Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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"Moni Editor's note: This is the, third installment of a series concerning the events of last May. This report is the official university account, which was published last summer in the University of South Carolina Magazine. Saturday, May 2 The Board of Trustees met at Wampee, South Carolina and approved the University budget for 1970-'71. The Board also heard from the newly elected student body president, who presented a resolution on behalf of the ad hoc Student Emergency Coalition for Academic Freedom at USC. The resolution said the University Community is ".. disturbed, dismayed and distressed by the brazen attempt by a few ill informed local politicians to exercise unjust and dictatorial control over the University of South Carolina." The resolution said the condition is a "...threat to the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees, the authority of the administration, the freedom of the faculty and the safety of the, students." The resolution called on the Trustees to publicly reaffirm unqualified support of academic freedom, unqualified support for freedom of association and freedom from police or political restrictions on the use of Russell House or other public Univ -sity buildings. The resolution was referred by the Board to the Student-Board Liaison Committee. Constructive CoL 'l By WALTER CRONKITE Mr. Cronkite is Managing Editor of the CBS Evening News. He has been a reporter for more than thirty years. In 1962, the George Foster Peabody Television News Award saluted, among other Cronkite achievements, his "Twentieth Century" broadcasts (1957-1966). In 1969, he received the William Allen White Award for Journalistic Merit-never before given to a broadcast newsman.) After a few thousand years of so called civilization, there are so many things wrong with the world that we have made. The mere fact that this species of ours has survived so far seems hardly adequate cause for self-applause nor can we indulge in self congratulations for our civilization's considerable material and cultural development that has failed to guarantee sur vival or nurture the bodies and the spirit of all mankind. If we are to wipe out not only the symptoms, but the causes, of In justice and decay, there must be change. There Is scarcely any argument on that. But the question is the form of the change and, as In such critical times In our history, we find conflicts between the seeming Intransigence of the established order and the Im patience of youth. Each generation, when It Is young, is anxious to get on with the obvious hs of Monday, May 4 The Kent State incident oc curred. A committee of students and non-students met informally to discuss the possibility of staging a strike on campus. Tuesday, May 5 During the morning hours, the Athletic Committees of the Board of 'rustees and faculty met to review the Atlantic Coast Con ference meetings held the previous week at Southern Pines, North Carolina. In the afternoon the Board of Trustees met in executive session to decide the relationship between USC and the ACC for the immediate future. Because of the unusual press interest in the decision the Trustees would make, arrangements were made in ad vance to hold a press briefing at the Sheraton Inn following the afternoon- meeting (facilities normally used on campus for such an event were not available on this date). Live television coverage was scheduled by at least one local station and press representatiives were on hand from Charlotte, North Carolina and nearly all major cities in South Carolina. While the Board of Trustees was meeting in the Administration Building and final arrangements for the press meeting were being made at the Sheraton Inn, the an nual Awards Day ceremony began on the Horseshoe. Meanwhile, the Board of Governors of the University Union (Russell House) had been meeting and this group adopted a resolution which said it was con cerned "with the many reports of roquy JUhe Ca4 reforms that the establishment of whatever era seems reluctant to institute. With the world's present potential for mass suicide with nuclear weapons, over crowding and hunger, is there any wonder that the students of today rebel with an urgency unknown to .earlier generations? There ought to be a better way, and that, I submit, is what the students are saying--there ought to be a better way, not only to settle international disputes, but to provide for the world's un derprivileged and to assure peace and well being for all. Almost everyone agrees with those broad objectives. It is the manner of achieving them primarily the dispatch with which we get the job dokie--that separates us, that brings us to this increasing and terrible polarization of our society. It is time that both sides look and listen. Don't stop, there isn't time to stop, but look and listen, one to the other. As essential as is the need for listening to the other side's arguments, is the necessity for critical self-examination of one's arguments. It would be helpful if each side recognized its own ex cesses of speech and action even as it condemns those of the op position. It cannot be expected that more fanatical leaders of their disciples are going to follow such rational behavior, nor are they likely to be May" unequitable enforcement of the Russell House use policy." The Board also was concerned over reports the Russell House was under the control of agencies other than University organizations and it expressed confidence" ...in the ability of University officials to enforce and carry out University policies." In addition to all the scheduled activity on campus, there were rumors of a planned take-over of Russell House, stemming in part from discussions of a so-called Strike Committee meeting held off campus. This group was not a chartered University organization. it was chaired by an ex-student already under suspension by the University. The AAUP, Student Government, Inter-Fraternity Council, Association of Afro American Students and Student Mobilization Committee were represented at the meeting. Once the full intent of the meeting became known, the faculty member representing the