The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 05, 1984, Page Page 6, Image 6
Page 6 ? October 5, 1984 Opinion the gamecock I
Homecoming changes
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In her College handbook, author Lisa Birnbach
called Homecoming Week, particularly Cockfest,
Carolina's biggest tradition. It may not be the biggest,
but Homecoming is a great tradition. Like
anything else, though, it didn't become a tradition
by going through the wringer of modification every
year. This year it has undergone some changes ?
some minor, some major, some dictated by outside
forces, some made on the basis of willful choices by
the Homecoming Commission. Some are good,
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One thing missing this year will be the
Homecoming parade. Instead of floats, we have
stationary displays, stuck on campus. This wipes
out the only chance most people, students and
alumni alike, had to see the work of student
groups. Now everyone must trek to McBryde Quad
or Gibbes Green.
Reasons given for tying down* the floats include
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tne cost ana trouoie or malting a noai. i nc luea is
that the cost and logistics of finding a truck and.
trailer to haul them is something only a few
organizations are equipped for.
This may be true, but planting the floats as stationary
displays is no solution, especially when the
primary location for the displays is McBryde Quad.
That defeats the purpose of getting more groups involved,
because by sequestering the displays among
the fraternity housing area, they are away from
more common areas, such as Greene Street, the
Russell House patio or even the Horseshoe.
To be sure, the Quad is open to everyone and
everyone is welcome to see the displays. And greek
organizations are probably the best at building
homecoming displays (and floats). But putting
displays in their midst, especially where they are
surrounded by buildings, can't really be expected to
encourage participation from sororities, religious
organizations, dorm governments, professional
and honor societies and other student groups.
On the other hand, the plans for allowing beer at
the Outdoor Concert this afternoon are to be commended.
The idea of giving wristbands to concertgoers
19 or older is a sound solution to the dilemma
of having a dry concert that no one would go to, or
facing an open free-for-all rampant with underage
drinkers.
It's sad of course, that we must think that a dry
concert would be a flop, but this is a fact of life at
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It would be wise to remember the comment made
by Jerry Brewer, director of Student Activities:
"We want students to be able to make their own
choice about what they want to drink, and we don't
feel it should be the emphasis of the event. The
main focus of this event is to listen to the bands,
have a coke, beer or hot dog on a Friday afternoon
and celebrate Homecoming.''
That's a good perspective. Have a greai
Homecoming weekend.
GamecocK
I Editor in Chief
David Hill
Manaaina Editor
| Leslie J. Dunson
Copy Desk Chief Ron Brackett Copy Editor Tim Surratt
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Arivartisinn
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The Gamecock welcomes letters and guest editorials. All letters and guest editorials
must be typewritten, triple spaced on a 65-space line.
Letters should btffto 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,
Kilt tfo writw'i namm mau ha uiilKkiM iiruin iMiutl If tka rumunaluipu r??i
We reserve the right to edit guest editorials and letters.
[ Address letters and columns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock, Drawer A, USC,
Columbia, S.C. 29208.
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To the Editor:
This is in response to Teoti Anderson's
letter of Sept. 28 criticizing The
Gamecock's coverage of the Bobbi
Rossi tragedy.
In ancient times, monarchs often
killed messengers who brought bad
tidings from the battlefield. The temptation
is great even today to blame
newspapers for the world's ills. They'
make convenient targets for those with
no other recourse.
All too often, as Anderson charges,
journalists do commit abuses, cloaking
themselves in the First Amendment as
if those 45 words were a blank check
authorizing any exploitation of human
Apartment defi
To the Editor:
I would like the following letter
printed as a letter to the editor. A letter
outlining some of these problems
recently appeared in The State
newspaper headed "U.S.C. Housing
Needs Renovation."
