Page Two
THE TWIG
February 13, 1948
Member
Pbsocidecl Go0e6icte Press
An Average Day
In the Life of a Day Strident
Virtue Versus Vice
One aspect of Christianity that doesn’t
always receive proper emphasis is the
almost incalculable good it does for
those who practice its virtues. Many
people have the false idea that religion
is a sort of burden. Shakespeare did
a superb job of expressing the blessing
of religion when he wrote, “The quality
of mercy is not strained. It droppeth
as the gentle rain upon the place be
neath. It is twice-blest. It blesseth him
that gives and him that takes.’’
Shakespeare and wise men through
out the ages recognized the wonderful
practicality of religion in the lives of
men. Virtue has as its rewards such
real and lasting dividends as peace of
mind and bodily health. Vice, on the
other hand, usually pays off in enslave-
EDITORIAL STAFF
Margaret Moore Editor :
Maxine Bissett Managing Editor j
Barbara S. Cotton Associate Editor \
Jean Bradley Associate Editor
Doris Lee Feature Editor
Christine Creech Photo Editor
LaVerne Harris..Alumnae and Fashion Ed, i
Mary Louise Milliken Exchange Editor j
Barbara Johnson Music Editor \
Betty Jean Johnson Sports Editor '
Jane Lassiter Columnist
Reporters—Ella May Shirley, Mary Lou
Dawkins, Doris Concha, Shirley Hur-
witz, Betty Moore, Magdalene Creech,
Nancy Walker, Marjorie Joyner, Beth
Boggs, Rosalind Knott, Lois Harmon,
Janet Debnam.
Typists — Doris Concha, Margaret West
moreland, Becky Lynn, Elva Gresham
BUSINESS STAFF
Lillian Gaddy Business Manager
Jerry Miller Advertising Manager
Marie Kinlaw *. Circulation Manager
Members of the Business Staff—Marianna
Worth, Jane McDaniel, Marie Wilson,
Anne Tongue
Dr. Harold G. McCurdy Faculty Adviser
Dr. Harry E. Cooper Photographer
Entered as second-class matter October 11. 1923,
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Subscription rate, $2.00 per year to students.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The whole secret of abundant living
can be summed up in this sentence:
“Not your responsibility, but your re
sponse to God’s ability.’’
E. Stanley Jones.
The Spirit of Focus Week
One of the most inspirational set of
activities planned at Meredith is that
in the spring of each year when Re
ligious Week is observed. There is
something about the spirit of the week
which cannot be matched. Little things
such as the smiling faces of the team
members, the wholesome fellowship at
social gatherings, and the small part
each of us plays in executing the plans
laid out by the committees are essential
elements in the spirit as well as the
more obvious purposes.
The addresses at the morning and
evening worship services are full of
thought-provoking questions which be
come evident in informal discussions;
the seminars provide opportunity for
discussion on interesting subjects led
by persons competent in those particular
fields; the classroom work is enriched
by emphasis of the integration of all
subject matter fields with Christian
principles; the personal conferences aid
in the solving of particular problems.
The team who is to visit our campus
this year has been chosen carefully.
The members represent many phases
of life activities and interests and are
particularly concerned with student
thought and action. The general chair
man, along with the director of religious
activities and the individual committees,
have been at work for several weeks
in detailed planning for the week’s
activities. It is the hope of the com
mittee that each student will realize
fully the opportunities provided during
the week and that through whole
hearted interest and participation that
much benefit will be derived.
7; 10 a.m. Rise, hastily dress.
7:30 a.m. Hurriedly gulp down
breakfast.
7:44 a.m. Rush out of house; dash
down three blocks to bus stop.
7:55 a.m. Whoops! Just made it!
7:55-7:56 a.m. Wild sprint across
capitol square to beat that bus around
the block.
7:56V^ a.m. Pant . . . whew . . . ugh
. . . squeeze gently now, please. Yippee,
made it. ... (General conversation from
beginning of Hillsboro Street to Mere
dith )
“Hold your books, kid?”
“Thanks. Just kinda prop open that
one on top, will ya? Yeah, the religion
book. Gotta quiz this a.m.”
“No foolin’, he did? When? Wotta
character!”
“Ah! Lookee here, Mary’s diamond!
Isn’t it beautiful, girls?”
“G’mornin’, Dr. Freeman; no, please
keep your seat. These (ugh) books
aren’t heavy at all!”
“Push back, girls. (Driver speaking)
Let’s make room for just one more (as
a horde of fifteen pack in.) Ah, c’mon;
even sardines can do better than this!”
