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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1953)
Wednesday, November 1 1, 1953 Page 2 THE NEBRASKAN EDITORIAL PAGE 'Ao ke The independents? The Nebraskan last week oublished a Let- terip from a member of a University co-op an "independent," according to the writer. The letter asked lour questions, two of which implied that the writer felt that inde pendents were being discriminated against in ( Campus activities. . The Nebraskan checked the facts in each of the four cases and discovered that the answers to his questions were perfectly logi cal and reflected no discrimination. The letter also stated: "There ARE some independents attending this University ... We Just want to exist on this campus without fair share of participa tion in campus activities." This statement raises a number of funda mental questions: 1. What are independents? 2. In what activities are independents for bidden to participate? 8. Why are independents so rare in other, non-forbidden activities? 4. Are members of co-op houses Justified In calling themselves independents? . , To answer the first question is also to answer the second. Theoretically, an inde pendent is a non-Greek. But this classifica tion means nothing. Actually, an independ ent is a student who belongs to no 24-hour-a-day organization. He owes his allegiance to no group. Because he is a member of no organized house, he is automatically eliminated from participating in a score or more of campus activities which are necessarily based on or ganized houses. Among these are UMOC competition, Kosmet Klub fall show, Home coming displays and house social functions. The third question is more difficult to an swer. Although the number of independents which participate In campus activities is small, their mere existence proves that inde pendents are not outlawed from these activi ties. One answer perhaps lies in the inability of independents to organize themselves into some type of potent political or social organization on campus. While BABW has succeeded, in dependent men and women have failed utterly in efforts to organize an Independent Student Association and to make a good showing in campus-wide elections. By definition, inde pendents appear unable or unwilling to be come part of an organization which possesses much power. Another answer is that, for the most part, independents appear uninterested in partici pating in non-scholastic campus activities. They frequently assume an attitude of indif ference, or even superiority, toward activities. Perhans a refusal to associate with Greeks prevents some independents from taking part in activities in which fraternity men partici pate. This refusal may be based on the belief that fraternities monopolize activities in order to keep independents out. But the existence of independents in activ ities in the Innocents Society and Mortar Board proves that non-Greeks can become active in campus affairs, if they wish. The answer to the fourth question may have begun to appear in the answers to pre vious questions. Actually, organized houses of non-Greeks, Margin Notes Weather Or Not . . . Investigate! Taking his cue from examples set by Con gressional investigators, tie Chief of the United States Weather Bureau ordered a probe to find out why Government forecast ers were fooled by Friday's surprise snow storm. The bureau, which usually runs up an 80 to 90 per cent accuracy average in the long run, will now have to watch its step. Looking into the future and coming up with the wrong answer is likely to be a punish able offense. Passing Of A Monarch Remember when King Farouk was kicked eut-k-and the secrets of his private chambers were revealed? A fabulous story, with pic tures of nudes, cheap sex books and bits of women's clothing. Already reporters are attempting to create the same interest in the personal affairs of late King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. A news story two days after the king's death quoted a congresswoman on the details of Ibn Saud's harem. Big Business Of Football Opponents of big-time college football will have a hard time proving that the pigskin game has become a giant business. The U.S. Supreme Court is against them. In a Monday decision the Court ruled that pro fessional baseball is still only a sport and hence not subject to federal anti-trust laws. If the ruling applies to professional base ball, it should include "professional" college football Including co-ops, have more In common with fraternities than they have with independents. Co-ops, like fraternities, are eligible to par ticipate in hour dances and oWr social func tions, nomination of Eligible Bachelors and the many other house activities denied to true Independents. There is no mysterious wall between a Greek fraternity and any other organized house such as a co-op. Except for a national organization, secret ritual and rush week, there is no substantial difference between the two. When co-ops associate themselves with un organized independents and describe them selves as non-Greek (their only common bond), they are simply diminishing "the op portunities for cooperation between Greek and organized non-Greek. ' Only when co-ops recognize the similarity in form and purpose of these two group will they actually do what the letter-writer de scribed as "our part to advance fraternal re If co-ops continue to fight the battle for unorganized independents, they can never as sume their "fair share of participation in campus activities." Independents are not interested in organi zations and, to a large extent, in campus ac tivities. If they were, most of them would not be independents. K.R. Twisted Logic The Omaha World-Herald concerned itself with "The Test of Freedom" in an editorial Sunday. It quoted a statement by a Columbia Uni versity professor to the effect, "Freedom is where you can get out if you want to. Free dom is where, if you don't like It, you are at liberty to go away. This Is your key test the right to quit." The professor was referring to what free dom meant to one under the heel of Commu nist domination. Few people would deny that, for the op pressed peoples behind the Iron Curtain, this would be a valid definition of freedom. But the World-Herald blandly extended the professor's remarks to imply that this is the test of freedom to those living in a free nation. It said, "There are worse evils than eco nomic inequality or discrimination because of race, religion or social prejudice. If they get too bad any individual can remedy them for himself by moving away. But the great est evil is slavery and slavery is the denial to move away." The World-Herald statement is an example of attempting to put into black and white something which has many gradations. The right to move away is a dubious one; it implies that if you do not conform to what someone (presumably the majority) expects and demands, there is no alternative of co existing as a minority. A democracy, as The Nebraskan under stands it ,is composed of minorities by defi nition. If no minorities exist, or are al lowed to exist, you do not have a democracy, but a totalitarian form of government. The World-Herald observation is a danger--ous one because it implies the right of the ma jority (or those setting "standards") to Insist upon either conformance or "the right" to get out. Is this any different from slavery? When one is denied the right to live within the laws of the land according to his own conscience under pain of "the right" to quit, can this be freedom? The World-Herald, it is hoped, cannot seri ously advocate this sort of "freedom," which is precisely the same kind imposed behind the Iron Curtain. E.D. Educational Trend? An exchange student from Germany had some strange words to describe trends, in European education. In an interview reported in Tuesday's Ne braskan, Hans Steffen first pointed to funda mental differences in high schools and uni versities of the two continents. The main differences, he said, are that European uni versities are more advanced, that they have fewer restrictions and that students in Euro pean universities are older and more mature than in American schools. These principles are usually accepted as primary differences between American and European educational systems. Steffen pointed to a new trend in German education, however, which might reduce these differences. He said that Germany is moving toward a new type of education similar to the progressive education in this country. If the new type of teaching, as Steffen said, is intended to "give children the oppor tunity for independent thinking," the trend appears healthy. But if the new progressive education means lowering German university students to con form to American levels, the influence of our educational system must be condemned. K.R. Jim: TMha&kcuv FIFTY-THIRD TEAR Member: Associated Collegiate Press Advertising representative: National Advertising Service, Inc. 420 Madison Ave., New York 17, New York Whm Nebrukn H pnblt.tMKI Ir? the ttodonta f M BDITOBIAL STAFF rnlversliy at Nobrank m m expmulnn of students' PAitor Kef! Ryutrom nr and mitnlnM only. Aseur4!n( to Article 11 of Mm Editorial Pe Editor.......... K4 Do Mar Ky-IjMre vovarnln itodmt pubilitttiona M4 fuhntnlotvmo' Mnnnglne; Editor Sally Hall by tnm fMrnrd of PnMleaMnna, "It la too dmlantd poller Now Fditor. Ton Woodward t.1 the Board that pnbllaatlnna tmrter Ita Jurisdiction hall Copy Editor .....Jan Harrison, Marianne Hanaen, l9 fto from odttorlal censorship on the part of the Kay Noaky. irao Harvy ftwutl, or en tb part of any mwmlwr of the faculty of flporti Editor Otmt Paynlrh t'-n I :nlnrttir, hot the mnibr of the staff of The Af Editor DwtiM J and! thr!akB are pontonalty rmwuiJbl for what they W REPORTERS or 4a or (MM to b printed." Harriet Ronrf, Marela Mlckr-lnon, Oram Hsrvry, B-rnle ijlNiortptNja ratM re ft a emwter, 2.60 mailed, or Roeenqulut, Ellen Plokett, Brnee Brarmann, Mary Shel- 3 fr ttm eoOiet year, 4 omlled. Single eopy l five Klr Wmwlward, 8am J. frrt Daly, Carolyn unlit, robllsnsd. on Tr.w.Aw, Wrdnetday and Friday f f "'"''L """imw. li- mJ'mTIS" n the ool year, ept -raoatlon and .wminaM. W4Xi 'tuXF aid jllk twttol. OtM fM pohlUhed durlnr the mnntk of Au- if"L!.n ' ly" Tyaa' ",aui and Jaea v.t yer by the Intvernlty of Nebranka ander the rrwween. -i',!wlon of (he Committee of Student Fahllratlone. BUSINESS STAFF ,'r,'tl eesond elaoi matter at the Pout Of fire tn Bnelnem Manarer Stan fllpple !'.