Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Nov. 13, 1972, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE 1 THE TDJJG Novdmbe,^ 13, 1972 THE TWIG MEREVITH COLLEGE STUDENT SPEAKS OUT Counseling Here? In a recent proposal to the Student Life Committee, a need was expressed for a full-time counseling situation here at Meredith. This need seems to be quite appropriate for a college of this size, for to imply that there are no grave problems here, or that adequate counseling situations are available, is to imply ignorance of the total situation. To examine the first point -- that there are no grave prob lems here -- we must first of all look at a few facts. There does exist a definite drug problem in the city of Raleigh, whe ther or not it is manifested in quantity at Meredith. To deny a student who has encountered these situations the right to be counseled is to deny her the right of rational analysis in deci sion-making. Similarly the need for sex counseling is very evi dent, as exhibited by the number of students who must go off- campus to the Wake County Health Department to obtain infor mation or counseling as to contraceptives and abortions. Fin ally, there is the student who very clearly needs “someone to talk to ’, and who is not completely given the opportunity. Secondly, there exists the sentiment that there are ade quate counseling situations on campus now, through campus ministry, through the Dean of Students, or even through indi vidual professors. Granted, these situations are designed for some counseling, but a student’s willingness to take advantage of them may becurbedbytheir very association with administra tive facets. Few students who might be unmarried and pregnant, or who might be on drugs, or who might have other personal problems would be willing to ask for counseling if they knew the counselor had an administrative position which could “punish” the student for disobeying rules or through which, inadvert antly, such personal information might “leak out.” Similarly, few students have this type of counseling situation with a pro fessor, for there is a certain awkwardness present here which might prohibit a student’s being open. Hence, there does seem to be a need for a qualified, full time, non-administrative counselor on campus, perhaps work ing out of the Student Center. There needs to be someone to whom students desiring counseling can go without fear of being “turned in” for wrongdoing or being downgraded, and to whom a student can go any day rather than on a certain part-time basis. It is, in fact, somewhat odd to realize that there is NOT a true counseling service offered at a woman’s college which is trying to prepare its students to meet their problems in the future. Without offering this service in the present, it is questionable what type of future problem-solving students may expect to find. JFS Losing With Grace The grace with which Senator McGovern accepted his defeat last Tuesday must be commended as exemplary of the spirit in which his entire campaign was conducted. In his speech to the nation, McGovern stressed the importance of “peace-making” over victory, and indeed this spirit of peace is one worthy of examination. Senator George McGovern rose from the depths of relative obscurity to accept a challenge which desperately needed to show a representative voice in American policy-making, parti cularly as to the American involvement In Southeast Asia. He met the challenge head on, taking over where men such as Ro bert Kennedy were abruptly forced to stop. Unable to accept blindly or humanely the policies of a government which con tinued an immoral war, which rarely listened to the poor in its refusals to close corporation tax loopholes, which allowed un employment to rise over a three year period, which irre sponsibly made possible a Watergate incident, and which arrest ed illegally 7,000 young demonstrators at May Day as well as encouraged a “No-Knock” legislation, McGovern faced the is sues with an honest and humane attitude, an open attitude ready to accept change for the betterment of mankind. And, as McGovern stressed Tuesday night, we must be grate ful that these issues were brought out, that peace might be a reality in Vietnam. We must not shed too many tears; we must not give up our ideals. We must be willing to be termed “peace makers” rather than victors, for the ideal of peace transcends that of victory. In fact, we must not give up hope; we must not be squelched into silence by a bureaucracy; we must not ever quit fighting for what we know is right and true, no matter how many political victories overcome us. For the ideals of peace, equality, and freedom are lasting ones in which, if they are ever to become realities, we must believe and on which we must act. We will not be forced to accept those policies in the next ad ministration which are inconsistent with these ideals; neither will we curse any that do show a consistency. Rather, we will continue the fight, and, as Senator McGovern realized, “We shall not feign.” JFS SWIMMI.^C TRYOUTS The synchronized swim ming group will hold tryouts until Wednesday. Anyone in terested in becoming part of this group )and receiving a one hour physical education cre dit) ro.me at S:00 ready to swim. If you have any ques tions. see Mrs. Vandiver. Prominence demands responsibility. And that’s why so few people are well known. Engulfed Flat on the top of the highest wave. It carries you close to heaven before it breaks over your head and pulls you under. Everyday, numerous com plaints are made in private discussions by members of the student body. Simply by pausing to join in a lunchtime conver sation, one may overhear a va riety of general criticisms: the quality and choice of foods is not up to par, class assign ments are too demanding, tests are given too frequently, rats and roaches have invaded dorm rooms, chapel attendance regu lations are ridiculous, etc. Maybe some of these problems have reached unbearable pro portions for certain students. If so, why has some sort of action not been taken to im prove the situation? Apparent ly, these problems are not as unbearable as one might be led to believe. There are still plen ty of well-fed girls running around, class assignments us ually managed to get turned in, and no casualties have been re ported as a result of overtest ing, rat bites, or overexposure to chapel lectures. Certainly, the majority of us have been af fected to some degree by one or more of these problems; how ever, the effects have, fortu nately, not been drastic enough to incite mass riots. But there is one issue that affects all of us in the student body about which there has been not nearly enough criticism - and that is, the social regula tion policy. It is understand