Beyond The
Classroom
What is missing from U\e Wilkes
Community College experience?
Class attendance, the Dean's list,
and the filled capacity of the
campus Library indicate that the
missing link is not study or the lack
of homework. Nor is it the lack of
fellowship: if you haven't noticed
the noisy crowd that inhabits the
Thompson Mall Commons, you
haven't been at school! Could the
missing piece of the puzzle be the
lack of student involvement in
college activities?
Last year's lack of student sup
port during campus events was
shockingly apparent. A dance sup
ported by the Student Government
Association last year drew' only
about thirty participants. Most club
meetings attract maybe five mem
bers, and club activities even less.
The most unusual occurrences of
student apathy last year were the
limes when even events promising
cash prizes had to be cancelled due
to lack of participation.
What can the body of Wilkes
Community College do to prevent
another ho-hum school year? The
organizations and clubs at WCC
normally hold scheduled meetings
twice a month at midday to allow
ease of scheduling for busy stu
dents. Student activities sponsored
by the SGA are well advertised. In
advance, so students are forewarn
ed. Activities like the Journalism
and Drama courses offered at WCC
arc flexible to allow for schedule
changes and all students are wel
come to participate. Students who
do not want to become actively in
volved may still support campus
activities by simply attending a play
at the John A. Walker Community
Center, or cheering a friend in a
spades competition.
Tliere are many activities that go
beyond schoolwork at Wilkes Com
munity College. Each student
should make a conscious effort to
participate in at least one extracur
ricular activity per quarter. To
make your memories of WCC hap
pier ones, spend some time getting
to know other students and have
some fun - college is not only about
studying, you know.
Phi Theta Kappa
One of the main topics of dis
cussion at the Regional Summer
Institute on Saturday, July 1, was
WCNC-TV news anchor Chris
Clackum’s lecture on the responsi
bilities of the media. Mr. Clackum
addressed an audience comprised of
Phi Theta Kappa members from
both the Carolinas, including those
trom Wilkes Community College.
Of special interest to WCNC-
TV's co-anchor was the discre
pancy between the profit generated
by sensationalist stories as com
pared to serious journalism. Ac
cording to Mr. Clackum, "(h)igh
profile trials are usually not of
major importance to the common
populace. They arc for entertain
ment, and they sell better than
common news." Journalists, like
Chris Clackum, must learn to dis
tinguish between news beneficial
to the general public and infonna-
tion that merely serves as "enter
tainment" for the gossip-hungry
masses.
If the common person wants to
change this tendency toward sensa
tionalist journalism, how may the
change be accomplished? Mr.
Clackum claimed the solution to
what may be perceived as a pro
blem with the media resides in
freedom of choice. Individuals
"have the power to pick and choose
what (they) watch, read, and listen
to (sic)."
The question of the value of
sensationalist journalism was
addressed by Mr. Clackum with a
reference to the Susan Smith
murder trial. During his lecture,
Mr. Clackum asked, "Should the
judge of the Susan Smith murder
trial have allowed cameras inside
his courtroom?" Comments from
the audience varied from
suggestions to broadcast the trial
over Court TV to, "...No, the trial
should not be broadcast, because I
am so sick of the O.J. Simpson
trial." Mr. Clackum stated that the
answer to the question above and
others similar to it will have to be
found by both the media and the
American people in years to come.
Phi Theta Kappa members have
a duty to seek excellence in their
communities. Chris Clackum re
called this duty to the minds of the
Carolina Phi Theta Kappa mem
bers when he asked: "How many
Phi Theta Kappans does it take to
turn on a television set?" This
humerous question reminded those
asked of their responsibility to
control what they and their fam
ilies see, hear, and read from the
media.
Summer Quarter
There are some opposing
viewpoints on Summer Quarter
here at WCC. When polled, most
students preferred to remain anon
ymous, but had definite likes and
dislikes.
Summer Quarter is great in
that classes are smaller, and you
have more opportunity to get to
know both your fellow students
and the instructors. It's a good
time to take a difficult subject, as
there is more time for individual
help. For the small investment of
part of your summer, you can
complete a whole block of one
class. A small perk is the park
ing. It's so good, you can just
about have your favorite site.
