Wednesday, December 17,
MAROON AND GOLB
PACE TWO
Maroon And Gold
Edited *nd printed by itii^enti of Elon
CoUege. PubUshed bl-wtikly during the
college year under the lusplcei of the
Boaid of Publication.
Entered as second class matter at the
Post Office at Elon College, N. C., under
the Act of March 8. 1879. DUTered by
mall, $1.50 the college year, 50c the
quarter.
kditoriai. board
Matt Currln Editor In-Chicf
Lynn Cashlon Associate Editor
James Rhodes Assistant Editor
Patsy Melton Mu«ic f.ditor
Cooper Walker Ait Editor
Ileuben Askew Staff Photographer
Luther N. Byrd Kaeulty Advisor
Bl'SINESS BOARD
Jame» Rhodes Business Manager
Joe Erankley Circulation Manager
B. G. Frick Printing Advisor
Lynn Cashlon Press Operator
SPORTS STAKF
Gary Sears • Sports Editor
Mike Rau.seo Aost. Sports Editor
Don Merrimon Sports Assistant
REPORTERS
Ronnie Black Bl'* Renn
Doris Chrismon Bobby Rogers
David Crowle John Roberts
Ervin Durham Lillian Trogdon
Cletus Peacock Wendell Trogdon
Carroll Reid John Truitt
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1952
COMMERCIAL CHRISTMAS
Most of us will be leaving this weekend
to spend the Christmas holidays in our
respective homes, for another Christmas
Is Just around the comer, and, if everyone
Is looking forward to Christmas as much
as 1 am, there will be nriuch merriment
durmg the coming days.
But let us stop and think for a minute!
Just what is Christmas anyway? What is
Its tiue meaning?
Tls a question well worth a little
thought in this day and time, for the spirit
of commercialism has clouded the real
meaning of this cacred holiday season and,
perhaps, has actually crowded that real
meaning entirely out of the minds and
hearts of many people.
During the past ten years the merchants
and business men have made of Christ
mas a time to make an extra d'lllar. They
begin weeks ahead of time advertising
the gift that’s “Juft right for Mother," or
"the perfect gift for Dad.”
In most of our towns and cities the
merchants begin decorating the streets
for Christmas before the Thank.'^glving din
ner is digested. In fact, the mercantile
haily-hoo fur Christmas ha.s aln.ust crowd
ed Thanksgiving Itself right off the calen
dar, as far as the true meaning of Thanks
giving is concerned.
In numerous towns and cities the
Thanksgiving Day is highlighted by a huge
parade. heralding the coming of Santa
Claus, this event taking place almost a
month before Christmas; and, when all is
said and done, all thes'e parades are for
Is to attract the people Into the shopping
districts in the hope that they will start
their Christmas shopping.
Ifs true that Christmas is a time of giv
ing, but it's the spirit behind the gift and
not how big the gift or how much it costs.
The business men try to emphasize the
amount and the size of the gift too much.
When are the American people going to
come to their senses and realize once more
the real and true meaning of Christmas?
Chiistmas is a time for making meri'y and
enjoying festive days, it is true, but after
all It Is really the time of the celebration
of the birth of Jesus Christ. It should be
celebrated with a certain amount of rev
erence and meditation.
Many small children have begtn to be
lieve that Christmas is the time to get
about anything their heart desires. They
have been led to believe that Santa Claus
Is a god We should correct this idea with
great haste.
I.et us, then, forget the tioubles of the
wot Id and celebrate Christmas in a rev-
•erent way and have a good time.
To paraphrase Thomas Moore, "Merry
Christmas to all, and to all a good-bye!”
cash
on the
spot
By LYNN CASIIION
Late tiie other night, when only c fcv»
were burning the oil over their sfuuies, I
noticed peculiar flickers of light bouncm^
.-’)out the c..mpui in a sinister sort ol way.
Upon closer e^ammation, 1 discovered that
I'lese weird lights were coming from can
dles. which a gioup of people, indistin-
gnishabio to me. were tossing back and
foith in time to a song the group was
.ingint;. I strained to see who the song
sters weie, and what they were singing,
hut to' no avail.
