Page 2
Guilfordian, February 24, 1981
Why the real world
By Barbara Phillips
As I was walking into the library one day last week, I overheard
someone, presumably a senior, complain, "I can't wait to get out of
this school and into the real world."
I looked around. Trees, buildings, mud puddles, people,
bicycles, squirrels. They all looked pretty real. Hmm.
I went on into the library, disturbed, and sat down to read. I
couldn't concentrate on Modern Man in Search of a Soul, which
was my reason for coming to the library in the first place, and
decided instead to read about how people in the "real world"
operate. I picked up the newspaper, and one of the first things I
came to was an article on Mark David Chapman, in which he
suggested that the book Catcher in the Rye might help people
understand why he shot John Lennon.
I contemplated the many ironies of the situation, as obviously,
the man understood not one word of the book or of Lennon's music.
It was enough to make someone want to round up all the books and
music and head for the nearest ivory tower, leaving the real world
to the weirdos.
But I've been thinking about this "real world" place. I think I've
managed to come up with a list of its characteristics. Apparently it
has to do with the dog-eat-dog world of competition and corporate
pay scales; something to do with never having to read another
book. Apparently, it involves the absence of a community of
like-minded and mutually concerned people, and most importantly,
it means that you stop studying the world's problems and become a
part of them.
Why join the real world? Why, because we're sheltered here at
college, and apparently there's something virtuous about being in
contact with harsh realities. I presume that people who feel this
way also stand outside during thunder storms so as not to be overly
removed from the way things are.
Now, it's pretty clear to me that life at Guilford is not a fairy-tale
existence. The school ,being a collection of real people, has its
share of politicking, of dishonesty, and of inconsideration. In fact, I
sometimes wish we could get a little less of the real world around
here.
It's just about all I can deal with to pay my phone bill on time, it's
helplessly beyond my skill level to remember to take the trash out
on Monday and Thursday (or is it Tuesday and Friday). I have to
confess that living fully in the "real world" is something for which I
may never really be ready.
Alternative careers
"Alternative Careers Day"
9:30 am -10:45 am Sternberger Aud.
'Confronting the System' - a panel on how local community
groups interact and sometimes confront the larger socio-eco
nomic system. A question and answer period will follow.
11:30-1:30 pm Boren Lounge
'Organization Fair' - representatives from the Brown Lunge
Association, American Friends Service Committee, Central
Carolina Legal Service, NC Public Interest Research Croup,
Carolina Action, War Resisters' League, Crisis Control Center,
Prison and Jail Project, Emergency Management Assistance
Agency and many more will have displays and information about
internships, volunteer positions, and job opportunities.
Editors Dale Easley, Jim Shields
News editor Barbara Phillips
Features editor John Mottern
Layout editors Steve Harvey, Susan Ide
Sports editor Mike Van Wagner
Business manager Mary Merritt
Circulation Frank Merritt, Mary Merritt
Copy editor Carolyn Welfy
Notebook editor Sue Hubley
Writers Edwin Bass, Stan Givens,
Isa Cheren, Mark Gurley
The Guilfordian reserves the right to edit all articles, letters, and artwork for
taste, veracity, and length. The dead line for all copy is 3:00 p.m. on Satur
day preceding the Tuesday of publication. Material may be left on the office
door in upstairs Founders, or mailed to Box 17717. The opinions expressed
by the staff are their own and not necessarily those of the paper or of
Guilford College.
Mutunhu
terminated
Dear Editor,
I discover recently that the
adminstration of this school has
terminated the contract of Dr.
Tendai Mutunhu, a history pro
fessor, and that he will leave at
the end of this academic year.
This decision is very distressing
to me not only as a black
student here on campus, but as
a concerned member of the
Guilford community.
As a black student, I am
aware of the significant role Dr.
Mutunhu plays in the develop
ment and security of the black
community. Dr. Mutunhu, both
in and out of the class, provides
us with a new perspective of
African history. A view that
does not focus on slavery and
inferiority, but instead focuses
on a rich, distinctive tradition
filled with innumerable contri
butions to the advancement of
mankind is important. It gives
the black student a positive
concept of his people's past and
thus a certain psychological
boost in confidence in his or her
ability to handle life, from the
academics at Guilford to the
entrenched rascism of Ameri
can society. Also, Dr. Mut
unhu' s departure would pro
mote a sense of insecurity
within the black community as
to the commitment on the part
of the administration to ade
quate black representation on
the faculty.
Dr. Mutunhu's importance to
the whole community is explici
tly stated in the College's
Statement of Purpose. In short,
the Statement entails a com
mittment to an atmosphere of
diversified perspectives in order
to provide the student with a
comprehensive and legitimate
view of the world. Does not Dr.
