Page Four. THE SALEMITE Friday, April 30, 1943. WAKE ME EARLY FOR I'M TO BE QIIEEN OF THE MAY, DEAR MAMA Chairmen Discuss May Day P.™u, Beet, H,,we.l. Ed.lh Sh.pta, CHAIRMEN PULL PUPPH fflNGS BACKSTAGE TO MAKE ANNUAL MAY DAY FESTIVAL CLICK WHAT’S BEEN DONE BEFORE RIGHT HERE Perhaps the origin of May Day dates )>ack to old Rome when the Ijatins worshipped Flora, the god dess of fertility. But Chaucer was among the first to call attention to the English celebratiop. On May first, says he, it was customary for all “to fetch home, flowers freshe.” Down through the Middle Ages peo ple continued making merry in the spring. Then, the fairest maid in a village who received admiration from the revellers became Queen. The May Pole for years has meant a special feature of the festival. It was destroyed in England by the Puritans but reappeared with the Bestoration. Salem’s celebration of May Day has been recent. In 1922, Salem had no May Day Chairman—various campus organizations produced May Day festivals. Then the MacDow- ell Club, a dramatic organization, sponsored a simple pageant in which Miss Elizabeth Parker was the Grecian Queen. The following spring, under the direction of the Annual Staff, Mias Dois Crowell, as May Queen, sought to depose King Winter. When the spectators gathered in the dell; the court, dressed as snow elves, had already assembled. After many in trigues, the Queen succeeded in destroying the elfigy of King Win ter and regained her throne. Until 1927, S"alem abandoned May Day festivals. That year, despite the desire for blooms, the roses re mained closed until Queen Bessie Clark waved her magic sceptre. In 1928, Miss Sarah Kincaid pre sided over a fairy book . . . “When Fairy Hales Come True.” As the Queen commanded the pages to be turned, fairies danced forth reveal ing tales of Bed E'iding Hood and Cinderella. The Salemite, in 1929, announced merely that Miss Mary Johnson was Queen. No other notation followed. The spectators sat in a dell of great shells, grey moss, and green grass on May 3, 1930—a sea kingdom presided over ,by Fritz Firey. Since the regent’s crown had been lost; Neptune summoned sea nymphs and mermaids to search for the crown in order that it might be returned. For the theme of the 1931 festival, ruled over by Miss Elizabeth Allen, the Stee Gee went back to Eobin’s rule of Sherwood Forest. Begin ning w'ith the Little John-Bobin tus- sel, the play continued until Bobin won the shooting match at the vil lage celebration in Nottinghamshire. Anna Preston, in a white satin gown, reigned over the court in 1932. She and her attendants, who wore pastel lace dresses and carried tulle parasols, contributed to a pag eant about George Washington. See—HISTOE Y—^Page Five. IRS HONORS GAY LADIES WITH DANCE - j Excited talk, mad rushing, last minute calls and telegrams—l-all re mind us that tomorrow is the big night! It is then that we will have our spring dance—the grand con clusion of our May Day festivities. The prevailing gaiety wiU be accent ed by the decorations in vivid South American colors, and refresh ments will be served at intermis sion. There will be a special no break for the members of the May Court and their dates at which time the spot light will fall on the in dividuals, and they will be rec- ogfnized. The escort for the figure will be: Bill Northington with Mary Louise Eousseau, Campbell Ansley with Becky Candler, Eugene Sutton with Carlotta Carter, Jake Alex ander with. Leila Sullivan, Billy Trinkle with Jean Fulton, Lt. Jack Boaeh with Sis Shelton, Ensign Tom Hayes with Julia Garrett, Beauford Goldstien with. Frances Turner, Wxay Amos with Helen McMillan, Pred Tucker with Jean Hodges, and goodness-only-knows with Mary Alderson and Mildred Lee. Claude McNeil will escort the Maid of Honor; and Doc Shull, the Queen. Not Beautiful? —f Think I Am (Peggy Nimocks) Well, May Day is almost here . . . I can’t believe it! I can’t believe that the girls have absolutely over looked such beauty as mine. I tried ^y best to get in the court . . - flossed myself, pretitioned myself, and did everything in my power; but nothing went through. Maybe jealousy is the keynote of the trouble . . • maybe I can steal show any how—then they’ll be sorry they’ve neglected me. How time flies! It is Saturday already! Now