6The Daily Tar HeelMonday, Auoust "J931
Jim Hummel. Efa
Susan Mauney. MmifMf Er
Mark Murrell. iwrw Editor
Jonathan Rich. Associate Editor
EDWINA RALSTON. University Editor
JOHN ROYSTER. City Editor
CHARLES HERNDON, Stale and National Editor
BETH BURRELL. Newt Editor
Clifton Barnes, spcm Editor
Tom Moore, a Edit
Keith King, raum Editor
SCOTT SHARPE, Photography Editor
Ann Peters. weekender Editor
Chuck James, omhuds man
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89th year of editorial freedom
For more years
The faculty and administration of Duke University are in a quandary.
What do you do with 6,000 hours of tape recordings and 36 million pages
of archives from the White House years of the most infamous president
in the history of the United States Richard Milhous Nixon?
The school's academic council and faculty begin debate today on
whether Nixon's alma mater should serve as a repository for the proposed
Nixon Archives and Library.
Some feel Duke would be irreparably damaged and become known as
"the Nixon university by having its name forever linked with the only
president in the country's history to resign in disgrace.
Others say the university would be making a short-sighted decision in
rejecting the documents.
Although the fears of the library's opponents are understandable and
justified, it is important to look at the implications the library has for
Duke and this area in future years.
As long as administrators can ensure that the library will not become
an inappropriate monument of honor, they should approve the proposal
not with glee, but rather with a sense of historical duty.
The Watergate era will remain one of the most fascinating periods in
American history, and it is likely to be one of the most researched and
studied for years to come. Without a doubt, the Nixon library would be a
mecca for scholars and political scientists. These people would come
there not to pay homage to Nixon, but to study further a turbulent and
compelling era and the effects of the political cynicism that Nixon caused.
Although public respect for Nixon is likely to remain almost nil, after
decades pass, scholars and students will be much more interested in the
documents he left behind than in proving their political passion by an
adamant desire to reject the facts of history. -
By this time, it is safe to say Nixon realizes a majority of Americans
find him to be a pretty despicable character. That does not mean, how
ever, that he is not interesting or that what he left behind is not historically
valuable.
Since Duke will be only providing the land for the archives and library,
approval of the library should not be seen as tacit approval or vindication
of Nixon's actions or the welcoming home of a prodigal son, but rather
as a chance to acquire a priceless chunk of American history, although it
is a chunk riddled with decay.
If such an accurate portrait cannot be ensured Duke administrators,
however, let Nixon take his tapes and papers elsewhere.
Doctoral dilemma
rdlfflUiQP. center 2idi UMC wppcnfft
By MICHAEL KIMERLING
Just north of Durham off Interstate 85
is the Murdoch Center. Located in Butner,
it is one of North Carolinas four regional
centers for the mentally retarded.
Murdoch is home for nearly 1,000 per
sons from small ' children to senior
citizens. In the traditional Cherokee In
dian culture, Murdoch residents would be
considered ''special" people those
who have either seen or been directly
touched by God. But most Americans
refer to them as the mentally retarded.
It is a label often misused. Mental
retardation often is confused with mental
illness and emotional disturbance. A.
mentally retarded person may display these
problems as may anyone else but he
or she is best characterized as someone
who has a severe learning problem.
At Murdoch,vthe population consists
of profoundly, severely and moderately
retarded persons. These include deaf, blind
and non-ambulatory residents. Recently,
the positive trend of placing moderately
retarded residents in either community
group homes or their original homes has
dramatically shifted the composition of
the center's - population. . The current
population includes a higher percentage
of the profoundly and severly retarded
than in the past. As a consequence, regular
school classes have been replaced by more
special educational programs: language,
speech, hearing, motor and vocation de
velopment programs.
Residents receive reinforcement both in
school and at their residential cottages. -Through
helping others and working hard
in school, they earn points with which
they can buy goods in the Murdoch can
teen. An observer would be amazed at the
number of points residents collect. The
guys' favorite items include candy, records
and posters of all sports; the girls also enjoy
candy, but especially new coats and dresses.
Letters to the editor
In what might be the first of many controversies surrounding the deseg
regation consent decree between UNC and the federal government, the
University announced last week that some professors at the five predomi- ,
nantly black schools would have to complete their doctural degrees to gain
tenure. v
The requirement is nothing new, but is actually a provision written into
last month's consent decree that resolved an 1 1-year dispute between UNC
and the Department of Education.
The section that has come under attack deals with faculty development
at the five predominantly black universities within the 16-campus UNC
system. It says, in essence, that all faculty must have a doctorate or "ap
propriate terminal degree' to be appointed or gain tenure, depending on
the department.
