Heading into
the 21st Century
STUDENT NEWSPAPER
OF CHOWAN COLLEGE
“We think we’re headed into the
21st century,” is the way a Chowan
College science professor assesses the
department’s new computer
laboratory.
Located on the third floor of Camp
Hall, science-engineering facility, the
computer laboratory houses seven
Macintoshes (commonly called
Mac’s), all linked to a printer.
Phyllis Dewar, chemistry professor,
said the lab was opened last year with
two Mac’s and a laser printer. Five
more Mac’s were added this year. She
called the Macintosh the “top of the
line, the Mercedes Benz of Com
puters.”
“Dr. Garth Faile, chairman of the
Science Department, had the original
idea to create a computer laboratory,”
Dewar explained. “He shared the idea
with the other members of the depart
ment and we were all enthusiastic.”
“Dr. Faile suggested making the lab
from two existing rooms on the third
floor. The wall was removed between
the rooms giving us ample room for
the lab.”
She said the lab provides many
benefits to the students. She said as
students become familiar with com
puters, they prepare for their transition
to senior colleges, where computers
are in wide use.
“At some colleges, science students
are expected to do a lot of their work
with the use of computers. They have
to be familiar with them or they’re at a
disadvantage,’’she noted.
She said the lab also promotes team
work among students. “On occasions,
students will work together, sharing
ideas to find solutions. A student from
the United States may be working with
a student from Japan. In this way, they
get to know each other better.”
She said the faculty is ever alert to
locate and purchase the latest soft
ware. She said the department recently
bought Wingz, that enable students to
easily design professional-looking
graphs like you see in TIME magazine
and USA TODAY.
“Some students have remarked that
they save so much time doing their
graphs on the computer that the only
thing left is to think and that’s the
essential thing.”
Dewar said the students love the
computer laboratory and it is receiving
wide use. The lab is open each day,
Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. “It is open to any student at
Chowan. Our students will bring their
friends with them to use the com
puters.”
She said some professors require
that their lab assignment be done on
the computer. She said this helps both
the professor and the student.
“In the computer lab, everyone
essentially is a student. We all share
with each other.”
The lab also includes several older
Apple computers that are used for
tutorials and interfacing.
She believes the Science Depart
ment will be ready for the 21st cen
tury. “We have a foundation to build
on. We don’t expect to be outdated.
We’ll be adding the latest software and
additional computers,” she declared.
“In the spring, math and science
majors seem to enjoy learning Pascal,
a computer programming language.
There have been requests from
students and faculty for more com
puter courses,” she added.
Dewar attends workshops and
seminars to keep current on com
puters. She came to Chowan in 1966.
Over the years, she has seen her
students and other science and
mathematics students transfer to senior
institution and then return as medical
doctors, scientists, pharmacists,
engineers, teachers, veterinarians, etc.
She said a recent example is Dr.
Darlene Jacquelyn Keene, a 1981 pre-
med graduate from Ahoskie, who is
serving her residency at Pitt County
Memorial Hospital, Greenville.
After completing the two-year pro
gram at Chowan, she transferred to
East Carolina University where she
received her B.S., and M.D. from the
School of Medicine.
Queen, Princess crowned
Michelle Lynn Schlage of Cary, right, escorted by her father, Robert,
was crowned Chowan College's homecoming queen during halflime
of the Braves' football game against Nassau Community College Oct.
28. A sophomore, she is a graduate of Apex High School. Nichole
Derkacz of Sterling Heights, Mich., escorted by Keith Fisher, was
named freshman princess. This is the second straight year a Cary coed
received the queen title. Christi Lynn King, also an Apex High School
graduate, was selected in 1988.
BSU brings fright
on Halloween night
By Karen Uberti
The Baptist Student Union of
Chowan College, led by Chaplain
Hargus Taylor, sponsored a haunted
house on October 31st. The njembers
of BSU planned this event a month in
advance. The event was held in the
Britt house which is located between
Robert Marks Hall and Jenkins dor
mitory. Many members of BSU par
ticipated in this frightening festival
such as Linda Moore, Carmen
Shipley, Theresa Salley, Donny
Owen, Cheslie Smith, Michelle Mar
tin, Michelle Turner, Mamie Frey,
and Jamie Cox. Jamie said of the ex
perience, “The haunted house was
tremendously successful, which was a
great relief to all involved. A great
amount of time and especially energy
went into the preparation. Everyone
seemed to have had a great time. It
was great! Thanks to all who came.”
