F\\GK 2
THE TWIG
DECEMBER 13, 1973
THE
MEREVITH
TWIG
Letters to the editor
COLLEGE
Decision was right',
Student voice counts
President Weems’ decision to allow Sydney to appear on
campus next semester has to be the correct one. That is not to say
that the group of students who protested her coming were wrong
in any way. To the contrary, it is good to know there are students
on campus who have enough spirit to take their views to the
college president. But if Meredith is to maintain any kind of
academic freedom. Dr. Weems had to decide in favor of Ms.
Abbott’s appearance. Her speaking engagement, arranged by the
Student Government Association, does, indeed, fall within the
bounds of the 1966 visiting speaker policy set by the Board of
Trustees. Ms. Abbott’s appearance here will be for an evening
lecture; no one is required to go to the event. Further, she will be
speaking on some of the points she makes in her book, SAPPHO
WAS A RIGHT-ON WOMAN; she has not been engaged to
promote her lifestyle. (It should be noted that there is definitely a
difference between speaking on a subject and promoting one.) I
feel sure that her address will concern not the promotion of her
way of life, but will attempt to foster an understanding in others.
It was also encouraging to see a good turnout for last Friday’s
SGA convocation. After the events of the past week, there can be
no doubt that student opinion does make a difference - if students
will voice those opinions so that the administration can hear
them. There are many areas that student opinion could affect if
enough student would think through the situations and voice
concrete sentiments. Take for instance the area of curriculum
change. Last year a survey was conducted to see if there was
sufficient student interest in adding such majors as political
science, drama and physical education. It would be interesting to
know what happened to the survey and i it was submitted to the
various committees and councils that are supposed to study
curriculum changes. President Weems has stated in “The
President's Notebook’’of July, 1973, that, “Our Curriculum will
continue to change and must offer the flexibility to satisfy the
needs of our changing student body.”
There are majors offered at this school now that have very
few students participating in them. With as many students who
have indicated to me personally an interest in a political science
major, I am not willing to accept a “no” answer to adding this
subject as a major. I get the definite feeling that the Academic
Council is not in favor of addine anv new maiors. This is one area
that specifically needs immediate attention. I would like to hear
the objections or drawbacks to adding a major when enough
students indicate an interest. Is it lack of funds? Does it cost
Meredith money to retain majors in fields where less than five
participating students graduate each year? I wonder.
If Meredith students want new majors, then they are going to
have to make themselves heard!
Then there is the matter of SDH for juniors, sophomores and
freshmen. If this is something that students want and feel
strongly about, then they must make proposals and send them
through the legislative channels. Nothing around here will ever
change for the better until Meredith students become concerned
enough to do something about the situation. No administrative
decisions are going to be made in areas like these until students
show constructive interest and a willingness to get things done.
President Weems’ remarks in the “Notebook” of student
government run like this; “My observation is that students are
showing less and less interest in true student governance. They
are more comfortable when acting as a student lobby and feel
better representing students than dealing with the very hard
problems on a day-to-day basis. Student governments by and
large have disarmed themselves by seeking less and less the
definition of rules and regulations. Ater years of this
movement they now find it very difficult to effectively enforce
their own rules; consequently, making the hope for a meaningful
educational experience much less effective.” I am not sure I
entirely agree with this statement, and I wonder what other
students have to say to this. True student government can be
effective at Meredith if students will begin to articulate the kinds
of sensible rules and regulations they want in order to govern
themselves, and then see that these rules are put into effect.
If we as a student body have learned anything this semester,
it is that we can be effective by making our opinions heard; no
matter how diverse these opinions are, they will be listened to.
EEH
FRED & OTHERS
To the Editor;
I am a human being first
of all. Secondly, I am a
woman. Thirdly, I am a
lesbian. Make sure you un
derstand what I just said. I did
not choose to be born. I did not
choose to be born female.
Most importantly, I did not
choose to be a lesbian. That
fact concerning my existence
was determined for me at
some point during my early
childhood development - and
I do not know WHY. But the
fact remains and I somehow
must make the best of it.
Can you even begin to
imagine the trauma with
which every lesbian is faced
when she realizes that when
all the girls are talking about
boys at recess in junior high,
HER thoughts are for girls?
And in high school, the
possibility exists of being
branded “queer” if you don’t
date. What do you do? You
think often of suicide, but
hopefully you’re strong
enough not to resort to that
and can make something good
out of your LIFE. So here I am
in college, trying, with much
difficulty, to come to grips
with my situation. But it’s
being made much more dif
ficult when I discover that
some of the study body - AND
the administration - cannot
condone the enlightening (yes,
I said enlightening) ex
perience of hearing a human
being different from them
selves in one aspect but the
same in that she has the same
capacity for accom
plishments, fear, hate, and
yes, even love, speak to
us about her life. Tliank God
she can do so openly; I cannot.
But I have not tried to harm
Meredith College or her
students by my being a
lesbian. Neither will Sydney
Abbott. I wish with all my
heart that I could sign this
letter.