-iiii, Nhrlta, under Aot of Contrme. March 3. Au'i Btnlnnie Managers. . .Chenter Sinter, Dnran Janoba IKiB, .:S at epeclal rate of pontage provided for In Jim Hofitetter, Dick Vteatoott mttoH I Act of Cunfrew of Oct. 8, 1817. authorized Circulation Manager Ken Wllllatneon f.,,.u 8a IMS. Night Mewi butter...... ..Marianne Uaneen EDITOR'S NOTE: The follow ing Is" the second of two articles presenting opposite views of the principles of John Dewey, father of progressive education. Both ar ticles are from the Des Moines Sunday Register. Today's article was written by Albert Lynd, Bos ton businessman, who had seven years of teaching experience at Harvard College and Stanford University.) European domination of Ameri can educational theory ended with the 19th century, when John Dewey published "The School and Society." For most of the last half-century the "philosopher of science and freedom" was the strongest in fluence upon the New Education in America. I respect Dewey's genius and his rugged intellectual integrity. His prose is not fluent, but it has a powerful effect even upon a layman without philosophical pre tentions. No matter how far you are from agreement with him, you must aamire his systematic pommeling of every trace of what he finds amiss In time-honored systems of Ideas. if some of these ideas happen to be those which you believe im portant, tne experience is nice watching someone bludgeon your grandmother, while proving to you that she clearly deserves it. The most important question here is not whether Dewey s views of the nature of man ana tne -verse are right or wrong. That is as you please. The question is: How many par ents would agree that his ideas, if they understood them, are those which should determine the for mation of their children? And how many communities, if consulted, would be likely to ap prove a philosophy which, is plainly uncongenial to certain loy alties which most plain, unphilos ophizing people hold to be impor tant: belief in super-naturalism. in a transcedent natural law, in the immutability of certain moral principles? Dewey's great influence upon American education is usually ex plained by his disciples on t h e ground that his philosophy is pe culiarly congenial to the spirit of American democracy. His authority is more probably explainable as an historical acci dent: he was the only first-rate American philosopher to take an intense, evangelical interest in the lower schools. , For our graduates in education who are uneducated in anything but their own trade, Dewey is to""" the American school what Aris totle was to the medieval school simply "the Philosopher." His name is used as a charm within the profession and an ex orcism, without. This is an in teresting fate for the century's most consistent foe of dogmatism. Dewey's educational theories ase Agaios-" John Dewey are consistently related to his ba sic philosophical views. His philosophy is usually called instrumentalism. The implication is that knowledge is not merely that descriptive information ac quired by the viewer of a scene. Rather it is something which is begotten and exercised in action and which is an instrument t for more intelligent action. Other points which are prom inent in Dewey's thought There are no eternal truths. Man is wholly a biological or ganism. The mind does, not learn or know as a spectator; rather knowledge results from the inter action of a human organism with the environment. The only test for truth In an Idea, therefore, ts in its conse quences In the-life activities to which it leads. The only way of intelligently testing and control ling these consequences is through the method of experimental sci ence. Truth is always relative, be cause the consequences of an idea may change with time or place. Since the environment is in constant change, the conse quences of any activity involved with it are subject to change. The search for knowledge must be continuous and arduous, but it is not an aspiration toward any "ultimate reality" in the universe. It is a search for principles which will "work" here and now, in a changing situation. There is no mind or "soul" In the traditional sense. This, if anything, ts the key doctrine of Deweylsm. Most previous philosophy, Dewey believed, has been in fected by a double error of the Greeks: that there is some per pect or "ultimate" reality in the universe, and that it is discover able by the use of a special in tellectual faculty. Dewey finds no evidence in man of a nonmaterial faculty which thinks, or can be filled up with knowledge like a sponge. Man is an organism engaged in an instinctive effort to adapt it self to the environment. Mr. Dewey's view of the mind Is critically important in his educa tional views. The process of learning, for him. Is not the ac cumulating of a mental stock of Information. It is the acquisition by the or ganism of certain habits. Chil dren are not born with minds. They acquire habits, including those of thought, which are not diferent in mode or origin from other habits. Since there is no mind or thought apart from environmen tal interaction, it follows that there is no such thing as a soul or even a "self" which can exist and be educated apart from its own experiences. There are no fixed moral laws. For centuries, Dewey believes, men wasted energy and con- The Challenge - State 'Watchdog' Beset Pressure Of Time By By ROBERT B. CROSBY Governor Of The State Of Nebraska (This is the eighth in a weekly series of articles treating the problems, issues and challenges of the day as viewed by represen