PAGE 2
THE BELLES
NOVEMBER, 1982
f EDITORiM I
On the return trip frorp a weekend, w& stopped at an
interstate-side comfort station,-which, on a long trip g^s past
teing a convenience and becomes a downright necessity. The
lines were long and would have moved faster, save for the fact
that two of the six stalls had no doors and were not being used.
There was water on the floor and the hand blow-driers, as one
woman said, “probably don’t work either.” Several ladies
expressed their disgust at the lack of maintenance of the
facilities.
I, being my straight-forward self, simply pointed out that
things would not get in such a state of disrepair if people did not
abuse them. Granted, everything wears out with use, but more
than likely at a rate which the maintenance department can
handle. The question here, though, is about the willful destruction
of property. Does the fund have the financial responsibility to
repair and replace articles, public or private, made unusable
through abuse?
'liiis is a question St. Mary’s girls could ask themselves. I
hear many students complaining about conditions on campus, but
seldom do they consider reasons behind the conditions. Some
people have said they do not like the new containers for salad
dressings in the dining hall; they may not have been needed if we
had not playfully mixed the condiments for a little harmless fun.
Salad bowls would not have ashes stuck in them if the dishes were
not used as ashtrays. Likewise, the asthetic value of our school is
our own creation. Writing and chewing gum on walls, peeled
wallpaper, litter, trashed bathrooms can all only be blamed on
ourselves.
Things we do thoughtlessly have much more impact than we
think. Beyond appearances, vandalism (after all, no matter on
how small a scale, it is vandalism) costs money. People are paid
to clean and repair articles. Individual parts and sometimes the
whole object need replacement. It is a waste of time and money,
and remember - somebody is footing the bill. I am not t^ing to
preach, and the examples I have used are mild. I am asking that
you think about the effects on others your actions will have.
L.W.J.
Editorial
Why St. Mary’s needs
a Young Democrats Club
What political party do you belong to? At a traditional school
like St. Mary’s, you can assume that almost everybody will be a
Republican. In fact, the College Republicans club has already
met this year. Not so the Young Democrats club. One assumes
that this club, if it ever existed, has gone the way of old soldiers
and just faded away. In the interests of fairness, it is time the
Democrats revived their long dead organization and, together
with the College Republicans club and the rest of the student
body, work to bring greater political awareness to St. Mary’s.
A Democratic organization would give liberals a chance to
dfscuss their opinions and become better informed about party
activities and views. Furthermore, such a club could try to spread
these ideas to the other students, and show them that there are
two parties in the U.S. Through the different political clubs, a
person can become better informed about the options available,
and more aware of political issues as both parties see them. In
order to make a well-informed decision, we need to know more
than just one side of an issue.
Today, we’re faced with many complex problems: a faulty
economy, rising unemployment and increasing numbers of
deadly nuclear weapons. On November 2, some of us are going to
have to decide who we want to elect to deal with these problems.
However, regardless of whether or not we vote, we still need to
take an interest in politics, even on so small a scale as St. Mary’s.
By supporting campus political organizations, we will, with luck,
keep in touch with the workings of our government.
L.J.
PRESIDENT REAGAN VISITS RALEIGH
(Continued from Page 1)
The Bdles
900 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, N.C. 27611
Phone 828-2521
STAFF
EDITOR: Mary Glenn Barwick
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Rebecca Rogers
SPORTS EDITOR:,Lynn Jones
FEATURE EDITOR: Cree Taylor
BUSINESS MANAGER: Connie Bialkowski
HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER: Meiissa Best
ADVISOR: Doug Murray
REPORTERS: Laura Briley, Lea Millstead, Spencer DeWitt, Michele Moore, Nancy
Keedwell, Cindy Owen, Toni Davis, Suzanne Dawson, Aliison Karam, Elizabeth Brown,
Annabelle Brandeaux, Joanne Coman, Jacquie Morris, Dawson Bool, Katherine Waiton,
Mary Blincon,. Marlene Dixon, Carol Peatross, Jane Pettit, Katherine Dennis, Eiizabeth
Rouse, Cathy Hancock, Tori Keith, Rebecca Gaskins, Crystal Killen, Angie Buchanan, Lara
Gibbs, Clayton Henkel, Sydney Kepley, Elizabeth Beckwith, Anne Latham, Jane Goodman,
Michele Marcin, Lisa Johnson.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Patricia Koh, Susan Thomas, Nancy Keedwell, Caroline Johnson,
Angie King, Catherine Davidson, Stacy Waddell.
