Oct 24,1953
CThe Hilltop
PLAIN LIVING AND HIGH THINKING
Witches Expected As
Hallowe’en Approaches
Published by the Students of Mars Hill College
Entered as second-class matter February 20, 1926, at the Postoffice at
Mars Hill, North Carolina, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Published semi-monthly during the college year.
BOO! That may not scare you so much now, but in exactly one week,
it should make the goose-flesh leap, especially if uttered by a seven-clawed
witch with long stringy hair and a wild look in her eye. Girls beware!
Halloween approaches!
Halloween, sometimes known as the All Hallow Even, the Nutcrack
night or Snapapple night means hallowed or holy evening. This is the
one night of the year upon which
TLe
Casuia.1
OiDserver
Volume XXVIII
October 24, 1954
Number 3
Editor-in-Chief Anne Thompson
Associate Editor Mildred Scroggs
Sports Editor Richard Long
Exchange Editor Douglas Spencer
Advertising Manager Janice Dennis
Assistant in Advertising Betty Pearson
Circulation Manager Calvin Metcalf
Campus Portraits
Are Unidentified
supernatural influences prevail
People who got as far as the fea
ture page in most of last year’s edi
tions will recognize the change in
the heading of this column from
"Hill Topics” to the above. What
most. The spirits of the dead wan- you probably don t know is that it
Who
CONTRIBUTORS
Lucia Holder, Helen Brown, Betty Stacy, Jim Long, Gladys Stamper,
Shirley Sumner, Sybil Lennon, Bill Hegler, Sarah Adams, Rex Robert
son, Leon Rooks, and Fred Young.
mat Shall We Choose?
Life is big. We cannot possibly grasp the whole of it in the few years
that we have to live. We all want to make the most of it. How can we
accomplish the most with what we have at our command ? What is vital ?
What is necessary? Let us ask ourselves these questions today.
First, what may we let go? Who
are they—^These men and
women whose pictures hang on
the walls of the college library, so
ciety halls, and dormitories? Per
haps these people who in every case
were instrumental in building and
promoting Mars Hill College, go
unnoticed by the majority of the
students.
A tour of the campus beginning
at Montague Library will reveal
portraits of such people as Geter C.
Pritchard, Thomas Lester Johnson,
William Charles McConnell, Mc
Kinley Landers, John Robert Sams,
and Dr. R. L. Moore.
Mr. Pritchard served intermit
tently on the Mars Hill board of
trustees from 1885-1989 and con-
der along among the witches and
devils in the minds of those under
supernatural influences.
There are many interesting cus
toms connected with Halloween.
isn't new; it s a revival of the one
used in the 1952-53 run of the
Hilltop, when Gene Roberts was
editor. Yours truly is inclined to
dislike plays on the name of this
Many of these traditions have been publication, be they ever so clever.
forgotten while others go on and
on.
we measure? Each of us must answer that question as an individual
We may find helpful guidance in this statement: ‘We may let go all
things which we cannot carry into the eternal life.” Why fill our lives
with things which we can only keep for a limited span of time?
To begin with we may eliminate pretense. Whatever we really are,
let us be that, in all clearness and fearlessness. We can rid ourselves of
much fear and restlessness if we will rid our lives of all the false pre
tense that w'^e now entertain. Let us hang life on the line, as the painters
say, and look at it honestly.
We can also eliminate worry. Ruskin says, “God gives us always
strength enough and sense enough for everything He wants us to do.”
One’s environment may be very disagreeable, but this can be overcome.
A good way to gt into harmony with one’s environment is to try to
understand it first, and then begin to adapt ourselves to it, as far as
may be possible.
Now for a few of the things in life that are worth keeping. We can
make wise use of our time. Money lost may be regained and broken
friendships may be renewed; but how can one call back the moment
that has passed; or the day that has slipped by? Let us not try to escape
our work, or fail to see it. Our verj^ presence on earth is proof that God
has work for us to do today. Along with this work will come happiness,
love, friendships, and most important, faith.
