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CROWING Fe UNIVERSITY OF Mfember of Assoca Distributor of i Founded January 80, 1908, with Robert Elliott Gonzales as the first editor, "The Gamecock" is published by and for the students of the University The opinions expressed by columnists and letter writers are not necessarily those of "The Game JOE MOLONY, EDITOR RUDY RIVERS, MANAGING EDITOR JACK WALTHER, BUSINESS MANAGER News Editor ................ Jack Morgan Campus Editor .......... W. H. McCartha Sports Editor .......... Lloyd Huntington COLU: Jack Morgan, Eric Op BUSINEI Jim Horton, REPORTO] Carolyn Busbee, May Herbert, Frances Collier, Rita Webb, Ann Chandler, Jackie Southerland, Tommy Herbert, Marnie Manning, Lawson Yates, Bobby Smith, Ruth Barker, Mary Bloodworth, Olga Be Merciful The famous "mercy killing" case has been the topic of much discussion in leading news papers of the nation, getting front page play on most of them. Experts have gone out on a limb on the issue. And it's provided some interesting reading, too. However, it's nothing new. Mercy killing has been applied in essence to practically every university and college in the nation. It hasn't involved human lives, granted, but it has been used to cut out duplication and overlapping of schools and curriculums in order to utilize every possible resource on hand - particularly in the poorer states. North Carolina mercifully killed off un necessary courses and took the right step forward when it consolidated higher educa tion over 10 years ago. Georgia killed off several schools, com bined them under one central head, elimi nated boards of trustees and set up a Board of Regency in 1932. It was a merciful gesture. In fact, practically every surrounding state is mercifully wielding the axe to unneces sary expenditure in higher education. Con solidation and coordination of school pro grams are slogans with these progressive state-operated schools. But the state of South Carolina refuses to take a hint. We have done absolutely nothing to organize and util ize our resources. We refuse to listen to any plan of operation in this direction. We prefer to wallow in our filth, with our heads proud ly raised high in the air believing we're right to remain filthy while our progressive neighbors are wrong in cleansing them selves. Along with a consolidation program for higher education with accent on organiza We Like It I According to p o 1 i c y, The Gamecock changes staffs at the close of each semester and the new staff customarily puts out the last edition. Next week the new staff will go to work at. their unenviable job. When we say unenviable, we mean it. Theirs is the biggest job ever faced by a Gamecock staff 'since its founding in 1908. They will have to contend with a changeover in student interest from that of a veteran to the civilian youngster. Because of this and other correlating factors, their individu ality and independence may be threatened. But we have complete faith and confidence in the far-sightedness and capabilities of this new staff. They realize and appreciate the almost superhuman task which confronts them. They will, we know, dedicate them selves to maintaining a student newspaper with the students' interests always at heart. We remind our successors that freedom of operation has made The Gamecock what it is today-.one of the top nine collegiate cocCc . R A GREAT9R SOUTH CAROLINA ted Collegiate Press 'ollegiate Digest of South Carolina weekly, on Fridays, during th college year except holidays and examinations. cock." Publishing does not constitute an endorse ment although the right to edit is reserved. Society Editor ................ Jane Dowi Feature Editor ............... Paul Foste: Copy Editor .............. Ruthe Kleckle: Exchange Editor ........ Betsy Knowltoi Circulation Manager ..... Russel McGowai Asst. Business Manager ........ Paul FIel KNISTS penheimer, Rudy Rivers. 3S STAFF Bennie Helms tIAL STAFF Edwards, Martha Matthews, Barbara McSwair Kenneth Powell, Tom Price, Dick Dunlap, Jimm; Howle, Bill Kaufman, Al Gibert, Lily Groover, Jun Marshall, Barbara Derrick, Elizabeth Traylor. Kill Tradition! tion, mercy killing could be applied to thi campus here. Should this highly-publicize< case become a fad (and it could) we'd wel come it here with open arms. Think of th< unlimited possibilities for improvement tha it would foster. Tradition would be mercifully nipped ii the bud. This would mean that all old build ings, tottering at their very foundatione would be torn down with new and permanen buildings replacing thei. Those traditional faces, haggard from lonj experience and overwork, would be showi mercy. Young, new and eager replacement would stream in with all being compensate4 according to ability, not favor. All self-seeking, politically-governed indi viduals standing in the way of Carolina'i progress would be given the mercy knife Politics would be divorced from education The old, conservative die-hards would be re placed by far-thinking, honest and reliabl, men interested solely in the advancement o the University and of their state. Yes, we're ready for an overall merc; killing program at Carolina and throughou the state. And the "mercy killers" are o1 hand. In fact, there's 170 of them huddle< together in the State House right now. This group of legislators would do we] to consider this strange case of "mercy kill ing" and apply it to the conditions of thei state and all state-supported schools. W don't believe man has the right to deliber ately take another's life, but in the case o higher education in South Carolina we fe( that the solons would be merciful in wielding the bloody knife. Gentlemen, we ask you fo the last time; "Be merciful, please? Ani kill, if necessary !"