Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / March 28, 1963, edition 1 / Page 2
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Letters To The Editors tije atlp ftar Heel ?7, if. seventieth, near nf enitnrml freea.nnm tinhnrnnprprt hit t v . - j - " f - t . i 2 restrictions from either the University administration or the stu- dent 6od?. ,; AW editorials appearing in the DAILY TAR HEEL are the h individual opinions of the Editors, unless othertvise credited; they do not necessarily represent the ojnnions of the staff. The edi- " tors are responsible for all material printed in the DAILY TAR -t HEEL. . March 28, 1963 Tel. 942-2356 Vol. LXX, No. 126 h That Soft "Click" The confusion which has followed the firing- of the freshman tennis coach has done little but irritate old wounds and demonstrate the well known fact that you can't please everybody, even part of the time. Had Mr. Erickson not fired ex coach Crais, there, no doubt would have been innumerable alumni de manding to know why. They would have made, perhaps, "vicious" at tacks upon an athletic director who sat back while one of his staff criti cized the department. Erickson would have been obligated to do a great deal of explaining- to pacify individuals who make a great deal of every university's athletic pro gram possible. The fact that the DTH or the student body felt that they were wrong would not have made things any more comfortable for Mr. Erickson. Let's face it, he answers first to the alumni, and he is not alone in having to do so. The issue of academic freedom or the right to criticize is rapidly clouded over, when individuals who have harbored resentment for Erickson (or what they think Erickson represents) because of other incidents, quickly jump to points of contention in other sports or other mistakes. What we have is a man caught in the middle. On one side he must face opposition which is extremely vocal and vitriolic, while on the other he encounters an opposition which, though more subtle, is vast ly more influential. Students throw words around . . . alumni, dollars. So, although we must repeated ly and even heatedly maintain that Mr. Erickson was wrong to fire Crais because he fumbled, we must not overlook the fact that the "fans" watching Erickson are vast ly more spirited, certainly more critical, and always more fickle. An athletic director must, some how, please supposed fans on both sides o fthe field. The fact that stu dents may yell loudly cannot per mit Erickson to ignore the other sides of the field. The fact that stu soft but vital "click" of an opening-or-closing-purse. (CW) f A Money Club A small group of resolute Eco nomics majors has again set its sights on the establishment of an Economics Club, and we would urge any undergraduate student with more than a passing interest in the science of 'money to become a charter member. Past efforts to form this club have succumbed to the peculiar apathy that haunts such noble in tentions, atid it would be a shame to see another discussion group falter without even being heard. The organization will be . estab lished mainly for the interests and memberships of undergraduate students . . . not just undergrad uate Economics majors. The doors are open to any interested person, and with a format of speakers and discussions such as the topic that will kick-off the first meeting ("Is success Spoiling American Labor Unions?"), we would suppose that acting president John Barrow should find Room 2, Carroll Hall filled this Thursday night. YRC Leadership North Carolina, like the rest of the South, is a traditional Demo cratic state. Like the rest of the South, however, it is moving stead ily toward two-party status. Republican presidential candi dates have run stronger in North Carolina than in the rest of the South, and on the state level, the GOP has two U. S. Congressmen and an increasing number of state legislators. As the Democrats have run the p 11 5 II I JIM CLOTFELTER CHUCK WRYE Editors Chris Farran News Editor Wayne King Harry Lloyd Managing Editors Harry DeLung Night Editor Ed Dupree Sports Editor Curry Kirkpatrick Asst. Sports Editor Jim Wallace Photog. Editor Mickey Black well Gary Blanchard Contributing Editors I DAVE MORGAN Business Manager Gary Dalton Advertising Mgr. John Evans Circulation Mgr. Dave Wysong Subscription Mgr. THE DAILY TAR HEEL is published daily except Monday, examination per iods, and vacations. It is entered as second class matter in the post office in Chapel Hill. N. C puisuant with the act of March 8, 1870. Subscription rates : $4.50 per semester; $8 per year. THE DAILY TAR HEEL is a sub scriber to the United Press Interna tional and utilises the services of the News Bureau of the University of North Carolina. THE DAILY TAR HEEL is published bv the Publications Board of the Uni versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill, N. C. 1 1 state, the Young Democrats Club traditionally has dominated the UNC campus. But this is no longer true. In the past two years more par ticularly this year the Young Re publicans Club has shown itself to be more energetic, hard-working and dynamic than their YDC foes. Under President Bud Broome, the YRC has proven itself innova tive and imaginative qualities ex emplary in political groups on this campus. Brocfrne's progressive leadership has made the YRC the campus political organization (a sad admission for a confirmed Dem ocrat) . This year the YRC has already brought one congressional candi date, two state legislators to speak on campus with