Page Two
THE CAMPUS ECHO
Friday, April 28, 1961
IN RESEARCH TRIANGLE:
KO CIVIL WAR BOOM-BOOM
By Lester M. Carson
It is interesting to note that, in the Research Triangle area,
there has been no pompous observance of the Congress-endorsed.
Civil War Centennial. Farther South, celebrations have ranged
from mere acknowledgements by local Chambers of Commerce to
the glittering, tragi-comical parade held in Montgomery, Alabama,
during which a large number of the citizenry refused to take part,
either because of indifference or scorn.
Perhaps North Carolinians have come to realize that nothing
glorious or patriotic was connected with that conflict, and as a page
of American history should be left to the cold objectiveness of his
torians. Should the greater North Carolina area continue to shun
the Montgomery-type celebrations, then we shall have proof posi
tive that, in the Research Triangle, “progress is our must important
product.”
The nature of the Montgomery “inaugural”, and the firing ofi
ante-bellum cannons at Charleston’s Fort Fisher, is far from the!
didactic nature of the usual holiday routine. These and similar
celebrations encompassed no pleas for the perpetuation of America,
no hoisting of Old Glory, and for varying periods of time the Starsi
and Stripes was subordinated in preference to the Stars and Bars,
an act almost as idiotic and ignominious as was the event it cftni
memorated.
As several church and civic groups have already complained^,
such actions in such hot beds of bigotry a's Charleston and Mont-'
gomery birthed no small amount of ill feeling. The people of North
C&rolina, duly aware of having been “first at Sumter, farthest at
Gettysburg, and last at Appomattox”, apparently prefer the con
tinuance of community well-being to the resurrection of that dis
honorable heritage.
The purpose of the aforementioned festivities is also vague. The
traitors lost the war; is there anything else to commemorate? -One
dedicated Southerner ignored the outcome but praised the “cause”.
So far, this “cause” is yet to be realized by the tradition-mindedi
celebrants. A recent guest of NCC, Marion Wright, remarked that,
in all the ceremonies, “there is no mention of^ the fact that the
Confederacy was created to defend the institution of slavery.”
Wright, an official of the liberal Southern Regional Council, further
stated, “that in the original “Confederate” constitution, there is no
mention of slavery”.
Slavery, to be sure, was the “cause” for which General Le^
abandoned the Union which he had sworn to defend. Truthfully, if
Montgomery or Richmond feel justified in commemorating that
“cause”, then Wall Street should feel equally patriotic in closing its
booths on Benedict Arnold’s birthday.
In the Durham-Greensboro-Raleigh tradition, the sire of hatredi
and bigotry, has given way to conunon sense. Doubtless to say, no
Research Triangle can exist if the attitudes of the populace are un
prepared to grasp the pen of Progress, for it writes only with the
ink produced by a joined community.
tef’s'Kill Coitiiilacency
...All uou 3uu; gona do is
Tnoke. -fhem AIPHhS look bad
If you gooT and moke us look
bad yhre'// ge-fyou euenjfj^ou
over
The waning support of the
NCC students of the theater
protest was no more pronounced
than last' Thursday when 91 stu
dents from the sister institutions
of Durham walked in front of
the Center and Carolina theaters
as opposed to no NCC students.
We have been accused of mass
complacency. We have been ac
cused of this all too familiar
disease all too long. But when
we are faced with a decision of
whether to' let others bear our
cross of shame for us while we
relax in the throes of segregated
contentment, or whether to roll
up our sleeves to the task and
bear our own burdens, then we
should ‘give up the ghost’ of
complacency and die fighting.
It is not enough to render
passive support to a movement
that is so meaningful, that is so
vital to every citizen of the
United States and even more so
to the entire Universe.
We must not let our support
of the fight for civil rights lag.
