'T'l 1 he Decree VOL. 7, NO. 4 North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, N.C. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8,1991 Wesleyan helps youths make PIT Stop By NICOLE COX It is often said that today’s college students are apathetic and do not care about helping others, but third-year Johnston Fellows at Wesleyan are running a pro gram which is far from apathetic — the Peer Interaction Tutoring (PIT) Stop in conjunction with the Cities in Schools program. According to Cities in Schools (CIS) teacher Shelly Willingham, CIS is a “national non-profit or ganization that works with stu dents in the sense of providing them support.” CIS addresses the many needs of youth at highest risk of educational, social, and economic failure, and them brings them together with community organizations to help meet these students’ needs. Wesleyan students are cur rently working with CIS to help combat the problems that, ac cording to the N.C. Child Advo cacy Institute, affect nearly 300,000 students across the state. Under the PIT Stop program. LIBERAL STUDIES SEMINAR MEMBERS POSE NEAR CAPITOL IN WASHINGTON Seminar visits Washington By DAVILYN CAGLE A group of eight students in Dr. Navangul’s Liberal Studies Seminar class spent the day Nov. 1 in Washington, D.C. When they arrived, finding a legal parking space was difficult, so Dr. Navangul and one student searched while the others quickly toured the White House. When tlie two groups merged, the posed for a photograph and briefly toured a quilt exhibit in a small arm of the Smithsonian Institu tion. Two of tlie students split apart from the rest of the group and began their own joiuney. After a lengthy walk, the group of seven stopped in a gazebo-like place to get a drink of water and sit down. While four students went to see if Congress was in session at the House of Representatives, the others sat and rested. Eventually, Dr. Navangul and the others left, too. On the way, they saw Speaker of the House Thomas Foley. Af ter only minutes, the group got bored and divided again. Some went to the Air and Space Mu seum, another group went to an art museum, and Dr. Navangul went elsewhere. Around 4 p.m., the entire group met back at the van to de- fireshmen students from Edwards Junior High School in Rocky Mount meet weekly with volun teer tutors at Wesleyan. During 60-minute sessions, homework is reviewed, difficult subjects are tutored, and the stu dents get the opportunity to de velop a personal relationship as well. The Wesleyan tutors serve as role models, sharing problems with the youth and encouraging them to stay in school. Says Shannon Farrow, a freshman at Edwards, having a tutor “really helps a lot. I know that whenever I have a problem, she’ll be there to help.” (Continued on Back Page) Wesleyan gets $30,000 grant for Bellemonte part from Washington, D.C. “If nothing else, the trip made everyone a little more well- rounded,” one student said. “The whole trip was very in teresting and I’m glad I got a chance to visit the nation’s capi- tol,” said Richard Brennan. “When we arrived at Washington, D.C., I was like in a dream state. I have a list in my head of tilings and places I’d like to see, and D.C. was one of them.” “During the trip the whole LSS class grew closer to each other,” another student said, “and of all the things we did this was the most beneficial.” North Carolina Wesleyan College has received a national grant totaling $30,000 from the Hillsdale Fund based in Greens boro to restore the interior of the Bellemonte House, the campus’ national historic landmark. The College wants to make Bellemonte House into a regional meeting facility where the ex change of ideas and formulation of plans for the future of eastern North Carolina can take place. “We are excited at the prospect of providing the region with a meeting place,” said Wesleyan President Dr. LesUe H. Gamer, Jr. “The College is the perfect setting for area leaders to gather and produce plans to strengthen and boost eastern North Caro lina.” As the College continues its commitment to the region, it seeks to become a forum where ideas that will shape the future of the region can be explored. But such a forum requires space for meet ings of business, govemment, and education officials as well as conferences and seminars where students, faculty, and community leaders can confront problems and solutions. There currently is no regional center for discussion, consultation, and the exchange of views. The planned restoration of Bellemonte House will not only provide such a regional center and meet the public service aspirations of the College, it will also pre serve an important part of the culture of the region. The House was built perhaps as early as 1815, and the N.C. Department of Ar chives and History says it is among the finest examples of Federal architecture in the state. Established in 1963, the Hillsdale Fund places an empha sis on private elementary and secondary education, social ser vices, and the arts. It also gives support to activities concerning the environment, media, health care, civil liberties, and religion. The fund makes both single- and multiple-year grants for general purposes, building funds, and equipment and materials. Inside Anderson visits ..,Page 3 Loads of letters ,»Page 5 NCAA tournament ,,.Pag€ 7