University of South Carolina Libraries
The Gamecock celebrates missing year of Volume 92 “Norma Palms takes over the duties for her devastated husband. In Nancy Reagan style, she reveals she actually has been running the university all this time and will set USC straight for AAU.” And you thought it was difficult to determine what year begins the new millennium. M Last spring, I bid my farewell to this newspaper, but now I have to come out of retirement to correct a wrong I made. And my mistake means The Gamecock has traveled through a confusing time warp, resulting in this newspaper losingayear I ADAM SNYDER of its life. It .[icolumnist will be M ~~ known as ^ the year of the “Gamecock bug,” Volume 92. Several years ago, when I was studying past volumes of The Gamecock, I realized something had gone awry. The volume number was wrong, or so I thought. Obviously, this is something to which the general public pays little attention, but it has great significance to the members of the staff of the newspaper. In addition, our able librarians at the South Caroliniana Library appreciate an accurate reading of volume numbers and dates for historical purposes. Seven years ago, The Gamecock staff had changed the volume number at the beginning of the fiscal year in July, as is our custom. Then, at the beginning of i the fall of that same year, the new staff moved the volume number up another ^otch. Noting this, I told the editors two years ago that we were off by a year and needed to change the volume number oacK. All was fine until I did a little more of that “millennium math” when I was researching The Gamecock in May. Much to my frustration, I realized that volume change seven years ago was to set the records straight, and I undid it. You see, this newspaper began in the spring of 1908. The three issues that spring were Volume L If you or I were bom that year, we would not turn one until the spring of 1909. But in newspaper talk, 1908-1909 was Volume II. So, following this math, the school year of 1 '.9-2000 would be Volume 93, although two weeks ago, during the 1998 1V9 school year, this newspaper's header I ii« cated it was Volume 91. 8o today, in order to get back on track, ^*j]l be foregoing Volume 92 and would ™^»velcome you to the first issue of the 9un^olume of The Gamecock. This staff remembers that the job of this newspaper is not to confuse you over birthdays, but to inform you of the year's work. So, we would like to let you know what happened during that missing year, Volume 92. July - Carolina’s newest class visits campus for orientation. They are an extraordinary bunch -100 national merit finalists, four students with perfect SAT scores, and a record number of scholardiq* are handed out The numbers are shocking at first, but when you look a little closer, you see that 60 percent of the freshman class are foreign exchange students. August - With a plan to eliminate the “suitcase-college” stigma of USC, local bars and Marriott offer free beer and liquor drinks on the weekend. It works - the interstates and back roads of South Carolina are empty on Fridays and Sundays. Although a little drunk, students get more involved on campus, as well. September - Safety advocates finally get their way. After years of trying, USC improves lighting on campus and eliminates unsafe areas by cutting back trees and shrubs and adding more call boxes. Muggings, rapes and all violent crime drop to next to nothing. University officials are overheard saying, “If we would have known that this is all it took, we would have spent the money years ago.” October - Safe Ride, the plan pushed by Student Government to get students to and from Five Points safely, becomes a reality. Also, a transportation system that allows students within a two-mile radius of campus to ride city buses for free is instituted. Coupled with a new campus circulator, internal campus parking is freed up, and more green space is planned. November - Professors and small-time administrators end their internal squabbling. Instead of playing “save your-own-ass” politics, both sides decide to give up their fiefdoms and stay true to the essence of any university - the students. And, of course, the football team defeats Clemson, capping an undefeated season under Lou Holtz. December - The Gamecocks win their first ever SEC Championship game and will play for the national championship. The AAU Acceptance Committee evaluates USC. They decline to accept the university, even after awesome strides in research, stating, “Although USC’s research program is excellent, the university’s overzealous support of only a few schools on campus proves it has limited vision. The AAU prefers well rounded institutions.” President Palms locks himself in the President’s House, realizing his mistake of overemphasizing research schools at the expense of professional and less glamorous departments. January - The Gamecocks defeat Southern California in what is dubbed as the “Safe Sex” Sugar Bowl for the national championship. Norma Palms takes over the duties of her devastated husband. In Nancy Reagan style, she reveals she actually has been running the university all this time and will set USC straight for AAU. February - For the first time in years, the SG elections go off without a hitch. In fact, in