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:• Cl li i 1 n< ( }>t *r j : -' it. V TTDQe DfflBKgBK GOnODg'D®} "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)