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Page Two
THE SALEMITE
Februc
Aeo/ Sifitem ^Un,??
,The new cuts system is as bad as tlie old.
We have not been given even the inch that
would enable the Class Attendance Committee
to say, “We knew that if we gave tfiym an
inch they would want a mile.”
We asked for unlimited cuts. No one got
unlimited cuts. The seniors and honor stu
dents have been permitted to cut only one out
of every five classes. The rule concerning first
semester freshmen remained the same, while
all other students were allowed only one ad
ditional cut per class. This adds up to less
than five per cent of what we asked for.—
That is not fair!
Before the rule changes we were permitted
to cut before and after Christmas and Spring-
vacations. The- new rule abolished this privi
lege. The student petition conceded, compul-
sorj" class attendance before and after holidays
but only on the condition that we were given
unlimited cuts. Students who remained on a
limited cuts system had this right taken away
but were not given anything- in return.—That
is not fair!
Many students were kept on limited cuts
because they overcut under the old system.
They are being punished for breaking a rule
which is no longer in effect.—That is not fair!
Those people, who are not on limited cuts
are permitted no excused absences. Emer
gency and, infirmary absences count as regular
cuts. ,As a result, several students have al
ready used up almost their entire semester’s
cuts after only two weeks of the new system.
Many others, the girls in particular, actually
will have lessr free cuts than under tlie old
rules.—That is not fair !
The new cuts system is worse than the old.
Norman Jarrard
The suggestion made in chapel Tuesday, con
cerning changing the status of the Pierettes
to that of a major organization has brought
forth a great deal of comment on campus.
I believe that everyone will agree, after see
ing the plays produced by the Pierettes during
the last two years, that this group does deserve
a major position among our campus organiza
tion.
My reasons for taking this stand are:
Students who participate in these produc
tions use innumerable hours of their time in
preparation for the plays—hours for which
they receive no credit under the point system,
so long as the Pierettes remain a minor orga-
ization.
The contributions to campus life of this or
ganization are as great or greater than several
of the other organizations now so classed as
major. '
Greater interest would be aroused and per
haps more dramatic courses would be offered,
if the Pierettes were given their deserved
place as a major campus organization.
A. N. 0. N.
Editor’s Note: This issue was edited by Clara
Belle EeGrand. N^ext week the Salem’ite will
be edited by Lee Rosenbloom. Both staff
members are candidates for editor-in-chief of
next year’s staff.
The Inner Sanctum
Norik CwoHm p,
Published every Friday of the College vear by the
Student body of Salem College
Downtown Office—304-306 South Main Street
Printed by the Sun Printing Company
OFFICES
■ Lower floor Main Hall
Subscription Price—$2.75 a year
EDITORAL DEPARTMENT
Editor-in-Chief Dale Smith
Associate Editor Joan Carter Read
Associate Editor _ Ruth Lenkoski
by Betty Leppert
Life in the Strong Dormitory
“Rec Room”, here at Salem Col
lege, is gay and carefree, for there
congregate each day 25 young girls
for the purpose of enjoying an
hour’s jovial banter and relaxation
over a “Cigaboo,” and the last re
ceived “’male mail."
The room itself i.s nothing fancy,
but is diffused with a kind of rural
charm and rustic, informality that
is irresistible to even a casual ob
server. The color scheme is pre
dominantly red and brown, the
furniture is upholstered in leather;
there is a large hooked rug before
the huge open fireplace, which al
most always contains a roaring
blaze. An upright piano stands in
one corner of the room, a cheery-
red “Coke” machine in another.
Card tables and straight-backed
chairs are scattered here and there,
while toward the center of the
room are tlte more leisurely, deep-
seated “comfy” chairs and daven
ports. There is plenty of bright
light for reading and studying and
a wealth of ash trays for those
“weed” fiends! Above the fiie-
place, there is a lovely mural in
the Mexican vein (modern impres
sionistic) which is in perfect keep
ing with the tone and color scheme
of the room.
An air of pleasant aeriness (de
spite the cigarette and ci,gar smoke)
and youthful levity pervades the
atmosphere at all times, as ^ .my
visitor may witness. The girls
form a contented, well-adjusted,
uninhibited group of young
women, who like to think of them
selves as a sort of community—
j close-knit and congenial, w-orking
and playdng together with compata-
j bility' and mutual understanding.
