Page Two
Editorial Opinion
movies and Pop Culture-or
" Good-bye Devil, Hello Robert
Redford."
I think it may be safe now to
speak briefly about the
staggering effects certain movies
and other forms of mass media
have had and are continuing to
have on the American people. The
"Exorcist" craze is over now, the
Acadamy Awards succeeding in
exorcising the last demon from
the American people. But
promoters are quickly trying to
fill the, vacancy with Robert
Redford and his two current hit
films "The Sting" and "The
Great Gatsby". They will no
doubt succeed.
Most hit films are followed by
some kind , commercial= cash
for example, Mary Poppins
coloring books or the Easy Rider
poster. In some cases, a film is
followed by a craze, some aspect
of the film is picked up by the
people and then exploited by the
Letter To The Editor
Dear Editor,
I've asked the Behrend
Collegian Editor to hold this
letter from being a cause of a
major article and to handle it as a
`Letter to the Editor' because I
choose to demonstrate that I do
believe the students do read the
Collegian. I sincerely hope the
students will continue to support
this publication.
I have chosen not to seek re
election to the office of President.
I must apologize to those who
have supported me. I'm sure they
are as suprised by this letter as
everyone else who knows me.
I'm choosing not to run for the
office because of the uncertainty
as to my future here at Behrend.
This decision has been probably
-
one - Of - my - hardest; ' I 'have to
swallow a lot of pride.
I feel that rhave succeeded in
keeping up with the future of
students at Behrend. It's true I
have been here a long time, so
naturally I've seen a lot just by
my own nature. I have always
been criticized and I've always
Nehrenti Tollegiatt
Mfg frees Asseriattan
of Cautauntimath Campuses
Editor-in-Chief
Undo Johnson
Managing Editor
Georgean Gay►dosh
Photographers: Mich;ael Mark, Gary Stewart
Business Manager: Alan Shrout
Circulation Manager: Jayne Switala
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Staff: Sue Skiba, Debbie Ries, Bud Ore, Gary Schonthaler, Gay
Marie Cantania, Caesar Jones, Lynne Phillips, Bruce Pizzini
Layout Staff: Nancy Lindholm
Mailing Address- Behrend Campus, Station Road, Erie, Pa. 16510
Office- Student Offices, Reed Union Building
Office Hours: 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Phone: 899-3101 Ext.23B.
Opinions expressed by the editors and staff of the Behrend
Collegian are not necessarily those of the University
Administration. faculty, or the student body.
Published every Thursday throughout the Fall, Winter, and
Spring Terms, with exclusions for holidays and term breaks.
Tne editorials appearing in this
newspaper will be • opinionated
and therefore subject to
criticism. All letters that are
typewritten of 200 words or less,
and submitted to the newspaper
staff will be printed with the
exception of those that are
repetitions or in poor taste. The
staff reserves the right to correct
capitalists. The lat e st example of
this has been the fervor that has
followed "The Exorcist" since its
release. Within a few weeks,
every paper and periodical in the
country was talking about this
film. The churches condemned it,
critics loved and hated it, people
loved and hated it. Some people
never even saw the film, but
everyone knew about it. The
same is about to happen with the
film "The Great Ga ts by "
Designers are predicting a return
to "gatsby" era clothes so we
may be seeing flappers again,
who knows.
Of course, crazes, fads, what
ever you want to call them, have
been around for a long time and
are actually an important facet of
American culture. But why? Why
do Americans become so involved
with things like hula hoofing,
flying saucers, or demonology? It
would seem that in America there
are more important things to
Chiricuzio Chooses Not To Run
been able to handle it. My own ego
and pride have kept me in
organizations and in the position
where I am most vulnerable to
this type of communication.
The position of President has
been a difficult one. Not by my
inexperience as an involved
student but by the degree of its
own nature. I've succeeded with
most of my campaign platform
and there is still time for me to
finish. I will follow through and be
as expectant as when I began.
As to the future of Behrend and
its students; Behrend is ob
viously growing, such growth is
slow but I've seen how four years
has made a difference. I en
courage those who can stay at
Behrend_„ to ,do so because the
mood of the students is set by
those who understand the nature
of Behrend. When I speak of
Behrend I speak of its
Administration, staff (God knows
when we will understand the
faculty and they us) and even its
physical attributes. I am con
viced this is the case to observe.