tatives of various fields of en deavor.) The Constitution of the State of Nebraska gives the Governor su preme executive power in the state and charges him to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed and the affairs of the state efficiently and economically administered." You might say, then, that the Governor is sort of a watchdog, selected by the people of Nebraska to protect their rights and liberties and to enforce the laws by which the people govern themselves. Time will always be the great est challenge to the Governor of Nebraska. It is extremely diffi cult to become familiar with the administration of the many ag encies of the state in a period of two years. A new Governor becomes im mediately aware of the challenge of time because his inauguration takes place after the Legislature is in session, and, consequently, he is plunged headlong into guber natorial duties. In my case, I submitted my budget to the Legislature for con sideration just 16 days after my inauguration. It was a difficult task to work on the budget with the time element hanging so heav ily over my head, but each new Governor is subjected to this ex perience. In addition to this, I had a novel experience, however. On the day after my inauguration, the Supreme Court of Nebraska ordered the State Board of Equa lization, of which the Governor is chairman, to equalize assess ments of property in Nebraska at actual value. Subsequent ever.U left no Moubt that this had to be done immediately. The Governor's time is not his own it belongs to the people; but he must budget his time wisely so that he does not become en tangled in a maze of relatively unimportant activity. During re cent weeks, I have devoted a great deal of time to an activity which I consider extremely im-v portant for every Governor: visit ing the many institutions under the supervision of the state. This was not an easy task be cause many of our instltutioift are so closely related to human misery and suffering. I was pleased with the condition of most of the places I visited; others did not meet the required standards. One thing that was prevalent wherever I went, however, was a wonderful spirit of co-operafion among state employees and an intense interest in their work. All of the citizens of Nebraska should be very proud of our state employees, and we should be grateful for such wonderful peo ple who are willing to devote their lives to the service of others. One of the most serious duties of the Governor is serving as chairman of the Board of Pardons which has authority to grant com mutations of sentence, pardons and paroles. Dealing with human misfortune is never pleasant, and this is particularly true 1n crim inal cases. I have always considered one of the most important duties of the Governor to be that of keep ing the people of Nebraska in formed on affairs of the state. Every effort is made to keep the people abreast of the affairs of their government through news channels and public addresses by myself and other government per sonnel. -The 1953 Nebraska Legislature authorized our state government to spend $194,776,039.12 for the period from July 1, 1953, to June 30, 1955. That is a great deal of money, and it indicates the size of state governmental activity even in Nebraska where we have always been economy-minded. Of course, it is impossible for the Governor to supervise per sonally the use of these funds just as it is impossible for the Gov ernor to perform personally all of the functions of state govern ment. I feel indeed fortunate to have a staff of exceptionally well qua lified department heads to keep Nebraska government on a very high level, and I confer with them as frequently as possible in or der to have the benefit of their advice and so that we can share each other's problems and chal lenges. Nebraska citizens should not neglect visiting the Capitol and meeting the fine people work ing there. Space does not permit me to list all of the boards and commis sions in Nebraska state govern ment and the people engaged in the various activities. Be assured that there are many, however, and it is the duty of the Governor to be accurately informed on the functions of the many agencies of government so that he can properly attend to his responsi bility as "watchdog." It. is true that there are many challenges facing the Governor every day as well as a great many serious and important du ties to perform, but there are also many satisfactions to the Governor. I think that my chief source of pleasure as Governor has been my close contact with so many fine Nebraskans, both priv ate citizens and those in public office. ' A particularly burden some problem can be considerably lightened when one realizes that as Governor his actions are de voted to the wonderful people of Nebraska. fused themselves by efforts to find in religion and philosopny a set of immutable moral truths to which human nature should be made to conform. In most of the older religious traditions human nature was viewed with suspicion and sub jected to efforts to make it be have properly within relation to some ideal. , Dewey Insists that human na ture itself is the only source of workable moral guides. Human happiness is the con sistent aim of Dewey's moral theory, as he does not believe there is an future existence in which the sorrows and inequities of this life