Page Tv,o.
THE SALEMITE
December 14, 1945
Wke^ 9 BU.... Open Forum claidp ciuats
by Effie Euth Maxwell
Jeanne Welty was enchanting—bet she and Dr. Bond had fun dis
cussing Theodosia. Lois Wooten says Theodosia’s little boy would
make a fiije companion for Harvey. Wasn’t it nico the way her cos
tume changed from black to mist gray for the ghost-ship epilogue? ^
SHAKESPEAKE TWISTED
People are doing rare things to Mr. Shakespeare these days. Con
sider this version of his Sonnet 116 from the Saturday Eteview of Lit
erature :
*
Let me not to the marriage of small minds
Admit impediments. Habits are habits,
And where’s th© bias altercation finds
While dwelling in the country of the Babbitts?
And this version of same by the Eegimental Poet of the 307th In
fantry, P. W. Larksbarr:
You say you know the truth, the truth foursquare:
You found it in the schoolhouse of your fathers.
And what’s the use of seeking anywhere
Fpr further light? He is no fool who bothers.
You have a car, a house,, also a wife,
A Stromberg-Carlson, or Electrolux:
What more is needed for a happy life?
Well, you can buy it—gather in the bucks.
If this be error and upon me proved.
The very hills of Zion may be moved.
THE SPIRIT
Warning to all teachers expecting term papers from seniors be
fore Christmas—they will probably be intrespersed with joyous bits
of Christmas spirit, as Bitting is overflowing with it. Ike Belk re
lieved us of a little, though—he took Santa off our mantle for the
K A House at Chapel Hill.
Which reminds me—The New York Times Magazine noted Sunday
that, despite the psychologists’ notion that children who believe in
Santa Claus become draft dodgers and spongers with no character
or initiative, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, General Eisen-
hour. Captain Kidd, Frank Sinatra, and probably Superman, all be
lieved in old Santa Claus in their childhood. May I add the Salemlte
editors to that list of believers—only w'e believe in more than one—
Papa Cashion, the Misters Buss and all the others at the Sun. They
supply the spirit every week—not just once a year.
My roommate . sleeps contentedly in the next bed. The radio is
featuring some orchestra from Meadowbrook ((some night I’m going
to that place). The»hall outside is black and still. Guess there won’t
be another elopement tonight—so I’ll go to my dreams.
But not without wishing—A merry Christmas to all—^and to all
a good vacation.
Is There A Santa Class?
Deat Editor:
I am eight years old. Some of my friends say there is no
Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun it’s so.” Please
tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
I Virginia O’Hanlon.
Virginia: ‘ «
Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the
scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not see except what they see.
They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their
little minds. All minds, whether men’s or children’s, are little. In
this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his in
tellect', as compared with the boundless world about him, as meas
ured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and
knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly
as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they
abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas, how
dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would
be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no
childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to niake tolerable this
existence. We should have no enoyment, except in sense and sight.
Th© eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be ex
tinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in
fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the
Ohimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they
did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody
sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign there is no Santa Claus. The
mo.st real things in the world are those ttat neither children nor
men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of
course not, but that is no proof that they are not there. Nobody can
conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable
in the world.
You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the
noLse inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which
not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strong
est men that ever lived, eould tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry,
love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the
supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in
all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A
thousand years from now, nay, ten times ten thousand years from
now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
The above was reprinted from the editorial page of the New York
Sun and was written by the late Mr. Frank P. Cliurch.
The Scorpions now present at Salem
College wish to give expression to the deep
appreciation we hold for Mary Duncan
McAnnlly, who laid down her life in the
service of her country in July, 1945.
Through many years as a student and
as a faculty member she held Salem fore
most in her heart and served the College
in many ways. As a charter member of
the Order of the Scorpion and later as a
faculty adviser to the group, she exempli
fied in her daily living the principle on •
which the Order is built—service to others.
Her love of good books was second only
to her love of people; therefore, it seems
fitting that in memory of her each Scorpion,
past and present, contribute a book to the
Salem Library in which she spent many
Jiappy hours and in which she busied her
talents for years.
The order of the Scorpion would very
much like to have you send either a book
or tlie money with which to purchase a
book to our librarian. Miss Grace L. Siew-
ers, not late? than December 15. All the
books contributed will form the Mary Dun
can McAnally Collection to be presented
to the Library probably by a member of
her class) at the annual meeting of the
Friends of the Library early this' spring.
Bach book will bear an appropriate in
scription. We are very anxious to have
you present on this occasion and hope
you will be planning with this in view.
We shall notify you as to the exact date
of the presentation.
Since our Order is entirely secret, we
shall make all communications with you
through the Librarian.
Thank you for your co-operation.
We feel that there are those among
the faculty and present student body who
will wish to honor Miss McAnally in this
way. Miss Siewers will be glad to receive
any contributions. It will be appreciated
if those planning to give books will check
with one of the Librarians to see if the
Library has those books.
The Christmas cut on the front page was
made by Margaret Raynal.
