1
y
March 22, 1957
THE TWIG
Page three
Great Oaks...
From Little Acorns
By LELA CAGLE
Have you ever wondered where
the Oak Leaves, the Acorn, and
the Twig got their names? It all
stems from the fact that our Alma
Mater is situated in Raleigh, the
“City of Oaks.” Being very appre
ciative of Raleigh’s hospitality the
editors of the Oak Leaves dedicated
that first quaint volume to the friend
ly citizens of Raleigh and named
it in their honor. The Twig and the
Acorn received their names to carry
out the same theme. Loyal Phis and
Astros take note that these first
publications were sponsored by the
“literary” societies to hve up to the
ideal of high literary achievement.
Recall Happy Memories
INTRODUCING OUR NEW EDITOR
A SPECIES OF ANGEL CHILD
Nancy Joyner Is Old Hand At Writing
Hall Proctor Has Varied Duties
In looking back- at these modest
beginnings, we chuckle at their
funny expressions and pictures, yet
the editors of the first Oak Leaves,
Isabelle Gulley and Margaret Fergu
son, certainly succeeded in their aim:
“to give an insight into life at B.F.U.
and to recall happy memories of the
year 1903-1904;” the spirit and hap
piness of those first seniors shines
in every smile, cartoon, and poem.
What? You mean to tell me you have
never heard of the Blue Ridge
Boomers, the Redheaded Brigade,
or the Long Bones Club? Huge
straw bonnets hide smiling faces
of girls named “Cabbage Chopper”
and “Snap Stringer,” who drawl
their motto of “Once a mountaineer,
always a mountaineer;” “Cloud
Chaser” and “Moon Fixer” declare
from their lofty heights that “she
was of stature tall; I hate a dumpy
Put a pen in her hand and paper
before her and then watch her go!
Nancy Joyner, newly-elected editor
of the Twig, is an old hand in the
writing department. She wrote the
entire scripts for Stunt her freshman
and sophomore years and con
tributed a great deal to the creation
of the 1956 junior stunt (which, in-
sidentally, carried off the trophy!).
Nancy is also an expert in composing
skits for Corn Huskin’ Bee. Her
special contribution to the Twig is
an article featuring choice bits of
philosophy and known as “She-
NANigans.”
Nancy, an English major from
Asheville, won the Colton English
Award her freshman year at Mere
dith. She is a member of the Colton
English Club, the Creative Writing
Club, and the B.S.U. Council, of
which she is program chairman.
Nancy’s diverse interests include
records, coffee, bargains, cashew
nuts, and the violin (which she, and
woman;' and bright redheads march
across the pages in strict formation
from brigadier general to drummer
boy. I do believe there was more
life in their big toes than in any
one of our tired old bones.
See Styles Only Once A Week
Nothing daunted their self-confi
dence and when the Twig first ap
peared as a weekly in 1921 the
editors proudly announced that
“Every one is enthusiastic over the
Twig—or should be, at any rate.
... It is an interesting little paper,
isn’t it?” They had reason to be
proud since the Twig became a
member of the N. C. Collegiate
Press Association in October of its
first year. Hot debates on the pros
and cons of moving Meredith out of
town were printed in the “Student
Opinion” column. Says one socially-
conscious young lady of those days,
“What girl wants to be so far away
from the shopping center that she
can see styles only once a week?
And who wants to feel alone in the
world, with next-door neighbors a
mile away?”
I quote, “plays at”). Nancy plans
to make religious journalism her
vocation.
Incidentally, Nancy will be glad
to talk with anyone wishing to join
the Twig “crew” for 1957-58. We
congratulate Nancy and wish her the
greatest success in the coming year.
LIBRARIAN’S WORK IS NEVER DONE;
BOOKS LEAD A BUSY LIFE
By NANCY McGLAMERY
“Select Society of Critics”
The Acorn was born one Febru
ary morning in 1907 under the
watchful eyes of two brave nurses,
Lizzina Moore and Foy Johnson.
Both were very anxious to know
what the literary critics would have
to say and in the April issue ap
peared the verdict. It seems that one
of the editors attended a meeting of
the “Select Society of Critics” and
of all things the Acorn was “Before
the Bar.” Thomas Carlyle said it
lacked humor, but Mark Twain
quickly defended this point saying,
“The story of the alarm clock brings
a living picture before my mind.”
(We live that story every morning.
Sir.) Reading an imaginative story
on the fate of Virginia Dare, Sir
Walter Raleigh added “I find the
stories of history very well told.”
After Wordsworth praised as “sim
ple and touching” the poem, “The
Woodman’s Tale,” Shakespeare tried
to claim it as his own. Stretching to
his full height, Napoleon gave im
portance to his conclusive words on
the name, “The acorn contains the
germ of life.”
Modest beginnings? Perhaps, but
the early publications are the mirrors
^ of lovable and courageous personali
ties and lives abundantly lived.
