• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1969-08-07_Vol35_No07_02

TheWESTERN CAROLINIAN Editor-in-Chief David Rock Whitten Business Manager Jim Chappell Managing Editor . ,. .. Stan Rahn Cullowhee Dump - - More Than An Eyesore In the beautiful "Valley of the Lilies" there exists a threat which endangers the general welfare of all the citizens. We are threatened by diseases carried by flies, mosquitoes, and rats and also the pertinent danger of fire. These threats all arise from one source — the grossly inadequate disposal of our garbage. The Cullowhee garbage dump is a haven for the disease breeding carriers, and the unattended fires at the dump pose a serious danger to the entire community. We have been lucky so far, but this danger is still. staring us in the face, and will continue to pose a threat until corrected. The Cullowhee garbage dump is located approximately two miles from campus in a reasonably isolated area. However, with the rerouting of the Sylva highway, this general area will be opened for development The area consists of several acres of university-owned property composed mainly of a large ravine with a small stream at the bottom of the pit The degree of stream pollution is undetermined. As garbage is dumped along the high bank, it accumulates at a rapid rate, until it is finally pushed over by a small University bulldozer. Often fires are started at the dump, and these burn unattended, posing a serious threat to surrounding woodland. Millions of flies hover over empty milk cartons, dead animals, sacks of household garbage, and other filth. Colonies of rats scurry out from under piles of waste where they have their nests. Often a student may be seen playing "big game hunter", shooting dozens of rats in an afternoon. The air reeks with the smell of decayed garbage as it hangs heavy over the dump. The air pollution problem far exceeds that of any major city. The university owns the dump. The community freely uses it. The maintenance of the area is grossly inadequate. The county is without proper machinery or finances to remedy the situation. Neither school or county is satisfied with the prevailing conditions. What is to be done? The Jackson County Board of Commissioners recently purchased approximately $25,000 worth of equipment to be used at the various dumps; however, these are scattered throughout the county, and we see the classic case of too little spread too far. One authority in the county discussed the possibility of purchasing additional land for a sanitary landfill. This is a good suggestion, if the money can be appropriated and the land can be found. The various state and federal agencies, of wtiich the Tennessee Valley Authority has a major role, will provide technical assistance to communities interested in the building of such facilities. A sanitary landfill, basically, is where the solid waste is compacted and covered daily, thus eliminating the dangers and menace we now face. Whether or not the present dump is located in a suitable location, or whether our present bulldozer is adequate to handle the volume, or whether the university maintanance department is properly staffed, are not the real issues. The real issue is that something must be done. We feel despite the problems in machinery and staff that the dump can be improved and operated more efficiently. The present site can be improved with a small amount of effort Poison should be placed throughout the dump to kill the rodents; insecticides should also be used. This should be under the supervision of the County Board of Health. Then, the university should cover the present site, after rechanneling the small creek. The surrounding bluff should be pushed into the ravine, thus leaving the area more level and the garbage covered. This would enable more efficient disposal in the future. Then, on a regular basis, the refuge should be covered and compacted as in a sanitary fill. This would not make for an A-plus land fill, but it would be a start, removing a major part of the threat now facing us. Many citizens, students, school officials, and county administrators have expressed their concern either verbally or by letter. What is needed is a cooperative effort between the university and county officials. If the improvements stated above can be implemented within the near future, this would clear the way for future progress. Both camps need to take definite steps and enlist technical assistance. However, the support of local citizens is imperative to any success. The problem is great and grows as the university expands. But, within our grasp is the potential for Improvement and later possible solutions. Let's begin some definite steps toward Improvement RAT now!! "FAIR IS FOUL, AND FOUL IS FAIR: llOVER THROUGH THE FOG AND FILTHY ADV' —Shakespeare Macbeth, Act I, Sc. 1, Line 12 you BAt) You. Ou^ffTA Telephone Situation Demands Action Now! Within the past several months we have heard a great deal about the inadequate telephone service supplied by the Western Carolina Telephone Company to the University and to the surrounding area. This controversy has now been brought to the attention of the State Utilities Commission and the Office of the State Attorney General. Many letters have been written between the agencies involved and a number of meetings have been attended by representatives of all parties involved; however, as of today our University still suffers from antiquated phone service. The University has been assured on a number of occasions by representatives of the telephone company, namely, Mr. James Armstrong, President, and