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THE CLARION
Tuesday, December 12
1978
Editorials
Editor Speaks
No Complaints, Except...
by Debi Crane
O.K. folks, this is the last time in 1978 that you will
have to face a smart aleck editorial written by yours
truly. I am sure that the above statement will not be met
with a great deal of mourning by our readers. Although,
for my ego’s well being I would like to think that the
aforementioned is the case.
I have no complaints right now.
Except the fact that I have no earthly idea how I am
going to face fifteen (count them — fifteen) hours of
what the school with a great sense of impending doom
calls final exams.
I must admit that the very words final exams sends a
cold shiver through my entire body. At the risk of
sounding somewhat like a fool I would like to make the
profound statement that final is such a final word! I feel
as if I must know how a condemned woman feels facing
the dea th sentence.
All my waking hours are spent with the desperate
hope that some great calamity might befall B.C. before
the 16th of December. Is that asking too much? At night
my dreams are filled with genetic problems and
misplaced modifiers. The other night I experienced the
most horrible dream about a short tailed bald cat with
one blue eye who had a speech impediment. Needless to
say this kind of dream does nothing what-so-ever for my
well being either physically or mentally. I fully expect
to be an absolute nervous wreck by the time December
16th rolls around.
I find it impossible to look forward to Christmas with
any joy at all when I realize that I first have to overcome
the obstacle of final exams before I can ever reach the
25th. Ask me if that is not your basic pits?
71 More Shopping Days
by Jane Williams
Before I even thought about Thanksgiving dinner or
Thanksgiving vacation, I walked into a department
store and was greeted by green and red sparkling
streamers that hung from the ceilings, miniature
Christmas trees were everywhere and an electronic
oanta Claus waved at the customers.
My first thought was that I had over-slept about two
months. But then my eyes caught a bold print sign that
read, “only 71 more shopping days till Christmas.”
If time and the department store mentality are so
eager to push Christmas upon us — why don’t we just
start selling Santa Claus, angel, and elf costumes for
Halloweens. In fact, why don’t we just have a Labor Day
Christmas Parade and kick the season off to a really
early start!
Christmas is a wonderful, joyous time but it is only a
24 hour day that gets built up for months. We have
forgotten the principles behind the day. These principles
have been replaced by a commercialized season that
begins for all purposes the 26th of December.
Letters
I Asked For It!...I Got It!
THE CLARION
Brevard, N. C. 28712
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 Debi Crane
Co-News/Features Editors Mike Edmiston, Tom Snyder
Sports Editor ' •pinj McGuire
Advertising Manager Laurie Krug
Photographers Chuck Miner, Ron Grenier
Reporters Debra Wiggins,
Jane Williams Cyndie Kern,
Mark Lowdermilk
KenChamlee
Dear Editor-in-Chief:
As newly appointed sponsor of
the Cheerleaders (which will
probably become former, after
this letter), I take exception to
and resent the obvious ignoring of
“my girls” in the cheerleader-
basketball picture cut lines in the
Nov. 21 issue of the Clarion.
Unless half of the basketball
team and two managers have
recently taken “shrink and
become beautiful” treatments,
then you have obviously goofed in
the indentification of the front
row.
It has always been an uphill
battle to convince some people
that a cheerleading squad is as
much a part of an athletic
program as a participating ball
club. I’m sure that all of the
basketball and soccer players
will agree that without the
cheerleaders there to boost the
support of the game, there would
surely be something lacking.
The airing of my complaint
should in no way be misun
derstood as a reflection on the
basketball team. On the con
trary, we (the cheerleaders and
I) think they are, in a word,
fantastic, and are going all the
way this year. Nor should this
complaint reflect on the jour
nalistic talent of the Clarion staff,
who we feel is second to none in
college newspapers.
Unfortunately, it seems to be
another example of a conditioned
society’s thinking that
cheerleaders are not athletes but
window dressing to an athletic
program, when in fact they are
an essential part of the program.
Our Cheerleaders, girls and
guys, give long hours of practice,
dedication, personal expense and
sacrifice to be a member of the
squad. For this reason I would
appreciate some recognition of
the Cheerleaders, if not for their
support and being part of the
athletic program, at least for
being the front row of a
photograph of CHEER
LEADERS and basketball
players.
Respectfully submitted
Martha Nolen
Cheerleader Sponsor
(The Clarion regrets omitting
the cheerleaders’ names from the
picture on November 21, and
extends its congratulations to our
squad.)
