Page Two
THE TWIG
February 26, 1970
Mtrcditk Colle-gt
February 26, 1970
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A Little Housecleaning
We want you! We want you! Be an Astro! Be a Phi! Last week we saw
these and similar phrases taped, pasted, and hung all over our campus as
Meredith’s two societies vied for the attentions of Freshmen and Transfers.
Nothing was spared as the members of both groups came out of their year
long hibernation for their week-long celebration. Spies from the girls in
blue listened anxiously for any leaks of information from the Astro crowd,
while the girls in yellow pumped their newcomer friends for news of
“how the freshmen and transfers were going.” Girls from one suite eyed
their former friends suspiciously when they found out what society they
belonged to. (Horrors!) Reams of construction paper were cut into litde
blue bears and little yellow stars; yards of crepe paper adorned the cafe
teria and the court. Balloons hung from chandcliers, and messages were
left at doors from “secret pals.” Members worked late into the night fever
ishly planning “the supper club to end all supper clubs.”
We cannot help but feel that much of the effort put out last week can
only be so much wasted time. The fervor and enthusiasm displayed by
otherwise apathetic students for a week of unmeaningful capers shows
nothing but a student body with tragically displaced values,
Of course, we understand and agree with the view that societies help
to make friends and strengthen old friendships. The companionship
which one enjoys here with fellow students, both Astros and Phis, cannot
be overembellished. The comrades one has at college are often the con
fidantes of old age. However, it seems to us that the emphasis during
Rush Week is placed upon choosing sides, picking one group of girls over
another.
Finally, what happens to the societies after Rush Week? As far as wc
can see. they merely crawl back into oblivion. Of course, occasionally
throughout the year, we hear snatches of Phi project or Astro projcct, but
how many of the society members actually know what these projects are all
about? We would shudder to think of the countless freshmen and transfers
who have asked the upperclassmen who came to rush them, “But what
do you do?” What kind of a reply can be given? The Astrotekton and Phila-
retian societies have long since outlived their usefulness as so-called “literary
societies.” The themes which win the societies’ literary prizes each spring
on awards day are quite simply the results of an assignment given in
English class.
What then, is to become of the societies? Are they to continue
wasting hundreds of dollars each year on Rush Week, only to sit back on
their haunches for the rest of the time, planning next year's rush? Let us
hope not. It is our hope that society members will re-examine them
selves and their goals and value carefully and see the empty space under
the heading “Purpose.” Meredith’s societies could be a source of potential
good if they would only shift their emphasis. The Cerebral Palsy and
Blind School projects would be an excellent point of departure, Now that
freshmen and transfers have made their choices, let’s get to work on an en
deavor of importance, both to ourselves and our community. An enter
prise of this type could be of great consequence in helping us put our
values back in proper perspective. It is our hope every society member
at Meredith College will feel the need, this spring, for a little “Houseclean
ing.
JKM
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor. Brooks McGirt
Associate Edilor Janet Morris
Managing Editors - Susan Soloway, Debby McShane
News Editor Helen Wilkie
Feature Editor Abigail Warren
Copy Editor Nancy Ausbon
Assistant Copy Readers Linda Haddock, Molly Albright
Cartoonists Rita Caveny, DeLena Williams
Snoop Scoop Becky Brown, Lura McCain
Columnists Percy Beane, Donna Williams
Reporters Kathy Oliver, Emory Farris, Alice Forney
Edith Whiiley, Suzanne Pomeranz, Ann Goodson, Susan Van Wageningen,
Martha Stephenson, Nancy Barnhill, Carolyn Harrelson, Ann Bryan, Patsy
Brake, Nancy Watkins, Jane Holt, Geni Tull, Paula Gupton, Kitty Peak,
Debbie Pearce
Faculty Sponsor. Dr. Norma Rose
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager Cathy Winstead
Advertising Chief. - Ellen Webb
Mailing Editor. Ruth Talton
Circulation Chief. - Lynda Bell
Typing Chief. Joj^ce Little
Faculty Sponsor. Dr. Lois Frazier
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New York, New York. Subscriptloa Rate*: $3.45 per year.
The Perils of Percy
By Percy Beane
Many of you have some lingering
doubts about chasing men on the
theory that they should be chasing
you. But, I want you to answer these
questions before you dismiss the
idea completely:
(1), Are you tired of wondering
what you’re going to do tonight?
Next weekend?
(2). Do you begin wondering in
February if you will have a date for
New Years?
(3), Are you sick of eating with
the girls, or worse, your family?
If you answered yes to one of the
above, you’re ready to chase men,
However, if you have some doubts,
answer these questions:
(1). Do you have to buy your
own flowers if you wear them?
(2). Do you long for love, friend
ship, a permanent poker partner?
(3). Do you wish you had son\e-
one to hug at night besides your
pillow?
One yes answer to the above en
titles you to chase men; three yeses
indicate that it is a dire necessity!
In the next issues of The Twig
I plan to print a wealth of informa
tion on chasing men, including how
to meet them, how to hold their in
terest and how to finagle them out
of presents, pins and lavalieres. I
will also tell you what types to run
from, what types to go after and how
to “slow down the action without
bringing it to a dead stop!”
