Page Two.
THE SALEMITE
November 19, 1943.
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE, ANYWAY?
IN DEFENSE OF OUR MINDS
What’re we doing in college, anyway? If
one of the soldiers or other visitors who wan
der around the campus on weekends asked us,
could we give a satisfactory answer? Do we
know why we’re here? Are college students
necessary?
With so much going on in the world, it’s
imperative that we be prepared to stand up to
the world and give an account of ourselves.
About 99 students enrolled in Georgia State
College for Women this fall. Why? If the
proverbial man from Mars were to drop out
of the blue, would he find ns drifting from
one class to the next, living only for week
ends?
Are the months we intend to spend here
this year, and maybe during the other war
years, really for the general good? We’ve
asked ourselves, and possibly each of us has
her own individual answer. But why are we
here? Why are we allowed to stay when
every American citizen should be finding the
place in the general scheme of things where
he can do the greatest good?
“Education is a nation’s first defense,”
statesman told the English Parli^ament two
centuries ago. Our nation’s faith in this prin
cipal still holds. We’re here to justify that
faith. (A. C. P.)
FOR BOARDERS ONLY
A day student’s dilemma—how can we be
come more a part of the life here at Salem?
Things seem to be going along smoothly, and
then all of a sudden we realize that something
is wrong. Is it our fault; or are you satisfied
with conditions as they stand? Perhaps it is
we who are inclined to dramatize the difference
between us; perhaps we have not been co-op
erative enough and have segregagted ourselves
too much.
We thank those of you who have bent over
backwards trying to help us, who have been
friendly to us, who have cooperated with us
in extra-curricular activities. We have enjoyed
being with you in classes and in clubs and
playing on the same teams with you.
But—we rarely see you in the Day Stud
ent’s Center. Don’t let the name keep you
away. It is, so to speak, our “home” while
we are here on campus, and we would like it
even better than we do if you would drop by
to see us often. We have your invitations to
come visit you; if we want to smoke we come
to your living rooms. We are occasionally
down here at night, but the room is generally
free then; so if you wish to use it, do. Don’t
always pass by—do come to see us.
Published Weekly By The Student Body
of Salem College
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Editor-in-Chief Mary Louise Rhodes
Assistant Editor Sebia Midyette
Associate Editor Lucille Newman
Sports Editor Nell Jane GrifiEin
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BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Business Manager Betty Moore
Ass’t. Business Manager Lib Beckwith
Advertising Manager Emily Harris
Circulation Manager Elizabeth Bernhardt
Advertising Staff: Aileen Seville, Betty Dunning,
Betty Harris, Mary Gordon Walters, Sara Lee Bran
don, Marion L. Hall, Nancy Kenny, Jaeqne Dash,
Betsy Thomas, Caroline Hill, Kitty Angelo, Kathleen
Phillips, Katy Bly Love, Juanita Miller, Mary Charles
Watson, Phyllis Hill, Snookie Willis, Frances Elder,
Norma Rhodes, Mildred Garrison.
CIRCULATION STAFF
Jean Hodges, Edith Longest, Ruth Maxwell, Bar
bara Watkins, Margaret Huckabee, Catherine Bunn,
Dorothy Langdon, Rosamond Putzel, Martha Lou
Heitman, Margaret Bullock, Helen Bobbins Beta;
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We are accused—students of Salem College.
While we have been innocently struggling from
day to day with the masses of work piled on
us, a strange case has been brought against
us. A conspiracy has arisen in the walls of
that very building to which so many of us
dedicate the hours of our days.
Briefly, the situation is this: Last year the
librarians kept a record of the number of books
checked out of the Library. At the end of
the year, the total was divided by the number
of students in the college, and both the librar
ians and the faculty immediately began to
weep. The average number of books read last
year was one and one-fourth books per person
On the basis of this discovery, we are accused
of intellectual platitude, and the scholar’s cap
is about to be snatched from our heads. The
question is: “Guilty, or not guilty?”
To understand the significance of the li
brary report, it is necessary to know a few
facts about how the record was kept. Only
books that were withdrawn at tho, main circu
lation desk were counted. These did not in
clude books from the rental collection or the
reserve room, or those books used in such
places as the browsing room. The circula
tion was divided by the number of students
in the entire school.
These facts throw a somewhat different
light on the statistics. In limiting the report
to only those books checked out at the main
desk, most books used by Salem students were
excluded. The shelves of reserve books used
over and over by English, history, education,
and home economics majors were not counted;
the reference books used regularly by art and
music students were not counted; the popular
novels and war information books in the rental
collection were not counted. Furthermore, the
average per person was lowered considerably
by including with the regular student body,
the business students and the day-students.
The business students devote their time exclu
sively to business traiinng. The day-students,
on the other hand, may be expected to do a
fair amount of reading from their home librar
ies as well as the city library. Thought of in
this way, the one and one-fourth average takes
on less meaning.
