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"The Pacesetter of the Seventies"
JOHNNY TURNER
Editor
TYLER HAMMETT
Managing Editor
H(MKR
It it getting to the point
where it is quite literally not
afe to walk about the Mercer
campus at night. There have
been at least three serious as
saults on Mercer students with
in the pest month to under
score the importance of this
matter. So far the damage has
been repaired by a few stitches
and bandages, but it is very
dear that if these assaults do
not stop someone is going to
be badly hurt. It is the respon
sibility of the Administration
to take some action that will
decrease the likelihood of such
an occurence, yet, the big ques
tion is what can be done? The
addition of another security
guard should help, but this a-
lone is not enough.
Mercer is handicapped in
that there is located on the
hinge a very large ghetto and
all the many problems and
frustrations of living in a slum
inevitably spill over onto our
campus. It will take more than
an additional security guard to
offset the influence of poverty
and hatred. Projects like the
Mercer Community Center and
the Spring Cleaning Program
help tar more than security
measures possibly could.
One thing which will not
help the rituatkm Is the atti
tude which a few students have
towards the problem. They feel
that a pistol under their belt or
a shotgun under the seat of
their car will make them safe
from muggers. An over-
Commuting students
Students from seven Middle
Georgia counties will be able to
attend Mercer next year at a re
duced tuition rate. The rate of
$300 a quarter is a reduction
of 45% from the regular tuition
which will be $555 a quarter
following a $50 increase. This
will apply to students from
Bibb, Houston, Peach, Craw
ford, Monroe, Jones, and
Twiggs counties who do not
live in the dormitories.
President Harris recom
mended the reduction to the
trustees “in appreciation for
the long interest and many
forms of local support which
the university's immediate geo
graphical area has given to
Mercer.”
While the Cluster is cer
tainly in agreement with Dr.
Harris over the value of the
Middle Georgia community to
the university we slew this
move with certain reservations.
The tuition reduction is cer
tainly in agreement with Dr.
Harris over the value of the
Middle Georgia community to
the university we view this
move with certain reservations.
The tuition reduction is cer
tain to attract a large number
of Middle Georgia student
while rising tuition costs for
others continue to make it dif
ficult for some students to at
tend Mercer.
With a large influx of non
resident local students and a
decrease in students from areas
especially outride the state
Mercer faces a delicate situa
tion. It is poarible that the uni-
verrity could become primarily
composed of commuting stu
dents. This would waaken Mer
cer’s own senee of community
and decrease the exchange of
ideas between students from
different sections of the coun
try. It is the Cluster’s feeling
that a university is more than
simply class rooms and pro-
Snow in April?
It is one thing to be Messed
with snow in April in Macon,
Georgia and quite another to
be blessed with failing cinders
from our fair city’s incinerator.
We recognize that the problem
of air pollution is an old one
and that Macon is definitely
not alone in her dilemma.
However, it seems that the up
coming Spring Cleaning
pel m affords Macon a pm
cam
paign arrords Macon a peculiar
opportunity to finally do
something about this business.
In the face of recent attacks by
the public health department.
Mayor Thompson has said that
he is doing and will continue to
do something about pollution.
As long as he Is doing some-
The Cluster Staff
Advertising Manager
Ad isr tiring Staff ..,
Bryant Durham
New. Editor
New. Staff
.. Mary DeFreew Copy Editor.
SdPNhar
Efeah Ugktfoot Layout Cooseltant
.. Chariss Ckrtw
.Audi Frost
. Jos Mar
Lyan Mays.
. . . Joe Cook
Keshas Editor ................. .MsahsMeflwwi Advtaor Jdr.MtcheslCast
Ksahue Staff s Jody Wright
Brian Murray. Lou Swain. Warily Smith. Gene The Mem Oust* Is e weekly atudeut petal neMaa
Chads ' .* pOMMjad by fee riedwrt. of Mercer Utamrrity. The
CrHgMtsEdttuis TamBeMa.ua phone number ta 743-1311, extenrion 221. The
Gnu Sthueun, Charles Wmouet eddms Is Boo ». Mascot Uaivstrity. Office room 336
IdfcoriafcM '.hdlasdkr and 32* CSC. Office boon ass 9:00-3:00,1
CriGo^. Larry KMaMeM throng Fridmr. SubacripOoaa are 13.00.
THE MERCER CLUSTER • May 5,1970 • 2
Mercer springs into life
CHUCK JACKSON. Assistant Editor
DON NOTTINGHAM. Business Manager
Executive Editors: Gary Johnson, Tom Cauthorn, Bobby Phillips
(Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Cluster and should not be confused with
news stpoes Signed columns end cartoons are the opinions of the authors and not the
Cluster.)
