r
THE TWIG
VOL. XLIX NO. 14
Newspaper of the Students of Meredith College
MEREDITH COLLEGE. RALEIGH, N.C.
FEBRUARY 5, 1976
Communication is major Mid-East problem
One of twenty-four out
standing American women
invited to participate in a
recent study trip to the Middle
East, Dr. Sandra Thomas
of Meredith spoke en
thusiastically of her par
ticipation in a “women’s in
terreligious study dialogue for
peace.”
Because the Middle
East is perhaps the most
critical area of our modern
world, Dr. Thomas saw her
recent sojourn in Egypt,
Syria, Jordan, and Israel as a
particularly valuable ex-
oerience.
According to Dr. Thomas,
the group itself, whose
composition was one-half
Jewish, one-quarter
Protestant, one-quarter
Catholic, offered a real op
portunity for dialogue among
Christian and Jewish women
varying in occupation and
social backgrounds, as well as
in religious beliefs.
In addition, the group was
able to act as a fact-finding
group for peace in interviews
with government and
religious leaders, she said.
“We began our interviews
and seminars with two
premises which we agreed
upon as a group,” Dr. Thomas
noted, “First, that the state of
Israel has a right to exist, and
second that the Palestinians
have a right to self-
determination.”
Desire for peace
In talks with government
officials such as Mr. A.
Bashir, an assistant to
Egyptian President Anwar
Sadat, and Dr. Hussein,
former Egyptian ambassador
to the U.S., these two concerns
were expressed.
Bashir related that
Egypt sees itself as a peace
keeping nation giving no
Seniors
honor ten
The seniors elected ten
members of their class as
Outstanding Seniors on
Tuesday, February 3.
Honored were Carol
Grant (graduated). Ginger
Kimball, Bethany Langdon,
Cindy Lee, Kay Martin, Doris
Taylor, Janet Tysinger, Lynn
Wellons and Sally Zeigler,
according to Pam Watson
senior class president.
Election Was made from a
ballot of twenty names. The
ballot was drawn up from
nominations made by the
individual seniors. Each
seniors was asked to submit a
list of names. The names
receiving the most
nominations were placed on
the ballot. All seniors were
eligible for nomination except
those who had previously been
elected to Who’s Who, ac
cording to a decision made by
the class at a meeting earlier
this year. Each senior class
determines its own election
criterion.
support to terrorism. A
general desire for peace was
evinced in discussions with
several political leaders of the
Middle East, said Thomas.
Yet she noted that Arab and
Israeli leaders are not com
municating this desire to each
other.
Mrs. Rabin
In an afternoon session
with Israeli women leaders at
the home of Prime Minister
Yitsak Rabin, the women, led
by Mrs. Rabin, indicated that
women do have an important
role in peace-keeping, but that
Arab-Israeli women are not in
dialogue with each other. “A
mother’s bereavement in
losing a son to war in Israel is
no less an Arab mother’s
bereavement,” Dr. Thomas
said.
Discussion with govern
ment leaders was an im
portant aspect of the trip, but
according to Dr. Thomas,
visiting schools, villages,
refugee camps, a kibbutz, and
women’s organizations,
Christian, Jewish and
Moslem, was very helpful in
gaining insight into the
situation in the Middle East as
it affects the people of the
area.
“We witnessed the
tragedy of war,” she said,
vividly recalling the sight of
Lebanese refugees crowded
into a hotel in Damascus. The
nearness of war was
evidenced by the presence of
mobilized troops in the Syrian
and Jordanian deserts
through which Dr. Thomas’
group passed and by the
deserted city of Quimetra
visited by the study group.
Once a thriving city of 60,(KX),
Quimetra, not^ Dr. Thomas,
is now completely destroyed.
The group also visited the
Suez Canal Zone in Egypt and
traveled to the Golan Heights
and through the UN buffer
zone.
Women’s Role
Interested not only in the
Arab-Israeli conflict. Dr.
Thomas also paid particular
attention to the decision
making role of women in
Israel. She discovered in a
meeting with Parliament
menibers that despite the
leading role that women have
played in the building of the
Israeli state since its creation
only 9 out of 120 members of
the Israeli Parliament are
women.
“The prospects for peace
are not very apparent,” Dr.
Thomas remarked
suggesting that there is hope
only where there is dialogue
among people on all levels, not
just governments.
“Peace is going to mean
the acknowledgement of one
country by another and the
recognition of its struggles,”
she said. “At present neither
Israel nor the Palestine
Liberation Organization
recognizes the other, making
peace dialogue impossible and
hastening the involvement of
major powers.”
Debbie Doss
‘‘^Alice’’ will be presented by faculty
A nameless writer once
wrote, “Trying to understand
Alice In Wonderland would be
like trying to dissect a soap
bubble.”
Lewis Carroll’s beloved
nonsensical story will be
presented by the Meredith
faculty on Thursday,
February 26 at 8:00 p.m. in
Jones Auditorium. Admission
will be free. The play is a 52
year old tradition and this
year marks its’ thirteenth
presentation. Produced every
fourth year for “the
bemusement and bewilder
ment of Meredith students,”
the play has been presented to
every college generation since
its beginning in 1924. Ac
cording to college historian.
Dr. Mary Lynch Johnson, the
faculty has never miss^ a
generation.
