PAGE 2
THE BELLES
YOUR STUDENT ACTIVITY
FEE- WHERE DOES IT GO?
FEBRUARY. 1977
FRESH IDEAS
FROM FRESHMAN
by Particia Urquhart
A growing number of
students and interested
faculty are becoming aware of
and concerned about the fact
that, although each student
(both day and boarding) is
payii^ a $75 per year student
activity fee, there are very
few “student activities” oc
curring. Since there are 500
students presently enrolled
here at St. Mary’s, we have
$37,500 in our student ac
tivities fund budget. Have you
noticed $37,500 worth of
student activities this year?
We are beginning to feel that a
Student Activities Director is
essential if we are to receive
full benefit from dur money.
As it now stands, our business
manager is also in a sense our
student activities director!
Of the $37,500 fund this
year, the $16,900 that we have
been able to pin down for
activities that do involve
students is allocated as
follows:
Forum $3,500
Belles $3,000
Stagecoach $8,000
Muse $2,400
$16,900 total
The remaining $20,600 is
put into a classification
labelled “Miscellaneous” by
the Business Office. Mr. B.W.
Conrad, Business Manager,
when asked what this surplus
in the student activity fee is
used for, replied that he did
not know specifically how
much went to the various
miscellaneous categories,
“because it is a matter of
small importance.” When
pressed for details, however,
he did indicate some
allocations:
- TV repairs
- juke box repairs
- bulletin boards
- mimeographed ballots
- ID pictures
- linen service losses
- orientation
- renovating Pittman
Auditorium
- SGA ($500)
-Mother-Father-Daughter
Day
As we asked around
campus, we discovered a few
other areas where this money
is allocated. For example, Mr.
Roberts says that the two St.
Mary’s “Ambassadors” get
$150 each from this fund each
year. Mr. Conrad said that
student banquets and the
snack bar’s evening service
are financed from this fund.
Mr. Grogan, however, told us
that all banquets are covered
in the food service contract,
and it is for this reason that
day students must pay extra
for all banquets attended.
Thus, it seems to us that
the student activities fund is
not being used for purposes
indicated when the students
are required to pay this sum.
Furthermore, all allotments
that are made for student
activities are in many cases
not adequate. For example,
Mrs. Skinnner, faculty ad
visor of the Forum, told us
that to have a really wor
thwhile speaker it would cost
$2,000, leaving the Forum with
little money for the remainder
of the year, after this one
event. There seems to be no
way to correct this situation.
Two of the faculty advisors we
talked to were not aware that
the first two weeks of
February is the budget-
revision period, and that
requests for additional money
should be made at this time.
Obviously, if we are to get
the full benefit of our funds,
the time has come for a
Director of Student Activities.
What we need is an en
thusiastic, concerned, and
qualified director to allocate
these funds in a manner which
is efficient and desirable. 'To
be most effective in allocating
this $37,500 to the students’
advantage, it would be useful
if we had not only a director
but also a committee of
elected, interested students.
Are you satisfied with the
$20,600 worth of
“Miscellaneous”? St. Mary’s
students need campus ac
tivities. We have got the
money - let’s use it for the
purpose for which it has been
collected!
Suggestions For Future SMC Activities
by Carter Warren
St. Mary’s has so much to
offer in most aspects of
college life but one area that
seems to need improvement is
student activities. St. Mary’s
is lucky enough to have a
gorgeous gymnasium, and
Student Union both of which
could be put to more con
structive use. However, I do
not feel that it’s really the use
of the buildings that would
make a difference in our lives
at St. Mary’s as much as some
organized social functions that
would provide the students
wiUi an outlet to meet other
people, as well as provide
entertainment on the
weekends. It is true that SM is
in a position different from
that of other campus’ because
alcoholic beverages are
prohibited on campus:
However, this rule and others
are what make SM the unique
place that it is. I feel that
these rules don’t need to be
changed but that instead
activities need to be planned
around them that will let
every one enjoy themselves,
on campus within the rules of
St. Mary’s.
The first thing that needs
to be realized is that $75 of
every student’s tuition is set
aside for student activities
and therefore is put in the
“working fund” of St. Mary’s.
The money is there for the
students to use if they only
request it. If used, this money
would permit students to
sponsor mixers, bands, etc. on
campus on the weekends.
The counselors in
Smedes are working on some
ideas for a mixer for the high
school students. Several ideas
have been brought to us. First,
it has been suggested that a
list of boys from Raleigh be
compiled by the Raleigh girls
and these boys be invited to a
muter in the cafe. This would
provide the high school girls a
way to meet some Raleigh
boys and it might lead to some
more activities in the future.
BICENTENNIAL CELEBRA’nON ENDS
(Continued from Page 1)
tries on culture in America.
The projects were provided by
German, Spanish and French
students.
Political Science students
staged a Mock convention
under the direction of Mr.
Roberts. A chapel program
featured the contributions of
blacks in sacred music and
preaching.
