford College Dramatic Council is to be congratu
lated for presenting an outstanding production. True, there
were several instances where lines were quite slow, but there
are several things to be remembered in judging the perform
ance.
In the first place, Isobel Thayer was on the stage for the
first time when she played the role of Elizabeth Barrett. Sel
dom it is indeed when one finds a person with courage enough
to take a leading role in a play, when she has never before
even been on the stage. And, to top it all, Isobel Thayer dis
played characteristics of a real trouper in her performance.
Another thing not to be forgotten in attempting to criticize
the play is the fact that it is an extremely long play, and there
are scenes upon scenes where only two people are carrying
on the whole show.
The Dramatic Council has only recently begun its climb
to a return of fame on the Guilford campus. The group has
produced but few plays in its return to the spotlight, but we
cannot help but feel that the recent production was certainly
to be considered among the best. The casting was excellent,
and the entire performance was one of which the Council
may be justifiably proud.
Thanks!
THE GUILFORDIAN feels that a purpose has been accom
plished in the changes which have taken place in the Dining
Room at Founders. There are no tablecloths or centerpieces
as yet, but definite improvement in the atmosphere of our
dining room can easily be detected.
Music has been provided, there is less tendency to rush
students along, and the plate that is handed to the student
now is decidedly more appetizing.
Sincere thanks are in order for the "Boys in white coats,"
and for the dining room staff as a whole, for a desire to serve
students better, and for work toward that goal.
THE GUILFORDIAN
The Missing Links
By SWISHER and REINHARDT
Part of a Day in the Life
of Two Guilfordians
"The alarm clock rang with cruel
alacrity." (This is a sentence which
I learned in the ninth grade. It is
an example of something. This is
the first time I've had a chance to
use it.) If you have ever had any
experience with a Big Ben Alarm
you know that it does ring with
cruel alacrity. Not only that, it
rings with unmerciful promptitude.
A contest then ensues as to which
link can stand the sound of that
fugitive from the fourth district
fire department the longest. Rein
hardt invariably weakens first and
hustles to silence the villain. He
then announces to the world, "It's
a quarter past seven." This is
really an unnecessary and inaccu
rate announcement, for everyone
knows that the clock is set for 7:15
every night and will therefore ring
when the dial registers that hour,
regardless. Since our Big Ben loses
ten minutes a day it is more likely
to be 25 past seven anyway. Rein
hardt makes his morning waking
up trip. (Yes, but that's not what
we are referring to. Let us finish.)
The main purpose of it is to wake
up Ray Blakeslee, the Psychology
student downstairs. This has been
a daily ritual since Ray committed
the unpardonable sin of sleeping
through one of the just-you-guess
who's classes.
At approxmately 7:30 Swisher
makes the momentous decision of
the day, the outcome of which de
pends on several factors: the hour
of retirement, amount of nourish
ment consumed before retirement,
both liquid and solid, last night's
pinochle score, and his basic me
tabolism rate. He says, "I have
decided not to get up for break
fast." Then he slumps into a state
of semi-consciousness until 8:25.
Meanwhile Reinhardt has swabbed
out his mouth with Dr. Ljung's
Tooth Powder and staggered over
to the Guilford College Stockyard.
The Spectator
By Darrell Peeler
Dignity is something you are
born urith or without. Too many
people confuse dignity with pom
posity and pretense.
—MARY MARGARET MCBRIDE
Since this column last appeared,
I have been approached by more
than fifty people, thoughtful peo
ple, all of whom had some idea or
suggestion to offer about what is
perhaps the most controversial
Spectator in some time. lam deep
ly indebted to each of them.
Twenty-eight of them, including
six girls, said they enjoyed the item
and approved the method. Six oth
ers agreed with my purpose, but
did not wholly approve the method.
One person thought the column was
not worded strongly enough, and
another thought it the exacr oppo
site; namely, that such reporting
has no place in a college news
paper. At least three faculty mem
bers thought it "undignified," and
I got nine of the deadliest looks
any human ever survived.
