Page Two
THE TWIG
March 25, 1965
Students Disturbed by
Recent Chapel Conduct
As far as conduct is concerned, Meredith girls are-praised for their
over-all presentation in public as well as on campus. Chapel conduct
reached its peak of rudeness last year and has been so much improved
that it has ceased to be a problem. Yet many were disturbed and embar
rassed because of the conduct during the service ia which Mrs. Bonhoffer
spoke. As soon as the first bell rang, a general restlessness became preva
lent. Students began turning to look at the clock and a few even left the
auditorium. It is understood that some of those leaving had to catch buses,
but it is known that all who left did not. Yet those leaving were not
completely to blame. When the second and third bells rang, students were
seen turning to ask companions to leave with them. Two were seen by
this writer to have turned and asked students sitting on the next row to
leave with them. The speaker no longer had the attention of her audience.
Many of those not participating in this conduct were so disturbed by it
that they could not give their full attention to her. I am sure that Mrs.
Bonhoffer has been faced with greater perils than inattentiveness, but
I wonder if she would accept an invitation to speak in Meredith chapel
again.
BJC
No Correspondence Courses
There have been many complaints from the student body concerning
the recent administrative action on class cuts; however, on the whole, the
student body must admit that the advantages of the new system far out
weigh the disadvantages.
The one disadvantage is the ruling on cutting before or after holidays.
The problem posed here involves those students living great distances,
who need to catch early planes, buses, or rides, However, the committee Dear Editor:
has allowed the student body the right of appeal in unusual circumstances.
The threat of being dropped from a course is a stiff penalty; nevertheless,
the probability of excessive cutting is much greater during holiday^ than
any other time.
Letters to the Editor
To look at the brighter side, the advantages of the new proposal are
numerous. Juniors as well as seniors are given optional, attendance
privileges. A student is no longer penalized with one-third cuts because
she is ill. Furthermore, instead of three unexcused absences, the fresh
men and sophomores are allowed three with the fourth being a warning.
After all, students, we are not here to take correspondence courses,
rather to participate in class and group discussions. One agrees that a girl
should not be dropped from a course if she is passing, but remember that
class participation is a major consideration in one’s performance in a
course. The student body may thank the faculty and administration for
their liberal consideration concerning the new system.
CVA
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After reading your March 12,
1965 “Letters to the Editor” column
and then turning to the back page
and reading “Nominating Commit
tee Devises Elections Procedure,” it
seems to me that the writer of the
news article has done more to prove
the facts stated and situations al
luded to in letters by Martha Stone
and Ann Mintz than anything they
could say. May 1 reiterate? “The
fact is that the nominating commit
tee protects the student body.” May
I ask 'why 900 maturing, so called
responsible members of the Mere
dith College Community need pro
tection? I suggest 'that it would be
good for us to not only “rock the
boat,” but it might not be bad if
we fell out and went under a few
times. Although, at the present, we
may not be rocking the boat, but
we are rotting on the riverbank!
I was present and participated in
the same meeting as your reporter
and having not ever been a member
of the nominating committee, I did
find that I was wrong about some
some few things. However, I did
not, I repeat — did not return from
that meeting loving and adoring the
existence of such an organization
on our campus even if 1 did have
“in intelligent understanding of the
Committee's functions.” 1 did leave
the meeting feeling that all previous
ideas and suggestions of revamping
election procedures at Meredith had
been watered down due to the fact
that members of the committee
were, as reported, already squelched
by the mere existence of faculty,
administration, etc. Thus, the phrase
‘‘coH'servative plan for campaigns”
is exactly correct in that i honestly
feel that wc as individuals arc so
afraid of something or someone who
seems to be holding an invisible stick
over our heads that we are afraid to
look up and see if it really is there.
This letter is not intended as
detrimental material to be used
against individuals who head up
or are a part of the nominating
committee. It is intended to show
the repulsion of this writer at the
existence of another protective
agent in our midst. If we can spend
time gossiping about the girl down
the hall over a bridge game, why
can’t we use this time to create fric
tion of another sort — creative fric
tion, friction which shows that we
have a candidate who should win
not by virtue of her fraternity pin
or previous achievements, but by
virtue of the fact that someone —
enough someones felt a need to
nominate a qualified person and
support her and her platform to the
point that she is elected!
Mary Ann Ainsley
Class of 1965
Dear Editor:
Why do people want to go to col
lege unless they want to extricate
themselves from busy concerns of
the world enough to learn some
thing which can enable them to
make the world a better place? The
importance of an education has
been emphasized until it runs out
our insensible ears. How can
sheltering, protectiong encouraging,
teaching help the collcge student?