UNC officials maintain that the provision was inserted to help upgrade
the quality of black schools by setting a certain educational standard for
professors. While their intentions may be good, UNC officials will have
to address two important questions if the requirement is truly to benefit
the black schools.
The decree stipulates that only under exceptional circumstances may a
professor without the appropriate degree be awarded tenure, upon the
approval of UNC President William C." Friday. The administration must
realize that some of the best professors within the UNC system do not
have a doctorate, or even a master's degree, but are excellent teachers in
their fields. To deny current professors at the black schools tenure just be
cause they have not achieved a certain academic level might hurt the
schools more than help them.
It is also important that the black schools not be singled out in the de
gree requirement. While it is true that the degree level is higher at the 1 1
traditionally white schools and that the provision is directed to upgrade
the faculty at the black schools, it is a double standard not to apply the
same requirements to each school within the system.
UNC officials say they will be reviewing cases this fall to determine
whether exceptions should be made for certain professors. By keeping in
mind the delicate composition of each school's faculty, the administration
will be in a position to grant the proper exceptions while working to im
prove the educational quality of each institution for the long run.
The Daily Tar Heel
Assistant Managing Editors: Mark Ancona, Cindy Cranford
Editorial Writers: John Drescher, Beverly Shepard
Assistant News Editor David Jarrett
News Desk: Melody Adams, Cheryl Anderson, Keith Cooke, Reniece Henry, Michele Pelkey,'
Leisha Phillips, Carol Reynolds, Laura Seifert, Louise Spieler, Mike Turner, Darryl William
and Chip Wilson.
News: Ted Avery, Richard Boyce, Laurie Bradsher, Alan Chappleiicheile Christeribury, John
Conway, Nancy Davis, Kerry DeRochi, Lynn Earley, Tracy Ford, Jane Foy Deborah Goodson,
Steve Griffin, Louise Gunter, Karen Haywood, Katherine Long, Dean Lowman, Diane Lupton,
Monica Malpass, Elaine McCIatchey, Joe Morris, Ann Murphy, Eddie Nickens, Jainee Osborn,
Lynn Peithman, Rachel Perry, Leisha Phillips, Scott Phillips, Jeannic Reynolds, Mark M. Schoen,
Ken Siman, Jonathan Smylie, Lynne Thomson, Lynn Worth and Tammy Wright.
Sports: Geoffrey Mock, assistant sports editor; Kim Adams, Jackie Blackburn.R.L. Bynum,
Stephanie Graham, Adam KandelL Draggan Mihaitovich and Linda Robertson.
Features: Rarnona Brown, Jane Calloway, Susan Hudson, Steve Moore, David Rome, Randy
Walker and Chip Wilson, assistant Weekender editor.
Arts: Marc Routh and Leah Talley, assistant arts editors; Vick Griffin; Nissen Ritter; Bob
Royalty and Guha Shankar.
Graphic Arts: Matt Cooper, Danny Harrell, Dane Huffman and Tom Westarp, artists; Susanne
Conversano, Matt Cooper, Jay Hyman and Al Steele, photographers.
Business: Rejeanne V. Caron, business manager, Linda A. Cooper, secretaryreceptionist;
Brooks Wicker, bookkeeper; Dawn Welch, circulationdistribution manager; Julie Jones,
Angie Wolfe, classifieds.
Advertising: Paula Brewer, advertising manager; Mike Tabor, advertising coordinator; Jeff
Glance, Julie Granberry, Julia Kim, Keith Lee, Robin Matthews, Jeff McElhaney, Karen
Newell and Betsy Swartzbaugh, ad representatives.
Composition: Frank Porter Graham Composition Division, UNC Printing Department.
Printing: Hinton Press, Inc., of Mebane.
, Approximately 1,500 people are em
ployed at Murdoch. In addition to the
" regular caretakers, the fields of health care,
social work, psychology, speech and hear
ing and physical occupational therapy are
represented. Individual programs are de
veloped to meet the needs of each resident.
My first exposure to Murdoch came
nearly a year ago, when I was a volunteer.
My immediate interests in mental retarda
tion had developed the previous summer
when I was introduced to the moral
dilemma concerning beneficent euthanasia
the mercy killing of newborn infants
with severe birth defects. My outrage
over this widespread practice made me
determined to seek a better understanding
and appreciation for the mentally retarded.
These feelings also increased my
awareness that college often presents a
rather protected and unrealistic environ
ment to learn about such matters.