Member of
Editorial Policy
or (L.. ate portions of all letters for
publication purposes.
All letters must be signed, but
names will be withheld upon
request. Term standing, major,
and hometown must be included.
Signed columns represent the
view of the author only and do not
reflect the Editorial policy of the
Behrend Collegian.
by Jeff Matson
Executive Editor
Executive Editor
Jeffrey Matson
Sports Editor
Jim Concelman
Behrend Collegian
worry about. I think this is the
essence of the problem, there are
so many other things to worry
about in this country,- that people
need something to divert their
attention from the problems.
When you really think about it,
is the grotesque possession of a
young girl by a devil any more
horrifying than living in a
country that seems to slowly be
destroying itself through
pollution and misuse of natural'
materials? Is a nostalgic look
backward a perhaps needed
escape from the tensions of day to
clay Ainerican life. I don't think
there is any sickness or wrong in
the "craze". I do think people
would become crazy if they were
deprived of their "crazes" and
other forms of release. The only
part that is upsetting is to see the
commercial exploitation that so
often accompanies the crazes, but
that is America for you; you even
want to escape from the escapes.
You presently have those
students who care about Behrend
and have the ability to help its
future growth; they succeed after
me. I wish to make a personal
appeal on behalf of Brian Ferris.
He has the ability to succeed as
President of the S.GA., but only
if the students support him.
The other is Joey Kennedy,
newly elect President of the
Student Union Board; Bruce
Zimmerman is the advisor.
Under his guidance and with her
energy this organization will
become quite the entertainment
force. These are the future
leaders of Behrend, support
them.
Most Sincerely,
Michael A. Chiricuzio
Vote!
Dear Editor:
Over the past year I have
served on the Student Govern
ment Association as Freshman
Commuter Representative. In
this capacity I have learned
much from the people connected
with the SGA, and just how ef
fective the SGA is in solving
problems that arise. I also have
become aware that there is a
distinct separation between
dormitory students and com
muting students.
While dorm students seem to
take an active part in all campus
activities, commuters appear
apathetic toward any on-campus
events. This is the most im
portant issue in my platform. As
first vice-president I will try to do
my best to see that there is a
coming together of these two
separate factions. To accomplish
this would mean a rebirth at
Behrend, not only creating new
activities, but also providing a
new sense of unity.
My other platform issue deals
with the strengthening of the SGA
which is the key to campus
The Big Wa
Birth defects are forever unless
you help. That is this year's
theme for the Erie County
Chapter of The March of Dimes.
The walk is scheduled to leave
the Tech Memorial High School
Gym at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 28.
What is the Big Walk? It is a
total community .effort giving
each person a chance to help in
the fight against Birth Defects by
participating in a 20 mile walk.
After conquering polio, March
of Dimes turned their efforts to
fight the largest unmet health
problem in - the world - that of
Skip A Meal
Fast To have A People
On Wednesday, May Ist,
students on colleges and high
schools across America are
organizing the FAST TO SAVE A
PEOPLE. Co-sponsored by
Oxfam-America and Project
Relief, the FAST is aimed at
helping the six to ten million
people who face death from
starvation as a result of the
ongoing African drought, which
has been called "the worst
ecological disaster of the cen
tury." The FAST unites a
massive fundraising effort with
an attempt to develop awareness
of both the crisis situation in sub-
Saharan Africa and impending
food shortages in other parts of
the world.
On May Ist, students are urged
to skip one or all of the day's
meals and to donate the money
thus saved to help the people of
the drought-stricken area.
Students will also solicit financial
sponsors to underwrite their fast.
Funds raised in this way will be
used immediately for food,
family planning and medical
welfare. Through a viable SGA,
Behrend students possess the
means for expressing student
concerns and for effecting
changes democratically. If I'm
elected, my objective will be to
reinforce the already strong SGA
by providing more represen
tative input from all student
organizations. Not only would the
various campus organizations
benefit from this voice, but so
would, of course, the total student
body.
On these two issues I base my
campaign, a vote for me, for first
vice president, is a vote for
heightened unity at Behrend.
Thank you for your considered
support.
