Page Two
CLARION
Monday, December 13, 1976
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rHE CLARION
December 13
IZ3IK;
For several days, students at
Brevard have once again
fabricated a malicious tale-
laden not only with cruelty and
intolerance, but literally reeking
with Oedipal overtones—in order
to occupy these final days of the
fall semester. It seems that the
topic of this discussion is an
accusation of alleged
homosexuality between two of
our students. Although the
“evidence” of said discussion
shoul appear self-evidentily false
to any reasonably logical
student, I thought it might be
interesting to examine the
motivation for such hostility
from a somewhat “objective”
perspective.
First of all, it is fascinating to
witness how voraciously the
students here devour any gossip
(no matter how ridiculous). Are
we so desperately bored that
virtually any accusation will be
accepted without question? Or is
it that we are all so naive that we
believe anything we hear?
Psychologists say that gossip can
be a manifestation of a sub
conscious desire to divert at
tention away from ourselves. If
so, perhaps this particular story
may have its roots in a universal
sexual insecurity among our
students.
Second, and even more
terrifying to me, is the relish with
which many students tell this
story. It is as though no previous
topic has been so succulent and
no moral triumph so victorious as
the discovery of homosexuality
at Brevard. Such Victorian
prudence! Such Neanderthal
intolerance! We pride ourselves
on being so liberated of
inhibition, so sexually open-
minded. But this thin veneer of
sophistication is merely a mask
behind which lurks a treasure
trove of Oedipal guilt and
Freudian neuroses. How, in the
second half of the twentieth
century, can we be so hung-up
that we not only mistake friend
ship for homosexuality (at the
mere whim of anyone who feels
like creating hostility, for what
ever purpose), but then actually
discuss this misconception as
though it were sub-human, en
croaching upon mental illness?
Third and most terrifying is
the strength to which students
cling to this falsehood. It is as
though the accusation was suf
ficient proof of itself. No one
seems to be able to even consider
the validity of this alleged tale.
To retract or even to question
gossip is too self-incriminating, I
suppose. It might reveal how
destructive and sexually in
timidated we really are. The
damage, of course, can’t be
erased—it can only be prevented
from continuing. But perhaps the
ignorance and lack of pathos
explicated here will cause some
of us to think twice the next time
we hear^a “story.”
1976 McNaught Synd., Inc.
“You call that total commitment to TM?”
Dt>C
aw • >OC
The CLARIuN
Brevard, N. C. 28712
Member of Associated Collegiate Press and In
tercollegiate Press, Three-time winner of ACP’s First-
Class Rating. Published during the college session by
students of Brevard College. The opinions expressed in
^this periodical are those of the editorial board and not
necessarily those of the college.
-Editor-in-Chief
I
1
Sports Editor
Advertising Manager
Feature Editor
Staff
4 Photographer
11 Advisor
11 Public Relations Director
Deborah Shelton
Mark Hamrick
Gordon Bostic
Rhonda Pruitt
Luke Osteen, Will Service
Matt Gilson, Richard Ritchie
Belo Shelton, George Loveland
Doyle Williams
Rhuemma C. Miller
atv—
Eversman 1
XK=XKI
Once again the time has come for
each of us to face that sad
paradox that some call Christ
mas. With the true love and
diviness that is within each of us,
maybe this Christmas will
become real. . .
“Then said a rich man, ‘Speak
to us of Giving.’
And he answered:
‘You give but little when you
give of your possessions. It is
when you give of yourself that
you truly give. For what are your
possessions, but things you keep
and guard for fear you may need
them tomorrow?
And then tomorrow, what shall
tomorrow bring to the over-
prudent dog burying bones in the
trackless sand as he follows the
pilgrims to the holy city?
And what is fear of need, but
need itself?
Is not dread of thirst when your
well is full, the thirst that is
unquenchable?
There are those who give little
of the much which they have —
And they give it for recognition
and their hidden desire makes
their gifts unwholesome.
And there are those who have
little and give it all. These are the
believers in life and the bounty of
To the Brevard College Trustees,
the Administration, Faculty and
Students;
According to recently passed
legislation, women are equal to
men and deserve the same
education, whether it be
academically or socially. Since a
college is designed to teach both
academics and responsibility, it
seems as if Brevard College is
denying the women on campus
the right to be able to learn
responsibility by restricting their
freedom of movement in and out
of their dorms during the late
night hours. The men on this
campus are allowed this
freedom. Why then, are the
women not allowed the same
right? We are being
discriminated against which,
according to legislation, is
wrong.