At first, the thought of the Ku Klux
Kian took precedence in my mind, but re
membering that the South has long out
lawed this historic organization, and that
there have been no reports of the K.K.K.
since South Carolina forced the Old North
State back into the union, 1 raised the
question tc myself if it were some of our
Guilfordian friends paying us another noc
turnal call. But, recalling that my good
friend, Bob Ralls, who is President of the
Quaker Student Body, made a truce with
us at our N.S.S.C. meeting last Spring, and
thus seeing that such a thought was ridi
culous and highly improbable, I decided
that 1 had better investigate the mystery
more thoioughJy. What if Dean Liles had
leturned unexpectedly to restore our beau
tiful shrubs, which our campus so direly
misses since three years ago? Someone
should be there to officially welcome her
back and to thank her for her thoughtful
ness!
Being very careful not to make any
noise, I slipped around Alamance, tip
toed through the Colonnades, and crawled
nlong in front of West. By this time, to
my horror, the eerie lights were dancing
merrily in front of the President’s home,
becoming frantic, I dashed to the west
gate and hid in the cacti, pausing to catch
my breath. Working up courage and try
ing to swallow my heart back into the po
sition it anatomically claims, I ventured
nearer and nearer the phenomenon.
By this time, the lyrics of the music
fiom the other side of the street became
audible to my throbbing ears. Little by
httle. I sensed out the tune of “O, Little
Town of Bethlehem.’’ Who in the world
could be so filled with the Christmas spirit
fit that hour of the morning and still stay
out of trouble?
The flickering lights suddenly disappear
ed, all at the same time. Then I heard
voices and the sound of footsteps coming
toward my hiding place. Finally, the sil
houetted figures of the dark emerged into
the light of Elon's street lamp, and the
mystery unveiled itself to me.
Prancing happily across the street were
none other than the boys of Kappa Psi
Nu! They were really full of the Christ
mas spirit, not the staggering kind, but
the "good old times" kind. For one night,
they had brought back the happy customs
of the past and were carrying out Christ
mas in its best form and spirit. They
were a perfect example of "thinking and
doing for others," and all the while prov
ing that the Christian spirit can be held
dear to heart, benefitting the giver as
well as the receiver; for in their Yuletide
caroling they were having the time of
their lives, just thinking of and doing for
someone else the little things in life that
mean so much. Yes, the spirit of Kappa
Psi Nu, as manifest in this Christmas sere
nade, remembered by all of us. It is the
spirit that all of us should cultivate, the
spirit that should be Elon.
1 don't know of any better time than
Christmas, to get that spirit. Let's all
find it, get it, and above all, keep it: That
is the way we will build an Elon to be
cherished by us in years to come. So,
here !s a big hand to the boys of Kappa
Psi.
And to my fellow students, I extend to
you, one and all, every wish for a very
merry Christmas and the happiest of New
Vears!
May God bless us each and every one!
tiieir home near the n'li’gc cr-n.iui. Alter imiiy ^
to learn once moie to feel at hi me in America.
Back From India To Elon
By MATT CURRIN
Two ol' tlie most charrnmg and
ntcresting nr’.vcomers to the Elon
campus are Dr. and Mis. James
iess, who for the past thirty-
even years have lived, worked
!nd taught in South India. Dr.
iess is now a member of the
^inglish faculty here, and they
ire living in the small cottage
■lehind Atkinson Apartments.
Dr. Hess is an outstanding
Shakespearean scholar, having
written several books on the sub-
;pct. some of which are commen-
aries on "Richard II,” "Henry V,”
The Merchant of 'Venice” and
Julius Caesar.’" He has also
written a volume entitled “The
Theater of Shakespeare’s Day.”
'lis bcoks were published by the
Literary Society of India.
During thirty-seven years in
-outh India, Dr. Hess taught
'hakespeare at the American Col
fse of the University of Madras,
vas chief examiner and graduate
he^is reader at the American
"cllfge in Madras, the capital of
-!outh India and a city about the
>ize of Detroit.
Dr. Hess stales that thl^Uni-
ersity of Madras is composed of
wcnty-six separate colleges, one
if which is the American College,
le was connected exclusively with
Hat college.
Born in Camden, N. J., Dr.
Hess was educated at Brown and
he University of Pennsylavania,
iiaduating with a major in Eng-
ish literature. He was for sev-
'tal years contract manager for
the Curtis Publishing Ctompajiy
nri later circulation manager for
The National Magazine.” By this
time he vifas married, and he and
Mrs. Hess went to the University
of Chicago, from which he re
ceived M. A. and B. D. degrees.
