Newspaper Page Text
December 16. 1960
THE SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Page 3
Christmas in
©ther lands
By Lucia Holloway
Christmas is coming and ev
eryone is rushing around, shop
ping here and there, worrying
about what toys, what clothes,
what indeed, to give this person
or that person. So often we miss
the real meaning of Christmas in
the hustle and bustle of the holi
day season which begins right af
ter Thanksgiving.
I have often wondered what
people in other countries think of
our Christmas customs, and how
they differ from theirs. In talk
ing with Lorna Hosein, Dorcas
Boit, and Cecile Ganpatsingh, I
have"found that our traditions are
not too different, but emphasis is
placed on different things in dif
ferent countries.
Lorna Hosein, who is. from Trin
idad, says that in Trinidad more
emphasis is placed on going to
church and on the commemora
tion of the birth of Christ, than
on giving toys to the children and
presents to adults. The real cele
bration of Christmas begins on
Christmas Eve and continues un
til New Year’s Day. On Christ
mas Eve, the largest tree in town
is decorated and all the children
gather and are given gifts by
clubs and labor unions. There are
not many Christmas trees in pri
vate homes and no lights are used
for decorations. Instead, balloons
and other colorful ornaments are
used. On Christmas Day families
visit and sing carols and exchange
gifts. Big Christmas dinners are
traditional in Trinidad as they are
here. We always look forward to
a large spread with turkey and
dressing and plenty of fruit. In
Trinidad, turkey is a rarity and
chicken is considered the grand
est poultry for Christmas dinner.
Fruit is not very common in Trin
idad and Christmas time is the
only time we have grapes and
apples, so everyone looks forward
to it. Miss Hosein says that she
likes Christmas better in Trini
dad, because Americans place too
much emphasis on gifts and miss
the real essence of Chrirstmas.
In talking with Dorcas. Boit of
Kenya, Africa, I found that they
have Christmas trees, Santa Claus,
and all the traditions we have
here, but Christmas there is not
so commercialized.
Dorcas misses the religious ser
vices held on Christmas Day, for
they mean much more than they
do here. On Christmas Eve, the
people attend church and sing ca
rols and no one, not even the chil
dren goes to bed. On Christmas
Day, after the afternoon services,
picnics are held and everyone is
merry. The weather is warm there
and people sit outside in the sun
shine and enjoy their dinner. Dor
cas, like Lorna, feels that too much
emphasis is placed On gifts in the
United States and that the day
is losing its meaning.
I also talked with Cecile Gan
patsingh from British Guiana,
South America, who said that
Christmas in British Guiana is
very similar to our Christmas. The
most important service takes place
on Christmas Eve at midnight
and is the Holy Communion.
There are also services on Christ
mas Day, but the midnight serv
ice is the major one.
On Christmas Day families stay
in their homes instead of visiting,
and the day is really one for quiet
family gatherings. The families
have concerts where each mem
ber contributes something. If peo
ple wish to exchange gifts and
visit, they do this on Christmas
Eve and leave Christmas day for
the family. On the day after
die ChrhtmaA Carol Concert
At 8:00 o’clock on the evenings
of December 9, 10, and 11, the At-
lanta-Morehouse-Spelman Chorus
and the Spelman College and
Morehouse College Glee Clubs
presented the 34th annual Christ
mas Carol Concert in Sisters
Chapel on the Spelman Campus.
The Chapel was decorated with
evergreens and candles which
made a perfect setting for. the
concert.
As usual, the program was com
prised of a rich variety of carols
of many different origins. Many
of them were old favorites, such
as “Stile Nacht” (German), “The
Feast of the Holy Kings” (Gali
cian). As always too, a number of
new carols had been added to the
chorus repertoire — “High and
Starry Heavens” (Spanish), “Kol
yada” (Russian), “Master in This
Hall” (French^, “Wasn’t That a
Mighty Day?” (Spiritual), and “I
Saw Three Ships” (English).
