Volume LXXII No.2
October 31,199J
Freshmen Officers: A Class Act
by Hanan Abdul-Rahim
Together they are a burst of energy, a
breath of fresh air, and an explosion of
enthusiasm. They are the officers of the
class of 1995: president Meredith
iSnellings, vice president Mary Black,
treasurer Hannah Ashford, and Honor
Council representative Sarah Woody (
at the time of this interview, the secre
tary had not yet been elected). These
bright young women have different
personalities, but they also have many
features in common. They all share a
great deal of love for Salem and the
eagerness to participate in bettering
student life on campus.
Meredith Snellings is from Richmond,
|VA. Meredith, who graduated from
Douglas Freeman High School, is al
ready busy working as the photogra
phy editor for the Salemite. Meredith
was also very active in high school. She
was treasurer and vice president of the
environmental club and photography
and editorial editor of the yearbook. "
These activities taught me organization"
says Meredith.
Mary Black, who is the newly-elected
vice president, was the vice president of
the Anchor Club at Hartsville High
School in Hartsville, South Carolina. The
club was involved in fundraising for
school activities.
Serving as the treasurer of her junior
class in Clayton High School will defi
nitely be of help to Hannah Ashford, the
freshman class treasurer. Hannah says
that working in fundraising has given
her " an appreciation for money" and
that serving her class has given her " a
sense of the needs of the student body
that must be considered."
Sarah Woody is somewhat familiar
with the Honor Tradition by virtue of
having attended a school that has that
same tradition.
When asked why she ran for her
position, Meredith replied that she had
been planning on gettinginvolved since
her arrival at Salem. " 1 had always
heard that enjoying Salem is getting
involved in it," she explained.
Mary wanted to become the vice
president of her class because she is a "
people-lover," and she would like to be
able to help others. Hannah sees her
position as catalytic in getting to know
and serve her classmates.
" 1 ran for this office because I've seen
this system work, and Tve also seen
some faulty thingsinitatmy school that
I wanted to change" explains Sarah. She
added emphatically " I believe in this
system."
The officers are enthusiastic about
projects for their class. They would like
to see all the freshmen involved in their
class activities. " The class has to give us
ideas," says Meredith. " We are not here
to run the class bu t to represen t i t and to
learn from mistakes."
The officers also talked about what
they love most about Salem and about
the traditions they intend to uphold.
They all agree that the closeness and
p>ersonal treatment make Salem differ
ent and special. " 1 feel like 1 go to school
with my sisters" says Meredith. Sarah
agrees and adds that people at Salem
are " willing to work with you."
Finally, when asked how they wanted
their class to be remembered in ten or
fifteen years, the officers answered "
unique, determined,classy, and memo
rable." Frankly my dears, 1 have little
doubt that the class of 1995 will be
anything less.
Laura X on
Marital Rape
Four Viewpoints on
Display in the FAC
farcyptf ^ ^
I by Elizabeth Barrett
I It is easy to picture Laura X as acollege
I student at U.C. Berkley in the early 60's.
Her long straight hair is gray now, but it
is probably in the same style. Her clothes
are also that same 60's style. The bright
j fed A-framed dress she wore the day
we spoke was short, really short, and
socks and sandals were her only
accessory. The friendship room in
Strong where she was staying was like
niany college dorm rooms, a mess, with
j papers and clothes scattered
j everywhere. Most of all, her passion
about women's issues is probably about
as strong as it was then.
' I remeber a professor in my college
telling my class that women could
ffeither whittle or whistle. I raised my
band and told him I had learned to do
I both at camp," she said about her
experience at U.C. Berkeley.
Laura X, graduated from Miss. Hall's
boarding school for girls and went on to
Vassar College which was also single
sex at the time. She spent three years at
Vassar then ini 962 went to California
and got her degree from Berkley. The
large coed university wasa "tremendous
shock." Laura did not know there were
things girls could not do and she started
to hear that message at Berkeley.
Miss Hall's and Vassar had taught
LauaraX that women could do anything.
However, that women must develop
their minds to be interesting for a man.
Is that still the message women
receive on sinlge-sex campuses today?
"No," Laura replied, "not so much
today. Women's potential to develope
their^minds is for their own pleasure
and for their community."
We met only an hour before she was
to leave Salem for the airport. Laura
continued on page 2
by Kate Hargett
A new art exhibit opened on October 1,
in the Gallery at the Fine Arts Center.
Entitled "Four Viewpoints: Louis
Brown, Sue Buck, Pat Courtney, and
Lida Gordon," the exhibit profiles four
female artists whose approaches to
current social, political, and sexual
issues are all unique. A wonderful
collection of powerful and interesting
works, the artists use different mediums
and concepts to convey their messages.
The four women present their work via
pencil drawings, monoprints, concep
tual art, and abstract shapes.
The idea behind the exhibit, says director
Geoff Bates, is to show students that
women artists can approach art in
different ways and that their subject
matter does not necessarily have to focus
on still-life studies of fruits and flowers.
Everyone is encouraged to stop by the
Gallery and see this new exhibit, as it
gives diverse and insightful viewpoints
of today's society. The exhibit runs
until November 1.