Paee Two
THE SALEMITE
^February 12, IQ;.
Ojf
This Sunday is Valentine’s Day. Being Val
entine’s time, we are all thinking of love . . .
Trying to pick out just the right card with
just the appropriate message to express this
love to our best beau — our parents our
friends.
And yet, we wonder about the worth of this
day . . . Or maybe we could better express it
by saying that we wonder about the length of
this day . . . Should only one day—24 hours
—out of one year—8760 hours—be set aside
for emphasizing love?. For emphasizing some
thing that should be a part of every-day liv
ing? For should love not have a larger part
in the calendar than a mere 24 hours?
With all due respect to St. Valentine, has
our modern concept of time done this! Is it
because the speed of present day living re
quires an accurate placing and timing of every
factor? ... A timing of even the aesthetic
and intangible values of life? . . . Have we
reached this point?
We would like to deny it . . . Deny that we
have subjected love, which is considered the
most important value in life, to our time sche
dule . . . But how can we completely deny it?
How can we when we, as students, fail to
take an active interest in national and inter
national affairs? For, if we truly loved, in
the sense of love for fellow man, would we
not be interested in the affairs of others as
well as in our own?
How can we, when we illegally carry reserve
books from the library during exams—never
thinking of the other classmate who has the
same exam and needs the same book by the
same time?
How can we deny that we have subjected
this type of love when we recall the times we
have refused to help a friend who really
needed us because we were “too busy”—at a
downtown movie?.
Or the times we have refused to write an
article, paint a flat, make a talk, go to a lec
ture, draw a poster—and then have wasted so
much time on nothing . . . Have not had time
to do anything that is something?
What about the times we have deliberately
defied our parents to do something that would
give us temporary pleasure? . . . And the dis-
picable remarks we have made about the very
fellow to whom we sent a lovely valentine
card—when we should have been condemning
ourselves instead? ... Is this love—in any
sense of the true word? Is there not some
thing we have forgotten in our application of
the value?
Has our modern concept of time done this?
Can we deny that we have subjected love to
our time-world ? Is this not something to think
about—to hope that we may some day be able
to deny it?
This Siinday is Valentine’s Day.
S. R.
(Eaitcr’s note: Next week the Salemite will, be
edited by Connie Murray, now associate editor of the
paper. The succeeding issues will be edited by Betsy
Lile and Betty Lynn Wilson.)
€f)t Salemite
n^a
OFFICES Lower floor Main Hall
Downtown Office 304-306 South Main Street
Printed by the Sun Printing Company
Subscription Price $3.50 a year
Published every Friday of the College year by the
Student Body of Salem College
Editor-in-Chief Alison Britt
Associate Editor Connie Murray
Managing} Editor Sally Reiland
Feature Editor Betsy Liles
Copy Editor Bebe Boyd
Make-up Editor Donald Caldwell
Headline Editor Boots Hudson
Pictorial Editor Lu Long Ogburn
Music Editor Edith Flagler
Sports Editor Lou pike
Editorial Staff: Laurie Mitchell, Jean Edwards, Barbara
Allen, Sue Harrison, Louise Barron, Jackie Nielso-^. Eleanor
Smith, Martha Thornburg, Francine Pitts, Betty Tyler, Jane
Brown, Betty Lynn Wilson, Mary Anne Raines, Freda Siler,
Carolyn Kneeburg, Anne Edwards, Sandra Whitlock, Phoebe
Hall; Nancy Gilchrist, Patsy Hill, Nancy Cockfield, Ruthie
Lott, ; Molly Quinn, Emily Heard, Sudie Mae Spain, Kay
Williams.
Business Manager Joan Shops
Circulation Manager Claire Chestnut
Business Staff: Peggie Horton, Carolyn Watlington, Betty
Saunders, Diantha Carter, Ann Butler, Thelma Lancaster,
Mary McNeely Rogers, Betty Morrison, Bebe Brown.
Typists Joyce Billings, Ann Butler, Eleanor Smith
Faculty Advisor Miss Jess Byrd
'‘oh. CAhiDYl"
Letters To The Editor
Dear Editor:
On Tuesday in chapel a person
got up to explain the new system
of taking chapel attendance. After
giving the seniors a chance to vote
on this question, she turned to the
rest of the student body and said,
“You have no choice in the matter.”
