Wednesday, March 20, 1957
Page 2
The Daily" Nebraskan
Daily Nebraskan Editorials:
HlIJaCXXS ARE VERY
CLOUDS ARE VERY PECULIAR,
LINUS...SQUETIMES THEY SEEM
THOSE AREN'T CLOUDS
PECULIAR, LINUS-
JHAT'S &Y-U)RIT!N6!
Critical Decision
SCWTIAE5 THEY
TO FORM ACTUAL UJtPb.
6EMTOFCV
T
ACTUAL WORDS.,
The prestige of the fraternity system at the
University will come to a vote in the Inter
fraternity Council meeting tonight.
In this meeting the IFC will vote on a pro- .
posal to lower the grade average, requirement
for initiation from 5.0 to 4.5. The average was
raised from 4.5 to 5.0 in the spring of 1953 "as
a result of suggestions submitted by the Alumni
Council of the Interfraternity Council," accord
ing to the May 13, 1953, Daily Nebraskan.
The main reason for this raise in average re
quirements was that the all-fraternity average
was falling near or below the all-men's average
and the fraternity system felt something should
be done to increase the quality of fraternity
scholarship. In raising the average fraternities
thought they could weed out some of the
chronically low-average students.
' But now, with the all-fraternity average for
the first semester barely above the all men's
average, the IFC is considering reversing their
decision of four years ago, and reverting back
to the 4.5 requirement.
One of the fundations of the fraternity sys
tem and assumedly of most fraternities is the
promotion of high scholastic standards. Individ
ual houses try to outdo one another in rating
high on the scholarship standards. Souses with
good ratings take pride in their accomplish
ments, and those ranking low are enticed both
by their national organizations and the Univer
sity to better themselves.
Because of this supposed emphasis on high
scholarship it would be unfortunate if the sys
tem should contradict itself and lower its
initiation standards. It would be an admission
that fraternities are more interested in filling
their houses than they are in assuming a posi
tion of leadership in campus scholarship.
There are, of course, a number of strong
arguments on why the average should be
lowered. Small houses have trouble filling their
houses if they cannot initiate all or nearly all
of their pledges. The average freshman's grades
are below the 5.0 mark for the first and the
second semester. It takes a man straight out
of high school some time to adjust to the
University.
All these statements are true, at least in part.
However, they miss the main point, that fra
ternities should strive to keep their scholarship
above that of the campus average, and not to
go backwards to meet it.
There also should be some method formulated
to control the scholarship of active members,
who often come out as low or lower than
pledges. Although a number of houses have
legislation or laws pertaining to this problem,
there is nothing of universal application. Once
a man is initiated his obligation to maintain
the standards set up by the system and by
his own house is increased, and not set aside.
Thus, in ihe battle between the economic
necessity of keeping houses filled by lowering
averages and the moral necessity of maintaining
some sort of standards, it seems only right that
scholastic achievement should win out.
It may seem unfortunate at first glance, but
in the long run it is for the betterment of the
system.
Having standards and not maintaining them
is almost as miserable as not having any stand
ards at all
One Solution
Chancellor Hardin's sobering statement that
the salary increases requested in the Univer
sity's biennial budget now pending before the
Legislature's Budget Committee may prove to
be wholly inadequate should strike home with
every student in the University.
Dr. Hardin reported that 60 per cent of Uni
versity employees including a substantial num
ber of faculty members are now earning on
the average less than $4,500 annually.
He said that the faculty is being approached
almost daily by other institutions and industry
offering them higher salaries and better work
ing conditions. .
"If this keeps up my estimate of losing 200
of our faculty and professional staff in the
next two years may be short of the mark.
I have never seen anything like this before,"
the chancellor exclaimed.
The student council is studying a proposal
which, would alleviate at least part of the crisis
and which, if put into effect, might ease the
burden on the state.
The "Daily Nebraskan reported that the council
had suggested turning the additional funds from
the tuition which were added this past semes
ter over to ran emergency fund for salary in
creases. We can see two stumbling blocks in the pro
posal, however. And if the Council is able to
overcome these obstacles, the Daily Nebraskan
will stand behind it in the project.
It might be noted that the entire ten dollar
Increase in a semester's tuition does not go
toward the construction of the Union addition.
