Page Two
The following article, written by the Cuban students on campus, is a brief
resume of the recent Cuban revolution as they feel it happened. If you have any
questions about the events, feel free to write to the Guilfordian and the Cuban
kudents will be glad to answer them in the next issue.
CUBA-A NEW ERA OF PEACE
MIRIAM ALMAGUEB and DANIEL MANRESA
January 1, 1958, an important
and remarkable date for Cuban
people, marks the beginning of
a new era of peace and demo
cracy, and also the ending of a
period of bloody and cruel op
pression exerted by a dictator rep
resented by the government of Ba
tista in the small island-country of
Cuba.
This whole situation started sev
en years ago when, on the morn
ing of the 10th of March, 1952,
Fulgienco Batista siezed the gov
ernmental power by violent means
and declared himself president of
the Bepublic of Cuba.
Batista, from a very poor family
of the lower class, rose to be a ser
geant in the army during the 1930'5.
At that time Cuban people were
not content with their government,
and a group of army men under
Batista's leadership overthrew that
unpopular administration.
For the years that followed, Ba
tista, even though he was not pres
ident, was the real ruler of the
country through puppet politicians
until 1940 when he was elected to
the presidency. The first two years
of his term of office were very suc
cessful because of his efforts to aid
the lower class and to improve the
education system; but later on he
became corrupt and when his term
ended he was sent into exile be
cause of the dislike Cuban people
had for him.
BATISTA KEEPS CONTACT
Having been given political asy
lum in the U. S., Batista settled in
Florida, but always kept in con
tact with his military friends in
Cuba, who campaigned among
uneducated country people and
had him elected senator to Cuban
Congress. This enabled him to go
back to his country with political
guarantees in 1948.
Once he was there, he began to
conspire among the army, which
had always been loyal to him be
cause he symbolized the ambitions
of his class. They supported him
as candidate for the presidential
election which was to be held in
June, 1952. He knew he did not
have a chance to win, and for this
reason, he seized the power by
force, helped by all his friends.
Batista did not give a reason for
his uncivilized act: his only excuse
was that he was going to save the
The Guilfordian
PRESS
Published Bi-monthly during the collegi
ate year by the students of
Guilford College
Entered at Greensboro, N. C., as second
class matter under Act of Congress,
August 24, 1912
Editor-in-Chief . . . . Margaret Haworth
Managing Editor Lillian Burrow
Business Manager Bill Smith
EDITORIAL STAFF
Associate Editor Andrea Rogin
Sports Editor Sidney Hart
Sports Staff —Bill Wearmouth, Charles
Watson, Lynn Hundley
News Editor Anne Taylor
Reporters —Betty Jean Steele, Louise
Bunker, Mary Greenwood, Ira Ross,
George Passes, Marilyn Gainey, Fern
Landenslager, Jackie Glisson.
Art Editor Carolyn Nimitz
TECHNICAL STAFF
Advertising Manager Miles Frost
Exchange Editor Jo Ann Cook
Photographer Dwight Thomas
Typing Manager Janet Andrews
Typists —Barbara Fichman, Sara Jane
Robertson, Betty Pake, Judy Wolff,
Ellen Horr, Donnie Bodenheimer,
Fraser Smith, Ann Shelton, Betsy
Winesett.
Circulation Manager Betsey Russell
Circulation Staff —Wanda Carter, Betty
Brown, Sara Lou Phillips, Bill Rhoads,
Bill Wearmouth, Tom O'Briant, Betty
Jean Steele.
country from the hands of thieves
and criminals and that he was go
ing to supervise a democratic elec
tion where the people would have
the right to elect their president.
This "coup de'tat" came as a big
surprise to the Cuban people be
cause Cuba had always been a
fairly peaceful country as compar
ed to other Latin-American states.
We did not know then that our
country was going to be the scene
of one of the most sanguinary and
cruel civil wars ever, where thou
sands of people were to be killed
in a bloody war of brother against
brother.
