Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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GLENDA MILLER INTERIM EDITOR JIM FARRELL ART FRANK MGN. ED. 4 AD MANAGER EDITORIALS Women 's rights This campus is witnessing a very healthy rise in concern for women's rights, an issue this entire nation has ignored too long. The National Organization for Women, met recently. It's primary goal, a spokeswoman said, is the passage of an Equal Rights Amendment to the federal constitution. Most notably, the lack of women on the governing bodies of state supported universities was listed as a reason for the group's birth. And if NOW should develop political clout, there could be some interesting changes in the makeup of our Board of Trustees -- much needed changes. Several weeks ago, a Women in Focus Week was held, with debates and panel discussions. Although it was poorly attended and probably inadequately publicized, it was another small step in increasing awareness of everyone who has so far been unconcerned. Monday night, another women's rights organization began their campaign. The Women's Equity Action League (WEAL) shows a lot of promise, if for no other reason than its backing by Paula Treder, a very sharp architect from Rock Hill whose qualifications and reputation would make many males blush, shuffle their feet and say "Gosh, I guess women ain't as bad as I thought." Even Student Government has gotten to the act by creating the -cabinet position of Secretary of Women's Student Affairs. Through the efforts ofVickie Eslinger and others a Health and Abortion Hotline has been established, (one of the few university hotlines in the country) which has been extremely successful. There is no way to tell how many pregnant girls have been saved from a back-alley butcher because of it. This university, among all its other faults, is possibly one of the most sexist institutions around. A recent bill which must clear the U.S. Senate could cause federal funds to be cut off from all public supported schools which discriminate against women. Federal funds being the lifeblood of poor schools in poor states like South Carolina, perhaps some administrators better wake up or they might find themselves looking the wrong way down the edge of an unemployment check. Poetic justice. Why we use Ms. Many persons have written The Gamecock and questioned the use of Ms. when referring to women. This is not a radical idea nor is it entirely connected with the women's liberation movement although it is respon sible for the term Ms. The Gamecock has adopted this policy because it feels that there is a lot of discrimination between sexes and a lot of traditional sex roles are no longer pertinent. For example, women are no longer expected to stay in the home and unquestioningly obey her master, the husband. Today women are being recognized as intelligent individuals capable of holding responsible positions in the world. With this in mind changes must be made. If women are to compete with men on an equal basis, there must be a drastic reduction in sexual discrimination. One way to do this is not to designate a women as married or single. A man's title, Mr., does not reveal his marital status. The title Ms. does not reveal a woman's maritial status. The Gamecock's journalistic guide is the AP Stylebook, the same guide used by most professional newspapers. This book says that when first referring to a man in a news story his first and last name will be used and in successive references he will be referred to by his last name only. The Gamecock has adopted this policy for women also. This is not a totally women's lib stand but a progressive step toward equality. . . Guest column Athletics. (Editor's note: This editorial originally appeared in The Greenville News.) The University of South Carolina's recent "Dietzel crisis," which ended when football coach and athletic director Paul Dietzel announced he would remain at the Carolina athletic helm, stirred up as much, perhaps more comment and controversy than the com bined Bortolazzo incident and reported efforts to fire University President Thomas Jones. That is a sad commentary on higher education in South Carolina these days, when so much needs to be done to expand educational opportunities for this state's young people. It indicates there is more interest in football than in post high school education, both academic and technical vocational. How else is it possible to account for the uproar which arose when the chairman of the USC Board of Trustees revealed that Coach Dietzel was considering and being considered for the position of coach of the professional Denver Broncos? The state of higher education in South Carolina, now receiving considerable attention from the State Commission on Higher Education, the Technical The watermark F 0 0 iresign By BOB CRAFT Feature Editor If you have ever listened to the Firesign Theatre and wondered