I’ll strut down into the May Dell via the path the court will, take . . . “Good golly, there’s an old pal of mine, I believe. Helloooo, Tizy! Just a minute—^I’l be there to see you as soon as I get down this hill.” So I traipse down the main route and struggle through the crowd to see Tizy. ‘ ‘ Pardon me sir—didn’t mean to knock your hat off. Excuse me—^I didn’t mean to hurt your corn. Oh, I’m sorry—I didn’t intend to burn such a large hole in your suit . . Only three more men. to knock down, and I’ll be over there with Tizy. “Well Tizy, I haven’t seen you in years. How are youT . . . You don’t remember me? . . .Where did I know you? . - . Your name isn’t Tizy? . . . You’ve never seen me before? Oh come on—^you are Tizy Lish, aren’t you? ... You aren’t! . . . Oh, I see. Say Mister, iuit laughing. I’m very sorry Miss— I will go now. Pardon me sir—^I am sorry—excuse me.” Well, I’ll go prop my body on the tree—that’s a pretty conspicuous place. Yes, a glamorous pose is the thing ... Oh look! There comes Annie May. I well know that I am much prettier than she. Hurrah for Annie! “An-neeee! . . . Annie! . over here. Annie.” “What did you say, sir? . . . Quit making a fool of myself? . . . attracting attention? . . . But sir • . . Yessir, I’m leaving right now sir.” ’ The week before May Day; and all through the house, not a creature was stirring . . . except Chairman Bead! A week from spring vacation until May Day ... a week in which to practice the dancers and the at tendants and the speakers! As far as anyone knew, there were only three things ready for the gala oc casion. Although Wee Blue Chairman Howell had chopped up three fingers, grilled both wrists, and lost count less hours of sleep fretting over col lecting from the eating debtors . . . the money was right there on hand. Music Chairman Shamel had raked up the most appropriate of South- of-the-Border compositions . . . after she had, in the capacity of Nominations Chairman, found out who the students wanted as their beauties. TTiese beauties were cloth ed in gay dresses worked out by Normie Tomlin . . . and that much of the pageant was ready to shoot. The other committee heads, how ever, were just about frantic. Dance Chairman Shapiro was threatening to murder all the would-be dancers who somehow failed to manage show ing up at rehearsals . . . but, to make up for their in,adequacies, she was gracefully twisting and turn ing through the movements of her own solo all the while. All through the halls of Cfewell and Strong canvassed Little Yelverton in per- suit of good speaking voices which would possibly do over the micro phones. All over the campus raced Becky Candler shouting, “Flowers, flowers . . ..where in the world are the flowers?” And right behind her searched Properties Chairman Betty Moore . . . now, how should we know where to look for a bull on Salem Campus! On the trail of Betty, fretted Program Chairman Engram . . . why did the Queen’s name have to be spelled with an n instead of a k? Then the panorama flew past with Costume Chairman Struven peeping out from under scores of brilliant cloths ... did anybody know how to sew simple seams on a machine? And finally . . . almost lost in the crowd . . . wjiizzed Publicity Chairman Parrish with a stack of 'Colorful Fiesta Captures Scene La Fiesti de Hayo They’ll come dancing over the bridge into the May Dell—all arrayed in bright colored costumes. They are a group of gay senoritas and gauchos coming for May Fiesta Day. There is a cheerful holiday spirit in the air much music and dancing. To begin with, three pretty sen oritas are dancing on the bridge. In the dell, a dashing gaucho is fed red peppers and shrieks in pain from eating too much hot ones. A group of senoritas and gauchos do a gay tat dance. Then suddenly a much- acho runs up and down shouting that the Queen and her court are coming. Down the long slope to be dell slowly walk the lovely senoritas of the court—dressed in red, green purple, orange, blue, and yellow! The beautiful senorita who is to be crowned queen follows and takes her place upon the throne. Then the Queen’s favorite dancer entertains with a lively dance. The gauchos dance when she has finished and are followed by a groupe who serenade the Queen. Everyone is gay and joyful. The toreadors also do