THE TWIG
3
Mlnnxmt
Ashton. N. C., Jan. 2, 1024.
Drau Ai.imN/n:
A very hapiiy Clu'latmas has bDcn
OHVS. We'vo Giijoyecl so nnioh being
with frieiula aiul loved ones, and
Mary Hosier was dcUglitod with Santa
Claus' visLt to her, I did not dvcani
that she would apin-ooifite a Christmas
tree to the extent that she did. OC
course she continues to enjoy toy.i and
livescnts.
She has not been too well the last
tew days. She ia cutting licr eyu
teeth, aiii], too. sliu. along with mother
and daddy, is taking the Tyiihoid
serum. You see we are getting ready
I'or our return to tlie West Coast ot
Africa. I am glad to say that ahe
kac'iis nil, and only shows that she ia
not too well, by not eating as much
aa she doe.s ordinarily. I shall be filad
when these four bad teeth are throiigh.
For sollish reasons I would profer stay
ing in this country until she gets ull
of them, boeuuso landing in Nigeria
In February or March is not easy by
any means. They being the hottest
and dryest months o£ the year, and.
Loo, the quinine which of necessity
must be taken daily will nut make cut-
ling teotU any easier,
I am glad to say, hnwcvcr, that
white children do well out lici'c in
syitc of rjuinine. and their inaliiUty
to ho ont of doors from nine o'clock
u.m. until live o’clock p.m.—the
lioura Avhen the sun’s raya arc ex
tremely penetrating. If they aro out
at these hours they must wear their
lielmets.
We often wonder how the /^tjinl)a
baby endures the exposure to the sun
as he or she does. Infant mortality
rates high, but the wonder is that it
does not rate higher wiLh such con
ditions for liCo as are found in the
>iomba home.
When file baby oomos. the little
“tummy” is never bound or iiltended
to, as our babies. Mure often than
not, the navels of the naked ohlldreii
on the street are sti(^king out froiu the
size of an ngf,- to the sizo of a fist.
'I'hoy remain in this condition a.s long
a.=j the child li vcs.
After the second or Ihird day the
mother is out at work witli the lialjy
on her back. She may Ijo honding
right over to the grountl wastiing
clothes at the edge of some atroiun,
or carrying a lioavy load for a long
distance, fn eillun- riise the child's
head is absolutely baro to the sun,
and bobbing u]) and down. I've often
aeon the little things fast asleep, witli
their little bodies, resting against thoir
mother's naked backs held there by
the mother went on carrying the
about her chest or waist, and their
little heads swinging to and fro as
the niotlier wont on carrying the
heavy load on her lioad.
The children are carried this way
and nursed until they are three years
old. In tJie menntime they aro fed on
all kinds of inodiclnc concocted by the
native. It is during these years, also,
tluLt the child Is marked, Lnat you've
not road aljout this I shall here de
scribe the process.
The child ia taken to a professional
man, who with a sharp knife malces a
.series of parallel incisions both hori
zontally and perpendicularly on the
child’s fuee—cheeks and forehead.
Sometimes thei’e may be as many aa
forty incisions—from one to two
inchoB long. The skin between these
incisions is then removed and native
medicino applied. I’vo seen older
children freshly marked this way with
three scars—from shoulder to w'rlat.
Often these wounds become infected,
and the child dies. II the wounds
heal the child la disfigured for life.
Friends, what do you think of the
picture I have given you'’ I am glad
I can carry Mary Hester back and try
to show n few of such people liow
white chiklron are cared for. Our
in-ayors are that we may through her
lii!e bo a blessing to tliose people.
Won't you pray that the nilasloiiaries
may net become discouraged when
the Chriatlaus among those pcoi)!o
ciMitinue to follow these heathen cus
toms of marlcing tiie faces of the little
ones, feeding them on native medi
cines and fail to heed the advice
oL nuracs when a little one comes into
lliia world,
I’ray, also, that the girls tiieni-
selves may really want to go to school,
iiH du the boys. The boya rciallze that
an education helpa them, but the girls
don’t—at least very few of them do.
