LITERARY
EDITION
The Hilltop
Published by the Students of Mars Hill College
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VOL. XL
MARS HILL, NORTH CAROLINA, APRIL 24, 1937.
Church Steeples
And Grasshoppers
A Reply to Chapel Speaker
Of April 16, In An At
tempt to Keep Face.
BY G. G. MORGAN
On Friday morning, April 16,
the chapel speaker, who was ad
vising us about the legal profes
sion, showed very excellent mob
psychology, admirable sense of
humor, and a fascinating audience
approach. I think he should be
classed as one of the most inter
esting chapel speakers of the year.
I was especially impressed by
his contention that a law student
should study every subject offer
ed him. His contention is certain
ly logical; but I question its prac
ticability.
It is generally conceded that a
law student studies two distinc
types of subjects: (1) those sub
jects for which he is absolutely
sure he will have a definite need,
such as; English, government, anc
public speaking; (2) those sub
jects that there is a possibility
of his needing in different types
of cases, such as; trigonometry,
biology and chemistry. The speak
er knows far more about the le
gal profession than I do—but Fm
positive that I know more about
the nature of the modern law
coux’se and the present day col
lege requirements than he does.
I am supposed to be following
a preparatory law course. But ac
cording to the prescribed junior
college course, I am required to
spend more semester hours study
ing biology than I am any other
one subject. I am also required to
spend as many semester houi-s on
mathematics as I spend on govern
ment. Since such subjects as math
and biology are usually difficult
for me, if I mastered them, as I
am apparently expected to do,
they would require two and three
times as much study as my other
subjects. Hence, if I diligently fol
lowed my prescribed coui-se, I
would necessarily neglect those
subjects that are vital to my pass
ing the bar, in order to master
those subjects that, are remotely
connected with the law.
If I should set out to hike
through the mountains for a
camping trip, I would have to
choose wisely those things that I
should carry with me. I would
have a definite need for such
things as food and bedding, and I
would certainly need some match
es with which to start my fires. It
would be very wise for me to take
along a few things that I might
casually need, such as fishing
poles and magazines, and I could
readily use some kerosene oil with
which I could build a fire more
easily. But since there is a limit
to the amount of supplies that I
am capable of carrying, it would
be stupid for me to leave my
matches behind in order to carry
along my kerosene oil. If I knew
all of the technical knowledge in
the world, if I mastered every
scientific course in all of the uni
versities of America, and yet if I
neglected the study of public
speaking and law, in order to ob
tain that knowledge, I would never
impress a judge or a jury enough
to successfully apply my scientific
learning to any one case.
There is a limit to the amount
of knowledge that a person is ca-
(Continued on page 4)
NO. 12
PORTALS OF KNOWLEDGE
as
ESTELLA NISSEN MONTAGUE LIBRARY
SOCIALS
Saturday evening, April 24,
will find members of the various
B. T. U. units of the campus en
joying themselves in an evening
of frolic and revelry at the homes
of several faculty members. Fran
ces Ward, general recreational di
rector of the organizations, prom
ises entertainment and refresh
ments of first calibre.
Campus Paragraphics
BROADCAST
Twenty vocal enthusiasts of the
glee club journeyed to Asheville
last Sunday afternoon and gave
^ program of sacred music over
radio station WWNC. The string-
ensemble, with Mervin Oakes, flu
tist, appeared on the program,
also. This Sunday finds more than
30 members of the chorus at Shel
by and Lincolnton in public pro
grams.
SPEAKER
C. N. Walker, Asheville banker,
who spoke at the junior-senior
banquet, suggested that to make
friends was a requirement of suc
cess. Stressing opportunity tied
up with service, he said, “You and
I have got to serve the other fel
low.”
CHAPEL
Vocational Guidance lectures
took up the entire week of chapel
programs from April 12-16. Hoyt
Blackwell, speaking on religious
work, affirmed that a Christian
minister is divinely called, at the
opening convocation on Monday.
Tuesday, W. Howard Plemmons,
principal of Lee Edwards high
school, Asheville, who received his
diploma from Mars Hill in 1926
spoke on the teaching profession
as a vocation. The youthful school
master stated, “There is a pecu
liar satisfaction in working with
boys and girls and helping them
take their places in society, that
can never be mentioned in dollars
and cents.”
