THE TWIG
Newspaper of the Students of Meredith College
VOL. LI NO. 9
MEREDITH COLLEGE. RALEIGH, N.C.
NOVEMBER 10, 1976
Admissions applications on the npswing
by Debbie Doss
A variety of contributing
factors indicate that ad
mission to Meredith College
for the coming year will be
somewhat more selective.
At the present time,
reports Mary Bland Josey,
director of admissions, ap
plications for admissions are
running 67 per cent ahead of
the number usual for this time
in the recruiting season.
This substantial increase
in the number of applicants is
perhaps indicative of a
greater interest of students in
obtaining admission at all
colleges. However, Miss Josey
suspects that the increases at
Meredith are “dividends from
last year’s Junior Visitation
Day in April and the open days
program.
If the interest continues at
this level, the abundance of
applicants (including 130
students seeking Early
Decision admission) should
offer the admissions staff an
opportunity to be more
selective in admitting next
year’s freshman class.
In spite of increased
applications the SAT scores of
present applicants will
probably tend to be no higher
than those of students who
have matriculated in recent
years. In.fact, over the past
decade average SAT scores
have dropped almost 100
points at Meredith as well as
throughout the nation.
The average SAT score of
the presentsophomore class is
950 with only about a third of
the class having scored above
1000. Scores range from as low
as the 700’s up to the 1300’s.
While almost a third of the
class of 1979 scores less than
900 on the test, only 13
students achieved a score of
1200 or more.
Because of this decline in
SAT scores nationwide, the
admissions staff relies more
heavily on the high school
record of applicants in
determining who will be
admitted.
“We have never operated
on minimum SAT scores,”
Miss Josey comments. “The
more discriminating factor is
the secondary school record.”
Determining the
academic potential of each
applicant is further com
plicated by the “grade in
flation” that is rampant on
today’s college campuses,
including Meredith. Because
grade averages have jumped
in recent years, more and
more applicants seem to be
able to do college level work
and to receive adequate
grades.
Miss Josey explains, “The
minimum credentials for
admission depend on the
performance of the present
freshman class. Ten years ago
the average QPR for a fresh
man at Meredithwas2.1, while
this past year it was a little
Society taps twelve
Silver Shield, the
honorary leadership society at
Meredith, inducted nine new
senior members and three
junior associate members into
its membership last Wed
nesday night.
The new members are:
Debra Coates, Sara Cotey,
Debbie Doss, Betsy Blair
Gunn, Millie McLaney, Robin
Morgan, Maggie Odell, Cathy
Pickett, and Diana Swann.
The junior associate
members are: Cindy Allen,
Julie Kicklighter, and Sue
Vehorn.
Organized in 1935, Silver
Shield elects seniors to its
membership on the basis of
Christian character, con
structive leadership service to
the college and scholarship.
Other members of the
society are: Hazel Browning,
president; Mary Kay
Allsbrook, vice president;
Virginia Norton, secretary;
Kathy Frazier; Menda Sue
Godfrey; Beth Leavel; Betsy
Rowlett; Phyllis Smith; and
Beverly Steen.
RS fF funds club projects
by Miriam O. Victorian
The Program for Raising
the Sights of Women (RSW),
under the directorship of Dr.
Sarah Lemmon, has set up a
policy for financial aid
proposals from various
Meredith organizations.
A detailed memo has
already been sent to the
faculty, administrative of
fices, and student leaders.
The memo outlines
procedures for making a
proposal to the RSW
Executive Committee.
The committee requires
the following information: the
name of the organization
submitting the project; brief
statement describing the
nature of the project; and
name of student responsible
for the project.
Also, the report to the
committee should include: the
characteristic (i.e., leader
ship, creative) of the RSW
program on which the project
focuses; its contribution to the
development of the charac
teristic; and the ways in
which the greatest number of
students will be helped by the
project.
Students will also need to
submit a budget, showing
total financial needs, funds
available from other sources,
and net amount requested
from RSW.
Faculty retreat
The Meredith College
faculty is planning a retreat
for the weekend of November
12-13 at Camp Caraway in
Asheboro, N.C. The theme of
this two day conference will
be “Exploring Our Roles as
Members of the Faculty in a
Christian College.”
