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Dear Editor,
There was an error in last
wek's article about me that
needs to be corrected. The
statement made about the
scholarship to University of
Pennsylvania (i.e. awarded to
one graduating chemistry
senior from each school etc.
and the listed prerequisites)
applied to the American Insti
tute of Chemists Award, not
the University of Pennsylvania
scholarship.
Thank you for allowing me
to correct that statement.
Robin Ernest
Dear Editor,
A letter appeared in the last
issue of The Guilfordian
which raised the issue of the
Student Union's commitment
to all students. The letter was
caused by the playing of
"Dixie" during Serendipity.
We would like to respond to
several points of that letter.
First, we think that "Dixie"
was heard in a variety of diff
erent ways by the audience.
The way the song was
introduced by the band was
designed to get a response from
the crowd. It pitted southern
pride vs. northern pride. Many
people understood "Dixie" as
an expression of southern!
regionalism, not as the theme
of beligerent racism that it
was twenty years ago. We
really think that it just did
not occur to many people,
especially to many whites,
that the song would be heard
in that way. This is not to say
that one way is right and the
other way is wrong; it is
only to explain that the song
was not heard or responded to
in the same manner by every
one.
The band did not submit a
list of songs to the Union
before their performance for
us to approve. The Union was
simply not aware that they
were going to play a song of
such emotional potency. One
step we will take in the future
is to draft a statement of
the College purposes and
principles, which we would
expect all performers to honor.
Once the event started,
there was no way possible to
stop it. It happened too
quickly. Any attempt to inter
rupt it would have caused
more complications than it
would have solved.
This whole affair points to
a more basic problem on
campus; integration has failed
in many ways here. In this
way, at least, Guilford is like
the real world. The Union has
not gone out of its way to
enlist black students this year
on the basis of their being
black. Our recruitment is
aimed towards the general
Letters to the Editor ™
student body. If students
choose not to participate,
there is not much that we can
do.
We can see two partial solu
tions to the problem of lack of
integrated participation.
One is that the Union
make a stronger attempt to
involve black students.
However, it is hard to say how
this is to be done. For at
least the past three years,
Union presidents have made
appeals to BASIB members to
participate on Union commit
tees and decision-making
bodies. There has not been
very much response.
Another option is that the
Union be promoted more
specifically in the segments
of the orientation program
that are directed exclusively
at black students.
Beyond this, what can we
do to work upon changing the
attitudes and ideas of the
entire student body? For
right now, the segregation is
coming from both sides, white
and black. We hope that this
occurrence will be taken as
an opportunity for evaluation
and reaffirmation of commit
ment and action on the part
of the institutions and individ
uals in the college to cooper
ate living.
Sincerely,
Dave Hurley,
College Union Pres.
Jim Shields,
College Union Vice-Pres.
Editor -
The winner of this year's
Aaron Simon Award for
Excellence in Teaching by a
teaching assistant was
awarded to Steve Wells, a TA
for Ed Burrows in BHTC. Steve
was nominated by Ed himself
as well as a large number
of students in the class. He
was strongly complimented on
his fairness, availability,
patience, and contributions to
class discussion. Students in
particular stated that this class
was highly successful due in
large measure to Steve's
contribution as TA.
The faculty who acted with
me in making this decision,
Ann Deagon, Paul Zopf, and
Robert Bryden, were unani
mous in praising Steve for his
accomplishments as a TA,
and I strongly concur myself.
Sheridan Simon
Assistant Profesor of Physics
To the Editor:
In reading Mr. Nnoka's
serendipity '7B message last
week, I was struck by the way
he allowed one song during a
week long festival to influence
all of his feelings about
serendipity, the student union,
and in fact the entire commun
ity.
The Guilfordian
"Dixie" to many people.
Black and White, is a revolt
ing song. I doubt that a large
percentage of those who do
appreciate the tune are auto
matically thrust back 150 years
every time they hear it to one
of the most disgraceful periods
in American history. I am also
offended by those persons.
Many Whites have fought and
lost their lives alongside Blacks
in the struggle to abolish the
Old South and all she stood
for.
It was distressing to read
that Mr. Nnoka, a man with
considerable status in the
community, had let this one
song influence him in making
narrowminded generaliza
tions about the community
throughout his letter. Would
your reaction be the same had
it been a Black band striking
up the tune? There are ranking
Black and White members in
the union that could have
taken the stage to halt this
activity.
Mr. Nnoka goes on to say
that "the purpose of the
student union is to provide
activities for all students ..."
and . . . "recognize the needs
of all students." He is clearly
forgetting the fact that there
are Black officers in the union,
and that the union contributes
a great deal towards Black
entertainment, the Black
organization, Brothers and
Sisters in Blackness, (B.A.S.
