lo That Great God
Mediocrity.
"Of these enemies within the gates, 'gigan
tism' was the first to be sighted. The nature of
the conflict is best depicted in a favorite anec
dote of the period, said to have been related by
Professor George Santayana of Harvard. Walk
ing through the corridors one day, he met the
president of Harvard College, who asked him how
his classes were 'progressing.'
"Most of the students are fairly intelligent,'
replied Professor Santayara.
"The president seemed perplexed by the
reply, then requested Impatiently: 'I meant, what
is the number of students in your classes?'"
(James Wechsler in "Revolt on the Campus.").
The complex problem facing state universities
today, vividly expressed in Wechslcr's anecdote,
took concrete form for Nebraska yesterday at the
joint conference of state superintendents and prin
cipals. Following: panel discussion on the question
"Do the universities and colleges tend to restrict or
encourage curriculum development in the high
schools?", that body adopted a resolution stating:
"We believe that the present college entrance re
quirements are an obstacle to the progressive cur
riculum construction in the secondary school. We,
theretore, urge the colleges of the University of
Nebraska, and all institutions offering higher edu
cation, to modify their entrance requirements in
accordance with the best philosophies of modern
education." Specific action was outlined in the
"committee of fifteen's recommendation," which
provided that the nine academic units now re
quired in basic courses be reduced to six, and all
but two units of English to be in elective fields.
What are these "best philosophies of modern
education,", and the "progressive curriculum con
struction" which they cite for secondary schools?
What significant group of educational theorists
proposes courses in manual arts as preparation
for higher learning? Who, besides the secondary
scnools themselves, no longer sees any educational
value in mathematics courses?
It would seem that the secondary schools,
finding the struggle against mass education too
tougn, are seeking to check in their suits and
resign themselves to the pressure of mediocre
standards. They have come to accept the prin
ciple that quality shall stand in theory so long
as it does not interfere with quantity in practice.
They are seeking the easiest way out of their
problem with no regard for the fact that univer
sities will be forced to adopt their new standard
or mediocrity.
To apply the American revolutionists' doctrine
that "all men are created equal" to education is
a most vicious example of literalism. Humans are
not all suited to become engineers; every school
boy is not a potential philosopher. The democratic
ideal of education was never meant to be a level
ing process. Its purpose is to provide equal op
portunities for all students in courses for which
they show special talent or adaptation, as far as
their ability makes study practical.
The present situation is anything but that,
Higher education has tended to be a social fad,
and because these glorified country clubs require
mental as well as monetary green fees low as
they may be some candidates with much of the
latter and none of the former seek to lower mem
bersnip requirements in the name of "democratic
education."
Consideration of the new freshman curriculum
plan at Nebraska is a direct result of the failure
or secondary schools in preparing students for
higher learning. The purpose of this universal train
ing tor first year students is little more than to
tcacn .them basic subjects in which, high schools
failed to give a fair degree of literacy. If it is
true that few college graduates approach mas
tery of the English language, an early cause can
De found in the violent slaughter that preparatory
schools administer to the mother tongue. .
Little was accomplished when high school
educators came to Lincoln this weekend, laid their
ourden at the feet of university officials, then re
turned home with the parting remark, "It's your
oa by; do with it what you will."
No progress can come from such a solution.
If tne university nccedes to the request, it would
reduce our colleges to over-grown high schools,
allowing but one or two years for any specializa
tion or intensive study. No limit would ever be
leached in such a procedure; high schools would
ask next that courses in beekeeping and home cook
ery oe accepted as entrance requirements.
The university should not ignore its respon
sibility in the problem. Up to the present time,
it has provided no workable solution because funds
and tacilities are not available to apply methods
now operating with various degrees of success at
other American colleges. There must be a prac
tical solution for Nebraska, and it will, some day,
oe tound. It may be worked out in the adoption
or a junior college system, the extension of tech
nical instruction in schools other than universities
built around the liberal arts college, or a com
plete overhauling of the secondary school system.
In the meantime, the university has nothing to gain
ny backing down to the requests made by the joint
conterence of superintendents and principals.
(BahbahiAmA
By Joan &
John Barb
The recent election of a Barb
rom Girl has given rise to no
small amount of conversational
controversy. The question upper
most is whether it marks the
beginning of a new era of Barb
political influence on the campus
or only a temporary mis-alignment
of Greek forces. The fact
that this year's Prom Girl is
the first in campus history to be
a Barb seems to indicate the iat
ter circumstances were in opera
tion. Yet, there is no doubt that
Barbs alone could have "swung"
the election if they wished. In
either case the girls of Carrie
Belle Raymond can well crow.
