Page Two
THE CAMPUS ECHO
November 30, 1964
Gitn
p..
_
Echo
Member
associated collegiate press
Letters To Editor View Dining Hall, Other Problems
Charles Clinton
Gloria Snipes
Gordon Moore and Harold Foster .
Nathaniel Currie
Reginald Durante
Ronald E. Jones
Joyce Hill
Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
News Editors
Business Manager
Exchange Editor
Advertising Manager
Secretary
Ever Lee Hairston
Assistant Secretary
Yvonne Allison, Robert Seldon, Robert Moorman — Feature Editors
John T. Clemons
_ Columnist
Robert Evansr Douglas Gills, Lestee Perry Sports Editors
Dianne Page, Sandra Page, Barbara Marable, Catherine Holmes,
Phyllis Harris, Malissa Felton, Betty Wilson, James Williams
Barbara Williams, Charles Sutton, Jeanette Shaw, Ruth Whitehead,
Margaretta Brown, Rufus Horton, Richard Mizelle, Dianne Bryant,
Charles O'NeU Reporters
James Newton Cartocmist
Jean Norri* Advisor
3.
4.
5.
Dear Editor,
My reason for writing this
letter is to focus attention on
the Dining Hall line problem.
Heretofore the students merely
ganged up in front of the door
and when it opened everyone
went for themselves. I was
usually one of these pushing
and I admit that it looked bad
for college people to act in such
an imcivilized way. Now, how
ever, there is a policy whereby
the students will line up and
the security will pass out num
bers. This method has worked
quite well, but now the security
officers have a tendency to act
uncivilized. People are bypassed
at the front of the line who
have been standing for 30 or 40
minutes and numbers are hand
ed out at the back of the line.
If one sticks up for his rights
and goes in to the Dining Hall
and eats without a mmiber, he
is penalized a dollar. Something
has to be done. I admit that
Apathy Of Student Body Challenged
In the past issues of the Campus Echo you have read con
troversial editorials pertaining to the attitudes and actions of in
structors and the administration toward the students here at North
Carolina College. But it is quite evident that these editorials have
had little effect on the student body.
It seems that the only way to awaken the student body is by
force. Articles have failed to break the complaceny that exists on
our campus. Is it necessary to take the words of the English
philosopher John Locke, “The only way for some people to be
free is by force,” and we exemplify this on our campus.
We took our problems in the form of grievances to ttie ad
ministration, the registrar concerning registration, the book store
operator on the matter of courtesy. Certain officials retaliated by
saying that an important factor in the problem is the fact that the
family income of the average NCC student is an average of $2,500.
Now, we ask, “How does an income affect his attitude to
wards various ideas.” For example, in the spring of 1962-63,
when the civil rights issue was pressing, all of the students stood
firmly against this oppressors. This shows that this action is not
based on income but a result of their beliefs.
Before the Administration will open it’s ears and hear our
pleas, we and our friends, and neighbors, must rid ourselves, of
this air of complacency that exists here at N. C. C. If this is not
done, not tomorrow but today, everything that our Student Con
gress and our Student Government Association are fighting for
will be lost.
Our fight for self-government, our plea for extension of the
right of women, our desires for generally more suitable young-adult
conditions will be lost.
Again, unless this arrogant, ultra-conservative attitude that
prevails at N. C. C. is cast away, we will forever remain un
developed children in a highly developed society.
Student Court Proposed Necessity
North Carolina" College’s Student Congress is presently ap
proving a bill for the establishment of a student court. The ques
tion has been raised, “How valid is the student court?”
In the past, the students of North Carolina College have been
under the reins of the Welfare Committee. And the three deans
(Men, Women, Students) and they have taken the responsibility of
deciding how the students should be judged in regard to the “break
ing” of the laws set forth by the administration. But the present
heads of the Student Congress and the S. G. A. have found that
these branches of the administration are in fault:
1. They deny self-government.
2. They present incriminatory statements that premit and
imply settlements by two options:
a. Demand of student signature upon incriminat
ing documents which invariably leads to a persecu
tion complex and further reprisals.
b. Denial of fifth amendment.
They request students to appear before the bodies with
out pre-knowledge of the accusation.
They set into motion an incriminating and unwholesome
atmosphere prior to student appearance.
They further misrepresent by invalid acceptance of evi
dent without justification.
It was stated by Dr. Massie in his first address to the students
at North Carolina College that this institution is here to help
build men and women and to create and to instill within them
a sense of responsibility. Now, I ask you what kind of responsibility
is here when the students are not given a chance to judge and self-
govern themselves?
In foreign affairs particularly on the continent of Africa, stu
dent revolt was necessary in order to obtain freedom of democratic
ideas. In our own country a massive struggle for civil rights has
made the democratic ideal more meaningful. One would wonder if
such a struggle is necessary between common people to obtain
a common goal at our own college.
The Student Court proposed by the Student Government and
Student Congress is based on a similar scale equivocal to that of
the United States Supreme Court. There will be nine justices
composed of competent students, who in the opinion of the Con
gress and the President of the Student Government Association, are
capable individuals.