Like a woman’s work, a librarian’s
work is never done. Books have an
odd habit of scattering all over the
place if you don’t keep a very care
ful eye on them, and the books in
the Meredith College library are no
exception. It takes three librarians—
Miss Hazel Baity, Miss Jane Green,
and Mrs. Pauline Beers—with the
help of twenty-four student library
assistants to keep the books, peri
odicals, and newspapers all at your
disposal. Miss Baity, as head li
brarian, directs all of the work. Miss
Green’s chief job if cataloging, and
Mrs. Beers is in charge of circulation
and reserve books. The assistants
keep the desks, paste, shelve, read
stacks, type, process new books, and
do a hundred and one odd jobs.
Nobody leads a busier life than a
librarian unless it is a book. Just the
other day when I was back in the
stacks shelving books that had been
on reserve, I overheard one tired
old history alcover talking to an
aged religion book.
“Whew,” said the history alcover,
“a vacation at last. Brother, I guess
we’ve earned it.”
“Yep,” said the religion book,
“and may it last a while this time. If
I’ve been pulled out of here one time
to be put on reserve. I’ve been pulled
a hundred times.”
“Remember when you were a
new book?” said the other. “You
were so proud of your beautiful
shiny self. Now look at you—old
and faded and dog-eared.”
“Yeah,” sighed the religion,
“popularity isn’t much fun any
more.”
“Popularity, my title page!”
moaned the history. “They have to
read us. Their teachers make them.”
“Yeah,” added the religion, “and
sometimes they take it out on us!”
“The people who work in the li
brary like us, though. Just think of
all the dimes the^ charge people
who keep us out in the daytime.”
“Well, that is true,” mused the
religion book.
“And the teachers certainly must
like us. Year after year they call for
the same old books to be put on
reserve.”
“Weir, yes,” agreed the history
alcover, “and once in a while—a
great while, mind you—a student
likes me and gets all excited over
something I say.”
“That is true with me, too,” said
he religion book, brightening. “Some
of the things I have to say have
changed a few attitudes around here.
I guess I have lived a rather sound
life—.”
“Oh, climb down off it!” cried
the history book in indignation.
“Oh, well,” agreed the religion,
“I guess when all is said and done,
it will be quite nice to see that old
orange reserve card of mine again.”
“You bet,” said the book from
the history alcove.
Students interested in competing
for the Hubbell prize in Creative
Writing may be glad to know that
the last day for receiving com
positions will be April 10, 1957,
instead of March 15 as published.
This date will be permanent, so
there will be no extension of the
time hereafter. Compositions may
be left in the office of Miss
Sally Willis Holland, of the Eng
lish department, on or before this
date.
Reception Room
In Georgian Style
By JIMMIE RUCKER
If you are one of those few Mere
dith girls who have failed to discover
the pleasant and practical reception
room and kitchenette in our new
Joyner Hall, you owe it to yourself
to drop in on your way to or from
class some day soon. The expansion
committee, desiring to make the re
ception room (which is to be used
by both students and faculty for
club meetings, receptions, and social
hours) both fashionable and usable,
has carefully selected each piece of
furniture; and for this reason, some
of the furnishings are still in the
“ordered” or “planned” stage. At
present there are in the reception
room a beautiful antique French
mirror and two leather upholstered
(brown) chairs—all gifts of the 1956
senior class; a five-piece sectional
sofa of durable nylon material; two
end tables; a lamp; and a wing chair
featuring the same design as the
green, tan, and yellow-figured draw
draperies. Soon to be added are two
Chippendale chairs. The furnishings
in the room, which has three , pine-
paneled walls and one covered in,
green burlap, have been planned in
Georgian style, conforming to the
Georgian-modern trend followed in
the entire building.
Adjoining the reception room is
a handy kitchenette, with an ample
number of cupboards, a double sink,
a refrigerator and a stove. Both the
stove and refrigerator are of brown
enamel, which blends beautifully
with the natural wood of the cup
boards and the brown covering of
the counter space. Dishes, cups and
saucers, pots, pans, and other uten
sils are planned for the convenience
of groups using the kitchenette.
Let’s all show our appreciation
for the work that has been done in
planning for Meredith an entertain
ment center of which we can be
proud by using our reception room
often and leaving it neat for others
to use.
By KAY ELIZABETH JOHNSON
There is an interesting species of
Angel Child at Meredith called Hall
Proctor—or sometimes more famil
iarly, Her. This strange creature has
many and varied duties which range
from comforting homesick freshmen
to checking dorm cards (UGH!).
She has the nebulous task of keeping
law and order on the halls, especially
after 11:15; also she specializes in
terrorizing late “Telephone Tessies”
(Angel children who spend too much
time after “lights out” communicat
ing with Earth Angels (BOYS)
through the telephonic medium).
Police duty, though, is not the only
specialty of Her. She is also re
sponsible, whether directly or in
directly, for the showcase (Bulletin
Board) in the dimly-lit corridor
called Hall. Advice, personal and
otherwise, is sold for a slight charge
—one must ask for it.
