Page Two.
THE SAL E M I T E
Friday, December 4, 1942.
grte ^alemite
Published Weekly By The Student Body
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EDITOEIAL AND FEATURE STAFF
Music Editor Margaret Leinbaeh
Sports Editor Sara Bowen
Mildred Avera Mary Louise Rhodes
Katherine Manning Nancy Stone
Sarah Merritt Katherine Traynh^m
Lucille Newman Kathryn Wolff
Peggy Nimoeks Frances Yelverton
Doris C. Schaum
APPRENTICES
Mary Lib Allen Barbara Humbert
Margaret Bnllock Frances Jones
Rosalind Clark Sebia Midyette
Jackie Dash Julia Staith
Joy Flanagan Helen Thomas
Ethel Halpun Lois Wooten
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Business Manager Mary Margaret Struven
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ADVERTISING STAFF
Margy Moore, Elizabeth Beckwith, Katie Wolff,
Jane Willis, Nancy Vaughn, Corrinne Faw, Martha
Sherrod, Becky Candler, Doris Nebel, Adele Chase
Nancy McClung, Sarah Lindley, Allene Seville, Eliza
beth Griffin, Margaret Kempton, Harriet Sutton, Ruth
O’Neal, Yvonne Phelps, Elizabeth Bernhardt, Edith
Shapiro.
ARE YOU AWARE OF YOUR WORLD?
In a 1‘eeent survey of liberal arts colleges
]\Ir. Ilai’vie Branseomb of Duke University has
revealed that tlie per capita free reading in the
average small liberal arts college is but
twelve books per year. By “free reacMng” we
mean voluntary, non-required reading, which
is not to be confused with reserve book read
ing. Free reading activity is probably the
most reliable measure of the self-awakening of
a college student. It serves as an indication
of his intellectual curiosities, his byroads, his
academic influences, and the shifts and'empha
ses of his interests as reflected in reading over
*a span of four years.
A student who reads but twelve books
year is goiilty of a rather miserable perform
ance, despite the fact that this represents the
avei-age. In a period of one’.s life when his
learning is supposed to be most concentratec
and intense, the reading of twelve books a year
is hardly an accomplishment to excite pride or
elation.
e are now in the midst of the most tre
mendous' war in history, the outcome of which
will affect the future of all of us. The war
effoi't demands the best of everyone. I hon
estly believe that the great role of college wo
men, in our all-out war effort, is to try to see
that all our people comprehend the present
conditions and the meaning of total war.
How are we going to do it ? We can face
the facts. We can read. Magazines are full
of significant articles and there are many sig
nificant books in our libraries, both those deal
ing with facts and with the interpretation of
facts. We can inform ourselves, so that we
can then take the lead in our home communi
ties in seeing that the people are informed.
We can’t do it by skipping over articles
on war or trying to forget about the war.
Never let it be said that college students
don t want to talk about it j they don’t want
to think about itj they don’t even want to
read about it.”
—M. D. Me.
Did you all miss us last week? Wasn’t your turkey just a little
less interesting because we hadn’t commented upon him? Couldn’t you
honestly say that something was lacking? . . . something nice like, say,
the 8ALEMITE? Never mind! . . . But wo did miss YOU!
Things have just been happening too fast and furious for our poor
little thick skulls. e rushed away from here Wednesday gripeing be
cause we had to come back for Friday classes. Mr. Weinland had se-
lect-ed that precise day ui>on which to show up at Bible, please. But
despite it all, we exulted in stuffing turkey instead of Spam.
And then sometime or another there was that fabulous meeting of
the Legislature. For one solid lifty-six minutes wild shouting went
on about going to the movies before exams . . . yea . . . and many
were the groans when worn out Legislators listened to Vice-President
Struven’s announcement in chapel last Tuesday. What they want to
know is: why was all that effort wasted if we’re going back to exactly
what we started with? Aside from that, however, we think that the
new legislation is wonderful . . . and our most grateful appreciation
goes to'them what did it!
