THE DAILY TAR HEEL
Pase 2
Saturday, February 15, 1969
76 Years of Editorial Freedom
Wayne Hurder, Editor
Diil Staton, Business Manager
Force Not The Answer
Duke University's violent
disruption could have been
prevented Thursday if the
University's administration had
played it cool. Succumbing to the
solution of a quick law and order
answer, however, they predictably
exploded the potentially explosive
situation.
The plain fact of the matter is
that the black students who
occupied Allen Hall for almost ten
hours left peacefully. They
probably would have been
contented with just a parade with
fists raised and chants of "It ain't
over."
But after the blacks left the
building, Durham Police and
highway patrol had to get into the
act. They approached the building
from two directions. A formation
of four police cars drove directly
into the parade of blacks. Even
then all that insued was a little
fist-beating on the fenders.
Then, from another direction,
100 or so police and patrolmen
paraded in full riot dress towards
Allen Hall.
Most of the thousand students
who watched the spectacle
chuckled that the cops were
preparing to attack a building that
was no longer occupied. The police,
who should have been glad the
blacks had evacuated, did not react
with relief, however. They clustered
around the building's entrances and
glared at the crowd.
Then with or without
provocation, depending on which
newsTepoTts you believe the
police unexpectedly discharged tear
gas into the crowd, and the violence
began.
Before it was over 21 students
required hospitalization; several
End For Youth Fare
Would -Be -Bad For Ah
Wouldn't you know that it
would be Trailways Bus System
that brought suit to eliminate
youth air fares? And don't cringe
too quickly-they might be
successful.
Two weeks ago, Civil
Aeronautics Board Examiner
Arthur S. Present determined the
rates are discriminatory by age. By
definition, he was right, except that
the accommodation doesn't happen
to be euqal, either. Nevertheless,
the decision meant that unless a
hearing date was set, the fares
would come to an automatic halt in
30 days.
The fares offer a 50-66
reduction in travel costs to persons
12-21 years old. The 50 fare
places the person on a standby
basis, while the 66 fare allows a
reservation. The fares were
instituted to encourage travel by
young people and fill vacant seats
on planes.
College students have been the
mainstay of the fare program,
although most airlines have some
type of black-out dates which
forbid cheap travel during periods
of peak passenger loads.
Fortunately, the matter was not
left in the callous hands of
Examiner Present. 14 of the 24 air
carriers who offer the fares are in
favor of their continuance. Thus a
hearing date was set, February 26.
If any hope is to remain for the
fares, the Board must be convinced
at the hearing that students across
the country are upset and that
service for half-fare passengers is
unlike that offered for full-fare
passengers. Numerous groups of
students across the country have
organized for this purpose.
A number of other reasons for
not abandoning the half-fare
program have been offered by
Montana Representative Arnold
Olsen, who says that
Rebel Good, Managing Editor
Joe Sanders, News Editor
Harvey Elliott, Features Editor
Owen Davis, Sports Editor
Scott Goodfellow, Associate Editor
Kermit Buckner, Jr., Advertising Manager
policemen were injured; and
hundreds of innocent people in
dormatories, classrooms, and dining
halls around Duke's main quad sat
gagging and choking noxious
vapors.
All this points to a conclusion
that many of us thought was
elementary.
When you react to protest
tactics with an overwhelming show
of force, things can get out of hand.
The old adage that "you gotta fight
fire with fire" does not apply in a
situation of campus unrest. The
best way to fight fire is with water.
Or some other cooling influence.
Had the police and patrolmen
not entered the campus when they
did, the whole incident would
probably have blown over without
injury to anyone.
Or, even if they had come on the
scene when they did, they could
have avoided violence if they had
turned around and left. Or even if
they could not leave, they could
have probably avoided violence if
they had not launched the tear gas
and clubbing attack.
But they did, of course, and it
does little good to mumble about
"if only they hadn't."
Police officials, university
administrators, and politicians
should have learned a lesson.
Excessive "law and order" troops
and sophisticated anti-personnel
equipment should be kept off
college campuses.
The results of working things
out with calm and mutual
concession may not yield results as
quickly as gestapd tactics, but the
results will certainly be more
desirable.
-Mike Cozza
discontinuance of the fares will
"encourage thousands of young
people to resume the illegal and
dangerous practice of hitchhiking
or to attempt long, exhausting
automobile trips, frequently in
unsafe vehicles.''