The retreat will open
Friday evening with a keynote
address by Dr. Joseph
Browde, chairman of the
over 2.6.
Thus, more and more
entering freshmen seem
capable of achieving high
grades in college work.
This is not to say that
everyone who applies for
admissions to Meredith
College will be accepted. Of
625 freshmen applicants last
year, 90 were denied ad
mission.
The role of the admissions
procedure in strengthening
academic procedures at
Meredith then, is a com
plicated one.
“Basically, we are
prepared to take weaker
students,” Miss Josey ex
plains, “for on the whole
secondary students do not
have the stiff college
preparatory work that they
did even five years ago.
“However, in the
recruitment process, our staff
definitely attempts to em
phasize the academics of
Meredith. Certainly, we talk
about what a wonderful
community it is to live in, but
is that what students pay
$14,000 for?”
Perhaps this year’s very
encouraging flood of ap
plications can lessen the
possibility of having lower
ability students at Meredith.
Miss Josey, however,
raises the question of what
holds greater responsibility
for the academic strength
Meredith. She asks, “Is it the
academic and entrance
credentials we require,or is it
what is expected of them when
they get here?”
Black Voices in Unity project
Bazaar funds Awareness Week
by Nancy Newton
This past week, the Black
Voices in Unity held a
Christmas Bazaar in Cate
Center to stimulate campus
awareness as well as financial
support for the club.
The purposes of the Black
Voices in Unity, according to
president Faye Wilkerson, are
“to expand black identity and
awareness to campus, to work
with the administrators to
recruit other black students
and to make suggestions that
will benefit the entire
Meredith community.”
The intention behind the
expansion of black identity on
campus has a double purpose,
“to help the black student to
develop a better un
derstanding of her own
culture and heritage, and at
the same time to introduce
black culture to other students
on the Meredith campus.”
The club, in fulfilling its
goals, sponsors many ac
tivities and projects
throughout the Meredith and
Raleigh community. Along
with the bazaar, the club
annually conducts Black
Emphasis Week which will be
held this year during the week
of February 9th.
The February program is
designed for all Meredith
students. The guests and
lectures for that week include
Donald Bogle speaking on the
topic of “Mammies, Mulat-
toes, Toms, and Coons” in
Jones Auditorium at 8 p.m. on
’Tuesday, and the Reverend
Leon White along with the St.
Augustine Gospel Choir at the
worship hour on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Mrs. Courtney
Mulliner will speak in the CE A
at 8 p.m., and the week will be
culminated on Sunday with
Dr. Ben Jochannan speaking.
Another project supported
by the club is visitation,
parties, and programs which
they have taken to prisons,
rest homes, as well as a
tutorial pro^am.
In closing. Miss Wilkerson
expressed her thanks “for the
campus support of the bazaar
and the club.” She also offered
the invitation to all Meredith
students to take part in the
club.
Members of Black Voices in Unity examine their wares at their recent Christmas bazaar. Joyce
Montgomery, left, and President Faye Wilkerson, right, helped sponsor the sale white will help
finance the group’s February Black Emphasis Week.
IN THE NEWS
education department,
followed by a group discussion
led by Mrs. Betty Brewer, Dr.
lone Knight, Mr. Eugene
Sumner, and Mrs. Evelyn
Simmons.
Saturday’s program will
consist of a panel discussion
by Dr. Lyn Aubrecht, Mrs.
LaRose Spooner, Mrs. Marie
Capel, and Dr. Allen Page,
moderated by Dr. Jack
Huber. The retreat will be
wrapped up by Meredith’s
president. Dr. John Weems, in
a closing address.
Members of the planning
committee for this retreat
include Dr. Roger Crook, Mrs.
LaRose Spooner, Dr. Jack
Huber, Dr. Clara Bunn, Mr.
Eugene Sumner, and Mr.
Larry Williams.
According to Dr. Bunn of
the planning committee, “this
is the nicest thing we’ve ever
done.” It is expense free to the
college because of an
anonymous donation
specifically for the retreat,
and is completely voluntary.
Teacher ed applications
Current juniors planning
on teacher certification should
complete formal application
for admission to teacher
education programs now. The
forms are available from the
Department of Education,
Joyner 124. Miss B.J. Yeager,
faculty secretary, will have
them available.