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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1966)
i ii Page 2 The Daily Nebraskan Monday, December 12, 1966 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHu Lost Cool BY LIZ AITKEN Campus Op mion Living in an academic community, one comes to realize the importance of original documents and their impact on scholarly research. In recognition of its potential significance to those who quest for knowledge at our University, I present this transcription of a tape recording made at a recent meeting of the secret society of the Black Bats. This little known group of older wom en on campus performs a function not unlike that of our own dearly beloved Black Masquers; but beyond only the most superficial of similarities, there is no con nection whatsoever between these groups (as our MB's will be the first to admit). Due to journalistic code, I cannot tell you, dear reader, from what source I received this illuminating tape, but can only sin cerely hope that you can put this trifle to good use. worked as news editor of the Rag, she held the Job of editor for a semester, , and her cumulative grade average is above a 3.5. This girl has served the University through the hundreds of hours that she devoted to making a good paper and has exhibited leadership unequaled .by any other student at the University. CAPTAIN BOSS: Hear Ye, Hear Ye! The first meeting of the Black Bats is now in session. We all know that this is the meeting where we pick next year's members, so let's do this up right. MEMBER WOODCHUCK: Excuse me, Captain, but I think with only 15 of us, that microphone really isn't necessary. CAPTAIN BOSS: I'm perfectly aware of that, Woodchuck, but . . . well . . . it makes me feel important. Maybe I'll just turn it off and talk into it anyway. MEMBER SEASONS: Good idea, Captain. After all, if we lose our self confidence, what do we have left? CAPTAIN BOSS: Now that that's settled, we'll proceed with the business at hand. First, we'll go over the precepts on which we choose next year's membership so that we can be sure to make the right selection. Heckboy, read. MEMBER HECKBOY: The Black Bats are to recognize outstanding indivi duals In the areas of scholarship, leader ship, and service to the University. CAPTAIN BOSS: Hold it I'm sorry to interrupt you, Heckboy, but that tittering in the back is going to have to stop. Now, . go on. . ... . MEMBER HECKBOY: But that's a3. CAPTAIN BOSS: That's it? Not much to go on. Oh well, we'll just have to muddle through somehow. Member Tee mon, would you please present the first applicant. MEMBER TEEMON: As our first ap ; plicant, I present to you the record of B.K. (Columnist's note: All applicants to the Black Bats are referred to only by their Initials. This is to Insure com plete objectivity, as no one knows who is being discussed.) B.K. has a 3.7 aver age ana has starred in numerous plays. She has been selected to numerous hono rary organizations, both scholastic and otherwise. Not a production is carried out of which she is not a member or about which she is not consulted. She is highly regarded by both her contemporaries and the faculty. This girl really sounds like a top prospect- MEMBER CONNOR: We-e-1-1-1-1, I'm not so sure. MEMBER TEEMON: What do you mean, you're not sure? This girl sounds great. She devotes hours and hours to the plays she is in and they are one of the most tangible evidences of service to the University community. Her leadership in her field is unquestionable. What's more we've never had a member who's been In dramatics. CAPTAIN BOSS :And for tfnv? " ion, Teemon. We don't want any of those artsy-craftsy" types in our organization, And you know what those theatre-majors - are like. That could give our group a bad . name and we might lose the exhalted re ; sped we now hold on campus. And an , other word, Teemon. I'd be careful if I : were you. You've already been demoted . once for your new-fangled Ideas - next : time you could be replaced. Frost, next applicant CAPTAIN BOSS: (yawning) I'm afraid it's no go. We have to turn her down for the same reason she was turned down last year only one activity. You know as well as I do, Woodchuck, that these girls must be in at least three ac tivities. After all, the more activities they have, the better they are. Right ?Heck boy, I believe you have the next applicant. MEMBER HECKBOY: This appli cant, J. A., has excelled in student govern ment. She has been extensively involved since her freshman year, held posts of distinction while serving as a senator and has been a Master at campus politics. Not a move is made without consulting her and she holds the admiration of all who have come in contact with her. She's tops in leadership and service but . . . ALL FOURTEEN BLACK BATS: In unison) But what. MEMBER HECKBOY: But her grade average is 1-1000 of a decimal point be low our preferred average. But in this case CAPTAIN BOSS: Stop there, Heck boy, go no further. I know of the case to which you are referring and it makes no difference if she is majoring in pre-med and E.E. If she's too low, she's too low. Afterall, if our Teacher's College women can keep up their averages after going through that rugged student teaching, then she can be expected to keep up a decent average in the field of her choice. What's more, the Student Court has set a precedence for us in the area of per centage points. Next applicant please. MEMBER SEASONS: My applicant, whose