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The Red and Black, Tuesday. January N. I9X<»
Perceptions
New offices
The Red and Black has moved
its offices downtown.
During Christmas break The
Red and Black’s editorial and
business offices moved into new
quarters at 123 N. Jackson St.,
which is just across the street
from campus.
The new offices provide us
with some much needed space,
since we were literally busting
out of the seams in our offices in
the journalism building and on
Milledge Avenue.
The move is a good one, one
that should eventually help The
Red and Black become a better
newspaper. The newspaper that
you pick up will not reflect any
dramatic changes because of the
move—it will still be the same
newspaper.
The Red and Black will
continue to be staffed pre
dominantly by students and
written for students. Our focus is
the University and the news that
affects it. That will not change
just because we do not work on
campus.
The changes which will be
brought on because of our move
will be minor. It will not be quite
as convenient to drop off letters
to the editor or meeting
announcements.
But our new office is within
easy walking distance of
campus, so we want to urge
people to bring such items by. If
you don’t want to bring it by
personally, mail it to: The Red
and Black, 123 N. Jackson St.,
Athens. Ga. 30601.
We will still have places on
campus where you can drop off
classified ads. We have locations
at the main library, Bolton Hall,
Snelling Hall, Graduate Studies
library and the bookstore.
To anyone who is interested in
working on The Red and Black,
we are still close enough for you
to walk over from campus. Don't
be too shy or too lazy to make
the trip to our offices if you want
to work for The Red and Black.
Letters
‘No business in the field of journalism’
TO THE EDITOR:
This afternoon tin the CBS radio network
I heard a report that upset me. The report
said that in the town of Litchfield. III. the
first baby of the new year had been born to
a l 7 -year-old unmarried woman.
The editor of the local paper, which
sponsored a first baby of the year contest,
refused to consider the child the winner
saving (according to the radio report) that
it would be inappropriate for the winner to
be illegitimate.
I got home, called, and asked for the
editor. They connected me with a man
named John Hanncfin (I'm not sure of the
spelling). I asked him if the report was
true. He said that the contest awarded
prizes to the first family announced by St.
Francis Hospital to have had a child in the
new year.
Because the hospital had a policy of not
announcing “illegitimate'' (Gee/..is that
word still in the lexicon. What a ridiculous
concept!) births, the woman and her child
could not be considered the winners.
He said to w in she would have to come in
with the father, the father must accept his
responsibility for the child (I’m not sure
what that entails) and she could receive the
prizes.
He said that a woman and her chldrcn do
not constitute a family. (Where does that
leave divorcees and widows? Without a
man around you aren't a family, in this
fellow's view.)
I asked him if the rules of the contest
were not discriminatory of single mothers.
I asked him if it was ethical to discriminate
against a newborn infant for circumstances
that were beyond her control.
I asked him if he did not consider it a
courageous choice of the mother to have
the child on her own rather than elect to
have an abortion or to coerce a man into
marriage.
To begin his answer to all these
questions he said "Listen, honey...'* in a
very hostile tone, and extolled the virtues
of the stereotypical nuclear family.
I asked him if that was the only family
that he considered legitimate. He said.
“No. but you obviously don't consider it at
all.” I answered that I saw it as one of the
options, not always the best one. but
certianly a viable option.
I was also curious as to what mode of
address he would use if 1 were a man
calling. His answer was “Listen. Fella...”
I observed that he had as little respect for
students as he did for women.
Last but not least, he said it didn't
matter what he told me about the situation,
and journalism students and their irres
ponsible reporting.
I had identified myself as a student here,
but I never said that I was in any way
associated with the paper. However. I
didn't get a chance to correct his false
assumption either.
This man is a great example of someone
who has no business in the field of
journalism for a variety of reasons.
1. He lacks social awareness. He has a
narrow 1950-ish view, and does not
acknowledge the existence of any set of
values besides his own.
2. He lets his opinions affect the way he
does his job. He does not even try to
maintain objectivity.
3. He not only has a lack of respect for
other people (and probably himself as well)
but he shows it blatantly.
4. He forms opinions based on unverified
rumors. (He quoted to me the town rumors
pertaining to the mother’s moral fiber,
saying he had heard that this was the
mother’s second child by the same man.
and they still were not married. (Oh dear. I
suppose I shall have to send him my copy
of Jude the Obscure now.)
5. He generalizes, thinks in stereotypes,
and makes statements without any infor
mation. rumor or otherw ise. ("I know w hat
you'll write; I know all about journalism
students") when in fact what he knows
about me couid be written on the head of a
pin and still have room to sit down.
6. He neglects the journalist’s role as the
defender of the innocent; the iiisiirutio®
which speaks for those who cannot speak
for themselves; if a 3-day-old baby girl
does not fall into that category. I don't
know who does.