The parents don't eucourngc the girlw
in going to Bcbooi. Tliiuk of tliia!
One of the oldest Christians in the Oyo
church did not want, and would not
send his daughtor to tlio school witliiii
a Stone's throw of hla house, because
\f she wont to school tlie healhon
man slio was to marry would n«)f pay
him»tho mouoy (dowry) ho had prnn-
ised.
Another y(uinger girl in the Aton
section of Oyo wanted lo go to school,
ilor parents would not let her go.
Tho only time .she could ge was when
she could get her mother's cunsont
to go and salute Teaclicr’s wife.
Annie, as I see it, our greatest need
now is Day Scliool.n, located wlioro
they will reach the Boys and GIKL3
now not iuterestoii in education. Day
Schools which will send more hoys
iiml (.llliLS to tho higher institutions.
We need, lo carry ou these schools,
mlBslouarles intei'osted in and pre
pared to lo this primary and ele
mentary work. W'e have not the
native workers to do the work. But
few arc finishing the iiig'her scIukjIm
each year, and many more tiian finish
are wanted and even begged for In
sections where (be missionary can noi
yet go. So our apiieal is to tlic person
interested in that kind of work. "Won't
Itoii I/O if (Jic J-oi'd iciiiils you lh('i'v.‘
With love,
Roha irooiiTT rowKt.i.,
Mi:s. .T, C. P(iwi;i.i..
GOSSIl*
What is wrung witii the relaliou of
faculty and stuileut here ut Mercditii?
I’usslbly SOUK! line will say not iiiiy-
Ibing. yet (boro is and it is a bi^
thing too. .Tust let a girl walk down
(hn hall wllh a niomber of the facuUy
and at onco she begins hearing—
"What kind of grade aro you flsliing
for now'.'" or “spoalcing of crushc.s you
seem to have it sorter bad”—or some
such a catty remark. Now this is
moat certainly not a pleasant attltud«>
for one to take nor ia it a ,iust one.
Poasibiy ihore is a reason for a girl
talking with a teacher, Maybe there aro
real iuLerests that we would enjoy talk
ing of with mumbors of tlio faculty who
have similar Intereats but we just
cannot for fear the old thrust
"crushing on tlio faculty.'' Of course,
every girl here wishes sho might have
II real friend in the faenlty—now 'I'ess
up. don’t you—Well then why not
teave the girl who is a bit luckier than
you are alone and set out to make
somo friends yourself. I'm sure them
are just plenty, the teachers who
would really love to be a pal cad
guide to us. It seeuia siimotiraos aa
though the ones who most frequently
throw the hardest tannta ou “crush-
lug on the Faculty” might be just
plain Jealous because they are not
the lucky one.
^tubcnt ©pinion
Whut will become of Ihe "Green"
store when Meredith Ik moved? This
ia the tiuesLlon which arises in the
miuds of some of us when wg aeo thp
girls headed in that direction. Many
of us go to the store and have a dope
and crackcis nr ice cream and cakes
or some aucli dainty, anti feel lhat wn
liavo had a very nice lunch. What wn
need to do is to f?o to the dining room
when each meal is served and eat
Ihe more nnurishing I'ooil whk-h has
been prepared ftn- ns, Wljeti wc eat
between meals oiu' iippeliics have left
UH when we come to the lablc at 1.ho
regular meal hour and gradually wo
I'oi'l as If can oat nothing biU. ihe
little iinuourishing dainties. Why do
wt' not roalize that in doing these
I Kings our bodies become dnllcienl
and unaide to do their daily work as
well as I'eaist diseases? Tlien too, our
])arents often wonder what we do witii
so much money, Wijy pay two board
bills when one should bi^ suiliclent?
