THE GUILFORD AN
Students Appeal
For Dr. Bailey
by Lucy Swan
A petition requesting the
rehiring of sociology professor
Dr. Raleigh Bailey was
presented to Academic Dean
Cyril Harvey by David West,
David Williams, and Thomas
West last Friday. Eighty-five
people signed the petition
with every effort made to limit
the signers to those people
who had had a course with Dr.
Bailey. Dr. Bailey's two one
year contracts will expire at
the end of the current
academic year (1974-75).
The petition reads: "We the
undersigned, having been
made aware of the possibility
of an administrative decision
adversely affecting the rehir
ing of Dr. Raleigh Bailey in
the Sociology Department,
wish to express, by petition,
strong and continued support
for his employment at Guilford
College."
"A personal interest in his
students, his community and
the traditions of free speech
and independence of thought,
with which this school has
long identified itself, through
a gentle reasonableness of
method, are attributes which
must commend themselves to
this or any school. Therefore,
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Dr. Raleigh Battey f assistant professor of sociology and anthropology
Guilford College
we the undersigned, respect
fully request that the
administration of Guilford
College reconsider any deci
sion to terminate Dr. Bailey."
David West, David Wil
liams, and Tom West all
Urban Campus students, feel
strongly that Dr. Bailey has
been an outstanding positive
influence in their growth and
education. David West once a
business major decided to
switch to sociology because ol
Dr. Bailey's influence.
Cyril Harvey received the
students in his office for over
an hour discussing various
aspects of the decision and
listening to the students
reasons for concern. Dr.
Harvey encouraged them
"to plug into the system" in
their attempt to get Dr. Bailey
rehired. This would mean
again bringing up the issue to
the Faculty Promotion and
Tenure Committee for a
change in its recommendation
that Dr. Bailey not be rehired.
President Hobbs would per
haps then be convinced to
change his decision and renew
the contract.
The decision not to rehire
Dr. Bailey was not an
economic one, but rather a
pßm
Columnist James Reston lectures In Dana Auditorium
James Reston on Amnesty
Monday night, January 27,
James Reston, Jr. spoke on
the subject of amnesty to a
modest audience in Dana
Auditorium. Mr. Reston is a
lecturer on creative writing in
Chapel Hill, has co-authored a
book on Richard Nixon and
somewhat complicated deci
sion involving Dr. Bailey's
teaching techniques and the
areas of sociological strength
in the department.
February 4, 1975
has written several of his own,
including The Amnesty of
John David Herndon.
Reston began by question
ing the validity of President
Ford's amnesty program. The
Defense Department has
stated that of the 12,500
outstanding AWOLs only 3200
have returned and of the
12,000 known draft evaders
only 250 have reported to a
U.S. attorney as required.
There are over 18,000
draft-dodgers and 20,000
AWOLs now in prison, but
with 2500 out of both
categories appealing to the
program for clemency. Mr.
Reston said these statistics,
showing under 1% of those
eligible taking advantage of
the program, are proof of its
ineffectiveness.
He stated that the present
program was "neither human
itarian or reconciling" and
that it didn't take into account
the exiles' pride. The "Act of
Contrition" required of all
deserters to remain in the U.S.
is asking them to refute the
moral principles which promp
ted their actions. Rather, said
Reston, we should realize the
war is over, forgive the exiles
and extend unconditional
amnesty to all. He made a
comparison to the Civil War
saying that we need "a
reconstruction of ideas" and
agreed with the president's
allegation that he is "a Ford
Jazz Concert
Cancelled
The Weather Report concert
set for February Bth has been
cancelled. The percussionist
for Weather Report, a
Brazilian, is having his visa
reviewed by U.S. Immigration
Department authorities. This
process is expected to take
several weeks and has caused
the cancellation of the first
part of the group's tour. The
concert has not been resche
duled, and persons holding
tickets may turn them in for a
full refund at the College
Union from 1-5 p.m. daily.
not a Lincoln" in regard to
forgiveness and reconciliation.
Mr. Reston went on to reject
the myths now surrounding
amnesty. He refuses to
believe that the return of the
exile would be a political
liability, or that anyone is
asking for "a hero's wel
come" or "a governmental
apology." These men simply
want to come home without
humiliation.
He also denounced the
image of a typical exile as
being a scruffy, long-haired
insurgent, saying this is a ploy
used by the press. He cited
the cases of Eugene Debbs, a
resistor of the first World
War, and Muhammad Ali,
who refused to serve in
Vietnam, both to later visit the
White Houe. Reston spoke of
our present exiles, who aren't
necessarily charming and
influential like Debbs, and
can't throw a great punch like
Ali, and asked if "we can
forgive someone like that."
Mr. Reston closed with a
referral to Charles Colson who
spoke of the deserter's
"character deficiencies". This
gentleman, after conviction in
the Watergate trials, said his
crime was one of unquestion
ingly supporting his superior,
Mr. Nixon. Mr. Reston then
declared the exiles only crime
was in answering "an
obligation to do more than
simply obey the chief."