Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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GAMECOCK 'It is a newspaper's duty to print te news and raise bell.' WILBUR F. STOREY The Chicago Times BILL GRANT, Editor BILL OUTLAW, ART FRANK. - Editorial Page Editor Advertising Manager Monday, Nov. 18, 1974 Worthwhile projects: Who gives a damn? If you don't give a damn, don't read any further. This editorial is not intended for people who are unconcerned about the starving millions of people in this world. "Why should I worry about them as long as I've got food on my plate" is the most common attitude taken towards the worldwide hunger problem by students at USC and by the people of this nation. What is the purpose of Thanksgiving? Many students and faculty would have you believe it is to rest up from the trials and tribulations of such noteworthy problems as "I've got three term papers to do and that means I won't be able to go to Clemson this weekend." Why should I worry about some "chink" who is starving in India? The reason The Gamecock is mentioning this is because a program specifically designed to help the starving people in this world have a "Happy Thanksgiving" has lost some of its steam because some of the students originally committed to helping out in this program have abdicated by saying the program is just out to get your money and "ruin your Thanksgiving." The program we are referring to is Hunger Hurts. The primary concept behind Hunger Hurts is to make people aware of the problems undernourished people in other parts of the world are having. Students and faculty were (and still are) being organized to set up information booths around the campus and a table was to be set up by cafeterias for the purpose of collecting money for the undernourished. The idea behind the donation of money was to have students sacrifice one meal and donate that money to enable someone in an undernourished country to have a meal. Of course, we realize that is asking too much from most of you. The Gamecock has received information that some student classes that were originally going to devote themselves to helping out with this program have now backed out because of "disillusionment." We feel that they are taking the easy way out and never intended to carry out the programs to start with. The skits, the information booth and the collection of money will still be put on. It is distressing to note that the enthusiasm and good intentions of the program have now turned to bickering and apathy on the part of some people involved with the program. We commend the ideas and efforts being made by the. people who have the fortitude and determination to carry through with the project. Without sounding over idealistic and not wanting to condemn everyone for their apathy, we would just like to say that individual in volveknent in worthwhile projects such as Hunger Hurts is something that is sorely needed on this campus and in this world. Hunger Hurts is only one of numerous charitable organizations that affords people the opportunity to do something good for a change. It doesn't take much effort to sacrifice a little time to find out about what can be done to help these people; it won't take much self sacrifice to give up one meal for one day. On the other hand, it doesn't take much to not do these things. It is easy not to care; and, unfortunately,,most people take the easy out. WNO LETTERS Teacher evaluation editorial inaccurate TO THE EDITOR This letter is in response to the editorial of Nov. 11 concerning the halting of the -teacher evaluation project. The author of this editorial apparently feels the senate has played around with this project in a game of "political football" until nothing could come out of it and then has abandonned it for lost. This is not the case. It was stsited "the underlying reasons for the project's demise are clear to those who have had any dealings with the senate." Why then were the underlying reasons not stated, rather than inaccurate guesses? Perhaps this could clarify matters. Any member of the president's cabinet when requesting funds must appear before the senate. While other cabinet members have done this, the secretary for academic affairs did not. (We asked him to appear three times before he came.) All of this took time. The budget had been passed previously with the exception of the academic affairs section. Even this was tentatively agreed on. Here I feel that it is appropriate to say the senate has worked ex tremely hard on the budget. There are no loose ends. There are no miscellaneous categories; all items are specifically stated. When the secretary of academic affairs did appear, he received the requested money. There was haggling, but this was due to the fact that the secretary informed the senate that the project could not be done before pre-registration unless the funds were allocated that very day! The senate won dered if the project could be completed in time. Also, teacher evaluations conducted in past have not been very successful. We did not want to see that much money spent on something that could not be more than a partial success. As I previously stated, he was allocated the money. He worked on the project for a while and then resigned. Why? Maybe it couldn't be done on time? When the senate learned that he had quit (resigned his post), we