Coming from Alabama, where the
courts have recently ordered the state
legislature to either appropriate more
funds for state institutions or close them
down, I was initially apprehensive about
- volunteering, fearing what I would see. I
realized, however, that while I was not
alone in my concerns and feelings, the
residents of Murdoch "were. I chose to
work in the boys' unit of Creekbend cot
tage. The kids encompassed all function
ing levels of retardation, ranging in age
from 10 to 21. The first month of work
was rather awkward. I had to gain both
their trust and respect, just as any person
must in working with a group of young
children and adolescents. Perhaps the
greatest feeling of. accomplishment , and
source of pride was gaining their . friend-'
ship. Everyone became eager to share
with me: posters, pictures from fieldtrips
and mail from home.
Yet all is not as it seems. Many residents
never receive mail or visitors, and most
do not go home. The pianos and juke
boxes donated by. various residents',
families represent a substitute for love,
The mentally retarded at Murdoch Center
... needing care, seeking love
which masks a rejection of . their own
children. Money is often not the chief J
factor in a family's decision to institu
tionalize a child. Sadly enough the burden
often becomes only Murdoch's and the
responsibility theirs.
From my experience, I have overcome
the tendency to avoid and reject and have
learned instead to respect and accept the
mentally retarded. This lesson is by far one .
of the most valuable I have acquired at
Carolina. The work is not always easy,
but the benefits are many. We at UNC
are very lucky to have the mental capacity
to enjoy something as simple as a football
game or a day at the beach. The residents
of Murdoch deserve a similar chance.
Michael Kimerling is a senior anthropology
major from Birmingham, Ala.
Duke Power rate hike sparks a
To the editor:
Duke Power has requested a 19.7
percent rate hike to pay for its new
McGuire plant, to meet inflationary rises
in operating and construction costs and
to attract capital to resume construction
at its Cherokee nuclear station. The N.C.
Utilities Cornmission will hold a public
hearing at 7 p.m. Monday in Durham
City Hall to hear public comments.
Hearings are already under way in
Raleigh.
Duke Power bases the need for ex
panding production of electricity on
predictions that peak electric demand will
grow at 4 percent per year into the 1990s.
Experiences over the past decade has led
to the conclusion that Duke and other
power companies set their predictions too
high. It is questionable whether electric
demand will continue to increase,
particularly if rate hikes continue as they
have in the past few years and alternative
energy sources are employed more ',
widely. " . '
More rate hikes are a distinct pos--sibility,
because Duke is concentrating on
building nuclear power plants, the most
cost-intensive plants available, Duke
estimates it can build Cherokee for $1 ,779
per kilowatt of generating capacity, yet it
estimates that - its load management
conservation program can save equivalent
amounts pf electricity for $240 per
kilowatt. Many other conservation mea
sures are similarly priced other
utilities, like the Tennessee Valley
Authority, have found it is cheaper to
loan money to rate-payers, at low or no
interest to weatherstrip and superinsulate
their homes than it is to build hew power
plants. One quarter of the homes in
North Carolina still have no insulation,
and there are many other areas where
significant energy and electricity savings
can be made.
According to William Lee, president of
Duke, the emphasis of Duke's program is
on meeting peak or maximum demand.
To; maximize efficiency and safety,
nuclear plants must be run continuously,
and they are thus used normally to supply
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base load or steady demand. Thus it is
questionable whether the rate-payers are
getting the best kind of plant for their
money. Duke, as a regulated public
utility, earns profits based on the per
centage of plant it has in service. It may
have an economic incentive to build
costly generating stations instead of
encouraging conservation or cheaper
sources of energy.
Consumers in this area are urged to
attend the public hearing and present
their views on the rate hike itself, cm the
plans on which the hike is based and
possible alternatives to Duke's plans.
Daniel F. Read
100B Stinson St., Chapel Hill
Out of context;
To the editor: . ; "", V
This letter is written in response to one
which appeared in the DTH on Aug. 25,
1981, entitled "Virtuous Corner." The
quotation that appeared in that article
was taken out of context and in conjunc
tion with other statements gave the im
pression that I was of the opinion that not
all countries had honor codes. This im
pression is totally false.
The letter submitted by Vickie Wood
failed to mention that during my presen
tation at the graduate student orienta
tion, I continued with an explanation of
the serious . problems which can result
from a simple misunderstanding or some
one's unfamiliarity with UNC's Honor
System whether that unfamiliarity is a
result , of a student being from another
school or from another country, The
point that I was trying to impress upon
the graduate students present at the orien
tation was simple namely, that even
though they had been exposed to other
honor systems, those systems were un
doubtedly different in certain aspects
from the system here at Carolina. I also
wanted to say that an unawareness of
those differences could result in serious
problems.