Latest nominee for member
ship in the "Poison Ivy club" is
Barney Bender of the Toreador
barb club with his question:
"What did the rabbit say when
he heard that the hunting sea
son opened next day"; and nau
seating answer: "Here today
and gun tomorrow."
Studyers in the Temple "Y"
rooms were considerably startled
Wednesday morning when Pete
Bstandig started out of a quiet
sleep on the divan to burst forth
with a loud and not too musical
rendition of "She'll Be Coming
Round the Mountain." After sing
ing only two verses he went back
to his interrupted repose.
Those who attended the "Sport
Night" as the Armory last night
seemed to enjoy the variety of
entertainment offered. Some of
the games must have bordered on
the edge of "rufness" for two pair
of glasses are slightly indisposed
s the result of deck tennis and
basketball.
Dick Murray seems to be an
excellent shot with a basketball,
fie aimed at the basket as per
schedule but the ball landed in
fhe cake that was to be used
lis part of the refreshments.
John Steinhaus provided much
pmusement for the spectators
with his fine exhibition of how
Dot to play Nebraska ball.
Aulton "Bob" Roland seems to
belong to the "Royal Order of
Loafers" as his participation in
strenuous exercise was very lim
ited. Hero No. 1 of the evening
was the lad who somehow sneaked
out with the remaining cake.
The old rural sport of pitching
three-quarter round pieces of iron,
horseshoes to you, was very much
in evidence during the warm
weather of last week. The Torea
dors greatly endangered the lives
of passing pedestrians as the .shoes
rolled across the sidewalk.
The inmates of the Co. House
on north 13th street huddle
around the radio every Wednes
day night at 11:30 to thrill and
chill to the "Light's Out" pro
gram. It's only a question of
who can stand the dark the
longest while listening to those
spooky tales. What if someone
would slip in and holler "Boo."
s
"BoLby'' James, that aspiring
young journalist, believes in celery
chewing as an extra-curricular
activity, and Lucille Fry says it
has its advantages as a "brain
food." We'll be watching for the
improvement.
Remember Moni Sen, that tall,
dark, and handsome young man
from India who visited the campus
not long ago? He seems not to
have entirely forgotten Nebraska
for a little brown-eyed girl from
Ag. received his picture this week.
DAWN ROBEERY
DIVESTS P.A.D
HOUSE OF PANTS
(Continued from I'age 1.)
the car parked at the curb was
found an equally large number of
similar articles. Upon entering the
house. th offic-r, accompanied by
Officer Ftrawn, whom he had
Fti.'iinioned, confronted three ao
f oii.jlir ch. a!.o laden with stacks i
of trousers.
Chargei wi:h jonfvsKion of an i
undue amount of clothing, the ac-f-u:
'1 persons revealed ih't fact
that the trousers belonged to ac
tives of the chapter and were be
iir.' taken in an attempt at retri
bution for grievances suffered
curing Hell week.
Culprits Protect.
Upon advice of the president,
t';e emitter car was ordered to
I k up the off" riders and trans
port them to the station, but the
eloquence c. the defense offered
brought permit to remain in the
house unuer guard.
Any cases reported of actives
of the chapter found in trousers
of extreme size or in diminutive
pants of handed down appearance
may be explained by the difficulty
of indentification of the more than
40 pairs by former inhabitants of
the garments.
ARCHITECTS PLACE
MARCH BLUE PRINT
ON STANDS MONDAY
(Continued from Page l.l
both members of the faculty in
the Architectural department.
Kenneth Clark. Arch. '37, out
lines a recent city planning devel
opment in his article, "Greenbelt
Towns." Illustrated with cuts from
the Architectural Forum and mag
azine, the article describes the un
dertaking by the Division of Sub
urban Resettlement of the Reset
tlement Administration to con
struct three garden cities, or
greenbelt towns, to provide low
cost housing outside the three
cities of Cincinnati, Milwaukee,
and Washington, D. C.
'Greenbelts' Mark Towns.
Each of the new satellite towns
is distinguished by its "greenbelt,"
which is a strip of raw land from
half a mile to a mile, deep com
pletely surrounding the commu
nity, and devoted to truck garden,
orchards, pasture, and perhaps
parks and athletic fields. Popu
lations will vary from 750 to 1.000
families, and houses, even the
large multiple affairs, are designed
to look like homes, not "modern
sanatorium."?."
Gilbert Golding, Arch. '39, dis
cusses "Advances in Materials,"
telling of the new uses made of
steel for frame houses, glass for
walls, plywood for decoration,
plastics, bakalitc, and other prod
ucts. Dean Ferguson Article.