celebratation of Black History Month, blacks and whites storm the Statehouse and remove the Confederate battle flag, saying; “Today, South Carolina will cease living in the past, and we will start planning for the future.” The flag never returns to the Capitol dome, and the university gets international attention for its progressive students. March - After a dismal basketball season, the team puts together a winning streak in the SEC tournament, winning the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. For the third time in four years, the men’s team loses in the first round. Like the years before, excessive partying the night before the game is blamed for the lackluster performance * April - After several students are hit by cars crossing the street to get to the new fitness and wellness center, adminstrators respond, “See, we told you they would never use a tunnel or skywalk.” This confuses students because university officials never built a tunnel or skywalk to avoid traffic at one of the busiest intersections in Columbia. May - USC graduates some of its best students in years. The median first year income of all graduates will be more than $50,000. The Alumni Association and the General Fund are licking their chops for donations. Norma Palms’ new plan for the university, giving fair support for all schools and departments, has been a success. The AAU reconsiders USC and accepts the university. Students, faculty and staff celebrate the fact that they will no longer hear speeches about AAU from either Palms. June - The state legislature awards USC for its efforts by increasing state allocations by more than 25 percent. Trustees award students by decreasing tuition by 5 percent after years of increases. USC is ranked by many magazines as the top institution in the Southeast and one of the best in the country. Wow. What a year. Sorry we missed it. SUMMER OF '99 / Letters to the editor are welcome from all members of the Carolina community. Letters should be 250-300 words and must include name, phone number, professional title or year and major. Handwritten letters must be personally delivered to RH 333. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space. Call 777-7726 for more information. Columnist ignores voice of majority To the Editor Once again, the message of the minority is attempting to quell the voice of the majority (Emily Streyer, “S.C. harms itself with its heritage,” July 21). South Carolina has never found the "national limelight unbecoming," rather this proud state and her citizens relish the thought of national attention. A boycott by the NAACP in an attempt to silence the vote of this states majority is as relevant as the NAACP considering legal action against the TV networks for "not having enough diversity in their fell lineups." Has anyone taken a look at the Black Entertainment Network lately? Perhaps we aren't aware of the proportion of diversity on Warner Brothers Television? I proudly say "heritage not hate" and find the reference to those that display a similar belief of being a "parrot" an example of a lack of understanding by Ms. Streyer the reasons for the flag flying over the capital today. I agree with Ms. Streyer that the flag is a symbol, it’s a symbol of a nation that was forced into extinction by use of military force and occupation. The Confederate States of America were formed in the same manner, as were the 13 colonies. Citizens that expressed their dissatisfaction with the governing body and elected their own governing body, formed their own constitution, distributed their own currency, dispatched their ambassadors to foreign countries and of most importance believed in their right to be governed by those of their choosing. While differences between North and South exist today, they are insignificant compared to those that existed in the 19th century. The misconception of a planter aristocracy that represented the entire South is erroneous, for many throughout the South neither owned slaves nor lived under conditions greatly different than those enslaved. Emancipation wasn’t the origin of Northern insistence on the existence of the union, only after Northern support for continued conflict waned did President Lincoln proclaim the end of slavery as justification for the continued War Between the States.While the South may have lost the war for independence, we Southerner's take great pride in the behavior of our soldiers when they marched through Northern States, vastly different than that of Northern soldiers who pillaged, plundered and burned much of the South. Ms. Streyer goes on to call those that believe in the preservation of Southern history to be "proud and ignorant." Perhaps Ms. Streyer is an advocate of minority rule, or that those which make the most noise are entitled to having only their opinion heard? The flag should remain over the Capitol, not because I say so, or any one person says so, but because the majority that voted in our state elections said so. Until a vote is cast by the majority of this states citizens that elects to lower the flag, the minority of this state should respect the views of the majority. No Ms. Streyer, the flag is not the most prominent symbol of racism in this world; it is however a poignant reminder of my ancestors and the sacrifice they