• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1969-10-23_Vol35_No08_05

Thursday, October 23,1969 WESTERN CAROLINIAN Page 5 Welch Makes Statement On Playing Of 'Dixie' The controversy which has arisen over toe playing of "Dixie" at football games reached toe Student Senate Tuesday. In an emergency meeting called at 3:00 Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Robert Welch, director of toe University Band, issued toe following statement: As you may have surmised, my presence at this meeting of the Student Senate is occasioned by your concern about the University Marching Band and the playing of "Dixie" at athletic contests this fall. I have no doubt that you have heard a great deal about this subjtct from you r constituency, and because of your concern, I want you to have a good, clear knowledge and understanding of the background on toisissue.More- over .certain rumors and grapevine information which I have heard has reflected distortions, misconceptions, and errors that can be set straight only by a forthright statement from me. President Henning and I have talked about the position and action of toe senate for a num- ber of days, and now I would like to tell you about toe posi- tion of toe University Band and its relationship to the student body. Let me emphasize from toe very beginning that there has been no pressure at any time from toe University Administration either to play "Dixie" or to refrain from playing "Dixie." Let me equally emphasize that no representative of any student organization has requested that toe band not play "Dixie." Indeed, I have not spoken to any student representative AT ALL concerning this matter with toe exception of Mr. Henning. Whether you have heard about a request from Black students that we refrain from playing "Dixie," the fact is that since I have been Director of Bands, there has been no such request from anyone. The Marching Band is a credit awarding course at WCU. It is open to persons with appropriate musical training upon application. Its purpose is to offer its members a rewarding experience through toe perfor mance of fine music. We greatly appreciate the response that has been given the band's performances thus far and hope it will continue. While a standing ovation is not necessary to the accomplishment of the band's aims, student response is certainly a factor in decisions about toe format of, say, a half-time show or of any performance. "Dixie" has not been played by the band this fall simply because it was not a party of the planned repertoire. This was the decision of toe Director of Bands-myself. Many other titles and types of music that might be relevant were not included in our football shows. For example, the state song of North Carolina was not included. The format of the band's presentations, as well as its size, this year, has been changed. We intend no negative reflection of the past, but we feel that change is sometimes beneficial, and it certainly has not been the intention of the present director to simply present a continuation or carbon copy of that which has come immediately before. If you wish to know more about how marching bands are put together and about how decisions are made concerning repertoire, I will be happy to discuss this matter with you as Director of Bands to private citizen. The playing of "Dixie", then, is a decision of toe Band Director. It does not reflect toe opinion of the band members, (who, incidentally, do not vote on what to play), the student body, or the administration— but only the Director of Bands who has been hired to make just that kind of decision. Although "Dixie" has frequently been played on this campus, it has no official status and there is no apparent reason why the band should feel obligated to play this one song more than it would feel obligated to play another. As I discussed with Mr. Henning yesterday, I had tena- tively planned to include "Dixie" in Saturday's performance. We will not consider "Dixie" as the University Fight Song, but we will play it at an appropriate time to demonstrate our respect for toe number of students who would like to hear it and whom we believe to have completely honorable motives. SGA Officers Go To Raleigh Miss Sandy Atkinson, a senior from Kings Mountain, majoring in at education, has been selected Fall Quarter Sweetheart of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Sandy is engaged to Brother David Pettyjohn. The brothers of Alpha Phi Omega announce, for this university year, their sweetheart, Miss Joy Carolyn Rudisill. Joy is the daughter of Mr, and Mrs, Roy Rudisill of Hickory, N.C, She is a freshman majoring in Business Administration, Joy is pinned to brother Eddie Lail. On Friday, October 17, John Henning, Phil Walker and John Pechmann of the WCU Student Government Association met with state officials in Raleigh to discuss toe needs and concerns of WCU. The meetings were very informative to the student leaders and showed toe the officials the concern of stu- ents for toe improvement of their school. After ten informative interviews with high-level State officials, WCU student leaders were assured that those who administer State Government at toe central level know the facts about WCU, They expressed deep concern with helping the University resolve problems as it strives to become one of the top-most universities in the State, Attorney General Robert Morgan, and Director of the State Bureau of Investigation, Charles Dunn, were informative and altogether perceptive. These men seem to be aware of what Student Government at WCU is trying to do, problems that exist on campus, and toe desire of toe administration to serve Western North Caro • Una in the most effective manner possible. These men praised