Page 2
The Daily Nebraskan
Thursday, December 15, 1966
Not Quite Hopeless Situation
; The Daily Nebraskan has written
very little about the Interfraternity Coun
cil or Panhellenic (:his semester for the
obvious reason that there has been noth
ing to write about.
Even more important the Nebraskan
has Ignored both groups because they rep
' resent a system which contributes little
to the University, which has become out
dated in its thinking and values and which
as a whole plays a very unimportant role
on today's campus.
The paper has felt that so many other
' groups are more beneficial to the cam
pus and to the idea of education that
it wasn't even worth the waste of words
to criticize the outdated idea of a Greek
System.
But perhaps after hearing Dick Scott's
. speech Wednesday night to IFC, the pap-
er has been wrong.
Perhaps instead of ignoring what
could be a great asset, but has become
useless and limiting most of our com
ments to private discussion the Nebras
kan should have long ago preceded Air.
Scott in his criticism.
The Nebraskan completely agrees with
Mr. Scott in his criticisms of the Greek
System and we feel he was possibly even
more critical.
The Greek System is a group which
because of its individual atmosphere and
- individual identities could fit more effec
tively in the idea of "total education"
than any other segment of the University.
The individual Greek houses now provide
members with a type of personal identity
and if the system tried, it could go on to
provide these members with a very per
sonal sort of education. In no other type
of living atmosphere could the fostering
; of educational curiosity be done easier
; than in a small living unit where the
members know each other well.
No group could take better advantage
of the many important processes of self
education such as discussions, arguments
and personal experiences than a small
living nnit such is now provided by the
individual fraternities and sororities.
Furthermore because of this small
and personal group in no place could in
dividuals receive a better understanding
of all kinds of people representing dif
ferent religions, races, economic environ
ments and ideas.
The idea of a personal living atmos
phereas pointed out by Mr. Scott
could definitely do all the things it is sup
posed to do: develop character, intellect
ual" awareness, social responsibility, spir
itual welfare, fellowship, integrity and
brotherhood.
However fraternities and sororities on
the University campus today do almost
none of these things. In fact if they do
anything, they work against many of the
ideas which they are supposed to sup-
Port....
la "the. last few years while students
have been asking for a more serious and
meaningful education all over the nation
and at this school the Greek System like
wise all over the country and at Nebras
ka has provided nothing but the most con
servative influence.
Student government at Nebraska has
become more meaningful in the last two
years and has begun to question some
ideas of education which seem outdated
and has suggested other new ideas to help
the students. IFC has taken no stand on
any of the issues and has limited itself
to the old questions of ten years ago
concerning sub-rosas, drinking, rushing
and other "important" Greek issues.
Some groups at Nebraska and other
schools around the nation have tried to
enlarge their perspectives by becoming
informed and having opinions on world
problems. These groups have shown a
real concern for the "love of all men"
and the welfare of society. Fraternities
and sororities, have taken almost no part
in these steps to enlarge student perspec
tive. In fact most Greeks are encouraged
not to take part in such groups or their
projects such as teach-ins and free speech
discussions.
The few Greek leaders who rise above
the "mickey mouse" Greek activities are
immediately marked as "radical individ
uals" who have to be put up with in their
individual fraternities. Ten years from
now if the Greek System does not change
these people will not have to worry
about being "radical individuals" because
they simply won't be Greeks.
Not only can the fraternities be harsh
ly criticized for what they don't do, but
also for what they continue doing, as
pointed out by Mr. Scott.
Students today are concerned with the
dignity of all men not the degrading of
individuals. While some students on cam
pus are crusading for a more intellectual
and meaningful University, the fraterni
ties continue trying to "beat" a Greek
image into their pledges.
(Any Greek who speaks about con
structive pledge programs and Help
Weeks is either dreaming or has a very
fortunate situation in his own living unit).
Furthermore while students today are
coming to have a better understanding of
all kinds of people and a desire to live
with these people on equal terms t h e
Greek System realistically still represents
everything that is bad about discrimina
tion for reasons that an individual cannot
help.
Fraternities and sororities as they
now exist do not have a role or even a
place in an educational institution. They
could have a great role and they could as
they did fifty years ago contribute much
to University students especially as most
segments of the University become larg
er and more impersonal.
