Volume 12 Number 5
Chowan College, Murfreesboro, NC 27855
Decembers, 1980
$196,000 Campus Energy Conservation Plan Under Way
By GREG BASSETT
Efforts to cut campus wide energy
use will continue again this winter as
the college has its first chance to imple
ment its $196,000 energy control plan.
Last spring Chowan was named by
the U.S. Department of Energy as the
recipient of a $98,266 matching grant
which would be used to equip and
renovate the college facilities to reduce
energy consumption.
The federal grant was part of $15
million allocated to North Carolina by
the DOE for distribution to various
energy saving programs throughout the
state. Chowan was recommended for
the grant by the North Carolina Depart
ment of Commerce before being
selected by the DOE in Washington.
Under the terms of the grant, the col
lege must use the money for the in
sulating of buildings, the double pane-
ing of various windows and for the in
stallation of a special computer system
that will control and regulate the use of '
energy all over campus.
The grant also stipulates that the
money must be matched with non-
federal monies provided by the college.
College business manager Ben C. Sut
ton said last spring that the matching
monies had already been obtained and
were available.
The first phases of the energy pro
gram have already gone into effect, ac
cording to buildings and grounds
superintendent Jack Hassell. Over the
summer maintenance personel were
able to reinsulate Belk Hall, Marks
Hall, McSweeney Hall, and Askew Stu-
in the Housing-Maintenance Building,
quite completed in Whitaker Library
and Camp Hall. Mixon Hall and West
Hall are also scheduled to be rein
sulated sometime in the future.
The buildings which are being in
sulated suffer from heat loss, according
to Hassell, because they are either
poorly insulated or not protected at all.
Many returning students may have
noticed that the stairways in Camp Hall
have been enclosed in order to cut down
on drafts and save heat and air condi
tioning. Hassell noted enclosing the
stairs also made the building safer.
Jenkins Hall and McDowell Columns
are slated to receive storm windows
sometime before Christmas break.
Mixon Hall will also receive many
energy saving improvements when it
undergoes renovation later this year.
Soaring electricity and fuel oil costs
prompted college officials to ask for an
energy cutback effort by the students
last year. Timeclocks were installed to
control temperatures in all dormitories
and lecture halls. The individual air
units in Parker Hall, which are manual
ly operated, were adjusted for the
winter so that residents could not raise
the room temperature above 70
degrees.
The college’s electric bill has jumped
well over 20 percent during the past
year, Hassell said. The bill for
September 1979 was $20,074,while the
electric bill for September of 1980 was
over $25,000. Since September of last
year the college has opened Jesse
Helms Center, which has added to
energy consumption, but most of the in
crease is due to increasing electric
rates.
The main portion of the grant, ap
proximately $125,000 to $175,000, will
spent on the installation of the complex
computer system which will monitor,
and evaluate all of the campus’ energy
needs.
According to Hassell, the computer
will constantly monitor inside and out
side temperatures in all buildings on
campus. In winter the computer will
signal furnaces and heating units when
temperatures reach certain levels, and
will activate air conditioning units in
summer.
Minimum temperatures of 65 degrees
in winter and 78 degrees in summer will
be maintained by the computer through
strategically placed sensing devices.
The computer, which will be located
in the Housing-Maintenance Building,
will despence energy to priority areas
during peak electrical periods. This
should save the college a great deal
each month, Hassell said, since electric
companies charge more for power at
hours when it is in high demand.
Students will probably not notice any
alterations in their lifestyles and will
probably be unaware of changes made
by the computer. According to Hassell,
similar computers have worked very
successfully in operations larger than
Chowan. The computer system,
however, will be the first of its kind in
the ?rea.
It is projected that the expensive
computer system, which the school will
soon put out for bids, could pay for itself
in three and one-half years through its
savings. The storm windows and insula
tion should pay for itself in seven years,
according to Hassell.
Additional Open Dorms
To Be Sought by SGA
HALLOWEEN VANDALISM — Chowan students woke up Saturday November 1 to find on unusual object or* the
banks of Lake Vann. Some unknown force propelled the college athletic department's 1965 Chevrolet pick-up
truck into the lake. The culprits are still unknown, as is the time the accident occured. According to the
maintenance department, the truck received only minor water damage and is back in operation again. Here,
freshman Tony Nicely checks out the old truck early Saturday morning. (Photo by Greg Bassett)
Mixon Hall Slated for Massive Face Lift
By GREG BASSETT
Chowan’s Student Government
Association is considering a move that
would push for open dorms on a regular
and more frequent basis in the campus’
seven resident halls.
The effort to push for open dorms was
discussed at the body’s regular meeting
November 10, and was brought up by
SGA Prsident Sharee Atkinson.
