Lynn Smith
Opinions of The Daily Tar Heel are expressed on its editorial page. All
unsigned editorials are the opinions of the editor. Letters and columns
-ep resent only the opinions of the individual contributors
Harry Bryan, Editor
Tuesday, November 30. 1971
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From the number of students
who are withdrawing from the
University this semester, it is
apparent that the University and
the State of North Carolina are
failing in many respects in fulfilling
the needs of the student of today.
According to Raymond E.
Strong, director of the Office of
Records and Registration,
approximately 500 students will be
leaving UNC after exams.
Among the reasons for
withdrawal, according to Dr. John
K. Nelson, an associate dean of the
General College who counsels many
students planning on leaving, is the
student's realization that he belongs
in either a community college or a
technical or trade institute, rather
than a liberal arts school such as
UNC.
Certainly, neither the University
nor the state can be blamed for
this, but three other reasons listed
for students' withdrawal show that
something is very definitely lacking.
According to Dr. Nelson, the
largest number of students he
counsels indicate a lack of
motivation, though some who give
that reason "have very respectable
grades."
In Dr. Nelson's own words,
"Their immediate lack of
motivation reflects a
disillusionment with higher
education."
Though he did point out that
some cases are involved with
' highly individualized
circumstances" some of which
the University did not cause and
uJheSmUj eart!ittl
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Keith Weatherly
.Democrats skoiild fund own campai
The national Democratic Party leaders
have been spending plenty of sleepless
nights wondering how they would finance
their bid for the Presidency next year.
Senator John Pastore may have saved
them much of that worry when he
introduced a measure allowing each
taxpayer to earmark one dollar of his
taxes for the campaign fund of either
party.
The system is simple. Every tax form
would have a box to be checked if the
taxpayer wishes one dollar to go into a
campaign fund (he may designate which).
A total of $20.4 million would go to each
of the major parties and about $6.3
million to George Wallace if he decides to
run. Neither party is forced to take this
money; they may finance their campaigns
from private contributions if they wish.
There have been many cheap political
stunts to come out of Washington
rate
UNC
cannot correct the fact that some
students become so disgusted with
the University that they wish to
discontinue their education here is
a discredit to the school.
And the failure is even more
serious when one considers the
mass of students who have the same
lack of motivation yet remain at
UNC until graduation, showing
nothing for their diplomas except a
waste of four years.
Other students, Dr. Nelson said,
are leaving the University for
financial reasons, and for this both
the University and the State of
North Carolina must take the
blame.
It is indeed a sad state of affairs
when qualified students must drop
out of school because they cannot
afford it. Only education can
improve the plight of the
disadvantaged youth.
But instead of devising ways to
generate more funds for education
so that the poor can attend
institutions of higher learning, state
politicians appear more concerned
with serving their own interests and
padding the pockets of the rich.
And the University continues to
misuse funds that could be going to
scholarships - such as the $45,000
the Student Stores gives to the
athletic department each year,
rather than to the scholarship fund.
Also, according to Dr. Nelson,
many first semester freshmen drop
out because they cannot adjust to
living in a University atmosphere,
and the fault here lies with the
freshman orientation program and
the Office of Student Affairs.
Carolina freshmen do not
become oriented to the campus in
the few days they spend here
before the opening of fall semester.
If anything they become bored.
They are forced to sit through so
many dull welcoming speeches and
the like that many wind up cutting
the few activities that are
beneficial.
However, despite the lack of
success shown by the orientation
program, the problems of the first
semester freshman could be solved
by the Office of Student Affairs.
But only, however, if that office
were concerned with counseling
rather than discipline, and only if it
trained resident advisers to really
advise students rather than police
the residence halls.
It is too late to help the students
who have already decided to leave
Carolina. But the University and
members of the General Assembly
should begin work immediately to
correct the problems that are
causing students to end their
college careers.
recently, but this one is the topper. The
vote in the Senate was strictly on party
lines; the Democrats frothing at the
mouth to pass it and the Republicans
opposing the measure. A GOP effort to
defeat the amendment lost by a 49 to 46
vote. This financial plan was tacked on as
an amendment to President Nixon's
tax-cut bill which is an integral part of his
economic program. This puts the
President in a tough spot whether or not
to veto.
The reason that the Democrats had to
dream up some form of financial aid is
very simple they are in debt to the tune
of a very cool $9 million left over from
1968. The American Telephone and
Telegraph Company has threatened to
deny phone service to the Democratic
convention next year if they do not
cough up the $1.5 million they owe.
Debts are piling up and the convention is
qua
Student Legislature hobbled through
another lame duck session last Thursday
night. It was the third such session in a
row.
The legislature meets in the solemn
Di-Phi chamber on the third floor of New
West. The room is impressive. When you
walk in, you're greeted by twelve stern
old men, staring down from ornate gold
frames on the wall. From the marble
busts in the corners to the china curtain
pulls, the chamber looks the place for
serious, reserved debate.
