University of Virginia Library

Changes In Wording

The Student Council spent more
than two hours last night going over
the letter and making changes in
wording. Unlike the Student
Coalition's letter last week, the
letter sent by the Council is quieter
in tone and better researched.

It reads, in part: "We fully agree
with your oft-repeated opinion that
the student body must change and
work hard to attract Black students
to participate in University life. The
faculty, quiet on these issues far
too long, needs to recognize its
obligations and assert its authority
in moving toward an open
University. Many of our steps are
late, much remains to be done."

The letter suggests that a
faculty-student-administration
committee on "equal opportunity
and racial harmony" be established.

There was no opposition to
sending the letter after it was gone
over, point by point by the
councilmen.

Gene Angle moved that the
motion passed by the Council at
last week's meeting urging that the
University Band and radio station
WUVA refrain from playing
"Dixie" be reconsidered. Even
though he voted for the motion last
week, he said, he thought there
ought to further discussion on it
because of student opinion.

His motion to reconsider passed,
10-9, and there was more discussion
on the original motion. Don Lovett,
a disc jockey for WUVA, said he
polled a "random sampling of
students" and found out that 74
per cent of those polled thought
the motion to be "ridiculous."

Mr. Angle asked what exactly in
the song was offensive. Mr.
Rocbuck explained that it was not
really the words of the song that
were offensive, but rather its
association with the Ku Klux Klan
and the old South that were.

Kevin Mannix pointed out that
the motion does not forbid the
playing of Dixie, it only urges that
the Band discontinue its practice of
playing it at athletic events.

Mr. Mannix also said that it was
hypocritical of the Council to urge
the administration to do everything
possible to make the University
more attractive for black students
while not taking even this small
step.

From the audience, Sam Young
said that he could think of "a
number of white students who
wouldn't come to the University if
"Dixie" were banned."