Completing his work there, he
and Mrs. Hess went to India,
where he taught for seven years
at the American College. Both
then returned to America, where i
Dr. Hess received a fellowship at ^
Harvard to do special work and
serve as visiting professor. There
he worked with Dr. Kittredge, fa
mous Shakespearean scholar, and
it was at Harvard that Dr. HeHss’
first book, “A Commentary on Jul
ius Caesar," was published. The
ability of Dr. Hess was recognized
I at Harvard, but after slightly more
than a year, he and his wile re:
turned to Indi?
Mrs. Hess was born in New
England and calls Providence,
R. I., her home. She was educat
ed at Rhode Island College of Ed
ucation and did special graduate
work at the University of Chicago
after her marriage.
After going to India, she was as
busy as her husband, teaching
English composition six years at a
school similar to America's high
schools. She later taught chorus
singing for several years, and for
four years taught religious educa
tion to girls. In 1932 she was
named supervisor for four Hindu
girls' schools in Madras.
She made a spciial contribu
tion to the city of Madras while
serving as librarian at the Ameri
can College for three years, after
which she organized a library for
Lady Doak College and saw it
grow to maturity.
Mrs. Hess also served as
ge...
special correspondent for The
Mail,” outstanding South India
newspaper that is published in
Madras, and Dr. Hess chuckled as
he told that his wife made hei
rounds in a jeep as she covered
mission ne\ys, interviewed govern
ment officials and did special as
signments. She and Dr. Hess to
gether wrote hundreds of book re
views.
One might think Dr. Hess spent
all his time working and teaching
but he did not. He was chaplain
tor the American CoUege ano
preacher to the University and
was arch deacon of the Church ol
South India. He was also bursar
of the American College for foui
years, and he saw the college grow
from 150 in 1915 to over 1,000 last
year. It is interesting to note that
he built on the campus of the Uni
versity the first tennis courts in
South India.
Asked how Christmas is cele
brated in India, Dr. and Mrs. Hess
replied that it is much like in the
United States. On Christmas Eve
church members gather at their
church and go out in groups to
sing stories of the birth of Christ.
Often they sing in Christiar
homes and then return to the
church for special services.
One of the highlights of Christ
mas observance is the communion
service, usually not later than 6
o'clock Christmas morning. Dr.
Hess said, ‘Some churches have
services all night long, while oth
ers have certain hours for worship
There is usually a vesper service
in the late afternoon on Christ
mas Day."
(Continued on Page Four)
A Line 0’ Type Or Two
■By PATSY MELTON
What
for
CHRISTMAS—1952
"Peace on earth, good will to
men.”
What do we know of peace or
good will? We, who In our life
time have known little else but
war and strife; we, who have
been deprived of our loved ones
by two world conflicts; we, the
generation of the dead,
does Christmas, 1952, hold
us? What gifts do we bring to
the Babe of Bethlehem?
As children we were taught to
believe in Santa Claus, the
spirit of love and generosity—
the "good will.” With the in
nocence of our youth we trust
ed and believed. Then one day
our little bubble burst,
woke up to the fact that
world ol our day is one in which
the only real law is that of sur
vival cf the fittest. We grew up
fast—we had to. We lived fast,
too, burning our candles at both
ends Vhile the world applied a
blowtorch to the center.
This is the hothouse in which
flowered juvenile delinquents,
thrill-happy hot rodders, teen-^
We
the
age dope adicts, and baby-faced
murderers. What fear is it that
knaws at the minds of today's
young people that drives them
to live every moment as selfishly
as though it might be the last?
What happened to the good
will?
“Peace on earth. " How many
Christmases have we known
that have been red wiih blood
instead of tinsel and lights, and
cold with death instead of snow?
We re too young to have a voice
in deciding about war and
death, but we re just the right
age to do the dying. If our dy
ing were accomplishing
thing, we would do it gladly,
where’s our peace cn earth?
Somewhere, sometime, some
body failed us. Our only choice
IS to play our parts in the little
drama already planned. But in
playing these carefully planned
roles, we can try to revive the
ancient ideas of the angels—
Peace on earth, good will to
men”—and we can pass these
Ideas on to succeeding genera
tions. Perhaps this might be an
R Of
Bethlehem.
