THE VOICE OF WILKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 21, NUMBER 4
WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
FEBRUARY 13. 1991
Dr. Jim Randolph, President
That Special Gift
Well, here it is again, another one of
those days when males are faced with
that age old question, “What to buy?
What to buy?
Throughout the year, men are con
fronted with a number of days or occa
sions that compels us to buy that
special gift, for that special person.
Her birthday, your anniversary,
Christmas, Mother’s Day and Valen
tine’s Day all requires us to rack our
brains for yet another perfect gift.
Valentine’s Day is extra special
because the gift is expected to be very
personal. This gift, unlike others, can
set the stage for the remainder of the
year. It can be the “Waterloo” of one’s
relationship.
On other occasions, we can get away
with very practical gifts. For example,
my neighbor, John, gave his wife a new
bright red riding mower for Mother’s
Day. Now, this was a gift that was not
difficult to buy. John just moseyed on
down to his local hardware store and
checked out the horsepower, blade
length, carburetor — things men know
something about — and said, “I’ll take
it.”
But could he get away with this on
Valentine’s Day? I think not. On Valen
tine’s Day we are expected to give an in
timate gift. After all, Valentine’s Day
is for sweethearts.
It seems that we can blame the
Romans for “St. Valentine’s Day.” Its
original name was Lupercalia, which
means “feasts of Lupercus.” Lupercus
was a Roman god who protected peo
ple from wolves. Each February, the
Romans held a feast to honor Luper
cus. Young men who wanted partners
for dance and games, drew names of
young ladies out of a bowl. The part
ners would often end up as sweethearts.
With the introduction of Christiani
ty, the celebration was renamed for a
saint who died on February 14. His
name was Valentine.
St. Valentine’s Day became very
popular in France and England, where
the idea of sending a “valentine”
originated. Soon, sweethearts began to
exchange gifts, such as candy and
cakes, flowers, and jewels.
Hundreds of years later, specifical
ly on the night before Valentine’s Day
— the usual time men like to shop for
gifts — I decided to buy something
really special for Caroline. Perhaps
even a racy nightgown — maybe red or
purple.
Standing in front of Victoria’s
Secrets in the Hanes Mall, I began to
plot my move. No problems. Afterall,
I had half an hour before closing time.
The longer I stood in front of that win
dow, however, the more difficult it
became to enter. Do those things come
in sizes? Will the clerk think I’m a
pervert? Will someone see me in there?
Help!
“May I help you?” asked the sales
clerk as I stumbled into the store.
“I’m looking for a gift.”
She led me to a rack of colorful silky
things. “How about this one?” she ask
ed as shed held up something that look
ed like it was left over from a Madon
na video.
“Oh, did I mention that this gift was
for my wife?”
“Perhaps,” she quipped, “you
should try Sears.”
Well, I thought, as I headed down the
mall, maybe Caroline would like a skill
saw after all.
Handicap in Mind
of Beholder
“I can’t cope with it,” complained
the young woman. “Just look at me!”
The doctor looked at her and replied,
“If you want sympathy, you’ve got it.
But will you listen to me for a few
minutes?”
The young woman nodded and the
doctor continued; “You’ve got a han
dicap. Who doesn’t? The world is full
of people with physical handicaps.
They have faults and failings and han
dicaps ranging from weak hearts and
severe headaches and ulcers to eyes
that can’t see, ears that can’t hear, and
limbs made so weak by some disease
they are almost useless. Yet these peo
ple plan, think, work, function.”
“I’ve heard that all before,” said the
young woman.
“Then I suppose you’ve heard that
John Keats was tubercular; John
Milton was blind; and Beethoven com
posed some of his best music while
deaf.
“Alfred the Great had internal
physical problems; Napoleon and
Julius Caesar were epileptics. So was
Mohammed,the founder of oneofthe
world’s great religions.
“Not convinced yet? Then, consider
Helen Keller, one of America’s most
accomplished women, who was both
deaf and blind. Or think of the great
electrical wizard, Charles Steinmetz,
a deformed dwarf.
“All suffered from handicaps, but
none let their physical difficulties han
dicap their lives.
“There’s only one handicap to real
ly worry about: your attitude. If you
think you can’t cope with something,
you can’t, and you won’t. And if you
use a physical handicap to excuse
yourself, you’re cheating yourself.
“It’s up to you.. .You decide.”
Two GREAT Americans...
Two Americans, both born in
February: Washington and Lincoln.
Each came from different social and
economic backgrounds; yet, both rose
to the highest office in the land.
Washington, bom to wealth and pro
minence, lived a life of ease during his
early years. He was genteel, cultured.
Lincoln was little more than a coun
try boy who grew up amid the hard
ships of the frontier. He was honest, yet
rugged.
Both men, however, devoted their
years to the well-being of America as
they understood it to be.
Washington, often called the “father
of his country,” fought for its right to
exist. Lincoln, often called its
“preserver,” fought to keep it united.
Two great men: Washington and
Lincoln.
