Two
COLUMNS
December, 1956
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
What is the Christmas spirit? It is a lot of things, big and
small, and hard as it is to believe, Santa Claus is a part of the
small. The Christmas spirit doesn’t visit you wrhen you’re “knee-
deep in your own pleasure;” you’ve got to be “heart-deep in kindness.”
Christmas must come from within.
Giving is truly a part of Christmas, but we should remember “to
give of ourselves with our gifts;” in much the same way God gave to
us, with “history’s most joyous event,” the miracle birth of His
Son and the great things that came from it. Christ came to give
strength in weakness, courage in sorrow, resistance to temptation,
and, above all, forgiveness for our sins, life beyond death, and
heaven after earth’s anguish. His Son is our Savior.
How can we get the Christmas spirit? We must seek, and find
the real joys and faith of Christmas against the noice of commerce—
against the glitter that hides the deep, true, and spiritual meaning of
Christmas. If we thumb through a magazine at Christmas time,
we are most likely to And that advertisements seldom, if ever, mention
the true meaning of Christmas. We should take time out at Christ
mas to remember those who are in need of the essentials for daily
comfort, both near and far. We can spread the Christmas spirit by
helping the needy. Let’s take a look at our world — “Communism
says: “What’s yours is mine and I’ll take it.’ Materialism says;
‘What’s mir\e is my own and I’ll keep it.’ Christianity says: ‘What’s
mine is yours and I’ll share it.’ ” If there’s anything to calm this
troubled world it is Christian faith and courage. Christmas is the
time to renew such a faith.
The Christmas spirit changes people in much the way that “ever
green arches and string of lights shut out the wintry harshness of
Main Street, U.S.A. It takes out the grey coldness and brings in
something fine and fragrant like evergreen.” It stirs the best part of
human nature.
If Christ had not come there would be no church or Christmas;
there would be an absence of mercy, grace, and love; the Bible would
end with the Old Testament without the glorious promises of the
New Testament. Except for Christ there would b« no joy that en
dures when Christmas candles no longer glow.
What can we at Louisburg do to spread the Christmas spirit?
For one thing we can take part in Christmas caroling. Caroling has
a meaning and beauty that touches the heart and brings back glad
Christmases. It is a familiar custom that draws hearts together and
makes them one. “Stand with others and throw all your being into
those great Christmas carols with your heart riding on its melody;
then the Christmas spirit is all around you like a gentle snowfall,
while your thoughts soar high above the glitter of Christmas.”
It has been said that “Songs of faith are stronger than songs of
hate.” On that night the angels sang with beauty and brilliance as
never before. They were stirred and thrilled by God’s gift-His Son.
As you read this there will remain about two weeks for prepara
tion of our heart for Christmas. In that month we can do much to
preserve and heighten, during this new Christmastide, the glory
of the Savior’s birth.
“There is a certain closeness and warmth at a Christmas midnight
service that you won’t And anywhere else. You feel the Christmas
spirit in the silence of the night, the lights of the church throwing
golden patterns across the snow, frosty breath, checks rosy with
cold, eyes bright with inner glow — so many things are a part of the
Christmas Spirit.”
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King.”
THINGS TO
TODAY
DO
WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS
Christmas means giving. The thoughts of men are turned to
gifts for others.
Christmas means joy. There is a spirit and happiness that can
be seen and felt.
Christmas means a sense of well-being. Faith and confidence
are stronger.
Christmas means delight to little children. It is their great sea
son of the year.
Christmas means brightness in life. The sparkle of lights en
lightens our hum-drum existence.
Christmas means love. The deepest of hiiman emotions is strange
ly stirred.
Christmas means home. The tree and family dinner remind us
that blood is thick.
Christmas means the extra in life. Bonuses and special favors
are the order of that day.
Christmas means friendship. Our thoughts are thoughts of
peace and brotherhood.
Christmas means singing. The carols are among the most
cherished of the songs we sing.
Christmas means surprise. The pleasant feeling of opening
gifts speaks of many unsought blessings.
Christmas means a nearness to God. “The word became flesh
and dwelt among us.”
Christmas means most of all, Jesus Christ. There is no Christ
mas without the Savior. All of the blessings and meanings of
Christmas ultimately are dependent upon Him.
Christmas means God’s Gift. We can make it complete by giving
ourselves to him Who loved us.
—by Kin Snyder— , j
(age 6 months) |
(This is a secret document dis- i
covered under the mattress in the!
crib in the faculty-student apart-1
ments, Louisburg College, Louis-;
burg. North Carolina, during the
momentary absence of the author
who lives there ^^rtth his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. G. K. Snyder.)
7:30 a.m. Tear 50-cent magazine
apart.
8:00 a^m. Rip daily sports page
from paper so Stubble-Face, my
old man, won’t know where he’s
at for today’s games. Big laugh.
8:45 a.m. Knock own head real
hard on play-pen sides. Scare
the wits out of Stubble-Face.
Another big laugh for me. (Big
morning ahead!)
9:00 a.m. Take nice nap. Be sure
to bury face in the bed and pre
tend I’m not getting any air
at all. Stubble-Face real comi
cal when I do this number.
Thinks' I’m suflocating. What a
guy! Doesn’t know what a man
my age is ^11 about and gets
scared stiff.
10:40 a.m. Wake up. Crying prac
tice, 5 minutes.
11:00 a.m. Real crying. Other
wise no orange-juice, the dirty
misers, both of them! (I’m only
kidding, because Smooth-Face,
my old lady, is sure a good egg
and, as I said, Stubble-Face
means well, dumb as the poor
old crock is.)
11:05 a.m. See how many bub
bles I can blow in it through
that little bit of hole in the rub
ber nipple. I was lousy at it
yesterday, hardly any bubbles.
