Page Two THE TWIG December 19, 1963 In Memoriam “Brief were my days among you, . . . “And though death may hide me, and the greater silence enfold me, yet again will 1 seek your understanding,. .. “If aught I have said is truth, that truth shall reveal itself in a clearer voice, and in words more kin to your thoughts. ... “For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one. . . . '‘For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. . . . “By the same power that slays you, 1 too am slain; and 1 too shall be consumed. ... “And I say (hat life is indeed darkness save when there is urge, And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge. And all knowledge is vain save when there is work, And all work is empty save when there is love: And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God. . . . “You shall not dwell in tombs made by the dead for the living... . “And thus your freedom when it loses its fetters becomes itself the fetter of a greater freedom. . . . “But if in your thought you must measure time into seasons, let each season cncircle all the other seasons, And let today embrace the past with remembrance and the future with longing. . . . •‘His might binds you to the earth, his fragrance lifts you into space, and in his durability you are deathless.” THE PROPHET—Kahlil Gibran Each of these lines of poetry reminds us of one loved by many, mourned by most, respected by all. Because of his death, this Christ mas season may be a bit more solemn than those light, gay ones of past years. Yet it is good perhaps that we can think more deeply this year about what Christmas really means—not tinsel and holly, not getting and giving, not rushing and pushing. Christmas is a promise of life, of freedom, of love for all mankind. In his policies, our late President believed that the things embodied in Christmas were the things for which we as a nation should strive, not just for two weeks out of the year, but for fifty-two. Let us not forget, in this season of joy, that there is one family whose Christmas may not be as happy as it might have been. John Fitzgerald Kennedy has been mourned, he has been praised—^let him also be remembered. May that for which he stood become reality and not just empty phrases. j MEMBER Associated Collegiate Press EDITORIAL STAFF Ann Nooe Assocmic Editor Millie Pearce Fejiturc Editor jane Worrell Managing Editor Carol Andrews Copy Editors—Nicky Childrcy, Penny Pittard, Nancy Ford, Nancy Arm- slrong, Karen Raines, Carolyn Norwood, Betty Godwin News Editor Diane Daugherty Columnist Sue Ellen Moody Photographers Claire Bolton, Jessica Branch Reporters—Wadad Fayed, Bonnie Fisher, Linda Thomas, Madelyn Langdon, Sue Kelly, Nancy Ellis Williams, Nell Cox, Anne Pepper Poole, Clarene Roberson, Donna Haverstock, Dolly Smith, Betty Garvey, Nileen Hunt, Fran Johnson, Janie Ernst, Polly Finan, Frances Garrett, Beverly Cbewning, Dclinda Barrier, Gail Stevenson, Pris Macombcr Cartoonist .Linda Evans Faculty Sponsor Dr. Norma Rose BUS1NF.SS STAFF Business Manager Diane Bowers Advertising Manager Sue Anne James Circulation Manager Judy Pierce Mailing Editor Sherron Boyd Chief Typist Elroy Marks Typists—Riia Goodwin, Jan Miller, Cathy Ussery, Betty Bass, Sandra Morgan, Judy Strickland Advertising Staff — Brenda Smith, Brenda Williams, Nancy Rawlinson, Nancy S. Buffalo, Laurie Cress, Linda Simmons Faculty Sponsor Dr. Lois Frazier Emered as sn-oml-cliiss matter Ocloher 11, 192J. at post ofTicc ai Raieiah, N. C.. under Act of March 8, 1879. Published semi-monthly during the months of October, November, February. March. April anti May; monthly diiring September, December, and January. Tub Twin Is the collcee newspaper of Meredith College. Ralcluh. North Carolina, and as such is one of the three major publlculions of the institution—(he other two being The Ar.oru, the literary matazinc, and The Oak Ltavvs, the college annual. Meredith College Is an accredited senior liberal arts college I'or women located In the c.tpital city ot North Carolina. Ii confers the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Music tlsBrees. The college oilers majors in twenty-one fields includine music, art, business and home economics. ■Sincc 1921 the institution has been a member of the Southern Association of Colleges artd Sccondiiry Schools. The collegc holds membership in the Association of AmerJcBn Colleges and the North Carolina College Confcrcnce. Graduates of Meredith College are ^gible for memheriihip in the American Associiiiion of University Women. The institution Is a liberal arts member of the National Association of Schools of Music. Thr Twio Is served by National Advertising Service, Inc,, 420 Madison Ave., New York 17, New York. Stibscriplion Rates: $2.9S per year ^ Letters to Editor Dear Editor; The chapel service on Monday, November 25, was evidently much approved by the administration. Yes, we should “carry on.” True, the hour of memorium and eulogy was over and we must pick up our bur- den.>. Literally, classes would be held on Monday afternoon during the funeral services of the late Presi dent. And so the student body went to class. Between classes I dashed to Johnson Hall on an errand. Many of our administrators were “carrying on their work”—before a television set. Though school children in Ra leigh were allowed to view the serv ices on televisions brought into classrooms, the Meredith student body sat in class. And the adminis tration “carried on.” Barbara Radford Class of 1964 Dear Editor: I would like to comment on the superfluous article which appeared in the Twig and was reprinted in ,the November 6, 1963, edition of ;the Technician. The reprint read as I follows: “the ambiguous reception |of Madame Nhu at State College •made us appreciate the fact that Meredith College would possibly have treated the visit of a foreign dignitary in a different manner. . . . We would like to think that Madan^e Nhu would have received a more courteous reception if she had ac cepted an invitation to speak at Meredith.” Perhaps the