I have only touched a few of the things that we may profitably let
go and a few of the things in life that are worth keeping. May you use
these suggestions to live as an inspiration^ strength, and blessing to all
whose lives are touched by yours.
—Paul Johnson
can say? By what standard shaB ; j 1898 to 1921. The
oc nr» inHixM/iiiol * , i • i
Mars Hill debating society, which
One interesting custom that is
still observed nowadays is that of
building bonfires. This was be
lieved to keep away evil spirits
that were thought to be present on
Halloween night. Each family
used to build its own fire and
while it was dying away, every
member of the family would throw
a stone into the fire. The stones
were thought to be a mark of fu
ture identification. The next morn
ing, all of the stones were searched
for, and the ones that could not
Along the line of observing,
there have been several observations
made concerning the difficulty of
the Spanish-speaking students on
campus in picking up the funda
mentals of class-room directions.
Coach Hart’s 10:30 hygiene class
Mondays and Wednesdays is
on
having "mucho fun” at the expense
of Enrique Hernandez. Try speak
ing Spanish, French, etc., during
an entire class sometime and see
what he’s up against. Let alone
understanding what is said!
The Observer watches with
amusement the antics of the class
be found signified that the owner featuring the latest addition to the
It’s Our Job
“No sir. I’ll have none of that! That’s politics, and I wash my hands
of the whole business.” How many times have we heard these words, or
others like them? How many people have we heard, people who would
have fought an3'one who questioned their one-hundred-per-cent Ameri
canism, declare with self-righteous expression on their faces that
would not have anything to do with “those dirt}*" politicians. And
how very often have those same people been found complaining bitterly
and constantly when state and federal governments were conducted in
a manner which they did not like?
Every child who is educated in the public schools of the United States
is acquainted with the Constitution and its major provision^ Almi^t
every reasonably intelligent citizen of the U. S. knows that he or she
has the power to place in responsible positions those who they believe
would best conduct the affairs of those positions. Yet in every election -
state, federal, or local—the proportion of those who register to the total
was the beginning of the present
literary societies, furnished Mr.
Pritchard experience in oratory
which enabled him to become a
prominent senator and a federal
judge. He was instrumental in ob
taining the first large contribution
given to the college and through
out his life he remained a promot
er of the college.
Others
Another liberal supporter of the
college is Thomas Lester Johnson,
prominent Lumberton attorney and
board of trustees member from
I93O-I943. From the time he
made his first contribution to the
present Mars Hill auditorium he
has remained a most generous sup
porter and alumnus of the college.
In 1920 he set a $1,000 loan fund
for students who need aid.
William Charles McConnell,
Asheville businessman and mem
ber of the board of trustees from
1909-1936, was the leader in the
drive for the gymnasium which
bears his name.
On May 5, 1922, McKinley Lan
ders was presented the first and
only junior college diploma from
Mars Hill, which became a junior
college in 1921. He died one year
after graduation from Carson-New-
man.
A faculty member from 1868-
1872, and a board of trustees mem
ber, John Robert Sams worked with
his own hands in helping to re
model the first building on the
Mars Hill campus so that the school
could open following the Civil
War.. He also donated much of the
material for the history of Mars
Hill.
Hanging in the reference room
of the library is an oil portrait of
would be dead within a year.
There are many cat supersti
tions connected with Halloween.
If a cat sits quietly beside a person,
it indicates peace and prosperity.
If the cat rubs against the person,
it means good luck and even more
luck. If the cat should run from
someone, it signifies that that per
son has a secret and the secret will
be known within a week.
As this special night rolls around
each year, there is enjoyment for
both young and old. Most schools
throughout the United States car-
girl’s physical education program,
field hockey. It reminds one some
what of 22 enthusiastic basket-ball
players moving up and down a
hundred-yard long floor, each with
a four-foot solid wooden stick in
her hand, and each bent on either
self- or opponent-annihilation. They
say the sport is popular in England.
No wonder her population is de-r
creasing.