The Cluster welcomes letters from individuals expreusing their view* and opinions on any sub
jects. The letters (1) must be 500 words or leas, (2) must be typed double space, (3) muet be signed
by author, name can be withheld from publication upon consent of the editor, (4) once letters are
received, they become Cluster property. The Ouster reserves the right to re-edit or not to publish
any letter not in good journalistic form and style.
Assaults continue
reaction of this type will only
turn our campus into an armed
camp of jumpy students.
There are never any easy an
swers to problems of this sort
and the Ouster does not pre
tend to have one. We do feel
that rushing down to your
friendly firearms deafen and
buying a 45 automatic Is defi
nitely not the answer. Never-
theien it remains true that it is
not safe for a student to walk
around the campus at night, es
pecially alone. This is a tad rit-
uation for a college campus
and it certainly does not im
prove Mercer’s setting value to
prospective students, to my
nothing of the poor eouls who
have to live here.
thing anyway, the Cluster
hopes that he will keep the in
cinerator In mind. We look for
ward to the day when people
around Mercer can quit won
dering if Dr. Thom— Holmes
really did have something alee
in mind whan he titled his
book. Ashes for Breekfest.
Mtrcer la on the move. Like
a cat coming to Ufa alter a long
nap, she springs Into the fu
ture Innovations on campus of
late have been astounding. In
the past weeks the fecuhy has
approved a major change of the
grading system, an experimen
tal propam benefiting fresh
men and a revised distribution
of lower divirion requirements.
Co-eds are being offered a
chance to exercise their naaoo,
another facet of the learning
exjMrience. Truly Mercer Is
coming to offer a genuine op
portunity for a liberal aria edu
cation — not liberal in the po
litical connotation, but liberat
ing, one that frees students
from dogma and detannintan.
Changes like thaw adu to
the respond bility of all those
Involved In the educational
process, and especially to the
student Coping with the pew
freedom will present problems,
perhaps even a crisis, for some.
For most, the majority, the
changes provide foe
nr rrwiry to accomplish the
educational god of ‘Taming
how to learn.” TMe amazing
age of technological advance
ment forces thorn who live in it
to face a curious rituatkm: on
the average, our body of Infor
mation doubles every ton
years. That Is to say, If you
graduated from Mercer tomor
row knowing 100% of all data.
In ton yean you wil have only
50%, In 20 yean — 26% — your
education hare would be
worthless. The importance of
higher education for today’s
•todent Use In acquiring foe
skills to adopt new information
to his current environment.
Obviouriy fola cannot be ac
complished by memorizing ma
terial: a concept of the past Is
important, but a means to re
define and apply the know
ledge la far more meaningful.
SGA report
by Senator Julian Gordy
One of foe major needs on
foe Mercer campus is bettor
communication between the
students and the student gov
ernment It k for foie reason
that the SGA and foe Cluster
have decided to publish an arti
cle each week on taapnrtant
SGA happenings Each week a
different SGA member will
write the column, its purpose
is to inform the students about
the imuee brought before the
mate each weak that we leal
are moat Important or eontro-
veniaL We do not propose to
cover ail of the mate's boat-
nem, just what wa feel wUI be
of moat tots rest to foa etudaut
The cnhnim wiB contain abme
feet and some opinion, and wfo
to
the actions
Thast changes at Mercer an
now for us. As yot, afl are ex
perimental — they will be re-
evaluated periodically. Not all
the plans ara without arror. Al
so, wa cannot amumo that
foam Innovations ara auffidant
to revitettae foa college. Aca
demics has other atom to be
subjected to constructive criti
cism; student services have
hardly been touched. The cam
pus mood it of vital concern;
finances are a major problem
ever looming befom us. Stu
dents can ba among thorn who
actively seek for the creation
of a batter educational atmos
phere. Students can ba among
foa moat constiucttva of foa
community striving far foe re
juvenation. Working as a unit
of unravel and attainder-
and to provide material for a
progrearing dialectic through
the variety of campus life, riu-
dante can ba and now are, ra
tty Ernie]
Guest Editorialist
htonrible for the improvements
coming to foa eottege.
Specifically, through the
Student Government Associa
tion, not to exclude other or-
gMiteetinns, an MudantamaaB-
gttiia by appttoetioa to commit
tees dealing with campus prob
lems. If you don’t Ike the cafe
teria service, stop mptey com
plaining **4 do a-
bout it: Join Auxiliary Services
and taka your argument di
rectly to Mr. Krakow. Some
thing can ba dona. Strides ara
being made.
