You’re
Welcome To It!
By CLAY HAMILTON
I recently received a letter from a faculty member and I
would like to share the basics of the letter with you. It goes
something like this:
“Due to recent reports of fireworks being shot in and around
residence hall, it has become necessary to authorize A ROOM
TO ROOM SEARCH (emphasis mine) for fire works.” The
letter then quotes the Saltire on fireworks.
It continues, “Steve Winemuller, the resident director will
conduct the search as the representative of the Student Life
services and with him will be at least one member of the
Residence Hall Council.
I regret having to take this kind of action and know that it
creates inconveniences, but fireworks are illegal and the
complaints and reports cannot be ignored.”
The letter of course is from Dean Claytor. And the letter was
hand delivered at 10 a.m. Saturday morning by Steve
WinemuUer and two others. The letter was followed by an
immediate room search, I did not even get to read the letter
before my closets and drawers were gone through. Nothing
makes me feel less unportant than having three people go
through my room with absolutely no respect for my rights to
privacy at all. I realize these people were just doing their iob
but isn’t that what the- Nazis did when they gasseo Jews
wasn’t Lt. Calley just obeying orders when he filled a ditch up
with Viet Namese women and childrer and blew them to bits?
This may be a slight overstatement so let me go about it
another way. Why is it that college students don’t get the same
respect and treatment they would if they were people in the
outside world?
No search warrant would ever be issued for my home without
proof of reasonable cause. They would have to sincerely
believe I had fireworks in my possession. Then I ask you Dean
aaytor, did you believe that every person in my dorm had
fireworks? I think a dorm wide search is just a simplistic
approach to what should have been a more thorough
investigation resulting in penalizing only those who were
suspects. If every time something went wrong in the real world
they had a house to house search, we would be living in what is
known as a police state. I bet you wouldn’t like a police state
anymore than I would.
Perhaps I wouldn’t be so mad, if I was guilty of something.
But I am without guilt in this thing, which is what makes it
seem so fascist. Let me also say this. I think a sense of privacy
and respect for individual rights is essential to the happiness of
people. To wake l^) to both those rights being negated makes
me very angry and very unhappy.
If you are sincere, and I believe you are, about “complaints
and reports cannot be ignored” then I hope you will accept this
as a complaint against room to room searches when a little bit
more investigation would have eliminated the need completely.
Finally, I have always believed that if you treat people like
adults they will act like adults and let’s face it, there is a lot of
undesirable adult behavior going on in the world today, but you
cannot penalize the wliole for the actions of a few. Give those of
us who are trying to be mature and self-reliant a chance to do
that. It may in the long run mean more work for us all, but
won’t the final result be so much more rewarding?
SHORT NOTES: lliere seems to be a storm brewing over
conduct at soccer games. My suggestion is to handle it sort of
like the airlines. Set up cussing and non-cussing sections on the
bleachers and make sure they’re so far apart one won’t hear
the other.
Another note. The last football game I went to was
Homecoming between University of Mississippi and Southern
Miss. The crowds were lai^e but they still were as rowdy as
any SA crowd has ever been, the only difference was they were
so big and so far from the field that the refs couldn’t hear. This
isn’t a defence it’s just a raninder that the notion that S.A. is
outstanding in it’s rowdiness is mythology. It’s just more
visible. Perhaps a lower profile is a good idea.
Until next week.
Struggling with it all is Ron Bayes, trying to present the proper
image yesterday. (Photo by Kim Leland)
St. Andrews In Scotland:
“Little Other To Say
Than Good Things”
By Steve Fox
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About St. Andrews
University? Well, I can think
of little other to say than good
things. Certainly all of those
who went this past year en
joyed the experience greatly.
I, in fact, am prodded to write
this note in order to let others
know of the opportunity so
that one day we can catagloue
this as an experience
regularly available to all
those meeting the University
of St. Andrews’ entrance
requirements.
Probably most important,
socially the school is quite
attractive. It can not be
denied that the Laurinburg-
St. Andrews College
association is limited.
Equally it can be said that the
relationship between St.
Andrews University and the
town of St. Andrews is close
and mutual. In the town of
over 13,000, the University
comprises a fair percentage
with somewhat over 3,000
students-equally divided
male and female. With the
University being distributed
throughout the small town
there is frequent “town and
gown” interchange.
