Time out hosts
The most Important dimension to
the education of the college student
Is freedom in the regulation of his
personal life and his relationships with
the community.
This view of academic freedom and
other approaches to education has
gained Dr. William M. Birenbaum
national prominence as a reform
educationist.
Dr. Birenbaum will speak next
Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. on Educational
Reform as part of the ASUN Time
Out program. In addition to the
speech in the Union Centennial Room,
Birenbaum will hold a rap session
at 9 o'clock that evening on the same
topic at Cather-Pound-WRH.
Dr. Birenbaum is presently Presi
dent of Staten Island Community Col
lege. An educator since WWII, Dr.
Birenbaum obtained his doctorate
from the Chicago University Law
School and remained in Chicago at
the University College as director of
student affairs and dean of students
until 1957.
Birenbaum then became an assis
tant to the president of Wayne State
University in Detroit. In 1961 he went
to New York where he served as dean
of the New School for Social Research
for three years. Until 1967, Birenbaum
was vice-president and provost of
Long Island's University's Brooklyn
Center.
Among his reform developments are .
Introduction of a college in gretto
Bedford-Stuyvesant, the creation of an
association of Detroit's major cultural
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23,
Economics department chairman
Peterson considers
The chairman of the University
Economics Department has confirmed
that he is considering running for the
U.S. Senate or perhaps the House of
Representatives.
"I have expressed an interest in
running and other people have ex
pressed interest in my running, Dr
Wallace C. Peterson, a member of
the New Democratic Coahtions ex.
ecutive committee and an NU faculty
member- for 18 years, said Wednes
day. .
"I've been especially active in
politics since 1968," Peterson said,
"and I can state without reservation
that I will in some way be Involved
in the 1970 election campaign. I
haven't made up my mind if I will
be a candidate."
Peterson, 49, said he Pably
wouldn't make a final decision until
December or January. He has,
however already, been encouraged by
iSfmember's of the Democratic
Party. Filing deadline for both the
Senate and House races is March 13,
1970.
Nebraska committeeman
The Democratic National Com
mitteeman from Nebraska, Jim Exon
of Lincoln, said Peterson's candidacy
Is "more than a rumor."
"I've discussed this with him as
far back as a year ago," Exon said.
"I suggested it would be a good Idea
If he ran.'
As National Committeeman, it is
Exon's duty to encourage all qualified
people interested to run. Exon did
term Peterson an "excellent tremen
dously well-qualified Individual.
The chairman of the New
Democratic Coalition. Louis Lamberty
of Omaha, said reaction to Peterson s
candidacy In the coalition would be
"one of Joy." Most coalition members
would agree, he said.
Lambertv cautioned that Peterson s
b'd for either a run for the Senate
or the House would be a tough race
Peterson agreed that It would be
difficult and he cited financial pro
blems as one big hurdle. He readily
volunteered his views on the Issues
fating the Unl'ed States.
Not conservative
"I'm not a conservative," he began.
"Our representatives In Washington
are not dealing with the emerging
problems of society."
One of the biggest problems facing
both the United States and the world
Is the mad armaments race that will
"do us all in" If It Isn't stopped, he
mid.
The amount of the budget that goes
for war should be drastically cut back.
Peterson added.
The economist, author of several
books, emphasized that too many
economic questions are answered in
terms of the great depression of the
lDIiO'S.
"The problems of the 70s are not
those of the depression." he said.
"Much has to be done with the
domestic economy In order to equalize
earning and distribution.
People sense that Income Is badly
distributed In the United States, he
continued. For many people, this Is
an jffluent society, but for many it
is n.it.
Changes In the domestic economy
shpu'c' n'-lmle reforming the federal
iru'omc tux. which is "shot through
with inepiUes and loopholes,"
I'eterson said.
and educational institutions, serving
as consultant to the National Endow
ment for the Humanities.
Birenbaum's views on the academic
community are characterized by
revolutionary proposals to solve cur
rent campus problems.
In a speech last April Birenbaum
told his audience:
"It is not the guns which are new
on our campus, but only the perverse
outlook of the students about who
should possess them and for what
purpose.
