Pftge Two
THE SALEMITE
Friday* May 16,1958
7a 7I4e NeiAJL AUunnae
The end is in sight. Three tables grouped
together in the dining hall, surrounded by
Seniors singing farewell tunes to the accom
paniment of tinkling glasses . . . Juniors vow
ing they’ll burn the science building and the
education department at hat-buming . . . So
phomores with the point-of-no-return on their
faces, and Freshmen with the “We lived
through it” attitude ...
Physical Education tests at seven o’clock,
and blue exam tickets in the bookstore . , .
term papers returned . . . The last issue of
the paper and the last Stee Gee meeting . . .
Boxes piled in front of the shop for packing
. . . And exams . . . And graduation ... for
Seniors only.
To the Seniors of 1958 our sincere wishes
•for their continued education and happiness.
We’ll look forward to hearing their letters
in opening assembly next fall.
^e*tSuU J\/a. i; On
Last fall, about the time the Asian Flu hit
the campus in full force. Tendrils was first
put on paper by your present editor. The
creation of the elf was the result of a session
between Martha Jarvis and me, when we tried
to find an outlet for a campus critic.
Since that time Tendrils has had a multiple
personality; he became a bright green mural
on one of the mirrors in Harry’s; he was im
mortalized by Anis Ira in a Salemite cartoon;
and, perhaps by coincidence, he appeared in
the faculty play as IJrbania.
Salem is full of tradition, so I’ll stick to
one not indigenious to Salem — Women can’t
keep secrets. The first and last words of
Tendrils were from my pencil, as was the call
meeting of the Tranquilizer Coffee Club.
Tendrils second and most prolific voice, was
,Shan Helms who satirized the Honor System’s
•effectiveness, the Nominating Committee, and
'the assembly programs, that certainly de
served the criticism they received.
Judy Golden captured the Christmas Spirit
as Tendrils munched on mints at the dorm
parties; while the cultural level of Salemites
was lampooned in poetry by Carol Doxey.
Previously, the neglect of the library was re
viewed by Mary Ann Brame.
One good turn deserved another — so the
Coffee Club retorted with its Athenian inter
pretation of the function of the professor from
the carriage of Mr. Paine’s portable blue
Royal electric typewriter, with the assistance
of Dr. Lewis.
Finally, the orderly housemeetings were
satirized by Erwin Robbins, after a composite
chorus of Juniors deplored the amount of
time they had to spend on one subject area.
In defense qf education, let me say the time
has been well spent in that it has built up
the stamina of the future teachers, who’ll
probably have to deal with more than assign
ments and deadlines later on.
As far as Tendrils is concerned, I think he
has outlived his usefulness for this year. The
past editor and I hope the students have read
his opinions with the same objectivity and
good humor he attempted to give them.
—J. S.
Wait! Wait! . . . Wait! Great things going
on in San Francisco. The breathing here
stifles me ._ . . tobacco. And living . . ,
nauseating. ‘And working ... square. But
in San Francisco . . . my kind of people, my
kind of life . . . not this Salem stuff.
The East Coast . . . they’re still trying to
beat life . . . they don’t know they’re already
beat. I know. Great things going on in San
Francisco.
All I hear around here is complaining about
too much work and not enough fun. These
Salemites, they aren’t sharp enough to know
what fun really is. They even plan ahead
. . . square stuff. Got to go hipster. So long.
Squares.
(The real reason I’m leaving is—Mr. Paine
stepped on me while I was sunbathing yester
day.)
—Tendrils ( J. S.)
© «A» ^MAN
“. . . and I am confident that the future of the world will be in capable
hands!”
Around The Square
My feet are propped up on a piano stool and on this lovely spring
afternoon I begrudgingly pass my time in Room 3 of the Music Building
cramming melodic tones into my “tone deaf” ear. The feeling of
futility is a frustrating one—isn’t it?
However, I extend my congratulations to Miss Samson who has taught
me and a sparing number of my fellow classmates how to aupreciate
Bach.
It is my opinion that the general trend of thinking “around the
square” has become a little soured and negative. Granted, introspect is
a wonderful thing and the freedom to express ones’ opinions or the
ability to observe analytically and objectively should never be compro
mised or sacrificed at the alter of conformity. However, d feel there is
a thin line between objective critics and “constant gripe”. One should
never be mislead into believing criticism must always be negative in
its nature—for this is incorrect. Ever heard the phrase: “Give credit
where credit is due” ?
With the recent comments on the nominating committee, Stee Gee
case reopenings, house meeting, and the -Drimary education department
(the majority of which I consider good observances) I want to change
the tone to a “back slapping” session (with apologies to Tendrils).
Foremost, to the faculty goes a, long round of applause for the accep
tance of the cut system. Along With the approval of the new system
goes the responsibility of each student to use these newly acquired pri
vileges discreetly and wisely. It must be stressed that the final accep
tance of this proposal depends upon the use the students make of it.
