Dec'^'S
/g- L -/ f/-S
THE
PILOT
Gardner->\febb Cdlege
December 6, 1985
BOILING SPRINGS, NORTH CAROLINA
Universal Streaking
By Jeff l^lton
For the next six
months, our generation vdJLL
witness a phenanena that
only occurs every
seventy-five years.
Hailey's Canet, vMch was
last visable to the naked
eye in 1910, will nske its
initial appearance ce or
around November 27, and
will remain visible until
next April.
The comet, named after
British astroncmer Edmund
Hailey, will look similar
to a shooting star to begin
with, but later on, it will
beccrae a more illuminating
sight. When Hailey's CoiKt
first appears, it will be
farther avey from the sm,
but as it gets closer, it
will pick up brighter rays
and become more
spectacular.
Hailey's Ccmet cannot
be seen more often than it
is because of its wider
orbit around the sun.
Homecoming ’85 —
A Week to
Remember!
Earth makes one conplete
cycle around the sun in 365
1/2 days. Earth's orbit is
more circular, but Hailey's
Ccmet travels in an oblong
eclipse, and it only gets
betveen the earth and the
sun once every seventy-five
years.
When Hailey's Ccmet
was last sighted in 1910,
people Viere frightened that
it might fall down and blow
up the earth. Of course,
this was a myth. But it is
not out of the realm of
possibility that fragments
can breakoff the caret and
land on earth as
meteorites. Scientists
have not predicted that
this will happen.
Hailey's Comet, just
like Earth and all the
other planets, is part of
the solar system. But
don't miss seeing the ccmet
when it appears, because it
will not be seen again
until the year 2061.
Handicap — What Handicap?
Portrait of an Inspiration
By Dr. Jeff ELwell
In this age of nuclear
detente, hunan rights
abuses and international
terrorian it's not always
easy to find sonething
positive and upbeat to
write about. At
Gardner-Wfebb, hovever,
there is at least one
person who exemplifies both
of these wards: Doug
Armstrong.
Bom 19 years age in
ffcGehee, Arkansas, James
Douglas Armstrong was a
five-time Arkansas State
wrestling chanpion. Ife is
also an excellent runner
who competes for the
Bulldog cross country team.
In addition, he is the
president of the college
band and the math club.
Last year he was elected
Freshman-class president.
Doug is also a Presidential
Scholar wtose CP? hovers
above 3.5. In hi^ school
he ranked second in his
class. At Gardner4\febb,
Doug is majoring in both
political science and
computer science nd hopes
to attend law school
following graduation.
It sounds like another
All-American boy story
except for aie anall twist:
Doug is blind. He has
been since birth when too
much silver nitrate vas put
in his eyes.
He can't see the
course that he runs cn. }fe
can't read the music that
he plays on his alto
saxaphone. He won't be
able to read this story in
The Pilot. Yet this
doesn't stop him from doing
everything that a sighted
person would do.
As Nell Kilpatrick,
director of the progran for
the blind and visually
handicapped students, says,
''His parents never let him
get away with anything."
And, according to his
mother, Dorothy Elanings,
it seems as though Doug
never let anything get avay
frcra him .
' 'When he was
little,'' says Mrs.
Flonings, "He had to do
vtetever the other children
did. He was alvays
determined not to let his
blindness hold him back.''
As one of five
children, Doug was
constantly being tested.
"I can renember," says
Doug, ' 'when the kids in
the neighborhood used to
play tag and I was always
it. They'd run ri^t at a
tree and then veer away at
the last second. Boon, I'd
run into the tree.''
soon became
wiser, however,
anticipating their veers
and beat them at their own
game. When the kids
started riding bicycles,
Doug had to do it, even
though he fell off several
times before finally
staying cn.
See Armstrong, page 5
by I^lanie Lynch
Hcmecaning 1985 seened
to be a roaring success.
Ihe toga dance Monday
night, vMch liad cheese and
fruit for refreshments, had
a good turn-out. Tuesday,
vMch was named ' 'Vfestern
Eby,'' had a better
response as a dress-up day
than usual. That night the
food ccMnrittee sponsored
doggers for entertainment
at the evening meal. later
the movie "Splash" was
featured in Bost Gym.
Everycjne that came brought
out his "husband" and
blanket and settled down to
watch tliis hilarious movie.
Dress-up day for Wednesday
took us back in time to the
rocking fifties. This day
also had a good response
frcm the student body, as
they greased back their
hair or put on their
"poodle" skirts.
At the ' 'Sate at
Kates,'' Svigarcreek posters
vere given away to students
whose names wre drawn. As
each student entered, he
placed his name into a box.
Ihe grand prize was an
album, and ^kria M::Kinney
was the lucky winner. Qie
student broke a bone, the
only injury of the night.
Tim Haider ronarked,
"Ch,well, that's the
breaks!''
Tliursday, Louise
Anderscai entertained us in
the Library. Various
talents were displayed
throughout the day in the
library, and a pep rally
was held after Louise
Anderson's delightful
performance.
Friday was Spirit E&y,
and as tradition held,
everyone dressed up in
their black and red attire.
Several games were held
throughout the veek, such
as the candy football
guessing game. Bill Howard
was announced tlie winner at
halftime of the ballgame
with his lucky guess of 247
footballs.
The dorm winners vere
as follows: Lutz-Yeltcn,
1st place, who won fifty
dollars; HAPY, 2nd place,
with twenty five dollars;
and Stroup, 3rd place, with
fifteen dollars.
Ihe freshman class was
first place winner in the
float contest; Phi Beta
I^bda \ias second; and the
Sojiiaiore class was third
place winners. They won
fifty, twenty-five, and
fifteen dollars,
respectively. The freshman
r1 as.c; also came in first
place during the poster
contest. The Soj^iorore
class placed second, and
the Outdoor Explorers
(Science CLub) placed
third.
Ccngratulations to all
the winners and thanks to
everyone who participated
in this year's Hoieccniing.
>fany have expressed their
opinions that the veek, and
especially Saturday night's
video dance, was the best
ever. >fey you rananber the
week with a sndle as you
think back on your years at
Gardner-l^febb.