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VOL. XII.
WINSTON-SALEM, N. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1931.
Dr. Rondthaler Interprets
Luke’s Christmas Story
Comments On Salem I Christmas Vespers
Christmas Traditions Proves Inspiring
First Address of Advent Sea
son Is Inspirational Talk
By President
At expanded chapel on Wednes
day, December 9th, Dr. Howard E.
Rondthaler prefaced his remarks
the Christmas story as found
Luke, with a few comments on
holiday season. In view of the sleet
storm, he remarked that during the
Civil War such a storm was called
the “widow’s wood-chopper.’
reminded the students of some
esting traditions of old Salem—the
Christmas cakes made by half-cen-
tury old cutters and recipe, the
hand-made bees-wax candles,
ally distributed at Christmas Ves
pers, and the Christmas star, also
made by hand, which hangs in Me
morial Hall during the Christmas
Dr. Rondthaler read the story of
Christ’s birth as told by Luke, the
physician, and interpreted the Christ
mas story for his audience.
Luke tied his story down to truth
by the use of well-known, historical
Roman names and incidents. Rome,
at that time, was the mistress of the
world, and Caesar, being ruler of
Rome, issued the command for the
people to be taxed. Rome
crafty in her taxation of the almost
prostrate Jews in that she made
ery Jew take a pilgrimage with his
family back to the town of his
cestors to be taxed, for the Jt
thought a great deal of their
cestral places and customs.
He pictured crowds of people
traveling toward Bethlehem through
a winter much like the pres
Joseph and Mary, both of the house
of David, were in that crowd, but
fell a little behind, taking about four
days for the sixty-mile journey.
Mary rode a little beast and Joseph
walked slowly beside her over the
rough 'roads of the mountains and
over the detour they made in order
to avoid profaning themselves by
passing through Samaritan territory.
At twilight they reached the inn
at Bethlehem to be greeted by the
news that there was no more room
at the noisy inn. Inhospitality was
not entirely to blame for the poor
welcome which Mary and Joseph
received in their ancestral town.
Bethlehem was, as it is today, a
small hilltop village, and crowds had
already arrived. Homes, as well as
the inn, were filled. The eastern
half-open stalls around an open court
where the animals were lodged.
Joseph talked to the innkeeper
who finally led him and Mary apolo
getically to the cave stable beneath
Miss Setzer Hostess
To Alpha Iota Pi
Roman Customs Discussed at
Latin Sorority Meeting
Miss Pauline Setzer delightfully
entertained the members of Alpha
Iota Pi, Salem’s Latin Club, at her
home, Tuesday evening, December 1.
After a brief business discussion,
Miss Dorothy Sims talked on “Ro
man Dress” and Miss Eleanor Phil
lips discussed “Roman Schools.”
Tempting refreshments i
served to the following guests: Misses
Eleanor Phillips, Dorothy Heiden-
reich, Dorothy Sims, Virginia Lang
ley, Julia Meares, Sarah Graves,
Mary Miller, and Misses Margie
Hastings and Lessie Brown Phillips,
members of the Salem faculty.
Various Yuletide Readings
Add to the Program
Christmas Vespers Service was held
in the Louisa Bitting Recreation
Room on Sunday evening, December
A goodly number was present to
enjoy the singing of Christmas carols
and the various Christmas selections.
The Scripture reading was rep.d by
Miss Jane Williams. Following this.
Miss Rebecca Hines sang “O Holy
Night.” Miss Rachel Bray accom
panied her at the piano.
A poem, “A Christmas Prayer,”
was given by Miss Phyllis Noe, and
Cokey Preston followed with a
Christmas reading.
The inspiring service closed with
the choral anthem and the Y. W.
C. A. Watchword.
Sororities To Begin
Basketball Practice
Fouf Social Sororities Prepar
ing for the Approaching
Tournament
The four social soroities of Salem
College recently began practice for
the rapidly approaching inter-sor
ity basketball tournament which
to take place immediately after the
Christmas holidays.
Each of the four sororities, name
ly, Alpha Phi Kappa, Beta Beta Pi,
Delta Sigma Delta, and Theta Delta
Pi, has several excellent players.
Last year the Kappas were the
tors; the year before the Thetas
The outcome of the tournament i;
certain as all teams are well-match
ed.
