Page 2
The Gas Light
February, 197]
Ctiitortal
Ben Pearson Jerry Falls
Editor Asst. Eklitor
The old adage that rules were made to be broken is
apparently true-especially here at Gaston College. It has
become evident that simple regulations, such as the parking
rules, are not designed to apply to the superior intellect
found here at Gaston College. This can easily be attested to
by a short walk through the faculty parking area. It seems
that many students here feel that they are socially and
mentally equal to our teaching staff and are thereby entitled
to park alongside them.
Also we have the student that feels that he is not doing
anything worthwhile here so in making his daily visits here he
parks in the visitors parking area (apparently we have a
professor in this catagory too). A little further investigation
reveals that we have professors that are not satisfied with the
way the college is being run, so, they park in the
administrations parking area.
And we have a few professors that feel that they are still
involved in the learning process so they park in the students
parking area. In contrast we at Gaston are fortunate to have
as fellow students young men and women that are physically
handicapped but have the desire and courage to continue
their college education-but-unfortunately we have the
mentally handicapped students and professors who feel that
the reserved handicapped area is designed for them.
What on earth happened? For years “The Gas Light” has
provided space for students to voice their opinions on any
subject under the sun, from sex to subject matter, from
opinions to accusations, from compliments to brickbats. And
what happens? We get one or two minescule epistles
concerning apathy, students’ lack of rights to smoke in the
library, and the cost of hamburgers at the Slop Shop.
THEN, from out of nowhere-no reference to students’
minds intended-we get letters; we get stacks and stacks of
letters. We have heard from students who are mad as hell
because they had to pay parking tickets while others didn’t;
we heard from griping characters who don’t like course
offerings; we learned that some professors insult their
students’ intelligence by not showing up for classes, and on
the other hand we learned that some professors indeed do
show up for'classes and then have the audacity to expect the
students to have read the assignment and to be ready for a
semi-intelligent discussion of same.
Where are all the letters? Some of them are printed
elsewhere in “The Gas Light. ” Others were not printed
because there simply wasn't enough space on the editorial
page. A few were not pictured because they did not coincide
with this paper’s editorial policy.
The ones that failed to meet our requirements were not
signed. We of “The Gas Light” feel that anyone who has
something to say should be allowed to say it; but on the
other hand we feel, perhaps more strongly, that anyone who
wants to launch an imcomplimentary attack on any member
of the college family (if the term “family” is still acceptable)
should have the courage to sign his name to the letter. So if
you still want to be heard, let us hear from you, and let us
know whom we have heard from.
And while we are on the subject, what happened to the
ones we did not hear from? We’re in a position to see results
from your letters, particularly with the news from Dr. Sugg
that he would welcome an opportunity to sit down with
students and have a friendly chat about the college’s
problems. “The Gas Light” feels that Dr. Sugg is offering an
opportimity that many of the students here shoidd take
advantage of and that many more could benefit from. So let
us hear!
We don’t suggest that everyone launch a hate campaign.
Nor do we suggest that everyone with a gripe try to air it for
purely personal reasons. We do feel, however, that so much
good can come of this if there is enough strong
(Continued on Page 3)
STAFF MEMBERS
Feature Editor
Photographer ........
Photo Staff
Greg Fryer
Sports Staff
Cecil Byers
Reporters
Irene Shaver
Letters To
To the Editor:
At the risk of sounding
old-fashioned, I am a believer that
one’s personal hygiene, nutrition,
and recreation have their places
more properly outside the
classroom.
1 don’t particularly mind
having to sit beside someone who
eats his lunch of morning
sandwich in a history class; nor do
I find it more than slightly
annoying to have to endure a
lecture accompanied by some
student’s nail-clipping. Of course,
it’s probably a matter of time
until he progresses from his
fingernails to his toenails, and
perhaps from there to brushing his
teeth in class.
But I don’t mind this nearly as
much as I mind the most
inconsiderate and impolite
practice of smoking in an enclosed
room. You see, I also eat
sandwiches, and I also clip my
nails. But I do not smoke! At least,
I didn’t smoke until I decided to
learn a little psychology. Now I
have no choice.
