October 8,1997
Cmnpus^^M
Apathy is a problem
From the
Editor
The^^O ran an article in Sunday’spaper about how
colleges sell Ihemsejves to passionless sludeals who will
fall uoder the spell of videos and glossy advertisements
Troin their inarkeling departmenls. The article also said lhal
dc|K>riinunis will modify grading systems lo accommodate
students so they won’t leave.
Is this true (ot Meredith? I don't think so. Over the last three years we have had an
increase in incoming students, but there ha.« also been an inaease in the dropout rate. Is
(his because Meredith is loo hard academically, or is ii becau.se we lacka vibran! college
social life?
I like to think Meredith is a lough school. We have one of the toughest I:nglish
departments in the .stale. And Meredith has one of the top Education depailments.
The thing that Meredith studeatsdolackisinvolvement in campus organizatioDS and
events. The students are supposed lo be the driving force behind the college, but it seems
lhaialargepercenlageof the student body could care le.ss about what goes on at the school.
Thu-e is ageneral feeling of apathy on campus. I was disturbed in the turnout at the Free
Your Mind Forum last week. The students who did attend were nuinly composed of
organization leaders, .studeat government, and class representatives. As much com(4ain-
ing lhal goes around Meredith, il's surprising that more pec^le did not attend.
Also, a couple of weeks ago, the Herald ran a''Point/Counteipoini” article that was
derc^alory to Meredith students, faculty, and the Honor Code. And we only received two
letters of response. I felt like nobody realty cared here at Meredith what was said about
them.
However this week we have more of a re.'^nse about the “From the cditM'” from last
week, which makes me think that students might have a vdce after all.
Dear Editor:
I am writing in respon.se toyour article printed on Oct. I, entitled “ThioJc Before You
Drink." While I understand the ai^ument of your editorial, 1 believe that yw have
provided yourreaders with incorrect inl^mMion. You simply did not give all of the facts
about wh^ happened during the incidehl in Paircloth dormitory. The reul problem was
with the pipcf! and not with the po^m who “accidentally fell” on them, as staled on the
front page of the Herald. According lo sources dealing with the incident, [svblcms with
the plumbing started long before the Lawn Paily. Whether ot not the young woman was
dnink is irrelevant. Although it helped lo support your poi nt, spouting rumors as suppwt
has never increased the quality of journalism. Also, you should note that in our small
M««dilh community, there is really no such thing as anonymous; now the woman you
referred lo has to pay for your irresponsibility. Maybe next lime you should “Think
Before You Write.”
Beth Boyette
Meredith Herald
Editor in Chief
Kim Hi^land
l^ywiiEdiKJi Allison Carter
Jeiuiifcrlyncfa
features Editor/CanooQist.,.., .T«ryHoke
?BosincssManj«€r«---w.^ JciiniferRcdinficr
fiQWnro. .RobiftiUdcbdc.HmIly:Fulghuat.
AUson-VaJemi Usa
iSp"' BpYeitc, Katherine Jones. Eboiiy Williajiis, ::.
"Stacey Delaiicy, Sandy ^eplieiis, SroBke
s^OSO Edftorii— April
Jtowgraphef5.w..,wi;i,; ..,..Chjistli\cla«^iluv Marilyjti
. •."'rr-,WoitIiuigtou.AU'souf}uod.RcbcceaTiiii^ej|i
fACxHVf Adviser - ...» - Loxiisc Taylor';;
]&Htorlal Policy:
Is pubUsbed.b^'.tiic College throu^Sui
^^atidchiic year. fJte paper isXunded by the College "^4
advertising. Tlie'opii^iis «prcssel iu editorial
scolumiis do mot oecesssariiy, ,refl»t those of tl\c
iadministiaitoa, &^lty or studeiiiJljody.
MFREDITH BY TORY HOKE
He of Aiiprf«/is
I If iw ftrmi Girr
\f im tootMme
m*r-
Letters to the Editor:
Students respond to alcohol editorial
Dear Editw;
I have always taken pride in the fact that
Meredith boasts a good, solid, factual news
paper. Sadly enough the Oct 1 edition of the
Heraid changed all that. It made me very
upsei to .see lhal the Herald would sink to
sleazy tabloid level by printing stories and
columns that were based on rumors and
falsehoods. As the suitemale and only wit
ness to the “drunk passed out girl" situation
I cannot believe lhal the column on the flood
and the letter from the editor were (Tinted
without even checking the true source.
By focusing on the fact that the pipes
were broken by agirl passing «il on theni-
which I might add is TOTALLY false- no
one even bothered to check with mainte
nance to see if there had been any f^vious
problems with the pipes. If someone had
goae to the maintenance office they woild
find at least one if not two work orders fix
the bathroom in suite 321-322, It is not
humanly possible for someone drunk or
sobertofall on a metal pipe and it bust unless
there had been pries' |»x>bleins. 1 am not a
journalism majcY but I do know that before
you write and publish a story you should
have your sources contacted and your
facts straight.
Secondly, I think it is a slap in the
face of the Meredith community that the
writers of the articles did not even focus
on the fact that we had an abundance of
help from so many different people.
Throughout that long and eventful night
the girls of third FaircliXh lent us their
arms for bailing water, shoulders for tears
and hugs, beds for us lo sleep and most of
all support in our time of need. 1^1 me be
the first, since do one else did, lo publicly
say thanks so much for everyone’s help.
1 think lhal the spotlight should have
been directed on a mure positive aspect of
the situation. The editor said “You see •
we all have to pay for other people’s
indulgences.” You don’t liveinFairclolh,
so therefore you have not paid for any
thing.
Frankie Epps
Dear Editor:
1 was minding my own business and
watchiog television Wednesday afternoon
when my roomm^e came lo .show me the
editorial containing whai had su|^x)sedly
happened the night of the flood. I could not
believe my ear.s. 1 was not mad that they
hod reported on the flood, but that they lied
and did not check the facts. I was there the
night it happened. I was not in the bath
room. but I was in the next room about lo
go to sleep. I saw the water gushing out on
lo my flocr. NO ONE "passed out beside
the toilet.". I did however see the security
men come and help us. Also. 1 saw the five
to seven girls who woke up at 3:30 in the
morning to help clean up the water. No one
got mad w angry, they just all worked
together to help solve our problem.
I think that the Herald has demon
strated what sloppy journalism is. (thought
all true reporters were supposed to report
on the facts. Maybe I am wrong.
The report from the Editor was a very
good opinion piece, but the last paragraph
really bugged me. The beginning of the
article was a personal testimony, and then
Sue EDrrOKIAL page 5
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