Another part of the
Bicentennial program dealt
with the beau^ication of the
campus. The Chapel was
painted, a historic monument
was erected and paintings in
Smedes were restored in
carrying out this part of the
program. Also, students
helped with a campus wide
cleanup day to keep things
looking pretty.
This fall the Bicentennial
program continued with
various assembly programs,
and the dedication of a plaque
which identified the Memorial
Oak Tree planted last spring.
Historic walking tours of the
campus allowed others to
enjoy the beauty of St. Mary’s
during the Bicentennial year.
All in all, it was a very good
celebration at St. Mary’s.
Perhaps music could be
provided by a “memory
bank”, a type of tape system
which is relatively inex
pensive. It has also been
suggested that we have a
mixer with Ravenscrof t or one
of the private schools in the
area. I feel that there is bound
to be some way that social
functions can be put on at St.
Mary’s that are fun. What is
needed is your suggestions on
what you would like to see put
on at St. Mary’s.
Ideas have also been
made for the College as well
as the college and high school
combined. The seniors have
toyed with the idea of a Spring
week. Perhaps that could be
worked out. Also, in the spring
it may be possible to have an
informal dance on the patio
outside of the cafe. "There
could be an afternoon bar-b-
que behind Smedes with a
band.
All that is needed to make
a fun place to spend a
weekend is some good ideas
and a little organization. If
you have any ideas con
cerning this please put them
in the Belles suggestion box,
we need everyones help to get
things together and make St.
Mary’s even a better place
than it is now.
Some of the St. Mary’s
freshmen were asked for their
ideas about activities, and
they responded with a wide
variety of suggestions.
Kea Capel recommends a
family-style dinner once in a
while - “not something that is
so very special, but simply a
nice little thing to lode for
ward to - a family affair!”
Many students want more
concerts of disco, bluegrass,
etc. Elizabeth Blades says
that classical music is fine
“on occasion” but would like
to also have “concerts that
more people would be en
thusiastic about attending.”
Elizabeth also suggests that
“someone is lacking in
responsibility” in not utilizing
the $75 student activity fee for
the good of the students.
Janet Morrison would like
more parties and dances so
that the day students and
boarders could get to know
each other better. Marty Vann
says that a party a month
would give everyone
something to look forward to.
She adds, “Make sure that
plenty of boys are there.”
Nancy Sharpe deplores
the lack of gymnasium
equipment, which forces girls
to give up sports they have
previously enjoyed. Banta
Newell agrees, and suggests
teams of softball and field
hockey, and gymnastics. Jean
Carrington would like to have
the gym open longer for
friends and dates.
Sheri Wilkie objects to the
Student Union being used only
for TV in the evenings and
would like to have stereo
music there at night “so that
we could bring friends and
dates and meet new people.”
Maybe Sheri would like to
start a group to get some use
out of our big shiny juke box!
Katie Cobb suggests longer
hom^ for the Snack Bar,
pointmg out that it is open now
only when people are in class.
Katie asks, “Why not keep it
open at night?” Music, food -
sounds good, doesn’t it!
Rachel Jones suggests
that those “fattening study
breaks” at night be turned
into get-togethers in lower
Smedes, on Monday night for
example. She thinks this
would be great for boarders
and day students both. One of
her delicious suggestions is
for do-it-yourself banana
splits!
Leigh Duke also favors
more occasions for students to
get together for fun, and
Carai Akin thinks that games
and picnics would help
overcome “that small
dividing line between day
student and boarder.”
Elizabeth Rouse wants pic
nics, games, and bands on
campus for “bright sunny
Saturday afternoons,”
because more weekend ac
tivities are needed, to bring
and keep students on campus.
Hillary Thompson ad
vocates more clubs,
especially an “outside en
tertainment club” which
would find things of interest to
students in town (concerts,
games, movies) and provide
transportation and in
formation for groups wanting
to attend. Hillary adds that
the student activities fee
should be used for student
activities only!
There are some very good
ideas here, and we hope that
concerned people will respond
to them. If you like these ideas
or have other suggestions,
drop them in the Belles Box
and we will use them in the
next issue.
by Mary M. Deekens
Those ever active Day
Students are at it again! Now
we’re planning a bottle drive
to raise money to give a party
for the boarders. Delia
McGee, Brenda Forrest, and
Gail Gaskins are in charge of
the drive to be held. Sat., Jan.
29. We haven’t decided what
kind of party we’re going to
give yet, but it’ll be lots of fun.
Any Day Student with ideas
turn them in to Bobi. If ad
ditional money is needed for
the party we plan to have a
bake sale under the guidance
of Rachel Jones and Katie
Zevenhuisen. These prc^xisals
were discussed at the meeting
on Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 10:30.
From now on we will be
meeting every other
Tuesday at 10:30. So, get out
of bed girls and come! Roll
will be taken and absentras
will be campused! Also, any
Day Student who shivered
through the recent heatless
spell in the house can rest
assured that the heat has been
fixed, but don’t touch that
dial!!!