• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1966-05-06_Vol31_No24_03

Friday, May 6, 1966 THE WESTERN CAROLINIAN PAGE 3 \PAUL GOODMAN Students and other travelers who go through Pennsylvania Station in New York City this winter can enjoy one of the comic experiences of our epoch. The old monumental station, with its astonishing vault, has been demolished, but the shell is being kept for a more profitable structure. Now winter winds freeze you while you wait and the ticket salesmen huddle in fur coats. Thunderous noises startle you and the sparks of welders shower round your ears. You cannot get a meal. MEN and WOMEN are somewhere in the bowels of the Long Island R.R. below. The operation of the trains goes on in makeshift tunnels. Meantime, in glass cases (grimy with dust) on a temporary wooden wall, there is a splendid display of pictures of the New Pennsylvania Station that is going to happen many a moon from now. A poster proclaims its virtues: "New Modernized Railroad Terminal at 2 Pennsylvania Plaza. Featuring: Electronic Train Information Moving Stairs New Ventilation System for Air-Conditioning and Heat Modern Lighting and Acoustics Easier Access from All Points Completion during 1966 or 1967." It is a triumph of Madison Avenue. It gives us the image and the public relations of reality almost as if we had the reality. In the conditions, it is quite impossible to read this sign without cracking up. (Incidentally, the new design, by Charles Luckman Associates, is banal and skimpy.) Students of several hundred colleges in the United States will recognize the analogy to the building boom taking place on their campuses. The few years of their careers in college are spent among scenes of devastation. This is supposed to be transitional; but before one reconstruction is finished there always seems to be a new expansion in the works; and the community shape that used to exist — whether Yard, Green, or Quadrangle — has been irremediably destroyed. Also, it would not astound me if by the time the whole expansion has finally occurred, the idiocy of universal college - going might likewise be over; in 10 or 15 years some of these makeshift campuses may look like ghost towns. Uusually, but by no means invariably, there is an esthetic plan for the greater campus, namely a picture or model rendered obsolete by the next Federal or Foundation grant. With the bulldozing and reconstruction, of course, there are the other concomitants of Expansion: the enrollment is excessive; students are processed electronically; they are housed three or four in a room meant for two; the curriculum is continually in process of readjustment; and professors are on the move, pirated away by competitive offers. I have seen all this now for ten years and the immediate future will be worse. A whole generation is being sacrificed. I have no idea if the demolition and reconstruction of Penn Station is necessary or useful. But much of the campus expansion is both unnecessary and harmful. To begin with, I am not sold on the vastly increased college-going as the best way to invest more in higher education — rather than underwriting more direct means of access to many careers and some professions; underwriting cultural enterprises like Little Theaters, local TV and radio stations, independent newspapers, and design offices; giving more of the Research and Development slush-fund to small firms that can train scientific apprentices. When increased college-enrollment has been necessary, it has usually, in my opinion, been unwise to expand the existing schools rather than starting new small ones. I do not believe in the putative advantages of academic centralization; there is a good deal of rationalization to cover administrative imperialism. Certainly in big cities like New York and Chicago, it has been immoral and anti-social for universities to dislocate poor tenants and swallow whole neighborhoods. A very important defect of the expansion has been to increase and freeze the dormitory method of housing. This is a poor way for most students to live; it is necessarily restrictive, and it is almost invariably more expensive for the students than sharing small apartments or cooperative houses. But it has been the inevitable result of the Federal subsidy for dormitories. Copyright Paul Goodman, 1966 Look Away By Sheridan Smith Guest Columnist The intriguing senatorial e lections have passed for another year and the campus of Western Carolina College is humming with views and news —not issues. Posters were found abundantly over the campus asking the students to vote for this person or that How do you fit into campus politics? Overtly, everything appears to be running along just fine in Student Government; however, there is a very real problem. The problem is a degenerate attitude toward the function and operation of our Student Government. The number of students who are aware and concerned with this problem are few and far between. As of now, the main concern Is getting elected, more or less by means of popularity and not leadership ability and quality. The organizations on campus, Greeks, clubs, etc., have developed their own cliques from which they sponsor a candidate for the elective offices in Student Government. In our Student Government and elections, we have some very capable leaders heading up the structure which represents the student, but the problem stems from the fact that our Student Government is one of faction. Particularly is this true in the Senate where one group may support the passing of a resolution, catering to its desires regardless of the effect or repercussions it will have on the Student Body as a whole. Also, I have noticed the trend in the Senate to be the "I" attitude and not the "students' will," on certain matters in which Senate debate is organized. A consoling fact to our student leaders at present Is the fact that not many students are interested enough to look behind the scenes in Student Government and perpetuate decisions according to the general will of the Student Body. If the competition for elective offices in Student Government came from a broader stratum within the Student Body, the situation would be different. Competition leads to harder work which may in turn lead to better over-all student representation; however, competition can lead to underhanded affairs in the Democratic process. Increasing