THE FULL MOON
December 15
) X For Christ
When scholars let it be known that
the Greek character for Christ is very
nearly like our x, it dawned on the hur
ried business man as well as those laz>
people who dislike to write a great deal
that X could be used in place of Christ.
Of course none of them ever came out
and admitted that they wrote Xmas in
stead of Christmas for the sake of savmg
time and space.
Yet that very .fact may be an indica
tion of an entire movement in the way
people have begun to think of Christmas
as an abstract, meaningless thing. In
our highly commercialized age, perhaps
we have substituted the concrete forms
of gift-giving and decorating for the real
meaning of x.
If only we would make this Yuletide
season one in which Christ truly fills His
place in the ‘Mass of Christ”!
• Why Spoil It?
“Never deny the babies their Christ
mas! It is the shining seal set upon a
year of happiness.”
The belief in Santa Claus is cherished
by all children. It gives them something
to look forward to each year—the hope of
seeing him! When this beautiful dream,
as delicate as a bubble, is broken, they
lose something they never can regain.
Surely no one would want to join
himself to the ranks of those who would
tear down and destroy the happy dreams
of childhood.
No one believes in the person of Santa
Claus after a few years, but it is the spirit
of the Christmas season, typified by him,
which must be kept alive. As Peter Pan
says—the only way to keep such things
alive is to believe in them.
# Christmas Thoughts
What does Christmas mean to you?
Quickly someone would answer, “Santa
Claus!” and truly that has come to be
the meaning Christmas has for the large
majority of people.
Also clearly associated with this sea
son of the year come the thoughts of holi
day dances and parties, the exchange of
gifts among friends; many think much
about the special feast which is expected
on Christmas day, and perhaps a few
think about going to church services for
Yes, we go to church to hear special
programs of Yuletide music, go to pag
eants held in school buildings and other
public places and send greetings to our
friends which bear out the theme of the
Savior’s birth, but who on Christmas Eve
gives any real thought to the events which
took place many years ago in a manger
in Bethlehem?
THE FULL MOON
Published monthly by the Journalism
class of Albemarle High School, Albe
marle, North Ca/rolina.
Editor Lee Copple
Columnists Virginia Stone,
Mar;e Deese, Josephine Whitley,
Mary Alice Holt, Keith Almond,
Clara Lorch, Pansy Morton,
Doris Franks
Creel Lowder,
Jack Castevens, J. W. Lisk
Reporters Marshall Watkins,
Carroll Russell, Ned Betts, Caro
lyn Earnhardt, Ellen Hearne,
Virginia Niven, Margaret Nisbet,
Rachel Tucker, Ramelle Burle
son, Pocahontas Meigs, Ramelle
Morris, Frank Lambert
Typists Jack Lowder,
Hoyle Whitley, Mary Ellen
Youngblood
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager Kenneth Brooks
Advertising Lamar Camp,
Ruby Townsend, Amy Fry, Tomsy
bMiTH, Frances Smith
Willie Ellerbe
Albemarle, N. C., December 15, 1939
Santa Claus
He climbs the fence and disappears.
And thus observes a colored youth
(The common sentiment, in sooth).
"Oh, what a blessin' ’tw’u’d ha' been,
Ef Santa had been bom a tmni
We'd have two Chri^tmuses a i/eaft-
Or v’r’aps one brudder'd settle heah’."
Timely Tips For
Holiday Pleasure
When writing good old Santa Claus
Don’t ask for all in sight,
Cause Santa costs your pop a lot.
And you know that ain’t right.
You ask for this and beg for that.
Not thinking all the while
That papa has to dig down deep
And come up with a smile.
And when you have all you desire.
Your every little whim,
Do you ever think to stop a bit
And give your thanks to him?
When you receive gifts for Christmas,
do you ever thank the ones who gave
them to you? You shouldn’t wait until
next June. If you aren’t able to see them,
write a short “thank you” note.
Oh, yes, there will be some Christmas
dances, too. The main point is, learn to
dance. You can’t expect to be Invited
to a dance unless you can dance.
Sometimes it is necessary that the girl
provide the invitation. In case of a girl’s
organization giving a dance, it is the girl
who asks the boy to accompany her.
When a boy wants to dance with a girl
who is already dancing, he goes to the
couple and taps the other boy on the
shoulder. He asks if he may have the
dance. The girl either says, “Yes, cer
tainly” or “You may”.
Good posture is a part of good dancing.
Stand erect, not on a bias. Keep your
distance. How can any boy expect a
girl to do her best if he clutches her in
a vise-like grip and uses her as a sort
of bumper!
When collisions occur with another cou
ple or with your partner, the boy always
apologizes.
book browsings
One of the most delightful things about
Christmas is the odd moments during
which everyone gathers about the fire to
tell stories or when one can sneak off in
a corner and read.
If you like something different and en
tertaining for Christmas reading, try “The
Gift of the Magi” by 0. Henry. This
story fits into the spirit of the sea.-on,
for it is the tale of a young couple who
cared so deeply about the happiness of
• each other that they gave up their most
treasured possessions.