It can hardly be argued, also,
that numbers of Carolina
students already hard-pressed by
the high out-of-state tuition
differential-depend upon the
half-fare method for reaching home
two or three times a year.
Olsen waxes emotional, noting
that youth fare is a bright spot in
what otherwise is a vast
discrimination complex against
young people, "The safest driver in
the world has to pay twice as much
for car insurance if his age happens
to be 22 or 23." The point is good,
even if the figures are a little
irrelevant (youth fare is 21 or
under).
The CAB notes the argument
that the fare has helped to fill
empty plane seats with something
less than contempt. A uniform
lowering of fares would be
preferable, says the Board, to giving
all the consideration to one age
group. It is suspect whether a 10
across-the-board cut in rates would
either fill more seats, or encourage
anyone to use what still would be
an expensive means of travel.
By far the most effective means
to urge continuance of youth air
fares is to write CAB Director John
H. Crooker, Jr., 1825 Connecticut
Ave, N.W., Washington, D.C.
Western Union has a new 90 cent,
15-word opinion telegram, which
has considerably more force for
slightly more money. Those
students who make use of youth
fare during the year would find that
a letter or telegram might turn out
to be a very inexpensive
investment, if the far can be
preserved. -Scott Goodfellow
Letters To The Editor
Honors Dean Clarifies Black Issue
To the Editor:
On Saturday in response to a letter
from Joe Shedd (my own on the same
subject reached you too late to make the
deadline) you generously printed a
retraction of one of the misstatements
made in your editorial "University Has
No Case for Racial Complacency." I
respect the good humor and candor with
which you did this. Unfortunately the
retraction also contained a misleading
statement about the Honors Program and
black students. Many in the University
community must have questions about
this subject, so I would appreciate your
printing the following brief summary of
the situation.
Your statement was that the University
"should be inviting black honors students
if they are going to be inviting white
honors students." This implies that no
black students have been invited to
participate in the Freshman Honors
Program. The implication is contrary to
fact.
Many outstanding black high school
seniors can take their pick of the nation's
best universities, and those we have in the
past invited to participate in our
Freshman Honors Program have declined
and have attended other good schools for
their own good reasons. You will share
my pleasure that last Wednesday the
Honors Office received a note of
acceptance from one of Charlotte's most
impressive high school seniors, who is
black.
Black students have participated in
other phases of honors work at this
university. Philip Clay, former chairman
of the Carolina Talent Search, was the
first student in the University to graduate
with honors in the Department of City
and Regional Planning. Eric Clay was
enrolled in Honors 37 ("Independent
Interdisciplinary Study Program") in the
first semester it was offered. Last year
there were nearly 2000 registrations in
the A-sections and seminars offered
across the University, and I should be
greatly astonished if black students were
not in this number. Certainly many were
eligible.
For those who may be misinformed, I
should like to state that, except for the
necessary exception of the Freshman
Honors Program, . eligibility for honors
work is based upon achievement at the
University. Any student with a 3.0 average
is eligible for most of the honors
opportunities we offer, to the extent that
desirable restrictions in the size of
seminar classes and the work load of the
faculty permits. We are not rigidly
rule-bound in the application of even this
minimum . requirement, and try to.
accommodate other students who show
evidence of ability to do superior work.
To the best of my knowledge the
Administration has always opposed any
use of the honors program to establish an
overprivileged elite. I would define our
general goals as (1) offering incentives
and rewards for academic excellence, and
(2) increasing the opportunities for
intellectual enrichment. We have tried as
far as possible to serve the entire student
body by keeping the structure and the
eligibility requirements of the program
flexible and by giving funds in support of
programs open to the entire student
body, such as the Film Society and the
. Festival of Contemporary Music last year
and the American Studies Symposium on
"The Black Revolution" this past fall.
Any black student or any other
student who is interested in the Honors
Program and has questions about it will
always be welcome at the Honors Office,
311 South Building. My office hours are:
9:30-10:30 on MWF and 1:30-2:30 on
TTh. I am always delighted to make
appointments at other hours for those
who cannot conveniently come at these
times.
Sincerely yours,
Daniel W. Patterson
Associate Dean for Honors
ROTC Seen As
Beneficial Here
To the Editor:
The ROTC programs at the University
have been an invaluable part of the
University since their beginning. They are
a part that should be continued.
