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The Spirit of Christmas
Once again the spirit of Christmas is filling the hearts
of men everywhere as they lift their faces to God in
praise and thanksgiving for the birth of the Savior.
Still greed and selfishness run amuck the world over,
and there are those whose thoughts of Christmas re
volve around self. To most people, Christmas is a
time of visiting, exchange of gifts, profit making, loud
noises, merry making, parties, and playing Santa Claus.
True, down through the years, Christmas has become
associated with various things. Some of them are
good and wholesome but they must not outweigh the
true spirit. True, Christmas is a time for rejoicing and
happiness but it is also a time for serious thinking and
communion with God.
There are those the world over whose lives will not
be brightened with material gifts this Christmas.
Shouldn't we remember to thank God for our oppor
tunities and remember to do everything possible to
bring sunshine into the life of another? Jesus taught,
"It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ It would
be our best gift to the Master for "If you have done it
to the least of these, my brethren, you have done it
unto Me.”
IT SEEMS TO ME —
By Roy E. Fossett
Georgia is now looking forward to a great economic
expansion that will raise living standards and make
possible the development of a better life for all its
citizens. But economic prosperity in itself has no
meaning unless Georgia’s development serves the well
being of all our people. Prosperity must bring in its
train those things which make a better life, better jobs,
better homes, better education, better health.
The last of these, health, presents a real challenge
to all Georgians, for underlying all economic prosperity
is the ability of the people to labor. Diseased men and
women without adequate medical care cannot be class
ed as assets to a better economic growth; they must be
considered liabilities to the cause.
At present Georgia is in the grip of a vicious cycle
of events. On every hand we see poverty begetting
disease and' disease furthering poverty. Such a condi
tion has long existed and problems such as these have
never been attacked with fervor. For too long Geor
gians have been content to while away their time con
templating the effectiveness of the kitchen remedy
which grandmother applied in her youth.
The record of our inadequacy of health facilities is
available for all to see. In Georgia in 1945 there were
100 hospitals, or an average of two hospital beds per
thousand. In 1945 Georgia had approximately 1500
physicians, or one to every 2000 people. The national
average is one doctor to every 750 people. There were
ten thousand registered nurses and 128 public health
nurses in 1945, a very low ratio to population.
Furthermore, in the rural districts of the state many
counties are without hospitals or even public health
nurses. It is in these districts that our health problem
is greatest. The greatness of our need is magnified by
the fact that the prevalent diseases in these areas are
those which medical science has been best able to con
trol. This great deficiency of facilities and trained per
sonnel has caused thousands of our children to grow to
adulthood without proper medical care, resulting in
diseased bodies and stunted minds.
To break this hold which disease has upon us, we
should embark at once upon an ambitious program.
Any program designed for this purpose must be all em
bracive and must subject disease to attack upon all
fronts. We must devise ways of increasing family in
come since the low living standard is a major cause of
ill health. We must provide more medical facilities
and trained personnel to man them. We must work
out easy-payment plans for medical care. We must
give further attention to malnutrition, to inadequate
and unsanitary housing. We must expand our public
health facilities and we must provide an intensive pro
gram of public health education.
Such a program will be expensive—but the costs will
be greater each day we delay. As Georgia and Geor
gians are too poor to pay their own doctor bills, the
only recourse is federal aid. Georgia needs federal
aid to medicine and needs it badly. The benefits de
rived from governmental aid to medicine in healthy
bodies and alert minds will more than compensate for
any disadvantages it might bring about. If Georgia is
to progress, it must make the best possible use of the
energies and abilities of all its people.
It’s time we started —it seems to me.
West Georgian Staff, 1946-1947
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Len Hutcheson
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Billie Cheney
SPORTS EDITOR Clarence Salmon
FEATURE ERITOR Poll y Gnffin
CIRCULATION MANAGER Helen Brown
BUSINESS MANAGER Joyce Jones
REPORTERS; Roy Fossett, Mildred Garner, George Daniel,
William Anthony, Bonnie Bruce, James Turner, Rebecca Burrus,
Frank Rushton, Betty Whiteside, Sue Quntion, Marion Moon, Edith
Harrod, Barbara Bishop, Betty Jean Johnson, and Sherman Lindsay.
