University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor

Wasting U-Hall Energy

Henry Wilson's letter of
endorsement for the behavior
of the fans at home basketball
games almost frightens me. If
basketball games are to be used
as an outlet for the "high
price" of obeying some rules
and regulations, then pretty
soon we may have to get some
policemen to guard the
opponent's bench.

While sitting behind
Maryland's bench at our final
home game, I was handed a
two-sided card which had
humorous depictions of Lefty
Driesell and Jim O'Brien, who
happens to be a good
basketball player. I am still
wondering who the child was
who drew these pictures.

Admittedly Maryland's
bench-warmers are very bad
sportsmen. Of course they are
led by Rich Porac and Bill
Hahn, who, judging from size
and playing time are probably
second-string junior high
school players employed to
counter hometown fans. No
matter how much poor
sportsmanship the Maryland
players displayed, however, the
crowd easily outdid them,
protesting every call that went
against our team, unfairly
distracting Maryland free
throw shooters, etc. In short,
the crowd creates an
unnecessary tension that the
players and the referees (no
matter how poor they are)
don't need.

What I suggest is that we let
players such as Tom McMillan,
the mama's boy of the referees,
act in their own little peculiar
ways, and use the energy
wasted on goading the other
team to support our own.

Oh yes, about the
"gentleman" who whistles like
a pigeon at certain things that
displease him. Well, I guess
that's another story.

Majority

Since when do 12 people
represent a majority of the
University community? In
your interview concerning
student attitudes toward
Christianity you concluded
that "it did reveal that the
majority of the University
community is most concerned
about Christianity."

I tend to question the
credibility of both the author
of the interview and the CD.
Twelve people certainly do not
constitute a majority when
over 12,000 students attend
the University.

And what does "most
concerned" mean? Does most
concerned imply having an
interest in Christianity, as in
having an interest in History,
English, or Astronomy, or does
"most concerned" imply
being aware of a pressing
problem and wanting to do
something about it.

If the former, then I believe
Christians probably are
concerned about Christianity
merely because a majority of
students at the University are
Christian. If the latter, that
students are aware of a pressing
problem, then I believe the
interviewer has made a gross
mis-measurement of student's
feelings.

I've conducted an interview
of my own among the 10
members of my suite. Here are
some of the interesting
conclusions we've reached:

1. a majority of the
University community is most
concerned about turning the
Lawn into a parking lot.

2. a majority of the
University community is most
concerned about changing the
name of University Hall to BP
Coliseum.

3. a majority of the
University community is most
concerned about expanding the
University to accommodate
30,000 people, high rise dorms
and moving sidewalks.

Your interview in the CD
would have been more
appropriate if entitled "Search
for Christianity in the Laundry
Room of Dabney Basement."

Advice

Mr. Smith's recent advice to
use foresight in planning for
the future is unquestionably
sound and, I believe, applicable
to the University.

Specifically I refer to that
degraded structure situated
between Maury Hall and
Cabell. I say degraded because
if the questionable way in
which this once attractive
amphitheater is being
mistreated. There are presently
45 parking spaces covering the
area immediately around the
amphitheater.

Why not remove this
parking to some location
further from the central
grounds, grass over the cement,
and restore the area to its
original and best-suited role –
as an amphitheater? There is a
need: Students studying on the
Lawn are finding space scarce
there and the overflow must be
accommodated or else the
crowded condition will turn
the Lawn into a
"mud-drangle".

There are advantages: Aside
from removing this eyesore of
concrete and cars, the
availability of the amphitheater
for its original use: concerts,
plays, speakers, etc. would
benefit all.

Moreover, it is inevitable:
sooner or later all parking must
and will be phased out of the
central grounds area. It is only
a matter of time before those
forty-five parking spaces are
closed.

It does not take a great deal
amount of foresight to see that
as another Spring nears,
students look for places where
they can study and relax –
places for which the University
Record goes to such pains to
advertise. The CD might do
well to investigate and find out
just what a gross abuse of Mr.
McIntyre's generous gift has
occurred.