University of Virginia Library

Letters

Easily Parked
Noise Polluters

There are those of us who are
not pleased with the proliferation
of motorcycles around the
University. They are extremely
noisy machines.

If those responsible for traffic
control were at all concerned with
noise pollution, and with the
extreme discomfort inflicted on
residents and users of the Grounds
by the insane and incessant roar of
far too many motorcycles, we
might be able to stop this swift
deterioration of our aural
environment, rather than
encouraging the destruction by
establishing parking lots.

And the fault lies not only in
the machines themselves, but also
in their users who are often guilty
of extreme discourtesy, as they
insist on indulging the tactile
pleasure of revving up their
motorcycles, a pleasure which
produces pain for all others in the
vicinity, especially in the early
hours of the morning.

If the students at the University
cannot place the value of a more
humane environment above that of
the convenience of parking, they
have no right to criticize society for
doing the same thing, only on a
larger scale.

* * *

I read with avid interest the
articles concerning coeducation at
the University of Virginia in the
Oct. 26 issue of the CD - a copy
sent to me by a friend (a male, no
less).

Having been freed from the
bonds of a totally masculine
undergraduate student body,
thereby broadening its horizons, I
had thought that the female
element would be welcomed wit
should I say, open arms.

My naive belief was reinforced
by reports from a female friend of
the limitless possibilities of Mr.
Jefferson's school. However, after
reading one particular article (Va.
Gentlewomen...), I have haunting
fears that she is the anonymous girl
who was quoted as saying she was
lucky to have met a male
companion early and is now assured
of a regular date.

A cry arose in my throat after
completing these reports - would I,
if accepted, be doomed to staring at
the urinal in my converted dorm
bathroom with a book in hand and
actually have to study?

I was further perplexed by the
letter in the November 3 issue from
the two gentlemen who attested to
the that Mary Munford is not
only isolated, but on the night in
question, also deserted.

So I, an outsider ad a potential
applicant, am soliciting the
opinions of other students, perhaps
after more observation. Having
grown accustomed to a public
school environment, I myself would
find it very hard to study in
classrooms (and other situations) in
which "boys" were not at ease
because of my presence.

On the social side of this, I also
do not know if my already
somewhat unsure ego would survive
in an environment that consists
(supposedly) of "lonely" weekends
and/or perpetual blinds dates.
Home sweet home is very often
inaccessible for college fledglings
and the big weekends are few
and far between.

* * *

After reading the November 5,
1970 issue of The Cavalier Daily
and Stuart Pape's article "How To
Fight Surly Old Newcomb Hall," I
can only draw the conclusion that I
have been poorly instructed as to
how to criticize University life.
Thank you, Mr. Pape, for
enlightening me.

I now realize that all women
over 60 must not be allowed on the
Grounds of this school, because
they make the school look so
dreary and old-fashioned. Let's
hope that Mr. Pape's mother is
under 60, since he shows such a
pronounced aversion to old women.

Thank you, too, Mr. Pape, for
showing me so vividly the quality
of the food I have been eating at
The Grill. Since the hamburgers and
three days old and the French fries
soggy, I feel obliged to come by
and sample your culinary arts
soon. Oh, and those lines at The
Grill, they are horrendous! Why I
once remember waiting 10 minutes
to get a meal. But what will Mr.
Pape do now that his truck stop in
Ruckersville has burned down?

Mr. Pape's artistic sense is quite
alive, too. He manages to show me
that Newcomb is an antiquated
building, with antiquated facilities,
poorly placed pictures, and, worse
yet, institutional walls. Yes,
institutional walls!

So why don't we all see where
we can get some money (just
borrow it anywhere if you must) so
we can tear down Newcomb Hall
and rebuild it? Better yet, why not
tear down the whole school,
borrow even more money, and
build the whole place over again?
With all the ideas Mr. Pape has for
this much-needed renovation, I
propose we call it Pape University.
So put that in your Pape and smoke
it.

* * *

Alderman Library grows less and
less satisfactory every day. I was
dismayed several days ago to find
that the browsing room has been
stripped of nearly all of its books.
The collection which had been kept
there was of very high quality and a
pet project of former librarian
Harry Clemons.

It had afforded many a student
a pleasurable hour and it is a shame
that the present librarian, or
someone under him, saw fit to
disperse it through the stacks and
replace it, adding insult to injury,
with yet another collection of Life
magazines.