AAUP strongly indicated his group would not support a take-over of Russell House. The Student Government representative unofficially in dicated his group would support a student stirke but only if it was a voluntary strike. As the Awards Day program began, several hundred students marched peacefully around the Horseshoe. Black crosses memorializing the dead at Kent State were carried by students in front of the procession. The protesting students sat down in a group behind the speakers' platform after standing the crosses immediately behind the seated speakers. There was no objection to this move and the protesters sat 'le 10C 5 -or4 tolerant of those who do. Fanatics seem to require total commitment and are not loathe to use bully tactics to get it. It also is the essence of their demagoguery that they preach only part of the lesson. Those who are hardened in their position practice and preach repression and their weapon is fear. TIo rationally examine our alternatives, none of us can yield to~ fear. Freedom of speech, press and peaceful assembly, which we all should hold dear, really comprise the freedom of free inquiry-the freedom to study our democratic institutions without fear of harassment by misguided patriots or heckling malcontents, freedom to advocate change without facing trial for heresy. Such study may require throwing off old concepts, shibboleths In the spirit of basic research. We must hear out the dissenters. We must seek out and make use of the original thinkers. We have the future in our power. .lThe 21st Century is not going to burst upon us in full flower. As we move into the future the possibilities open to mankind stagger the Imagination. Man can mold the new century into anything he wants it to be. But to do that, we must know what we want and we must examine each of our Institutions to determine whether they stand up to the challenges of the century ahead. Weof otur gnernain may havem FRANKLYOSPEAKNG STUDENTS ARE (ON1ROL OF ONLY O BUlLPING- UNEORT6U iNGIDE'1 quietly through the first part of the program. On a signal from a member of the group all the protesting students stood up and moved away from the Horseshoe and ap parently toward Russell House. Instead.they moved in a group to the Sheraton Inn and more than 200 people in effect "occupied" the room reserved for the ACC press meeting. Thinking the television cameras were telecasting "live" 1they were video-taping) the protesting students held an im promptu press conference to the obvious bewildermnei of zspurs writers who were there. Meanwhile, the meeting of the Board of Trustees had ended and a statement had been drafted when a running flow of reports about the Disseni to look no further than our own failure to plan for this future to find the seeds of youth's discontent. Convinced that we are not doing the lob, many of you have turned your backs upon us. Even as you should not reject that which is good of our institutions and that ac cumulated wisdom which we possess, perhaps solely by reason of age, we must not reject those among you who are dissenting. In youth's rebellion against any unsatisfactory status quo, we must assist - not resist. This does not mean - either for youth or for us - groveling to coercion, yielding to blackmail, or forgiving violence. It does not mean we can tolerate lawlessness, for the law Is the foundation of our freedom. I t does mean that we must not let our revulsion to the transgressions of the militants blind us to the future. Society is going to change. The only question is whether youth Is going to help and, indeed, if we are going to help. Our help is needed, for while our way of life will change, we need to communicate by word and deed to those coming behind us, the values that we know are constants -- right or wrong, truth or falsehood, generosity or selfishness, dedication or cynicism, self-discipline or license. Tlhis country has not lost its ab ility to respond to challenge. Though al1 the challenes. of toay by MiI fmnkof CURREMh IN E ODE OF THE IATELX ITI 1H6 situation in the Sheraton Inn began to arrive in the President's office. The management of the Sheraton was undecided as to how to handle the situation but in the end agreed with University officials that to bring in police could precipitate damage to the hotel and possible injury to the participants not to mention the innocent sports writers. The protesting students were allowed to remain. Dr. Jones had been delegated to make a statement concerning the ACC on behalf of the Board of Trustees. The question con tronting him and his advisors was whether or not to make the statement at the Sherton as planned or reschedule the press (continued on page ) t seem frightening in their com plexity, there should be no reason lor despair. I do not despair that young people are taking a more concerned interest in our affairs than ever before in our history. God bless you all for that. TIhe more and the greater E challenges, the greater the heroism of thought and of deed and o1 courage to surmount them. Just remember this. The more exciting, then, the prospects of the combat; oh, how much sweeter, then, the taste of victory. I 197i CONSTR UCT IVE CO)LLOQUYV. All rights reserved.) Gamecock THE EGAME COCKils published tri-weekly during the kall and spring semesters~ and Nfeeklyduring the summer semesters with the exception of University holidays and exam periods. Change of address forms, subscription requests and other mail items should be sent to Drawer A, USC, Columbia, S. C. 29206. Subscription rates are $7 year or $3 per tail and spring semesters $1 for both summer sessions. Bulk copies are $o per 100. THE GAMECOCK this year received $39,000 from the student activity fund, entitling fuii-time students to a sub scription to the paper. Offices of THE GAMECOCK are in Rooms 30 and 310 of the Russell House on the University Campus. Phones are 777-6170, 777-4249 and 777-4220. Second class postage paid at Columbia, S. C. Although T HE GAMECOCK is published by the students of the University of South Carolina, the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the University, the student body or the staff. Editer-in-Chef . .. .. .. ..Ch.les Beebe Advertisin MAanager . .,. David Linderenl