The rules governing this tourna-
ent were announced in last week’
Salemite, the main issue of which wa
that five official practices are re
quired for entrance to a game.
President Of Salem
Attends Convention
Mary Baldwin Admitted to
Southern Association
During the past week Dr. Rond
thaler attended the meeting of the
Association of Colleges and Secon
dary Schools of the Southern States,
which was held in Birmingham, Ala
bama. Salem has been a member of
this association since 1922.
It will be of interest to note that
Mary Baldwin College, which i
Staunton, Virginia, was granted n
During the convention, the ques
tion of a uniform system of grading
discussed. However, no definite
plan was made.
mm
Mr. Lamar Springfield
Talks At Music Hour
Mr. Vardell Plays Three of
Mr. Stringfield’s Compo
sitions
At the Music Hour on Thursday
afternoon Mr. Lamar Stringfield
gave his third and last talk on “Folk
Music.”
Mr. Stringfield, who is head of
the Institute of Folk Music at the
University of North Carolina, told of
a recital held recently at Chapel Hill.
All of the pieces on the program were
by modern composers, and the out
standing selection, “Dance,” was
written by an eighteen-year-old boy
who is a Freshman at Chapel Hill
this year.
According to Mr. Stringfield, great
American music must be based on
American folk songs. Since jazz is
borrowed music, it will never amount
to anything. Jazz is based on the
works of former composers. One of
the best jazz pieces, “Rhapsody in
Blue,” is based on Brahm’s Second
Symphony and on two other great
pieces. Also, jazz has regular rhythm,
which is contradictory to nature.
When a person is excited his heart
beats faster than it does ordinarily.
Likewise, true music varies in speed.
Mr. Stringfield asserted that folk
music should be taught in the ele
mentary schools. Music helps
velop the imagination of children, and
it helps give strength and beauty tc
their characters. Music is an art
which children naturally learn,
When they know nothing at all of
the technique of music, they delight
to sing and hum to themselves. The
proper musical training of childi
will raise the musical taste of '
country and will strengthen the i
tional character. The ideal song for
children should be music of the purest
order, should appeal to children, ai
should be simple enough for them
learn easily. Folk songs, which a
natural, pure, and simple, fulfill
these requirements. It is especially
important that children learn the
folk songs of their own country,
Mr. Stringfield remarked that he
would like to hear some American
patriotic songs. “The Star-Spangled
Banner” is an English camp song,
while “America” is the British na
tional anthem.
Mr. Stringfield urged all girls
Academy Will Give
Christmas Carol Program
WINNERS OF PASSES
The management of the
Carolina Theatre announces
with pleasure the winners of
this week’s complimentary
passes: Miss Mary Ollie Biles
of the Editorial Staff of The
Salemite and Miss Isabel Pol
lock, of the advertising staff of
The Salemite. The winners
are chosen according to their
ability and work on The
Salemite.
Seniors Are To Sing
Christmas Carols
Candles Will Bring Special
Music on Friday, Dec. 18th
Tune your set of ears in on the
Seniors the last nigiht before going
home for Christmas, becausc on that
anticipated night, Friday, December
18, at midnight they are going to
sing in different parts of town, so
watch for them as they produce the
“Volga Boatman sound effect.”
Any one who wants special at
tention will have a song sung under
her window if she places a lighted
candle where it can be seen on the
outside. Save your beeswax candle
from Sunday Vespers and get the
Christmas Spirit in your bones before
you depart for the holidays.
President’s Forum
Conducts Chapel
Student Government, Annual,
And Salemite Are Rep-
resiented
It has recently been planned to have
The Presidents’ Forum take charge
of the morning Chapel services when
Dr. Rondthaler is unable to be pres
ent. Different organizations will
preside at different times and the pro
grams will be entirely in their
charge.
Last Thursday the Student Coun
cil was represented with Miss Anna
Preston presiding. The program
consisted of a monologue given by
Miss Marietta Way and a song by
Miss Josephine Courtney.
The Annual, “Sights and Insights,”
was represented on Friday by Miss
Beulah Mae Zachary in charge and
Miss Mary B. Williams, who sang
two songs.
