Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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It's In the Books Why Abolis illt Can Run The University Depository performs two outstanding services for the benefit of the Carolina student body. It serves as a savings bank and/or cashes checks for more than 80 per cent of our student body. Serving the students is big business for the little depository. During 1952, the depository received deposits of more than $180,000 from students who took ad vantage of its safe banking facilities and It cashed checks totaling more than one miion dollars. The depository is one of the few true student services which this institution pro vides. Clemson College and many state uni versities provide a depository for the same reasons that- Carolina needs one. Students cannot safely carry large sums of money in their pockets nor can they leave it in their rooms. The location of the downtown banks are inconvenient, but their hours are im possible for most students to comply with. Since many students are not Columbia resi dents and do not have proper identification, downtown banks and business establishments will not cash their personal checks. The depository's only source*of income is a ten cent fee charged on checks cashed which are drawn on non-local banks. The depository collected $1500 in such fees but paid out $670 to the banks as exchange fees, giving them a profit on exchange fees of $830. Its only expenses are salaries and printing. These amount to $4200, which means that the depository annually costs the University about $3500. In a move "to streamline the University and economize," the Administration is plan ning to abolish the student depository. By dispensing with the depository, giving some f jts functions to the Treasurer's Office, and eliminating completely some of the services which the depository now performs, the administration feels that expenses can be cut and the money can be diverted to educational purposes. Certainly, the Game cock is the first to admit that as much money as possible should be spent for educational and instructional purposes. The Gamecock, however, also feels that there are certain services which the University should provide even at a loss. It is pointed out by a member of the administration that the University's func tion is to educate its students and not to provide various services. The University's prime function is to provide an education for its matriculates, but it must also pro vide other services for the students as do other colleges and universities. Were this not true, we would not have a need for an infirmary, a canteen, athletic teams, a A Studenit Union How Long Do U The students of the University are prob ably the only students at a state university in the country who do not have a building which they can call their own. Throughout this semester, The Gamecock has pointedi out crying needs of the Univer sity (i.e. an auditorium, better food at the school cafeteria, more land, better intramural facilities, a faculty evaluation system, a Parents' Day, more scholarships, and more research.) Each of the above-named is needed, but the need for none is more obvious than that for a Student Union Building. The need for a Student Union has been felt by the students at Carolina since time immemorium, practically, and they have clammored for it, but to no avail. The Board of Trustees has felt this need, too, for they sanctioned the building of Maxcy College as a "student union." Maxcy was built with inadequate rooms or facilities for a Student Union, however, and most of the building was converted into either dormi tory rooms or administration offices, which were also necessities. Then in October of 1938, the Board of hDepository in the Black? student union building, or many other things which we have or wish we did have. A bed does not further our education, but it is just as necessary for the university to furnish a dormitory room with a bed as it is for them to furnish a desk and study lamp. So it is, also, with the student depository in Maxcy College. The Administration tentatively plans to allow the Treasurer's office to accept de posits in a limited amount from students. The Treasurer's Office would not, however, cash checks because "the depository loses so much money on bad checks," according to a member of the Administration. According to the books, however, not one cent was lost on bad checks during 1952. Of the countless checks cashed, 298 checks totaling $5,305 (only 1/200 of one per cent fo the $1,015,224 in checks cashed) were returned. Every one of these were eventually made good, though. We repeat: The books show that not one cent was lost by the University as a result of bad checks cashed by the deposi tory in 1952. Therefore, there is no reason to eliminate the check cashing service. University Treasurer Frank Welburne and his staff are very capable, but they are not over-staffed now and they could not handle the additional work which they would receive if the depository were consolidated with the