On Friday evening Nov. 11, PennSState , Hazleton Campus held its now
customary w eekend dance. This however proved to be quite a different night,
for this night the Student Government Association made its second big
decision of the year. By an 5.G.4. decree, anyone not properly attired w°s
was prohibited from entering the dance. & fine and determined act—
unfortunately these same people did find their way in after 10 o'clock,
this time without paying.
Now, this is not a protest against the fact that the S.G.fl. has finally
shown some signs of life. No, it is not that a- I wish to strike a bit
deeper into the heart. The problem I am making reference to is
that of proper attire for dances- which to the overseer of the Student
Union Board, means sport coat & tie for males and. skirts for females. T
thank the overseer for his concern but being a somewhat mature individual
capable of choosing my own dress ( my mother stopped dressing me at 5), I
see this rule as a direct insult to the students. By refusing a student
the freedom of his individual choise of clothing, one is in effect saying
that he is incapable of making the correct decision.
Thereis, also, the practical side of the issue. Does the President
really believe the old stage "Clothes make the man"? Obviously, he must
and also obviously he strays from reality. Tf ° man is not a man, then
no amount of clothing will make him such. To rest the hope of us
representing this campus any better in a sport coat and tie, rather that
casually attired, seems to me to be a misconception - one that ought to
be seriously considered or revised. Then too there is the idea of size.
The SUB is eemparitively for the number of pupils. 'When a
substantial number of students are present for a dance the building becomes
very hot and humid. The added clothing does not absorbe the perspiration
it does a much better job of creating it.
In summary, I see no reason either tactically or representatively
why we should be compelled to don sport coat and tie for a weekly
dance. I see it as a direct insult to the student's intelligence and an
unnecessary restriction to the student's freedom. If one finds it
advantageous or desirable to attend a dance semi—formally dressed, I
find no fauld but compulsion is another thing entirely. And this "other
thing" ought to be examined with complete student participation and then
organized accordingly.
STODEVIS
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of T\AB WO|l\ D ,UNITE
Student's Friend,
Danny McGrory