„ The Clarion
Page Two
" Editorial Page
The Importance of
Fair Elections
by Kim Ormand
A recent event on campus was the official Student Government
Association’s election of the Valentine King and Queen. And although I
have no doubts that the winners deserve the titles, I do have some
grave doubts as to whether the elections were held in accordance to the
guidelines.
First of all, a nomination box was left out unattended for a number of
days. This was, according to SGA advisor Bob Hutchison, to allow the
elections to be more open. It also gave people the chance to nominate
many times. Yet when the official ballot was released, several names
of nominated people were missing. -When questioned about this, Mr.
Hutchison replied that it was “an arbitrary decision on my part.
Unless a person received more than one nomination, that name was not
considered.” He said that the ballot would be “cumbersome.” I per
sonally feel that it does not matter whether a person got one nomina
tion or a thousand-that name should be there. Anything else in my opi
nion is an obstruction of democracy. There is also the fact that cir
cumstances called for a non-SGA member to watch the ballot box dur
ing the actual elections. This reflects badly on SGA.
Now I realize that the Valentine’s Court is not the earth-stopping
event of the century, and I don’t want to resort to a parallel to the
Philippine elections, but I feel that any election is an important one.
Elections for next year’s SGA officers are coming up in March. I do not
need to stress the importance of these elections. They must be taken
seriously by both the students and student representatives. Mr. Hut
chison stressed that these elections will be done strictly by the book
and wants responsible freshmen students to begin considering can
didacy now.
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
After reading your editorial, “Our Right
to Privacy,” I remembered my
Thanksgiving at Brevard College. Since I
live so far away, I decided to stay here for
the four-day break. I knew two of my
friends were staying, so we made plans for
Thanksgiving dinner in Asheville.
Thanksgiving night, the three of us, one
was a female, went into my room in Taylor
and watched a special on T.V. That even
ing security came in and ordered the girl
to leave. He didn’t issue any points,
although he left me with a warning that
he’d return every night and search my
room for females. I argued that a
townsperson had been living in our lobby
for two days and that didn’t matter, but me
having friends over on a holiday to watch
television did? He said that he didn’t know
that the person didn’t live here. The follow
ing evening, the girl and I left to go danc
ing in Asheville. We got back to B.C. at
about 2:00 a.m. I dropped her off, then
realized that a car had been following me
to her dorm. I drove around the campus
once, then I noticed that it was security.
He had seen me drop the girl off. Now, he
was puUing me over with blue lights
flashing. The first thing he said was,
“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked
him the same question. I told him that he
had no reason to follow me because I had
done nothing wrong. It was very insulting
to be asked such an obvious question. He
went on by asking what I was doing out so
late, as if it were his business. He pretend
ed to run a check on my driver’s license,
then ordered me “to go straight to my
dorm.” My experience exemplifies the
tension between students and security.
As I read the other letters to the editor, I
think the answer might be found by
evaluating the priorities of security of
ficers. What is more important? Monitor
ing school buildings and property or in
vading students’ right to privacy? It is this
kind of treatment that offends people and
raises the question: Is security here to pro
tect or offend us? I did not appreciate be
ing “baby-sat” for the four days, and it
made me reconsider ever staying on cam
pus for another holiday. While I realize
that my contract for staying during the
break said, “No Visitation! ” I saw the holi
day as an exception to a very unnecessary
rule that should be changed. Thank you for
an editorial that hits close to home.
Sincerely,
Shane Gunderson
Dear Editor:
I’d like to raise the issue of school spon
sored events on campus. The student par
ticipation is lacking, to say the least>The
Student Government Association works
hard to organize events, select movies,
and book quality performers for coffee
houses. Students complain that there is
nothing to do, yet they do not participate m
the events that are planned. People do not
realize that their student activity fees pay
for the movies and hired performers. If on
ly one person reads this and gets involved,
then I’ve accomplished something. Let s
not waste our money on unseen movies and
entertainers with no audiences. Don’t wait
on fun—make it happen!
Sincerely,
Donna Howard
Dear Editor,
I am an acting major here at Brevard
College and lately I have been feeling quite
distressed about the theatre department.
In the two years that I have been at
Brevard I have auditioned (unsuccessful
ly) for two of the four plays/musicals that
have been performed at this college.