David Scypinski
False Alarms
Dear Editor;
This letter is concerning the
constant misuse of fire alarms in
the dorms and the feeling of
apathy that encounters people
when the alarm is sounded. Last
Thursday about 2 a.m. when a
fire alarm in Lawrence was
sounded, a totarof 3, yes, 3 in
dividuals on our entire floot
made any effort to get up and
properly react. Everyone took it
for granted that it was just
another of many foolish pranks
and considered it useless and
unnecessary to do anything about
it. These "practical jokers" fail
to see the dangers they impose on
others. For instance what would
happen if a real fire occurred, the
alarm was pulled and everyone
ignored it thinking it was just
another prank?
Roslyn Monteverde
Julia Baker
Birth Defects. At first, they did
not dare to mention "prevention"
for they knew too little; but after
a short time scientists made
great strides in the field. That is
wby help is needed now - to
continue their progress.
Any Bebrend student who is
interested in walking for this
cause should pick up a pledge
card at the RUB desk and then
contact possible sponsors. After
the walk students should return
to their sponsors and collect their
pledges. More information may
be found on the pledge card.
April 18, 1974
assistance. In addition, they will
be carefully channeled into such
long-range projects as
agricultural training programs,
well drilling and water resource
management, credit cooperatives
to aid small farmers in the
purchase of seeds, fertilizers, and
insecticides; in short, to help
build the kind of sound and
sustainable agriculture so
urgently needed in these
developing nations.
Even in the best of times the
countries south of the Sahara
desert are among the poorest in
the world. Now in Mauritania,
Senegal, Niger, Upper Volta,
Mali, Chad, Sudan, and Ethiopia
the rains have failed for six to
eight years. Scientists estimate
that, as a result .ofjhe drought,
the Sahara is expanding into
these countries at the un
precedented rate of 30 miles per
year. If the process is not halted
soon, significant amounts of
agricultural land will be per
manently removed from
production at a time of increasing
world wide food scarcity.
News coverage of the insidious
disaster has been scanty. These
countries have no oil, no strategic
location, and now, no exportable
agriculture. They are isolated
from the larger world by
distance, a forbidding climate,
and a lack of adequate tran
sportation routes. Despite well
meaning governmental relief
efforts, the need for food stuffs
and agricultural development
increases.
Co-sponsors of the day-long fast
are Oxfam-America and Project
Relief. Oxfam-America with
headquarters in Newton, Mass.,
is the American branch of the
international Oxfam organization
begun in Oxford, England during
11. The organization has 30
years . of experience in the field of
international relief and long-term
development assistance and has
an exceptional record for efficient
management of funds and careful
planning and supervision of
projects.
Project - Relief,' located in
Providence, R. 1., is a non-profit,
tax-exempt charitable fund
raising organization which was
established in 1971 in response to
the needs of Bengali refugees in
India. The organization pays
neither salaries nor rent and
accepts only donated staff ser
vices so that the greatest possible
percentage of each dollar is used
for direct relief. Project Relief
is now focusing its energies on the
African drought disaster.
The FAST TO SAVE A
PEOPLE has been endorsed by a
number of prominent Americans,
among them: Leonard Bernstein,
Senator Joseph R. Biden, Julian
Bond, Senator Edward W.
Brooke, William F. Buckley Jr.,
Congressman James A. Burke,
Marion Clawson, Henry Steele
Commanger, Congressman
Michael J. Harrington, Senator
Floyd Haskell, Edward Higbee,
Senator Harold E. Hughes,
Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Senator
George McGovern, Senator
Edmund Muskie, Senator James
B. Pearson, Senator Claiborne
Pell, Elliot L. Richardson, Dr.
Benjamin Spock, Congressman
Gerry E. Studds, Alvin Toffler,
Senator Lowell Weicker, Mayor
Kevin White and Leonard
Woodcock.
Pros & Cons
Las Vegas night...
Easter Candy...
The false fire alarm vandal.
Lent is over!. . .
The Monday morning blahs
on Tuesday...
Wednesday...
Thursday...
Referee Joyce puts Perry
Guys in Penalty Box.. .
Midterms...
Baseball season...
Cheap booki in the . library. .
Tennis season...
Collecting for the Cancer
Sobiety...
Golf Season...
Only five more weeks left of
classes...