Page 2
Editorial Comment
Homecoming Snowball
Homecoming Decorations chairmen from or- Society In years past, and a few exceeded the
ganized women's houses have taken the first $100 limit more recently In effect despite of
step to bring about revisions of a system efforts by the Homecoming committee to prevent
badly needing change. In a meeting held Tues- such activity. This shows quite clearly that
day, women's groups voiced their unhappiness legislation by groups outside the individual
with the decorations system as it is now. They organizations Involved will never solve the
pointed out that Homecoming displays have problem. Only through agreement with indi
been too complicated and too expensive this vidual organizations and a willingness to corn
year and said a change should be made, though ply among the organizations will the "bigger,
none of the young ladies at the meeting could better, more expensive" trend end.
present a plan for curing the present decora-
tion Ills. Many organizations protest that an agreement
The displeasure voiced at that meeting are to curtail Homecoming decorations will cause
true reflections of the feelings of more than a reduction in quality. This simply isnjt so.
a few women students. Fraternity members, Decorations are good or bad as they compare to
. particularly pledge classes, will recall the non- others. There is no absolute scale by which
pleasureable vacation from classes, studying to measure any decoration,
and sleep Homecoming decorating always However, there is good reasoning behind the
entails, argument that complex expensive Homecoming
Homecoming decorations and assorted decorations are better than others. But those
"pageantry" have grown out of all proportions who feel this way should also agree the decora-
on this and other college campuses. .The pur- tions they favor are too large projects for a
pose of designating one Saturday as homecoming singie organization. If organized houses could
is to welcome alumni back to their alma mater; forget their feelings of competition long enough
however, this group certainly does not require to combine forces to work on producing a sue
or even ask for over-elaborate decorations. Dec- cessful Homecoming, not so much for old Alpha
orations have become larger and larger not be- Alpha Alpha but for the, general category of
cause of popular demand but because of the organized groups at the University of Nebraska,
"make ours bigger and bettern anyone else's" very elaborate highly complex decorations
spirit. Until organizations examine their motives could be made without undue expense and
in putting up their displays, the expenses and effort. As an example, several groups could
labor required for "a good" decoration will work on one decoration representing all of the
Continue to snowball. organizations contributing time and effort to
The reason for snowballing is ectually quite the common decoration,
simple fear. Student organizations, namely or- It is doubtful that organizations could forget
ganized houses, are afraid not to attach undue their individual aims to an extent which would
attention to decorations because their organ- make such a plan a successful operation,
ization might not look good when stacked up The suggestion which seems to be the most
alongside some other, competitive organization, likelv as a solution to the problem is not an
The women who met to complain that Home- ori. ;uial it has been tried on other campuses
coming decorations are too elaborate and too v. Uh some success. Its general plan begins with
expensive are simply reaping what they have the assumption that individual organizations will -
sown. By constantly planning bigger and bet- do their best to produce a homecoming decora-
ter Homecoming displays to make the opposi- tion. Each organization may spend what it
tion look inferior they have forced themselves wishes and use whatever theme it thinks desir-
into the situation they now deplore. able. However, individual organizations make
University men are exactly in the same posi- a decoration only once each two years. Campuses
tion. Though they have not yet had a group with fraternity and sorority rows are divided
meeting to discuss the dissatisfaction with the into two groups, with a different group taking
Homecoming system, there are many who are on the tasy of making a house decoration on
not happy with over-elaborate decorations re- alternating years.
quired by the competitive system as we Here, the division would be easy; 16th street
know it. organizations would put up decorations one
-fa year With R street organizations taking over the
However, stating the obvious doesn't accom- task the next. Organizations not on these
plish the solution to a real problem. Homecoming streets could be assigned to one group or the
is too elaborate here, particularly in the realm other, with the different halls in the Quadrangle
of house decorations. Something can be done, and Residence Halls for Women taking turns
if the organizations involved will take action to with dormitory decorations. Thus labor would
change their idea of competition. Sororities and be cut in half, and the desired level of expense
fraternities in particular can, by mutual agree- up to the organizations involved,
ment among themselves, make the need of As an addition to this plan, organizations not
highly complex, expensive decorations unneces- scheduled to put up a house decoration could
sarv take charge of the parade floats. The reduction
It is no secret that many houses went over in volume would be more than compensated for
the $50 maximum cost ruling of the Innocents by the increased quality. T. W.
