Page two THE TWIG March 19, 1954 THIS IS LIFE This 19th day of March in the year 1954, as well as all the other days and months of the four years of college, is life—not a disconnected in- te^al set aside for the preparation we need to live, nor a holiday set aside for one last fling before we settle down to the serious business of living. Each day at Meredith is as much a total part of our life as a day picked at random from those we might live as Mrs. Ned Jenks in the Happily Married People’s Town, U.S.A. Each activity we participate in is one of the total number of activities that compose life. True, each is a learning device, but so are the experiences we have after college. Why must we consider those in college any less a part of real life than those out of college? Most of us start as freshmen already thinking, “When I graduate.” That far-away, golden day becomes an end. It, not the present-day ex periences and opportunities, occupies our minds. If and when that day comes, we tell ourselves, life will begin, and will it be fun! No classes, no assignments, no lectures, no pressure from authorities about anything! But by the time March arives in one’s senior year, she begins to realize that graduation is not the end she has made it. The life she has expected to step into after the finish of this “interval” becomes vague and uncertain. The only life she really knows well is that of a college person, and she finds herself reluctant to leave—wishing she had spent more of herself in those four years instead of saving for what now ap pears uncertain. It’s an odd and well-nigh universal trait—this setting up ends (college graduation and marriage are common ones) and being very stingy, per haps unconsciously, of ourselves till then. Life goes on, both before and after the greatest events of our life. Live! EDUCATION FOR PRIVACY (From the Mission House Mirror, Mission House College, Plymouth, Wis.) A philosopher of some note remarked in a recent article that one of the pressing needs of our time was the need to educate for privacy. This suggestion has a ring of freshness for it would seem to be evident that our society has, in the half-century, stressed the importance of the group. ... To merit a place in society, to be accepted, to belong, is a prime factor in the good life. Said a high school sophomore, with some exag geration, but with clear intent, “I’d rather be dead than be different.” ... If it be true that we have over-stressed the group life, the antidote does not lie in rebellion, for such direct fight indicates that the individual still is directed, albeit negatively, by group standards. Rather than an egocentric effort to swim against the stream the individual concerned for his own identity can move at a different rate, or along other lines not necessarily in frontal opposition. Surely it is well to remember that decision is always an individaul concern, even when the decision is made to yield to group directions. . . . To go it alone, to have some capacity for privacy is to add, in many cases, a new dimension to life. . . . Words To Live By 1. Refrain from a tendency to impose our ideas or way of life on other people. 2. Evince as much willingness to learn from them as help them. 3. Acquire a knowledge of their needs, aspirations and accomplish ments. 4. Recognize that the success or failure of one people increasingly affects all and is the responsibility of all. —John D. Rockefeller, III P^sockaled GoOe6iai0 FV«» EDITORIAL STAFF Editor Lorette Oglesby Assistant Editor Vivian Byrd Feature Editor_ Kirksey Sink Managing Editors Nancy Brown, Barbe White Art Editor Sally Drake Music Editor Leah Scarborough Sports Editor - .Nancy Hall Photo Editors Bobbye Rice, Janis Witherington Columnists Margaret Ann English, Shirley West Reporters—Nancy Reece, Nancy Drake, Mary Frances Colston, Mary Jo Pinner, Lynette Haislip, Trudy Fitzgerald, Ann Parr, Nancy Carpenter, Dorothy Smith, Jean Grealish, Joyce Herndon, Pat Dowell, Bess Peeler Typists—Betty Hunter, Chief; Theresa Raynor, Mary Lib Delbridge, Jane Condrey, Annette Caudle Faculty Sponsor Dr. Norma Rose BUSINESS STAFF Business Manager Barbara Propst Advertising Manager Peggy Bennett Advertising Staff—Betty Smith, June Vann, Frances Moncrief, Lucy MacDonald, Mary Louise Cornwell, Ann Jane Barbrey, Jo Ann Selley, Sara Martin, Judy Baker, Joyce Ballard. Circulation Managers Kitty Holt, Kay McCosley Entered as second-class mateer October 11, 1923, at postoffice at Raleigh, N. C„ under Act of March 8, 1879. Published semi-monthly during the months of October, November, February, March, April, and May; monthly during the months of September, December, and January. Th* Twig Is the college newspaper of Meredith College. Raleigh, North CaroUna, and as such is one of the three major publications of the institu tion—the other two being The Acorn, the Uterary magazine, and The Ook Leaves, the coUege annual. Meredith College is an accredited senior liberal arts college for women located in the capital city of North Carolina. It confers the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Music