The Belles of Saint Mary’s
ii
The Belles
OF SAINT MARY’S
Published every two weeks by the student body of
Saint Mary’s School
Editor Joyce Poweli,
Exchange Editor Erwin Gant
Business Manager .... Miss Kate Spruii-l
Faculty Adviser Mr. C. A. P. Moore
STAFF
Virginia Trotter
Erwin Gant
Cornelia Clark
Mary Willis Doethat
Gertrude Carter
Helen Kendrick
Rebecca Barnhill
Julia Booker
Page Gannaway
Margaret Swindell
Elizabeth Tucker
Horten SE Miller
Ann Seeley
IjAura Gordon
.Martha Kight
Mary Swan Dodson
1938 Member 1939
Plssoctded Cblle6iale Press
X. C. Collegiate Press As.sociatioii
RULES TO MAKE FREEDOM
Freedom is something that men of all times
have fought for and cherished. Because of
this passionate longing for freedom we live
today in the greatest democracy the world has
ever known. This is a free country, one of the
few if not the only one left. Yet even here in
this country based on principles of freedom and
equality we have laws, laws which regulate and
protect the government and the individual.
In speaking of a free country we never con
sider one without rules, for we realize that it
is only through rules that we have freedom.
Can you imagine a society in which there is no
form of law? One in which everybody does
exactly as he pleases regardless of the feeling
and rights of others ? Think of the terror,
fear, and danger that would shadow such a
country!
Such is the case at Saint Mary’s. We are
living here together in a community group.
We want freedom, but disobeying the rules of
the school is not the way to obtain it. At times
these rules seem hard and unnecessary, but
always remember they were made for the bene
fit of the group as a whole and not for special
individuals.
When tempted to break a rule, think of the
j)eople that may be inconvenienced, of the
trouble you may cause the other members of
the student body. Let’s try to live together
for the good of all rather than for our own
selfish ends.
OPEK UP
Having a friendly smile and speaking to
everyone can do a great deal towards helping
one make friends. The girl who tries her band
at a few “bey’s” here and there rarely finds
herself without a pal. The new girls, as well
as the old, appreciate friendliness more than
anything else. Kothing is more pleasant than
being around a cheery group of girls.
Don’t go off in a corner seeking a haven for
your sulkiness. Open up and show what’s in
side your shell, and you’ll be given a look into
the best bunch of girls you’ve ever known.
§how some Saint Mary’s spirit, and help us to
remain the swell huneb of girls we’ve been for
so long.
CURRENT EVENTS
All summer students have been reading the
daily j>apers and listening to the radio with
absorbing interest. Keeping up with lien-
Hitler was (and is) an all-time job.
However, now that school has already gotten
under way students are concentrating on work
and daily lessons. School work is, of course,
an integral and major j)art of life at Saint
Mary’s, but it should not exclude knowledge of
current events. One is apt to get the feeling
that we have a world of our own here discon
nected from anything that might hapjien in
Europe.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Witness
the closing of tbe tobacco markets in this sec
tion as a result of the withdrawal of English
buyers, in consequence of which many boys
and girls will not he going off to school this
year. Whether we think so or not, we are
affected both directly and indirectly by Euro
pean affairs. It is up to us to at least know
what is going on, even if we can do nothing
about it. If you take a daily paper, read it,
well and good. If not, it takes but a very few
minutes to go to the library and read at least
the front page. It would certainly be to your
advantage, and The Belles urges you to keep up
with the world.
NEUTRALITY
U. S. college students—some 1,400,000 strong
—returned to classrooms and campuses last
month amid a loud chorus of warnings and
implorings. They were warned by the press
and the President to maintain an open and
thinking attitude on the present European war.
They were implored to use their every influ
ence to keep the United States out of the war
and to bend every energy to a sincere study of
the world’s problems and how they can be met.
From the surveys that have appeared to
date, it appears that the average collegian has
heeded these warnings and these commands.
He maintains that he does not want to go to
war, that he wants the United States selling
goods of all kinds to warring nations, so long
as it is on a cash-and-carry basis. First real
objection to the President’s proposed neutrality
act changes was made at Saint John’s Univer
sity, where 650 students signed a letter to the
Chief Executive protesting “a new partisan
neutrality act without first consulting the peo
ple through the medium of a referendum.”
This movement has not yet gained much head-
way.
College newspaper editorial opinion, though
about evenly divided, seems leaning toward the
President’s proposal that the neutrality act be
changed to provide for sale of materials to
belligerents that can pay for them and trans
port them from our shores.