Part of the money has been used in financing
the new Student Health Center. And that leaves
about five dollars of every fee for the addition.
The council suggests that this five dollars
be placed in the fund.
We wonder whether the accumulation of funds
would warrant such an action, however. Simple
multiplication of 8000 students by five dollars
shows that about 80,000 dollars would be made
available per year or $160,000 for the biennium.
That this relatively small amount would help
ease the salary problem is questionable.
The second problem which the council must
face is the legality of the situation. An answer
to this problem will come, probably this after
noon, when John Selleck, the University's busi
ness manager, confers with the council execu
tive committee.
Selleck reported Tuesday that the move might
be perfectly legal and yet the cost is retiring
the bonds already financed by present funds
might be prohibitive from making the plan
feasible.
The gesture to temporarily defer the tuition
money to a special salary fund is a good one
on the part of council. The members are to be
"congratulated for making a positive move in
the direction of easing our greatest problem.
From the looks of things at the present time,
the proposal is on wobbly ground. We can still
hope for relief from the Unicameral. That is
our first line of defense of the University in
this crisis.
And yet we hope that the faculty will realize
from this move on the part of the students' rep
resentatives that each Cornhusker is behind
ihe faculty in obtaining a wage commensurate
with their education and value to the State of
Nebraska.
udenl Voice Squelched
The Student Council is looking into the eight
day exam period which was passed by the
Faculty Senate last November.
The Council believes that the majority of the
students on this campus would rather have the
extended two-week examination period which
has been successful in the past. Last year coun
cil members took a poll of students and found
that they favored the longer period four-and-a-half
to one.
Originally the Senate called for a one week
period for the exams, but the present eight-day
system will run from the Monday of the first
week through the Tuesday of the second. This,
Senate members believe, will give both stu
dents and faculty members time to recuperate
between semesters.
The Daily Nebraskan has stood behind the
two week exam period all through the struggle
with the Faculty Senate. This paper commented
editorially after the action of November when
the calendar was passed by the faculty group."
Unless the Council or some other organization
decides to take a stand, University students are
now faced with the prospect of a shortened exam
period in 1957-58."
The council has taken a stand now, or at
least, will investigate the matter.
We hope some good will come out of the
Investigation. We hope that the Faculty Sen
ate will realize that the voice of the student in
regards to such matters as examination periods
is important.
We feel that even as only a matter of good
will the Senate should review the results of the
poll as taken by the student council so they
will know just where the vast majority of stu
dents stand on such a vital issue.
We are sorry the council waited so long to
act on the matter. We know from past experi
ence, however, that action can be taken after a
time lapse and that the results will favor the
students, if the entire student body stands be
hind its representatives on the council to rein
state the two week exam period in place, of
this watered down eight-day rush passed by
the Senate. '
Regulations . . .
Words of wisdom from the University of Illi
nois: Students ranking in the lower quarter of
their high school graduating classes will find it
harder to enter U of I because of a new policy
regarding admissions adopted by the Board of
Trustees at a Recent meeting.
Students who graduate from their high
schools in the lower quarter will be required
to take a special test from the counseling Du
ress before admittance. They also will be re
quired to appear for an interview with the Stu
dent Counselor to be advised of their chances
of successfully completing four years of college.
Even though a student is discouraged from
entering, he will be free to do so, if iie wishes.
In another stiffening of the admission regula
tions, the Board announced that henceforth, no
students ranking in the lower half of non-Illinois
high schools will be admitted to the University.
The new regulations, though only a "matter
of formality of what we have done for years,"
are a step towards alleviating crowded condi
tions and remedial courses.
The University of Illinois has done some
extensive research in the field of students who
are unprepared for college.
It is a fine thought that a university's doors
are open to each and every citizen of the state.
It is a finer thoughifhat admission to a univer
sity is a reward which may come easily to
some and not so easily to others.
But the restriction of admissions would save
some years for many high school graduates and
may eliminate some broken hearts.