As Christmas approaches, everyone
thinks of Dickens’s Christmas Carol, for
this story has been told and retold in
homes and all over the world. It is one
of the few stories of which one never
grows tired. To quote from Dickens, “The
Christmas Carol was intended to waken
some loving and forebearing thoughts,
never out of season in a Christmas land.”
Those who have read the story feel that
he has accomplished his purpose.
You know the story of the Three Wise
Men of the East, and how they travelled
from far away to offer their gifts at the
manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have
you ever heard the story of The Other
Wise Man, who also saw the star in its
rising, and set out to follow it, yet did
not arrive with his brethren in the pres
ence of the young child Jesus? Of the
great desire of this fourth pilgrim and
how it was denied, yet accomplished in
the denial; of his many wanderings and
the probations of his soul; of the long
way of his finding the One whom he
sought—it is a story that is appealingly
beautiful.
Another joy of Christmas is poems and
carols. Whether you enjoy something
simple or elaborate, there is a fine collec
tion in Days and Deeds, compiled by B.
Stevenson.
Late Sleeping and Christmas Dinners Appear
To Be Chief Attractions of Holiday Season
Sleeping late, bright lights, and turkey
for dinner are reasons that some people
In school like Christmas.
“It means two weeks of sleeping late
in the mornings and loafing in general,”
replied Miss McKenzie when asked, “What
about Christmas do you like most?” “I
also think of streets with bright lights,
hurrying crowds, and cheerful, gay peo-
“The giving of food, clothing and gifts
to the less privileged,” said Annie Ruth
Smith, eleventh grader.
“It means a two-weeks’ vacation and
fruit cake,” replied Bobby Redwlne, one
of the smallest freshmen.
“All the dances and good orchestras
tnat come to town,” answered Ned Betts,
president of the school band.
At C/hristmas time I like to ride around
Charlotte and see the private homes dec
orated,” said Keith Almond, star basket
ball player from Endy.
Snow, Christmas dinner with turkey,
and trying out my little brother’s toys
are what I like about Christmas,” answer
ed Creel “McAfee” Lowder, .star football
player.
“I usually get to see my best gal,” add
ed Claude Shankle, a cheerleader.
“The thing that means most to me about
Christmas is going home. I don’t get to
see my family very often except at Christ
mas,” put in Miss Moore.
“I love Christmas music, both organ and
choir,” said Mr. Gehring. “Christmas also
means gifts of loud neckties, shirts too
color
Campus CiiattE
Mr. S. Claus i
North Pol? \
North America
Dear Santa,
I asked you once before to t
But you said I’d only have a ~
to fall. —
I ask you the same with hejn
Comply, or I’m going to |^i
you.
Yours t,-
Dear Santa, ;h(
1 have been good this ywr,
As you will no doubt hear. ih«
Just a half a unit credit
So I can graduate Christuai ’^*
Yours trt-.h£
k\\
Dear Santa,
I want another girl;
I lo.«t the last one in tht»
Someone not stuck-up, nor?
Perhaps someone just like 1 Bi
Yours R
Dear Santa,
I’d like to be a little boya?i;'°
To go barefoot; to paddlet
If you want to .see me s'-'-
Just a bottle of Elixir, brin
Sincerely r™
Dear Santa,
Please bring us a boat
For a whaling cruise d
To catch Moby Dick so
We can snooze. ^
Dear Santa,
Rachel wants a sweater for
Kamelle M. wants a !::!k
So Santa, please take onr
You’d better bring a
sweater. A'c
Rachel T. 4 Ei:^®
CUPID’S CAPERS: ia
“Oh, happy day!” sighs HMq,
Maxine Cashatt .-^ays it’s at la
her and “Skin” . . . “Dot” Car tu
lie Hinceman have been st
quite a lot lately. Not tryii'j^j
Ben D. jealous, are you. Dot! 'u
tie birdie has been flying aK-p
and he just couldn’t help
out that Margaret Deese anil
have up a case. We wonder r^a
Annabel Perry seems to like ado
in Salisbury. True or false,
Laura Van Hathcock’s the* —
Floyd Heckard moved awJf >
Along Without You Very We-i
Williams is a devoted admi«
wonder if Robert Tucker ii
ferring with the Bowie t
mance . . . Hall Carpenter k
trip to Kast Albemarle since*
becca have called it all off- ‘
Moore, an old flame, lives 0
. . . What’s this we are
Lafayette Blackwell and
Efird, and Bob Morrow
Lorch? Perhaps they deci«^
would do them good . . ■ '
Clyde Tucker gave Hazel «
mond just for the fun of i-
Imagine Jolene Fry goi^l“
on the Thanksgiving
hunt, without a gun • ' ' j
the beauty parlor when i- '
came in for her to go rabbity
wa.s otr like a streak. They*
Who wrote that note
•short hand, that made him “
Mary Helen M. read it to C '