"The activities of some of our best
and brightest students may now com
bine with the conduct of some of our
most decent and enlightened
academic leaders to prove the most
dangerous and obnoxious of the SDS
proposals namely, that what we
are defending is so powerful and cor
rupt that it cannot possibly be chang
ed through processes which respect
American values."
Birenbaum has advocated that ad
ministrators allow student participa
tion in government.
"The students seem to be sayiug
that curriculum development is
essentially a sophisticated art of
selection, interpretation, and em
phasis. "Everything depends upon the expe
rience and talent of . the those em
powered to select, to employ those
who will interpret, and to deploy the
wealth required to support this process.
u JJ
1969
"Another serious problem is the
general quality of life," Peterson said.
"The situation In the major cities is
deplorable because of overcrowding
and pollution."
"We've got to end pollution of the
environment or it will end us," he
saidl "Were doing damage that may
be irrepairable."
It makes no sense to crowd a large
percentage of the population into a
small section of the""country, said
Peterson. A haphazard approach to
population distribution just won't
stand up, he added.
Another great problem, in
Peterson's estimation, is the lack of
faith In the efficiency of units of
government.
"A lot of people simply do not trust
the government." he said. "The units
of government are no longer aligned
with the problems."
Young people
One Issue of overriding importance
is the Involvement of young people
in politics. Peterson applauded the
students and young people who work
ed In the last political campaign.
"It's refreshing to see somebody
wanting to change the state of the
world, which is in a pretty lousy
James Farmer discusses
. " " .
' . ' ' 5. - .. ' -V.'. '
V I li
jw ''1, ,, ,.. .
'Something is afoot on the na
tion's campuses. What can we
do ivith it? Carl Davidson
"While our students still generally
concede that the older adults who
teach them 1 may know something
which they don't, they are also
asserting the uniqueness of their own
experience claiming therefore that the
students may know something which
those in charge now don't."
He has accused the present genera
tion of not only stifling youth, but
also of confusing them.
"When we threaten students with
the loss of money, a police record,
Vietnam, and expulsion, we pose for
them some of the ultimate risks
possible in their universe. A student
who decided to take those risks must
act from deep feelings of being op
pressed and abused.
"He must care deeply about
something, and that characteristic is
something we would be well-advised
to cherish and respect among the
young.
"If he does not think as we think,
value our wars and our legislative
programs as we value them, let us
consult what we have developed inside
our own walls, and our own motiva
tions for the rigorous defense we now
make on the ramparts."
kip
LINCOLN,
mess," he remarked. "People are
needed who see the need for change,
and then do something about it."
Peterson is a person who wants
change, but he may be too busy to
be an actual candidate.
O
Theobald to speak at
A British autflor and
economic philosopher will
appear as a major speaker
for the World in Revolution
conference scheduled for
March 16-19.
Robert Theobald, a noted
socioeconomist, has long
been an advocate of "a
guaranteed Income for all as
a constitutional right" and is
now very much concerned
with the idea of the
megalopolis. The theme of
the conference is
"Urbanization."
Twenty other people who
are currently Involved with
urban problems have also
been Invited to participate In
the conference, but have not
confirmed their invitations.
Co-chairman Ron Alex
ander said that in choosing
poverty problems.
leader.
He has demanded reform of colleges
along democratic lines.
"The government of our country's
colleges and universities is riipe for
reform.
"The reform must be along
cooperative and democratic lines.
These political responsibilities should
be shared by students, faculty, ad
ministrators, and members of the
major communities aparticular
university purports to serve.
"But an order based upon what no
longer works, and order which
dishonors the new knowledge and ig
nores the perceptions of the younger,
such an order is the enemy of reform
and finally, the greatest deterrent to
learning."
Founder of Nebraska's chapter of
Students for a Democratic Society
(SDS), Carl Davidson, will also be on
campus Tuesday, Oct. 28 for the
ASUN Time-Out Program.
Davidson will appear at 7 p.m. in
the Union Centennial Room to talk
on "Schools Must Serve the People."
