Page two
THE TWIG
March 28, 1952 , *
Guext Editorial '
WINNING BROTHERHOOD—
NOT WARS!
“Let us get the nasty business done!
It is obvious that Russia is building up
war reserves at a tremendous rate and
also that she is making no overtures
for peace through her North Korean
satellite. We, too, are arming to the
teeth. War talk is in the air. Why wait?
Let’s go; this stalling around makes us
all jittery!"
Let the author of this sentiment re
main anonymous. But it was a Meredith
student voicing a feeling that must
be widespread in our student group.
Many of your elders, Betty Co-ed, feel
it, think it, but perhaps, do not voice
it just as you have.
“And what of the truce talks at Pan-
munjora? Are they not by this time
merely a mockery? Let’s quit kidding
ourselves into thinking we can achieve
peace in that dirty, cold hole. We have
the upper hand in atomic weapons.
Why not throw the works, including the
kitchen sink?”
Incidentally, Betty, how is your pa
tience these days? Of what stuff is it
made? Does it have an elastic spiritual
ingredient or is it made tragically fri
able by materialism and pragmatism?
Can your patience stretch out over
years of striving through international
efforts at conciliation? Can it encom
pass all the peoples of the world, their
needs and their worthy hopes and am-
Mcmbcx
F^ssocioted Coflefticie F^'eis
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor: Jeanne Ramsey
Associate Editors Beth Morgan, Doris
Perry, Bobbie Addy.
Managing Editor Joan Langley
Photo Editor Elsie Williams
Art Editor Sally Clark
Music Editor Shelley Millican
Sports Editor Ruth Ann Simmons
Columnist... Betsy Cannady, Phyllis
Nottingham.
Reporters Allen Hart, Celia Wells,
Lorette Oglesby, Katherine Waynick,
Nancy Brown, Ann Ipock, Dott Miller,
Linda Swann, Alyce Epley, Susan Rat
liff, Dot Helms, Nancy Hall, Becky Cal
loway, Marjorie Blankenship, Sandra
Peterson.
Chief Typist Kathleen Chriscoe
Typists JCatherine Sites, Allene Brown,
Aiice Milton, Joyce PhiUips.
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Norma Rose
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager Carlene Kinlaw
Advertising Manager Dot Thomas
Advertising Staff Allene Brown,
Bernice Limer, Shirley West, Margie
Stewart, Peggy Bennett, Shirley McLean,
Joan Haithwaite.
Circulation Manager Sarah Pate
Entered aa aecond-clasa matter October 11. 1923,
at postofflce at Raleigh. K. C.. under Act of March
8. 1878. Published semi-monthly during the months
of October. November, Februaiy, March. April, and
May; monthly during the months of September, De
cember, and January.
Ths Twio Is the college newspaper of Mere
dith College, Raleigh. North Carolina, and as such
Is one of the three major publications of the insti
tution—the other two being The Acom, the literary
magazine, and The Oak Leave*, the college annual.
Meredith College is an accredited senior liberal
arts college for women located In the capital city
of North Carolina. It confers the Bachelor of Arts
and the Bachelor of Music detunes. The college
offers majors in twenty-one fields including music,
art. business and home economics.
Since 1921 the institution has been a member
of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secon
dary Schools. The college holds membership in
the Association of American Colleges and the
North Carolina College Conference. Graduates of
Meredith College are eligible for membership in
the American Association of University Women.
The iastltatloa is a liberal arts member of the
National Asaoeiation of Schools of Music.
bitions? Can it survive a lifetime—a
lifetime of painfully slow advance to
ward the realization of our dream? Re
member, you are not alone in your
impatience for solution. Many years
ago a Hebrew poet wrote: “Incline
thine ear unto me; in the day when I
call, answer me speedily.”
You, Betty, and 1, and all men of
good will can but dimly perceive the
pattern of future days. It is given for
us only to be patient in all our striving
for solution. It cannot be too slow, it
cannot be in vain if we face the goal of
brotherhood. It is only when the mists
of impatience cloud the lofty peak
that you and I can petulantly demand
action—even the action of violence. No,
we shall not tire at Panmunjom or
elsewhere. We shall win by patience, for
we can win in no other way.