omks And Problem Parents
Immoral publications are under fire once these shoddy forms of reading material when
again. The local City Council announced that in most homes or public libraries there are
it has taken steps to have the legal department good children's books which entertain while
prepare several possible amendments to the they thach, then it is no wonder our schools
ordinance governing the sale of pictures and cannot turn out future leaders with the tradi-
literature to minors. The amendments to be tional cultural background that existed before
considered are to be based on a model ordin- comic books.
ance prepared by the National Institute of with the coming of television the bulk of the
Municipal Law Officers and, according to City population has been turned into a seeing and
Attorney Jack Pace, will be aimed at comic listening public, not a reading and thinking one.
books. Books grow dusty on the shelves, their educa
fa tional contents sacrificed for one favorite tele
It seems that before the City Council's action vision show after another. However, there is
on the matter, Lincoln groups were already one consolation which applies to comic haters,
trying various solutions to what they consider to Not oruy books are being replaced, but also the
be forces which encourage juvenile delinquency. COmic books. Western shoot-em-ups are favorites
The Lincoln Woman's Club and local PTA's of the TV small fry. But as opposed to the
have distributed an approved list of comic books glorification of criminals in comic books, the
to grade school children. According to children "good men" always win.
who analyzed the unapproved comics in a
classroom discussion, the comics contained Actually the problem of children reading
slang expressions, poked fun at police and fire- questionable comic books lies in the interest or
men, used poor English grammar, were diffi- indifference of parents. If a parent permits a
cult to read or poorly presented the classics. child to read this type of literature then it is
These infirmities were said to parallel those tha parent who should be reprimanded-not
found by the Lincoln Woman's Club and PTA's the chlld- If the Woinan's Club and PTA's
and given as reasons why the comics should really wanted to hit home with their approved
not be read by minors. list of comic .books perhaps they should send the
fa list to every parent in Lincoln.
The action taken by the local groups indicates An appeal to the parents might bring about
an attempt ,to protect minors from literature civic action much quicker than an appeal to
which, In the way it is presented, influences the children. Most parents, if their attention
the correct attitudes toward policemen and pub- were solicited, would be quite interested to know
lie servants, school adacemics and the classics just what their children have been reading in
that society as a whole desires its children to the comic books which lie scattered around the
have. In many questionable comics, policemen, home. Perhaps if this unfortunate reading
or "cops," are portrayed as enemies of the habit in children were checked . and properly
criminal's genius. The classics, such as "Les directed toward other, more educational recrea-
Miserables" or "VFuthering Heights," are crude tions there would not be adults in the future who
burlesques c the true literary art by which seek out obscene magazines and vulgar pictures
they were written. If children must revert to on the newsstands J. II.
I
Afterthoughts
WJlKtlKflit tnis same informal survey revealed that Ne-
IflllSIIUUUII braska coeds aren't really worried."
Every day on her way to class she is fol- After aU, the fellows make up for it in other
lowed by a chorus of whistles and wolf calls ways.
from the hundreds of men students in one of the Jq Qafhjnq BOQUtfes
halls she must pass. "This is quite serious," East Rnd j &nd
eh protested. It's a shattering experience." and universities throughout the nation enjoy
Such shattering erperiences are rare here, their bathing beauties and those coeds give
according to an impromptu survey of several their schools publicity in return for the pub-
reasonably attractive coeds. Can't Nebraska licity given them. Even here at NU, the "Miss
men pucker or just aren't they interested? Miami" queens were permissable until they
Both reasons sound a bit unbelievable, and appeared on the printed page.
Jul TkbhaAkcuv
FIFTY-SECOND YEAR Iwiimbi? rtobT ign. aataorii
Member: Associated Collegiate Press ' EDITORIAL STAFF
Intercollegiate Press Kaitot.. t0 Wmxtwim
Representative: National Advertising service, SS9SLST:::::::::::::::::::r
Incorporated k" ' .' ''Mriaa hum
Copy Editor Brara Brngmaaa, Dirk ! oilman,
twtity af KahraMta a mwww a atndcatt mm an Sun Jcnseo, Marllj-n Mitchell
liit Nebraakaa pants m stDd.au of uw Urn BMrtt Editor ... Bimm Van
avtnlnn aal. Accantfn la Alltel II of tha Br-Lawi Fftfttnr Editor Grav Harm
goreraia ttnrttnt aabilcatim) an admtaMma Or Um Ai Editor Gary Barehflfld
I'ojird of pnbltrattOM. "II ti tb desired Boiler of to nfPftRTlTllC
Board Out publication and II. lurlidlctlon dull tx - n nfi-jlI. j..
