Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

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The Hattie Thompson house is ready for a roadtrip after being vacated by Peregrine House restaurant. 16 STUDENT LIFE

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Escape from Davidson In order to accommodate students wish- ing to take weekend vacations from David- son, the Quips Cranks has compiled this concise weekend travel guide listing some of the more popular destinations for suit- case weekends. In preparing this guide, we have to ask ourselves why such informa- tion should even be necessary. What sort of weekend recreation could these locations possibly provide that Davi dson lacks? We remain baffled, but the phenomenon contin- ues. Admittedly, Davidson is less of a suitcase school than other colleges and universities, and this fact attests to Davidson ' s thriving, well-rounded weekend social scene. To sat- isfy our curiosity, while we were talking to students about their favorite weekend hi- deaways, we inquired a little into their mo- tives for getting away. One junior com- plained, There ' s never anything going on around here! You have to get away if you plan to have any fun on the weekends! Obviously a social hermit who pays no at- tention to the rampant weekend partying which goes on in Davidson. Another upper- classman sighed, Well, you know how it is. After a week of intense studying and apply- ing myself seriously to academics, I just need to get out and get away from the inten- sity of Davidson social life on weekends. It ' s just too much for me. I need a nice weekend in the great outdoors. One upperclassman coed responded by simply switching on her Cyndi Lauper tape: Oh, Mamma dear, we ' re not the fortunate ones, the girls just wanna have fun! We are not sure, but was she implying something about the social life of upperclass Davidson coeds? Prob- ably not. Take them as you will, these are a few reasons why students take off on the weekends. But where do they go? Following is our concise list of favorite weekend getaways: CHAPEL HILL. Home of the University of Morth Carolina, a renowned party school and excellent source of boy girlfriends who ' ve graduated from Davidson and are now killing a few more years in grad school before entering Real Life. 3 hour drive from Davidson. WINSTON-SALEM. Cultural Mecca of the state and home of Wake Forest, social Mecca of western Carolinian college stu- dents. Also a popular locale for grad schoolboy girlfriends. 1 hour, 15 minute drive. SKI RESORTS. In winter, mountains like Beech and Sugar attract Davidson ski buffs to their snowy slopes. Travel time varies. MYRTLE BEACH. When the weather turns warm, students swap the skis for the shades and head for the shores of South Carolina en masse. Cottages are avail- able for rent and many students ' families have houses near the ocean. 6 hourdrive. GRATEFUL DEAD CONCERTS. From east to west coast, Dead Heads drive to their concerts regardless of distance. The pop- ularity of this weekend getaway is indi- cated less by the numbers who go than by the frequency of their trips. Ask your favorite eastern religion professor for more details. Travel time varies. HOME. Perhaps the most popular weekend escape among Davidson students. Re- gardless of season, weather, or approach- ing exams, students flock home more of- ten than to any other weekend spot. At- tractions include Mom ' s cooking, a private room decorated to your own indi- vidual taste, and lots of familiar, friendly people. Travel time varies, but it ' s always worth the trip. — Heather Jameson Donna Thompson, Howie Wllkins, and Jim Morgan escape the pressures of academia off tfie sfiores of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Davidson students enjoy the tradition of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Away weekends 15

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The changing faces of Davidson So you thought you knew your way around Davidson? Guess again. The famil- iar downtown layout holds a number of sur- prises for the unwary student. New devel- opment and relocation is literally changing the face of the Davidson business district. Peregrine House was the first to secede from Main Street as it abandoned the histor- ic Hattie Thompson house, where it first opened in 1975. Peregrine ' s new home is at 127 Depot Street, once the site of the David- son jail. The structure vacated by the move dates from the 1870 ' s. Its historical significance prompted some concerned citizens to inter- vene In the planned demolition of the build- ing. They purchased it and planned to have it moved to a nearby site. Further down Main Street, at Piedmont Bank and Trust, more changes appeared. The bank stayed where it was but merged with First Union National Bank, one of the largest banks in North Carolina. These early alterations set the stage for a major development project begun by the town. The Davidson Town Plan is a 3-5 year project that includes the construction of a mall, a road, and walkways connecting the new structures with Main Street. The first installment was scheduled for completion sometime in the spring, with weather condi- tions being the major obstacle to definite planning. Upon completion, this first structure be- came the new home of the Davidson Post Office. But there is no reason to forget that trek to the old Post Office building! The walk will remain — it will only be a little longer. Confused? Don ' t despair — according to the Town Office, there is method to the changing faces of Davidson. — Katherine Gatchel Gina Triplett An aerial shot captures the picturesque scene of the Davidson campus. changing faces 17