Page Two
THE SALEMITE
December I4
WluU QiiUHf? . • .
What is giving? It can be an unconscious
act on the part of the giver whereby he in
spires by the tone of his voice, the luster of
his eyes or the free gesture of his hand. Giv
ing may be a conscious act.
Giving may be service. Service may be
bought. But there occasionally is the “little
bit extra” which is neither bought nor ex
pected. But which is offered through the
generosity, kindness—whatever you will—of
the true giver.
The best example of this type of giving is
found on Salem campus. It is outstanding
around Christmastime; it is evident through
out the year. It may be seen each time Lily
Belle makes up a bed for a rushed senior,
every time late sleepers are served breakfast
at 8 :35 a.m.
It is seen when Harry Lee, or some of the
others, offers to hunt up an old issue of the
Journal-Sentinel for information to go in a
Salemite news story. Miss Anna is always
ready to describe life in old Salem when a
Salemite feature writer is unable to find the
facts on file.
Bright is frecjuently seen walking from
dorm to dorm to make sure telegrams are
delivered personally. The dining hall staff
was willing to give coffee and lend cups and
saucers to the 14-hour copywriting shift in
the annual office.
Whether it is making booths for the Pier
rette carnival, tightening leaky water spigots,
taking the squeak out of closet doors or just
stopping by the Salemite office on Wednesday
afternoons to cheer up the staff, Mr. Gorsuch
can always find plenty of the “little extra
things” to keep him busy.
Whether you know each member of the
staff individually or not, you may always be
assured of a sincere smile and" friendly “hello”
whenever you meet one of them.
Little things? Yes, if you call friendliness,
helpfulness and sincerity little things,
. . .
Last spring when the President’s workshop
met in the. Friendship Kooms in Strong, the
group discussed co-ordinating activities of the
various campus groups. Lack of planned en
tertainment caused our long-awaited dances to
fail. Girls felt that it was senseless to ask a
boy to come a long distance to a dance lasting
only . a few hours. The workshop recom
mended that the campus groups work to
gether to plan long week-ends for the formal
dances.
This year, in cooperation with the new plan,
the Pierrettes are presenting a Winter Carni
val on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night
the I. R. S. sponsors the formal Christmas
dance.
To extend the week-end, Dicken’s “Christ
mas Carol” will be read Sunday afternoon in
Memorial Hall and Senior Vespers will be held
Sunday evening.
The success of this experiment of planned
entertainment depends upon our support. The
organizations have worked hard decorating
and planning the activities, and we should
show our appreciation and approval by at
tending the functions.
Salemite
Published every Friday of the College year by the
Student body of Salem College
OFFICES*^—^Lower floor Main Hall
Downtown Office 304-306 South Main Street
Printed fay the Sun Printing Company
Subscription Price $2.75 a year
Editor-in-Chief Jane Watson
Associate Editor Jean Patton
Managing Editor Eleanor MacGregor
Make-Up Editor Peggy Chears
Copy Editor Jane Schoolfield
Copy Editor Faye Lee
Feature Editor s Anne Lowe
Feature Assisants Peggie Johnson, Jean Calhoun
Make-up Assistants Alison Long, Barbara Allen
Headline Editor Marion Watson
Headline Assistant Phyllis Forrest
Pictorial Editor Beth Coursey
Typists Betty McCrary, Lou Brldgors
Reporters: Lorrie Dirom, Phyllis Forrest, Kitty Burrus,
Florence Spaugh, Martha Wolfe, Jane Smith, Joanne Bell,
Alice McNeely, Ann Hobbs, Peggy Bonner, Cynthia May,
Elsie Macon, Emily Mitchell, Jane Fearing, Edith Flagler
and Fae Deaton,
Feature Writers: Ann Hobbs, Lola Dawson, Ruthie Der
rick, Edith Tesch, Eleanor Johnson, Eleanor Fry, Emma
Sue Larkins, Florence Cole and Kitty Burrus.
Cub Reporters: Mary Ann Raines, Jackie Neilson, Sara
Outland, Carolyn Kneeburg, Bobbie Kuss, Frieda Siler,
Emily Heard, Lou Fike, Francine Pitts, Mable Taylor,
Sally Reiland, Dorothy Morris, Barbara Allen, Toddy Smith,
Betty Tyler, Anne Edwards and Betsy Liles.
Business Manager - Emily Warden
Asst. .Advertising Manager Jean Shope
Exchange Editors Fae Deaton, Lil Sprinkle
It’s
Christmas !
