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MEMBER The Pecesetter of the Seven tiet GARY JOHNSON JOHNNY TURNER Editor Associate Editor CARL BROWN. Business Manager LYNOON MAYES. Managing Editor Asst. Editors: John Tylar Hammett, Ron Childs Executive Editors: Tom Cauthorn, Bobby Phillips (Unsigned eduonels the opinion ol the Clutter and should not ba contuaad with nevvs stpnes Si|jned columns and cartoons ara tha opinions of tha authors and not the Cluster ) Plans Presented For Campus Recreation Ke> officers in the Administration have continued a course of evasion and procrastina tion . From certain offices within the Student Center, comes word that practical solutions to the problems of recreation may be in the offing . . . included in one proposal is the idea of pool tables where students would pay a nominal sum to come and play pool with their friends . . . Another idea being dis cussed by responsible indivi duals in a sensible fashion is the suggestion that ping pong tables FinkeGtein ^ p| ace< j w ithin the Girls’ Gym for campus use. The SGA has appointed another committee — this one is charged with the responsibility of investigating the lack of recreational facili ties at Mercer ... I hope they decide to hold open hearings and invite all students to testify . . . Tell it like it is, brothers. SEX AND SEGREGATION The University knows that it stands in need of further recreational facilities. The Uni versity claims that it can’t afford to buy any new facilities as of the moment. The Univer sity, then, should be in serious pursuit of ideas for better utilizing existing facilities. The plan I propose here is specifically designed to .ccomplish that task. Several years ago, the University went to the great expense of having two freshman Dormitories constructed. On the ground floor of each structure, a TV and recreation room was provided. Both rooms were then segrega ted by sex. I now propose that one or both of these facilities be fully integrated on an ex perimental basis. (It should be clearly under stood that I am advocating the integration of the recreation rooms alone, and not the full dormitory facilities.) The arguments supporting such a simple plan are clear and abundant. Here I shall deal with just a few of them. (1) NO COM PARABLE FACILITIES OPEN TO ALL STU DENTS EXIST ON THE MERCER CAMPUS. I think it plain to students and Administration alike, that the school Is hardpressed for recrea tion facilities. Color televisions are available to the student body in certain dormitories, and an old black and white television that some times works and sometimes doesn’t, sits in the lobby of the Student Center. In no instance, however, does the University supply facilities such as those of Freshmen Dormitory’s com fortable seats and ample couches set around a beautiful color television set, where men and women may sit together to indulge comfor tably, and quietly in an all American past time for recreation and relaxation. No com parable facilities, then, exist on the Mercer campus. (2) NO ADDITIONAL EXPENSES ARE INCURRED BY THE UNIVERSITY. Since we are dealing with the utilization of existing facilities, no further expenditures would have to be made before the program could be Im plemented. In effect, we would be broadening the recreational base of the campus without spending a dime. No additional expenses, then, would be incurred by the University. (3) THIS PLAN DOESN’T INTERFERE WITH ANY OF THE UNIVERSITY’S PLANS FOR THE PRESENT OR FUTURE. Since this plan doesn’t involve the re-appropriation of any of the University’s funds, space, or equip ment, it cannot be said to interfere with either the short term or long range planning of any University official. In order to move for the plan’s adoption, I urge that every student who reads this column take the time to write a letter to the editor of the Cluster supporting this proposal. In the course of the next several weeks, I intend to meet with Administration officials as well as student leaders to urge that steps be taken im mediately to implement my plan for the in tegration of dormitory recreation facilities. I shall continue doing everything that is within my power to bring about constructive change to the benefit of students and to Mercer Uni versity. To this end I enlist your support. Black Studies Can Only Perpetuate Segregation With anticipatory interest, I for one waited for the decision our school would ultimately make as to a Black Studies program. With the announcement of an interdisciplinary major m this field, 1 grew perturbed with the apparent hindsight and ignorance that the sponsoring committees had used. The> have defeated the actual purpose of a Black Studies program One of the tenets of the program was to subtly force black interest upon ignorant whites through education to the benefits blacks have contri buted to our culture. Hut by Wade making it a separate set of courses, those in volved with the courses will be the same black-conscious clique and no one is gained to