degrees. The coUege offers majors in twenty-one fields Including music, art, business and home economics. Since 1921 the institution has been a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The college holds membership in the Association of American Colleges and the North Carolina College Conference. Graduates of Meredith College are eligible for membership in the American Association of University Women. The institution is a liberal arts member of the National Association of Schools of Music. Subscription Rates: 82.45 per year These days are what you might call the lull before the storm—storm meaning all the rush of the last days of school. What a whirl it’s going to be! I am both looking forward to and dreading the last couple of months. One thing’s for sure—all of us will be doing something more than mere school work, if it’s noth ing but acquiring a nice shade of red or brown, as the case may be. The Folk Dance Concert tomorrow night might be termed the starting point for various activities, with Stunt next Saturday night! If you can possibly do so, go to the Folk Dance Concert. I know you will en joy it, and the people who have worked so hard preparing the dances deserve everybody’s support. I overheard this one in lunch line the other day. Seems as if some lucky girl had triumphantly passed by displaying a diamond, and her friends were remarking about such interesting subjects as love and mar riage. One said, “You mustn’t be discouraged. In this world there’s a man for every girl and a girl for every man. You can’t improve on an arrangement like that.” Back came this reply, “I don’t want to improve on it. I just want to get in on it!” Well, what did you think of the elections? All the winners are to be congratulated! The nominating com mittee had a hard job and deserves much credit for its work. The inter est shown was especially rewarding to them. I think we all should be proud of the high vote and have as our goal the plan of topping it next year. Wouldn’t it be wonder ful if ALL of the student body would register and vote? After all, these elections are not be taken lightly, and we are all responsible for those who are elected. Harvard Man: I’ve a friend I’d like you girls to meet. Bryn Mawr Girl: What can he do? Wellesley Girl: How much has he? Radcliffe Girl: What does he read? Vassar Girl: Who are his family? Holyoke Girl: What church does he belong to? Meredith Girl: Where is he? Last week end, as you probably realized, we had quite a few visi tors on campus. I am referring to the people who came for the music contest. Seems like every time I stepped out the door, I saw stran gers wandering around looking lost. They probably were, too! Anyway, it was nice to have them. One result of Religious Focus Week has been the establishment of a morning worship service. Morn ing Perspective. It is held from 8:10 until 8:25 Monday through Fri day. THE CAIHPBELLS ENTERTAIN SENIORS Continuing a practice they began five years ago. Dr. and Mrs. Camp bell are entertaining the members of the Senior Class at a series of suppers. Special guests attending these in formal suppers include Dr. Sarah Lemmon, senior sponsor; Miss Lou ise Fleming; Miss Edith Zinn; Miss Mary Bland Josey; Mrs. Margaret Martin; Mrs. Lois Renfrow; Mrs. Vera Tart Marsh; Dean and Mrs. L. A. Peacock; Mr and Mrs. B. Y. Tyner; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Belch er; Becky Calloway, incoming presi dent of the Student Government sociation; Ruth Jeanne Allen, new ly-elected president of the Athletic Association; Ruth Jeanne Allen, newly-elected president of the Ath letic Association; and Shirley Mc Lean, BSU president for the coming year. letters to the Editor L i Dear Editor: I am sure that the student body, and especially the members of the nominating committee, are grateful for the election procedure used this year when it is compared with that followed four years ago. Just imagine -—six weeks of nominating and electing! Even though elections are a very irnportant event in our campus life, the records of those past elections with four and six slates have proved that interest dwindles during the closing weeks. This is the second year that the two-slate run has been used at Meredith, but our voting statistics this year show improvement over last year’s record. Last year 77 per cent of the student body reg istered; this year, 84 per cent. Eighty-two per cent of the registered voters voted in ’53, the same percentage participated this year. The juniors take the lead with the highest percentage in this year’s election; 76 per cent of their class voted. Sophomores are second with 74 per cent; seniors come in third with 67 per cent; and the freshmen record was 65 per cent. The figure representing the total number of Meredith ^rls who voted last year was 65 per cent; this year it is 70 per cent! And I’m bragging—but really with no right to do so. There is no reason why this student body of only 566 students cannot reach a,percentage mark in the 90’s in its own campus elections. If every girl who will be here