initials are Z. T., . . . MEMBER CONNOR: Flush! I know that creep and she's just not our type. Why, she doesn't even wear hose; she wears socks, not long socks, but those short kind that went out when we were all in ninth grade. I mean she's just not the type, definiately not one of us. She's so creepy she whistles when she walks to class. Now I mean really! CAPTAIN BOSS: Well, I guess that matter's closed. Too bad because she has excellent records, but then we all know about the blackball, don't we? Member Sissy, I think it's your turn for an-applicant. MEMBER FLUFF: Oh no, wait. I just can't stand it any longer. I have the most wonderful candidate I've just got to break in and read her application. Pretty please. Her initials are A. C. and she is just fabulous. Get a load of this record. She's assistant to the secretary of ACE, she was 4th runner-up in the Girl of the Decade contest, she's Sgt.-at-Arms of the Home Ec. Majors Club, she Is the newly elected treasurer of the Tolkien Society, she's Vox Populi's public relations chair man, and she's a cashier at the Union! MEMBER TEEMON: She really does serve the University, doesn't she. MEMBER FLUFF: Oh yes And she has no problem with her grades. She is exactly on our required grade average, and this is with a double major in Home Ec. and Elementary Ed. MEMBER WOODCHUCK: Captain Boss, I question this girl's membership in Vox Populi. You did specify that no fu ture Bat could be a member of a group that held any sort of views on any matters that could be construed as controversial and Vox Populi is a campus political party. 50e OufefW TffAr ITS ABouT ft., STRAIKED J ijp2S IHiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimitniii g TO DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM 72 v ftpno Pnhnrnv s Just as unequivocally that it is not a court but XV un-ui ii j ratner a piace where a stU(jent goes to seek- help "if Basis For Student Involvement Dear Editor: The article in Wednesday's Daily Nebraskan describ ing the Bill of Rights discussion involving Student Af fairs staff members and ASUN representatives was in accurate at one important poini I am referring specifically to the section regarding the possible use of legal opinion to define the limits of University authority over its students. The statements as reported were a confabulation of comments made by two discussants. The comment was offered that a legal opinion could be obtained from the University attorneys defining the limits of the University's authority over its students. It was pointed out, however, that such an opinion probably wouldn't result in a very pleasing outcome in that the courts have consistently ruled that colleges and univer sities have broad latitude 'in what they can require of students. These comments were offered as information and were not intended to flaunt the authority of the University or to intimidate students. Although legally the University may have more au thority over its students than some might wish, it does not necessarily follow that the University must operate in an authoritarian manner. Nor would such legal position deny students the opportunity to openly question any as pect of the University or to work to change those aspects of the institution they feel are ineffective or unfair. If legal concepts do not provide a basis for active student involvement, certainly educational objectives do. Russell H. Brown Office of Student Affairs Student Justice. Is Confusing Dear Editor: . If the article about the Student Tribunal in last Fri day's edition was factual, then student justice at Ne braska is certainly in a confused state. To begin with, the charter of the Tribunal states clearly that it is to serve as a court. Yet Mr. Martin he desires." In the first column of this series a reference was made to the writer Lillian Smith, and in this, the last, column I again turn to her writings. I do th i s not only because of the great degree of understand ing Lillian Smith presents on man's role in life, but also because she died last September at the age of 69. In her book "Killer of the Dream," and in her other works, she constant ly voices her belief that today man is on the thres hold of a truly human world, or, at least, today, more than ever before, man has a greater possib ility of realizing that type of world. She feels this human world can only be won if all men join to gether to resist the exter nal forces in themselves that are pushing them, driving them, toward de humanization and destruc tion. In view of her belief in the possibility of attaining this human world on could perhaps call Lillian Smith an optimits, or an idealist. If so, she would have been pleased to accept the title. Yet she was also a realist in that she realized that this human world could on ly be won by the individual and corporate acts of men responding to life in their everyday actions. She realized, perhaps decisions on our campus have got to br made in the light of whether or not they help realize the truly hu man world, and whether or not they develop people who will in their lives make the needed decisions to bring about this better world. It is only with an under standing of our goal a goal where people are es teemed above all other things that we can real ly understand the signifi cance of a Student Bill of Rights, Student Advisory Boards, housing policy, or a Free University. Only with an understanding of where we are going can we better make the decisions that must