Friday, April 8, 1983
Daily Nebraskan
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Thank a teacher
that special one
for job done well
College professors recently have been making the
headlines for their academic' expertise or lack thereof.
Fortunately, in our community, the recognition is all
favorable. Today we honor people at the university, both
faculty and students, who have devoted themselves to
academic excellence and achievement. This is notable in
light of a discovery within the past two weeks. Paul
Arthur Crafton, a professor of engineering administration
at George Washington University, had given false creden
tions to gain his position. He had worked there for 27
years before authorities learned that he had also taught at
six other Eastern schools - each place under an assumed
name.
Crafton is the antithesis of all an educator should be.
His type of deceit is more the mark of a villain than of
a scholar. He is a disgrace to his profession. Crafton 's
story should nuke us appreciate our good instructors even
more.
We all have had our share of bad instructors. Many
others blend in with the woodwork. But there are always
a few who really shine.
But there's always one special instructor who makes
a lasting impression on you and will be forever
remembered for pointing you in the right direction,
someone who acts as your mentor.
A mentor is more than just a teacher, as if that isn't
enough. As Daniel J. Levinson, professor of psychology
at Yale describes it, a mentor functions as a teacher,
sponsor, host and guide, exemplar and counselor. In
"The Seasons of a Man's Life," Levinson writes that the
most crucial function of the mentor is:
"realization of the Dream. The true Mentor. . .fosters
the young adult's development by believing in him,
sharing the youthful Dream and giving it his blessing,
helping to define the newly emerging self in its newly
discovered wvrld.
The men and women recognized todav at the Honors
Convocation have exemplified such qualities. They are the
ones who shine, who have made outstanding contributions
to the university, who have made learning a rewarding
experience.
The 20 faculty members who receive special recog
nition today are: Joe Aguilar, curriculum and instruction;
William J. Arnold, psychology; Robert Bergstrom,
English; Kenneth Dewey, geography; David P. Forsythe,
political science; George Holdren, accounting ;C. Edward
Jones, physics and astronomy; William H. Leonard, life
sciences; Dean A. Linsenmeyer, agricultural economics
Frederick Luebke, history ; James Michel, music theory;
Joseph Panarelli, engineering mechanics; James G.Porter,
architecture; Allan C. Peterson, mathematics and statis
tics; Marie Sandwick, dance; James R. Schmidt, econo
mics; Helen C. Sulek, human development and family;
Donald J. Taylor, physics and astronomy; Richard P.
Waldren, agronomy; and William N. Weins, mechanical
-i
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ColymBi reaction is positively coinfein
People have been coming to me and have been askinp
the same question time after time: "Hey, why don't you
writers write something positive for a change?" And each
time I ignore the reply and promise to look into it some
day. Until one day, my good friend Isaac B. McAllister
confronted me with the same subject for one last time.
"You're always knocking down our administration,
Chancellor Massengale, President Roskens and the Board
J Brian
StQnec'pher
engineering.
Let these instructors know they are appreciated. Take
a minute to tell a special teacher that you appreciate the
job he is doing. They are here only to help us learn. Let
them know their efforts are worthwhile.
i . ;
I W ---i- - n , , ' .- .1.1 I ' I . . J II I I amiM
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Letters KKgggg
'of Regents," he said. "You also put down our coaching
statt, AbUN, the state Legislature, UNL professors, UNL
professors' cars, the city of Lincoln and everything else.
We get sick of hearing about this bad stuff all of the time.
Why don't you write something supportive for a change?"
"Because it's so easy to make fun of certain
situations," I replied. "For example, take those crazy
engineers. They keep surveying and re-surveying the UNL
Engineering Center block year after year. You'd think
they'd do the job right the first time.
"Or take fat people. They have no reason to live. They
take up twice the room, they breathe heavy, they slow
down elavators when they go up and lastly, they can't
dunk basketballs. If that's not enough justification for
non-existence, then I don't know what is."
"See, there you go again," Isaac said. "Now you're
starting in on fat people. Why don't you say something
positive about them, like their ability to make elevators
go faster when they go down? You're so negative. Why,
iGT
I'll bet you couldn't write something positive even if your
life depended on it."
"Of course I can, that's no problem, I think," I said.
"It's just going to take some time. (Long pause) I'm
supposed to write something positive?"
"Right."
"But not negative."
"Right."
"So I'm to write my column about something positive
and non-negative."
"Right. Now quit beating around the bfush." My
friend was getting impatient.
"Let's say I write something positive about how pretty
the campus looks, and someone doesn't think the campus
is pretty at all. To that person, it wouldn't be positive or
non-negative at all, but non-positive and negative. Right?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess."
"And say that whenever I write, whether it's positive
or negative, there's always someone who disagrees with
my view, and someone else who agrees, then for every
thing I write there would be two different, unfavorable
responses: those that are not non-negative and positive,
but non-positive and negative about a positive statement,
and those that are not non-positive and negative, but non
negative and positive about a negative statement, rjpht?"
"I'm confused," Isaac said.
"You're confused!" I cried. "I'm the one that has to
write something, positive or negative, that someone wants
to read."
"So you may not get the reaction you want with
positive columns. What are you going to do now - keep
writing with a negative tone?"
"Positively."
Space program offers numerous benefits
Many a critic has opposed journalists who do not
practice what theyt preach. However, we thank our lucky
stars for dedicated men like Dave Luebke who are not
afraid of following through with the logical consequences
of their beliefs.
We refer, of course, to the editorial cartoon (Daily
Nebraskan, April 6) in which Mr. Luebke depicts the
space shuttle pouring out enormous sums of money
into empty space. Since the space program is an immoral
waste of the taxpayers' money, he is purging his life of
all the noxious stench of the results of the space program
which has taken vital funds from his beloved poor.
Anything with solid state circuitry, such as his stereo,
television, digital watch and calculator will be given to
Goodwill. Video games, which are also products of the
technological revolution precipitated by the research of
the space program, will be forgone in his quest for justice.
Mr. Luebke will no longer rely on weather reports
which use satellite transmissions nor use a pen that writes
upside down. He will drink no TANG, sit on no furniture
protected by Scotchgard, wear no clothing with any
synthetic fibers nor fry another egg on a Teflon-coated
skillet until this plague has been removed from the soil
of America.
A further indication of the grand crusade Mr. Luebke
is leading is his giving up all international communication
services. Having no international wire services or inter
national telephones will be no small sacrifice for a jour
nalist. And in his private iife, he will no longer be using
his banking card, relying instead upon the antiquated
system of 9-to-5 banking.
We applaud you Mr. Luebke for holding fast to your
convictions and wish you well on your noble endeavor.
It will not be easy, but we have faith in your perserver
ance to do what you feel is right.
Joel R. Burgeson
sophomore, mathematics
Lyle Grosbach
senior, electrical engineering
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