When the students of North Carolina College ask for some
minor changes in order that their stay here may be more pleasant
and administered more justly, they are confronted with this: The
students at Duke, Carolina, East Carolina, A & T, etc. do not have
this and that thing. But the administration must take into con
sideration that “that Eagle ain’t no ordinary barnyard fowl,” and
we as students are to be treated accordingly. In an article in the
New York Times of August of 1963 it was written that the most
promising and progressive predominately Negro school in the
Nation is North Carolina College at Durham.
Now, this should tend to enlighten the administration on exact-
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ly how leaders should act. We, should take that initial plunde and
be prepared to lea^ the way for others to follow.
We are not Duke, Carolina, East Carolina, but we are North
Carolina College at Durham. We are an institution composed of a
number of individuals, who are seeking to meet this society in
which we live, head-on. It seems that at the rate we are going the
student here will plunge into this “asphalt jungle” handicapped
and imdeveloped. This is due to the fact that we are not given a
choice to prepare ourselves for life.
Therefore, if the administration and the faculty of North Caro
lina College are to prepare us for life, they must do it through all
channels, be they small or large. And the initial step in that direc
tion is to give the students a chance to govern themselves, so that
when they enter society, they are prepared.
The Student Court is a necessity and a must, and if the stu
dents are to be men and women, they should be given the chance.
Probation List Reveals Deficiency
Students, let us take stock of ourselves. In the past the Echo
has voiced the complaints on the students’ behalf. We discussed
various aspects of college life, in particular cases, we brought up
matters concerning respect, courtesy, decision more suited to adult
students than those existing. In this flood of complaints, we have,
it is true, failed to emphasis that our primary objective as students
is to obtain an education. But we have done so because we assume
that studies are always the first concern.
The present mid-term probation list; however, includes one
third of the total undergraduate population of North Carolina Col
lege. The time has come for us to look at this aspect of student life.
This fact alone indicates our shortcoming; it further indicates
that we are not pursuing our academic endeavors. And it sets
precedent of a lack of values, neglect of intellectual pursuit, and
scholarly ability.
You ask what is the reason for this deficiency. Obviously, it
lies in the lack of self-motivation. We fail in our prime purposef
by:
1. Socialization
a. Failing to use the Library for exactly what it is
worth
b. Too frequent visits to the canteen
c. Continuous riding of the “iron horse”
2. Mediocre attitudes toward education
a. Rationalization of techniques employed by instruc
tors
b. And lack of individuality to pursue and obtain
knowledge even in the face of peer criticism.
In the spring of 1964, it was stated that the Echo is the “voice”
of the students which not only involves more than the common
everyday occurrences, but the basis of refinement of our re
sources for a prosperous, worthwhile, and meaningful life.
So, students adhere to what has been said—live up to the name
of N. C. C. Let the first semester have more students on the
honor-roll and no one on the final probation.
there should be a way of regu
lating the lines so as to prevent
cutting; but something also ha8
to be done or incompetent offi
cers who make it a habit of
passing out numbers from the
rear of the line and giving smart
quips when someone asks why. I
ask why. I ask the students of
NCC, are we paying our money
to be deprived of our rights and
to receive smart aleck remarks
when we ask why? This is one
of many injustices I have
noticed going on around cam
pus. It is my hope that by my
expressing my views on this
particular matter, other stu
dents will do likewise and may
be we can rid ourselves of some
of the injustices that confront
us.
Eddie L. McCarter
Dear Editor,
Should students receive over
cuts in classes because they
don’t attend? This is a serious
question that should be given
a great amount of consideration.
Should a student decide he
wants to sleep late on a particu
lar day, whose business it is
but his? Should he become ill
and not feel like attending class,
who is missing the material
covered in class? Should he de
cide to take a week’s vacation,
whose concern is it?
On the other hand, if the cut-
system were not in effect, I be
lieve that a great many of our
students would stay up all night
playing cards, dancing or clown
ing and sleep all day. The only
time they would attend class
probably would be exam time.
Personally, I am not in favor
of the cut-system. I think that
a student knows his ability and
capacity and if he wishes to
over-cut, it should be up to him
to decide.
I suggest that the adminis
tration leave the decision to the
individual. After all, who’s pay
ing the bill, the facility or the
student?
Margretta Teachy
Dear Sir:
To begin with, I should say
that actions make a man; and
you can call yourself an adult
if you are able to differenti
ate good from bad; annoyance
from pleasure. You should treat
your neighbors as yourself. As
a member of the student body
at North Carolina College, I am
forced to feel the same pressure
felt by my college mates in re
gard to forming the lines out
side the college cafeteria.
I presume we are all grown
ups, people concerned about
their neighbors, people willing
to reflect the good image of
North Carolina College, people
looking ahead to accept re
sponsible offices when we get
out of the college. But, do you
think a visitor would be pleased
to get the letter “T” formed in
front of the cafeteria? If, those
of us, who are still cutting the
lines before nvunbers are issued,
can bear In mind that cutting
is dishonest, I assume there ia
no need for having security of
ficers. It might be remembered
that we are not behind bars,
security officers are here to pro
tect college properties from de
struction. I am wondering what
is going to happen when the
weather turns cold.
There has to exist a degree
of co-operation among the
servers on the supply lines. For
example, line number “3” for
the students with cut slips is
supposed to be offering a quick
service, but many times it is
the slowest line. It is not sur
prising for a student to wait for
(See Letters, Page 6)