Published Weekly By The Student Body
Of Salem College
Member Southern Inter-Collegiate Press Association
SUBSCBIPTION PRICE - $2. A YEAR - 10c A COPY
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Editor-in-Chief Effie Ruth Maxwell
Associate Editor Jajnie Bell
Assistant Editor Martha Boatwright
Assistant Editor Virtie Stroup
Make-up Editor Martha Lou Heitman
Copy Editor Peggy Davis
Music Editor Rebecca Clapp
Sports Editor Maria Hicks
Marianne Everett, Margaret Williams, Margaret
Fisher, Margaret Styers, Teau Council, Frances Carr,
Helen Thomas, Bernice Bunn, Henrietta Walton, Carol
Gregory, Lois Wooten, Mary Bryant, Eva Martin Bul
lock, Coit Kedfearn, Avis Weaver, Meredith Boaze,
Betsy Boney, Nancy Carlton, Catherine Moore, Caro
lyn Taylor, Lomie Loi; Mills, Peggy Gray, Jean Sul
livan, Sarah Hege, and Mary Motsinger.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Business Manager Betsy Thomas
Assistant Manager Mollie Cameron
Advertising Manager Bettye Bell
Circulation Manager Greta Garth
Helen Spruill, Lesley Bullard, Eaton Seville,
Nancy Lee Erwin, Betsy Long, Jane Morris, Martha
Brannock, Martha Walton, Nell Penn Watt, Jean
Moss, Blanche Hicks, Frances Sowers, Jean Padgett,
.lane Mull, Sarah Montague, Betsy Schaum, B. J.
Hallman, Roberta Huffman, Mary Patience McFall.
Margaret West, Betsy Boney, Augusta Garth,
Jane Morris, Mary Farmer Brantley, Sarah Coe Hun-
sucker, Ruth Hayes, Blanche Hicks, Peggy Gray, Mary
Porter Evans, Elaine McNeely.
All you kiddies who have been crooning
“White Christmas” can quit dreaming, ’cause
yo’ wish has come true—(ker-choooooo!) Ol)ps,
excuse please. . . . Another wish has come
true Sunday afternoon at five, Dr. Vardell
will give us the nicest Christmas present ever:
an organ recital at the Moravian Church a
special treat for everybody I See you there. . .
What’s next?? Wonder.how they expect
us pore voice majors to keep our celestial (????)
voices under these adverse conditions—^croaks
instead of chirps — most discouraging ! !
’Twould help if we’d go to bed every week
or so, to quote Mrs. Starr. . . who incidentally
is a very famous lady-—not only did she feed
John Charles Thomas waffles in her own kitch
en in New York, but she’accompanied him
when he sang “Old Man River” for her party
really, honest-to-goodness!'. . She gives free
autographs, I understand. . .
While we’re on the subject of faculty—
did you know ((really this isn’t a gossip col
umn)??? our two assistant deans are musical
virtuosos! Miss Burrell plays one of the
meanest pianos in Music Hall—ask her teach
er Lib Johnston . . . and Miss Adams with
her violin, is making a welcome addition to
Miss Read’s orchestra ... we are ’anxiously
awaiting their respective debuts! ! .
Another high recital came forth Thursday;
several of the performers were slightly out
because of weather, flu, etc., but the program
was as follows:
Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne by Buste-
hude, Kathryn Wagoner; Mein glaubiges Herze,
frohlocke by Bach, Betty Lou Ball; Fugue in
E flat major (Saint Ann) by Bach, Edna Staf
ford; Lo, the Bright Seraphim by Handel,
Gwendolyn Yount; Trio No. 1 in G major
(Andante) by Haydn, Hazel Horton Read,
violinist, Eugenia Shore, cellist, and Prances
Sowers, pianist; Aria Batti Batti (from “Don
Giovanni”) by Mozart, Peggy Sue Taylor;
Prelude (from “Carnival Mignon”) by Schu-
ett, LoLmie Lou Mills; Nun Wandre, Maria by
Wolf, Jane Calkins; May Night by Palmgren,
Hazel Newman Slawter; Grand Chorus in G
minor by Guilmant, Polly Starbuck; Morgen
by Strauss, Helen Slye; Consolation, No. 6 by
Liszt, Elizabeth Peden; Pleurez mes youx by
Massenet, Josephine Holler; and Concerto in
D minor, Op. 40 (Allegro appassionato) by
Mendelssohn, June Reid.
For you who are planning to have “time
on your hands” this Saturday afternoon, the
opera will be Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger”—
with Eleanor Steber, Charles Kullman and
Kirsten Thorburg in the cast. .". Hans Sachs
will be sung by Gerhard Pechner, a bass from
Germany. . . I owe an apology to Bunny for
neglecting her Norman Cordon last week he
did a bang-up job in “The Masked Ball,” sing
ing the role of Samuele, one of the conspira
tors. . .
’Bye till next year—wish you all the Mer
riest Christmas, a-dashing through the snow,
ever you had. . . Jingle bells, and Happy New
Year . . . laughing all the way! !
library Contest Coming Up
Aware of the value of personally oAvning
one’s favorite authors and titles, the Library
annually sponsors a book contest in which
awards are made to the two upper classmen
submitting the best selections of beeks which
they personally own. These collections may
be either general or iii a special field. The only
submitting the best selections of books which
more than thirty titles, and all books entered
must be owned by tlie student entering them.
This cofttest is scheduled for the second
semester, but we are giving you this timely
warning with the hope that it, may influence
your Christmas purchases, and so that you
may bring from home after the holidays books
which you may want for the contest.