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Tuesday, September 26,1995 A migrant worker in South Carolina i each year more than 400,000 migrant and seasonal farmworkers arrive in both North and South Carolina to work in all types of agricultural jobs. Farmworkers are exposed to many dangers and often their work is overlooked. Many of the present day labor and safety regulatirtna rptrarHincr farmnrnrlfora ore nfton ignored. The work exposes many farmworkers to pesticides and uncommon illnesses, such as Green Tobacco sickness. Some farmworkers live in substandard housing and have to drink from water supplies that are frequently contaminated. Because many of the farmThe Russell You may think you know the inside and out. But there's quite about USC's favorite student han that you would never guess. LUKE ROBINSON Staff Writer You eat there. You socialize there. You play game You watch movies there. You check your mail, buy you and pick up the newspaper there. In some cases, y even work there. Yet many among us, myself includ* the Russell House for granted, not stopping to consider its short but lively his- EEgpTj In tact, the university union here mmmr ^ at USC has the exciting and mysteri- m ous past you probably wish you could Gf | brag to your friends about. Up until the first phase of con- Bll II ^ struction of the student union was com- KS^lll pleted in 1954, there was not really a UIQTfl single place where the students could gather and socialize. Nor was there a great variety of dining distractions. In feet, the university-supplied food was so bad and the university so strict in its reguh where students could eat that in 1852 there was a s uprising quickly dubbed "The Great Biscuit Rebellioi gitimate protest which degenerated into a glorified foe resulting in the suspension of 108 students. It was not until 1952, a century later, that USC Pr Donald S. Russell began to take steps to remedy th< tion. His administration (1952-57) concentrated on sion, and it was Russell who successfully lobbied th legislature to authorize tuition and dorm-revenue b finance all of the new construction. During his pres: construction began on several new dorms, a new En] ing Center (Sumwalt), and the ultra-modern Busini ministration and Student Union buildings. During the time since its initial construction, the ] House has seen its share of oddities. However, there v event that made all of the streakers and rowdy dance trivial. On May 7,1970, shortly after the Kent State riots ir Tickets On Sale Now "5^/5^ Students: i I ViT^ General P simply Carolina 1 ' homkorr.ng 1995 ^ ? u w k fit*-I ^ %M-? frrftinrtim jj^^ , . ft^jMj^ii. :'y-'^;J|ffibii;i; ^ spTr m ^ l-^ fa^faeg iL. 1 ? ?? i? p Sk unloads watermelons in Orangeburg. workers lack a basic proficiency in the F speaking English, they are unable to gram speak out against the discrimination lege s they receive. to suj For the most part, Americans pay Ej the lowest prices in the world for their ^ey 'c produce. This is a direct result of cheap clime; labor provided by farmworkers. langu In many cases, these workers are kept against their will. One organiza- . tion which is working to improve the a overall well-being of these farmwork- comm ers is Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF). SAF is a non-profit organi- ^ealtl zation that is designed to improve the on ^ status of farmworkers by educating van w and involving college students in farm- to the worker service, advocacy and commu- I s nity programs. travel This past summer I was fortunate visitii enough to participate in SAFs "Into they 1 House: it's m esident (JSC students walk past the Russell I i situaexpan four students were killed, 40 USC student e state occupied the Russell House and demande onds to When the police arrived to carry out their re idency, a crowd of more than 2,000 students outsii gineer- way. When all was said and done, 75 polic* jss Ad- National Guardsmen were needed to disp< "evict" the new tenants of the Student Unio Russell pus was then placed under curfew for seven vas one suited in another riot involving the B.A.Bu s seem As the years have past, the Russell