University of South Carolina Libraries
VOL. LXII - NO. 83 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S. C. 29208 Friday, April 28, 1972 SCHD rile stu By KARIN BURCHSTEAD News Editor The S. C. Highway Department got a taste Wednesday of student disapproval of their plan for the "improvement" of Pickens Street. About 50 students, many with signs saying "Pickens Street Will Swallow Our Campus" and "Hal Brunton Is On A Heavy Concrete Trip," crowded into Capstone's Keystone Room for the public hearing on the highway depart ment's plan for the depression and widening of Pickens Street. The highway department plans to widen Pickens to four lanes between Pendleton and Green Streets. This would cut about 50 feet from the north end of the lawn in front of Humanities and 35 feet from the south end. In addition, left turn lanes will be added on Pickens, Pendleton and Green Streets, eliminating 74 parking spaces. Student comments on the project centered around the concern that the widening of Pickens would increase the flow of traffic through campus, precluding the possibility of the future closing of Green Street and that noise pollution would be increased, especially during construction, which could take up to a year. Herman Snyder, road design en gineer for the highway de partment, said traffic studies have shown that during a 15 minute peak 675 pedestrians cross at the intersection of Pickens and College and that an average of 9,000 vehicles a day pass through that section. The highway department plans to construct a 40-foot pedes trian overpass at that intersection. Snyder said the purpose of the project is "to improve vehicle and pedestrian safety" through that section. "We're not trying to open Pickens up as a street through the University," he said. "We're just trying to make provision for the traffic already there." Student Body President David Spinazzolo said during the hearine. "I am concerned with the loss of potential as a result of this project for a safer campus and one campus - one that is not divided by four lanes of traffic." "I don't understand why this is the only way," he said, adding that until other alternatives have been investigated, "I don't see the point of this hearing." Spinazzolo commented after the hearing, "The highway depart me'nt has a definite basis in favor of widenting Pickens Street. There seems to be a lack of congruence be'tween what we heard in the meeting that Brunton conducted and what we were told in the hearing. "F"or the plan to have been under development for the length of time they say it has, it seems that thoe plans .dents involved would have their facts straight by now," he said. During the hearing Student Body Vice President Tim McConnell read a resolution passed by the Student Senate that supported the petition "requesting the post ponement of the present plans for the widening of Pickens Street until a further study into its ramifications and alternatives can be effected." Julianne Still stated at the hea ring, "There are more students attending USC than there are citizens of Orangeburg, S. C. I think that the interest of these citizens has been ignored in all planning prior to these hearings." "What does it take for citizens to be listened to? Money, age, ed ucation, occupation? If so, there is no democracy," she said. "It is time for all citizens, including stu dents, to have influence." One student commented that the "safety of 16,000 students is more important than the desires of 9,000 vehicles." The highway official conducting the hearing, G.A. Weat (Continued on Page 5) West presents aw 37 in 1 By HARRY HOPE Staff Writer Awards were presented to 37 midshipmen and cadets of the University ROTC yesterday by Gov. John C. West, state Adjutant General Robert McCrady and oth ers. Formal retirement ceremonies were also held for Col. Joe N. Swanger, retiring commanding officer of the Air Force ROTC detachment here. During the ceremonies, held in the Naval ROTC Armory, some 25 persons distributed anti-war liter ature to the guests and par ticipants of the ceremony. A number of campus security of ficers, some in plain clothes, were on hand throughout the ceremony. G;ov. West, accompanied by USC President Thomas F. Jones, Maj. Gen. McCrady and others, praised ROTC members, saying that the training they received "would st and them in good stead'' in either civilian or military life. West said, "Tlhe defense of one's country is an honor and a privi lege. Tlhere is a question in many circles on the wisdom of preparing members of RO(TC. Perhaps there is some question in Columbia on the USC campus,'' he said. "I repect their right to question md their opportunity to criticize. 1 lope we can disengage ourselves from the Vietnam c'onflic't and that never again will an American G. A. Weathers talks UWW's no othei By JERELYN EDDINGS Staff Writer University Without Walls phasing out. "We're phasing out because, grant has run out," Dr. W. Coni Powell, UWW director, said. The experimental project i ards -OTC hi Gov. West presents AFROTC Cadet Marty F eitizen have to fight in any co try." West, a graduate of the Citade has one son who has finished at Citadel and another just compli ng his second year. The awards and recipients wei G;eneral Dynamics Awards, Mil hipmnan (Midn) Jon B. Shay, Cat ('dt )Marty M. Faile; Reserv< Officers Association Medals, Mi Robert E. Davis, Cdt Michael Dudley. Midn Carradean Brown, Cdt. Tony G. Danie Midn. Jlacob L. Shuford and ( Richard M. Naumann; Aerospa Leadership Trophy, Cdt. James Dnvis. V. we - with students at public hearin grant to Sfunds av4 funded by the University Unior which received the money from th is Ford Foundation. Powell said UN% W was funded for a developmenta )ur period of two years, which wil ad expire June 1. The project has n other source or prospects. vas Powell said, "An intensiv onored . Harr. He General Dynamics Award tc s ile. un.. Also, the Navy League Sword, ..Midn. Michael Strong; North Ame I, rican Flight Trophy and AFROTC he Flight Trophy, to Midn. Henry R. ~ti- Hlit pas and Cdt. Alain B. Kamerer; Armed Forces C'ommunications -e: and Electronics Association Awar is. d, Midn. Michael Strong and Cdt let James B. Hodges, Ill; Setoma (Club Award, Midn. Thomas C. dn D)eas, Jr. V. Other awards and recipients we L. re: Air Force Association Award Is, Cdt. Gaston Fairey; USMC As dt sociation Award, Midn. ~Jacob F ce Stone. Jr.; Rex Enright Awards, HI. -T-om Price ion widening Pickens Street. 31X: xpire; ailable ,evaluation is going on to see what e parts of the program have been -_ effective." Results of the il evaluation will be sent to the 1university provost, President Jones and the Ford Foundation. He said he doesn't know what will be done with the results. "I think the University should provide an alternative to undergr aduate education," Powell said, "and I think this is one alternative in this and in the other 19 univers ities where the project has been tried that has shown potential." According to Dr. Powell, "There should be and seems to be more and more alternatives on this campus." Powell said, "Many students are interested in seeing some kind of program like this continued." Some who have participated in the program say it is the "most meaningful thing" in which they have ever been involved, he said. -Others see value in both types of education. A small minority of students aren't ready for the type of program that we provide." (ePrUfti emse' o a ben oprviemoestucue o "ot wiensning monsSreet.m direct re," ;tikterjc maevaatios goistak on t ehat edprtsng the eveogrmntavea be plaefciv. 3Rsulets and te evalduato will ba oe sent toat." Joneseand thate staff Fonato.H saiwkd do' sufficient wllng rovie panng alnatv to uergr-h caduaeso edcommiton owellsad acordingam ,. to D. Pl. "T- r