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The Pendulum
Sept. 11, 198(
Use common sense
The citizens of Elon are up in arms concerning the noise
and littering problems they attribute to the Lighthouse
tavern. SGA President John Sadler has vowed to seek more
student input into the town policies.
As for drinking, it can be a problem— if it is not done
properly. A key to responsible drinking habits is plain
common sense.
The first common-sense rule is to drink at home or in your
dorm room and to avoid the dangers of drinking and driving.
Elon students are fortunate in that the town of Elon College
has several pubs or taverns within walking distance. Students
then don’t endanger the lives and safety of others by operat
ing an automobile.
Another common-sense rule is not to drink fast or on an
empty stomach. One is less likely to become intoxicated if
one downs some food with that “cold one.”
It seems only good sense tQ practice “moderation” while
drinking. Drinking often changes the temperament of a
person and slows down one’s body reactions. By no means
should any kind of medication or drug be combined with
alcohol. The results could be deadly.
Sadly enough, many students turn to drinking to escape
from the pressures of grades and academics. But these
problems don’t go away or disappear miraculously. It’s
simply a temporary “escape.”
Drinking can also lead to destruction — of brain cells, and
of personal property, as in the town of Elon College. This is
not a prime example of “responsible drinking.”
The responsible drinker does not pressure those who don’t
have drinks in their hands. He handles himself in an adult
manner.
The urge to drink away from the watchful eye of Mom and
Dad may be only a rebellious stage. At any rate, be a
responsible drinker if you must drink.
Library nets loss
Over $36,000 worth of books are stolen from the library
every year. Most of these books are the core of the
collection.
Something must be done to correct this situation. One
recommendation is a security system, costing approximately
S16,000. But where is the money to come from?
Perhaps the SGA or a wealthy alumni could at least
contribute to this worthy cause. It would be an excellent
project for clubs and organizations.
Students should also take an active stand against those
who are robbing the school. It’s essentially the right to an
education that is being taken away. And how much pleasiu’e
can be derived from reading a stolen library book?
Letters to the editor
Students will soon be alumni
Dear Editor:
For one reason or ano
ther, most graduates of Elon
College do not discover the
benefits of the Elon College
Alumni Association until af
ter they have left the cam
pus. As a recent Elon Col
lege graduate who is now in
charge of coordinating the
alumni affairs of the College,
1 feel that students should be
made aware of the work the
alumni association does so
that they are better prepared
for the time when they, too,
become alumni.
The Elon College alumni
Association is separate from
but closely related to the
College and has its own
national officers and execu
tive board. The Office of
Alumni and Parent Pro
grams acts as the central
organizing body for the
alumni association and also
coordinates all-campus func
tions such as Parents Week
end, Homecoming, and
Alumni weekend. Away
from campus, several r^-
ional alumni chapters meet
regularly for social events.
These are just a few of the
activities in which Elon Col
lege alumni may participate.
The purpose of the Alum
ni Office is to serve the
needs of the alumni. Accu
rate address records on each
graduate are maintained to
ensure that they continue to
receive scheduled college
mailings, such as the bi
monthly publication, The
Magazine of Elon. The
friendships that one makes
in college often prove to be
the most lasting and mean
ingful ones. To ensure that
these friendships remain
close, the alumni association
sponsors a variety of activi
ties so that Elon College
alumni can stay in touch
with each other and witt
their alma mater.
I hope to make today’s
students— tomorrow’s al
umni— more aware of the
benefits which await them
through the Elon College
Alumni Association, and r
welcome the participation of
students who want to be-|
come involved in our pro-i
grams. I extend an invitationi
to all students to drop by
my office, Powell 101, for
more details. I
J. King White ’80
Director of Alumni
and Parent Programs
iPntltnlutn
Editor Joy Hamilton
Assistant Editor Day Irmiter
Features Editor Robin Adams
Sports Editor .Yield Blankenship
Photographer Ed Huehn
Composition Priscilla Crumpton
Karen Carrouth
Layout Mari Behrend & Day Irmiter
Adviser Mary Ellen Priestley
Advertisins Manacer Ken Wliitley
Cartoonist Mjra Worth
Published by Communications Media Board of Elon
College in conjunction with the Student Government
Association. Founded on October 14, 1974, as a student
newspaper of E3on College, the Pendulum is published
each Thursday during the school year except during
examination, summer and holiday periods. Staff meetings
Thursdays at 4 p.m., 205 Student Center.
Subscriptions — $5 per year
PIRG guide lists area housing I
A 1980 Guide to Off-
Campus Housing and Utility
Deposit Regulations has
been released by the Elon
College chapter of the North
Carolina Public Interest Re
search Group (PIRG). The
guide is free to students, and
copies may be obtained from
Joanne Soliday’s office in
Alamance Bulling.
The 1980 guide lists apart
ments in the Alamance
County area, rental rates,
whether furnished or unfur
nished and the security de
posit required.
NC PIRG staffperson Art
Donsky said, “We’ve also
added a new section on
utility deposit laws in the
1980 guide. It’s important
for students to know their
rights with regard to the
various utility deposits. In
some cases students may not
have to pay out huge depo
sits, or they may be eligible
for a refund of their depo
sits.”
According to Donsky,
some of PIRG’s projects for
this year include studying
the prices of prescription
eyeglasses, comparing gro
cery store prices, and re
searching the impact of stu
dents of the state’s food
sales tax.
Elon PIRG has been ac
tive in the working for
increased student rights, stu
dying price differences in
generic and brand name
drugs, preparing a report on
energy alternatives and con
servation for the Elon cam
pus, and in preparing two
previous off-campus housing
guides.
“NC PIRG is optimistic
about the Elon chapter hav
ing another active year,”,
Donsky said. “We hope to
continue to build on the
solid foundation that has
been laid.”
Elon PIRG will hold its
first meeting Tuesday, Sept.
16 at 3 p.m. in the Large
Lounge, second floor, Long
Student Center. Interested
students are invited to attend
this organizational meeting. :
“We will be discussing
many possible projects at the
organizational meeting as
well as planning for the
upcoming legislative session
in Raleigh which begins in
January,” said Donsky.