The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 17, 1959, Page Page Two, Image 2
"TMs H.
Sometimes an idea can be c
that it can bring harm to tt
and become more of a nuisance
interesting happening. This I
on our campus during the p
the panty-raids and threats of
raids.
Certainly this is not a new I
raids have occurred for ma
Carolina's history, but this ti
that it has been carried too ft
sult our school has received a
publicity throughout the stati
probably not created a bette
Carolina in the minds of the
some of those involved have be
from school. The right has
them to study here.
But this is not the only ha
been done. When an idea whi
mere fun brings physical as we
harm, it is time to take ac<
actions. Is it fair for our g
sult in some of our coeds hav
the department stores to buy n
LETTERS TO THE
Present
Praised
Dear Sir:
In a recent issue of "The
Gamecock you published an ar
ticle on the subject of the Uni
versity Band. Having served as
president of the band in 1956
1957, I felt that your article
called for a reply and the presen
tation of several pertinent facts.
The uniforms now used by the
band were selected by a commit
tee of band members who were
chosen by the band in free elec
tion. As president I was a mem
ber of that committee.
While I do not wish to discuss
the merits of our choice, I do
suggest any criticism of the uni
forms be directed to those who
selected them.
Band Membership
Membership in the University
band has always been small. In
fact in the spring term immedi
ately preceeding the selection of
Mr. Garnett as band director
there were only 12 players who
actively participated for the full
semester.
It was only through the wis
doni and foresight of Dr. Wil
liamson, director of the music de
partment and former President
Russell that the University was
able to secure the services of Mr.
Garnett as band director.
Only those wvho wvere members
of the band (during the years
A. K. Brown . ..
Attendana
Viewed R
Last week the student body
learned that the present attend
ance system of 12 unexcused
absences is going to be discarded.
Most students view its passing
with understandable reluctance.
There are a number of mis
conceptions surrounding school
attendance. One recurrent theme
is that grades, attendance, and
acquired knowledge are indissolv
ably bound together. Presumably,
attendance begets knowledge
begets grades.
Hence the understood rationale
of compulsory attendance--more
attendance, more knowvledge, and
finally, better grades.
To Learn or Not
But what place motivation? A
student either wants to learn or
he doesn't; attendance will re
sult from his desire to learn, not
vice versa. It's rare indeed that
brute attendance can stimulate
genuine interest.
Of course, the administration
feels that 3tudents will not show
sufficient motivation. But this,
first and foremost, is a problem
of the student and would seem
beat handled by the student.
He himself must develop the
maturity and foresight to enable
him to conclude his courses with
more than an unblemished at
tendance record.
Necessary Maturity
Those who don't have the
necessary maturity aren't long in
school and should remain so until
they have the emotional stability
to make a genuine use of coile
glate oppoldtunities. Those who
develo~p or already have this
maturity are -In the beat position
to improve themselves and Caro
uina
s Gone Far Ei
irried so far replace those i
tose involved male students ?
than a rare, But the great
ias happened the student bod
aat week in
more panty- the fact that gil
but rather fro
;hing; panty- certain persons
,y years in When a polic
me it seems an uncontrollabli
tr. As a re- with a broken sk
great deal of own officials I
i, which has can be fast to <
r opinion of the school and
people, and that a line can
en suspended truthfully, "Thi;
been denied And indeed it
is probably noth
rm that has ment, but when
ch begins as when we know
,1 as financial and when some
ount of our it is time to ca
ames to re- fun has resulted
ing to go to in the future
Lw clothes to probably occur.
EDITOR . ..
Condition Of
By Former Pri
prior to his assumption of the I
directorship can understand how
great the improvement has been.
Student Opinion
A recent national survey of
high school students by the Gil
bert Youth Testing Service shows
that 52 per cent of those surveyed
favored majorettes, while 48 per
cent did not desire them.
Even Mayor Hartsfield of At
lanta banned majorettes from
that city's St. Patricks Day
parade on the grounds that it
was impossible to effectively pro
tect them from the molestation by
male members of both races who
were "spectators" at previous
parades.
A poll of band directors over
the nation by a musical trade
magazine revealed that most of
those polled would gladly be
without majorettes but for com
munity pressure. In all serious
ness, I am sure that quite a lot
of this so called community
pressure is fomented by vested
interests.
Yours truly,
Carl F. MeMath,
Class of 1957
First and Foremost
A University Band
Should Play Well
To the Editor:
In last week's "Gamecock,"
Russ Burns had an article that
I think unjustly slandered Mr.
System
eluctantly
A student's academic role is
to gain intellectually. Whether
he does this b)y strict attendance
or not should be entirely up to
his own awareness of his needs
and abilities.