Dear Editor,
Jones’ Dormitory’s maid,
Florence Floyd, was
dismissed from her duties in
November 1978. This act of
impeachment attracted much
attention and aroused much
concern among the dorm’s
residents. Many ruled that the
act was unfair and too abrupt.
Thus, a petition was ad
ministered in the dorm as a
means for Ms. Floyd’s em
ployer to resolve the matter in
a niore just manner.
The issue was brought to the
administration and discussed
openly among a chosen
number of the dorm’s
residents and Ms. Floyd’s
employer. We, the dorm’s
residents voiced that we felt
the act was unfair to Ms.
Floyd and to us also. We
argued that Ms. Floyd
tolerated much bizarre
disorderliness and worked
strenuously. We also opposed
the fact that we had no
knowledge of Ms. Floyd’s
dismissal before it went into
effect. We residents were not
allowed to give our opinion on
the quality of Florence’s work,
which was given as the reason
for her dismissals. We
believed that her work was
indeed up to par.
Ms. Floyd’s employer
aruged to resolve the matter
and soon came to the con
clusion that his reasons for
firing Ms. Floyd were just.
The matter was then taken to
a higher authority with the
hope that he would draw up a
committee to determine the
rehiring of Ms. Floyd. But
very little, if any, progress
was made.
The residents were told by
the higher authorities that Ms.
Floyd’s employer may have
reasons for her firing that he
believes might be derogatory
to her reputation. Since this
might have been tne case it
was wise to keep silent.
So the fight for justice ended
because Ms. Floyd’s employer
refused to talk. It will never be
known why he refused to talk.
It might be that he failed to
talk because he was truly
concerned about Ms.- Floyd’s
reputation, or maybe he didn’t
want to admit that the action
he had taken was unfair.
Signed,
Renee Wiggins, Michelle
Williams, Muriel Noone, Evie
Hall, Toya Frye, Diane
Taylor, Jan Sullivan, Carol
Delia Stephens, Karen Burton,
Cecilia Sutton, Robin Brown,
Dallis St. Mary, Angela
Blackman, Erin Gregory,
Becky Thomas, Joanne
Bondy, Linda Gross and
Dorothy D. Goble
Dear Editor:
I am a peace loving person, not
given to causing strife or con
tention unless there is good
cause. To date, I have had a
rewarding year and a half at
Brevard College. I have ac
cumulated a vast amount of
knowledge and I am indebted to
her for the education she has
imparted to me. In a different
light, however, for the sake of
constructive criticism, I would
like to raise several points in the
following statements that con
cern themselves with some of the
present policies of this institution
I feel need re-evaluating:
1. 1 am aware that there is a
possible change pending con
cerning the parking problem, The
day student body, quite frankly,
has a very difficult time trying to
find an available space without
having to walk a mile or get a
ticket for being parked in the
wrong place. There is a proposal
for a new parking lot, but we need
some spaces now, and I believe
that there is a possible solution
that would suffice until that lot is
available. I am fully aware of the
empty parking spaces in front of
the gymnasium. Now, I am
asking for an empathetic
response on the parts of the dorm
students who park their vehicles
in front of Taylor and Green and
in front of McClarty Goodson
building. Dorm students, we day
students use our cars as our
lockers. If we have to park clear
down at the gym, it means
carrying a stack of books to four
or five clases or making a trip to
our vehicle every time the bell
rings. Please consider this in
convenience especially in bad
weather. I don’t see why you
students who don’t need your
cars during the week could not
park in the gym parking lot,
Being well acquainted with the
fact that “open parking” is the
policy at present, I may be asking
something that is out of the
question. I hope not.
In addition to the parking
problem I would like to add that,
if one of us happens to park in the
wrong place (even if that space
stays open all day) a very
unreasonable fine of five dollars
is imposed. Now fines I am not
opposed to, but five dollars!? I
think this problem should be
everyone’s concern.
2. Along the same lines, bui
with a different subject, I would
like to mention the present
cafeteria policy. Quite honestly, I
do not care if a food service,
Brevard College, or anyone else
programs the eating policies. But
when a person cannot take his
packed lunch in to eat with his
friends, or buy a mere cup of
coffee or glass of tea without
having to pay $1.50 or $1.80,
whatever the case may be,
because he is a day student or
faculty member, something
needs to be changed. If I am
going to eat there I am more than
willing to pay for my meal, but to
be refused entry into the
cafeteria when I do not intend to
buy the meal...someone please
enlighten me.
I think I can safely state that
my feelings represent those of the
day student body and are not my
opinions alone. Feelings are
beginning to run high. I believe it
is time to act on these situations.
Jay Kaiser