Thcro aro nuuiy crying nerds ai
i^leredith College, but the loiulest cry
of ail ju.st now scorns to be i'or reform
in liie use. or abuHO of the telephones,
ICvoryoiio knows the pupularily—crav
ing people wlio huuut !)1S1 during the
time iiotween dinner and study hour
every night, It ia a sad stato o[ afTuirs
when no one can call a girl over that
telephone without toeing asked his
name, place of residence, age, and geji-
(“i-al characteristics before being told
lhat the person he wants la not in just
i!Ow by snmc girl who is loo la/.y lo
go after her. And then when one oi
the less popular of the student body
hiippens to get a call she cannot say
uuu-o than hello without being begged
and oajolcd and urged to hang up so
lhat some girl who wants to liear her
hiily thiee hnurs of sweet iiothinus
'an luivo the teleplione. However,
most of u.s expecl; lo be old maids any
how. so it must be (he right thing to
do lo help the ones wIjosd avowed aim
In life is to get man-iod. So hereafter
give up Ihe receiver iiiatantly to the
Ihst love-lorn maiden who asks for it.
iiusiiicsa and life and death and littli'
uialtors like tliat can wait while the
love-sick turtle-lovea coo over tlie
lihoao. It is rumored that some
l''reshman's busineBS boi’ause so iniport-
juit that she wont around to the Seuior
telephone with siU'h ;in air of aggres
sive aulhorlty thut nono dared am^s-
lioii her and ordered a member o£ Ihe
diiss of ’24 1.6 finish her convor.sation
and let her put in a call, 'I'his can
hardly bo a ease ol igtiorance, after al
most six months’ residence at Mere
dith and a rigorous conrso in the hand
hook. Perhaps New Meredith ’ will
have private telephones for these peo
ple who liuve so many affairs to at-
lend In.
TLKASi;!
Ch’anliness ranks next lo goddli-
uess, and how far short, of the mark
sii many of na full. This special lack
of clciuiliueKK and ronsiderutinn for
tithers is due lo mere thoughtlessness
on Ihe jiiirt ol most of us. Hut the
rhongbts tluit it causes those who fal
low it is well tlia1 we fry to be ladles,
or the expressimi of luir .scjilimeiiLs at
that moment would immediately place
us In lh(! list oC those that have no
'lnim lo good breeding. How heartily
vve deuoiiiK'o those that go before us,
nnininili'ul of Iho I'acl that the one who
comes after may lay upon us an even
nnn‘0 si’atlilng denunciation, Souio of
our llouso rrcsidents have posted no
tices reminding iis of this obligation
lo others, but we l)llLliGly disregard
it, wither fiiiling to seo it, or assiuii-
ing thut the maid or someouo else has
more time lluin we do.
This is a mutter upon winch \ve nil
feel strongly, uml yet which only a
lew of us seem to tfike personally.
Vel it c«>ncerns each and every one of
us lo an eciuul extent. If eaeh person
would assume just their share of the
(itdigation. they would lose only a
small amount of lime, and would im
mediately gain in the estimation of
the otliers in their building. Some of
us feel (hat a cull-down would not be
uio severe a punishment for this
neglect, and nthers feel that oven a.
call-down would not be adcnuatc. So
for the sake of cleanliness, ajid the
love of hunuiuil.y, please, please, please
don't foj’uet to wash out the bath tub
when you aro through!!
UJlArKL (KLNDICT
The unbjoi-t of this student opinion
is by m> means a new one, but do
you lumestly think chapnl conduct is
as it should be? 1 hntc to bo pessi
mistic. Ijut it. is a clear fact that
'hiipei conduct is worse than it was
formerly. What e.'ipei'ially causics me
lo say thi.s is the studying that goes
on (inritm chapel services. We have
«nu-half hour I'or each of live days a
week which is supposed to be used for
wiirsliipping God iii chiipel. Those
chapei services are to be participated
in by every girl, but some do not soem
to tliluk this, liooks are taken to
i'hapei, and are actually studied while
Dr, Brewer is reading tho Bible or
piuying. Kacli of these acts Is enougii
10 bring reproach to Meredith, Its
true wo came lo Meredith for tiduca-
EFIRD’S
CAROLINA’S LARGEST CHAIN OF ONE-PRICE
DEPARTMENT Sl'ORES
WE APPHECIATE
YOUR PATKONAGE
WE SELL IT
FOll LESS
YOU AHE WELCOME AT ALL TIMES
Louise Mays was a pleasant vlaltor
to the College Friday availing.
