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LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
STUDY IN MOTION or
W TO MAKE IT IN TIME
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Letters To Hie Editor!
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Tht Pacesetter of the Seventies
MEMBER
GARY JOHNSON
Editor
JOHNNY TURNER
Associate Editor
The Swan Song
What a Year... Promise Fulfilled
Time has passed swiftly this school year. It
has seemed only yesterday that my. adminis
tration took office. But it has been year past
and what a year!. I keynoted my administra-
tKH^with the theme," It promises to be a
great year". The year has lived
up to
■BfljH t his year (he Clutter has
faced a period of rebuilding and
9cj|K|B revitilization The studenl body
become aware of the
B^KB^B (’luster * presence The paper
-.**B^ has taken stands on key issues
confronting the American
public and the American college students. An
editonal page has been established; regularity
of the papcT has been accomplished; an award
winning feature network has been set up.
The editorial sheet has been a subject of
controversy all year. Editorials have been
greatly diversified. Many of you, the students,
have not agreed with the stands taken, and
this 1 realized. But the paper represents you.
If it was nothing, or conservative, or liberal,
or radical, that was because you made it so,
for the only way that it could have been what
you desired was for you, the students, not to
criticize, but to work with it and make it fit
your desire. To you, the parent, and sub
scribers (492), I’m sure you’ve disagreed with
some of the subject matter, but I hope you
read with thought and care because many
things were communicated to you.
It should also be mentioned that the paper
has not really been representative of Gary
Johnson as many of you think (concerning
subject matter). Some of the things that have
gone in this paper have turned my stomach
sour. But they have been printed anyway,
only if they were in the good taste of journa
listic standards, voicing the opinion of stu
dents, and because it was a responsibility of
iny office. Much criticism has come from the
Greek System expressing their disgust over the
lack of Greek news and the papers subject
matter. This to me has been a Greek failure,
by not cooperating. I’ve personally tried to
encourage participation in the paper by send
ing correspondence weekly news form. The
failure results from non-communication. This
I’ve regretted.
by Gary Johnson
Another disappointment has been my in
ability to communicate and to spark a unity
in the campus. I thought that when I was
elected last year, my administration would
heal some of the social wounds on campus.
But not so. If anything, wounds have deep
ened. It has really been demoralizing now
when I think of how I thought of this year as
“The Year” and “The Administration”.
A Happy Note
Last year when I was elected, I thought the
greatest problem I would face would be the
gathering of a staff. But this has been the
least of worries. I’ve gathered a staff with
whom, I think, I could work with the rest of
my life. This staff has shown me spirit, con
fidence, unity and effort that has amazed me.
What has really meant a lot to me is the way
whites and blacks on the staff have worked
with each other. It seemed as though the
campus social situation or even the national
situation of racial strife did not even exist for
them. Many of them, the ocial hangups,
were lost and the exposure of each other has
done wonders.
Like all editors and staff, the Cluster has
made errors. I myself have committed some of
the worst acts of journalism a journalist can
make. One in particular I regret was in my
pie ceding editorial on the admission office.
Let me note here that the information I
communicated concerning the admission office
was very inaccurate and I apologize to that
office.
So as the old fades out, welcome the new
horizon with cheer. This administration has
developed and has insured top grade leader
ship in the years to come. Thus after 3,000 or
more miles of travel, 1,000 manhours of
labor, over 8,000 pieces of mail in-out, using
approximately 4 tons of paper, spending over
$14,000, I fade with good cheer. I will work
along with the paper the rest of the school
year in an executive editor and an editorial
consultant capacity.
It’s been a great year. This experience has
meant the greatest to me. So long and fare
well.
Mercer
Can Create Conflict
by Gary Smithey
As a senior, 1 am expected to graduate in
June and at this stage of the game, 1 am sup
posed to just wait out the time. But this is
not the case I have sat on this campus and
watched the race relations deteriorate, but
now 1 feel that 1 must attempt to do some
thing to form a Mercer Community. If a suf
ficient number of interested students would
try to get racial cooperation on this campus,
then the racial tensions that exist can be
erased
There is much talk of the Mercer Commu
nity. but there is no community at Mercer,
rather a collectivity. There are numerous
groups on this campus that stress their own
si'If interests, from the fraternities to the
black students’ group. Mercer can never hope
to be a community until every individual on
this campus learns to accept others as his
brothers. A true community should be a
union of all men due to love and interests for
the common good. As long as the people of
this campus place their groups above the inter
ests of the campus, there will be continued
and increased conflict between the various
groups.
There are people living here, human beings
existing in the stagnant setting of a liberal arts
college. The individuals that make up the cam
pus are selfish, interested only in themselves
or their particular group. The racial friction
that exists here is uncalled for since we are all
people, not Mack people and not white peo
ple. but PEOPLE. But due to the friction the
white is represented as hating the Mack, so
the black justifiably reacts, and he hates
white. What of the white that, doee not hate
Mack? Since Mack now hatea white, ha win
justifiably hate Mack. It is not a very pretty
picture Hatred wM destroy. I do not want to
THE MERGER CLUSTER • March 12, 1970 •
see this campus destroyed or any other thing
of beauty. We as Americans can exert a con
certed effort to bring a community together,
but only if most of the students want this.
There is no established answer of how to
bring this about. It cannot be forced since any
time force is used there will be a reaction a-
gainst it. There has been more reaction to
pressures now than can be tolerated. A com
munity is a volitional action on the part of
the people involved. A community allows for
differences since it is characterized by variety
and intricacy. To form a community we must
work together and accept each other as equal.