Att: Mr. Allen Shealy, Director of
? Family Housing, Residential Life
l Services
Dear Mr. Shealy:
^ My name is Emily Younginer. I live
in Middle U.T. Apartments. I have lived
here for almost a year and thank the
Lord I will probably be out of here at
the end of this year.
| I didn't complain to you when I
S moved into a Ultny apartment that
hadn't been cleaned or painted
(although I did complain about the
following: hazardous railings, insufficient
heat in the winter, insufficient
i cooling in the summer because of
restrictions on number of and
i B.T.U.'s of air conditioners, parking,
5 etc.). Some of these problems are not
Student Senai
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To the Editor:
' In response to the letters regarding
r the parking problem at USC published
in Monday's and Wednesday's issues
t of The Gamecock, let it be said that
both the student government and the
I university are currently addressing the
i issue.
J As all concerned know, the problem
was compounded by the city's cursed
ordinance and new meters. If there exists
a way to undo the damage done in
the neighborhood around Columbia
KEtb'RMr
DRfeWflZE/ Ailrt -^*7
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Letters
in journalists fi
suffering.
The Gamecock's handling of the
Rossi case doesn't fall into this
category so far as I can see.
Throughout the sad affair, the stories
brought news of the investigation to
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many siuucms wnu uiuii i nave tittcss
to other news media. Should the campus
paper look the other way, or
submerge the developments on page 5,
because of their shocking and tragic
nature? Hardly.
Yes, those front-page headlines were
horrifying, but because of the facts
themselves, not because of any attempt
at sensationalism. Such needless
deaths strike somewhere deep within
I *
ciencies neea ic
dangerous and some do indeed pose a
real threat to the very lives of those
who live here.
I think that is unresponsible of those
in charge to let these dangers go
unchecked.
Well, the purpose of this letter is not
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another danger. When it comes to my
daughter's well-being I demand action.
This pitiful excuse for a playground
which my child and others have to play
in is bad enough without it posing a
potential danger to their well-being!
The big kids play ball in it and hit the
balls hard enough to seriously injure a
smaller child (and the playground is
too small to separate the children). So,
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that happens!
Also, all the roots sticking out of the
ground are a real hazard on the
playground ? not to mention swingsets
which are falling apart.
We've told Sandy (U.T. Resident
Manager) about these problems on the
te busy on parh
Hall and Capstone, you can be sure
that Sen. Eddie Zahler and myself will
have found it by semester's end.
He and I are also working with
university officials to pave, light and
just plain better utilize lots of
Pendleton Street, and to do anything
else possible to increase
"convenience."
If anybody else has a complaint or
question about student government be
mg wormicss, mcy may see me, call me
at home or contact me through my
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or doing work I
the hearts of all of us. Piercing as the
feeling is, it gives us the right to call $
ourselves human. I
Anderson writes, "Those who loved |
tsooDi surety win warn 10 rememoer
her as she lived, not how she died."
That's certainly true. But in our grief,
we must not unjustly lash out at the
messenger who brought us the terrible
news. That only breeds ill will on a
campus that should be of one mind on
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something like this from ever happening
again.
Andy Duncan
Journalism junior
i be corrected
playground, out nothing has been
done about them. It's bad enough that
you ignore our (the adults in U.T.
Apartments) problems, but please
don't ignore these dangers to the
children!
In closing. I would like to commend
you for two things; first, for getting
that big iron pipe out of the
playground surface and, second, for
your prompt (relatively prompt) attention
to the problem we had with the
railings rusting out in U.T. (middle)
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remedy the following two problems
with the railings in Middle U.T.: (1)
the space underneath the railings is still
large enough for a young child to slip
through (which has very nearly happened)
and (2) the railings are short
enough (below state code, but protected
by grandfather clause) for someone
to accidentally fall over.
Thanking you for you immediate attention
to these matters.
Emily Younginer,
Middle U.T. No. 139
:ing problem
senate mailbox, but please don't show
me your ignorance by writing accusatory
letters without getting your
facts first.
Furthermore, a meeting was called
so that Sen. Zahler and I could solicit
help in our undertaking. Notices were
posted in and around the Pendleton
Street lots, but Mr. Ramsey was not in
attendance. As for Jim Lamb's great
parking space, it is two miles away, at
his house; the man walks to work.
Sen. Pat Evans
Student Ssnats ACQ Committee