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NOVEMBER 5, 1984
THE BELLES
PAGE 3
BETTINA GREGORY VISITS ST. MARY’S
by Jerri Toland
On October 22, St. Mary’s welcomed
Bettina Gregory as the Forum speaker.
She spoke about several stories she has
covered since she joined ABC in 1974 in
cluding the Karen Ann Quinlin story, the
situation in Northern Ireland, and her big
decision to tell the truth about a hostage
hold-up on a plane in Atlanta. For the
past eight years, she has mostly stayed
in Washington to cover stories.
Her main topic, the Presidential Elec
tion and the Press, gave an idea about
how television perceives people differ
ently from how they truly are. Ms. Gre
gory pointed out how the current candi
dates are perceived. Reagan, perceived in
1980 as a strong leader, is now seen as
old and tired. Mondale, on the other
hand, is perceived as a potential leader
now. The press plays a major role in this
perception since each coverage of a story
points out new and different ideas not
found in other stories or speeches by the
candidates. The question asked here by
reporters is. What did he say or express
different from before? This is the key to a
good coverage.
In her discussion session, Ms.
Gregory talked on the Helms-Hunt race.
Press conferences, background briefing,
and the mood of the country at the pre
sent time. Additionally, she also told
how she got her job as a reporter for
ABC. Her only comments on the Helms-
Hunt race were brief, saying it was a tight
race and that negative advertising
doesn’t help. On discussing press con
ferences, Ms. Gregory explained that
each conference is staged. The President
decides when he wants one, and at what
time of the day. Most often they are held
during prime time. They are always
opened and closed by the Associated or
bnited Press who sit on the front row.
After several questions from these re-
Porters, the President moves on to the
'various other journalists from T.V. sta
tions and newspapers. Each person is
carefully chosen by the President to ask
Specific questions he wishes to answer.
There is al\ways a rehearsal before it is
Seen live so the President is prepared for
Soswering these questions.
The present mood of our country, Ms.
Gregory said, is one of uncertainty. The
Pandulum is swinging toward the
Piiddle, whereas before it leaned toward
file left of the spectrum. Questions in the
Piinds of the people concern the econo-
% - bread or butter, and will the world
9o to war, or remain at peace?
While Ms. Gregory was training as an
actress in London, she was asked to take
a radio broadcasting job because of her
good speaking voice. She was also asked
to be in a soap opera series but turned
down both jobs since she did not want to
stay and live in England. After she
finished training, she returned to the
U.S. where she attended Cornell Univer
sity in New York for graduate school. She
was working part time as a waitress when
she heard an announcement over the ra
dio concerning a broadcasting job. She
jumped at the opportunity and began at
26 years old first as a volunteer. She then
became a Cable T.V. reporter, but turned
down an offer for a co-anchor job there
and concentrated on getting a radio
broadcasting job in Long Island. A small
radio station accepted her, and she
began at WGBB in 1972. Ms. Gregory’s
first anchoring experience came at a
local network, WCBC, where she worked
prime time from 12-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m.
After a while there, her big break came
when ABC offered her a reporting job,
and she immediately signed a five-year
contract.
Ms. Gregory works many 18 hour days,
she said it was hard to plan her life
around such a long day. However, she is
married and is currently helping her hus
band run for the 10th district for Con
gress in Virginia. She commented that
she must be flexible since her job is
often unpredictable. When asked what
keeps her going, Ms. Gregory replies,
“That’s a tough question. I guess it’s my
interest.”
ABC news correspondent,
Bettina Gregory, recently
answered questions at
an informal discussion
held here at St. Mary’s.
WHERE DO YOU
STAND ■■
ST. MARY’S?
by Katherine Waiton
Polls never tell the whole story....
Eighteen St. Mary’s students were inter
viewed. Some were chosen randomly but
mostly I sought the politically out
spoken’. The students were asked out
right, whom they supported in the sena
torial race and then asked to explain their
reasons. Those who claimed to support
Helms were then asked if they were
aware that during theSO’s and 60’s Helms
was an avowed segregationist and that
for the past 12 years has voted against
every major or civil rights bill introduced.
Of the nine Helms supporters only one
was aware of this fact. Anne Duncan
Bailey is an active supporter of Senator
Heims. She is aware of his record. She
commented that “civil rights legislation
iind desegregation includes busing
which is costy.” When asked if she was
refemng to monetary cost or the conse
quences, she replied, “both.” She added
that “Helms is for equai rights not civil
rights, because all of these civil rights
movements will give minority groups
rights that the majority groups don’t have
- at the taxpayer's expense.” Also, “I am
100 percent behind him voting against
the Martin Luther King Holiday Bill”. She
cited the expense and the fact that MLK
was a controversial figure as reasons.
