Page 56 - ThePhoenix1983-84

Page 2IWestem Maryland Co!legeIMarcb 15, 1984 Opinion Letters to the Editor Murder no joke I d d V· H . 0·· by William li8iiii "-- n epen ents orce ousmg pmron It would appear that some news. Now an acquaintance Western Maryland College of mine has his life threat- Dear Dr John and Members a m or vandalize their sec- non of equity We agree that students do not work and ened. Fear is danger close. of the Administrative Council, tions with the well-reasoned the fraternities may be attrac- play well with others. Campus That Saturday seemed to be Perhaps the fraternity voices retort, "I haven't heard any- tive for recruiting new stu- life was model from the be- a vandal's rompinq ground are the loudest in the current body complain about the dents (although definitely not ginning of February until the The mirror in the bathroom quad debate - but then noise." When informed other- for retaining them). But they start of March. One whole opposite of the dining hall again aren't they always, and wise they demand to know are not more attractive to month without fireless fire was smashed. Graffiti was isn't this part of the problem? who had the nerve to com- WMC than the athletic teams, alarms and trashed toilets. scrawled across the bank Whenever a fraternity has plain. Well, members of the the honor societies, the pep We thought it was a sign, door and a toilet paper rack been in jeopardy of losing quad, we are complaining. band, the campus ministry, l perhaps sanity and normalcy was ripped from the wall in a some of its "rights," the For four and five years, we etc. If each of these groups had returned to this campus. bathroom in Rouzer base- group, as if energized by have lived with the destruc- requested special housing, Unfortunately someone was ment. These instances may gamma rays, (and believe us, tion of ANW and Daniel Mac- we could not accomodate thinking evil thoughts. seem trivial but the fact that I the Incredible Hulk metaphor Lea, the stench of urine- them. It is not fair then, At approximately 3:00 a.m. discovered each one in a isn't far off base) storms into soaked walls, the noise, the regardless of tradition, to on Saturday, March 3rd, a span of three minutes, one the Student Affairs Office to fighting, the disrespect. In the place the wishes of the fra- student in Rouzer awoke to after the other must be con- protest the restraint. As staff middle of all this, they have ternities over everyone else. flames lashing at the ceiling sidered. members, we have heard all the gall to complain about We recognize that any deci- of his room as a result of Because of problems such of the complaints: "We're tired their violated rights - what sion you make will meet with grain punch having been as these, light fixtures have of being treated like children, about ours? When will the disapproval - what we ask is poured under his door. The been placed out of arms maybe jf you treated us like rights of the other 80% of this that you carefully weigh your punch was subsequently reach. Toilet partitians have adults, we would act liKe campus count? options and base your touched off with a match. been replaced with cinder- them," or "We drink and have Dr. John, we ask that the choice, not on which group is Extremely nasty. The student block walls and some bath- keg parties, because there is fraternities lose their special the loudest. but on which was actually trapped in the room doors are kept locked at nothing else to do on this housing privileges. We base action would be the fairest to room until a passerby certain times of the day. lousy hili." Of course, they the request not only on the the most people. grabbed a charged fire axtin- These acts have angered greet any attempt to explain problems particular to the Sincerely, guisher and most likely pre- me greatly. What angers me why they can't party until 4 quad, but on the larger ques- vented a serious injury. The more is that the college com- Fire Martial inspecting the munity being affected by ~ ~ '-1,t? J ...., U_ . I. / -(qtt'I{"'...i.2rrt scorch marks left on the door these acts chooses to look ~ / /- ~ and the floor commented !bat the other way. We have come ~ '.elt::uvJ..../ ('_.:....." ":::.lJ,,,, ~S)Q..s.:.~ if caught, the perpetratorwill a long distance, • is 00 ~ #'=~e£ jJ.'L. \ ../ 2:L. ,Y~. ~.G;X'::'~ /L~'_""__(/' "--'0' '/~CX vandalism, longer material ~~~~~~iSLi~d: jO~~dgenlle- ~~ 7t ~~~~:e:~~~rs;::; ""iP~r--e-a--c---;h·-e-r-.-S-·I.;-S-S--u--e-_:_m::C__J.oL-u_J~r:_n--e-d-J be charged with attempted /...