The academic "professional liberals"
finding, as usual, nothing constructive to
do have turned their weapons on the
ROTC programs. However, since they are
also pacifists (except when occupying
buildings and destroying property in the
name of freedom), their weapons are
The Daily Tar Heel is published
by the University of North Carolina
Student Publication's Board, daily
except Monday, examination
periods and vacations and during
summer periods.
Offices are at the Student Union
Bldg., Univ. of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, N. C. 27514.
Telephone numbers: editorial,
sports, news 933-1011; business,
circulation, advertisting 933-1163.
Address: Box 1080, Chapel Hill,
N. C. 27514.
Subscription rates: $9 per year;
$5 per semester. We regret that we
can accept only prepaid
subscriptions.
Classified ads are $1.00 per day
prepaid. Display rate is $1.25 per
column inch.
Second class postage paid at
U. S. Post O f f ice in Chapel, N. C.
loaded with blanks I would assume.
As a graduate of the University, I have
written Governor Scott, President Friday,
and Chancellor Sitterson in support of
the ROTC programs. Some of the most
outstanding graduates of the University
have been students who participated in
the ROTC programs. Any movement to
weaken or destroy these programs is a
disservice to the University.
Robert Pace
Fleishman Hit
For Low Attack
To the Editor:
With . the publication of Jay
Fleishman's February 8th attack on
Chancellor Sitterson, the DTH has
achieved a new low in its level of public
discussion. Apprently at least one of our
self-appointed saviours has made
character assassination the anointed
technique of social purification. The
technique works like this: Approve some
Black students' presenting a list of
peremptory demands to the
administration in an offensive manner
and refusing to discuss the demands at all;
and then, when the chancellor answers in a
vastly more polite and informed vein
which indicates the proper authorities to
consult for solving particular problems,
points out the work already being done in
the areas of some of the demands, and
asks for help and advice in making
progress, call that chancellor a "covert
racist." Brovo!
Mr. Fleishman and other New Left
advocates, if they really want to promote
the co-operation with the. moderate
student community which is necessary
for the achievement of true racial
equality at the university, would be well
advised to demonstrate that they can
advance causes passionately without
questioning the integrity of those who are
not of the tribe of the faithful. The
smearing of a decent and concerned man
is inexcusable.
Sincerely,
Marvin Lynn Witherspoon
343 Craige
SL Shouldn't
Censure People
To the Editor:
Last Thursday evening Representatives
if, John Kelly and Rafel Perez, introduced
into the sfudent legislature a resolution
censuring Thomas Shetley for his chronic
mismanagement of the Student Stores on
this campus. Due to lack of a quorum,
however, legislature was forced to
adjourn before passage" of the resolution .
could be considered. As one of those
responsible for this adjournment, and due
to numerous inquiries, an explanation of
my action both to my constituents and to
the student body seems appropriate.
My refusal to answer role call was
founded solely upon the belief that it is
not the business of student legislature to
take it upon itself as an elective body to
bring into question and pass definitive
judgment upon the character, personal
integrity, and morality of another
individual. Once an individual's character
is attacked, there can be no retraction. It
follows that the evidence used must be
irrefutable.
But on the basis of the information
offered to the legislature, to have passed
the resolution in question would have
reduced that body to the same level of
irresponsible, high-handed, and
obnoxious action as is presently
employed by the manager of the Student
Stores.
Rafael Perez and John Kelly are
responsible legislators, and they are
sincere in their belief that there currently
exists a serious and widening credibility
gap between the students and Tom
Shetley. I share their concern.
Sincerely,
Michael Almond
No. 39 Old East
Rep. MD V
Book Differentials
Astound Reader
To the Editor
Your featured treatment today (DTH,
Feb. 6) of book prices in the Student
Store deserves a round of applause.
I was astonished when making my first
purchase at the Store that books sold at
list prices and were not discounted. This
practice contrasts with sales policies at
American universities where students
enjoy considerable savings from
discounted book prices.
The margin between wholesale cost
and suggested retail price enables a
number of U.S. book outlets to pass
along savings which often are substantial.
And individuals and institutions linked to'
academia, Including the affluent
foundations, frequently are entitled to
book discounts merely for the asking.
As a central ingredient of scholarly life
it is reasonable that the acquisition of
books be encouraged. A reasonable
pricing policy by the most prominent
supplier in a university community might
foster this objective.