The down side, if there is one
in Summer Quarter, is that the
learning time is condensed which
means the homework is increas
ed. So great care should be taken
in choosing both what class and
how many classes so there isn't an
overload. Summer is definitely a
time for the serious student. Most
students who were taking a full
load this summer said they'd
never worked so hard, and would
hate to do it again . . . but after a
second also admitted they would
not have missed it for the world.
Fran Shumate
Thoughts on Summer School
Kenneth Redmond - pretty good
deal, people who want to keep on
working, keep your mind in gear.
I like it.
Shaunda Handy - Get it all in a
summer, so 1 can transfer in a
year.
Brian Hrown - Never been before,
laid back, fewer people in class,
more attention, teachers'
correspondence to students was
good, I really liked it. Would not
have been able to pass otherwise,
not so much demand on teacher.
Marcus Pearson - As a student it
helps you get caught up and even
ahead. But on a down side it's
boring.
Scotty Sparks - Not anyone here,
get more attention in class, see
others having a fun summer, but 1
am here.
 ' >
Hallmarks of
Summer Quarter
Summer Quarter at WCC is a
special time. The campus
grounds abound with beautiful
flowers of multifarious and dazz
ling colors. The usual hurry and
scurry of the campus is replaced
with a stroll and ramble enhanced
by the serene acceptance of the
sizzling heat and the abrupt thun
der showers. With petite classes,
students and faculty enjoy a more
intimate atmosphere.
Other notable hallmarks on
campus this summer are birth
days celebrated by the faculty
and staff. The best of wishes are
offered to those birthdays occur
ring in August. Happy Birthday!
Jug. 9 - Janet B. Atwood, Librar
ian, Abby Combs, Executive Sec
retary. /lug. 12 - Shawn Red
ding, Instructor. Aug. 14 - Stan
Wright, Grounds Technician.
Aug. 15 - Doug Smith, Instructor.
Aug. 16 - Belinda Smithey, HRD
Instructor, Aug. 27 - Harry
Adams, Housekeeping. Aug. 28 -
Brenda Shepherd, Executive Secre
tary. Aug. 31 - John German, Chair
person of Sciences & Technologies.
As Fall Quarter 1995 arrives,
accompanied with its frentic pace,
remember the calm, sultry, and
radiant holiday of Summer Quarter
with fondness and look forward to
the crisp freshness fell brings.
What Is The Best/
Easiest Way to Leant
Something New?
If you've wished for a brain trans
plant after spending days studying
only to find the test may as well be
written in cuneiform, you're not
alone. However, it may be the
learning approach that needs a trans-
plant Is there only one way to
learn? A quick poll of some of the
faculty yielded many approaches to
learning. Just a few of the many
from each are:
Dr. Jean S. Cushion. Business
Instructor, said to read the textbook,
and the chapters as the>'re assigned,
and come to class prepared. The
language of a subject is learned
from reading the text. Also, go to
the instructor for help if you need it.
A/r. Edward L. Curtis, .Mathema
tics Instructor, emphasized finding
an individual who has some exper
tise in tlie area of the subject matter,
and to let that individual teach.
Listen, observe, and glean things
tliat apply to you. You get guidance
from an instructor, but it is your
responsibility to learn.
Dr. Josephine F. Hendrix. Math
ematics Instructor, stressed taking
good notes and doing the home
work. Learning math is a step pro
cess, and each step is important.
Don't be afraid to ask questions in
class if you don't understand
something. If you need help, go to
the instructor, that's why we have
office hours.
Dr. Barbara R. Holt. Director
Student Support Services, observed
that above all, it is important to go
about learning something new with
a positive outlook. Ninety-five per
cent or more of our tests are written.
Read and study the text and notes,
then study for a test by writing the
material over and over.
Sfrs. Elizabeth H. Klinkosum
stressed memorizing terms, and after
they are memorized you begin to
establish relationships between bits
and pieces through association. Be
patient, there is a time element in
volved, you have to acquire quite a
few facts to establish those relation
ships.
These are just very few of the
many suggestions, there were
enough for a small book. Please see
page 4 for more,
continued on page 4