Page two
THE TWIG
November 15, 1957
A PUZZLEMENT
It is standard procedure for the older generation to shake their heads
sadly and ask “What is this younger generation coming to?” In the past
the problem was the fact that the youth was a wild, reckless, unheading
group. Nowadays the tide has turned, and our elders are sighing over
the fact that we are too conservative. Polls show that college students
want, above everything else, security. The reason for this attitude seems
to be the two wars we have lived through and the ominous threat of world
disaster. We are accused, among other things, of being too polite to
disagree in classes, too scared to think, too worried to assert our indi
vidualism.
So, there have been reactions. When we are faced with the talk of
conservatism we do several things. One attitude is to throw up our hands
in bland acquiescence and say “We admit it. We’re scared. Let’s all find
a rose-covered cottage far away from the turmoil and forget it.” But no
one will really let us take this head-in-the-sand policy.
Another reaction is “If they like us wild, let’s be wild. Twenty-three
skidoo!” In a few northern colleges (especially Columbia) there is a
movement to start a national fad. It seems there has not been such a
fad since the record-breaking, gold-fish swallowing era of our parents’
day. These schools have sent out literature trying to organize clubs to
play the grand old game of Russian Roulette (played with blank guns,
qf course). Russian Roulette! Can you think of anything more unusual?
Can you think of anything more inane?
These two extremes do not limit the field. There are others manifesta
tions. Psuedo-intellectualism, for instance. Bohemianism, for example.
Walk into a room where modern pictures plaster the wall, where Stra
vinsky is being played on the hi-fi, and the toreador-clad occupants are
sitting in the middle of the floor smoking and reading Jeffers by the light
of a single candle stuffed in a wine bottle from Gino’s, and there you
have it. In order to get along in cultural circles one must keep abreast,
whether one knows what he is talking about or not. Yet there can be no
worse enemy to real thinking than false intellectualism.
It’s obvious that these attitudes don’t fill the bill. Viewed from such a
perspective they all seem half-cocked. So the problem remains. We
have a bad reputation because we conform, and when even an attitude
of rugged individualism is the trend, there is very little room to turn.
What is the proper behavior and goal of the modern college student?
Any ideas?
N. J.
Letter to the Editor....
Dear Editor . . .
We appreciate all criticism—favorable or otherwise—voiced concern
ing the 1957 Fall issue of the Acorn. Two things are needed if the
publication is to continue and progress—critics and contributors. Speak
what you feel. Write what you think. We try to be broadminded!
ARE YOU MISSING OUT?
P.S.
Editor and Art Editor, Acorn
The above signed take full responsibility for all contributions both
in the past issue and forthcoming ones.
College days are brimming over
with opportunities — opportunities
which offer us growth and enrich
ment in the realms of the mind and
the spirit. Alas, how often we pass
them by, either not realizing or not
caring what they have to offer, not
knowing that they seldom come
again.
Founders’ Day, 1957, brought an
alarming number of unoccupied
seats in Jones Auditorium as the
birthday of our college was cele
brated in the finest of ways. The
program showed evident signs of
the efforts of a number of people
to make it a memorable service.
Even the smallest ounce of school
spirit—or, more precisely, school
appreciation—should have brought
us in to fill those empty seats. The
service was for all friends of the
college. Where were we?
Another opportunity passed us by
when, on November 3, the annual
Reformation Day Service was held
in Jones Auditorium. The churches
of Raleigh sponsored the com
munity-wide service. One of Amer
ica’s leading thinkers in the field of
religion was brought to Raleigh just
for the service. The chance to hear
such a noted speaker does not come
our way every day, but, like Found
ers’ Day, the service wasn’t required,
so we didn’t go. \
Perhaps it is pften difficult for
students to attend when something
is held on the other side of town,
but these opportunities were right in
our own front yard. And we didn’t
even bother to go. N. M.
MEMBER
Associated Collegiate Press
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor Nancy Joyner
Associate Editor Nancy McGlamery
Managing Editor Ann Finley
Assistant Editors Marcia Allen, Lillian Brandon, Bobbie Conley, Bob Early
Feature Editor Mary Ann Brown
Music Editor Joyce Skillman
Drama Editor Susan Moss
Sports Editor Stuart James
Photographer Nancy Craig
Columnists Margaret Paris, Juanita Swindler, Louise White
Reports Lela Cagle, Lelia Davenport, Cynthia Denny, Lynda Evans,
Joy Goldsmith, Sue Matzner, Janice Morgan, Sally Newton, Annabel Ray
Faculty Sponsor Dr. Norma Rose
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager Barbara Hazelwood
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Entered as second-class matter October 11, 1923, at post office at Raleigh,
N. C.. under Act of March 8, 1879. Published semi-monthly during the months
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February, and March.
The Twig is the college newspaper of Meredith College, Raleigh, North Caro
lina, and as such is one of the three major publications of the institution—the
other two being The Acorn, the literary magazine, and The Oak Leaves, the
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Meredith College is an accredited senior liberal arts coUege for women located
in the capital city of North Carolina. It confers the Bachelor of Arts and the
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including music, art, business and home economics.
Since 1921 the institution has been a member of the Southern Association of
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ates of Meredith College are eligible for membership in the American
Association of University Women. The institution is a liberal arts member of
the National Assciation of Schools of Music.
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Make Us Truly Thankful
By MARGARET PARIS
Unfortunately, Thanksgiving has
become to many only a word
which calls to mind a group of
Pilgrims making their way through
snow - covered woods — or some
meaningless phrases about “being
thankful,” “counting our blessings,”
etc. The importance of this holiday
lies not in the food-laden tables of
the first Pilgrims or their brave
march through the woods to church.
