i
To0e 2
OctoBer 12,1990
Dr. Oldenburg Discusses German
by jennifcr Friedman
The Salemile
Reunification
On October 3,1990, East and West Germany united to form one country. To commemorate this occasion, the International
Club sponsored a lecture and discussion by Dr. Erik Oldenburg about the implications of the unification.
The thirty people who attended learned that the combined Germany will have the third largest area of European countries
at ^* 6 Montana), will have the largest European population at 77.6 million, and will have the largest GNP
Dr. Oldenburg pointed out that this emerging economic power does not have to weaken American economic strength if
we a e advantage of joint venture opportunities. Dr. Oldenburg also stated that the re-unification should not be cause for
paranoia; Germany has promised not to revive border disputes, although countries such as Poland worry that they eventually
. u ^research, athletics, and newscasting remain the same for the time being so
hevo H ° K 'i ‘ these cultures have not had much time to grow ap^art
tL Wd Worid * 1" presiding over different sections of GeLany ^fter
c l^ond World War. The East, for instance, went directly from Hitler to Stalin and Communism, so that capitalism and
Westem.dcasintroducedtoWestGcrmanyimmediatelyaftertheWarareabstractconceptsinthemindsoftheEa^stGermans
Community Day
1 he tvoiution c,iass neid trip to fvasti-
ington D.C. last weekend did not go as
planned. Above, Dr. James EdwardS
expresses his opinion,
photo by Karen Elsey
Old Salem Inc. and MESDA, Mu
seum of Early Sou thorn Decorative Art,
are both celebrating birthdays and the
entire Salem College community is
invitcxl.
An 8:45 a.m. sound check from the
square will bo the first thing most will
hear from Community Day.
The Moravian band will begin the
celebration at 9:15 a.m. in the square
with concert music.
The Archways will perform at 12
p.m. as well as the Academy Glee Club.
Old Salem Inc. will bc' celebrating it's
40th birthday and MESDA it's 25th.
There are many advantages to this
occasion. All tours of Old Salem will be
free and MESDA will be opened to the
public free of charge as well. It is the
pc'rfect chance to take a tour of the
community surrounding Salem Col
lege. Planters will be giving free icees
and pc'anuts to the visitors and other
venders will be in the area. There will
lx? two hot air balloons in the historic
district, one from Magic 99.5 and the
Planters-Livesaver balloon.
The celebration is expected to bring
in bc'tween 5,000and 20,000 visitors to
Old Salem and the College.
Dorm Lobbies will be open to the
public, with the exception of Gramley
and Strong; and Epicure will be serv
ing Chili and corn bread on Clewell
Patio.Campus tours will be given every
half hour from the admissions office.
This event will go on rain or shine.
There will be NO parking on front
campus from 10 p.m. on Friday until
Saturday around 7 p.m. Students and
their guests can park in the Pi t or in the
FAC. The back gate will be open all
night Friday.
To enter the FAC on Saturday stu
dents must have theircollege l.D.s. No
one will be allowed in without identi
fication.
Dr. Reiner opens Lunch and Lecture
by Tara Newton
The Salemite
Series Focusing On Children
"Warning: the environment is haz
ardous to a child's physical and psy
chological health." According to Dr.
Reiner, this caution needs tobestampied
on every infant at birth.
At his luncheon lecture. Dr. Reiner
called on everyone to seriously con
sider the threats to a child's well being
in America's presentculture. Children
are losing out in our school systems
and in our families.
Children are no longer receiving the
education they deserve or need to
prosper in life. In one study, only 7% of
a sample of high school seniors had the
intellectual training to succeed in col
lege science courses. "Reading could
become a lost art," according to one
newspaper reviewing ournation's SAT
scores. These and other statements are
pointing towards a dismal future for
our country.
Dr. Reiner believes our educational
system is exhibiting increasing medi
ocrity and that our children's reading
level "could bc a tragedy for our na
tion."
Today's children are completely
absorbed in videos and caught up in
television, learning from such intellec
tual idols as Bart Simpson. Our whole
society is being sorely affected. While
Japanese students are excelling in xhc
sciences, America's children arc carry
ing Walkmans everywhere and are
being ridiculed left and right by car
toonists.
In a sense, we are "blaming the vic
tim." Children arc not responsible for
their own education or nurture; the
adults are accountable for the condi
tion of our society. Tracey Kidder, in
her book Among School Children,
emphasized that kids do not have the
option of choosing their own genes,
parents, or the environments in which
they live. They have no real control
over their lives. Dr. Reiner pointed ou t
that our society has decided the fine
line of becoming responsible Heston
the eighteenth birthday. *
Just as society defines responsibility,
it defines family. Traditional views of
the family arc changing. The quali ty of
family life is decaying in many in
stances.
According to one survey of Ameri
cans, 56% described our families as
being just fair or alright. Little kids are
closer to being miniature adults in our
culture. Wedrcssthemasadults,expect
them to act like adults, and often leave
them to fend for themselves.
Children are the poorest group in
America. One out of every five lives in
poverty. North Carolina has one of the
highest infant mortality rates in the
country, not even including those chil
dren damaged after birth due to drugs
and child abuse.
There is a national crisis in child care
as well as child abuse. Mostly due to
economic factors, 75% of moms with
elementary-aged kids are at work at
least part-time. Only one in four has
Ae luxury of staying home with the
kids if they choose; the other three
would be in poverty if they did not
work.
Despite the extraordinary number!
working parents, the Act for Beth
Child Care and the Parental Leave f(
Women Bill never passed in Congres
American women only asked for l(
weeks with no pay. Most Europe!
nations allow their mothers 3-4 montl
with pay! In these policies America
in the same league as South Africi
Americans think in terms of immec
ate pay-off, not in the long term invei
ments for the future.
"Children are our most importai
resource," Dr. Reiner said, but in hi
opinion we have failed.
Education is not valued in our sod
ety. Rather, we pay lip service. If wi
did highly value it, teachers would h
the highest paid employees in the na
tion.
If Americans were willing to invesl
$1.00 in preschool, we would save $5.00
later with drugs, criminals, and unem
ployment costs. A major investment—
not even the stock market gives a 5007c
return! $1.00 towards prenatal care
would save $3.00 right after birth.
Despite these figures, Americans are
more willing to take drastic measures
to save another endangered species,
the Spotted Northern Owls, and pul
many out of work to do so, before they
will give a few extra dollars and lots
more support to our children—OUK
FUTURE!!