Betsy Smith was unaware of Helms’
stance on civil rights, but does not hold
his record against him. She points out
that “He was representing his consti
tuency. Segregation was terrible, but it
has always been that way, a public figure
is going to have bad things said against
him. Some of the things he says are ridi
culous, like his claim that MLK had
communist sympathies, but i don’t like
the way people make MLK an angel of
civil rights.”
Two of the Helms supporters, Annie
Gray Sprunt and Wooten Warner, men
tioned that they do not support Helms’
position on abortion, since he supports
denying women abortions even in the
case of incest and rape.
Almost of all his supporters feel more
secure with Helms because of his alli
ance with president Reagan. Kristen
Marcin, an active supporter of Reagan,
feels that “Helms has more of an ear to
the president and would therefore get
more done for the state.”
Helms supporters were also in agree
ment in their support of Helms’ efforts to
lower taxes and their approval of his con
sistent conservatism. A. D. Bailey sup
ports Helms because “He’ll tell you
where he stands. He supports the free
enterprise system and their right to be
competitive. He is for less government
inten/ention - a smaller federal govern-
mn ^PQRk^
Swimming
by Tina Ethridge
The beginning Synchronized Swim-
’^9 class will have a performance of
and duet routines on Friday,
^ovember 30 at 9:00 a.m. The members
'declass include: Ashley Bierig, Mar-
Dossenbach, Elizabeth Grine,
-[’’'lly Gunter, Alexandra Rost, and
Sams.
Adopted Aquatics” training will be
Q. on November 10th and 11th, from
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Optimist Pool,
'ee is $20.00. Participants must be
(j^Tent WSI’s or BSI’s. The course certi-
’^ad Cross Adopted Aquatics In-
**,»»*•••••••••• %•,•*•«•*•«•**••»*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
OUTLOOK
SCHEDULE:
by Tina Ethridge
St. Mary’s College basketball team has
begun practicing for another big seasori.
SMa-yUdaAlex^'=J7^-
tive and optimistic about the 1984-85
season. She feels that the te^ has
made quite a bit of progress in the first
, ^.1-tices. In addition, she believes
he A jlS IiIIhSw'
Sli, POTV Jape '‘a’’*'"*
?Snpson.o;andlerTho««, and Nicole
Turner.
5A. L Brown
Nov. 12
Hale
Nov. 20
Wake Christian
Nov. 27
1 Meredith
Nov. 29
5 Bishop McGuinness
Jan. 14
1 Fayetteville Academy
Jan. 15
5 Warren Academy
Jan. 17
Meredith
Jan. 24
Ravenscroft
Feb. 4
Salem
Feb. 6
Vance
Feb. 14
^Wake
Feb. 18
5 Home Games
ment. He will lower taxes.”
A. G. Sprunt supports Helms “as he is
for less government, less free give
aways.”
Suzanne West feels that Helms is
steadfast in his views.
W. Warner, B. Smith and an anony
mous SGA officer lean toward Helms
“because he is conservative.”
A. G. Sprunt also points out that
“Helms is morally upright, has a strong
sense of leadership - is a man of princi
ple more than a politician - unafraid to
take a stand.” She does not, however,
agree with him whole-heartedly “but
more with him than Hunt.”
B. Smith feels that Hunt is too Liberal
and that Helms’ consen/atism will be ba
lanced out in the House.”
Another gripe with Hunt includes the
newly enacted DWl laws. An anonymous
SGA officer dislikes Hunt because he
raised the drinking age. Lindy Turner
feels that the DWl laws are excessive and
that the DWl issue was used by Hunt for
publicity.
And then there are the Hunt sup
porters. In general, those voting for Hunt
were voting against Helms. To quote
Caro Ealy, an active Democrat, “END
THE EMBARRASSMENT’; or as Ellen
McCallum stated, “get Helms out of the
way.” Each of the nine Hunt supporters
voiced this sentiment in no uncertain
[Continued on Page 4]
ENROLLMENT
FIGURES
CHANGE
by Sara Dowling
There has been a significant change in
the enrollment for the 1984-85 school
year at St. Mary’s. Enrollment has
dropped. According to the Admissions
office, there are 473 girls enrolled at St.
Notary’s this year. Last yeeir there were 520
girls. The freshman class has 77 mem
bers, which is a decrease of 20 students
from last year. The sophomore class in
creased by 27 to have 126. There was a
big decrease of 41 in the junior class
which now has 136 members. There are
134 seniors, which is an increase of 13
girls from last year.
The drop in enrollment should prove to
be beneficial to the students for several
reasons. First of all, students will receive
more special individual attention from
faculty members and administration if
they need it. Also there will be more of an
opportunity for students to get to know
one another. Finally, there will be rrrore
room in the dorms.
The decrease in enrollment at St
Mary’s this year will obviously have an
economic effect on the school. However
the slight decrease of a little less than 4
percent has been compensated for in
budget adjustments. Although enroll
ment this year is down, the percentage of
returning students is at an all-time high.
Overall, the feeling of the administration
about the enrollment drop is a good one.