Page two
THE TWIG
December 13, 1957
GUEST EDITORIAL
The Heart of the Year
December with its celebration of the gift of Christ makes peculiar
demands on us whose lives are cast in September-to-June years. The
month does not mark for us an ending. It is rather for us the heart of the
year, bringing an opportunity to affirm afresh our membership in the
communities in which we have been called to stand.
In our kinship with the families which nurture us can come a renewal
denied to those who refuse to venture. Growing pains there may have to
be. There ought also to be some live evidence of our awareness that the
true learner can always be recognized as an increasingly grateful, helpful
human being.
Of the fellowship of this College we in these days can seek to be
more nearly worthy. To have entered into a heritage of faith and scholar
ship, of prayer and learning, established in affection and in shared values,
led by those who are both wise and good—who can claim to have de
served so much?
It is in the perspective of the community of believers that all our De
cembers find meaning. When lesser callings fail us—as we ourselves in
the nature of things in this world of space and time so continually
fail the best of those by whom our way is blessed, we are not forsaken.
Here is the healing companionship in whose presence we are constantly
judged and restored.
In the seasons ahead promised by the gladness of this Christmas, may
we show forth something of the forgiveness and the joy and the love of
Christ. It is here in this place, and not in some other, that just now you
and I can, if at all, do these things.
Maxine Garner.
It's Our Move
We who are Baptists have been considerably disturbed by the furor
caused by the Baptist State Convention. The dancing question is not
particularly important, although no amount of legislation will induce us
to believe that dancing per se is in any way “demoralizing.” Repercus
sions of the convention are important, however. We do not like the light
which publicity has placed our denomination in. We will not have Mere
dith put in the same light.
We believe our college to be ethically as well as scholastically sound.
We have implicit faith in the integrity of the faculty and administration.
As we recognize and appreciate the parenthood of the State Baptist Con
vention, we are convinced that the principles governing this institution
are in complete accordance with basic Baptist beliefs and that there can
be no real grounds for criticism.
While the appointment of the committee of seventeen is somewhat
damaging to our pride, it is really a matter of little concern to us. We
invite the committee toxome and see for themselves just what it is that
is good about Meredith. Then we suggest that the Convention turn the
directing of the college back to the trustees, who have acted always with
sincerity and intelligence.
Next week we will be going to homes scattered in all parts of the state.
We will be meeting people with varied opinions of the issues that have
called attention to Meredith. Let’s tell them—nicely—how we feel.
They Call It “Merry”
By PAGE SINK
Once upon a Christmas Eve a
certain old cynic heard jingle bells
ringing and said, “Bah! Humbug!”
And all the Christmas, lovers in the
world turned to him and said, “Why,
you old fool! You don’t believe in
Santa Claus.” Pretty soon the old
cynic was eating turkey and plum
pudding, giving crowns to errand
boys, and feeling Christmas from his
wig to his shoe-buckles.
Christmas means different things
to different people: to old cynics it
means “bah” and “humbug”; to rich
little children it means a yard-tall
doll with high heels and earrings or
an electric train that runs from the
living room to the kitchen and back
again; to poor little children it means
a new sweater and three pairs of
socks; to rich Mrs. Woorstvansmitch
it means a long list of all “my dahling
friends whom I can’t neglect”; to
Santa Claus it means eleven and
three-fourths months of tinkering in
his workshop; to the Reverend Mr.
Johnson it means hours behind
closed doors in a frantic search for
an inspiring Christmas sermon with
a new slant. And finally, to Mere
dith girls, Christmas means those
wonderful fourteen days of complete
bliss after three weeks of worried
bustle.
For worry and bustle we do! We
come back from Thanksgiving chock
full of plans and Christmas spirit
and good intentions only to be met
by an avalanche of “little things
that must be done.” Presents to buy
for the suite, the little sisters, for
the hall party, for extra special
people—and a mere pittance to
squeeze them out of. Two parties to
plan and five to go to. A panel dis
cussion and a term paper due within
a week of each other. Three big
tests, six papers, and innumerable
pops to contend with. A pair of
socks that must be finished before
the fourteenth, a book that lies
temptingly by the bed, and that in
comparable worry over what to give
Tom. All to the tune of “Peace on
Earth, Good will toward Men.” We
even begin to look forward to classes
because that’s the only time when we
can just sit . . . and rest . . . and not
run around somewhere. By the time
the holidays arrive, we are com
pletely drained of Christmas spirit,
so we go through the mere motions
of Christmas. Yes, Christmas at
Meredtih can be described as a wor
ried bustle. We forget all about the
Christ and the angels and just ran
around doing things, and sleeping
through chapel.
Perhaps the old cynic saw people
like us when he said “Bah! Hum
bug!” Perhaps we need a tiny little
boy with a lame leg to say to us,
“God bless you every one.” Perhaps
we should not look so hard at the
artificial Christmas trees and the
gigantic bottles of “Intimate” and
try to get the plum pudding and the
manger scene into our perspective.
Perhaps we should think a little
about this Christmas business.
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Drama Editor ...Susan Moss
Sports Editor .Stuart James
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Columnists Margaret Paris, Juanita Swindler, Louise White
Reports .Lela Cagle, Lelia Davenport, Cynthia Denny, Lynda Evans,
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Entered as second-class matter October 11, 1923, at post office at Raleigh,
N C., under Act of March 8, 1879. Published semi-monthly during the months
of October, April, and May; monthly during the months of November, December, January,
February, and March,
The Twig is the college newspaper of Meredith College, Raleigh, North Caro
lina, and as such is one of the three major publications of the institution—the
other two being The Acorn, the literary magazine, and The Oak Leaves, the
college annual.
