Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Dec. 19, 1958, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page two THE TWIG December 19, 1958 CHRISTMAS SPIRIT Full realizing the danger of further butchering a'well-hashed subject, let us consider once more the “true Christmas spirit.” Everybody likes and heartily approves of holiday gifts, parties, and relaxing from the strain of class and homework. Even so, there is danger that in our “getting and spending,” partying, and relaxing we will completely overlook the cause of it all. On the other hand, we can become so fed up with tinsel and bells that we say “Bah, Humbug” to the whole season. Either ap proach is wrong. First we must realize that all the celebration of Christmas began as a human attempt to recognize a divine gift. Christmas is complete and per fect in itself, but the early Christians wished to add their bit and prove their thankfulness. Of necessity, pagan tones were given to the celebration from the beginning. Christmas was mingled with Roman brawls, Anglo- Saxon superstitions, and practices of every other pagan group which was converted to Christianity. Hence our commercial gift-giving and gay pwtying are only another “tribal” addition to the basic Christmas reality. We should be able to take American Christmas customs for what they are worth and relate them to true Christmas as smoothly as we do the German Christmas tree and the Druid mistletoe. Nothing should be al lowed to overshadow or outshine the divine love which is Christmas. Bitterness at what man has done to the divine should not, however, make us give up the whole thing. Our Puritan ancestors tried to do so by outlawing Christmas celebration because it was pagan in practice. Time has told that their attempt was a failure. It is encouraging to think that Christmas lived in America not only because non-Puritan groups cele brated it, but also because all people wished to give recognition to the coming of Christ. It seems unlikely that celebration with no conviction beneath it could survive, for people can celebrate any time. In our disgust at Yule-tide corruption of the perfect, we should realize that the work of centuries has made Christmas and us what we are. Instead of giving up and secluding ourselves, we should endeavor to enjoy what is good in our customs, remembering always their source and significance in relation to the true meaning of Christmas. L. W. THE EYEBALL By WHEDBEE From Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Tree. “And I do come home at Christ mas. We all do, or we all should. We all come home, or ought to come home, for a short holiday — the longer, the better — from the great boarding-school, where we are for ever working at pur arithmetical slates, to take, and give a rest.” From Whedbee “Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays.” It’s all in the way you look at things: We know Christmas is here when we walk down Meredith halls and see the doors of rooms covered with holiday cheer expectant of the sea son's spirit and the omens of fifty- cent fines for excessive tape and thumb tacks. One eager roomie had placed her blue wrapping - paper background on her door and was waiting to complete her decor by adding the figures of the three men from the East bearing gifts, when In her puzzlement she yelled to her roommate, “Hey, where do I put the three wise guys, anyhow?” How the Beasts Keep Christmas At midnight’s stroke, In barn, in stall, Kneel all the dumb folk. WeThankYouSoMuch The Twig staff wishes to raise a rousing cheer for the dining-hall staff, the maids, and the janitors. Neither snow, slush, ice, nor the prospect of three-mile walks have deterred them from coming to Meredith to work on the mornings when we have blizzards. Because of the fortitude of these people, we have had food, scraped sidewalks, and no puddles in the halls. The Twig joins Mrs. Hunter, Mrs, Walters, Mrs. Whilden, and Mr. Belcher in admiration and thanks. MEMBER Associated Collegiate Press EDITORIAL STAFF ,vv; Louise White Associate tditor Annnbel Ray Assistant Editor Bobbie Carpenter Music Editor Margaret Hurst Drama Editor Sue Matzner I-eatiire Editor. Mary Ann Brown Sports Editor. .Anna Faye Jackson Photographer Ann Caldwell Columnists Kay Johnson. Cynthia Denny, Nancy Whedbee Reporters—Shirley Lee. Linda Jenkins, Jone Johnson, Peggy Ratly, Susan Lewis, Rebecca Scott, Anne Britt, Judy Scaggs, Frances Caudle, Henrietta Brown, Amy Bell, Carole Park, Kay Simpson, Marilyn Maner Biculty Sponsor Dr. Norma Rose Bi;SINESS STAFF Business Manager. Erlinda Hilton Advertising Manager Joyce Ann Foster Circulation Manager Linda Jenkins Mailing Editor Dianne Stokes Chief Typist Harriett Hill Advertising Staff—Rose Daniels, Betty Stanford, Carolyn JohosoB, Shirla Griffin, Betsy Moore, Liz Miliikin, Edie Bowen, Babs Howard, Carolyn Jones Typists Susan Sanderlin, Peggy Jernigan, Phyllis Williams, Elsa Cooler Faculty Sponsor Miss Lois Frazier Entered as second-class matter Octobcr 11, 1923. at post office at Ralelsh N. C., under Act of March 8, 1879. Published semi-monthly during the momhs of Octobcr. April, and May; monUiiy dunns tha momhs ot November, December. Januan February, nncf March. Tut TWIG is the college newspaper of Meredith College, Raleigh, North Caro- llna. and as such Is one of the three major publications of the Institution the other two being The Acorn, the literary magazine, and The Oole Leaves the college 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 collcgc 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 colleso holds membership in the Associa- tion of American Colleges and the North Carolina College Conference. Gradu ates of Meredith College are eligible for membership in the American Association of University Women. The InsUtution Is a liberal arts member of the National Assclation of Schools of Music. SubscripUoD natesi $2.95 per year The Twio is served by National