Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / March 12, 1970, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of Meredith College Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Page Two THE TWIG March 12, 1970 . Letters to the Editor Mereditk College. March 12, 1970 Epitaph for a Lady Although it is not the usual policy of The Twig to publish obituaries, the recent passing of one important to the Meredith community has led us to make an exception in her very special case. Of course, many students may not even be aware of her demise, or that she really ever existed for that matter; yet, there was a time when she ruled the campus. That time is past. The Meredith “Lady” is dead. We grant that this revelation has scarcely the far-reaching implications of the “God is dead” statements of recent years. Many may feel that even the “Paul is dead” rumors this fall were more “relevant” than the news of this particular death. In fact, in years past there have been rather violent (for Meredith) actions and words exchanged to assassinate the erstwhile “Lady.” “Who wants to be a lady?” sneered the assassins. “We want to live—not be prudes on a silver pedestal.” But we doubt that these would-be saviors of Meredith ever really under stood what the word they were fighting meant. Somehow they had come to associate it with long skirts and chastity (a dirty word) and passivity and good manners. But they managed to overlook the most far-reaching and important aspect of “being a lady” — that is, possessing the quality of con cern for others, of never doing anything consciously which might hurt others or make others feel uncomfortable. This ideal of “ladyhood” does not seem out of line with even the most radical elements of hippie-types who constantly preach “love,” “kindness,” “humanity.” But those who have been concerned mainly with making sure Meredith students are not recognized as saints or ladies have done their worst. And the Meredith lady is dead. The proof is all around. In chapel, for example, students are so concerned with their own little wants and whims they have found it increasingly diffi cult to maintain even a modicum of “ladylike” (and we use the term in its better sense) behavior before visiting and campus speakers. At Founders’ Day, at least nine-tenths of the student body forgot what it meant to be young ladies in their haste to go somewhere, or do something else, Obviously they had no concern for the others who did attend and were forced to sit, evincing at the thought of how the speaker must feel, addressing his remarks to approximately the 300 people scattered through the auditorium. There are other evidences of her passing—in the cafeteria, where stu dents, disregarding pleas, begs and screams for help, continue to leave their trays on the tables. They show real concern and by no stretch of the imagi nation can they be called “ladies," no matter which way the term is pulled, The Meredith Lady is dead. There are those who will rcjoice at her passing, realizing that her death frees them from whatever thin strands of responsibility or concern they have been burdened with. And do not misunderstand us: if the only thing which were dead were the concept of “ladies” as women living off in ivory towers, afraid to dirty their hands in anything earthly, we too would rejoice. But as it is, we will mourn the lady as a symbol of what ait humanity, not just Meredith girls, should be looking up to—someone who tries not to hurt others, in a world where hurt comes much too easily as it is. And we pray for a resurrection. RBM EDITORIAL STAFF Editor Brooks McGirt Associate Editor 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 Whitley, 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 Gloria Little Circulation Chief. Lynda Bell Typing Chief Joyce Little Faculty Sponsor. Dr, Lois Frazier MEMBER Associated Collegiate Press. Entered as second-class matter at post office at Raleiili, N. C. 27602. Published 8emi>monthIy during the months of October, November, February, March. April and May; monthly during September, December, and January. Tm Twio is served by National Educational Advertising Service, tB East SOth Street. New York. New York. Subscription Rates: $3.45 per year. Founders Day Comment Dear Editor; Thank you for this opportunity to address the student body. Flash! I know it will be a surprise to many of you, but last Friday, February 27, was Founders’ Day. That event was not merely a time when some old, decrepit Mere dith alumnae returned to see what changes a year had brought. As a matter of fact, I didn’t see any of that variety. Neither did 1 see much of the student body. So what? you are probably saying. Well, this is “so what. All that happened dur ing the Founders’ Day ceremony was that the president of one of the largest brokerage firms in the world spoke on one of the most popular topics of all of us at one time or another during our four years of college — why get a diploma? This noted man, by his advocation of our school, can help more than we’ll ever know to keep down the cost of attending Meredith, girls — or has that ceased to bother anyone? Not only did we let Mr. Regan down; we also let Mr. Harris down. Probably few of you realize that Mr. Harris is chairman of the group who thought us responsible and mature enough to handle a social drink and to go to men’s apartments this year, responsible enough to have a mem ber of our group on the Board of Trustees next year, responsible enough to merit their time and money. What do they think of us now'? We also let Dr. Heilman down. How can he boast about a three-quarters empty auditorium, when it should have been overflow ing? The faculty went to trouble and expense to dress in their beautiful regalia for all of us; what did they think? Of course, the seniors would have felt honored (at least some of them would) if the undcrclassmen had cared enough to see them in their caps and gowns for the first time; but nobody but a senior would know about that, and who cares about stuffy old seniors anyway? Speaking of the seniors, where were the other half or three-fourths of them on Founders’ Day? Why was the attendance at Founders’ Day exercises so lax? Can it really be excused because students were not aware that it was hap pening, since it was the major emphasis of the last Twig and printed on the chapel schedule and announced in chapel last Wednes day? Were those who attended last year suddenly led to believe that they no longer had a responsibility to attend? I have posed a lot of questions. Now 1 am going to give one answer — we failed, girls. We failed mis erably. We are so quick to take every freedom given us, even to de mand more, but we never seem to rise to the occasion when we are supposed to show a little responsi bility. All I have to say now is that I sincerely hope that each and every one of you who did not have a valid reason (and 1 do mean valid) for cutting Founders’ Day will never know the embarrassment suffered by those in attendance. Let’s wake up and resolve that such an incident will never again happen here. With concern, Ellen Webb Founders’ Day Again Dear Editor: I feel that the number of students who were present for the Founders’ Day services is an excellent reflec tion of the apathy and indifference of our student body. Founders’ Day is an important tradition and a special day in the life of the college. It should be a meaningful experience for each one of us as students. 1 was personally embarrassed at the number of students who attended the service in Jones Auditorium. When such an important, impressive person as Mr. Regan could find time in his busy schedule to be with us, it would seem that our students could find time also. I was especially embarrassed for Dr. Heilman be cause I can imagine how he must have felt as he looked out over the auditorium at the empty seats. Concerning this matter, 1 must say that the action of our student body leaves much to be desired. Ruth Talton Meredith's Images Dear Editor: As Meredith students, we present several images to the people around us. I would like to bring into focus two of our main images — the Meredith lady image and the com munity image — to see how we at Meredith fulfill them. There is nothing wrong with be ing a lady. However, I must qualify this statement with my opinion of what a true lady is. First of all, a lady is poised and Intelligent. She is well informed, thinks for herself, forms her own opinions, and is capable of expressing her views to others. Furthermore, a lady’s inter ests are many-faceted and she uses her talents to the best of her ability. Now, how do we stack up to our image? Meredith likes to feel that CLAd jW-• UneKE Kjo we are graduated as educated, cul tured young ladies. Yet when a i brilliant pianist is presented in con cert in Jones Auditorium, perhaps fifteen students attend, and most of them are music majors. Frequent art exhibits are displayed in the art gallery. How many students take the time to browse through them? Stu dents complain because they are so . isolated at Meredith. Yet when they ' are encouraged to attend the meet ings of the Raleigh Student Associa tion which is involved in all kinds of current events, only three Meredith • students manage to be present. Our literary publication. The Acorn has not been printed in quite some time. , , Come now, ladies, the editor cannot possibly furnish enough material herself for a whole magazine. Don’t you have something to contribute? The flagrant waste of talent dis played at Meredith College is ut terly inexcusable! There are too ' many important and worthwhile projects in which we can invest our time and energy to throw them away on such useless annual foolish ness as Rush Week, not to mention , Play Day and that most beloved of Meredith traditions, Corn Huskin’! I am not suggesting that everyone can take advantage of every single event at Meredith, but I am saying that a person who never develops tis cultural aspect of her education is not a real lady. Frankly, ladies, if this is one of Meredith’s images, I think it reeks. Meredith is also well known for ' its community atmosphere — an at mosphere of closeness between stu dents and faculty, of sharing. One of the best samples of the communi- , ty effort is our chapel policy. Ac cording to Henry Coffer, a former faculty member here at Meredith, chapel is necessary to keep the com- ' munity communicating. Remember ing that community involves stu dents and faculty, I would like to ask, where is the faculty during chapel? Why is chapel not required for the whole community? Now faculty, if you think this chapel • business is as much of a farce as I do. pull together some semblance of gumption and say so. But don’t ' preach community and then use chapel for a coffee-break or a paper- grading bee. , Isn’t it time for us to take a look at the impressions we are creating as a college and ask ourselves if this is really the image we want to pro ject? Sincerely, Deborah Ingram /n Rebuttal Dear Editor: The editorial which appeared in ‘ the last issue of the Twjc concerning the uselessness of the societies was in my opinion a misrepresentation of tacts. The article asked the societies’ members to re-examine themselves and their goals. I am only able to> answer on behalf of the Astrotekton Society. We are constantly re examining our goals. Of course, we have our failures, what organization doesn’t, but as far as “empty space” under the heading purpose, this is a falsehood. We feel that our emphasis ‘ has been and is on the Gov. More- head School for the Blind. The . Astros have not only sponsored monthly activities with the Blind School but we were very happy and proud to have presented the School' with a check for $150 in the fall of this year. We have already made definite plans for this semester’s ' projects. A St. Patrick’s Day party is planned for March. In April, the Astros are organizing another Rhythm Kids Concert from which the proceeds will go to the Blind School. This is the kind of reply which could have been made ' to any Freshman or Transfer who asked the Astros during Rush what (Continued on page 4)
Meredith College Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 12, 1970, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75