Page 42 - TheGoldBug1972-73

P_AGE 2 ....,.,:1 THE GOLD BUG DECEMBER 12,1972 Reflections iJetters to the Editor What a yearl Success measured by grades? Sure doesn't seem like a year since I started writing this column! But it's been an in- teresting year, a pivotal one. We witnessed the retirement of a president, Dear Editor: many 01 tne students by providing an education full As a recent graduate of this institution, I would and the installation of a new one. Soon, we will like to express some of my feelings about the of specific facts and nearly void of practical see a new dean of the faculty as well. A education I received here. Most of these feelings knowledge. For one semester, the cost of tuition is proposal for an all-college government lies are not new, but rather they grew while 1was here. $1000. A student taking 16 credit hours is provided ready for our debate. On the national scene we I started to write this letter last spring, but with about 240 hours of class time for his $1000. This saw the new eighteen year-old vote produce reconsidered and decided to wait until I had left the means that the cost for each hour of class is about $4.15. When a person pays such a high price for a nothing but a four-year-old political rerun. We "Ivory Tower" and could evaluate my education product, he should have some control over what he were denied our Constitutional right to from the outside. is going to consume. Each student enrolled in this register and vote, some of us not being able to Looking back, I find that most of the worthwhile institution needs to ask many questions of the vote at all because of it. We watched the things I learned were obtained on my own through educational program provided for him. Most im- work wasteful war that most of us grew up with independent reading, people. experience, and of portantly, does the education prepare him for relationships number The with slowly wind down to a wasteful, drawn-out professors who taught me useful knowledge can be today's and tomorrow's society, or is he learning conclusion. China and Russia became our pen counted on one hand. The number of professors who useless and outdated material? How much of this pals while we went back to fighting the In- insisted that I play their game of trivia can be knowledge has any practical application? Does the dians. counted on a statistical calculator. The educational grading system have any realistic purpose for him, It wasn't a particularly thrilling year; no program here seems to be based more on rote or is it just a means used by the college to buy his one got assasinated, although someone almost memory than thought. Success is too often interest and control his thoughts? Doesn't the grade did; no one really threatened us, unless maybe measured by grades; and grades merely measure a show the teacher's ability to teach just as much as it shows the student's ability to learn? Ralph Nader. In short, not a particularly student's ability to digest that which is stuffed down 1 hope the students can join together and en- significant year. his throat, and to regurgitate the specific trivia on a courage greater relevance within the academic Or was it? Maybe we caught our collective given exam date. When applying for a job, the in- program. If you have a professor who presents breath. The era of bloody revolution on college terviewer does not really worry about the "A" you worthwhile material, ask him to help you improve got in Trivia 101; he may very well give the job to campuses died with the four at Kent State; the person who got a "D" in Trivia 101, but can the total program. Maybe those professors who are maybe it took us two years to realize that. show clear thinking in an interview. Most hung up on trivia can be approached through Certainly those of us who thought the new vote professional jobs require someone who can think faculty or student groups. Those students who fail would replace activism were disappointed. for himself and face the unknown situations that to evaluate the education being provided for them, Maybe that disappointment was a beneficial will occur, not someone who can "throw up" past and refuse to attempt to change the useless aspects thing to our creativity. lectures on a moments notice. of the program are only wasting their own time and money, and gambling with their futures. These, of course, are only reflections. I thin~.~his .co~legeis doing a great disservice to Phil Black Whether or not they lead to a re-examination is a question for 197~.•• During the past year Ihave had the pleasure of working' with some of the most dedicated, fearless and resilient people I've ever met. To all of you; Francois, Nellie and the rest, thanks a million, and thanks also to the students who care. See you in February. c~ The following is a response to a letter sent by Dale Janeen Denny.! All actors of any degree of professionalism can expect to find, at one time or another, that something they have said in an interview has either been quoted incorrectly, or in a context not in keeping with the actor's original intent. Unfortunately, once the words leave the in- terviewee's mouth, there is little he or she can do short of writing the article themselves. In the case you mention, there was no intention of quoting anything out of context. There was a purpose to the interviews; to add more laurlls to an already distinguished production by demonstrating the deep feelings the actors had for their efforts. Your reaction, and the similar reaction of others, demonstrates the unfamiliarity of amateur actors with dealing with the press. Once can only hope that you " never run up against a situation where 1) you are quoted out of context or 2) quoted In- correctly. However this is too much to ask for, as is the hope that all your subsequent reviews are as favorable as this one. P.S. It might also be added here that an astounding lack of pr-ofeasional ism was demonstrated to other members of the Gold Bug staff when the reviews first came out. I know a situation can be upsetting, but I cer- tainly hope you don't go all to pieces when you're doing this for a living. You can't threaten a national daily like you can us. I might also add that personal insults and public embarrassments have just about reached their limit with me, and I believe I speak for the rest of the staff as well. Come on actors, N/ don't know, Fred. Who do we calf first ..the water company or the F.A.A.?" ~~t like the pros you purport to be!