The Daily Nebraskan
rXFTT-FTOE TEAES OLD
Member: Associated Collegiate Press
Iistprcoiiegriate Press
Representative; National Advertising Service,
Incorporated
FfciTl'.ljea at: Eoom 20, Student Vv'wwt
Uneoln. Nebraska
Uth & E
The fklty JMimnkna M pwtilMwd Monday. Tum4m,
tun0rtgr ftrt4 i'ritifty (turlng ttt wihmil year, ricet'it
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fuumifthnd firmr Aormt, timiir nf the (intverwtty
f tmlr lift auflMfrrNtkia "I til :omrnilin
tm M.m''nt f tniTft cm mi i-Ktr"Hiua uf 4turtttt MiitNta.
t'oi lim Jarteri'fttua of tlM Haheommltt
mi h-T'tt v&ikiMw atititl b frm from t aoriaJ
r-'-"irf. ';. on thi pjsri. of ttte fcubnomnitU or on tim
t'if ul tmv trimilwr of tru Itwuitv of tar i ntversity, nr
on t'ie ve "1 tf any --r!n ii.tr th tntwrmr?. T!
ef i h "nmmn v.H at 3immuu;iv ww
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Tnti-irt Sftttnnd rttuw mattwr at a iot tfWtan Hi
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EDJTOE1AL STAFF
editor.... frwl Oaljr
Managing Editor .lack falloeh
fcdttnrlal Ptn .dltor. IHnk hirru
w &riltr. ................. .Kara June, Hat) Inland
(ni-w r.ditor feuk Martial
liy Kdttnra. ............. .Art Blankman, Oaroie I rank
Cwa Mover, Rmb WarrHilmkl
F.dlfnr Walter fattdnun
xtaff 'KiTntIi ..................... ..Omf trwla
Mtrht fifwm I clitur ..................... .Art rliarkuian
(KflfW twrrtr Millie flownll
iM-l.'i I .rilinr un amn
ttntt Wrltwra .. .Judy flutnr Mrllra Minora. IHinnMWi
Tartar, Diana Maittrptl, Sandra Wnalrm,
!nrtty Hall, Utanna (imM, Kill CiMiimr.
Kill DUna, Oarr feteraun, Mary I'at
t'Tmia, Itranna Barrett, l.mmw 1lmna.
Vlrc. Oary luidgara, JoAna aliixrua.
fttea Wldman.
Baportan aau Itthong. Cjrntaa tacltaa, Bod
EUSISXSS STAFF
ttosiranM Wanar
Aanistaad IMaalneM Maaaoara... .
3-20
the iconoclast . . .
ClrauJatMMI MMaf er.
. ftmree Madmm
. . . .Irry f .tKn
Notf, inm ltttn
You may have noted that Letter
io bas exploded within the last
week or so. Everyone with a pen
cil and a tongue to lick it has
been writing newsy little notes to
the Rag. Some of them have even
signed their epistles.
One of these non-anonymous
notes repeated the often heard
charge that fraternity men are a
bunch of sheep in Ivy League
clothing being blithely led down
the primrose path of conformity
by their belt buckles. The writer
whose name escapes me at the
moment viewed with alarm, and
sputtered.
I am, of course, being sarcastic
and sisparaging primarily be
cause I think that the "fraternity
men are all from the same mold"
argument deserves that kind of
treatment. It would be foolish to
deny that sport coats and haircuts
in the Greek houses are monoton
ously uniform. But anyone who
judges men on the bases of their
tailors and barbers is guilty of
the nastiest of generalizations. To
badly misquote Hamlet, the late
prince of Denmark, "There is that
within that passeth show."
Remember that fraternities
choose their men carefully. Rush
ing looks haphazard to the outsid
er, but certain criteria are being
considered throughout the entire
process. And one of these criteria
is strength of personality. I think
steve schultz
it is understood in most 'of the
houses on campus that if a man
cannot go through pledge training
and the four years following with
out preserving his individuality,
his 'self," that he is not fit to
be in a fraternity or much of any
where else.
Moreover, the theory works in
practice. I defy the critics bf the
system to point out one fraternity
man who beneath his standard
crewcut is not an individual sep
arate and distinct from his broth
ers. I for one, remain the same
person I always was. This may
not be althgether admirable on
my part, but it is a source of
some pride.
One of the feature writers took
it upon himself the other day to
give instructions to would-be speu-do-intellectuals.
He proved that it
is not necessary to be literate if
you can drop the right names.
