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The Gas Light
May 24,1972
Cbitortal
Irene Schairef'
WHEN IS AN ELECTION NOT AN ELECTION?
When is an election not an election? When there are fewer
candidates than there are posts to be filled, and a vote of one is a
majority. In case someone is wondering, we are speaking of the recent
elections which have chosen officers for the next school year.
Somehow, we at Gaston College are very lucky, while few seem to
be called to run for office (but all are chosen since only one person runs
for each post), all that are chosen serve the college well.
This is why our beef is not with those who have run for office. We
thank those who have run and wish them well. We would simply have
liked to have seen more participation than what was the case. We
consider ourselves lucky because while a minority seem to care, they
are responsible enough to take care of the majority who don’t seem to
care at all.
But, before we leave someone out of this criticism, we do feel that
a slight possibility exists that more students would have participated if
they had been aware of the elections.
Better publicity is definitely desirable. The GAS LIGHT would be
willing to devote space to pre-election news, but somehow we are never
told until we receive a letter criticizing us for not covering the elections.
Unfortunately, by this time the election is over and all that is left is ar.
editorial like this.
WE HA VE JUST ONE LITTLE QUESTION...
Exactly what do student officers do?
IF WE’RE GOING TO SA VE THE ELEVEN
O’CLOCK HOUR FOR CULTURE...
If we’re going to save the eleven o’clock hour for culture, why not
have some culture? During this past year we have heard all kinds of
reasons for saving this hour since it is the only time we have to
"civilize” the students. We must assume that these faculty members
who are such advocates of the eleven o’clock hour are already civilized
since they never seem to come to the few events that we do have.
Since the faculty now counsel students, why doesn’t this leave the
counselors a little extra time in which to truly plan a series of regularly
scheduled cultural events? No- we are not advocating the scheduling of
different operas for the little time we have left this year We aren’t even
necessarily saying that we should have a single opera for next year- but
why not?
Now is the time to plan for next year. If we want to use the eleven
o’clock hour for culture, then let’s use it, if not then let’s turn it over to
regular classes.
THANK YOU RICHARD COUCH
During this past year Richard Couch has filled his office of
President of the S.G.A. with enthusiasm, dignity, sensitivity,
intelligence, and loyalty to the school. While there have been others
before him who have done a reasonably adaquate job, it will be a long
time before anyone can think of anyone in the past, or conceive of
anyone in the future, who could or will surpass the job that Richard has
done.
j4s this school year draws to a close, we of the GAS LIGHT just
want to thank Richard Couch in print for doing so much for Gaston
College. Richard will graduate on May 28, with honors, and as far as we
are concerned, the academic honors he receives are equaled only by the
honors we feel he has earned by his actions during his stay at Gaston
College. Gaston College is a better schopl for having had Richard Couch
as a student and S.G.A. President.
We therefore thank Richard for being so vital a part of Gaston
College and would like to tell whoever is chosen as his successor that
they have a very tough act to follow.
IF NO ONE WANTS A MAY DAY
If no one wants a May Day, then how about finding some other
way of spending the students’s money? While printing exact figures
would be of no benefit let’s just say that for the number of students
who participated in May Day, a rather large amount of money was
expended. We are not impling that the money was used in any devious
or improper way, we are simply observing that since the students have
exhibited no marked enthusiasm for the event, that perhaps the money
could be put to better use in the future.
Letter To The Editor
It is amazing to me, that in a
few hours a perfectly spotless
place can be turned into a trash
pile. These people who do this
have the initiative to go get the
things that come in the various
containers (which end up on the
floor). Of course I realize that
after those long tiring cardgames,
one does not have the energy to
walk a few steps to a trash can to
deposit the remains.
How many of these same
students would throw trash
around and stamp out cigarrettes
in the floor of their own home?
Situations like this occur as a
result of a few hours that some of
our students spend at school.
What can this say for the future of
our communities?
Please let’s practice ecology in
our school as well as our
communities.
Gail Alexander
Dear Editor,
I realize that this has been
stated many times before, but
because of a recent experience I
had, I feel that it must be said
again.
