Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Maymest for cr< SUSAN COOPER Staff Writer "|j wt Have you ever wanted to take a class HI about the Indians in North Carolina and South Carolina, or a class about stock car racing in the South? Well, that is exactly what several students did w during Maymester. Maymester was an experimental ^ semester at USC during May. According to Dr. David "Turbo" ^ Thompson, who taught the stock car ^ racing class, Maymester was presented to him as a chance to come up with "some interesting field-orientated courses that gc would appeal to students." ' Students who took Maymester seemed to epjoy taking a class outside the normal classes they take to fill their c], course requirements. h2 "I don't think I would want to really sa take anything else like an accounting course or a computer course right in the pt middle of May; you know three weeks hj is short enough," Trevor Spencer, a to journalism senior taking the stock car 0f racing class, said. Michelle Sfchoan, who was in the co Carolina Indians class, is a Pee Dee cl Indian herself. "I enjoyed the Maymester," Schoan M said. "I like the structure of the course, d; Tommy < STAFF REPORTS m Tommy Chong will perform June 14 and 15 at the Comedy House Theatre. ^ Chong was one-half of the comedy 0j team Cheech and Chong. The duo recorded six gold comedy ft albums including the 1974 Grammy \? winner "Los Cochinos" and starred in n seven features, most of which Chong cowrote and directed. They also came up n with the catch phrase "Dave's Not Here." The Gamecocl Picl ' W. ' " / ' : :S> CM#? | pp :er offe idit, int f you're going to have a class for lole time. You should be more inv ke that they were willing to experiment th some courses." Maymester's different type of classes ade some students frustrated at the m number of courses offered and some set that regular courses offered during e other semesters were not a part of aymester's schedule. Senior Neil Walton said he took his irolina Indians class as a behavioral ience course in order to graduate; it is the only behavioral science class ing offered. "They should have a couple more isses within the categories so that you ive a little more to choose from," Walton id. Dr. Pearson, the Carolina Indians ofessor, said the Maymester topics id to be very focused so that a narrow pic could be discussed in a fair amount detail. "It would be hard to offer a regular urse like English 101 in a three week ass," Pearson said. The length of the experimental [aymester class and the number of lys that was expected to meet a week Chong tc Cheech and Chong performed laterial once considered taboo. Chong, ho was the tall, bearded one of the am, said he does not know the meaning ; politically correct. Today, Chong is back performing in ont of a live audience and making people lugh. In his shows, there is mention ol larijuana. "I just make jokes and let the people lake up their own mind," Chong said But Chong said he will have z i publishes Ji k up the fall t rr r * ' / jd '|i|i|i|i|i|i|i|i lj'|i|" i|i|'|ll!^ to. ' * The Gamecock B9U rs short ense lea two hours and forty-five minutes, then solved in the class than just sitting ther Neil Walton, who took the C was something some students liked and others felt was too long. "If you're going to have a class for two hours and forty-five minutes, then you shouldn't sit there for the whole time," Walton said. "You should be more involved in the class than just sitting there listening to someone talking." Spencer said he felt differently about the time element of the course. "To be able to concentrate on one course for three weeks is great," Spencer said. "I have always had problems when it comes to the regular semester when you are taking five or six courses, and you are trying to shuffle and shift gears so often. Sometimes courses just don't work together and this allows you to do just one." Maymester is a semester that has courses that are not usually offered i 11 i -L nn_ l j during me regular semesters, wno wouiu take a class on stock car racing or on the Internet? According to Thompson, "they, are coming from all over the campus." He said his class is made up of all sorts of majors ranging from nursing to business. ) perform conversation with anyone who thinks they have all the answers when it comes i to drugs. ; Chong enj oys talking about comedy, music, politics and drugs. He said when i he hears the word "drugs," he thinks of s the real dangerous ones: alcohol and f tobacco. A native of Edmonton who was bom i to a Chinese father and an Irish/Scottish mother, Chong learned to play country i and western guitar while growing