able that juniors and seniors have less to complain about, since they have lately acquir ed “Self-Determining Hours.” It is also understandable that freshman expect to be treated more cautiously than the rest and may require a few restric tions in the beginning. But it is puzzling that sophomores, who By MARY OWENS have had a full year to adjust themselves to the new environ ment, do not express a little more indignation over the child ish code of regulations they are forced to follow. Are they not embarrassed that they are now able to vote for the president of the country, and are not yet able to decide when they will re turn to campus at night? Are they not frustrated that they are responsible, in most cases, to determine their hours athome- and not here at school? Why have sophomores not shown more displeasure at being ex cluded from the privileges of SDH? There are several reasons for this lack of voice, prob ably, some of which are fair ly logical. First of all, the pro cess of reform and innovation here at Meredith is notoriously slow and difficult. Then, the so cial regulations are a security to many of us. It is quite handy to remind a boring date of the required curfew. It is also a comfort to know that the respon sibility for our whereabouts lies in the hands of the resi dent advisors. Thus, security is still an important concern for many students, despite the fact that they are no longer “sweet sixteen.” Another reason for content with the current situation is that most sophomores find sufficient freedom now to do whatever they want, despite the rules. In other words, there are ways to cut around the corners and still go where you want to go. However, there are obstacles in these routes. For example, suppose you would like to stay out late, but not all night, and haven’t signed for a late by 5;00? This can present numerous difficul ties, most of which have no safe solutions. The greatest opposition to so cial regulations here at Mere dith will come from those who have been CAUGHT violating them, which is certainly a mi nority. But simply ask one in that minority how it feels to spend a lonely, uneventful week end on campus by force - sim ply because she was out on a wonderful date, lost track of time, and arrived a few min utes later than the usual clos ing time. To some people,this Is not socially wrong and is certainly not deserving of so childish a punishment. Not even when we were children, did many of our parents confine us to our rooms for such incon sistent reasons. The tragedy is that most of fenders of the rules here are innocent under all other stand ards of judgment (l.e. their fam ily’s, society’s, their own).This is morally and psychologically confusing, not to mention per sonally degrading. It is one thing to point out that we at Meredith are not quite angels - of course we’re not. But neither is late ness a criminal act; to some it is a natural tendency. To clip our wings and ground us for no real justifiable reason is some thing that should not be tolerat ed. Must the oppressed minor ity call the majority to action? Since the majority do not ex perience the reality of this childish punishment, let them consider the idealism of the is sue. Will they let any govern ment deny them their right to freedom and dignity for the price of false security? Those of us who have been unreason ably confined and humiliated certainly hope not. We antici pate a response. UNICEF Builds For A More Peaceful World In 1965, when UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, a member of the Nobel Committee remarked, “To cre ate a peaceful world, we must begin with the children.” If children are to take an ac tive part in building interna tional cooperation, they must be better fed, healthy, and educat ed. The United Nations Chil dren’s Fund is dedicated to re moving the obstacles to growth faced by the one billion chil dren now living in the develop ing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In every project UNICEF and its partner -- the developing country --share responsibility. Most of UNICEF’s assistance takes the form of needed equip ment, while, over one third of its aid supports the training of local teachers, health workers and other personnel. The as sisted country makes substan tial commitments of its man power and natural resources which more than match the value of UNICEF’s investment. On the average, the assisted nation spends $2.50 for every dollar UNICEF spends on its child care programs. Because of this sharing of responsibility and because UNI CEF selects pilot or demon stration projects which can serve as models for more ex tensive national efforts, UNI CEF aid acts as a catalyst. It stimulates programs that countries can carry on for their own children. UNICEF’s inter national staff, located through out the developing world, as sists local administrators in making the most effective use of UNICEF aid within the con text of the country’s develop ment plans, and coordinates this aid with other agencies in inter national development. For over 25 years, the fund ing for these programs has been entirely voluntary-- by governments and private organ izations and individuals who support UNICEF, During most of those years, an important and growing source of UNI CEF’s income has been the Trick or Treat collection on Halloween. The coins which are dropped into the familiar black and orange cartons by U. S. citizens add up to millions of dollars (almost $3,500,000 last year) for UNICEF’s world-wide child care efforts. Collecting for UNICEF re wards America’s own children with a sense of sharing, and helps to bring food and water, the relief of pain, the tools of learning, and the knowledge that others care to millions of youngsters in 111 countries of the developing world. UNICEF Builds Peace EDITORIAL STAFF Janice Sams Copy Editor Eleanor Hill Feature Editor Renee Lindsey Reporting Staff Karen Britt, Claudia Denny, Joy Seaborn, Norma Heath, Catherine Stover, Susan Webster, Mary Owens, Barrie Walton , Gloria Smith Typists ....Deborah Phillips, Suzanne Martin, Susan Webster Faculty Advisers Dr, Norma Rose, Dr. Tom Parramore Business Editor j^ibby owen Advertising Manager Emily Johnson Circulation Manager Klaine Williams Nancy Alvis, Lou Ann Roebuck, Candy Purvis Faculty Adviser Frazier Member Associated Collegiate Press. Entered as second- class matter at post office at Raleigh, N.C. 27611, Published weekly except during holidays and exams, THE TWIG is served by National Educational Advertising Service, 18 East 50th .Street, New York, Subscription Rates* $3,70 per year.
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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Nov. 13, 1972, edition 1
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