Administrative interference in
this matter can be harmful in
two ways: (1) it can retard the
development of the student's
sense of responsibility, (2) and
it can cause resentment to an un-'
wvise, unnecessary restriction.
The student is the one to ulti
mately lose or gain; it is in him
that the responsibility should lie.
CROWING FOR
UNIVERSITY OF SO
Mensber of Associatec
Founded 4aarey 90, 1908, with
first editor, Camecock" Is eb
the Ua.n,ver . oth caal.n.. w...i
year except om holiday, and dudas
The epinion. expremsd by
n.eessarUy thee of "The Caemek,
latters to the Editor, but al letter,
net eenstitute an .ueneemeut. The
pbMestion any letter is reseve.
EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
BUSINESS MANAGER
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITO)
OOPY EDITOR
ADVERTISING MANAGER.
NEWS EDITOR.
FEATURE EDITOR
SOCIETY EDITOR.
SPORTS EDITOR
CAMPUS EDITOR
CIRCULATION MANAGER.....
C1HIEF PH(YInOGLA PHER.
mougb"
vhich adorn the rooms ol
est blow to the character ol
r as a whole comes not fror
!Is' rooms have been raided,
rn the harm suffered by
involved.
eman who tried to control
mob is sent to the hospital
toulder, and when one of our
as to use a cane, peopte
Iraw conclusions concerning
its students. It is here
be drawn and one can say
; has gone far enough."
has gone far enough. There
ing wrong in a little excite
others are made to suffer,
ingly violate a state law,
are suspended from school,
i it quits. What began as
in considerable damage, and
ven worse damages would
Band
Bsident
xarnett and the Carolina school
ipirit.
There are two sides to every
tory. Only one was offered last
veek. Here's the other side.
School Color
I was a member of the Caro
ina band when it had the other
iniforms and majorettes. Any
mniform is a welcome improve
nent to .the ones we -had in 1954.
As to the choice of colors, any
ombination chosen would be the
iame as some school, somewhere.
have seen the football squad
)lay in colors other than the
chool's, 'but that did not degrade
heir playing ability.
Majorettes
The first and most important
hing any band should do is play
vell. No one can say that the
arolina band is slack in this
ield, because we now have a
)and leader who truly knows
vhat a band is for.
We had majorettes in 1954, and
f some of the trouble and con
rusion they caused were written,
)eople wouldn't believe half of
t. Majorettes are nothing but
x liability to a group of musi
!ians.
Secondly, the University band
s an organization for participa
'ion by people interested in
nusic, not legs, busts, and swirl
ing hips.
Musical Quality
If Mr. Burns would listen tc
the band for its musical quality
and not its attractions, I'm sure
that since he is a college student,
hie would have enough judgmnent
to see that Carolina has one of
the best college bands in our
section.
Some may call Mr. Garnett's
policy of "no majorettes" stub
)ornness, but I think Mr. Gar..
mett knows better than Mr. Burns
>r any of the other sideline crit
les what is best to make the band
<omethinmg a musician can be
proud to be a member of.
If I am wrong, then I suggest
that some of the critics (sc
ealled) apply for his job. I don't
think any of them would get it.
School Spirit
If Mr. Burns really wvants tc
finmd the flawvs in school spirit, he
should put the shoe on the foot
it fits. Just ask the cheerleaders
where their main cheering see
tion wvas at the football games.
If Mr. Burns wishes to debate
these questions, I'll be more thar
glad to exchange views with him
Billy L. Bolton
A GREATER
U1TH CAROLINA
I Colleglate Pres.
Robert Elliott Geeales as he
inhed and for the stdta of
y, em ys, dering the 0-n...
mias ad ette wrfiss are mee
- -rh. G------ inimeeusse
..t he .s---a~ does
BILLY MISHOE
Gerald Floyd
.Rion Rutledge
Anne Valley
Carol Watson
Ed Spears
Bill Bates
Larry May
Glenna Bryant
.Charles Bradley
. Charles Behling
. ... ... ..Jimmy Truesdale
......... .. ..Bill nnnna.
I must sa:
Ellis Boatmon.
'TF
If you are a columnist f(
"The Gamecock," you can n
escape the clarion call to cor
ment on school spirit.
Mr. Russ Burns has done
fine job presenting his own viev
on this matter, and to a certa
extent, qll of .this paper's colum
ists have referred to the questic
from time to time.
This is a healthy sign. Som
one is thinking about the lac
of enthusiasm that prevails tl
Carolina campus. When all the
thoughts are put into action the
we should see the end results.
I would like to "throw in"
few thoughts of my own on th
subject, thoughts that may coi
flict with those held by oth(
columnists, but with the san
end result in mind - betterin
Carolina for all concerned.
