Page 28 - 1968 VES Meteor

r
"Yeah, but you'll never get away with it," declared another. eventual civil revolt. It will cost "They'll catch you and then
1-d 'Y tho students of the VIrginia Episcopal School, Lynohbura. VIrginia, approximately 8 times h r l n 1 tho sdlool term. 500 ooplts given by hand to students and mailed to alumni and friends. Pub- lished ond DWfted by Virginia Eplsoopol Sohool. Entered as seoond-olass matter, September 28, 1929, at
e
ext
rest ent by ]ames Roediger
t i l l Pall Ollloe a t Lynohbura. Virginia, under the Hulon - Two dollars and lilly oents.
A d of Marth 3, 1879.
Submiption
lor
one school
No.2
Vol. XLXII
Virginia Episcopal School, December, 1968
Editors James Roediger
Contn'butors
Richard Ward
Exchange Editor Fielding Jones
Sports Editor William Pully
Not since Franklin Roosevelt entered the White House has a President-elect faced so great a challenge as he does at year's end 1968. While Eisenhower was inaugurated in heroism, Kennedy in youth and vigor, and Johnson by decisive mandate, the next president enters facing a country
The dilemma facing the Presi- dent-elect at home is no less im- portant nor difficult to resolve. The urban crisis (i.e. the ghet- toes), which has directly af- fected city Negroes for years,
has finally ripened into the prop-
er stage that has begun and shall
first review its values, decide what is of greatest moral impor- tance for its well being, and re- direct its energies, from the
President on down, to justice and equality.
In a more technical vein, the policeman needs help. He comes under growing attack while he
Peter Daniel Tom Honaker Jim Laird
Macky McCleary Carey MurPhY George Swift
Typists
Robert Wise
Faculty Advisors
John Scholl Bennett Carr
James Hopkins
ornrnt•ttee
Within the past few years the students of VES have expressed
occasional discontent over the teaching methods employed by some of our faculty. Some contend that this is merely an indication of the students' biased opinions. Even so, some means of mediation seems
in order, either to enlighten the students and disperse their preju- dices, or to reconcile some of their legitimate complaints, or maybe to do both. An academic committee serving as an intermediary be- tween the administration and the students seems to be the most logical conclusion. The framework for ·such an organization might exist as detailed below.
The committee could hold meetings whenever it is deemed nec- essary. In this meeting all factions would be represented. If at the end of this informal hearing the committeemen· decided that the problem bore consideration, they would make a written report to the headmaster, including all complaints and suggestions. This would then lay the groundwork for further discourse on the matter and hopefully bring an eventual solution.
The practicality of this plan relies entirely on the caliber of the individual committee members; a slight digression therefore, on their qualification might be desirable. They should all be old boys within the present academic system. They should be uninhibited enough to articulate their dissatisfaction and sensitive enough to de- tect it in others. Though counselors are the proported leaders of the school, they should not be given special consideration for this posi-·
Louis Foster Tom Hairston
George Jones
Tom Manning Weldon Buske Mrs. Diana Scholl
Lynch Christian
Lap Hamblen more factionally divisive than perhaps in any other time during this century. The problems he faces are as serious, as numerous,
Bill Stuffiebeem Advertising
continue to have crippling effects
on big cities. The problem hinges tries to handle the country's most
ro osa
and as far-reaching as any that
one president has ever con-
fronted.
The war in Viet Nam presses
forward as the problem of chief concern. Controversy over the why and how of the war has died down and since the general con-
census is to bring the war to the quickest end, the only dispute remaining is how the war may be concluded. The obvious de- duction that neither side shall be able to win militarily leads to the premise that both sides have
to concede some of their objec- tives for a satisfactory agree- ment. The President shall seek an "honorable settlement,"
though it may prove difficult to wield honor from the most un-
U. S. history.
The war's conclusion is only
on two simple factors: jobs and homes. The ghetto dweller has no job because industry has moved to the suburbs, and he
does not have a decent home be- cause he has no job, therefore no money. This creates a vi- cious, inescapable circle.
To sufficiently alleviate the problem means more job train- ing and more jobs. The Negro must be moved out of the inner
city and to the jobs. This pre- sents concepts of long range needs such as whole new cities, the prospect of a minimum in- come, and the redevelopment of
every inner city. There is also the urgent need to reform the present, ineffective welfare sys-
tem, which has seemed to put too much money into the wrong hands, and too little money in the right hands.
The urban crisis will take years to resolve. It could be shoved under the rug with lip service only by the President, but
dangerous job. He needs much more and better training and a higher salary. Only then will he be able to fulfill the American
ideal of a policeman.
As this traumatic year ends,
America finds itself astonishing- ly disunited. After ten years of civil rights the races seem far- ther apart, liberals are embit- tered over Viet Nam while the
conservatives still decry growing government and radicals. The country has lacked a strong lead- er since last March. The thirty- seventh President of the United
States, more than anything else, needs to serve as the harmoniz- ing and healing force America so desperately requires.
THE ESCAPE
the beginning of reconstruction. tion. These qualifications make appointments to this committee The President will have to rede- I highly commendable and a good system of election critical. fine our position toward any en-
Speaking slowly, the three boys looked at each other. "It's that would only heighten the a good plan," one exclaimed.