As I understand the purpose of
this newspaper, it is a publication
by and for the students of this
college; paid for by them, and op
erated for their benefit. It is to be
their eyes and ears in certain mat
ters, and their voice in others. In
deed, it is their most powerful
voice, short of armed rebellion. As
such, it is at once the reflection
and expression of crystallized pub
lic opinion.
Unfortunately, it is not possible
for each individual to have a sep
arate voice, and the issues most
relevant to the good of the majority
must be decided upon and voiced
by the few who are sufficiently
concerned to trouble themselves.
However, no one will be denied the
right to speak; or to rebuttal, if
they should be wronged.
(The thing that pleased me most
in the matter is this: after the
shock of first surprise, most of
the people affected began to think,
considered their position, and~mod
ified it if they felt they were wrong.
In addition, there was surprisingly
little ill feeling, for which I am
profoundly grateful. I would not
willingly offend anyone, particu
larly those I love, but I will speak
if I must.
This calm reaction speaks well
for the maturity of our people, if
they are thinking.)
For those critics, all of whom I
am sure are sincere, who consider
that polite people do not refer to
certain subjects In print, let me
say this: This newspaper, or at
least this column, is written for
We are lingering too long on the
process of getting up, even though
it is the most important part of the
day. We shall jump to the end of
second period. Reinhardt has suf
fered through Religion and Span
ish and is on his way to History.
(The one he takes for credit; he
audits more courses than he takes
for credit.) Swisher remembers
from Philosophy class that Charles
Farrell remarked that "Sylvester II
was one of the most interesting
Popes of the, Renaissance."
In Physics 21 Dr. Purdom filled
up three blackboards with division
of the equation on the intensity of
diffraction from a double slit by
integral calculus and differential
equations which we are assured is
"perfectly straightforward, Clem,
perfectly straightforward; any first
grader can work this out."
After Physics is over, half the
class (A 1 MacQuarrie, Bill Phil
lips, and Swisher) usually journey
down to Sid's Place for breakfast.
On this fateful day MacQuarrie
was served a hamburger which
emitted odoriferous stimuli which
rendered it unfit for human con
sumption. The poor boy was so
disappointed that he hasn't been
able to tell an isobar from a cold
front since. (In case you didn't
know, Mac is an employee of the
U. S. Weather Bureau.) We now
eat breakfast at Hollowell's or at
Steve's at the airport.
And so the day progresses, Lunch
at Founders was much on the order
of the hamburger at Sid's except
that we had to eat the stuff. The
afternoon passed quickly because
both links spent it in the prover
bial sack.
Sleepy?
Do you find it hard to get eight
hours of sleep a night? So do the
links, so we do something about it.
After careful consideration of all
the available data (the links are
products of the liberal Guilford
(Continued on Page Four)
the benefit of a young, supposedly
mature and open-minded group, the
Guilford student body. It is not
intended as a pleasant little idyl
for the public relations office to
hand out to little girls and boys
who may come to Guilford when
they grow up, or to be sent back
home to maiden-aunt Lizzie.
I agree that good public rela
tions are important, and I boost
the college at every opportunity.
However, since we pay for this
newspaper, and it is supposedly
ours, it seems that we might rea
sonably deal with news of particular
interest to us, and with our own
internal porblems. (By problems,
I mean those problems which bear
on the wellbeing and morale of
the group. I do not propose that
this newspaper become an Omnipo
tent chaperone.)
Moreover, those problems should
be dealt with in an honest and
forthright manner, written in plain
English, and calculated to stimulate
thought.
Perhaps I am wrong. If I am,
I would be grateful for your in
struction.
However, if this newspaper is
going to be a Little Mothers' Home
Weekly and Household Visitor, ped
dling predigested pap for adoles
cent minds, concerned with a see
noevilhearnoevilspeaknoevil digni
ty based on a refusal to face prob
lems, and designed to win the ap
plause of maiden aunts, then let
me out at the next corner, driver,
this is where I get off.
The Play's the Thing
In thinking over the play the
other night, one wonders what our
dramatic group might be able to
do if it were helped along a bit.
Personally, I enjoyed this play,
and the ones before that. This one
bogged down a little in the second
scene, but, all in all, it was a very
creditable job, especially in the
light of the time and materials
available.