three U.S. con gressmen and another state legis lator due to come next month. The Young Republicans have abandoned the restrictive mold of most political groups and entered into all phases of campus activity. They sponsored an All Campus Leadership Award and a "New Frontier game" at the Campus Chest carnival. Due during the next month are a party in the Le gion Hut, crowning of a Miss UNC YRC and a party with WC girls. The UNC chapter also has spon sored a film on "New Breed in the South" and activity within the state YRC. In all, membership has grown under strong leadership, resulting in 4 a top year for the Young Re publicans. (JC) Erickson Controversy; Editor Candidates Question Of Integrity? To the Editors, Policy is established ultimately by the people who have the power to make it. There has never yet been any one policy that has pleased everyone whom it has aifected, nor has there ever been any person in a position of power who has enjoyed the unanimous support of those he was responsible for. Human nature simply doesn't work that way. Because there is inbred vithin any such causal relationship, a cer tain degree of dissidence, then there is going to be a certain degree of vocal, overt criticism aimed at the policy and the person who made it. This happens all the time in American politics, and it happens all the time on this campus. Two such instances occurred this past week with the challenging of the authority of the Dean of Women and the Director of Athletics. In both cases student indignation and self-righteousness were extraordi narily quick to precipitate . . . "How can they do this to us . . . we're supposed to have student au tonomy and stand for what is moral ly right . . . that's what it says in the catalogue and the DTH any way ..." But there is one problem that per haps the students have overlooked in their barrage of vitriolic criti cism. Granted they have the right to criticize, and they should exer cise this right, it is imperative that this right be used .with a consider able measure of intelligence and in tegrity if it is to be effective at all. To a considerable and praise worthy extent, concerned students have expressed their disagreements with Miss Carmichael with the ma turity and responsibility that they are supposed fo possess. Regardless of their personal feelings on the matter of the apartment rule, most .people, students and administration alike, would agree that there is a legitimate reason for complaint and dissatisfaction. But this isn't the case with the sudden, outof-the-sky attack on Chuck Erickson, the Director of Athletics. He fired a tennis coach, and as a direct consequence all the petty grievances harbored by an oblique faction of campus Don Quixotes have come to the fore. "Charge," they shout, "fight on the side of G d and goodness and save the world from evil men like Chuck Erickson!" This all sounds well and good; it probably sounded even bet ter during the .McCarthy reign of terror in the 'early 1950's. If all the clever little phrases and smug references to godheads and green pastures are stripped bare from the accusation, what is the fundamental issue at stake? Does anyone really know? Probably not, at least the ones who are so eager to send Erickson to the chopping block. Did it once, ever occur to the writer of that slanderous editorial in Sunday's DTH that perhaps "Toni Crais was fired because he deserved to be? Did it ever occur that these charges on the lack of integrity by Erickson may be the very reason that Crais was dismissed? What it Erickson had written a letter to the DTH defiling the integrity of our honor system on the Basis of un supportable rumors? Wouldn't we expect, and justifiably so, that the administration ask for his resigna tion? Quite possibly, and it is possible. Chuck Erickson is a black-hearted scoundrel only out for himself and his bankbook. Perhaps he really did fire Crais just because his policy of win at all costs was challenged. Perhaps Erickson is a man who lacks integrity. But who knows? Who honestly knows? Does Tom Crais? Does the writer of the editorial? Does any body on this campus? In writing that attack on Erick son as Director of Athletics, its in stigator is guilty of the most heinous crime that he was so eager to charge Erickscn with a lack of in tegrity. The writer has twisted a situation to use as a springboard for a despicable piece of muckraking, and as such it is one of the most contemptible pieces of journalism to ever appear in the Tar Heel. If somebody has genuine, ascer tainable proof that Chuck Erickson is not fulfilling his obligations to the University that he serves, then ' let that person come forward and speak. So far nobody has. Tom Crais apparently believes that there is something morally wrong, at least that's wrhat he implied as a rumor. The student who penned that edi torial also is a self-qualified expert at extracting fact from hearsay. And this is the whole heart of the problem. Student leaders decry the absence of trust and cooperation on the part of the administration in their relationships with the student foody. But how can we as students expect the administration to do any thing else when we have-students, running around, not in a comparable position of responsibility, tossing off unproven, slanderous charges. (What can we expect? ; "" Louis I.egum Low Ebb In Hypocrisy To the Editors, The dismissal of Mr. Crais marks a low ebb in hypocrisy at Carolina. From a university that supposedly is liberal and open-minded and prides itself in encouraging freedom of thought, expression, and speech from students and faculty alike, this act was indeed quite surprising if not dismaying. