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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1960)
Peg 2 The Daily Nebraskan Wednesday, March 16, 1960 Editorial Comment: Pi riMto I I a-5MWf-C iVeii? Average Ranking $r7 Draws House Comment JSk Jl. JaLll .-JSL. IP The announcement by the administration that a new system of computing residence grades is being utilized has already caused somewhat of a furor in many campus houses. Comments have been that the new sys tem is good; that it's bad; that it's basical ly good but could use a few changes. On the credit side.of the ledger are these facts: Such a system gives a better pic ture of house standings since there usual ly Is a difference of only half a grade point between the top and bottom house rating in the grade grouping. But if listed numerically, as in the past, instead of as in a group as now, a house might be listed 11th or 12th overall, and actually be very close to the top mark. A slight rise or decline in grades under the new system probably will keep the residence in the same grouping, while un der the former rankings a fraternity, for example, might drop only a tenth of a grade point mathematically, but three, four or five notches in the ranking system. In other words, the new system is hoped to provide grade recognition according to approximate averages. Individual fraternity and sorority houses will be able to ascertain their exact posi tion in their respective groups for national scholastic reports, if needed, by sending a representative to Student Affairs for the Information. In addition, supporters of the change say this might destroy the curiousity of "im mature" students who take a delight in harassing the students of a residence a notch or two below them. And it might increase incentive to be recognized as the top scholastic house on campus. But protests have been voiced, too. A writer to the Letterip column who failed to sign his name makes his point thusly: "The nasty old administration isn't mak ing it (ranking of residence grades) pub lic this semester. , "However, do not let this keep you from being good little boys and girls and study ing hard. Just because there's no compe tition any more, just because the big brother says it's not important to get the top grades any more, just because we're all equal under the point system, that doesn't mean that you must stop study ing." The letter ends with the point that "scholarship is the most important thing." The third group seems to say the change is OK, but . . . And one of the suggestions from this group is to provide a better breaking point for the groups. They say the groups have been set up on too broad a basis, simply by taking the simple half point and full point breaking points. That argument does bear considerable merit. For instance, 13 fraternities were in Group III and four were in Group IV, a total of 17 of 23. A fraternity in group III might not be happy to admit that it was in what looked like the bottom half of the residence gradewise, which may or may not be true, but at least appears that way. In general, however, the plan should be praised, perhaps not because that it is the best possible, but that it shows an indica tion that the administration is concerned with the various problems and events fac ing residences, especially fraternities and sororities, and is out to help rather than "get" organized houses. Residences do not have a vested right to expect the administration to go through the troublesome and time-consuming task of making up residence rankings and averages. In other words, the administration is doing much more than it has to do, and efforts to correct or better these volun tary functions it performs can only be praised. From the Editor $ Desk: It Seems to Me . . . ( , . i it i 1 J 0 fw-i Krtns Pessimists have been saying that if it doesn't stop snowing soon, there will be no Spring Day this year. But maybe more important than Spring Day is the fact that the weather's been so bad lately that the Wednesday social column has been rather void of pinnings and engage ments. Just not the weath er that turns young men's minds lightly, apparently. However, this writer has Just done his most to pro vide some impetus to alter the situation which must be earning great concern among salesmen of candy, cigars, diamonds, etc. Purveyors of the social column may check this reference. It should dispel any mention I have imade in the past as to hating women. Actually, getting engaged is so much simpler, than becoming pinned, at least on my side it was. Just a couple simple things to do de cide to become engaged and secondly, and not quite as easily, purchase a ring. The Initial decision was blurted out on a Sanday morning after chnrch, which may er stay set be appropriate, but not in the tine of thinking which considers a moon light evening as (he only proper proposal time. The second step, of ring-buying, came