Is that true ? Do we not have
any choice in the matter? If we
don’t, then the Salem College hand
book had better be thrown into the
fire and the whole school system
reorganized under a dictator.
When one person can get up arid
tell us we have no voice in whether
or not a new system can be intro
duced, then she is taking away the
power of student self-government.
Student government theoretically
has a voice in matters which affect
the “general welfare” of all stu
dents.” I assert that this new sys
tem does affect the “general wel
fare of all students.”
As far as I know, we are still
living under a democratic system
of government. Since this is a
democratic government, I feel that
we have the right to vote on this
new system. Therefore, I propose
that the new system be voted on
by the whole student body. If this
right of voting is denied us, the
student government exists no long
er in practice, but only in theory.
Mary Anne Raines
Dear Salemites,
Tuesday in chapel the assistant
dean presented to the student body
a new procedure for checking and
recording chapel attendance. The
statement was unintentionally made
that the students other than the
senior class had no choice in the : to return them to the empty crates
rejection or acceptance of the ' placed by each “coke” machine
m e t h o d. Another unintentional
phrase was used when the .ap
pointed checkers were called “mere
machines”.
These statements were uninten
tional in that the speaker did not
foresee the consequences of attitude
rather than leaving them sitting in
the halls, under the beds or in the
window sills, as we all have so
carelessly done.
A bottle saved is two cents
earned for May 'Day !
Betty Tyler
All This And More
By Donald Caldwell and
Ruthie Lott
How would you like to read a
really different book—one that has
a multi-color plot combining love,
black-mail, and fiendish murder ?
East of Eden by John Steinbeck is
all this and more. *
The novel moves from a Con
necticut village which is typically
New Englandish in character to a
sprawling Californian homestead.
In most recent books the setting
is relatively important, but in East
of Eden the description of the set
ting sets the mood for the plot.
The action is interwoven among
various members of the Hamilton
and Trask families. Kate, who mar
ries Adam Trask, is one of the
most puzzling characters you will
ever meet. Throughout the book
she is a confusing mixture of hate
and lust. Adam Trask is a stable
man until he is stunned into a
dream world by Kate’s actions.
Adam’s twin sons Cain and Able
are quite different from each other
and are a modern parallel to the
Biblical brothers.
To balance the Trask family with
its extremes we have the easy-going
Hamilton family which are out
standing for their strong char
acters. Lee, Adam’s Chinese cook,
is a pleasing mixture of love and
wisdom.
East of Eden is often shocking in
its stark realism; often unbeliev
able but always fascinating, Stein
beck’s gift for revealing character
portrayal is so effective that you
wish the book had a sequel—you
feel that each character has been
a personal friend, or more often
enemy; and the soul-crushing
gedy in the book cuts right to
core of the reader’s heart.
East of Eden. New York: Vikins
$4.50.
so untypical of that usually ex
pressed by Salem toward its stu
dents.
i, too, revolted against the use
of such forceful terms and im
mediately wanted to reject the pro
posal.
Upon reflection, I find that the
new method has possibilities. There
may be a great degree of improve
ment over the old system, and if
so we should not allow pride to
guide our better judgment. Why
don’t we give the new procedure a
fair chance to prove its worth? If,
after a trial period, the method is
deemed a failure, it is quite prob
able that everyone concerned would
be willing to re-establish the old
method of checking.
Won’t you give the new system
a trial ?
Lynn Wilson
Dear Students,
For the pleasure anji convenience
of the students, thdre are seven
Coca-Cola machines placed in the
various buildings on the campus.
Thousands of these “cokes” are
consumed each semester, leaving
said number of empty bottles.
Where these empty bottles are
being left is the problem. Last
semester, 12,000 bottles were lost,
amounting to $26.50; thus eating up
one-fourth of the profits.
This semester the proceeds go to
the May Day Committee for the
financing of the spring pageant.