Upon talking with someone
who visited our school, I was
asked if we had no janitors. This
was stated in reference to our
student center. The visitor
thought that it had not been
cleaned in about a week.
I am very proud of my
school, but it is hard to give it
good support when one is
confronted with a statement like
this. How can one be supportive
by simply saying, “Oh! You just
came at a bad time.” When is a
good time? In the mornings
before any of the students have
arrived. WTiat does this say for the
students?
LARRY SMITH HEADS
(Continued from page 1)
membership in the national
veterans organization and
attaining state recognition for the
group.
He plans to use the Gaston
College club to help run the state
organization. His main goal for
the local unit is to build
membership and to destroy the
apathy that now permeates the
local group. Smith pointed out
that of 400 veterans on the
Gaston campus only seven or
eight are active here in the club.
“The Veterans Qub has in the
past been one of the most
energetic clubs on campus,”
Smith noted. “We have sponsored
two blood drives, held two
membership drives, sponsored two
raffles, and we have just
concluded the annual bass
tournament at Lake Wylie. At
present we are organizing a
letter-writing campaign in support
of McGovern’s bill to increase
benefits not only to veterans but
to widowed wives of veterans and
to their dependent children.”
Smith urges aU veterans who
at present are not active member
of the Gaston veterans
organization to attend the
meetings. He will be happy to
provide information to
prospective members.
In addition to his duties on
the state level. Smith is also
president of the Gaston Ecology
Club as weU as president of the
college unit of the Veterans
Organization.
College Group
Aids Production
When the Children’s Center
production of “The Wizard of
Oz” was staged on May 19, a
group of Gaston College personnel
aided in the presentation. Mr.
Stuart Dunsmore was in charge of
sound effects. Albert James
operated the lights, and Paul
Holman assisted in technical
operations. All three are active in
Gaston dramatics productions.
Mike Starr and Dennis Perry
of the Learning Resources Center
audio-visual center aided in the
taping of the production.
The Two Faces
by
Khalid Hashim
When asked about my
opinions of America and her
people, I as a foreigner become
very apprehensive, apprehensive
because I have no desire to be
chased around the campus with a
baseball bat or to be stoned to
death on the street. What I mean
to say is that I don’t want to
antagonize my fellow American
students against me. But what I
feel as a foreigner is in no way
different from what the
Americans feel about what I have
to say.
America, they say, is a tune.
It must be sung together. Some
say America is God’s crucible. To
me, as a student, America is a
breeding place for talents; it holds
great potential for developing
one’s talents. With the highly
advanced scientific technology
and the facilities available for a
student, there is a great scope for
him in every field. The progress in
the scientific field has been so
enormous and unbelievable that
the word “impossible” in science
has almost been rendered
meaningless. The success of the
Apollo mission has once again
proved the undeniable truth that
America, scientifically, is far
ahead of the rest of the world. Tn
every walk of life one sees the
glimpses of their advancement and
one cannot help but marvel at it. I
feel that I am really priviliged to
get part of my education in
America.
I have many times looked at
the Americans with admiration. I
am highly moved by their attitude
toward foreigners. As far as I
know, I have yet to see an
American who is prejudiced
against foreigners. In my views
Americans are the friendliest
j)eople I have ever seen. Here I
would like to narrate an instance
of sincerity and concern that went
into the very core of my heart. I
know an elderly lady whose
acquaintance I gained while out
shopping. This lady used to call
on me every day during my illness
and inquire about my health. The
frequency of her calls made me
ask why she was so concerned
about me. She replied in these
words: “I know you are so far
from your home and family and
there is nobody here to look to at
this moment. I thought you might
be lonely and need someone to
comfort you.” What have I done
to deserve this? Nothing. This is
one of many instances.
Americans, as I find them, are
amiable, sincere, dedicated, and
hardworking people to whom fun
is one of the most necessary
Khalid Hashim
ingredients of life, and I agree
with them. Americans are
extremely practical. Every idea is
touched with the dress of
practicality. I wish my own
people were as practical. I like the
way the young Americans take to
their own so early in life. This, I
guess, gives them more confidence
and understanding. We have just
the opposite in Pakistan. In our
country we live with our parents
as long as we are jobless. Usually
when one reaches the age of
twenty-one or so he gets out on
his own.
