Volume XLVI
Salem College, Winston-Salem, N. C., Friday, Octoebr 2, 1964
Number 2
McKnight Gives Report
On Minnesota Congress
By Carson McKnight
The 17lh National Student Congress, held at the University of Minnesota Aug
ust 17-29, revealed clearly the present situation of USNSA and taught the delegates
a great deal about h gislative processes. The first few days were spent in seminars,
hearing speakers and discussing the topics which were to be taken up in the com
mittees and sub-committees. In my attempt to find a seminar helpful to Salem, 1
realized how advanced Salem really is in areas of academic concern.
The first seminar 1 attended was concerned with the problem of schools which
have no communication between faculty and students, and which hold an impersonal
attitude toward their students. The next seminar 1 attended was one concerning in
loco parentis. This concerned colleges and universities which give students little,
or no freedom and which attempt to play the role of parents in their students’ lives.
Clearly, these are not major problems at Salem.
Student Welfare and Services Seminar
After five seminar sessions, the delegates met in committees (of which there
were five) before breaking up into sub-committees for the next several days. 1 was
in committees dealing with student welfare.
Aftc^r the topics of legislation were decided upon, sub-committees were further
divided into draiting committees. 1 worked with Mike Chanin of the University of
North Carolina on the Student Welfare Basic Policy Declaration. The drafting com
mittees reported back to tlv sub-committees, where the legislation was discussed,
re-written and voted upon before being passed on to the committees where delegates
voted whether to send legislation on to the plenary floor.
The Basic Policy Declaration concerning student welfare had great success in
our highly critical committee. No one debated against the bill, and It was passed
unanimously.
Legislative Plenaries
The legislative plenaries began the next day with a highly controversial issue.
A special resolution was introduced which mandated the NSA president to assist
the seating of the Mississippi Freedom delegation, and to communicate to both
political parties and the news media the fact that USNSA had taken a stand sup->
porting this delegation. The resolution was passed, although I voted against it; I
did not feel the resolution pertained to “students in their role as students,” fwhich
1 was mandated to take into consideration. The two most controversial issues were
resolutions concerning “students in the urban North” and “discrimination in campus
social organization”. Copies of these resolutions are on file with the other legisla
tion. Those involved with student government and NSA should examine carefully the
reports on file.
Weakness and Problems: Civil Rights
Although the seminars' committee work and plenary sessions comprised most
of the congress and were very educational, the most important part of the Congress
was the revelation of the weakness and problems of USNSA. I attempted to find
answers to the many questions brought up.
Is NSA a civil rights organization? No, although an outsider would certainly
think so. The Congress was floodtd with people representing SNCC, North Student
Movement, SCORE. CORE and other civil rights groups. These people *were bften
untidy in dress and appearance and were constantly singing freedom songs. Also,
the Congress passed many pieces of legislation which directly or indirectly per
tained to more civil rights for the Negro. The Congress itself was extremely liberal.
The people in the Carolinas-Virginia region were comparative right-wingers there,
while many of us are considered quite liberal here. « t. m -
However civil rights conscious the Congress seemed to be, though, the National
Staff and the organization themselves are not. Projects such as Books for Equal
Education are carried on for the benefit of the Negro student. The staff does not,
however, spend the year making USNSA’s stand on civil rights known to the major
political party chairman, news media, etc., as it is mandated to do by the civil
rights groups which seem to control the Congress. The USNSA staff centers its
programming entirely on topics of academic concern.
Representation
Is USNSA representative? Definitely not. This lack of representativeness is the
major reason for the recent disaffiliation by more than thirty schools, which fel^
that they cannot make themselves heard over the bigger schools from the tiorth
and Mid-West. This in itself is a good reason why Salem must not disaffiliate. We
cannot win a battle for USNSA if we refuse to fight.