Try and do better today.
11:30 a.m. Oh boy! Bath! To
day’s the day I get that soap to
put in my eye. Smooth-Face
been pretty clever blocking me
at it up to ^ow. Today try to
nail soap while she reaches for
towel. Or maybe during big
splashes, knock some water in
her eye, then get soap. Careful
don’t hurt Smooth-Face, though,
in water-kicks.
12 Noon. In play-pen, hit self on
head with only hard toys. Make
good warm-up for lunch.
12:30 p.m. Lunch. Don’t forget
to squawk on mashed apricots.
Day in and day out, mashed-up
apricots! Be sure to put up big
squawk.
I 1:00 p.m. Nice nap. Take it easy
Gets lot of air asleep. No sense
doing face-in-bed routine as
Stubble-Face not around. He’s
gone to work. Least, he told
Smooth-Face work. What was
he doing with that football tick
et in his pocket? No fun try
ing to rib Smooth-Face. She
(Continued on Page 3)
COLUMNS
Volume XVI Number 2
Published by Louisburg College Students
MEMBERS OF THE STAFF
Co-editors Mary Helen Cooper, Connie Taylor
Business Manager Swayn Hamlet
Assistant Business Manager Gaither Snipes
Circulation Editor Joyce Davis
Art Editor Reuben Carmady
Religious Editor Sara Sholar
Photographer Dickie Bennett
Reporters and Typists Pat Jones
Reporters and Typists Pat Jones, Ann King
Marty Taylor, Juliana Evans, Jenny CooK Betty Delbridge
Sports Editor - Jerry Shackelford
Subscription Rates For Non-residents for Collegiate Year, $1.00
LITTLE STAR
As I run to my window and look
out afar—
The only thing visible is one single
star.
A star that glitters and seems so
near
One star high in the heavens that
cries with fear.
Don’t cry little star, you aren’t all
alone—
For God will And you and lead
you home.
Lib Stallings
TEN COMMANDMENTS
FOR CHRISTMAS
I. Thou shalt not leave “Christ” out of Christnlas, making it
“Xmas.” To most minds “X” stands not for Christ but for the alge
braic unknown.
II. Thou shalt not value thy gifts by their cost, for many
shall signify love that is more blessed and beautiful than silver
and gold.
III. Thou shalt give thyself with thy gifts. Thy love, thy per
sonality, and thy service shall increase the value of thy gifts an
hundredfold and he that receiveth it shall treasure it forever.
IV. Thou shalt not let Santa Claus take the place of Christ,
lest Christmas become a fairy tale rather than a sublime reality in the
spiritual realm.
V. Thou shalt not burden thy servant. The shop girl, the mail
carrier, and the merchant shall have thy consideration.
VI. Thou shalt not neglect thy church. Its Christmas services are
planned to help spiritualize the Christmas season for thee, thy fam
ily, and thy friends.
VII. Thou shalt not neglect the needy. Let thy bountiful bless
ings be shared with the many who will go hungry and cold unless
thou art generous at Christmas.
VIII. Thou shalt be as a little child. Christmas is the day of
the Christ Child; not until thou hast become in spirit as a little child
art thou ready to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
IX. Thou shalt prepare thy soul for Christmas. Verily most
of us spend much time and money getting gifts ready but few seconds
in preparing our souls.
X. Thou shalt give thy heart to Christ. Let thy Christmas list
have Christ at the top and thy heart as thy gift. In so doing thou art
as the Wise Men of Old and verily thou shalt find thyself born again
on Christmas Day.
Author Unknown
CAN WE DECIDE?
All of us at L. C. are supposed to be mature men and women
making our decisions as to that sort of evening entertainment we
prefer. But as I observed at the music concert, Friday night, Novem
ber 30, many of the students stayed away from a fine musical per
formance given by William Kirkpatrick, tenor, and Bill Siddell, at
the piano. Are we capable of making our decisions?
When students were asked why they missed the concert, many
replied that they wanted to go but—. But always seems to be in
the way. I realize that there are many good reasons for missing
the concert, but when our school arranges such a fine program for
evening entertainment we should try to be present. We do not have
many opportunities in Louisburg to hear such talented people per
form; therefore, that is all the more reason we should attend.
Also, this is just as important part of our education as books. Let’s
try to arrange our “night life” so that we can make the right de
cision to attend the next similar event.
M.H.C.
,MY SONG TO YOU
“Big Mama” to Dickie B “A Brown-eyed Handsome Man”
Swayn to Mary Helen “True Love”
Sara to Grady “It Was Just One Of Those Things”
Floyd to Joyce ■. “My Blue Heaven”
Juanita to Wynters “I Want to Learn to Speak Hawaiian”
Royce to Lucia “Love, Love, Love!”
Myrt to Bobby “I Miss You So”
Bob B. to Bob K “Of This, I’m Sure”
Connie to Les “Why Don’t You Believe Me?”
Jesse to Gretchen “If I Give My Heart to You”
Ann S. to Charles G “You’re All I Want For Christmas”
Allen H. to All Women “Love Me Tender”
Shirley to Bobby “I’ll Never Stop Loving You”
Milo to Libby “Feudin’, Fussin’, and Fightin’ ”
Marty to Charlie B “Whiskey, Women, and Loaded Dice”
Jean B. to I. J. Wall “I’m Walking Behind You”
Pepper to hubby “Because”
Sara Sholar
STUDENTS
Back The Firms That Back Us
SCOGGIN'S DRUG STORE
TO REGISTERED PHARMACISTS
FOX'S
DEPT. STORE
It’s Smart To Be Thrifty
SHOP FOX’S
Louisburg’s Best Dept. Store
PEPSI-COLA BOTTLING CO.
OF RALEIGH