Mr. Scott's speech to IFC Wednesday
night made the Daily Nebraskan realize
that the uselessness of the Greek System
cannot be ignored. We hope that other
. Mr. Scott's speech seriously and use it in
students at the University will also take '
constructive manner to improve a not
quite hopeless situation.
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Campus
Opinion
Our Man Hoppe-
Drab Practices .-Thrift
i)
Arthur Hoppe
Wayne Kreuscher
GALE POKORNYS
Fox's
Factis
"Okay, Drab' said Cap
tain Buck Ace, peering
through his binoculars at
the distant village. "Fire
five rounds for effect."
Private Oliver Drab
looked up from the 105
millimeter howitzer and
sadly shook his head. "I
just can't bring myself to
do it, sir," he said regret
fully. "Damn it, Drab," said
the Captain, scowling.
"What is it this time? Have
you turned pacifist?"
"Oh, no, sir. Much as I
try, I can't seem to develop
any overwhelming feelings
against taking human life.
Unless, of course, it's mine.
No, sir, actually it's the ex
pense." "The expense?"
"Yes, sir,' said Private
Drab eagerly. "Now you
take these big 105 shells.
I'll bet they cost a hundred
dollars a piece. Five shells,
$500. That's a lot of hot
lunches."
"Hot lunches? Stop mum
bling, Drab, and fire. Don't
you know there's a war
on?"
"Oh, yes, sir. That's ex
actly what I'm talking
about: the War on Pover
ty." The Captain gave Pri
vate Drab a look that
mixed disbelief with resig
nation. "Now you want to
fight the war on Poverty,
Drab?"
"Well, I guess anyone
would want to do his bit,
sir," said Private Drab
modestly. "But ever since I
read where the Govern
ment's got to cut back
spending on the poor folks
at home in order to take
care of us over here, I've
felt kind of uneasy. I just
can't seem to take any
pleasure out of firing off a
lot of expensive ammuni
tion." "Listen, son," said the
Captain, pulling himself to
gether, "you can't stop in
the middle of a war to
count the rost."
"Exactly what I say, sir.
And if we're going to have
to pinch pennies at home,
we're never going to lick .
poverty. Gosh, sir, $500!
Often times when I endeavor to write
this column (?), I need a quiet place to
escape -to where I can allow my mind
to wonder over the local campus issues
without being disturbed by such sights as
a mountain of dirty dishes to attend to
ur floors to be mopped, (at least once a
semester) etc.
More times than not I amble Into the
library "U Love, and find myself a nice
peaceful, stuffy carrel where I can sit
down, catch up on who's who (or more
commonly, who's what) neatly lettered on
the walls, listen to whispered words of
amor drifting in from the couple "situ
ated" In an adjoining carrel and proceed
with the job at hand, namely this piece
of literature.
I find that I can work relatively un
disturbed there. Oh sure, once in a while,
something shatters my concentration, like
the guy in the carrel behind me snoring
or mumbling In his sleep, (something
about the high cost of No Doz no doubt)
or the warning words of Thisbe to Pyram
us when he apparently proceeds beyond
the whispering stage in the carrel ahead
of me.
There are too, other migratory types
who also tend to shake me out of a work
ing state of mind. A good example is
that guy all dressed up in his best suit
who Just wanders past the carrels all eve
ning long with his hands clasped behind
his back and Just stares I You can look
up from your book and there he is slow
ly walking by and staring. He Is usually
encountered later In the evening toward
closing time. Some night I'll look up and
see him and he'll flash a big toothy grin
at me and TU go rifhi through that lit
tle window.
Then there's tb big campus police
man who walks tbrvugb slowly thumping
Ills oversized nightstick Into the palm of
ois nana just loofcrog for somebody to
arrest. -
But like I said, In general the at
mosphere (if you can hack the smell of
dying books) is conducive to the sacred
art of "booking it".
Most unfortunately, however, the oth
er night when I attempted to find an
empty carrel, I was fresh out of luck.
Semi-extensive research revealed a full
house. After all, vacation is a little less
than a week away and every instructor
true to form (and probably University reg
ulation) has scheduled that last hour ex
am before finals for this week. This was
most unfortunate since I therefore had to
venture out of the stacks and find a seat
on the second floor, directly in front of
the check out desk.
