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THE RED AND BLACK
An independent student newspaper seivinq the University of Georgia community
Athens. Go. Vol. 91. No. 3 Tuesday. Sept. 27, 1983 News 543-1809 Advertising 543-1791
rile
James Dinnan
Dinnan gets October court date
By TOMMY SIMS
R«l and Black tuorialr New* Kditor
University education Professor James
Dinnan finally will have an opportunity to
tell his version of a "complicated incident"
that resulted in his arrest this summer.
Dinnan's lawyer. John Larkins, said Mon
day
Dinnan. who spent 90 days in federal
prison in 1980 for refusing to reveal his vote
in an academic matter, filed suit Thursday
against three Clarke County policemen who.
he claims, used "police brutality" against
him and his son during their July 8 arrests
on a variety of charges
A second son. Thomas, also was arrested
along with Dinnan's friend, Sam William
son
The lawsuit, filed in U S District Court,
requests $250,000 in general damages, plus
punitive and other damages The three
policemen have 15 days left to answer the
complaint, meaning a court date won’t be
set until Oct. 13.
County officers R Mark Wagner. R.M
Gibb and T O. Cochran, who arrested the
Dinnans. testified Aug 5 in Alhens-Clarke
County Magistrate's Court The Dinnans
and Williamson will appear in state court
Oct. 13.
In the complaint issued by Larkins.
Thomas Dinnan. 32. Jim Dinnan. 33, and
Sam Williamson, 31, reportedly were aiding
a woman who was attacked in the parking
lot of the Gaines School Shoppes, where the
elder Dinnan has partial ownership and the
other three are employed
Wagner testified in Magistrate's court
that when he arrived on the scene of the
disturbance in front of Capri Restaurant, a
crowd of "25 to 30 people" had gathered
Wagner said Williamson "took a swing"
at him as he attempted to break up a scuffle
between Williamson and Wendell Toney,
who the suit claims was attacking the
woman in the parking lot
Toney fled the scene and Wagner arrested
Williamson on charges of simple battery
and obstruction of an officer, the complaint
states.
The complaint adds that Wagner “without
provocation or warning struck Williamson
on the head with a nightstick" as he at
tempted to identify himself to Wagner.
However. Wagner testified that Thomas
Dinnan began shouting obscenities at him
for arresting Williamson, at which point
officers Gibb and Cochran arrived.
Wagner then arrested Thomas Dinnan
and charged him with using obscene and
abusive language, he said. However, the
complaint claims Dinnan only was con
tinuing "to explain to Gibb how Wagner had
arrested the wrong person.”
The elder Dinnan. 53, next arrived on the
scene after being telephoned, the complaint
states, and "observed Sam and Ton in
custody, observed that Sam was bleeding
from wounds inflicted by Wagner, and was
informed by Jimmy of what happened."
The elder Dinnan requested that Gibb and
Cochran arrest Wagner for "beating and
attacking" his two sons and Williamson, the
complaint continues.
Dinnan's version states that he placed his
hand on Wagner’s wrist to make a citizen’s
arrest, but Wagner testified the elder
Dinnan grabbed and ripped his shirt.
Jim Dinnan then stepped between Wagner
and his father to "shield his father from
Wagner’s attacks," the complaint states.
However, Wagner testified the younger
Dinnan jumped on Gibb's back as he at
tempted to arrest Dinnan.
Jim Dinnan then was arrested and
charged with obstruction of an officer,
Williamson and Jim Dinnan both were
taken to Athens General Hospital after the
incident and treated for minor injuries
“from being hit by the police,” Larkins said.
Educators told to teach the teachers better
Bell tells forum
‘ We need bright,
talented people ’
By SI SAN LACCETTI
H-,1,ml HUrk Mall Writer
Improving teacher-education programs at American
universities is the first step in improving public education
throughout the country, according to Southeastern
educators
From classrooms in rural Alabama to science laboratories
in metropolitan Atlanta, more than 800 Southeastern
educators and public officials assembled at the University on
Friday to find solutions to the problems in public education
today
And, as U S Education Secretary Terrel Bell led his
crusade to improve education into the Southeast participants
at the day-long forum concluded that the overall problem
may lie on college campuses
Teacher-education programs need to be strengthened so
that tomorrow a teachers can provide a better education for
students at the primary, secondary and high school levels.
