Page Two
THE TWIG
October 12, 1.967
lyfc-reditk College
October 12, 1967
Individual Effort
One of the purposes of Meredith College is “to prepare students for in
telligent citizenship.” When students leave the college, ^ey should
ready to assume responsibiiity for local, state, and national welfare. To
acquire this readiness, wc must first practice intelligent citizenship in our
community here.
Realizing that we may enter into this situation unprepared, the Legislative
Board has proposed that we adopt an election system similar to that in
federal procedures. In such a system, a potential candidate would file to
run in an election rather than t^ing dependent on the present nominating
committee. In this way, the students would take the initiative and practice
techniques which they will use in later life.
Meredith prides itself on its community aitmosphere. Is not, however, a
community only as strong as each of its individuals? The proposed filing
system would center on the individual and her willingness to assume re
sponsibility. The candidate would have to evaluate her own qualifications,
thereby strengthening her own maturity and indirectly benefiting the col
lege community.
If we agree with Walter Hines Page that "there is one thing better than
good government, and that is government in which all '(he people have
a part,” we will certainly endorse this proposal.
LJL
Are We Apathetic?
A college education, unfortunately, may be gained at the expense of
interest and involvement in public affairs. Here at Meredith, in the day-to-
day procession of classes, chapel, quizzes, papers, reports, parallel reading,
meetings, dates, and deadlines, we tend to create our own unique and
compact existence while, as the old song says, “the rest of the world goes
by.” It bccomcs habit to quickly scan the front page of a newspaper and
move on in deference to those articles which seem to have more direct
bearing on our daily lives; sports, “Dear Abby,” the society page, and
occasionally a required editorial. Radios and televisions come to be
ignored during newscasts, and BRIDE’S takes top priority among magazine
readers. What we lose, by our own neglect, is not primarily interest but
contact.
In his comments on this page Mr. Stephen Young shows conccrn for
our public consciousness. He sees the effects that life in a small, relatively
sheltered college community can have, and urges us to broaden our
conccrns beyond this campus, tomorrow, or next week. More importantly,
he raises a challenging question: Are we apathetic?
The failure of many students to sign the “Negotiation Now” petition on
Vietnam, it seems by the opinion sample taken, is not 'absolute proof of
apathy, but rather an expression of disagreement. Furthermore, the re
organization of the Young Democrats and Young Republicans Clubs is a
definite indication of a desire to be involved in public affairs. We do not
believe that^ as a whole, Meredith College students can be described
as apathetic. However, neither are we as well-informed and active as we
need to be in >the fast-changing modem world for which we will one day
be responsible. Part of education must be concerned with citizenship. If
we do not actively seek to maintain the new interest shown on this campus
and become caught up 'again in the routine that college life can become,
then we will be apathetic.
EAS
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Associate Editor. Anne Stone
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Cartoonist Karen Baals
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Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
A statement of chapel policy re
cently distributed on campus sets
forth the rationale for the require
ment of chapel attendance and de
fines the new honor-system approach
to the matter of attendance. The new
rules seem to reflect a genuine in
terest on the part of the administra
tion to respond positively to sugges
tions that students have made in the
P'a^t concerning the conduct of chap
el exercises. No doubt the student
body is aware of this fact and duly
appreciates this attitude of the ad*
ministration.
Tlhe new statement of policy, how
ever, brings into focus a serious issue
concerning the responsibilities of the
college toward not only the students
but the entire Baptist community.
The issue h'as to do with whether it
is desirable for a Christian com
munity to compel any of its mem
bers to attend worship services. It
might be argued, for example, that
a requirement of atten^nce at re
ligious exercises does more to fvo>
mote irreligion than religion. On the
other hand, it may be said in de>
fense of the present policy that to
require class attendance but to m'ake
chapel attendance optional is to dt-
Young Challenges Students
To Form Opinions, To Act
l^ote: The following article was
written by Stephen E. Young, in
structor of music, at the request of
the editor.
Last week’s petition for “Negotia
tion Now” concerning the Vietnam
war received nearly one hundred
signatures from the Meredith student
body, for which we should all be
grateful. The statement was a fairly
conservative one; therefore, does that
mean that we have 750 hawks on
campus, albeit disguised as Meredith
angels?
No, 1 doubt that very much.
Rather, wc are confronted with a
terrible kind of apathy, a feeling that
whatever we do will not make any
difference, or that we do not know
enough about politics and foreign
affairs to say anything. But as the
terrible killing and bombing esca
lates, the futility of it all becomcs
more and more obvious because the
hope of settlement grows dim. How
many of us still believe the generals
who blandly tell us each month of
all the progress made? Each time
the war escalates, we MUST assess
anew our concept of “is it worth it.”
Now it has been in large measure
the youth of our nation, on campuses
across the country, who have tried
to do something, to stand up for
what they believe is right, and have
voiced their concern again 'and again.
Where then is Meredith College?
As a specifically Christian com-
ntunity, we have even a greater obli
gation ito action than other colleges.
We need to remember the Jesus, not
of flowers and smiling children, but
the Jesus who angrily overturned
the money-changers in the temple.