ADVERTISING STAFF: Crystal Killen, Jane Pettit, Katherine Dennis, Eiizabeth Rouse,
Sterling Talley, Suzanne Champion, Robin Bryant, Spencer DeWitt, Lea Millstead.
TYPISTS: Anne Latham, Catherine Davidson, Windsor Heath.
says that the group opposed to
the draft is much larger than
men aged eighteen to twenty-
two.
A student and former
student (I do not know if she is
a graduate) of UNC-CH were
among the participants in the
demonstration. They were
concerned with war, not along
the lines of the draft, but
considered it a result of the
economic conditions we are
facing. “The solution to
creating jobs is to create
wars.’’ When businesses
expand in other countries, the
U.S. profits from using the
other countries’ resources and
manpower. This puts the
country in a condition in which
it relies more on the mother
country and is more, in its
control. Neither of these
demonstrators participated in
the past election; nor are they
registered to vote.
A press release entitled
“Demonstration against
Reagan, Helms, and the
Congressional Club” listed the
various committees
represented in ii*®
demonstration: N.C.
Federation for Progress,
along with Carolina Grass
Roots; Black Students
Alliance, Duke University;
Black United Front; Carolina
Resist the Draft; the
Communist Workers Party;
Carolina Coalition for Justice
in Central America; Durham
Action Committee on Central
America; Durham Tenants
Steering Committee; Elliot
Woods-Chase Park Tenants
Organization; PATCO, RDU
local; Raleigh ACORN,
Raleigh Committee on Central
America; Raleigh
Interdenominational
Ministerial Workers Union;
Triad Citizens Concerned for
Central America; Raleigh
NAACP; and the Worker’s
Chronicle, a newspaper at
Duke University-Medical
Center.
Not all the people outside
were protesters. I spoke to
many who were registered
Republicans. The majority of
people listening outside
seemed to be in support of
Reagan.
Saint Mary’s
Students Polled
by Ashley Davis and Mary Glenn Barwick
On the twenty-second day of October The Belles distributed a
questionnaire to eighty Saint Mary’s students. Half of the
students were under the age of eighteen, the other half were
eighteen or over. The poll was taken from twelve until one p.m.
randomly in the cafeteria. Although not many students were
polled, Oie poll is a valid representation that reflects their
opinions. Following is the actual poll and the responses.
1. Are you 18 years old? If so, skip to question number 8. If
not, answer questions 2-7.
2. Do you plan to register to vote when you reach 18? 100
percent
3. If so, do you think you will participate in elections? Yes - 95
percent. No - 2 percent
4. Which party do you plan to join?
a. democratic - 40 percent
b. republican - 47.5 percent
c. independant - 2.5 percent
OTHER - 10 percent.
5. Why do you plan to choose this party?
a. my parents are members of that party - 32.5 percent
b. I plan to join the party because it best fits my ideas - 45
percent
c. OTHER (specify) - 5 percent
d. Both A & B - 17.5 percent
6. Do you think you will be an “educated” voter? Yes - 80
percent. No - 20 percent.
7. If not, how do you think St. Mary’s can help?
Age 18 and up
8. Are you a register^ voter? Yes - 32 percent. No - 68
percent.
9. If not, why not?
a. not interest^ enough - 22.5 percent
b. don’t know enough to vote - 27.5 percent
c. OTHER (specify) - 47.5 percent
10. If you are a registered voter, which party are you
affiliated with? republican - 75 percent. democraUc - 20 percent.
INDEPENDANT - 5 percent.
11. Why?
a. my parents are members of that political party - 62.5 percent
b. being a member of that party ailows me to vote in more
primaries - 5 percent
c. the party uphoids my ideas - 22.5 percent
d. OTHER (specify) - 10 percent
12. Do you participate in elections ? Yes - 37.5 percent. No -
62.5 percent.
13. Do you tend to vote for your party? Yes - 65 percent. No - 35
percent.
14. Do you consider yourself to be an educated voter? If not,
how could St. Mary’s help? No - 55 percent. Yes - 45 percent.
Another question asked to each age group was “How could St
Mary’s help to educate you better politically?” The answers
were; St. Mary’s could stress the news more, we could have
seminars or assemblies with political figures speaking to us, we
could have more current events stressed in the classroom have a
young democrats club, we could have debates and briefings, or a
special class or week that would teach the differences between
the parties and discuss the beliefs and actions of each party.
The Belles urges students to take politics more seriously. If
you are eighteen and not registered to vote please do so in a public
library. The most convenient is the library located in Cameron
Village. For those of you under eighteen, take politics seriously
and remember that WOMEN have only had the vote for sixtv-two
years. Take advantage of it.