Dean O. J. Ferguson discusses
the new Student Union building,
and its relation to the proposed
Engineering building. He explains
that the financing of the Union
building could not be applied to a
building such as a new Engineering
hall, and therefore it was not ex
actly a matter of choosing between
the two projects.
The proposed Nebraska bill
regulating the practice of engi
neering and architecture is dis
cussed by Rrof. Smith in "Archi
tectural Reflections. Paul Rader
and Kenneth Clark, both students
in the Architectural department
are written up in this month's
Nebraska's Engineers. Rader has
done a sketch of a house for the
cover, and the frontispiece of the
magazine shows a window treat
ment used in the Rockefeller
apartments, New York City, to al
low a maximum amount of sun
life'ht. The "Hell Week" practice at
Northwestern University has been
severely circumscribed and re
stricted by resolution of the inter
fraternity council.
fontmnutt
Classroom
Shortage.
Not thru any desire of its own
to alter things but due to the force
of necessity, the senate of the
Universiy of Nebraska has recom
mended that at least one-third of
the entire 1938 freshman classes
be shifted to afternoon periods or
to a new three day schedule, Tues
dty, Thursday and Saturday morn
ings. This recommendation does
not affect the agricultural college
which is adequately housed. Bat
on the city campus, classrooms
are at a premium on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday mornings.
Something must be done if no new
classroom space is made available
by next fall. ' '
University classes fall into
several groups. Five hour
courses call for lecture periods
daily. Three hour classes meet
on Monday, Wednesday and Fri
day. Two hour classes usually
meet on Tuesday and Thursday
or on Monday and Wednesday.
The great majority of the
courses offered, however, are
three hour courses and call for
meetings on Monday, Wednes
day and Friday and the morn
ing hours are favored.
The university senate recom
mendation offers a temporary so
lution. By shifting these classes to1
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday,
if they meet in the morning, or
forcing them to the afternoon
schedule for Monday, Wednesday
and Friday, many conflicts will ' "
avoided and the available clas..
room space will be made to af:
commodate the student body for
time, even with normal growth
continuing.
Freshman classes were se
lected for the change because
there are so many that a ruling
affecting but this one group will
provide a solution, at least a
temporary solution to the prob
lem. Shifts of classes of upper
classmen would require changes
in two, perhaps all three classes.
The unfortunate aspect of tlje
situation is not that the arrange
ments of many years must be re
vised, but that those students who
must work may find themselves
seriously handicapped if they can
no longer keep their afternoons
and Saturdays free. There should
be enough Monday, Wednesday
and Friday morning classes to ac
commodate those who work. But
even in the past the students who,
for various reasons, have tried to
keep their afternoons free, have
complicated registration problems.
These complications are bound to
increase under the proposed
change. Lincoln Journal.
PONTIAC VARSITY
SHOW SIGNS SPOT
ON RED NETWORK
(Continued from Page 1.)
agent, and Al Macintosh, Journal
reporter.
Student committee members at
the meeting were Marylu Petersen,
Student Council vice-president;
Arnold Levin, Student Council
president; Floyd Baker, Senior
Class president, and George Pipal,
Daily Nebraskan editor.
Ask Student Script Writers.
Students who wish to register
for auditions or script-writing are
asked to apply at the Daily Ne
braska!! this week. Auditions will
be booked for Gordon Whytc, di
rector for the Nebraska program,
who will arrive two weeks before
the program for final selection and
practices. Organized musical and
dramatics groups will also appear
on the program.
"The highlight of the show"
Stlx told the committees, "is likely
to be some as yet undiscovered
talent at the university. You have
an A 11-American band here as well
as an AII-American fullback, and
a good band is usually the back
bone of any broadcast."
"What I was happiest to find,"
Stix remarked, "was the new Ne
braska song, 'Hail Varsity,' which
we hope will have a nationwide
premiere on this program. From
our experience at other schools,
we're counting on Kosmet Klub
for some original material."
"The university coliseum Is by
all odds the biggest auditorium
from which we've ever planned to
broadcast, and we'll certainly fill
It," he told the committee.
Additional Htudent committee
appointments will be made some
time this week, In addition to a
search for Ktudent talent.
Regents at the University tt
Omaha voted in favor of a "cw
dormitory which will cost $1 0,
000.
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR
FIMTOKIAI. STAtf
Editor George Plpal
Managing Editor Don Wagner. Ed Murray
New Editor Willard Burnty, Helen Paeoe, Jan
W.ilcott. Howard Kaplan. Morrl Llpp.
Barbara Rotewater.
Sport Editor Ed 6teeve
Society Editor Virginia Anderon
ON THIS ISSUE
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