Newspapers / North Carolina Wesleyan University … / Feb. 21, 1986, edition 1 / Page 2
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ki, IHE DECREE, FKiUA^, l^KHKUAKY 21, 1986 Opinions and Etlitorials Challenger Accident Is Reminder Of Risks LtTIAEtWDltTHi^ MY WAY Amp You Won’t OF TH*NG.- Convocations Are Valuable On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the American people suf fered a severe shock, which has caused them to question the certainty of the future. The NASA Shuttle Challenger ex ploded little more than one minute into its sche duled flight. ITie explo sion took the lives of seven talented people who were exploring “newfrontiers” for our nation. Why has this accident, tragic as it is, been such a severe blow to the Ameri can people? Have we not been aware of the risks involved in space explora tion? We are still in the experimental stage, still looking for answers to unknown problems. Don’t we remember the Apollo accident of 19 years ago? ITie American people have the unique ability to look to the future at the exposure of the lessons of the past. After 55 success ful NASA launches and returns we began to be lieve that space travel was a mastered skill. It quickly became a routine occur- rance with a guaranteed beginning and ending. ITie majority of Ameri cans were unaware of the very real dangers in volved. We must realize that our future has no guarantee — nothing is assured. '^Fhe illusion of an America with a promised future, full of technologi cal successes, has been cracked. The important lesson from the loss of the Chal lenger is that nothing can be taken for granted. We must recognize the fact that our future is as full of risks as it is promises. Over-confidence is some thing we cannot afford. Dear Editor: I seem to have missed the “joke” in your Feb. 7, editorial “Make Convocations An Elec tive Course.” I doubt that the author of this argument stands willinff to “write essays on the various events in addition to attending them.” Were convo cations offered as a two-semes ter, three-hour elective course, I doubt the editorialist, or any significant number of students, would take such a course. Does this mean that the con- Dear Editor: One paragraph from the arti cle entitled “Fraternities, Soror ities Aim At Creating A Positive Image” {Decree, Jan. 24) is ir relevant, distasteful, and poten tially offensive to the black stu dents at North Carolina Wes leyan college. One fails to see the relationship between black membership in these organiza tions and the Creation of a posi tive image. If the intent of the paragraph is to welcome or encourage wid er black participation, the ap peal should have been presented in a different article. However, in its present context, there is the implication of tokenism. Comments like, “Actually, there is not any active member who happens to be black” and “when you’re sisters, it doesn’t matter what color you are” are particu larly insulting. Is there really a need to con vince the students at Wesleyan that these are not racist organi zations? If there are no racial problems among students at this college, how does black membership in these organiza tions improve their image? Social organizations provide a sense ofbelonging for those people who choose to join them. If a black student chooses to join a social organization here at Wesleyan, so be it. Colorblind- vocations program is meaning less for students? No. On the contrary, the program provides an alternative to graded class room assignments. A student inay attend an event, such as the upcoming I'ourth Monday Colloquim on “The Stamp Act,” without the pressures associat ed with grades and essay writ ing. While the program’s ten- event minimum attendance re quirement does cause some “resentment” on the part of stu dents, it provides an alternative ness in social organizations here at Wesleyan should be tak en for granted. This college would never permit an organization to be come a part of the social life that makes categorical distinctions based on race, religious affilia tion, or nationality. Therefore, the effect of black membership on the improved image of these historically white sororities or fraternities is insignificant. Low black membership in these organizations more accu rately reflects freedom of choice or lack of interest, not racial discrimination. form of education — without grades. If convocation attendance were not mandatory would stu dents attend? No. On the con trary, students need, and it is the faculty’s responsibility to provide, impetus in the pursuit of an education. While the stu dents’ “resentment” is real and natural, abolishing the attend ance requirements would only have an effect like abolishing the classroom attendance re quirement; that is, students would miss more classes (and consequently, their grades would suffer). Fortunately, many teachers provide incentive for their stu dents to attend convocation events. Extra credit is often awarded to students who attend an event related to a particular course. This incentive helps to curb student “resentment” to wards convocation require ments. Finally, if The Decree Editor ial Board has developed a “resentment” so great that they “receive very little benefit from attending convocations,” I sug gest they investigate their atti tudes concerning the value of a well-rounded eduction. Robert L. Spencer Jr. Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 1 Cover 38 Skill 39 Insect 40 Attached to 6 Hebrew letter 7 Scatter 4 Headgear: p!. 41 Poem 8 Unusual 8 Wild revelry 42 Chore 9 Sun god 12 Ventilate 43 Nod 10 Merriment 13 Encourage 45 Exist 11 Shout 14 Small valley 46 Prohibit 16 Expire 15 Promise 47 River in Siberia - 18 Latin 17 Crimson 48 Hog conjunction 19 Spanish article 49 Honor 21 Permeate 20 Cravat 52 Danish island 22 Cloth measure 21 Fondle 54 At a distance 23 Pierce 22 Lamprey 56 Before 24 Jot 23 Location 57 Hindu peasant 25 Direction: abbr 25 Recent 58 Back of neck 26 Beverage 26 Baseball league; 59 Fall behind 28 Marsh abbr. DOWN 29 Perform 27 Plaything 30 Is in debt 28 In place of 1 Hit lightly 31 Period of time 29 Permit 2 Lubricate 33 Offspring 32 Near 3 Comely 34 Anger 33 Military duty 4 Enclosure for 37 Farm animal 35 Pronoun birds 39 Container 36 It goes 5 Presidential 41 Musical with eggs nickname instrument 42 Kind of cross 43 Wild hog 44 Execute commands of 45 Three-toed sloth 46 Reveal 48 Vessel 49 Once around track 50 Baseball stat. 51 Limb 53 Artificial language 55 Note of scale Answers On Page 3 1 2 ■ 12 l5 8 9 10 11 14 19 22 43 44 S5" 57 1984 United Feature Syndicate Marsha Sharpe OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE Editorial Board Richard Beaupre, Windy Chambless, Barry Nethercutt, Reggie Ponder Jr., John Pridgen, Tom Rivers, Laura Lee Spedding Photo Editor Pathik Vyas 1 he Decree is located in the Student Union, North Carolina Wesleyan College, Wesleyan College Station, Rocky Mount, NC 27801. Policy is determined by the Editorial Hoard of The Decree. Kepublication of any matter herein without the express consent of the Editorial Board is strictly forbidden. The Decree is composed and printed by The Spriiif> Hope Enterprise. Opinions published do not necessarily represent those of North Cai'oiina Wesleyan College. Paragraph Insults Blacks
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Feb. 21, 1986, edition 1
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