Every Thursday night at 7:30 the
elected representatives of the UNC
student body file in and cluster with
friends. Laughter swells as they discuss
the important matters before the body.
Last Thursday Chris Daggett, student
body vice president, climbed up into his
small stage at the front of the chamber
exactly on time. He peered around the
heavy velvet curtains that hang on either
side of his seat and banged on the bulky
speaker's podium. Some of the students
looked up; most went on talking. He
slapped the polished surface again. Now
they started moving toward their seats.
Roll call ! Names reeled off. Many
were met with silence. Murmurs started,
"Will we have a quorum?"
Charles Gilliam, Conservative Party
president, hadn't gone to his seat. He
lounged in one of the wooden seats at the
back of the room, talking with his
fellows.
"Rep. Gilliam, are you here?" Daggett
called from the front.
uew HV-
Ken Ripley
fez
Holidays: time
Holidays, I find, are for growing older.
Not that day-by-day imperceptible aging
as we move endlessly through each
semester, but suddenly and with pain.
Turkey dinners haven't changed much.
The bird is still brown and hot and good,
and it lasts for just as many left-over
meals as it always has.
The shortness of the holiday hasn't
changed since I was a freshman. Sunday
always comes too soon, with the work I
expected to do over the holiday just as
undone as it always is. Somehow very few
people complete homework on a holiday.
We start out with the best of intentions,
to do the papers and read the books, but
with all we find to do at home, study is
still months away. Private donations have
been very slow for the Democratic party.
Large contributors of the past have not
shown any great faith in that party's
chances to win the election and,
therefore, have not given much money.
Another great factor in the Democrat's
financial squeeze is that the abnormally
large surplus of candidates this year has
caused a run on Democratic
contributions. The leading contenders
have already spent several million dollars
and the price tag on the nomination will
be astronomical. Their resources will be
completely exhausted even before the
party has its candidate.
Democratic fund raisers have not been
very productive since 1968 as their bank
deficit clearly shows. All avenues with
which to raise money for the party are
being taken by individuals boosting their
rter of
"What? Yes, yes. By all means, I'm
here!" Gilliam answered.
"Just thought you might be trying not
to have a quorum," Daggett said. He
called for committee reports.
Rules Committee did not meet.
Financial Committee did not meet,
Judicial Committee could not get a
quorum at its' attempt to meet. Four
people are needed to conduct business.
Same story from Ways and Means, no
quorum. No one was there from Ethics
Committee - no way of telling what they
did.
Since no committee had met, no bills
could be considered without waiving the
rule that a bill has to be cleared by the
appropriate committee before it goes to
the floor. The rule was made so
insignificant bills would not waste the
legislature's time. A two-thirds vote is
required to waive the rule.
Gerry Cohen jumped to his feet
nervously and scampered to the speaker's
platform. He wanted a bill about the
racial demonstrations in Pitt County
considered immediately because of it's
current significance.
"People have been denied their basic
rights," he said. "Conservatives, liberals
and radicals should be able to unite on
something like this."
He looked to specific members as he
said each category. No doubt in his mind
who was on which side.
The presiding officer called for a vote.
Shall we consider this bill or not? Roll
call.
forgotten. That hasn't changed.
It's the little things that make seniors
feel old, that drives home the realization
that while we are off to four years of
college four more years have passed for
everyone.
The time has passed faster than my
memory of its passing. I can still
remember vividly being a freshman and
leaving home for school. I can remember
how my high school friends and I had
parted, confident of undying friendships
and looking forward to holiday reunions.
I can remember how my young brother
and sister were, barely old enough to
enter high school. My sister was just a
freshman, and my brother only in the
own campaigns, hence, nothing left for
the big push next fall. The Democrats are
further frustrated by the over-flowing
Republican coffers. They are openly
discouraged by the ease with which the
Republicans have filled their war chest as
the recent $500-a-plate dinners proved.
Faced with financial disaster the
Democratic party has reached a new low.
They are attempting to force the Federal
Government to subsidize their campaign.
Let there be no mistake, this money will
come directly from the government since
each dollar put into the fund will be one
less to go for the usual governmental
services. The supporters of this comedy
have made flimsy justifications for it such
as, "government subsidies will cease the
practice of having a candidate 'bought by
special interest groups." This is totally
incorrect since any group may make
contributions during "off-years" and the
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a million laiigllis
Yes. No. No. Yes. On and on. The no's
seem to have it. Charles Gilliam?
The heavy set conservative lolled back
in bis chair and threw back his head. Out
cf the side of his mouth a distainful NO!
Laughter came from all but a few
long-hairs and Gerry Cohen, who was
scampering around in the front of the
room, seeing who was voting for and
against his appeal.
End of roll call. The no's have it, 1 2 to
16.
"Can I address the floor for just two
minutes, Mr. Speaker?" Cohen asked.
"Well have to vote," said Daggett.
"All in favor of letting Rep. Cohen
address the body say aye."
Everyone said aye.