The education system here is
very systematic. "Die objective
way of answering a question
compared to the essay type of
answer is much more useful and
less burden on the student.
Besides this, I am highly
impressed by the fact that over
here education is compulsory
until the age of sixteen. In
Pakistan education is not
compulsory but there is a plan to
make it so.
During my time here I have
noted with great interest that
there is no dignity of labor. An
executive will do the job of a
janitor without losing his pride
and self-respect. I really
appreciate this kind of attitude
towards work. In Pakistan this
kind of attitude is marred by the
social taboos. In this respect we
have much to learn from the
Americans.
But there is still another side
of America. The ugly side. One of
faltering hopes and diminishing
morality. A world of humans
exploding their own kind for the
lust of materialistic gain. A world
suffering in silent desperation
with a look of despair.
I was pained to note the
alarming increase in drug
addiction' and the ages of the
users. At the very tender age of
thirteen, the youth today have
been shown the path of insanity.
They have already experienced
the effect of marijuana, LSD, and
other dangerous drugs. Three out
of five students have smoked
Election Shows
Student Interest?
On April 20 elections were
held at Gaston College to fill the
positions of all offices of the
Student Government Association.
Ten positions were to be filled. In
order to encourage more students
to vote, deadline for petitioning
for office, which was originally set
for April 12, was extended to
April 18. The reason for the
extension was that only three
petitions had been filed.
Two days later elections were
held, and once again students
demonstrated their interest in
helping to run their government
and to exercise their voice in
community affairs. ! OF
OVER TWO THOUSAND
VOTERS ELIGIBLE 31 TOOK
THE TROUBLE TO CAST A
VOTE.
An analysis of the small
voting turnout provided an
explanation of the student’s desire
to vote. Of the two thousand-plus
who abstained, three had to work,
one other did not know where to
register, and the rest did not give a
damn what happened to the
school’s student government.
merica
marijuana and some admit taking
other drugs too. On asking why
they do this, they reply, “It
relaxes us.” Are the youth of
today so much overworked that
they have to go into a world of
fantasy to find relaxation or is it
just an excuse for their
uncontrollable weakness? What
surprised me most was news
appearing some time ago in the
Chicago “Tribune” in which it
was stated that some top brass in
the nuclear weapons division,
whose authority is second to that
of the President, as far as the
launching of weapons is
concerned, were found to be
regular drug addicts. What does
this mean? Whatever this may
mean the cloud of pessimism is
quite visible. I dread to think of
the consequences.
There is one more thing that
greatly upsets me; this is the
growth of pornography. This, 1
strongly feel, is the creation of the
most perverted minds, and these
people have put a great blot on
the American society and culture.
Even time, the immortal enemy of
mortality, will find this blot
difficult to erase. With these kinds
of people around, morality cannot
and will not stand unaffected.
“Today’s morality is just the old
immorality,” says the disturbed
older generation. Frankly
speaking, anyone who goes
around saying that morality is in
no way affected is talking through
his hat.
The root cause of all this evil
in the American society is the
excessive freedom. Even freedom
has to be restricted in order to
enjoy it. The new generation
chants for complete freedom, but
little do they realize what this
freedom can lead to.
One more thing I have very
painfully noted is something
concerning food. The Americans
are very generous to their garbage
cans. TTie amount of food thrown
away so thoughtlessly and with
such indifferenc( enough to
feed half of the globe. What a
shame that half of humanity has
to suffer like this. It’s high time
that somebody started some kind
of campaign to stop wasting food
like that. If we don’t help our
own kind, who is going to?
I have, in these few
paragraphs, said a lot of good and
bad things about America. I didn’t
write these things out of malice or
prejudice. I don’t feel any
satisfaction in finding faults with
others. I didn’t have any intention
of affording anybody. I didn’t
criticize as a Pakistini or as a
different nationality. I believe our
true nationality is mankind.