“Hey, Sam! (turning up drive) can
you pick up Dot and Bunny—Huh,
please? Gee thanks.”
8:20 a.m. Reach college.
8:20-8:25 a.m. Glimpse notices on
Johnson Hall bulletin boards, dash up
stairs to Day Student Room. Any mail?
Oh, an “invite” from none other than
Miss Baity herself! Gee, guess she
really wants to see me; this is the second
invitation I’ve received this week.
8:25 a.m. Was that the bell? Hurry!
Honestly, girls, why not try out for the
relay race over at State? We could
really give those boys some competition.
How Do YOU Read?
How much do you read? No, I am
not referring to the comic section or
the sports page. I am talking about
newspapers as a whole, weekly and
monthly magazines, and other similar
periodicals, and of course, books from
the library.
It is a well-known fact that the per
son who has the most misconceptions,
prejudices, and warped opinions is
usually the least read. The person who
knows the facts is cautious in forming
opinions. He is not narrow-minded or
dogmatic. He thinks clearly before
stating his views.
The ignorant person can tell you
everything about everything. He does
not have to refer to books for his knowl
edge, he gets it by hearsay, by rumor,
or by fabricating it from his own mind.
Lacking initiative in reading about some
matter, he eagerly pounces on some
rumor and rides it for all it is worth.
The well-read person, like the edu
cated person, is humble. He knows that
he cannot be an authority on everything.
He considers each problem squarely
and honestly, and makes no snap judg
ments. He reads both sides of the ques
tion and forms his opinions intelligently.
The next time you read a newspaper,
look at the front page carefully. There
might be something there that interests
you, that clears up some misconstrued
idea that you may have, and proper
knowledge of the facts might save you
embarrassment and criticism. Make it
a habit to read one of the weekly news
magazines. They have the news in con
densed form, and they offer many and
varied opinions on all matters. When
you do reading for a class, don’t breeze
through with the idea of “getting it off.”
Try to get something out of what you
read. It might surprise you, but some
of those books are actually very inter
esting. (McMurry War Whoop, Alilene,
Texas)
ment, torment or disease.
Anyone who is interested in breaking
bad habits but doesn’t feel equal to the
task ought to find an incentive in the
rich rewards that accompany virtue as
compared with the highly dubious
profits that are reaped by vice.
Editors Note: The above editorial is
quoted from The Aguin, St. Thomas
College, St. Paul, Minn, and is thought
particularly appropriate at this time.
Why, my timing is improving daily.
8:30-l :00 p.m. Classes.
1:01 p.m. Now for a hearty, whole
some, delectable meal. Lessee, what’s
the Bee Hive got today? Umm, fritos
or potato chips? Sandwich. Nabs. Bottle
of milk. What, no milk today? Well,
make it Tru-Ade orange, then. That’s
all, thanks.
2:00 p.m. Goody, no p.m. classes
today! Guess I’ll study for a while in
the library. Huh, drive down to Wil-
mont with you? Sorry, gotta study.
Well, all right. Just for a few minutes.
5:00 p.m. Off to the library! Hmm
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”
Yep, I kinda like that. “A thing . . .”
that Keats was quite a guy. . . .
5:50 p.m. Br-ring! Library’s clos
ing. . . . Well, I did get something ac
complished. Let me see, now; Byron
said (or was it Shelley?) No, Words
worth, that’s it Wordsworth said it: “A
thing of beauty is a joy forever.” See,
I did learn something after all.
6:00 p.m All ready to go home.
How nice; there’s the bus waiting for
me. Better dart through Johnson Hall;
that’s a little shorter. Happy day, I
made it. Yipe! Almost forgot; today
is Monday; chapel card’s gotta be signed,
or else; Driver, just one minute, please.
I forgot sumpin’. Not even for one little
minute? O.K., refund my nickel, please.
. . . That’s gratitude for you!
7:00 p.m. Reach home at end of
“usual” day. Tired, but happy!
7:30 p.m. ■ ? a.m. Will I never
get this home work done? Wonder
where all my “free” time went today?
Oh, so what if I get just four or five
hours sleep? Four years of this, and
we’ll all be rugged individuals!
—Shirley Hurwitz.
J
A
N
One professor at Indiana University
puts it to his students straight.
He said. Of course, you people are
entitled to your own beliefs.” He
stopped and smiled gently. “But it
would be much more diplomatic if you
all would agree with me.”
ASKS. YOU
What have you got to say
In reply
To that maddening cry
“Aren’t you glad to be back?”
