Page 6
North Carolina School of the Arts
No
More
Lies
In an earlier article I criticized several concepts of American
theatre, the images it has projected and in some cases the way it is
tau^t. The responses to the article were numerous and often very
critical. I was asked a question I believe to be a fair one and I would
like to share my response with you. The question was: If I am
dissatisfied with the way theatre is taught, what do I propose in its
place?
Let me say that although the article was about Black theatre I would
like to address my answer as a possible solution to the entire
educational system in America. I would like to address it to any
subjects dealing with people, including psychology, history, cultiird
studes, sociology, histo^, politics, phUosophy and so forth.
I propose a comparative educational system. This system would
replace the brain-washing, biased system we now have. This system
would replace the system of indoctrination that we have and put in its
(x-oper place a system of education and “brain training.” The classes
would realistic, relevant and truthful.
I propose we deal honestly with the life styles, cultures,
backgrounds and ideologies of all races of people in America, I believe
once this is done a lot of our social problems, racial problems and
ethnic problems will be solved, because I believe that the majority of
these problems are caused by a lack of knowledge of ourselves and the
peofde we meet every day.
Black and White students are forced by laws to confront each other
daily, but the lawmakers fail to teach us how to live with each other
daily. Thus we are put in a trial arid error situation and I say we can’t
afford many more of the errors we are making. We must examine
where we go wrong and where could we have gotten the proper
training about each other. We all know the best way would have been
for our parents to learn through association and communication but
we know tJiey have proven to be too uncivilized to do it the right way,
so we must dwell on the second best way...Education.
We could have learned the things we needed to live successful lives
together through our educational training. We could have learned the
truth about each other and hopefully through the gaining of a
knowledge of each other we could have gained a better knowledge of
ourselves. We simply can’t continue to function in darkness. We can’t
continue to just live off trial and error because we are dealing with
human beings and in the process of finding error through trials and
tribulations we are destroying human beings, we are hurting feelings,
insulting and being insulted.
We must teach all students that to neglect any part of history,
theatre or whatever is to eliminate a part of that which built America!
I raise hell about neglecting Black history because I want to know
history. Not only do I think I should know it but I think every student
enrolled in school should know it also. The only reason I can think of
that these subjects can’t and shouldn’t be taught is because they
did not happen and that has already been proven to be aUie. These
things did happen and not to teach them is to cripple a student
regardless of what side of town he is raised on. Students all over
America are saying NO MORE LIES, DAMMIT, and everybody
seems to be uptight. Why? We want to know the tnith. We honestly
believe that the truth will set us free, so teach us to live and stop
concentrating so much of your time on teaching us how to pretend we
are making an honest living. We as students deserve to see the many
life styles of fellow Americans and then we can better decide what is
good and what is not good for us as a nation. All we are asking for is the
truth and to be taught more of reality and less of Cinderella. Teach us
fairly and judge us fairly. No more lies... no more buttering up history,
no more iwettying up the ugly, but the truth about life and history as it
was and as it really is. Then and only then can we forgive and reunite
and build something for the future out of the truths, mistakes and
sorrows of the past and present. , Henry Pankey
«C21 '
Film Calendar
THE SEAGULL
THE GODDESS
SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS
THE POINT
MACBETH
THE HARDER THEY FALL
SHIP OF FOOLS
THE INFORMER
BURN, WITCH, BURN
JANUARY 16
JANUARY 23
JANUARY 30
FEBRUARY 6
FEBRUARY 13
FEBRUARY 20
FEBRUARY 27
MARCH 6
MARCH 13
An Interview
With Number Two
:I(S»
“I’ve learned,” exclaimed
Peter Girvin, vice-president of
the SCA, “a hellava lot more
here, than I thought I could
before I came here.” Peter is
{M"esently from Beaufort, N.C.,
and has traveled quite a bit over
the United States with his family.
Among his hobbies are playing
the guitar and harmonica. “And
I’m learning to play the piano,”
he retorted, “which just goes to
show you that the influence from
the other departments is very
strong here.”
“My main goal,” he said, “ is to
leave here with a vast knowle^e
of electricity, a total working
concept of back stage theatrical
experience, several letters of
recommendation and a degree.”
N.C. Essay: Since these are
your goals, do you feel that the
Design and Production depart
ment is helping you to attain
these goals, and has the depart
ment greatly improved since you
first began here?
. .Girvin: Yes, to both questions.
I feel that the Design and
Production department has
greatly improved since I began
here as a Freslmian. I think that
the D. & P. department owes a
great deal to John Synden who
has contributed greatly. 1 feel;
that he came here with specific;
ideas and ways to rennovate the,
department, and he made the.
necessary changes.
