University of South Carolina Libraries
Cor By RICK NICHOLSON Guest Columnist In reference to the recent series concerning loneliness at USC, it might be suggested that the' loneliness has formulated itself from an illogical inability to communicate. The term illogical may seem inappropriate, but in my estimation, quite the opposite. Loneliness thrives on the inability to understand one's own actions. Upon transfering to USC. I have been bewildered for eight weeks by this student communication break down. At the outset of this semester one might have con ift0, tended that the lack of student p activities was the responsible cause In breeding loneliness. After eight weeks of classes, however, this would seem to be an inac curate estimation. Student par Submarine Sand Beer c POSSESSION & CONSU# SET 1632 SUMTER STREET I Downtown 0 yeliness aimunic ticipation at USC is not absent, it has merely been misdirected. Until now students have been afforded three or four instances of mass participation. However, these opportunities have festered into sectional discrepancies and resulted in disuniting and polarizing the students. (Moratorium, RSVP, "Dixie") When 13,000 students are cen tralized and actively participating in what they have chosen (academics), it discourages me to realize so many people can be unaware of each other. Is it-such a difficult task in meeting one's comtemporaries? This would appear to be the primary cause of any individual's loneliness. This observation may be a mere presumption and hold untrue for some segments of our community. Many men have chosen fraternity wiches and Pizza oeungihe nt n Tap PTION PERMIT NO. 234 lPS 25 PHONE RESTAURANT 254-9674 LOONGE 254-9552 4 c~u~w ation n life. When a group of coeds are approached by campus fraternity men, the prestige gained by the girls may be overwhelming. Of course, this situation was in no way meant to defane the fraternity sector at USC, it is merely a supposition that might point out the possibility of enjoyable in teraction among the students. (Why not think of Carolina as one large fraternity and one large sorority of mutually welcomed students?) There is another method students may exercise in seeking out each other but, unfortunately an unpopular method at USC. In a lonely and despeate state of mind a student (particularly male) might independently approach one of our lovely Carolina coeds. In many cases the results of this brazen behavior have been socially disastrous. BEEF HOUSE PASTE "The Best In Beef" WAITR ESS WANTED Part-Time or Full Apply: 113 College St .eeded This of course being due to a strict and traditional southern institution regarding formal in troduction. Many young ladies are insulted, embarrassed or in some other way offended. In return, the lonely student, who initially was seeking a potential friend, senses the discomfort of the coed. He politely excuses himself, thereby widening his gap of loneliness. Although this example may seem a little exaggerated, it is a reality and has heightened an already humiliating and discouraging barrier. In order to alleviate this barrier, we the students may offer our selves two alternatives. We can simply avoid the above situation by not daring to approach one another or we can relax more when cavorting around the campus and leave the pressures and for malities in the classroom. What have we got to lose? In conclusion may we be so bold to invite all of the coeds at USC to "snap out of it" (the other 90 percent). AFROTC applicatio Positions are still available on the Air Force ROTC 2-year program. The deadline for ap plication is Nov. 7. Students must have two years left at Carolina to be eligible for the program. alc$ aad j 2024 DEVINE STREE TELEPHONE AL COLUMIBA. 30 Letters Quartt join th Dear Mr. Stepp: After having been in attendance at USC for a period of time and having examined the semester system I feel that the ad ministration should seriously consider changing to the quarter system. Among the advantages are: no Saturday classes, fewer books to buy, a more thorough covering of each subject which could raise academic standards, and even work load through. the week, an easing of the financial burden which would result from having fewer books to buy at one time and the lower costs of paying for tuition and living quarters on a three month basis instead of a five month. One of the greatest defects in the semester system would also be remedied: namely, the huge amount of material which must be reviewed at the end of each semester. Such a review necessarily leads to a form of "cramming" with the result being a low retention level. I believe the primary purpose of a university is to educate the young men and women who attend-not indulge in a mad scramble for :ell 3IJftu4trz T AT FIVE POINTS .pine 2-3161 LITH CAROUNA r system ' mainsi status and prestige at the expense of educational technique and course construction. In closing I wish to state that in this age of increasing specialization and rapidly ex ,anding knowledge the semester system is not efficient enough a vehicle to adequately educate America's college students. Many other schools have changed over to the quarter system to better their educational processes and I think it is time USC joined this mainstream of America. ROBERT J. SCOTT Let's be United Dear Mr. Stepp: In the brief time that I have been at Carolina, I have noticed a curious struggle between two SUR'ELO EI LT,AT 01 Communication Jones' re injures le While millions of people ti world participated and spoke t Vietnam Moratorium, Preside head of our university, remai the issue, and instead, held mansion. He said, rather defensively, rally, that although the Unive on the matter, ''I do considei issues to be a healthy a pro especially those deeply involv However, as head of the i oasis for learning and a forui and opinions, Jones most del stand - regardless of whetheri the moratorium. A study group of the Depar and Welfare concluded this country, especially among tI need for the feeling that son government understands th happens.'' In the same sense, when a munity, that person is Dr. J reticent, perhaps rememberii wrathful state legislature. And in so doing, Jones has there should be a strong voic identify, in the affairs of per which they have ever been il Jones' reticence on the Mo example of his aloofness ar ''leading '' the University. It's high time that Presid protective cloak and begins troversial as well as non-coni especially those related to tI And this means that it's h considering his students a 14 much the same way, for exa Transportation considers thi Department of Labor consid Only until then, when J< provide leadership with vigt tellectually stagnant and ape true -enter of learning and urged - .ream' classes of students; the so-called grits and the heads. Most of the students here are from the South and many seem to still be fighting the Civil War. Those from the North can't un derstand this and neither can I. I am from the South and am proud of the land of Dixie. But this continuous clash between these groups is ridiculous. The war is over. The North won. The South lost. These are unalterable facts. Why do we continually argue over incidents that happened a century ago? The northern liberals and the - southern conservatives can learn* much from each other if they will only take the time and effort to do so. We live in the UNITED States Let's act like it. NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST NOTrso eA ticence adership aroughout the country and heir peace during the Oct. 15 nt Thomas F. Jones, titular ned conspicuously silent on a social reception in his on the eve of the ant i-war rsity did not take a position that free discussion of all per activity for all people, ed in the learning prosess.'' Iniversity, idealistically an n for the exchange of ideas initely should have taken a 'was pro or con - concerning tment of Health, Education month that, ''Within this e young people...there is a eone at the higher levels of e issues and cares what splied to the Carolina comn ones, who chose to remain ig that he owes his job to a made vacant a hole where e, with which students may haps the only institution in ivolved. ratorium is merely another id his deafening silence in ent Jones comes out of his speaking out on the con roversial issues of the day - e college campuses. gh time for Jones to begin agitimate interest group in nple, as the Department of railroad industry, or the ~rs the trade unions. nes seizes the Initative to r and vitality, can this in. thetic University become a