Each of the Glee Clubs sang
three numbers, and both Dr. Wil
lis L. James, director of the Spel
man Glee Club, and Mr. Wendell
Whalum, director of the More
house Glee Club, mentioned that
this year, there was an unusual
number of fine voices.
As has been the custom in the
past, the Chorus sang a number
of spirituals and several numbers
were sung by the audience and
Chorus together; included were
the processional and the reces
sional.
Dr. Willis L. James directs both
the Chorus and the Spelman Col
lege Glee Club. The able accom
panists were Mrs. Joyce Finch
Johnson, and Mrs. Grace B. Boggs.
Nine Out of Ten Think
The Santa Claus Myth
Should be Abolished
Nine out of ten students who
were asked “Do You Think That
The Santa Claus Myth Should Be
Abolished?” agreed that it should
be abolished. Varied reasons were
given for this attitude.
The following persons and rea
sons are examples of the ideas
of students who answered the
question:
Barbara Warren: “Yes, because
most children’s parents suffer too
much in order to provide gifts as
Santa Claus. If the Santa Claus
Myth is abolished, I think, the
children would be more appreci
ative of their parents.”
Mary Johnson: “Yes, because
there simply is no Santa Claus!
I don’t believe you should make
children believe in a lie because
they will soon find out the truth,
and they may later lose confi
dence in their parents.”
Edith Simmons: “Yes, because
it has led children to become too
materialistic about Christmas.”
Gwen Greene: “Yes, because I
think the true principle and the
spiritual meaning should be
taught to children first. The idea
behind giving gifts should not
have a materialistic value.
Ruby Sirawbridge: “No, because
Christmas is more fun for chil
dren when they look forward to
a surprise. They can believe in
God and know about the birth of
Jesus, and still believe in Santa
Claus.”
One of the housemothers, Mrs.
Mary E. Maffitt, says, “For
the spirit of childhood, fantasy
helps to add excitement to the
real spirit of Christmas. The joy
of the children on his first Christ
mas; the light in their eyes
should make everyone believe in
Santa Claus. Santa Claus is not
necessarily personified, but is the
spirit of Christmas itself.”
Which opinion do you agree
with, “Should the Santa Claus
Myth be Abolished?”
Christmas, Boxing Day, which is
the name given the day when
“boxers” are given to postmen,
errand boys, etc., the boxing
matches are held and friends vis-
(Conlinued on Page 5)
(O Come All Ye Faithful)
Adeste, fideles, Laeti, triumphan-
tes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem:
Natum videte
Regem angelorum:
Venite adoremus, Veniate adore-
mus '
y
Venite, adoremus Daminum
Cantet nunc Io!
Chorus Angelroum, Cantet nunc
Aula colelestium:
Gloria inexcelsis Deo
Venite, adoremus, Venite, adore
mus,
Venite, adoremus Dominum.
Ergoquinatus Diehodierna
Iesus, tibisit gloria:
Patris aestemia
Verbum carofactum:
Venite, adoremus, Venite adore
mus,
Minuit! Chretiens, c’est l’heure so-
lenelle
Ou L’homme Dieu descendit jus-
qu’a nous
Pour effacer la tache originelle
Et de son Pere arter le courroux.
Le mond entier tressaile d’esper-
ance
A cetta nuit qui lui donne un
Sauveur! ^
Peuple, a genous
Attends to deliverance,
Noel! Noel! Voici le Redempteur!
De notre foi que la lumiere ar-
dente
Nous guide tous au berceau de
l’enfant,
Comme autrefois une etoille bril-
lante
Y conduisit les chefs de L’Orient.
Le Roi des Rois nait dans une
humble creche
. , y
Puissants du jour, fiers de votre
grandeur!
A votre orgueil
C’est de la qu’un Dien preche.
Courbez vos fronts devant le Re
dempteur!
Christmas Carols
At Dawn
We hastily threw back the cov
ers and sleepily reached for the
ringing alarm clock. The wind
whistled through the branches of
the leafless trees. On Friday
morning at 5:00 o’clock, the sound
of the wind and the darkness
were not very inviting; however,
we would not be tempted to re
turn to bed.