All of a sudden I was overwhelmed
with a sense of tremendous guilt and
pity. Pity for those poor people working
there behind the desk dressed in rags,
undernourished, holding those pathetic tin
cups In their hands and guilt because
deep down Inside, the ugly truth exists
constantly reminding me that when I was
a freshman I kept a book out too long
once, and I never did pay the seven cents
due for the crime.
Perhaps I needn't feel too sorry for
them however, I know the University is
helping them get more money for their
work, (after all it was the University that
issued them the tin cups). And I feei se
cure in the knowledge that one of the
many competent committees that did all
sorts of research work and compiled all
sorts of neat data via questionnaires will
not find that its efforts were in vain.
Surely this bit about asking the work
ers in the library to labor gratis for two
nights a week is a jest isn't it? Some sort
of a game, (the University is forever
Playing games, you know). Do we really
leed to install an elaborate lighting sys
tem when there isn't anyplace to go? I
think it's time to re-examine the flndinf
of the committee that looked into the li
brary problem and come up with some
thing more substantial than dreams.
Courts Rule For Students
Dear Editor:
Where do you suppose Mr. Russell H. Brown (Campus
Opinion, Dec. 12) has been these last few months? While
this question may, of course, be answered only by Mr.
Brown, I can tell you where he hasn't been: namely, any
where which would allow him to find out about the sur
prising turn of events involving students vs. university
court cases.
For instance, a recent Indiana court decision found for
the plaintiff, a student, in a case involving "double jeopar
dy," perpetrated by his university.
The Indiana decision Is merely one of many decisions
In which courts are beginning to limit universiity "mis
treatment" of students.
Don Sutton
Admini Should Donate Time
Dear Editor:
Last week the Daily Nebraskan carried an article
which said that the library would be open during finals
only if the staff donated their time free.
It would seem much better, Instead, to ask the mem
bers of the administration to donate their time during
this period and to give the much more poorly paid li
brarians their salaries.
Doyle Neimann
WTiy, that's enough to buy
hot lunches for a couple
thousand scrawny little
school kids. Hungry, scraw
ny, little . . ."
"Shut up, Drab," snapped
the Captain. "Now fire five
rounds for effect."
"Yes, sir," said Private
Drab with a sigh. Then he
brightened. "Say, sir, how
about firing two rounds?
That'd only be let's see
well, several hundred hot
lunches. And maybe if we
economized over here, the
Government could afford to
fight both wars at once. It
sure would be nice for those
hungry, scrawny, little. . ."
"Drab," said the Captain
quietly, "five rounds or five
years in Leavenworth."
Private Drab nodded.
shrugged and yanked the
lanyard. "Sorry, kids," he
said. "It was either you or
me."
Later, as he and his
friend, Corporal P a r t z,
crouched under a poncho in
a half-filled shell hole fn a
blinding rain, Private Drab
said thoughtfully: "It still
doesn't seem right some
how, us using up money
that could help some poor
folks back home."
Corporal Partz shook his
head. "The Government's
right, Oliver. You got to
look at the overall picture."
"You mean the Govern
ment ought to help us more
than them?"
"Just ask yourself," said
Corporal Partz, pulling the
poncho tighter, "who's in a
worse fix."
Daily Nebraskan
Vol. . NoM Dec. 18. mi
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The Real Issue
Dear Editor:
In reply to Mr. Russell H. Brown's letter In Mon
day's paper, I should like to poinf 'out that, while what
he says has some truth, he neglects to mention that which
is actually important.
He wrote that "Although the University may have
more powei over its students, it does not necessarily
follow that the University must operate in an authoritar
ian manner.", I should like to note that he says, "must
operate." This is not the issue.
The issue is whether the University does operate in
this manner a fact which many students recognize.
The University is not obligated to keep the student's
rights and responsibilities a mystery upon his entrance
at the University. But the University does.
The University is not obligated to require all unmar
ried, undergraduate students to pay exorbitant prices for
living in the subhuman housing of the dorms. But the
University does.
The University is not obligated to deny the student
his right to privacy by having his entire transcript made
public. But the University does.
The University is not even obligated to duplicate the
punishment given by local law officials. But the Univer
sity does.
I freely admit that the University is not obligated
to do what the University in fact does. But I am unin
terested in this. I am interested only in the action, not
in the metaphysical possibility of other conditions. The
University does these things to students.