SUPERBA
Monday—Tuesday—Wednesday
“UNSI];iSft Kl'E.S”
if Vo?{ Think You're Thrill-proof—Tr// This One!
Staring
Lionel Hurryinore anil Soonu Oivm
Thursday—Friday—Saturday
“ItOY or MINE”
GHp2>i7ifi—Hnvian—Unforffclablc
Booth Tarkiugton’a
Story of a Parent Lovo
With
Lou AlexAiuler, TIenry Wiilluill, Ircjio EIcli
and n^ickUff b'ollows
College J^etus:
Marie Fleming anil Annie Grady at
tended the wedding oC Mildred Smith
last week.
Pearl ifrewer Ims beou called home
on account of illness.
.Mary Wor.sely spent iho past week-
C!)ld at home.
Clarlsa Poteat spent a very pleaa-
ani weck-eufl in Wake Forest,
Louise Alderman was in Chapel Hill
with her hrinher the past week-end.
nianche Stokes spent the past week-
'nd ill Wilson.
Monta Clark and Kraui’es Haywood
s|ieut a vcj'y pleasant week-end with
ATabel Oldham at iier homo, in Wen
dell.
XrOl Cheek Hjieut Ihe week-end with
111-]- parents in Chapel Hill.
.les.sie Brooks visited luez Holloway
ill l.HirJuim the past week-end,
ileiiuie Frye is home an the account
ot Illness,
Kobcrta ami Mity (.'rawford were
home liii! past week-end.
.lane Ijoiivers spent the past week-
>nd at home.
Iillsle Ship visited her parents in
inirham last week-end.
Xidl iieiuhall, Oeiieva lienthall and
Rull; Shaw Britton spent a pleasant
wt:ek end in Cary.
Iris Veiiiigtoii and laiuy Knight
vlsileil friends In Kalelgh for the
week-eurl.
I\I:u'guret Harrison. Verdell Mathews,
iMlnnie Murchison, Lucy Cain, Minnie
Jlerrin, Marguret Henderson, Pauline
i'attoti, Edna Earle Waltou, Susie Her
ring lint] Cladyf. Patterson, attended
Ihe Annlvej’sary receplion in Wake
Fiuest Monday night.
heUii Cobb visited liie College the
past week-end.
Until Bufl'aloe s|iciu the past weelc-
•nd wiih her parents in Garner.
lion, but anything I’Uti bo lakcn loo
far. “Thou shall have no other goda
beL(U-e mr" is the lirst coiniuandmont,
and wo aro worshiplBig studying, and
puLling it before tlod when wo dare
to study whilo we're supposed to be
worshiping Him. if wc can't let one
llttlo half hour out of each day he on-
tireiy (lod's. I for one think we're un-
wortliy to come to the largest U.aptist's
girls' college in Xorth Carolina.
Talking is another evil that makes
t hapcl services irroveraut. This is not
as bad as studying hut it’s wrong, and
■'one wrong never rights another.”
It’s true that chapel attendance Is
compulsory, and it looks as it somo of
as go there Lo fill tho chapel seat, and
i) be marked present, and It never
crosses our mind what the real pur
pose of chapel is. It's tnic our
academic work is hard, but it is also
true lhat wo have time Lo give God
one-half hour out of twenly-four hours.
I don’t think this misconduct is due
to bad intentions, hut I know it la due
to pure thoughtlessness, Wc do not
take the nuittor seriously enough; this
i.s the root of the \vhole trouble. But
ihoughtlcssnoaa ia no excuse, for we
arc distinguished from ull lower ani
mals in that w'o can think. This in-
trumeiU of man sometimua grows dull
from lack of use. Please apply your
power of thought to the subject of this
opinion, and then answer iny question
"Is our chapol conduct as It should
be?”