Presbyterian College - Pac Sac Yearbook (Clinton, SC)

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Looking back over my four years at Presbyterian Col- lege I can see many changes that have taken place both in the students themselves and in the college community itself. The trends or attitudes of the students have changed more than anything else in my opinion. Take for example the attitude towards marijuana. My fresh- man year marijuana was something that only the so called hippies would partake of, and most upperclass- men at that time looked down on you for smoking pot. However, four years later marijuana is as common an occurrence as drinking was four years ago, and even most of the people who do not smoke grass have deve- loped the attitude that if you want to smoke marijuana then that ' s your own business and you certainly will not be frowned on for partaking of pot. For the most part, the average P. C. student has been an apathetic one. Sure, there have been students who wanted to become another Abbie Hoffman or Tom Hay- den but they could never find enough students to back their causes and protest by doing something as radical as cutting classes or a boycott at registration. The students feared expulsion which the administration would not hesitate to use if they felt a particular student was becoming too much of a trouble maker. Of course there was the demonstration my sophomore year which was concerned mainly with the no drinking rule, and the results of the demonstration was a drinking rule which was as ridiculous as our controlled demonstra- tion. My junior year brought with it a new Dean of Students with instructions from headquarters (i.e. the Adminis- tration) to enforce all rules and regulations as they were written and to rid the campus of drugs and un- desirables. The students my junior year seemed to walk about in a spiritless state and there was a tense- ness in the air which wasn ' t present my freshman and sophomore years. There seemed to be no spirit or in- terest shown by any students in anything that affected their lives on the campus. Even when the administra- tion would create or enforce a rule that was utterly ridiculous in the eyes of most students, we took it all in stride and viewed it as just another part of being at P. C. where our one and only duty is being students who should never question the rules that we are required to live by. My senior year has brought about a slight change because with the possibility of a dorm visitation program in sight there is still hope of P. C. turning into a fully normal institution of higher learning where the students are treated as responsible adults and not watchover like nursery school children. P. C. has a great deal of potential of changing from a very good school to a great institution; especially with the construction of the library, which has been so desperately needed and the field house complex. I can ' t say that I ' ve been 100% satisfied at P. C. but I don ' t think any student in any college can say that, but I can say that I don ' t think that I would have been as satisfied with my education, social activities, friends, professors, and all the other aspects of a college com- munity in some other college as 1 have here at Presby- terian College. Jim E lief son. 1973 22 COMMUNITY

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p. C. has been my home for four years. There have been times when I loved it and times when I ve hated it. The Time I loved are when I ' ve been in close communi- cation with faculty or other students. On P. C. campus there is the opportunity within the student community to know, really know people. Relationships of this kind which I ' ve found meaningful are with the Volunteer Programs, d orm friends, classes, and off-campus trips. At times I contribute these relationships to the small campus, but a small campus has negative effects on the student community. One of these effects is the label- ing of students; meaning that within your first year or so on the P. C. campus you are assigned to groups and people associate you with a group personality and not as an individual. Another aspect of this campus is its friendliness ' — yes, students usually do speak to everyone, but often it is a false or forced friendliness. The faculty-student community has been one of the most rewarding experiences 1 have encountered. There is a chance for every student, if he is willing, to come to know one or more professors as a person. There are some truly genuine and very personable faculty mem- bers who I believe are interested in students as indivi- duals and not as mechanical people to be programmed. My experiences with faculty members have allowed me to be better prepared for the adult world and allowed me to grow intellectually and emotionally. Now to the administration-student community — when taking it as a whole, most students see it as the enemy. Separately and individually there are more positive feelings. Administrative actions and attitudes have not always pleased the students and has disillusioned many — here is where apathy enters into the picture. Students will relate that P. C. campus is apathetic — in fact it breeds apathy. This seems to be centered in the administration, but it is very hard to narrow down a problem like this. The place of the college in the Clinton community is vital. If P. C. wasn ' t in Clinton, a lot of establishments would close. The volunteer programs and fraternities reach almost every socio-economic level in Clinton. Many rare experiences are presented to the Clinton community. Usually people are very friendly, but a few always have to remark about how rich you must be because you go to P. C. P. C. can be a place to grow in many ways, but you have to push yourself and look under rocks sometimes to find this. A feeling of stagnation over rules many at times, and there is only to be heard the old saying if I ever get out of this place. All most want is to be able to get out in the world to try out unused responsi- bilities. We all may wish we were back at good ol ' P. C. ten years from now and that will only come with time. Kathy Newton, 1973 COMMUNITY 21

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Thoughts of the Dean of Students The 1972-73 school year was characterized by a de- cline in student activism and an improvement in the general attitude of the college community as a whole. Some labeled this trend apathy while others called it contentment . There continued to be differences of opinions and viewpoints on such matters as class atten- dance regulations, assembly attendance and dormitory visitation policy. Students advanced the view that class and assembly attendance should be voluntary and that their bedrooms were their living rooms while older heads maintained that students were here to learn and should go to classes; that assembly programs were val- uable exposure to cultural matters and that bedrooms were bedrooms. While most recognized that these pro- blems were beyond solution that would satisfy each individual, viewpoints were exchanged and respect for the viewpoint of others continued in evidence. One of the major problems that remained unsolved was the growing ineffectiveness of student government. Dissatisfaction with this aspect of the college life was expressed from all segments of the college community to such an extent that the future of student government as a viable, contributing body was doubtful. This situa- tion has resulted perhaps as an aftermath of the violent 1960 ' s when student government narrowed its area of interest to lobbyist activity only and the failure of the student body as a whole to contribute to student govern- ment and to require that it serve all facits of the college community. Closely allied with this lack of support for student government was an attitude of indifference to destruc- tion of property by fellow students and a failure on the part of the student body at large to be a deterrent against needless damage to property. The casual ob- server of the habits of our students could assume that many of our students lacked solid, personal values but the studied observer would learn that they had person- al values but were not willing to protect and defend them among their peers. The ninety-third year of the college ' s life has left its proper impact on the future of the college. Changes and additions to the academic program, expansion of student activities and construction of physical facilities has reflected optimism and confidence in the future that should be a challenge to us all. BENJAMIN F. IVEY, JR. Dean of Students COMMUNITY 23