PC ROTC, 1974

 I recently saw a publication by the U. S. Army called "Preventive Maintenance", and it really shocked me.  It is prepared for our own ROTC.  Let me tell you what it contained.
 First of all, it uses cartoons, mostly of a beautiful girl, and using very suggestive comments.  For example:  "Check your self-locking nuts!"  "We have the world's best equipment".  "Out!  Out!  Cook and sticky stuff begone!"  "Try the insert again, but gently--and straight!  Easy does it!"  "Don't tempt me, Connie".
 Secondly, it has a basic statement in it, saying, "PC wants your ideas and contributions and is glad to answer your questions.  Name and address are kept in confidence."  What does the army have to hide, or for that matter, what does the ROTC have to hide?  Why would the army hold something in confidence unless they had something to hide?
 Thirdly, it uses illustrations to show how to kill.  We are supposed to be at peace, as far as our soldiers are concerned.  Nowhere in the world are there full-scale military operations in a war by American soldiers.  There are no open combat zones, comparable to Vietnam, in the world today for American forces.  So, why does a book, published in 1974, still retain the killing motives.
 ROTC has no place on this campus, if they are being fed this junk, this trash, these immoral jokes, given out by the U. S. Army and your government--the government of the United States of America.

PC Food, 1974

 After another glorious meal, featuring elegant cuisine, prepared by our outstanding and capable chefs, I was inspired to write two pieces of verse.

Mm Mm good
Mm Mm good
That's what PC food is
Mm Mm good.

and

In regard to the food we're eating,
We eat it and take a beating,
It's full of bugs and rats,
And sometimes you find an old cat--
The food is for the pigs.

Keep up the good work.

James Robinson, 1972

 James Robinson asked me to write this letter on his behalf.  Before he left to go to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, he wanted to express to Anderson College his deep feelings.  Unfortunately, he was unable to do so, and consequently he told me what to say.  He thanks all of his new friends, that he met during his year and one-half stay at A.C.  He thanks his teachers and the administration, that taught him a lot and gave him an opportunity to better himself.  Especially, he thanks all the people, who understand his infirmity, and his attempt to overcome it.  He was extremely shy, when he came to A.C., but his feeling soon subsided due to the warm fellowship he received during his stay here.  James had a chance to go to any school in America, but he chose Anderson, because of the fine standards and small campus.  Now, he is gone.  His example will live on as a memory to all of us, who knew him well.  Maybe in Dallas, he will touch some others' lives.  He will always be remembered to us as a person who fought insurmountable odds and won.  In closing, he looks back on an article in "The Yodler" last year concerning him.  He thinks that he really didn't deserve it and thanks everyone for their concern and hopes that it wasn't pity.  Something I'll always remember about James is that he would say, jokingly, that he tried to play upon his teacher's pity, but then he would say, "Please, don't pity me!"  What this mean is that he had a funny side, but his statement on pity was his basis on trying to understand people.  He was a person like you or me and didn't need or want pity.  Just because he was blind, didn't mean he was special.  This was, still is, and will be James Arthur Robinson.  He was a friend to me.

AC, 1972

 Some people, who will remain unknown, have asked me to write this letter.  They called it to my attention, and frankly I was shocked.  The subject concerns the baseball team.  These people told me that the baseball team is being discriminated against by the athletic department.  Since basketball is king at A.C., the baseball team has been put in the background.  The attendance to these games is appalling.  A team cannot win, unless they've got some fans to back them.  Since Coach Wiles is head of the athletic department, why doesn't he come to the baseball games?  Since the baseball team is supposed to be the best in the conference, as we've been told, why then does Anderson College not pack the bleachers like they do at the basketball games?  Why is the athletic department split into two divisions.  One is the elite, which consists of the basketball team, the tennis team, and the golf team.  The other side is the common side, which consists of just the baseball team.  Most of these people are playing without scholarship.  Why does "The Anderson Independent" not cover the baseball games like they did with the basketball games?  These questions, and many more, must be answered, and we must realize this discrimination.  A change must be made.

Anderson College, 1973

 It seems that I just keep finding things that need to be recognized in this school.  Oh no, not another letter from Walter Durst!  Yes, it is true.  In a previous issue of this paper, there was an article about apathy at the school.  I would like to say something more about this subject.  Probably, some people are saying, "I don't want to read this".  That is exactly what I am writing about.  At the last of February and the first of March, we will put on an improbable farce called "Blithe Spirit".  We know the basketball team is doing so good, and that's great.  We also know that everyone is so excited about studying that they won't attend any of the performances.  That's all right with us, but where are you going to be someday, when something is offered to you, and you say that you don't care.  Now, I'm preaching, and I don't mean to be.  I realize that values and opinions of different things vary, but please examine yourself and decide whether you should attend any activity provided by the school, besides sports.

Another PC Letter, 1974

 Within the last few weeks, I've become increasingly appalled by the laxity of rules at PC.  First, may I say that I am not a red-neck nor am I a conservative, but rather just a concerned student.  I am attacking myself as well as others on this campus.  My source for these attacks is The Knapsack, which I suppose is the ideal of this school.
 In The Knapsack, there are "Standards of Conduct" on page 19.  First, "Students shall meet the standards of gentlemanly and ladylike conduct at all times".  It sure is hard to see this rule carried out.  Second, "The College prohibits gambling in any form".  How many people do you know uphold this rule?  There's the "Quiet for Study" ideal on page 21.  How many times have you had a problem of getting to sleep, because someone was a little inconsiderate.  Read the "Quiet for Study" part and get a big laugh.  The "Rule on Alcoholic Beverages" is a big joke.  Anybody who has alcohol anywhere on campus, except at Douglas House, Frat houses, or at dances in Greenville Hall, "is in violation of the rules of the College."  Funny, isn't it?  "Students guilty of possession or use of illegal drugs will be suspended or expelled from Presbyterian College."  How many have been expelled?
 There are just a few things that should be remembered.  People say that this is just an individual's problem but it is also the problem of the PC community.  They say that this is just the problems of a few, but the number is growing.  If a stranger came to PC, and didn't know that the Presbyterians supported the school, he couldn't tell whether this school was a state-supported school or not.  I think it's time to examine ourselves and decide whether PC should abandon the role of the church, so that these rules will never be enforced.  Or, should PC remain Presbyterian and make it a better place to go to school?  State-supported schools are a lot more together than this place, and we must decide very soon.

PC, 1974

 Presbyterian College is supposedly a college funded and supported by Presbyterians.  If the Presbyterians knew that this is an insane asylum, guess how much money PC would get?  Yes friends, PC is an insane asylum.
 The administration and staff seem not to have enough guts to enforce the rules set forth by the trustees and deceased few.  Rules such as alcohol, firearms, firecrackers, noise level, drugs, to name just a few, are just overlooked by the enforcing officials.
 It is my opinion that it is time that the school decide whether they will become a Christian school or to turn into total apathy and drop the Presbyterian name.  Let's just call this school "College", so that people won't be shocked when they find out that it was originally founded by churchmen.
 The administration should visit state-supported schools.  They might find that places like Clemson and Carolina are a lot more civilized than this so-called "college".
 No, I am not innocent of any wrongdoings at this school.  Maybe I should be disciplined, too.  But, if a decision isn't made soon, PC will not stand and like the old maxim "A House divided against itself cannot stand", this school will come under the same fate unless something is done now.  There must be a decision in the administration.  Guts or Nuts!