interest and participation would stimulate students to do greater things and accept more responsibility in the social, intellectual, and academic fields as a whole. The problem of stimulation confronts the Student Government, but how do you stimulate a mass? The organizations on campus should not discourage other candidates from seeking office in an effort to give their candidate a better voter turnout. In fact, this type of competition should be encouraged in order to get the proper range of candidates from which all of the students could choose. The only thing this process would stifle, to some degree, is the factions that now exist pulling the participation rate of voting down to a very low level. Students, examine yourselves, and if you find an indifferent attitude toward Student Government, make an effort to change this and reap the benefits. Facets By Bill Smathers Would you believe? If so then you ought to read Eros Denied by Way land Young, published by Grove Press for $7.50. This is a long and involved work on the history of sex in the Western Society, or rather the denial of sex in Western Society. It is amusing, frightening and completely serious in its content. Young begins his work with a long and sometimes involved discussion of the language problem when used in terms of sex. The language he proposes for use is unprintable in this column—much to my dismay—and unprintable in just about any other column as far as that goes. However, the author follows his argument for the rather brash language in an orderly and logical fashion; his intent, so he says, is "to use the work in a manner that will not make the reader blush or shocked." I really tried to be upset, but after all the other avant-garde writings and their choices of verbal expressions during the past several years I was unable to muster up even a slight pink color. Young next follows a pattern of history and sexual morality from the time of the Greeks up to the present day. In this synopsis, he does only those cultures which have been famous for amorality, orgies and other such sensuous pleasures. To back up his history, he uses quotes from poems, letters, and reproductions of normally censored art works which were of the time about which he was writing. Works included are by such writers as Sappho, Ovid, Charles the Second and others of earlier European fame. Some are amusing, some are too much even for the most mundane, but all are included in the omnibus of sex. Wayland Young's purpose does not become obvious until well into the book. He advocates a return to sexual freedom, one not bounded in misunderstanding and Puritan customs long since outmoded. His outlook is psychological and modern in every respect and should be read by moderns whether they are modern or not. Eros Denied has far reaching improvements to make in the acceptance of sex in western society and whether or not it will attain its goals I do not know. I doubt very seriously that any of us will be around to see the sexual revolution that he predicts as necessary, because it will take a long time for such a prescription to be filled. In summation, may I suggest that the next time you take a date to the lake take along a copy of Eros Denied and read certain passages to her. The results just might be startling. Well, not just might, but they will be starUing. However, in which way the startling will take place — I do not know. From The V. P/s Desk by Buz Helms Class elections have come and gone for another year with fantastic results. If you note an air of sarcasm, that's the way it's meant to sound. To be blunt but truthful, the election of class officers is beginning to get ridiculous. The situation now seems to be one of the large majority of students being completely apathetic toward their class officers. With this attitude it's little wonder that the officers mean no more than they do. These are the persons who should be placed in the responsible position of closely communicating with the class they represent and planning activities and events of worthwhile cause. Most class officers will admit that they have nothing to do. Who's fault is this? Correct—the officers themselves. Persons mature and responsible enough to be elected to these positions should be of the calibre that they should be capable of originating ideas. Are these the kind of people who are representing the 25 or 30 of you who attended your class meeting and elected them? If not, you've elected the wrong man. And you will continue to do this until the whole system is revamped. Promises have been made which will alleviate the present problem but if not, definite changes should be made next year. With the stress which Is being placed on Student Govern ment it's a shame that class officers are as meaningless as they are. If I am wrong with my accusations I stand to be corrected and will welcome such. It would be a pleasure to hear a typical student voice his opinion aimed in the right direction rather than gripes and complaints to which the origin cannot be traced. Another sad sight is that of seeing a Senator who has done an outstanding job this year and potentially of continued good work, being defeated in the Senatorial elections. This person has no affiliation with any organization but only dedication to his duty and it's a sad state of affairs to lose the usefulness of one such as this to one who may have been pushed in by a machine—will wonders never cease? Another sad state of affairs. How well will your Senate function next year with only two experienced Senators returning—no comment—Just a question! While on the topic—the student representatives on the Lyceum committee have yet to receive a notice of a meeting —the whole year. What does this indicate? Or better still, why aren't they included? The lyceums are primarily for the students and thus their opinions and beliefs should be of valuable assistance. Next week with luck I'll present the last of my renditions of "better Student Government" or how to make enemies fast.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina College
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1966-05-06;
  • Date digitized: 2017-10-13
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15.75" x 11"
  • Pages: 12 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1966-05-06_Vol31_No24
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library