Red holly berries
And green wreaths
Cover doors and mantles.
Red stockings are hung.
Greeting cards fill the boxes,
And Christmas trees are trimmed.
The rosy-cheeked children go caroling.
Ear-muffs and scarves to keep themselves warm.
Last minute Christmas shoppers mob the stores,
And children’s noses flatten against the windows.
Others at home play around brightly lighted trees . . .
Crush colored ornaments that fall from green limbs . . .
The warm fragrance of browning cookies lingers everywhere,
While the aged servant in the kitchen prepares them.
And on Christmas eve, every church in town is overflowing . . .
Morning brings presents, and floors covered with paper and ribbon
Happy children play—boys shoot pistols—girls hug new dolls close
.-\nd the Spirit of Christmas is everywhere . . . wishing everyone to have
A
VERY
MERRY
CHRISTMAS !
§le«ar Papa..
By Anne Lowe
Dear Papa:
Citizen Truman is reported as
being angry and hurt over the
graft, fraud and bribrery that’s
been a-going on in the Justice De
partment and ' the tax-collecting
Bureau of Internal Revenue. Take
Herat, Mister President. Just take
a look at the history of our coun
try. There’s been trouble about
taxes ever since the colonial days.
The only difference is that this
time it’s the Americans that are in
the wrong, not the British.
Speaking of England, I noticed
where they were planning to pay
us back sbme of the money they’ve■
borrowed. Some small sum of
$176,200,000. They owe us $14,350,-
000,000 and owe Canada $1,185,000-
000. Good heavens. Papa, I can’t
even count that high.
The Defense Department has an
nounced that the battle casualties
in Korea now add up to 102,577.
I’ve been thinking. Papa. That’s
more boys than there are people in
the whole town of Winston-Salem,
I see where an editor of a paper
decided Washington didn’t treat
Princess Elizabeth quite right.
They didn’t give her the keys to
the city. I don’t agree with him.
Papa. In the first place, judging
from the way people have been
carrying stuff off up there, I doubt
that they’ve got anything locked
up—except those records the in
vestigation is trying to git. In the
second place I don’t think the
Princess would find much left, even
if she did have a key.
Well, it’s beginning to look like
its going to be Truman and Taft
in the election. In that case, it’s
going to be hard to decide which
one to vote against.
Your ever lov’in daughter,
Anne
Dec. 25 Across The Sea
By Peggy Chears
Christmas in the United States
is a time when all customs and
religions stand on a common
ground. Christmas trees can be
seen through the windows of each
home, and stockings are being
hung on the mantle. The message
of the angel can be heard in many
places of worship as the choirs
sing “Peace on Earth, Good Will
to Men”.
The message of the angel is re
lated by men all over the world
in different ways. The Danish call
Christmas “Jul”, the English have
fanfares of pageantry. The Ger
mans decorate the tanneubaum,
and the Dutch await Saint Nicholas.
In- Italy the people praise the
Blessed Virgin, and in Norway the
Norwegians prepare foods and
crafts. The Polish perform the
nativity play, the Russians sing
their native music and the Swedish
join in a torchlight procession.
The Danish Christmas is known
as the season of “Jul”. The strong
est character in the Danish child
hood memories is the “Jul-Nisse”,
who is the benevolent little man of
the attic. Though he is a member
of the household, no one sees him
but the family cat. Christmas Eve,
before going to bed, the Danish
children place a bowl of porridge
and a pitcher of milk at the attic
entrance. The next morning the
food has always been eaten.
The English Christmas is ushered
in with flourishes and fanfares of
pageantry. Throughout the bleak
English countryside, the Yule log
is kindled with a brand from the
Yule log of the previous year, and
Wassail, the spiced ale, is made.
The Spirit of Giving is made mani
fest in the distribution of the
Christmas puddings to the poorer
folk of the neighborhood.
The German contributions to the
joyous Christmas season are many.
Out of the Norse Myths emerged
the Fir Tree called the “Tannen-
baum.” The tree is decorated in
utmost secrecy and not revealed
until Christmas Eve. One of the
German’s greatest contributions to
the Christian world is the immor
tal carol by Father Josef Mohr,
“Stille Nacht, Hertege Nacht.”
The Netherland’s Christmas is
dedicated to the spirit of giving on
Saint Nicklass Avond—the Eve of
Saint Nicholas, December 5.
The country, of the Eternal City,
Italy, puts on its most joyous robes
and greatest music to celebrate the
Christmas Mass. Shepherds come
down from the mountains into
Rome and perform on their pipes
and pastoral flutes at the Shrines
of the Blessed Virgin. The Christ
mas decorations are not the famil
iar evergreens of the North, but
beautiful flowers.