a dance to entertain the Queen and her court. Knally, the climax of Fiesta Day is reached. The Queen is crowned! As she sits regally upon her throne, some senoritas and gauchos dance the Kerchief Dance. T'his is the gay end of the Fiesta Day. Although many other fiestas will be held dur ing the coming year, everyone is sad that she will have to wait another year before the May Fiesta will take place again. glossies and an eye for vengeance because Ceil had yet to ha'^e her picture taken! So this is the way it’s gone for the last hectic week; but don’t be alarmed ... it’s only Friday night! The committees have, however, in all seriousness done a most credit able job ... a job which makes May D|ay the festive spectacle it is. fwiTH COURT OF BEAUTY CROWN HER! Vive la fiesta! This year’s May Day combines a Spanish holiday with the traditional May Pole frolic —and promises to be as full of color and song as a day iu old Ma drid. Queen Geil Nuchols of Charlotte, N. 0., is a fitting majesty to rule a court of Spanish pulchritude. E'e- splendent in floral tiara, her five feet ten of dark regalness befits her Latin role. Dark eyes—vivac ious and wise despite the sultry shadows behind them—a quick and sparWing smile — gleaming white teeth a confident and graceful walk make Ceil a Queen to whom all can pay willing homage. In personality as well as in physi cal attributes is Ceil a Queen—for she is quick of judgment, forceful, and possessed of certain positive opinions which bespeak a strong and confident mind. Her nimble wit combined with a salty and saucy sense of humor make her a conver sationalist of rare charm. Her in terest is varied and covers a wide range of fields—from the New York er to Harper’s—from Prokofleff to Beethoven—from Van Gogh to Mi chelangelo—from Wilber Steele to Shakespeare. An ardent movie dev otee—she favors Van Hefflin, hates with singular passion Abbott and Costello, and enjoys thoroughly a good Walt Disney. With such a diversity of interests, her creative ability^ is enhanced. In rare moods she will play for her willing list eners original arrangements of loved music—and sometimes even her own compositions. Her literary ability needs no comment—for as editor of this paper, a year of work speaks for itself. As if in direct contrast to the handsome and brunette Queen, i? Maid-of-Honor Barbara Hawkins of Blackstone, Va. Petite, polite, and pretty; her blond hair, creamy com plexion, and quiet blue eyes are remin^cent of a Dresden figurine. Her figure is slender—her move ments shyly graceful—and her man ner quiet and pleasant. Her quiet and gentle personality encourages friendships of the firm and lasting type. Kind to all—she has many admirers, numerous well- wishers, and many close friends on this campus. In personality as in beauty, Barbara is a direct contrast to the energetic Queen Ceil—and is a fitting Maid-of-Honer. Among the attendants of Queen Ceil and Maid Barbara—is one Mary Louise Eousseau. Bosie is a Win- ston-Salemite, and has descended the ramp of the May Dell with Ceil for four years. This is a tribute to her unswerving good looks. Crisp brown hair from sparkling brown eyes and a smile of quick delight. Bosie’s figure is small and perfect—^her walk the result of good discipline. Con genial with all, sometimes scatter brained, femininely catty, but fun to be around is Bosie. S'omewhat unstable to men, she wins admiration and envy from many. Two more Seniors grace May Court -Becky Candler of Charlotte, N. C., and Carlotta Carter of Washington, N. C. Becky is tall—of a leisurely and ambling walk, and softly curl ing brown hair with golden lights. Unassuming and slow to anger, Becky is a comforting person to be around. Her eyes are large and brown, her smile slow and genuine. There is a dreamy, out-of-this-world quality in Becky which makes one long to discover the reason for her frequent far away gazes. Carlotta Carter—she of the su perb slender figure which she is shy about she of the young, young spirit, and the ridiculous folding nees. Carlotta, the actress; Cootie tne companion—Carlotta the charm- ing; Cootie, the modest—possessed an extremely firm jaw for one so nderstanding, a straight nose, and sott grey eyes—the brown haired See—COUBT—Page Six

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