Newspapers / North Carolina Wesleyan University … / Oct. 1, 1964, edition 1 / Page 2
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Pare 2 THE DECREE Thursday, October 1, 1964 EMomk . . . Divided We Fall Welcome all. The first few lines of this article are directed toward the freshman: the rest of it to the entire college com munity. Elntry into college marks the beginning of a totally different way of life—a way of life which will require all of your p>otential and energy. During your stay here you will form concepts and engender ideas which will continue with you and influence your decisions for the rest of your lives. However, no one can promise you or assure you that the road will be easy, or even that your stay here will be pleasant, profitable or rewarding. And even when (and if) you do get out, no one honestly guarantee that you will be totally prepared for what will turn out to be a highly competitive and often cruel world. What you do with yourself and your mind and your potential will, to a large extent, determine the length of your stay here and its success. I could continue all day on this subject but that would be idle and, generally, a waste of time. There is, however, an ugly fact which must be considered by all of us before we go any farther. This fact is, approximately 450 students enrolled h^ -e last fall, 70 dropped out between fall and spring semes ters. This is approximately 1|6 of the entire student body. Many others (and still are doing so) on the brink of academic failure. Now you can see why no one can promise you that you will make it. Why are there con ditions so? Why is there such a high drop out percentage? The answers lie in several areas. The first area is within the student body itself. The lack of concern, for self and others, here is phenomial. The average student (and almost all of seem to be “average”) at Wesleyan could actually care less about what happens here or why it happens. There is a sad lack of critical, or, for that matter, any spirit on this campus and the student has only himself to blame. Not questioning means not caring; and not caring means in credibly poor, poor performance (i.e.: flunking out). You are thereby urged to question—question the administra tion, question your professors, question your student leaders and representatives, question your fellow stu dents. Questioning shows interest, and interest is what gets thing accomplished, (i.e.: graduating and chances of a successful life). Until such a spirit arises, one can only predict rougher times ahead. But we can’t stop here. There is another area in which a partial answer may lie. This area is faculty and administration—student coop>eration. Room for improve ment is quite evident on both sides of the line. The students must leam to consider and respect the decisions for their professors and administrative personell. In turn, these leaders of the college must cooperate by listening to their student’s requests and placing more weight upon them in order to correct a situation which could easily reach the critical stage. The fact that students gripe is universally known. The pressure created by the modem educational system make this only natural. The trouble is that much of the time these numerous and meaningless grip>es are passed off lightly—along with some rather important ones. The faculty and administration must realize that within their job there lies, along with the rest of their responsibilities, the responsibility of listen ing to their students, the backbone of an institution of higher learning, and attempting to weed out and remedy those whose which are important and pertinent to campus and academic matters. Here at Wesleyan there are no media through which students can express their dis- approvalls or suggestions, save by the grievance com mittee which seem to be virtually useless. Even when suggestions do filter through, very little if anything is done about it. The areas ‘in which this has happened are too numerous to mention. This should not be! There should be some means by which direct student expression could be legislated. Faculty and administration, we need proof that we the students, truly have a voice, an active voice in our own affairs. It is your responsibility to provide it. Students, faculty, and admnistration—you are urged to work together, in critical, spirited, but close coop>era- tion to alleviate the problems which may keep us always mediocre, but never great. 'Doc' Takes The Wheel The U. S. In Politics By Ray O’Kelly- One For The Books It’s October, Campaign ’64 Is upon us. Presidential candi dates are crisscrossing the coun try as if they were going about their home towns. Already the Republican and Democratic par ties have spent millions of dol lars and hours to get their can didates elected, party head quarters all around the country can be compared on a small scale to Grand Central Station. This election is boosting the membership of organizations as well. Two such organizations are the radical left wing ADA, and the radical right wing John Birch Society. This election is a hard hitting one. The loser may find that af ter November 3 he won’t be able to win the position of city dogcatcher. Polsters say that Johnson Is a shoe-In, but there are others who think differently. For the first time in his life Johnson Is leaving the dirty work to someone else; that someone