last week in a loca jewelry store. Conversation went something like this: "Can I help you, sir?" Answer a wor ried stare at the counter and silence. "Oh, you'd like to see some diamonds. Well, we have a very nice selection . . . etc." The young lady of my choice was along by her choice.' The salesman parried queries at her for while. "This is a very popular item. Would! you like to try it on?" A pleased yes, a closer squint, a frown, and a, "No ... I don't exactly believe that's what I had in mind." Daily Nebraskan SSXrr-OTN TEARS OLD Umber Associated Collegiate Pi-eat, Inter collegiate Pratt ScpraaeaUuTO: National Advertising Serr ice, Incorporated rnfcUalsed at: Room to, Student Union. Lincoln, Nebraska 14th Trigone HE 8-7611. "' Z2t- Ta. brnUt D'kmlH ft p-bili Masoar. TaaxUr, f .JUitr mt E' ! 1 L - -- flMt-Bt Attain aa aaprwwiiaa af ata iZT?X r.blK-atloa mntrr th. Jurtodirtloa af taa mMtL w-aw part d y mt 0 taaaitr mi ttlTuhirtll, mt aa part ef Mf oertoa on Wats taft art pan ally mponatbla for what loaf ay, m aa, ar aaoM ta ba prtoto. raaraary a. 1MI. flabMrtptloa ratal an fl par aomatar ar If tat ta acadomta fmmr. Intarr a annua1 Wm Batata? a tha part arMa ka lilawala, Mabraaka, aaefir th art mt AafaM 4. lili. KUITOK1AJ. STAFF Eotta .. ...Canal KrM Manarlnc Edltar t anara Laakir Mcwa Editor ..Hr Pnibaaw Sparta Etltor .Dara Calbooa At Hrrm Brtar Harm hmw Capr Kalian Pat Daaa. Gary Sanra, u Oratsasa PhcllMrc TtlxM Varn Editor ft, nZ Staff Writan Mika MMror, Aaa Mn,r Oarala Laaihanaa iamket SUtf Wrtam Bart Makltarta, Farmai Btnoncia staff Pmlmw Maaasar Stan Kalraaa AMiataat Hanailai MJW OU itr4,, dmmtimm OraM, Ardith Khlara ClraalaMoa Maaasw Doag Tniriiaal For the Heck of It By John Heeckt That the conduct of American foreign policy in all its aspects has left much to be argued in the post-war era is scarcely an arguable point today. The primary reason for our fail ures in this area arises from the fact that Ameri ca was pushed into a posi-, tion of world leadersip dur ing and following World War II which she had pre viously refused to accept. Prior to World War II, the United States was con tent to let other countries dominate the field on inter national relations, interfer ing only when her own nar row interests were endang ered. We were prone to take a rather isolated view of the world. The results of this atti tude were that we came out of World War II with little of the experience that our position demanded and had to learn in a rather short space of time the lessons that other major countries had learned over centur ies. The field where expert ness is critically lacking is in cultural and area knowl- edge of countries formerly of little interest to this country, but now of critical importance. Because of a lack of knowledge of for eign cultures and lang uages, many of the pro grams of economic aid which the United States has sponsored have been main ly failures. The agents which have had the responsibility for these programs, and the personnel working under them, have had too little knowledge of the essentials for cooperation in the coun tries where they were sta tioned. In many countries the political and economic representatives of our coun try have succeeded in arousing more hatred than admiration for the Amer ican people simply because they do not understand the people that they are repre sented to. That the United States is becoming more and more sensitive to this shortcom ing is well-illustrated by the success that such books as the the "Ugly Ameri can" have had in this coun try. The book mentioned has beome a best-seller as a highly critical and too factual exposure of the shortcomings of America's representatives abroad, par ticularly in the Far East. ' American u n i v e r s i ties, perhaps the first group to become generally aware of this problem, have in augurated programs at many institutions to help correct it. Schools such as the University of Washing ton, University of Michi gan, Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and oth ers have set up area study programs on the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Slavic coun tries including Russia in an attempt to train special ists in these areas for teaching positions and gov ernment service. Some high schools, e. g., Omaha Westside, are be ginning to offer limited pro grams in these areas. The University of Nebraska has shown an increased interest in these areas by expand ing the offerings in politi cal science and history to include the Far East. The history department offers rather extensive study in the history of the Continued on Page 4 A Few Words ... . . . Of a Kind E. E. HINES By Carroll Kram Words like solitaire, prongs, carats, dol lars were tossed around indiscriminately. Then, aha, salesman says, "We'll get our diamond expert." Enter diamond expert, complete with onyx and diamond centered ring. A few clandestine words with my fi ancee, a rush to the