Well, seems like our much-dreaded
exams have come and gone, and here we
are sitting right in the middle of another
semester. Believe me, it would be
wonderful if the novelty of a brand new
schedule weren’t so confusing. And
then there’s the tender thought of com
fortable mornings spent sleeping ’till
noon disrupted by the clanging of the
bells, bells, bells which start their sere
nade (?) at seven a.m. on the dot. Noth
ing quite like pouncing right out of bed
and getting in a quick half hour’s work
before breakfast. In order to exclude
all insinuations of insanity, you hastily
explain to your “roomy” that you’ve
just got “to write this breakfast before
Shakespeare summary and get to that
8:30 class.” And then comes that last
feeble dash to the P.O. before falling
back into classroom subconsciousness.
(The less said about the P.O.? the
better. . . .) You probably ask yourself
why in the world you don’t get more
sleep for this holiday hangover and
these road-map eyes have got to go.
But then that good old bell has
sounded off by now and you’re ready
to start the long trudge back to the
room. After mustering up a last spark
of courage, you cautiously put your
delicate little number nines in one of
the many gullies that fiow by the class
buildings and patiently wait for the
tide to sweep you away . . . but luckily
you brought your Jiffy-Water Wings to
day so you can swim up to the dorm
without too much exertion. If you still
have strength enough to climb the steps
to your room, you can always hang
your water wings on a chair by the
radiator to dry, crawl back in bed, and
pretend that this made existence is all
a horrible dream.
Confidentially, it ain’t!
Impresario
A Book Review By Virginia Campbell
Recently published in 1946, this en
tertaining story of the great Hurok and
the article he has presented to millions
of people is a rare opportunity for every
music lover to meet and know the stars
of yesterday and today.
Not only is the story of Hurok’s rise
from a Russian emigrant smuggler to
the position of one of the greatest con
cert managers a fascinating one, but
also his close relationships with his
proteges make this book unforgettable.
A hero-worshipper from the start,
Hurok first wanted to present Chaliapin,
the great Russian basso to American
audiences. He had formed the Van
Hugo Musical Society in Brownsville,
a section of Brooklyn, after having
worked at a variety of establishments;
but he was not able to persuade the
apist to come to America. Instead, the
violinist Limbalist was presented in
Carnegie Hall to a full house. Success
ful engagements followed, and he soon
was presenting Madame Schumann,
Heink, Eugene Tasaye, the coloratura
Terrazzini, and others at the Hippa-
drome.
After a break with Sir Thomas
Beecham and the London Philharmonic,
Chaliapin did come to America; and
under Hurok s management, he was first
presented to a dazed public in Boris
Goudonov. From this point, we follow
this great musical figure in many suc
cessful concerts from coast to coast and
abroad.
Next we meet Pavlova, dancing to
the music of Tschaikowsky at the Hip
podrome. Hurok had rehearsed his
speech in both Russian and English but
was mute in her presence. The accounts
of her performances in Jackson, Missis
sippi, where a whole new stage had to
be built, and in Montgomery, Alabama,
where the roof leaked, lend a very
human touch.
The book continues with personal
incidents, often amusing ones, in the
lives of Isadora Duncan, dancer; Glazon-
nov, Russian teacher; Alice Warkova
of the Ballet Russe; Toumanova, prima
ballerina; Marian Anderson, Jan Peerce,
Rubinstein, and other magnificent
artists.
It is only natural that “Impresario”
should have a great deal of atmosphere.
One can feel the tension of opening
nights, especially after Hurok’s account
of how the costumes for a ballet were
not finished and the frenzied “pinning
on” which occurred just before the
rising of the curtain.
There is much wit, both in Hurok’s
own remarks, and in those of the artists.
Rubinstein quipped that a Sunday after
noon broadcast with Toscanini would
warm him up for his concert at Car
negie Hall that night. The reader will
smile again at Hurok’s statement that
a certain great producer was “almost
God to me, or at least Saint Peter ”
The significant effect of this book is
its picture of the human side of the
artist. Hurok, though humble, exaluates
them without the prejudice which
would come natural to a producer and
manager. He relates incidents which
portray each star as a person, and not
as a distant point of admiration. Very
few people know that Marian Anderson
once sang with her foot in a cast
cleverly concealed by the flowing train
of her dress, and supported herself bv
leaning very lightly upon the piano
because she would not disappoint her
audience. An incident such as this in
creases appreciation and understanding
of those who have risen to great heights
in the world of music. °