* ♦ * ♦
el‘toi'ialized
and got all cur giipes off our
chests, let’s lock at the gay side
any-
but
of this holiday season. Deck
the halls and haul in the yule
log. Bring on the boar's head
and the flaming plum pudding.
Let us make merry and enjoy
the Christmas days.
You know what Christmas is,
of course. It s a widely observed
holiday on which neither the
past nor the future is of so
much interest as the present.
Yes, Christmas comes, but once
a year, and once is enough.
Even so, the holidays are a
welcome respite from the wor
ries. the work, and perhaps the
boredom of everyday life. It is
the time when we can drop
gaily colored curtain before our
eyes and turn our backs on un
pleasantness. Therefore, 'let's
greet Christmas heartily as
bringing a Saving Grace in more
'W'ays than one.
* * ♦ ♦
We would make some New
Year’s resolutions, but would
never keep them, so let's not
bother to make any here. Do
you have any? if so, more
power to you! Try to keep
them, if. your resolutions are
good ones, that is.
Now, until next time, be gay
have a very merry Christmas,’
and lay off from too much of
that wassailing.
the
moving finger
writes
By MATT CURRIN
Your columnist takes this opportunity
to thank Dr. Leon E. Smith, Eioh's pres
ident, who consented to become a guest
writer in this column, and we of tlic
MAROON AND GOLD staff are proud to
present, as a special feature of tiie
Christmas issue, the following article by
our president:
CHRISTMAS 1952 '
By Dr. L. E. Smith
The love of God always manift.sis itself
in due seasor). Man’s rebelliousness be
came so intense throughout the passing
centuries, his sins against man and God
became so great and so evident, that God
threatened to destroy him completely and
remove him from the face of the earth.
In the midst of -WTath, God’s love for man
and the world was manifested in the gift
of his son, our Lord.
Love is a moving force in human expert
ence. Before it, barriers that separate
men and nations give way. Darkness that
obscures the pathway of wayward feet is
scattered and the way made plain. 0!>-
stacles that would defeat the forces ol
righteousness are plucked up and cast
away. Sins that would damn man’s soul
are, by the power cf God's love, forgiven
and cast away, and the sinner is given a
clear title to priceless treasure that shall
not pass away.
Each year at this season througli the
passing centuries, the Christian world has
celebrated the birth of Christ. We sing
the songs of nativity, hymns of adoration,
anthems and oratorios exhaulting his great
ness and power. We offer our prayers of
thanksgiving and praise. We preaeii our
sermons telling of his mercy and exhortins
men everywhere to repent of their sins,
accept Him asitheir Saviour, and enthrone
Him in their hearts as the Lord of theii
lives.
This Christmas season 1952 shall not be
different. Already Christian hearts are
warm with sense of devotion as they pre
pare their gifts that proclaim Him Lord
and King. May our gifts be our best and
expressive not only of our devotion but of
our faith.
As we make room for material growtli
and prepare for an upsurge in business,
may we make room for Him in our hearts
and prepare for that overflow of devotion
and love that God desires so much to give
to us on this, the birthday of His Son.
"WTiosoever hath Him hath life, and tlist
life is the light of the world.”
% ♦ * + *
And to continue our Christmas hospital
ity, we welcome still another guest writfr
to the “Moving Finger" for this hoUdar
season in the person cf Dr. John Truitt,
superintendent of the Christian Orphan
age here and an alumnus of Elon Coilegt
The following poem of the Y'ule season is
used by Dr. Truitt’s permission
“Across The Years,” his book of poeffi.
which has been read and enjoyed by so
many lovers of poetry. The poem is
with the spirit of the season.
oh: the FRAGRANCE OF THE CED-'*
By Dr. John G. Truitt
Oh! the fragrance of the cedar,
And the odor of the pine,
And the light of lovely candles.
In this sacred old shrine;
Make me enter very quietly.
And in reverent sort of way.
To kneel in prayer a moment,
On this happy Christmas Day.
To thank Him for our family.
And the gifts of love and healtti,
To thank Him for our Country,
And the glory of its wealth;
And for its singing children.
And the fortunes they are worti.
For they give an added lustre
To this Day of Jesus’ Birth.
Oh! the fragrance of true Christins®'
Far more fragrant than the P'”®’
As the light of altar candles ^
Fall on this family of mine;
While we quietly bow together
In the glory of this place.
To thank God for His blessings.
And to praise Him for His grace-