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October 7, 1967 THE MERCER CLUSTER No Room For Pyros Freshmen men evacuated the odd floors of their dorm Monday night after a fire in the rubbish chute. Monday night a student or students unknown felt that it was necessary to release some of their adolescent inhibitions at the expense of endangering the lives of fellow Freshmen. Some one, obviously without regard to property, ignited a rubbish chute in the Freshmen Men’s Dormitory at an early morning hour when the majority of the students were asleep. Smoke filled the whole wing, causing much inconvenience, loss of sleep, and smoke damage to the personal belongings of a considerable number of students. What may have seemed as a practical joke to the guilty party, was nothing more than a pitiful display of immaturity, obviously committed by someone with a very warped sense of humor. This was clearly a criminal act and should he treated as such. Fortunately no one was injured due to the efficient manner in which the dormitory counselors evacuated the building. The dormitory counselors are to be commended for their efforts. The Cluster would like to point out to those inclined to commit such acts that this is not conduct becoming of a Mercer student. Those responsible have shown that they do not belong at Mercer. The guilty party of this act and similiar acts should be apprehended and expelled. Furthermore, it has been brought to the attention of the Cluster that the Freshman Men’s Dormitory’ does not have ade quate fire protection. The fire alarms did not work when the fire broke out. Three out of the five fire extinguishers were empty and could not be used, and the fire alarm on the corner was not in working order. This situation should be corrected immediately. Mercer was lucky this time — very lucky. Who Pays The Bill ? It now appears that after the concrete has set and the paint has dried on the new Science Building there will still be a hot rivet flying that seems des tined to scorch the palm of the Georgia Baptist Convention, the Mercer Administration, or the Mer cer student. This is the question of permanent fi nancing. The word has lieen passed that the administra tion will not again raise the issue of federal funds before the Georgia Baptist Convention. Assuming that the Convention is not likely to voluntarily approve the use of federal aid in financing approx imately one-third of the cost of the project, the question arises: Who is going to bc-ar the added cost of obtaining the funds from other sources? Very probably, some will expect the generous donors to our institution to reach u little deeper. Others will feel that the difference between federal and private interest rates can be paid from existing budgeted funds. Concern is growing within the stu dent body that a portion will have to be raised through a further increase in tuition. It may well be that the cost can lie absorbed somewhere along the line without recourse to this, but it is logical that money used for this pun>osp must necessarily be extracted either from the budget during the years of repayment or from some future program. At the heart of the issue lies the very simple fact: someone must pay the price—in dollars and cents—of barring the federal government from the Science Center, If the question were “who should pay,” there could be only one answer: the Georgia Baptist Convention, since the unrelenting position of the Convention brought the problem into exis tence. If the question of federal fund is dead, so be it It is not the end of time; but it is time to deter mine “How much?" and “Who pays?” What The Cluster Needs Now Is Love r- By Bobby Phillips Three week have swiftly passed on. Freshmen are getting into the groove of things, and sophomores are extremely well versed — or so they think. Formal rush is over, homework is piling ujh and romances are blooming. This is college; more specifical ly this is our college. I passed through the Co-op last Saturday and happened to see a stack of newspapers. It was, of course, a stack of Clusters. I re member very w'ell the burden and effort it took, and still takes, to get one four page edition out. And then when it does come out few people really take notice. I saw a plea for additional help — it will probably go un answered, because for some mysterious reason people do not seem to care to get involved. Well I did once and lost a number of “friends”, so I thought to myself “What the heck?” and here I am. A college newspaper can be a very powerful tool if used wisely. For instance the Cluster was instrumental in getting the food service in the cafeteria changed over the summer. Of course there was a great deal of co-opera tion with the SOA — but then SGA officers come and go, the Cluster merely staggers. The Sunday hours in the Library were the focus of another Cluster effort, and to a les ser degree so are the hours of the women’s dormitories. So you see even at our college, our paper can help solve our problems. But to do so, you must help it solve its problems. The greatest of which l>eing a lack of help. No experience is necessary, just a desire, a will ingness to work. As to the title of this article, I was just thinking of the song, “What the worlds needs is Love, sweet Love.” You know how it is when you get old, man its a hard life. As long as I am just shooting the bull. . . . Back to the subject at hand, for the Cluster to remain an effective and powerful tool of the students at Mercer, we must all give it our support, and some must give of them selves. It is not always as rewarding as one might expect but it is interesting, and most of all it is very, very important. If you are interested, contact Tom Cauthom, Box 29. Ciie Jfterrer vEluater October 7, 1967 Volume XL1X, No. 3 EDITOR IN-CHIEF Tom Cauthom ASSOCIATE EDITOR Wright Da via BUSINESS MANAGER MANAGING EDITOR Bob Lanier Steve Wright Contributing Editors Becky Sima, Ed Beckwith Business Specialist Christy Tyler Exchange Editor Russ Drummond Executive Editors BUI Dayton, Bobby Phillips Sports Editor Art Hapoer Feature Editor Dan Newell Feature Staff Karen Rivers, Milton Moore, Clyde Hoover, Judy White. Steve Darby, Roger Bell, Reid Banks Social Editors I/eonard Bone, Carol Bruce Cartoons Roger Poston Photographer Bob Johnson Staff Wardlyn Mills, Dori Ripley, Chris Greis, Susan Scott, Pam Warwick, Claudia Wheeler, Carolyn Hamil ton, Cathy Geren, Dianna Downer, Charles Goolsby, Sharon Young, Claudia Young, Cornelia Bennett, Ginny Scherr Special Correspondents Bill Wehunt, Ed Bacon Copy Editor Open For Application Faculty Advisors Prof. Anthony Stansfeld, J. O. Paine Student Government Association To Investigate Status Of Dulcimer By Ed Bacon The Student Government Asso ciation met Tuesday night. October 3 in the SGA room in the Student Center. The meeting was called to order at 9:30 by President, Dave Hudson A financial report as to how SGA funds had been appropriated in September and a brief outline of how SGA monies will be budgeted during October Student Govern ment Treasurer, Carol Anne Wright, gave the report, after which she reported On research she had conducted on the status of The Plucked Dulcimer. In the budget for the academic year, 1967-68, there are $1000 ap propriated for expenditures by The Plucked Dulcimer. Discussion was David Hudson held on the possibilities of appro pnating the money elsewhere, or keeping this amount and requestini one publication for this year After presenting many viewpoints, di»- cussions was tabled, pending a re l*irt from the Publications Com mittee, headed by Dean Glenn Robert Belloir, President of Sophomore Class, was comme ed on his performance in plann and executing the Freshman 1 ent Contest. President of the Senior Class Roddy Clark, assigned people to |»ll duty for the Freshmen Elec tions, Friday. Hours were nounced for voting to be from 10 to 2 p.m. The meeting was adjourned 10:16 p.m.