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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1969)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1969 -PAGE 2 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN 'Community of scholars' t 1 - X. 1 ... v , t s 4 ; 7 (I (inniftfTfliDiJ Unconventional constitution The current proposal to Student Senate for a constitutional convention is in reality ..anyiiing but democracy in action. gome senators are seeking convention to amend the constitution to allow a student referendum at any time in the school year not just at the spring election or early in the fall. THIS APPEARS to be an excellent way &T" Involving more students in the governmental process through referendum. In reality, it is a political move to provide for a March referendum on Senate appor tionment. If approved this new apportion ment would be in effect for the spring elec tion. THIS IS FIXE: several senators sin cerely feel that reapportionment is Impor tant in making the students feel ASUN is relevant to them. But where the backers of the con stituional convention are departing from democratic responsibility is in the selection of delegates to the convention. The original constitution was approved witli a clause giving Senate the power to name the delegates. And now some senators want to appoint themselves (35 in number) as delegates, in addition to 20 other representatives from campus organizations. This convention, then, would be con trolled by the Senate, and those other 20 are only a token reference to student opi nion. - RIGHT NOW apportionment of the Senate, the ultimate purpose of the con vention, would not consider other con situional changes necessary. And, if the Senate is not adequately approtioned now, then a convention dominated by the Senate would also be unrepresentative. Senate, supposedly concerned with making the students more aware of student government, is ignoring accurate representation in the convention. Senators should be reminded that they were elected to serve as legislators within the ASUN constitutional structure. They were not elected to remake the constituion. WHY WILL the Senate not allow a complete election (by living units or col leges) of delegates to the convention? Why will the senators not allow the convention to be representative of, and of interest to, the students? The reason is the senators who want to call the convention are afraid to turn the convention over to the student body. They fear that the convention might go about actually making needed changes in other parts of the constitution. APPORTIONMENT is not the issue here. If the Senate arbitrarily sets itself up as molders of the constitution in this instance, it can in other ways and at other times. And if the present call for a con stitutional convention passes the Senate without a stipulation calling for direct election of delegates, then the Senate is forefiting any claim to valid representation. l 'MW f SJ & mil iL T. The Ri mi Tribune Syndicate Behind. the ical scene by Rowland Evans and Robert Novak Washington A bitter struggle now building np behind the scenes in Alabama between Gov. Albert Brewer and former Gov. George Wallace Inow points to a Wallace-Brewer clash for the governorship in 1970. ------ i" nitP ijmtn mm 3The sudden resignation of ASUN President .: Craig Dreeszen, while motivated by personal treasons, will also serve to spare him the embar- rassment which would have come with an end-of-the-year summary of Senate progress. Not that Craig has anything to be ashamed about he joins a long line of Student Body '. presidents whose high objectives have been frustrated by the immensity and complexity of their constituency. But Dreeszen bad the misfortune of being the first campus "radical" to capture Itbepost, and as such he became the great hope of '-liberal thinkers" across campus. Rightly or wrqEgly, Dreeszen was identified with the great wave of radicalism sweeping the nation, a move- ; meil be seemed more to copy than to understand. m- WHEN HIS wheels spun as ridctsd they had to spin, given the constraints of the office be was forced to shelve such grandiose Ideas as "confrontations" and "student strikes" for the less glamorous business of government by com mittee. Unable to ignite the Senate or students generally, he had to settle for less conspicuous gains. Undoubtedly bis term has advanced the cause af Student Power at the University much to the chagrin of many Nebraskans. But for those who saCl Dreeszen' s election as Phase One of "the Revolution", the first battle has ended with a . whimper, not a bang. I In what has been termed the "Grape Com- promise," Student Senate has re-considered and adopted a resolution supporting the '"workers in i the vineyards of California." This is a humanitarian -action deserving strong commendation. However, a "garden and home" expert reminds me that -overripe grapes become raisins. Which prompts " an interesting question: If the grape boycott is - successful, will we face a raisin boycott in a few months? . .STUDENTS who had registered for clacses taught by T. E. Beck, Robert KnolL Jerry , Petr .' and Phil Scribner were greatly disappointed when - these gentlemen failed to appear in class Monday morning. As it turns out, these men have been relieved of much of their teaching load in order to develop the curriculum for the newly-approved Centennial College. One cannot help but be envious of the 150 freshmen who mill profit from the collective think ing of these outstanding teachers next September. One further hopes that this "'pilot" college involving less than one per cent of NU's students will be found worthy of rapid expansion in the years to come. WITH the flap over the confirmation of Wally Hickel as Secretary of the Interior, we have all " butlgnored t.n obvious case of conflict of interest ;' closer to home. It seems hardly proper for beer distributor T,?rry Carpenter to extol the virtues of alcoholic "highs"' while deploring "highs" of the marijuana variety. Yes, Terry's all in favor of 3.2 beer, but if . grass is your thing, then don't plan on staying at a Nebraska college he'd have you suspended . for 30 days if a student spy