I.B.), and their annual festival
Journey Into Blackness.
Earlier in his letter Mr.
Nnoka stated that he was
"... in great doubt as to
how far Guilford and its
students have come in the
area of integration and the
inclusion of all members into
the community." Guilford has
come a long way in both areas.
We were open enough to
include the Gay Alliance as a
charter organization, and
also, to allow the Blacks to
create an organization that
makes no attempt to integrate
itself. BASIB is the only truly
racist organization on this
campus. Its name. Brothers
and Sisters in Blackness, and
major event. Journey Into
Blackness, acclaim its single
coloredness. I have never
been asked as a non-Black
or fellow student to contribute
anything to BASIB. As a
fellow student I have never
found a BASIB program that
incorporated anything non-
Black into it. As a White
member of the community last
year, I attended a BASIB
meeting and asked to be put
on their mailing list, I never
again heard from them. I think
that Mr. Nnoka should also
look at these facts before
passing his judgement on the
entire situation.
I agree with him in his
wishes that "Dixie" not be
played in the future if some are
deeply offended by it. How
ever, I do not agree that it
is solely the unions responsi
bility to ensure it. Those
offended must make their
feelings public and try to
include the entire community
into the decision.
Finally, in response to his
hopes for the entertainment
at future serendipities, may I
express my hope that "... in
the future . . ." Journey into
Blackness "... will offer
entertainment for all the
students because all of us
contribute a portion of our
activity fees to make it
possible."
Respectfully,
Peter Reichard
Dear Editor,
As I was reading the
April 18, 1978 issue of the
Guilfordian I came upon a
letter that left me as totally
speechless as the weekend's
serendipity activities had left
him. Of course, I am referring
to Barrett Nnoka's letter
concerning the playing of the
traditional song entitled
"Dixie."
I am very aware that slavery
and the times of hardship in
the Old South are difficult
to accept. I, for one, am not
proud and I am embarrassed
at the injustices that were
placed upon blacks and other
minorities of the time. Yet
I also feel that it is an injus
tice to me and other innocent
Southerners to be denied the
right and opportunity to listen
to a traditional song which
makes no mention of slavery
at all. The meaning of the
song was refering to times
where life was not so fast
paced. Similar to how an
adult wishes for the trouble
free and careless times of his
qillMUiv
ft m Joan Curcio, Editor
Caroline Coles, Assistant Editor
Randy Catoe, Business Manager
Linda €rtel, Sports
Walter Sonnenfeldt, Photography
Jody Martcoff, Art
Lauren SeHer, Typing
Tamara Frank, Club Contact
Contributors Dave Owens, Naomi Donovan,
_ . . Claude Shotts and
Friends.
Letters and contributions from students, faculty, and
others are welcome and may be sent to: the Guiffordian,
P.O. Box 17717, Guilford College, Greensboro, N.C. 27410.
The editorial staff, however, reserves the right to omit
libellous, profane, or unsigned material. Names may be
withheld from publication upon request.
April 25, 1978
childhood.
I also refuse to accept any
blame for how the slave
owning Southerners of the
time acted. I have no respon
sibility in this area and refuse
to accept any punishment or
hinderance of my rights for
their actions.
I will also add that if Mr.
Nnoka is so sensitive and so
taken back by this tune I
suggest he buy some earplugs
and refrain from listening to
it. It might also be added
that for some people the song
would have the same bonds as
old Irish tunes have to Irish,
old English tunes have to
British, and even old Negro
spirituals have to Blacks.
In closing if Mr. Nnoka feels
oppressed by a song that
speaks of the old way of "easy
living," and feels that such
songs should never be played
again, he should think twice.
If all songs which perhaps
might bring back bad memories
should be banned, then I'm
afraid we have to ban hymns
also. Songs such as "That
Old Rugged Cross" bring back
terrible memories on how my
savior Jesus Christ and my
religion were persecuted and
tortured and how he died on
the cross. Yet at the same
time I know that Jesus rose
from the grave and therefore
I hold no hard feelings.
Why should not Mr. Nnoka
feel the same way? That 150
years ago is history. We can
not change that in the least.
And now, blacks are making
tremendous strides in social,
economic and political areas
and will hopefully continue to
do so.
From now on let us work
together and strive for higher
goals. But at the same time
remember that each individual
has their own history. And
this fact about the difference
in histories should not have
a bearing in what each individ
ual is entitled to enjoy. Let