Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Bob Quinn . EDITORIAL STAFF ~ H ..........ta Toma Perrw 2 oit d1t9r A8ooIATE EDITORS ta lDonal Merrik, Albert Eggrton, M~r Mswek, FankLBlomn Donald Law ........-.Managing Editor An Injustice Is Done And We Take Time Here To Correct Our Mistake Retraction of our statement of opinion last week is not the purpose of this item. The cor rection of an injustice by a mistatement of facts about a man against whom we have no personal spite is imperative, however. Last week's editorial column stated, "Every year we pay the head coach a salary exceed ing that of the president of the University." This statement is not true, we later learned, and obviously places the coach in a bad light. No alibis are offered. It was a plain case of a statement being made without the facts to back it up. In all justice, we must retract it. Correction Is Also Made Of Some General Campus Impressions Gotten Here Hullabaloo on the campus shows that a good many students have misinterpreted our remarks concerning football as we play it here at Caro lina and before we restate and close our argu ment in the paragraphs below, we'll try to correct a few of these attitudes-without any retraction of our actual opinions and state ments. We do not recall having said that we were opposed to football as a game. Our statement was that football as it is now subsidized and played anywhere, anytime is taking too much emphasis and financial support away from academics, which we maintain are the primary purpose of universities and colleges. We have not referred to the members of the Carolina football team personally at any time, and we have not vented any personal spleen against them. In all honesty, we find the group as a whole good, bad and indifferent just as we do the rest of the student body. We are not proposing to take"the bread out of the boys' mouths." We are proposing that in the future the University rid itself of this financial drag and get back on a firm footing. We have not made any statement against anyone working his way through the Univer sity. We only question the value received from the expenditures of the University on subsidized athletics. We have not said that the present team has lowered the academic standing of the Uni versity. We have only- said that the general proposition of paying a man for physical rather than mental prowess is not becoming the policy of an institution of higher learning. We have not condemned the game. We have condemned the systemn. We have not condemned the system only at the University. We condemn it wherever it exists. Our argument is not against any person. It is against a system. Restatement of Opinion Closes The Argument As Far As We're Concerned Finally, we come to what we did say and will reassert. Although we don't hear com. plaints that it's been dull reading, this is the last time we care to make our assertion, for fear that it might become that. Our major premise was that subsidization of college athletics anywhere, anytime in the United States was wrong, because it de-empha sized the importance of academics and inflated the importance of athletics. Our proposal to remedy the situation is that college athletics be again placed on a voluntary basis, and that the money once given to this, both from the institution and from alumni, be used to send worthy students to college pro vided they deserve such an opportunity and provided they maintain a standard which will warrant such an expenditure. In this way, we feel that many of the boys now forced to play football to earn an education-if they really deserved and wanted it--could be relieved of the necessity. But the prime advantage would be that cer tain students of high schools who prove them selves worthy of college every year on our high school week tests and are not endowed with the physical equipment to play football could get what it is only just that they should have. We say "not endowed with the physical 'equipment to play football" because to our knowledge, those scholarships, save one, are the only way the University proyides fi P Member Associaied C eiale Pmn Rrn Dtuributor 4f Coie6 Died -.1 nancially for students to attend college. We are not overlooking the fact that many stu dents are able to work their way through school, we are simply pointing to the majority of worthy students who are not. We are admitting the fact that the situation is the same all over the nation. Subsidization might be called a national bad habit. But we cannot see the logic in perpetuating a bad habit which is driving us into debt simply be cause it is prevalent. There are those who say that South Carolina cannot take the lead. Forthright action never failed to produce results one way or another yet. We don't think that a gehool whose en rollment skyrocketed during a period when the football team was a failure will suffer materially from being frank and getting back on a sound basis. Maybe South Carolina hasn't taken the lead in many things in the very recent past. But in her more remote history she was a leader. For good or for bad, she managed to start a pretty fair war one time. WCOS Favor With A Fifteen Minute Spot For University News Since we gave our solemn oath to plug the thing, we'll have to reveal the secret that the Gamecock goes on the air this afternoon at 4:45, over station WCOS. Program time will be devoted to news of the University. This may well