Davidson, a graduate of Penn State,
was a philosophy teaching assistant
at the University of Nebraska during
NEBRASKA
congressional
The professor, who has lived and
taught in Greece and France, is
writing an economics textbook and
has other writing commitments as
well.' In addition, he has numerous
responsibilities as chairman of the
department. He is married and has
two children.
speakers the concern was not
with who the people are, but
what they have contributed
to the urbanization effort.
Many of the people Invited,
he added, are Blacks.
He said the committee
should have received
responses from most of the
persons invited within three
weeks.
The World In Revolution
conference was not held last
year because the speakers
who were invited were
unaible to accept. Alexander
is optimistic about this year's
list of Invited speakers,
however, and believes much
more headway is being
made.
The World In Revolution
croup, which consists of 15
people, originated two years
Social climate 'changing
from apathy to
The social climate of America is
changing from one of apathy toward
the poor to an active concern about
the social situation, according to
James Farmer, undersecretary of
Health, Education and Welfare.
Addressing a workshop of the
American Home Economics Associa
tion Wednesday at the Nebraska
Center for Continuing Education,
Farmer discussed the problems of the
poor and how to solve them.
He explained that ten years ago
Americans were generally smug and
self-satisfied with their country. The
people had an academic knowledge
that hunger and poverty existed in
the country, but they didn't really
care about it, he added.
People today have lost the smug
attitude, Farmer said. They are no
longer sure that they are headed In
the right direction, lie said that the
old answers no longer seem to suffice.
"This is an Indication that our
young nation is at last growing up",
Farmer added.
Quiet poor
The poor in the past have stayed
quiet and accepted their lot, Farmer
said. However, they are no longer
quiet and are not likely to be quiet
again while they continue to have no
hope of release from their condition,
he added.
"Waking up the American people
to the problems in the country has
been perhaps the most significant
contribution of the war on poverty",
he said.
The founder of the Congress on
Racial Kquali!y added that the United
States has a very highly technical
society. "However," he said, "the
refo
rm eaucaior
1965 and 1966.
In 1966, he organized the campus
chapter of SDS and became vice
president of the national SDS
organization in 1967.
During 1968 the SDS organization
was renovated, and Davidson became
one of three "secretaries," a position
equivalent to the former presidency.
Davidson now writes a column for
the weekly newspaper "The Guar
dian" in New York City. He also
serves as the leader of the Revolu
tionary Youth Movement-2 (RYM-2),
which recently announced its opposi
tion to the militant Weatherman fac
tion of SDS.
Davidson has long advocated
radical proposals of social and cam
pus reform. Many of his ideas are
manifested in his article entitled
"Student Power."
"Something is afoot on the nation's
campuses," Davidson wrote. "What
can we do with it?
"We have to look at the university
more carefully, but at the same time,
keep it in its proper perspective. The
university is structurally connected
with the larger society.
"Most attempts in reforming the
university have ricocheted im-.
mediately against the necessity of
transforming the society as well.
"Which is as it should be."
Davidson has questioned the
purpose of the university, and has
objected to several university institu
tions. "I think if he gets his book done,
he'll run," said one man who has
been in the economics department for
four years. "I don't know if he'll
decide on the Senate or the House."
Endorsed
The source heartily-endorsed
OS
conference
ago as a student government
project, and their first con
ference was held in the
spring of 1S68 as a joint effort
with the Union Program
Department and the ASUN.
The conference uses the
financial resources of both
organizations.
The conference, a forerun
ner of Time-Out, consists of
a series of speakers, panel
discussions, and. seminars,
concerning "the world and
its dynamic change." There
will hopefully be an emphasis
placed on smaller group
discussions this year, Alex
ander said.
The discussions and
speeches will be held in
various places on campus;
most will be in the residence
halls or the Union lounge.
services provided by the society have
not, reached the people who need
them the most."
"There are many Instances of the
U.S. failing to provide services," he
said , "For instance, the Infant
mortality rate is twice as high in
Negro 'ghettos' and Spanish-American
'Barrios' than the overall national
rate. Many residents of these areas
graduate from high school with a level
of education at about third or fourth
grade."