I don't know if you had realized
it or not, but we have a group of
interested and capable people try
ing to put on plays here. The tal
ent isn't limited to those on the
stage, either. There are people be
hind the scenes who have the abil
ity to do well with a minimum of
equipment. Joyce Taylor and Bill
Utley, for instance, with a bit of
ingenuity and a lot of sweat, whip
ped up a quite acceptable set in
a short while. They had help in
the staging, of course, from people
like Hugh Downing and Jennie
December 19, 1951
This and That
By Lea Warrick
This is just a column to show the
reader how bad one can be and
still be printed. In this column
will be bits of junk that are defi
nitely useless to anybody for any
thing except possibly the NSPH
(National Society for the Protec
tion of Humans).
Our .first news is that Billy Furr
Hatley has a job working as Santa's
helper in the Charles Department
Store in High Point. He got the
job on the condition that he would
lose some weight so that he could
get in uniform. Santa's helpers
are having a hard time all over
the United States along with New
York City where the adults, espe
cially the women that weigh 200
pounds insist on sitting on Santa's
lap. Let's hope that Billy Furr
doesn't have the same trouble.
Your writer has been informed
that there is a new floor show out
at the Casa Blanca and she is bet
ter than ever this time.
They are talking about remaking
"Little Women" in Hollywood with
a new cast which includes Marlene
Dietrich, Bette Davis, Tallulah
Bankhead, and Mae (Come up to
see me sometime, Big Boy) West.
They should be top box office at
tractions. Maybe we could show
the picture in Mem. Hall some Sat
urday night.
For the Christmas dance a num
ber of boys are bringing imports in,
not that the Guilford girls aren't
queens or anything like that, it
just seems good to have new faces
with accessories around to brighten
up Dear Old Guilford into the feel
ing of sisterly love.
Neville Long is reported to have
gone native and started a collection
of Lefty Frizelle, Eddie Arnold, and
Little Jimmy Dickens records. The
Fine Arts Club could take up a
project of starting a Guilford Col
lege Grand Old Opry with such
famous personalities on the cam
pus as Bailey (I'd Walk a Mile to
Mary Hobbs) Nunn, and Howard
(frog-gigging) Coble.
It was too bad that they couldn't
get the pig (500 pounds of it) into
Founders on Farmer's Day. The
poor thing got all "flushtrated" and
couldn't quite make it. If she could
have gotten in, she would prob
ably have gotten a superiority com
plex and felt so well off that she
would never have grunted at a
human again.
As all good things, good and bad,
must come to an end, we must bid
you adios, bon voyage, aloha, and
goodbye until we meet again in
1952. So here's wishing you, each
inmate, a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year with a lot of
"spirits."
Smith, but the total group was
small.
On stage, there was evidence of
both talent and hard work. Mc-
Manus and Jo Cameron did their
usual nice work, and I thought Xso
ebl Thayer and Andy Hughes dl
very well for a first play. Frances
Petty and Beaman Griffin also show
a lot of promise, to my mind.
Now, considering the fact that
we have interested people, people
of ability, who work well together
under difficult circumstances to
give us essentially good plays, what
could they do under better con
ditions?
Well, you ask, what would be
needed, and, more important, how
much would it cost?
Evidently we have most of the
ingredients. We have the talent,
and we have some equipment. Most
needed now are better lighting and
more work space, and, above all,
unhampered leadership. Daryl Kent
is a capable man, interested and
willing, but his time is limited by
an already heavy load. As it is,
he must sacrifice to help, and he is
too valuable where he is to make
a shift thinkable.
What we need, then, is someone
with specific training in teaching
dramatics; someone whose teaching
schedule would be made up to in
clude time for dramatics; someone,
for instance, who would teach
speech and dramatics as a full
time faculty member.
The benefits of such an invest
ment would be many fold. Our
people, sparked by someone with
time to show them how and what
to do, could produce plays to rival
those of the Playlikers with even
modest equipment. This would
bring us more good plays, good
public relations, and would send
out better trained teachers, trained
In producing plays with modest
equipment.
The benefits of public speaking
courses (required elsewhere) and
a dramatics course are obvious, par
ticularly for those of us who must
appear (as most of us will) in pub
lic life.