Page two
THE TWIG
February 28, 1957
NOISE IS A HABIT
Noise is a habit. No one whistles down the hall, turns up the record
player, or slams the doors purposely to annoy someone else. It is all
habit—a habit which must be broken before we can expect to have our
present light-bell system changed. In a democracy we are free only to
the extent that we do not infringe upon the rights of others. We cannot
expect to have the freedom of unlimited light cuts until we stop depriving
others of the right to study and to sleep in quiet: The noise is a habit,
not malicious annoyance', but each of us must examine and improve those
habits by which we unconsciously destroy this necessary quiet. No one
would, at this point, be justified in giving to us permission to make more
noise for a longer period of time each day. If we want a change, the
noise habit must be broken.
SheNANigans
By NANCY JOYNER
Why Go First Class?
I was quite impressed when I had occasion to dine at Meredith a few
nights ago. There are very few girls’ schools, I am sure, which can meet
the standards we uphold. For example, the orderliness was amazing!
There was no such things as “noise”—merely quiet talking at each table,
and I was quite interested to see that there was no rushing into the dining
hall, no pushing, shoving or crowding; girls took their time, walked
leisurely into the dining hall and went directly to their assigned tables.
The courtesy at individual tables was better than I had ever seen. Every
body took at least thirty minutes to enjoy talking and eating together,
and it was particularly noticeable that each girl left only with her table-
mates. I might mention also that the last three groups who performed
for us indicated afterwards that they had never had such an appreciative
audience—“you could have heard a pin drop”—to quote a cliche, and
they are eagerly awaiting another invitation.
J feel also that I must mention another aspect of courtesy in which
we are truly outstanding. Never have I seen such respect for faculty
members and others of our elders. To mention a few illustrations, it
was especially gratifying to see that all our girls always stand up when a
faculty member enters the room (at club or group meetings we are some
times negligent, but at any other time the rule holds true). Some of my
classmates have told me that they have particularly noticed that we al
ways open doors for the faculty members and invariably allow them to
enter ahead of us.
This writing, of course, is not directed at those who have noticed these
virtues, but I am sure that some have failed to see how truly outstanding
we are.
Annette Kahn, Social Standards Chairman,
i
Pssocicief FVms
EDITORIAL STAFF
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Managing Editors—Clara Hudson, Mary Fran Oliver, Bobbie Conley, Jane
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Music Editor." Pat Greene
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Reporters—Pat Corbett, Ann House, Lela Cagle, Pat Johnson, Jimmie
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The spirit of Meredith is an
elusive thing. It doesn’t show often,
but when it does it really bubbles
over. The wild carryings-on in the
dining hall last Thursday night
thrilled me to the quick. The im
promptu junior class song (which
bears a strange resemblance to a
famous tune of a famous, or in
famous, fraternity) that was fol
lowed, for no apparent reason, by
Auld Lang Syne, and eventually
brought about two verses of the
Alma Mater (we can’t help it if we
don’t know verses two, three, and
four) was exciting to everyone. Just
every once and a while we are will
ing to tell the world that we like us
—love us, in fact.
A few years ago the Student
Government on our campus was
called in satirical terms the “Ges
tapo.” Even in jest, that is an un
fortunate appelation. Some people
just don’t understand satire. The
fact is that the S.G. is so alive and
so concerned about all of us that
we sometimes stop to wonder, after
a gripe session, if we’re really
worth it. Recently they have shown
just how much good they do and
how much influence they have. We
can be justly proud of our hall
proctors and our dorm presidents,
and Anita, for the maturity with
which they act.
Meredith is a senior college.
Often we forget to act that way,
but when we do, it makes every
one connected with the place feel
good all over.
The Green Room
By DONNIE SIMONS
While Meredith is busy working
on and eagerly awaiting the spring
production. The Cradle Song, other
dramatics events are taking place.
Many of you no doubt read or
heard that Governor Hodges has
officially proclaimed that North
Carolina will participate in National
Theatre Month, which is March.
At the Raleigh Little Theatre re
hearsals are in progress for The
Play’s the Thing, a modern comedy
by Hungarian playwright Ferenc
Molnar, adapted by P. G. Wode-
house. Included in the cast are
Meredith alumna Margaret Tucker
Burns and Charles Kahn of the
State College faculty, but better
known here as the husband of
senior Annette Lee Kahn. Those
who saw “Tuck” in Playhouse pro
ductions Medea and Blithe Spirit
will need little, if any, persuasion
to see her in this sophisticated
drawing-room comedy after the
style of Moliere. Charlie Kahn is
well remembered for his perform
ances in Blithe Spirit at Meredith
last spring and this season’s Street
car at. the Raleigh Little Theatre.
Molnar’s genuinely humorous play
will have a six-day run at the Little
Theatre on Pogue Street beginning
Friday night, March 15.
Two recent events which, while
not first and foremost dramatic, but
nevertheless definitely a form of
theatre, were the appearance of the
Dance Drama Company and the
Meredith Dance Concert. The for
mer, a touring group, gave a me
morable performance at State Col
lege on February 15. The varied
program included a court dance, a
drama of a teen-age gang, and other
well-planned and executed dance
dramas. On the following night the
Meredith Dance Group presented
a concert in which Brahms’ Lie-
beslieder Waltzes and Garcia Lor
ca’s House of Bernardo Alba served
as important bases for chore
ography.
^Ma^ic ^^omenls
By KAY ELIZABETH JOHNSON
There are several types of cour
age. Confucious describes one
type, moral courage, in his Ana
lects. “To see what is right and not
to do it, is to want (lack) courage.”
