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Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
January 26, 1984
Vol. 82, No. 31
Grad students study divorce
Kevin McCroskey, fights for the rebound with members of USA() team. The Bronchos defeated USA() 91 84 in a record setting game January 21. See related stories on page 8. -
Divorce is not a solution to the problem. "You just trade one set of the problems faced for another," says Dr. David Mitchell, counseling and psychology professor here. "One of the problems faced by the divorced person is that divorce is an ongoing process, not an end," said Mitchell. "A couple gets a divorce and a year later, they are still having to cope with the problems." Methods of adjusting to those problems are the subject of a study being conducted by graduate students here. Under Mitchell's supervision, the study seeks to identify coping mechanisms and understand why they work. To facilitate the study, the CSU graduate students are seeking divorced persons who would like to become part of weekly discussion groups that will meet for four weeks beginning in Febuary. Each group of 10-12 members will be led by a male and a female graduate student in the CSU counseling program, said Mitchell. Directing the study will be graduate student Kathy Huddleston, an occupational therapist at St. Anthony Hospital. "I became interested in this because a lot of the psychiatric patients I work with who are suffering depression have divorce related problems," said Huddleston. Huddleston herself has had to cope with the problems of divorce. "I am now happily remarried, but I feel I can bring personal experience to the group," said Huddleston. The discussion groups will use a variety of counseling techniques, including learning coping skills. "This is not analysis," said Mitchell. "It is intended to be a learning and training process for both the group participants and the students." "We see this project not only as a scholarly research tool, but also as a community service," he added.
John George: 'Man for all seasons' By Tonia Sykes What makes CSU political science professor Dr. John George desirable as an instructor, as a guest lecturer for civic, political and religious groups and as a guest on radio and talk shows? "Academically, John George is the closest thing to a man for all seasons in Oklahoma. He can debate with you, discuss with you or if you are difficult, with a black belt in karate, he will break your neck," said Frosty Troy, publisher of the Oklahoma Observer. Perhaps Troy's reference to George's ability to recognize a misstatement of fact correlates with the opinion of one of George's peers. "John is a Renasissance man, a trivia expert. He tries to keep up with everything. He is recognized as an expert in extremism. He is a practical joker in the sense that he does things people might think are
bizarre because they can't tell if he's putting them on," said Dr. William G. Parker, CSU sociology professor. "We were at a party one time and he had another guest convinced that he was a John Bircher as well as having strong Communist leanings. Then John looked at that person and said, 'You can be convinced of anything; you should be more cautious about accepting an individual's word just because he is who he is or how much he supposedly knows.' "He just tries to get people to think. He's very committed to free speech, equality and justice. He's against smoking in public places and against infringing on other peoples rights, environment and politics. However, he does have his 'other side' just like we all do." Students agree with Troy's observation of George's academic capabilities. "The first time I heard Dr.
In this issue... Graduate enjoys success...page 4 Director supports Bronze and Blue...page 5 Security chief retires...page 6 Basketball shorts and stats listed...page 7 Intramural results listed...page 8
George speak was at a lecture he gave on paranormal phenomena. I thought to myself, 'Here's a guy who's not afraid to speak out. I've got to take a class from him.' And I've never been disappointed.
John George His classes are like an intellectual explosion. I always leave the room thinking," said Victoria Danquah, senior journalism major. Joe McCourry, student senate president, said George is an excellent professor because he presents his subject matter in a manner conducive to learning. "Dr. George is concerned with whether or not a student is understanding what he is trying to communicate. My perception of him is that if he thought he weren't communicating he would leave. He tries to motivate students to think when he submits
ideas. He doesn't care if what students think doesn't agree with what he thinks — just as long as they think." McCourry also said students can go to George's office and ask him for information whether it relates to his classes or not. "He will go out of his way to find information for you if he doesn't know the answer. He wll bring you clippings or photocopies of articles, anything he can do to help out." The classes George teaches at CSU are Political Parties-Political Behavior, African Political Systems, Public Opinion, Political Sociology and Contemporary Political Issues. He is also interested in crime (especially police problems and drugs), sociology of sport, terrorism and paranormal phenomena. His knowledge of these subjects does make him desirable as a guest on TV and radio talk shows and as a lecturer for civic, political and religious groups. George's desire to gain all the relevant information he can in his specialty area will take him on a sabbatical leave to Africa this month. "I had to become an African specialist when we got our master's degree program four or five years ago. Since I have never been to Africa and my background wasn't in that area, I feel a great need to go," he said. Eight countries are included on George's itinerary — Senegal,Ivory Coast, Nigeria,
Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe (Zaire), South Africa and Botswana. "Africa is the biggest hotspot in the world. Perhaps the magnitude is not as great as in the Middle East or Central America but there is more going on," George said. "If you start in the northwest, there is a war that's been going on for several years in the western Sahara between Morocco and a group calling themselves the Polisario. Guerillas are operating throughout Southern Africa — anti-communist guerillas in Mozambique and Angola and pro-communist guerillas in South Africa. There are guerillas operating in various places who are not even sure what they are. "I'm not going to be in any place where it will be really dangerous unless I can get an interview with a guerilla leader If I do get the interview, I will go into an area where danger is possible but not probable. Besides, I'm too big a coward to go where there is any real danger. I don't want to get my knees shot off," he said. Four of George's classes are not offered this semester because no one else is qualified to teach them. However, he will be back from Africa at the end of March and will be on campus to help out, he said. George studied karate for four years under the Korean master Jack Hwang and earned the black belt at age 32. He is no longer a practicing Karateka, but he does