On getting into action, one must
perfect an approach. First, one must
make herself as attractive as pos
sible. There are some things which
absolutely turn off a man. Below I
will give some examples as told to
me unknowingly by a guy while
under my spell. Never use pins
(safety pins, that is) unless failure
to do so would result in indecent
exposure. Don’t wear a low cut
dress on a first date unless you al
ready know he is unaffected by it.
Don’t wear white lipstick unless you
are going to a masquerade party and
you are going as Morticia of the
Adams’ Family.
Next, arrange opportunities to be
wherever he is. Of course, this
doesn’t mean if he is a pool player
that you must make a habit of loiter
ing around all the pool rooms in
the area. Nor does it mean if he is
a heavy drinker for you to turn in
to a habitual bar hop. But you get
the picture.
Perhaps the following account of
what I did will give you some idea
of the basic strategy. When I was
sixteen, I was in love (I use the
term love loosely, here) with a car
nut, Since I couldn’t arrange to be
at the local garage on Saturdays
without looking a bit unusual or out
of place, I hit upon a plan. It was
so devious, I couldn’t believe that
I thought of it myself. Anyway, I
conned my older and wiser cousin
(he was J7) into teaching me how
to tinker with car engines. I learned
all about “327’s” and “jets” and
"headers” just so I could impress
the object of my affection with my
infinite knowledge of the automo
bile, 1 even suscribed to Popular
Mechanics!
The ultimate was reached when
I learned how to straight wire a car.
This bit of info was most valuable
in my plan of attack. I “planted”
our car in the parking lot of a local
hangout and when no one was look
ing, 1 undid the wiring. Then I pre
tended to start the car when my be
loved drove up. Naturally it
wouldn’t start, so Lancelot immedi
ately siezed the opportunity to im
press me. Little did he know I had
set the trap for him. I watched him
go through great pains to repair the
wiring (actually, all he had to do
was reverse the cables, even I knew
that, but he wanted to make it look
spectacular.) The rest, you can
guess for yourself. I bccame one of
the regulars at the garage on Satur
days,
Now that you have some idea of
an approach, you are ready to learn
how to hold the great man’s inter
est. But that part I save for next
time, along with how to get pres
ents out of a man and the types to
run from.
By the way, if any bachelors arc
reading this, it will be helpful to you
to know just how the boom will be
lowered. You can’t escape it, but at
least it won’t be a total shock to
your system when you realize YOU
HAVE BEEN H00KED!!I!!I!!!1
TWIG LETTER POLICY
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Looking Back ...
At Founders' Day
February 1,1924
“We are all looking forward to
February 7 of this year as that great
day of the celebration of the found
ers of our College. We are inter
ested in Founder’s Day not only as
a holiday, but also because it re
minds us of Meredith’s glorious his
tory. Perhaps It will not be amiss
to outline the chief events in Mere- '
dith’s history.”
February 3,1928
“The first Thursday in February '
is always a much more important
day at Meredith than the second or
third, or any other Thursday. That
is the day observed as Founder’s
Day, and for that reason it is one
of the few holidays during the
spring-term. Regardless of the facts '
that it is considered as a half-holi
day, only, and that for that day
there is a set program which has '
been followed for years, each
Founder’s Day seems more enjoy
able than the last and no one, wheth
er Senior or Freshman, would dare
call it an uninteresting day.”
February 1,1929
“This celebration is one of the
most Important events of the college •
year. There are four principal rea
sons for its important position on
the college calendar. In the first
place. It Is half a holiday, though, '
really, there are no classes at all.
Next there is always a splendid ad
dress by a noted speaker.”
February 5,1932
“Doing honor to the multitude of
men and women whose love and •
service In the past have made pos
sible the Meredith of today and es
tablishing connection with thousands
of alumnae and friends of the insti-
tition, widely scattered over the «
earth, at home and in foreign
countries, Meredith will celebrate its .
annual Founder’s Day on Friday
February 5.”
February 6,1942
“Each year with the celebration
of Founders Day, Meredith looks in
retrospect upon its activities and
achievements of the past, and for
ward, too, toward the greeted reali
zation of its aspirations and goals. ’
Meredith, past and present, might
well be the theme.”
— Movie Review —
"Viva Max":
Great Comedy
By Donna Williams
Attracted by an impressive cast
list which included Peter Ustinov
and Jonathan Winters, we went to .
.see “Viva Max.”
Max is a general, with a long
unpronounceable Mexican name,
who commands what might be term-'
ed the Mexican equivalent of F
Troop. They can’t possibly hurt .
anyone, however, because they’ve
forgotten their ammunition.
This rag-tag bunch of soldiers Is
helping Max to fulfill his lifelong,
ambition to recapture the Alamo.
“Viva Max” definitely has some
great touches of comedy. A prime '
example is the woman prisoner who
is convinced that the Chinese Com
munists have started their offensive
to take over the world.
The cast is excellent. However, a
great defect is the over-simplicity of
the film’s plot.
The opinions expressed In the
editorials and columns of THE
TWIG do not necessarily represent
those of the administration, student
body or the entire newspaper staff.
NOTICE
The next issue of THE TWIG
will be published on March 12.
Contributions for (he March 12
issue should be turned Into THE
TWIG room on First Brewer or
Into 201 New Dorm by March 7.