At first it was only the
instructor who had a nicotine fit
every fifteen minutes, but it was
only a matter of time until several
other members of the class
followed suit. Now, if I get lung
cancer, it will be the result of my
second-hand smoking. Recently
one student even lit a cigar in class
and succeeded in nearly
asphyxiating the remainder of the
students.
But we non-smokers have a
choice: we can drop out of the
class; we can carry a large bottle
of Dristan to combat the foulness
of the smoke in sinus cavities; we
can smoke along with the others;
or we can risk pneumonia by
sitting near an open window.
Still, one nagging question
persists: why should I drop the
class? Or why must I eat Dristan
so that others may enjoy the
pleasure of a cigarette while
others suffer the annoyance? Or
why must I freeze just because
some students cannot wait fifty
minutes between Salems?
It is my understanding that
Gaston College policy prohibits
the eating of food or smoking ef
cigarettes or cigars in any
classroom while classes are in
progress. It is also my opinion
that anyone who can’t possibly
wait until the end of the class is in
need of more than a smoke can
provide. Maybe he needs a
psychiatrist instead of a
psychologist.
A very cold, very irritated student.
Dear Editor;
What is the policy concerning
grades at Gaston College? Last
quarter I had approximately the
same grades in all classes but the
grades I received varied because of
the different grading system used
by each instructor.
Why do some instructors use
93-100 for an A etc., and others
use 90-100 for an A? This is not
fair to the student for it doesn’t
let him know his real capabilities
in each class unless the professor’s
grade on the same scale. I am not
saying what the grading system
should be but I believe very
strongly that Gaston College
should have a standard grading
system set up by a board of
faculty, administrators, and
students so that all grades will be
the same.
Sincerely Yours,
Jerry Lee Thomas
Dear Editor:
Am I wrong, has the regulation
been changed, or is it still a policy
at Gaston College that no eating
or smoking is permitted in
classrooms? I enrolled in class and
walked in the first day and found
The Editor
that by feeling my way carefully
through the smoke fog that I
could find an empty desk.
During the class the instructor
smoked, chewed, dipped, and did
everything but shoot smoke into
his veins. All very, very
sophisticated. I didn’t mind that
he had to break every sentence
into three unrelated fragments
while he stopped to relight, puff,
or exhale, 1 didn’t even mind
when students took the cue and
decided to imitate Big Brother. I
started to mind when the girl
behind me, who apparently
dislikes smoking, opened the
window and the wind started
whistling across the room and
little snowflakes started
accumulating on my desk.
I minded a httle more when I
got up to leave, twelve butts later,
and found that I had trouble
leaving the room. Not that the
lecture was so interesting-I
couldn’t hear much of it because
of the coughing fits through the
area. Not that he was
good-looking-I couldn’t see
through the smog. The reason I
couldn’t leave was that the last
occupant of the desk-or a near
neighbor-had accidentally left
part of his peanut butter sandwich
in the seat and it and I were now
inseparable friends.
It seems that I, like many other
students, am doomed to die,
either of lung cancer or high
cholesterol-intravenously taken.
Irene Schauer
Dear Editor:
I must really be a fool! I never
thought so until recently, but now
I am convinced.
What 1 did was unheard of; I
paid a parking ticket. I also come
to school and park in sections
reserved for students. But I see
students parking in the visitors
lot, in the faculty area, and in the
handicapped spaces. And once in
a while I see someone putting a
ticket on the cars that are parked
illegally. But when I went to pay
my ticket I saw a stack of unpaid
tickets about eight inches thick.
Some of these dated back to the
beginning of the year. The school
year, that is, not January 1.
If we have parking regulations,
why not enforce them? If we give
tickets, why not see that the
tickets are paid? If students don’t
pay, why not encourage them to
do so by dropping them from
classes, by refusing to permit
them to take exams, or by
withholding their grades or
transcripts?