Some of the preparation included the
making of tombstones and webbing
the entire inside as well as outside of
DECEMBER 1989
VOLUME 18, NUMBERS
Although these students are in the process of educating their minds at Chowan College, they used their
strong backs—as well as their art skills—recentiy to help South Carolina victims of Hurricane Hugo.
From left; Garry Hill, Shallotte; Professor Doug Eubank; Stacey Barber, Lexington, S. C.; Larry Hill,
Shallotte; Curtis H. Quick, Oxford; and Billy Hilger, Southport.
Students Help Hugo Victims
the Britt house. Fake blood was made
out of Karo syrup and food coloring,
and last but not least, the elaborate
costume and make-up job of the par
ticipants was fantastic.
There was a wide variety of garb
worn by the BSU entertainers. Such
costumes were a mad scientist, three
witches, demons, ghouls, and many
more eerie phantoms and dead corp
ses. The characters were hidden all
over the house in such wild places as
closets, dark pathways, and under
props. They jumped out from their
hiding places at the guests and some
even chased the visitors throughout the
haunted house.
The cost of entrance to the affair
was $.50. The proceeds are to be
donated to Student Summer
Ministries. Approximately $120.00
was raised during the three hour spec
tacle. The next BSU project will be the
talent show which will be held at the
end of November.
Rather than observing helplessly
from afar or perhaps sending a cash
gift or canned goods, a group of
Chowan College art students and their
professor decided to “send them
selves” to help an area stricken by
Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina.
Professor Doug Eubank led the
group to Summerton, some 60 miles
northwest of Charleston, following the
hurricane’s passage from the coast of
South Carolina. The art professor said
the idea originated with the students.
Eubank was so impressed he
volunteered to drive the college van
and participate with them.
The students included Garry and
Larry Hill, twins from Shallotte; Billy
Hilger from Southport; Stacey Barber
from Lexington, S. C.; and Curtis H.
Quick, from Oxford. All are com
mercial art majors and Quick is in his
final year of the three-year program.
Eubank said the Student Govern
ment Association paid for the use of
the college van, and other individuals
and groups donated money for food
for the effort.
Eubank said the group left the
campus on a Thursday afternoon and
by 8:00 a.m. the next day, was hard at
work loading pickup trucks at
Summerton United Methodist Church,
the center for relief work in Clarendon
County.
The trucks, loaded with food,
clothing and building materials, were
driven by members of the various
churches to their members and others
in need.
“The town and county officials
found that this was the most efficient
way to handle the relief efforts in
Summerton and Clarendon County.
They were headed by the pastor of
Summerton United Methodist Church,
Tom Matthews,” Eubank said.
After loading the pickup trucks, the
Chowan delegation was given the
assignment of cleaning up a
warehouse. The church was “bursting
at its seams” (two classrooms were
filled from floor to ceiling with
clothes) and the warehouse was
needed to store additional building
materials, clothes and food.
Eubank said he and the students'
spent the rest of Friday cleaning the
warehouse. Saturday they returned to
continue cleaning the warehouse
before unloading Ryder trucks, vans,
and two semi trucks carrying rolls of
roofing, sheetrock, and shingles
donated by a manufacturer.
The Chowan group used their
unique talent as artists to paint a sign
for the church to replace the one that
had been destroyed in the hurricane.
“Many people from far away, driving
trucks or coming to volunteer their
services, were seeking the church. We
felt that a sign would help them find
their destination.” They painted it on
an appliance cardboard box they
straightened out.
Eubank said they saw no evidences
of merchants gouging by raising their
prices exorbitantly. In fact, he said
everyone was united in helping to
bring relief to those who had felt the
sting of Hugo.
Eubank said the group was housed
in the church’s parsonage with 12
other volunteers from North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Rorida. He said
they ate their meals together provided
by the church and enjoyed fellowship
and getting to know each other. “We
were united with the church members
and other citizens of the area in a
common effort. White and black, we
worked together and enjoyed each
other’s company. It’s something the
students and 1 will never forget. You
came away with such a good feeling
that you had done something to help
other human beings who were in a
desperate need.”