7. He passed up the opportunity for
countless articles. He could have done a
human interest story on the mother; he
could have examined the legal status of the
child and examined ways that society could
relieve such children of social stigma; he
muld have examined what support groups
exist for the single parent, etc., etc.
I can only hope that those of us who are
training to be journalists can learn from his
mistakes, and from his lack of humanity.
SUSAN MILLIKEN-MINGI.EDORFF
Davison’s war games
Nelson d. Ross
They’re playing war games on north
campus these days as Fred Davison readies
his regiment of tin soldiers for a final
offensive against Hardy Edwards. Wed
nesday's Board of Regents hearing con
cerning Davison’s firing of former grad
uate Dean Edwards is a crucial test of
strength and Davison is putting his outfit
through the paces to make sure they’re
ready.
Nelson d. Ross is a staff writer for The Red
and Black.
In any other year, the Battle of
Washington Street—Edwards' hearing—
would be nothing more than an unlikely try
by one man to get his job back.
But this time with Davison's name so
prominent in the current chancellor sweep-
stakes. the statewide spotlight should be
on the proceedings. The Battle of
Washington Street has consequences for
the future of Davison, the University
system and Edwards.
By requesting a hearing. Edwards has
placed himself as perhaps the last man
between Davison and the chancellorship.
The better showing Edwards can make-
even short of convincing them to reinstate
him—the less of a chance Davison has of
being chosen chancellor.
By granting a hearing, the regents have
taken on a decision which is within their
purview and which must be decided on
merit rather than politics. If the president
of the University has made an arbitrary or
incorrect firing, it must be reversed.
Davison's tin soldiers will be rehearsed
and ready.
The long parade of deans and vice-presi
dents (Davison loyalists all) have been
reciting their lessons like dutiful school
children anxious to please their master and
be given extra dessert.
No doubt journalism Dean Scott Cutlip
will be at the head of the line pointing his
finger at Edwards saying. “He did it.” It
will be a new experience for Cutlip and
some of the others having to tell their tales
on Edwards to his face rather than talking
behind his back.
Apparently the head schoolmaster.
Davison himself, will also be asked for a
public explanation of Edwards’ sins. Thus
far there has been no public account of any
acts of incompetence or malfeasance by
Edwards as dean.
It could be a rare opportunity to hear
Davison speak some plain talk about a
human being rather than his usual
rambling about federal intervention and
tired litany of statistics.
What will Davison tell the regents to
convince them that Hardy was a bad boy?
Will he tell them how many Merit
Scholars we have at the University? Will he
tell them of our record number of freshman
applicants?
Edwards' chore is a hard one. He would
seemingly have to overwhelm the regents
with his credentials and thus toss the
Davison soidiers over the top ring rope like
so many hapless wrestlers in a Saturday
night battle royale. His achievements with
the Graduate School are many but there is
enormous pressure—the weight of the
status quo—on the regents to say. “Sorry
Hardy, but thanks for stopping by.*'
If the regents truly want to do the right
thing, then they have a golden opportunity
to bring a badly needed measure of
fairness and integrity to the system by
reinstating Edwards. Falling short of doing
that, they should treat the afternoon as an
accurate preview of what they can expect
if they elevate Davison to the chancellor’s
chair.
Davison's 12 year tenure as president
has been characterized by a cruel reward
and punishment system and closed door
policymaking. It would be fitting for
Davison to be finally stopped at the hour
when he thinks he has crushed all dissent
on campus.
If the regents deny Edwards and do
indeed in a few months promote Davison,
they will undo the good work they did when
they dumped George Simpson. Worse of
all the University would be left, in all
probability, to someone like law school
Dean Ralph Beaird whose presidency
would likely be more of the same
debilitating non-leadership that has
plagued us for years.
Hardy Edwards has gone out on a limb.
Without regent help, he is doomed to serve
the rest of his time at the University with
the absolute minimum salary increases
mandated by the legislature and even less
administrative cooperation.
It is time for the Board of Regents to do
what many at the University have been
trying to do for years: Stop Fred Davison.
Legend in his time passes on
Brian O'Shea
As technology and sophistication creep
into more phases of newspaper production,
the old-fashioned methods and old-
fashioned newsmen are fading. The news
rooms of old. with their noisy manual type
writers and the traditional copy boys who
ran stories from reporter to typesetter, are
yielding to quiet computer keyboards and
terminals. The old timers resist change and
the old institutions yield slowly.
Brian O'Shea Is campus editor for The Red
and Black.
The Atlanta Constitution last weekend
lost one of its beloved institutions. Leroy
(Rash) Noles died unexpectedly Saturday
night after a brief illness. He was 63.
Rash, as most people called him. was
something of a legend around the Atlanta
paper, having worked as a copy boy for
over 40 years. He was schooled in the
old-fashioned newspaper methods, but he
adapted well enough. In his tenure, he had
seen a lot of changes, and the number of
people who had more years at the
Constitution were few.