Once again, let me apologize to anyone
who may have been offended.
Mark Carpenter
Student Attorney General
JDeadMm colummwt co ut to lunch
By TOM MOORE
I have trouble getting things done. Because I'm a born
procrastinator, I put off doing things like paying bills,
studying for tests, cleaning my room, eating, balancing
my checkbook, getting a haircut, washing clothes, writing
columns and just about every other activity imaginable
until the last minute. It seems there's always something
more interesting to do than what I'm supposed to.
I don't want to put things off, but I can't seem to help
it. I know that waiting and waiting and waiting to start
doing something is bad, but I never seem to be able to
find time to solve my problems. Or at least it was that
way until last semester, when I stumbled upon a near
perfect answer.
I got tired of wasting time. In the past, when I'd sit
down in the Undergraduate Library to study for one of
those killer tests, I'd reread a few pages of my rather dis
mal notes, and my mind would start to ramble. Other
things that I could do would pop into my head things
that I could do and still be in the Undergrad so I could
pretend that I would soon return to my studies and
wouldn't feel too guilty about avoiding them.
For instance I might wonder, "Did the Mets win yes
terday?" and convince myself that I'd better check 77ie
Washington Post to see, or else the question would block
all attempts to cram knowledge into my head for the rest
of the night. "It will only take a couple of minutes," I
would tell myself, and after 90 minutes I would return
The Post to the circulation desk. I was then ready finally
to get back to schoolwork. But I'd realize that I had a
history book report due late the next month and that I
, should see if they still had any of the titles. "It will only
take a few minutes,' I would again tell myself, and after
a half hour of looking frantically for the correct section I
would find a book that looked interesting.
On my way to check it out, I would spy an old friend
that I hadn't seen in months, and I'd have to know how
he was doing. An hour later I would finally go check the
book out and return to my carrel and start to meander
through those boring notes again.
lOut to Lunch 1 t
Then I'd remember that the non-print section of the
library had a videotape of The Godfather Part Two. If I
could only watch about 20 minutes of that, then I know
I could study much better. I thought it would greatly help
my power of retention. After three and a half hours of
Dons, Vito and Michael, I would finally return to study.
Then I'd look at my watch and see it was 1 a.m.; if I want
to do well on my test then I should get a good night's
sleep! "I can always get up early and study," I lie to
myself.
Living like this causes many problems mediocre
grades, a poor credit rating and the reputation of being
an irresponsible goof-off. Last semester I finally tired of
being slack and put my wandering brain to work on how
to rectify the situation. , -
Since I always find something else more enticing than
what I'm supposed to be doing, I asked myself, "What
if I had something so horrible to do that it would make
everything else seem easy, something so disgustingly
monotonous that I would eagerly do all my real work in
order to avoid it? What could possibly be so tedious?
I started carrying around copies Of Paradise Lost,
Virgil's Aneid in the original Latin, Moby Dick, The
Last of the Mohicans and the complete works of Rod
McKuen. I pretended I was taking a course in "Great
Moments in World Literature," and every time I felt a
notion not to study for one of my real classes or to
avoid something else that had to be done I opened up
one of my books for "Great Moments in World Litera
ture." And a few minutes later I was back doing what I
was supposed to do. If I ever got interested in one of the
books which was very unlikely I carried around a
book called Short Biographies of the 100 Greatest Nu
clear Physicists for an imaginary course I was taking in
physics, An Illustrated Guide To Medieval Agrarian
Techniques for a supposed course I was taking on the
history of agriculture and Dental Care in the Soviet
Union: Communist Methods of Preventing Tooth Decay
for a comparative societypolitical science course I was
taking that didn't exist.
My grades rapidly improved last semester because I
was good at tricking myself, but I soon became aware
that all that stuff was bogus, I really didn't have to do
any of it. I casually slipped into my old ways of endless
procrastination.
But for this semester I have a new fool-proof plan. I
graduate soon and must get a job somewhere. That
means resumes, letters, phone calls, interviews and a
whole lot of other hassles that I don't want to face. I'd
rather do anything than look for a job. I'd even study
and do every other thing I'm supposed to in order to
avoid even thinking about getting a job. So I've licked
my procrastination problem by procrastinating. I just
wonder what will happen when graduation rears its ugly
head. .
Tom Moore, a senior history major from Greensboro,
turned this column in several hours after deadline.