provide certain quarters with that sought for opportunity to turn us off. If time and space permitted, we would work up something on that old adage about the worm turning. Modesty prevails, however, and we choose to let the whole thing drop. Campus Dating Will Be OK'd Prudes Won't Need First Aid If You Will Pull That Shade And Cease To Be Displayed The boys over in K.S.K. are facing another one of those gigantic problems they are so noted for meeting and defeating. Their latest assignment is the solution of the campus dat ing problem. We have no information as to how long they intend to bandy the thing around, but we understand one of the biggest headaches is on the subjeet of shades for the rooms on the main campus. If you have been so indiscreet as to observe (and we're not going to send you a circular letter to find out if you have) probably you've noticed that very few of the rooms are properly shaded. Which might prove embarrassing to any dating couples interested in the scenery. But this is not our point. The issue we'd like to bring up is of more practical value. Since everybody is going to have to get shades anyway, why not require that the shades be regulation blackout shades? If such a move ig made, the University will be taking the lead in the civilian defense movement. Very few establishments or pri vate homes have the facilities for blackouts really required under combat conditions. There should -be a room where lights may be kept on during blackouts. Florello, please shove over. Tribute Is Paid Here To An Unknown Soldier On Success' Lqdder Before all of the students got here, some brave member of the University maintenance staff climbed the smokestack and placed there two decorative but useful pilot lights. We know, because we saw it done. For your information, this is not a move to aid students lost in the impregnable waste lands of uptown Columbia to find their way home. The lights were placed there to keep aircraft, friendly or otherwise, from adding to the University's financial worries. All of this is not our point. The fact of the matter is that the intrepid fellow who climbed that stack is deserving of a word of praise. Our policy is like that. Every little boost we can offer. One thing stands in the way of our loud ac claim. Who is this man? We've asked around --to no avail. All we get is vehement denials from persons who seem to consider such a feat foolhard. The Gameco Founded January 30, 106 BERT ELLIOTT GONZALES, Fh r as second-class matter at the postofios o. D, 1108. weekly by the student body of the Univej during the college year. Letters To Dear Editor: Malarky is putting it light as t< what we think of your editorials oi college football. In fact strongei words would probably be more appro priate to apply to your assertions. You by now, realize that your state ments have little grounds behind them Nevertheless, we would like to offei a few suggestions which would prob ably help the University a lot mor than you do with such editorials. Wo think that you, as editor of Thi Gamecock, should strive to build ul the school, rather than tear it down which you seemingly are trying t< do. We would like to give a few help ful points of football that you seem ingly overlooked, whether intention ally or not. Football gives some boy: a chance to work, and we do meat work, their way through school, whicl would otherwise never have the priv ilege of doing so. It gives the stu dent body, and we think at least , majority, a chance of relaxation it the form of diversion from too muc studying. Football gives a name t< the school in the form of publicit: which is far greater and more com mendable than any activity that yot are striving to build. Had your editorial reached the out side press, we honestly believe i would have hurt the University to n< end, especially the parts that wer false. As a solution to the bad in th, physical fitness program, we believ, that it is the student at fault, if ther is a fault, not the facilities. The gyn is always open to all, the track is alsc and the pool seems to offer some peo pie recreation. Coach DeMars witi tears in his eyes, begged the boys t< come out for boxing. It seems tha none of us have ever seen you par ticipate in anything that pertains t physical cducation. Perhaps on th, other hand, you need more elaborat, facilities than these mentioned above We've heard more complaints abou too much gym, rather than too little We happen to know for a fact, no presumptions, that Coach DeMars, Dr Crawford, and Chief Fourier are do ing a swell job, if you don't thini so, we suggest that you try gym ; few days since you don't look exactl! muscle bound, except between th< ears. As for the money paid out, we don see that the loss from cost of foot, ball in any way effects the appropri ation of any student., Football is on its way out, people are losing interest, still a recor< breaking crowd saw the opening game, the Clemson game tickets ar< p)ractically sold, suppose footbal should be on its way up, a larger sta (ium would be necessary. In a world at wvar, we need meni good men, for officers. When w< don khaki we all agree, that we woul rather have any member of Coaci Enright's team lead us against the aggressors than any journalist w< can think of, because the quality o leadership and intestinal fortitude tha football requires. Members of form er teams are well represented in th thick of things today. These