This interchange frequently
occurs in the many pubs
(public houses) which both
the town and students attend.
It’s no wonder when one
considers the fine Scottish
ales and whiskies. Indeed, the
Scots are a boisterous and
jovial folk. In fact, the town
has 31 pubs serving the small
community. This is the crux
of the social life. Within the
community there are, on the
other hand, many musical
events ranging from
classical recitals to popular
punk, frequent popular
and/or artistic movies,
forums on many issues
confronting the academic
community and a vast array
of societies and clubs
covering many interests-
including an Overseas Society
created to meet overseas
students needs.
Academically the
University prides itself on a
very well respected
reputation. Considering the
age (the school was begun in
1410) and excellent standards
of the school, this can be
understood. The Professor of
the history department is the
world renowned scholar on
Robert Peel and mid
nineteenth century British
politics. From Steve Algood’s
experience, the linguistics
department fosters its own
school of philosophy which is
widely published. And the
Anatomy department has the
distinction of disection on
cadavers. In general, the
undergraduate school is
divided into the arts (St.
Salvator’s College), the
Sciences, and Divinity (St.
Mary’s College). Teaching is
done in the traditional
manner. Although practice
differs somewhat from
department to department, in
general each class makes use
of a large lecture period,
various sub-class options, and
small tutorials that meet with
an appropriate faculty
member. Obviously!, this is
quite different from our
College, however we met with
Uttle difficulty in arranging a
course program satisfying
both St. Andrews’
requirements.
There are many other in
teresting opportunities that
present themsleves in at
tending St. Andrews. The
town itself is attended as a
tourist spot with ancient
cathedral ruins, medieval
streets, the old University,
and a fine golf course. It is
very easy and cheap to take
excursions around the United
Kingdom. And Scotland is
particularly beautiful and
undeveloped. There are also
two three week breaks that
make it convenient to take
longer excursions.
So if you’re up for
something different, this may
be the place to be. Finances
are quite reasonable con
sidering the new deregulated
air fares and Britain’s
socialized education. The
application deadline for non
graduating students is
February 15. And if you are
interested, please contact
Gibbs Moody, Steves Lowery,
\Ugood or Fox. Why not?
Concert Committee
these are only calculations
and not final or absolute. One
never can predict what might
happen and the artist gets
paid under all circumstances
unless the artist himself
commits a breech of contract.
One of the last, but im
portant things to point out in
working with big name artists
is the difficulty in working
with the booking agents. At
times, some of them can be
next to intolerable with their
demands and fast talking
sales pitches. Once there is an
agreement to send us the
contract and-or rider (the
rider is a Ust of specifications
required by the artist), we
must then go over the
requirements written-in the
rider to see what we can or
cannot provide. Having done
this, the agent is the recon
tacted for final approvals and
contract signatures.
I have tried to briefly tell
you want the concert com
mittee contends with. I have
not even mentioned what has
to be done in preparing for a
concert as far as the campus
is concerned. There are things
such as advertisement,
preparing the gymnasium
according to the specifications
of the artist, planning security
in and outside the gymnasium
the night of the concert, etc.
All of the things that I have
mentioned in this article are
time consuming processes and
student support has been
greatly appreciated.
Pablo Cruise has been
canceled due to shakey
negotiations and monetary
responsibilities. On November
11, 1978, SEA LEVEL will
perform in the gymnasium at
8:00. Student tickets will be
$3.00 in advance, and $5.00 at
the door. There will be an
opening act which is a band
named OCONEE. To find out
more about SEA LEVEL, read
A LOOK AT SEA LEVEL’ in
this issue of the Lance.
I have tried to explain what
the Concert Committee is
doing, so that everyone is
aware of what is happening.
As for the future, we are
trying to set up standards and
guidelines for more concerts.
We are all new at this sort of
thing and I’ll be first to admit
to some of our mistakes, but
I’ll also be the first one to ask
for your input and criticism.
Without student support, the
work that I have described to
you will have been a waste of
energy on the part of many of
your peers.
In closing, I would like to
say that if there are any
questions that I might be able
to answer, please feel free to
talk to me. Again, I thank all
those who have supported the
Concert Committee, both
among the students and the
Administration.
Thank You,
Robert L. McWhorter
More faculty attire (photo by Kim Leland)