Newspapers / University of North Carolina … / Oct. 20, 1965, edition 1 / Page 3
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THE CAROLINA JOURNAL Wednesday, October 20, 1965 Page 3 Student Government A ^Farce Not So ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ SG Speaker Bucks dear vw Should Possess Tew’s Tarce’ Label Continued From Page 2 were as interested in Student Government affairs as you pre tend to be, you should not mind giving up a few hours of your time in order to eome to a Student Legislature meeting and tell us what your complaints are and give us ideas as to ways and means of alleviating these prob lems. Now, I challenge you. Miss Tew, to show me anytime, with the exception of Mie, there was a party “block” vote. You cannot, do it! I said that there was one exception but even this would not have been a party block vote if the minority party had not wanted it that way! Don’t hide behind that “one party domlnatioa” bit, Mad eleine, it will not hold an ounce of water! If yon had ever come to a Student Legislature meet ing you would know this! You might say that very seldom, if at all, will someone who is not a mmber of the legislature come and a meeting and be beard. Well, Miss Tew, we have a freshman who has come to every meeting since school started this year and who has also been heard at each of them. This person has been helpful in relating to the legisla ture the feelii^s of the freshman class. This is initiative, Mad eleine! This is real interest! All you can do is complain. And if this is all you are going to do, you and others like you will be the object of the Student Govern- ment’s War on Apathy. No, you Criticism From ig are not fully apathetic now; but you have taken the first step. As I close, let me give you some advice, Madeleine. Be sure of your information before you open your mouth! JIM BURGESS Vice-Pi-esident, Student Gov ernment Speaker of Student Legisla ture (Editor's note: Mr. Burgess, of course, has his points; however^ we would also iiko to fpake a point. Mr. Burgess says/ ''Nor you are not fully apathetic now; but you have taken the first step.'' Mr. BurgesS/ your dictionary and ours do not agree on the meaning of apathy, in our source of meanings, the word Is defined as indifference. Miss Tew was certainly not indifferent and showed her very lack of apathy by writing her letter. once there was a beetle who ever did love to meddle in affairs that forever greatly concerned him but little did he dare or even bother to care to study those affairs that forever greatly concerned him to call the student a pigeon is against the man’s religion if the writing of an honor code forever greatly concerns him the student is the main appeal of the very man who writes this bill for its himself also that forever greatly concerns him once there was a beetle STOMP ★ the roach Freedom Of Inquiry UNC-C Has Sound Slechta norance We noted with interest the letter of accusation in your Oct. 5 issue, written by Miss Madeleine Tew. It is of interest to note that she has labeled our Student Legis lature a farce, without ever attending one of our meetings, or inquiring into exactly how we operate. Socrates held that criticism from ignorance was of no consbmetive value. It Miss Tew is trniy interested in “proper” representation, we suggest that she do a iittie research into what the legislature has done for UNC-C, and then run for office as a Freshman Class Representative. Her concern over one political party being in power is of little value; however, may I suggest that she join the “other party” and help to secure more seats on the Student Legislature for them. We are sure that her critical opinion would be welcomed by their organization. TIM BRITTON, Chairman, Student Party BEN HORACK, Vice-Chairman, Student Party (Editar', note: Wo notice with In- tomt your letter, Mr, Britten end Mr. Horecic, especially since Miss Tow showed that sha was truly ■ntersstad In 'proper* representation" lone before this letter was published. Check the University Party pester In front of the Union Information Desk, and we think you'll see what we mean.) It is not easy to answer such a letter as that of “Name With held,” on the subject of foreign languages. For one thing, the writer raises too many questions to answer in a single letter. For another, the questions make cer tain assumptions that one can with difficulty admit, such as that students “are kept from graduating because of the foreign language requirements.” Let me answer this assumption first. Students are kept from graduating by any straw which in their four or five-year career has fallen short of graduation re quirements. The question, then, becomes rather, (1) Are foreign language requirements normal and justifiable? and (2) are foreign language requirements at UNC-C unreasonable in theory or in practice? Requirements for a college degree, in the first place, determine the value of the degree. If one waits a cheaper degree, one goes to a cheaper curriculum. If the faculty wants a cheaper degree, it lowers its standards. If you want a cheaper product, you pay less for it, and you receive state is footing the bill for the rest. Do we want a first-rate degree in UNC-C? Yes, the faculty does, on the whole, and a great part of the student body does. No student of ability wants to spend four years getting a cheap degree. Let us be honest with our selves. If we want a play degree, we go to a playschool. If we want a craft union card, we go to a trade school. If we want a university degree, we are dedi cating ourselves to sweat, toil, and tears. We are dedicating ourselves to the proposition that we will honestly face ourselves, and solve the problems with which we are faced until such time as we honestly decide we have chosen the wrong career. Are foreign languages well taught at UNC-C? Faculties, of course, are a motley crew, Uke students, and the student that doesn’t run into at least one incompetent or one screw-ball In his career hasn’t really been to