J. A. Yarbrough.
DEBATING ENCOURAGES
THINKING
True, there are times in personal and
even in group affairs when the die must
be cast—for weal or for woe. One can
not procrastinate on some decisions
even though small wars seem certain
to result from any choice available to
us. But, Betty, in this instance we are
gambling with rather high stakes—just
possibly our democratic way of life.
True, this long period of uncertainty,
this time when tangible results toward
peace seem no larger than microscopic
bits of a giant jig-saw puzzle, these
things try the patience of us all, but
especially of you and your young
friends who are looking for some cer
tainties, some tangible hopes for future
years.
Views From
Other News
A recent interview with a character
who, for obvious reasons, prefers to be
mentioned by the alias of Miss Smith
disclosed a unique conception of the per
sonality of the ancient great warrior,
Beowulf.
. “The character of the hero of the Beo
wulf epic is debatable,” said Miss
Smith. “Proof of this is borne out of a
close study of the personality of his
adversary, Grendel. For years Grendel
led the quiet life of a normal monster
—in the solitude of his swamp, where,
bothering no one, he passed the hours
in the pleasant company of his playful
sea monsters. Thus, he lived in peace
until the riotous Danish king, Hrothgar,
built the infamous mead-hall, Herorot,
where he and his motley crew of bar
barians spent night after night of bois
terous drinking. One can plainly under
stand how the noise affected Grendel’s
mother, sensitive creature that she was.
Yet when Grendel, in righteous indig
nation, went to ask for a little consid
eration, he was doubtless attacked by
a drunken Dane whom he was forced
to kill in self-defense.
“When Danish propaganda of the
episode reached Geatland,” surmised
Miss Smith, “the egotistical, head
line-hunting, publicity-hound, Beowulf,
fresh from his second Charles Atlas
course, saw his opportunity for more
notoriety. Persuading Hrothgar to have
another mead party, Beowulf contrived
the ambush and murdered poor Grendel
in a most foul and barbaric manner,
familiar to all college sophomores.
“Not being content with one brutal
slaying,” our friend continued, “Beo
wulf added the death of Grendel’s
mother to his despicable record of
crime. Although the grief-stricken
mother only wished to recover the arm
of her dead son, Beowulf denied her
even that.”
It is Miss Smith’s opinion that the
events described in the ancient epic
were “a series of cheap publicity stunts”
instigated by Beowulf in his “aspira
tion for the Geatish throne.” “The re
sponsible student must consider the
story from all perspectives,” she pointed
out.
Bill Williams,
Old Gold and Black.
‘ARE WE LEARNING TO LIVE?”
The six blind men of ancient legend,
when they had “seen” the elephant,
each had a different notion of what an
elephant is like. So we, too, have notions
and ideas that are a little different from
the opinions which others hold. Each of
us has some definite attitude toward
religion, democracy, other races, the
Korean war, the coming presidential
election, socialism, and we are always
choosing sides among ourselves to dis
cuss these problems. We all get a cer
tain enjoyment from participating in
some form of debate. Why don’t we or
ganize a club specifically for the pur
pose of debating, a forensic club?
Many of us were on high school de
bating teams; some were even members
of a national forensic organization and
have expressed the desire for a forensic
club on our campus. Such a club would
be of value not only in its immediate
emphasis—gaining knowledge of the
problems of the world—but also in its
ability to foster growth in poise and in
clear thinking.
The high school triangular debates
will be held in Raleigh on April 7. Per
haps by attending these we encourage
the growth of such a function on our
campus.
“As one student phrases it:
It is endeavoring to make me one of
the majority.
The age is trying to place its stamp
upon me.
It wants me to listen to blank radio
commercials.
To go TV mad.
To try the latest Hadocol-type prod
uct.
To view the nearest car with longing.
To hate the Russians.
To absorb the Reader’s Digest and
Collier’s and gospel.
To wave my flag above the boys in
Korea.
I rebel.
I want to run from it all.
There must be an escape.
But am I capable of finding it?”
Park Stylus,
Park College, Mo.