be made along the way. This, then, has been the purpose of this column to give one view of where we are going, and what we are striving for. As a final attempt at an understanding of where we are going, I again will re fer to Lillian Smith. The passage below is from her book "The Journey" and was the last passage that was read, at her request, at her memorial service on Sept. 30, 1966. "A century from now, men may think it strpnge that we so long spoke of our times as the age of anxiety; that we let the greed of ordinary men and the power-lust of dictators ever from other living crea tures: when he learned to realize his brokenness and his great talent for creat ing ties that bind him to gether again; when he learned to accept his own childhood and in the ac ceptance to become cap able of maturity; when he began to realize his infinite possibilities even as he sees more clearly his limi tations; when he began to see that sameness and normality are not relevant to human beings but to ma chines and animals; when he learned never to let any power or dictator cut his ties to the great reser voir of knowledge and wis dom without which he would quickly lose his hu man status; when he learned to live a bit more comfortably with time and space; when he learned to accept his need of God and the law that he cannot see Him, to accept his need of his fellow men and the law that he cannot use the m, either; when he learned that "what is impenetrable to us really exists,' and al ways there will be need of the dream, the belief, the wonder, the faith. "To belive in something not yet proved and to un derwrite it with our lives; it is the only way we can leave the future open. Man, surrounded by facts, per mitting mmself no s u r- I am not against helping students, and if the mem bers of the Tribunal wish to do the same they can write their rules of procedure accordingly. But in that case shouldn't their work be kept confidential? Should they be passing judgments and sentences on to the Office of Student Affairs? No respectable priest would hear a con fession from one of his flock, give absolution, and then run with the evidence to the local constable. There are, on the other hand, those who feel that the Tribunal should revert to its role as a court and judge not "why the student acted in the manner he did," nor whether he has "learned his lesson," but whether he is in fact guilty of a violation. (Naturally before this can be done there must be a set of rules to violate, I personally feel that such a code is long overdue.) Then whether the student arrives with a chip on his shoulder, his hat in his hand, or his tongue in his cheek he could and should receive all the benefits of due process in t h e effort to determine his guilt. Only in a context such as this does it make sense for the Tribunal to hand down a judgment and a sentence. Richard E. Gilbert Associate Professor Dept. of Chem. Engr. 'Promiscuous' Has Two 3Ieaniii2s Dear Editor: It has occurred to me that during Thursday's Hyde Park gathering, some of the audience may have (in fact certainly had) misinterpreted my usage of the word "promiscuous." Upon recalling my discussion of Miss Brenda Lyle's column-platitudes regarding the plight of the female Afro-American on this campus, I find it neces sary to clarify the nature in which the term was used I realize now that there are those who have been exposed to only one definition of the word "promiscuous" or those who refuse to see (for some misunderstood rea son or another) something other than a sexual connota tion applied to it. To those people I call their attention to "Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language " Web ster gives two definitions of the word "promiscuous." First, he defines it as consisting of different elements mixed together or mingled without sorting or discrimina tion. Second, he defines it at that WW, i. u even more than the self- and demagogues get out of mise- " "ihiitive flash, no eed by a lack of discrimination;" specifically, engag- satisfylng cynics of her day, bounds even for a brief nypowwis, no risk "'6 u intercourse indiscriminately or with many MEMBER FROST: My aoplicant ii a very active member In the Newman club . . . CAPTAIN BOSS: Go no further, Frost. Honestly, you should know that we can't consider this girl. It might look as if we were playing favorites if we should pick a member who is so closely t.'lgned with one denomination. We don't want to look pro-Catholic, do we ?I think It's time to reiterate our basiw' precept of middle-of-the-roadnesi. I can't stress this concept enough. We dont want anyone who is con nected with any outspoken opinions. Leave that to the radicals. We want girls who have no enemiei because la that way, we, as a group, will have no enemies. Right? our girls must smile aiot and must do everything Just like everybody else. Is this clear? If io, let'i move on. Woodchuck, your turn. MEMBER WOODCHUCK: Now h e r Is girl I'm sure you're all going to like. She's a hold-over from last year. J.S. holds a gold key for scholarship, she CAPTAIN BOSS: I am fully aware of the fact that I specified no political opin ions, Woodchuck, but her membership in Vox Pop has no bearing in that conisdera tlon. Carry on, Fluff. MEMBER FLUFF: I don't have much to add but that I think she's just wonder ful! She's been awfully nice to me lately and just yesterday she offered to shine my shoes and carry my books. With all that leadership coming out of her ears, I