Mexico has beautiful white lilies
and Spanish moss as forms of
Christmas decorations of the most
colorful land. The Christmas Day
begins with a Midnight Mass of
great beauty, music and flowers
The children’s joy is the "Pinata’’
which is a jar filled with good
things. The children strike the jar
and scramble for the spilled con
tents.
Norway’s Christmas begins in the
home many weeks before — all
housework is completed, crafts
executed, and the various foods
prepared. The cattle are given
extra fodder, the farm beast are
tended, and the birds are given
the utmost in remembrance.
Poland gives the world a beauti
ful festival in the spiritual values.
(Continued on page 10)
By Jean Calhoun
It was so tiny and made of wax, and I re-
member it. It was little Lord Jesus, who
belonged with our nativity scene. R was
quite old and valuable to Mother and Daddv
because it had been in our Christmas decora
tions for so many years.
I liked it because it was little Lord Jesus
because it tvas so cute and, incidentally, be
cause none of the other little boys and girfs
near me had one like it. Teaser liked it for
a reason he never explained. Teaser is my
toy-fox terrier.
hie began as a toy-fox terrier Avith one
name—Dopey. As he outgrew his pedigree
his name doubled, tripled and became Dopev'
Fido, Teaser, Sneaser, Skippy, Spotty, Toby
Junior. We never called him by his full name
unless he did something very bad.
Well, Teaser liked Baby Jesus. Teaser
liked Baby Jesus too Avell. The Sunday before
Christmas I remember coming in the side door
and hearing Mother saying “—Skippy, Spotty,
Toby, Junior.” I knew MY dog had done
something awful. My dog had devoured Baby
Jesus and was looking around for more; and
onr nativity scene was minus its main figure.
And I remember the first Christmas Mother
let me help with decorating the windows.
There was a rather large window in the den
and Mother thought MERRY CHRISTMAS
scribbled in my childish hand would look nice
from the outside.
She gave me the paint brush and the paint
and told me to be careful to 3vrite plainly
enough that it could be read from the street,
I was careful and even copied the letters from
an old Christmas card. I finished and went
outside to survey my handiwork and found
written, oh so carefnllv, on the window,
“SAMTSIRHC YRREM”.
And then there was the Christmas Daddy
told me that Billy, my brother, was going to
get a log cabifi set. I remember lying in my
bed and thinking ho3v badly I wanted a set
for myself.
I got lip and ivent into the living room,
turned on the Christmas tree lights and found
my present and Billy’s. They were the same
size. I switched the tags. All went ivell and
I was so happy with the thoughts of the nice
log cabin set I was going to get. Christmas
morning came, and'Billy didn’t like the cute
little tea set that was in the box marked,
“Billy.” We had to exchange.
I remember the first year they let me gwe
the Christmas presents out from under the
tree at Grandmother’s. My grandmother is
named Belle and my daddy—Bill. I thought
the names were the same, so Grandmother got
all her presents together with those marked
Bill. Imagine how my relatives laughed ivhen
Grandmother opened her packages — ties,
shirts, cuff links and after shaving lotion!!
I cried.
()ne year during the war we had trouble
with the tree. It wanted to fall forward be
cause all the lights and decorations were on
the front side. Daddy had made a wmoden
support for it, but that didn’t work. “Go out
in the yard and get a brick or a stone and
we 11 put that on the support in the back
to balance the weight,” Mother said to me.
It was very cold. I tripped over the hatchet
lying on the back porch. The hatchet was as
heavy as a brick; I wouldn’t have to go out
side my problem was solved. Mother was in
the den so I weighted the back of the tree
with the hatchet, put the cotton around the
base, placed the gifts and the nativity scene
minus Baby Jesus — around the tree and
thought, “Fine”.
Two days later we d ecided to roast
marshmellows and pop corn in the open fir®
in the den. We wanted a wood fire. Mother
sent Billy out to cut some wood. He came
back and asked where the hatchet ivas? , ^
knew, but I didn’t tell.
I would always put cake and coffee out for
banta Claus on Christmas Eve so that he
would rest awhile, eat and leave lots of pr®'
sents. One night my physical appetite con
quered my desire for material gains, and
ate the cake before Santa got there. Mother
and Daddy told me Christmas day tha* 1
shouldn’t have done it. I wonder how they
knew I ate that cake—^do you suppose Sant®
told them?