Page Two
THE CAMPUS ECHO
Monday, October 31, 1966
Campus© Echo
Member
ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS
Aaron R. Graham
Warren Leggett
Charles Stokes
Christyal Brown
Douglas Gills
Norma Brown
Felix Polly
Betsy Washington
Carlton L. Lloyd
Editor-in-Chief
Business Manager
Managing Editor
Feature Editor
Sports Editor
Executive Secretary —
Circulation Manager
Advertising Manager
Cartoonist _ , ,
Columnist Pat Washington, Floyd Ferebee, L. Thurston Vick
Reporters Carol Jones, Linda Weston, Grova L. Bridges,
John Banks, Rufus Goldston, Bessie Dingle, Sadie Smith,
Andre Talley, John Mizelle, Mildred McKiever, Karen
Haynes, Hilda Durham, Sandra Larkins, Joyce Grant, William
Chapmon, Quentine Finch.
Typists Joyce McNeil, Melissa Sampson, Linda Moore, Brenda
Peterson
Proofreaders Brenda Hart, Faye Wynn,
Brenda Carpenter
Advisor Jean Noms
Faculty - Student Barrier Evident
By Aaron R. Graham
Education finds itself in a very similar state as does de
mocracy. Someone has said that democracy may not be the best
form of government but it is the best which has been devised thus
far. Our educational system may not be the best but it appears
to be the best our educational wizards could construct. Neverthe
less, along with this system comes conditions which place the stu
dent in the position of fighting for survival in our fast moving
society and the instructor as a hurdle that he must stride over.
This problem is a result of our educational system and not of the
student or faculty. We wish to address ourselves to this problem.
In the recent faculty-student leadership conference held at
Capahosic, Virginia, one glaring necessity made its way to the sur
face. This necessity is a very serious need for breaking the opposi
tion barrier between faculty and student. Students and faculty
seem to feel a need to secure “arms” and defeat the other side. A
very militaristic attitude exists between most faculties and student
bodies. For the student, educational success hinges on how well
he fights on the academic battleground.
The whole idea of opposition between the faculty and students,
as we forestated, is not caused by either entirely. The core of the
cause lies more specifically in the educational methods that we
use today.
Two necessary evils in education today are tests and grades.
For the student, he feel that he must master these so-called
measurenaents of intellect; if he does not, the academic “ax”
whacks off his head. The instructor is caught up in this upheaval
by having to administer this necessary evil.”
From the very educational genesis in colonial America, the
teacher began to put on garb that has p>erpetuated the image in
the mind of students that teachers feel that they are not to be
questioned. The colonial student had to sit and “listen to the word,”
daring not to ruffle the feathers of the instructor. Of course
the above statement is not as true today as it was to the colonial
student. But we, as students today, still have a black cloud over
our heads about instructors.
The question now is what can we do as faculty and students,
to improve relationships.
One point brought out at the student-faculty conference was
that students need to leam how to conceptualize. It is true that
students need to be able to state their grievances in one, two,
three form. It perturbs us, however, that many expect this of our
students yet faculty members have not invested enough in their
teaching methods to teach the student how to think. Many in
structors are oriented to what the book says as being the pure
gospel so much so that involvement in letting the student opinion-
ate is generally absent from many classrooms. We agree that stu
dents need to conceptualize but the accuser’s finger should not
point at the students alone but also at those who teach them.
We hold our hand up against those who feel that the Negro
■students score less on the standardized test than whites because
they are not as bright. It does, however, indicate that of the test
ing services at many predominantly Negro schools are only good
for having the sign on the door in bold print reading, “Testing Ser
vices.” Most predominantly white schools prepare their students
to take standardized examinations. Many give their students sam
ple tests of the one to be taken. In contrast, the Negro student is
sent into these examinations with his pencil and a slap on his back
and a God-be-with-you attitude. It is unfair for us to kid our
selves about this fact. Testing services and related departments
on the Negro college campuses need a very real dedication to
their jobs.
One thing which helped the Capahosic conference become a
success was the informality of it. This is a definite step in the
right direction to destroying the student-faculty barrier. Students
did not view the faculty and administrators completely on a func
tionalistic tesis but as people. In the struggle to overcome this
barrier of opposition between faculty and students, students will
have to view faculty members as being individuals. The road to
making this real involves faculties setting up a more informal re
lationship in their classrooms. It smacks with a bitter taste to
know that some instructors feel that students should not find out
that they are really people. Some have the attitude that in order to
have respect, they must be as formal as possible.
Students who participated in the conference said that the con
ference changed many of their ideas about the faculty and the
faculty conceded that they saw an enlightened side of students.
This is all good to hear but visits to Capahosic are rare, or for
that matter, student-faculty conferences are seldom held. Students
and faculty meet almost daily, however, in the classroom and yet
there exists this idea of each group banding together and defeat
ing the other. One way to get at this problem is for the faculty mem
bers to open their homes more to students.
Recreation or leisure time of faculty members and students
should have guidelines considering the level of basic interest of
the two groups. To promote a more relaxed relationship, joint
activities are a real jewel. A monthly get to together of faculty
and students in the Student Union would not hurt any of us. In
vitations to majors to visit one of the departmental member’s homes
to exchange similar interests and discuss new and better career
possibilities is another means of creating better rapport between
students and teachers.
