Editorial: Commentary MMSK 181JIS
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We look with jaundiced eye on the business of exams. At the end of each semester,
students undergo a trial by sleeplessness. Coffee is frequently called the think drink.
In this case. It is more rightly labeled the "study stimulant." It is often the medium
through which the scholar's message is fatigue and incoherence. Any teacher who knows
the joy of discussions that say nothing in six pages of crabbed handwriting can attest to
the fact.
Such performances do not give the instructor his just desserts. In many instances, he has
endured a great deal and deserves a better fate. How would you like eighteen weeks of
unread assignments and overdue papers? Red eyes and zombie postures should not always
disturb the conscientious teacher. In weeks gone by, the maligned pedagogue has
suffered an invisible but even more frightening presence. He has had a classroom of
blotter minds, ready to soak up the contents of any given lecture. This state is reached
without troubling to prepare for a lesson.
Certainly, it is hard to grade a sponge fairly. Therefore, the exam Is a resort (and
possibly a desperate one) to gauge scholastic achievement. All too often this academic
barometer measures not half so high as the student's blood pressure. It's a remote
possibility he may have brought ill health on himself. Steady application and foregoing
pleasures such as five hours of bridge, six of tv, and other mild recreations might spare one
the delight of learning a semester's work in eight hours. Actually, that sounds impossible
and absurd, doesn't it?
We hope these eight hours are very intense ones. Rome wasn't built In a day we have
Frequently heard. But, the ambitious may attempt in an evening and early morning to
reconstruct civilization from Adam to Henry VII. Usually by test time, "crammed" facts
have deserted. Fbor marks result. Should we then lay all blame at the students' doorstep?
No, it would be easy to do so. Yet, we don't wish accusations of toadying to the
faculty. There is another viewpoint posited by those skeptical about testing. It is a frontal
assult against all tests rather than just final exams. The position Is interesting and bears
consideration. The skeptics say; I) tests are signs of distrust of the students' capacity to
retain learning and 2) they are evidences of irrational, confounded, paranoid fear that
no work has been done.
How sad! Both teachers and students share common ground in the area of final exams.
Exams not only have to be taken. Someone has to grade them too. Therefore, many
people lose sleep over these pearls of wisdom. Sti II, if sleep is regarded as a "little
death" or as a "death wish, " then exams definitely have a positive effect. When no
one sleeps, this constitutes a deep desire for life.
Frank Fbrrish, Editor
Election Leftovers
Ecclesiastes (LeMay interpretation) - Weapons of war are better than wisdom.
Election Grammar? "Oh, I'm voting for the lesser of three evils."
Novel Presentation - Nude poster pictures pteter Abalafio, rresidential candidate of the
Love party. Caption: "Vote for me, I have nothing to hide."
Dear Editor:
There is a policy on this campus that 1 feel
needs questioning at this time. That is the
policy of requiring church attendance on
Sunday. I agree with the requirement of
chapel attendance during the week so 1 see -i
no need to comment on that here.
The Idea of required church attendance
should be disturbing to every open-minded
person of this community. Making someone
attend church certainly will not help to
foster in him the proper outlook toward
religion. Most people today like and want
to make decisions for themselves. Since this
decision is one of the most important in a
person's life, 1 believe each individual should
decide for himself whether to attend church
or not.
Having attended a ptesbyterian-supported
college before coming to Montreat, I was
associated with a "church" school that did
not require church attendance on Sunday but
still required chapel during the week. Even
though they did not require church attendance,
I am sure the whole school wasn't going to
hell. Just because church was not required
people did not stop going. The ones who went
to church really wanted to go and felt a desire
to go.
1 would be interested in seeing a poll
taken among the students and faculty and
having the results announced. Since these
are the people that are effected I believe
they should have a say in this policy.
John Mullins
Dear Editor:
In reference to the eye-opening article
in last week's "Cavalier," apparently, I and
my friends have been living in the dark.
We have been spending our leisure time at
such "out" places as MacDonald's, Bell's,
and Hardee's, just sitting around supping soft
drinks and munching hamburgers. If we real I)
want to raise some hell we usually go to the
Giant Skyslide, the merry-go-round, and
of course the terrifying bumper cars out at
the West G Jte Shopping Center.
I feel I have really been missing out on sor
fun and excitement. But now that I have bee
let in on the "news" of "where to go" and
specifically which places are preferred by
all Montreat students, I plan to make up for
lost time.
Thanks to the author of this article, whoev
he Is, for opening our eyes ( and possibly the
eyes of others) because most of us didn't
know where to qo. ... ..
^ Jim Watts
Dear Editor:
If you have had the fine experience of
attending the Asheville Community Concerts^
contact with some of the most distinguished
people in the Southeast's inevitable.
A circular, placed in the October I7th
program, stated the "Director" had received
numerous complaints from certain concert
goers. I would like to quote one of the
pleas the directors felt necassary to address
to our fine citizens of Asheville:
"The fact that some members leave
before and during the encores is
expeclally disturbing to others in
an extreme discourtesy to the
performing artist. Please remain
seated until the house lights are
turned on. If you must leave before
the end, please sit in the rear of
the auditorium."
It seems that the degree of "Southern
Hospitality," which Is characteristic of this
region, has diminished from the scene of our
more cultured society. Rather, It has been
readily replaced by the Importance of
"missing the traffic so we can get home early,
My intention is not to degrade the
Southern people, but simply to point out
the unnecessary rudeness of a minority of
Asheville citizens. Courtesy is a staple
item in ethics and should not be evaded nor
overlooked by anyone.
Tom Behrens
Dear Editor:
Upon applying for entrance into MAC, we
are "asked" (did 1 say asked?) to sign a
pledge stating on our honor that we would
not lie, steal or cheat. Apparently the
last of these standards was disregarded during
the biology mid-term exam.
Some seem to think it would be easier to
"fudge" just a little to make a better grade.
These people raised the curve just enough
so that the people who did study, did not
make what they should and some became
very uprooted about it.
When It was asked what was to be done,
the comment was made that the Idea of
people cheating was just "hearsay." This
"hearsay" caused the grades of many people
to drop.
To the people who cheated, the biology
students, the class average, and I,
thank you.
Waiter McLean