-JAM lere, But .. . weeklies within its enrollment in the cour try. This is worth fighting for. Should any organization or individual eve try to oversee or censor The Gamecock, w would not stand for it, for we know th students would object. It is to them, th students who help finance The Gamecoc through activities fees, that we have ar swered in our 41 years of existence. The are our censors, our advisors, our critici They're our life blood. In case of a crisis we're better fortifie than nine out of ten newspapers in this area We know that we've got the students behin us. That, in itself, gives us enough conf: dence to stand up for our rights, which ar in every case the students' rights, agaimn any and all opposition. So, with these reminders in mind, we wis the oncoming staff the best possible luck dui ing the coming semester as it carries on tl1 fine traditions of The Gamecock's first ed tor, R. E. Gonzales-"Crowing for a Greate University of South Carolina."-JAM r 1 teprinted from February 1950 issue of ESQUIRE "Pd marry yog b-ss wha cauh RUDY RIVERS A Peas It is cold here now, so that my blood runs like tar. The radiator t percolates heat that cringes before the cross-currents of chill that play in my roorm. The ceiling sags, held up by an intense fear-that-it will fall. A shade would be a wonderful luxary for my window. The people there on the sidewalk pry too much into my privacy. But the shade would be a temptation. There are those who say that I am akin too closely to the apes, and that I would swing on the shade and ride it up and down like an elevator and destroy it too soon. And the cold floor is forbidding with its splinters and creaks when - in the midst of sleep I must rise up g to let natural acts occur. It is more forbidding that I must walk down two flights of stairs to accomplish this. My hardy ancestors would think it a luxury. But my ancestors knew no better. They were the ones who made better things possible for [ me. (And ancestors are dead and unappreciated by officialdom. Ex cept on lamentable occasions when LOU CASS The Vici< Today, we are in the grip of a vicious cycle where our security se - weapons which will ruin us tome r creating and the standards we are e civilization, and if we do not contro it will destroy us with its matei atom-bombs as it has already dei Japan.* But, what are we to do about it? on it, and let time decide, or will we j The scientist is no more guilty o those of us who have made improp lems are mutual. We must work ti far from the intention of the true the "Sermon on the Mount." Had the truff scientist even drei bomb has caused, I doubt seriously But, in the process of war man I - power. But, on the other hand, wi discovered. Think of the many) would have been lost. Think,.also, r enemies discovered this drastic pos 8 We are now back where we star e worked out, and scientists continue e ful discoveries. One comes to the k how trivial human problems. Sinm -than any accomplishments of man forgotten virtues of simplicity, hui ~requires a dedication beyond scien ~great and it is our only hope. Here are authoritative answeri from the Veterans Administratlor to questions which are regularly e asked VA contact representatives! t Q. If there is a recurrence of my brother's service-connected all ment while he is at home, may he hi be treated by his own physicia, -at VA expense? e A. Yes, If he receives prior ap proval from VA for such care, and ~providing a VA hospital or out. r patient clinie is not "feasibly avail. able." 0 1 n / t 4 . e: Si a M I d i in a minute Herby i i Sell my friends?* d d ant Life institutional glories must be ex- h pounded.) t The room is cold, the ceiling sags, r the bath is two floors down. The shades are not, the walls leak win "a t ter, the dust of days stacks up. My books are cracked, my eyes are eager, but my mind will not Aee it through. And officialdom agrees that 0 things are tough, their sympathy is iadied and parcelled. This one says, it ain't so bad . . . could be better, but it has improved. Another one says, it ain't so bad, it a has been worse, and it has been improved. Still there comes a wee sad voice, "The gods of officialduw have witnessed thy prayers before. 8 Pray no more, for they are pacified V and appeased not." I sleep through each sad night, remarking in my sleep, "I hope the S ceiling doesn-'t fall, the damn g radiator knocks and stutters, and V the bath is two floors down. Please, S dear God, stomp that cigarette butt, for a fire is my fear in dreams. It's cold here now, so that my . blood is strawberry sherbet, I wish I had a shade. .. . r )US Circle scientific materialism, caught in a 3 ems to depend on regimentation and I rrow. I believe the values we are following will lead to the end of our I our science by a higher moral force, ialistic values, its rockets, and its stroyed large parts of Europe and Are we just going to turn our backs try to control this scientific trend. . f the situation we are in today than er use of his discoveries. Our prob em out together. Hiroshima was as scientist as the Inquisition was from c med of the disaster which the atom if he would have tried to perfect it. n urns his back on everything except p~ at if the atom-bomb had never been e lives of our fellow Americans that I what would have happened had our fi w~er instead of ourselves. d ted. No sensible conclusion has been to experiment for even more power- a conclusion how false nyaterials are; a ply to appreciate is more Important ~ .We must draw strength from ther nility, contemplation, and prayer. It c ce, beyond self, but the rewards aree n Lornen Q. I have seen the splendid work n