"All opposed?" Everyone said no.
Chuckles from the floor. "The ayes
clearly have it."
Cohen jumped up to the speakers
podium again and rustles his paper.
"You only have a minute and 45
seconds left," someone yelled.
"I haven't started talking yet."
Then he did talk, about the First
Amendment, freedom and justice. Time's
up, they joyfully pronounced at the end
of his time. He was in the middle of a
sentence. Thank you, he said. He sat
down.
"Any more business?" Daggett asked.
Mike O'Neill stood up and said, "I
have a resolution." He had been walking
around during Cohen's talk showing a
paper which he had scribbled something
on. It should be good. Everyone laughed
when he showed it to them.
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eighth grade was not much taller than
my breastbone.
Not much happened before in the past
three years to change those images, only
the hint that all was not as it used to be.
Of course, there was a bit of a strain a s
high school friends got together and tried
to find something in common again. The
family had grown three years, each year a
little more apart than the last - a little
older, a little different. You begin to
notice that high school is not as big and
imposing as it used to be, that teachers
have to fumble to remember your name
and no one among the students
remembers you were ever there.
Hints, all of these, that three years did
candidate could still cash in on the $20.4
million on election year.
The government has no business in
bailing out any political group in financial
trouble. The Federal Treasury has no
obligation to make sure that one party
can match another dollar for dollar. The
passage of this measure would be the
crudest political scheme for the benefit of
a single political party that this country
has seen in years.
There is still hope for its defeat. The
House of Representatives will vote on this
amendment shortly after their
Thanksgiving break, but since the
Congress is strongly Democratic the
chance of passage is overwhelming.
President Nixon may see the tremendous
danger in such a proposal and decide to
veto it. If not, it will be the beginning of
a dark era in American politics.
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"1 think we should appoint a missing
persons committee to find Connie
Linngus. Laughter - from everyone this
time. Connie Linngus was the write-in
winner cf the election for the Freshman
class Social Chairman. She doesn't exist;
she's just a dirty joke.
The call went up again, "If there's no
more business. . ." Wait!
Charles Gilliam put both hands in
front of him and pushed himself to his
feet.
"Robert Grady (chairman of the
Financial committee) is in the hospital.
I'm sure he'd appreciate any visitors, if
some one wants to go see him."
"Who would?" shouted someone in
the front. The group loved that one. Lots
of laughter.
Gerry Cohen, serious as always, stood
up and said, "Maybe we could all sign a
card or something. Do you have a card,
Charles?"
"Who, me?" replied Charles. "I don't
care anything about ham."
Gerry sat down again. "Charles
wouldn't vote to improve the weather if I
suggested it," he said.
Move to adjourn. Second the motion.
Vote on whether to adjourn. The ayes
have it. Immediate uproar, the legislature
is over, fifteen minutes after it began.
These are the elected representatives
of the UNC student body, student
legislature, operating on a budget of
about a quarter of a million dollars per
year.
While debating a revised version of the
Pitt County bill at another session, Mike
O'Neill said the legislature was held in
lower esteem now than at any other time
in its history. He called the bill "Mickey
Mouse." It was ridiculous to talk about
state events, he said, when the legislature
hasn't passed a single bill improving
residence life.
Cohen answered by saying he would
vote for such a bill if it were proposed.
Both points are good. Why doesn't
Student Legislature try to do something
for the students, thus giving them
something for all that money? But, if
they aren't going to do that, why don't
they at least do something!
'.VJ
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1
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older
make a difference. But if there was any
change, any difference, it was easy to
shrug it off in the summer. Each May I
wculd dutifully return home to find a
summer job, fire up old friendships, and
get one year older.
I had no thought that this
Thanksgiving would be much different
from the rest. Things would be as they
always had been and always will be, I
supposed.
Only Thanksgiving dinner remained
unchanged, and we ate that on T.V.
tables as we watched the afternoon
football games - something I wouldn't
think of doing before.
But now my sister is a junior, involved
in her own activities, and my brother is as
tall as I and growing. My high school
friends, most of them, had not gone
home for the holiday. Many of them were
married, and I grimaced as I remembered
the occasional invitation that had come
through the mail unnoticed. Instead of
the usual family closeness, I was rarely
home this Thanksgiving as I visited the
adults and remaining friends in a
community I would not be returning to
myself much more again. It was then, I
found, that years do make a difference.
Thanksgiving was different when I
returned home with my own car,
purchased recently and without my
parent's help. Thanksgiving was different
as people were congratulating me on my
fiancee and inquiring about my future
marriage. Thanksgiving was different
when people asked me about my job
plans next year.
Thanksgiving was different when I
realized that there would be no summer
to restore the past, and that when next
Thanksgiving comes I will be married,
employed, and well into the life and'
family destined to be my own.
I had plenty to be thankful for this
Thanksgiving, and I was. But I had grown
older, too - suddenly. And for all the joy
that comes with growing up, there is also
some regret that the years have passed
and there can be no return.
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