Miss Atkinson said she would like to
see dormitories open to both sexes
every Thursday night, but conceded
that the specific arrangements would
have to be worked out before the idea
could be submitted to the administra
tion.
Two years ago the 1978-79 SGA
received approval for an open dorm
policy that allowed visitation each
Thursday, but the visitation soon got
out of hand and was short-lived. Final
ly, college President Bruce E, Whitaker
took away regular open dorm
privileges.
Then last year the 1979-80 SGA, under
the direction of Mike Burke, proposed a
similar open-dorm policy which the ad
ministration immediately rejected.
“This is going to take a lot of plann
ing,” Miss Atkinson told the student
body, “Hopefully, nobody is going to get
caught and screw it up for us,” she said,
if the dorm policy can be approved.
SGA Representative and Parker Hall
Assistant Head Resident, Bennie
Bridgewater, noted that the open-dorm
policy failed two years ago because
both male and female dorms were open
at one time.
“The RA’s were not very happy about
it because they couldn’t go to the other
dorms,” said Bridgewater, “they were
stuck watching the dorms.”
He suggested that some sort of alter
nate arrangement should be tried so
that female dorms would be open one
week and male dorms the next.
Miss Atkinson said the SGA would
have to get together with all of the
dorms’ head residents and RA’s and try
to draft a letter to the administration
sometime after Thanksgiving.
“We have to have enough people
behind us in order to get it approved,”
Miss Atkinson said.
Canoe Repair Sought
George Welch, a member of the
schools’ Outing Club, approached the
SGA for the second time November 10
to ask that the student body do
something to replace or repair the
school’s three canoes which he said
were in “desperate shape.”
Welch said the canoes and paddles
By GREG BASSETT
Mixon Hall will undergo a massive
renovation next semester that should
transform the college’s oldest dor
mitory into one of its finest.
Approximately $125,000 to $150,000
will be spent to remodel the men’s dorm
tliat was built in 1954 and named after
F.O. Mixon, a former college president.
Work on the building should begin
after the first of the year, before
students return from Christmas break.
The dorm is expected to be ready by the
opening of school in Fall. 1981.
According to Jack Hassell, college
superintendent of buildings and
grounds, the 80 residents of Mixon will
be moved during Christmas break to
rooms that are vacant in other dorms.
Hassell said there is also the possibility
are practically “useless” because they
can’t be taken off campus by the
students.
Miss Atkinson suggested that Welch
get some prices on new canoes and
make a presentation at the next
meeting.
Welch said a “decent” canoe would
probably cost about $400 and agreed to
bring details to a later meeting.
Attendance a Problem
Poor attendance at recent SGA
meetings has become a bit of a problem
for the body.
Less than half of the body’s members
attended the November 10 meeting. At
a special meeting held on November 17,
so few people attended that the body
could not vot^ on any measures.
of opening College Street Hall to ac-
commdate the Mixon residents.
“We want to try to move roommates
together,” said Hassell “It wouldn’t be
fair to split up roonrunates who have
spent the first semester together.” He
added, “We want to keep everyone hap
py while doing this.”
The entire building will practically be
rebuilt, with the most visible external
change being the dorm’s entrance
which will feature large twin glass
doors. Also, new windows will be in
stalled throughout the entire structure,
which will change the building’s ap
pearance.
Each room will be paneled, with one
section wall left as a floor-to-ceiling
bulletin board. The floors will be
carpeted in each room.
A heating-air conditioning unit will be
installed in each room. Similar to those
already in Parker Hall, Hassell said the
units will be equipped with new door
jambs and dead-bolt locks.
The bathrooms, which have long been
notorious for being out of date, will be
completely redone with new tile, sinks,
toilets, and plumbing.
In the lobby area, many im
provements will be made to benefit
both those residing in Mixon and those
there to visit . A more formal lounge
will be designed, as will a separate
television lounge. The drink room will
be expanded and modernized.
“We’re going to turn that lobby in to a
nice area with good furniture,” Hassell
promised.
It has yet to be determined if Mixon
Hall will be turned into a residence hall
featuring only private rooms or if it will
remain double-living equipped. That
decision will be made by college Presi
dent Bruce E. Whitaker on the advice of
Dean Clayton Lewis, Business Manager
Ben Sutton, Associate Dean Roy
Winslow, and Hassell.
One possibility is that one floor of the
dormitory will have two students per
room while the other floor will have
private rooms. Hassell said he thought
it was more sensible to make the rooms
private since the rooms were small.
Currently, the college charges students
extra for private rooms and assigns
them on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The renovation of Mixon Hall will
begin an organized program by the col
lege to renovate and modernize each of
the older dormitories. Hassell said that
Jenkins Hall is the next dorm slated for
renovation. With the restoration of Mix
on, Jenkins and East Hall will be the on
ly campus residence halls without air
conditioning.