FACULTY ADVISERS: Marvina Wallingford, Marie Campbell.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $1.25
Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men
By Bill Anthony
Once again the calendar shows that the spirit of Christmas should be
finding its way into our lives. Did you ever make yourself stop to think
about Christmas? No, I thought not! How and from where have our
various customs come? Can you answer that? Just what is the real con
ception of this celebration? Few, if any of us, can give adequate answers
to these questions. I doubt if we even give them a second thought.
In the third century in Europe Christmas was originated as a Church
Festival to extend to everyone good tidings and peace on the Christ Child’s
birthday. Various dramas were presented by the churches to give to the
people a picture of the maog_r segues, the animal’s kneeling, the shepherds
and the wise men. 1 his was done to make them ever conscious of the
Supreme Being.
Later the idea of presenting gifts of affection to loved ones was taken
from an ancient Roman custom of bestowing gifts around the first of the
year. Mistletoe and holly for decorations were added by the Britons as a
symbol of peace. Martin Luther first decorated a Chrismas tree to the
delight of the children in his church. The Dutch gave to the world
Santa Claus and his spreading gifts around the world to children. All
these traditions and customs and other ideas make up that joyful time of
the year called Christmas.
All this does not yet answer our question "What is Christmas?" On
that night so long ago the angels came from heaven to sing "Peace on
Earth, Good Will to Men.” Do we do our part to carry out the angel’s
song? Do we observe this spirit of peace? I think not.
It seems to me that the spirit the founders of Christmas had in mind
has long been lost. Instead, we have substituted our own pleasures. No
longer do we observe the idea of peace, but rather we do a variety of
things for our own pleasure. The idea of giving has almost lost its sin
cerity. Now we try to see how much we can receive, not how much we
can bestow on others. We buy Christmas seals and give to the so-called
"needy” but all this is done in mock sincerity. We do it from a sense of
duty and not for giving for the pleasure of just giving. Let me ask you,
"Are you sincere in what you give?” Think about it.
Today more than ever before the need of "Peace on Earth” is in our
mind’s eye. More than ever we need to be conscious of the fact that
there are those who are less fortunate than we.
As the earth spins on its axis in this sprawling universe attempting to
recover from a great war, we all need to do our small part with all sin
cerity and sing out to the world, "Peace on Earth Good Will to Men.”
Just think how wonderful it would be if every man the world over
would sing out this song. Then I believe the real spirit of Christmas and
"Peace on Earth” would come into existence.
AN EDUCATED MAN
By Dr. Doubles
As we approach the end of a quarter we should ask ourselves why we
came to West Georgia College and we should evaluate the progress we
are making. The natural purpose of one’s enrolling in a college is that
one makes a beginning along the road toward becoming an educated man.
It is wise for us, then, to consider the criteria upon which one should
base his ideas of who an educated man is.
One of the earmarks of an educated man is his fluent use of the means
of human intercourse. He has the ability obtained through training to
use language with ease and accuracy. Nor are his thoughts confined by
monosyllables. He is able to think for himself, and since his thoughts
and ideas take the form of words he is not afraid nor too lazy to in
crease his vocabulary. It is well to remember, too, that one who does not
read beyond the comic books is as ignorant as the fellow who cannot read.
An educated man is well acquainted with and has a keen appreciation
of man’s rich heritage. He knows the intellectual and esthetic enjoyment
that is derived from a knowledge and appreciation of the sciences and the
humanities. He who has not experienced the beauty of Beethoven sym
phony, he who has not wondered at the distances light travels between
our nearest star and the earth has not begun to live. An understanding
of history sufficient for one to appreciate the achievements of the human
race is equally important in the make-up of an educated man.