Requirements of a hall proctor
are also many and varied. She' must
have a cat-like tread, so as to be able
to sneak up to the door of a light-cut
violator; and she also needs sharp,
durable knuckles to rap briskly on
the malefactor’s door. Her voice
may have either of two qualities. It
may be harsh so she can yell loudly
down the hall “You’d better get
those lights out on time tonight!”
and “Why don’t you shaddup?” or
it can be soft and melodious so she
can croon sweetly “Lights out, girls”
and almost pleadingly “Sh-h-h.” The
ability to draw circles around dorm
card errors and the constitution of
an ox are other requirements. Also
standing Her in good stead are the
patience and understanding of a
mother and a well developed sense of
humor. (Don’t tell anyone, but the
Angel Farm proctors seem to have
an excess of the later two qualities.)
Pointing up the need for patience,
understanding, and a sense of humor
are the following comments some
times and often heard by this de
serving species of Angel Child.
“But I’ve just got to have another
light cut! Why? oh-h-h, um-m-m,
my mother said if I didn’t write a
five-page letter next time I wrote,
she’d, ah, not send me any more
money for a month. Yeah, that’s it.”
“Gosh, how did you ever live to
be a junior?”
“What’ll I do? Dr. Rose will kill
me if I don’t have it in on time!”
“Gosh, it must be nice to be a
junior and be able to play bridge
all the time instead of study.” (Wow!
if that doesn’t bring on the urge to
kill, nothing will.)
“He’ll never call again! I know
he won’t! I don’t see what that silly
rule is for, anyway. Humph! No
phone calls after 11:15. Phooey!”
(The first comment very tearfully
and pleadingly—the second, with
much bitterness and defiance.)
“Oh-h-h-h! I’ll never live through
exams.”
“Look! See, just feast your eyes!
I PASSED!”
Yes, hall proctors put up with a
lot, so they have to be a pretty dura
ble sort. I guess they’re the way they
are because of us. Huh?
Homesick Student
Brought Her Horse
KRAMER'S
'The House of Diamonds"
Martin & Salisbury Streets
B.S.U. to Sponsor
Big Four Party
On Saturday, April 6, the big
four—Meredith, State, Carolina,
and Duke—will gather on the Mere
dith playing fields for a B.S.U. Play-
day. One highlight of the day will
be a volleyball game between Mere
dith and Duke, and all four schools
will challenge each other in various
games and activities. After play
there will be a picnic for all at
the Chimney, followed by square
dancing in the gym.
By JIMMIE RUCKER
On a cold, windy afternoon, girls
on the west side of Stringfield can
look from their windows and see
bundled-up classmates heading for
a big white building known as the
stable. Whether it’s rainy or clear,
the horses there find themselves
mounted by, talked to, and perhaps
even “switched” by their eager
equestriennes.
Until about fourteen years ago,
the only animals resembling horses
here at Meredith were a pair of old
mules which were used in cutting the
grass; but thanks to a homesick
student who couldn’t bear to be
separated from her horse, a new
comer was added in the stable. The
following year Mr. Zeno Martin,
then business manager of the college
and a horse enthusiast, had a swamp
filled in to make what is now known
as the front pasture. Two or three
riding horses were purchased.
So much interest in riding was
shown by the girls that in a few years
a riding class was formed. It was
such a success that the number of
horses has grown to 34 (with more
soon to make their appearances!),
and a total of 218 people now “ride
the trails” around Meredith. Sixty-
six of this number are Meredith
girls, ranging in ability from novices
to horse-show winners.
The classes are under the able
supervision of Mrs. Mary Mackay
Edwards, who studied at Stephens
College and the University of Mis
souri. Having taught horseback rid
ing at Stephens for a while, Mrs.
Ed^wards came to Meredith almost
five years ago. Mrs. Edwards is as
sisted by Gene Smith, David Tatum,
and James (“Bold Pete”) Talley,
who care for the horses and give
helping hands to the “tenderfoot”
riders.
As any girl who has taken riding
knows, an uneventful horseback ride
is unheard of. There’s always the
chance that your horse will be fright
ened by a car horn and bolt into a
wild gallop or rear up into the air
unexpectedly; or you may find your
self toppling over the front of his
head when he suddenly decides to
chew a bit of grass. At any rate it
must be fun, because I have YET to
see a girl (dirty and smelly though
she may be) come in from riding
without a smile and a tale to tell.
X MAGIC MOMENTS
(Continued from page two)
winner; for while reading this force
ful account, one cannot but feel the
agony and rebelliousness of a sup
pressed people. Michener’s book
makes one feel the truth of Herbert
Spencer’s statement: “No one can
be perfectly free till all are free.”
ROY'S
When hungry try us!
WALLER STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHERS
Announce your engagement with a beautiful
portrait made by Waller Studio.
]26V2 Fayetteville Street
DIAL TE 4-733 1
Raleigh, N. C.