However, the department in a
couple of years may not be on a
personal level as it is today,
which to me will definitely hurt
the department greatly. In design
and production, it is obvious that
you have to have a great love for
the arts, and with the loss of the
personal, then the business
be greatly hurt.
N.C. Essay: What do you mean
by business?
Girvin: The design and
production of a show is a
business. It has to have definite
organization and responsibilities,
and then if you personally can’t
uphold your responsibility, then
you will be replaced or left behind
in the business.
..N.C. Essay: After behig here
three years, would you recom
mend this school to your friends?
Girvin: Sure I would and I have
reconunended the School of the
Arts to my friends who are in
terested in a professional career
in the arts.
..N.C. Essay: How. do you
compare our academic depart
ment with other universities?
..Girvin: Since my freshman
year, it has grown quiet a bit,
especially the English depart
ment, which has greatly become
more well round^. I think that
there has been a drastic change
hi the Academic department, and
1 think a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree from here is something to
be very proud of.
I definitely feel that Dean
Baskin has bi^n instrumental in
making these changes. It seems
that he knows exactly how a
student’s life here is, and how
much he can handle
academically along with his art’s
work. I think he is a good dude.
He understands and has the
capability of saying “yes”. I
really think he knows what he is
doing.
Working in the arts is very
hard; every one must give a little
and take a little. We have a good
academic program here and I
think that we retain things from
it.
N.C. Essay: This brings us to
self-study: what is your opinion
of self-study and its benefits?
Does it pahit a concise portrait?
Girvin: Yes, I think that the
self study is very important. A
school should have a frequent self
study. This allows the school to
know itself, knowing exactly how
it is “running the plant.” It is
hard to ask people about a per
sonal job, but you have to know
how the people involved think and
how the school itself projects. I
feel that it will be a long process,
but I feel that it will be beneficial.
N.C. Essay: In talking about
campus life, how has it been
affected?
Girvin: When I first came here,
this campus was like one large
family. There were about ^
students here, and everyone felt a
need to associate with everyone.
It seemed as though everyone
wanted to know everyone else.
But this changed with the social
dianges that affected the entire
country. Everyone began to
break up into their little close-
knit groups that didn’t par
ticularly want to associate with
anyone else. People then were
only concerned with themselves
rather than other people. It is still
li^e this to some degree today.
N.C. Essay: Why are you in
technical production, Peter?
Girvin: My purpose here is to
help others, to be a part of a total
thing - to be a part of the end
product that will bring happiness
to other people and myself.
That’s why I’m in technical
production.
N.C. Essay: What about pet
peeves? Do you have any par
ticular one you would like to
expound on?
Girvin: I do have pet peeves,
but I wouldn’t c^e to dwell on
ttiem at this time. Actually, there
isn’t anything here that really
ticks me off. That is not to say
this school doesn’t have anything
to be changed for of course it
does. It is just like any other
college: there are some things
that you are not going to like
about an administration or
faculty, and there are some that
you do like.
N.C. Essay: Do you think that
there is a drug problem here?
Girvin: No, there is not a drug
problem here. However, there
are times when there are in
sinuations towards the school
about drugs that lead the com
munity to believe that there is
drug activity here. Moreover, to
my knowledge, if students here
do use drugs, they don’t advertise
it.
N.C. Essay; Peter, are there
any particular rules or
regulations that you feel need to
be changed?
Girvin:Certainly, I think there
are too many stiff rules for high
school students. I think that some
major innovations should come
about. These changes should
come from the High School
students themselves, and there
will be some, as soon as the
students realize that they are
getting the shaft. They only get
improvements by asking for
them, and I think that there are
enou^ “together” people that
could get together and get
something done.
N.C. Essay: What about the
Student Council? Do you think
that it has begun to get things
done?
Girvin: Yes, the councU is a
working organization; we are
getting things done. Personally,
I’m not impressed with the public
relations &at we have and the
way that they are being handled.
However, the Happenings and the
Essay do print anjrthing we ask.
The big thing this fall for the
council was getting the Snack
Bar open, which is a student idea
and operation with great support
from the Marriot Corporation.
N.C. Essay: What is your
opinion on Co-ed dorms? Are you
in favor?
Girvin: Yes, I think that it is a
great idea, a fantastic idea. My
reasons would be better security,
an openness and awareness of
others, and I think it would help
imix-ove a good working- living
relationship between the students
here. -Larry Paw
Coming
l^oon
Winter Dance
Workshop
FEB. 8, 9, 10
NCSA Orchestra Concert
JAN. 27
00 0 •«»-O0
Photos in this Issue
t
by William Beck
()•«■»'00 O 0 0 00 0 «»■()