The administration, it would seemt should begin to
admit it and perhaps consider the possibility of change
in the direction of a more human situation. Mr. Brown
might start by admitting that the authoritarian power
which the University possesses in relation to the students
can not be dismissed by his assertion that the Univer
sity is not doing everything to the students that it could
do.
Claudia Jones
Is University For Students Or Not?
Dear Editor:
I was going to address this letter to Whom it May
Concern, but it becomes increasingly apparent that no
one is corr orned.
As stuuents who find their week nights taken with
the supreme purpose of studying, we are curious why
the University is against us relieving our tensions in
clean, wholesome activities such as weekend athletics.
For reason or reasons unknown, the men's PE Building
is locked after noon on Saturdays on which there is a
home football game.
It would seem apparent by now that we are present
ly immersed in basketball season. Are we to assume that
a 7:35 p.m. basketball game is going to affect the PE
Building's functioning in any way, shape, or form? And
if so, how?
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the recrea
tional facilities are totally inadequate on this campus.
We can hardly wait to play football on the Mall, now
that the University is installing lights on the playing fields.
For night games, no doubt. Downfield blocking should
be improved, however.
Is this University for the students or not And an
other thing, are they really going to install lights at the
columns
Tune in next week for absolutely no anser at all to
these and other critical problems.
Ron Olds, Craig Chapman,
Gary Hubbard, Don Riebe
Rules Mean Use Of Force
Dear Editor:
There is no human more deserving of total condem
nation than the one who believes he is morally justified
in initiating the use of physical force against another
person.
On a national level, this applies to such evils as the
draft the explicit statement that a man's life is the
property of "society" and taxation the explicit state
ment that a man's property Is Indeed, the property of
"society." The connection between the two should be ap
parent. On a local level, the problems still exist, but instead
of being monstrously evil, they tend toward becoming
fantastically stupid.
Consider for example, our own administration. By
what right does administration (Dean Snyder) assume
responsibility for the acts of (women) students. For one
person to be responsible for another, one must control
the othT, i.e., physical force.
On an even lower level, even more petty and stupid
than administration, are the inter-dorm organizations.
When I first heard of compulsory floor meetings, I
couldn't believe it.
To Jan Lander, I would like to point out that the
last sentence of her letter Is the justification of the
immorality being perpetrated. To agree that one should
be governed is to accept that others should have the
right of force.
Needless to say, I live off campus. My reasons
should be apparent the survival of a national being.
D. J. Hood
University Does Act As Parent
A Real Eye Sore
Dear Editor:
I wish to ask a very simple question. Who incorporat
ed the policy, which if it stands, will have a thirteen
story high rise complex sandwiched between three story
toadstools, Bessey and Burnet Hall.
This will be an eye Ki-e. n might well becomg the
height of ridicule. One might liken it to Wilt Chamber
Iain standing between tT" Singers' midgets.
I say if we've got & job to do, let's do it right,
I believe that a thirteen story buildinf should have
room enough to be seen from ground up ok ill sides.
Perhaps though there are other plans for nese exist
ing buildings, if there is I would like to hear them.
Fred J. Otto
Dear Editor:
In reference to the Dec. 5 article in the Daily Nebras
kan concerning housing regulations, Mr. Russell Brown
states that the "disparity between regulations for men and
for women ... is due to a shortage of housing for men "
And, "due to a limited staff, we are only able to ap
prove the housing for freshman and sophomore men." Mr
Brown is being self-contradictory and Is definitely evading
the question.
The first area that is being overlooked is that there
are about two thousand living units in residence halls for
men and about the same number for women. But the ratio
of men to women at this University is about two to one
This means that logically, there should hp nhm.t
as many residence units for men as for women If the
a housing shortage for men is so acute, whv then h
Ruety 'Fuller, oiem, erence of women over men? And why has some nf th
. SeUeck Quadrangle area been riven M . J. S, i "2
The point is that the IWTlS
place of parents and that there Is preference on the cam.
pus for women's housing over men's. Mr. Brown has evad.
ed iuis argument by telling us that the disparity in reeu
lations has come about because of the housini? thrtT.
mMi " " "
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Why not, then, enlarge the checking staff, as Mr. Brown
suggests and use the existent abundant housing in LinS
instead of building multi-million dollar dorms? "ncwn
I cannot have fallacious arguments such as these con.
tinually forced down my throat. .
Relnhart Schelert