Newspapers / North Carolina Central University … / Dec. 30, 1967, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of North Carolina Central University Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Page Two THE CAMPUS ECHO Saturday, December 30, 1967 Campus^Echo Member ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS THE SGA SAYS Resolutions - - Letter Treats By DOUGLAS GILLS Waste Of Time Black Awareness EDITOR BUSNESS MANAGER.. William Chapman -George D. Reid, Jr. ADVERTISING MANAGERS Robert Chavis, Joyce McGriff MANAGER EDITOR Charles Stokes CIRCULATION MANAGER H. Scott Johnson SPORTS EDITORS JReginald Hodges, Lester Perry TYPISTS Laureen Robinson, Virginia Reynold, Brenda Peterson PROOFREADERS Gayle Franklin, Faye Wynn, Esther Silver REPORTERS Winfred Hooker, Richard Stuart, Granger Martin, Yvonne Taylor, Yvonne Reid. Linda Peoples, Denise Hodge, Marion Spaulding, Carolyn Brown,’ Chrystal Brown, Sandra Lynette Buhus, Rosita Bullock, Sadie Smith, Charles Scott. Carolyn Headen, Getty J. King, Mary Kolb, Margaret Reid, Benjamin Stewards, Barbara Harper, Lois Bell. PHOTOGRAPHERS W. Otto Kent, E. Russell Knight ADVISOR Jean Norris Added Organizational Fund Sought By DOUGLAS GILLS This year, as in many years past, the problem of finding ade quate funds to support the major student organizations has become outstanding. One of the most obvious impediments to effective programs and projects has been that of the student ac tivities budget. There simply is not enough money allotted to the various organizations such as the band. Campus Echo, SGA, £agie, for the fullest exansion of their programs. For instance, since the im plementation of the present $15.00 that each student pays toward student activities, the number of students has in increased, the cost of services and products has tremendously increased while the general ac tivities budget has remained. It has become increasingly diffi cult for these organizations to function and carry out a broad enough program to be felt on the campus. It would be hard indeed for me to point out any particular area in which any department has suffered more than another. However, I must give a few cases; The Eagle yearbook, faced with the dilemma of producing a quality book with less budget than last year, intended to cut freshman pictures to save mon ey. Another case is with the C«mpus Echo which has to be content with a monthly publica tion and a mediocre printing be cause of the limited budget with which they have to work. The Student Government could sponsor a great many of cultural, social and educational activities if it had a larger bud get. I would recommend an in crease in the student activity fee to meet the needs of student or ganizations which have pro grams and needs. The yearbook should have a specific allotment taken from the activity fee paid by each student. I would recommend that gen eral activity fee be increased by $5.00 p>er student and that The Eagle yearbook office be pro vided an allotment of five dol lars per student. I argue that a student would not suffer unduly for having to pay an additional increase of five to ten dollars. There is no sub- stantial difference between $825.00 and $835.00. A student will “blow” ten dollars on any given weekend if he deems it necessary. In the final analysis, if the major student organizations are to provide effective, well-plan ned programs, they must be giv en more money to do so. The other alternatives would be financial death to them. Santa Claus Rooted In Folklore Santa Claus is the traditional bringer of gifts to children at Christmas. The legend has roots de^ in folklore. As in Europe, the Dutch who settled New Am sterdam continued to celebrate the feast day of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myro, Asia Minor, in the 4th century, and several as the patron saint of children. The day was one of giving gifts be cause, according to the tale, kindly St. Nicholas had once furnished marriage dowries for three daughters of a man too poor to provide them himself. Quietly at night the bishop dropped gold pieces down the Cliimney of their poverty strick en cottage. The gold happened to land in stockings by the hearth on Christmas eve. In Am erica the Dutch form of the man St. Nicholas, gradually became altered to Santa Claus and the gift giving holiday was shifted to Christmas. On the Dutch tradition, St. Nicholas rode a gray horse, and he was clothed in the garb of a medieval bishop. For Americans, Washington Irving, in Knicker bocker’s of New York (1809), described him as a jolly Dutch settler who smoked a long pipe and made sounds over the tree- tops in a wagon dropping pre sents down the chimneys. Here is the Santa Claus familiar to day, the merry rotund, little elf with the snow white beard, clad in a bright red suit and cap trimmed with ermine, who slips down chimneys to leave gifts for all good children and then quickly drives away in his sleigh loaded with packages and drawn by eight tiny reindeer. It is an image beloved by children and parents alike, «and the tradition has spread to many lands, Christian and non-Chris tian, around the world. Exchange Of Gifts Ancient Tradition The practice of exchanging presents at Christmas stems from the ancient Roman custom called “Stremae”. During the Saturnalia, Roman citizens used to give “good luck” gifts or fruits, pastry, or gold to their friends on New Year’s Day. On this day in medieval times, the priests used to open the alms- boxes-and distribute the con tents among the poor of the parish. Later it became custo- See Exchange Gifts, Page 4 During my first four months in office, I have had a chance to really study the complex prob lems of student liberalization, student freedom and a re-evalua tion of student imperatives. I have had the opportunity to discuss and confer with many members of student bodies throughout the country, but particularly within our state. Many important areas of stu dent involvement were held in mutual agreement: / (1) Colleges and universities throughout the country are becoming more liberal and progressive in terms of academic and social policies which have a direct effect upon stu dents. (2) To insure the continuation of this “modernization,” the student in general, and not necessarily the “student leaders,” must take an active interest in student and college affairs. (3) Apparent apathy of a vast segment of the coUege community must not im pede the endeavors of concerned students. (4) Programs and activities might be implemented to motivate these apathetic students to become ac tively aware of the prob lems in which they take no apparent interest. (5) Every method short of open violence should be explored to achieve re vision of the college poli cies which impede the at tainment of the funda mental purposes of col leges and universities. Certainly there are other points of view which members of other college campuses hold. There seems to be some disagree ment about the means employed to achieve these ends. There is a definite trend among college administrations to review policies of the college with the view that students should have a more active, participatory voice in high poli cy decision