accomplished by the Veterans Ad- h ministration Voluntary Service. s, How may I take part in this work ? n A. If you are a member of a tl service or welfare organization, ask a your president about the participa- f tion of your organization In the r VAVS program at the nearest VA 0 hospital. If you are not a mem- e I ber of such an organization, get p in touch with the chief of Special f Services at your nearest VA hos pitat. ACK MORGAN Poole's Paradise A few months ago when Joe Molony was working so hard ri a plan for consolidation of higher education in South arolina, letters were sent to all persons in the state re iotely connected with higher education. A majority of the ,gislators seemed to be in favor of such a plan; a majority f the legislators seemed to be in favor of such a plan; 0 kajority of the college and university presidents in the bate were not. One of these college presidents-Dr. R. F. Poole of Clem )n-even went so far as to ask us a question: "With so iany wonderful opportunities to write on subjects which will nhance and encourage good scholastic work in their insti itions, why do student editors feel compelled to go far field in finding topics for discussioi in their school,papers?" 'No Better Way' Frankly, I see no better way to "encourage good scholastic rork" than by advocating a plan which would create better Dhools and students in the state; which would eliminate uplication and overlapping; which would dispose of. the olitical angle of the present competitive campaigns for ap ropriations by submitting to the General Assembly a con olidated budget for higher education, allocating funds to he various institutions on the basis of needs and services; nd which prescribes uniform bookkeeping and records from he various institutions so that comparative costs could be etermined and uneconomical practices eliminated. It's a iouthful, but tasty when one can look ahead to the results onsolidation would bring about. We of The Gamecock are not going "far afield in finding opics for discussion," either. Besides being college writers, re are also college students, and anything that concerns igher education in tne state is as important to us as it is o college presidents and legislators. And while we may not eap the results our children who will be attending school n the future will. The kind of education they get and where hey get it will depend solely on us-the parents. Perhaps consolidation is a dead issue today, but it was im ortant enough for Dr. Poole last Tuesday when he spoke n the topic before the Lions club here in Columbia. Maybe A Longer Day President Poole said he could do a better job (at Clem on) if there was more time in which to do it. Perhaps if )resident Poole was able to remain at the college without vorrying about finances, he could do a better job. As the et-up is today he can never be sure what revenue Clemson ill get and when she will get it. "Bigness is not what we need in our colleges," Dr. Poole aid. "If anything, what we need is to disperse into smaller roups so that the individual can get better attention. If ie are to have efficiency, the teacher must have fewer tudents to teach." By dispersing into smaller groups, it seems that there is his alternative: either establish more classes and schools r decrease the number of students in each school. The latter vould only prevent qualified students from attending col ege at all while the first would increase the amount of money needed for higher education. We don't have the rev nue to have good schools today without creating others. knd certainly we can't prevent boys and girls from going to ollege when we need "more scientists, more preachers, law ers and businessmen." That's what we need, isn't it, Mr. 'oole ? Dr. Poole went on to say that "they (college students) go o college because it's the popular thing to do." I wonder f it is anymore popular today than it was when you went o school, Mr. Poole. ERIC OPPENHEIMER. Between You And Me State of the Union thntieamaypolare President Truman diagnosed the we osvl omne h Dfnditionl of the nation last weekNeDalThAmrcnfmr nd confidently revealed the sound-eanmoetnsitmsasuc ess of the state of the union. HetoaasdrnHrig'"N. redicted continued prosperity and mly"TeAeia aoe a rcuberantly proclaimed that thebosoftehgs wesadlv ted challenge will be met success- n tnad ntewrd ully and mankind preserved from Bustlteraemnypoe ictatorship and tyranny. At thewhardeiddqutmdcl ame time the president asked cr.Teeaemn mrcn :mgress for a moderate. tax boost wod o aetemast e nd once again thrust his fair dealcuefrtmslsthbesig t the lawmakers in what poll- o hsln.Tefi eli ei clans considered the curtain.-ae oapoga hc ol siser speech for the 1950 politicalevnulycsmatthAe ampaign. cnsg n raealn hr Observers agree that few of Tru-abouepltc,scila c Ian's proposals will receive im-noidecrypevls tediate congressional approval. TeUkonSrat [owever, the eventual fate of the Drn h atsmses3v resident's recommendations fororlCoiastdnshvdst iedical Insurance, an accelerated gihdtesle ncmu 0 ousing program, expanded social tvte ihu eevn h e Bcurity, and broader unemploy..sevdrwd.Thogaiton aent compensation will determine wihhnrproswohv be future economic, political andwokdlylyadfihuyfr acial status of America. The trend teuiest aentawy rom 1932-1948 has been In the di- ikdwsl.Pltc a fe ection of government assumptionInuecdtesltinommbr f vital public services. The fed-toheeonrscti.Tiso ral government has assumed im- unsltsteukonsrat ortant obligations and laissez- fteUiestyo ot ao mire has become ancient history. lnawohvseedbtrwi During the last 15 years the na- otky hnsm esn h Lonl icoe hs tiped.Mortwar thie golden pele arem