Although I have willingly worked
backstage for Fools and Arsenic and Old
Lace, I feel as though the Theatre Depart
ment is a victim of unnecessary type
casting and favoritism. It is simply unfair
for practically the same people to be cast
in every play or musical. Every acting ma
jor should be given a fair chance to per
form in at least one show. A serious
freshman or sophomore college theatre
major needs and wants all the perfor
mance experience he or she can get. Un
fortunately, if the dedicated theatre major
attends Brevard College he or she will get
the run-around at auditions if he or she
doesn’t meet the original playwright’s
description of a particular character. It is
too bad Brevard College does not permit
its theatre majors to perform their own
show because of the way the standards of
this Theatre Department appear. Many
talented and dedicated students are being
left out of shows.
Sincerely,
Katie Wodtke
To,the Brevard College Community:
We would like to thank each of you for
the emergency assistance, hospital visits,
donations, prayers and thoughts provided
for my children Antoinette, Lisa, and
Charmin during their accident November
5, 1985. We realize their survival was
made possible because of your help. Our
Master above was surely with all of us dur
ing this time. Thank you again for all of
your help.
The Smith and Colbert Family
Editorial comment
It may have come your attention that
this issue of The Clarion was basically
written by two people. This is not because
I feel that these are the best writers but is
because they are the only writers on the
staff. I certainly do not wish to write yet
another comment on apathy. I would like
to make it known, however, that we
welcome anyone to work on the paper.
This is our school paper, it is for all of us.
It should not be left for two people to do
alone. Thus, if you are interested in the
paper or have any comments please con
tact me through Box 426. Letters to the
Editor should be sent there also.
Wednesday, February 26, 1986
BC Women
and
Their Rights
by Bonnie Davis
Some time ago, the students of Brevard
College received a memo in their
mailboxes that listed the “social regula
tions” for BC around the year 1950. While
looking over the list, most readers laughed
aloud because some of the rules seemed
slightly prehistoric. It didn’t take long to
realize either, that most of the rules ap
plied mainly to the women who attended
Brevard at that time.
The year 1950 wasn’t so very long ago,
but according to the rules stated on the
memo, women of BC had about as many
rights as prisoners of Alcatraz had. Not to
be too critical because, after all, these
rules were enforced much before the
Women of The 80’s came about. However,
it seems as though the women who came to
college in Brevard were overlooked or
perhaps overly protected to say the least.
Is it possible that their parents’ meant to
send them to some convent in the Swiss
Alps, but instead sent them here? Hmm-
mmm.
Whatever the case may be, the women
did somehow manage to survive at
Brevard and to think that they even receiv
ed college degrees just like their male
counterparts! What a step forward.
Brevard College women of the 80’s have a
lot to be grateful for due to their
predecessors. Think about it. There must
have been a few radical, non-conforming
girls on this campus thirty years ago who
didn’t obey all of the rules and tried to get
away with a few things. Thanks to them,
perhaps some doors were opened, not to
mention a few narrow minds.
It’s hard not to have an unbiased view
point while writing about a subject such as
this, because it isn’t possible to know how
things really were inihose days. Thankful
ly, BC women today won’t have to find out.
Yet, it is exasperating to know that it has
taken so long for women to gain the equal
rights of men, and that there are still many
areas where women have to prove
■ themselves to men. It’s not even necessary
to get into the old argument about “if
women want their rights, let them fight for
their country in war too.” That isn’t the
issue. Women just want to be treated in an
equal manner, like any human beings.
Now, not to be sidetracked and to get
back to the prehistoric “social
regulations” once enforced, college life in
1950 must have indeed been dreary. It is
probable that it had its good points too.
Think of all the wholesome activities the
students could participate in like ice
cream socials, soc hops, and quilting bees.
What fun!
Compared to the women of yesteryears,
the women of today are veritable
heathens. Three cheers for that one, huh
guys? Right. The next time someone com
plains about a rule or regulation that
seems unjustly enforced, they should
remember the way it was thirty years
ago...and give thanks! Now all of the
women within range of these words should
make plans to attend the picture show
tonight. After all, according to Rule
Number 15, young women are allowed to
attend the picture show, but not more than
twice a week on regular show days, only
once at night. And just think. We can even
be attended by young men. Wow, aren’t we
lucky to get such a treat.!