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VOL. xxxvni, NO. 3
RALEIGH. N.C.
FEBRUARY. 1976
St. Mary’s Part
in the Bicentennial
Nineteen hundred and
seventy-six is a great year for
Americans. It recognizes the
fact that for two hundred
years, we have been a free
nation. America is ecstatic
with celebration. The
Bicentennial means different
things to different people and
thus people will react to it
differently.
St. Mary’s itself takes a
part in the celebration, for St.
Mary’s is approaching its
200th year. On May 12, 1976,
St. Mary’s will have been in
existence for 134 years.
In 1835, East and West
Ro^ were built for “The
Episcopal School’’ for boys by
the Diocese. It fell because of
debt. In 1842, St. Mary’s, as
now, began as a private school
for young ladies providing the
best education by the
Reverend Albert Smedes.
There were thirteen girls total
in attendance and cost was
$100 per session.
Since then, St. Mary’s has
come a long and great way. It
has existed through wars,
misfortunes, and hardships as
all of America has. Yet the
two have stood alike and
endured the strain of the
years.
Today St. Mary’s is a
school of pride, tradition, and
everlasting education-
academic, emotional, and
social as well.
Ray Evans wrote in These
Historical Minutes, “To
believe in destiny is to have
destiny-and America has
always believed firmly in its
historical mission. First, it
was the simple desire to
establish freedom of worship;
then it came to mean the
founding of the first great
republic in Western history.
Later, it transformed into a
crusade to make the world
safe for democracy. And
today, it is symbolized by
scientific evangelism which
will bring universal peace and
prosperity.”
Like America, St. Mary’s
has a destiny-to go forward
and to continue in pride,
strength, and quality.
St. Mary’s participation in
America’s celebration (as
well as our own) includes
many activities for a
Bicentennial program. A
committee was formed, and is
headed by Dr. Morrison.
Already, toere has been a
tribute on January 12. This
was the flag ceremony. The
Official State ROTC Rifleman
and Color Guard were present
and carried out the ceremony,
along with St. Mary’s chorale
singing “'The Star Spangled
Banner”. Later, there was a
grand musical production by
William Masselos in honor of
Mrs. Cate, with a reception
following.
Other ways that St.
Mary’s will take part in the
celebration of our country’s
freedom are scheduled for the
coming months. February
brings the planting of
Japanese trees under the
supervision of Mr. Conrad.
This will not only represent
the Bicentennial to us, but
beautify the campus as well.
In March, there will be a
Bicentennial ceremony
created by our own religion
department; “The American
Religious Experioice.” Also,
throughout the semester there
will be a fund-raising program
carried out by the students,
for the students. Once again,
St. Mary’s puts forth efforts
through essestials so that it
will be able to exist as it
always has.
Most important of all, this
year will be an awakening for
many-they can see that there
are goals worth reaching-and
they will be able to look back
on accomplishments of the
past. Hopefully, an awakening
means new ideas and better
ways. Therefore, this year of
glorious achievement should
not end with the last month of
1976, but should continue for
many years to come.
Margaret Smith
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THOMAS WOLFE
by Lisa Albert
Dr. J. O. Fulenwider, Jr.,
talked to our librarian, Mrs.
Brown, about beginning a
Thomas Wolfe collection here
at St. Mary’s. He then granted
his own personal collection of
several first editions of Mr.
Wolfe’s books. He has con
tinued to donate funds
generously to the entension in
the accumulation of Mr.
Wolfe’s works to our library.
The library is hoping to
develop not only a book
collection but any Wolfe
criticism, too, so that material
will be available to all
students and faculty for
research. Other Wolfe
collections are found at UNC,
Pack Memorial Library, and
Harvar-d University.
Thomas Clayton Wolfe is
an internatioally recognized
American writer from
Asheville, N.C. He has
achieved critical acclaim for
his unabashed romanticism
and visionary faith in the
historical greatness of
America. Born October 3,
1900, his mother was a
schoolteacher and father was
a stonecutter. At age 15, Mr.
Wolfe was admitted to UNC
where he was active in
various publication and
theater groups. It was at this
time when he wrote The
Return of Buck Gavin and The
Third Ni^t. From Chapel Hill
he transferred to Harvard
University to earn a master of
arts degree. He wrote
Welcome To Our City and
Mannerhouse, concerning the
disintegration of a southern
family.
Look Homeward Angel
was begun in 1926, finally
appeared in print in 1929,
published by Scribners. The
book explored and explained
“the strange and bitter magic
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of life”. It is an
autobiographical record of the
author’s early years in the
person of Eugene Grant. It
contains vigorous prose and
sequences of unquestionable
power, such as a conversation
between Eugene and the ^ost
of his brother Ben and the
graphic description of his
fathers struggle against
cancer. It is said to be Wolfe’s
major contribution to
American Literature. Wolfe
only earned hostility though of
friends and family who
recognized themselves in
Look Homeward Angel.
Mr. Wolfe died at a youth
ful age in 1938 in Baltimore.
His work was influenced by
the poetry of Walt Whitmans
and Hart Crane and the fic
tional techniques of James
Joyce and Sinclair Lewis.
Many of his works were
published after his death by
Harper and Brothers.
On Wednesday, February
11, Look Homeward Angel will
be brought to the stage at
Raleigh’s Little Theater. It is
to benefit the recently
established Library En
dowment, headed by the
library committee. Preceding
the performance. Dr. Pisani
will introduce the special
guests of the evening. Dr. and
Mrs. J. 0. Fulenwider airf Dr.
and Mrs. H. Holman. Dr.
Holman is a national authority
on Thomas Wolfe from UNC at
Chapel Hill.
Mr. Fred Wolfe, the
brother of Thomas Wolfe and
the only surviving member of
the direct Wolfe family, will
be another very special guest
on hand for the evening. Mr.
Wolfe is 83 years old and lives
in Spartanburg, S.C. The
performance will hold a
certain sentimental effect on
him as he played Luke in Look
Homeward Angel years ago.
He also has been asked to
speak informally to SMC
students on Thursday,
Februa^ 12 in the library
about his brother Thomas.
Mrs. Catherine G. Bar
nhart established a Thomas
Wolfe essay award of $50 for
the St. Mary’s student who
writes the best essay on “The
Legacy of Look Homeward
Angel. Professor Richard
Walser of the English
Department at NCSU and a
nationally-known expert on
Wolfe, will judge the papers.
The winning essay will be
announced by Mrs. Bamhard
preceding the perfomance at
the Little Theater.