next year would resolve to take part in next year’s elections, and to be re sponsible not only for herself but also for an incoming freshman, we could reach that high mark! Allow me, in closing, to say a few words about the one drawback in elections with only two slates. This handicap is, in many people’s opinion, that too many good leaders are eliminated. In answer to this, 1 urge those of this opinion to consider the fact that we must have good leaders to keep the wheels rolling in places other than campus-elected offices. Mary Ann Chandler, Chairman, Nominating Committee Dear Editor: Let me take this,opportunity to express my gratitude to the student . body for the confidence shown in me in the recent elections. It is im possible to put into words exactly how I feel. Indeed, it is a great honor! It is not, however, for my personal honor and prestige that I accept the position, but rather, it is for the opportunity to serve you and the school to the best of my ability. As you know, I have never before served on the Student Government Council, but student government has always meant a great deal to me. Each Meredith girl is a member of our organization, and it is up to ali of us to co-operate and make our campus life the very best. I am looking forward to next year and all that it holds for us in the Meredith community. It will be a pleasure working with the wonderful ' council which you elected—and with you. One person, alone, cannot run the organization. Instead it takes full co-operation of everyone, and I’m sure that each girl enrolled here is sincerely interested in Meredith and what it stands for. With everybody working together, I’m certain “ that next year will be a most successful one. ’;fte officers whom you have elected are counting on you to back them up. Support does not end when your ballot is in the box. Becky Calloway Dear Editor: On March 3 the seniors entertained their “little sisters,” the sopho-. mores, at a tea in the blue parlor. This has not been an annual event and was all the more enjoyable because it was unexpected. The con genial, informal atmosphere was conducive to a fellowship between the two classes which we need more opportunities to enjoy. I am sure that I express the feelings of the entire Sophomore Class in ’ saying sincerely to the seniors, “Thank you.” Lynette Haislip REPORT ON RUSSIA (Editor’s Note: This is second in a series of articles by Dean Schoelkoff, editor of Minnesota Dai ly. He was one of the seven editors who visited Russia recently.) The talk in Russia today is of peace. We heard it everywhere we went. This is the line: The Rus sian people suffered great losses in the last war. Their homes and their factories were leveled. Their friends and relatives were killed and crip pled. And so they want peace, they say. They think the American peo ple want peace, too. But they be lieve that “war mongers” control the government. They say Presi dent Eisenhower does not really set iroUcy but is “a tool of the monopo lies.” Anatoly Krasilevich, 25, an engineering student at Moscow Uni versity, told me he doesn’t think there will be a war between the United States and Russia for five or six years. “It will take America that long to get ready after your losses in the Korean war,” he said. “But there will never be a war un less the United States attacks Rus sia.” We were repeatedly asked why the United States is building a net work of air bases around the Soviet Union. The Russian people think the bases will be used to launch an “aggressive war.” When we asked students why Russia keeps the larg est standing army in the world, we were told it is for defense purposes only. One interpreter told us that Russia does not have any long- range bombers—only fighters for defense. Our other interpreter smiled at that obvious untruth. Along with the words about peace, Soviet leaders have been car rying on an extensive program of anti-American propaganda. We could see evidence of it everywhere. Posters in the factories and schools depicted Uncle Sam as a villain carrying caimons under his arms, dollar signs in his eyes, committing some mayhem on John Bull and characters representing other na tions. Cartoons in magazines and newspapers follow the same thing: doUar-hungry American militarists, pohticians or businessmen looking for war or money, or both. We asked often why there should be aU these hate-America posters if Russia real ly was interested in friendship among nations. We always were told that these posters were not directed against the American people, but against the military men and mo nopolies who want war. Russians think the United States already has started one war — in Korea. We were told that Secretary of State Acheson and President Truman planned the war with Sygman Rhee, and that South Korean troops in vaded North Korea. ®tit the political consciousness of me Russinas we met extended beyond mtemational affairs They were much interested in intemd problems of the United States. We were asked often about Senator Mc Carthy. Usually the question was, (Continued on page three)