Advertising Service, Inc,, 420 Madison Ave New Yorlt n. New York. Meekly bow In reverence, then. The silly hen, The horned cow, For a breath’s space. An ass and ox Makes, each, his box A kneeling place. Even the dark Forest peoples Hear the steeple’s “Hark! Hark!” And glory wheels Through den and lair. Beside the hare. Fox kneels. Till all on earth ' of fur and feather Praise together Christ’s birth. The when or why Can none recall. Yet kneel all. And kneel I, Phyllis McGinley A thought from T. S. Eliot good for any time of the year: “A liberalised or negative con dition of society must either pro ceed into a gradual decline of which we can see no end, or (whether as a result of catastrophe or not) re form itself into a positive shape which is likely to be effectively secu lar . the Anglo-Saxons display a capacity for diluting their religion, probably in excess of that of any other race.” What is this CHRISTMAS anyway? have a merri one. . . . WHY NO DOODLES The campus is without any “Denny’s Doodles” in this issue of the Twig because we have been without Denny for several days. Denny took it upon herself, asking no special permission, to retire to her bed with flu. Nobody can quar rel with our witty writer about her collapse before the virus, lor she could not be enjoying her enforced absence from class through the snow, campus confinement, and a closed Roy’s. However, the Twig staff hopes that Denny is putting her days in bed to good use and is creating many “Doodles” for subsequent is sues. For instance, she could dis cuss: “Why I refuse to have flu when others do,” “The snow I saw but never felt,” or “Chicken noodle soup and TV vs. snow cream and studying.” Many of the world’s greatest works of genius were cre ated by people who were not in the peak of health at the movement. Also, The Twig feels compelled by conscience to tell Denny that her possessions have been borrowed in her absence. One of her bootless buddies has used her red boots dur- jng the snow, and her record player is marooned on Faircloth Street, However, both boots and player are in “status quo ante bellum” condi tion. Surely, you, the readers of the Twig, will agree that all this chatter is- a poor substitute for “Denny’s Doodles” and will join us in our welcome - back - to - campi - party for Denny. The Music Box By MARGARET HURST With concert season over for a little while, I have room to tell you a little more news directly from our department. As you know, the members of the music faculty spent a great deal of time and effort on the booklets which were given out in chapel to help us form a well- rounded acquaintance with the great music of the ages. I know of no other such information available to students; and even if you can’t seem to find time to listen to the various records no^^ I hope you will use the booklet as a guide as you build your classical record li brary. If you already have a large selection of good records, won’t you give the booklet to someone you know who will put it to good use? The Lighter Touch: birthday sur prises for Dr. Cooper and Miss Haeseler . , . grumbles resulting from the prfe-Christmas or Sopho more slump — faculty members trying to get to the root of the.prob- lem . . . talk of quitting, which is only talk (we all have troubles at some time or another) . . . choosing the pieces we know best — and sometimes the only ones we know at all — to play for exams . . . looking ahead already to the Spring Concert ... the Ensemble making its Christmas rounds . . . students learning new recipes from Miss Swanson— something called Swed ish meatballs . . . Miss Swanson learning Swedish along with her other accomplishments . , . music students walking to Cameron Vil lage in the snow! I suppose we are a little bit crackpots! Don’t Forget! When you leave for the holidays, remember to: Lock rooms— Magic Moments By KAY JOHNSON For each ccstatic instant We must an anguish pay In keen and quivering ratio To the ecstasy. For each beloved hour Sharp pittances of years, Bitter contested farthings And coffers heaped with tears. Emily Dickinson Where is the heather? Is it only the lilac twisted in the hand of the Inane? Do you hear “The Voice” breaking the wonder of the forest stillness? There must be heather! Otherwise there is no Hope or Love or Joy. E. Dickinson is right In her poem. The joy is always balanced — and paid for — with pain. It is hard Jo realize that joy can only be folly appreciated trough comparison with pain. Why, though, must it be so hard to see the “ecstatic instant” when it comes? Why does Time ef face the joy and leave the bitter ness? Where is the answer? One should not bog down in the quag mire of disgust and hate. But we wait as Time trickles with the trend making no attempt to trim the thoughts which tear into threads our regard for all things outside our selves — and even our own self- respect. The woman named Tomorrow Sits with a hairpin in her teeth And takes her time And does her hair the way she wants it And fastens at last the last braid and coil And puts the hairpin where it be longs And turns and drawls: “Well, what of it? My grandmother. Yesterday, is gone. What of it? Let the dead be dead.” “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” — Carl Sandburg. The heather and the jonquils are dead! But there is Tomorrow no matter how cruel. And heather and jonquils bloom again — thou^ not in the same place or way but with remembered bittersweet ness. Lock closets— Close windows— Disconnect all electrical appli ances— Leave the radiators on—: Dispose of all Christmas decora tions— Cign SP slip and dorm card— Have a Merry Christmas! Campus Comedy I PUNNO, I JV5T CANT G£T »NTO THE CHRI3T/1AS 5P//?JT. MAYfif ITS tAi/SE I'M ftWKING HALf «Y COt/R5£5."
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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Dec. 19, 1958, edition 1
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