From the back of the class
By John Steely
In the September 16th issue
of the Guilfordian, Barbara
Phillips wrote a very good
editorial on academics here at
Guilford; in this editorial, she
brought out the point that the
student has some of the re
sponsibility for the quality of
the work they do and the quality
of the classes they attend. One
of the types of classes where the
student carries a very large
portion of the responsibility for
the success of the class is in the
discussion class. Therefore, it is
of interest how well the student
carries this burden. I asked ten
professors here about the suc
cess of their discussion classes.
Only one or two professors
claim they have had to change
the classes they would like to be
discussion into lecture classes.
Most of the professors claim
discussion classes are as valu
able as lecture classes but for
Gym:
Naturally heated and cooled
by Roy Porter
The new heating, cooling,
and lighting system in the
Ragan-Brown field house op
erates on sun, air, earth, and
water. According to Geoff Mil
ler, director of the Guilford
Field House, there are three
devices which make the system
both effective and unique.
The first feature is known as
"solar panels." The panels are
located on the roof of the
physical plant complex. This
roof concept is known as the
"Inverted Hyperbolic Parabo
loids." It is through this process
that water is circulated to the
roof where it is heated, stored,
and later used for showers,
washers, and the pool.
1 X^xv^l
" ~ ■'• :■ . ?
Solar panels atop alumni gym
different reasons; if the pur
pose of the class is to provide
the students with the basic
understanding necessary for in
telligent work in the subject,
lecture classes are more produc
tive. But, as one put it, "One of
the most important things a
student can learn here at Guil
ford, and at any other school, is
to learn how to think, and a
good discussion class teaches
students this skill." Thus, dis
cussion classes are considered
very valuable, especially in
higher level courses.
And, indeed, several teachers
commented on the rise of the
number of discussion classes
over the years. When one
professor first came here, the
whole curriculum was basically
lecture, and now he feels it is
approximately 50% discussion.
However, most of the teachers
do not feel the students are
The second feature of the
system is a series of treated
heating and refrigeration coils.
Both types of coils reclaim
waste energy. In the winter, the
heat coils reclaim waste heat
from all over the complex, such
as from dryers or showers, and
store this heat in what is kown
as the earth sink.
The earth sink is located
beneath the playing floor of the
Field House. A layer of rocks
cover the earth sink and serves
as a purification system for
water that is reclaimed from the
showers and the pool. This
treated water is stored in the
earth sink, which has a two
hundred thousand gallon capa
city. This water is heated nat-
active enough in class. While
almost every professor qualified
his statement with the comment
that students participate by
listening, 90% of the teachers
either say that a third or less
participate in class across the
board or they have at least one
class in which less than a third
participate. Repeat, one third or
less. That does not say much for
the quality of student work in
those classes. Admittedly, this
is not a statistical survey, but as
an informal poll it does reveal a
disturbing quality, namely the
lack of student participation in
discussion classes.
One professor said that the
students of the late sixties and
early seventies were more vo
cal, but that the present stu
dents now are "much more
inclined to not make themselves
more vulnerable." "Students
have a responsibility that they
must be forced to recognize,"
said one professor. Another
urally by the earth since the
interior layer of the earth re
tains a temperature ranging
from 55 to 60 degrees F.
This heated water serves to
warm all rooms in the complex
as well as being used for
showers, washers, and the pool,
according to Geoff Miller.
A heat pump serves as chief
backup unit for the systems
when the earth's temperature
drops below the temperature
required to heat water in the
earth sink. Hill states, "We
can't afford to crank it down. A
temperature of 55 degrees will
always be maintained in the
heat sink because the entire
operation works through this
process."
Miller says that the offices of
the complex will maintain a
comfortable temperature of 65-
68 degrees F, they playing floor
will maintain a temperature of
58-60 degrees F; the pool will
maintain a temperature of 75-78
degrees F.
During the summer season
the earth sink system serves as
an air conditioning unit by aid of
condensing units and treated
refrigeration coils. Again the
earth sink reclaims waste en
ergy to manufacture cool air.
Another outstanding feature
of the complex is the lighting
system. Miller explains that the
system operates by a techique
known as "sensors." These
sensors adjust to the intensity
of the natural light. On cloudy
days the lights will automati
cally switch on. However, this is
not a blinding flash of light
which will blind players on the
gymnasium floor, but a light
which increases slowly. When
the sun comes out, the lights
will automatically shut off with
the aid of an automatic dimmer.
"This saves a great deal of
electricity and money," states
Miller.
While the description you are
reading may ,seem simple, the
Page three
establishes a very solid and
formal basis for his classes and
then goes on to discussions. A
comment that I heard time and
time again was that keeping a
discussion going was often like
"pulling teeth." Most profes
sors, however, will pull teeth
rather than convert to lectures.
system is truly a complex
technological advanced system
of heating and cooling. A com
plete description of the Guilford
College System is availabe from
Geoff Miller, written by William
H. Grath. The description con
tains such technical terms as
"centrifugal fan AHU-1, X"
"fan-coil unit AHU-2,' "air/wa
ter heat pumps HP-1, HP-2,
HP-3," and still other technical
You Can Still Make
A Difference
While careers in public service may not be as fashionable
as they were a decade ago, such careers can be very
rewarding and personally satisfying.
After just three months of intensive training at The Institute
for Paralegal Training, you will be prepared to work in govern
ment agencies, public service organizations and law firms as
a Legal Assistant in the fields of Administrative and Public
Law or Criminal Law. You will do work traditionally performed
by attorneys. You will work in the dynamic field of govern
ment legislation and regulation and be involved in such areas
as: Environmental Law, Food Drug and Health Law, Criminal
Justice, Equal Opportunity, Welfare, Energy, and Product
Safety Law.
Furthermore, you will earn graduate credit towards a
Master of Arts in Legal Studies through Antioch School of
Law for all course work completed at The Institute.
We are the nation's first and most respected school for
paralegal training, and since 1970, have trained more than
4,000 college graduates from across the country.
If you are a senior of high academic standing and looking
for a meaningful career, contact your Placement Office for an
interview with our representative.
We will visit your campus on: Wednesday, November 19
The A
Institute 235South 17thStreet
for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Paralegal g5 12,51
Training !■ ■■
(Operated by Para-Legal, Inc.)
Approved by The American Bar Association
Programs Earn Full Credit Toward M.A. in Legal Studies
through Antioch School of Law.
- GUILFORDIAN -- October 7, 1980
Maybe it's about time for
their efforts to be rewarded. But
how can that happen if the
students will not carry their part
of the bargain, namely contri
buting to class? I don't know,
and I don't see the professors
being rewarded in the near
future.
terms. The Guilford College
system is a first for the south
eastern area.
According to Larry Hill, an
engineer who installed the sys
tem, it is the first attempt of any
institution to utilize all types of
energy saving devices such as
solar panels, earth sinks, heat
ing and cooling coils, sensor
lights and a reclaiming system
in one complex.