UNC in NSA
The University of North Carolina was the most influential school at the Con
gress. As well as having power in number of delegates, the delegates themselves
were well prepared and capable. This delegation mediated betw en different factions
by attempting to compromise through amendments. Its members were clearly repre
sentative of their student body and their state. Because of the fact that schoolsi
often send people who are not representative of its students or particularly out
standing on their campuses, the Carolina-Virginia region presented an amendment
to the Constitution of USNSA which requires all delegates exc^t two to be selecU^
by general election. This amendment does not affect Salem, since wc can send only
one delegate and it does provide for NSA co-ordinators and student body presidents
to attend without going through elections. This amendment should help NSA be
more effective through better representation and it should bring increased interest
in and knowledge of NSA to member campuses holding elections.
Economic Standard
Why did USNSA almost go bankrupt last year? Because it got involved in a
risky book business without the proper backing of accountants and legal assistants.
The organization, however, has really learned its lesson. In the bill concerning
Student Economic Welfare, the National Officers and National Staff were mandated
"to scrutinize in detail through the use of NSA lawyers, accountanU. and other ex
perts to be determined by the officers, staff and National Supervisory Board of
USNSA, all new programs in the field of student services before making any com
mitment, financial or otherwise.” . i o • i \
During the Congress two representatives of ESI (Educational Services, Inc.)
were trying to get USNSA’s endorsement of a discount and credit card service.
USNSA already provides for a discount service, domestic and international, through
ETl (Educational Travel. Inc.). The case was presented at a hearing in ©y sub
committee and was torn to shreds. This hearing alone convinced me that USNSA
will never again fall prey to an unwise business venture.
Political Image
Why does USNSA have a predominantly political image? Because the Congress,
which is highly publicized, is predominantly political. This statement does not meari
that the organization itself is predominantly political. The national officers discussed
with me the programs their staff had worked with during the past y^r and Wy
are clearly non-political. (These programs are discussed in “The Southern Report
which is on file with the other material.)
Membership
Does USNSA have the right to take stands in the name of the American student?
USNSA must take stands on issues of national and international importance. To
expect students to gather only as students and not as citizens is idealistic and un-'
wise. USNSA’ stands should not be interpreted as those of every student, because
only 336 of the almost 2,000 colleges and universities in the U. S. A. are members.,
This problem can only be solved by increased membership, improved representation,
and an end to disaffiliation by discouraged members. , . ,
The I 7th National Student Congress was successful because the delegates
realized that cooperation, compromise, and hard work were vital to making USNSA
the representative organization of all American students.
Mr. Williams, Miss Bush, Mr. Rucker, and Miss Garcia relax between classes in faculty lounge.
New Faculty Members Include
Williams, Bush, Rucker, Garcia
Editor’* Note: We regret that
Mr. Rucker was unavailable for
interview.
Four of the new members on
Salem’s faculty are Richard K.
Williams, Miss Jane C. Bush, Miss
Mary Ann Garcia, and Henry C.
Rucker III.
Mr. Williams, an instructor in
modern languages, teaches two
courses in Spanish and three in
German. He came to Salem from
Kansas City, Missouri, but began
his college work at Grinnell College
in Grinnell, Iowa, where he received
his B. A. with a double-major in
mathematics and Spanish. After
graduation he entered the army and
continued his studies in night
school, taking German and Russian.
He obtained his M. A. degree in
Spanish from Syracuse College,
Syracuse, New York.
Upon completion of work for his
M. A., Mr. Williams took his wife,
their three months old baby, and
“bags and bags of diapers” to
Europe and Germany. Mr. Williams
is especially interested in South
American politics.
Miss Bush comes to Salem from
Atlanta, Georgia, where she receiv
ed her B. A. and M. A. from Emory
University. She is currently work
ing on her Ph.D. at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In 1959, she traveled in Europe; the
last few summers she has been
studying at UNC.
Miss Bush is a professor of
history and teaches western civil
ization, medieval civilization, and
modern European history.
As an instructor of modern lan
guages, Miss Garcia teaches Spanish
composition and four sections of
French. Although she received her
B. A. and M. A. from the University
of Michigan, she was born in Puerto
Rico, where she also has taught
high school.
Miss Garcia enjoys traveling and
talking to people in their own lan
guages. She also likes to play the
piano “when no one else is around.”