Unfortunately modem man is impatient, and
if he will not accept the years that this pro
cess will take, then failure and hatred will be
the results. The part of the individual can play,
is a small one. But if ail people talked of love
rather than preaching hate, then a community
can be established. A community in which we
as Mercer students can live together in har
mony.
To all students of this Institution, I request
that a meeting be called at which time there
will be discussion of racial frictions on the
campus I would like to see aV students come.
If the blacks and whites would sit down toget
her and talk out their problems, then we will
be able to live together on this campus in a
way that all will be happy. But knowing the
Mercer student, the turn out will be very
slight, so this venture la doomed to failure.
But I am willing to tiy, are YOU?
I’ll be in the coop at 3 P.M. the day after
this issue of the Cluster appears. I hope to see
interested people. People who want to prevent
an increase in hatred. I don’t want to see Mer
cer bum.
The Way To A >
Healthier You
From LaGrange College '
Hilltop Newt, Jan. 22, 1970
The following is published as
a humanitarian gesture and
doesn’t necessarily (?) reflect
the opinion of this
A -
HOW TO
FROM THE COLLEGE
“FOOD" LINE.
An essential part of college
is learning how to survive the
food — if possible - and we
feel a little advice or encour
agement is necessary. Initially
the new student should be In
troduced to the vocabulary,
and some of the more com
mon words and daffy nit ions
follow as applied to school
nourishment. x ■
First, the ever-present
mystery meat which Is com
posed of anything that could
n’t run fast enough and is
sometimes disguised as a
“Gaines burger”. This should
be approached with caution,
as contents are in doubt (for
antidote, read bottom). Sec
ond, we find chicken, occa
sionally known as buzzard,
which is prepared in numerous
ways — boiled, stewed, heat
ed, fried — (light, medium, or
heavy grease,) and finally
baked when all else fails.
Third, is fish of which two
species are commonly found
— Sewer trout and Red-tide
bass. This is prepared in much
the same way as number two,
but usually fried with medium
or heavy grease to make its
swimming easier.
Fourth, and most danger
ous, is the sliced muscle tissue
of a greasy pig, known to the
trade as pork. Sometimes this
is baked, but most often im
mersed in hot lard for an in
determinate time. As numer
ous people can testify, this
has long lasting effects necessi
tating use of our survival kit
mentioned elsewhere. Fifth
and last (?) are scabs, which
are like mystery meat but the
contents are either veal or
pork occasionally disguised
with cheese.
This is only a brief look at
some of the more common
main items found. There is al
so dishwater soup, iron bis
cuits, S.O.S., S.O.R., and
others.
Finally, dear friends, some
words of advice. Approach ev
erything as if it were loaded.
Keep a survival kit handy and
know how to use it.
SURVIVAL KIT
1) cork (large or extra
large); 2) a roll of tissue; S)
Dear Gary - “Editor”
The Dulcimir has finally
come out. I submitted to It
thinking it would be a true
representation of, as David
Bottoms said, the best litera
ture on campus. I’m sorry to
say it doesn’t meet my own
expections as a reader or con
tributor.
I wonder why the contents
is basically that of “spring”
while it is in the “winter" is
sue ... However, most objec
tionable is the audacious for
ward which cuts sharply at
the quality of the Clutter
without naming names.
A heck of a lot of work
goes into our newspaper to
find interesting material. Con
troversial issues, and write it
well within the deadline. The
Cluster far surpasses any cov
erage on campus in years past.
You will note it has been a-
warded the best campus and
feature coverage in the state,
as well as placing in all other
areas. All this without a
school of journalism. The
bottle kopectate or lomitol; 4)
fast pair of feet; and, in caae
of failure of above, 25 cents
in coin for the washing ma
chine. For your convenience
Sears and Roebuck catalogs
are placed in strategic loca
tions
Clutter is made up of students
who, in common, are inter
ested In getting Mercer’s nows
to Use University community.
They are not professionals aa
you are, Mr. Bottoms,
The Dulcimir and you* Mr..
Bottoms shouldn’t talk. How
well did you do without
deadline and a censor?
jWright
Dear Editor
Near the heart of most
cusahws of student problems
on the Mercer campus Bee an
issue somehow related to cam
pus social orpnlsatlons The
Cluster has so far afforded the
only public piece for the ex
change of ideas regarding
these organizations and their
contribution* to the Mercer
community. Many different
groups of students have strug
gled over and with this prob
lem among themselves in un
official or low level talks.
We in MIMA are concerned
over the nature, role, and pur
pose of social organizations in
the Mercer community. We
are concerned also over the
lack of public discussion of
this important issue. We be
lieve such communication nec
essary. Therefore, we chal
lenge a representative of the
B.S.A., a representative of the
unafflllates. wJ a mpreseote-
(Continued on Fat 3)
Bibb County Suffers
From Poor Government
by
Amid tobacco juice filled
cheers and resounding amen*,
our local gladiator, Lester G.
Maddox stepped Into Porter
Stadium arena and proceeded
to feed every Christian to a gi
ant communist monster that is
trying to corrupt our schools.
Lsetsr proceeded to yank the
hankie* in the crowd when he
said that our “chHIun", who
were safety slaeping in their
little bads, ware depending oh
their parents to fight to thsir
deaths to protect their God-
elementary
not be breaking the law if cheers, and the
they disobeyed the courts, crowd had become
“The courts, the Health, Edu- nerved by
cation and Welfare Depart- To me it
ment, they are the ones who Salem
have broken the law” he In
charged. Thompson added
that he would use local police
to protect there citizen*
they broke the law. The
or said
to stop
it aa a