THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
Wednesday, February 6, 1952
An Inmate's Day On Campus , . .
. . . Nothing Unusual
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SOMETHING ALL THE TIME . . . Bob Swelgart's -day consists of a variety of
Activities. In the extreme left picture Swcigart is helping a 14-year-old baseball
player in batting techniques. The boy is Allan Newbill, student at Whittier junior
high school, whom Sweigart coaches every Saturday. In the next picture Sweigart
is seen studying in Love Library. The next picture shows Sweigart holding a
baseball trophy which he helped win. The trophy is on Supt. George L. Morris'
desk at the Reformatory. The extreme right picture was taken during biology
lab, where Sweigart concentrates on dissecting a frog.
Prog
ressflv
Idycatioini n Tina
PE Major
Plans Job
Of Coaching
By JOAN KRUEGER
Editor
He's just an ordinary guy. Nice
looking medium height loves
sports ...
His personality is friendly, but
that doesn't mean he won't get
mad and blow off steam some
times. He's no Phi Beta Kappa,
but he's not flunking out of
classes eitner. borne classes ne
likes; others, he just tolerates.
In a crowd one wouldn't look
twice at him unless he knew him
well enough to speak.
His name is Bob Sweigart.
Hia address, the Nebraska State
Reformatory. He is one of two
men attending classes here
while serving a sentence at the
Reformatory. Carrying 15 hours
this semester, he is majoring in
physical education. The second
inmate is ,a part time student
taking art courses two after
noons each week.
' You might identify Bob with
several occupations by speaking
to him. Bob says his English tutor
recognizes three definite accents
a regular one, a Chicago trace
and a penal one. Bob also admits
to a fourth acquired in the navy,
where he served 28 months. Just
talking to him, however, one can't
recognize any one particular ac
cent. Attending classes on the GI bill,
Bob just began his third semes
ter. He started in summer school
in June, 1951. He does not re
ceive the usual $90 a month sub
sistence fee from the Veterans
administration since he is state
supported.
!-rvinp a a to i year lerm ior
robbery in Omaha, Bob lacks
about 10 months of being at the
institution as long as Supt. George
Morris who arrived in 1947.
Bob attributes much of his
change in attitude to Morris,
- who, along with Waldo Dahl-
atari Htmatinnal rilrpptnr. na
Kn Inslrnmpntal in nrnmntine
" a new education program at the
P.fnrrai4nrv Kpotlll60 Rnh TPQ 1 -
tzes the important part he plays
in the success of future pro
" grams of sending inmates to the
..'University, this student says
every action taken msnt be one
which will not reflect poorly on
the program, the Reformatory
or himself.
Although Bob's role in the pro
gram is only one tenet, it is one
directly connected witn univer
sitv students.
His chief interest in baseball has
tjeen used in various ways. He
has played three years on the
State Reformatory team which is
in the Blue Valley and Salt Creek
Valley leagues. Each man on the
baseball team must enroll in at
least one school course offered
at the institution. It is sort of an
honor system.
Bob has been doing a lot of
thinking while he's been attend
ing University classes. He defi
nitely believes that interest in
F r n,
Svjeigart's 'Sincere' Attitude Admired
By Teachers Who S&y He 'Tries Hard'
By DON PIEPER
Managing Editor
One day last semester Ramey
C. Whitney was explaining to his
social science class the possibili
ties of a man once convicted as
a criminal returning to unlawful
practices after serving a sentence
in a penal institution.
One student asked if he could
come to the front and explain
certain aspects of the questions.
Whitney granted permission
and Bob Sweigart stepped for
ward and gave what Whitney
described as an "excellent lec
ture." S'veigart explained to
the class that he was an inmate
at the Nebraska State Reforma
tory for Men and attending
classes here under special per
mission. Several class members asked
questions which Sweigart an
swered "honestly and completely,"
Whitney said. One student asked,
"How come they let you?"
"I begged to come to the Uni
versity of Nebraska," Sweigart
answered.
This sincere attitude has carried
into every class that Sweigart has
attended at the university, ac
cording to his instructors.