These were in a sense only symbols
of something more basic. To under
stand this “something more basic”
we must briefly review historical,
sociological, and—if you will—even
religious occurrences and stimula
tion. The Puritans came to America
for freedom to express their religious
beliefs. Their feast, which has been
hamefully commercialized and over
emphasized, was a symbol of grati
tude to God, not a display of plenty
and of solitary man’s products. As
with many traditions and customs
that have roots in an expression of
basic Christian beliefs, only the
skeleton remains today.
We hurriedly mumble trite
phrases—“make us truly grateful”
so that the feast may begin, the
main fault of which lies in our com
placent satisfaction with the status
quo, the feeling that the world is
really all right, and maybe God
should be included somewhere. The
extreme pessimism of saying World
War III is just around the corner
is not necessary, but we cannot af
ford to smile slyly at God or nudge
Him, as if to say: “Guess we made
it, uh?” There are too many Little
Rocks and Budapests to relax on
our couches, eat our grapes, and let
the rest of the world go by.
It is in America that we find
truest expression of freedom. The
Thanksgiving “Thanksgiving” is,
therefore, active rather than passive,
for with our blessings comes the
responsibility—not to democracy so
much as to God—to insure the con
tinuance of freedom. The “free
doms” of America are based ulti
mately in the freedom of the believer
in his relationship with God: a free
dom of will, but under the eternal
absolutes of God.
Musical Notes
By JOYCE SKILLMAN
Among the highlights of the con
certs given in Raleigh each year is
the Chamber Music Series. The first
concert in the 1957-58 season pre
sented the Hungarian Quartet on
November 1, in an excellent per
formance. These concerts are given
in our auditorium on various Friday
nights throughout the year. The
programs are outstanding and are
worthwhile for every student. Make
a point to attend the next one and
you will be well rewarded.
Congratulations to S.A.I. pledges,
Lee Pass and Margaret Morgan.
These girls were pledged into the
fraternity on Tuesday night, Novem
ber 5. Speaking for all of the old
members, we are looking forward
to the initiation service when you
will become full-fledged members.
The members of the Chorus have
been working hard to learn music
for several performances. They sang
in chapel several weeks ago and
again at Founder’s Day. They also
presented some of the music for the
Reformation Day service, held in
our auditorium on Sunday night,
November 3. There will be other
opportunities to hear the Chorus at
the State Baptist Convention, in
chapel, and at their Christmas con
cert.
Lou’s Remarks
By LOUISE WHITE
Up until this year there were
many Meredith students who could
say that they had never been in the
infirmary. However, the number of
people with such a record has
dwindled considerably and will no
doubt continue to do so. In view
of this fact, it seems appropriate to
discuss infirmary life and bring out
the hidden side not shown by read
ing the rules or even visiting sick
friends. It is only fair to say that
infirmary life is not all bad. Every
thing centers around YOU, the
patient. Your breakfast is home-
cooked and hot, and all meals are
naturally served in bed. The only
hitch is that nobody is hungry. If
you are well enough to be hungry,
you are well enough to go to class.
Another advantage is that the in
firmary is well stocked with maga
zines; old magazines to be sure, but
still magazines. When people are
sick, they certainly cannot be ex
pected to study, but can they ever
read magazines! Being infirmary-
confined really takes a load off the
conscience. Unfortunately, there
are no more advantages that I can
see. Once in the place you are
trapped until you have no fever.
That can take days. You are
forced to take red pills, little white
pills, big white pills, and cough
syrup at frequent intervals. As far
as the nurses are concerned, Satur
day and Sunday are just as good
infirmary days as any other, and
consequently a girl’s social life can
really suffer. Also, there are peculiar
temperature changes in the in
firmary. First it is cold, and then
suddenly with a bang and a clang
the temperature rises twenty degrees.
Of course, that is a method of always
keeping patients on hand. All jokes
aside, let’s wear coats, eat right,
and give the poor infirmary a rest.
FROM THE
MemporarfScene
By MARGARET PARIS
Turning in the contemporary
scene to poetry, the names of T. S.
Eliot and John Ciardi are two that
can hardly be neglected. T. S. Eliot
stands as one of the outstanding
contemporary poets, one whose
name will surely find a place in his
tory. John Ciardi stands as the
champion defender and critic of
modern poetry. (Mr. Ciardi is the
poetry editor of Saturday Review)
Mr. Eliot has recently published r
book entitled On Poetry and Poets
B. S. U. PLANS PARTY
The Baptist Student Unions of
Meredith and State College invite
all students to an evening filled
with fun on Friday, December 6.
The party will be held in Society
Hall from 8:00-11:00. A delight
ful program of entertainment, in
cluding some square dancing, has
been planned, and of course, re
freshments wilt be served. Circle
this date on your calendar, and
be sure to come. You’ll get some
of that Christmas spirit early.
Those FiC|HT'Th«rt»|
in which he takes the role—not a
new one for him—of critic and
interpreter in seven essays on poetry
and nine on poets. As has been
pointed out by one critic Mr. Eliot
is the “hard-thinking craftsman” in
this book, having matured consider
ably since he expressed his earlier
opinions about poetry and poets.
This is perhaps because of the
change in climate which has oc
curred in his life. One reviewer
(New York Times, Sept. 15, 1957)
has summed up this change by say
ing: “A generation ago it seemed
proper to attack impressionism and
the over-emphasis of enjoyment in
criticism, and to stress the need of
understanding. Now the danger is
in over-explanation and in treating
criticism as a service, ‘which it can
never be’.” In Mr. Eliot’s own
words: “What matters most, in read
ing an ode of Sappho, is not that
(Continued on page four)