PAGE FOUR THE MICHIGAN DAILY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7,1954 THE MTCHTGAN nATTY TTTERDAV. fl1~(T1WR1~R '7. 1~L iV-k.7"itij "JWi'iJlM"A AW 4 ' iVV; i 'ALL THE RAGE': Mistletoe Prompts Unusual Reactions Dean Discusses Methods Of Roommate Selection "Go NOW To Your Nearest Store --" By ERNEST THEODOSSIN and TAMMY MORRISON Smaaaaack! "Everybody's doing it. It was all the rage at the opera season last year," said Marie Bourbonnais, '57. This was only one student's re- action to the time-honored Christ- mas custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Eugene Kreuzberger, '56 growled, "It's nothing but a contributor. to. juvenile. delin- quency." "So who needs mistle- toe?" commented Marjorie Dena- witz, '58. Parasitic Shrubs "Mistletoe" is the popular name for related shrubs which are para- sites upon various trees, such as apple, maple, poplar, thorn and linden, but rarely oak. The European or common mis- tletoe is the one referred to in poetry and prose. But one of its relatives with the imposing name of "Phoradendron flavescens" is the species most commonly found at Christmastime in the markets of America. The former, common throughout Europe, is an evergreen, fork- branched shrub, with opposite, ob- long, leathery leaves, small flow- ers and whitish, translucent ber- ries about one quarter inch in diameter. Aids Dating "I think mistletoe is a parasite,; and like all parasites, should be encouraged," said David Kessel, Grad. Ann Sterling, '57, queried, "How do you think I get my dat- es?" Recently engaged Gerry Win- decker, '58E, asserted, "I hate it! It spreads germs!" Use of mistletoe at Christmas is a relic of pre-Christian times. The druids of ancient Gaul held it in special reverence when they found it growing on oak. They gathered it and hung it in their homes during the winter feasts- Pliny gives us an impressive ac- count of the druid ceremony of culling the mistletoe. American mistletoe has fallen heir to some of the traditions and functions of its European cousin, especially the Christmas practice of kissing un- der a suspended sprig. No More Frustrations "How else can you relieve your frustrations at Christmas?" ques- tioned Peter Letterer, '57. When asked if he was frustrated, he re- plied, "What man isn't?" Elaine Vetengle, '57, seemed to close the subject with her terse, "Don't make fun of it. It's the only time of the year I get kissed!" For those interested in doing first 'hand research on mistletoe, it is available in 4-sprig bunches at local dime stores and florist shops. By JANE HOWARD "My roommate? She's the great- est-whoever matched us up really must have had supernatural pow- ers." Freshmen women who attribute the success of their roommate re- lations to a mystical higher being need look no farther than the Office of the Dean of Women. There, under the guidance of Assistant Dean Elsie R. Fuller, the four women's deans work all summer, and often before, process- ing thousands of green applica- tion slips. New Coeds List Interests Each would-be coed lists her special interests and abilities, phy- sical handicaps, smoking habits, usual bedtime, study preferences and any other qualifications on the slip-and leaves the rest to the deans. Freshmen are asked, too, wheth- er or not they contribute to their own support. But no questions are asked about religion or race pref- erences, so that such factors do not, according to Miss Fuller, en- ter into the matching up of the thousands of incoming women. As well as general similarity of wardrobe of clothes won't com- pletely overshadow the other's. Special Requests Granted Women who specify they'd like a roommate "of my own faith" or "from a similar background" us- ually have their hopes satisfied, Miss Fuller said. "Girls are given arbitrary room- mate assignments," she added, "only for their first semester here -after that tehy're on their own." Although an overwhelming per- centage of freshman and transfer women are completely satisfied with their roommates, Miss Fuller explained there's a set method for settling other cases. When neither roommate is happy, they're asked to accept the situation for a two- week trial period. "There's no magic on our part in putting roommates together," Miss Fuller said. "Many freshmen come here with the preconceived idea they've simply got to have a roommate - otherwise college wouldn't be college. "With this attitude, they're gear- ed to thinking along positive lines, and usually can get along con- genially with their roommates. And when differences do arise," -Daily-Dick Gaskili "Ain't there anyone here for love, sweet love?" C o o k i e Schwartz seeks romance. Miss Schwartz demonstrates one of the most popular uses of the flowering berry, mistletoe, whose mysterious and potent powers were first discovered by the Druids. HOMEWARD BOUND: Buses, Trains, Planes in Gear For Mass Campus Exodus habits and abilities, Miss Fuller she explained, "most roommates added, roommates usually are as- learn to respect each other on a signed with an eye to similar eco- give-and-take basis, and can settle nomic backgrounds-so that one's their troubles independently." THE QUARRY'S WonSHderful if Take eg elday deek d ~his enszs a BrownieE $o wkee amera $ ~., ifLASH KaT us inc. fed. Tax q 1 :;a' : 4'ri $ the big holiday week end SLIDE Complete fHawke ye 7CHANGER F ST9 YOUR projector can be automatic, by 13.65 4 simply slipping the Airequipt Automatic SE 0 Slide Changer into place and operating 75g uFL7SH= = O the lever bac and frth Slides ato matically change, in sequence, or you There's nothing to it. 