the movement for black awareness. How can one know that Crispus Attucks, a black, was the first man killed In the American Revolu tion if one is not in a course to hear such? As I proposed last fall in a Black America panel. Black Studies will have no effect until it is integrated into our present standing curri culum. Our lower division courses in history, art, and music should acknowledge and render credit where credit is due in such areas of their respective discipline. It seems to me that Black Studies as it is now proposed on this campus will serve to cause more deterrence than benefit. I hope that students who hold objections to the pro posed program will strive for preventive cure before this cancerous area begins to alienate rather than cement the Mercer community. Black Studies should sow benefits, which I feel that it can do if handled properly. MERCER CLUSTER STAFF 1969-70 Manafini Editor Lyndon Mayea Nrwi Editor Elijah Lishtfoot Nrwt Staff K. Shaw, K. Bryant, M. Weinstein, G. Copeland, J. Parker, M. Swent, D Wood, E. Vance. L Highnote Feature Editor Chuck Jackson Feature Staff . . . E. RoMnaon, B. Davies, D. Brown. T Handler, Alice BoMM, lady Wright. Vivian Southwell. Martha Matthews. Gene WUllanu Columnists Ron Childs, Joa Hobbs, Larry Finklesteln. Allen Wallace, Rocky Wade Sports Editor Lou Johnson Sports Staff B. Owens. B. Nottingham Artists . . .G. Middleton. B Stanley, E. Hammonds, P. Campbell Ad vert lain | Mgr . v Jamas Boy kina Advertising Staff . . Marion Murray. Dianne Camp Ant Business Mgr Mary A. Buckner Typists L. Pleas, Y. St Denis. E. Poole, B J. Bandiow. T. Ursery Copy Editors Tyler Hammett, Glenda Tully Photography Bob Johnson Public Relations Mgr Renata Williams Jamie Dawson, Nadine Sherman Layout .A. Cooper, J. Hatten, B. Stanton. Ed Fisher, Andrea Frost, Joe Seguln Political Editor Lwry Finklesteln Advisors J. Pains, A. Staasfleld The Mercer Cluster la a weekly student publication published by the students of Mercer University. The phone number Is 743-1511. extension 221. The address is Box 29, Mercer University, Office room 32* and 321 CSC. Office hours we 9:09-5:00. Mow day through Friday. Subscriptions are S5.00. THE MERCER CLUSTER • February 3, 1970 • 2 | Letters To The Editor | Door Editor: In g past issue of this paper, students were asked how they liked Macon. They replied with such answers as: Macon has nothing to offer me. Macon has no interest in Mercer students. There is no thing to do in Macon. Macon has several organiza tions whose purposes are to relate the ideas of those who would improve our com munity to those who can Im prove the community. The Greater Macon Area Youth Council, Inc. is one such or ganization. It has representa tives from the entire Bibb County area, Mercer Included. Its purposes are to give the youth of Macon a voice on whatever concerns them; to interest the community in its young people; and to Interest the youth in all community activities. By youth, we mean Mercer, too. Although announcements of the council’s purpose have been made through the news media and have been available to anyone in the Bibb County area, not one of those stu dents who claimed that Macon had nothing to offer them has registered a complaint with the council. There is much room for improvement of Macon’s atti tude toward young people and Mercer. However, change will require effort from Macon and Mercer. Any ideas you have should be sent to Miss Man son Mar shall, Box 822. Sincerely, Miss Lou Burkhalter President, G.M.A.Y.C., Inc. Dear Editor: I am writing in response to the Jan. 20 article, “Blacks After Vietnam — What?” Frankly, when I read this I was completely disappointed. The article had to be the pro duct of socially ill minds. And my overall reaction to the article is simple — HOG- WASH! The article was definitely aimed to protest “whites’ pre judice,” particularly in the Deep South. It seems that the Blacks recognize this as a deadly evil, one which they must work as a group to over come. If this be the case, doesn’t it seem odd that the writers of the article them selves advocate this same deadly evil? I have no all-decisive an swers to the harassing pro blems of society. But I do know that racism is not an answer. It is only by working together that Black and Whits can really Isarn to live with each other, to begin to under stand each other as fellow human beings. Then, and only then, can we come a step clos er to social harmony. Why then, do the writers of the article advocate such unrealis tic ideas? This merely shifts the pendulum to their ride - Black Racism. And racism, from either ride, only worsens the problem, a, Tim Spencer Deer Editor: I read your editorial in the last issue of the Mercer Clus ter with late rest. I so agree with you on your points. I am concerned that in moat of the writings and oral conversations on the campus the Speech Department has been overlooked for the work they have done in the com munity. As you may or may not know, my deep concern and interest are with persons