Newspapers / Salem College Student Newspaper / Dec. 10, 1954, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page Four THE SAL EMITE Baker Remembers First Stage A Visit From William Olvis Appearance As Smallest Swan Thrills Salem Choral Group . If -c,,, +VfA nnfrloo: By Emily Baker My first appearance on the stage came when I was all of three years and four months old as I portrayed the smallest swan in Swan Lake. I didn’t have any ideas about the story, the dance, the stage; all I knew was that I would be led by an older ballarina in the swan chorus. Had it not been for her firm grip on the back of my tights, I would never have made an en trance or an exit. I am told I was quite an at traction in the ballet, for up to that time there had never been such a small swan in the chorus. Because of my great attempts to trip the ‘light fantastic’, it v.-as agreed by all that it might be a drawing card for the show. They even considered making me the ugly duckling, but because I was an only child, the teacher feared this would hurt my mother. (They didn’t know my mother very well, evidently!) My costume took less material than anyone’s and because my skirt was so very short, I didn’t get nearly as many sparkles on it as the other girls had on theirs. I fussed so much they put extra Here’s The Score sparkles on the skirt; so many that I’m afraid I looked more like a shiny star than a swan. The other girls had a bandeau of white feathers that came over their ears very gracefully, but my bandeau was of ordinary, short, white legan chicken feathers. All the neighbors saved them for us when they killed chickens. My feet looked like packages wrapped in white tissue paper. On each shoe was placed a half yard of wide white ribbon that was tied in a massive bow. The others in the chorus had one yard of ribbon on their shoes. In the composition of the dance, I became lost under all the big white skirts in the tour jete. The only solution was to put me out front. Since it was my first experience, my mother was very proud of me. It didn’t matter to her if I was wearing chicken feathers, if I was smaller than all the rest, and if I did jump up when all the others went down. After all, this was my first ex perience on the stage; and I was only three years and four months old. By Jo Smitherman Tomorrow (Dec. 11), Salem will be represented at the annual meet ing of the North Carolina Athletic Federation of College Women. Leaving for Raleigh and Meredith College at the crack of dawn, pos sibly eight delegates will attend a full day of discussions, elections, and fellowship, and return in time to dress for the Christmas Dance. Donald Caldwell and Jo Smither man were elected by the A. A. to act as official representatives and to vote for the Salem delegation. Other students planning early in the week to attend were Katherine Oglesby, Betty Morrison, Ann Dar den Webb, Francine Pitts, and the adviser. Miss Collett. Donald will lead a panel dis cussion on the weaknesses and pos sible corrections in the schools’ award systems. The intramural volleyball tourna ment ended Wednesday afternoon when the sophomores trounced the seniors 41-34. Having already de feated the freshmen and juniors, the sophomores, also winners of the hockey tournament, led the threatening seniors during the en tire game. Orphanage Party By Jo Smitherman The Salem Choral Ensemble, re hearsing in Memorial Hall for Thursday’s chapel performance, gazed in astonishment at handsome William Olvis, tenor opera and concert star, when Mr. Peterson called “Bill” down from the bal cony. Young Olvis, a success at the ripe age of 24, was unusually well- at-ease before the fifty admiring choristers who hung on every one of his beautifull-spoken words. He appeared last night on the Civic Music agenda. Eager to learn about Bill Olvis, we exploited a very ready source and came up with some tales about this 24-year wonder. Salem concert-goers should know that young Olvis very nearly mis sed entering the profession that in two seasons has brought him suc cess in concert, opera and radio. It seems that the six-foot singing star set out in earnest on a musical career only a few years ago, and then mainly at the insistance of friends who admired his voice. From boyhood, he had an insati able taste for the outdoor We; when he was not on the athletic field training for track or m the gym scoring in basketball, he was hiking in the San Bernardino mountains. Now, even though he’s a full time musician, his love for the out doors remains. With his wife, Norma, he manages to hit the ski- trails in season, and now that his first nationwide concert tour is under way, he plans to take time out and explore new mountain trails in the Rockies and in the East. Bill admits to the vice of collect ing. “The records, scores, and books are crowding us out of house and home,” Olvis admits, but I can’t arrive in a city without im mediately looking up the second hand book stores. I’m only 24, and there are hundreds of old scores that I still need in my work. So, wherever my tour takes me, I lose no time hunting for new trop hies.” Mrs. Olvis has found one cure however. “If I can just find a new movie directed by Elia Kazan, Bill often gives in, and we do that in- December 10, 1954 stead of the bookstalls.” Situ Bill himself hails from HollywooJ, the movie usually wins out. ; Young Olvis still recalls with J shudder, how he almost got lockeij out from one of his earliest pro.} fessional dates. The young Ameril can singer and his wife, who us) ually serves as his accompanist, hail driven from their Los Angelcsj home to a city several hours dis-] tant, where they were scheduled tti appear in a recital before an augusij ladies’ guild. Wishing to freshen; up with a shower after the lonjj drive and dress, he found the onlji available quarters were at the Ioca| high school. After wangling permission to ust these facilities, Olvis warmed uf with a bit of practice, finished! dressing, and then prepared to leave the building. To his horror, he found he was locked in, andj only the most frantic shouts man aged to rouse the superintendent The latter gentleman, convinced! he had caught an errant youngster in the school “after hours,” stoutljl refused to open up, until the fran tic Olvis finally convinced him ol his error. By the time Olvis reached the auditorium, the concert was a half hour late, but his spontaneous ex planation of the reason for his tardiness had the audience in his sung a note. i hands before he’d (Continued from Page One) boys and girls, and to present a Christmas program. The program consisted of solos by Ella Ann Lee, piano, and Bar bara White, vocalist. Group sing ing was led by Martha Thornburg, Joyce Taylor danced, and Charlton Rogers played the ukulele. The story “The Littlest Angel” was told by Maggi Blakeney. The juniors placed second in the round-robin tourney. They won two out of three possible games. Except for Duke’s preparation for the Orange Bowl, king basket ball has set up his kingdom and begun to reign. The Blue Devils began drills last week for their clash with Nebraska in Miami on New Year’s Day. State, Wake Forest, and Duke all opened their respective seasons with scores in the hundreds. But this week, the scores dropped and two of the three dropped from the undefeated list. On Tuesday night. State beat Wake Forest 100 to 81; and Clem- son edged by Georgia 74-72. Mary land sneaked by Duke, 49-47, and Davidson trounced Guilford 78-69. Mnxn m OII)natttiaH From Gala party dress with the new ''Long Look
Salem College Student Newspaper
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Dec. 10, 1954, edition 1
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