Bell said
“We need to attract more bright and talented young people
into teaching." Bell told forum participants "Teaching isn't
competitive and students on this campus aren't choosing
teaching because the money is in engineering and accounting
and law "
Bell s department sponsored Friday's forum, the eighth in
a series of 12 thorughout the country, to hear recom
mendations on the National Commission On Excellence in
Education's report. "A Nation At Risk "
The report, released in April, made a profound statement
on the quality of public education and prompted Bell to
sponsor the forums to find solutions to the major flaws in
education
Among other things. "A National At Risk" concluded that
students had the poorest training in basic reading, writing
and arithmetic since those who attended public schools in the
1950s
”1 think it ‘training teachersi is the most serious problem
as far as higher education making a contribution toward
solving the public schools' problem. ” Bell said in a post-
forum interview "I think they iuniversities) ought to do a
better job ol educating tomorrow's teachers I think we ought
to work harder at recruiting because there are more able
students to go into teaching "
Participants in Friday's higher education panel agreed
that providing students with better teachers would improve a
student's education
Milly Cowles, dean of the University of Alabama's School
of Education, charged that education programs were slip
ping because of a lack of proper funding
"There is a lack of understanding in resources needed to
operate a high class, quality teacher-education program."
Cowles said Funding formats are based on a liberal arts
Terrel Bell, left, speaking to the conference anti talking with University President Fred Davison
funding format, and they must be carefully overhauled "
"We cannot live in a society where science and teaching is
determined at the voting booth," said University President
Fred pavison
Bell suggested that more money be poured not only into
teacher-education programs but also into state education
budgets as well in order to pay teachers higher salaries
If teachers were paid more, including university
professors, more and better students might pursue teacher-
education programs, he said
"There is a little difference in salary between a university
dean and a professor, but I don't see that in public and
elementary schools "
Davison told Bell he is committed to keeping the Univer
sity's education program "a high priority here” and will
continue to “expect it to perform at a level equivalent to its
peers ”
"We intend to beef up our operation, Mr Secretary, not
slack off." Davison said
But Bell warned Davison that "the education of
tomorrow's teachers has to be one of the most sobering
responsibilities you take on at this campus
“Upon that <teacher education! rests the future of the
country," Bell said
Bell will take suggestions made during the conference to a
national education conference to be held in November
Bell: ‘Campuses are in bad shape ’
Staff writer Sun an Laccettl spent .10
minutes Friday afternoon talhin/t with
U S Education Secretary Terrel Bell
about various education topics related
to the University. The following is an
excerpt from that conversation,
Cf. What do you see as the major pro
blems in higher education right now?
A. I think that they are suffering ter
ribly from financing I think the
ravages of inflation, pressures on
budget, scientific equipment and the
physical plants on college campuses
are in bad shape I also think that we
are having a problem because of the ag
ing of university faculty.
There isn’t enough job turnover.
There are too many PhDs at the same
time jobs aren't opening up At the
same time, there is an inclination of our
professional schools to move earlier
GM Russell leaves Red and Black;
three candidates hope for the job
•We've come a long way since then, and
1 feel The Red and Black has gotten to a
in its growth that it needs more
former Red and Blacker to run
point i
than a
the she
—Charles Russell
By SUSAN LACCETTI
HrS laU Rink SUff Writer
Saying he has reached the peak of his career at The Red
and Black. General Manager Charles Russell will resign
Dec 1 to take a position with The Atlanta Journal and The
Atlanta Constitution •
Russell, general manager of the University community's
independent student newspaper since November 1980. told
The Red and Black staff Sunday night he is resigning because
“I have attained all my goals for this newspaper "
The Red and Black's Board of Directors is interviewing
candidates for the position Three candidates have applied
and the board hopes to have a replacement selected by mid-
October so he may work with Russell during his last weeks as
general manager, said Ed Stamper, chairman of the board's
search committee.
Russell became general manager after the newspaper
went independent in September 1980 Russell said he took the
position with two goals in mind: to improve the production,
advertising and editorial departments and to put the
newspaper on solid financial ground
“I told the board when I took the job I would need three
years to make it sound." Russell said “I’ve never decided if
I could make The Red and Black a career for Charles
Russell
“We've come a long way since then, and I feel The Red and
Black has gotten to a point in its growth that it needs more
than a former Red and Blacker to run the show."