Miss Alice Hupp, Sweigart's
English instructor, commented
she had never seen a student
"try any harder to succeed in
class work" than Sweigart has
tried.
He seems to feel, she said, that
he is carrying the whole load of
future inmate stdents. This re-
sponsiDinty has made him "morels um f
deeply anxious to succeed," COHteSt tHCS
One real objective of higher
education, Whitney said, should
be to teach tolerance. He be
lieves the program of having
Reformatory Inmates take train
ing as part of the regular Uni
versity classes helps create
tolerant feelings.
But the most important aspect
of the rrogram, all of Sweigart's
instructors agree, is the . help a
University education can do in
rehabilitating an inmate for life
in society after his release.
Sweigart wants to coach young
boys. 'Tollie Lepley, physical ed
ucation instructor, explained the
value of Sweigart's training.
"Bob realizes his mistake," Lep
ley said, and he should be able
to "show through athletics the
right attitude" for young boys to
take.
Sweigart grew up In Chicago
where, he feels, there Is a great
need for giving youth a more
solid environment. Someday, he
said, he would like to work in
a boys' club directing recrea
tion. In Lepley's course, theory and
principles of physical education,
Sweigart has shown intense in
terest and sincere effort to - im
prove, the instructor said. Lepley
feels this interest in physical ed
ucation will benefit society.
"Bob has a purpose," he said.
All of his instructors were
Impressed with the way Swei
gart is helping himself. Each
teacher mentioned that the at
titude of the classes toward
Sweigart was ' in every way
friendly. No one, they said, has
complained or had any objec
tionable reactions.
In fact, one student told Whit-
Baby Picture
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girls' athletics should be In
creased in some way. He thinks
it might be a good idea to have
a girls' swimming or tennis
team. Firmly convinced coeds
would be a lot better off taking
part In sports, he is anxious to
see girls' athletics expanded.
Bob travels to and from campus
with Robert Bollman, another
University student who is a guard
at the Reformatory. They arrive
some time between 7 and 8 each
morning, except Sunday. Bob
often referees various intramural
games in the evenings.
Although he spends the day on
campus attending classes and
studying, Bob is expected to carry
out regular work at the institu
tion either before or after classes.
Chancellor R. G. Gustavson,
who has pointed out it Is the
policy of the University to co
operate with other state Insti
tutions, also believes that soci
ety must assume some responsi
bility for the rehabilitation pro
gram. Inmates are carefully
considered before they are al
lowed to enroll.
Even though it was not known
publicly until recently, that in
mates were attending the Uni
versity, Bob has never tried to
hide the fact. He admits there
have been a few unfavorable re
marks made directly toward him.
Some accuse him of increasing the
tax burden by using state funds
for college. However, his GI bill
pays for books and tuition. This
is true of the part time student
also.
On Ag Today
Wednesday is the last day that
Ag students may enter the Baby
Picture contest sponsored by Ag
Union. The contest ends at 5 p.m.
Winner of the contest will be
announced at the Ag Sno-Ball
dance Friday, and will receive a
valuable prize. The person whose
baby picture is chosen the "cutest"
by those entering the contest will
also receive a prize.
Entries include 20 pictures of
prominent Ag students 10 boys
and 10 girls. Ag students are to
try to match the pictures with
nanles listed by them. The pic
tures are on display in a show
case in the Ag Union.
ney that the day Sweigart talked
to the social science class was
the most interesting day in that
student's life at the University. j
Public reaction to inmate in
struction at this state school has
been a definite detriment to Swei
gart's education here, his instruc
tors felt.
"The unthinking public," Whit
ney said, has hurt and will hurt
progressive attempts like this.
Although Sweigart is not ex
ceptional in his studies, his in
terest in an education has kept
his grades slightly above aver
age. Miss Hupp cited Sweigart's work
in English class as an example
of a "deep desire to learn." She
feels inmate instruction program
has "saved a boy's life socially."
More can be saved too, she be
lieves, if the experiment is tried
with more inmates.
It was the opinion of all the
instructors, however, that definite
care would have to be taken in
choosing men to come to the Uni
versity.
Inmates, as other students, the
instructors said, are subject to
University rules, u
The most common comment on
the overall program, was "wonder
ful."
