Page two
Columns
March 27, 1964
Chapel or Assembly?
The following article appeared in The News and Observer a few weeks
ago:
WINSTON-SALEM, (AP) A number of wake Forest College stu
dents received letters from the dean’s office last week saying that they
had been assigned new chapel seats—on the front row.
The reason? They had been seen reading newspapers during the Tues
day and Thursday chapel programs.
Monday, the campus newspaper, Old Gold and Black, editorially
criticized the action saying that the administration “placed itself in the
position of the incompetent doctor who was unable to diagnose tuber
culosis and gave his patient cough medicine—the college is treating a
symptom and ignoring the disease.”
The editorial said that reading newspapers during chapel has become
a Wake Forest tradition—“A rude and discourteous one, certainly, but
one which has become a habit with many students.”
For several years students have complained about compulsory chapel,
which the editorial says “often are not worth their time, and a newspaper
barrier is erected such that even when a worthwhile speaker is presented
they are hostile and unwilling to listen.
The editorial says that when a “decent” program cannot be scheduled
chapel should not be conducted.
It is interesting to note that Wake Forest College students are ex
periencing the same thoughts about compulsory chapel attendance that
one finds here at LC. We feel (and it is our belief that this thought is
prevalent throughout the Campus) that if the Wednesday service is to
be called “chapel”, then it should consist of a religious service; however,
it has occurred in the past (and undoubtedly will in the future) that the
hour was devoted to nothing more than a boring business meeting, actually
of interest to only a small minority!
It is no great compliment to the student body that newspapers and text
books are seen flagrantly brandished before the speaker’s face; it is, how
ever, a valid, if silent, commentary on student opinion of a wasted hour.
The student body may be compelled to attend chapel service—it cannot
be compelled to derive benefit from it.
There have been several speakers of great interest who have delivered
messages of worth. There have been a few who seemed totally unprepared
and ill-at-ease who delivered long oratories of boredom. One unprepared
speaker is capable of undermining the student’s attitude toward the
“Wednesday hour”—especially when there is already a hostile atmosphere
created by the word “compulsory.”
If the “Wednesday hour” is to be called “chapel,” it should be
devoted to an hour of worship. If it is to be devoted to a variety of topics,
we suggest that it be dubbed “assembly”.
MAR
Time, Knowledge—Measured?
Recently there was a survey made of student opinion of library facili
ties here at LC. Among the questions raised in the survey was; “Have you
at any time attempted to locate a book which was not in the Louisburg
College Library?” The only comment we shall make on this question is
also in the form of a query: Have you attempted at any recent time to
locate Masterplots in the Louisburg College Library? Have you at any
time attempted to locate Golding’s Lord of the Flies or The Inheritors in
the Louisburg College Library?
Another query on the survey was a gem: “Are the library hours ade
quate?” Are they? We noticed with chagrin that the “usual” hours were
observed during the week of January 18 last. This presented a quite per
plexing problem to the student who desired to study seriously during the
weekend for his examinations! Having the library open on Sundays from
2:00-4:00 p.m. is ludicrous! Within two hours a student might achieve
some gratification in the realm of research; or, he might find several in
teresting books to borrow; or, he might become engrossed in his work and
be forced to leave at a crucial point! In any case, more than two hours are
needed in which to gratify an impulse stimulated by a genuine desire for
knowledge!
Shall we eagerly anticipate a change in policy by the library as a result
of this survey?
MAR
Columns welcomes the comments and contributions of its read
ers. If you desire to submit any article, short-story, poem, or letter,
please address it to Columns, Box 818, Louisburg College. Articles
of this nature are not restricted solely to the college. Anyone who
desires to submit articles and who lives in this general locality is
urged to do so. All submitted material becomes the possession of
Columns, and the editor retains the right to accept or reject any
article. All submitted material is subject to editmg when necessary
or advisable.
COLUMNS
Volume XXIII Number 4
Published by Louisburg College Students
MEMBERS OF THE STAFF
Editor Mary Ann Roberson
Managing Editor Lin Finch
Feature Editor Nancy Bird Berger
Sports Editor Bill Mowbray
Photographer Dave Dry
Business Manager Carole Dement
Contributors: Ronnie Coltrane, Sandra Scboaf, Becky Simpson, Nelson Tap-
son, Scottie Walton, Barbara Hudson, Gale Bolling, Sara Jo Coates, Jane
Sherrill, Mark Handler, Charles Massey, Virginia Lockes, Mussalum Sham-
mout, Lindley Butler.
Speaks Out
On Government
Basic to an understanding of
American governmental institutions
is an understanding of^the political
philosophers who preceded the for
mation of our nation. Our founding
fathers read John Locke and Mon
tesquieu, two of the leading political
thinkers of the era.
From Locke came the idea that
the people are sovereign and that no
government should be established
without the consent of the governed.
Locke stated that all men are created
equal and that all men are entitled
to the natural rights of life, liberty,
and property. If a government in
fringes upon these rights, the gov
erned are justified in creating a new
government.
Montesquieu contributed the idea
of separation of governmental power
into three branches—executive, ju
dicial, and legislative. As a bulwark
of liberty, the three branches of
government check, balance, and dis
courage the centralization of poUti-
cal power.