may be redressed. Democracy is a moral value because it is the social order which encourages each indi vidual td make the most effec tive use of his powers for living 'vith maximum satisfaction, or in the scientific view, to achieve the most successful relationship of the organism to its environ ment. Pragmatism justifies progres sive education. Dewey's basic philosophical assumptions are more than well hinged to his rejection of the traditional dis tinction of mind and body is an indispensable assumption. Progresslvlsm is logically con sistent with instructmentallst philosophy right down the line. If there are no absolutes In the history of ideas, It is of course quite sensible to throw out of our schools much of the lore of the past. A school program related to the view of man as a monistic biological organism should in volve the student in lively ac tivities around the solution of problems of living which most clearly beset him. In Dewey's view, the habits of most of us now were forced upon us during infancy and childhood when we were pnysicauy de pendent upon adults. They are our ciders' habits. Intelligent management of the. habit and impulse patterns In youth is the rationale of pro gressive education. It explains those classroom practices with which most parents are familiar, including those practices which have provoked caricature. Agreement with the basia philosophy of Mr. Dewey is the logical price of agreement with his educational theories. Precisely because progressive education dispenses so far with tradition and stakes so much upon the educational creativity of the teacher, It Is method which would require someone like a Dewey in every classroom for Intelligent execution. In actuality, by the testimony of their own vapid utterances, the typical graduates in educa tion today are the least fitted group in the community to as sume the responsibility for re creating its cultural aspirations, Mr. Dewey's interpreters en gage in a forthright effort to en lighten the adults of my town and others on the blessings of instrumentalism. But it is not their right, in the meantime, to slip into the schools of the community a phil osophy of education, which if understood, would be rejected by the great majority of the people to whom the schools be long. Even those who take satisfac tion in the enormous influence of Jonn Dewey sometimes admit that his philosophy has not been very clearly comprenended. You know your neighbors. How many of them would vote for Deweyism if they understood the philosophical ballot? The Student Speaking Hey, Arready By JERRY SHARPNACK It has been suggested that in last week's column I over stepped the sacred bounds of human decency by implying that the knocking about of old la dies is funny. Funny? It's hilarious. The whole idea of last weeks story came to me while I was chopping the paws off a three-week-old puppy. The very thought of poor grandma getting shoved around was so funny I had to stop at two paws and go inside my spider-infested room and write up the story. I cleared my desk of the works of Jonathan Swift (whose style I have been copying) and began to write vehemently. I hesitated in my typing only long enough to burn some Bibles I had stolen from an orphanage. Being quite exhausted after the story's completion, I felt the need for nourishment. Two babies were baking in the oven, but would not be done for an other hour. I had to be con tent with small spiders until the main course was ready. I was bouncing about on my chair with mouth-watering im patience at the thought of those baked babies. They were twins. Has this little tale shocked you? Has it demoralized you? Corroded your thinking? No, I think not. I also think nothing so ridiculous would ever cor rupt any adnlt-mlnded person's attitude on life, nor change his philosophy. Whether it symbolizes some thing else in the form of a sat ire or not, it could hardly be construed to have a literal meaning. In regard to last week's "Grandma" column, I did in tend some symbolism, however inexpertly it may have been realized. I am thoroughly disgusted and completely bored with any type of over-sentimentality and super-virtuous living. I am tired of seeing virtuous women con tinually get the fella as I in variably have in every movie I have ever seen. Goody-goodies have also ruined a great many otherwise substantial books and stories; and if there's anything I hate, it's a goody-goody. As far as elderly people are concerned, I have no more nor no less respect for them than anyone else. I judge a person by his abililty and his ideals, not his age. Last week's piece was not meant as a dig at our elders, but as a sort of semi satire directed at sentimentality. Mostly it was just a story. Any piece of writing should be read critically, and first Im pressions may not be correct. Who knows, next week I may advocate infanticide, which is not a bad idea at that. I hate guys Who criticize And minimize The ether guys Whose enterprise Has made them rise 1 Above the guys Who criticize. Here's your chance to help pick the only (r37 For Details LISTEN TO WISHIIR'S "SPORTS TEN" program on your Mutual Radio Station KOLN 8:05 P.M. Mon.-Fri. The 1953 AIl-CoHegft-Xn, America Football Team tl sponsored by Philip Lionais crtd brought to yoUiby HARRY WISLISCI It is'the ony.An-AmsJtsa picked byjhGtfaail ( 1 ?IM1 ;t,lr-..i."!' :