December II, 1975
The Pendulum
Choose your major: Accountants find jobs
by Dr. AUen B. Sanders
“Help Wanted — Elon
graduate, accounting. Several
years experience. CPA
preferred, but not required. To
be controller of growing firm.
Salary 420,000 to $24,000. "
Although worded as a
classified ad, the foregoing is a
summary of an actual request
received by telephone last
month. According to the Sunday
newspaper magazine Parade
(Nov. 9, 1975), two Stanford
University Ph.D. graduates have
made a study that is of interest to
job-seeking college gradu »es.
They found that business and
engineering majors have a better
chance of finding employment
than majors in other subjects.
The American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants
conducts an annual supply and
demand study of four-year
college graduates majoring in
accounting and the demand for
them in the public accounting
profession. The latest study
indicates that about 17,000
graduates are needed in the
public accounting field by 1978.
The "market ready" supply of
graduates by 1980 is expected to
be between 22,000 and 33,000,
living from 5,000 to 16,000 to
fill accounting vacancies in
commercial governmental and
other institutions other than CPA
firms. A study of employment
outlook for business and
management graduates in the
South published in 1975 by the
Southern Regional Educational
Board concludes that the outlook
for accountants is favorable. The
jobs are there for those people
who prepare for them.
What is accounting?
The primary function of an
accountant is to provide
information on which economic
resource-allocation decisions are
Fighter pilot back on ground
im
Fred and Jane Watts (Photo: ECNB)
by Mark Sauer
When a person reaches the age
of 46 he is expected to be fairly
well entrenched in a way of life.
However, Dr. Frederic T. Watts
is the antithesis of that concept.
He has hammered the swords of
his past into plowshares to will
uncultivated minds for the
future.
From appearances, one would
hardly think that Dr. Watts had
flown aircraft in three military
conflicts that spanned a 28-year
career in the Marine Corps. He
by no means spent all that time
clutching the stick in a cockpit.
He took a B.S, at Nebraska in
1963 and leh the George
Washington University clutching
an M.S. sheepskin in 1966. But it
would be some years before
Watts would decide to change
professions.
"I had just returned from
Vietnam and was on staff at the
Army War College teaching
geo-politics and coming up for
possible selection as brigadier
general when I made the decision
to return to school." The now
retired colonel attended the
University of South Carolina
where he worked in international
studies, with his dissertation
covering a comparative study of
the three India-Pakistan wars.
Masculine Femininity is becomii^ a fad
by Do—y EaCoo
In regard to persoaal
^pearances. it is taken for
granted that the femak is the ooe
who primps and polishes in
preparation for the nocturnal
rendezvous. The male is known
for the last-minute dashes
through the shower, into
whatever clothes are handy, and
over to the appointed place. The
latter is a dying species with the
coming of male cosmetics. Men
no longer hide behind bathroom
doors while trying to make
themselves more appealing to the
ladies. Where once a man's
concern for his appearance was
considered a sign of femininity, it
is now merely casual grooming.
However, it is possible to carry
anything too far.
This is the typical morning of
the typical turkey at good ol'
Elon College.
8 a.m.: The All-American
yoitth shampoos his razorcut hair
with the latest in natural
ph-balanced essence of
strawberry with scrambled^ e^
protein. ••
6:07: Now that the shaihlMx)
has stripped his hair Of dirt and
grime, he applies a lemon creme
rinse to reptece the natural oils
and conditioners he washed out
with the dirt and grime.
8:09: He assaults his face with
medicated antibacterial steel
belted acne scouring pads, just in
case.
8:14: It s time for Scottish Fall
time-release deodorant soap with
its fragrant green and white
racing stripes for all-day
protection.
8:20: Leaving the shower, the
youth of whisker-bearing age
applies Fresh Orange shaving
dream with the purpose of
scraping it off v«th a four-speed
automatic. tWSn-choke.
disposable, chromium razor.
Then he slaps his face a couple of
times with a handful of exotic
after-shave lotion in order to
wake up his face and slop tlie
Weeding.
8:40: Time is running short as
bur hero plugs in this 100.000 —
watt self-styling hair dryer. After
the waves have been t^ed into
place, "For Men Only" hair glue'
is applied to keep them there.
8:50: With his favorite
deodorant under one arm and
"Sure” under the other, he
baby-powders his body,
foot-powders his feet and adds
the cologne for the day.
8:55: Pulling off his clothes he
forgot to wash again, he heads
for his first class of the day —
freestyle swimming.
He came to Elon in 1972 and
/Completed his dissertation in
1974and received his Ph.D.
"I must admit that I felt the
adventure in the Corps fading;
however, I almost must admit
starting a new career at 46 was a
scarey alternative."
Dr. Watts echoes the
sentiments that resound in every
professor's classroom; that is,
the lack of student awareness of
politics in the U.S. and abroad.
“I am very surprised to see the
lack of interest, or knowledge
concerning pertinent political
issues that I bring up in class."
Nonetheless, he strives to
stimulate the politically lethargic
student by directing his lectures
to open some dialogue between
professor and student.