In addition to his general culture an educated man is trained for a spe
cific occupation. He may w r ell remember that the way to our major dis
coveries and inventions has been pioneered by men who were seekers of
truth for its own sake rather than for utilitarian ends. In the process of
seeking the truth the student experiences an esthetic satisfaction which is
comparable to that enjoyed by an artist in interpreting the beauty in na
ture. In the words of Keats:
Beauty is truth, truth beauty—that is all
Ye Know on earth, and all ye need to know.
The world is full of truths to be found, new beauties to discern.
THE WEST GEORGIAN
Campus Spotlight
Lee Mundy
President of Adamson Hall, Secretary and Treasurer
of V.R.A., Secretary of Zeta Sigma Pi.
Once upon a time not so very long ago (July 9,
1928) in Jonesboro, Georgia there came a little rosy
cheeked girl to make happier the happy family of
Mundy’s. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Mundy and their two
sons and daughters.
A few years passed and one day with her heart burst
ing with pride Lee "went to school" to Jonesboro
Grammar. There in the very first grade, she was
awarded a sucker for saying her A, B, C’s. After ex
celling so magnificently here she was content to be
average the next ten years. Nevertheless, she was out
standing throughout high school.
To Lee FOOD, football, Jeeps, Marguerite and Eve
lyn, Coffee and ice cream, sincerity, dogs, and red
sweaters are "musts.” She likes to day-dream too!
Speaking of dreaming, Lee’s "dream-man” doesn’t
sound bad at all. "He doesn’t have to be handsome
(though it would help) but he must have personality
plus; he must have extremely high ideals; he must be
a Christian and be interested in mankind.”
Lee fairly detests conceited people, pretense, waiting,
Kolynos toothpaste, cold showers, and lights that go
out at eleven.
Her plans for the future run first to a major in Reli
gious Education at Mercer, extensive travel in Europe
(accounting for the keen interest (!) in French) and
finally to specialize. In just which field, she’ll special
ize, even Lee is uncertain but no one is uneasy because
SUCCESS is certainly written across the horizon for
Lee. This we know.
Merlin Wyatt Simonton
President of Veterans Club
Young Merlin approached the great universe on a
bonny day during Indian Summer, August 8, , and
that sums up my information on the whereabouts of
the incident. It seems that in just which year that
eventful day fell is to remain a deep secret in the dark
past.
Through Centralhatchee Grammar and High, Merlin
remembers having trouble with most everything he un
dertook except girls.
Merlin honored W.G.C. with his presence for two
quarters in 1939, after which he worked with General
Motors in Michigan for two and a half years. For the
next thirty months. Merlin saw America "the Army
way.”
Then back to W.G.C. in 1946 to become an apt pupil
and an outstanding leader among our returned heroes.
With a lemon pie and at least six cups of coffee a
day, Merlin could be happy —pretty happy —that is.
His ideal girl in glamorous reality would complete his
contentment. By the way, girls—she’s about 5’5”, an
"honest-to-goodness” blonde with plenty of oomph!
Blue jeans (on girls), asparagus, and would-be
elites sum up his dislikes.
Upon completing his sophomore year at "dear old
alma mater” Simonton plans to transfer to the Univer
sity to continue his major in economics. "Besides eco
nomics, I plan to stick my neck in politics some on the
side, I hope” —That accounts for his minor in political
science.
According to Merlin, there’s only one worry which
clouds his mind, darkening his days for weeks at the
time, and that is the possibility of failing "Espanol.
"If I don’t pass that Spanish, I’m afraid the whole
world is going to lose a great economist —who knows,
maybe another Karl Marx!!” (Unselfish chap, isn the
—thinking of the world?)
All kidding aside, we take pride in presenting ca
pable, likeable Merlin Simonton.
Policy of The West Georgian:
1. The paper is devoted to the general interest of the
institution.
2. The paper should reflect student and faculty opin
ion based on the sobered judgment of the staff
a staff made up of both groups.
3. The paper is a medium of information to the gen
eral college community.
4. Articles of student or faculty opinion must be sign
ed by the writer.
5. The paper will be managed according to standar -
of good newspaper ethics.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 17, 194f,