Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

GLENDA MILLER INTERIM EDITOR HOLLY GATLING ART FRANK INTERIM MNG. ED. AD MANAGER EDITORIALS Truth starts official action Due to a series of articles that appeared in Wednesday's issue of the GAMECOCK,Gov. John West has stated that he has been in touch with members of SLED and assured worried members of this community that the matter would be looked into. Unfortunately, this state has no shield laws that is, no matter what journalism ethics dictate, a writer must reveal his sources if the law requests him to do so. And what irritates John West and his crew is the fact that no by-lines were given on any of the aforementioned stories. As a result, the state law enforcers are now probably planning some sort of a witch hunt where every member of the faculty will be suspected of either being a drug addict or a narc. Each will be looking at each other with a certain degree of suspicion, even doubt. Local narcotic agents are nothing new to this school. Each spring, everyone panics because Clemson got 'cleaned up' in two weeks, and Carolina is supposedly next. Only, it never is. Just let someone reveal the truth, and the workings of state government come to life. And members of the high administration at this school get all bent out of shape because someone lets everyone in on what's going on.. So while Governor West and his crew are searching every nook and cranny for four relatively harmless 'abusers,' law enforcement practices stand slill. Just so long as these four are put behind bars, the drug scene will once again no longer be an issue. Will it? Student elections deserve honesty The race for student body president began last week with the formal announcement by one candidate, and it is not too early to suggest that the election procedures could probably use some braces. The results of the last student government election were en joined and ruled invalid by the student supreme court. The court said election commission procedures were ''not adequate, not clear, and actions should be taken in the f,uture to correct this.'' Student Government has certainly had enough time to act on this, and students should expect a valid and honest election this spring. Student election procedures have a history of being somewhat less than honest, unfortunately, and other steps should be taken to ensure accuracy in the future. One suggestion is that student government buy voting machines. This excellent idea has not been fully in vestigated and should be pursued farther. Perhaps several non-partisan pollwatchers could also be chosen. Honest elections could probably shore up student government's sagging reputation among the general student populace, in addition to providing the students4 .with the true candidate of:their choice....... The capon 'Shoe' la< BY SCOTT DERKS Columnist The historic Horseshoe, USC's only link with the past and the home of 276 men, is virtually without fire protection. The old knotty-pine walls,some that pre-date the Civil War, are highly susceptible to fire-but are the least protected dormitories on campus. The only fire alarm box on the Shoe hangs on Tenament 5 and appears to be a lone bulwark against the danger of fire, but the orangishred oval box is just a placebo. The box does not work. When a resident of the Shoe pulled the crusty-white handle recently as an experiment, he found that nothing happened, as he feared. The lever marked PULL HANDLE, in raised letters was not connected properly. The alarm did not sound, the fire department was not alerted-the potential fire just raged on. A few days later, a helpful janitor pushed the handle back into place. Other precautions have been taken. Last year the housing office issued 16 silver whistles to resident advisor Ashley Thrift. The whistles were designated "fire whistles" and included white shoestring necklaces--except for the chief's silver blower. Thrift's shoestring was red. Thrift was to The watermark P .0 Petitioners By BOB CRAFT Columnist "Hi there, fella. Whatcha doin'?" "Uh, trying to register. Uh, couldja ease up on the arm a lit tle?" "Sure fella. Just sign my little petition and I'll be glad to . . ." "Listen, who the hell are you and what's this damn petition all about? REDCAP!" "Now, now fella. No need to do that. Listen, I'm an informed, concerned and involved student government type who has seen that that's not where it's at and I'm reaching out to help in a more informed, concerned and involved way. Like my charisma? The McGovern people guaranteed it for four years or one major political campaign, whichever came first. We're a very charismatic bunch." "Spiffy. For God's sake, ease up on the arm." "Sure, sure. That's better, isn't it, fella? Circulation's starting to return? Great. You can help in your small way by signing as 5,000 of your friends and schoolmates already have." "Schoolmates? Listen,. Mac, I ion't have five friends here. I :ommute from Faust. Now couldja et me go?" "Just think of it, 6,000 behind us already and all you