■•'I The NCAA men’s basketball rules committee approved a 19 foot 9 inch three-point line for college measured from the center of the basket. This rule is designed to bring back the arf of shooting to the game and to help the little men. It will extend and improve defenses and make the game more exciting for fans. The three-point arc intersects the top'of the foul circle. Edward Steitz, secretary-editor of the rules Committee, said the committee believes the adoption'of the rule will 'open up rough inside play. If the colleges are going to this exclusively, it is time for the high scfidolsto follow suit. Otherwise, you Won’t have players prepared when they get to college. Many high school coaches frown'on. those long'outside shots, but if they were worth three points you Would see the smiles come' on the faces' of some' of the coaches. — On the Softball circuit, Andrea Stinion 'of North Mecklenburg is still doing an'outstanding Job for the Vikings. For instance, last week Andrea had three hits in a game with Independence. Included in the three hits was a grand slam home run. She also batted in six runs. Alio in that great victory for ithe Vikings were a five for five showing by Trisha Fax, afiother of the outstanding lady athletes at North Mecklenburg. ™ ■ The Vikings are enjoying the same success in ioftball that they enjoyed in basketball. Could another state championship be in the* offering? We certainly hope this is the case. 7 Andrea Stinson, only a junior, is'one'of the most gifted athletes in the history of Mecklenburg County. Word has it that she is a good student and a great sportswoman. Ldok for the Colleges and universities to beat a well worn path to her door. She is unusual in a time when athletes are being Condemned for pdor academics and poor sportsmanship. Hats'off to Miss Stinion, a quality individual. It would be nice to have a state baseball champion in this our year'of champions. East Mecklenburg, Olympic, and South Mecklenburg are all having good yean. - - - America is waking upto a critical problem: drug at>H alcohol abuse among teenagers. On May 18, a nationwide event, the Kodak Liberty Ride Festival, will help raise funds to provide informatlon'on this important subject. While alcohol and drug abuse appears to be increasing at an annual rate'of two percent for the general population, statistics compiled by tae U.S. Department'of Health and Hainan Service* report &at aifiong young people 12 to 24, alcohol abuse is increasing twice that rate. And drug abuse is an increasingly serious factor in the livea'af youth. This problem Won’t go away by itself .We must educate young people on the dangers'of drug and alCoHol abuse; we need to inform parents on how to detect signs of such abuse; and schools want to know how to handle the problem as it affects schools. One basic need: information. People need to know more about the subject. For instance, try. to answer, the following questions. What is drug ecstasy? Is a student who is constantly fatigued.probably a drug user? Are athletes anVs* |? with some of America's finest " educational institutions. We V believe that deserving students shouldn't be denied an education Just because the money Isn't there. So we've put some money there. We 've made contributions to the United Negro College Fund and to a number of Black colleges and. universities. There are so many doors to be opened. And we want tq help ensure that hopeful and promising young minds get a fair chance at opening some of them - .f. • , ■. -if v : y »••1 ■ We Bmllmvm Opmn Mlntb Op«n Doors.