>1_,_.....,______.._ e Before I came to this cam- that there are no more direc- . pus, murder was something I tions to face. It is your deci- knew about only by watching sian, kill -the cancer or live To the Editor of the Phoenix: apart was thought, by most, viduals were a threat to them- cop shows and eyewitness with its pain "Bye-Bye Delta Pi, Preach- to be the nicest clubroom on selves and the campus; ers lost their charter and that campus. The lay-out and however, I feel the final deci- ain't no fle.," we sang on the others. The Preachers had sion was too harsh. The ad- decor made it stand out from Friday, February 17, 1984; as Phoenix Staff Meeting we witnessed the total de- such a tremendous amount of ministration left no future alternatives allowing the fra- struction of the Delta Pi Alpha pride for their clubroom that ternity to prove themselves Monday, 4 p.m. Clubroom. It was definitely a the destruction that took worthy of existence. big tuming point on this cam- place that Friday was only to The guys that call them- pus. The members of Delta Pi selves Preachers now are suf- protect the memories it held in the Pub fraternity at Westem Maryland of the past. It was a very fering from things which have Alpha, the oldest established poignant ceremony because happened in the past; half of Everyone please attend College, were denied the rein- they had to destroy some- them were still in high school statement of their charter and thing that held their roots. The at the time. Alumni I spoke now cease to exist as an bar that was destroyed had with said that the administra- - ganization and have no been constructed in 1975; it tion has been trying to do ....uance of being recognized was built of brick, with a away with the fraternity for a until 1990. I watched some- formica top, and was the long time; it seems to me that thing die that aftemoon; I saw major focal point of the club- the administration should The a group of males, who had aUthe hard work that was put disciplined past conduct. The room. What a shame to see have acted before this and struggled to preserve a frater- Phoenix nal spirit, suffering through into it go to waste. Why not give these guys a people who did the damage their humiliation. They had I felt that this school lost are not even around anymore. something very vital that after- lost the battle. In the eyes of Editor Gregory Elba the administration and the noon. It literally smothered the chance to start over? They are paying for all the previous rights of a substantial group student population, it looked Associate Editor..( .william Mann like the "rebels" of this cam- of students to exist as an activities the Preachers have Managing Editor Philip Block pus were finally broken. The organization by totally reject- been involved with during the News Editor Eric Greenberg existence of Delta Pi Alpha as ing them; rejection of this sort past decade. Sports Editor Greg Merrill a recognized fraternity at only hardens people more By 1990, students will re- Copy Editor Laura Kleber Western Maryland was extin- and usually leaves behind member Delta Pi Alpha as a Layout Editor Paige Buchter quished; however, I do not something very bitter. liquidated fratemity. I won- Headline Editor Michael B. Kraig think this event will interfere The Preachers have had a der...Are they truly deserving Photo Editor Dave Dante with the brotherhood that still very questionable reputation of total extinction? Photography Beth Austin, Steve Baily, Todd Nicusanti remains among the members for the past eight to ten years. Lisa Grason Business Manager Peter W. Spartin and affiliates. Recently, the administration The clubroom that was torn Advertising Manager Kathy Marvel finailv decided that these indi- Cole, Jim Chung, Fidy Kuo, Rosie Andrews, Bill Jeanne, New gym to house graduation WritersJoe Olcott. Stacey Pucci, Liz Siegenthaler, Laura Thomas Garland, Margaret Miller, Chris Ginther. been greeted by inclement Dear Editor: weather. The new gym will Published by and for the students of Western Maryland College Officers of the Student Life gym would be dedicated dur- The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily Council recently met with Dr. ing commencement. indeed be large enough to reflect those of the staff or administration. John to discuss the following Commencement will be held house the expected attend- We welcome comments and/or suggestions. Please address all graduation issues: where in the new gym. According to ance of over 4,000 while alle- viating weather hassles. Chris mail to The Phoenix, Western Maryland College, Westminster, Md commencement would be Dr. John, seven out of the last 21157. held, if cap and gown would eleven graduations held Beyers did suggest having be required, and if the new under the leaky tent have Coni. on 3