Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 29, 1960)
Monday, February 29, I960 . The Daily Nebraskan Editorial Comment: Page 2 fflrauuu li wMswwar HI iSlir Educational Emphasis On English Is Needed i When Sputnik I was put into orbit a few years ago, this country's educational sys tem suddenly was put in the glaring spot light of the eyes of the nation's politician's scientists and educators perhaps brighter than any time before, in history. For it became apparent that something was wrong somewhere that apparently our schools and colleges weren't turning out the type of student who could compete with those from some European nations, especially in the field of science. At least that is the way it seemed. Why else, it was asked, could Russia attain its primacy in the infant race for nuclear and space leadership unless we had failed somewhere along the line in developing scientists and improving the teaching methods in our schools. Because, the argument went, if we had been turning out better science students, we would have been able to achieve suc cesses in these scientific fields earlier, in stead of waiting and watching to see and then fear what other nations could do. Hence the advent of Sputnik heralded a new effort to improve the nation's defense network and improve U.S. military and scientific power positions and right in the middle was education, especially the type that involved the engineer, the physicist, the mathematician . . . and the teacher. New federal education loans were set up; special military deferments were giv en to some college graduates in special ized scientific fields. And as science knowledge became in vogue, so did language not so much Eng ' lish, but others like Russian, French, Spanish and German. These languages, it was said, were going to be'of more importance to the college graduate now than in any time in history. For it was said thousands of Soviet stu dents were studying English; that France and Germany must be depended on more than ever before; and that to keep on the good side of Latin America was one of our prime problems. Hence we needed to study their lan guages. All of the above suggestions and anxie ties were quite valid ones. But it seems that in our quest for a type of education that would balance the world power struc- ture, we may have forgotten one of the most important subjects in "American schools today English. It is one of the basic fields for learning well in others especially the foreign lan guages. Hardly another subject gives such an opportunity for expression and practice of educational virtues such as precision, clarity and accuracy. But English hasn't been one of the pri mary fields of study in the spotlight for improvement lately. The sciences and for eign languages, as mentioned above, seemed to have crowded English some what out of the picture. But recently a number of American ed ucators have recognized the problem and have taken action to do something about it. One of the best examples is a Univer sity of Nebraska graduate who is now su perintendent of schools in Washington, D.C. Fifty-four-year-old Carl Francis Han sen has revolutionized the study of Eng lish in Washington schools. In English courses, as in others, he di vides classes into four groups. At the top are gifted students with IQ's above 120. Next come two groups embracing those of college ability and those who only pro pose to finish high school. Last are those who are slow learners. ' Better writing is one of Hansen's pri orities. He says, "It seems to me more important for us to know the structure of language than to know how a spark plug works in an automobile." His program is revolutionary in light of the English programs in most of the other schools in the country. Theme writing starts as early as the second grade; stu dents in the top two high school groups have to write 24 themes a year. He makes use of college women "lay readers" in arrangement with the Wash ington P.T.A. The results since Hansen took over in 1947 have been that Washington students have raised their position relative to other students in' the United States by 14 points on three national high school achievement tests. Another Nebraska educator, Omaha Ben son English department head Gunnar Horn, has taken a look at the problem and here is what he has come up with: "I predict that in a few years there will come a realization that some students had better learn English before they concern themselves with foreign languages. "I further predict that some time this decade parents will awaken to the fact that written language is still a useful tool. When this occurs, they will insist that boards of education reduce the teaching loads of English teachers to a point where it will be possible for them to give stu dents the frequent practice in writing that is necessary to learning composition." We can only hope that Horn's predic tions come true. And we hope that students and educators alike will recognize soon that good English involves more than just not saying "ain't." -Coife iiSA'a l0iflFffl 'JHlsLl uj- m rpi uj " 1 i OB J i , , ,..,...,.., , - 1..H I ' from the Editor's Desk: It Seems to Me . . . , im im' tff $ Kraus Theory on what is to be published and . what isn't to be in this year's IFC Rush Book seems to be contradictory in part. House bills, over-all house averages, etc., won't be published in the book be cause 1. the IFC last Wednesday passed a mo tion to repeal the planned inclusion of the averages, and 2. the IFC Alumni Advisers feel that the book shouldn't be com petitive between the vari ous fraternities. House bill and initiation fees should be left out of print since the bills aren't relative from house to house. For instance, some houses charge a low basic fee each month, which looks good in print or in the