She wants to live, not in a fish bowl,
but in the sea of life.
'It seems that anyone who enters
college would have already thought
out the matter. The aid of a collcge
education in life is very important.
Have you not heard it over and
over aaain?
Buffaloe Junction
By NANCY SUE BUFFALOE
It seems that it is about time for
Meredith to stage another “Hide
those thighs” protest or something
similar, The seniors will remember
the mass demonstration of the 1961
Meredith student body resulting
from complaints from certain pro
fessors that knees were showing in
the classroom. Upon hearing these
complaints the Meredith girls im
mediately lowered their hems and
donned long-sleeved dresses in their
attempt to “hide those thighs.”
Chapel was never more interesting
than that day when the student
body (appearing as if it had just
stepped out of a Dickens’ novel or
else was going to a tacky party)
rallied on the steps of Jones Audi
torium to chorus in unison to all
the professors who cared to pass by
—“Hide those thighs!”
The problem facing the “Mere
dith young ladies” now, however, is
not one concerning thi^s but one
concerning our sophistication or
“young-Iadiness.” It was called to
my attention that several Bee Hive
workers were rebuked for working
in bermudas on the weekend be
cause it was unladylike for boys to
see Meredith girls clad in such a
manner. Now, I say if a boy has
never seen a girl in bermudas after
a hard week at school, it is time for
him to broaden his liberal education.
Upholding the tradition of “Mere
dith young ladies” reaches the point
of ridiculousness when such a fuss
is made over such a trivial matter.
It is time for our superiors in John
son Hall to stop doting on petty triv
ialities such as our mass “Meredith
young lady” face In the Bee Hive
and begin to be concerned about
more important things such as our
right to be individuals. Wearing a
dress to serve in the Bee Hive will
not change a girl’s attitude or
character, and it might not help her
looks either. One, contrary to the
opinion of some, can still be a
“young lady” in bermudas; those
who feel (think) diiferently are sim
ply making a superficial face judg
ment which is contrary to all the
teachings of our institution. One of
the really desirable qualities of peo
ple such as Bob Dylan and “those
juvenile Beatniks who hang out at
the ‘Sidetrack’ ” is their willin"''''--''
to accept people as they are without
judging a person by the clothes he
wears. It is a shame that a so-called
Christian institution cannot come up
to this level of human acceptance.
Dear Editor,
The last two letters to the Editor
on “Don’t rock the boat” themes,
were interesting to me in their rele
vance to the prevailing attitude on
campus. I believe we are so en
trenched
in tradition and a drive
- for security in our fast moving world
is college and are all educational i that we cannot learn to live in the
systems not very much a part of the
world? Does the state government
not consider schools in its spending?
■Does Uncle Sam not allow boys to
gain an education if they desire it?
Is education not the vital factor in
our governmental system?
You came to Meredith. Were you
disillusioned as to its principles and
policies? Are they not what you
want for your daughter? Do you
resent the Alma Mater?
She would never encourage build
ing a chapel, attending a confer
ence at a co-ed school, holding a
horse show, aiding an anti-poverty
project, or marching in a racial
demonstration. There is nothing
about the world in Mother Mere
dith. She is a world.
Some people never see a chal
lenge anywhere, Some see chal
lenges everywhere. Where are you?
Too busy getting an “education"?
Too busy fighting with a suitemate?
Too busy goofing off? iVhat restncix
you? There appear to be many op-
nieantime.
We hear stories of the world out
side — wc do not experience it
here for these years arc the years
supposed to be of high idealism.
We have no ideals left, though, if
our future’s goals arc security and
happy remembrances of the past.
i realize we are not as concerned
about tradition at this moment, but
wc will become alumnae and look
longingly backward to the good
times at Meredith. Will we look
back and see the past as a time
we fought to be individuals — be
coming aware of what life can be if
we search for wisdom to live life?
Are we doomed, here in this In
stitution, to continue to follow the
herd, conform to the image of a
Meredith girl? Will we not stick our
selves out on a limb knowing that
if it breaks we live? Or is life to
be a fabulous society-centered life
— dull and monotonous? Can we
not break from tradition to bccome
ourselves as we are — not fabri-
portunitie.s around that require un- cated Meredith girls?
derstanding, cooperation, and free
dom. What are you doing? Sleeping?
That does not seem to help rock
the boat at all.
Macki Rudisill
Is it too much to ask for us to
bccome involved? Communism is
relevant to our present situation. Do
wc want to search for the good in
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