After the vacation, our spirits were whisked off from despondency
to Joseph Auslander. Was ever there a more truly kind and gentle
poet? W'c personally are all for kidnapping him and hiding him down
under something cozy . . ; what a refuge in bewilderment he would be!
Then after Auslander came the annual rioting season. Much con
flagration was spread, abroad . , . much how’’re-you-voting?-won’t-you-
have-a-cigarette?-ing was ’noised about . . . much valuable time was
switched from the cramming of history to the rolling up of hair. And
now it’s over for at least twelve more months . . . whew! But before
we forget it, please listen to what we heard that we weren’t at all
supposed to have heard. It seems that ballot-counter Newman laid
a stack of tabulated votes aside to get them out of the way ... it
was then that fix-it-up Watkins raced in, picked up said stack, threw
a handful across the table, and cried, “Ilere’re some you haven’t counted
yet!” The laurels of the evening go to Peggy Somers who, in her usual
cool and nonchalant manner, sighed, “Put them down, Charlie
we’ve counted them at LEAST three times already.”
Then there was that final battle of the hockey season. The old
ladies have done well . . . so, PLEASE, let’s let basketball season go
by without any sort of remark that will necessitate their going all-out
to prove a i>oint again. Merci.
Finally, we want to say to Dr. Rondthaler that simply having him
here on> the campus again does us more good than any morale builder
we can think of. We wish him quickest recovery and bestest love.
In parting may we say that unless life slows down a pace or two,
this column will be forced to find a new columnist. Frankly, we can
foresee some dire catastrophe bearing down on our upstairs workings
. . . Thanksgiving . . . Legislature . . . May Day elections . . Auslander
. . . Borovsky . . . tests . . . tests . . tests . . . Wheew-w-w-w-w.
-AND A MERRY' CHRISTMAS, TOO
Article by M. Rene Hardre of W. C. U. N. C. M. Hardees son,
Jacques, fought in the Battle of France, was captured by Germans, es
caped and returned to the U. S. A. He is now with General DeGaulle’s
forces in England.
MISE AU POINT
La reconnaissance, par les Etats-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne, de
1 ’amiral Darlan comme administrat«ur civil et militaire de 1 ’Afrique du
Nord et de I’Afrique occidentale fran;aises dot-elle n’6re que temporaire,
prolonge indument I’equivoque de regibe Pfitain et obscurcit une situa
tion que, pluVers moi^ auparavant, se trouvait eclaircie k la satisfaction
de tous les FVan^ais patriotes.
Qu’on ne se figure pas que se soi1> I’amiral de la Flotte franjaise qui
ait reintegre la France dans la guerre contre I’Axe. II n’a fait que
cider e la force et profiter d’une situation que lue offrait I’occassion
inesp6ree de continuer S, faire figure/ de chef et de prolonger en Afrique,
pour des fins politiques, I’autoritS illusoire du d^funt gouvernement de
Vichy. Quant 6 I’Affrique du Nord, I’occupation anglo-amg^icaine en
eut tot ou tard, et sans lue, provoqug la rentrle dans la guerre. II est
vrae que cette rentreo a ete brusquee par lue, ce qui a permis aux Al
lies de faire immediatement face aux tentatives italo-allmandes d’occu-
pation de la Tunisie. Mais 1’amiral Darlan n’a pu obtenir de la flotte
de toulon qu’ette vint, il y a quinze jours, quand il en etait encore
temps, se mettre El l’abri dans un port de I’Algfine; mais M. Boisson,
gouverneur de I’Afrique occidentale et ami de Darlan, ne s’est declare
“pour” les Allies (en mai dernier, il faisait condamner k mort cinq
‘gaullistes”); il decrSte au contraire la neutralite d«s territoires qu’il
administre; mais les condamnations et les Executions, en France de
patriotes fran^ais “ de gaulistes” dont le crime etait de ne pag ' ac
cepter I’asservissement de la France, ne sont pas effacees des memoires-
non plus que declarations publiques, les faita et les gestes des gouvern'
ants de Vichy; non plus que I’emprcssement de Vichy livrer sans com
bat les colonies frangaises dont I’Axe avait besoin pour ses conqugtes
Cependant, tandis que les forces fran^aises enfin liberees se battent fur-
ieusement aux cotes des Anglo-Americains en Tunisie, les voluntaires du
general de Gaulle, que combattent en Afrique depuis 1940, s’avancent &
travers la Lybie et le Fezzan. II ne sert done de ri«n S, I’amiral Darlan
de prfiferer, en evoquant le nom de PStain, que les Equivoques voules par
Hitler et soigneusement entretenues depuis juin 1940 les “capitulards”
de Bordeaus, subsistent toujours et vicient I’atmosphfere autour des Na-
tions-Unies. II ne servira de rien non plus) que journalistes, oublieux des
revelations du proces de Eiom, ressuscitent une “6igme” Petain, comme
its se sont plus i imaginer d’autres enigmes. L’occupation totale, au
mepris des termes de I’armistice de juin 1940, et I’agression de Toulon
qui a cause le suicide de la flotte, ont enfln' dessUle les yeux d«s derniers
Fransais qui s’obstinaient dans I’aveuglement; I’esprit de la France
Combattante triomphe.