INSTALLATION
Robed in regalia, carrying
lighted candles, members of the
old B. S. U. council will enter
chapel Tuesday morning and
mount the platform where in im
pressive ceremonies they will re
linquish their duties to the incom
ing council. Mary Lee Ernest,
present president, will have her
office taken over by W^ayne
Oates.
OTHERS
Dr. William Ray Griffin, Ap
palachian Hall head, spoke at
length on Wednesday on the med
ical profession. On Thursday,
Lawyer George Pennell, of Ashe
ville, delighted the audience with
his humorous speech filled with
sound advice for aspiring legal
prof essionalists. He maintained
that a lawyer should be well
versed in every field. Madison
County Agent Miller, of Marshall,
on Friday, brought the series of
lectures to a close with a graphic
address on agriculture as a vo
cation.
COMMENCEMENT
Thirty-three high school seniors,
of the town school, received their
diplomas from the hands of school
board chairman, J. B. Huff, last
Wednesday morning in the final
exercises of commencement week.
Calvin Stringfield, pride and joy
of the P. C. Stringfield’s, deliver
ed the valedictory address.
MUMPS
Joe Jelks, popular high school
coach, went through the past
mumps epidemic unscathed, but
found himself this week, with va
cation just beginning, with swol
len jaws. A swell malady for a
swell fellow.
Over 100 Contests
Entered by Debaters
Three Tournaments Entered
By Contestants .4 s Speakers
Win Four Championships.
The intercollegiate forensic
team, ably coached by Professor
J. B. Huff, is nearing the comple
tion of a successful year of de
bating, speaking, oratory, and
dramatic reading, having entered
118 contests in all. The team has
participated this year in 82 de
bates, seven after dinner speaking
contests, 13 extempore speaking
contests, fiye impromptu speak
ing [Contests, four oration con
tests, and three dramatic reading
contests.
Cullowhee was the first debate
of the season in which a negative
team of Bob Bellinger and Haynes
Brown and an affirmative team
of G. G. Morgan and Bill Flem
ing took part in a non-decision
debate.
Following this was the annual
Strawberry Speech Tournarnent
held at Winthrop college, Rock
Hill, South Carolina, in which our
team entered more speakers than
any of the 27 colleges taking part
in the contest. Eddie Lieberman
won first place there in after din
ner speaking and Charles Weaver
won second place in oratory. Each
debater engaged in six debates.
A debate with- Lees-McRae saw
two Mars Hill teams of Clarence
Sinclair and Edwin Spangler, Har
old Robinson and Boyd Ray in ac
tion.
After this came Milligan and
Carson-Newman.
The week beginning February
2 was a busy one for the forensic
group, seeing them in a debate
with the women of Asheville Nor
mal college the first part and a
team of six debaters, orators, and
speakers traveling to Boone Feb
ruary 5 to enter the tournament
in which John Chapman won sec
ond place in after-dinner and de
bate.
The Tri-State tournament, held
at Catawba college, came in
March with first place in after-
dinner speaking going to Eddie
Lieberman, first place in oration
to Charles Weaver, and first place
in extempore to John Chapman.
The menibers of the intercol
legiate forensic team are as fol
lows: G. G. Morgan, William
Fleming, Boyd Ray, Harold Rob
inson, Robert Howard, Robert
Bellinger, Eddie Lieberman, Clar
ence Sinclair, Edwin Spangler,
Haynes Brown, John Chapman,
James Randleman, Jane Pope,
Frances Summierlin, Ruby Hop
kins, Lillian Linney, and Dorothy
Walker.
PREXY
Woodrow Hall, president of the
State Baptist Student Union spoke
at the Monday morning chapel
hour this week comparing Jesus
with plants of the mountains. He
referred to Christ as the “plant
of renown.”
PEACE
With avid zeal, John Chapman’s
veterans of future wars will enter
the coming week with long tirades,
special services, and general bally
hoo, all in the name of peace. The
energetic commander-in-chief will
(Continued on page 4)
Contributors
This the Literary Edition of
The Hilltop has been made pos
sible by the cooperation of the
following:
J. Van Blurp, Marian Sprin
kle, Elizabeth Lee, Robert Bel
linger, Robert Howard, Mildred
Hardin, William Poteat, Eu
gene Brissie, Haynes Brown,
A1 Wester, A1 Bellinger, Ed.
Spears, G. G. Morgan, Jr., Ru-
amie Squires (’33), Falk John
son (’33), Nona Moore Rob
erts (’14), Arthur Whitehurst
(’18), John Chapman, and Hu
bert Elliott.