eyes of a rushee, but hit members for assessments quite often for parties, special dues, etc. But scholastic averages from house to house are parallel and tend to indicate to some extent if the fraternity takes men of potential high scholarship and if they encourage study halls and the like. The inclusion of this material in the Rush Book might be helpful to the pros pective rushee who is interested primar ily in obtaining an education at the Uni versity and finding the proper atmosphere in which to carry on his studies. With the averages in print, however, this would of course be a means of com petition. But in the format the book is in now, it's also competitive. Each house gets two pages, one of which probably will include a composite picture of the members; the other, including tke house picture, sev eral mug shots and house information. Each house strives in its copy to paint a pretty picture of how it has top alumni, good scholarship, many activity men, etc., which certainly represents a form of com petition. And the mug shots generally in clude some of the house's outstanding ac tivity men. If there's competition to show quality in activities, social events, and tile like, why By Carroll Kraus not scholarship, which should be a more important factor to the rushee than most others. I, too, would like to see the book kept on a non-competitive basis trying to sell only the fraternity system instead of in dividual houses. But the concept of the book will have to change before houses will agree to give up their individual portions and produce a really fine, overall picture of the frater nity scene and fraternity men, without at taching a particular Greek name to each. But since the book is set up the way it is now, and since the IFC is pushing scholarship (as evidenced in last Wednes day's meeting when it approved a $125 scholarship for a sophomore fraternity man with a good average and with lead ership qualities), inclusion of the house averages would be a means of showing that interest in grades is high and that the Greek houses aren't afraid to bare their averages to prove that they prac tice as well as preach scholarship. Noted in a column in the Kansas State Collegian that one of Ohio's universities has initiated an unusual approach to the drinking problem. The university permits it in men's dormitories but only when roommates are present. If the guy next door comes in, it's illegal. It's also forbidden at mixed functions but Is OK at stag affairs if they're chape roned. So three is a crowd at a bull session, if they want to drink. Just like at dear old NU; takes two to tango and three to func tion. But before the exodus to Ohio, it might be proper to mention that the columnist didn't mention exactly which school it was. Coed Follies in general were pretty good, it seemed, but sound or acoustics or something didn't go over too well. About the funniest thing in tlie whole show wai it the very end; the bit about tune in for next week's show. Daily Nebraskan Letterips Dorm Organization To the Editor: I and other interested fra-. ternity men have been fol lowing Tom Eason's series of five articles concerning an organization of independ ent male students in Selleck Quadrangle. We also have taken notice of the RAM's statements in the Daily Ne braskan and have come to some rather thoughtful con clusions concerning this project and all its implica tions. . The pink letter that was distributed by the "inde pendents" rather amusingly brought out some very im portant truths. Any organi zation must be composed of members who are willing to give up some of their indi viduality, time, money and effort to promote that organ ization and to help it realize its goal. It is my opinion that no man who is not will -ing to give up these things should be coerced into membership in an organiza tion that will require per sonal sacrifice. There are 23 active social fraternal organizations lo cated at the University of On Other Campuses CWC Plans To Grant Baccalaureate Degree The Board of Trustees of Colorado Woman's College recently approved a plan to change CWC from its pre sent status as a two-year junior college to a four year baccalaureate degree granting school, effective with the present freshman class. CWC president Dr. Eu gene C. Dawson said the college will remain basical ly a liberal arts school in "a wholesome religious at mosphere devoted to giving girls an effective education for personal and intellec tual maturity, education for home and family living, and for vocational activi ties." 'Gentleman's C Satisfaction with the once fashionable "gentleman's C" appears to be giving way to serious thoughts about the "under achiever," according to the Alma Col lege (Mich.) Almanian. A new policy is currently In operation at Amherst College which seeks to solve the problem of the "under achiever." According to the Alman ian, Fresident Charles W. Cole of Amherst explained in his 1959 report to the board of trustees that the college has decided to grant these students a year's leave of absence "in hope that some months in an other environment would give them enough added maturity and perspective so that they might return here and perform at a higher level." Fifty sophomores and juniors were suggested as possible under achievers in the middle of the last aca demic year. They were in formed of the college's new policy; ' conferences were held with the faculty, ad ministration and parents; and the students' perform ances were watched throughout the, spring se mester. Of these, 12 were granted leaves, 14 began to work up to capacity, 12 were found not to be laggards but students with limited intellectual ability, 9 will have their records studies further and three withdrew voluntarily for a year. Although seniors were not . . . Forget It By Dick