We* must declare ‘demonstra
tion’ days, if necessary for the
entire college. On such a day,
every student who is enrolled
here must support some phase of
the sit-in-for a designated period
of time. Allowances must be
made for the honest and sincere
demonstrator, giving regards to
such minor offenses as tardiness
from class (for above mentioned
reasons), students must make
sacrifices of time—sometimes
giving up the recreation hour
entirely to walk the picket lines.
We do not advocate failure to
do class assignments for this
cause, but our SG president,
Lacy Streeter, has answered this
problem by saying: “Social ac
tion does not interfere with
academic excellence, instead so
cial action may interfere with
SOCIALIZING.”
And so, when there is a ques
tion of socializing or Social Ac-
tion, we will not be accused of
‘mass complacency’. On the
other hand, we will take action
immediately in resuming full
force the fight for civil rights.
LETTERS...
Thanks For Hospitality
Dear Miss Jarman;
My visit to N.C.C. campus last
week for the Religious Empha
sis Programs was made so pleas
ant by the response and courtesy
of all the students and faculty
whom I met, that through the
Echo, I want to express the
gratitude I feel to the entire
student body.'
It seemed to me that most of
you, with whom I had the privi
lege of speaking, were seeking
more than grades and degrees—
that you wanted to get from
your courses and discussions as
much knowledge of the “mean
ing of life” as possible. When
thi pre-eminent quality of seek
ing is present, then all fields,
whether economics or English
literature, the Baha’s World
Faith and Christianity or the)
dialogues of Socrates, become
treasure-troves of insight into
the significance of life into
which we can help each other
delve.
Being with you for a week
was a bounty for me and an ex
perience I deeply enjoyed.
Sincerely,
Allan L. Ward
Student Center Need
Editor’s note:
This letter was written in be
half of the student body of
North Carolina College at Dur
ham by Mr. Watts Carr, Jr.,
President of the Durham Cham
ber of Commerce. We are very
grateful to him for recognizing
the need for writing such a
letter.
Durham Chamber of Commerce
February 23, 1961
Honorable James Stickeleather,
Chairman Senate Appropria
tions Committee
North Carolina Senate
Raleigh, North Carolina
Dear Jim:
As president of the Durhan>
Chamber of Commerce, I an^
very much interested in the con
tinued growth of the fine State
Institution we have here in the
North Carolina College. Speak
ing for our organization, I'
strongly urge that your com
mittee reconsider the omission
of a Student Center by the Ad
visory Budget Commission. It is
my understanding that one-half
Joe: I’m , and am pleas
ed to meet you.
Visitor: What’s your classifi-i
cation?
Joe: Classification?
V. To which year do you be
long?
J. Oh! I’m (any given year).
V. Did you transfer or have
you been here all the time?
J. Oh, I’ve been here.
V.. What’s your major?
J. Haven’t decided yet.
V. Will they let you stay
here that long without choosing
your major area?
J. Well, I decide, then I
change each semester. That way
I am safe from being Sent home.
Not that anyone is ever asked
to leave, school isn’t that well
heeled financially.
V. Do you like it here?
J. Can’t say as I do.
V. What do you like about
your school?
J. ......
V. What do you wish were
different?
J. Everything!
V. Like what?
J. First of all, the Dean. Not
the dean of men, but, you know,
the big “L.” Looks like she
would let the girls decide how
the cost of this center has been
guaranteed by the college. I cer-
tainy hope that you can see fit
to reinstate the appropriation
for this much needed facility.
Very truly yours,
Durham Chamber Of
Commerce
Watts Carr, Jr.
President
WC,Jr./Inc.
A similar letter was sent to
the Chairman of the House Ap
propriations Committee.
Better Editorials
Dear Editor:
As I compare your editorial,
in the September issue of the
Campus Echo with your editor
ial in the March issue, I find a
distinct and remarkable im
provement in the two. It ap
pears as if you have taken a
stand on every issue and that
you have followed your convic
tions in what you believe.As I
evaluate you as an editor I find
that you will speak your mind
and will not try to play “poli
tics” like some editors in the
past.