Dear Editor:
I appreciate your wanting me to ex
press my personal impressions of Reli
gious Focus Week. Surely the melody of
those days has been continuously ring
ing in my ears as I have listened to the
echoes of the inspiring messages. Daily
I hear the girls say; “I like those speak
ers so much.” “I have learned a great
deal in the seminars.” “The informal
discussions were wonderful. I just loved
them.” These comments show the ap
preciation of the whole student body.
We really did like the speakers and we
have learned a great deal. But are we
going to live what we learned and liked?
To appreciate truth is one thing and to
own this truth is another. To learn and
love truth is not enough; to live the
way of truth is the only proof of our
love of truth.
Let us put something in our bank
right now. Let us cast away our Klee
nex, was the challenge of one of the
speakers. He said we need a stronger
Pooling.
PkglU^
“Today we live in a society which is
dominated by the desire to speed
through life without realizing what liv
ing actually entails. It is seldom we find
a person who has the insight to live his
own life and determine his own code of
living. We do things because other peo
ple are doing them.
“The stream is flowing in one direc
tion. Most of us float or drift along with
the current because living is easier that
way. A few people buck the current in
trying to go their own way, find them
selves carried along by the onrushing
stream, and against their own desires
they are driven to accept the way of
society.
“The reformer of society today is the
person who can have the insight to
stand on the bank of the stream watch
ing the onrushing current. In seeing
the stream of public opinion and action
rushing madly to its final destruction,
the person on the bank may be able
to use his intelligence to build dikes,
dams, and reservoirs.
“In building these controls, the
thoughtful person can mold the stream
of society by changing its current into
a stream which might benefit man
kind and the civilization to come.
“Why not be the person who stands
aside considering and analyzing the di
rection the stream is taking? Seeing that
society may be rushing headlong to its
ultimate destruction, the pensive per
son may investigate the building of a
dam or dike which could aid in pre
serving the profitable elements in our
society.
Play on Rules
As a result of the “almost” nervous
breakdowns among the girls for the
past few months, I would like to give
you gals some advice about how to
spend your time. I think that all these
breakdowns are due to overwork, and
so I advise you not to study so much.
Meredith girls study so much more than ,
any other college students and perhaps
more than is necessary. Thus I advise
you to “get by” with your work with
less studying and, if necessary, to bluff
them in order to get good grades.
Of course this suggestion ranks at the
top of the list with the faculty and I
know that they stand behind me one-
hundred percent as I hand out these
valuable suggestions about how to spend ^
your time. Your primary purpose in col
lege is to have a good time, thus you
should spend it “socializing.”
I suggest that every girl should at
tend at least three dances a week, being
permitted to stay out until 2:00 a.m. The
other nights should be spent in some
social way, and you should not stay in
to study more than one night. The I
minimum number of suitors that each
girl should have is left up to her dis
cretion. Yet no girl should be considered
of high social standing in our college
life unless she has six dates or more a
week. To give all of you more oppor
tunity along this line. I’m sure that the
Student Government will allow every
one to have as many privileges as she
pleases.
I also advise you to go to the movies
more often. It is good to get out, and
now that spring is here, I suggest that
you go to ride at any time with anyone
who happens to come along. This sug
gestion is almost a “must,” since it is
good for everyone to get out into the
fresh air.
And about weekends—I suggest that
you spend all possible weekends away
from the college. The number of week
ends will of course be doubled for
many girls. And when you spend the
weekend away from “Angel Farm,” you
should not return until just a few min
utes before your first class on Monday
morning.
Naturally, you must consider these
suggestions, and may you all have won
derful social debuts. Breakdowns? No
—^nothing so silly! This will probably
be the result:
F—ailed in math
L—aughed at the wrong time
U—nexcused absence
N—ever was on time
K—icked out of class
E—xcuses had fake signatures
D—idn’t give a whoop
personality to hold “the atomic energy”
of God’s power. We need to be alone
daily with God to restore our soul so
that we may be ready when we need
to write a spiritual check to help the
poor in spirit.
In one of our seminars we came to
the question of how to have a happy
marriage and how to have a perfect
home. We are interested in these ques
tions and we want to know the answers.
(Continued on page six)