Treasurer's office. This is the reason the Depository was removed from the Treas urer's office a decade ago. If the Treasurer's office were to handle the depository's work, they would probably have to hire additional help to do so. Then what would be,saved? THE GAMECOCK'S main contention is this: The depository can be run on a self supporting basis without curtailing any of its services. If the University is not willing to spend $3500 on the depository, every student who uses the depository should be charged one dollar a semester for its use. More than half the checks now cashed are drawn on Columbia banks. No ex change fees are charged on these checks. There is no justification for this. If the same ten cent exchange fee were charged on local checks and if students were charged a dollar a semester for using the depository, it could be operated on a self supporting basis without curtailing any of its services. The Gamecock realizes that students would not want to pay this additional money, but we feel that we are speaking for the studlents who use the depository by saying that we would be willing to pay a charge rather than curtail any of the depository's services.-B. N. e Have to Wait? Trustees sanctioned the Works Progress Ad ministration to build a new Student Union building which would be a "real Union" in the words of the Late President J. Rion McKissick. The October 7, 1938, issue of The Game cock headlined the story of Mr. McKissick's announcement, "Students get New Union. Well, the students are still waiting for the dream which the late Mr. McKissick thought would become a reality fourteen years ago. Plans were drawn for Hamilton College to be a Student Union. We're still waiting! Instead it is used for classes by several departments. Waiting, waiting, waiting . .. While other Universities have been getting Unions, we've been waiting. In May of 1950, the National Association of College Unions had 190 mem bers. Since that time we know of a hai dozen which have opened their doors. This means that about 200 colleges have felt the need for and built a Student Union since the first one was conceived of at the University of Pennsylvania in 1895. We, too, have felt the need; but that's almost as far as it's gotten for as 1953 begins we're still waiting, waiting, waiting .. .-B. N. HUNTER RENTZ Our P< And Wor Along with the change of ad ministrations usually comes a change of policy on key issues. The number one hurdle for the new president will be what con structive measures can be taken in approaching the solution of world peace. General Eisenhower has made it clear that the "fear Russia" complex was no longer going to hold the American people in the tenseness of pessimism. The culmination of this feeling was obviously manifested in the past president's containment theory. This policy, by its very name, puts us in the role of defenders where ever the red tide tried to engulf a nation. We have played the role dramatically, yet better than half the world's population lies in the dominance of communism; because of our amateurishness in the drama of power politics. To be constructive in our en deavor for peace we need to face the basic causes of tension and the possible solutions that might be considered. First of all we must realize the power that each opponent forces have. The best way to determine this is to look at the national wealth and assets of both Russia and the U. S. in the past twenty years. Our national wealth has jumped from nineteen billion to an incredible 263 billion dollars. Russia, by means of her five-year plans, has nearly managed to double her accumine of wealth. Though our manpower is no match, our industrial andl agricultural potential is the most powerful ever to have been acquired by one na tion. Modern war does not require Letters. . ... to Dear Mr. Novit: I have just read your admirable editorial on a proposed plan to make professors proficient. I am sure you will be gratified to know that a number of departments here have already made excellent use of this plan. I now have in my office, for example, quite a stack of mimeographed questionnaires to which you refer in your editorial. About twvo years ago every in structor in the Foreign Language Department used this self-evalua tion plan, and twvo or three years ago every instructor in the English D)epartment did the same. Dr. Williams in the Mathematics De partme~nt has, I believe, on more than one occasion made use of such an evaluation plan. Appearing before the Southern University Conference, of which this University is a member, I discussed this device for the im provement of instruction and found that at least one-third of the fifty-odd members of the Con ference have likewise used this device. My own experience with it-and I have used it myself with my classes--is that, in the first place, it is a helpful device, in the second place, the students do actually mark those questions "honestly and conscientiously," as you suggest, and in the third and last place, having read a number of these questionnaires I have yet to find one that seemed to me to be inspired by any truculent or vengeful emotions on the part of the students. 