They also came away with the warm
thanks and love of the members of
Summerton United Methodist Church.
The students and their professor at
tended the morning service on Sunday.
During the service, the pastor asked
the Chowan group to stand as each
member filed by to thank and hug
them. “It was very moving. Their
love and sincerity made a deep im
pression on each one of us. ”
Sadd members rally for life
By Karen Uberti
Compelling, comprehensive, and
climactic —These are just a few words
one may use to describe the rally
which was held on October 13, 1989.
Ironically enough, this event was held
on Friday the 13th. Students Against
Driving Drunk were the sponsors of
the rally which celebrated its third
year.
The program consisted of a keynote
speaker, the Lieutenant Governor of
North Carolina — James Gardner,
four mini workshops, a victim of a
drunk driving accident, four pri-
sioners, a recovering drug addict, and
certain members of the North
Carolinia Highway Patrol. It lasted
from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm. Those
who came included junior and high
schools from thirteen counties as well
as members of the student body, facul
ty, and staff of Chowan.
On display was an automobile which
the Rescue Squad showed how they
would rescue an injured person from a
car involved in a highway accident.
Also present was a narcotics dog who
demonstrated how he would find hid
den drugs in all places of an
automobile. The dog, Bassie, is a nar
cotics K-9 from the local area.
Organizers of the event worked on
making the rally a success for two
months. The main figures involved in
this organization process were Lisa
Newsome from the Roanoke-Chowan
Mental Health Center; Linda Tripp,
head of counseling; Linda Moore,
President of SADD; and the club
sponsor, Hope Adams.
Some of the participating schools
entertained the audience with planned
skits involving the themes of drinking
and driving, the use of illegal drugs,
and peer pressure.
Linda Moore said of the rally, “It
was a great experience that will remain
in my mind and heart forever. I plan to
promote that drinking and driving is
dangerous because it has caused per
manent damage to the lives of so many
people.”
Prison trip
reveals
interesting
facts
The Social Science Club and Dr.
Gosnell's Psychology class visited
Odom prison, near Jackson, North
Carolina where 544 prisoners are
housed in a medium security prison at
an average cost of $18,000 per person
per year. In a maximum (close) securi
ty prison the cost may reach $25,000.
In the newer building 173 prisoners
have single 8 x 10 cells. In the old
building as many as 38 men are con
fined in one large open “bullpen,”
with double bunk beds. All the toilets
and showers are open to public view.
Most of the prisoners have jobs to
perform for the prison. All of the
cooks, except the chef, are prisoners.
They cook the food for the guards as
well. Honor grade prisoners wear a
speical color uniform and work out
side the prison. There are no “work
release” prisoners at Odom who work
for a salary in the community.
Prisoners are allowed to spend a
maximum of $30.00 a month of their
own money at the prison store for per
sonal items. Profits from the store go
to pay for their television and other
benefits. When released from prison
they will receive a suit of clothes and
$40.00 in cash.
Prisoners are required to work
towards a high school diploma if they
do not have the equivalent. The
students interviewed two prisoners
who were serving life sentences for
murder. Prisoners must give their con
sent to be interviewed. No pictures
were allowed inside the prison.
Prison guards earn between $18,000
and $30,000 per year and receive up to
30 days of paid vacation each year.
After thirty years of service they can
retire with full salary and other
benefits. A high school education is
required to be employed by the prison
system.
Christmas
tree lighting
announced
The annual Christmas Tree Lighting
Ceremonies will be held in front of
Whitaker Library Wednesday,
November 29, at 5:(X) p.m. It is spon
sored jointly be Whitaker Library,
Student Development, and the Student
Government Association.
Everyone on campus is invited to
come and join the Christmas caroling
and all the festivities. Please plan to be
there to welcome in the Christmas
Season.
Important
financial aid
information
1. Students who do not plan to
return for the spring semester need to
inform the Financial Planning Office
prior to Thanksgiving. Those who
have Perkins, Stafford and/or Sup
plemental Loans for Students must at
tend an exit interview. The dates and
places will be announced later.
2. Financial Aid Forms for the
1990-91 academic year will be
available prior to the Christmas break.
3. No loans will be made through
the Keiji Iwamoto Emergency Loan
Program after Thanksgiving. All loans
have to be repaid by December 5. If
you have a loan, please pay it on time.