Said Stamper: “He feels like it is time to move on, and we
ithe board) agree he is at the top of the ladder as far as The
Red and Black It's hard for him to top what he has done in
the past two to three years "
Russell. 28, graduated from the University with a jour
nalism degree in publication management in 1979 After
spending his last two collegiate years as an advertising
representative for the newspaper, he took a job with The
Orlando Sentinel-Star for a year
Russell then accepted the position of general manager at
The Red and Black in November 1980 after general manager
Steve Crablll resigned
“I was snake bit." Russell said recalling the job offer "I
really couldn't turn down the challenge of proving this (in
dependence ) could work.' ’
But his collegiate and professional ties with the newspaper
have led to an emotional administration of the newspaper, he
said.
"The big factor is you work with a student staff, then you
get real close to them," Stamper said "The students get to
leave after they expend their energy, but Charles has to
stay.”
So the board is looking for a replacement who not only
makes good business decisions for the newspaper, but who
has no previous ties to the newspaper or its staff, said board
member Bill Fields
"We want to have a person that is from different origins
than The Red and Black,” Stamper said.
Russell will return to advertising as an accountant
executive for The Journal and The Constitution.
and earlier into specialization. I think
it's crowding out the liberal arts. It's
important for the studenLs to get a real
good liberal education before they
specialize.
Q. Traditionally, It’s been the first
two years where you have your basic
academics and the second two years,
the specialized courses. Do you think
there should he more than two years of
liberal arts courses?
A. I think so. I think some element of
liberal ed should be carried on into
graduate school I'm sure masters’ can
didates in engineering should have a lit
tle dose of liberal education along with
it. I am really concerned with the
pressure coming on with the time
available for students to study in the
liberal ed area versus the increasing
pressure of the fine professional schools
to move us in that direction. We need to
be careful our professional schools
don't become glorified vo-tech
tf. There has been an increased
awareness of high tech. Is that also go
ing to delete from the basics we learn In
the first few years of college?
A. That depends on what we do with
It. As you heard President Davison say,
I think the computer has enormous
potential to help us in teaching That
the computer can be a slave
mechanism to do all this paperwork
and record keeping that needs to be
done
In addition, there is artificial in
telligence that can interact with the
learner Now, there is a limitation to
that, and we need to explore the poten
tial within the confines of the limitation
we have So I'd like to push in that
direction.
If. Should the SAT or the ACT con
tinue to be used as a measure of
achievement and entrance requirement
at universities?
A. Oh, I think so. I'm not one of them
that's attacking it. There are others
that are It’s the best measure we have.
We need to be careful we don’t turn
upon the measure and say the yardstick
is wrong by saying, ‘I'm only 5 feet. S in
ches There is something wrong with
that tape I'm teally much higher ’
Q In Georgia, it has been said the
SAT is racially discriminatory.
A. Well, I think it discriminates
against the poor And most of the poor
are black. That's where it comes in. In
fact, the same percentage of blacks in
ratio to population don’t score the ac
ceptable threshold level to the SAT in
comparison to whites because they liv
ed in poverty all these years. If you
separate out the low income whites
from the low income blacks you find
there is no racial discrimination
I believe black students arc just as in
telligent as Caucasians, given the am
ple opportunity and the kind of motiva
tion and setting If you live in poverty
and are discouraged and depressed and
downtrodden, then you are not going to
be motivated.
If. Why are we having all these
desegregation problems at universities,
particularly in the Southeast?
A. I think they arc a natural result of
our drive to provide opportunities for
minorities to reach the good life and
they are not doing it and it's going to
take a long time to reach that If we
start becoming conscious of these
numbers, on how they do based on the
racial composition of certain groups,
we become disappointed because all of
these aspirations we have are not
becoming realized
I think all we can do is hang in and
work hard at it. We are not there yet.
But the South, the South is better than
some of these big Northeastern,
Midwestern cities. Just have a look
There is real segregation there
Anyway, how do you desegregate a
university? Now, if it is a school district
- you live in this area you attend this
school or they load you up on buses and
send them over there We don’t do that
in higher education. But if it is a univer
sity, how do you do it? How do you do it?
Some of them say you assign an ex
clusive role to an institution. Like
Georgia Tech. Take certain engineer
ing programs and put them at one of
your historically black colleges Say,
OK, if you want to study electrical
engineering, you can't do it, you Cauca
sians, because we are no longer doing it
at Georgia Tech. You've got to go over
there That will draw a bunch of white*
over to that institution.
That’s the theory some of them have
as to how we are going to desegregate
higher education Rather than that, I
think, they ought to identify areas
where there is a big job market
available and we are turning students
away at some of these campuses and of
fer a very strong, fine program at some
of the black colleges That will draw
more students over to them That’s the
plan they are using in North Carolina
and we are encouraged by what we are
seeing