just don't know how we can pass her up. And girls she's in Home Eel III Is everyone agreed? It Is my deepest regret, dear reader, that at this very point the tape broke, but there was enough left on the reel to be able to hear the wild cheering of fif teen high-pitched voices. (To relieve any anxious minds, I think it is safe to say that A. C. has nothiug to fear come Ivy Day.) I truly hope that this document, never before published and completely true, can be of help to you In any research that you might be engaged in. My personal suggestion would be to use It for a term paper in any Sociology or Behaviorial Science class, preferably those dealing with child development that the journey toward a human world is a hard journey. It m not a journey that could be won by elo quent words or by an aloof ness from the acts of men in the world. Rather the level of attainment of the truly human world depends upon the degree all men make the right decisions in their own lives. In a letter to her publisher she once wrote what could be a criterion for these individ ual acts that will help bring about a better world. "You do what you must span of years; for parallel with the anxiety and the terror and the inquisiters and exploiters and the aw ful poverty and ignorance there is another way of life building firmly, stead ily, swiftly on scientific facts and techniques and on man's newly discovered humility and dignity and on their concern for each other. "I believe future gener ations will think of our times as the age of whole ness: when the walls be gan to fall; when the frag is in a locked cell. Ignor ance cannot seal the mind and Imagination more sure ly. To find the point where hypothesis and fact meet; the delicate equilibrium be tween dream and reality; the place where fan tasy and earthy things are persons. a ?y fis,cussi0n there were no sexual references Intended and I offer my apologies if any of my state ments were so received. But for those of you who did associate a sexual reference have told me and others a little bit about your thinking and lack of understand ing. Bob Pickens metamorphosed into a work CUi. r i t of art; the hour when faith tilllia 8 KolC Important? in the future becomes knowledge of the past; to n lay down one's powers for Uear Editor: others in need; to shake , Howard Moffett of the Collegiate Press Service In off the old ordeal and get S0" rePorts (Daily Nebraskan, Dec. 2) that the people ready for the new; to ques- of Vietnam and of Southeast Asia are quite convinced tion, knowing that never that the primary force to contend with in the Vietnam can the full answer be war is China. Since who aptnaiiv u,;Me m, ' ii do, what seems right what ments began to be related found; to accept uncertain- times unknown, the hitherto authoritative emffiK oft would make you despise to each other; when m e n ties quietly, even our in- given by the press to the Viet ConThas yourself If you didn't do. learned finally to esteem complete knowledge of misplaced if not misleading ; "g ha been occasionally Or you do it because you love somebody, or a lot of people, so much that you Just have to do It. Then when things happen, you stay as steady as you can and that's that." It is In the light of Lil Uan Smith's faith in the realization of the truly hu man world that I h a v e tried in these columns to look at the events that have happened, and that are still happening, on our Univer sity campus this year. I have tried in this column to show that all student, faculty and administrative tenderness and reason and awareness and the world which set him apart for- God: THIS IS WHAT MAN 5 JOURNEY IS ABOUT, I THINK." Deo. U. im Daily Nebraskan VoL SO. No. m fKond-claaa Mtin paid at Lincoln, Nb. Member Associated Collegiate Press, National Advertising Service. Incorporated, Published at Boom 51 Nebraska Union. Lincoln. Neb., 68518. editorial staff Editor Wamt Rraueeheri etanaelnn Editor Lola Qulrnieti Newa Editor Jan (tidal Nlatit Newa Editor Bill Minien iporta Editor Bob Flaenicki Srnirr Staff Wrltcra. Julie Morrla, Raadj Irajf. Tonl Victor, Nancy Bndrlckwn ; Junior Sufi Wrttera, Cheryl Trttt, Churl Dunlap, John Oar. Bob Hehpurn: Newa Aaalatiat Eileen Wlrthi PhoUxraphera Tim Rubin. Howard Keneuuert Copy Editor a. Pes Bennett. Barb Robartaon, Jana Rosa. Brut Otlee. BUSINESS STAFF Boelneen Maaaaer Bob Giant National Advrrtlilna Manner Dwlfht Clarki fAal AdvertlatBfl Uln. Pti.rU. ni n.Miri ihutu.. u a . Ann Olnn. Mary Jo McDonnrlli Secretary. Unda Uftt Bualtwaa Aaalatanta. Jerry quences WOUld be better left to. thft Bnor-nloHnr.. v, Wole. Jun Waltere. Chuck Salem. Ruaty Puller, (inn Frlendt. Brian Hala. Mike "China Uffltfhorc W6 8PeCUlaIlS f th Cretan Subscription Manaaer Jus Biutai Circulation kLmaaer I.ru auhl.., vmua naimus. UrouuHua AaaUtanl Gary Meyer. i, iw?Sti0n",ihf SUght l0,intrie"e us today is why is it that world leaders make rm mu., J t..:.:i Mao s representatives when they talk about bringing the waring parties to the conference table? Has the de-em-phasing of China's role by the press influenced theTr SSLS?6 they we apprehensl- S The logical corollary to this i. that wK 'SJ" sent the declaration of a truce would "also be well-nieh impossible. But who's to bell the cat? well-nigh The only benefit acquired by keeDins tha Rpnnhlir. of China out of the United Natfons h Alen Wit o LmCierflSchgIy 1SOlatef Whether this ultimately leads iu twne rasn course of action with A P VJJ C f at I n rt aan a Non-China Watcher (