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NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 217
Rocky Mount, N. C.
Noa-Profit Organization
VOLUME XL NUMBER 5
ROCKY MOUNT. N. C.
TUESDAY, OCT. 7. 1969
Decree, SGA Compromise;
Campus Controversy Settled
By DAN DAVIS
On Wednesday, October 25,
Ed Smith, Editor of THE DE
CREE, received a letter frona
John Roberts, SGA President,
informing him that "the funds
of THE DECREE have been
withdrawn untilfurther notice."
In his letter Roberts specified
no reasons for his action, but
quoted Article VI, Section 2,
paragraph a, sub-paragraph 2,
of the SGA Constitution as jus
tification for his action: “the
president shall be responsible
for enforcing the Student
Government Association Con
stitution and for executing the
program and business of the
Student Government Associa
tion.”
This was the first in a long
series of events which graphi-
Officer Shearin
Harrassed Here
On the night of September 26
the campus security officer for
Wesleyan was the object of har-
rassment by an unknown number
of students.
In an interview with Dean
Wilde, it was learned that the
incident had resulted in his be
ing called in, although the inci
dent had not been of sufficient
proportion to justify his inter
vention, Dean Wilde said. He
believes that this sort of thing
happens quite often, and that
such incidents can and should
be referred to as “just pranks.”
He said there were 10 or 12
students involved, and that what
they were doing consisted of
congregating around and rock
ing the police car, and calling
the officer names.
Dean Wilde said that he arri
ved on the scene at the power
plant at about 1;30 a.m., and
that from then until about 2
a.m. he drove around looking for
the trouble-makers. Two cars
were stopped and their occu
pants questioned, but no one was
charged, due to a lack of evi
dence.
Officer Shearin, the campus
security officer, estimated the
number of students harrassing
him at 50 or 60, but agreed
with Wilde in thinking that it was
a prank. Shearin was very re
luctant to make any comment
about the incident, but said
that it had included rock-throw
ing and name-calling on the stu
dents’ part.
Both Shearin and Wilde said
that they had suspicions as to
who the pranksters were but that
they believed no measures
should be taken against the
students.
cally demonstrated the ideolo
gical schism existing within
the Wesleyan student body.
The Senate met Wednesday
night and, by unanimous vote,
recommended that Roberts re
voke his stoppage of DECREE
funds.
Finding himself unable to
compromise his sincere con
victions, Roberts refused the
Senate’s suggestion. While it
seemed that the campus would
have to wait for the judgement
of the student Supreme Court,
several petitions were circu
lated around campus demanding
radical changes in DECREE
policy and staff.
It was in this atmosphere
of bitter anticipation that the
SGA leader and the DECREE
Editor held a dialogue in the
presence of the Dean of Students
at 1 p.m. Friday, October 3.
The press was not admitted to
this conference, but according
to statements released by both
student leaders after the meet
ing there was “no change” in
the position of either faction.
Dean Wilde, anxious about the
increase of “polarization”
brought about by this session.
organized another meeting,
which was held at 3:30 p.m. the
same day. Present at this con
frontation were Smith, Roberts,
and Wilde, as well as Maria
Gargano, Jim Gill, Julie Robin
son, C. B. Mottershead, and this
reporter.
Wilde opened the discussion
by pointing out that, while he
had acted up to that point as a
listener only, he could “no lon
ger remain neutral,” owing to
the depth of the rift. “We’re
in for trouble,” said Wilde,
f
WitM
Don Papke expressed his opi
nions graphically.
Harvard Senior Speaks
‘Radical Humanism’
Subject Of Lecture
Addressing the Wesleyan
community in the convocations
on Human Ecology, Harvard
senior Mark Gerzon discussed
and defined the philosophy of
Rising Tuition
Costs Explained
Students frequently complain
about the rising cost tuition.
“Why does it have to go up
every year?” We seldom stop
to think that rising costs in
areas other than education
would naturally increase edu
cation’s expenses. As it stands
now, only 65% of the student’s
total education is paid by his
tuition. Where does the other
35% come from? Answering this
question was the purpose of a
meeting in Winston-Salem on
September 24.
Thirteen business repre
sentatives and officers of the
North Carolina Foundation of
Church-Related Colleges spoke
to 25 student representatives of
the member colleges. Private
institutions of higher learning,
(Continued on Page.2)
Radical Humanism and the
need for a radical ecology.