Everyone interviewed by The
Daily Nebraskan believes, that
Sweigart will prove a good ex
ample when future plans for
inmate-Instruction are consid
ered. Due to the- size of his class.
Dwight D. Miller, biology instruc
tor, aid .not have close contact
with Ssweigart, but expressed con
fidence that the program would
prove beneficial to societv.
Although the principles of the
program were generally accepted,
there was some argument with a
iew details.
For example, Bob Hamblet,
physical education instructor,
stressed the importance of choos
ing the right men to be sent to
the University.
Not every man, he said, would
fit Into the program. The main
difficulties, as he saw them,
were the subjective choice of
men, and the man who would
do the choosing.
Despite this. Hamblet believes
the program has a great deal of
merit and will prove helDful to
the University, the Reformatory
ana, especially, the men.
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MATCHING WITS IN CHESS Sweigart and Robert Bollman, another University student who
Is a guard at the Reformatory, plan moves in a chess game at the Union, where Sweigart
spends any leisure time. Watching the game is Pat Patterson who stopped on her way to the
Crib.
Fulton, Swingle Write Papers
For Next Meeting Of PST
The U.S. produces 42 of the
world's electricity.
Delta Sigma Pi Hears Speech
Qn American Life, Problems
"The American Way Life and
the Problems Facing Our Genera
tion" was the topic of John E.
Curtiss' speech to members of
Delta Sigma Pi attending a recog
nition dinner in the Union Mon
day evening.
Curtis, director of public rela
tions for Consumer Public power,
told the proup that there should
be a confidential relationship
among the citizens of the country
and that they should work both
together and individually to reach
predetermined goals. 1
Curtiss quoted Rudyard Kip
ling's poem "If," applying It to
the part people must play . as
citizens of this county.
Delta Sigma Pi, professional
business fraternity, recognized
Bob Patterson for outstanding
service to the fraternity and to
the College of Business Adminls
bank, made the award.
At the dinner new officers were
installed. The outgoing president,
John Grevich, was presented a
golden gavel by the new presL
dent, John Grow.
Officers installed were Grow,
Kenneth Neff, Stanley Meyer,
Holland Haas, Walter Tompkins,
Bob Roeder and John Lynch.
traUnn. Tlnn lVTothes: nn nlnmniio
The idea of sending inmates to now an employe in a Lincoln
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school started about a year ago
after the Reformatory had much
success in sending several men to
the Milford trade school.
The Nebraska State Reforma
tory Is the only one In the coun
try to permit Inmates to attend
classes outside the Institution,
according to Morris. Bob con
siders thU important for by
making a auccess of his trial, he
hopes others will benefit.
Bob also has some pretty con
crete ideas about the Reforma
tory program, which he says
should include some coeducational
functions. After all, he points out,
the men will have to live in a
world with both men and women
when they are released.
Originally from Chicago, Bob
would like to coach in high school
someday. He is also quite inter
ested in Midget baseball teams.
And there you have it. Bob
Sweigart age 25 veteran
carrying an average number of
hoars an avid sports enthusi
ast. Nothing unique about his
personality or appearance, and
he likea cream and sugar In his
coffee.
KNUS
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3:15 Music Of the Masters
3:45 Claude Thornhill Plays
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4:15 Moose Calls -4:30
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5:00 Sign Off : : ; v. i
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It's Here . . .
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Mor Gotgeou Than Ever
Sarah Fulton and Kathryn
Swingle will present papers on
"Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz: 1651
1951" and "Theories on Cervantes'
Motives in Writing Don Quixote"
at the next meeting of Phi Sigma
Iota, national romance language
honor society. The .group will
meet Thursday, Feb. 7, at 7:30, in
the faculty lounge of the Union.
Phi Sigma Iota was founded
thirty years ago to further rela
tions with French, Italian, and
Spanish speaking nations, and to
encourage scholarship and re
search in those branches of lan
guage. Each undergraduate mem
ber is required to present an origi
nal paper to the society during
his term of active affiliation.
Qualifications for membership re
strict it to college faculty and ad
vanced students of the languages
in their junior, senior or post
graduate years.
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