Rash was more than just a glorified
errand boy. Constitution managing editor
Eddie Sears called him “our secret
weapon." He was the guy who held it all
together."Sears said.
Hash began each work day about 6:30
a.m. although he didn't have to come in
until 8. He made the morning coffee
without fail, and made sure the editors and
reporters got their copies of the morning
paper.
When an editor or reporter needed a
back issue of the paper, he alw ays went to
Rash because he could find it.
As part of his job. Flash kept copies of
each day’s issues in a stockroom toward
the back of 'he newsroom. It was Flash's
stockroom and doubled as his “office."
And in case there was any doubt as to who
had authority over it. the managing editor
had Flash's name put on the door.
I was fortunate to work with Flash on and
off for the last two years, working summers
and breaks as a copy boy at the
Constitution. And I know the kind of job he
had firsthand because I was called on to fill
his spot while he was on vacation.
It took an awful lot of running around to
do all of his jobs, and even so. people could
see a difference. If something wasn’t just
exactly as they were used to it. their first
comment would invariably be. "I guess
Rash is on vacation.” And Flash always
made it look so easy.
Rash loved to reminisce about the old
days at the Constitution. After all he had
lived many of them. In writing of Flash’s
death. Reporter Sam Hopkins recounted
one of Flash’s favorite stories. “Many
years ago. the Constitution city editor, who
for some reason was greatly inebriated,
became incensed with a reporter and flung
a heavy telephone book at him.” Hopkins
said.
"The reporter ducked just as the
managing editor was walking out of his
office, and the telephone book caught him
full in the face, knocking him for a loop.
” ‘The next day.’ Flash recalled, ‘the city
editor, now cold sober, went up to the
managing editor, and said in all innocence.
'My goodness, what happened to your
lip':
A hip injury suffered in his youth left
Rash with a bad limp, and it was often
painful for him to walk. But that didn't stop
him from staying on his feet through each
busy day.
The long years of work, however, had
taken their toll. He would often admit to
being tired, and he was l<x>king forward to
retirement. “If I can just hold on two more
years, I have it made.” he told me over
Christmas break. But if someone would
suggest he slow down. Flash would just
shake his head and say. "I've got too much
to do. I cain't slow down.”
Flash was saddened recently by the
death of his 14-year-old dog. “Spooky.”
and just before Christmas, the lifelong
bachelor said. “It won’t be much of a
Christmas without my little buddy.”
On another day. he said. “You know,
since my little dog died. I don't really have
much to go home to anymore. I reckon he
had lived a long time. I knew he wasn't
gonna live much longer, but I sure do miss
him."
Rash Noles was no young man himself,
and he might have lost a little of his old
speed in recent years. But he lost nothing
in diligence and he took care of the
newsroom like few people could. Rash was
an unassuming fellow, and people appre
ciated him most when he went on vacation.
When things wouldn't go quite right, thev
would realize what a good job he reallly
did. Then they would hope for his return.
Unfortunately, Flash won't return this
time. The newspaper will go on. but it will
never be quite the same. Things will
continue to change and electronics may one
day eliminate the need for copy boys
altogether. As publisher Jack Tarver said.
"It’s the end of an era at the Constitu
tion.”
Especially after they take Flash's name
off the door.
Needed: Columns and
letters to the editor
The Red and Black welcomes
columns and letters to the editor
from students and faculty members.
Either mail them or drop them by
123 N. Jackson St., Athens, Ga.
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HI Red and ‘BlacK
Staff
Mlu. Bill Kraw»r ,
EmxMlv, **\U* Gkn Foutl
soo.r.l 0....... Sieve Crob.ll
Idieil.i.i m«i».«.r Unde Swkei
Can tenor. Tom Kellej Jodie Power.
Jon Kktimki
. rill. Brian O'Shea
Wmmm
t.Ntrrummmi editor Bobby Byrd
Photo editor C Talbot Nunnally III
Sports rdMor Norm Reilly
ImHIiiK editor* Chuck Row Catherine Rodrigue
v»*i»iai*( rM> rdKors Tim Bonner Salynn Boy In
Assistant feaiarr* editor Scott Jacob*
iHitUM photo editor Larry Cutchall
Ihmum sport* editor* Don White Ed Lef«e
wire editor l.rwia Pat terror
IGA Today coordinator Tammy Savage
Editorial mutant
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Production manager Julie Fletcher
\d\erii\ina rrprrseolaliie* John Baker Julie Fletcher Michelle \e»berr\ Doug Pradat l.il Wilwm
\g\reusing aHMaM: Sally Nalley
(Unified advrrmmg manager Chri* Will*
Production Ken York Susan Turner Tern Edgar Nila Birmingham Kathv Hughes
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