“The play was started by
Miss Ida Poteat, an art
teacher, and Miss Sorrell, a
P.E. instructor,” said Ms.
Helena Allen, this year’s
director. “It was presented as
a means of allowing the
faculty to let their hair down
and do something for the
girls.”
This year marks Ms.
Allen’s second directing stint.
She has co-directed once and
is currently being aided by
two co-directors. Dr. Clara
Bunn and Mrs. Marie Capel.
Ms. Allen, played in various
minor roles in previous
performances of the past 24
years.
“In a way, it’s kind of
formal,” continued Ms.
Allen.” “Each tinie we do the
play, we have to take a vote.
Needless to say, it’s almost
always unanimous. I have
never known a faculty
member to refuse to par
ticipate unless they had a
convention or something
equally pressing.”
The three act play plus
two extra acts involves ap
proximately 56 roles. About
25-30 more jobs, including
hghts, publicity and ushers,
are filled by faculty and staff
members. Traditionally, the
casting of the play is a
carefully guarded secret to
surprise the students. Some
cast members assume the
same roles for years at the
time.
“We try to keep publicity
at a minimum bacause of our
lack of seating. The
production is not open to
public,” Ms. Allen said. “It is
for faculty members, their
families, and students. We ask
that girls do not bring dates.”
Faculty members solicit
outside help with sets,
costumes and make-up. Art
classes are currently helping
with scenery, and some
costumes are being made by
home economics students.
“We try to keep as many
sets and costumes as we can
store,” said Ms. Allen. “The
girls working on costumes
have no idea for whom they
are making them.”
Mrs. Nancy Truesdale’s
play production class will aid
with make-up. Some cast
members, especially veterans
of a given role, do their own
costumes and make-up. No
costumes are bought from
outside sources.
This year’s production
will be highlighted by special
dance sequences
choreographed by Mrs.
Frances Stevens and some
new music written and
selected by Dr. Peter
Klausmeyer. Mrs. Phyllis
Garriss has taken respon
sibility for an orchestra, an
added musical attraction.
“We had nine practices
last semester,” grinned Ms.
Alien. “We didn’t have any in
January, but have four
planned in February, in
cluding a dress rehearsal.
Most practices have been in
the gym, but the rest will be in
Jones.”
“I have had such won
derful cooperation from the
faculty and staff! This play is
one thing, as Dr. Norma Rose
says, on which “the faculty
works in harmony.’ Not that
we’re not harmonious, but we
do have our differences about
curriculum and such. It’s good
to get together and have a
good time,” concluded Ms.
Allen.
Kim Farlow
Brian’s Song
Brian’s Song has been
scheduled as the College
Center Association (CEA)
February movie. This emmy
Award winning play will be
presented in the College
Center Auditorium Sunday,
February 8, at 3 and 8 pm.
Individual performance
tickets may be purchased at
the door or season tickets may
be used. The movie stars
James Caan, Billy Dee
Williams, Jack Warden and
Shelley Fabares.
Toys for Tots
The United States Marine
Corps has sent a certificate of
appreciation to Meredith
College for the college’s
support of the 1975 Toys for
Tots program, according to
Meredith Christian
Association (MCA) President
Nancy Pentecost. The MCA
which sponsored the project
TWIG newsbriefs
sent over 1(X) toys to the
Raleigh Marine Corps for
them to distribute to local
children, she said.
CCA meeting
February’s general
meeting of the CCA will be
Wednesday, February 4 at
5:30 p.m. in the CEA. All hall
representatives and other
interested students are
strongly urged to attend this
important meeting, CCA
president Fran Stroud says.
Feelin’ Good
The Black musical revue,
FEELIN’ GOOD, will be
presented Thursday night
Feb. 5 at 8:00 p.m. in Jones
Auditorium. It is open to the
public free of charge.
Correction
In an article in last week’s
TWIG on social regulations, it
was noted that SGA could no
longer be required. Page 75 of
the Handbook, section C, notes
that the President of the SGA
can still require meetings.
Barber Science Club
Dr. Pat B. Hamilton will
address the Barber Science
Club on Wednesday, February
11, at 7:00 pm in 107 Hunter.
Dr. Hamilton is a professor of
poultry science and
microbiology at N.C. State
University. He will be
speaking on his work with
aflatoxins, which are among
the most carcinogenic com
pounds known today.
Dr. Hamilton received his
B.S. degree from Nor
theastern College, and his
Ph.D. from the University of
Wisconsin.
All members of the
Barber Science Club are
urged to attend; faculty and
students who are new, or non
members, are also invited.
Refreshments will be served
following the meeting.
Thigpen receives
psychoiogy honor
Ms. Jenny Thigpen has
been chosen by the
Psychology Department to be
the Teaching Assistant in
Experimental Psychology for
the Spring Semester of 1976.
Teaching Assistants are
chosen on the basis of aptitude
and scholarship from a
number of applicants, and to
be selected is considered a
departmental honor, ac
cording to Psychology
Department chairman Dr.
John Huber.
Drama
Auditions for THE
PRIME OF MISS JEAN
BRODIE will be held on
February 8 and 9 from 6:00 to
9:00 P.M. in 202 Jones. There
are 15 female parts. Reading
scripts are available in 206
Jones.
(Continued on Page 4)