have to do to join this mighty, ever-increasing army is just sign!" "OWW! What will happen if I ign?" "You will give your support to ur organization which simply neans you tax yourself three lollars to support us and if you &'ant your 'money bak Dks fire appoint one man in each tenement "fire marshal" and was to in struct each honored soul that he was to blow his whistle whenever fire endangered the residents. No one was sure what was to be done if the "fire marshal" was on a date at the time of a fire, or simply attending class. Details, details. The finale of the insane plan was the planned fire drill. Bulletins were posted announcing the coming drill and all the fire marshalls were gathered to syn chronize their watches. David Spinazzolo, president of the Horseshoe, explained, "If we didn't post notices, how would they know what the fool whistles meant. This drill wasn't our idea." Well, midnight came on the Horseshoe to the clamor of 16 silver whistles and the shouts of "fire drill." The fire bells, designed to ring when the water pressure in the dormitories drops, did work-after four men crawled under the dorms to activate the necessary handles. The only catch in the entire master plan came when some excited student blew his whistle early, disrupting the timing of the high-keyed fire drill participants. Thrift said after the drill that the only protection students really had was "their ability to get out." Roger Cook, this year's Horseshoe resident advisor, has refused to reissue the fire whistles. No fire hinder reg mumummmmm.." "Wouldja quit mumbling? What if I want my money back?" "Ifyouwantarefundtherewillbea time, andplaceset foryouto getare' fund. See? Join the 7,500 who have taken up the call of humanity." "Call of humanity? All 1-m worried about is my arm. If I sign, will you let me go? They've already closed out four courses I need for graduation." "Sure, fella. Got a pen? Feel proud you are joining 8,000 stalwart youth who say YES to Progress and NO to yesterday." "Stop! Don't sign that work of the Devil, unknowing Everyman." "Now, who the hell are you? Couldja ease up on the arm a lit tle?" "Of course, unknowing pawn of the rumormongers. Don't you see this agent of creeping socialism is trying to line his organization's pockets with your money?" "That's just peachy, but if it's all the same to you, I gotta register. I'm a student, I dunno about you guys." "Stop! Can't you see this agent of the big money boys is trying to rob you, unknowing peon of the Eastern News Establishment?" "Now just a minute. Who made you the guardian of my money, Tassle Loafers?" "Yeah fella. Butt out! Just sign right here." "And you, what is your organization all about? Besides three dollars of my money?" rotection drills have been conducted this year. The primary source of protection is the sprinkler system. It is designed to spread water throughout the dormitory when activated by the heat of flames and stop the fire before it can get started. The systems are old and rarely tested. When Horseshoe residents tried to activate the sprinkler system in Tenement 5, they created a fire and held the flames close to the heat-sensitive pipes. Possibly the fire was not hot enough, or maybe the system does not work, but there was no water, no reduction in pressure, no bells and maybe no protection. It is possible and probably that many of the sprinkler systems are still in working order, but unless they all function correctly, then adequate protection is lacking. At present plans are being drawn-up for the renovation of the Horseshoe. The plans call for the outside of the buildings to be refashioned in the moti of yesteryear, while the interiors are molded into twentieth century living quarters. Twentieth- century fire prevention devices should also be worked into the plans and im plemented as soon as possible. Once a building burns, it can only be replaced. Once a student dies... istration "Well, we're for ecology, I know that and ... ." "Swell. So am I. I always find a trash can for my beer empties." "Don't do it. Don't sign away another of your ever-decreasing individual liberties, unknowing peasant of the Washington Establishment." "Fear not!" "You, you in the crown, who are you? And for God's sakes, let go of my leg. People are watching." "Of course, simple-minded South Carolinian. I AM THE EMPEROR OF NORTH AMERICA!" "That's a relief. I thought you were another kind of royalty." "I have come to rescue you from the straits of indecision and to show you how to be able to stand eye to eye with whatever god you hold dear. From this plateau, you will be able to see my magnificence several miles above you." "Gee, I don't know what to say." "Don't try to express your inadequate gratitude, sniveling one. Simply sign this petition and then kiss my ring." "Don't!" "Okay, all of you shut up. I'll sign. There." "Gee fella, that's tremendous. Just like 10,000 of your fellow travelers. It's sure nice to know you're on our side, Mr. uh, John Doe, is it? I've been running into a lot of those....