0 el )SitiOn Id Peace superiority of manpowers, as is pointed out in Korea, but superior ity of "know how." Secondly, we need to clearly see the disinterested position of the rest of the world. They do not want to be bought by sheer power and be made anti-Russian for the protection of democratic America. Rather they seek the very ideals that our nation was founded upon, the abolition of servitude and the democratic expression of their freedoms. This leads to the third idea war is not a paying proposition. They are no longer fought to pro tect land or property, because today total destruction in war is inevitable. The majority of the world's wealth is being spent to pay for war. Certainly in searching for a solution to war we should not give up our efforts in the U. N. This organization represents the zenith of the hopes and dreams of the smaller powers in world represen tative government. But we need to put more teeth in this democratic body which has the support of the majority of its member nations. Let's change from the pessimistic defender to the optimistic aggres sor. Not the belligerent and pugnacious aggressor but the giver of ideals to parallel our economic potentials. Offer to backward China the proposition of our ex tensive trade and assistance in her natural resources development and a government of self-will instead of pledging servitude to a tyrant. "You cannot even hope to have common aims unless you have common ideas." the Editor I read The Gamecock always with much interest and am glad to report further to you that in the matter of research the Uni versity is turning out more and more every year. As a rule our instructors attend the meetings of their learned societies, contribute discuissions to their programs, and with regularity publish their articles and discussions in learned journals. With best wishes to you and The Gamecock. I am Cordially yours, F. W. BRADLEY, Dean of the Faculty (Editor's note. We realize that some professors now give out the evaluation sheets. Our intention was to encourage all professors to distribute these forms and to study the students' evaluations upon re ceiving them.) Dear Mr. Novit, I find It hard to wvrite you with out this letter smacking of sarcasm and destructive criticism, but at times these journalistic weapons can be put to good use. I hope this is one of those times. I have followed with interest your edIitorials this semester and wvas especially appreciative of your suggestion for an auditorium, since I was one of the unfortunates who arrived late and had to stand in the rain to hear Carl Sandburg. However, It seems that the student body Is not backing you up in your endeavor. This morning, at the band concert, one corner of Drayton Hall wonld have beer TERRELL GLENN Glenn IF Holis' University of South Carolina. I Volume I, South Carolina Col- c lege. Daniel Walker Hollis. (Co- c lumbia: University of South I Carolina Press, 1951.) This is the first of a projected two volume history of the Univer- I sity of South. Carolina by Mr. Hollis, an instructor in the De- 9 partment of History. The volume ( covers the period from the char tering of the South Carolina Col- t lege in 1801 by the legislature to the turbulent days of the "Con- I federate War" which witnessed the closing of the college. Mr. Hollis begins his work by t telling of the early ideas concern ing the need for a state supported 1 institution of higher learning and the reactions thereto The frame- v work of the book is based primarily r on the histories of the presidential I administrations in relation to the c college. Underlying this central N structure are found two recurrent I themes, that of the transition from c liberalism and intellectual freedom t represented by the administration I of Thomas Cooper to the funda. < mentalism and Calvinistic philos- t ophy of Thornwell, and that of the T role the college played in being t the main agent for the merger of r the Lowcountry and Piedmont z ideologies. I In the book is found a faithful i account of the changes taking place in the thought at the college on such subjects as religious I philosophy; nullification, state's a rights and slavery. The two I theories that the college ipfluenced I the position of the leaders of the I state and vice versa are perhaps I not conclusively resolved. The i reader is left with some question as to which was the controlling influence. The role of the college in weld ing the strongly divergent societies I of the two sections in the state is I given much attention and justly I so. To this extent the South Caro- a lina College has fulfilled its pur- i pose. Mr. Hollis presents evidence i to refute the concept that the col- s lege was an institution solely for I the wealthy aristocrat from I Charleston and vicinity. One of the greatest problems of I the early administrators was that i of student discipline. To this part t of student life on the campus and I the constant problems involving the commons (Steward's Hall) the i book gives a comprehensive study. i Yet, this, too, is confined for the t most part to the relation it had I to the presidents' adlministrations.t sufficient for the audience. Even discounting those who do not care I for music, Drayton Hall should have been filled. Anyone who is in a musical< organization knows that much hard I work and many long hours go intoi preparing a program. How frustrating it must be for all that< har dl work to be appreciated by only a few members of the faculty1 and student body! I have talked i with a fewv of the band members I and knowv how keen Is their disappointment. Last year the1 University Chorus suffered the I same situation. We felt the same way. I have almost come to a con elusion (and you would be sur- I prised at the number of people who agree with me) to say, "to hell" CROWING FOR UNIVERSITY OF Si Member of Associate Founded January 30, 190s, with Rt< editor., "The Gamecock' is publishe University of South Carolina weekb - year except og holiday. and during The opinions expressed by columnisti marily those of "The Camecock." endorsement. The right to edit is rese EDITOR.. MANAGING EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER. NEWS EDITOR CAMPUS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SOCIETY EDITOR FEATURE EDITOR COPY EDITOR EXCHANGE EDITOR CRULATION MA.NAGER ASST. BUSINESS MANAGERI STAFF RE Furney Hemingway, Bill Leg Nicholson, Arthur Coutras, Son Vanlandingham, Mark Buyck, Kominerst, Jerry Rollins, Delighi BUSINE8f W. L. Buifington, Dan Donova CARTOONISTrS .Al Simmon, Il PHOTOG3RAPHURRR Gu. M eviews Book "ossibly one of the outstanding hapters 'in the book is that levoted to the history of the two Iterary societies that are still in xistence on the campus. In this hapter is found the best insight o the mind of the student at the ollege and his life. The author lso presents the effect that these rganizations had on the later f the students. The excellence his chapter suggests that the ,olume would have, been enhanced iy more attention to student life, ocial, intellectual and otherwise. lowever, this may have led into he realm of speculation and away rom fact to which Mr. Hollis has een faithful. The history reflects a large mount of research in trustees' iinutes; legislative journals, news apers and other histories of the ollege. It has been suggested that, ihile the author has achieved a rilliant compilation of existent ata, he has not greatly added to hat which was already known. It ias also been proposed that more ffort should have been placed on he surrounding thought and eco iomic conditions in the state. To he professional historian, this ight be true. But, for the student ,nd the citizens of the state, Mr. follis has provided us with a very vorth-while history of the South ,arolina College. One of the most engratiating eatures of the book is its read bility. Mr. Hollis has accom dished a volume that should not ie relegated to the study of the kistorian alone. It should be read oy the students of the university, ts alumni and the citizens of the tate. The book presents a picture if the illustrious past of the ollege achieved by a loyal itizenry, which may be lacking oday. A chapter of the Orienta ion Manual is devoted to the his ory of the university. Would it kot be more beneficial if the tudents were required to read this vork in orientation? Certainly the ense of loyalty to the school and iride in its past would be increased iy such a move. In the preface to the book . follis says that he may have been nore critical than previous his orians. le adds, " . . . but in the ielief that a thorough under tanding of Carolina's past will id in making it a finer institution n the future." This is quite true, nd it will be realized when this istory has been widely read hroughout the state. vith improving this dlamned school. say "damned" because that's vhat the legislature has (lone to t. But then I supp)lose I shouldn't xpect a bunch of illiterate and gnorant men to ap)prop)riate money or edIucational p)urposes, when hey themselves have had so little xperience wvith education. But everyone hates a quitter, 3ill, so keep up) the good work and naybe someday this school will e populated by faculty members md students alike whose minds vill be capable of appreciating tard wvork, good music, interesting peakers and the -like, a'd this chool will have auditorim. an (11( ther needed buildings that it can e p)roud of. Yours sincerely, Name withheld by request____ A CREATER EUTH CAROLINA. d Collegiate Press best Elliott Conzales as the first Iby and for the students of the ,on Fridays, during the college and letter wrkters are not neces-. shn does not constitute an * BILL NOVIT RALPH GREGORY JOHN PARASHO Tommie Horbiert Leo M. MacCourtney Johnsmy Ray June Presnell Barbara Thompson Area L. Artemee Alan Baker - Bob Pitts Bobby Smith PORTERS gitt, Jack Bass, Betty Jean ny Gray, Kenneth Flynn, l)"n Hannah Timmona, Carolyn Tlemann, I STAFF in, We. Sanders, Betty Seay. ob Cameron, Stanley Papajohn son. GrPy LeA, Lowll..M TEos