The Spartan mother of long ago
described physical courage when
she warned her son departing for
battle: “Return with your shield
or on it.”
One who exhibits courage is
greatly admired by all. This trait
is an essential of high character, but
as La Rochefoucauld states, “No
man can answer for his courage who
has never been in danger.”
Bamaby Conrad, a contemporary
author, tells simply but forcefully
the courage of a torero in his story.
Matador. This bullfighter’s whole
career depended on his physical
courage. Overcoming physical as
well as other handicaps, Pacote, the
bullfighter, went on to become the
number-one torero iji Spain. We
see him in his retiring fight. Con
rad makes his character live with
vivid portrayal of the man and his
associates and gives a colorful pic
ture of Spain and the art of bull
fighting. Pacote in his farewell fight,
runs the gamut from complete de
gradation to triumph. Reading of
this man’s struggle with himself will
leave you Hmp.
Montaigne, in his Essays, seems
to have written this passage for
Pacote. “He who, though he falleth,
is stubborn in his courage, and,
being in danger of imminent death,
is no whit daunted in his assurance;
but, in yielding up the ghost, be
holds his enemy with a scornful and
fierce look — he is vanquished,
not by us, but by fortune; he is
slain, but not conquered. The most
valiant are often the most unfortu
nate. So are there triumphant losses
more to be envied than victories.”
FACULTY DISCUSSES EDUCATIOII
Musical Notes
By PAT GREENE
By JANE STEMBRIDGE
I write this in the form of a fea
ture editorial (if there is such a
thing!) in order !o speak from a
personal viewpoint. I do so to make
known to those who are not fa
miliar with the Faculty Fellowships,
the nature and purpose of the same,
and also to make a plea that we
take advantage of a possible op
portunity they may afford to us as
students.
On Thursday afternoons at 4:45
members of the faculty gather for
discussion. These sessions are in the
form of an open forum with one
faculty member leading the discus
sion which has been previously
drawn up by a committee.
The purpose is to increase under
standing of the views on education,
to define general terms and needs
of education, and to offer oppor
tunity for faculty members to “get
to know” each other outside the
classroom.
At present the discussions are
centered on the relative merits of
liberal education and professional
training. All have agreed that the
liberal arts education is desirable,
that the differences arise in the de
gree of emphasis on the liberal arts.
Some feel there should be no vo
cational training; others hold that
a certain amount is needed. I quote
some points from the most recent
forum. There are six points under
the heading “Articles of Belief as
to the Nature and Objectives of
Higher Education.” On Thursday,
February 14, Mr. Douglas Reyn
olds of the art department led the
group thought on these two points:
1. “The vastness of the amount
of human knowledge having
reached such proportions that the
greatest mind can grasp only a
small fragment of it, it becomes
necessary to choose carefully the
areas to which any attention can
be given. It is believed that this
selection should include elements
drawn from literature, the physical
sciences, the fine arts, the value sys
tems which have seemed good to
human beings, the orderly and logi
cal processes of thinking, and ex
planations as to how contemporary
institutions have come about.
2. “Vocational ambition fre
quently provides motivation for
learning. Proficiency in a vocation
cannot be considered the central
aim of higher education. Elements
in vocational education which make
a substantial contribution in the
areas listed above may be regarded
as legitimate parts of higher edu
cation.”
Mr. Reynolds, in leading the
group discussion, used, among his
own ideas, certain points taken
from the book. The Aims of Edu
cation, by Alfred North Whitehead.
I quote some of these points to give
an idea of the way the typical ses
sions go:
1. “Pedants sneer at an educa
tion which is useful. But if educa
tion is not useful, what is it? Is it
a, talent to be hidden away in a
napkin? The only use of a knowl
edge of the past is to equip us for
the present. The present contains
all that there is.
If you happen to be meandering,
through the music building during
some of your leisure moments, be
sure to visit the “new” music li
brary, located in room 105, Jones
Hall. I say “new,” even though we
have always (supposedly) had a
record library. The old library and
listening - room has been “reno
vated.” The McDowell Music Club,
under the direction and leadership
of Pat Corbett, president, has really
worked miracles! I am sitting in the
new music library right now — get
ting all inspired — while Nancy
Long and Diane Morris are putting
some last-minute finishing touches
to the room: Nancy is standing in
a chair arranging the very colorful
drapes, while Diane (poor thing)
is down on her hands and knees
putting (quote) “shelf paper” on
the record shelves in the record
counter. Yesterday when I stopped
by, I noticed Ann Anthony and
several others avidly slapping white
and black paint on chairs and
tables. Incidentally, they are the
ones responsible for all that candy
making . . . remember? Other con
tributions helped, too, to make this
a very worth-while project. Thank
you, Pat, and all the members of
McDowell Music Club.
2. “There is only one subject
matter for education, and that is
Life in all its manifestations. In
stead of this single unity, we offer
children algebra, from which noth
ing follows; geometry, from which
nothing follows; science, from
which nothing follows; a couple of
languages never mastered; and
lastly, most dreary of all, literature,
represented by plays of Shake
speare, with philological notes and
short analysis of plot and character
to be in substance committed to
memory.”
The S. A.i.’s enjoyed a short mu
cale following their Tuesday ni^
meeting; Jeanne Grealish a
Becky Miles were the performe
(Continued on page four)
One member of the faculty si
gested that perhaps the group co’
and would discuss some topics i
sired by the students! This woi
necessitate, of course, a sincere
fort on our part to put forth issi
that a group of this nature wo;
handle, issues that had receh
thorough consideration on our pi
I, for one, feel this opportunity
be worth OUR consideration
well!