Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The GAMECOCK VOL. LXV NO. 40 .The University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. MONDAY, FEB. 17, 1975 Pickup: Fun and frustration BY BILLY COX AND MARK LEARY Of The Gamecock staff A lot of people came to party, a lot of people came to have fun, but more important a few people were there for the real purpose, picking up tickets for Saturday's Marquette-Carolina game. An estimated crowd of over 2000 braved the thirty degree weather and the hard concrete under their sleeping bags in quest of the 5200 precious tickets available to the student body of Carolina. The average person walking by the Coliseum during the night would have been shocked at the least, witnessing the human noose formed around the massive building. Most of the students were har dened veterans from the Notre Dame ticket pick-up of last season. With a sense of duty and pride, senior Ben Elliot, determined to improve on his last year's position of 35th in line captured the elusive first position in the line. He bedded down at 11:00 Thursday morning, awaiting a prize he wouldn't receive for almost 24 hours. "I have been studying sleeping and getting drunk," Elliot said. "I wouldn't sell these tickets for 50 dollars." Oi the other side of the tracks were the enterprising graduate students who did everything from selling beer to setting up portable tents--the true marks of a veteran crew toughened by many a rough night of distribution mania. Many were surprised to find a series of electrical outlets scattered ran domly around "The Noose", but were quick to take advantage of them. "I don't think the University left 'em out here by mistake," one of the pioneers said. "Come to think of it, they might have , bein' the University." Throughout the night TV's echoed with the sounds of the Tonight Show and the Tomorrow Show. Some people didn't even come to pick up tickets, they just came to party and be with their friends. Many enj6yed the luxuries of home with radios, stoves, coolers and cots. A car even backed in with a stero tape deck thundering away. If partying got to be a bore the students turned to card playing, crossword puzzling, Vonnegut reading or passing out. One student said, "This is more fun than the game will ever be." Idealism knew no limits as ambitious sophomore Mike Goldston, 145th in the un-I dergraduate line, was already doomed to getting nosebleeds during the game up In the rafters of the majestic Coliseum. Goldston said, "I have been down here Continued on Pae 9 '2? I:I 'i'f // : Murry Sill San dblasting in the Horseshoe On the inside'm ELECTIONS-.Preparation for HOCKEY-Carolina students student government elections are have an opportunity to give their being finalized by student opinion on the local television government officials. Page 4. blackout of professional hockey. Pae 8. WUSC FM lic4 BY BILL PRATT Of The Gamecock staff WUSC-AM will be allowed to seek a FM frequency, according to a bill endorsed by the Student Senate Communications Com mittee last week. The Board of Student Drug costs to mcrease BY MARION ELLIOTT Of The Gamecock staff Prescription drug prices rose approximately 10 per cent at the University Student Health Center last year and are expected to continue rising a center spokesman said Friday. "However, students still save substantially by buying from the health center instead of from local drug stores," said Woody Carothers, center business manager. Because of inflation' drug prices rose nationwide ap proximately 15 per cent last year, according to Carothers. "Our costs have not risen quite that much since some drugs we have in stock were bought before their prices went up," Carothers said. Such drugs are not commonly prescribed and therefore do not have to be stocked often, he said. "The price increase has been the greatest during the past six months," said Mac Courtney, a center pharmacist, with an Continued on Page 6 BUS STOP--Although the production was marred by faults in acting, "B.s Stop,"whlch played Feb. 12-15, was termed a success at USC. Page 11. wants mse Publications and Com munications has recommended to President William H. Pat terson WUSCAM's efforts in obtaining the FM license. "I would say we have about a 50-50 chance of getting a frequency," Ed Turner, WUSC manager, said. Turner'said he had been told of two frequencies in the Columbia area by Educational FM Assoc. Turner expects to have a final report this week on the number of available frequencies. According to one board source, a FM station will allow the 63 per cent of the student bod3 who live off-campus to listen to it. At present WUSC-AM is heard by an estimated 35 per cent or about 6,000 dormitory residents, Turner said. Bill Outlaw, Communications committee co-chairman, agreed with the board's position saying, "The bill is asking the University to take the necessary steps on behalf of the students." "Looking at it from a financial standpoint I don't see any reason why it would not be feasible to change over," Outlaw said. According to Turner, the station's budget would fall from a current expenditure of $31,695 to an estimated $16,525 in the FM stations' second year of operation. Turner said in the station's first year about $31,500 would be needed. This figure, he added, is similar to the AM station's budget because of certain equipment needed to make the change. In conversion to FM, the station would have to buy about $6,000 worth of equipment, Turner said. Most of the money would be spent towards a tran smitter, a tower and an antenna base. Other budgetary expenditures in the first year include: a $700 fee to Educational FM Assoc., and $2,000 allocated for unex pected expenses. In addition to these one-time expenditures, Turner said the salary of the first-class engineer would be reduced from $1,800 to $1,500. And, he added, a blanket purchasing-account for engineering supplies and repairs would be cut from $5,000 to $2,000. In the second year of operation, Turner said, the station would require $16,525. In following years the station would need about $12,500, he predicted. Asked about possible audience members after the conversion, Turner said, "We will reach 50,000 listeners. "It is conceivable that we could reach Sumter and Aiken on a good day," Turner hoped.