Happy Valentine^s Day
Phi Theta Kappa
Doubles in Size
Phi Theta Kappa has grown quickly
in the last month. Students from
around Wilkes Community were
selected to be invited into our fraternity
due to several qualities. They must:
1) haveacummulativeG.P.A.of3.5
or better.
2) be enrolled in 12 or more hours of
classes.
3) have academic excellence as
judged by faculty, and
4) possess strong qualities of leader
ship and citizenship.
On January 21, 1991 in the Walker
Center, twenty-one people who shared
these qualities were initiated into the
Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter of Phi
Theta Kappa. They were: Lisa Absher,
Robert Bare, Karen Brown, Laura
Chapman, Dena Gillette, Tammy Grif
fin, Amber Herman, Lynette King,
Sherry Miller, Crystal Minton, Rebec
ca Montoya, Kimberly Pardue, Nancy
Payne, Amy Pennell, Roger Rikard,
Neil Shepherd, Stephanie Shew,
Melanie Shoaf, Vicky Smith, Roger
Tingler, Sherri Walsh.
Congratulations to each new
member who has achieved this honor.
Twelve members of Phi Theta Kappa at
tended the Regional Conference in
Charleston, SC, on February 8-10. Roger
Rikard was elected President for the
Carolina Region. At the Regional Con
ference, Wilkes Community College Chap
ter won two awards—one for completing 23
different project levels and The Iviost Im
proved Chapter throughout North and
South Carolina for the past year.
Please help us to pray for the troops in the
IVIiddle East.
— Michael W. Lyles
President, Alpha Kapp Omega
Phi Theta Kappa
Be Good to Yourself
Want to be successfiil?
Then, count your blessings; for no
matter who you are or what you do, you
have many of them.
Sure, you have faults and problems.
Who'doesn’t? But you have your own
unique set of personal gifts in terms of
talent and enei^y and ambition. They
need only be developed in your own
way.
Fortunately, one of your blessings in
this country is opportunity.
Get your fair share. Do your fair
share.
Concerns
Be sure to include Harry Adams and
his family in your prayers. Harry’s son
Bryant is now serving in Saudi Arabia.
Alumni and staff are very ap
preciative of Harry’s hard work here on
campus. Harry always has a warm
smile and a cheerful greeting for
everyone. Harry is part of our
housekeeping staff.
Please continue to support Harry
and all those with loved ones now in
harm’s way.
Harry Adams
(
Judge them all
by what they do
rather than by
their I.Q.
How It All
Came About!
St. Valentine’s Day is a day for lovers
to express their affection for each
other. Originally, the choice of a lover
was part of a spring ritual. During this
ritual, unmarried couples were paired
before participation in orgiastic
ceremonies. This pairing did not have
to be permanent. Later on, the first
persons of opposite sex to see other by
chance, became Valentines. Today
cards, candy, and gifts are sent to one’s
Valentine along with kisses and
affection.
St. Valentines Day is in honor of two
Christian martyrs of the same name.
They were persecuted by the Roman
Emperor Claudius II, and were buried
on the same day. During the fourth cen
tury, a church was built on the same
day. During the fourth century, a
church was built on their graves. Since
the middle ages, this day has been
dedicated to all the romantic lovers.
Consequently, this is also the day when
birds are supposed to begin their spring
mating. So, on this day, February 14,
the birds, particularly love birds, will
take time to express their love for their
mate.
— Karen Brawn
Freshmen
What Will
Valentine Bring?
Valentines Day is a time for express
ing your love, by showering your lov
ed ones with gifts and candy. We all
have our expectations of what we will
receive on this special day. They vary
from romantic dinners to flowers, yet
they all contain a little shot of love from
cupid’s arrow.
Dr. James Randolph - Love and
kisses for the rest of the year.
Bud Rhodes • Reinstate the draft
for people over 61 and a new bed pan.
Priscilla Lockhart - Flowers and
candy.
Rose Brock - A romantic
candlelight dinner for two fixed by
him!
‘Bull’ - A nice romantic dinner and
after dinner a rendezvous in the darkest
part of the house!
Michele Wood - A lot of love and
a nice candlelight dinner.
Lea Wright - A long, slow, deep,
soft, wet, gentle kiss out in the rain,
while listing to ‘Geoigia On My Mind’,
by Michael Bolton. Later go to a
secluded log cabin and make all our
dreams come true.
Tracy Minton - Some money and
a nice ‘butt’ kissing!
Jeff Brown -1 expect her to have a
nice room waiting for me in Boone. A
jucuzzi filled with champagne and a
hot meal afterwards.
Bill Moffett - Inner Peace and
Ultimate Truth
Amber Herman - My knight in
shining armor on a white horse carry
ing red roses and delicious chocolate
candies. Also, I’d like for him to stay
around for a couple of days so I can pro
ve to Bud Mays that real knights do
exist.
Julie Hamby - Someone who acts
like they care all the time.
Melody Shelton • I don’t need
anything because I already have all a
girl could ever want.
Dr. Hendrix - Flowers and cards
from my children.
— Derek Ellis
Kemp Kirk