- Title
- PCC Courier, January 21, 1977
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-
- Date of Creation
- 21 January 1977
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-
- Description
- Student newspaper published and edited for the Associated Student Body of Pasadena City College weekly during the college year by the journalism students.
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- Display File Format
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PCC Courier, January 21, 1977
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Justice System Described by Inmates
Prison Called ' Uncaring '
By Jeanette Sliuey
Staff Writer
The criminal justice system is “a
huge machine that neither sees, hears,
thinks, or cares,” said one inmate
from the California Institute for Men
at Chino. The inmate, along with two
others, spoke at flarbeson Hall on
Thursday, Jan. 13. Their appearance
was the last in the series entitled,
"Perspectives on the Criminal Justice
System.”
The three inmates, introduced by
first names only, were Richard, 28, in
prison for armed robbery ; Miguel, 28,
in prison for second-degree murder
and Jack, 40, in prison for possession of
cocaine.
ЛИ
three had prior arrest
records, and each had his own opinion
about the criminal justice system.
Richard said. "I can sum up the
criminal justice system in one word—
'confusing’ .”
He described the criminal justice
system as a "machine” and said the
end result of a system like this is "an
individual who can t function.”
Human Quality
He feels that society is not ready to
deal with unskilled people and skills
learned in prison are often of no value
on the outside. Prisons need to have “a
more human quality,” he said.
Richard, who was reared in a ghetto
area and has spent 15 years of his life
in correctional institutions, believes
that prisoners should be looked at in
the context of their social, political and
economic situations, rather than just
their criminal record.
“How can a man be more than what
his environment dictates?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t have chosen to live in the
ghetto.”
Miguel, who was reared in a New
York ghetto held a slightly different
view from Richard’s. He was asked
how better treatment in the criminal
justice system might have helped him
avoid returning to crime.
"It's not in the system, it’s in
yourself. Maybe a better environment
could have helped, but maybe I’d be
the same anyway," he said.
Poor Environment
Jack, who is not a product of the
ghetto, agreed with Richard that the
environment in prison could lead
people to return to crime.
“If your guards are vicious, you are
going to be vicious. You’ll be a product
of your environment,” he said.
Jack added, however, that en¬
vironment is not entirely to blame for
criminal behavior.
“It’s not just where your house is,
it’s the company you keep,” he said.
All three men spoke in favor of
Senate Bill 42, as did the lieutenant
who accompanied them. Senate Bill 42
requires the judge to determine the
exact length of time to be served at the
time of sentencing, rather than an
indeterminate length (such as two to 10
years).
“Indeterminate sentencing is
inhuman punishment,” said Richard.
He said that if, for instance, a man is
sentenced for a period of from 10 years
to life, he has no idea when or if he will
be released. This causes mental
anguish, according to Richard, and
isn’t conducive to a positive attitude or
positive change in behavior.
When asked if he thought Senate Bill
42 would help deter crime, Richard
Continued on Page Six
Students Elected To Fill
Spring AS
В
Positions
Charlee Stauffer was elected to the
office of ASB vice-president in this
week's general election at PCC,
beating David Dean in the vote count.
The office was the only post on the
ballot with any contenders.
The only other candidates on the
ballot won by default since they were
the only ones to apply for each of their
offices.
Brad Baldwin won the office of ASB
president unopposed. Baldwin
presently is finance commissioner.
Phillip Van Etten automatically
assumed the position of Freshman
Class president. Thomas Whiting will
fill the office of Student Senate
president.
When Baldwin assumes office next
semester he will be responsible for
appointing members to hold the
remaining six ASB seats. His ap¬
pointments must be approved by the
ASB Board and the Student Senate.
The offices vacant are Sophomore
Class president, Associated Men
Students and Associated Women
Students presidents, Athletics
president and first and second Senate
vice-presidents.
According to Mike Schultz, outgoing
president of the student body, the voter
turnout was the lowest in 10 years. In
last semester's election, the number of
voters exceeded that of any election
for the last five years.
Community Agencies
To Solicit Volunteers
Volunteer days are scheduled for
Tuesday and Wednesday, February 15
and 16 in the Quad.
The purpose of the event, which has
been held for over two years, is to
solicit student volunteers for over 40
community agencies that need non-
paid assistance, according to Charles
Bowman, PCC placement counselor.