FIRST OVERTHROW ATTEMPT
We did not agree with Batista's
explanation and way of acting, and
for this reason on July 26 of the
same year Cubans made the first
public attempt to overthrow him
and his regime when a group of
86 men under the leadership of Dr.
Fidel Castro, a young lawyer who
had been president of the Student
Association in the University of
Havana, tried to seize the army
headquarters in Santiago, the cap
ital of Oriente.
This uprising was immediately
crushed by the government forces
because of their superior strength
and equipment. Many of the young
rebels were killed and the surviv
ors were taken prisoners, tried, and
sentenced to an indefinite period
in jail. However, shortly, some of
them were released and sent into
exile, and among these was Fidel
Castro. This was the beginning.
In November, 1954, "democratic
elections" were held and Batista
was elected constitutional presi
dent by the army—of course: he
was the only candidate on the bal
lot. Then the dictatorial govern
ment became more dictatorial by
taking away civil rights from the
people, thus putting all Cuban life
and property in danger. Many
times dead bodies were found on
the streets of the towns, and there
was no one to give or to ask for
explanation of these acts.
CASTRO BETURNS
There were many uprisings dur
ing the years that followed, but
the leading one occurred on Dec.
2, 1956, when Fidel Castro came
back from Mexico with a group
of 81 men to the hills of the prov
ince of Oriente, Sierra Maestra, to
fight for their country's rights. They
were all almost wiped out and only
12 were left. This group was the
starting point of a rebel army of
more than 20,000 soldiers, not in
cluding all the supporters of the
26th of July Movement in and out
side of our country.
The rebellious forces demon
strated great morality and patriot
ic ideals during all of the bloody
and savage encounters with Ba
tista's murderers. There qualities
were the ones the government
forces lacked.
As time went on, Castro's army
kept on gaining more territory, ex
panding toward the west, since
their goal was Havana. It defeated
many companies of army troops in
sanguinary battles which showed
Batista that he was lost and could
not fight any longer. As any man
of his kind, he was scared, and his
only way out was to flee the coun
try. The man that said he wanted
to be the Lincoln of Latin Amer
ica is nothing more than a coward.
Now, the rebel forces have taken
over the country and have formed
a provisional government which
will serve the purpose of the peo
ple until we have reorganized our
selves and our economy again.
And then, by the country's wish,
a truly democratic government "of
the people, by the people, and for
the people" will be established.
THE GUILFORDIAN
The Library? Why
Register There Ask
Wondering Students
Why have registration in the
library?
To those students who have been
here only a couple of years, it
seemed a bit odd when the an
nouncement came that registration
for the second semester would be
held in the library. The reason for
this change from the gymnasium
or union was given by Miss Lasley.
Several factors are against having
it in the gym. First, it's much too
cold to allow anyone to be com
fortable in there; secondly, the floor
is slick due to basketball season
being in full swing; and thirdly,
there would not be room to have
registration around the sides (as
was done for first semester) with
out taking up the bleachers. As for
the union, "It's just too crowded in
there to get anything done," Miss
Lasley said.
The library has several ad
vantages. The reading room is large
enough to give everyone ample
space for the necessary confer
ences; the magazine room is con
venient for setting up the sched
ules; the typists will be near by in
Mem Hall; and, of course, it's just
a step or two to the business office
for the final act before getting
started back to classes.
Contest For College
Women Now Open
Mademoiselle is now accepting
entries from undergradaute women
for its annual College Fiction Con
test.
The two winners of the College
Fiction Contest will receive SSOO
each for the serial rights to their
stories and publication in Made
moiselle. The runners-up will re
ceive honorable mention in Made
moiselle and the right to buy their
work at regular rates will be re
served by Mademoiselle.
Any woman undergraduate un
der twenty-six years old who is
regularly enrolled in a degree
granting college is eligible. Stories
that have appeared in undergradu
ate publications are acceptable if
they have not been published else
where. Contestants may submit
more than one entry, but stories
must be original and fictitious and
should run from approximately 2,-
500 to 5,000 words.