(Etre continue la semaine prochaine)
For our Thanksgiving news we had the
“jubilant” reports from Washington that
fourteen thousand Germans had been killed on
the Russian front, and that fifteen hundred
Italians had been “slaughtered.” Radios
blasted the glad tidings, head-lines sang
■Everyone sang of the slaughter, but few re
membered to sing of victory. We were to be
thankful not because we had won, but because
we had killed! After one year, of what prom
ises to be a much longer war, our leaders in
Washington have forgotten . . . They have for
gotten that we are fighting to preserve a way
of life, more precious than life itself; they have
become shortsighted and bloodthirsty. Lest we
too forget, perhaps we had best recount the
whys of this war.
Our constitution recognizes that men are
personalities, not cattle—and it guarantees
liberty and free thinking to each and every
man. It is for the preservation of this liberty
that we fight totalitarian governments. It is
for this that we must kill. We want a govern
ment of faith rather than one of force; we
want to know, and speak, and write, and LIVE
the truth . . . we would be our own censors of
what this truth is because we do have faith
that it will stand. If we would win the peace,
equally as important as winning the war, we
had best remember when Washington forgets.
e had best remember that we are not fight
ing young Italian or young German or young
Japanese boys, but that we are fighting a force
that threatens to destroy our way of life
we had best remember the principals set forth
in our constitution lest in winning we lose; lest
in slaughtering with glee we die.
—M. B.
OPEN FORUM
Dear Editor,
When I came to Salem; I knew that, con
trary to many small schools, she had kept
abreast of the changing times. Salem’s ob
ject wasn’t to protect Salemites from the out
side world; my chosen school, combining tra
dition and a liberal minded faculty, attempted
to produce women who were self-sufficient, and
who had the ability to put first things first.
From where I sit, it looks as though neith
er the faculty nor the students think Salem
women are capable of handling cuts.
’\Vhen I had only been here a short while,
my mind jei'ked to the cuts system and the
way it woiks. In the first place, why don’t
faculties have cuts, too? Next, if a girl is
really college material, should she not know
when she has exhausted her cut quota? Is it
fair for a Freshman with a B average (who
might be re-hashing what she learned in a
prep school, incidentally) to take as many cuts
as a Senior with the same grade?
To solve this problem partially, I glanced
o\er the cut systems of our fellow schools. At
Duke, each student has a stated number of
cuts and her infirmary cuts are included in the
number. If she trapses off every week-end,
uses er cuts, then piles up in the bed with
ailments, she just withdraws from school. She
has already missed too many classes to get
credit for any of her courses.
At Hollins, however. Juniors and Seniors
have un united cuts; the Freshmen and Soph
omores, a limited number determined by the
girl s average.
e for Salem then is a combination
of the two plans: let the faculty grant upper
classmen a stated number of cuts in which the
infirmary cuts are included. As for the under
classmen, let the faculty grant them a limited
number, dependmg upon the student’s aver
age.
This is only one p,.„ j,
please Submit them. ’
Sincerely,
~A SALEMITE
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