fingers you. By the way, Terry is said to have overheard ' some of his Scottsbluff constituents who were plan ning to make him a saint for his unswerving dedication to truth, justice and the American way. r Terry humbly thanked them but pointed out, "I am not interested in consecration for consecration's sake." Brewer got to his present position as a loyal Wallace lieutenant. As speaker of the house. Brewer was named by Wallace to run for lieutenant governor in 1966, the year Lurleen Wallace was " elected governor. Brewer became governor himself when Mrs. Wallace died last year. Ever since, the Wallace Brewer relationship has been souring, with Brewer asserting more and more independence. NOW Wallace wants Brewer to run for governor in 1970 as a member of Wallace's American Independent party, setting the stage in Alabama for Wallace to make another run for President on his third-party ticket. Brewer is bucking. Somewhat reserved when he first took over the governor's office, he now glories in his job. He is in no mood to run as a Wallace stooge. The possible result: a smash-bang, head-on gubernatorial battle between Democrat Brewer and third-party Wallace with some politicians giving Brewer, incredibly, a tiny chance. Running third would be Republican James Martin, the former Congressman who was beaten by Lurleen Wallace in 1966 and wants another crack at the governorship. The Rarick Purge Besides humiliating Speaker John McCormack and the regular Democratic leadership, the vote by the House Democratic caucus to strip seniority from Wallaceite Rep. John Rarick of Louisiana buried the myth that liberals do better on a secret ballot Veteran leaders in the Democratic Study Group (DSG) well remembered 1965 when they counted a 40-vote bulge in the caucus to deprive Goldwater Democrats of seniority but, in fact, squeezed by with only 15 votes on a secret ballot. CM PRIVATE discussions among DSG leaders, consequently, it was decided to go for an open roll-call ' vote (a motion successfuJly made by Rep. Richard Boiling of Missouri). Wobbly Northern moderates exposed to public tiew had to vote against Rarick, and the liberals won by a surprising 28 votes. A footnote: The Rarick loss could prove a setback in the leadership ambitions of Rep. Daniel Rostenkowski of Illinois, the majority caucus chairman, who backed McCormack while his Illinois colleagues voted with the DSG. Simultaneously, it boosted the stock of the new DSG chairman. Rep. Donald Fraser of Minnesota, who led the Rarick purge. Rocky's Archives? . Republican politicians puzzle as to why Gov. Nelson Rockefeller of New York has asked key 1968 aides to send him exhaustive critiques of his losing Presidential campaign last year. The Governor's explanation to intimates seems too simple: he wants the study for his archives. But the only other explanation that he is eying a possible third Presidential race in 1972 or 1976 twhen he will turn 68 ) seems preposterous. LVDUSTRLUIST J. Irwin Miller, who headed Citizens for Rockefeller last spring, has submitted his study of where the campaign went wrong. So have other aides, including some who handled the nuts-and-bolts travelling operation. McLuhan in Virginia Virginia politics, until recently mired in horse-and-buggy procedures, will be jarred this year by a master of McLuhanite media techniques: Joe Napolitan, who directed the brilliant Humphrey ' media campai gn last fall Napolitan, a protege of former Democratic Na tional Chairman Lawrence P. O'Brien, has been retained by one of the three candidates in this year's red-hot Democratic primary for governor. What's surprising is that Napolitan's client is LL Gov. Fred Pollard, the conservative in the field tbe other two: moderate William Battle and libera State Sen. Henry Howell.) Napolitan will find it no easy task to turn the colorless Pollard into a vibrant TV personality. Pollard is now considered to be raining third and likely to miss the primary election run-off. But Napolitan has performed the impossible jj Alaska last spring when Mike Gravel upset the veteran Ernest Gruening for the Senate nomination, c) 1969 Publishers-Hall Syndicate 'Tie Marriage of Figaro' by Jackie Freeman The University of Nebraska School of Music and The University Theatre combined efforts this past week to create a delightful preentatkm of, W. A. Mozart's opera, "The Marriage of Figaro." This satirical comedy was first presented in Vienna is 1786 as a biting complaint against the ruling classes. Since that time, this humorous and complicated tale of deception and intrigue has become a perennial favorite for most opera-goers, BOTH CASTS of this year's opera gave outstanding performances. If one cast seemed to be a little more vibrant in their staging and facial expressions, the other cast made up for it with their musical sensitivity and grace. Everyone, in- itiiiiiiiiiitiiitiiHiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiittiiHiiiiniiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiitiN Editor's Note: Miss Freeman is a graduate assistant in Music History in tine School of Music She received ber Bachelor of Arts with distinction from NU in 1968 and is the winner of the 18 Mn Phi Epsfloo National Musicological Research Contest, undergraduate division. She is also a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, National Music Honorary. wiMinmimiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiitiitniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH eluding the chorus, was convincing and at ease on the stage. The orchestra, which plays almost continuously during the three and a half hour performance did a commendable job, particularly during the overture which is always a delight to hear when it is played well. WW THE COSTUMES and scenery lacked interest and imagination and were in roost cases only ade quate. The opera program at the University has grown steadi'y in sie an3 stature over the past five years under the guidance of Prof. John J. Zei, Director of Opera and Stage Director, and Prof. Richard M. Grace, Conductor and Musical Direc tor. Last year, in addition to the first semester production of Benjamin Britten's opera, "Albert Herring," the School of Music