MI Editorials
Letters to the Editors
Quaker Reply
Dear Editors,
In reference to your coverage
of the publication of THE
1983-1984 QUAKER and those
editorials concerning it which ap
peared in the March 21st edition
of the GUILFORDIAN, I would
like to respond in the following
manner.
I have been accused of
"showcasing a small group,
while ignoring much of the re
mainder" of the student body
here at Guilford, I trust that the
readers will recall notices that
were placed in each individual
campus mailbox earlier in the
academic year soliciting student
involvement in the taking of can
did shots for the yearbook and the
"prolonged" poster campaign
which followed these notices. The
deadlines were extended several
times for submittal of these
photos in whatever form the in
dividuals so desired. Unfor
tunately, the student involvement
in this process was not as great as
it could have been or should have
been. I deeply regret that there
was duplication in the yearbook
without total representation of
the entire student body. A staff of
six individuals, however, cannot
successfully blanket a campus of
a thousand students and
photograph every individual
without some degree of coopera
tion from the students
themselves (I feel though that my
staff did one heck of a job).
To Ms. Bonk, I say, "Apologies
accepted."
I would also like to thank the
GUILFORDIAN cartoonist for
"A New Anachronistic Editorial
Cartoon Featuring (Almost)
Never Before Published Wit".
("By the way Greg, what year is
it anyway?")
Lastly, to anyone mis
represented or offended by THE
1984 QUAKER, I extended my
personal apologies. My copy of
THE QUAKER rests on a shelf in
my room and I'm sure the same
is true for others. The majority of
the book is completed awaiting
only the Spring supplement
which will be introduced into the
book in the fall of this year. Such
being the case, I consider the
matter closed and would hope
that my friends would do
likewise.
Thank you,
Eric Locklear
Editor, THE 1984 QUAKER
Thank You
Dear Editors,
This is a special personal
thanks to ALL the students who
helped make the Student Loan
Fund Auction such a success on
Friday, March 23rd. And double
cudos to Nathan Bohn and Jim
Freeman, our elegant
Ringmasters! The details of
organization, solicitation,
decorating, advertising, billing,
etc. have taken hard work, time
and imagination. Most especially
the spirit of generosity in helping
fellow students through this fund,
and the spirit of warmth and en
thusiasm in welcoming friends of
college at the auction, were
super!
The friends present that even
ing included over 150 members of
the President's Club (folks who
contribute over SIOOO annually to
the College) and the Heritage
Society (folks who have made
plans for a future gift of bequest
to the College). They were certin
ly impressed with the
friendliness and dedication of all
of you. Their support will help the
Student Loan Fund grow even
further.
And to the several hundred
students who came, who bid, who
contributed, and who had fun
among the pell mell of the even
ing, a special thanks also. Your
help is very encouraing. Here's to
another year "Under the Big
Top"!
Sincerely,
President Rogers
Correction
Samar M. Ziad Habash, an IRC
officer, is from Palestine not
Israel as was stated in the article
"IRC Reaches Community," in
the March 21 issue of the Guilfor
dian.
Guest Editorial
No Chinock in America
By Tracy Clark
"Oh, she'll have no problems adjusting: she's from Canada!" ... and
everyone knows that Canada is just the U.S.A. North, right?
It is true that socioeconomically Canada very much resembles the
U.S. I hasten to remind people, however, that the resemblance did not
arise comtemporaneously. Nor are US-Canada relations that of
Canada followng an American example.
Thus US population is tenfold the Canadian. The US presence in
Canada becomes an 'influence' on Canadian development, in spite of
what are disparities in the mindsets of the Canadian and American
peoples. And thus, "Oh Canada and the US are very much alike" is
purely an American observation which Canadians employ unawares.
The US does not necessarily pose a threat to the Canadian entity, but it
does posit overwhelmingly. Canadians are little aware of what are an
array of Canadian-American distinctions.
I was the first introduced to the differing American culture when
coming to Guilco campus last August. My parents drove me down in a
rented station wagon that was filled to overloading with all those
things I was adamnant were necessary for school. They helped me
unload all of those necessary things—the two million pleasure books,
five thousand count record collection and my sixteen pairs of Christian
Dior shoes—and helped me co-ordinate what was going to go where in
the room.. (We decided that if the room was any indicator of what was
necessary most of my things could probably have found their way
back into the station wagon.)
When the room was sorted out as best as it was going to be, my
parents flustered with worry: no doubt I wasn't adequately supplied
with the truly necessary items. They decided to take me to an
American grocery store, and then, on a second trip, to an American
drugstore.
Walking down the aisles of the grocery store my Mother and I were
horrified; on the shelves were all those mysterious products we had
seen advertised on American television, but had been skeptical that
they really existed. The ludicrous slogans and flashy labels had never
ever appeared on Canadian supermarket shelves.
We continued though; the advertising had prepared us. It was in the
frozen food section we were to receive our shock. Neither of us had
seen the advertisements that would have prepared us for 'Microwave
Popcorn'. At this point Mom and I both fainted and Dad had to carry us
both to the car before we could regain our composure.
At the drugstore the prescriptions counter was overrun by numerous
sales tables bearing photo albums, two-for-one nail clippers, and box
chocolates. My father again had to provide the necessary support. We
left the store hurriedly, my parents deciding to bag the necessities,
they would mail them to me.
It was about that time, just before my parents were about to return
home, that on campus I began to distinguish between what was a sea
of people different because they were new and people different
because they were Americans. All the guys seemed to have stocky legs
beneath their faded red-tag Levis, and all the girls seemed to walk
around sipping at Tab and talking about the salad they had eaten for
lunch. They guys standing stocky and girls sipping Tab; this against
the backdrop of Top-40—American Top-40—funk tunes: the scene was
very much unlike my home reminiscences.
I began to be aware of the precise position of the Canadian identity:
underpinned by American ideas and values. Canadian men and
women didn't really don any particularly Canadian images!! ?? Those
who sought to project any image at all tended to imitate the
Americans. Red-tag Levis were imported and sold for exorbitant
prices in some circles ...
Immersed in this distinctly American atmosphere I cannot accept
the path to self-doubt. I cannot accept red-tag Levis for myself; I
refuse to perpetuate the Canadian-American sister-brother myth.
(Suilfariitan
Co-editors Susan Harvey, Donna Horton
News editor Michele Lynch
Features editor Iris Velvin
Sports editor Doug Drotman
Photography editors Brittany Plaut, Tom Risser
Layout editor Wendy Harrison
Business manager Michael Gatton
Advertising manager John Roberts
Circulation manager Tracey Clark
Cartoonist Gregory Hastings
Staff Joe Albright, Emily Bonk,
Becky Gunn, j Martha Hay worth,
Janice Lynch, Bill Mason and
Jennifer Park.
The Guilfordian reserves the right to edit all articles, letters
and artwork for taste, veracity, and length. The deadline for all
copy is 12:00 p.m. on Saturday preceding the Wednesday of
publication. Material may be left on the office door upstairs
Founders, or mailed to Box 17717. The opinions expressed by the
staff are their own and not necessarily those of the paper or of
Guilford College. x
Guilfordian, March 28, 1984-
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