others, that adequate service will be forthcoming. The company has assured the school that additional pay stations will be installed, that operator answering time will be improved, additional trunk lines will be installed and exchange service in the dormitories will be provided. The University has taken its plea for help to the State Attorney General's office, and an attorney has been assigned to represent the University in discussions with telephone officials. This week the telephone company fulfilled one of its promises by installing wall mounted telephones units in the dormitories. However, such installation was not in accordance with agreed specifications. In some cases, actual property damage occured. The new phones will not last, as many were merely nailed to boards on the walls or haphazardly bolted into the plaster. Upon inspection some are ready to fall now. It appears that the Western Carolina Telephone Company is only going to act under threat of an official complaint filed by the University. The present system may have accommodated this University ten years ago, but we have grown by leaps and bounds since then. There is no excuse for such inadequate service. Poor telephone service is a crucial liability. It goes far beyond being a sheer nuisance. At this point the only course of action left is to file a formal complaint with the State Utilities Commission in Raleigh. Western Carolina University and this immediate area demand and deserve adequate telephone service. University officials have gone far mor«» than the second mile in trying to cooperate with the telephone company. The company has only responded with token improvement Such a controversy can not continue any longer. What is needed is action ~ now! We can send a man to the moon but can we get a long distance phone call through? We urge University officials to prepare this complaint if immediate steps are not taken before Sept 1 by the phone company. The only course seems to be to build a fire under the company officials and to hope for action. We are sending this editorial to all parties involved and to local and area newspapers. "MR. WATSON, COME HERE, I WANT YOU." To his assistant (March 10,1876); the first intelligible words transmitted by telephone. —Alexander Graham Bell 0847-1922) Letters To The Editor Letters to the Editor are welcomed and will be reviewed by the editor. Letters must be signed by the writer, and names may be withheld by request The editor reserves the right to edit all letters. Letters to the Editor may be sent by regular mail to P. o. Box 317 or by campus mail to: The Editor, Western Carolinian, Cullowhee, N. C. Dear Editor: During the past several weeks, this column has been filled with the correspondences of Johnny Burnsides and Paul Felsberg, concerning Black Studies programs at this institution but which often deviated into the field of Civil Rights and the personality traits of the other author. The discussion of the Black Studies issue is relevant and should be discussed. Civil Rights has no particular relevance to the topic and should be omitted. Personal opinions of the nature that appeared in the letters have no business in any scholarly article. I must admit that in the first reading of this series of letters I did not see much sense at all. Looking back, however, I can see that Mr. Felsberg probably is confused as to the nature of the program which is being instituted. If this is the case he should have written a letter to the editor asking for clarification of the facts rather than a letter condemning something in which he is probably not well versed, and who really can be since such a program has never before been offered? Mr. Burnsides, on the other hand, did have some common sense in his article. I can imagine that there are special difficulties associated with growing up Black in this country which would require some special adjustment I do agree that these courses should be definitely integrated and that the instructors should be Black as well as White. There are also problems associated with growing up White in such racially tense times — not only Black versus White — and such courses, properly taught, could go a long way in promoting understanding between the various cultures. These points were difficult to find and were overshadowed by the name- calling which surrounded them. I personally would like to see an ethnic cultures department established here which would be less controversial, since it would have less racial backlash, and because it would provide the interested student with a broad cultural background. This would be a department which should hold some interest for everyone. Sincerely, Robert Rusek Dear Editor: Many entering freshman women were very much upset by the fact that they were not notified of their roommate's name and address and the color of the room when they received their room assignment As a freshman summer student, I would have liked very much to have known, without having to go to the housing office to ask, the name and address of my fall quarter roommate as well as the color of my room for the fall. I have heard that in previous years this was done, but why did they discontinue the policy tiiis year? Victoria Smythe

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 University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1969-08-07;
  • Date digitized: 2017-11-06
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15.75" x 11"
  • Pages: 4 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_1969-08-07_Vol35_No07
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library