At Symposium
New Educational Systems Planned
NEVITT SANFORD
Sanford Stresses
Student Respo
Back in the 'so's, before
present trends in student
activism began to manifest
themselves, Nevitt Sanford was
agitating for reforms in the
educational system.
In Where Colleges Fail and
similar works, Sanford
condemned the lack of relevance
of college courses and the failure
of universities to interest the
student in learning. He sought
the aid of the students' parents
and the general public in
improving situations. However,
as he told a Guilford audience
April 9, because of the notorious
student apathy at that period it
had not occurred to him to look
to the students themselves for
any action.
Now, as more and more
students begin to show an
interest in school policy and
curriculum, Sanford is very
optimistic about their potential.
He now believes that it is the
righ't and duty of the student to
try to change things for the
better.
To Sanford the "fundamental
purpose of education is the
development of the individual
and his role in society," a goal
which can be achieved only if
the student takes an active part
in making school policy.
Activity Categorized
Sanford divides this student
activity into two aspects: his
role in the administration of the
college and his role in
curriculum development. He
places less emphasis on the first
because of what seems to him its
inevitability-.
"A wave of liberalization" in
matters of business and
discipline is inundating the
country—more and more
colleges are allowing the
students to have a voice in these
matters. Sanford is pleased with
this trend as it tends to make
"friendship and communication
govern policy more than rules or
rights." Besides, Sanford added,
having students present and
watching makes the members of
the administration "behave
better."
Relations between student
and administration are, in
Sanford's eyes, coming along
quite nicely. On the other hand,
student-faculty relations demand
serious attention. It is here, in
matters of curriculum changes
and teaching methods, that the
most drastic changes are needed.
All too often proposals made by
students and even backed by the
administration shipwreck on the
stubbornness or fearfulness of
the professors. Frequently,
Sanford said, teachers use their
classrooms as a laboratory for
their own field of research and
merely lecture their classes on
what they themselves have
learned.
Relevance Defined
What, according to Sanford,
is meant by "relevance"? First
of all, a usable and stimulating
teaching method. Sanford feels
that the most serious complaint
in this respect must be directed
toward the humanities. The
liberal arts are personally
meaningful subjects and if they
are approached too academically
they lose their importance to the
individual.
Sanford's favorite system, for
science as well as humanities, is
that in which the students, with
the guidance of the professor,
research on their own and share
their knowledge. This way the
student is given more personal
responsibility and because he
works harder he retains more.
The Richardson Program and
the new freshman program,
which operate along these lines,
have Sanford's whole-hearted
support. At the same time,
Sanford cautions against
"substituting encounter groups
for education." Discussions
unfounded on knowledge may
be fun and good for clearing up
persona! hangups, but they
cannot replace learning.
Next, "relevant" subject
matter must be considered. Here
Sanford probably stepped on the
toes of some of our student
activists and their supporters. He
divides "relevance" into social
importance and personal
significance. Both these facets
are necessary, but Sanford feels
there is now an overemphasis on
the former—often to the
detriment of the latter.
Although Sanford feels there
is a place for free universities
whose aim is sociological, we
must not, he warns, turn colleges
like Guilford into social
machines. A concern for
academic learning and
intellectualism should be
(Continued on page 3)
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BILL SPARKS
And Symposium Co-ordinator
Claire Ferguson
The Qui (for 6 ion
VOLUME LIII
Sensitivity
Via Sparks
One of the highlights of the
Guilford symposium was the
sensitivity sessions conducted by
William Sparks. Students- were
shown the advantages of opening
channels of communication
between the members of a
group.
Sparks is employed by the
Metropolitan Urban Service
Training Facility as a
psychologist, and also serves as a
New York Presbyterian minister.
As a psychologist, Sparks
participates in programs which
include the introduction of
emotional education into
institutions, such as churches,
businesses, and universities. He
uses a combination of
perception education, sensitivity
training, and psycho-therapy. He
explains that "the idea is to deal
with the transactions taking
place between members of
groups. We deal with conscious
attitudes, experiences, and
motivations of people who are
well, not people who are ill."
Sparks believes the problems
of race relations and civil rights
result from "white racism." He
sees the Black Panthers and
other similar groups as having a
good purpose, since "through
these groups, individuals who
traditionally have been held in
submissive roles can express
their dominance, and thus
become more human.
A fervent supporter of
students activism, Sparks
believes the riots "were the best
education at Columbia
University in the past five years.
The students showed they were
grown up, no longer obedient."
Sparks believes there are great
possibilities for students, if they
can be taken away from the
campus to other communities
such as ghettos, mental
hospitals, and prisons, so that
they can live in a foreign
subculture. He believes that this
"action education is the next
step for colleges such as
(Continued on page 4)
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Friday, April 18, 1969
On Air Soon
Setbacks & Boosts
Meet FMBS Station
Guilford College's radio
station—whatever it will be
called eventually—has recently
suffered some setbacks, as well
as some much-needed boosts.
Several members of the Fine
Music Broadcasting Society, the
group which has established the
FM educational station, working
during Spring Break two weeks
ago building the actual studio,
located in the basement of Duke
Memorial Hall. Construction was
prompted by the projected
operation date, which was to
have been April 15.
However, call letter
assignment by the Federal
Communications Commission in
Washington has halted the FMBS
from going on the air as
scheduled. Assistant Business
Manager Jim Newlin, who has
been instrumental in setting up
the station, reports that of the
five call letters submitted for
FCC approval, only one was
available in this area. When the
Guilford group sent the list to all
the commercial stations in the
area, in compliance with FCC
regulation, WQMG-FM of
Greensboro formally protested
because the letters, WQMB, were
too close phnetically to their
own.
Run-off Results Told
Two extremely close run offs held the Thursday before spring
break, highlighted the student legislature elections. In a tight race,
Sara Cox a junior from Asheboro, defeated Betty Jo Guill for the
presidency of the Women's Student Council. With a narrow margin
of eight votes Sara and her V-P Barbara Kelso pulled out to capture
the victory. .
In an even closer race Pete Pearce edged out Kurt Neaves for the
presidency of the Sophomore Class. The final vote was 67-66.
Jane Forbes gained a comfortable victory over Gwen Kidd for the
office of secretary of the junior class and Mark Lessner and Pat
Hammers were easily elected to the union board of governors.
All new officers, and the student legislature executive council
were installed Monday night at the weekly meeting of the legislature.
Number 25
Therefore, a new list must he
drawn up and sent again to all
the area stations for approval. A
thirty-day waiting period is also
involved.
The station's record iibrarv
has been increased recently,
however, by more than 130
albums, contributed free of
charge primarily by WBUY and
WLXN-FM radio of Lexington
and several district distributors
of Charlotte. The records,
primarily easy listening and
contemporary, have been
supplimented by a small
donation of classical albums
from WQMG.
Bart Lippincott, president of
the Fine Music Broadcasting
Society, hopes to' have the new
station in operation before the
end of school. Its format will
include music similar to the
newly-installed tape system in
the cafeteria, which is heard now
during mealtimes, as well as
classical, jazz, Broadway tunes,
and the like.
Anyone wishing to work with
the station, either in a secretarial
announcer, or engineer capacity,
may contact Bart Lippincott,
Jim Bewlin, or any member of
the FMBS.