Dock Ayres
Dear Editor,
How should the students at
Gaston go about protecting the
valuables in their automobiles?
Should each of us buy a German
Shepard to leave in the car while
attending class; or maybe hire our
own security guard to watch over
our valuables for us. Many of us
have lost tapes, tape-players and
other costly items in broad
daylight. Can no protection be
offered by the college itself. Can a
security officer not be hired to
just look over the lot ever so
often. It would seem that some
solution could be found if only
we could get someone to start
looking.
Sincerely Yours,
Elaine Bowen
Building Named
(Continued from Page 1)
RESOLVED, That the Members
of the Board of Trustees of
Gaston College do pay fitting and
deserved tribute to C. Grier Beam
by declaring from this time and
henceforth the Administration
Building of Gaston College shall
be named the C. GRIER BEAM
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
Evening Note
Do you ever need change in the
evening? See Fred McArver in the
Bookstore in the Classroom
Building before 8:00 p.m. Also, if
a vending machine malfunctions
you can get a refund by informing
Fred.
The Evening Discussion Group
met December 16, This informal
group meets periodically to
discuss national events and
happenings which are of interest.
Students who were in attendance
included Tom Kasler of Dallas,
John Adams, Steve Ferguson,
Bealer Caudill, and Max Huggins
aU of Stanley, and Gary Queen of
Gastonia. All students are
cordially invited to attend this
group to discuss pertinent issues
and make new acquaintances.
Temporary drive way reflectors
to help evening students locate
the Gaston College entrance roads
from Highway-321 were recently
installed. It is hoped that
something permanent can be
erected after the widening of
Highway-321 takes place.
The evening staff asked several
students if there were any
additional classes or courses they
would like to see taught at Gaston
College in the evening. Their
answers follow below.
Mr. Jerry Elmore of 1131
South Aspen Street, Lincolnton,
“I would like courses in advanced
math. Physics, and Chemistry.
Mr. Tim Franks of 307 West
2nd Ave., Gastonia, also stated
that he would like to see advanced
math classes offered.
Mr. Marvin Pennington of
Route ^4, Box 184, Gastonia, “I
would like to see a course offered
in Sheet Metal work.”
EDITORS NOTE - There is a
possibility such a course will be
taught after the new vocational
building is completed if there is
sufficient demand. Contact Mr.
Jimmie Babb in the Vocational
Division if you are interested.
Mr. Jim Crow of Route #1,
Stanley, N.C. Mr. Crow would like
to see a course offered in Carpet
and Tile Installation.
Mr. Ralph Cline of 1141 N.
New Hope Rd., Gastonia, N.C. “I
would like a course in
geography.”
EDITORS NOTE - Geography
205, Conservation of Natural
Resources, wiU be taught in the
Spring Quarter. The course will
meet on Wednesday evenings from
6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and will be a
three credit hour course.
Mr. Fred McArver of 1529
New Hope Rd., Gastonia, “I
would like to see a course offered
in Speed Reading.”
Mr. Bill HoUand of 915 Union
Terrace, Gastonia, stated that he
would like to enroll in a course in
Aircraft Mechanics.”
Mr. Spencer Basinger of Route
#1, Box 142, Bessemer City, “I
would like a scuba-diving class.”
EDITORS NOTE - A
scuba-diving class has been offered
in the past in conjunction with
the Y.M.C.A. to explore the
possibility of a class in the spring
contact Mr. Pete Brooks in the
Adult Education division of
Gaston College.
An anonymous poet has
written a short congratulatory
verse to honor James Clemmer ot
Stanley for being named to the
Dean’s List for the fall quarter.
The verse follows below.
“The moon shines bright high
over head
while reflecting brightly over
Clemmer’s bald head.”
EDITORS NOTE - One can see
why the poet remained
anonymous.
The next evening social will
take place in the library on
Wednesday, February 10 from
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Everyone is
invited to join in the fellowship
and treats.
The class schedules for the
Spring Quarter should be available
to students by February 1, 1971.