We must not pause. Inertia
acts just as easily to stop ma
chinery as to force It to run.
Than is need for evaluation,
but a demanding ary at the
same tone to examine and ad
just other areas of campus life.
Wc can heap Mercer on toe
path of progress so that the
first spring of her awakening
«■ realize the bloom of Mr
enormous potential.
Letters to the editor...
Infirmary is charged
with inefficiency
A prime example of man’s
inhumanity to man is to ba
found on the Mercer Campus
in the form of the Mercer Infir
mary when an attack of apen-
dicltis is treated with an as
pirin. This past week I was able
to witness a display of such
medical inefficiency as would
richen even foe most riovanty
parson. A Mercer student hav
ing pain in bar kidney section
so severe that she was bant
doubts and tears were rushing
down bar cheeks as she walked
Into the Mercer Infirmary for
help- A nurse named Mrs. West
told her that It wm only a
catch In her back and gave her
a sulphur pin (by foe way, foa
oo-ud did register a tempera-
turo of 1*. I am no medical ex
pert, but I don’t think catches
in one’s back causes a rise in
temperature). The girl showed
all symptoms of a kidney infec
tion and the pain was so bod
that rite asked If she could see
a doctor for his opinion. Mis.
West refined but offered to call
foe Macon hospital emsrgsney
room at a charge of $15 above
foe $100 or ao that is paid for
medical expenses. She, not hav
ing the money, returned to the
dorm on advice of Mrs. West I
saw her returning aud saw she
was in pain so I aeksd what was
the matter and she told me. I
offered to return to the Infir
mary with bar and aak Mia.
West to admit bar. Whan I
reached then Mrs. West told
me it was none of my to winces
and asked foe girl what aha
told me. I told bar the girl was
in pain and that something
ought to ba dona. With fob
Mrs. West told me to get out of
the Infirmary and dammed the
door la our feces. Later that
night the girl began hurting so
badly that toe could hardly
stand It Dean Glenn was called
and told the ritaatiou. She, in
turn, called the bead nurse who
was at home and the co-ad was
finally admitted to the infir
mary three hours after rim had
first ashed to be admitted. Hre
next day the giri dMamo doc
tor who diagnosed the aches as
a kidney Infection and mat her
to the howital for some teats.
Watching foie girt suffer from
pain was more than I could
taka. I am sure that many of
you have had rimiar experi
ences and It is frightening to
think font It is going to taka a
death to wake up soma people
to the fleets of incompetence hi
the Mercer Infirmary.
Tom Camp
feet and aoaae opinion, and wtU wa a -a a M . n 1 _
s.?2^!rrt! Education it at stake
The newly elected Student
Government $modatioa mat
for foe first time test Monday,
April 13. Moat of us ware tan-
gamed with Puri (Mat Robin
son’s abtttty to haadte his of
fice ta an extremely efficient
mtAL_i m~a- , s nil,,
DMtfUMf. WIUKOUt Ml IHRgi wf
aright Mil be maetia ~
wm# two proposals that I
Mercer has been fortunate
In that they have not yet haan
caught up hi the whirl wind of
revolutioa. This (evolution Is
not one by the blacks—but by
foe united student body. In the
ve began to votes their
disapproval of mvetal poltetes
and traditions that thaybritevs
a Democratic Society could ba
riartod. Thera am anotagh con
cerned students to make this s
reality. Thma ta much to be
changed at Mamie - so little
font. Every quarter tsachen
and students me tearing Mercer
- Why? Students me a aew
Stack Studtos Pragmas Initiated
First, there was a proposal
font the SGA andone the Ex-
The proposal wa
ttagalmourty atm** bkm! of os
feel that theee taeoaw need for
a new approach to Lower DW-
atata iiptaiminli end to hdn-
cation ta general.
(asnltaned on page 3)
■ary. Meat of thafr atteaapta
ham bean rejected out-ritfU
end riven no coauidetatten at
al. When Mercer’s etudanteam
not rim foe ririrt to ha!
by the admin*
foe seeds of
i to ba dene
an what we’ve got (left!) I for
one, ham govs grad of the
Urn
Imjasthow
action. 11
administration ta ate ta their
ways ad wtH ha rim to
change - but Ittnot their adu-
cation foat> at atatar. He afore.
In the wotda of « Octaaatata
easy St aria ate for
\
on page I)