Volunteer work needed ranges from
simple clerical assistance to
psychological counseling. Students are
eligible for co-op credit from PCC’s
office of Cooperative Education for the
hours worked.
Among the agencies represented in
past years are the Pasadena Head
Start Program, Pasadena Recreation
Department and the Boys Club of
Pasadena.
Volunteer Days gathers several
organizations as a convenience for
both students and the soliciting groups,
according to Katie Stratton, of the
Pasadena Volunteer Action Center and
one of the coordinators of the event.
“The program offers an excellent
opportunity for the student to learn of
over 25 agencies in one place,” she
said.
Bowman said volunteer work gives
students a chance to become an asset
to the business or educational com¬
munity when the student acquires
salable skills.
Campus Light
Blinds Telescope
By Richard Dobbins
Staff Writer
Once again, the PCC telescopes are
being blinded by the light.
A recent Courier story reported that
the Astronomy Department’s ob¬
servation equipment had been ren¬
dered ineffective by the nighttime
illumination of both the city and
campus.
There has been a new development,
however. Last week a new lamp was
installed in the parking lot that is
located next to the school observatory.
To save power, it utilizes reflectors to
augment the glow of the bulb.
According to Astronomy instructor
Clyde B. Eaton Jr., one face of the
reflector has been positioned in such a
way that it shines directly into the
dome where PCC's best telescope, a 20-
inch model, is housed. As Eaton puts
it: "It lights up the main dome at night
like Dodger Stadium.
The function of a telescope is to
gather light which is emitted by stars.
Since they are generally hundreds of
light-years away, a telescope is
ineffective if the stars have to compete
with a brilliant lamp located a few
yards away.
There are security reasons for
keeping the parking lot lit at night, so
this presents a conflict of interests.
On that subject, Professor Eaton
remarked: "I believe that when a
mechanical improvement has a
physical effect upon a learning area,
some sort of localized environmental
impact report should be required.”
BLIND SPOT— New reflectors
designed to provide more light in
the parking lots have made this
lightpost an enemy of stargazers
at the PCC Observatory.
Historian To Speak on
Indian Artifacts , Lore
Women Feel Ostracized by Society
Pane! Defines Difficulties of Widowhood
By Patricia Burr
Satff Writer
Widows comprise the largest
segment of our society and are the
most ostracized, according to a panel
of widows who spoke to members of
Kristine de Queiroz’ class in "Care and
Concerns of the Senior Citizen” at PCC
Thursday, Jan. 13. The three-woman
panel represented Patchwork, St.
Luke Hospital’s community service
program organized by and for widows.
The panel participated in a class
session on the subject of death, dying
and widowhood. During the first hour
of the class, Mrs. de Queiroz, Coor¬
dinator of Continuing Education for
Nurses, dealt with the subject of grief
as related to the dying person, family
members of the dying and nurses who
care for the dying.
The three representatives of Pat¬
chwork, Sally Ankeny, R.N.; Pat
Garrett, R.N. and Marge Bowen, then
discussed widowhood.
Origin Described
Mrs. Ankeny, a retired nurse who
teaches a course in pediatric orien¬
tation at St. Luke Hospital, described
the origin of Patchwork.
In 1974 there were several St. Luke
employees' who had been widowed at
various ages and for various lengths of
time. After discussing some of their
mutual problems, seven widows held a
meeting at the home of St. Luke public
relations director, Sally Hoff. "We
talked and cried all evening long. We
did some laughing too,” said Mrs.
Ankeny. The women held meetings
once a month during which they
hashed out their concerns.
According to Pat Garrett, a St. Luke
nurse and one of the original seven,
they named the organization Pat¬
chwork in July of 1975 and in August of
1975 held their first public meeting.
Feel Ostracized
The panel indicated the greatest
concern expressed by members of
Patchwork was the feeling of being
ostracized from society. When asked
by one of the students when a widow
first feels this sense of being
ostracized, Mrs. Ankeny replied, "God
gives you added strength after
someone dies . . . then all of a sudden
everyone is gone. The telephone never
rings like it used to. You feel as if you
have the plague.”
Mrs. Garrett pointed out that this is
a couple-oriented society. A widow
does not fit in and is often a threat to
wives who are afraid the widow will
try to take her husband away from her,
Mrs. Garrett said.
Other concerns mentioned were
financial decisions, whether to sell the
house and how to handle insurance.