Name withheld upon request
Dear Editor;
It was recently brought to
my attention that I have been
laboring under the miscon
ception that Meredith College
is a community in which a free
flow of new and controversial
ideas has an established
place. I call this a miscon
ception because there are
certain members of the
community who feel it their
self-appointed, sacred duty to
“protect” themselves and
others from viewpoints with
which they disagree. I refer
specifically to the destruction
of posters which advertised
the Impeachment Rally held
on December 1. These posters
had been up no more than two
hours before they were ripped
down and (to make matters
even worse) thrown on the
ground to litter our campus.
I realize that im
peachment is a highly con
troversial issue and that many
Americans view it as an un
necessary and unwise move.
There are others, however,
who feel that this is the next
logical step in setting our
government straight. These
people should be allowed to
voice their opinions without
fear of hostile reaction from
By Ron Tandberg
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more conservative quarters.
Hopefully, the ^ilty parties in
thiscase will think twice about
the “American way” (which
they most likely thought they
were protecting) and how
freedom of speech and press
are a part of it before they
strike again.
Sincerely,
Cookie Roberts
Dear Editor;
In the November 27th
issue of THE TWIG, a senior
at Meredith raised some very
important questions that I feel
need to be answered explicitly
and forthrightly.
I have been on the
Meredith campus for almost
two years now. Without
question they have been the
most vigorous and taxing
years of my life. Being
President of Meredith College
requires many things of a
person. Each and every one of
them I consider enjoyable and
profitable, but I have also
found my time is completely
scheduled with little op
portunity for outside en
joyment and relaxation.
This year the Meredith
College enrollment is the
largest in history. There are
more than 1700 people being
served in one capacity or
another by the college during
the fall semester. The demand
for our services continue to
grow. Even during times that
many women’s colleges
across the country are ex
periencing great dfficulties,
our college is being operated
on a firm financial foundation.
There has been no deficit
spending and we completed
our last fiscal year well in the
black. More than one million
dollars was raised from
various sources to supplement
the fees paid by our students.
It is necessary to have this
support in operating a quality
institution. Each year the gap
between the income received
from student fees and the total
college budget grows wider.
When coming to Meredith
College, I decided I would like
to be the most available
college president in the United
States. I have always tried to
practiced an open-door policy
making myself available to
any and all that want to
confer. By practicing this
policy, I find that my schedule
does stay very full indeed.
There is usually someone
waiting to see me before the
preceding conference is
completed. I have always
wanted these conferences
scheduled in such a manner
that matters can be talked
through. This has allowed me
to know many of our student
body and faculty. This
semester I have met with each
of the department chairmen
at least once, and in many
cases we have had several
meetings. We discussed
academic plans and academic
personnel.
Since moving into the
president’s residence in 1972,
we have had more than 11,000
guests visit with us during an
eighteen-month period. The
senior class has been invited
to dinner in our home for the
last two years and will be
invited again. This year we
were able to hold the fresh
man reception in our home for
the first time. The dinner
meetings and the campus
organization meetings have
been hosted in this beautiful
facility now number in the
scores. Each of these oc
casions i have thoroughly
enjoyed and felt very pleased
that I had the opportunity to
participate.
During the last two years,
I have worked incessantly for
Meredith College. During 1973
alone, I will have spent more
than one hundred nights away
from home involved in
Meredith College activities.
The Baptist institutions of
higher education work closely
with the North Carolina
Baptist State Convention in
promoting the Cooperative
Program. Each school has the
responsibility for providing
promotional activities for two
associations. This promotion
includes speaking at Sunday
morning worship services for
the Cooperative Program and
attending associational
meetings. The president of
Meredith College is also in
vited to speak at Sunday
morning worship services all
across the State of North
Carolina. This schedule has
been extremely heavy, con
sequently, I have had the
privilege of worshipping in my
home church only two times
during the last four months.
During the first two years
in Raleigh I have had the
opportunity to speak to most
of our organized alumnae
groups. These meetings are
usually scheduled on Saturday
tying up many complete
weekends throughout the
year. I held season tickets to
the North Carolina State
football games, but was able
to attend only two because of
college obligations. I mention
this only to point out that the
weekends are part of the work
schedule.
There are many things
going on at Meredith that will
interest the students. Many of
these are outlined in the
REPORT OF THE
PRESIDENT 1972-73 TO THE
TRUSTEES. This report is in
the library, but I am making it
available to THE TWIG
asking them to reproduce it in
its entirety or excerpts as they
see fit. In the “Blueprint for
the Future,” I think you will
(Continued on page 3)
Editor
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EDITORIAL STAFF
Eleanor Hill
Rebecca Askew
Norma Heath, Chrystal Riviere,
Rebecca Childs, Cathy Rodenberg,
Chris Cornwall, Catherine Stover, Allyn Vogel
Judith Anthony, Joyce Martin
Cookie Roberts, Alison Maready
Dr. Norma Rose, Dr. Tom Parramore
Deborah Phillips
Candy Purvis
Cathy Murff, Mildred Long
Rebecca Askew
Cookie Guthrie, Marlene Ezell,
Rebecca Childs
Dr. Lois Frazier
Ami Pierce, Marlene Hart
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