display window, a hurried return, a smile of satisfaction on the young lady's lips. "How do you like it?" the diamond ex pert says. "Isn't it pretty?" she says. "Yeah, fine," I says. Having never purchased a diamond be fore and trying to maintain a manly atit tude toward the whole thing, my reply must have seemed rather disinterested, although it really wasn't. How can you be disinterested in some thing that expensive? I mustered up courage. "We'll take it" Transaction completed, girl smiling, we left. That completed most of my preparation, but the fiancee still had a round to go. She calmly went to sorority Monday night dinner, snuffed out the passing candle; screaming ensued; romantic sweetheart song was sung, interrupted by hasher spilling soppy piece of pumpkin pie on one of the sisters. As a sequel fiancee passed out candy not the usual chocolate gooies, but suckers, which must be indicative of something. For myself, I made no hints or an nouncements over at 519 No. 16th. The brothers were burling epithets at me since the "A" basketball team's Thurs day night win over the Selleck champs wasn't in the Monday Rag. I contained myself to the kitchen. Be sides, they'd have harassed me. I've also noticed that people are quite presumptious, mentioning things like, "When's the date?" or "WhenH she get the other ring?" Maybe I'd better read a book on social mores. lV;aJ E. E. My f u t u r e generations shall be well-informed of the fact that Jack London was not a Nebraskan, and did not live through the snow-n weary winter of 1959-60. No one, I shall tell them, who had m u s h ed thro ugh the never ending slush and snow of such a land in such an outlandish year, could have -written romantic tales of a north land where wolves circled ever-nearer the dying campfire of the injured trapper. The grim realities of Ne braska winter would have buried any such romantic fancies under a white, chill avalanche that daily ex panded, .bursting far be yond forecast limits like a carelessly o v e r-yeasted loaf of bread. "What Arctic hunter ever heard a wolf's wail half as terrible as the whining groan of a battery shud: dering in the icy grip of a ravaging Nebraska wind?" I shall ask. "How could a snow-blinded traveler stumbling be hind his howling team of Huskies begin to experi ence the misery that at tends thousands of anony mous 'p i 1 o t-navigators of slipping, sliding ice-windowed shells?" will be an other question. Posterity then will be challenged to tell me how anyoneeven the injured trapper Jabbing blazing sticks into the eyes of starved wolves, still hun gry after eating all' the dogs and then leather har nessescould feel more alone than the ill-clad mo torist carrying an empty gas can as he tramps down a darkened highway to a service station which may not exist. If only Jack London had experienced what I have experienced . . . Until theother day when I noticed a sign in the book department of a Lincoln store, I hadn't bad a strong desire to possesi an FM radio. The desire-awakening ele ment in the sign was the name Gilbert Highet, whose radio talks now are being aired by KFMQ once a week. Highet is in instructor in classical languages at an Eastern university Co lumbia, I believe. S"me of his radio talks have been printed in book form, two ... ff ttim twifnfr available in Love Library. His essays (radio talks) are distinguished by some of the most lucid and graceful prose that I have ever read. They cover every subject from Zen to Sherlock Holmes, and never fail to provide a potpourri of stimulating thoughts. This is one program I recommend sound unheard. I feel that the purchase of a diamond ring is one of the most important investments that you will make in your lifetime. You should know everything about the product you are purchasing, no matter how large or small your investment. This is the reason I am inviting you to stop in at SARTOR'S where I will explain all of the important areas in your selection of a dia mond ring. There is absolutely no obligation involved. The most important thing to me is to make sure that you make the right selec tion and know all there is to know about it. DOIS HAM ANN Qua Taar lM V Strait 12; You'll Enjoy Shopping or Gold's OF NEBRASKA Phone GR7-1211 Fashion is A Man's World, Too at Gold's! SUITS . . . "Crlcketeer" presents trimline fashion for Spring! It's made of 55 Dicron polcyester and 45 wool. Midwelght and mads to keep that fresh look wearing after wear Ing. Come- in olive tones . . . the color with outstanding eye-appeal. OOLO'S Vanity Hoop , SHIST . . . Manhattan's Kodel pvU eyester and cotton, features a pin reed collar easy to care for and re quires no starch. Select from white, blue, tan. and gray. Sites UH-17H. 55.00 Balcony 5J00 TIE . . . Superba's Chaleen dis tinctive weave of 100 silk. 2.59 OOLO'S Maa'f Start , Stmt riaar 'if' V,i 7 ', A PLUS ADDED SAVINGS WITH Z!K GREEN STAMPS , OPEN A GOLD'S REVOLVING CHARGE ACCOUNT