up in jne 19, July 9,. Gamecock on I starting A I "" |i ; .' ' ' -.vf';' V'. ^an you spare tw to help Caroliiu may be just what Join us for 01 X j 8:30pm for more inform; Monday, June 3, 1996 courses [ riling you shouldn't sit there for the e listening to someone talking." arolina Indians class during Maymester "I'm surprised by the cross-section 1 of students that we have," Thompson _ said. Thompson said students were taking S his class for a variety of reasons that all t< stem back to having a better understanding of the sport. Okay, now that there are people in a class, no matter how unusual the ^ subject matter is, what can be learned? Pearson said his course offered an environment that allowed very animated | discussions and probably opened many students eyes to things that they hadn't | been aware of previously. ^ Raymond Deamer, who was a student in the Carolina Indians course, said he ^ learned a lot more than he expected. "It has opened my mind to the reality of what is going on with the Indians and put myths to the side," Deamer said. "Like most people, it has opened my mind to a new way of looking at things." Thompson said his class learned more than racing, they learned those a involved within the sport are really decent people. He said he was able to get across how the sport started. at Corned Calgary. 1 When he moved to the west coast, he formed the R&B band Hie Vancouvers 1 with Bobby Taylor, where he wrote and recorded thel967 Motown hit Does Your * Mama Know About Me?" which went to ? number one on the R&B charts. Chong c even traded guitar licks with the legendaiy ^ Jimmy Hendrix one night in England. 1 When he returned to Vancouver, he founded the improvisational comedy 1 troupe City Works that worked out of 1 July 23 and Aug Monday, Wedne i i LUgUSl LL. ike kids? j M % s % $ | | ' ' * *" l>:*:*K*a * in the classroon * Tf\ nAiii*c nAf \*7?*?M u ii[ivi4.r5j per Wccj a child? j i for Kids i 1 ? r you ate looKmg tor ir first meeting :f August 27 sell House 302 Jtion call 777-8402 > tudents who took the stock car i > visit Darffll Waitrlp's shop near Racing started with redneck loonshiners" modifying their cars to iitrun revenuers, thereby learning ifferent driving techniques to get away, ccording to Thompson. Thompson's class not only learned bout moonshiners, they also met some uests that actually pan moonshine, hompson said that his class not only leard about history, we met people rho are histoiy, so I think that has been in." In both classes, guest speakers and eld trips were part of the hands-on xperience Maymester classes are set p to provide. Within the Carolina Indians class, tudents were able to visit the Catawba nd Cherokee reservations while learning hout Indian historv. heritage and culture. The NASCAR class was able to xperienoe racing at Columbia Speedway y House lis brother's night club. This lead to the iventual meeting with his partner-to>e, Richard "Cheech" Marin. Chong penned and recorded with jeorge Harrison on guitar "Basketball [ones." and he brought the following :haracters to life: Blind Melon Chitlin, darry Palms, Laid Back Lenny and Butt Wrangler (Willie Nelson's accountant). Currently, Chong can be heard on :he new Spin Doctor's CD, seen as Red ;he bus driver in "National Lampoon's just 19 during sday and Frid H i ^ Ml 11 ?t-?-?-? -.-"Tjeato E^PR- 'L :2 |f ": SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK racing class during Maymester got Charlotte Motor Speedway. every Friday night and 1-20 speedway CI i 3 : 1_1 am XT A n/^ A n every Saturday nigni. ineiNAo^An students also had the chance to go to The Charlotte Motor Speedway and see what NASCAR is like behind the scenes. The students had the opportunity to visit Darrell Waltrip's shop. At the shop, the students were shown what it takes to get out on the race track. Buck Home, a German senior, said he liked the aspect of going on field trips. "I loved the field trips, we got to see a lot of fun and interesting things," Home said. Maymester seemed to be a success as both professors and students said they would be willing to take another Maymester class if the university would offer it. "I think the response has been really good to this and I hope they ask me to teach it again," Thompson said. nru liicauc Senior Trip" and will soon begin filming "McHale's Navy" with Tom Arnold. When he is not on the road, Chong is busy with a number of projects. One of them is an exercise/workout book entitled "A Doperis Guide To Fitness." He is also busy being the husband to Shelby, who is his partner on stage, and he is the proud father of Rae Dawn, Robbi, Precious, Paris and Gilbran. ' the summer. lay