who have a speech and/or hearing problem. The Speech Department has, for the past four years had students involved in many agencies in our community — Timmy Turtle, School of Special Education at Central State Hospital, Lucky Duck, Tinsley School of Special Edu cation and the Cerebral Palsy Centar. Granted there is not a student there each quarter, but when there are enough students in SDA 111-211 they can choose to go. - I do feel that all depart ments who are involved in the community should be recog nized. This brings up a question in my mind. Why not have a coordinator of services of Mer cer students who work with theae agencies? Our feedback as to needs, and future plan ning could be better organized and implemented. Sincerely, R. Lanhara Logan, Chairman Department of Speech Dear Editor: This is not a rebuttal to the feedback section in last week’s Cluster, but a reply to clarify some points that Mr. Carey’s white mentality was not able to comprehend. In order to express our at titudes as one of the extreme close-mindedneas you would have to look deeper than tha written paper of the article. This is one quality that you are obviously lacking, Mr. Carey. I strongly suggest that you discontinue your charact erization of Individual atti tudes until you acquire this quality. Mr. Cany also urea a mis quote in his statement It was not “What does the Black G1 have to grin from wiving his country?” but “What does the Black GI have to pin from serving this country?” There is s hell of a difference in those two quote*. The thinking Black people in this country realise that this is not our. country, but we are stranded here in this wilderness of North America. If this was our country there would be no need for the NAACP or the civil rights movement, nor the laws that have been paawd to give so celled Negroes their constitutional rights, which has failed, nor would there be a need for the Black Brothers or Black Student Alliances on college campus** all over this country. But becauas my African forefathers, were bought, beaten, stolen, killed, then forced to come to j/pm shores and to carry the bur den of your physical and man ta! oppression, we are here. We will remain here and white folk, you will have hell on your hands until there is a positive total change In the conditions that now confront Black people In this country. The statistics concerning the .front line troops that are Black in Viet Nam (58%) are just as accurate as the stati stics given by the white news media on CBS with respect to the Viet Cong drily death toil and the one's that die for the ftee world ride. That’s hinny isn’t It? Just for information’s sake, Mr. Carey, we would not attempt to explain the quote, “One dead nigger in Viet Nam is one less protester In America” to any racially mixed group, especially a brain washed infantry platoon where every man, Black and White, has been transformed into a military machine that uses all purpore oil to replace the H2 O that they drank when they were human. My total effort here is to awaken Black people to the alterna tives that they have and I don't give a damn about what you white people do. I was pleased to see that Mr. Carey was able to com prehend one point that was emphasized in the article. But your “silent rush from the flank” suggrets total non violences, which hat proven not to be sucussful in our struggle. If you and the ma jority of the whit* people in (Continued on page 3) Karate Makes Success At Opening of Center by Ron Childs Mercer has recently put Into implementa tion the beginning phase of the Community Center program, that hopefully will expand in facilities and perspective as time passes. Under the direction of Peggy Gough, the program en tertained over 100 children on Saturday the 24th of January. The children met at tba Center and moved to the girls gym and partl- cipated in various activities. Ths girts were offered volleyball, tag games, and coloring and drawing activities under the direction of Pam Chappell. The boys played basketball, volley ball, wrestling, and tnjoyed a tremendous karate demonstration by Oecar Chapman. This program give* ths children from ths community a chance to heroine acquainted with Mercer, and yet at/ the asms trine trie Mercer students working Mn the program are able to assimilate various experiences and re actions into ■ better anderatandlng of the community around them. Mercer students should be eager and willing to help In this endeavor, for hate is presented a two-fold op portunity for teaming One, students will be able to apply ciamroom knowledge and theories into actual real lilt situations and technical observation. Two, students will be able to 0m a little to someone who needs this befe, bring able to be a port of —*iwg Macon a better plan to live. In the long run then are hopes o( rigal advice, medical and family planning, but these hopes and dreams can only be MBaud by a lot of hard work by a lot of wlliug people. Everyone la urged to help as much as ponfoie in tbs program.