what it would be like if they made a movie, you had a chance to see what is might be like Monday evening in the Russell House Theatre with the showing of two movies, "Duck Soup" and "Horse Feathers" both starring the Marx Brothers. It would be safe to say that the prevailing mood in these pictures is one of complete madness, that is perpetrated by Groucho, Chico, and Harpo and Zeppo upon I' I'EJI FLU educatio: Education Center program and many legislators, amounts to a crisis of the first magnitude, directly affecting the lives and fortunes of all this state's young people. The way numerous con flicting interests are resolved and post high school education is structured will help dtetermine how future generations will fare in South Carolina. Yet this crisis in educational opportunity causes no more, maybe less, public interest and comment than the "Dietzel crisis" of recent days. It was appalling to read the aggrieved comment of USC Trustee Michael J. Mungo, who said he was "shocked" that Coach Dietzel was considering dropping a 12-year contract with USC despite numerous expensive athletic facility improvements made at Dietzel's request. Mungo estimated that "about 70 percent of the total trustee man hours spent in meetings have been over athletic problems of one nature or another." There are those who honestly feel that successful football and basketball programs are essential to the state's universities in order at attract favorably national at tention. "We have to try to be first in something, so why not athletics?" is one reaction heard Theatre 4 sane, but somewhat pompous people. Imagine a great ceremonial state reception with ambassadors and princes and duchesses who have all come to see the in stallation of a new prime minister who is Groucho. Now imagine Groucho Marx in his rumbled black suit sliding down a firepole into the middle of the ballroom asking a footman if they're ex pecting anyone. The dialogue, especially between Groucho and Chico is filled with puns, non sequiturs and generally screwed up sentences. Groucho will ask n in S.C. quite often in this state. Well, why not trying to be first in some phase of education? It is fairly obvious that pressure for successful athletic programs is stronger at Carolina than at other institutions of higher learning in the state. But pressure also is intense at Clemson University and sometimes.tends to get out of hand there as well as at USC. Something clearly is amiss when a trustee estimates that people charged with operating USC spend more time on athletic problems than anything else. It is solid evidence of a dire need to change priorities and attitudes which determine priorities in this state. USC officals alone are not responsible for existing priorities and attitudes, although they must bear their share of the onus. The real responsibility rests upon the elected officals of South Carolina, legislative and administrative, and upon the people who put and keep elected representatives in office. South Carolina needs to do some hard thinking about and hard work on numerous educational and training programs and problems,including all phases of higher education. It's high time to concentrate on that and de emphasize that false importance of university athletics. 3n fiM6 Chico a riddle and by the time the bit is through, Chico will have Groucho giving the answer and being stumped at his own riddle. Or Chico in the witness stand asking the prosecuting attorney, "Hey you-a know what has a four legs, a trunk anna lives in the circus?" To which the prosecuter shouts, "That's irrelevant!" To which Chico replies, "Hey you gotta it right!" Or Groucho trying to get by Chico, the doorkeeper in a speakeasy. "You can no getta in, unless you gimme the password swordfish," says Chico. "Well, then, I give up," says Groucho, " is it ,swordfish?" Chico lets Groucho in and after some footwork Chico is on the outside and Groucho is looking through the hole in the door. Chico says, "Let me in, Sword fish" To which Groucho replies, Ah no, I got tired of that. I changed it," and he closes the window. The silent Harpo had his share of bits, too. He has a fight with a lemonade vendor who turns over his roasted peanut stand, after Harpo has burned the lemonade vendor's straw hat with the flame he uses to roast peanuts. The lemonade vendor laughs at Harpo and then goes back to selling his lemonade. As the vendor ladles out his lemonade, he notices the large 0 crowd in front of his stand dissipating. He turns around and see Harpo wading in his large glass vat of lemonade. And then of course, is one of the most marvelous bits in motion comedy, the mirror scene in Duck Soup. In this bits, Harpo is disguised as Groucho (don't ask me why, it's too complicated to explain) and they confront each other, and whichever way Groucho moves, Harpo anticipates him and does the same. It has to be seen to be believed. .( tontinued on page 3)