It appears to us that at the moment the shattering of the
barrier between faculty members and students is still a distant
reality.
Henderson Talks
On Rhodesia
Black vs: White Labor
In Rhodesia
Professor Ian Henderson, a
former history teacher at the
University of Rhodesia, spoke
to an audience of NCC students
and faculty members on Octo
ber 3 on race relations in Rho
desia.
Professor Henderson, who
took his studies in England and
Oxford, was the consultant for
the Encyclopedia African and
The Revision of African His
tory.
Professor Henderson opened
his speech by discussing the
wage differentials between the
white ruling class and black
nlasses. He revealed that the
Africans are highly deprived of
the essentials of life. His quoted
figures of wage differentials in
dicated that the Africans re
ceive approximately $40 a
month and the Rhodesians of
European extraction receive
$300 a month.
Henderson attributed the
wage differential to the histori
cal background of Rhodesian’s
labor migration. He stated that
since the labor migration of
Rhodesia began in the 1920’s,
whites have consistently re-
ceiveed higher wages.
/ There are two classes of
people in Rhodesia according to
Henderson, the rich and the
poor. The poor are mostly farm
ers and failure of crops consti
tutes a disaster. He referred to
such a catastrophe in 1966 when
crops failed, causing the death
of thousands of African chil
dren.
Professor Henderson closed
with the point that political
power must precede the im
provement of economic condi
tions.
-NCC EnroUs-
(Continued from Page 1)
brary science students, and 53
law students. Females enrolled
in all schools total 1,957 while
the male enrollment is 1,227.
Comprising the total of 3,184
are 2,898 full-time and 286
part-time students, McMillon
said.
ROVING REPORTER
By Bessie Dingle
Question: How do you feel
ahout the class attendence law
at North Carolina College?
Susan Ellis, a sophomore
majoring in History from
Greensboro, N. C. “The class
attendance law is basically
sound in its purpose; however,
I feel that under some circum
stances it should be disregard
ed. It is also my belief, though,
that the mature college student
does not need this law because
he is able to decide whether he
needs to go to class or not.”
Gilbert 0. Ford, freshman
majoring in Business Adnjdni-
stration from Gastonia, N. C.
“I feel that the law is very un
fair. I feel that if a student can
keep up with his work and
maintain good grades, he should
have to go to class only at exam
time.”
William Hailey, a sophomore
majoring in Accounting. “Class
attendance is a matter of want
ing to or not wanting to.
Knowledge is not gained by
one’s presence in class but by
his desire to acquire it.”
Susie A. Purvis, a junior ma-
jorin in English from Williams
ton, N. C. “It should be entire
ly up to the students whether
they go to classes or not. They
paid their money and if they
profit from it better by cutting
class, then let thjm cut at their
own discretion.”
Stuart A. Broome, senior ma
joring in Health Education from
Hickory, N. C. “Since the in
structor is given an alternative
of turning in cuts, the rule re
mains somewhat the same in
that most instructors advocate
no more than three cuts.”
Samuel Coleman, senior, ma
joring in Physical Education
from High Point, N. C. “I feel
that most students should know
exactly when they should at
tend class. Since we are con
sidered "grown-ups” we should
be treated accordingly. After all,
we are paying our own bills.”
Beverly Washington, fresh
man, majoring in Math from
Durham, N. C. “I don’t like it.
For one thing, if a student is
late in registering he receives
cuts for not bei«g in class I
don’t like the idea of receiving
three cuts on the day before
Ciiristmas.”
Thelma Johnson, sophomore
majoring in Physics from Eliza
bethtown, N. C. “Really, I think
that it should be up to the stu
dent as to whether or not he
wants to cut classes. I also real
ize that the college must have
some kind of standards. But if
we the students are to be
grown-ups, why not treat us
like we af'e. After all, it is our
money that is being wasted.”
Barbara Corbett, sophomore.
Social Science major from
Elizebethtown, N. C. “The class
attendance law is meaningful in.
its own way. For those who
need restriction as far as class
attendance is concerned, this
law is favorable; but for those
who are able to weigh the pros
and cons as to whether they
should attend class or not, this
restriction is not needed.”
Rosella D. Allen, freshman
majoring in Home Economics
from Wilson,N. C. “To me it is
all right with anyone who wants
to cut his class. I think class
is very important.”
Dorothy Shaw, junior major
ing in Art from RIeigh, N. C.
“I feel that the class attendance
law is an insult to the thinking
ability of the student. If a stu
dent can go to class once during
a semester and get his work, he
should be given extra grade
points instead of subtracting
from what he has. I imagine
that the administration is at
tempting to protect those among
us who don’t think wisely, but
I feel that they should have
been protected enough in the
secondary schools.”
Charles D. James, sophomore,
majoring in Business Admini
stration from Wilson, N. C. “I
feel this law is much too strict.
If it has to be controlled by
school government to keep stu
dents from failing, I think they
should increase the number al
lowed, otherwise let students
be on their own as far as being
present when tests or inform
ation of importance is being
given. I definitely oppose sub
tracting grade points because
the stuent is most likely to make
a low grade by missing class
regularly.”
William Henderson, graduate
student from Danville, Virginia.
“I think any class attendance
law is ridiculous. If a student
feels he can do well in a course
by not attending, why should
(See Roving Reporter, Page 4)