“Radical means to go to the
root of man himself,” says
Mark. “The goal is complete
fulfillment of the potentialities
in man; radical humanism is
putting man in the center of
priority. This is not to dim
inish the importance of the moon
shot or the military--It is
merely to put those things in
their proper perspective, and
to put man in top priority.”
Says Mark, “Man doesn’t
come into contact with his na
tural roots anymore, so it is
necessary to change man to cope
with the world around him; this
is radical ecology. And this is
what is needed.”
Mark, a senior Social Stu
dies major, has written a book.
THE WHOLE WORLD IS
WATCHING concerning the Chi
cago convention disturbances
and youth dissention in general.
He has spent his junior year
touring Europe and Asia, liv
ing in with students and fa
milies. He was solicited for
the Human Ecology program af
ter an appearance on the Today
Show.
“if the conflict is not settled
soon.”
All present were impressed
by the fact that two powerful
foes would inevitably test their
strength on each other if some
compromise were not reach
ed.
The major complaint voiced
by John Roberts was that “THE
DECREE is not independent and
does have responsibility to the
student body” and therefore
should be extremely careful to
“present both sides of any im
portant issue.” Roberts be
lieved THE DECREE had not
shown willingness or ability to
do so in the past.
Smith countered by asserting,
“We don’t back anyone in a
news story,” He also reminded
Roberts that it is impossible
for anyone to anticipate the im
pact of every news story, fea
ture, or editorial in advance.
He stated that a newspaper’s
job is to cover subjective state
ments objectively and that he
believed that THE DECREE had
been doing its job adequately.
Smith closed by adding with an
air of concern and apology,
“Every editor makes a mis
take, though.”
In an attempt to reconcile
this conflict. Dean Wilde, hav
ing “smypathies on both sides,”
offered the following recom
mendations:
John Roberts should:
1.), immediately rescend his
withdrawal of DECREE funds;
2.), promise to refrain from
such tactics in the future;
3.), take any complaints that
he might have about THE DE
CREE to the Publications Com
mission for consideration;
and 4.), exert his influence
to halt impeachment proceed
ings currently being taken
against Ed Smith.
In turn, Ed Smith should:
1.), keep in closer contact
with THE DECREE’S faculty
advisor and with the SGA Pu
blications Commission;
2.), “be a little more sen
sitive to the newspaper’s clien
tele,” remembering that its au
dience is captive;
3.), “stop the use of four-
letter words;”
and face the public rela
tions problem of “image” by
changing the atmosphere of la
ziness and loafing which ap-
(Continued on Page 3)
Attorney General
Answers Charges
By JOHN HINNANT
In an interview this week
with SGA Attorney General Jim
Gill, he replied to the char
ges of “strong arm tactics”
leveled against him in a state
ment by Tom Mowbray in last
week’s DECREE. After the
election in South Hall on Sep
tember 25 which Gill described
as a “farce”, he conferred
with John Roberts, SGA Pre
sident, in Roberts room on first
floor. Also in the room were
four transfer students from
Ferrum College. According to
Mr. Gill this is the first time
he had ever talked to these stu
dents.
After the disturbance on se
cond floor. Bob Leyda came
down and he and Gill went up
to Leyda’s room on third floor
to discuss Leyda’s previous
actions that night. Minutes la
ter, after hearing some shouts
from second floor. Gill went
to Tom Mowbry’s room on se
cond floor to ask for quiet as
a resident of South Hall.
Meanwhile, the transfer stu
dents from Ferrum College and
SGA President John Roberts
came up from first floor. While
Gill and Mowbry were conferr
ing with each other in the door
way, one of the Ferrum students
made the threat to “step off the
campus” to settle the matter.
Gill then asked the student to
refrain from any further com
ments and returned to the third
floor, he said.
In reference to Mowbry’s
statements, Gill said, “If we
must talk about reality in Mr.
Mowbry’s concept, I think we
should realize that he did not
recognize the situations as it
correctly occurred.”
Concerning the editorial po
licy of THE DECREE, Gill be
lieves that tlie editorials should
be based on facts. He states,
“Mr. Cumpler should be re
minded that the truth is much
stronger than irresponsible
charges. The references to Mil
ton that one has the right to
make a mistake and be for
given can certainly apply to
Mr. Crumpler.”
In conclusion. Attorney Ge
neral Gill stated, “I have not
and do not advocate the use of
‘strong-arm-tactics’. In my of
fice as Attorney General, it is
ethically and legally wrong to
use any form of intimidation for
any purpose whatsoever.”