"There is always going to be a
faction of the populace not
interested, be it student or not;
however, if 1 can instill some
element of political thought in
that group then I feel I have made
some progress." Dr. Watts plans
to push a voter registration
campaign on campus in the near
future. He sees this as a first step
in students becoming politically
active.
The colonel-turned-teacher
would not change his present role
for any military commission.
"I am very satisfied with
teaching: mainly, because I enjoy
the personal contact with
students." The stereotyped
image of the first line, fire-eatii^
Leatherneck hardly reflects a
true picture of Fred Watts' genial
nature.
made. The accountant
measures—using dollars, francs,
pounds, or other monetary uniti
as a standard—the effect of
economic events, and reports the 1
effect of these events to
management and to the public.
Each of our lives is constantly
influenced by the work of
accountants; ^most daily the,
news media contain reports on
trends in the economy compiled 1
from accounting reports.'
Potential investors in business;
contributors to charitable
organizations, colleges, or
churches; purchasers of goods
and services depend upon the
accountants' data as a basis for
their decisions.
The top job in management
accounting is probably that of the
controller. Recently referred to
as the "quarterback for
business" in an article in a
financial journal, it is the
controller's job to decide which
accounting measurements are
needed and to help other
members of the management
team use them in making major
decisions. The job of controller
t'sn't unique to business; it is
bund in government and other
large institutional settings.
Another path for accountants
b the field of public accounting.
[The certirwd public accountant
kCPA) is an independent
mfessional who has passed a
national examination and is.
licensed under state law. CPA'
lirms perform independent
jaudits of accounting records and ^
attest to the fairness of'
presentation of figures in the
|3ccounting reports of businesses,
government, and not-for-profit
organizations.
I An interesting aspect of the
laccounting profession is the large
number of women who are now
entering it. Several women
graduates of Elon College are
new CPAs; many others work as
accountants in organizations
other than CPA firms. It's not an
easy field; the preparation in
,college-level work is demanding.
IBut those who are willing to
work find it a stimulating career.
As an Elon graduate told me last
Friday, "I wouldn't change for
anything else."
Pizza expert explains why
by Bob Walker
Nearly every American college
student has had the earthly
pleasure of consuming that
culinary delight, pizza. We all sit
and dream from time to time, of
the joy of mountains of
pepperoni, mushrooms, or a
special blend of cheeses. Not
long ago 1 was struck with the
idea that an article about the
local pizzarias would help
remedy that terrible question;
"Where do we go?" Each of the
local establishments has its own
style and type of product and that
makes it difficult to compare;
however, all have at least
something in common: They are
of the Neoplitan rather than the
thick crusted Sicilian type.
I was introduced tq.pizza back
when it was^ still cSled pizza pie,
and one was forced to make it
from scratch or go to an Italian
restaurant to get it. Later I
became accustomed to the
wonders of frozen pizza. In late
1971 I had the pleasure (?) of
serving on a U.S. Naval vessel
that stopped for six days in
Taranto, Italy, then later in
Naples. During these port calls I
consumed a targe quantity of
pizza. I have tried both kinds of
pizza and prefer the Sicilian
type. This should be something
of a quaKfication to judge pizza.
Everyone has his own opinion
about the taste of pizza. I prefer
that my pizza be sKghtly spicy
but not too overpowering. I
focmd. by on site inspection of
the prodnct. that most Bortington
pizza is somewhat bfand. Most
A quarter of a miUi«n coHege
and high sciMmi stadeats are
eligible to vote in North
CaniliML But the>' can't vote
unless they are registered.
The C«n|Mii^ for Student
Voters (CSV) will encourage
these 250,000 potential voters
to register iMfore the North
Carolina primarv’ in March.
With tlie lieip of the State
use premade flats (crust), and
many use skim milk mozzerella
cheese.
Following is a rank order,
preference list with the downfalls
and strong points of most of the
major pizzarias of the
Buriington-Elon area.
Garrison's Soda Shop — the
pizza here is good because the
spices used are pre-blended with
the five cheeses. The flat is
premade, but the quantity and
preparation cancel out this
transgression of good
pizza-making.
Peppi's — fresh dough (always
a good key) makes this pizza
good. The major problem Tiere is
the poor service and the Slightly
bland sauce.
' Pizzaville — again, premade
flats; however, the taste is
somewhat better. Service is
good, but the loudspeaker used
to announce the number is
annoying to the serious eater of
pizza.
Pizza Hut — very bland and
mild. The fresh flats are a
redeeming factor; however, they
are even thinner than the thinnest
NeopoUtan I've ever seen.
Koilege Grill — lack of spices
causes this to be the most bland
of all. Time and more expcfiencc
will probably imfXDve this pizza.
Since gold awards are popular
at Eloa (and if I could affotd it), I
have to give the Goidea Pizza
Pan to Ganisoa's 9.0 oa the 10
point scale.
May aU your pizzas be flat aad
your b be c^ and foaay!
Board of Ekctioas. CSV hofics
to break danra barriers to
wake it easier tor stadeats to
exercise their rights as citizens.
Individuals or groaps who
waat to join CSV's efforts may
write coordinator Gary
Thomas, c/o Student
Government. University of
North Caroliiia, Chapel Hill,
N. C. 27514.