Lights were on in all dormi
tories, as we prepared for the an
nual Christmas Carolling. We
hastily dressed and assembled in
front of Abby Hall. We were the
first to arrive and huddled to
gether to keep warm. We waited
for the other Spelman students to
join us. Fifteen minutes and thir
ty students more, and we were
still shivering. Finally the “Y”
officials emerged from Abby and
distributed candles. We were
joined by more students and the
procession began. Singing at the
top of our voices, we headed to
ward Morehouse, tracking across
the Trevor Arnett lawn (this is
the only time we do this). We
were welcomed by wide awake
men in front of Roberts Hall.
Some joined and others shouted
compliments.
Circling the block, and pausing
before President Mays’ house, we
sang a verse of “Silent Night,”
and then on to Clark. After
Clark, we moved on to Reynold’s
Cottage where we were welcomed
by Mrs. Manley.
We serenaded the dormitories
and sang our last carol as we
gathered around the fountain in
the center of the campus. By
this time it was almost 6:30 so
we started for the dining hall
cold feet, running noses and all.
We gleefully smiled as the last
1960 holiday activity culminated.
Courbez vos front devant le Re
dempteur!
MMUIIIHIHIMIIIIWIIIWIHmHUIBIIIIIBillllBllllimilll—HIM limMlllllMIIHIMIIHltmiHBMHlllMlllllMHII11Hll»niHlllllMlinn
The Article entitled "The Student as a Cooperating Con
sumer", printed in the last issue was printed with the per
mission of the author, Kenneth I. Brown.
3n Bethlehem
©f Judea
Now when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea, in the days
of Herod the king, behold, there
came wise men from the east to
Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He
that is born King of the Jews?
for we have seen his star in the
east, and are come to worship
him.”
When Herod the king had heard
these things, he was troubled, and
all Jerusalem with him. And
when he had gathered all the
chief priests and scribes of the
people together, he demanded of
them where Christ should be
born. And they said unto him,
“In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus
it is written by the prophet, ‘And
thou, Bethlehem, in the land of
Juda, art not the least among the
princes of Juda: for out of thee
shall come a Governor, that shall
rule my people Israel.’ ”
Then Herod, when he had pri
vately called the wise men, in
quired of them diligently what
time the star appeared. And he
sent them to Bethlehem, and said,
“Go and search diligently for the
young child; and when ye have
found him, bring me word again,
that I may come and worship him
also.”
When they had heard the king,
they departed; and, lo, the star,
stood over where the young phild
was. When they saw the star, they
rejoiced with exceeding joy. And
when they were come into the
house, they saw the young child
with Mary his mother, and fell
down and worshipped him: and
when they had opened their treas
ures, they presented unto him
gifts; gold, and frankincense, and
myrrh. And being warned by God
in a dream that they should not
return to Herod, they departed
into their own country another
way.
And when they were departed,
behold, the angel of the Lord ap-
peareth to Joseph in a dream,
saying, “Arise, and take this
young child and his mother, and
flee into Egypt, and be thou
there until I bring thee word: for
Herod will seek the young child
to destroy him.”
% When he arose, he took the
young child and his mother by
night, and departed into Egypt.
—Matthew 1:1-14.
Stile melt
(Silent Night)
Stile nacht, heilige nacht!
Alles schlaft, einsam wacht,
Nur das heilige eltem paar,
Das in stale zu Bethlehem war,
Bei dem himmulischen Kind,
Bei dem himmlischen Kind.
Stile nacht, heilige nacht!
Hirten erst kund gemacht:
Durch der engel halleluja
Tont es laut von fern und nah:
Christ der Retter is da,
Christ der Retterist da.
Stile nacht, heilige nacht!
Gottes sohn, O wie lacht
Lieb aus deinem hodlseligen
mund,
Da uns schlaat die retten de
Stund,
Christ in deiner Geburt,
Christ in deiner Geburt.
BASKETBALL
Morehouse 70
Alabama A. & M. 40