Miss Sarah Graves, editor of The
Salemite, led the services Saturday,
The college newspaper was also
represented by Misses Martha Davis,
Mary Alice Beaman, Susan Calder,
Edith Leake, Miriam Stevenson, and
Margaret Johnson. Speeches '
given by Misses Mary Alice Beaman
and Susan Calder and the Scriptui
was read by Margaret Johnson.
Underclassmen To
Entertain Seniors
Santa Claus in Person Will
Give Seniors and Faculty
Gifts
Next Thursday evening, Decem
ber 17, 1931, at 8 o’clock, the under
classmen will delightfully entertain
the Senio.- Class at a Chri=tmas party
in the Recreation Room of Louisa
Bitting Dormitory.
This party, which is sponsored by
the Junior Class, will follow the An
nual Christmas banquet which will
take place in ^e college dining room
and in which the entire school will
participate. Miss Irene MacAnally,
President of the Junior Class, will
be toastmistress at the banquet and
will also preside at the party. The
members of the faculty and adminis
tration, as well as the day-student
Seniors, will be guests of honor '
the banquet and party.
The traditional delicious Christ
mas cakes which were originated
old Salem will add a quaint’ touch
the festive banquet. At this banquet
every Salem girl will have a chance
to do the one thing she has wanted
do ever since she has been at Salem—
tap on her glass with her knife dur
ing the song “Jingle Bells.”
Old Saint Nicholas himself (three
guesses as to who he really is!) has
promised to appear on the scene,
rumored that he plans to bring
pack full of good things for the
faculty and the Seniors.
p-'Yukiide
Tableau To Be
“Holy Night”
“Morning Stjir” By Moravian
Missionary Will Feature
the Program
A long-established Christmas tra
dition at Salem is the Christmas
Carol Program which the Academy
is to give on Thursday afternoon,
December 17, at 5 o’clock, in Me
morial Hall. Miss Knox, of the
Academy Faculty, is directing it,
and the entire school will take part
in it. Miss Ruth Marsden will
play the organ accompaniments and
will also give an organ prelude.
The tableau this year is to be a
copy of Correggio’s “Holy Night.”
This living picture, in which there
will be the Madonna, Joseph, the
Babe in the Manger, and the Shep
herds, will form the background for
the carol singers. The colors of the
costumes and the lighting effects have
been well adapted to bring out the
lights and shadows which are char
acteristic of Correggio’s painting.
The dramatic, and at the same time
graceful, action is another feature
which will be well done. Two An
gels will draw the curtains. The
girls to be in the tableau are: Varena
Mays, Frances Bowland, Martha
Jones, Zoe Towell, and Ellen Zim
merman.
The scripture reading will be the
Christmas story from Luke. “The
Three Kings,” in which Laura Ellen
Nunsford, Carolyn Welch, and Jane
Rondthaler will sing, is to be the only
solo. The other Carols which will
be sung in a chorus by the rest of
the Academy are:
“God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen.”
“Good Christian Men Rejoice.”
“The First Noel.”
“O Come All Ye Faithful.”
“Bring a Torch.”
“Born Is He.”
“Once Long Ago.”
“Silent Night.”
“Lo How a Rose.”
“What Child is This?”
“Morning Star.”
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”
Particular interest is attached to
“Morning Star,” which has been sung
through many years in the Christmas
season at Salem, and which is known
far and near to all Salem girls. It
was written by Reverend F. F. Hag-
a Moravian missionary and min-
r who was born in 1815 at Salem
and who at one time served in nearby
congregations. He lived to be nine-
ty-two years of age and retained
throughout his entire life a great de
votion to his community and an un
failing delight in his life and work.
Mr. Hagan was a musician of con
siderable ability, both as an organist
History Club Meets
In Recreation Room
Dr. Francis Anscombe Dis
cusses the Historical
Point of View
The History Club met last Tues
day evening, December first, in the
recreation room of Louisa Bitting.
The meeting was called to order
by Edith Leake, president. Hildreth
MacDonald, secretary of the club,
called the roll. A short business
session was held at which it was
proposed that the next meeting would
be in February at the home of Dr.
Anscombe. This proposed meeting ■
will be, primarily, a social function.
Dr. Anscombe gave an interesting
and brief talk on the many different
points of view from which History
is written.