writer of these words has not been enlightened. An am biguous reception was hardly the case. This writer did observe a very orderly and respectful reception of Madame Nhu, There was absolutely no throwing of objects at our guest as was the case at Harvard, Let me point out that many of the programs presented as State are cordially open to Meredith students. For obvious reasons Meredith Col lege simply cannot substantiate the wide variety of cultural program as those at State. I see no reason why the author feels that Meredith Col lege has to assert superiority in the art of receiving guests, and would think that she would be grateful to have Meredith’s limited programs supplemented by the wide variety of programs at State. Since many of the programs at State are open to Meredith students, the success and good reception de pends in part on the participation of those same students. However, one wpnders if Meredith students are really interested in current events and world social and political issues or just popular world figures. The author may be amazed to know that Mr. Tran Van Tung, the secretary general of the Vietnam Democratic Party, spoke at the very same col lege union as did Madame Nhu. Where were the Meredith students at that time? Perhaps Mr. Tung is not a glamorous figure, but he is a very probable candidate for president of South Vietnam. One gets the im pression that the average Meredith student has a superficially enthusi astic appreciation of international af fairs without understanding what is really happening. After the lack ot attendance by Meredith students, Mr. Tung could hardly have been advised to visit Meredith College. Sincerely, Myron R. Williams UNC-R Dear Editor: The President of the United States has died. His funeral was held for all his family. This includes his im mediate family, all Americans, and the world. Had we been attending the funeral of a loved one here in Raleigh, no one would have dared to request that we leave in the middle of the services. This would be unthinkable —-to come to one in his hour of grief and concern and jerk him away, to deprive him of his last look at his loved one before his bones are in terred. Yet, the students of Meredith Col legc were so treated. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was “our” President. We loved him; it is as simple and con cise as that. We, as it is only natural, wished to be present when his funeral took place. But this privilege was denied us. Our President left us, but we were not there .Why? We were not deprived of .something that hap pens every day, of some enjoyment, of a mere television program. We were deprived of the opportunity to pay our last respects to the President of the United States as his body was lowered into its resting place. Perhaps we should just let bygones be bygones. But some feelings have to be expressed, especially when they concern what we feel is injus tice. Surely it was not right to jerk us from the middle of a funeral to attend class. An incident such as this is dis tasteful and disheartening. It cannot be righted—only regretted. Kent Thompson Class of 1966 Moody's Moods By SUE ELLEN MOODY For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2, 4, 5, 7. The Hebrew people recognized the necessity for change in behavior. Life does go on, but let us not be so caught up in the web of living that we forget that death is a part of life. It is the one sure destiny of man from the moment he draws his first breath. Mourning is our means of expressing honor for the departed and sympathy for the be reaved. When the deceased is more than an individual, mourning is also necessary for a readjustment and a re-evaluation of one’s life — past, present, and future. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was more than an individ ual. He was a symbol of the western forws, the energy of youth, the drive of democracy, and the steadfastness of jusuce. When he was felled by his assassin, another man took his place. This man, in so doing, lost his in dividuality and became the symbol. But the exterior was new; the people needed to readjust, to move their eyes to another face, tune their ears to another voice, and add their sup port to other arms. This could not be done swiftly, for change was not cxpected. It would have to come slowly, for the people had lost their balance. They had to move slowly to regain their balance; they had to move slowly, for their heads were yet turned in giving a last, sorrowful farewell. Why must we do less on our campus? Why is it that our shock was misinterpreted. Why was it impossible to believe that we students were lost and wan dering, unsure of the hard reality we faced for the first time? In such a crisis, do we not have time to mourn with the rest of the world*’ We must make time in the future, lest we forget, lest we forget Cljrtstmas: I am the Christmas spirit! I enter the home of poverty caus ing palefaced children to open their eyes wide, in pleased wonder. 1 cause the miser’s clutched hand to relax, and thus paint a bright soot on his soul, 1 cause the aged to renew their youth and to laugh in the old, glad way. ® I keep romance alive in the heart of childhood, and brighten sleep with dreams woven of magic. J cause eager feet to climb dark stairways with filled baskets, leaving behind hearts amazed at the good ness of the world. I cause the prodigal to pause a moment on his wild, wasteful way, and send to anxious love some little token that releases glad tears—tears which wash away the hard lines of sorrow. I enter dark prison cells, remind- mg scarred manhood of what might have been, and pointing forward to good yet to be. I come softly into the still, white home of pain, and lips that are too weak to speak just tremble in silent, eloquent gratitude. In a thousand ways I cause the weary world to look up into the face of God, and for a little moment for get the things that are small and wretched. I am the Christma.s spiriti E. C. Baird '

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