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Biophilc recycles glass photo by Causey
Computers Arrive at Guilford
by Jeff Martin & Ike Bendall
Guilford College will soon
have more "computer power"
(data capacity per student)
than any other college or
university in North Carolina.
In a recent interview. Dr.
Rexford Adelberger, chairman
of the Physics Department,
explained that this is the
result of Guilford's purchase
of two computers, a DEC
PDP-8 and a DEC PDP-11/40.
In the past Guilford College
administrators, professors,
and students have had access
to the computer at Bennett
College. As Guilford's compu
ter needs increased the
Bennett computer become
insufficient. Two problems
also restricted student usage
of the Bennett computer.
First, it is a sixteen-mile
round-trip to Bennett College.
Second, students wishing to
use the computer had to have
a faculty member go along
with them. To amend these
problems Guilford last year
rented a IBM-27/70 which
connected Guilford to the
Triangle University Computer
Center (TUCC). Because of
Guilford's low priority in the
TUCC system, there was
usually a two hour delay in the
return of programs. In
addition to that problem,
Guilford had to pay, not only
for renting the computer, but
also for the "computer time"
(amount of time it is used). Of
course, this restricted use of
the computer by students.
After all aspects of the
situation were studied, pro
posals were forwarded. The
decision was made to buy a
computer since the cost of
renting one would, in the lorn,
run. exceed the cost of
purchasing a new one. The
new computer system would
have to fulfill the needs of the
administration and, at the
same time, provide facilities
for faculty members and
students to pursue the
growing educational opportu
nities provided by computers.
The two computers pur
chased solved the problem.
The old Financial Aid Office in
New Garden Hall will house
the DEC PDP-11/40, which
will be used by the
administration. The other
computer, a DEC PDP-8, will
be located in the basement of
King Hall, for faculty and
student use. The unique
feature of this set-up is that
the two computers will be
capable of "communicating"
with each other by means of a
sensitive telephone cable.
This allows one computer,
when its memory space is
used up, to borrow space from
the other computer. Nowhere
in the United States has such a
system been used, according
to Dr. Adelberger.
Will the students and
faculty members profit educa
tionally from the computers?
Obviously, the computers will
be a valuable aid to the
science departments. Their
use of the computers can
range from working out
difficult calculations to setting
up complex games. An
interesting example of an
educational computer game is
the ecology game. Dr.
Adelberger explained that a
complex environment is set up
in the computer and it is the
student's job to keep it in
The Guilfordian
balance. The computer calcu
lates the effects of his
decisions on the environment.
There are also a surprising
number of educational oppor
tunities that the computer
affords for people in fields
other than the sciences. For
instance, English professors
no longer have to toil over the
numerous grammatical errors
when correcting papers. It is
possible, says Dr. Adelberger
to program the computer tc
correct the grammatical errors
in papers. The process is
simple. The student would go
to the computer and sit down
in front of the keyboard.
Following the instructions
before him, the student would
type "HELLO" and the
computer would respond with
"READY". After calling the
correct program (for instance,
English 220) the student
would simply type his paper
into the computer. The
professor could then go to the
computer, at any time, and
pick up the papers, which
would have grammatical
errors already corrected. This
would leave the professor with
more time to examine the
style, ideas, and thesis of the
student's paper. In addition to
the above uses, the computer
can also be employed for such
divergent uses as economic
games and the dating of Dutch
paintings.
No experience is necessary
for the students to use the
computers, stressed Dr.
Adelberger. The instructions
will be posted on the
computer. If for some reason a
student should get confused
while operating the computer,
CLASSIFIEDS
Please submit all letters to
the editor, classifieds, and
personal ads to the Guilfor
dian office. Box 221. before
the Monday night deadline.
Interested in spending the
summer of '75 in Africa?
Richie Zweigenhafg. assistant
professor of psychology will
give a talk and slide
presentation about Operation
Crossroads Africa, a summer
work program in Africa on
Thursday. Sept. 19 at 8:00
p.m. in English Dorm Lounge.
he can type "HELP" and the
computer will list the possible
alternatives the student car
take. Also, there will be
student-assistants, trained in
computer use, available at all
times to help.
Not only will the faculty and
students profit from the
computer, but the new
opportunities should boost the
academic excitement at Guil
ford College.
Should the present number
of keyboards become insuffi
cient for the growing needs of
the students and faculty, it
would be possible to expand
the system. It is foreseeable
that the expansion of the
system could result in the
location of a keyboard in each
dorm.
"The possibilities are limit
ed only by your imagination,"
says Dr. Adelberger.
The DEC PDP-8 has arrived
and is presently being set up
in the basement of King Hall.
The DEC PDP-11/40 is
expected any day now.
In a few weeks they should
be running, but it will take a
little longer before they are
programmed, and probably a
year before they are fully
utilized. Initial use will begin
in a few weeks, though.
There are many excited
students and faculty members
preparing themselves to
explore the wider horizons of
knowledge that the new
computers will open to
Guilford College. It is
exciting, for what other
college allows the students to
learn about computers by
using them?
September 12. 1974
Interested in learning how
to weave? Frame loon weaving
for beginners and others to
begin Wednesday, Sept. 18,
1-3 p.m.
Ten dollar instructional fee,
for four sessions plus
materials. Contact Nancy
Morton at 292-1738 to join the
class.
Brought to you by your own
Guilford College Crafts Cen
ters.
National Teacher
Exam Dates
PRINCETON, New Jersey,
September 9. College seniors
preparing to teach school may
take the National Teacher
Examinations on any of the
four different test dates
announced today by Educa
tional Testing Service, a
nonprofit, educational organi
zation which prepares and
administers this testing pro
gram.
New dates for the testing of
prospective teachers are:
November 9, 1974, and
January 25, April 5 and July
19, 1975. The tests will be
given at nearly 500 locations
throughout the United States,
ETS said.
Results of the National
Teacher Examinations are
used by many large school
districts as one of several
factors in the selection of new
teachers and by several states
for certification or licensing of
teachers. Some colleges also
require all seniors preparing
to teach to take the
examinations.
On each full day of testing,
prospective teachers may take
the Common Examinations
which measure their profes
sional preparation and general
educational background and
an Area Examination which
measures their mastery of the
subject they expect to teach.
Prospective teachers should
contact the school systems in
which they seek employment,
or their colleges, for specific
advice on which examinations
to take and on which dates
they should be taken.
The Bulletin of Information
for Candidates contains a list
of test centers, and informa
tion about the examinations,
as well as a Registration
Form. Copies may be obtained
from college placement offi
cers, school personnel depart
ments, or directly from
National Teacher Examina
tions, Box 911, Educational
Testing Service, Princeton,
New Jersey 08540.