making. They con tinually hold the view that in order to insure that the gradu ates from these colleges are able to adapt to the perplexing reali ties of a worldly existence, they must provide the student with the opportunities, not only to de cide what is best for him, but an opportunity to make choices. This is more important in a larger sense because without the chance to make the choices, a person is sheltiered and never is he exposed to a learning situa tion. The process of learning al so establishes the process of al ternative selection. Thus, if one cannot make choices or select alternates, he is denied a learn ing experience. If we choose not to study for an exam and we flunk it, then we have learned that if we do not study we will not remain in school very long. The same logic should apply to all areas of college life. Colleges are continually ac cepting the view that their pur pose is education, not morals. The purpose of an institution is not to impose moral convictions upon individuals. Our lives are not to be governed in their pri vate capacities outside the class room. One should be regarded By WINFRED HOOKER Most people make New Year’s resolutions. These resolutions are many and varied, but there is usually a common character istic - -they do not last very long. The fact that so many peo ple fail to keep resolutions adds to the enjoyment of the “game.” We await the arrival of New Year’s Day with great enthusi asm with the thought, “This time I’ll keep them for sure.” When we think of the term resolution we usually think of government or law. For exam ple, we might think of a legis lative resolution. A formal defi nition of the word resolution is “an expression of or an opinion of an organization,” according to the Encyclopedia Americana. But today, the definition has broadened tremendoxisly. Usually, when a New Year’s resolution is made, the person making the resolution recognizes a need for improvement. For ex ample, one may resolve to stop smoking, drinking, or staying up all night. Biologists and medical doctors tell us that we should not smoke, drink, or stay up all night excessively, and we know this is true. So, on New Year’s day, we say, “As of now. I’m quitting for good.” It’s a typical case of trying to put mind over matter. The mind prevails temporarily, but soon the ‘nicotine fits’, ‘shakes’ and other symptoms set in. And then it’s aU over. The mind won the first battle, but matter won the war. Probably the most common New Year’s resolution for col lege students is to study harder and make better grades. Here, very few students (if any) can deny the need for harder study. As in most cases, the student who resolves to study harder experiences temporary success. But this success may be due to the fact that the student has to catch up, since he did little stud ying (or none at all) during the Christmas holidays. At any rate, the success is short-lived. Then there are the “smart people” who don’t make New Year’s resolutions. These are the people who have failed so many times that they have finally given up. They don’t see the fun in the “game” and realize that making New Year’s resolutions is in fact a waste of time. Dear Editor: Although I am afraid I might be generalizing in mentioning this, I have noticed and been especially impressed with what seems to me to be a certain awareness, on the part of your staff, of the merit of black con sciousness among our students, as it is being manifested in con temporary American society. I am of the opinion that when black people in America begin, in increasing numbers, to realize the necessity of embracing the philosophy of Black Power - - the EK)wer of education, the power of cultural pride and uni ty, the power of politics, and the power of economics - -then we can cast off that slave men tality that grips us and indeed become members of a truly hu manitarian society. For such a society does not exist with a portion of its members enslaved (psychologically or otherwise) and the other free, some mem bers exploited while others ex ploit, or some members colo nized while others colonize. Yes, the black college has a role to play in preparing black students, not merely to meet the challenges of this society, but to challenge the very basis of the system in which we all live in order to restructure it so that all of its participants can, in actuality, enjoy peace, free dom and justice. For we, the black educated youth of America, must be a- mong those referred to by Messrs. Carmichael and Hamil ton, who so eloquently state in Black Power: The PoliUcs of Liberation In America: “ . . . in the final analysis, white Am erica would save itself a lot of trouble if it did try to under stand and to come to terms with this new black-oriented mental ity. Because one thing stands clear; whatever the consequen ces, there is a growing - -a rap idly growing - -body of black people determined to ‘T.C.B.’ - - take care of business. They will not be stopped in their drive to aciiieve dignity . . .” Floyd W. Hayes, III UCLA -African Studies as any peer outside the college community is regarded. No special or extra treatment, pri vileges, or restrictions should be instituted because of our status. It must be assumed that if the majority of us were not in col lege, we would be married. Therefore, we should be regard ed as reasonably mature and responsible yovmg adults. The very fact that we at North Carolina College are restricted in our actions is imposing upon us an extension of adolescence and denying us the chance to exercise responsibility. Certainly it cannot be argued that we are bold, unstable, and irresponsible. The majority of us are as most young adults act. We are not so old and adjusted that we behave as 40 or 50-year- olds; we should not be expected to. It would be peculiar for us to see our Lady Dean in a mini shirt at a house party and yet we should not be expected to foxtrot or waltz on rhythm and blues records. The two are in compatible. The changes are slowly evolv ing. All will not be accomplish ed overnight. We as individual students must do our part to in sure the institution of further change. We can do this by standing on our feet and chal lenging all of the ridiculous pol- cies imposed upon us. We can effect change by seeing that representatives are doing their share; but by the same token, because they represent you does not mean they should do your thinking. You must active ly participate in the many or ganizations regardless of how ineffective they appear to be. You can make them effective. You can do this by literally communicating your ideas to the student leaders and the appro priate administrative officials. If you have particular grievances, see that they are heard, and see that you get satisfactory answers. Students should participate in all areas of college life in order to show their concern for change. Many policies exist today only because we allow them to be un questionably imposed upon us. “All governments derive their just powers from the consent of See SGA Says Page 3
North Carolina Central University Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 30, 1967, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75