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Volume L Number 13 * fflertn Cluster MERCER UNIVERSITY. MACON. GEORGIA. MARCH T. 1HI The Mercer debeie teem wine trophiee el the Florida Stale Invita tional Tournament. Debateri are Hugh Duke*; middle left William Cragge. Larry Finkelstein; back row, John Winkle and Mike Bliuard. Debate Team Places 2nd in FSU Tournament Mercer University's debate team finished second in total points among 31 colleges competing in the Florida State University Invita tional Debate Tournament in Tal lahassee. Members of the Mercer team, eoaihed by Mrs. Gere Price, won four of the five top speaking awards for individual debaters. The Mercer team was Judged the No. 3 negative team and the third best team nebating. Individual members of the team earned six extra events awards. John Winkle of Rome and Mike Blizzard of Macon won five of the six debates in which they com peted. Larry Finkelstein of Holly wood, Fla. and William Cragge of Wiley, Georgia, won four of six awards given the best affirmative debaters. The Debate Speaking Award, 4ven the student judged to be the lest debater, went to Cragge. Winkle was Judged No. 2, Finkel stein No. 3 and Blizzard No. 5. In extra events Hugh Dukea of Debate Club Sponsors The Mercer Debate Club U sponsoring an Intramural Debate Tournament Spring Quarter in an effort to promote academic com petition oh the Mercer Campus. They entertain hopes that this will be the banning of many more such activities at Mercer In which the students can discuss and debate timely topics Lt is their thinking that such debate will be acadwni- caUy stimulating and very bene ficial to education. They hope everyone will agree with than and will support their effort In every way. Please eh- thnea organizations with whom you have contact to part icipate. Faal free to come and ob serve during the actual Touma- mant They welcome your critic ism and new Ideas. Whitesburg, Ga., was judged first place winner and Blizzard third. For persuasiveness Dukes was judged third Winkle and Blizzard were finalists. Winkle finished se cond in impromptu speaking. SGA President Endorses Trustees MACON, Ga.—The president of the Student Government Associa tion at Meroer University said to day that the students are over whelmingly in favor of the recent action of the Mercer Trustees who voTPd to apply for federal grants to assist in the construction Of three buildings. ^ Edwin Bacon of Jesup said that the response from a petition circulated among the students was “overwhelming”. Slightly more than half of the student body was con tacted to sign a petition backing the trustees action. “We secured 750 signatures and I was not refused by a single stu- dtnt", Bacon a senior majoring In English, said. The petition "affirmed the final authority of the Meroer trustees" and expressed "the belief that Mer cer must secure federal financial support in order to continue her academic progress and that the securing of these monies would not violate the principle of the separa tion of church and state.” The board voted unanimously February 7 to apply for federal grants totaling $580,000 to assist in constructing a performing arts auditorium, infirmary and a physi cal education facility. Bacon said today, “We view the action of the board as nothing zhort of life-saving. We am great ful to the trustees for making possible tite continuating of tbs qualities of Christian education that Mercer has been noted for fat the past" SGA Reconsiders Proposed Constitution Two weeks prior to the February 7 trustee meeting the Student Government Association of the College of Liberal Arts voted un animously to circulate a petition among the student body which affirmed the final authority of the Mercer Trustees’ expressed the be lief that Mercer must secure federal financial support in order to con tinue her academic progress, and that the securing of these monies would not violate the principle of the separation of church and state. In the few days of circulating the petition, the response was over whelming. We secured 750 signa tures. In my efforts to acquire signatures, I was not refused by a single student. In fact, since the meeting, several students have ex pressed their regrets that they were unable to sign the petition before the trustee meeting. I was present at the meeting on February 7 and presented the signatures to the Board of Trustees. I also spoke briefly explaining the feeling of the Student Government Association that if funds were not secured soon, any hope for Mercer’s keeping abreast with other institu tions of higher learning in the ’70 s would be almost nil. Therefore we view the recent act on of the Board as nothing short of life-saving. We are very grateful to the Trustees of Mercer University for making possible the continuation of the quality of Christian education that Mercer has been noted for in the past. Sincerely, J. Edwin Bacon, Jr., President Student Government Asso. The College of Liberal Arts Mercer University President Bacon reported on the Student-President Advisory Coun cil which met February 20. Dis cussions centered around chapel and office space for SGA. On Friday, February 21, Ed at tended the administrative council and report discussions about con fidential Status of Student Records. A study is underway by members of the council and action will follow. Dui Thigpen reported that the appropriations Committee is setting up next years Fine Arts Series and students are asked to give sugges tions concerning interesting groups, etc. The final order of business was presented by John Winkle and the Constitution Revision Committee. After much discussion and debate the Revised document was ac cepted. Absent: Sandra Rich Curtis Echols Susan Wiseman Rick Davidson Mary Jo Allen Linda Rogers Bob Collins Bruce Gordy The longest meeting of the SGA this year met Monday night, February 24, with President Ed Bacon presiding. The Freshman Advisor, Steve Richey, announced a meeting of the orientation evaluation committee for Thursday afternoon to study the quest! onare filled out last week. Steve also reported that a Special Edition of the Cluster will be mailed to the class of “73 showing highlights of this year. Vice President, Hugh Dukes, dis cussed the Insight Series and dates and names will be published at a later date. President Ed Bacon read a letter from Miss Lois McKuthan asking for student help in contributing to the alumni magazine the Msrcarian. Ed also read the following letter: February 21, 1969 The Editor The Atlanta Constitution P.O. Box 4686 Atlanta, Georgia 30302 Dear Sir: With this letter I wish to make public the feelings of the student body of the College of Liberal Arts of Mercer University concerning the recent action of the Mercer Trustees in voting to apply for financial assistance from federal funds. Miss Dori RipUy. Lynns Kicklighter. Karan RWars. Joan Kyllonan. Julia Hulsay, Carol Slranga. Mary Me- Gaughsy. and Chris Nordal prapara to troop tha lina at ROTC Sponsor's Day Par ad*. ROTC Sponsor’s Day Parade Held The ROTC Cadet Battalion part icipated in Sponsor’s Day Parade Monday, February 24, 1969 at Mer oer University. The purpose of the parade was to honor the recently named battalion sponsor and her staff. Lt Col. Robert M. BrambUa, Jr. presented Min Dori Ripley with orders naming her to the position of battalion sponsor tor 1969. Min Ripley also assumes the rank of Honorary Cadet LI Col. with the position. Her staff consists at Mias Joan KyUonen a Junior from Ft Lauderdale, Fla. and Miss Karen Rivers a junior from Jacksonville. Both staff sponsors assume the rank of Honorary Cadet Major. Miss Ripley a junior from Ft Pierce, Fla. will be In command of the corps of sponsors which is composed of the two staff spon sors and 1 sponsor from each of the cadet companies. Those spon sors are Miss Lynn Kicklighter, Hdqtrs. Company; Miss Julie Hul sey, A Company; Miss Chirs Nor- dell, B Company; Miss Mary Mc- Gaughey, C Company; and Miss Carol Strange, D Company All of the sponsors were elected by the cadets in the Cadet Battalion. After receiving their orders, the sponsors trooped the lines in con vertible vehicles, and then stood at the receiving stand with Lt CoL BrambUa, who is professor of Military Science of the Mercer ROTC program, while the battalion passed in review. Throughout the year, the spon sors will perform service projects for the Cadet Battalion and the University.