Leaf Fire
Quickly
Doused
Mrs. Louise Cook, who lives on the
comer of Union and High Streets,
answered the doorbell last Monday
afternoon to find two Chowan students
standing there.
They quickly told her that the large
pile of leaves she had paid to have rak
ed from her lawn into the gutter just an
hour or so earlier was on fire.
Mrs. Cook, who had lain down for a
nap after the raking was completed,
said it took her a moment or so to com
prehend what had happened.
However, she said, the students
quickly asked where her garden hose
was and began watering down the burn
ing leaves, staying to rake through the
sodden mass until they were certain the
fire was extinguished.
In her excitement, Mrs. Cook failed to
learn the identity of the young men who
came to her aid.
She asked Smoke Signals to express
her gratitude so that they can know how
much she appreciates their concern
and their efforts. She added that she
also welcomed this opportunity to show
some of the good things that students do
for the people of Murfreesboro.
Freshmen
Elect Horne
President
By NANCY KEEN
The Freshman Gass showed a great
deal of interest in holding offices this
year — so much, in fact, that three new
positions have been adopted.
In addition to the traditional presi
dent, vice-president and secretary of
fices, the Freshmen also have a
treasurer and two social co-chairmen.
Holders of these offices, in that order,
are: Jeff Home, William Mercer, Lisa
Chappell, Mark McDuffie, Don Scar
borough and Richard Shaw.
Their activity plans include a spirit
chain starting after Thanksgiving, and
a car bash — which will allow the stu
dent body to take out their frustrations
on junk cars personified as professors
and administrative faculty.
Satirical View of Life at Chowan Unfolds in Student AAovie
By GREG BASSETT
If you thought it was safe to come back to col
lege, you were sadly mistaken.
When “The Chowan Experience,” a student-
made movie production which pokes fun at cam
pus life here in historic Murfreesboro is finished
sometime next semester, there will be no doubt
in your mind that college is anything but safe.
The film, which is now 60 percent complete,
should be ready for its unveiling at Spring
Festival during the second semester, according
to the movie’s director and executive producer,
Rhett Coates.
The motion picture could never be interpreted
as anything but a true comdedy spoof. After all,
any movie which features scenes such as a shark
attack in Lake Vann, a chemistry lab explosion
in Camp Hall, cafeteria activities (complete with
gross food), a wild panty raid, and the ultimate
scene: the entire campus being destroyed in an
earthquake; a movie like that could not be con
sidered a compelling drama.
“What we do,” says director Coates, “is to
take complaints from Chowan students and ex
aggerate them to the extreme. We’re taking
another approach to looking at things here.”
Observes Coates, “By looking at our com
plaints comically, maybe there’s something we
can do about them. It’s all very positive.”
Coates claims his principal cast numbers in
excess of 200 throughout the production, with two
people, Aubrey Cuthrell and Diane Hassell, star
ring and introducing each scene in the movie.
The pace and action in the 45-60 minute movie
(the exact length is still undetermined) will build
until the tragic, but comical, earthquake se
quence destroys all.
Although there is no shortage of comedy and
satire in the movie, there is one thing the pro
ducers are short on: money.
“We are very short on money,” concedes
mk
Alison Bass (left) and Jennifer Wicker (right), seated, receive director's instructions for a
scene filmed on the movie soundstage. (Photo by Gary Joyce)
Coates, “and we need several hundred dollars to
finish up.”
He estimated the production is costing approx
imately $6 a minute in film alone.
“We’ve had little or no interest from the SGA,”
Coates says of the student government. “Some
members are concerned, but we haven’t asked
the SGA for money. I hear they’re not giving out
much money this year,” he ad^.
Coates says the picture’s producers’ major
task has been to gather money from any who
would like to see the movie’s completion. Coates
himself has put several hundred dollars into the
production and declares that several people have
given over $50 in hope of seeing the film com
pleted.
A 19-year-old sophomore from West Point, Va.,
Coates first got involved in movie making during
his senior year in high school. A friend of his,
Walter M. Jefferies, who happens to have work
ed as an art director on television shows such as
“Little House on the Prairie,” and “Star Trek,”
influenced Coates’ decision to possibly make the
entertainment business his career. He first got
the idea of making a movie about Chowan last
year and began filming during Spring Festival.
Although some school officials have been con
cerned that Coates is making fun of the college in
a derogatory way, Coates defends his film as be
ing nothing more than ligjit-hearted comedy that
is for and about the student.
“After all,” he says, “It’s people who make up
a college, not buildings.”