were also informed the project had been taken over by three other people, but there was no way it could be completed in time for pre-registration. In the light of this, a fellow committee member and senator wrote a bill to halt the project. His rationale was the project could not be useful because at least 40 per cent of the students would have pre-registered. Also, the money spent on forms would not be wasted. The forms can be used in next year's evaluation. This project could not have been a success. The senate felt that to put any more money into it would have been wasteful. Therefore, the bill to halt the project passed. I feel that the senate has once again been misrepresented by The Gamecock. Bill Grant apparently saw only those "underlying reasons" that he wanted to see. A closer look into the halting of the teacher evaluatipn project would have shown the senate not to be the villain it has so often been painted to be. CAROLE LOWMAN Chairman of the Student Senate Academic AffaIs Committe i... Food Prices. Campus opinion Capstone prices vary daily TO THE EDITOR: I would like to inquire about the dining hall services in the Capstone cafeteria. Why is it that the same food, bought at different times (or by different people at the same time), can differ in cost by as much as five cents or more? I heard one girl complaining she had paid from 45 cents to 85 cents for the sane thing. One woman who checked me out asked me if I was trying to get the special atid I told her that I guessed so, but was not sure if this was. She promptly charged me $1.87 and said it would have been cheaper if I had said it was the special. Aren't they supposed to know what it is? I also find the attitudes of some of the workers annoying , as they act as though they are doing you and me a favor by dishing out the food. I am not the only one who has complaints. I have heard others complain about burnt hamburgers and very slow service. I hope this letter will bring these matters to the attention of the manager so that something can be done. NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST Contemporary Sounds deserves praise TO THE EDITOR: It's good to know that USC has at least one progressive organization on its campus. I'm speaking of the USC Contemporary Sounds Committee. Those of us who stayed to see the entire concert Friday, Nov. 8, featuring Larry Coryell and the Eleventh House, saw what I feel was one of the best exhibitions of music ever seen here at USC. Those of you who left after their first composition, I feel sorry for. For you were too narrow minded to give a truly amazing group a chance to show you wa progressive music is all about. One might say that it's a matter of taste. I don't! Nqt when almost 50 per cent of an audience leaves after the first 20 minutes of a concert. I call it naivete. The way I see it, there are vast numbers of people here at USC who reject music they can't comprehend and cast it off as being trash. How absurd! What's the story USC? When will you open up and allow new ideas in music to enter your minds? In response to the critique that appeared in the Nov. 11 edition of The Gamecock. Suggesting that the Eleventh House recruit a singer is absurd! Their music is their message, lyrics would lower the level of that mesage.n Ap ..Green Street parently, you, Mr. Welsh, are just as naive as that vast group at USC that I previously referred to. I suggest that you learn much more about progressive jazz before you attempt to critize it. I'd like to thank the University Union for trying. Keep it up! There are some people who really do appreciate It, and maybe someday will Wake up to what's really happening. LEN PERRONE Consiruction corps thanked for closing TO THE EDITOR: By now, I suppose that many of us have come to the realization that the credit for closing Green Street does not belong to those of us who faithfully -wore our T-shirts (They provided nice cheap clothing, though), or even to our student "government." We must thank our dearly beloved USC construction corps. After all this time, why should we be so naive as to think the city fathers would listen to a bunch of mere students? I feel assured no serious consideration will be given to a permanent closing. We should, however, enjoy what we have, while we have it. (Even though holes and work in progress may make enjoyment difficult.) There are two improvements in the situation which could be easily made, and which need to be made. .The sand which has spilled onto the street is both inconvenient and hazardous to motorists, motor cyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians alike. This morning I saw a motorcycle leave the Russell House parking lot and slip in the sand, with both the bike and the rider ending up in the street. I have had similar ex periences without serious con sequence; both in a car and on a bicycle. Will it take a serious accident or injury before the street Is cleaned? I would also like to plead for some thought about those of us who ride bicycles. If we use Green Street, we are forced either to stop and carry our bikes around the roadblocks, or to violate city or dinances and inconvenience pedestrians by taking to the widewalks. It would be so easy to make a three foot gap at the side of the roadblocks, and I sm sure that hundreds of students would be grateful. JANE DALEY WITTsEN