made for this state and the nation this state once was a member of. This state voted to retain the flag, if you have such little respect for those that passed before you, please attempt to have some degree of respect for those of us that disagree with you today, after all, we are the majority in this state. John Kirby Marketing Senior W NEWS A&lN “•™Is 6FTS OS MOPE FLAK THAN THE USUAL PAILY (SUN KILLINGS" •-- , i . I I &JNl Lobby I 1' 1 ' L latest multiple The Washington Post A proven winner wants your help this fall “As we all know, it’s never too late (or too early) to make yourself attractive to prospective employers. Writing skills are one of the most important on many employers’ checklists.” Summer. That's supposed to be the key word. No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers .... Well, _ for those of I I you not working or trying to prolong the journey back to (or for the first time to) school, some of us were busy trying to make the SARA LADENHEIM butterflies columnist_ that are -- always present on the first day a little lighter on your stomach. Something big is happening in this last semester of the 1990s at USC. In fact, it's something that each and every one of you who read this column should be proud of as a part of your university and community. Your own student newspaper, The Gamecock, is going to win the collegiate equivalent of a Pulitzer Prize — the elusive Pacemaker award in journalism. Now, for many of you, this means about as much as that dead cockroach on the floor over there. But for maybe one or two or 1,000 of you, a little piece of inspiration will be planted, and you will want to join the most progressive and exciting organization on campus. Not only do I, as your editor in chief, guarantee that you will love your experience at The Gamecock, but I also guarantee that you will be a member of an award-winning team. It might not be the Sugar Bowl or the NCAA Championship, but it will be something that you can be proud to say you are a part of. Here's how we're going to do this; it's my own secret plan: Take a look at the paper now, and compare it to last semester (or if you missed the past style of The Gamecock, come up to RH 333, and we can show you how much it has changed). Not only does it look like a million dollars, but we want it to make one million dollars. Yes, you read that correctly. We want our little South Carolina paper to equal the profits of another little college paper to our immediate north — The Daily Tar Heel at UNC. It is possible to do this, but we need your help. Here's how we can do it: First of all, refuse to pick up copies of the “Zip Sheet,” even when their people stand there and shove it in your face. Refuse to do it. Simply say “no thanks,” and pick up a oopy of the “Cocky Shopper,” our very own coupon clipper that is colored in the friendly garnet and black as opposed to the blinding yellow of the “Zip Sheet.” If you think about it, the “Zip Sheet” has nothing more to offer than pushiness. All of us here at The Gamecock are fellow students, and helping out your fellow students is a definitive part of the Carolinian Creed. It's a small sacrifice to make for your fellow students. Secondly, join The Gamecock. Not only will you get to cover the most exciting events on and around our campus, but you might be the lucky winner of a weekly press pass to Williams-Biyce Stadium. One lucky person will get to cover the game each week with veteran Gamecock staff in the press box or alongside Sean Rayford, the 1998 South Carolina Press Association's “Best Photographer in South Carolina Collegiate Media,” right on the field. As we all know, it’s never too late (or too early) to make yourself attractive to prospective employers. Writing skills are of the highest importance cm many employers’ checklists. Clips from The Gamecock can help you out as a senior attempting to get a job, or as an underclassman frying to secure an internship, grant or a stronger resume. The best part about it is that you decide when you want to write, what you want to write about and how often you want to write. Any major is welcome; proof of this is in your editor in chief. I’m not a journalism major, but rather a history and political science double major. We have many journalism majors on staff, but we also have representation from the computer science department, international relations, engineering, media arts, anthropology and interdisciplinary studies, to name a few. Finally, show a little pride in your school, and do something that will help to make it better than ever. It would be wonderful to be able to write more stories about students who are out of, rather than in, trouble. School spirit should be more than just attending football games. If you see litter on the Horseshoe, pick it up. If you see a fellow student struggling with a door or with a tray in The Grand Marketplace, help him or her out. Take the time to leave your mark on this campus, and remember that it’s never too late to do it, either. All I have ever wanted to achieve as editor of The Gamecock is to inspire my staff to want to produce the best newspaper in collegiate journalism. I hope that you will read this column and become inspired to do something great with your collegiate experience. ,' —I-I—I-I- . -I-I—-——— -—J ;