Here is a true glimpse of the Am
erican way of life as manifested
on a college campus ! no petty griev-
[ ances here—no blase formality-, no
I pseudo-sophistication — but rather
' good, wholesome c o n v i v i a 1 i t y.
Healthy minds and healthy bodies,
an optimistic outlook and a keen
eye on the future, make this scene
what it is today. Long may it
endure !
Review Of A Review
If, as Mr. Jarrard states in his
article on Paisan “acting should be
the first consideration in judging
the worth of a movie”, then writ
ing should be the first consideration
in judging the worth of a review;
since writing, like acting, is a med
ium. But to me this is specious
reasoning from a false premise.
Mr. Jarrard’s mudslinging at Pai
san is no more a success because
it is neatly contrived than Paisan
is a failure because it has only six
professional actors and some un
polished performance.
The first consideration in judging
the worth of a movie, review or
any artistic attempt should be what
that attempt has to say. Criticized
thusly, Paisan becomes one more
proof that Italy is supplying just
about the best films visible today.
Among other things, it is an anti
war protest even though it does
not shout this at those in the audi
ence : but rather presumes upon
intellect to get its pith for them
selves—a fact that makes it singu
larly difficult for me to understand
Mr. Jarrard’s remark about the six
episodes appealing to the “baser
passions”.
I also cannot concede that the
“realism” of Paisan is “mostly real
ism of scenery and things that had
very- little to do with acting”. Is
there any-thing in the film that
might not have taken place during
the Italian invasion ? I think not.
But perhaps Mr, Jarrard would do
away with genre art altogether—
that “realism” that seems to be in
vogue nowadays.
As for his testy comment on the
polyglot problem, it seems to me
nothing but sheer peversity. Though
not conversant in Italian or Ger
man, I and innumerable others have
come away from a showing of
Paisan with something more than
“severe eyestrain”.
I think it is impossible for any
review to be honest and valid when
it censures by quips and quiddities,
avoiding the true significance of its
subject.
China And Russia
by Ruth Lenkoski
Russia and China signed a treaty
last Tuesday to tie their nations in
peace and war. The two largest
Communist countries are now al
lied with each other by the sweep
ing agreement which was signed
for the Soviet Union by Foreign
Minister Andrie k'ishinsky and for
China by her Premier and Foreign
Minister, Chou En-lai.
In the treaty Russia has agreed
to loan China three hundred million
dollars during the next five years.
It has been estimated that such a
sum will be highly insufficient to
buy the Chinese all that they wdll
need for their shattered country.
The treaty further states that if
Japan “or any other state which
directly or indirectly would unite
in any form with Japan in acts of
aggression.” should attack either
China or Russia the other country
would give the attacked one assis
tance.
Other clauses in the treaty state
the following; (J) Russia will trans-■
fer without compensation all her
rights in the Changchau Railroad ,
which runs through Southern Man
churia. (2) Russia will transfer
her administration of the port at
Darien to China. (3) Russia will
withdraw all of her troops from
the naval center of Port .Arthur.
These provisions make void the
Pact of 1945 between Russia and
China.
Commenting on the meaning of
the treaty, Chou said on a broad
cast that it meant the unity of
700 million people, a number which
will be impossible to defeat.
Progress of the Coal Situation
On Wednesday Lewis and the
soft coal operators commenced a
series of talks to negotiate. The
meetings were under the direction
of the court with Government medi
ators standing by. There was an
air of tension in the meetings due
to the fact that some 372,000 miners
are still on strike in spite of a
Federal Court order that they go
back to work at the beginning of
the week. Since certain rights of
Lewis have been denied it is be
lieved that a peaceful agreement
is probable.
Contest
Assistant Editor . Clara Belle Le Grand
Make-up Editor j Mary Turner Rule
Copy Editors Mary Lib Weaver, Jane Fearing
Editorial Staff: Betty Leppert, Polly Hartle, Sybel
Haskins, Winkle Harfis, Lee Rosenbloom, Gene
Watt Stokes, Norman Jarrard.
Faculty Advisor Miss Jess Byrd
Business Manager Robert C. Gray
Assistant Business Manager Mary Jane Hurt
Advertising Manager Mary Faith Carson
■ One of our professors at Salem
often says everyone has a story to
tell. Have you told yours recently?
This is your great opportunity,
pour out your soul on paper, pre
ferably typed and doubled spaced.
