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COLUMNS
Editorials
Are You Average?
By DAVID READ
The day I meet an average
person is the day I die. The
word average is a practical
one. However, in general
human terms it doesn’t meet
the standard. The delusion of
the S-curve (illustrating
average, above average and
below) is witnessed in that
even the so called philistines
among us contain a great com
bination of complications.
It is my contention that
God is, was, and will be in
capable of representing
anything average. Certainly
not below average! In addi
tion, any sort of universal law
would bar average from its
list of amendments.
I believe perception is the
key word in understanding
why 50% of us carry the
stigma of below average. We
all consciously or unconscious
ly perceive our fellows as
adept or inadept based upon
our relations with others and
our feelings about ourselves.
The human personality is so
complex as to warrant many
years of study toward the
understanding of a single in
dividual, yet society bases
assumptions on mere sensory
perception.
Some among us seem to ex
cel in a great many areas and
are thus set apart as superior.
My belief is that such in
dividuals will naturally
gravitate toward the purpose
suited for their specific make
up without the introduction of
labels. They are what they
are, but they aren’t superior.
The application of natural
principles aids in the destruc
tion of the average fallacy.
For instance, which is
superior the tree or the rock?
Nature IS and doesn’t
perceive, so that in its
wisdom it has no standard
yardstick. My belief is that
each person fulfills a purpose
and that everyone can be
above average in some facet
of life — but never superior in
a general sense over other
wo/men.
Letter to the Editor
Columns Editor
Louisburg College
Louisburg, NC 27549
Dear Editor:
I read with interest your
column on two-time player of
the week Henry Harrison. He
is a sophomore and apparent
ly has been playing for
Louisburg for two years. I
don’t remember missing a
home game in the last two
years, but I can’t remember
seeing a Henry Harrison play
for us.
We do have a Henry Harris
who has been player of the
week two times. He looks ex
actly like the picture of Henry
Harrison in Columns.
If Coach Drake will just
start Harrison and Harris at
the same time losses will be
few and far between.
Sincerely,
Russ Frazier
Athletic Director
Louisburg College
Dear Coach Frazier,
We of the “Columns” ap
preciate your joining us in our
efforts to point out to Coach
Drake the existance of the
“twin” players, Harris and
Harrison. It has been our con
cern all basketabll season
that one of these fellows con
tinued to be lost among our
teaming student population.
Journalism is at times
much like athletics — one
gets the most attention when
errors are made.
Seriously, though, we a.d-
mit our mistake in re-naming
Henry and apologize to him
and the team as a whole.
EEM
BE&k
A Drinking-Driving Test:
Editor’s Note;
Last month we began a
two-part “Self Test for Drink
ing and Driving Teenagers.”
This is the second part of the
test. Try it on yourself and
■others — it could be an eye
opener.
PART 2
If you strongly agree with
the following statements...
write in 1; agree, but not
strongly... write in 2; neither
agree nor disagree... write in
3; disagree, but not strong
ly... write in 4; strongly
disagree... write in 5.
Set 1
1. If a person concentrates
hard enough, he or she can
overcome any effect that
drinking may have upon driv
ing.
2. If you drive home from a
party late at night when most
roads are deserted, there is
not much danger in driving
after drinking.
3. It’s all right for a person
who has been drinking to
drive, as long as he or she
shows no signs of being
drunk.
4.1f you’re going to have an
accident, you’ll have one
anyhow, regardless of drink
ing.
5. A drink or two helps people
drive better because it
relaxes them.
Add scores 1-5
Set 2
6. If I tried to stop someone
from driving after drinking,
the person would probably
think I was butting in where I
shouldn’t.
7. Even if I wanted to, I would
probably not be able to stop
someone from driving after
drinking.
8. If people want to kill
themselves, that’s their
business.
9. I wouldn’t like someone to
try to stop me from driving
after drinking.
10. Usually, if you try to h«lp
someone else out of a
dangerous situation, you risk
getting yourself into one.
Add scores 6-10
Set 3
11. My friends would not
disapprove of me for driving
after drinking.
12. Getting into trouble with
my parents .would not keep
me from driving after drink
ing.
13. The thought that I might
get into trouble with the
police would not keep me
from driving after drinking.
14. I am not scared by the
thought that I might seriously
injure myself or someone else
by driving after drinking.
15. The fear of damaging the
car would not keep me from
driving after drinking.
Add scores 11-15
Set 4
16. The 55-mile-per-hour
speed limit on the open road
spoils the pleasure of driving
for most teenagers.
17. Many teenagers use driv
ing to let off steam.
18. Being able to drive a car
makes teenagers feel more
confident in their relations
with others their age.
19. An evening-with friends is
not much fun unless one of
them has a car.
20. There is something about
being behind the wheel of a
car that makes one feel more
adult.
Add scores 16-20
cont. p. 7
COLUMNS STAFF
Kelli Swinson
Managing Editor Elizabeth Robinson
Sports Editor Greg Cooper
Reporters David Read
Kathleen Barbee
William Warren
Marianne Mercer
Photographer Cindy Medley
Advisor Lane Harris
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