Farmer stressed the need to em
pathize with the poor people of the
country. Failure to realize the plight
of the poor has caused many of the
"hang-ups" of the past, he continued.
He said that we must find jobs for
the unskilled poor.
"The civil rights movement during
the past decade has done a great
deal for the middle class Black. Mex
lean or Puerto Rican." Farmer added.
"However, it has done little for the
common poor man.
Automation
"While ten lucky or talented people
walk into newly opened doors of
business, perhaps a hundred of their
brothers and sisters are thrown out
the back door by automation."
The undersecretary added that we
will not be able to find new jobs for
these untrained people in Industry
becuuse of the Increasing automation.
However, there is the possibility of
creating some five million jobs In
areas of service.
Farmer explained that one of the
problems of the poor has been a lack
of professional personnel to work with
them. Auxiliary personnel drawn from
the poor themselves can help to fill
the gap, he continued.
"The crux of the problem lies with
"My objection to student governme
nt is not that it is 'unreal' or 'lr
relevant'. Quite the opposite. Student
government is quite effective and
relevant in achieving its purpose.
"We learned to acquiesce in the
face of arbitrary authority. We learn
ed to surrender our own freedom in
the name of something called 'ex
pertise'. "We learned that elections should
b e personality-oriented popularity
contests; that issues with which we
ought to be concerned only be the
most banal.
"Student government reeks of the
worst aspect of this syndrome.
Because of it, it may be a good place
for initiating on the campus the
movement for human liberation
already in progress off the campus."
Davidson believes the outline for
human liberation is continually
developing. It grows with each, new
follower.
"We have no blueprints. Only some
guidelines. Administrators are the
enemy.
"Refuse to be 'responsible.' Have
more faith in people than in pro
grams. Refuse to accept the 'off-campus-on-campus
dichotomy.
"Finally, demand seriousness by
dealing with serious issues getting
the U.S. out of Vietnam, getting the
military off the campus, enabling
people to win control over the quality
and direction of their lives.
"In short, make a revolution."
VOI. 7J, IW.
race
Peterson. "He's certainly a great guy
and I'd campaign for him. But I'm
torn between wanting him as head
of the department and wanting him
to be in Washington."
Another source, who was involved
with the unsuccessful 1 6 98 con
gressional campaign of Clair Callan
said, "Everybody I know of is trying
to talk him Into running for the
House."
Chances of winning, the source said,
depend a lot on financial support.
Dr. Dan W. Schlitt, associate pro
fessor of physics and treasurer of the
Democratic Coalition, said h e
personally would support Peterson
and said many other people would
also.
He pointed out that the Coalition
will officially endorse candidates at
a convention some months away.
"The issues are there," Schlitt said,
"And Peterson is certainly an at
tractive candidate."
Peterson himself hedges when talk
ing about the chances for victory. He
Is an acknowledged liberal in a state
that is usually conservative.
"I think Nebraskans are pro
gressive," he said. "I don't claim to
know all the answers, but we can't
let our problems sit there because
they won't go away."
concern
this utilization of the poor," he said.
"There are a number of cases in
which 'para-professlonals' have been
effective."
In studies of teaching reading to
Illiterate adults, teaching aids have
proved very effective when they ue
programmed materials, Farmer said.
In many cases they have proved more
effective than certified teachers
because they can speak on the il
literate's level.
He added that para-professionals
have been effective In a number of
other fields ranging from public
health to home economics.
There are now 35 "New Careers"
programs in the department of
Health, Education, and Welfare,
Farmer said. Provisions have also
been made to establish 45 more.
Programs now exist In some 130
U.S. metropolitan areas, he said.
Advancement
"The programs must have
possibilities for advancement," he
said. "The idea of them Is to give
the people a chance for mobility."
Farmer added that many of the
para-professionals become very In
terested In their work. The programs
provide them with the means to ad
vance and even become professionals.
"People must be trained and aiven
useful work to give them a stake in
society," Farmer continued. "New
career programs and the use of para
professionals is a way to achieve
this."
Programs like "New Careers" are
a good method for improving the
future of America, Farmer said
"After all. no one is fool enough to
destroy something he has a stake in."