This money is badly needed. The
committee would therefore greatly
appreciate the cooperation of the
student body in saving these lost
or broken bottles, and taking care
tra-
the
By Bryan Bowman
Your valentine ... the tow-headed kid who
used to live next door and is now that hand
some blond athlete who is president of his
fraternity? . . ■ the fellow whose picture you
clipped from the newspaper or magazine and
who doesn’t know you exist, but you wish he
did? . . . the boy who ducked you at the beach
last summer, then asked you for a date and
later gave you his cherished pin? . . . maybe
your daddy or your kid brother? ... one of
the men in Navy blue? ... or a loveable guy
who makes olive drab a glorious hue? . , ,
Your valentine,—which of these?
Just across town at Bowman Gray . . . some
college town down the road a way? ... in
your home state next door to North Carolina!
! . . sailing the high seas on a ship of war? ,,,
at a camp too many miles away for him to be
here Valentine’s Day! . . . Your valentine,-
which of these?
A carefree lad who makes life a game? ,,.
a quiet young man prone to books? ... a
brawny giant, boisterous and loud? ... one
with a love for Shakespeare and Bach? ... a
fellow whose profession is his daily bread?,,,
a proud and defiant leader of men ? ... or a
moody, wonderfully sensitive “he’s-the-only-
one-for-me? . . . Your valentine,—which of
these ?
Flaming hair with temper to match? . . ,
wavy blond hair atop a high intellectual fore
head? . . . curly locks over a plump grinning
face? . . . graying temples with tortoise-shell
specs? . . . neat crew-cut under a college
beanie? ... or dark hair above dark eyes,
bright and full of expression? . . . Your valen
tine,—which of these?
Snappy bow' tie? . . . cowboy boots? . . .
French cuffs? . . . school monogram? ... Phi
Beta Kappa key? . . . Confederate cap! . . .
a briar pipe? . . . hunting vest? . . . dungar
ees? ... or a chevron? . . . Your valentine,—
which of these?
Rich man? . . . poor man? . . . beggar man!
. . . thief? . . . doctor? . . . lawyer? . . . Indian
chief? . . . airline pilot? . . . politician? . . •
engineer? ... or musician? . . . college chap!
... private eye? . . . jaek-of-all-trades? . . •
or just G. I. ? . . . Your valentine,—which of
these ?
Mountain climber? . . . fisherman? . . . foot
ball, baseball, soccer, tennis, or hockey player!
. . . boxer? . . . horseback rider? . . . cyclist?
. . . track star? . . . pool shark? . . . swimmer?
. . . diver? . . . yachtsman? . . . badminton
champ? . . . Y^our valentine,—which of these!
All-out-he-man? . . . dreamy type? . • •
natural born fighter? . . . meditator? . - - casa-
nova? . . . bashful bean? . . . party guy? • • •
woman-hater? . . . hard-to-get? . . . solemn
scholar? . . . man of culture? . . • country
chap? . . . little boy but grown-up man? . • ■
Your valentine,—which of these?
AVants to travel! . . . stay at home? . • •
w'ants to conquer? . . . live in peace? • • •
w'ants to work hard? . . . just have fun? • • •
invent? . . . explore? . . . strive for fame? . -
make a million? . . . spend a million? . . • hs®
not quite sure, but you don’t care? . ■ • Your
valentine?,—w'hich of these?
He respects you? ... he ignores you? ■ ■
he; drags you by the hair ? ... he w'orships
you on a pedestal? ... he showers you with
gifts? ... he dogs your footsteps? ... hell
“see you around”? ... he thinks you’re a real
Avoman? ... a cute little doll? ... he shoAVS
you off? ... he thinks you’re crazy hut he
adores jmu anyw'ay? . . . he’s tough but oh, so
gentle? ... he hurts you more than most meu
but he loves you that, way too? . • •: Your
valentine,—which of these?
Which of these? It doesn’t matter. H he’s
not like someone else’s, should you care? The
things that make him different make hi®
yours alone as w'ell. He may he a passing
fancy ... he may be beyond your reach • • ■
3'OU may break up any time noAV . . . yorr may
live your life with him ... If he’s claimed by
a girl of Salem, then he’s a lucky man. But
the thing that’s most important—he’s yours,
your valentine.