Ira tram wlllorlal cantonal o In part of th Board. Dr?. "' '""f ""f. ," ''l"
or ra tb pari a an afflhti at la famlB at cha Borer Hmkl. llre Swltomr, Jul!. Marr, Kara
IntrentfT, not ta awmtxn of th Naff of T Nebraska Sharp, im DcVtlhlM, Barbara, Sullivan, Eleanor Piter,
ar aemoaaitr mapaasiM tor what Umt mr r da ar Vrttr Valike., Ctrirln Kkstrnm. Fran BeUtorft, Judy
aaos la a arbiiad." Boat, Ron Warloakl. Lillian Haaroolldre, Annette Klraa,
eanscrhrtSo rat ar at a lemtfter. SS.fto aiafld at """ """H IRaaanqulat. PM Browa, Marten
M tor in eollea r. tt iallMt. ntsitt coa? ac. Pah- Santln, Jeaa Johnson, Kay Lawaoa.
Iihet lb re times a week dnrin fh school rear eirenl BUSINESS STAFF '
vacations and am)nutlon period. Ism hi pnhllkhrd .
dnrlna ABwt b ilh Ualoenltr of Nebraska sorter th J""' 7IM. . t'hej t
soirilo of th Commlttr oa Slodent Publications, ' B""lnesf Manama Bea Belmont. Barbara Elck.
l-.ntered as arrond -law matin at tha Post Office la , ieor Madaea And Hov
l.iwnln, Nebraska, aartet an M Conirmu, March a, IHTa, nrenl.itloa Mnnarar Nell Miller
and at apectal rata of aostaM provided for t Sectlaa Mfht Hrvi fcdltor Marilyn Mitohtil
Lincoln,' Nebraska
Friday, December 10, 1954
LITTLI MAN ON CAMPUS
by Dick Bibler
Your wife Just called you left your briefcase on th' back porch."
Lelterip
Ivy Day Sing '
Dear Editor:
I agree completely with Jerry
Shumway's letter concerning KoS'
met Klub's ruling that only fra
ternity songs be sung on Ivy Day
It must be admitted that the best
music being written today is not
in the fraternity field. Kosmet
Klub's rule would take from fra
ternities the opportunity to sing
their choice of the best and most
challenging choral music in the
world. Fine literature of this type
has been presented in the Ivy Day
sings. The rule would end that.
It seems to me that it. is the
place of every fraternity, as well
as of Kosmet Klub, to recognize
the danger of this rule to the con
tinued high quality of the fra
ternities' part in the Ivy Day sing.
WENDELL FRIEST
Xmas With An X
Dear Editor:
Yes, Miss Tyson, Christmas is
here again and commercialized as
ever. (Woman's View, Dec. 8).
Christmas as "Xmas" is totally
irrelevant to the commercializo
tion of Christmas. If anything, it
has a direct reference to its sac
red origin.
The origin of the abbreviation
"Xmas" is in the Greek word for
Christ which begins with the Greek
letter "Chi" (printed X). Chi was
used in combination with Rho
(printed P) as a symbol by the
early Christians and is found in
the catacombs and in many mod
ern churches. Thus, we haven't
"taken the Christ out of Christmas
and replaced it with an "X," but
have only used an ancient Chris
tian symbol in the interests of ab
breviation. Possibly you object to any ab
breviation whatsoever. If so, you
are of course entitled to your opin
ion. However, I point out that
the use of symbols for the real
thing has long been accepted, for
example "X" for "kiss" at the
end of correspondence which you
yourself have probably used at
one time or another. Moreover,
it is your own profession, journ
alism, which does more than any
thing else to promote abbreviation,
and it is quite possible that journ
alism is primarily responsible for
the use of Chi as a symbol for
Christ in Christmas.
Of course, I must agree that
Christmas is too much commercial
ized. To show my own objections
to commercialization, I am not
planning on buying any presents
this year. How about yon?
DICK RALSTON
Man Is Society
Dear Editor:
I have read Dr. Robert Lindner's
remarks quoted in Time magazine
and can only wonder what sup
posed persecutions society must
have heaped on Miss Elliot which
would prompt her acceptance of
such ideas to the extent she would
quote them in her column (Givin'
'Em Ell, Dec. 7.) '
The only true individnalist this
earth has ever produced in the
form of a man was the early cave
man. ' But he soon learned the
advantages of social organization,
else, Miss Elliot yon and I might
be living in caves. Promoters of
"individualism" want to enjoy the
advantages of modern social or
ganization without bearing the
responsibilities of them.
The idea that social integration
has resulted in a psychopathy-producing
"damage to the ego" and
"loss of identity" is the most ab
surd part of this argument. For
only through being able to identify
great social causes and purposes
has man been able to rise above
animalism. For example, identifi
cation with the Christian cause is
the only hope for the salvation of
the modern world.