The arguments of those who oppose the
change is neatly summarized by the Saint
John’s University Record; “If the embargo
were lifted business would undoubtedly flourish
in America—for a while, that is, as long as
Britain and France could pay cash. Britain
and France, because Germany would never be
allowed to purchase here. After England and
France could not pay cash, our loans to the
democracies would almost inevitably begin
again. And there is the danger! That is how
we started last time.”
For the affirmative, the University of Iowa
Daily Iowan states the case: “Congress has
two facts to go by. (1) We want peace. (2)
We’d fight—or a substantial minority of us
would—if defeat began for the democracies.
The logical conclusion to this line of reasoning
is lifting the arms embargo now.”
Whatever their position, most editorials af
firm the fact that United States collegians do
not want to fight on a foreign soil, but they
will bear arms if our own land is threatened.
Just how strongly entrenched this belief is will
be determined in the dark days of propaganda
that lie ahead.—Associated Collegiate Press.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor:
Let me be the first to congratulate you on the
perpetration of the idea of an open forum
column in your newspaper. I think that such
a column can do untold good in school by act
ing as the mouthpiece of the students and the
earpiece of those in authority who can order
improvements. Last year I often wanted to
submit complaints or to express my gratitude
for some improvement on the campus, hut
somehow there was nobody in particular to
receive them; so I remained silent. And often
I was struck with thoughts that I would like
to have submitted for public discussion, hut
where was I to air them ? I certainly am glad
that at last somebody with some authority be
hind her is showing a genuine interest in the
opinions of The Belles readers. And I certainly
hope that the readers will respond. I, for one,
intend to contribute many discussions, whether
critical or complimentary. I don’t see why all
the members of the faculty and the student
body won’t feel that your column is a fine way
of expressing themselves, and I am sure that
as they discuss their opinions they will feel
much more interested in school activities. In
making random suggestions for work, they
will certainly help the organizations. You
might have a perfectly grand idea for the use
of one of our clubs—the Granddaughters, the
Drive Committee, the Circle. And of course
just straight discussions of subjects inside or
outside school would always be welcome. Now,
I must stop. I am waxing so enthusiastic over
your column that I shall scare away your read
ers. I think that this column is a useful as
well as interesting improvement on the news
paper and I wish you much luck.
Sincerely,
Erwin Gant.
ART AT SAINT MARY’S
Forty-two girls at Saint Mary’s voluntarily
spend five hours a week, almost two hundred
hours a year, doing extra work and taking extra
lessons. Why ? They do not get any more
credit towards graduation. It is not "one of
those personality courses which supposedly de
velop a girl’s charm, beauty, and style. No
one is elected to an office. Very seldom have
these hard workers been mentioned in The
Belles for their deserving struggles. Why do
they do it? There must be a reason, and a
good one.
Step inside the art studio some time, and
you will understand. You may know where it
is, upstairs in the Library Building. It is a
huge room, filled with the sunny air from big,
open windows. There are three narrow tables
long enough to seat a dozen girls each, plenty
of chairs, and several stands on which are
erected white statues of Venus de Milo, Winged
Victory, and others.
A number of students are usually sitting at
the tables, busily absorbed in sketching still
life, drawing fashion figures, or painting. Proof
of their enjoyment is found in their fascinated
expressions and their frequent smiles.
Miss Harris offers two main courses in draw
ing, the commercial and the “general back
ground” course. The commercial course teaches
lettering, illustrating, and gives foundation in
struction for advertising, fashion illustration,
and typical magazine illustration. The general
course includes painting, design, composition,
freehand drawing. Although many girls take
art for the relaxation and fun it gives, there
are some who are working for the prized “cer
tificate” which can be acquired only after two
or three years of study. These girls are Mary
Willis Douthat, Gertrude Carter, Erwin Gant,
Hak Kendrick, Mary Stanley Bernard, and j
Ann Brooks. " (
You may see samples of the abilities of your |
own classmates by looking through a stack of i
pictures on the table just inside the studio door. '
These were done during the unsupervised hours, j
two of which are included in each week’s work. ;
Thus students are given opportunity to develop
their originality by choosing their own subjects
and portraying them exactly as they wish.
Erwin Gant’s versatility is evidenced by the
winsome, blue cbina duck she reproduced on
paper; the sparkling highlights she painted in
a clear glass vase; the tree she sketched in
pencil. Eleanor Grant drew a design of birds
fluttering around a branch clustered with ber
ries. There is a painting by Mary Willis
Douthat of a typical college room: bright col
ors, clothes scattered here and there, stockings
hanging in a window to dry, and saddle shoes
lying on the floor. In contrast to the expected
pictures of glamour girls and dress models,
architecture seems to interest Christine Hat
field.