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PAGE TWO
Single Average
Grading System
Affirmative Argument
The West Georgia College Bulletin for 1960-61
marie a significant change in graduation require
ments for those students entering the college is
the fall of ’6O. The 'til Bulletin states on page forty
iix: “The grade point ratio is the grade aver
age made by a student on all work for which
he has enrolled. It is obtained by dividing the
total number of grade points earned by the
total number of quarter hours attempted.” Be
fore the fall of 1960 the graduation requirement
was a C average in 180 hours (excluding P.E.),
no matter how many hours were attempted. The
purpose of this editorial is to defend the pre
sent rule as one fairer to conscientious students
and more consistent with high academic stand
ards.
How does the present ruling effect West Geor
gia students? It has always been necessary to
maintain a two point average in order to grad
uate from West Georgia. The present rule states
that this must be a cumulative average of all
work attempted. Thus if a student fails a
course and repeats it to earn an A, both the
F and the A will lx; figured in his final aver
age.
Under the former rule a person might re
peat n course until he earned a C. the (
was then applied to his graduation average,
but his previous D’s or F’s in the course did
not count against him for graduating purposes.
However, although only the C. or the highest
grade earned, was counted for graduating pur
poses, the repeating of a course did not re
move the f or D from the transcript for trans
fer or reference purposes. Thus there were two
averages: the special graduating average based
upon 180 hours of C (no matter how many
hours taken) and the reference overall average
based upon total grades.
The cumulative average based upon work
attempted is certainly the best system to follow
if West Georgia is to have a reputation for
(Continued on Page Eight)
Negative Argument
The current grade point average system in
use at West Georgia coukt prove an injustice
to students. Umler the current system, the aver
age grade for the total hours attempted is con
sidered the graduation average. When a student
makes up a course the “F” and the makeup
grade are averaged together for a final grade.
This means that if a student take; Math 101
and makes a grade of “F”, then repeats the
course and makes a grade of “C", his total
average for that course would he a “D
Under this system, students who get a slow
start on the road to good grades would he
greatly penalized. For instance, a student who
makes a few failing grades but then repeats
these courses, passes them with "C’s", and makes
"C’s” on his other course, could owe the col
lege quality points at the end of four years,
though he had successfully completed his re
quired courses.
The single average system now in use is
not a policy set forth by the University Sys
tem. It is a policy that was adopted by West
Georgia in the hopes of raising academic stand
ards. It would appear that if academic stand
ards are to be raised, probation requirements
and admission regulations need to be tighter.
Even under a single average system, students
may linger on the borderline for years, in and
out of probation.
The argument that this single average sys
tem, which considers every grade earned, raises
the quality of the degree is dubious. Ten years
from now, who is going to look back and see
what the institution's academic level was the
year John Jones graduated?
The alternative would be to revert back to
the double average system, still widely in effect
throughout the nation. Under this system, there are
two averages kept: one, a graduating average,
which considers the last grade made in any given
subject: the second is an accumulating average
which includes grades for every hour attempted.
It is placed in the record for reference purposes
only.
A telephone call to an official of the Uni
versity of Georgia produced evidence that that
institution uses the double average system as
described above. A check of catalogs from oth
er colleges indicates that Georgia State, Geor
gia Southern. Women’s College of Georgia, South
Georgia and Columbus College use the double
average system.
THE WEST GEORGIAN
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A friend of mine, who visited our campus last week,
was astounded at how cluttered the grounds were with
campaign posters. He particularly noted how bad the
signs on the trees appeared.
When I explained to him that there was virtually
no other place on the campus to display such signs, he
was amazed. I told him that the administration had pro
hibited the hanging of signs on the building walls, but
that they had condoned the hanging of such material
on the trees.
He stated that signs placed within the buildings,
rather than on the trees, would not create a bad im
pression. Continuing, he said that if signs were out
lawed in the classroom buildings, they could at least be
permitted in the student lounge and possibly in the
cafeteria. Students would most likely observe the
signs in the places that they frequent most.
He brought out one other interesting point. Cam
paign posters, utilizing student talent, are relatively in
expensive. Since the administration has curtailed the
use of such posters, candidates will have to seek other
mass media in order to reach the students. Printing
costs are high. Even mimeographing costs are high and
trying to get items run off is extremely difficult.