Mr. Rucker teaches economics
and geography at Salem.
Times Change For Salem College;
Founder’s Day Observes Opening
By Judy Cuillet
Ten girls, some of whom arrived
on horseback, enrolled at Salem in
October, 1804. The school then
boasted of three teachers who lived
with the girls and held classes in
the Moravian Congregational
House.
From this humble beginning has
mushroomed an accredited college
with over 500 students. Tuesday,
October 6, the students and faculty
will honor these pioneers at the
annual celebration of Founder’s
Day.
Songs, skits, and field events will
be sponsored by each class. All
events will be judged and a ribbon
will be given to the class with the
most accumulative points for agility
and spirit.
Archie K. Davis, chairman of the
Winston-Salem 200th Anniversary
Committee, will be speaker at
the Founder’s Day assembly. Mr.
Davis has been active in many com
munity affairs and is Chairman of
the Board at the Wachovia Bank
and Trust Company.
Times have certainly changed in
these past 157 years. Board, lodg
ing, and tuition were $30 a quarter
in the early days. This fee also in
cluded books, laundry, and other
necessities. An 1804 ledger shows
that three of the teachers were paid
$12.40 for their monthly salary. Of
course they received extra benefits
such as church dues, board, lodging,
and laundry. They were dedicated
in more ways than one; the faculty
had a responsibility for their pupils
every minute of the day. They took
turns on duty and saw that every
phase of the students’ lives was
supervised.
Tuesday Salemites will have the
chance to reminiscence a little and
breathe a sigh of relief that the
days of wooden buckets, feather
beds, pewter plates, and out-door
johns are gone.
Opinions Differ On Five-Day Week
By Kathie Carpenter
The five-day week is confronting
Salem students this year for the
first time. The decision to change
to this schedule system was reached
last spring in a close vote by the
faculty. The idea for the five-day
week was initiated in the November,
1963, faculty meeting. A committee
was appointed for the study of the
proposal. Questionnaires which were
sent to other colleges were one
means of investigation into the idea.
In April of last year it was decided
that the new system would be used
on a trial basis for the 1964-1965
school year.
The shorter week is being receiv
ed with various reactions from
students and faculty members. Dr.
Lucy Austin, who favored the idea,
feels that if students will attend
their Friday classes, the system will
be effective. She says that the pos
sibility that there would be fewer
absences was her prime reason for
favoring the proposal.
Roy Campbell, who felt un
certain about the new system when
it was proposed, says he does not
know of many schools in the state
which have classes on only five days.
He says his schedule works with
the system and that he is willing to
see how things will work out in the
long run. He wonders, though, if
the students will “go off on Friday
instead of waiting until Saturday.”
Boodie Crow likes the five-day
week as far as her schedule is con
cerned. Her only objections are
the extended class periods and
classes until 5:20 on Friday. Ann
Wilson agrees with the objection to
long classes and says that the ir
regular time periods make it hard to
budget her time. She thinks that
the six-day week is better for upper
classmen, who have unlimited cuts.
She also mentions that cuts are
more costly when they are taken
in a class with an extended period.
Ann says, however, that the sche
dule is getting easier and that she
is finding more time to study.
On the subject, Babs Bodine has
this to say: “I think it’s an effec
tive system. Twice a week is better
than three times. It might take up
more time during the week, but you
are through on Friday. I think it
will take adjusting to, but it will be
more effective. I do think it leaves
more responsibility up to the in
dividual, but as far as I’m concern
ed, that’s good. It’s rough as far as
organizational meetings. That’s the
only thing I’m not real happy
about.”
Mary Lynah thinks that the five-
day week would be very effective
and conducive to study if a way
could be found to balance the sche
dules better.
Tripp Tate’s opinion is as fol
lows : “The hardest thing about the
five-day week is having to budget
your time differently. Some days
you have so many classes that you
don’t know what to do. And other
days you have so much free time
that you just sit around. There’s
no uniform scheduling. Classes and
(Continued on page 4)