Unfortunately, he left out the ulti
mate goal of the pseudo-intellect,
the climactic peak of the art of
succeeding in conversation with
out having anything to say. I would
suggest that all you culture spong
es read some obscure book by a
well-known author. I myself have
just finished The Sorrows of Young
Werther by Goethe. Now, when
I mention the book it gives the
impression that I have read every
thing well-known and have moved
Mekashan Letlerips
To the Editor:
After reading the editorial per.
taining to a 4.5 initiation stand
ard in the Daily Nebraskan, I feel
it only fair that the proponents
side of this proposal be presented
so that its advantages can also
be weighed. There are as many,
if not more, reasons why the ini
tial on requirement should be low
ered to a 4.5. The following factual
material will validate this state
ment. A study of the most recent ma
terial available (1954-55) has shown
that the freshman average after
one complete year in the Univer
sity is 4.6 for all colleges com
bined. Averages such a 4.5, Busi
ness Administration; 4.6, Engineer
ing; 4.7, Arts and Sciences are typ
ical of freshman achievements.
From these statistics it can be
seen that the freshman, in the sec
ond and third quarter of his gradr
tisting high school ' class is only
able to make a 4.5 or thereabouts.
I feel the reason for this is main
ly a problem of adaptation and
adjustment to the University.
The All Womens' freshman aver
age is 5.B, one .full grade" point
higher than the AH Men's aver
age, yet the sororities also initi
ate on the 5.00 standard. It is
known that girls coming out of
high school adapt more readily to
college life and are a great deal
more conscientious about their
school work than are the male
students entering college.
It has been found that lowering
the initiation average is not going
tc affect the overall averages of
the fraternities. According to a
national scholarship chairman of
ore of the houses, and who is also
a member of the faculty, fraternity
averages have not changed, but
instead remained almost constant
since the IFC placed the initiation
standard at 5.00.
It Is thought that a man who
makes an average of 4.5 il of no
value to his fraternity and that
he possesses no leadership ability.
This argument is entirely false,
for there are many men who have
exceptional qualities and capabili
ties even though their first semes
ter average may not be a 5.
Even considering that the Uni
versity eliminates men with very
poor averages after their first year,
the verall sophomore averages
are almost one full grade point
higher (4.6, freshman; 52, sopho
more). In most cases a man will
improve himself over his fresh
man year. That ia, he will sur
pass a 5 average his second, third
and fourth years in school. This
is, of course, the result of scho
lastic adjustment and adaptation
to the University.
There are persons who are con
cerned about lowering the initia
tion standard to a 4.5 because they
frel it will hinder fraternity schol
arship on the basis that a man
initiated on a 4.S will never make
a 5. However, it is more unusual
for a man to improve his scholar
ship, not remain the same or
regress. If Ibe does not he is elim
inr.fed by the University.
It must be realized that there
are a limited number of outstand
ing scholars available coming out
of the Nebraska high schools. Not
every fraternity can have an en
t:re pledge class of men in the
upper fourth of their graduating
high school class. Bather, each
house is forced to take men in
the second and even third quar
tiles. The chance of these men
making the average, in the second
and third quartiles.is much less
than those in the first quartile.
There is no alternative but that
the fraternities take some of these
men with inferior scholastic abili
ty. There are just not enough good
high school scholars to go around
to all of the houses in the system.
In the college of Business Ad
ministration for the year 1955-56,
11 out of the 106 men made above
a 5 average after completion of 27
hours. Also the Biz Ad college
a man could obtain a 4.9 average
after completion of 27 .hours and
be classified in the upper fourth
of the freshman class.
This shows that if we were to
initiate on a 45 standard the fra
ternity system would not be giving
membership to below-average men.
As was before stated, placing the
average at 45 would sot lower the
standards of the ' University, be
cause there has been zut increase
in overall averages since the S'l
point system was instituted.
Keaneth Groves
FASHION. . As I See It
Judy
Ramejr
Year XU Representative
to GOLD'S Advisory Board
Cute and comfort
able . . . that's how
youH feel in these
Schrank short pajamas.
The little boy shorta
are so cool for summer
wear.
Peppermint stripes ,
are in. pink, blue or
navy on white. "Satin
Set" batiste Is wonder
ful to wear and to
wash. This shortie pa
jama comes in sizes
32-38, just 4.S8.
