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Western Carolinian Volume 41 Number 29

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  • Page 4 editorial THE WESTERN CAROLINIAN TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1976 E.T.S. As the student community grows increasingly larger, the methodology employed to identify, evaluate and administrate our new numbers becomes more impersonal. For example, names are becoming vestigal ornaments as social security numbers are shuffled in ways either unintended or prohibited by the "New Deal" (as in your student number). Such is progress. Yet, as if the bureaucracies our education-tuition dollars have fostered within the University community (i.e. Bird Building) were not enough, today's student must also submit to the new inquisitor —Educational Testing Service, responsible for College Boards (SAT), GRE, and LSAT among others. ETS, an independent testing service, tests and ranks students through its various examinations to the tune of $53 million dollars a year. While claiming non-profit status, the fact that $29 million is paid in salaries yearly indicates that it might be profitable to someone. However, our objections to the reliance on ETS are not based solely on financial grounds. Instead, we feel that by accepting the rather arbitrary results of ETS testing, our nation's universities are neglecting other equally important facets of a student's intellectual development. Further, the method of testing discriminates against those whose educational legacy is sub-standard for reasons of poverty, racial discrimination, or language barriers. For these reasons, we feel that instead of being an entrance requirement, ETS services should be made optional for students who feel that their grades alone do not indicate their academic abilities. In contemplating the self-fulfilling prophecy engendered by reliance on the ETS, we are reminded of the following saying in the advertising business. "People don't use products; people who use products are products." Perhaps the University community should re-examine its relationship with ETS. [LH.] ...So give a warm welcome to him as he brings his message, "WHY PAYING STATE TAXES IS PATRIOTIC." ^. 1* i&m Ctftmiv LETTMLI Dear Editor: Progressive elements of the University community should try to attend two important meetings this week. Jim Cabler, attorney for the Highlands Township Taxpayer's Association, will speak to a meeting of the League of Women Voters at the Presbyterian Church in Sylva, Tuesday, January 20th at 8:00 p.m. The Highlands Association is suing Macon County in an attempt to get better representation for the Highlands and other outlying communities on the county's Board of Commissioners and Board of Education. The League will also host a Land Policy Workshop for Clay, Macon, Haywood, Swain, Cherokee, Graham and Jackson Counties at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 21. This is an informative meeting on the state land policy. This meeting will be held at the Community Services Building in Sylva and includes a potluck luncheon! Peace and Freedom, Tom O'Toole Editor, As my opinion of the library facilities on this campus has already been established, I find it highly a propos that The Western Carolinian should include Tom Addison's cartoon (found on the last page) in their January 15 issue. I commend Mr. Addison for humorously drawing attention to WCU's lacking facilities and hope he continues to do so in the future. Carrie Thomas TUE^CYTEH (AtOLIIIAI Editor-in-Chief— Annelle Beall Associate Editor : Erik Kirzinger Staff Writers Tom Jones, Rob Daves, A. E. Brown, Jr. Sports ■ Harvey Harris Artist — Tom Addison Copy Editor Typist Layout Business Manager- Sales Manager Statistician Ad Layout Ad Salesman Circulation Secretary Editor Emeritus. — Advisor Mary Lou Yakush Debra Sales Cara Massey Leigh Haut, Marlicia Gaut —Frank Thomas Wesley Hensley Joan Estridge LynneSyrella, Nancy Davis Terry Putman Harry Gruber, Betty Wood Denise Mills — Dwight Sparks — Gerry Schwartz In case you. . • missed it Claiming that J. Edgar Hoover's name "should not be allowed to defame a public building," Colorado representative Pat Schroeder introduced a bill proposing that the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building be renamed. Schroeder said that recent disclosures in the Senate have proved Hoover to be a "Sick individual, a bigot, who had no more respect for the law than the criminals he was supposed to be in charge of apprehending." The $120 million FBI building was just finished and occupied by the FBI in October. Schroeder introduced a second bill that would prohibij naming federal buildings after living persons. She said she uncovered several federal buildings named after living persons— usually the member of Congress from the district in which the building is built. Schroeder called it "a banana republic ^ ' " -Reprinted from The Tech nician (Jan. 4, 76:LVI, 43). SHORTS THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES* starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, will be shown Wednesday, Jan. 21, in Forsyth Aud. at 1 p.m. to members of the Eh. 3389 class who have paid their lab fee. Visitors are welcome; admission is $1.00 each. The Sociology — Anthropology Club will present a program on Graduate Schools on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. in McKee 9. Anyone interested, please attend. There will also be a party on Friday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. Please sign up in the Soc—Anth. Department office. GERMAN FLICK: A film of the classic German drama, Nathan der Weise, by Lessing will be shown Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 7:00 p.m. in McKee 101. There is no admission charge. The soundtrack is in German and there are no subtitles. » Students who have financial aid for winter quarter should pick up their checks in Bird Building, Room 118, and clear their accounts at the controller's office by January 23. All aid checks will be cancelled after that time.
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