Stuckey Hello. Today we were going to speak of how happy every one is here at the institu tion. But ... uh ... we could n't find this. So forget it. Goodbye. BREAKFAST NOW BEING SERVED AT Little Kings 330 No. 13 7-9 a.m. Student Prices included in the mandatory leave program, since the college felt it was too late to take action for them, it was noticed that about two-thirds of the seniors who had been coasting had definitely better records after the new policy was announced. No Calipering Foresters used to caliper women. But this year they're going to caliper trees, according to the Uni versity of Minnesota Daily. Calipering is an old tra dition at Minnesota. On a designated day, foresters roam St. Paul campus and measure with calipers the upper anatomy of coeds and secretaries. The decision to abolish Calipers Day this year was made by the university's Student' Activities Bureau and School of Forestry rep resentatives. Feelings ranged, said the Daily, from general apathy on the part of non-foresters to anger in some forestry circles and outright re lief of coeds who have wit nessed past Caliper Days. One woodsman said, "It looks like creeping paternal ism has crept some more." Nebraska for the purpose of providing a well-rounded college life to members who voluntarily join, knowing that more will be required of them in time, money and effort than that necessary for a weekly RAM meeting or dormitory "sock hop." Selleck Quadrangle was built with funds provided by the University of Nebraska to provide adequate housing for male students who, for one reason or another, chose to keep their com plete individuality in daily living. Just as the majority rules in fraternity living, the majority shall rule in the dormitory system, maintaining a comfortable atmosphere for eating, studying and sleeping, and leaving the other phases of ' college life up to the indi vidual. Those who desire group effort in social and other endeavors should join a group which has the know how, the members' interest, the financial capabity and the tradition to carry on such activities the Greek letter college fraternity. There are good reasons why an organization such as Mr. Eason proposes will fail. First, it takes a great financial capability to pro vide services and enter tainment for an organized group. Only willing mem bers will help pay this cost. Second, it takes a slow cultivation of social skill and awareness on a group level. This obviously re quires every member's complete cooperation and much of his time. How many Selleck men un'iiino tn donate 1 to OIC " ' ."'"ft - 20 hours per week to pro mote the "social order of RAMS?" Third, it requires a cer tain amount of tradition and brotherhood to carry on a sucessful social fraternity. How many Selleck residents are willing to pay $2.50 for a composite picture of all their dormitory "brothers" to hang on their wall? Fourth and most impor tant, a successful group must maintain some prestige and acceptance among other similar groups. Cer tainly no true "independ ent" will ever boost this RAM house organization; fraternity men will reject it; and the sorority system will laughingly ridicule it. People who seek the things Mr. Eason proposes in his project should and will join fraterities. Or ganzied Independent "fac tons" or "colonies" have failed miserably throughout the nation with few excep tions. Mr. Eason will never accomplish the things that fraternities have stood for and achieved long ago. George Porter President, IFC SPEEDWAY MOTORS 1719 N St. LINCOLN, NEBR. Speed Equipment Hollywood Mufflers 7 MRU) off Ml Travel with IITA Unbeirtvobfe lew Coif :o Europe yr Orient 8 atony feuri Inctvdt cofefr credit Alio low-OMt trip to Mxko tlArup, South America M99 up, Hawaii Study lour $598 up and Around too World $1898 up. Art Tow Travel Agon, U MaWaaCW ntk Vnr WORLD TRAVEL Touch system or hunt-and-peck Results are perfect with EATON'S CORRASABLE BOND Typewriter Paper t . j i L V am :..J'? Whatever your typing talents, you can turn out neat, clean-looking work the first time, with Eaton's Corrasable Bond Paper. Reason why: Corrasable has a special surface it erases without a trace. Just the flick of an ordinary pencil eraser , and typographical errors disappear. No smears, no smudges. Saves time, temper and money ! Corrasable Is available In several weights -from onion kin to Heavy bond. In Imndy 100-sheet packet! andBSO- " sheet ream boxes. A line quality paper for all your typed assignments. Only Eaton makes erasable Corrasable. EATON'S CORRASABLE BOND A Berkshire Typewriter Paper EATON PAPER CORPORATION (i) PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS Daily Nebraskan SIXTY-NINE TEARS OLD staff art personally mpnmiMe for what thy ear, or Member: Pre... Inter- iUWSJU , Published at: Room 20. Stident Union mSUk Ktttii".::Y ZZ?2Z Lincoln, Nebrs.sk News editor "...". eZOllZ 14th a r aTJSL. "::::::::::'EZ Telephone HE 2-7631, ext. 4225, 4226, 4227 Editor. . .'..V.V.V.'.V.'.V.Fai 'i aZJUS!. The Dally Nrbnukar to pibll.hu Monday. Tily, Q& ihSSZn WedMKtoy and Friday during tha school yoar. rxwpt Hfws Editor urewiien line iioora Sarin vacation and exam periods, by studnts of the Writers WU Mll'm ' Am, Martr Dahrmlty of Nrhranka under the authorization of the oZ't!nhmZ Comnilttre oa fttndrat Affair, as aa nprrnloa of sto. ntr Staff Writers u.. UitartT ont opinion. Puu'lratlnn undor the Jurtodlrtlna of the ni rV?!l HobramniittMi oa Sludmt Publications hall he fro HIlRlNiru aerroos from adliorlal aorhi on the part of hr Xnt.-m. ITlM.lnr., Ht.OBisr STAFF rn!tu or on the part of any member of the faculty of Ax.l.tant Ha.lnru MaaarVr. ni' ...2! Uhj Dnlvendty, or oa the part of any person outoii in nanaiers Ofl Oredy, f barlono the talverlty. The members of tha Dally Nebrankau Clreulatloa Manarer ikuaiMdaU T ' ' ' .