The student news site of Guilford College

The Guilfordian

The student news site of Guilford College

The Guilfordian

The student news site of Guilford College

The Guilfordian

Letters to the Editor

February 11, 2002 To The Editor:

I found myself unable to resist writing a reply to John Teague’s Forum article.

I am excited to hear that Mr. Teague has had an epiphany about the value of his college education. However, through my blinding excitement, I find myself wondering if perhaps his epiphany was in truth a “duh” moment. In the opinion piece that he wrote for last week’s Guilfordian, he sarcastically states that he has learned that “the most important thing about going to college is to look cool.” He paints a picture of a class that is constantly interrupted by unprepared cell-phone-toting students who amble in late in order to “make as much noise as possible.”

I would like to question the accuracy of his depiction of the Guilford College classroom. While I realize that some people do indeed act like the students that he has described, they are a diminishing minority of the students here. I would suggest that he keep a close eye on these students. If what he has described is truly the way in which they approach their schooling, it is my guess that sooner or later, they will cease to attend his class, and for that matter, this school altogether.

It sounds like Mr. Teague feels like the quality of his education is being adversely affected by the behavior of others. If so, it is, of course, his right to make noise, and to do so loudly. I want to comment that he may, however, wish to abstain from further confrontation and instead examine the caliber of classes that he is taking. If they require the application of the virtues that he so proudly attributes to himself, such as hard work, and discipline, surely they will lack the “cool people” that he has described.

Patrick McDougal

P.S. Perhaps he should invest in a spell-checker.


February 12, 2002

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the article in the recent edition of The Guilfordian regarding the Mary Hobbs coffee house.

One line in particular caught my eye; it was a quote from Senate President, Megan Page, saying, “Since health regulations closed down the Hobbs basement kitchen four years ago, Hobbs residents have had a much lighter chore load. Cleaning and maintaining the basement, and acting as student attendants could help Hobbs students justify their tuition discount.”

First off, I want to inquire as to whether Page actually made this quote. I find it hard to believe any student on this campus would attempt to rationalize dumping more work on a dorm of girls who have been cleaning toilets for decades … all for the sake of coffee.

As for justifying our tuition discount, the last time I checked, we save a whopping $60. Do you know of any janitorial service that would agree to clean a dorm twice a week for an entire year for $120? If you do, please let me know. I have lived in Hobbs for the past three years, and it is unbelievably insulting for someone who has not attempted to tack toilet scrubbing twice a week onto an already overloaded schedule to insinuate that Mary Hobbs students are in any way deserving of even more labor.

I would encourage anyone who may hold such notions to contact the work checker, Emily Hatch, and ask her how many girls she can spare a week to make, serve, and clean up coffee.

Attendance in Hobbs is down, and she has already had to combine chores due to a lack of workers.

I am not opposed to the idea of a coffee house, but I am insulted by anyone’s implying that it will somehow become the responsibility of Hobbs residents to serve the rest of the campus coffee and doughnuts. I sincerely hope The Guilfordian misconstrued the actual quote … stranger things have happened.

Stephanie Hunter

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