1
Why Not?
Textbook Written By
Davis, Williams
By Harriet Robinson Asst. Editor
During the fall months of
1967, a salesman representing
a renown publishing company
walked into the office shared
by two English professors at
Gaston College. One instruc
tor, after being shown many
volumns and not being very
impressed with any, casually
remarked that he and his office
mate could “write a better
book than any he had to of
fer.” “Then why don’t you
write a better textbook?” ques
tioned the salesman.
This is the way it all began
for Mr. Claude Davis and Mr.
Robert Williams, English
professors at Gaston College.
The idea of writing a better,
more improved textbook did
not come to either all at once.
Both had discussed, contem
plated, and temporarily dis
missed the idea until challeng
ed, by the salesman, into taking
postive action.
The first step was to agree
on a table of contents and the
index for the handbook. And
agree they did. As stated by
one member of this dubious
duo, . . “we rarely ever dis
agreed on anything concerning
the writing of this book.”
Which is indeed a noble state
ment. Mr. Williams and Mr.
Davis worked diligently to
gether, and alone, on the con
tents of this book to produce
a most unique text.
ENGLISH CLARIFIED, the
suggested title, was written for
the primary purpose of sim
plifying and clarifying English
grammar and composition. To
further explain their main ob
jective, Mr. Davis stated, “we
have carefully excluded any in
correct examples of any form
in this book.” The idea that
neither has ever found a book
quite like this one had a great
bearing on their final decision
of the context to be used.
The reason this text is so
unique is that it is so versatile.
ENGLISH CLARIFIED is
geared especially for the com
munity college to be used as
a freshman textbook. How
ever, it is not limited in its
use to this one particular level.
This handbook, which is to be
published in hardback edition,
can be used as a bridge from
the Junior College level to a
four year college and may be
used on through graduate
school.
The emphasis is placed on
how to use correct grammar
and does not stress “how to
use” incorrect passages. “We
have attempted,” explained
Mr. Williams, “to slash away
all of the garbage which clut
ters typical texts and have
sought to clarify the study of
English grammar and com
position.” Mr. Williams add
ed, “Gaston College students
have provided most of the
paragraph examples and the
research paper material used
in our book.”
Another interesting aspect
of this book is the fact that
the first publishing company
to which they sent the original
draft, rejected the book. Since
neither Mr. Davis nor Mr.
Williams is easily discouraged,
they sought another company,
The Allyn-Bacon Co., who
then bought the book before
reviewing it. Later, it was dis
covered that the Allyn-Bacon
Co. is a subsidiary of the tirst
company which rejected the
book.
Claude Davis is no unknown
to the world of literary works,
having poetry published in-
The Gas Light
eluding one poem entitled
“Apathy” which was published
in the AMERICAN POET. He
received his AB degree from
Elon College and went on to
receive his master’s from the
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill. Before coming
to Gaston College, Mr. Davis
had taught in the public
schools in Hillsborough and
Burlington. His previous
teaching experiences also in
cluded a position which he
held at College of the Albem
arle as an English professor.
In the classroom, Mr. Davis
injects ideas of Japanese writ
ing, customs, and cultures, this
being a result of two and a
half years which he spent in
Japan during his service ca
reer.
Since coming to Gaston Col
lege he has served as advisor
of the Gamma Beta Phi frater
nity for one year. He is pre
sently teaching English at Gas
ton accompanied by a class
in Psychology.
Robert Williams received
his BA degree from Lenoir
Rhyne College and his MA
degree from Appalachian State
College. Mr. Williams held
several varied and interesting
positions before coming to
Gaston College. He has taught
in public schools in Statesville.
He has served as city editor
of the Statesville Record Land
mark. While employed by the
Statesville Record Landmark
he was also book review editor
and drama editor. Mr. Wil
liams now reviews plays and
books for the Gastonia Ga
zette in addition to his duties
as English professor at Gaston.
At the termination of this
interview, Mr. Davis and Mr.
Williams stated that this was
the first interview, concerning
their new textbook, that has
been granted to anyone.
Page 5
mm
Department Head
Mr. Berge Beam:
Quiet Man Of Action
By Sherry Sigmon Staff Reporter
Record
Reviews
Versatility is the key that
makes this third album by the
Doors their best so far. The
typical, hard-driving Doors
numbers like “Hello, I love
You”, and “The Unknown
Soldier” are there, among
others like them. But, what
really makes the album is the
different things like “Spanish
Caravan”, Wintertime Love”,
and "Yes, the Rivers Knows.
“Spanish Caravan” features the
best of lead guitarist Robby
Krieger. The latter two are
notable for being simple
ballads, especially “Yes, the
River Knows”, which lacks
electronic effects and hard
rock style. Drummer John
Densmore is still using some
of the rhythms he used on
their first album, but he comes
through after all. The key
board work of Ray Manzarek
is the best he’s done yet. Of
course, vocalist Jim Morrison
shows why he is such a strong
influence on today’s rock
scene. Simplicity and versati
lity are the two things going
[or the Doors, and they em
phasized both of these quali
ties to make one of the best
albums of the year.
NO CHANCE
The surest way to have no fu
ture is to live in the belief that
the future is tomorrow.
ACID-TEST
It’s a fact that character is
built on what a man thinks—
not what he thinks he is.
He spouts Shakespeare
with authority, Chaucer
with fluency. Or perhaps
you’d like a few war stor
ies of Korea or World
War II. Better yet, how
about some interesting
tales from down on the
farm. The man to see,
and definitely hear, is
Berge Beam, head of the
English Department,
Gaston College.
In truth, he is a quiet,
unassuming man of un
usual depth and exper
ience. Mr. Beam was
born in Lincoln County
and spent most of his
formative years in
Crouse, N. C. Through
elementary schools and
graduations from Lin-
colnton High School, he
then found himself in
Hickory, N. C. where he
enrolled as a freshman at
Lenoir Rhyne College.
Beam confronted his
first group of eager
learners at Belmont High
School in the fall of 1940.
Historical events were to
interrupt this brief be
ginning for in the year of
1941 he traded his white
shirt and tie for Marine
Corps green. He served
in this capacity till 1946.
His military career was
revived once again in
1950 when he was recall
ed for the Korean conflict
and served there until
1952.
Returning to civilian
life, Beam then attended
Appalachian State Uni
versity for graduate
work. Following this, he
found a home in Cherry-
ville, N. C. Here he
served as both instructor
and as coach of the High
School basketbaP, team.
His efforts in teaching
were then rewarded as he
was accorded the honor
of becoming principal of
Cherryville High School.
From there he came to
join us at Gaston College,
serving in the capacity of
head of the English De
partment.
Mr. Beam’s home life
is surrounded by four
young ladies; Ms lovely
wife Jean and his three
blonde daughters, Susan
14, Martha 10, and Leslie
7 ... The only other male
resident is a French
poodle named Lollypop.
Mr. Beam lists his in
terests as reading, golf,
and music, in that order.
He feels a “deep sense of
happiness” here at Gas
ton and is satisfied with
his position in the Eng
lish Department, and
that sentiment is recipro
cated by the students of
Gaston College.