Varied Speakers
Mrs. Garrett said monthly Patch-
work meetings have a speaker for
the first hour. Among the speakers
have been physicians, beauty experts,
a representative from the State
Bureau of Automotive Maintenance, a
banker, one of the deans from the
Continuing Education program at
PCC, a policeman and others.
During the second hour the women
sit in a circle and discuss whatever
comes up. “I look forward to seeing
who is suddenly going to come alive
again," Mrs. Garrett said.
When asked what a grown daughter
can do for a mother who has been
widowed, Mrs. Ankeny said, “I don’t
want a daughter to hover over me. I
want to be asked about what I am
doing instead of just listening to what
they are doing.”
"We have been doing all the nose
wiping all these years. We don’t want a
shoulder to cry on. We just want a
friend,” she said.
Panelist Marge Bowen, a woman
who had never had a job until she had
been widowed, described her feelings
about working at 66. "It has been the
most exciting thing that has happened
in my life. I have a much higher
estimate of myself. It is interesting
becoming a person.”
By Dawn Adams
Staff Writer
Chief Red Dawn, teacher and writer
of American History will give an
illustrated lecture entitled “American
Indian Legend Into History” in Sexson
Auditorium on February 8, at 7 : 30 p.m.
Red Dawn’s lecture will include: A
living demonstration of Indian Lore,
Indian artifacts, art and crafts,
models, philosophy and dances. Using
slides he will illustrate his insight into
Pueblo life, and give a folkloristic
approach to North American Indian
myth, legend and other genre, as well
as tales of the Indian storyteller.
According to information given to
the Office of Community Services,
Chief Red Dawn is a lifelong student of
his own peoples and tribal background,
his knowledge and experiences relate
directly to firsthand knowledge of his
people and their lifeways. As a college
student following his army service, he
was called by Governor Mickelson of
South Dakota to testify on behalf of the
first legislation in the State ever ac¬
corded Indian residents.
Born Stephen S. Jones, Jr. in South
Dakota at Flandreau Indian School,
Red Dawn attended schools in his
home state. After serving over three
years in the military during World War
II he returned home to finish his
education and received a Bachelor of
Arts degree in 1952 from Sioux Falls
College. He majored in chemistry and
minored in biology.
As a premedical student, he entered
the field of clinical medical laboratory
technology and is registered nationally
with the American Society of Medical
Technologists.
Birdman of PCC Rehabilitates Injured Fowl
Biology Aide Handies Eagles , Owls
Gallery Plans Exhibit of
Contemporary Tapestries
By Brad Haugaard
News Editor
An exhibition featuring contempo¬
rary tapestries from the collection of
J L. I lurschler will be on display in the
PCC Art Gallery from Sunday, Feb. 13
to March 10.
Hurschler owns approximately 150
tapestries from 16 countries. His
collection includes examples from
Eastern and Western Europe and from
several South American countries.
lie recently had exhibits in San
Francisco and at Caltech.
Hurschler estimates that about 10
and 15 works from different countries
will be displayed at PCC. All of the
tapestries are abstract-contemporary,
and are exclusively works of the 1960s
and 1970s.
John Jacobs, Art Gallery director,
said, "Hurschler is into hanging
i exhibiting) art. He is very concerned
about how it looks as a whole in the
gallery.
"He selects what he will put in the
gallery," Jacobs said, "by deter¬
mining the size and space of the
gallery and the way it feels and looks
to him.”
The exhibition design class will help
Hurschler hang the tapestries. “It will
be good experience working with
someone who does it professionally,”
Jacobs said.
“Hurschler is very concerned with
education," Jacobs said. “He hopes to
stimulate the unique individual here
and there who might get interested in
tapestry.”
Hurschler traces the development of
contemporary tapestry from its
decline during the eighteenth to
twentieth centuries to its revival in the
late 1930s in France.
The later tapestry art form still
employs old methods, according to
Hurschler. “'This fresh start, still using
the age-old techniques, known to the
ancient Egyptians, Greeks and other
Near and Far-Eastern people, spread
to other parts of Europe and
blossomed into a most vital and ex¬
citing new expression of an ancient art
form."
By Alice Stone
Feature Editor
David Foster is for the birds.
An owl lives in his house.
