University of Virginia Library

UVM Has Solid Content, Little Art Work

By Thomas C. Adams
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Students who bother to turn past
the rather tacky cover of the
Midwinter's issue of The University
of Virginia Magazine will
be rewarded for their patience.

University Discrimination

The issue begins with "From
the Observatory," a well-written
and honest explanation of discrimination
at the University from
all angles. It is an introduction to
the cover story, an interview with
five University Negro students.

Interviewer Pete Sudler, a literary
editor of UVM, gives a brief
history of the integration of the
University, followed by an interview
with some of the University's
Negro students, "Prejudice at the
University? An interview with Virginia's
Negro students." Four of
the first names in the interview are
those of real students. The fifth one
was changed at the request of the
student.

Negro Problems

Ike, Luke, George and Wesley
talk about discrimination at the
University both it its overt
and subtle forms. They give an
illuminating glimpse of what it is
like to be a black student in
Charlottesville. The five speak of
being asked to leave fraternity
parties, having trouble finding approved
housing, and of being stopped
numerous times by University
police and asked for identification.

The five give their opinions
about discrimination by the administration
in admissions and
their role, if any, in alleviating
discrimination at the University.

Optimism Reigns

In spite of their experiences at
the University these students are
genuinely optimistic about the
future. Most faculty members go
out of their way to be nice to
them in classes where many of
the students are hostile, they point
out. One of the students, George,
has been selected by the University
as a counselor.

They have confidence that in
time, change and assimilation will
come. Luke was amazed at how
few brothers opposed his admission
when he rushed fraternities.

"Cramelot"

The final act of Ken Barry's
musical, "Cramelot," is there and
for those who were left in suspense
over the fate of Lancelot, you
can breathe now. He makes the
Deanhood. "Cramelot" is a play
written to be read and not acted.
It local humor is funny, and it
satirizes everything and everyone
on the Grounds with some fine
lines.

The play ends, suitably, in a
student riot, which brings back
some fond memories to those who
didn't manage to make it in front
of the cameras at the last one.

Bad Poetry

Though wars such as Vietnam
bring many advancements in such
fields as surgery they are also the
excuse for a lot of bad poetry.
Pat Flood's "Fate of a Modern
Age" is a poorly done poem
showing how meaningless and
awful war can be. This can be
done without writing a meaningless,
awful poem. The collage of
photos surrounding the poem
makes two handsome pages if you
are illiterate. The last stanza is
unbearable.

Don Lewis' poem on "The
Honorable Frank Hume" is more
than a poem about Mr. Hume.
It is a poem about state of Virginia
and has some great lines such
as "But the spirit of the Honorable
Frank spurts, Eternal testimony
to a myth that failed."

His last stanza is particular

His last stanza in particular
caught my attention, but not for
the same reasons Miss Flood's did.

More Goldwater

Joel Gardner's answer to last
month's article entitled "Reagan:
Another Goldwaterloo?" begins
well but midway through loses its
objectivity. Arguments begin to
come from Mr. Gardner's heart
and thus lose their appeal to anyone
who does not care for Mr.
Reagan to begin with.

Political Editor Gardner's ending
with the good old Lincoln
quote "You can fool all the...."
is trite. "The Confidence of a
Conservative" has some valid reasons,
however, to show why
Ronald Reagan does not necessarily mean
another slaughter at the polls
for the Republicans in 1968.

Mike Barr's little story "For
Old Times Sake" is a love story.
Writing about matters of the heart
is always delicate but Mr. Barr's
story is handled well and is realistic.

Rick Lasser's story "Emerging
Green" is the type of prep school
writing that is supposed to be
packed with meaning but in this
case I find it hard to find. Betty
Pierce, the story's main character
is a good case for the Davis Ward
but it is hard to imagine any
such person really existing.

Lack Of Illustrations

Except for the photography contest
winners and the ridiculous
cover, there is little illustration in
UVM, which is a shame. What
little there is, such as the drawings
for the two short stories, is excellent.

There is no road trip story in
this issue because there were few
girl's schools around left to visit,
unless the editors of UVM decided
to do a pictorial on "The
girls of St. Anne's." The lack of
pictures hurts the makeup considerably
and leaves UVM dense
and packed with newsprint.

UVM is not the sort of magazine
your date can browse through
during the ten minutes before the
concert starts. It takes time to
read it, but that time would be
well spent.