MERRY
CHRISTMAS
WINSTON-SALEM, N. C.. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1930.
First Advent Address
By Dr. Rondthaler
Story of Luke Made an
Interesting Study
Dr Howard E. Rondthaler, Presi
dent of Salem College and Academy,
made the first of his two pre-
Advent talks at Y. P. M., Wednes
day, December 10. After many
nouncements heralding the approach
of the Christmas season were made.
Dr. Rondthaler stated that he would
attempt to interpret the story of the
birth of Christ in tlie second chap
ter of lAike by means of an intensive
study and reading of the eliapter.
He predicted that eacli student
would have a Christmas full of song,
beauty, celebration and decoration
he suggested that) the a])proaching
holidays would be much happier and
more successful if, back of the usual
outward display, tliere were hearts
full of the true Christmas spirit. Dr.
Rondtlialer led his audience back
to the one original source of Christ-
ma.s, the birth of Christ, by reading
a part of the second chapter of
Luke. This chapter has been read
probably more times tlian any other
Bible chapter, and has been care
fully studied more than any other
piece of writing in the world. Al
most always the chapter is read as
a whole. However, Dr Rondthaler
went into the heart of the story,
search by sentence, word and
syllable, with a reverent scientific
; of tilie bid
den meanings of this beautiful narra
tive. He took an intensive approach,
and measured the story, gramatical
construction by grammatical con
struction. word by word.
lAike, a physician, wrote this ver
sion of the birth of Christ with
lingui.stie accuracy and ability, hav
ing heard it many times from his
fellow-town.smen. His story differs
in many ways from the same story
written by other authors. In this
chapter absolute evidences of Aro-
maie linguistic origin are to be
found. His affectionate fidelity of
Luke, who, in the village dialect,
transcribed a literal story of Chri.st’s
birth, and the loving tenderness of
this scientific-minded physician are
noteworthy. Dr. Rondthaler com
pared this story of Luke’s which
links modern civilization with an
cient Rome, to an antique milestone
in I,ondon whieli ties the imperial
city of Cae.sar Augustus to faraway
modern I.ondon.
Luke, unlike Jolm, gave the def
inite scientific, historic.al background
of Rom‘ that the modern questioning
world needs. In his telling of a
spiritual story, Luke mentions de
tails, such as Roman laws, winding
roads, the occupation of the shep
herds, that give a more than ade
quate setting for the story. With
instinctive accuracy, historic dignity,
literary ability, and loving under
standing, Luke brought forth tbi“
masterpiece which generations c
men have lauded and loved.
Dr. Rondthaler showed that the
Greek influence was noteworthy in
the story and commented favorably
rtn the author’s fitting choice of
verbs. Renard has said of this story
which was well interpreted in the
Chapel period, that no story on earth
equalled it in its matchless beauty
of theme and delicacy of presenta-
Concert Given by
School of Music
Varied Program Handled With
Skill and Artistic
Sympathy
The advanced students of the
Salem College School of Mi
were heard in a fine program of
piano, organ, violirij and vocal music
at Memorial Hall last Monday night.
This outstanding musical event of
the season thus far embraced pupils
of Dean Charles G. Vardell, Ernest
L. Schofield and Hazel Horton
Head.
The opening number was a Bach
“Prelude and Fugue in C. Major,”
played by Miss Ruth Marsden, or
ganist. Miss Marsden demonstrated
her ability to cope with the contra
puntal intricacies of this majestic
Miss Elizabeth MeClaugherty was
heard in Handel’s Sonata in E
Major for violin, a number rich in
melodic beauty and typically Plan-
dellian in its sturdiness and elo
quent content, Miss MeClaugherty
gave an intelligent and sympathetic
interpretation, showing at all times
fine sense of color.
Mrs. Harold Swairn, Mezzo-so
prano, sang “Beloved, It Is Morn,”
by Aylward and “Immortals” by
Walker. In both of these numbers
Mrs. Swaim displayed to fine adv
tage a powerful voice of dramatic
quality.
In Schumann’s Novelette in E,
Major, Miss Agnes Pollock achieved
real romantic effect in her interpre
tation of this miniature novel.
“Her Rose” by Coombs and the
lilting “Boat Song” by Harriett
Ware were sung effectively by Mrs.
Charles O. Delaney.
One of the high lights of the pro
gram was the D Minor Concerto op.
23 by MacDowell. Miss Dorothy
Thompson gave a splendid perform
ance of this famous composition.
Miss Elizabeth Rose pleased her
audience with her selections, “If
Thou Wert Blind” by .Johnson and
“Corals” by Treharne.