college. But if he thinks these things are confined to faculties, he should run out and get a job and disabuse himself. I firmly believe that we have a sound language program at UNC- C, that the faculty is of more than average competence, and that the program results in a true, not a fraudulent, command of a language on a level on which it becomes usable. This is not true of all programs, even in big- name schools. So I would ask “Name With held”; would you prefer a pro gram which was a dead end, and led to no prospect of either competence or advanced work for anyone? Would you prefer a course in which you received a passing grade, but remained incompetent? Do you really want a substandard degree? Or are you perhaps in the wrong field? Do you really want a college degree? Or are you merely evading reality? In answer to your last ques tion: If you have the statistical substance of a degree, except for foreign languages, and cannot face or solve this problem, I believe you are not material for a first-rate arts degree, and I would advise you to transfer to a lower-standard institution, or to get out on the job for a year or two to put into practice what you have learned in your other subjects, as you put it, so that you can re-evaluate your college opportunities, and perhaps fate your academic problem with new determination and with success. JOSEPH A. SLECHTA Associate Professor of French The following is directed to Billy Haake, who recently dis cussed in The Journal “watery- eyed” liberals and hailed the Speaker Ban Law as the greatest thing since the invention of war: The most important right the society has granted the college professor and student since col leges were first established dur ing the Renaissance is the free dom of inquiry. By being able to search for and view knowledge objectively and without prejudice, man can effectively advance knowledge of the universe and of human behavior. However, vested interests, re ligious and political, have at times to refuse colleges the right to freedom of inquiry in order to preserve their own religious and political concepts as the divine, transcendental word of the Abso lute, syllable for syllable. The process of education allows no room for absolute knowledge, and is the province of religion. Mathematics and chemistry achieved status as sciences be fore most other disciplines. Physics followed soon after with its Copernican idea of the uni verse. Biology, with its theory of evolution, was the next to fight against the interests of pressure groups — both political and religious. Psychology escaped from the world of spirits and demons into a rational science about the time the theory of evolution was raising havoc among religious circles. Today in North Carolina the fight between political science and conservative Tom-O-Bedlams rages. Never will the “closed eyed” conservative see that the area of political science demands the same right of inquiry that mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, and psychology demand. 0 b s erving the Communist speaker in action is of great value in understanding commu nism as a political force and in understanding prejudices the Communists have in viewing the whole of human political behav ior. The student has the oppor tunity to critically evaluage com munism on its own merits, a task that college students are trained to do and are certainly capable of performing. To Billy Haake, the self-styled demagogue of ultra-conservatism I ask: “Why in the name of Erasmus are you bothering to come to college? Does truth frighten you? In reply to your remark that Communists still have the rights to speak at a place they have Paid Political Advertisement — ELECT — UNIVERSITY PARTY FRESHMEN TOMMY THOMAS President DIANNE COX Vice-President Representatives ANNE CHAMPION ED DEHLIN BOB GIDDINGS LARRY McAFEE MADELEINE TEW — For A Better Student Legisloture — secured of their own accord, I state the following: (1) A speech to the general public by a Communist would receive far more response, since tbe general public is not trained in the critical analysis of ideas. Witness the Communist supported strike at a mill in Gastonia in 1929. (2) It is the constitutional right of a person to have freedom of speech. Surely no one is so conservative that he will consider the United States Constitution a product of radical socialists. I admonish you to re-evaluate your stand and begin to think on your own rather than let the Young Americans for Freedom dictate to you how to think (a policy which, incidentally, is very communistic). ROBERT ENGLAND Open Your Eyes I am writing in response to Mr. Horsley’s article “Dead Old School Dance.” It seems that the majority of Mr. Horsley’s associ ates did not come to the dance because it was not well publi cized. He stated in his column that he saw only two posters an nouncing the dance, one in “C” building and the other in the Union. I am sure that there were at least two others — in the Lib eral Arts building and the Ken nedy building — because I put them up. And I do recall seeing posters all over the school an nouncing the “Welcome Back” dance. I work for neither the Social Committee nor the Publicity Com mittee, but I can say that this time Mr. Horsley is definitely on the wrong track. WILMA HAPPY PARK DRIVE-IN 1 Vz Miles Behind UNC-C On Route 29 Featuring The Herlock Burger “A Meal On A Bun” 49c Only (Visit the finest driv ing range in Charlotte. It's lighted so you con play at night. Right next door to Park Drive-In on Highway 49.) Pla^ WjinA SioM now has two (2) locations to better serve your ^ - needs: 1500 Central Ave. and 3732 Coliseum Center, We feature Conservative, Traditional, and Continental clothing fashions. Tra ditional fashions are featured throughout the two stores. We solicit your patronage. The Management
University of North Carolina at Charlotte Student Newspaper
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Oct. 20, 1965, edition 1
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