presented several opera scenes (without costumes or scenery) in the spring. These casts went on tour for two days to high schools around the state. Another innovation in 1968 was the stag ing of a "full-fledged" opera during the summer session. "La Boheme" by Puccind. This year, in addition to J four evening performances of "Figaro," a Saturday matinee was added to accomodate those attending the "Weekend with Music" activities. From all indications the completion of Kimball Recital Hall will be another big boost to opera at Nebraska. The need for an orchestra pit. a larger and more adequately equipped stage, and increased seating capacity is only too evident in Howell Theatre. IT IS a real credit to the cast and crew, the orchestra, directors, and the entire University, that so demanding and difficult a work could be performed with such musical and theatrical pro fessionalism. Mozart's music, although it can sound deceiv ing simple, is rerarded by many mas4ers of the art as one of the most difficult styles in which to perform . w w WITH THE steady increase in the quality and quantity of opera being produced at Nebraska, the only misfortune seems to be a lack of support iron greater numbers of the student body. The chance to see an opera is not often available ! the students of the University, or to the -citizens of Lincoln for that matter. Bui -"hen the -opportunity is so readily available why not tike advantage of it? Dear Editor: It is a pity that because of the piessure of their schedules Mr. Pedersen could not interview other facilty participants in the Centennial Educa. tion Program than Mr. Beck. Mr. Pedersen's efforts were considerable, but his deadline was absolute:-, and we understand. (We also were as delighted by his own evident interest in this student-facultv enterprise as I was by his final examination in EnglUh 129). Although Mr, Beck has neither the authority nor the intelligence to speak for other and abler colleagues nor is he yet an "Associate Pro fessor," by the way his main concern here has to do with certain phrases and statements whose nakedness makes them misleading. "THE DISTINCTION between the larger University and the college" will not be "between a passive and (an) active education." Intellectual accomplishment in any University department, we should think, would demand an active mind, a i aggressive involvement with the material and with the teacher's mind. In its course and methods, however, the Centennial Program will demand of the students, together and individually, initiative in analyzing a problem and in seeking and testing answers to it No student can lean French or calcului "passively," but too often a student attempts u learn history or economics or biology by some process of absorption, by the careful taking and, reviewing of notes. He has not let himself discover the excitement that can be part of coming to un derstand that area of knowledge generally. He has ;M let himself discover the nature of inquiry proper to historical or economic or biological research. GOOD STUDENTS do. mediocre ones do not; and grades often do not distinguish the one from the other. But the discoveries themselves are regularly made by students who enjoy the excite ment of a shared intellectual life. By common report English students h- ong found suci discourse, moral and intellec. i, on trivial and serious topics civilizing. Hot-eyed New Yorkers thinking more of the City University and NYU than of Columbia, i,f course have found in such a life an ecstati; way of self-discovery, a passionate testing ground for later earnest labors and many-faceted lives. WIT IS PART of this intellectual life: convic tion, too; and irreverence, because the discourse are holidays from and preparation for responsible labors. And in the young personalities involve.1 in the dialectic of minds, even eroticism at times. Some of it is an expression of seriousness, some of it an expression of a pleasure in verbal ani intellectual grace. The whole man or woman a involved in the play of the mind. Teachers are not the only ones who find this exciting. But at any University it is the students to create and enjoy. Neither a faculty nor an administration can provide this life, try as they may. The present experimental integrated course in the CoDege of Engineering is evidence that they are indeed trying. The daily efforts dt teachers in dozens of classrooms is even better evidence, of teacher? trying to jar students attention away from credi.s and grades into a freedom to enjoy and understand an area of knowledge for its own sake. BUT STUDENTS usually only spend time in classrooms, they do little living there. Our concern is whether the material that we teach ever really enters their lives from day to day. And yet th' students at mis University are delightful. They have a wonderful integrity of mind and purpose, thev will work incredibly hard, imcomplainingly and even eagerly. They are not a dull lot, and their lack of cultural and intellectual sophistication ii both relative and remediable. But they generally show little interest in, little excitement about their education as such, or worse about ideas and matters that should indeed touch them directly. IN ENGLAND, and at some American schools, it is customary for a professor to meet with studem informally for sherry and good, merry conversation. I should not like to think that Nebraskans of age could not rise to the level of conversation but would concentrate on the sherry. We all know that a university is a communL" r of scholars. But the students themselves are hv far the larger part We hope to create through the Centennial Program a situation in which this sense of common delight in intellectual discount and pursuits will occur. It is another of the University's attempts to stimulate such an end. We hope it wifl be creative. T. E. Beck, Jr. DepL of Erglith The Daily Xebmkan is solely a student publication, independent of the University of Nebraska's administra tion, faculty and student government. Opinion expressed on the editorial page is that only of the Nebraskan's editorial staff. DAILY NEBRASKAN rw evuni during naum. 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