The organ Sonata in F. Minor by
Rheinberger, played by Miss Mary
Ann Mathewson was an appealing
number. Miss Matthewson displayed
a genuine understanding of Sonata
George Diekieson, violinist,
heard in the Romanza Andaluza by
Pablo Sarasate. This number gavi
Mr. Diekieson an opportunity tc
demonstrate his excellent technical
equipment.
liszt’s “Etude in D flat,” known
as “a sigh,” with its richness of
tinting gave Miss Elizabeth Willis
ample scope for her musical powers.
'The rich contralto voice of Mrs.
J. Russell Perkins -was heard in
“Possession” by Sharpe and the
popular “Hills” by La Forge. Mrs.
Perkins sang both songs with sin
cerity and a discriminating use of
contrast.
Miss Annie Sue Sheets sang “Una
Voce Poco Ta” from Rossini’s rol
licking opera “The Barber of Se
ville.” Miss Sheets posses.ses a clear
high coloratura voicei^) which she
u.sed effectively.
The program was brought to a
close when Miss Millieent Ward, ac
companied by Dean Vardell at the
organ, played the Allegra Affetuoso
movement from Schumann’s Con-
(certo in A Minor. This gorgeous
work makes great demands upon
both thej twial and/ technical re
sources of the pianist but through
out the hauntingly lovely melodies
and intricate rythms, Miss Ward
proved herself quite equal to the
casion.
The accompaniments for the vocal
and violin numbers were played by
Miss Viola Tucker, Miss Ruth Mars
den, Miss Dorothy Thompson and
Miss Nancy Ann Harris.
Impressive Pageant
By Salem Academy
Christmas Carols Sung in the
Medaeval Spirit
A Christmas pageant of impres
sive dignity w.is given by the mem
bers of Salem Academy in Memorial
Hall on Thursday afternoon. Bcau-
ful Christmas carols were sung
the medaeval spirit. The tabeleau of
“The Holy Night” was a splendid
reproduction of Corregio’s painting,
in which the shepherds were wor
shiping the Christ-child. The pro-
garm of the Christmas Caroling
eluded;
^ IT I
Prelude—Noel Polonais
Guilmant
Miss Ruth Marsden
Good Christian Men Rejoice
Fourteenth Century Melodi
Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella
Old French Carol
Old French Folk Tune
Processional—
“O Come, Aill Ye Faith fid”
"Adeste Fidelis'
The First Nowell ...
Traditional Melody
The Anoels a.vd the Shepherds
Bohemian Carol
Christmas Story—(Luke 2, i-xvi)
Miss Eleanor Chase
Tableau—“Holy Night”
Correggio
Mishcw Crudup
Jane Dwire
Arabella Putman
Sadie Root
Margaret McLean
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Sixteenth Century Melody
March of the Kings
Provencal Carol
Three Kings of the Orient
. HopM
Lunsford
Polhemus
Rondthaler
What Child Is This . .
.Old English Melody
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Redner
Hush, My De.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Silent
Haydn
Recessional—Joy to the World
Handel
Postlude—Chours of Shepherds
Lemmon
Miss Ruth Marsden
Members of English
Forum in Vespers
Christmas Program is Delight
fully Varied With Songs
And Recitations
The Spirit of Christmas was the
theme of Vespers Sunday night, and
was impressed on those present by a
beautifully appropriate service. The
audience was first invoked to rev
erent worship with the playing of
the prelude, Chopin’s lovely “Valse”
by Wanna Mary Huggins. Then
followed the opening sentence of the
choir, the responsive reading of the
Scripture foretelling the birth of
Christ, andl the hymn, “It Came
Upon the Mid-night Clear.”
The English I'orum which form
erly entertained Salem so well i
P. M. took charge of the res
the program. Each girl read with
(Continued on Page Three)
Interesting Origin of
Christmas Celebration
Salem Clings to Old Christmcis
Customs of the Moravians
The celebration of Christmas i
essentially the same throughout the
Christian world, but each locality
has its own set of precedents for
its observance. We are particularly
fortunate here in “The Christmas
City” that we have come to know
and to share in the rich heritage of
Christmas traditions that '
brought to Salem more than a
tury and a half ago by tihe first Mo
ravian settlers.
In Salem, the putz, for one thing,
is as much a part of the season, as
are Santa Claus and the Christmas
tree. “Putz” is no more than the
German word for decoration, but
the single word, plus seven hundred
years of development, brings to
minds visions of the past. We se(
Francis of Assisi, building in his
little Italian chapel the entire Christ
mas story in miniature, so that his
poor, illiterate parishoners might, by
the aid of the physical representa
tion, come to know better the Bible
■story which they could not read.
