Students dropped from housing transfer deals By TERESA CAVINESS resident's contract obligation is billed for the a direct purchase between the student selling and the The card reads: For Sale: Housing Contract. already-established room and board fee, Janosik Room with a view. Loft said. student buying, he said. In the past, the student An eager commuter student spies the card and purchasing a contract simply moved into the room contract that he purchased on his own. rushes to the phone, hoping to be the first to contact THE HOUSING contract is a Finding contractual the dormitory resident who is trying to find a agreement between the student and the university for replacement for his housing contract. a full academic year. A student cannot be released HOWEVER, THE process was not equitable, since However, on campus rooms or housing contracts students who lived in the more popular dormitories from his contract unless undue circumstances are could easily find someone to take over their housing are not directly bought or sold among students, ac- shown and an application has been approved.' cording Chris Janosik, Associate Director of contract, whereas those who lived in less desirable The full-year contract is required because the locations had more difficulty, Janosik said Residence Halls and Commuting Student Services. university anticipates the number of rooms to be At no time time does money change hands between "This way, we assure everyone a more equal filled based on generated revenues. "If we allow chance of finding someone to take their place, be students, nor is the cost of the contract ever subject to students to come and go as they please, we might dOGed. negotiation, he said. have to raise fees in the middle of the year to refund The housing office uses a different process, where a Last semester, about 60 contract releases were someone," Janosik said processed and ail of the spaces were filled. student vacating a space on campus is refunded by To buy a resident contract, the Residence Halls the university. The commuter who is assuming the office makes room assignments, instead of permiting (Continued on Page 10) e ^Bibeze^— Vol. 57 James Madison University Harrtoonburg. Virginia Friday, February 15, I960 No. 35 iff in closet at JMU 'Nobody wanted to lead the parade' By DONNA SIZEMORE "I TRIED TO start an organization Football is his favorite sport last year for gays," said Art Mc- Often he can be found engrossed in Dermott, a senior. "Lower people were the sounds of Boston or Pablo Cruise. very supportive," he said, but higher Last semester his grade point people in the adminstration disap- average was 2.5. proved. Lifting weights and playing — ———^——^—^— backgammon are his hobbies. Beer is his favorite beverage. 'Idon't Haunt it but He would be considered a typical James Madison University student, except for one factor—he is gay. neither do I fight it Millions of men and women have I with other people interacted sexually with same-sex partners, according to "Homosexuality were more open' in Perspective," an extensive study by Masters and Johnson. However, despite the growing The main stumbling block to the openess about homosexuality, it gays' attempts to organize last year remains a fairly closed subject at JMU. was that they became overly em- barrassed at the process required to A LITTLE-KNOWN organization become a recognized student group at exists here for gay students at JMU, JMU, according to Dr. Lacy Daniel, according to one gay sophomore male. dean of students. The group meets once a week under a No attempt was made to stop their program entitled "Alternative efforts, Daniel said, adding, "The Lifestyles," which is sponsored by the adminstration is making no ruling at JMU Counseling and Student this point." Development Center, he said. According to McDermott, the major "These people are involved in helping hindrance to his attempt was apathy each other out," he said, adding that among gay students. "Everyone the process has to be completed subtly. wanted to jump on the band wagon but no one wanted to lead the parade." McDermott believes gays at JMU will organize within the next five years 'You feel tike you're because they are becoming open about in cold storage. their sexuality. HOWEVER, STUDENT objections to The whole thing gay rights are prevalent on campus. is very quiet' One JMU student who roomed with a gay described his experiences. "Little According to Jon Mclntire of the things made me wonder," he said. "I Counseling • Center, "Alternative wouldn't bring people into the room." Lifestyles" is a group for anybody "Do you know what it's like to have who's having questions about their someone come in your room and leave lifestyles. "It's not a gay group." "Playgirl" lying around?" he asked. Lifestyles may include discussions of "How would you like to wonder if you whether a student chooses to remain were going to walk in on your room- single or get married, or even how a mate in bed with some guy?" woman balances her desire to pursue a One gay student disagreed that career as well as marriage, Mclntire homosexuality is shunned here. "As said. "As with any group we conduct, long as you come across as a person sexual concerns may be explored from first, it doesn't bother people," he said, time to time," he added. adding that when a gay begins "beating people across the head"' about his The atmosphere at JMU is not sexual preference that trouble results. receptive to homosexuality, according According to the gays interviewed, to one JMU gay student. "I dor't let it the first feelings expressed after bother me," be said. "You feel like discovering their own homosexuality Photo by Bill Tar«n«tto you're in cold storage. The whole thing are suppressive. HOMOSEXUALITY Is a quiet issue but another estimates approximately is very quiet. Madison is a very con- at JMU. according to one gay student, 800 gays attend the university. servative campus." (Continued on Page in Page2, THE BREEZE Friday, February 15,1910 Wilson Tc certain By BOBBY GIRARDI .tower. But according to .By day, it is a symbol of Lawrence Dove, utility academia; by night, it looks engineer, "this is simply not like the lantern atop a great true. I have been working here silent flagship, a glowing for 30 years now, and I've beacon to the valley never beard anything like To every James Madison that. It seems that if University student, the tower something had happened I atop Wilson Hall is probably a would have heard about it," familiar landmark. It adorns Dove said. class rings, calendars and just Wayne Brown, assistant about every other piece of director of records and a JMU university paraphernalia. It is graduate also denied rumors possibly the most visible sight of a girl's tragic death. "I on campus, and yet the Wilson heard rumors that the tower cupola is an enigma While the was the make-out center of 20 cupola's presence may be years ago," he said, "but I taken for granted, it still never heard anything about remains a structure that anyone killing themselves up implies a certain amount of there. There was a girl who mystery. hung herslef in what was How many times have called the Tunnel, though," he students going to class added. The Tunnel was a glanced up at it and wondered passage that ran from Ashby for just a moment what was to Harrison that has since up there? I'll admit that I fallen into disuse and been have been curious about it for bricked over. a long time, and I was The tower, as its determined to find a way to weathervane indicates, was get in and find out the truth built in 1930 along with the rest about the place. of Wilson Hall, and was added Over the years, the cupola to the hall to enhance the has inspired several in- semi-colonial architecture of teresting rumors—some the building. "I believe the believable, some not—that cupola at one time was •The cupola was In pretty bad shape. The Wagner, physical plant director. This photo continue to circulate among required on all public windows had been broken an pigeons were looks up into the very top of the tower, which is students. buildings," Brown said. using it for a nest,' according to Eugene kept locked. One of the most persistent "There's one on the cour- rumors tells about a girl who thouse in Harrisonburg and a Until recently, according to the newly-repaired clock and glass of the window. supposedly commited suicide lot of other government Eugene Wagner, physical out a side door where an iron I had the feeling of a by hanging herself in the buildings." plant director, the cupola was rung ladder leads to the blue pioneer, but on rafters close to apparently ignored, but sky and mass of rafters that is me, student graffiti proved University President Ronald the cupola. prior conquest: E.L. WAS Carrier has instituted some "You better watch it up HERE-70, PAM n AL-^71, improvements. there," said Dove. "I won't be WE WERE HERE TOO. "Dr. Carrier had lights responsible if you fall.'" Later. 1 asked Mr. Dove installed in the cupola and restored the clock which has been out of order some years," said Wagner. "The 'anybody who would make-out up there cupola was in pretty bad shape. The windows had been either had to be crazy or desperate* broken and pigeons were using it for a nest.