Sincerely,
A New Graduate Student
Faculty Resolution
Weakly Applauded
To the Editor. '
The Faculty Council has passed a
resolution favoring an atmosphere of
open inquiry on campus. This is nice. We
are now squarely on the side of the
angels. Let us hope that this does not
mean that we intend to watch events
unfold from on high.
I believe the timing of this resolution
was extremely poor, though perhaps it
may have served to stimulate our interest
in heading off problems before they arise.
On many campuses, an indifferent faculty
must share the blame for campus unrest.
It is now time for us to act
constructively, rather than to continue to
pass resolutions. The appointment of
committees of faculty and students to
study - admissions policies- and the.
possibility of an Afro-American
curriculum does not mean that the rest of
us can afford to be complacent. Here are
some specific things that both students
and faculty can do.
(1) Each department can. examine the
nature of its course offerings and
introduce courses of greater relevance to
Black students and contemporary social
issues. I am not one who believes that
curricula should become entirely flexible
since I would be without a job if statistics
were not required in our own program.
But we can certainly see to it that there
are electives in most departments that are
useful to students in confronting
contemporary problems.
(2) Since each department controls its
own admissions to graduate programs, a
greater effort can be made to attract
Black graduate students. Given the
handicaps these students face, and their
poor undergraduate preparation,
departments should seriously consider
admitting "high risk" graduate students
whose G.R.E. scores are below the
minimum permitted by the Graduate
School. I am sure that the Graduate
School will permit us to make a
reasonable number of exceptions in this
respect. Once such students arrive, they
must be given a certain amount of extra
l-ot, -ftnef-
1 . i t i
attention and permitted additional
flexibility during their first year or two of
graduate study.
(3) Special efforts should be made to
attract visiting Black faculty. The B.S.M.
is not proposing that we join the rush to'
hire Black faculty on a permanent basis,
since this will only deplete the supply at
Black colleges. There is a real shortage of
Black academics, and we must make
temporary allowances for this fact. But
there are still plenty of opportunities to ,
invite visiting faculty. There are
numerous unfilled vacancies at U.N.C.,
though admittedly it is often difficult to
work out arrangements with
administrators at Black colleges to release
their faculty on a temporary basis.
(4) Both students and faculty should
begin to take a close look at the status of
the Black nonacademic employee. Let's
have a "Get to Know the Janitor Week!"
You will undoubtedly learn that he has
been here for 10-20 years and that he is
earning approximately $3,500 per year.
There are many who have been here over ;
15 years and who have not advanced ;:
beyond step 3 in the janitor's pay scale.
(There are 6 levels, with an individual
being automatically raised to level 2 after
one year, and level 3 after two years. But
here is where he stops, usually.)
I believe we are fortunate that the
B.S.M. has delivered a very reasonable set
of demands, and that they have waited a
considerable period of time without
taking any action. Presumably, they are
waiting to see whether the rest of us are
willing to do more than pass resolutions
and write letters like this one. If time is
not to run out on us, then individual
faculty members must act to prod their
own departments, and students to prod
the faculty. It seems to me that if we are
really interested in achieving the path of
moderation, and in preserving an
atmosphere of open inquiry, this is what
we must do!
Sincerely,
H.M.Blalock
Professor & Director
of Graduate Studies
Dept. of Sociology
Afro Statement
Expansion Given
To The Editor: 1
,. One. is. reluctant to take exception to
any part of tfie closely reasoned editorial
in the issues of February 4th and 5th, but
the statement to the effect that the
justifications for a department of
Afro-American Studies are psychological
and to make courses more readily "
available leaves a great deal to be desired. ,
Let me quote from the December 12,
1968 release of the Yale University News
Bureau: "Robert A. DahL Sterling
Professor of Political Science whcTwas
committee chairman, emphasized that the
strongly stated desire for the program
among some Yale students 'should hardly
be considered a disadvantage, much less a
disqualification'.
However, he said, 'the only valid
justification of the proposed program,
and the only one advanced by those of us
who propose this major, is that it fulfills
legitimate educational needs at Yale and
meets the standards we expect in all our
majors'. The program, he pointed out, is
designed to meet the needs of white
students as well as black. 'It is hard to say
which is the more appalling' he said, 'the
ignorance of whites about black people or
the ignorance of Afro-Americans about
their own experience.' "
Sincerely,
Steven Polgar
University Square
H-H-cvA
'
!