The Cavalier daily :: Tuesday, May 4, 1971 :: University of Virginia Library

It came out too late for most of
us, but for the upcoming college
generation it may increase the odds
of winning in that wild game called
college roulette.

Covering "every major college
and university in the U.S.A.," the
guide gives a subjective account of
the political, academic and social
atmosphere of each institution and
includes all the information the
college catalogue won't give you;
such as the price of a lid, how much
off-grounds housing costs, which
teachers are the most exciting.

A book like this has been
needed for a long time. The writers'
efforts to be "hip" however, bring a
narrowness to the book which
undercuts its value. Schools often
seem to be judged on how big their
spring strike was, how many of its
coeds don't wear bras, or how
many crafts courses are included in
the curriculum. The book was
researched and edited by a group of
Berkeleyites whose opinion of a
college often decreases with the
amount of that school's deviation
from the Berkeley ideal.

The University of Virginia, one
of the three institutions included in
the Virginia section, is given a fairly
accurate review considering
someone probably blitzed in, got
the information, then split.

In the "Academic Bullshit"
section it states: "Some Pass/Fall,
not much class participation as the
majority of the teachers are very
traditional with only lectures and
little discussion .... A weak Free
U ... Minority recruitment is
getting heavier as there have been
many demonstrations for
integration." Mr. T.G. Hereford's
"Philosophy of Religion" and
Norman Graebner's "Diplomatic
History" are listed as "very
popular" courses.

In the "Bread" category:
"Loans are easy to get, scholarships
are tight. Jobs are easy to find at
$1.50 an hour .... apartments cost
about $50 per person. The best way
to scrounge is to get a cottage a
little way off from campus. You
can rent one for $30 a person or
less."

Straight Chicks

The summary of the social scene
hits home on some counts but
misses the mark on others. "Cats go
down the road to find chicks — to
Mary Washington, or Sweet Briar.
Flicks and picnics are the most
popular forms of date. People go on
dinner dates to 'The Gaslight' or
'The Prism Coffee House.' "

"Virginia is a big drinking school
— of late, marijuana is big, too.
About half the students have tried
grass and it goes for $15 a lid. The
heavier stuff is used only among the
freaks. The administration is cool
and there aren't many busts.

"Most students dress straight
casual. Some freaks have appeared
but they are in the minority. Chicks
are super-straight and wear dresses,
nylons and delicate shoes. The
chick situation should get better
now that the school is coed."

The section entitled
"Environment" sums up the scene
as follows: "Mental — People are
reading Rubin and Cleaver and
talking about sex. Ecology isn't
really happening.

"Physical — Charlottesville is a
dull little city. Students go to
Washington, D.C., two hours away,
for action."

Sweet Briar

Sweet Briar College is treated a
bit more roughly by the Berkeley
tribe. "Campus types run from
lukewarm hip to conservative. Most
chicks are southern social types —
interested in marriage rather than
politics.

"The archaic weekend dating
and mating pattern prevails. Chicks
are shipped to nearby men's
colleges for weekends. Much social
pressure to date fraternity men.
Hypocritical chicks-appear to be
keepers of the Victorian code and
in reality ball."

As for the "Environment" they
quip "Students are just now
discussing the possible political
power they have. They are reading
Gone with the Wind."

Virginia Polytechnic Institute is
reviewed and dismissed with the
summation: "VPI used to be a
military academy. General
Westmoreland spoke at the
commencement in 1969 and only 30
people objected."

Despite its tendency to be
flippantly hip, the book is for the
most part valuable and laudable in
purpose. Pass it on to your younger
brother or sister but remind them, as
the writers do in the introduction
to the book, "don't believe
everything you read."