clarion
Brevard College, Brevard, NC
Volume 54 Number 10
Wednesday, March 4, 1987
SAFE SEX: college students facing new facts of life
by Bonnie Davis
The great poet Virgil once said, “Love
conquers all.” But what he didn’t know
then is that someday his words would be a
prophecy come true. It’s not love itself that
is conquering people today, but sexually
transmitted diseases (STD) like syphilis,
gonorrhea, genital herpes, and most im
portantly, AIDS (Acquired Immune Defi
ciency Syndrome).
According to a recent Newsweek
magazine article (Feb. 16, 1987), “Public
health experts worry openly that sexually
active teenagers will be the next AIDS
‘high risk’ group.” AIDS is finding its way
into all aspects of the population, not just
among homosexuals, and it is a growing
threat to heterosexuals as well.
A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll
cited in Time (March 2, 1987), stated that
AIDS has no effect on the way “92 percent
of the population conducts their lives. This
is especially true on the nation’s college
campuses where sex tends to be
impulsive.”
One freshman expressed this opinion:
“I feel that there is not much concern from
students at BC because they seem to think
that AIDS will not affect us because our.
campus is so small. Just because we all
feel like we’re one big happy family
doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be concerned.
As college students we should be, probably
even more so.”
Besides the obvious lack of knowledge
and education concerning AIDS and other
STD, the attitude of most young adults is
one of immortality—nothing can ever
harm them. So, in thinking they’re im
mune to death, they forget about precau
tions and begin taking risks. The threat of
AIDS has already been felt by BC students
who have expressed their concern about
the fatal disease. One sophomore said, “I
think the teens today are scared to death to
put it bluntly—and they are starting to
take precautions.”
What can be done to prevent the spread
of AIDS and other STD? Health officials
claim abstinence is the best precaution of
all, but a highly unlikely one for today’s
sexually active society. The next best
thing is the use of condoms. People should
also moderate their sexual promiscuity
and not be afraid to ask questions of their
partners.
With tales of horror being heard about
AIDS every day, and a recorded
30,000-plus cases in the US, the public is
slowly becoming more conscientious about
the life-claiming disease. The nation’s
educational systems have been among the
first to take steps toward the education of
the population about AIDS by starting with
the children.
Since the condom has proven to be the
most effective protection from STD, a
widespread campaign has been instigated
by the manufacturers of condoms and
health officials to spread the word. Many
controversies have arisen lately over the
advertisements of condom sales and
whether or not they should be seen on the
networks, in newspapers and in
magazines, some of which have already
shown such ads. The public needs to be in
formed and the media is one way to ac
complish this. Even the Surgeon General
C. Everett Koop who is known for his con
servative view on birth control and abor
tion, came forth last October and strongly
advocated the use of condoms as a protec
tive measure against AIDS.
Though considered serious health pro
blems in past times, syphilis and gonor
rhea don’t receive as much attention in the
media since both are curable with
penicillin. Gonorrhea is more common,
striking 2 million Americans, while only
325,000 are infected with syphilis.
Chlamydia is another STD that has sur
passed even gonorrhea in the last decade
as the number one sexually transmitted
disease in the US. The best protection
against any of these STD is the condom.
Another freshman said, “I called my
dad and he told me to go by a box of con
doms.”
AIDS is quickly becoming the bubonic or
black plague of the 20th century and until a
cure or a vaccine is found, then the only
way to combat its spread is through educa
tion. One BC sophomore said, “Nobody
wants to get AIDS, so if they don’t want to
contract it they should take the proper
steps in preventing it.” And the first step is
through education and knowledge.
U.S. Senator Terry Sanford
to speak at Commencement
United States Senator Terry Sanford will
deliver this year’s Commencement ad
dress at Brevard College May 3.
In making the announcement last week,
Brevard College President Billy Greer
said, “I couldn’t be more excited about
this year’s speaker. Terry Sanford is one
of the South’s great leaders.”
Sanford will deliver the commencement
address at 2 p.m., Sunday afternoon. May
3, in Boshamer Gymnasium.
Sanford, 70, defeated Jim Broyhill in
November to secure a seat in the U.S.
Senate.
He is the past president of Duke Univer
sity, l%9-85, during which time he was
credited by U.S. News and World Report
for raising the university to national pro
minence.
The former Governor of North Carolina
from 1961-65, Sanford was ranked by Har
vard University as one of the country’s 10
best of this century.
A native of Laurinburg, N.C., he attend
ed Presbyterian Junior College, graduated
from the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill and the UNC-CH Law School.
He is a past N.C. State Senator, the author
of three books, and the recipient of 23
honorary degrees.
U.S. Senator Terry Sanford
The junior senator from North Carolina
is serving on numerous committees in
Washington, including Banking, Housing
and Urban Affairs, Committee on the
Budget, Select Committee on Ethics, and
the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Dr. Nancy Hardesty to
give Staley Series Lectures
Dr. Nancy Hardesty, an expert on the
subject of the history of women in Chris
tianity, will deliver this year’s Staley
Distinguished Scholar Lecture Series at
Brevard College, March 24 and 25.
Hardesty, a biblical feminist, will speak
on “Inclusive Language, Why?” and “In
clusive Language: God.” Her lectures
sponsored by the Life and Culture Series,
will be given Tuesday, March 24 at 7:30
p.m. and Wednesday, March 25 at 10:30
a.m. in Dunham Auditorium.
The author of “Inclusive Language in
the Church” (1987 John Knox), Hardesty is
an independent scholar, free-lance book
writer and editor from Atlanta.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in
writing from Wheaton College, her
master’s degree in journalism from Nor
thwestern University, and her doctorate in
the history of Christianity from the
University of Chicago. She is listed in
“Who’s Who in American Women” and
“Who’s Who in the South.”
Staley lecturer Nancy Hardesty.
It's flu time again
by Steve Reich
It’s that time of year again...flu-time,
that is.
According to Brevard College nurse Bar
bara White, R.N., the present flu epidemic
is slightly heavier than what is typically
expected for this time of year.
Nurse White said she has been taking up
to 10 students a day to the Newland
Medical Clinic and seeing another 30 per
day in her office on campus. “It’s slowing
down now,” she said. She’s down to taking
five or six students to the doctor’s office
and seeing 25 more in her office.
The nurse said that the symptoms
started with aches, pains, fever, and then
turn into bronchitis and respiratory pro
blems. She suggests that students keep
their hands clean, not to eat or drink after
someone else, and not to let others who are
sick cough or sneeze in their direction. If
that’s not enough and the flu bug still bites
you, drink a lot of fluids, get plenty of rest,
and eat a well-balanced diet.
With a few simple precautions, you can
avoid the flu and the misery that accom
panies it, White says.