Meredith CoUege 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 degrees. 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 Secondary Schools. The college holds membership in the Associa
tion of American Colleges and the North Carolina College Conference. Gradu
ates of Meredith College are eligible for membership in the American
Association of University Women. The institution is a liberal arts member of
the National Assciation of Schools of Music.
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Musical Notes
By JOYCE SKILLMAN
The air of suspense and excite
ment, the jittery nerves of some few
students and the haggard look of
overworked fingers telling of many
extra hours of practice could reveal
only one thing—the near approach
of a senior recital. The graduation
recitals for this year will be off to a
fine start with public school music
majors. These girls—Molly Sloan,
Carolyn Holliday, Lee Pass, and
Peggy Yancey—will present a piano
recital in Jones Auditorium on De
cember 13. All students are invited,
and I hope you will take advantage
of this opportunity.
Lou’s Romurks
By LOUISE WHITE
In addition to being the most in
telligent, the most poised, and the
most beautiful college students on
the face of the earth, Meredith girls
are also the world’s best gripers.
The student body has several stan
dard complaints such as “We have
too much work,” “The food is bad
and getting worse,” “The infirmary
is horrible,” and “Why don’t we take
a month for Christmas so we will be
out with State, Duke, and Carolina?”
Such complaints as these should be
eliminated. For one thing, every
body has heard them two or three
thousand times. Also, they are not
entirely based on fact. There is
plenty of work to be sure, but Mere
dith is a COLLEGE. The food may
not be like Mama cooks, but Mama
is catering to the wishes of one
family, while the dining haU is
balancing calories and vitamins for
six hundred people. The infirmary
may not closely resemble heaven,
but what place does when you have
the flu?
The individual gripes are harder
to eliminate than the universal ones.
Personal complaints range from
“Why do I have to take P.E.?” to
“I have so many dates that I call
everybody I date by the wrong
name.” If these problems are r^l,
people could at least stop talking
about them constantly.
I realize that superiority in every
field of endeavor cannot be avoided
by Meredith girls, so the only thing
to do about the griping and coin-
plaining is never to attempt it. This
is one field in which perfection is
not commendable.
Doors Are Decorated
By LYNDA EVANS
At last, Christmas is here!
Yes, it seems that our campus is
going all out on Christmas decora
tions. Hardly a door remains un
garnished! The dull panes are now
frosted with artificial snow, cotton
angel hair, or tinsel. It’s a sight to
behold when you encounter Santa
driving his flying reindeer across
the panels of door in the guise of a
housetop. A gala tree fashioned of
Christmas cards may cover a whole
door. Again, a door may be draper
with fluffy angel hair or cotton anc
scattered with multicolored shining
balls. Hanging on some panels you
may see wreaths of holly or green
ery strung with paper chains or
popcorn strings. Attached to others
are stockings filled with Christmas
ornaments or paper baby angels
swinging from a holly bough.
All these various and sundry
decorations that greet you as you
stroll through our halls this week
are meaningful to us. These are
the ways that the girls behind these
doors have chosen to say to you
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
FROM THE
Contemporary Scene
By MARGARET PARIS
With the approaching season
comes the problem of Christmas
gifts. Several question marks could
well represent the frame of mind
of most shoppers—students par
ticularly? This column would like to
make a few suggestions for, not only
appreciated, but valuable and last
ing gifts. I hesitate to use the word
“books” for fear the readers will stop
right here—read no further. How
ever, before you readers close your
mind to this suggestion for a gift,
let me briefly defend books as gifts.
In our television-emphasis age, with
pleasure and entertainment desired
in the quickest, “easiest” manner
(“I’m too tired to think, let me re
lax!”), books are not as popular as
they were fifty years, even twenty-
five years ago, when fewer people
knew how to read and appreciate
good literature. We have not for
gotten how to think, but, perhaps,
we have forgotten the enjoyment
that comes from reading other
people’s thoughts and experiences.
Yet, pleasure reading is not term
oaper research, but pleasure that is
similar to pleasure in conversation
with people. The advantage of read
ing over conversation is that authors
usually express themselves more
clearly, in a more interesting way
than does the average person.
With sincere hopes that the idea
of books as gifts will not be laughed
off, I would like to offer a few sug
gestions for gifts that a person can
keep a lifetime and never tire of.
My suggestions are limited to con
temporary works; however, many
centuries have produced other books
which are just as delightful, just as
current (human emotions are al
ways the same).
The December 1, New York Times
Book Review is devoted almost ex
clusively to lists of books, Christ
mas gift suggestions. I would recom
mend this to everyone for a more
complete coverage than this column.
And why not begin with art books?
Every person has some interest in
some type of art. The State Art Mu
seum Book Store in Raleigh, man
aged by a Meredith graduate, offers
an excellent selection in art books,
priced from $.50 to $30.00. Be
sides books concerned with particu
lar painters or centuries, there are
many delightful books on the general
subject of art. The Dictionary of
Modern Painting, edited by Fernand
Hazan, priced at only $6.95 includes
complete information on every as
pect of modem painting—terms,
processes and artists. In this book
are 270 full color and 80 black and
white reproductions from museums
(Continued on page three)
“Man, that ‘Silent Night’ always gets me in the Christmas spirit!”