The non-conforming "individual
ists" may throw all the road
blocks at furthering social integra
tion they wish; but they can't des
troy the truth of the fact that all
the troubles in the world are
caused by who wifl not accept the
highest principle of life: man as an
individual exists only for the good
of man as a society.
DORWIN RAYMONDE
it happened at nu
Every year there is some stu
deat, who, when the PBK lists
come out, receives a severe shock.
One such student under one
such shock could only utter "And
I told all my friends he was stu
pid."
Of course there are the students
who complain about the presence
of some "brain" in a class who al
ways gets such high grades that
the instructor can't scale the low
er ones. But alter the PBK an
nouncements the complaints change
to "Gee, he was in my class and
was he ever smart."
How dues
Cbisti-
Science
lies!?
!.
'4'
Free Lecture Entitled
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE:
The Coincidence of Pure Science
and Pure Religion .
By GEORGE NAY, C.S. of Chicago, Illinois
Member of the Board of Lectureship of The .Mother Church,
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachu
setts. December 12 SUNDAY - - , 3 P.M.
Church Edifice 12th and L Streets
(Nursery available for children up to 6 years of age)
. ,- - . - - IL
I I,
This challenging lecture hy Mr. Nay
j should be of special interest to faculty
j and students alike. You and vour I f
friends are cordially invited to attend. I
"r
Movie Previews
Critic Tells
Procedure
o 71 71
By ELLIE GUILLIATT
Contrary to usual procedure, I
am going to devote my column
to a definition of how I base my
criticisms of the movies I see.
First of all, I do not set myself
up as an all-seeing, all-knowing
critic of the art of the motion
picture although I sincerely feel
thai; motion pictures can and
should be classified as art. Such
a classification presupposes a high
standard of quality and, by the
same token, many films which can
only be called mediocre. Many
American movies are spectacular
instead of magnificent, sentimental
instead of sensitive.
In contrast to the bad films (in
an artistic sense) which producers
have sold to the American public,
we need only look at "Member of
the Wedding," "Come Back Little
Sheba," "From Here to Eternity,"
"Moulin Rouge," and you possibly
have your own additions to my list.
Surprisingly enough, none of
these movies were in Cinemascope,
all but one of them (Moulin Rouge)
were filmed in black and white,
and none of them was "sclntilat
ing" in the popular Hollywoodes
que vocabulary. Yet each of them
was a moving, sensitive, thought
provoking film.
Why? What makes these few art
and the majority artificial at
tempts? This brings us to the con
sideration of a very ambiguous
idea called "the criteria of art."
Neither will I attempt to ade
quately explain this generality, but
I will tell you what "art in motion
pictures" consists of for me.
Basically, to be artistic In my
eyes, a film mast first have unity
. . . by this I mean the production
must neither be overshadowing nor
inadequate to suit the seeds of the
plot. It must also have an Integrity
in that it holds an aesthetic dis
tance and does not play wholely
on the human emotion of sympathy
for its impact, but rather portrays
its theme with .restraint and sensl.
tive percepton of those tinman,
values which mast necessarily bo
apparent to give the audience an
understanding of that theme. It
must be selective in its presenta
tion, neither embarrassing the
spectator by too naturalistic an ex.
pression nor intimidating his Intel,
ligence by too esoteric an ezpres.
sion. I am not trying to imply
that all movies should have noble
themes or be depressingly tragic,
for there is certainly greatness in
comedy as witnessed in Charlie
Chaplin's beautiful silent flms, or
in "Born Yesterda y," or in
"Adam's Rib."
I am only saying that any in
telligent movie goer has a right
to expect decent, well-constructed
films often he does not get them.
The sole purpose of this column,
as I see it, is neither to pan a
movie nor to praise it, but rather
to present a few sincere comments
to stimulate the reader's interest
and his mind. These comments I
try to present as concisely and as
coherently as possible in the hope
of entertaining and interestng my
readers.
Final Notice
The deadline for turning in your
selections for (he All-University
team has been extended to this Fri
day at 5:00 p.m. There are still
ten Greek and Independent or
ganizations who have not turned
in their recommendations. If your
team does not turn in ballots, no
consideration will be given to your
organization's representatives.
Lists of your organization's se
lections for the AI1-U team and
recommendations for your own
team members should be left on
the desk of the sports editor in
The Nebraskan office in the base
ment of the Union.
The deadline is this Friday, De
cember 11, at 5:00 p.m.
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9