Mutunhu, with his Third World
and African viewpoint, satisfy
that aim, and if so, why is his
Kirshbaum
capable of this function, certain
changes and policies must be
effected. For example, we in
tend to increase the number of
committees from eight to ten
fold, thus making it possible for
the senate to scrutinize and
consider every aspect of student
life, and at the same time
increase student involvement.
One important program that
we would like to see implement
ed is a senate sponsored "Prank
of the Week" contest. Such a
contest would encourage light
hearted revelry and fun within
the studentry, and would offer
an alternative to the current
outlook of gloom and despair
held by some students. This
program, along with vermin
control, is a practical way of
increasing the quality of life on
campus, while decreasing the
quantity.
Setter* to tffe l&ftor
All Letters must be submitted to the Cuilfordian at Box 17717 by
Friday night, and should be no longer than 200 words. Names may
be withheld if requested by the author in person or in writing.
contract being terminated?
In view of these facts, I find it
difficult to understand why this
decision was made. Therefore, I
urge the adminstration to re
consider the prospects of losing
such a valuable man, arid I
challenge them to make known
the reasons for their apparent
sacrifice in commitment. It has
been in my belief, the sincerity
of these commitments that has
made this school a worthwhile
experience.
Yours sincerely,
David Davenport
Not enough work
Dear Editor:
I'm a relatively, conscientious
student, but I'm also a practical
one. I'm talking about money. I
am a work/study student back
from a wonderful, money
spending, semester in Ger
many. Guilford College told me
I would make a certain sum of
money this semester, but as it
looks right now, I will be lucky if
I make half that amount. My
complaint is that the Financial
Aid Dept. has not found me a
job and I had to go out and find
one myself. That doesn't bother
me; I 've done it many times.
What bothers me is the lack of
concern in the Financial Aid
Dept. I am only working a few
hours a week on campus and
making very little money.
If Guilford's Financial Aid
Dept. is going to guarantee aid
to students, they should follow
through with what appears to be
an act of good will.
A Struggling student
April Reedy
Twisted quotes
Dear Editor,
Concerning the presentation
by "The Group" with the
Who are we? Just concerned
students. Steve Harvey, leading
figure in the Lego Club, will
bring clarity and erudition to
the job of secretary. What is
Steve's response to the chal
lenges awaiting him? "I guess
spelling will be the biggest
hurdle, but making it to the
meetings is important too."
Beth Dußocher, a rising sop
homore and noted campus acti
vist is interested in maintaining
the high quality of services
provided by the Senate while
maximizing the potential for
opening new doors. As Vice
president, Beth sees her job as
being the "representative of the
other interests on campus, sort
of the voice of the 'silent
majority.'"
question "Guilford as a com
munity?" I am extremely dis
appointed in what I had thought
was a responsible group of
people who have taken the
liberty of reducing ahalf-an-hour
conversation with myself, on
the rather dubious question of
student apathy here at Guilford
College, to two totally unrelated
statements of mine taken com
pletely out of context and
manipulated towards their own
self-serving needs. The specific
question that was asked of me,
concerning my feelings on their
self-fabricated problem of stu
dent apathy, was not even
mentioned in their extremely
vague and unclear presentation.
I believe that Mr. Kirshbaum's
perceptive - observation that
"apathy is a term used by
people to refer to others who
don't have similar ideas of what
is important," is that idea that I
attempted, but obviously failed
to get across to my interviewer.
The whole presentation had as
much, or more specifically, as
little, meaning as any other
self-righteous group of anti
apathetics with whom anybody
who has ever read a Junior High
School news-paper is all too
familiar with. For a group
whose supposed purpose is to
encourage communication be
tween the members of our
community I think that they
would do well to realize that
there is a very basic and
necessary responsibility inher
end in any organization on
campus with access to the press
to communicate as accurately
and as honestly as possible. I
feel that my attempt at com
munication was blatently ex
ploited by this "group" towards
its own questionable ends. It is
discouraging, to say the least,
to make an effort at communi
cation that ends up being
twisted and distorted beyond
recognition to the point that you
wish that you had never made
the effort.
Jim Lee
from pagß 1
Dennis Kirschbaum, a candi
date for President, is a thinker
who has "big ideas" for Guil
ford. Some people question the
seriousness of his campaign,
but Dennis's response has
been, "Serious? Sure, I'm ser
ious. What do you think I am, a
radio dial?"
The other interests of the
candidate include coffee drink
ing, bagpiping, and indoor hor
ticulture. When asked specifi
cally about his plants, Dennis
replied, "I just love them."
Are we serious about Guil
ford? Can there by any quest
ion? Sure some of our policies
may seem a bit far fetched, but
we're crazy, we'll do it.