Indefinable Quality
"School spirit" is an indefi
able quality. You don't buy it
the campus bookstore; you dor
automatically acquire it whc
you register for classes; and y<
don't altogether inherit it i
joining a hundred and one di
ferent organizations.
This spirit is a sense of "%
longing," a feeling of "togethe
ness." It is a strong awarene
that, as a member of the Car
lina Community, you posse
qualities, feelings, and aspec
that mark you-to quote at
letic jargon-a Gamecock, ai
not a ,Tiger, nor a Blue Dev
nor a Deacon.
This spirit to which we ref
is like an economic cycle. It h.
its ups and downs. In 195
there appeared to be a camipi
fervor unlike that seen in mai
years. "The Spirit of '56" w.
a standard byword. Howeve
this current school session a
pears to mark a slump.
Not a Failure
This by no means indicat
the 1958-59 session is a failui
Many noteworthy factors a
present that will add immeasu
ab)ly to the next academic yes
However, as we all know the
are numerous matters that d
appear during the current schc
year that wvere detriments to
vital school spirit, and accor
ingly the cyele began a dow
wyard plunge.
It will largely be the task
the "fifty-niners" to begin t
ma roh upward, the march to
higher, more meaningful type
school spirit.
Createst Weakness
If we had -to pick the great<
weakness of the student boda
overall attitude, the one centi
flaw in our present "spiril
then without hesitation, we wou
pick a poor sense of pride
garding Carolina, and no a
parent pleasure at being
Carolina man."
Pride is a great quality.
beats firmly and nobly with
each of us. It lifts us up to "
and dare" when all around
meeker souls are giving way
the pressures of conformity al
laziness.
Of course, a false sense
pride, or an over-elated one, ci
be dangerous, and give us ar
ficial security. But to be prol
of your school, to thrill toi
abibletic contests, to join i
clubs, to support its leaders, ai
to treasure its glorious history.
this Is school spirit.
Our History
We here at Carolina have n
you have a peculiar Idea of double-da
ie Spirit Of '
>r born in this great state, bap
>t tized by war, privation, suffer
I- ing, and the gifts of thousands
of noble men and women, who
a loved South Carolina and its
rs state university, and bequeathed
n to it a legacy far greater than
I- money, time, or materialism.
n The tragedy is that so few of
us know of .this legacy. So few
- of us realize how much we have
k to be "proud" of. We owe no
ke man an apology. We must never
;e hold our heads in shanie and
n drag our heels because we have
nothing to shout about, nothing
a to be thankful for, nothing to be
is a part of.
I- The University has endured a
!r civil war, a depression, and
ke countless internal problems, and
ig still stands a growing concern
in a growing state. It still edu
cates its youth and sends them
out as citizens of the state and
the nation.
t To be a member of a student
,t body that can look back over
n the years and confidently know
lu it is a part of so colorful a past,
y and so bright a future, should
be every reason for "picking up"
our sagging spirits, and not per
e- mitting this present "drag" of
defeatism and pessisism .to over
take us.
D~ Debt to the Freshmen
3s
ts We have a debt to the fresh
hi- men who will join us in the fall.
id We should instruct them about
il, our history, our customs, and our
traditions, so that all of us will
,. be more responsive to what it
smeans "to 'be a Carolina man."
6, To neglect this type of frosh
1s orientation, in the name of do
iy goodism, is to do a grave act of
1s injustice for not only Carolina,
r, but the freshnian class of 1959
P- as well.
Some writers have mentioned
the restoration of Rat Week as
a stimulation for school spirit.
es Fortunately, hazing and the col
*e. legiate caste system vanished
re from Carolina years ago, and
r- rightly so.
r.
re The Rat Week
d Tepresence of a large num
ol her of veterans, older students,
a and students who came to col
d- lege for a degree and not for
n- adolescent foolishness assured
the demise of Rat Week, and its
5f brother-in-mischief, Hell Week.
le But let's not rule out fresh
a man orientation altogether. In
of fact, our maintaining such a
weak policy regarding our frosh
is partial explanation for our
present predicament.
st While we have no room.- at
r's Carolina for violence, physical
al harm, and the end of individual
," ism, there is ample space in our
Id orientation program to acquaint
e- our incoming students with Caro-.
p- lina's history and customs, a his
'a tory we have already shown to
be an enviable one, and customs
It which we must develop, cherish,
in and maintain.
lo
us Cheerleaders
to
id There are many other points
we could mention here that space
will not permit. Our cheerlead
aers arnd pep club could work out
a card section for the ball games,
id we could expand our hand in
ts both membershi'p and quality,
ts add new uniforms, and really
create some "good ole" spirit at
_ the games.
And above all, we could learn
the "Alma Mater."
All this talk about a new audi
t torium is fine, but of far greater
is concern at this present point is
%4nl.RE P
ting, Harold.