Not only does this give you a
chance to see your story in print
but you might win five dollars too.
Salemite is sponsoring a contest.
This contest will be divided into
three sections: short stories, or
sketches, essays and poems. For
the best contribution in each group
a prize of $5.00 will be offered.
However, no prizes can be awarded
unless there are at least ten en
tries m the first two groups and
five m the latter. There is no limit
to the entries that can be made by
one person.
The subjects of the compositions
may be freely determined by the
writer. They may be local or uni
versal in interest, formal or informal
m style: but they must be original
The judges, Mrs. Pyron, Margaret
(Continued on page six)
by Winkie Harris
“Three spades, five diamonds—Ooooh I
the pile!—Sing ’Again’—If I don’t hear
that boy today—”
The after-dinner relaxation hour in
smokehouse was in full swing. Aetivitus
slowly inched through the happy throng—on
her face was that look of martydom whiet
comes only during severe tests of character
She reached the door and paused for a last
glance. The inevitable came.
“Hey!! Acti, where you goin’”?
Aeti tried to laugh it off, pretend that this
was nothing out of the ordinary.
“To the library”, but the brave attempt at
gaiety could not hide the intense sufferiinr
which lay hidden in these words. “
“Nyahh! Trying to make an A average”
“Sadde.st story we ever heard.”
“Let’s play the fiddle for her.”
But these raucous remarks served only to
hide the true feelings of each. Understand
ing shone in the eyes of Aeti’s pals—a tear
fell.
Then for her undaunted self-sacrifice she
was paid the greatest tribute of all. “Good
bye my lady-love, farewell my turtle-dove”
sounded in stirring tones as Acti, smiling
mistily, squared her shoulders and prepared
to meet her fate.
By the time Acti reached the library steps
■she was shuddering, gasping for breath. Grate
fully she clung to the iron rail. The massive
door opened, two creatures came out—Aeti
turned away from the sight. She hesitated,
then remembered how much depended on
what she did.
Once beyond the threshold, Aeti came face
to face with Authority. Obediently she stop
ped breathing (she had still been gasping),
and slithered down the cold dark stairs that
led to the RESERVE room.
She was greeted with shouts of maniacal
glee.
“Hee, Hee-Haw!! We’ve got the reserve
books you want”, and the bleary-eyed creat
ures clutched the thick dusty volumes to their
bosoms.
Acti walked resignedly to a far corner to
wait her turn. A piercing glance withered
her left sock. “For gosh sakes’, BE QUIET.
Can’t’cha see I’m studying,” said the look.
The glances came from every corner of the
room.
As she sat down, Acti realized that some
how she had managed to sit across from THE
GIGGLE GROUP. She watched them, fasci
nated.
“Tee-Hee, look at this”, an elbow dug into
a pair of ribs. The group was convulsed.
One dropped a pencil and went through a
series of contortions picking it up with her
lug toe, which sent the group into peals of
laughter. Another put her foot on the table
and acted the hysterical “Big Executive”.
Still another walked around demonstrating
the tones of squeakiness in her new' shoes.,
Jhen Acti shuddered anew'. Gal-of-Good-
A ill bounced clieerilv through the door. Grin
ning broadly GOGW pranced through stop
ping to give each girl a cheerful lecture and
a fraternal pat on the back.
“Oh, Boy”,, said GOGW, baring her teeth,
Quiet at last. Ain’t this grand! Where’s
the ^new ‘Cutest Men in America’ Magazine!
Cant do a thing till I read that one! Ha, ha,
ha, ha!”
She was followed bv two more creatures—
Sociable Gal and Oh-i’ve-6ot-So-Much-To-Do-
Gal, (S. G. and 0. I. G. for short.) These two
hi unison—to anyone who would listen.
^ V ell, I can take two cuts for. mid-winters
this week-end and if he doesn’t turn the first
cut ill I ean go to Wake Forest, one more
next week-end, which still leaves two over
nights for Chapel Hill and—” (S. G.)
I ’^'e got to read four books for history,
seven books for English, do my unit, trans
late the “Communist Manifesto” into French,
go to eight meetings—” (0. I. G.)
Miraculously, there was quiet. Acti
picked up her “Math Digest-12^
0 and turned the page. Instantly?
Authority loomed before her.
i ound laies will please refrain from mak
ing noise when quiet is being observed.”
(Continued on page three)