How the simple peasants loved the
little manger and the camels and the
gaily attird Wise Men. No wonder
that they kept up the custom long
after Good St. Francis had passed
away. As the years rolled along,
travelling monks took the eustomi
with them into the far land of the
barbarians — into Germany and
France, and there, too, the people
liked to see in miniature the scenes
which they were told about at
Christmas. Of course, there were no
Protestant churches, then, but after
a long time, Martin Luther told peo
ple that they should be allowed
read all of the Bible; that many of
the customs which they had observed
were wrong. After tliat the grown
people did not need the putz, for
they could now read the great Gos
pels in their own language, but they
clung to the old Christmas custom,
especially because the children loved
it. Sometimes, they would add to the
Biblical scene in the putz. There
would be a rural scene, showing
farmhouse and chickens; or there
would bo a city with its houses and
churches. Some people left out the
nativity scene, but when they did
that, they omitted the real putz.
The German Moravians brought
the delightful custom to Pensylvar '
and from there to Salem'— and
this Christmas season, in dozens of
homes, you will find, at the foot of
the Christmas tree, perhaps on a
raised platform, a wonderful putz.
There will be the nativity scene—
tlie manger stable and the singing
angi'ls; there will be the shepherds
and the wise men, and in the dis
tance, the domed roofs of Bethlehem,
When you see a putz, stop before it
and say, “Here is a bit of the past
that has come down to us.”
“Christmas cakes” belong to the
traditions of Christmas that we cher
ish, too. They are delicate, paper-
thin, brown spice cookies, cut in all
sorts of shapes—^hearts and diai-
monds and moons; maple leaves and
oak leaves! flowers and men and
women and little boys and girls and
all of the animals in the Noah’s Ark.
They could be made throughout the
year, of course, but the anticipation
of the savory odor that heralds the
first “batch” would be dost. “Christ
mas cakes” are made with great
care from treasured recipes, always
at the same time, and always in the
same way. They are as much
part of the season as the putz.
A well-known author has called
Salem the city “Where the Star Still
Shines,” in a physical, as well ;
a ,s])iritual sen.se, she could not have
chosen a more appropriate n
Wherever you go this year you will
see, hanging on porches, the many-
pointed red or white stars that, like
(Continued on Page Thres)
Interesting Topic Subject
Of Debate
Pro and Con of Quarter and
Semester System Discussed
On Tuesday evening, December
ninth. Sigma Omicron Alpha held its
;gular monthly meeting. The sub
ject was one peculiarly pertinent to
Salem: Resolved that Salem shall
have the quarter system instead of
the semester system of school. With
the quarter system, there are four
quarters of three months, during the
year; three in the ordinary school
term and the fourth during the sum-
ner. During eacJi quarter three
lubjects are studied five of six days
a week and what is ordinarly carried
through a semester is finished in
twelve weeks.
The affirmative was taken by
Frances Douglas and, in the absence
of the second speaker, Mr. Mc
Donald, while Anne Finley and
Mary Banner Fulton took the nega-
■' re position.
The first speakci- on the .•’ffirma-
tive took the position of the scholas
tic advantages of the quarter system.
She stated that since the subject was
studied every day, there was more
concentration given it. In this way
ister}' of the subject was more
easily attained, and a well rounded
:w of the study gained.
Tlu^ points the negative upheld
:re: the rarity of the quarter sys
tem since the semester out numbered
it twenty to one, and the consequent
trouble of transfer of credits. She
next stated that from a psycholo
gist’s standpoint, slight respite from
subject enabled one to grasp it
better. The semester method per
mitted variation, and not such a
rrow view of culture.
The .second affirmative speaker
iphasized the practicability of the
quarter system^ It fits into the
scheme of holidays far better than
does the old method. In the form
er way a course is finished before
Christmas, the examination is taken
and the vacation free from the wor
ry of “finals” to be endured two
weeks after returning. The same
is true of the Easter holidays. The
summer courses fit more easily into
the winter program. The quarter
system enables a student to graduate
in three years, a thing quite difficult
to do in the other method. Then in
the case of a failure, the student does
not suffer the double penalty of re
peating the course a whole year
after flunking it, and of having to
continue the course suffering the
limitation of not having grasped suf
ficiently the first semester.
The second negative held to the
difficulties of the administrative
changes necessary, involving greater
expense and a larger faculty.
The impromptu debate considered
the following serjous subject. Re
solved: That a monacle is more use
ful than spats. Essie Hendricks up
held the Iionor of the spats while