THE TWIG
VOLUME LXIII NUMBER 1 NEWSPAPER OF THE STUDENTS OF MEREDITH'COLLEQE SEPTEMBER 4, 1
World’s largest small women’s college
by Cynthia Church
The first vim of Mersdlth Is the admlnlBtratlve bulfding, Johnaott Hall • or aa better
known, the place where your data picka you up.
The budding trees lining the driveway
wave gently at those entering the canv
pus. The well>groomed, too green grass
is the envy of many visitors. The rain
bow like azaleas add more color to the
setting. Everything seenis tranquil. Very
proper. But appearances can be decei>
ving.
Since the doors opened to 19
faculty members and 12S students In
1899, Meredith College has been gain
ing progress. The traditional woman's
college has clung to its reputation and
Is still attracting women from all over.
Some 1700 women attend Meredith an
nually and the number of ^pllcants Is
increasing. Yet although the number Is
increasing, new housing facilities are
not a vision for the near future.
"We’re not planning to grow.” said
President John E. Weems, “w^re not
planning to be the world’s largest small
women’s college."
Last year the number of students at
tending Meredith was miscalculated,
forcing the school to house many stu
dents elsewhere. Many freshmen were
booked at the Ramada Inn until Canoll
Anne was bulU to handle the overflow.
Whst Attracts The Women?
The fact that Meredith is a Baptist
wc»nan's college attracts many stu
dents. “Because the school focuses on
the Individual as a total person, nrtany
women are drawn to the school,” said
Dean Dorothy Sizemore. , —: -
Another plus is the fact that Meredith
encouragesdlverslty In the students and
faculty and attempts to create a balance
between the Kristian faith and free
Inquiry. The reputation of being a chal
lenging academic school also interests
many students.
When comparing Meredith to other
woman’s colleges in the South, Mere
dith is “among the leaders."
‘'We’re the largest In the Southeast.
Maybe the largest around. We're not as
expensive as sonne. At least not in this
part of the country,” said Allen Burris,
academic dean.
The cost of tuition including room and
board for one year at Meredith is $4,800;
however, it will increase to $5,200
during the 1984-85 academic school
year.
Tt>e atmosphere felt at Meredith Is
different than that at other woman’s col
leges. Old traditions such as the Daisy
Chain at graduation, Comhuskin' and
‘Alice In Wonderland’ involve both stu
dents and faculty, thus creating a
unique tibnd In- the Meredith com
munity.
Ifs AD In Ttie Mind
Receiving a broader knowledge In
many different fields interests many
college bound females. A liberal arts
education attracts many women to
Meredith College, along with the voca-
tlonai education they can get. Meredith
"invites” every student to leam and be
educated. Some accept this invitation,
whereas others can’t or don't.
“There’s no magic fonnuia to a suc
cessful academic program," said Bums.
“I can’t put my finger on things we’re not
doing to academically attract more stu
dents.”
"Our faculty compares favorably with
.small church colleges and about 70 per
cent of our faculty has th^r doctrine. I
just wish we were as good as our repu
tation.”
Though some aspects of the Meredith
community are thougtit to be primitive,
such as ttie restrictions enforced upon
her students, Meredith is trying to push
ahead. Preparing her students, faculty
-mO- hnewiletfga- for the-?l-centbf7-w '
important to her growth.
“I had heanj the saying ‘riding the
crest of the wave' and had never under
stood it until my son took up surfing,”
said Weems. "While watching him, I
realized you can’t ride the crest or you’ll
get wiped out. You have to ride in fn^nt
of It. We (Meredith) will do anything
possible to t>e In the front of the wave.”
“We’re preparing for the computer
age,” said Sizemore. “Computers will be
In most of the administrative offices and
classrooms and there will be a focus on
computer couraes.”
Construction on a research building
will begin this summer. Presently, psy
chology experiments are ccmducted in
the basement of Poteat dormitory. Ttie
new facility stiould attract more stu
dents.
A new art building will also take shape
in the near future. Although no plans as
to where it will iDe built have been made,
President weems said the art depart*
ment will te a major p^ of the campus
soon.
Research into establishing a nursing
program at Meredith is also being in-
estigated. Theprogwn willjvoijt direct-
"fy'virftircoop^tfr^r^^ifel^ hospitals
and will offer another branch to the
academic tree at Meredith College.
Yet, what If these new additions to the
Meredith community are not success
ful? What if women are not attracted to
the campus? Would the strong tradi
tional, woman’s college that does not
even allow men in the dorms tum co-ed?
“If there was a decrease in enrollment
and there were financial problems, we
would do anything to save the Institu
tion,” said President Weems.
However, others seem to disagree.
“No, I really don’t think it would go -
co-ed,” said Dean Sizemore.
“It won’t happen anytime soon,” said
Dean Burris. “Not in my career. I’m not
saying that it shouldn't."
Many things would prevent Meredith
from becoming co-ed. “Being located In
Raleigh is one reason,” said Weems.
The students are not isolated socially.
With the malls, the capitol and North
Carolina State University all within
reach, the students are never at loss for
things to do.
“The fact that Meredith t^as always
been a hardcore academic school”
would a^ prevent It from tumli^ co*
ed, said Bums. “I don’t think the condi
tions are right to move in that direction.
There’s no one plotting to move us Into
becoming co-ed.
“As long as there are young women
wlio want to go to a woman's college
and as long as this college Is a success
ful woman’s college, there is not any
reason to change. However, It would not
be a big tragedy if we went co-ed. David
son is still Davidson."
And Meredith is still Meredith.
And It will still be Meredith until all
respect for It is lost as a woman's learn
ing Institution, until the quality of a
woman's education has deceased and
until the excitement and need for a
strong, traditional unique wonnan's
college disappears.
Joan Bunting: New SGA president
by Jill Hensdale
In the recent first slate elections held
at Meredith, Joan Bunting became the
new SGA President for the 1984-85
school year. The senior has many
new and exciting ideas planned for
Meredith In the'‘upcoming year.
Joan first became Involved In student
govemrnent herfreshman year when she
served as class secretary. She continued
her interest in school government activi
ties by serving as Sophomore class
secretary and Junior class president.
Joan credits much of her interest In
student affairs to her Involvement with
the 4-H club throughout high school. It
was through this club that she learned
much of what It takes to make ideas and
projects work.
During the past year, several changes
have been made to Mer^ith’s SGA Con
stitution and By-Laws. Joan hopes that
through her position as SGA President
she can set these changes into motion.
With the addition of the Senate and
Student Activities to be offered next
year to Meredith students It means per
haps a fewer selection of activities and
events but ones in which the majority of
tne students will want to participate In.
Meredith plays an important role In
Joan's life. She is rwt mly involved In
student government but is also a mem
ber of the PHI society and the Barter
Science Club. She enjoys getting in
volved in student activities and served
as a Student Life Sub-committee chair
person this past year. She is a strong
supporter of the Honor Code and feels
that it Is an important part of Meredith.
To her. the Honor Code goes beyond the
campus by helping girls build their own
honor codes in their pereonal lives.
The 1984-85 school year plans to be a
busy one for Joan. She hopes to In
crease the enthusiasm on campus and
to g^ more students Involved in campus
affairs. Joan wants adl students to know
that she is available to them and will
listen to any complaints or suggestkins
they may have. She wants to make the
coming year an exciting and eventful
one.
Joan Bunting [tar rfght\l8 seen here with Becky Evans, [oenter]and
Tracy Thompson [far leff\.