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N ture in this kit: the Argus 75 camera with exclusive AUTO-VIEW COER GLASS latstcamera $J sdE$9l Automatic Table Extra protection; ads t ! e A ""RBD--DOT"; flash gun; flash bulbs; batteries; andfm.Viewer, $24.50 Box of 75, $1.95 >j arust Aft * Fed. wta t co pete for ony $995 v ~onderfal gift"lo a o o ] Come in today for q demonstration For Everything .. . With Christmas vacation rapidly approaching, (though not quite rapidly enough for some students) the campus will soon be almost de serted. Although most of the student& will go home, Florida and New York can expect a number of vis- itors from the University. Fort Lauderdale will be a popular mec- ca for sun-seekers, with the ocean beach offering more incentive for relaxation than the cold snow of students' northern homes. Those who will be going home have a variety of ways to get there. Buses and cars will be the main methods of toransportation for in-state students. Many Will Fly Greyhound lines do not intend toj use more buses than usual, but according to an employe, student specials to Lansing and Grand Rapids may be offered from Ann Arbor as they were over Thanks- giving. A receptionist in the local travel service exasperatedly estimated that "about the whole population of the school" intends to fly home. After taking a more realistic view, however, she revised her approxi- mation to somewhere around a thousand reservations, depending on the weather. Most of the flights are to New York and the East coast. Trains will be filled to capacity, 'With most popular destinations Chi- cago and New York. Some stu- dents are taking advantage of the group rates made available to stu- dents through Vulcan Society. Travel Service Those who want to drive home and are without a ride can find students with cars going to desired vicinities through the Union Travel Service. Others will pool finances to rent cars and drive home. Ann Arborites and students who intend to stay here over the holi- days will do their best to stay in the "Christmas spirit," but if past vacations are reliable indications, in two weeks they will be trying to celebrate on a dead campus. Long History Of Yuletide Trees Told By ESTHER HELFMAN Evergreen trees have long been an important part of our Christ- mas celebration. The Christmas tree, about which much of our Yuletide tradition centers, is approved of by Michi- gan students. A random survey elicited remarks such as "nice," "great" and "a very fine custom." Elizabeth Tassone, '57, claims that "Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without one." Harry Burke, '57, calls the tradition "an excellent idea," while Rolf Scharenberg, grad., approves with the reserva- tion that it is "a waste of trees." Origin Obscure The origin of the custom of adorning evergreensduring the Yuletide season is very obscure. Some think it is related to wor- ship of the "spirit of vegetation", while others claim it had to do with a story of St. Boniface. It is said that the saint cut down a sacred oak on Christmas Eve, beneath which human sacrifices had been offered. As it fell, St. Boniface saw a vision of a fir tree. He then proposed this tree, unstained with blood, as a sym- bol of the new faith. Folk Tale A German folk tale concerning the Christmas tree, tells of a forester and his family who were gathered around a fire on Christ- mas Eve, when they were inter- rupted by a knock. Upon opening the door, the forester saw a cold, hungry and exhausted child. The child was welcomed, warm- ed, fed and given a bed. Next morning, the family was awakened. by a choir of angels. They look- ed at their guest and saw him transfigured for he was the Christ- Child. He broke off a branch from a fir tree, set' it in the earth and said, "See, I have gladly re- My gift to you. Henceforward this tree shall al- ways bear its fruit at Christmas, and you shall always have abun- dance." German Custom The Christmas tree as an es- tablished custom is first found in Germany in 1605. Popular tradi- tion attributes its introduction to Luther. It does not seem to have been common until the 18th cen- tury. It became an almost uni- versal custom in Germany by the 19th century. From Germany it spread to the rest of Christendom. An American innovation to the traditions revolving about Christ- mas trees is the tree lighting ser- vice, in which prophesies are re- cited while the tapers on the tree are lighted one by one. Another American development is that of the municipal Christmas tree, which is set up in some public place for the enjoyment of all. 'Rudolph' Wanted: one red-nosed reindeer. Rudolph, a red-nosed reindeer who lights Santa's way during in- clement weather with his shiny red nose, seems suddenly to have dis- appeared. A check with local book and rec- ord stores revealed that only two bookstores had the Rudolph book and only one store the record. The latter store reported that the rec- ord still has notybeen sold. As one five-year old tot said, when encountered with the subject of Rudy, "Rudolph? what's that?" 4 1 -V 4 I $4 A GIFT FOR EVERYONE i at Overbeek's Bookstore BOOKS for CHILDREN AND ADULTS GAMES - CRIBBAGE, MONOPOLY, SCRABBLE CHILDREN'S TOYS-PAINT SETS, MODELS CHRISTMAS CARDS WRAPPING, TOYS, AND SEALS 14 4 1216 So. University Phone NO 3-4439 i i U I 1 .4 5E 9 s ksIs" I - n- n feinedhand.