Entries must be typewritten
double-spaced on one side of the
page only. All \york must be clearly
marked with contestant's name,
age, home address, school address
and school year. An 8M" by 11"
Manila envelope, self - addressed
and stamped, should be enclosed
with all entries. Mademoiselle as
sumes no responsibility for manu
scripts received unless they are ac
companied by return envelope.
All entries for the contest must
be submitted by March 1, 1959 to
College Fiction Contest, MADE
MOISELLE, 575 Madison Avenue,
New York 22.
Aviation Apps Due
Any college Senior who plans
to graduate from college prior to
March 15, 1959 and expects to en
roll in the Aviation Officer Candi
date course which convenes at
Marine Corps Schools, Quantico,
Virginia this March, should make
immediate application.
The Aviation Officer Candidate
course consists of a ten week in
doctrination course which leads to
a commission in the U. S. Marine
Corps Reserve. Gradauates of the
ten week course are commissioned
second lieutenants and immediate
ly assigned to pilot training at
Pensacola, Florida. Further in
formation may be obtained by
writing Officer Selection Officer,
U. S. Marine Corps, Raleigh, North
Carolina.
Snow before, after, but not during Christmas.
MULTI - CAREERED BURR SHAFER
ORIGINATES "TIME CARTOONS"
To encourage reader interest,
TIME Magazine has mailed out a
series of cartoons as part of a spe
cial college student's subscription
offer.
Burr Shafter, originator of the
"History Never Told in TIME" car
toons which arrived in student
mailboxes early in January, is en
joying no less than four concurrent
and successful careers. As a busi
nessman, he owns and operates a
IHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^
STUDENTS REQUIRED TO
TAKE ENGLISH 10
1. Those who use poor English in
written work on papers, quizzes,
etc., and who are so reported by
teachers.
2. Those who fail the comprehen
sive Examination in English.
Students who are registered in Eng
lish lO are required to pass the
course. In the event that a student
should fail the course he must reg
ister for it again, and continue to
do so until he passes the course.
lIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM
For peaceful purposes and
the benefit of all mankind
NASA
\
Directs and Implements
U. S. Research Efforts In Aeronautics
and the
Exploration of
SPACE
The excitement and importance of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration is ap
parent, we believe, from our mission. Career
opportunities at NASA are as unlimited as the
scope of the organization itself. NASA, a new
research and development organization, in
cludes the facilities and staff of the former
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
NASA needs:
ENGINEERS: Aeronautical, Engineering Physics,
Electronic, Mechanical, Electrical, Metallur
gical, Chemical, Civil, Naval Architects
SCIENTISTS: Astronomers, Physicists, Mathe
maticians, Chemists. Metallurgists
ARRANGE THROUGH YOUR
PLACEMENT OFFICE TO MEET THE
NASA REPRESENTATIVES
(pn~s*Toni are filled in accordance with
Aer esearch Scientist Announcement 61B)
_NASA__
National Aeronautic* and Spae• Adminittration
LangUy Research Center Lewis Research Center
Langlty Fitld, Virginia Cleveland, Ohio
Ames Research Center High-Speed Flight Station
MofftH Field, California Edwards. California
JANUABY 16, 1959
music store in Santa Ana, Cali
fornia. As an artist, his oils have
been exhibited in numerous West
Coast galleries. As a cartoonist,
he specializes in his own trench
ant perspective on history, seen
through the misadventures of the
mythical J. Wesley Smith a
gentleman whose capers have been
delighting readers of The Saturday
Review for more than fourteen
years, and whose collected es
capades have been preserved for
posterity in two lively volumes
published by the Vanguard Press
under the titles of Through History
with J. Wesley Smith and Through
More History with J. Wesley Smith.
Finally, as a lecturer who illu
strates as he talks, Mr. Shafer is
standing-room-only fare at college
and club auditoriums everywhere
in the U.S.
Now TIME Magazine has se
lected 24 of Mr. Shafer's cartoon
comments on history, reproduced
them on cards and destined them
for the walls and halls of dormi
tories and fraternity houses from
coast to coast.