is Hubert Humphery (X-ADA vice-president). Lou Harris, political polster, was sweating and regretting the night of the California primary; I have reason to believe that he’ll sweat on the evening of November 3. This man called Goldwater can be compared to Bill Scranton when it comes to winning elections: He wins when everyone says “impossible”. Lyndon Johnson is something else. The Roosevelt crowd was considered old hat after Ken nedy came along, but now look who’s back! Goldwater and Johnson! The first a political Image and the second a self-asplring politi cian. Like John Kennedy was, Barry Goldwater Is a part-time politician. Like Harry Truman was, Johnson is a fulltime pol itician. One promises that he will do some things and the other promises that he will do every thing. This is certainly one for the books. One which will be used as a particular example for the study of political sci. In years to come. FACTOGRAPHS More than 4,700 children were lost—and found— at the New York World’s Fair between opening day and the last week of August. Though the daily average is about 50, a record number of 134 youngsters be came separated from their eld ers on Monday, Aug. 10. * * * Oranges were cultivated in the Orient as early as 2200 B. C. Now the world’s leading fresh fruit, oranges were intro duced to America in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. In England, dukes take pre cedence over all except princes and princesses of royal blood and archbishops of Canterbury and York and the lord chan cellor. » * * Laurence Eusden was the youngest poet laureate of Eng land. He received the bays in 1718, at the age of 30 years and three months. » * * The Masai tribesmen of Tan ganyika call Mt. Kilimanjaro the “House of God.” THE DECREE A Official Student Newspaper of North Carolina Wesleyan College m.mb.. Printed bi-weekly in Business Address: Tarboro, N. C. „ ^ 3146 N. C. Wesleyan College Circulation: 1,000 Ro^ky Mount, N. C. NEWS STAFF BUSINESS STAFF Executive Editor Ed Lewis Business Manager Bruce Sharer Managing Editor Ray OTCelly Secretary Mariljoi Shepard . . . „ • A • _* Circulation Jerry Stockdale Associate Editor Ronrne Arrmgton SubscripUon Ray Robinson Feature Editor Jim McKinley Spencer Tim Traylor ^'^'^Alice Nixson Sports Editor Steve Hall Lynda Johnson King Jun Ho Secretary Carolyn Monroe Taylor Doug Grosclose Dale Pixlev Photographer Ronnie Brockenrbough Claire Anderson Dodie Waters Ripples By Dodle Waters A student recently said that the thing that shocks her the most at Wesleyan Is the low lev el of sex morality at which many of our students conduct them selves. “It isn’t the low level that Is shocking,” she said, “I just didn’t expect that at Weslayan." What she meant by “that” Is any one’s guess. The statement may have pertained to anything from Indiscreet displays of affection to pre-marital sex relations. Is the student who delights in dirty stories encouraged by laughter or discouraged by si lence? Is a kiss a meaningful act of love or a thank-you which Is given like a handshake? Has “going steady” become an ex cuse for a multitude of sex In dulgences? The low level of sex morality Is not shocking. But Its acceptance by Christian men and women Isl The public delights in the light, suggestive comedies of today. “Musical beds” has become a standard plot. The involved situa tions of film characters are en joyed by all, but In reality are far from humorous. Divorce courts, foster homes, mental Institution, and detent ion homes are evidence of the lax attitude taken toward marriage in our modern society. The level on which a hetero sexual relationship Is carried Is not determined by college rules and regulations, but by the stand ards and values of the individual. Often, Individuals change their standards in order ‘ ‘ to belong’' or receive social status, is social status worth the price many may pay for It? Is an lalssez faire attitude an admirable quality? The problem is not solely Wes leyan’s. Schools and communi ties across the nation are con cerned with the permissiveness of today’s society. The need for self evaluation Is great, niegltlmate children, se cret marriages and the so-called “premature babies” occur too often in our society of today. Who or what can be blamed for this? The school, In their refusal to teach sex education? The church, In its unwillingness to recognize the problem? The parents, in their silence? The Individual, In his wrong choice of friends and lack of standards? It could be any one of these, or a combination of them. Man can rationalize and place the blame on anything. But the Individual himself makes the final decision. The decisions, (whether they be big or small) of each Individual, affects one’s family,friends and future, A HISTORICAL NOTE In the academic year 1963-64 proposed decorations for the dance room and snack bar were submitted and passed. Now, In the academic year 1964-65, no evi dence canbe seen of any change. A close study Into the matter revealed that nothing had been done because things were “bogged down In the business office.” One wonders If books are audited once a year. Perhaps the hiring of more student help could assist In “unbogging” the business office.
North Carolina Wesleyan University Student Newspaper
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Oct. 1, 1964, edition 1
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