University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor:

Mannix Replies To CD Omissions

I was disturbed by the omission
of two important points in your
paper's coverage of the Tuesday,
February 18 Student Council meeting.

In the first place, no mention
was made of the fact that three
unexcused absences vacated a
Council position. Mr. Slater and Mr.
Angle both presented excuses for
two of their absences, which were
found acceptable by an overwhelming
majority of Council. By omitting
this fact, your newspaper
implies that the Council merely
decided to "overlook" these absences.
Such implication is unfair to
both Mr. Angle and Mr. Slater.

Secondly, your newspaper has
failed to even mention two constructive
proposals made and passed
at the Council meeting. The first
will have Council work with the
Faculty Senate Committee on
nominations to the Board of
Visitors in preparing its recommendations
to the Alumni Association.
The second will have the
Student Council president consult
with the Alumni Association in its
preparation of three nominations to
be sent to the Governor. Of course,
these two organizations must agree
to these steps, but I have already
received a favorable response from
the chairman of the committee and
the director of the association. The
significance of these proposals lies
in the fact that the Faculty Senate
Committee's recommendations are
always strongly considered by the
Alumni Association and the Alumni
Association's nominations to the
Board of Visitors have an excellent
"acceptance" record. In effect,
students would have a voice in
nominations before they are approved,
rather than fighting for the
removal of members of the Board
of Visitors "after the fact" of their
appointment.

I realize the difficulties your
reporter had in covering a long and
complicated meeting, but I feel
these facts require consideration.

White Knight

I feel that Mr. Cullen's sports
column in the February 10 edition
of The Cavalier Daily deserves more
than a little criticism. I have
managed to read some of his
previous articles dealing with the
recruiting of Negro athletes only by
assuring myself that time would
improve his somewhat lopsided
view of the situation. I agree with
his statement that the general
atmosphere at the University is less
than salutary to the recruiting of
black athletes. But it is ludicrous to
imply, as he does, that "Confederate
flags" and "the melodic
refrain of Dixie" are so offensive to
Mr. Martin Lee of Marion that he
picked Tennessee over Virginia.
(I'm sure Tennessee's football stadium
has never seen the "Stars and
Bars" or resounded with the words
of 'Dixie.')

Mr. Cullen could better play his
role as "white"-knight-of-noble-intentions
as a recruiter for the
athletic department rather than as a
sports writer for The Cavalier Daily.
Nothing would give me greater
pleasure.

Monday's Vote

The votes in Monday's student-faculty
meeting expressed opinion
on form and substance of the
petitions to circulate among the
faculty, and left endorsement to
individual signers.

A Pawn

In the 1950's Mr. Stuart
Wheatley supported segregation in
Virginia. He has justified his acts by
saying simply that it was the
political trend at that time to
support such a policy. I might also
add that it was the popular trend at
that time. Today the trend has
changed somewhat. Both the politicians
and their constituents have
taken a slightly more liberal stand.
So has Mr. Wheatley. To a member
of the S.D.S. this stinks of bureaucratic,
corrupt, unprincipeled politics.
But to a realist this stinks of
nothing. Stuart Wheatley is not a
segregationist. Neither is he an
integrationist. He is a follower not a
setter of political trends. So what
can it profit us liberals to launch an
attack upon him? Sure, we can, by
such an attack, make it clear to the
University that we don't like
racists, past or present. We might
even stir up enough controversy so
as to be noticed in the state
Legislature. But what would be the
liberal spoils for such a battle? Will
Mr. Wheatley resign? No! Will he
suddenly turn his back on the
politicians that feed and clothe him
(not literally of course) to meet the
demands of a few students? No!
Then what is the purpose, at least
for the conscientious liberal. The
liberals then should stop this
negative attack on Stuart Wheatley
and start taking positive action
toward the realization of such
liberal goals as were set forth by
Robert Rosen and the Coalition.
The object of chess is to capture
the king. Let's not make such a
large issue over capturing a pawn
that we lose the game.

Social Conflict

Faced with indoctrination by
the Ivy League opinion that the
foremost concern of Virginia men is
their brand of Bourbon and how to
succeed on fraternity row, I read
with awe and so much admiration
of your "coat and tie" demonstration
of February 17, led by Mr.
Rosen and Coalition. The whole
idea of a Board of Trustees seems a
mistake — universities should be
run by educators. But, although we
must abide by the decisions of this
very established institution, the
perpetuation of any sort of racism
through any member of this Board
is intolerable.

This country is in the midst of
unprecedented social conflict; yet
here we sit, in the most vital and
crucially constructive periods of
our lives, virtually isolated. What
about society on the other side of
the Serpentine walls? The potential
contribution of the University community
to society in the fields of
education, urban problems, and
politics alone is fantastic. If the
University is ever to realize her
potential as a major force in
modern educational progress, she
must catch up in the field of social
progress. I hope that the student
body will continue to be concerned
and to demand that the University
relate to the Now-student through a
desperately needed commitment to
issues of concern not only to the
University but also to society in
general.

'Firebrand Youth'

I thought it was about time the
other viewpoint of the world (so to
speak) was elucidated. The
Wheatley Affair and the recent
demonstrations precipitate my response
but they are only two
instances of a polysymptomatic
disorder — the malaise of the
"firebrand youth."

Racism is certainly an evil, we
all know that, but outlawing racism
is like outlawing illegitimacy —
pointless! Far be it better to accept
it as a reality and make the best of
what we've got. The University of
Virginia was once a hallowed hall of
learning; it is rapidly deteriorating
into a forum of dissent. And that,
sir, repulses me. To see "students"
completely ignore the worth of a
university education; to see so-called
"awareness" perverted into a
compulsive desire to change solely
for the sake of change; that, sir, is
carnage of the most heinous sort
. . . that is the beginning of decadence.

Monday Night

The results of Monday night's
meeting of 4th year English majors
to initiate the abolition of this
year's comprehensive exam was
both a success and a temporary
failure. A success insofar as the vast
majority of those who attended
(95%) were in agreement to pursue
a specific course of action. However,
attendance amounted to
about 50% of the degree candidates
in the English department; hence,
the failure.

Let it be observed, however,
that apathy is a thing of the past.
The vehement interest of those
present in seeing human concerns
and human justice become topics of
concrete discussion and form the
basis of motivation toward human
action would warm even the liberal
Mr. Jefferson's heart.

But those riding on last year's
apathy should now join the living,
and support a cause in their own
interest. A revised petition to
abolish comps is being quickly
drawn up, and a committee of ten
will see to it that the views of all
133 English degree candidates be
known.

All concerned persons not present
at Monday night's meeting
should endeavor to find out the
proceedings and get on the stick,
now receiving majority support.

Cub Sign

I would like to express my
thanks to the two boys at the
Newcomb Hall desk Saturday night
who made a cub scout sign for Den
4, Pack 17 on five minutes notice.

I just want them to know Pack
17 won third place and Den 4 is
very grateful to them.