The BELLES
OF SAINT MARY’S
Vol. II, No. 16-
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
May 12,1939
LITERARY SOCIETY BANQUET
Fun reigned (with Miss Jones and Mr. Moore imper
sonating Julia Booker on a date as a high light) at the
annual Literary Society Banquet held this year at
Carolina Pines Hotel. The important announcement of
next year’s Presidents, Beck Barnhill for the Sigma
Lambda’s and Gertrude Carter for the E. A. P.’s, was
greeted enthusiastically by all. The prize winning short
stories were by E. Tucker, J. Powell, and M. Allen,
who won first, second, and third places, respectively.
There was time to read only the first two. Screams of
joy echoed as Mr. Moore presented the coveted cup to
Helen Holt, the retiring president of the E. A. P.’s.
The group was kept in continual laughter by initia
tions of the new members: Trotter, E. Wilson, Bernard,
Brandt, Rodman, Peck, Manning, Seeley, and S. Baker.
The Seniors climaxed the program with a most inter
esting and “original” version of Paradise Lost, and
S. Sawyer bid a poetic farewell.
L’ALLEGRO DRAMATIZED FOR MAY DAY
The campus dell behind Bishop Penick’s house was
the setting for the crowning of Margaret Taylor, Ruler
of joy, mirth, and friendship as well as Queen of the
May. Her crowning was the climax of a pantomimed
dramatization of Milton’s “L’Allegro.” Girls repre
senting the fine qualities of Mirth (the Queen) com
posed the court, the outstanding one being “the moun
tain nymph, sweet Liberty,” portrayed by Martha Ann
Speight. Cynthia Smith, as L’Allegro, the central
character in the pageant, crowned Margaret queen.
The theme of the pageant was a contest between
Mirth and Melancholy (Betty Sexton), each competing
for the approval of L’Allegro. Both tried to convince
him of her worth. However, the wierd and dreary
motions of Melancholy’s followers are easily banished
to the Stygian Cave by the gay and friendly airs of
Mirth’s band: the morning lark, “quips and cranks,”
and the happy peasants. In the end L’Allegro gallantly
crowns Mirth queen and escorts her from her throne.
Her Maid of Honor and court, composed of Ann Flowe,
Virginia Allison, Merrie Haynes, Flossie Withers,
Peggy Thompson, Honey Peck, Meredyth McIntyre,
Elsie Broocks, Franees Moore, Julia Vinson, Dixie
French, Laura Gordon, and Toddy Boykin, exited after
her amid the applause of the spectators.
May Day this year was a satisfying success. The
lovely setting and variety of colors, topped off by the
traditional Maypole Dance, were prettier than ever.
However, the greatest achievement was the school’s pro
duction of something different—a new and doubly inter
esting pageant created by the pupils themselves, directed
by Miss Goss, and assisted by Miss Haig, Miss Brown,
Mr. .lones, the Glee Club, Mr. Scott, Miss Jones, Miss
Horn, Miss Houston, and Mrs. Alden.
COLLEGIATE PRESS CONVENTION
The Collegiate Press Association, of which Saint
Mary’s is a member, held its biggest convention last
week-end in Greensboro. Representatives of Saint
Mary’s were Erwin Gant, 1940 editor of the Stage
Coach, Joyce Powell, the Belles, and Mary Willis
Douthat, the Bulletin. Gerald Duker of Collegiate
Digest, speaker for the morning, commented upon the
plan and purpose of publications and stressed the need
for imagination in journalism.
The afternoon group meetings discussed the various
publications, and that night a banquet was held in the
hotel. Guest speaker was Charles Driscold, author of the
syndicated column, “New York Day by Day.” Driscold
is well known through the United States (and, according
to Erwin and Mary Willis, strongly resembled “Pooh”
the teddy bear). At the death of O. 0. McIntyre in
1938, he took over the latter’s famous column (under
the provision that it would not appear in New York, so
that he might now and then be naive and unsophisti
cated). Driscold’s first remark was that he did not
intend to discuss college publications because he knew
little about them. The gist of his speech was the value
of college publications in setting young feet on the
road to journalism.
After Charles Driscold’s speech, awards for the best
publications were presented. The colleges who are mem
bers of the association are divided into Class A, schools
with enrollment over 1,000, and Class B, schools with
enrollment under 1,000. First, second and honorable
mention awards are made in each group to newspapers,
annuals, and magazines. The winners of the Class B
group, in which Saint Mary’s is classified, were Jehe
Telio Echo Ecke, newspaper of Eastern North Carolina
Teachers’ College in Greenville, Voices of Peace, liter
ary magazine of Peace Junior College, and the Stage
Coach, annual of Saint Mary’s.
WINNER OF HOLLYWOOD TALENT QUEST
Monday, April 24, was a very lucky and happy day
for one certain girl in Washington, D. C. Betty
Cleavenger, who was a student _ at Saint Mary’s last
year, has been named the girl-winner in the “Gateway
to Hollywood” talent quest. With more than three
hundred entrants, the contest lasted for three days.
As winner, Betty has the opportunity to compete in
final screen tests soon in Hollywood.
GYM NOTES
The first round of the tennis tournament has been
played off, and if the weather permits, the finals will
be played off Saturday. Softball has been started in the
gym classes, but next week it will be held three after
noons a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Star volley ball team: Mary Gault, Tibbie Tucker,
Mallie White, Laura Gordon, Ann Christian, Annie H.
Bunn, Hixie Mae Davis, Ernestine Rich, Virginia
Trotter, Phoebe Withers.