But suppose our reading is as low as the
report indicates. Why do Salem girls not do
more reading? If someone were to ask me
that question, my answer would go something
like this:
I have five heavy reading courses, and like
everybody else, I have only twenty-four hours
in my day. Every week day I spend from six
to eight hours a day reading Shakespeare, the
Bible and similar books. My spare hours
through the week are filled with concerts, lec
tures, meetings, and other extra-curricular ac
tivities. If I am lucky enough to have free
week-ends, my term paper or an approaching
test stares me in the face. On occasion free
nights I think I need a change for relaxation.
I believe that the average Salem girl is as
busy as I am. The music student and the pre-
med student might even be busier. I do not
believe that it is possible for us to do much
more reading than what is required of us.
We are trying to get a thorough knowledge of
the fundamental books in our classes so that
Ave shall make intelligent readers after college.
Even so, I deny that we have lost our interest
in reading. If a census were taken including
vacation reading, I believe that the average
would rise by leaps and bounds.
MONTAIG-NE
La classe frangaise fitudie maintenant Michel de Montaigne. Mon
taigne (?st un tr6s grand ficrivain de la Renaissance; il appartient & la
seconde moitie du XVIe sifeele. Danse ses Essais, genre littfiraire imitifi
bientat aprfes en Angleterre par Francis Bacon, et plus rScemment en
Am6rique par Ralph Waldo Emerson, il traite mille problSmes qui pr6-
occupant les hommes de tous les pays et de tous les temps. II ne suit
aucune mfithode, mais possfede une nonchalance charmante et souvent ra-
conte de son experience personelle de la vie. II condamme le dogmatisme
du Moyen-Age en y opposant la sagesse des anciens et parfois mfeme celle
des peuples primitifs, par exemple, des- sauvages de I’Amerique alors
rficemmefft'dficouverte.
Don’t 2}upte Us....But-
Plaudits go this week to Dr. Anscombe for that splendid talk at -
Thursday’s chapel . . . then there is the senior who is obviously “wrapped
up” in her work — even in public assemblies.
That hollow-eyed war orphan on the War Chest Poster should get
blood from the proverbial turnip — they need money.
Here it is two weeks after "six-weeks” and we’re still afflicted with
tests. How does that figure? Is there no rest for the weary (to be slightly
trite)? I
Bravo for the girls who are valiantly knitting olive drab and navy
blue among the baby blues and reds.
Has anyone ever seen Mr. Bair without that grin on his face!
Dr. Willoughby has again contributed one of her classic remarks to
the effect that to the Victorians people didn’t exist below the chin!
What do the underclassmen focus their attention upon when the
seniors aren’t on the stage?
It’s just twenty-five days, eleven houfs, thirty-five minutes and twenty
seconds until Christmas vacation! Do your Christmas shopping early!!!
Seriously, ladies (as Dr. Downs would have said) the Postmaster
General has asked that you shop Now and Mail Now — for delivery
before Christmas Day. Mail in November — Last minute gifts before
December 10. Mark parcels: “Do Not Open Until Christmas.”
The following contribution by “ K. B. R.” we gratefully acknowledge.
We have a fine building called Bitting,
Whose full name is charming and fitting;
But, lo, and behold!
So often we’re told
To come down to “The Basement of Bitting.”
Please, girls, it’s the Louisa Wilson Bitting Dormitory.
I For those of you who’ve wondered what attraction brought the
crowds to the Home Church this week: Dr. Crossley Morgan has been
giving a series of Bible lecltures. It isn’t too late for you to hear him
for his last talk begins tonight at 7:45. We assure you that you won’t
regret going!
Among the speechin’ faculty, those who have made public appear
ances recently have been Dr. Lachman, Mrs. Meinung, Miss Crow, Mr.
Higgins, and Dr. Me.
Don’t miss the lecture on Tuesday evening. The marshals will be
there in their new long dresses — beautiful to behold. Does the hand
some Mr. Wolfert remind you slightly of Claude Rains?
Afuuiie^ oi/pc4iJoieA.
■UNA Y NO MAS
Me gusta mucho’ tus ojos, me gusta mucho tu pelo,
me gusta mucho tu cara, me gusta mucho tu euerpo,
todo en ti me gusta mucho desde la planta al cabello;
pero no te quiero, nina, y sabr&s que no te quiero
porque no puede una luz alumbrar dos aposentos.
Si no pongo en ti los ojos, es-que en otra los he puesto:
es que si me gustas mucho, me gusta m&s la que quiero:
es que yo el coraz6n pongo donde pongo el pensamiento:
es que para dos amores tengo el coraz6n pequefio:
es que no puedo adorar dos corazones a un tiempo.
alumbrar—illuminate; aposentos
planta—foot.
apartments; pensamiento — thought;