Initiations
The society initiations for both
sexes were interesting this year, to
say the least. Leap year came early.
, , j or was it Sadie Hawkins Day?
ry on school parades, costume con- Anyhow, the girls did most of the
tests, skits and stunts. Such parties asking in the
are also planned by the church,
the YMCA, and other organiza
tions.
Leaf Gathering Is
Popular Occupation
Have you wondered why “gangs”
of students have been pulling all
the leaves off the trees? Don't be
alarmed; they’re not crazy. They
are only getting their botany as-
dating department,
upon orders of fiendish C-II so
ciety members. Several of the boys
became highly eccentric in dress,
and yours truly was informed no
less than six times that the number
of squares in the cafeteria floor
was exactly 1444. So?
Tfie east wing in Edna Moore
dormitory seems to be a gathering
place for officers of all types. Two
Nonpareil officers live on third
floor, three hostesses are scattered
along the wing, most of the house
officers live there, and there are
(Continued on Page 4)
signment. All botany students must they must be put in a herbarium.
have thirty-five different species of
leaves. In getting these leaves the
students must know if the leaves
are simple or compound; pinnate
or palmate; height and name of
trees; and where the tree is found.
Since the leaves are turning at
this time of year, some students
think that the colored poison oak
and poison ivy are very pretty spe
cies of leaves. The students gather
the leaves one day and the next
morning wake up itching. Miss
The students then must tell various
facts about the leaves. The fall
botany students are having quite a
time gathering their leaves. Won
der how the spring botany class
will do on their project, since the
leaves are young and tender then?
number of eligible voters is shockingly low, and the proportion of those Hr. R. L.Moore. This portrait was Brewer has dealt with quite a few
who actually vote, even lower. If the interest of the American people painted by Miss Beulah Bowden, cases of poisoning. Other students
in their own government is so small, how can we expect to keep our
selves and our legislative standards free from the encroachments of such
evils as Communism and Socialism?
As long as American government is in the hands of human beings,
there will be a , certain amount of corruption and personal gain in its
political system. That the system is nevertheless fundamentally sound and it is largely through their ef-
and right is the very rock upon which that nameless something, referred forts that Mars Hill is operating
to as “the American way of life,” is founded. A “han(L-off ’ policy on today
former art teacher. Dr. Moore is
sometimes referred to as the second
founder of the college. He and
Mrs. Moore spent fifty years of
their lives in service to Mars Hill
the part of the citizens, therefore, is not the answer. Rather it is the
responsibility of the citizen to see to it that this corruption is kept to
an absolute minimum.
Should the people of America shun their responsibility as voters, gov
ernment “of the people, by the people, and for the people” will become r r> w/ c -i a c
a farce. It is up to us, as citizens to see that our government is run by ture of B. W. bpilman and one of
capable hands. (Continued on Page 4)
Portraits of Charles M. Palmer
and Mrs. Palmer hang in Spilman
parlor. Mr. Palmer was for many
years a member of the board of
trustees. Also in Spilman is a pic-
have turned their ankles; some have
fallen down hills, and one boy fell
out of a tree. Many accidents can
happen in a project like this.
Just having an afternoon of rest,
peace of mind, and walking in the
warm sun is not all there is to this
assignment. Oh, No! You must
dehydrate and press the leaves in
newspapers. The newspapers should
be changed about every three days.
If these leaves are not dehydrated in
the right way, they will turn black,
and mold, or dry out and break.
After the leaves have been pressed.
“WARNING!”
Students who are planning
to submit creative material to
the literary edition of the Hill
top, which will be published
during the spring semester,
should begin to gather ideas for
their papers, as the deadline for
material is set several weeks be-
!; fore the edition is published.
Creative material used in the
'I literary edition includes essays,
J; short stories, poems, descriptive
pieces, etc. Articles and stories
should be kept within a reason
able length.
Originality and individuality
are the qualities most sought;I
after in the pieces, and students J
should draw subjects for their
material from their own experi
ence where possible.
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