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Mr. Crais' opinions is irrelevant; the question is wheth er Mr. Erickson was justified in in fringing upon the right of an in structor to express his ideas because they were contrary to his own. Mr. Crais' statement about "sub terranean murmurs about grade changing and Honor Council conces sions for athletes," was no reason for him to be fired. He merely re iterated what had been current gos sip on campus at the time. Perhaps Mr. Erickson sees it dif ferently, but the criticism offered by Mr. Crais, I am sure, was in tended to be entirely constructive. If Mr. Erickson disagreed with Mr. Crais, as he obviously did, he mere ly had to issue a statement to the Daily Tar Heel explaining his views . . . unless of course, he felt that there was a great deal of truth in Mr. Crais arguments and felt that the only good dissenting faculty member is a fired faculty member. Perhaps you would like to be chairman of the Dept. of History, Mr. Erickson, so you could fire those professors who teach that the South lost the Civil War? Kenneth Mann Petition For Open Policy To the Editors, The Daily Tar Heel on 6 Feb 1963 announced that the Honor Council had convicted and suspended 6 stu dents, acquitting a seventh, for cheating on the famous Archaeology final exam. Three days later, a front-page article released the in formation that there were three more trials pending from the same exam case. Then there was silence, ap parently for lack of further informa tion to the Tar Heel from the Honor Council. On March 9, the letter from Tom Crais appeared, quoting in part, "College coaching is a bus iness or professional endeavor only in so far as it improves character and continues the learning process . . . May I remind us that the primary reason for the existence of amateur sports is, not winning, but learning and enjoyment ..." A few days ago, the student body was informed through the Tar Heel that Mr. Crais was fired a few days after this letter was published, and that- the statement from the de partment of Physical Education pro fessed ignorance as to the source of the rumors of Honor Council fav ors to athletes, and continuing, that the department did not share Mr. Crais' views on athletics anyway. Two questions arise: (A) Is firing a critic a legitimate way of dealing with a question which in fact brings the University athletic policy into question, as well as the dealings of the Honor Council? (B) When is the Honor Council andor adminis tration going to make public its up to now secret machinations as re gards the remaining trials, and when is the student body going to Audience Reaction Report 1 C- g become regularly and reliably in formed as regards the actions of the Honor Council and the reason ing behind these actions? In short, is the administration of. by and for students to be kept secret, even when the implications are of an order of justice to be taken completely on faith? (Signed by 23 students:) -Joseph Wflliman; Joe Greene, Marie Overby; Kenneth Dilks; Sid Waldman; John Kimball; David Snelling; Diana Harmon; John Bowers; Mary Stinecipher; Joe Gates; Vernon Bruffey; Michael Bost; Bryan Ballou; Norwood Pratt; Wayne Hardy; Jane Ander son; D. J. Impastato; Gloria Dicos tanzo; Jim Crouch; Jasper L. Jones. Where Is Carrier Current? To the Editors, Last year during the Spring Elec tions, I remember that the candid ates of the Student Party (Dwight Wheless, Mike Lawler, Lindsay Rai ford and Jim Weeks) used the fact that they were responsible for Car rier Current in their campaign. However this year I have noticed that they have said very little about it. Could the reason be that Carrier Current, as executed by the Student Party, was a flop? Carrier Current could be a tre mendous asset to our campus if it were well done. Let's hope the next time it is tried more money is appropriated and that better plans are made. Gerald Good DTH Needs Organizing To the Editors: Incipiently, this letter is but one of those irate protestations over Daily Tar Heel policies and prac tices which make such frequent ap pearances on your editorial page. In my case, the straw which broke the camel's back was a simple omission. The "Duke's Men," a singing group from Yale, sang to a fortunate but sparse audience this past Sunday evening March 17. I would like to have been one of those fortunate few, but apparently the DTH does not consider that kind of event worth so much as a notice in the "Campus Briefs." Certainly, there was nothing in Sunday's edi tion about this group's appearance, and I cannot recall having observed any mention of them in any preced ing issue. I discovered their pur ported appearance on Monday, March 18, gratis a sign in Lenoir Hall reading "tonight." (My sense of disappointment stems from the fact that, having attended Yale as an undergraduate, the op portunities to hear and enjoy both the "Duke's Men" and several com parable groups were ample. But this same disappointment, whether prompted by nostalgia or not, is merely indicative of a far larger disappointment where the DTH is concerned. I can find no better way to describe my impression of the present state of your paper than to say that it must suffer from crass disorganization. If my understanding is correct, the "Duke's Men" (who have a first-class ensemble of both voices and personalities, in my opinion) were sponsored by Graham Memo