I. for one, feel that the administration should con
sider this situation. When the general student body
elections take place in the spring, friction is bound to
result.
(Hlje tet (koroian
PUBLISHED 81-WEEKLY—SEPTEMBER-MAY
Editor A1 Cohen
Associate Editor _ Don Ruff
Editorial Editor Noel Brown
Feature Editor Beverly Owen
Sports Editor Ralph Parkman
Exchange Editor Jimmie Lee Ridley
Cartoonist Bob Refo
Business Manager Pam Norton
Reporters: Susan Watts, James Flowers. Kenneth
Lash. Barbara Ezell, Sally O. Washburn, Nancy Park
er, Herman Teel, Celeta Estes, Fran Jordon.
Advisors: W. B. Kennedy. E E. Edwards
PRESS
Publication of the Students of West Georgia College,
Carrollton, Georaia
,
Monday. October 15. 1962
Rev. Don Harrison
iM w
Religious? . \ I
1 have just read a review of Hollywood’s
: atf*st B hlical extravaganza, Carrabas. 11ms par
ticular film, like its predecessors, promises to
lie overflowing with a cast of thousands and
featuring the latest in low-cut togas. The sad
dest feature, however, is that Hollywood feels
'hat it is producing “religious movies.”
What are religious art, literature, anti films?
Are they, like the above rationed film, great
throngs of people set in the first century A.D.
and spouting religious verse? Is religious art
Confined to paintings of the Last Supper or
something similar? Does religious literature nec
sarily deal with Biblical personalities?
Ls it not possible that those novels, paint
rgs and movies which truly portray man’s na
ture are also religious? Is it not the purpose
of religion to reveal man’s nature his prob
lems, fears, and hopes, and seek to give him
an answer that is intellectually, emotionally, and
philosophically sound?
Tennessee Williams in his play, Streetcar
Named Desire, portrays man’s basic inability to
communicate with his fellowman and love the
unlovable. He shows in stark reality man’s
estrangement. Here then is the religious problem.
Mr. Williams doesn’t offer an answer to the
problem; Christianity does. However, insofar as
the playwright presents the problem, he is be
ing religious.
Is it not possible that Hollywood and the
viewing public need to re-evaluate their "re
ligious’’ thinking?
LETTER TO EDITOR
DEAR EDITOR:
Today there is a large number of day stu
dents enrolled at West Georgia College. These
students are people who live in Carrollton or in
tear-by towns. They furnish their own trans
portation to school and remain here only a por
tion of each day.
Upon inquiring among many of the day stu
dents, I have found that very few of them
have ever entered the college infirmary. Tet,
everv quarter each of these students pays a
fee of five dollars which is called a health
fee. Considering 300 or -500 students, this fee
would amount to $l5OO to $2OOO per quarter.
1 would like to know why we are charged
this fee when we never receive any benefit from
it. By living at home, it is more convenient
to visit the family doctor than it is to see the
school nurse.
Speaking for myself as well as for many
of the other day students, I feel that this fee
is unjust and should be eliminated.
Respectfully yours, Tony A. Thornton
Outlook
by
NOEL BROWN
The federal courts ordered the state of Mis
sissippi to allow Negro James Meredith to en
roll as a student in the all white University of
Mississippi. A long violent struggle followed. On
Monday, October 1, under guard or federal troops
Meredith registered at the university.
It is remembered that two years ago the
federal courts ordered two Negroes admitted to
the University of Georgia. Georgia law prevented
the Negroes’ entrance; but realizing that resis
tance would be futile, the Georgia legislature
voided the segregation laws and allowed the Ne
groes to enter the university.
Let us compare the two situations. In Mis
sissippi, there were riots filled with violence
and death; in Georgia, there were demonstra
tions with minor incidents. In Mississippi, fed
eral troops patrol the university campus; federal
troops did not set foot on Georgia soil. Mississippi
officials refused to accept the inevitable and
brought shame upon their state; Georgia lead
ers led us through the crisis in a manner that
brought honor to our state.
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