boys have a job here, the are members of the student body o which wve are proud. You have a jol and receive pay, why deprive themi o a chance to get an education also Everyone is entitled to his opinion we are told. It is ours that footbal is one of the most commendable, help ful, publicity building factions on the campus today. We will wager tha we have more who think as we doC than do think as you. Probably good thing a majority of votes weren required to put you in office unles perhaps you used a different plat form. As you have probably noticed b; now, there is not a jo.urnalist in th< crowd, still we challenge you to prov< any of our statements false. Can yoi make the same challenge concerning your editorials? We hope the foot ball team doesn't believe that the en tire student body has your attitud towardl them. Sincerely yours, Randolph Norment Kay Kirven Caldwell Gaddy Dear Bob: Thanks for the nice things you sait about me in your editorial columi but I wish to say that you are cer tainly making my job much bardei by writing such editorials as the twc you wrote attacking football. Or ck st Editor National Ad comes* Pa 420 MADISON at Columbia, hbeAo * 9ooa wty of South The Editor . could be I am mistaken, your writ > ings may be making everyone so mad i that they will do much more to make r a prevaricator out of you, support - coach, the team and the whole foot ball set-up. - Do you think that such editorials . will be read in a favorable ligfit by r the alumni and the high school stu - dents who read the paper? And won't the Clemson men really give us a horselaugh when they read them? I really do believe such things, how ever you mean them, will be misread, as many of our students did, and people will feel we are against foot ball, our team and Coach Enright. - Is this building toward the Greater - Carolina, I have heard so much about - since I came here? How do schools s get names as famous institutions to I the general public with of course a I few exceptions? I would say through - sports, especially football, not through - school papers and various other ac tivities. You stated Coach Enright and i Coach Johnson received enormous sal > aries for coaching. Have you ever seen the volume of work that Coach - does every day? Well, I have, and z it's a lot, and he rarely rests during that long day of his. The staff, for - your own information has been cut t from five to two and all expenditures > for football have been cut to an ab e solute minimum. You stated we did not have any e extra man to help the stepped up e program of physical education but had to call on the navy for an instructor. i Did you know, as far as I understand, , the pre-flight men at U.N.C. -do all - of their training program? In other i words, they have turned the job over ) to men who know the business thor t oughly and don't mind making the - students work. Furthermore, I believe you have published deliberate falsehoods or e have worded the editorials in such a manner as to attempt to mislead the t students and turn them against foot . ball. t Also, I was definitely helped by our physical education program, because - I entered into it wholeheartedly not because we had or lacked equipment. Just what other equipment do you r think is necessary to make the gym ! complete ? In closing, this is not a personal attack or an attempt to tell you not to - write what you think. It is an at tempt to defend your friends and mine, the football team, and that grand old institution football. I beg of you'to stop writing these remarks at such a time and drop the whole Smatter. Let it die a natural death, I please, at least until our boys finish this grueling schedule and let's all unite to BEAT HELL OUT OF ,CLEMSON II Yours, Roger Kirk, i Head Cheerleader. P. S. Maybe the team is not a team of mental geniuses but by gum f they're not all phys.-ed majors and most make damn good grades. Dear Editor: In regard to your constant attack Son football and the small group of fboys who play their hearts out, >, bruise themselves up and sweat every f day so that on Saturday you can come ? out and watch them play I We feel Ithat these editorials are exceedingly I untimely and should be relegated to - a future time when it will not make these boys feel that the students don't want them. I know you will say the ,attack is impersonal and not aimed i at this year's team, but still they can t not help but feel the way we do. We want to take this stand and - let the team know that we are behind them and in thorough disagreement rwith your editorials. If individual alumni and other peo pIe wish to contribute money to the education of these boys we don't see where it is a damned bit of your business. Do you think that this - same money would be spent by these men to'make you physically fit or to pay for an instructor to train the students? Do you think our students could take much more than they are getting in physical education now? They seem to be developing pretty well as of late. Let them complain about the lack of facilities not some one who is a senior and through with the whole thing. We realize that you have worked hard for three years to get the job as editor but it also seems to us that Richard K. Jackson, Business Manager 0 NATSONAL ADWYMsE9NO RV 13USUM GTA"l V"tn &vk%, I=C 0 , A! rwt /aM. R,e,,u., , Jan e oe mrgb. AvE. New YORK, N. V. .A" 9u2rM LOS ANOBLS - a FaacIS Sloean Huniille, Howard Unay