At the beginning of each academic year the student body of suing Vietnamese government,
every class excepting the freshmen would be presented with a slate of faculty-nominated candidates; they would select two committee- men. After the first semester two freshmen representatives could be chosen.
It is hoped that the administration will not accept this as an edi- torial written merely for the sake of journalism, but as a construc- tive, vitally needed, possibly even practical suggestion to a problem that has too long plagued Virginia Episcopal School.
and must decide our involve- ment in rebuilding the nearly ob- literated southern portion of the country. All of this will affect the U. S. stance around the globe and the President must construct new foreign policy to draw the limits of our power, aid, and re-
sponsibility.
onvention'
much money and success will be
gradual, but it is imperative that
he make a strong, positive be- ..
gmnmg.
"Law and order," the ambigu-
ous term which had a marked, if not somewhat ambivilent im- portance in the campaign, is also a major concern of the next President. But exactly what course does a President take, when striving for law and order?
One presidential candidate proposed a "national program to restore the respect for law." Al- though his idea is noble, he, like so many of our statesmen, tries to solve moral and social problems through government agencies.
It does not work. If America is
suffering from a breakdown of
law and order, then this is a di-
rect reflection on the country's
ethics. In a prosperous society
where emphasis is on money,
you'll really be in trouble." "Maybe so," repeated the first,
"but I've got to try."
The brave boy stood up and
looked around the room. Softly he said, "''m going to try it G period." The others looked at
him with shock.
"But that's Sergeant's period;
he's on duty then." Sergeant, long known for his disrupting escapes, was, in the boy's eyes, the most inquisiturient man on campus. He seemed always to be in the right places at the right time.
The bell rang and the three boys separated and proceeded on their way to class. The next period would be G and the two undecided students wondered whether their friend was really
going to try it.
The p e r i o d quickly ap-
proached, and as the bell rang, the boy knew he would make it.
oug
by ]ames Roediger
On election eve a political fo-
rum, produced by the team of Jobe and Goggin, was held in the gymnasium. Four major can- didates were represented by two speeches each. The following is a critical analysis of this "first" for VES and certainly a correct step on the path towards politi-
cal awareness among students. Three boisterous, vociferous cheering sections formed before the speeches ("Nixon's the One," "Oh, I wish I were in the land of . . . ." "Go, Go, Gettum, Get- tum, Humph, Humph") and
G. W.M.
on
made the impact of wiping out
each other's messages. Then in with the proper Nazi salute.
Kim Eisler speaks on behalf of the Peace & Freedom Party at school con- vention. Seated behind him from I. to· r. are Marshall Wright, Larry Hancock, Richard Ward, and Lee Lumpkin.
marched the dissenters, some bare-chested, some painted from head to toe, and they proceeded to sit down in front of the speak- er's platform, as the room filled with the smell of incense.
When the cheering groups
tired of affirmative support the
anti-cheers began. These proved He concluded by lauding Mssrs. he failed to give sufficient rea- rights and education stance much more interesting. "Dump
the Hump" was a Nixon favorite
while bipartisan activity between
Republicans and Democrats di-
rected against the W allacites
Wright, encased in blue pow-
dered paint, opened the program
on behalf of Dick Gregory and
can Independent Party, gave his speech in a near apologetic tone. He gave the how, why, and what
the case for Nixon. He said that this campaign was one of issues rather than men: ''Which pro-
'
THE METEOR
December, 1968
Reflections
sn •
honorable,
least allied or popular war in
unprestigious,
a n d
final consequences. By ignoring the problem he will be asking for
the lower tendencies of human nature always surface. If a na- tion is to restore respect it must
For Richard Nixon and the Lee Lumpkin, representing GOP, Godfrey Cheshire gave a
down and went fast asleep. '
Mission Accomplishedlll
K. W.
Bill Thorp could hold an audi- ence's attention if he were speak- ing on how to fry an egg. He has the gift for speech and a cool manner. His speech in support of the Democratic nominee, Hubert
Humphrey, was very well sn:uc· .tured. First he lashed into RICh· ard Nixon's record (with em· phasis on his alliance with Joe
McCarthy.) He then proceeded to tell of the many things Hu~­ phrey has done while in public service. All would have gone 1 well if he had not begun a sen- I
Continued on page 4, column 3
•
came in the form of "Seig Heil"
Speeches began. Marshall George Wallace and the Ameri- factual, enlightening account of
ence he gave to Mr. Gregory.
the Peace and F~eedom Party. (i.e.: "Wallace entered politics an grams are going to benefit me?
'•
His delivery w'as raucous, his re- unknown ... he has hit upon a Who brings a secure, prosperous
marks unserious.'(Example: "The rich bank of discontent . . .") future?"
white ghettos are gonna bum!") of the Wallace phenomenon, but His defense of Nixon's civil
Goggin and Jobe for attempting sons why anyone should support needed factual justification. His a serious convention over very his candidate. Lumpkin, like case on Viet Nam and the draft
laughable candidates. I assume he was referring also to his can- didate, as it was the only refer-
most of the speakers, was plagued by hecklers, but they seemed to upset his delivery the most.
were well presented, though too lengthy with too little mention of Nixon.
material wealth, and competition He stepped into his room, lay