59,
the alarming fact that probably
one-fourth to one-half of the
student body does not know the
words to "We Hail Thee, Caro- t
lina," and when they stand at
football games, hardly know
what it's all about.
Athletics
Athletics has a great deal to
do with school apirit, although it
is not the entire story. It is
natural that students are en
thusiastic when their teams are
winning, discouraged when they
are losing.
We have the makings of a fine
football team next season, and
with added support from all the
fans, we can surpass our highest
hopes for .the fifty-niners.
Our basketball team will be
better next season and we should
continue to boost them as was
done so beautifully this year.
Above all, we must not be back
slappers and hand-shakers only
when the teams are winning.
That takes little effort. Stick
with the players when they lose
too.
Test of Spirit
That's the test of school spirit.
Talk with bhe coaches, attend
the pep rallies, yell with the
cheerleaders, and be a part of
the athletic scene.
The men at the Round House
would like nothing.more than to
know that when the Gamecocks
take the field they 'have support
from -the stands regardless of
the score 'board.
Fif ty-Niners
Yes, the fifty-niners have a
big year ahead of them, a year
filled with promise and respon
sibility.
As the forty-n iners pioneered
their way to the gold-fields of
California, so can the Gamecock
fifty-niners pioneer their way,
in this golden age of pioneering,
to an apex of school spirit-not
a spirit t,hat is artifical, not a
spirit of temporal materialism,
but a spirit that rests deeply in
a rich history, a apirit that re
flects itself in the countless
alumni who -have walked from
these halls in the past, a spirit
that will bring together the 2
divergent groups of -this campus
into one, and a spirit that <
"plows" ahead into the future
bolstered with pride, a sense of
duty, and a determination to sue- <
ceed-.
If we do this, then 'truly we
can all join with Student Body <
President-elect Jim Leventis and
say to all the doubters, the ill- i
willers, and the gloom-men,
"You ain't seen nothing yet."
Notice how steady my hand Ii
IUSS BURNS . . .
A Modern Day
Adaptation
Of Serenading
Our comments on the band last
Neek certainly stirred up quite
i furor. This is good-in fact,
t is the first show of feeling we
ave aroused on this otherwise
orpid campus. It shows sensi
ivity . . . what kind, we sball
lot comment upon. 4
The point is that getting al
>ersons concerned . (directly or
ndirectly) to air their view
)oints is the best way 'to elimi
iate public problems. Our band
ind its ambassadorship are very
>ublic.
WE did not criticize the band's
nusical qualities; rather, we
alled for a revelation of its per
ormance to the public eye. If
ve may 'be so pretentious as to
ffer a word of wisdom: Re
nember that it is possible to be
ndividualistic within the con
'ines of the majority.
Pro-or Con
AND please, all persons in
erested, continue projecting your
deas on the subject-pro or con.
7hought never hurt anyone . . .
vell, not too many. . . .
For many weeks we have been
>reaching, pleading, yea ... even
egging for Carolina to show a
ittle school spirit. We have
irobed many sore spots . . . per
aps harder than necessary in
ome cases. Despite all this jab
ing the Carolina community
lept on in its blanket of com
4acency-that ts, until the mid
lie of last week.
It was then in the dusk of that
ateful Wednesday bhat the
trange seed called "youthful
'igor" sprouted. With the fury
f a Comanche war party, the
tiale-and female-components
f this campus erupted into the
isual Spring orgy. Yep, the
amiliar warhoop of "PANTIES"
ose loud and clear across the
iainted green lawns of Carolina.
Raid Visitations
These panty raid visitations to
he abode of the girls is certainly
modern day adaptation of yes
eryear's serenading sessions.
3erhaps some of you prefer the
'ry "paities" to "Take me home
igain, Kathleen"; that is your
rivilege.
Good fun breaks the monotony
f the long Spring stretch. Un
ortunately, the good fun angle
ersists only until the fever of
he mob takes over. Then the
imthinking animal called the
'spirit of the masses" begins
'enting its fury upon all ob
tacles in the immediate vicinity.
If only that much energy could
e expended in constructive
chool spirit, then the University
vould make strides such as this
chool sawv in the "spirit of '66."
low about it you people . . . you
mave proved that you have the
'apab)ility to generate the spirit;
or what are you waiting? i
Responsibility
When you children wake up
nd realize that you have the
esponsibility of this University
esting squarely On your shoulQ
lers, then and only then will this
chool move forward.
Throwv your rocks at those
lirty ole cops, hurl those bricks
brough those nasty windows,
towl over those mean ole school
'fficials ...how your posterior
o all the wvorld so that they may
ecognize your true place in the
utu re.
Perhaps we shall return.
--.That's beause I don't