I think very few students act
ually know the problems and
late to stay out. Pity that all
those beautiful girls have to be
in at sundown.
V. Is that the only improve
ment you hope for?
J. If “she” would take her
hands off the ladies, things
wojald be so much better. What
are they to her anyway.
V. Over in the AM I rem
ember seeing something about
self-direction. How does that ap
ply to you?
J. Doesn’t.
V. Do you mean that as a
student, you are not permitted
to exist under this policy of
self-direction? It sounds pretty
ideal.
J. That what it is. An idea.
Born and died the same day.
V. What do you say to that?
J. Well. Like I said before.
The Dean'won‘t let the girls be
sef-directed. All these laws.
Freshmen in at 6:30 sopho
mores, yahhhh,; only the seniors
can stay out at a pretty decent
hour, and who wants to take a
senior out.
V. So that’s all self-direction
applies to, the curfew hours?
J. Well, I can’t think of any
thing else.
V. If the rules were waived.
headaches of an editor. Besides
facing the problems of trying to
meet the dead line, he must try
and find reliable and competent
workers.
Although you may have re
ceived some criticisms as editor
you should realize that no one
can please everybody. As I see
the duty of the editor, it is to
present the news no matter who
is involved. I think that you
have tried to be objective in
presenting the news.
I believe that the best or the
most inspiring editorial that you
have writen so far this year,
was the one in February issue
of the Campus Echo. There is no
doubt that every college shoul^
have and probably will require
its students to take the Scho
lastic Aptitude Test that is now
being administrated by other
colleges and universities in the
state.
I must say that you have
proven that even though a per
son may not know much about
journalism, with a desire and
hard work, anyone can become
a good editor.
Lenwood G. Davis
the girls stayed out, would you
be satisfied?
J. Sure If the girls could go
to the night clubs, such as they,
have here. You see, I think
drinking with moderation is
quite all right. I mean, why be
unrealistic. Everybody, even
President Kennedy, takes at
least one. Drinking is socially
acceptable. In some cases, you
have to be able to drink to mix,
with the group, bo I think the
girls oughta be able to go to
the clubs and drink, sociably.
V. Isn’t it about time for
class?
J. Yah, but I’m cuttijig to
day.
V. Cutting?
J. When I’m absent, they
give me a cut, unless I can get
the roll checker to let me slide.
Three cuts and they start taking
grade points.
V. That gives me an idea. If
everyone were self-directed, and
a^le to go to the nightclubs, do
you think everyone would be
able to go to class enough to
pass if the ^ut system were
taken away?
J. Better leave the cut sys
tem alone. It helps me to go to
(continued on page 3)
CamP“50Echo
Member
ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS press
The CAMPUS ECHO, official student publication at North Carolina College
at Durham, is pubHshed monthly during the regular school year. Subscription
rate, $1.50 per school year.
Second-class mail privilege authorized at Durham, N. C.
Editor-in-Chief CYNTHIA JAHMAN
Managing Editor WltXJE HALL
Sports Editor LESTEK CARSON
Feature Editor HAROLD FOSTER
Literary Editors ELSIE ARRINGTON, SHERYL SCHOOLER
Exchange Editor MABLE HICKS
Fashion Writers VIRGINIA WEATHERS,'JACQUELYN BROWNING
Cartoonists JOHN MITCHELL, WILLIE NASH, BEN PETERSON
Columnists JOSEPH GOODWATER. HARRISON WILLOUGHBY'
REPORTERS: Guytanna Horton, Alice Poston, Brenda Brown, Yvonne Jones,
WllUe Simpson, Barton Graham, Frances Rogers, Sarah Peterson. Christine
Brown, Shirley Foust, George Garlington, James Robinson. Marva StargeU,
Doris Mitchell, Chinita Trotter. Gladys HiUiard, Lillie Sauls, Gloria Gaston,
Barbara Forbes.
Mr. Average College: A Dialogue