Friday, October 10, 1958.
THE S ALEMITE
Page Three
Dr. Africa Adds Charlie Brown To All Female Family
“Just a minute, Ruth, I’m calling
a man about a dog.” And I wasn’t
kidding—I was talking to a special
man about a special dog.
Now the former just happens to
be our esteemed history professor.
Dr. Philip Africa. The latter is
our affectionate campus canine,
“Charlie Brown,” known’ to Strong,
girls as “Squeaks,” and to Babcock
girls as “Pinky.” These names,
other than “Charlie Brown,” have
some meaning, just what, I am not
sure. Perhaps the names were
changed to protect the innocent—
and nobody could be more innocent
than our “Charlie Brown” and his
nervous tail.
- The first day I realized that
“Charlie” did not belong to a home
was about two weeks ago one Tues
day at dinner. He possessed the
rare quality of loving all people
and hopped around our feet as we
brushed by him or stopped to pat
him on our hike to the dining hall.
When I sat down to eat and saw
the hot platter of roast beef, I
thought about “Charlie,” but the
urge to take him some beef was
quickly quelled by a sharp glance
on one side by an IRS member
and on the other side by the IRS
president, who, by an odd coin
cidence, is my roommate.
However, fate was with “Char
lie,” for at the same table sat
Harvey Shapiro, a campus visitor
from Brooklyn, who was not under
the jurisdiction of the IRS. He
understood the circumstances, but
felt that the IRS not only repre
sented Salem but an inhumane so
ciety.
The story actually begins with
this one act of Harvey’s—he very
quietly slipped outside with several
pieces of beef in a napkin and we
fed the starving “Charlie Brown."
The puppy ate the beef so savagely
that I remarked, “I’ll get him some
dog food tomorrow.” So, since
Harvey was leaving that night, he
made me promise that I wouldn’t
forget the dog food.
From that day until Thursday
*(ve harbored the dog, fed him and
worried about his future. Deciding
that action was needed, I began to
make inquiries about people who
wanted dogs. After asking Dr.
Welch, Miss Simpson and other
on-campus teachers if they knew
anyone on the faculty who wanted
a dog, we finally called “Father
Africa.”
He was rather astonished when
I explained my call, but after I
had made my sales talk, he very
diplomatically said, “I will talk to
Mrs. Africa tonight and let you
know tomorrow. We will all (the
Africa’s) have to discuss it.”
The next afternoon, as I sat
down in class (slightly tardy) Dr.
Africa strode by me and asked, “Is
our mutual friend a male or fe
male ?”
“Male,” I said.
One hour and many pages of
notes later the class bell rang and
I waited, as everyone left, to see
if Dr. Africa’s question had a posi
tive or negative meaning. He
turned to me and said, “take me
to your dog . . . after my next
class.”
Pulling his coat on in that un
rushed manner of his, Dr. Africa
came to Bitting with me to ap
praise “Charlie Brown.” When we
got here, “Charlie” was nowhere
around, so I begged Dr. Africa to
sit in the living room and let me
hunt for him.
The first place I looked was by
the laundry—Mr. Yarborough had
seen “Charlie” just a minute ago,
going toward Strong—I walked up
the hill, around the grounds, whistl
ing and shouting. A music student
stopped me—“Charlie” had bfecn in
Choral Ensemble Class in Old
Chapel. As I charged over to the
Chapel, I saw an English student.
She’d seen “Charlie” in English
class, playing “spook” with Sue
Cooper. I shouted one more hoarse
“Charlie” and looked on the Main
Hall back porch as I heard the tap
'of dog-nails. I whistled, then turned
and ran with “Charlie” at my heels.
When I brought him in, I watched
Dr. Africa’s face to see if his ex
pression would reveal any decision.
Taking his pipe out of his mouth.
Dr. Africa kneeled down on the
floor and began stroking our “Char
lie.” Then I eluciated on the dog’s
strong resemblance to a collie, Ger-
rrftin shepherd, hound and perhaps
one more breed of dog. I assured
Dr. Africa that we had checked his
fur and he seemed very healthy,
considering.
After my sales talk. Dr. Africa
told me that he’d bring the family
over to see the dog after dinner.
Everyone in Bitting waited anxi
ously for the arrival of the six
Africas, and finally about 7:00, the
side door opened and in strode Dr.
and Mrs. Africa, their four child
ren and a neighbor’s child. Im
mediately, the oldest of the four,
Chris, took my hand and asked to
see Charlie. So, leading the crew
to the basement, I let “Charlie”
out of his room and the crowd
. descend on him —■ and fie loved
every minute of it.
We all got behind him and shoved
him upstairs for everyone to view.
Mrs. Africa got one look at him,
'turned to Dr. Africa and said, “But,
Phil, he’s going to be tremendous.”
Then she letined down, stood Polly
(the 10 month-old Africa) in the
floor and rubbed “Charlie’s” ears.
talking to him softly. Bounding
into Polly, “Charlie” stood over
her as we grabbed Polly and, see
ing how jolly and cuddly she was,
offered to make an even trade of
the dog for Polly.
Just at that moment, “Charlie”
sat down in the middle of our
circle and scratched the back of
his ear fiercely. So afraid that this
would . depreciate his value we
nudged him and urged him to “show
company manners.” Thinking that
we were playing with him, he shied
away, and began prancing and
barking. •
Dr. and Mrs. Africa then had a
conference, and after brief consulta
tion announced that they would
love to take “Charlie Brown” home.
So taking the remainder of the
dog food, they life; Dr. Africa
carrying “Charlie”—all four paws
sticking straight up.
After foreign affairs class on
Monday, Dr. Africa collected an in
formal session of interested seniors
and gave a complete report of
“Charlie’s” weekend, which had
consisted of a trip to the veterin
arian and learning why “Charlie
Brown” had once been called
“Squeaks.” Actually, Dr. Africa
could never give a complete report
of what happened to a dog who
was adopted by a family.
Chapel Puts
Emphasis On
Honor Code
What does honor mean to you ?
Do you accept it as your basis of
life ? Do you abide by the honor
code whether you agree with it or
not ? Do you feel a responsibility
to let your conscience be your
guide ? Has Salem encouraged you
to grow in honor as well as so
cially and academically ?
These are questions raised by
Winnie Bath, Lidie Swan, Norwood
Dennis, and Ruth Bennett as they
gave their interpretation of Salem’s
honor system at Honor Chapel on ,
October 6. They agreed that a
Salemite who attempts to live by
the honor code will find greater
satisfaction from her life here at
Salem than one who does not.
Following assembly all new stu
dents fvere giyen the opportunity
to sign the honor book.
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