Martha Goddard is now bedecked with jewels thanks to Blake Alex
ander. That little ring sho’ looks good on the “third finger left hand”
—Goddard. And Tola Warren spent an entire week preparing to attend
the V. P. I. Ring Dance. We see why now as Tola flashes her minature.
“ITt’S” (as Peggy Jones so appropriately named them) better known
to us as the Introduction to the Theatre class must have given Mrs.
Stevens a feeling of satisfaction as she observed each group’s perform
ances from a bleacher-like perch in Old Chapel. Miss Byrd jdined the
entirely too sparce audience during the latter part of the evening and
her reactions were as favorable as the rest of the audience. The only
regret—more should have been there to enjoy it.
The end of school is near. This is evidenced by the low ebb activities
are hitting. Two hundred and forty Salemites had their last flings last
weekend as a mass migration was made from Salem to all parts of the
state. But the “exodus en Masse” will take place around May 29th.
Have a good summer and come back with lots of exciting tales.
—Mary Jane Mayhew
tittle ^alemtte
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Richard Nixon Enjoys
Southern Hospitality
Toward the last of April Vice-President
Richard M. Nixon left for a good will tour
of eight Latin American countries. Washing
ton has become aware of a weakening in the
relations between the U. S. and these countries,
and the inauguration of Dr. Arturo Frondizi
as President of Argentina provided an oppor
tunity to improve them.
Historically, Latin America has been de
pendent on the U. S. for its defense, economic
resistance, private investment and finished
goods. The people of these countries see us
as imperialists and tend to be suspicious of
us. Recently the U. S. cut down on imports
of raw materials from Latin American coun
tries, and this pushed down prices of Peruvian,
Brazilian and Colombian coffee, Uruguayan
and Argentine wool, and Bolivian metals. A
trade and aid program has been launched by
the Communists in this area along with propa
ganda blaming the U. S. for Latin America’s
economic crisis.
Vice-President Nixon has been holding his
own amid the flood of questions, demands for
loans, and sometimes jeers and stones. On
the day of his arrival in Uruguay, Nixon was
showered with anti-U. S. pamphlets as he
passed the University of Montevideo Law
School. Despite cautioning from the embassy,
he visited the Law School the next day. In
answer to a complaint against our economic
policy on wool, Nixon explained that we had
to protect interests in our country as well as
think about the interests of others. A student
eharged tkat the U. S. had a passive policy
toward dictatorships in Latin America. Nixon
explained that dictators were repugnant to
Americans, but that we had no right to i£i-
terfere in the internal affairs of other coun
tries.
In Lima, the Peruvian capital, word got out
about an anti-American domenstration that was
planned by a small group of Communists to
take place at San Marcos University. Despite
advice of Lima police and the U. S. Embassy,
Nixon made the visit and was blocked by
2,000 demonstrators throwing stones and eggs.
This incident made it clear that the anti-U. S.
sentiment is strong in Peru and is not just
Communist inspired action. In our concern
with Europe, Asia, and the Middle East we
have neglected affairs here at home and must
take definite steps to improve relations. Size
able loans to Colombia, Uruguay, Chile and
Brazil are being planned. Also we must have
a strong “Good Neighbor” policy if we plan
to strengthen political ties and check Soviet
influence in these countries.
—Sue Cooper
Death And Sentimentality
In the 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel A
Death, in the Family, James Agee’s treatment
fo the subject of death is extremely skillful
without being morbid or overly sentimental.
We have before us constantly the example of
the newspaper writeup of tragedy — for in
stance, that of Mike Todd’s death (the beauti
ful young actress-wife—under heavy sedation
—woke all the neighbors with her screams).
Mr. Agee’s presentation of a tragic death is
a welcome relief from such maudlin news
paper write-ups and at the same time is a
much more real and credible analysis of what
goes on in the mind of one who has just lost
a member of the family.
A Death in the Family is the story of Mary
and Jay Follet, their two children, and their
family life in ^oxville in 1915. Quite early
in the story the reader becomes aware that
Jay will be killed, but that does not lessen
his interest. Jay’s sudden death is only the
beginning of the story, which then takes the
reader inside the bereaved family, Mary, the
wife, is surrounded by her relatives, moved by
her grief even though they had not approved
of her marriage in the first place. Then there
are the children—little Catherine, who under
stands very little of what has happened, and
fshy, sensitive Rufus, who barely understands
but feels something of the significance of his
father’s death.
Mr. Agee makes the reader know these peo
ple—the way they think and act, their home,
their everyday habits. Thus the reader can
understand why they react as they do to the
death in the family. I think critics are more
than justified in ranking this novel among the
best writings produced in our times.
—Jane Leighton Bailey