See the gay collec
tion of Schrank pajam
as in Gold's lingerie
Department, Second
Floor.
W,. .S3
ii-. m ,
on to perusing the seldom noticed
books. To tell the truth, I have
not read Goeth's Faust, but if all
I want to do is play a role, I will
never have to.
Seriously speaking, this sudden
upsurge of the pseudo-intellectual
is, in many ways, a healthy symp
tom. The mental parasite is of him
self dangerous. But the fact that
he chooses to imitate true intelli
gence shows that that intelligence
must be attractive "and, must carry
a certain amount of ; prestige.
This is reassuring if one should
become alarmed about the battle
against intellect which was waged
in the late, lamented political cam
paign. Gesides, the pseudo may be
come tired of himself as a fake,
and actually get some learning so
he can atop his masquerade.
little man on Campus
by Dick Bibler
Liil LLLJ UJJ feks
'
r x7 1
CH, iNTtf 0ACK WNlX5 HAVE THAT 'GRUB'
MMfiZME UP HERE iH THIS BASKET
(Ator f " Bart f est Be Witk Chttk," tU.f
THE PULSE-POUNDING SAGA OF
DE WITT CLINTON, AMERICAN
Let us today turn our eager young minds to the in
spiring story of De Witt Clinton, one of the greatest
figures in American history and unaccountably one
of the most neglected.
vf
,lfr
ILn
' J--
if
A
"D or
ffW $ HOKE NAtHSUL
'if I X v
De Witt Clinton (sometimes called Aaron Burr) first
made himself known to fame in 1756 when Governor
William Penn commissioned him to 6urvey the forests of
the Western Reserve. (One is inclined to wonder what in
the world Governor Penn could have been thinking of,
for De Witt Clinton was eighteen months old at the time.)
However, the little chap did remarkably well He surveyed
as far west as Spokane, teaching phonetic English to
more than twelve million Indians along the way, and then,
tired but happy, he became Johnny Appleeeed.
Later, he became a keelboat and sailed home to enter
politics. He tried to join the Greenback Party, but his
back wasn't green enough, so he joined the Whigs.
He was offered the Whig nomination for the presi
dency, but declined with the celebrated statement: "If
nominated I will not run; if elected I will not serve.'
But the Whigs only nudged each other and said, "That
old fox, he's just playing hard to get" So they nominated
him anyhow, and sure enough he did not run, but he was
elected anyhow, and sure enough he did not serve. In
fact, he was elected to a second term, which he also did
not serve. However, only a few top Whigs knew there
was nobody in the White House. The rest of the country
thought that the President was confined to his room with
a wrenched knee. For a while people sent "Get Well
cards, but soon everyone forgot and turned their atten
tion to important matters like opening the west, inventing
the buffalo, and the Black Tom Explosion.
After two terms as President, De Watt Clintofi
entered Yale and took up smoking. He tried several
brands of cigarettes until he found the one brand that
pleased him in every particular-Philip Morris, of corral
(You knew I was going to say that, didn't you? Well
of course you did, especially if you are a Philip Morris
smoker, for if you are, you know what a sweetheart of a
smoke Philip Morris is - how full of rich, natural flavor,
how natural and mellow, how long size and regular. And
if you are not a Philip Morris smoker, you've got a treat
coming. Light one soon. Light either end.)
Upon graduation from Yale, De Witt Clinton became
commissioner of baseball and smoked and loved Philip
Morris Cigarettes for the rest of his long and distin
guished life, and when at last he was called to his reward,
his friend Old Hickory (Daniel Webster) stood up in the
Senate and said, "How sad that De Witt Clinton must
now be forever separated from his beloved Philip Morris !"
"Nay r cried Pitt the Elder (Henry Clay )' bounding
LB'iSet ? not separate De Witt Clinton and
Philip Morris. I know how to keep them together always J"
And, sure enough, if you will look at the blue federal
tax stamp on your pack of Philip Morris, guess whose
picture you'll see. De Witt Clinton's! That's whose!
eMiu Shuhnan. 19ET
Th maker of Philip MorrU, Iuj bring rom this column each
week, don't mbtcribe to Old Max', historical data, but we
urm admire hit Uute in cigarettei. You will too. Try turn
natural Philip Morrit today!