Besides being ethically op
pressive, the curfew hours for
women are also denying us the
freedom of study as well as that
of movement. Many times, while
studying late at night, a person
begins to feel trapped within her
room. She is unable to go outside
for fresh air because the doors
are locked. (It is my opinion that
many of the fire alarms pulled in
the women’s dorms are pulled by
people who want some fresh air.)
Also, some people would rather
study outside than inside. I, for
one, would relish the chance to
study on the front porch of Jones
at night when the weather in nice.
life, and their coffer is never
empty. There are those who give
with joy, and that joy is their
reward. And there are those who
give with pain, and that pain is
tiieir baptism.
to receive his days and nights, is
worthy of all else from you. And
he who has deserved to drink
from the ocean of life deserves to
fill his cup from your little
stream.
And there are those who give And what desert greater shall
and know not pain in giving, nor there be than that which lies in
do they seek joy, nor give with Oie courage and the confidence,
mindfulness of virtue. nay the charity, of receiving?
They give as in yonder valley
the myrtle breathes its fragrance
into space.
Through the hands of such as
these God speaks, and from
behind their eyes He smiles upon
the earth. It is well to give when
asked, but it is better to give
unasked, through understanding.
And to the open-minded the
search for one who shall receive
is joy greater than giving.
And is there ought you would
withhold?
All you have shall some day be
given;
Therefore give now, that the
season of giving may be yours
and not your inheritors. You oft
say, ‘I would give, but only to the
deserving.’ The trees in your
orchard say not so, nor the flocks
in your pasture. They give that
they may live, for to withhold is
to perish. Surely he who is worthy
And who are you that men
should rend their bosom and
unveil their pride that you may
see their worth naked and their
pride unabashed?
See, first, that you yourself
deserve to be a giver, and an
instrument of giving. For, in
truth, it is life that gives unto life
— While you, who deem yourself
a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers — And you
are all receivers — assume no
weight of gratitude, lest you lay a
yoke upon yourself and upon him
who gives.
Rather rise together with the
giver on his gifts as on wings.
For to be overmindful of your
debt is to doubt his generosity
who has the free-hearted earth
for mother, and God for father.’ ”
—from Kahlil Gibran’s The
Prophet
We are literally trapped within
the dorms after closing hours.
Occasionally while a girl is out
on a date, something will go
wrong with the car and she is late
coming in. She is penalized for
being late and will usually
receive some sort of punishment
for her tardiness. I feel that
many of the car accidents in
volving Brevard College students
occur because they have lost
track of time and are rushing
back to campus in order to get in
on time. Some girls would rather
go ahead and stay out all night
rather than face the in
terrogation she wiU receive for
being late. It seems that this
would be more dangerous than
coming in late, but the rules at
Brevard College have made it so
that girls are afraid to be late no
matter what the reason is.
What we need here is some
system by which a girl may
return to her dorm at any time
she wishes. However, this should
be done in such a way as not to
endanger the security of the
building. I feel that security is
important not only because of the
valuables kept in the dorm, but
also because of the women
themselves. In this age of
technological advances, there
must be some way to maintain
security using either a lock and
key type system or one whereby
there is someone around at
certain times throughout the
night to open the doors for those
girls wishing entrance. One idea
brought up is for those girls,
wishing to stay out past the time
the doors are locked, to check out
a key from the Dorm Director
and return it in a signed, sealed
envelope upon her return. Other
ideas include simply issuing a
key to every girl in the dorm at a
nominal charge, and having a
fine for anyone who loses her key.
Another idea is the card key
system. In this system, each girl
will be issued a magnetized card
which is inserted into the lock
mechanism and the lock is
electronically opened. President
Jacob Martinson and Dean Mary
Margaret Houk have been meeting
with representatives from each
of the women’s dorms. They have
come up with some feasible
ideas, one of which will be
presented by President Mar
tinson to the Board of Trustees.
The purpose of ftis letter has
not been to cut down, hurt or, in
any other way, degrade the
college. It was simply designed to
express the opinion of the
majority of the female students
on campus and to show that we
are behind President Martinson.
I would like to thank President
Martinson and Dean Houk for
showing their concern for ow
opinion and for their help w
getting things changed. Their
concern means a great deal to us
as students, because it shows
that they do care about the way
we feel. Thank you very much,
President Martinson and Dean
Houk.
A Brevai'd College Student