Albert Camus once wrote that what
’the world needed most was for Chris
tians to stand up and speak in terms
that the simplest man could under
stand for what was right.
Unfortunately, we cannot KNOW
what is right or wrong, and we have
to make up our mind knowing that
we must take something as the truth
finally on FAITH, just as we take
the jwinciples of Christianty on faith.
To hesitate through ignorance of
politics or any other reason is wrong
and a sin against what we profess to
believe it. More than ever in our
world of billion dollar decisions, our
hope musit turn to individuals who
are not afraid to take an action in
love, for in declaring their concern,
they will in some measure iind them
selves.
AGREE OR DISAGREE
“Students who shrug off aca>
demic subjects that ‘don’t help >ou
make a livii^’ ought to realize
that even the subjects that h«lp
you make a living will be obsolete
a half'dozen years from now.”
Sydney J. Harris, “Strict Per
sonal.*
minish the religious role of the col
lege to the detriment of our Chris
tian commitment.
In a spirit of Christian concern,
the writer wishes to invite response
in this column to the issue as he
sees it:
RESOLVED, That it is not in the
interest of a Christian community
to compel any of its members to
worship.
T. C. Parramore
THOUGHTS
ON
TRADITIONS
By JUDY KORNEGAY
There seems to be something about
M^edith that causes people to think
of it as distinctively different from
other institutions. Raleigh residents
have been overheard to say, “She’s
a Meredith girl; I can just tell.” A
statement like this makes a person
wonder just what it is about a Mere
dith girl that makes her so distinc
tive.
Quite a few ideas have been ex
pounded on the subject of what 'a
Meredith girl is, but the time-worn,
exaggerated image of the recluse,
staidly devoted to all study and no
extracurricular activity, has been
slowly dispelled over the years and
has blossomed into a very flattering
description of the Meredith girl.
The name, Angel Farm, has
stayed with us and has become
another tradition for us to live up to,
There are traits of oharactor which
a few people have seen at Meredith
which we may all hope will continue
to be associated with our college.
Often out-of-state students are
awed by the friendliness shown on
campus, Unlike larger campuses,
knowing someone by name is no
prerequisite for exchanging hellos,
and nearly anyone is. glad to give
directions or usher a newcomer to
his destination. This atmosphere is
appreciated by a visitor or new
comer, Dr, Harold Cassidy, who
spoke in a Directions ’67 program
in February, 1967, wrote in a letter
of thanks: The girls “thought up all
sorts of generous little touches—an
orange to take back to the Alumnae
House; a newspaper for after break
fast; an alarm clock. ... I fell in
Anomaly
By GINGER HUGHEY
“HARK!” the Meredith angels
shout, “forty-two days till we get
out!” TTie holidays mean home, and
home means another chapter in the
never ending romance which college
students have with the bus lines. It
takes just one sixteen-hour bus trip
throu^ the mountains at night to
qualify you as aprofessional traveler.
You are allowed one faint for ^e
first time.
“The easiest travel on earth,”
however, can be met and mastered
if you mentally and emoti»talIy pre
pare yourself at least one week be
fore the journey, and it you know a
few of toe basics: (1) Don’t pinic
when you’ve checked your luggage
for Black Mountain, North Carolina,
and you watch it leave on the bus
to New York City; youUI get it back
just in time to return to Meredith.
(2) When it takes two hours to get
from Raleigh to Chapel Hill, you
will know definitely the difference
between an express bus and a
through bus. (3) Bus drivers are
cynical, so do not be faked out when
one suggests rhat you talk to him all
night so he won’t fall asleep. They
naturally drive on the wrong side,
secure in the knowledge that no one
else drives through Soco Gap at
2 o’clock in the morning. (4) Con
versation is not always on the same
intellectual level among passengers,
so perhaps it is best to talk to the
driver; then you won’t hear things
like “Do you know if Duke is ac
credited?” or “We’re at the bottom
of N'antahala Gorge, aren’t we?
Well, do you think we can get out
before it snows too muoh?” At this
point it is very important to keep
your cool and not think about the
return trip in four days.
love with your school and girls I
met.”
Students cannot claim sole credit
for projecting the Meredith image,
for the faculty makes special efforts
to know the students as individuals
and to promote the atmosphere of
cooperation and friendliness by
working with students in clubs. Com
Huskin’, and Play Day. The admin
istration is open to student sugges
tions and opinions on future develop
ment and college policies. Without
this harmony, the group of people
who constitute Meredith College
could not promote the distinctive
image which causes guests such as
Mr. John Scott, who attended Buck-
minister Fuller’s programs, to write
this tribute to our school;
You girls really impressed
me with your poise, maturity,
and grace. I’m not just tossing
bouquets. At dinner I sat there
thinking about what a wonder
ful school you must have, and
how some children wiU be
blessed with thinking mothers
someday. I salute you and the
faculty. I’m really flattered to
have been your guest.
Words like these, while warming
our hearts, make us humbly realize
how much.we have 'to live up to.
If this huraiUty can be ^anneled
constructively, we might ^ worthy
of the qualities associated with
Meredith College.