Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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i _ r* ^ rim dial III UIIIIS provide practice The way fire alarms were blaring in the Close Hipp Buildings Tuesday, one would think USC was I experiencing its own version of "The Towering Inferno." Luckily, there were no flames, but rather a malfunction in the system that caused the alarm to go off twice in less than 30 minutes. It's understandable that a new fire alarm system as extensive as the one in question, equipped with flashing lights and computerized messages, would contain a few bugs. However, such occurrences are not onlv annovine to the students and professors who had to interrupt class, but they were also expensive. As one professor pointed out, about 2,000 g people are in the business administration buildings at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. If one calculates the man hours lost by triggering the fire alarm at $5 to $10 per hour, the sum is a lot more than the average person's pocket change. Some good can be found among the mishap. A fire drill does not hurt anyone; practice helps. During both drills the buildings emptied quickly and orderly; no one panicked. This is a good sign, for if there ever is a real fire we know students and faculty will respond quickly. A question that may be on many peoples minds, especially those who have classes in Close-Hipp is why these malfunctions occur. Since this summer, 6 the alarm system has been tested almost daily. Such tests are more alarming than the events that occurred Tuesday because they are conducted during class hours. This adversely affects the student who is trying to concentrate, the professor who is trying to teach and even those who work in the building. One would think USC or the fire alarm company would conduct tests when fewer classes are being conducted. Though many students, especially those who were taking tests, are probably a little dissap pointed there was no fire Tuesday, most people are content with the knowledge that USC has students* best interests at heart by providing the best possible safety measures. But as an institution that promotes knowledge, whose idea was it to test the system at one of the busiest times of She day, and why, after many months, does the system have to still go through such - i A T i 1 1 i 1 x Ji. extensive testing: Let s nope tne system soesn i have to be put to the real test. Tickets available nice for students USC students have long subjected the ticket office to numerous complaints about football nm/\n(T rttlior f Vlinrrc Kilt tVld Hpr>l'cinn U1MI lUUllVJU, CllllVJllg VJLUW liuiigO) uui liiv to sell the remaining USC-Clemson tickets for guests will undoubtedly bring on much deserved praise. a Ticket pickup for the game between the two rivals was so slow it was extended ? and still 600 tickets remained. USC ticket manager Gary Goodman said he wasn't surprised with the leftover tickets. The university could have sold the tickets to alumni, but instead, it decided to give students a chance to bring a guest to the game. The ticket office has provided a nice gesture ? one that should be appreciated. 4 Letter policy The Gamecock encourages letters and guest editorials from USC students, faculty and staff. Letters should be limited to a newsworthy topic and follow the paper's guidelines as explained in the mast. Letters should be typed and signed with the author's name, class, major and phone number. ii inv liiiiPkiifAiim JUM YIHtWWU I n to (io Grenada, Afghanistan To the Editor: The following concerns a recent Gamecock article entitled "5 professors condemn invasion of Grenada." I wish to comment on but one sentence in that article. Natalie Hevener, an instructor at USC said, "One of my students made what I thought was a very astute comment: 'How do we condemn Afghanistan after this?'" Hevener implies that there are no basic differences between the invasion of Afghanistan and supposed invasion of Grenada. Granted, both acts may seem nearly identical to a not so astute observer. An astute observer would know that the Soviets are waging full-scale war on a civilian population. An astute observer would know that many thousands have been massacred, many with nerve gas. An astute observer would know that the Soviets are still in Afghanistan. Even a not so astute observer would know that the Soviets probably will Neglected sidewalk need To the Editor: I would like to ask USC officials when, if ever, they plan to restore the seemingly forgotten sidewalk in front of Woodrow dormitory and Melton Memorial Observatory on Greene Street. This stretch of about 150 yards has been a wasteland of red clay, ruts, mud puddles and jumbled bricks for the past several montns, ii not since lasi semesier. i nis is a neavny travelled area, especially in front of the observatory building. What semblance of a sidewalk that remains is a prime area to twist ankles, and forces students in wheelchairs to take detours. This is in addition to the fact that the area becomes a hurdler's delight with any rainfall. This section is a regular bottleneck of students without having to dodge and leap through pits and bumps. EOT 1983 The Orlando Senlmel Field Newtpaper Syndicate " N0MS6MSE, PEAR... OF COURSE "?M HAVE TtfE. RIGHT STUFF !" MNTW6SAFE liikTrn mitiw : _. zv erS differ, senior says never leave. We began withdrawing from Grenada Nov. 3. We are leaving so soon because our motivations are different than those of the Soviets. Different motivations often cause similar acts to be opposite one another. An analogy to the events in Grenada and Afghanistan is helpful here. Hevener, her student and I are standing by a crowded Columbia intersection. We see a man push an old lady down in the streets. We keep walking, and we see another man push an old lady down in the street. Hevener and her "astute" student tell me later that they believe both men were cruel. Didn't they see that the reasons each man pushed an old lady were different? Didn't they see that one man pushed an old lady out of the path of an oncoming truck while the other 11 r lio/l or> 1 r\ \ sA\r inf f Ko s~\ f on An/?Ami ? * r? t ri i r?l/ 9 ^u.^iiVkU an uiu iaujf hiiu liiv^ ^aiu vji an \juv~\-/iiiiii?, iiuv-jv. Richard Davis Civil engineering senior s repair, student says What I fail to understand is why, in the midst of budget cuts, the university can afford to erect a gradiose set of gates on Greene Street, yet cannot afford to keep up with maintenance and basic repairs. Furthermore, the renovation of Woodrow, which has long since been completed, or the preoccupation with ''more important things" is no excuse for leaving this walkway in such a a tl a. 1 ruineu conuiuou. There is no reason why this section of campus cannot look as picturesque as the Horseshoe, and a decent sidewalk in a good place to start. Carol Evans Geology senior ??Gomecoc k Editor in Chief j ] Johnny Boggs ! Copy Desk Chief Curt Cottle Copy Editor Mark Armstrong News Editor Chris Handa/ Copy Editor Beverly Simmons I Asst. News Editor David Hill Copy Editor Leigh Jones Opinion Page Editor .. Ellen McCarthy Copy Editor Alan Seig] Ent. Editor Julie Jameson Copy Editor Mark Farmer Asst. Ent. Editor Joan Kirchner - - " P 1 IJ at,n Crnta, i Sports tditor jerr nogers uencmi manayci >>v? .???> Asst. Sports Editor Andrew Miller Ad Manager Linda S. Haines Wire Editor Leslie Ounson Business Manager Caroline Griffin Photo Editor Mary Ann Mollis Production Mgr Mark McEwsn Asst. Photo Editor Joe Jackson Graduate Asst. Wanda M. Hite Graphics Editor Beth Harrison Adviser Mark Elhridge Jr. Newsroom 777-7181 Advertising 777 4249 Business Office 777 3888 Production 777 2833 ! The Gamecock welcomes letters and guest editorials. All letters and guest editorials must be typewritten, triple spaced on a 65 space line. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and guest editorials should be limited to one newsworthy subject no longer than four typed pages. Letters and guest editorials MUST be signed with the writer's name, telephone number, mailing ad dress, class standing or faculty position and major. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but the writer's name may be withheld upon request if the circumstances warrant. We reserve the right to edit guest editorials and letters. Address letters and columns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock, Drawer A, USC, LColumbia, S C. 29208.