Definitely any level of govern
ment within the United States must
conform to the basic principles of
the Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution. These prin
ciples especially should be found in
any student government, which is an
educational political unit. At Louis
burg, does the sovereign power re
side with the governed? Do all stu
dents have equaUty and guarantee
of liberty? Of course we realize that
an assumption of responsibiUty is
necessary for extension of freedom,
but how can our students become
mature citizens of our republic un
less they are given the chance to
exercise democratic principles? Our
student body has voted to unite our
(Continued on page 4)
HUC H
Mike Warren and Larry Barefoot
With the semester break and the
transfer of Ralph Hicks, the YDC
lost its Vice-President. However,
Grayson Walker has replaced him
and has been very active in getting
some of our ideas started. Plans for
the banquet have almost been com
pleted, and plans for other activities
are in the making.
The time will soon be here when
North Carolina elects another gov
ernor. L. Richard Preyer, Dan K.
Moore, and I. Beverly Lake are
among the outstanding Democratic
candidates. One of these candidates
who is planning to continue San
ford’s education plans is L. Richard
son Preyer. Preyer is following al
most the same campaign plans as the
other candidates, but he has added
one. This is “Students for Preyer.”
Students for Preyer is the first state
wide student organization to support
a candidate for Governor of North
Carolina. Preyer announced three
outstanding students from N. C.
colleges to direct his Students for
Preyer campaign. The three named
and their schools are these: Charles
Shaffer, basketball and tennis star,
UNC; John Bynum, student body
president at North Carohna State;
and Kitty Bernhardt, editor of the
annual at Wake Forest College. We
believe that Preyer will receive the
overwhelming support of students
all over North Carolina.
OPEN FORUM
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Thanks and Introspection
I am deeply thankful for the pathetically sparse handful of students,
our president, the four faculty members, and the one staff member who
somehow found the time and energy to hear Dr. Bernard Boyd bring an
inspirational message to our campus at a recent “Y” meeting. It was ob
vious to this minute gathering that they were privileged to hear the most
inspiring and dynamic speaker to visit Louisburg College in many years.
At the University of North Carolina hundreds of students each semester
are fighting to register for Dr. Boyd’s religion courses; in fact, the Uni
versity had to build a special lecture hall to seat the hundreds who crowd
into each of his classes. I deeply regret that it is not within my power to
present the AC Building to the University, for they could surely utilize
the empty seats created by our faculty, staff, and students. My sincere
thanks to that handful among us who really seem to want programs and
speakers of the highest quality. The majority, however, have clearly indi
cated the course of our future unless something drastic can be done, and
in the light of such a shameful and embarrassing lack of support, it is time
to pause and raise some serious and embarrassing questions. Where is our
Christian leadership? A mere handful of faithful students and teachers will
not be able to bear the entire cross of responsibility. Where are our faculty
and staff members who should be taking an active part in the Christian
life of Louisburg College? Where are our student leaders? Where is the
leadership and direction that should be spurring our religious organiza
tion to activity? These and all similar questions can only be answered in
terms of each person’s personal dedication to the task of Christian higher
education. Louisburg College has been here longer than any other Method
ist college in the United States—over 175 years. We need to be reminded,
however, that an astonishing number of church related colleges have closed
their doors forever during the past fifty years. We are presently facing a
challenge from the tax-supported community colleges that could seriously
threaten our existence. It is impossible for us to compete with these col
leges on a financial basis. Our survival depends on our ability to do a better
job academically and our ability to create an atmosphere that bristles with
the life blood of Christianity. If the present condition of this latter em
phasis is indicative, we are on the threshold of disaster.
P.S. Unfortunately, our entire student body was not required to hear this
dedicated man of God. He drove a hundred miles at the end of a long and
tiring day to give His all for us (in spite of frequent pain from World
War II wounds), but we could not even walk across the street for Him.
Bob Butler, Advisor
YMCA-YWCA
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
I would like to go on record as one who recommends winning a
certain war in Viet Nam that is currently being lost. What is the method
of winning this controversial issue? May I suggest the Sixth or Seventh
Army, a few squadrons of our heaviest bombers with non-nuclear bombs,
of course, and a few hundred of our best fighter planes. This is the only
way our side is going to beat these fanatical, throat-cutting, foxy, little
men we call the communists.
Please let us face the issue, and honestly for once. We are losing this
war as we have lost other wars, by adhering to those leaders of ours who
are over-cautious, short-sighted, and foolish and who are saying that
we will start a war if we get too involved. We are already in this war.
American men and materials are being thrown away every day in a
futile attempt to stop a flood by gently tossing a few pebbles into the
current instead of hurling a mountain across the source. We gave the
first helicopter, assigned the first officer as advisor, and we became a
first party participant in that war, and mere semantics cannot alter or
mask this fact. Everyone in the world seems to know this except we
ourselves. Why play this little game, if not to WIN? If not, then let’s
get out altogether and stop deluding ourselves. We will need our re
sources soon enough!
W. A. Williamson
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Have you been to the library lately and tried to read MASTER PLOTS?
If you have not, it’s too late. They have been locked up. The English
Department of our school has requested that they be removed from our
library shelves. At other schools these books are placed in reference
rooms with other materials such as The Interpreter’s Bible, Reader’s
Encyclopedia, The Oxford Companion Series, and other such books.
These books contain the same type of material found in MASTER PLOTS,
but our English Department failed to remove these.
Why must the whole student body suffer because a few students have
misused MASTERPLOTS? Any college teacher should be able to tell
whether a student has read the complete work or only a condensed version.
Why didn’t the English Department also try to stop our library from
selUng The College Outline Series? Many students have in the past used
MASTERPLOTS as an excellent review for exams. Other students use
them as reference to books they would like to read.
Why must knowledge be locked up? Will our new library have a vault
in the basement for such books?
Charles Massey
is without precedent in the history of American education.
Ed. note—We agree with Mr. Massey. The locking up of knowledge