An instructional aide for the PCC
field biology classes and a ranger-
naturalist at the Whittier Narrows
Nature Center, Foster has become
known as a man who can handle such
things as a caged golden eagle or a
great horned owl that smashes itself
against picture windows.
He gets calls from local natural
centers and humane societies when
they need help with birds. Oc¬
casionally, he rehabilitates injured
ones.
“If they are birds of prey I will take
them, but I am more interested in the
smaller owls,” Foster said.
“I have a pygmy owl at home,” he
continued. “It was found by a hiker in
Eaton Canyon. The bird was just
sitting on a rock, no capable of flight
because he was too young.”
When Foster is at home, the owl has
the run— or flight— of the house.
“He sits on a curtain rod, with a
sheet to protect the drapes, or a
bookshelf with newspapers over it,”
Foster said. “And he likes a log in the
fireplace that I occasionally take out
and hose off.”
Grinnell the Owl
The owl, named Grinnell, has turned
from a rehabilitation project into a
research subject. Foster has watched
the bird mature, taping calls and
observing color changes and molt
patterns.
"Little research has been done on
the pygmy owl,” Foster explained.
"People who band birds could take
molting information and determine the
age of the bird."
1’he owl would have been released,
but Foster believes it has a vision
problem. He has observed the owl
holding food in its talon but missing the
mark when it bends its head to eat.
Foster does not usually use gloves
when he handles birds, but picks them
up lrom behind by the feet, so talons
and beaks point the other way.
WHOOO’S THERE— PCC instructional aide David Foster rehabili¬
tates injured birds of prey and attempts to readjust them to life in the
wild. Grinnell, a pygmy owl that he has raised at his home, perches
on the large picture behind Foster. —courier Photo by Tim stei
He has had lots of practice. Another
pygmy owl was brought to him after
the Tujunga fire about a year ago. He
has rehabilitated falcons and other
birds for the wild by isolating them
from mankind in huge flight cages and
letting them rediscover natural
hunting instincts by releasing live
prey .
Foster never knows exactly what he
will run into when he is asked for help.
“A lady called the Pasadena
Humane Society and said a big bird
was flying into the picture window that
had her parakeets caged behind it,” he
said.
"We went out there and of course
didn't see anything. 'Call us again if
you see it, lady' we told her. She did,
more than once, and it got to be a joke
because they never found anything.
One day they just happened to stop by
when all of a sudden— crunch.
"A big crash against the window and
here was a great horned owl on the
ground, sort of shaking his head and
staggering around. Tried to catch him,
but he flew off.
"Later, we caught him with bait and
a mist net, which is very finely
meshed."
Foster believes the owl had been
used by a falconer.
“There were marks of jesses
(leather thongs) on the legs. A normal
bird would not have been that tame.
This bird would perch on your arm.”
Foster said he was against training
birds to attack other animals. “I do not
necessarily believe in falconry,”
Foster went on. “One of the common
birds I get is a bird that has been
ruined or damaged. The people that
cause the trouble are would-be
falconers who keep the bird for status.
“Falconry is a real problem,
especially in Southern California. The
reproduction rate (of birds of prey)
close to urban areas is so much lower
than in the wild that naturalists
couldn't figure out what was going on.
Poachers are the reason, robbing the
nests of fledglings.”
Foster is concerned about the en¬
vironments of birds. At the Whittier
Narrows Nature Center, he does
weekly waterfowl surveys. He also
checks the number of coots lost to
fishing line entanglements and the loss
of birds due to power line collisions.
“Birds fly into them in fog or high
wind,” he explained. “Some species,
like the ruddy duck, fly just about
power line height. They usually break
their necks— it’s like moving 25 mph
into a brick wall.”
At the end of the summer, Foster
will transfer to U.C. Davis and is
thinking of eventually going into
wildlife law enforcement.
"All birds are protected by federal
law,” he said, “with the exception of
domestic pigeons, starlings and house
sparrows. All other birds require a
permit to possess or capture.”
Through a call to the Nature Center,
Foster once found a golden eagle.
“A mother said her son had an eagle
in the garage," Foster said. “We’d
heard that one before. We asked her
what size and color. She said big and
dark. Well, there are lots of big, dark
birds around. We got there, opened the
garage door, and sure enough, there
was a golden eagle.
"The kid had built a cage just about
a foot higher than the eagle, but
without a door, just an opening to
shove food through.
"I used gloves on that one,” he said.