President Pow's leadership, the school's expanding building program, as well as toe phenomenal success of toe football team, John McDevitt of the Utilities Commission (a WCU graduate) is equally cognizant of many facets of this institution. He showed particular interest in toe local telephone and transportation problems, and brought Controversy Over 'Dixie' Reaches Student Senate In a special meeting of the Student Senate on Tuesday, October 21, Mr. Welch (the Director of Bands) has made his position clear, to the satisfaction of the Senators, as to why "Dixie" has not been performed at past athletic events. The Student Government acknowledges toe position of the Band Director as an instructor whose responsibility it is to select those materials which provide a rich and rewarding experience CULLOWHEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL CERTIFICATE OF MERIT Presented To Skmm-Smpm totuiAMtioti Co. , . . whereas said company had managed to erect operational speedbreakers along 107 in order to break up the monotony of seven mile track . , , whereas said company under state contract procured advance knowledge of Governor Scott's visit to Cullowhee . , . whereas said company in a patriotic gesture, so as not to waste taxpayers' money by destroying the #IN. C. vehicle, filled in aforementioned, artistically designed (pause) holes. We do hereby present this valued certificate. to his class members. They further recognize that the band's performances at athletic contests, while entertaining to the spectators are an expression of a culmination of toe class room experience. The Senate went on record in sup ■ port of Mr, Welch's stated position. Mr. Welch expressed the philosophy that the band's performances should be equally acceptable to all members of the Student Body and it is not the function of the band to set University policy, Mr, Welch made it clear that total responsibility for the music played was his, and not that of the administrators, student body, or band members. Mr. Welch stated clearly that in respect to the number of students whom he believe to have honorable motives, and as he had tenatively planned, "Dixie" will be included in the band's performance at toe appropriate time during Homecoming. Mr. Welch made toe point that at this University there are procedural channels through which any student or group of students might effect a change in policy. He urged that students, utilizing the Student Senate as elected representatives, follow these guidelines. student leaders up-to-date with progress now being made, especially in the area of better telephone service. In talking to Mr. McDevitt, he informed Henning that one of his assistants was on the campus investigating the status of promised improvements. During the day conversations were held with State Treasurer Edwin Gill, who shared with the representatives a mimeographed speech on "North Carolina's Fiscal Policy," which he was to deliver this week. Copies of the speech are a- vailable in toe Student Government office. Insurance Commissioner Edwin Lanier outlined toe numerous duties of his office.plac- ing emphasis on statutory and regulatory responsibilities designed for the benefit of individual citizens. He also plugged for the continued election of the insurance commissioner, thereby stressing his direct responsibility to the people of the State. One of toe most knowledgeable and enthusiastic persons which were interviewed was Assistant Director of the Board of Higher Education, Dr. John Covey, whose information about WCU's overall budget, faculty salaries, projected programs, library needs, and equalization efforts is phenomenal, Commissioner of Labor, Frank Crane, and Deputy Commissioner, Lewis P. Sorrell, were also helpful as they explained the evolution of their department into one of the most comprehensive in State Government, including labor law enforcement, industrial safety promotion, programs in conciliation and arbitration apprenticeship tracing, employment for toe deaf, and labor statistics. From this office, as from all others visited, literature is available In the Student Government office. During toe day there were talks with Hugh Battle (alumnus of WCU), assistantbusiness manager for the Department of Community Colleges, and with Jerry Melton, assistant superintendent in toe Department of Public Instruction. There are thirteen community colleges and forty technical institutes in this state, with two other institutions in the planning stage. WCU delegates were impressed with toe enthusiasm displayed for continuing improvement in the public schools of the State, with increasing interest on making education relevant and personally meaningful to all students. Each SGA representative stated they would like to return to Raleigh for further conferences as toe year proceeds as an avenue for assisting our total institution. From page 1 mittee will be on hand to assist with the line-up); by Dodson Cafeteria to toe post office; turn left at "T" intersection; by Bird Administration Building. Kick-off time for toe homecoming game is 2 p.m. with coming court will be presentee and toe queen, Miss Shirlej Andrews of Hilsborough, wil be crowned. Also, presented tion of awards for displays an< floats will be made. The an< nual alumni as sociationmeetinj will be held at 4:30 p.m. ii Brown Cafeteria, A student-alumni homecom ing dance, featuring The Plat- ters, wil begin at 9 p. m. to Reid Gym.

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: 1969-10-23;
  • Date digitized: 2017-11-08
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15.75" x 11"
  • Pages: 8 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_1969-10-23_Vol35_No08
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library