Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Instructoi BY BETTY WOODRUFF "By not promoting karate, the University is missing out on un tapped resourses. The art promotes peace and humbleness and whoever stays with it long enough must have patience," John Roper said. He should know. He's a black belt holder and teaches the karate short course at USC. Five hundred people came out for the first session of the course, and the group had to be divided into two rooms, Roper said. "First we were in the Naval Armory. Then we were moved to a gym. Now we're down in two basement rooms of the P. E. building, and we need better facilities. At least 500 people have shown an active interest in this," Roper said, "and the University won't allow me the facilities to handle them." Roper would like to have inter collegiate competition in the art of karate. "Several Southern universities have organized teams in this sport. But when I ap proached athletic officials with the idea two years ago, I was turned down because the University didn't want to accept the responsibility," he said. "At first," Roper said, "even the short course I offered to teach got a 'no' from the P. E. department. But then it was approved by the University Union as a short course for them, and I plan to continue as long as they'll let me." Roper looks on karate as an "art," and he feels that it "is the greatest thing in the world. I enjoy teaching and I try to give my students the opportunity to learn without the expense and red tape of a private school. I don't believe in charging money for this in struction. The art is designed tc appeal especially to people whc can't excel in other sports," he said. "The trouble with karate is thal ._ r r I. r: karate c - John Roper, rigi it's misunderstood. Most people have connotations of the bad karate man breaking people's heads. But it is an art, and I like to teach it as such," Roper said. "It should be an integral part of the University one day." Roper and some of his students have attended some tournaments where, he said, "We made a very good showing. The University would have been proud of the way the students handled themselves." Roper said that he would especially like to interest women in IYou -tom - McYou -- sens 4 .1,. ,.pair4 with theF 4~of so 4 yout .9.mmmm ourse ne At, gets in a quick kick agains the art. He teaches a segregate women's class with 25 members all freshmen. "It's considerabl different teaching women. They'r taught mainly self-defense and i takes about a year to becom really sufficient," he said. About 2,000 students have gon through Roper's instruction an "in nine years of teaching, I'v never known anyone to misuse th sport. It's an excellent way t condition yourself, and I hav never had a serious injury occur i my lessons. It's as safe as an are proud to c the high cost o~f riay long for a stereo system that more bread than you've got. u may think it's impossible to good complete magnetic stereo m at an affordable price. Long :>re. It Is possible. The BSR >nald RTS-30 gives you a 30 watt t,ive FM-AM stereo receiver, a turntable (with base, dust cover shure magnetic cartridge), and a >f acoustically matched speakers good response. You can buy T S-30 for under $180. It's a lot und for the money. The bread ave buys a lot of bread. eds room - t Keith Vitali IPhooby Thomes A. Price) I sport can be." Roper said that karate was being Y administered at colleges e throughout the country. "Even e Columbia College gave a course in it for credit, and this is what is needed at USC. As a matter of fact, e this short course made the d university one of the first schools e with an organized course in the e subject. The Union really showed o some foresight in that matter," he e said. n y Since teaching the short course "ibute so little . Mc I lk Iyou I - to grow Roper has had 30 people attain &ank-a colored belt. He has the authority to promote to colors and has awarded one black belt. Roper himself has been studying karate for nine years, and the acquisition of the black belt hasn't stopped him. He still takes in struction from an eighth degree black belt-one of 12 in the world. "Karate was a childhood dream to me. There wasn't any op portunity here in Columbia to learn until a soldier out at Ft. Jackson opened a school when I was in high school." Within three years Roper had his black belt. "It is never too late to learn karate," Roper said. "Even though our facilities are tight now with the 500 people coming to lessons, my 25 assistants and I still want in terested people to come to the lessons. The course is taught every Tuesday and Thursday night at 7:30 in the P. E. Center. "Americans are sliding into the fat of the land. People would rather watch than participate because they haven't found the sport they can excel in. Karate builds character and fitness, and this is what the people need," Roper said. Photo The display pictures on the front page were taken by Thomas A. Price, GAMECOCK chief of photographers. i...... .. N.. -F. 1a 'endme Ia mal Nme fre oorcaaog StreetI City tate Zip I