NO* Smoot, Odwali Weh4Me 1aft fgth. d-lAny. ._ _.._,_-_aaSam Otaham - .Circulaton Manag anyhing As a BYLINE By ALBERT EGGERTON n n n nn N -n- nnn Wishful Thinking This illogical appraisal of Clemson's football hopes was recently heard from a student of the aforesaid institution, who for reasons of his own wishes to remain anonymous. He made the statement that the more games Clemson loses before the Fair classic, the more likely it will be that they win that one. He further explained that when his team hit a winning streak, the Clem son press agent had a talk with the boys and convinced them that they were practically an all-American team by themselves. Then when the Greenville papers got through telling them how easily they would take Carolina into camp, the route was complete. They went on the field the day of the game feeling rather sorry for the poor Carolina football team which had to face such gridiron might. Losing tl&e game was a great shock to them. Thus if they lose all their games they might take the Carolina game seriously and win it. So you see, fellow students, we've got to root for Clemson until the big game so we'll be sure to win it. He didn't explain how they were going to a bowl if they lost all their other games. Well, no doubt the press agents can figure that one out too. Just give 'em time. * * * * * * * X Marks The Spot This column's nomination for the men most prominently on the spot last week goes to Banjo Smith and Jimmie Thompson, local sports-hawks. At the team's farewell party at the Seaboard station Friday afternoon, Carolina cheerleader Roger Kirk called on them for predictions of the North-South Carolina game. Jimmie tact fully replied that he picked Carolina by two touchdowns. Roger Kirk led the crowd in a long cheer before a cynical spectator asked him which Carolina he meant. Smiling, he replied that he meant South Carolina. There's the spot. He couldn't very well have said North Carolina, now could he? His situation would have been like an English book peddler selling "Mein Kamph" at io Downing Street. Maybe I'm doing him an injustice. Maybe he really thought that the Gamecocks would win. The rest of us did. * * * * * * * Disputed Passage Brief visitor to the campus and canteen this fall was that hardy perennial of the plant family, "machinis pinballia". It is one of the more common South Carolina varieties of the phylum "pennytrap". It flourishes in great abundance wherever people gather. It must be frequently watered with coins and pushed and shoved to make it feel at home. The one planted in the canteen was doing nicely until the administration rudely uprooted it and returned it to its donor. * * * * * * * Let's Play Rough Again A thing which I believe most of the students want is a return to regulation tackle football in the intra-mural games. I have heard a number of boys complain that two-handed touch wasn't nearly as much fun to play and was almost as roug.h as regular tackle foot ball. I entirely agree. The principal idea in changing the game was to prevent the boys from getting too rough. Well this is the time to get rough. Army training programs are stressing physical contact preparation and that would be as good a preparation as any. Think it over, Mr. Crawford. * * * * * * * Chapel Hill Clipper Returning students report interesting experiences encountered while going to and coming from Chapel Hill by air. (air you going my way). Preston Callison told about meeting a bootlegger on the way up who gave him a lecture on temperance. The man informed him that alcohol was made to sell and not to drink, an interesting conclusion. Preston was also informed that "the government was running bootleggers out of business". The amiable but sub rosa liquor salesman hoped that the war would be over soon and predicted a great future for the illegal liquor trade. Others who hitch-hiked to the game said that despite the gas and tire rationing, bumming was pretty good and most of them made good time. A few were stranded and had to catch the bus to better bumming towns. But most of them had a good time despite the fact that Carolina (meaning us) lost the ball game. * * * * * * * .Hot Spot A brief word of thanks to the administration from the occupants or the dormitories. The heat has been turned on. And the students love it. No more setting up exercises to keep the blood circulating on chilly mornings. No more pleasant dreams of the antarctic, of playing tag with polar bears on an ice floe. Now the student can rise and dress in comfort. Again, thanks. * * * * * * * Au Revoir A fond farewell to some faculty favorites. Professor Stephan's friendly and sometimes caustic wit has been almost legendary with Carolina students. His classes have been perennially popular. His loss will be keenly felt at Carolina. Professor McLeod, reserved but genial, mixed current affairs with his classes in French, gave students a sound language foundation. He will be Professor Walsh, drily humorous psychology prof, gave students an in sight into the workings of their own minds, puzzled them with sonic over tones and color vision. He will be hard to replace. And a word to all of them-hurry back as soon as you've won the war. * * * * * * * Miscellaneous One good thing about college uniforms ..,. you can always tell a Clemson man--but you can't tell him much. * Coca-Colas have made a reappearance at the canteen, much to the delight of latecomeru (No moe--ro ue)