Hon to expand to meet the needs of the ever-in t which body. There have been renovations and a< The University of South Carolina presents: COCKFEf homecoming Tep -Big Head Todd and The Monsti $2 General admission Ava $7 Reserved seating I: ublic: Admission to the State Fair October 5,1995 6:30pm State Fair C Presented by Pi Kappa Phi & The USC Athletic Department. For more inform; Paid for in part by student activity fees ETC QQJQQQQUQQQQ ields" summer program. This prois a 10-week internship for coltudents with an agency designed >port farmworker's, ich intern can choose an area ire interested in: migrant health 3, teaching English as a second age, working with Migrant Head or offering legal services, iring my internship, I served as rant health outreach worker for a lunity health center in OrangeWhen I was not going out to the int camps and assessing their i needs, I served as a translator j health center's mobile medical hich offered its services directly migrant population, pent the first weeks of summer ing around the Orangeburg-area lg with the farmworkers after lad returned from the fields. The lore than louse University Union on their 3 and hangers-on 1967, and 1976, d to be arrested, see today. Over quest, they found students who rm le, blocking their to one of the ovei 3 omcers and 1UU year, opening its 3rse the mob and times a day! n. The USC cam- What many o Ed days, which re- story front strucl ilding. ballrooms and m use has continued latest addition, h creasing student Maybe next ti Iditions in 1958, give the place soi r THE MONDi ^'^Tickets On Sa ers lilable at Russell House J nformation Center i Grounds alion call 777-7130 P era nm< Did you spend y< on your tan? Mi off. One US< f * * i gl - I photo & si farmworkers that I served lived in des ignated migrant homes and local hotels. Some homes did not have electricity or indoor plumbing and many had to use outdoor bathing facilities. These homes normally contained eight to 12 workers sleeping literally on top of each other. The cooking facilities were often filled with flies and insects. The most common problems I saw were dental problems. These workers generally do not have any knowledge of personal hygiene. Other problems that I saw were sexually transmitted diseases, pesticide exposures and musculoskeletal pains. * The most remarkable characteristic of the farmworkers from such a disadvantaged background was their appreciation of the health services being of- i fered to them. They were very grateful to those who were concerned with their you know *5* MR Uc ' V-1 ulCTi p % v iPwHsi WmksM'L ~ :> :^9H9PMH Vn, ilH HfiL n ^HiiK^^K^BBH JAMIE CLARK The Gamecock way to classes. resulting in the massive structure that we 225.000 square feet serve the thousands nf ike their way through the building each day 5,700 meetings and events held there each many doors an estimated 18,000 to 20,000 f us think of as the Russell House, the fourture housing the bookstore downstairs and leeting-rooms upstairs, is actually only the taving only been there since 1976. me you walk up those majestic stairs, you'll ne credit. \Y SHOPPER IdPi le Now | BLIMPIE BE! . COMBO FOR $ fc*. 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If you are willing to be a part of social change by helping to improve the lives of these farmworkers, come to SAFs general meeting at 4 p.m. Oct. 2 in Russell House room 302.* ^H P^TTPj WMl MUmH II if n II IMfx i nr ay I BUCKLE UB rapper YOU. 1 Ol^ 422 Bush River Road 7)/n\/)/SB Kuppenheimer Center IUl ~Jl/M Across from Dutch Square Mall (/MB772-3735 ST ' BUY ANY 6" ' BUY ANY 12" | 12.99 I BLIMPIE COLD SUB I BLIMPIE COLD SUB I AND TWO MEDIUM i AND TWO LARGE lb- 1 DRINKS AND GET ONE 1 DRINKS AND GET ONE I nnk. I 6" COLD SUB FREE I 12" COLD SUB FREE j 4a Wfcdif I FV? prc*ni coufjon before ordei** Na VUld if I Ptaw present du coupon befaa onto** Na Wbd if I Onecoupon * afcered or (h^bcflBd Onr order per on^icn Oneooupor berod or duphcanl One onkr pa cn^xn OttcaqKM I nynkxtu . pei cufloma per vbm Cuaontr nut pay my uks cu pcrc?Bnnptiv? Qaomermuap^nyabfei rofc Cah I due. 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