rial. Both the GM. office and the DTH offices are in the same build ing. Surely communication is the problem here, but is it really so difficult under these circumstances? I would hesitate to venture other suggestions as to the source of your organizational shortcomings, and a comparison of this year's DTH to the Yale Daily News is certainly out of place. But hope there is, in spite of all, if only on the horizon. At least ore of the candidates for the editorship of the DTH holds promise of trie kind of editor who would make your paper into a first-class daily, and I for one would suffer considerable despair were he and his running mate not duly elected. I speak of Gary Blanchard and Dave Ethridge. Indeed, the marked difference be tween the organizational plans of these two hopefuls and your present performance is sufficient alone to prompt me to write. And I will only touch on the ideas over and above organization they have evinced, not only in conversation but in the varied accomplishments and abili ties fcey bring to their task from past experience. Examples are myriad, but to cite a few: Gary's present positions with WCHL news and the Charlotte Observer, and recurrent offers from other news sources including a St. Petersburg, Florida paper and several radio sta tions around this state; and Dave's editorship of two West Virginia journals, and his work vvlih the Louisville Times, not to mention the considerable sagacity relative to the proper handling of a newspaper which must have rubbed off on him from his father, Mark Ethridge, a noted journalist of national stature. And the DTH? (I will forego fur ther comment on your present con dition and concentrate on the fu ture.) What other candidate has advocated a viable "beat system" for reporting which regenerates it self and the DTH by training associate reporters in the process of going out and getting the news, while preparing the "official" re porters for work of a more respon sible nature? What other candidate has stated that all editorials, not to mention announcements of campus events, would be prepared a mini mum of twenty-four hours in ad vance, and preferably 72 hours in advance? What other candidate is acquainted with such journalists, around the state, as Ed Yoder of the Greensboro Daily News, and Roy Thompson of the Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel; or nation ally, such as Anthony Lewis of the New York Times and Ralph McGill of the Atlanta Constitution, and (Mark Ethridge, and well, I'm out cf breath and the list is much long er. What other candidate is actively seeking advocates of, at least, both ideologically-oriented political points of view with an offer to give a column on the editorial page to the most cogent and rational exponent of each view? Or what other can didate has expressed his own con cern in terms of trying to provide a ground for the meeting of these views through the vehicle of his own editorials? Has any other candidate thought about his responsibility as editor to the extent that before he raises a question or flings an ac cusation he will investigate the prob lem in depth, analyze it comparably, and write his opinion only after this consideration? And still have it pre pared at least twenty-four hours in advance, so he can re-read the edi torial in, perhaps, a less emotional state than when he wrote it? One final query. What other candidate so enjoys the job of reporting that he will organize the DTTf to that degree where he will enable him self to indulge in this job a pleas ure for Gary Blanchard however occasionally the opportunity arises? To be sure, I speak of potential in Blanchard and Ethridge where the DTH is concerned, but upon what else can you depend when you vote for editor? For my read ing purposes, they possess the great est potential by a fair margin, not only with respect to correcting the present state of organizational dis repair into which the DTH has fall en, but with regard to making re markable improvements as well. Now, I spent two hours quizzing Gary Blanchard about all this, and you are to be commended for pro viding each of the candidates space in which to express their views. May I suggest that you could fur ther assist the student-voter in reaching his own decision by advo cating a debate among the candi dates, to be sponsored by you, or the Carolina forum. It could be that you would do the University com munity a service in this, and even indirectly effectuate the announce ment of such events as the appear ance of the "Duke's Men", to the infinite delight of such old and nos talgic law students as myself. Frank Christian Gray Give New York Correct View To the Editors, I suggest that during the N. Y. strike, some attempt should be made to distribute the DTH to those "ed ucated idiots in New York" about who 'Mr. Clyde Wilson is so con cerned. This would help correct the impression in N. Y. that "white women of the South are seducing Negroes." By reading the DTH they could learn that it is not the white women, but the white men of un-named fraternities who are doin 'the seducing of Negroes.' At least, this would correct any er roneous impressions about Chapel Hill. S. O'Hara Weather Ecli; In Wrong Place To the Editors, Your weather forecasts would look much better in their proper place in the comic section with Peanuts and Pogo. Harris Frevost
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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March 28, 1963, edition 1
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