Birmingham Southern College - Southern Accent Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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cy. The old-timers return with a hint of enthusiasm that momentarily depresses the old skepticism. The new students are attracted to and intrigued by campus life with alarming success. The old regime, slightly enthused by the catching spirit, almost joins the new movement — almost. Soon, however, the upperclassmen succeed in twisting the movement to their own cynical viewpoint, and the spirit begins to die its usual, slow death. Winter Quarter at Southern continues to cultivate the growing skepticism. Rain and cold, combined with the perpetual grey wind which blows across the Hilltop, drape the campus in a dismal blanket of depression. Students are rarely seen on the campus during other than class hours. It is as though the entire campus enters a discontented hiber- nation, leaving only a few diehard enthusiasts. Spring releases us with a new-found, pregnant fervor: quadrangles and parking lots are once again filled with students. The admittedly potent campus organizations make an effort to challenge the old spirit — although it can be said that in past years this has only produced temporary results. 11

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Perhaps our best indication of this departure from the old can be seen in the changes which ore ap- pearing in our non-academic existence. Previously extracurricular opportunities, manifest in virtually every phase of out of classroom life, retained all of the characteristics of the ' Southern old maid — they simply never were token advantage of. A lack of communication between administration and stu- dent body, combined with the student ' s negative attitude toward any attempt to change his generally skeptical position, gave student life on this campus the vibrancy of a rain-drenched funeral. The aver- age student, unwilling to voluntarily involve himself in any way, resented any forcing of the issue as a prostitution of his morose indolency. The student of ' 66-67 cannot be portrayed as the direct opposite. His reactions to original ideas and efforts either for or against him are immediate. But they are as temporary as they are refreshing, and are seemingly consistent with the mood of the seasons — a pattern somewhat akin to that followed by our predecessors. In the Fall, the student body exhibits a mixed tenden- If 1 Hm ' 10

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Our year has been significantly different. For the first time, this entrenched pattern has been weakened — although it has not been conquered. Vitality has been evidenced by the student body. Although it may be called slight by some, it is perhaps a first link of a chain which may eventually lead to the develop- ment of a student body composed of mature, sensi- tive people — rather than mere students. Certainly this must be the true goal which the dreamers had in mind when they began to fight for a student body which would do little more than fight them back. We must strive to do far more. It remains for us to develop the potential within ourselves to its greatest extent. For only by doing this can we give substance to plans which, without our effort, will be little more than dreams. ]2