Rage 3
by Lee Nell
At the end of this term,
Capitol Campus is going to lose
one of its most well-liked faculty
members, Professor .Charlie
Marsh, Associate Professor of
Electrical Engineering. We talked
to him recently about his life
and some of his views and plans.
Professor Marsh, known as
‘Charlie’ on campus, is the
product of an Illinois childhood,
holds degrees in Secondary
Education and Physics and has
been at Capitol Campus for four
years.
During the Depression he
helped start a commune in New
Mexico near the site of about a
dozen communes now. When the
war broke out, he joined the
Army and was sent to Oregon
where his future wife was
attending college. They were
married while Charlie was still in
the Army and now are the
parents of three sons and a
daughter.
Of the commune Mr. Marsh
remembered that since it was 35
years ago, “We were a bit more
proper than nowadays, but some
of the local people thought of us
as eommunists anyway.” The
commune was a work camp and
community school, “We took
some rich Easterners as students
to support the school, but most
of the students were poor,
Spanish-speaking kids.” The war,
marriages and divorces broke up
the commune, and the property
went to the bank. Charlie was
delighted to see, on a recent trip,
that but for 30 years and a few
miles, the new communes are
much like his.
, Charlie remembers, too,
about working on the Bomb, a
memory which “..ihas caused
pangs of conscience.” Although
now he is against war—especially
the one we’re in—he reminds us
that, “The German threat was a
very real thing.” “At that time,
there was a hope among some
that the bomb wouldn’t work,
and then maybe no one else’s
would either.”
While at PSU, Mr. Marsh has
FOUR YEARS LA TER
It was October 1967 when
the first blasts of “Bonnie and
Clyde” were heard on the
screen. Initial outrage on the
glamorous treatment of crime,
the devious half-truths of the
film and the shocking ending
have long since past. Society was
to have fallen overnight ; and our
children were to have grown up
smoking cigars, playing with
impotent guns and loving every
minute of it all.
Four years later, and after a
recent showing of this film at
the Capitol Campus, April 8, we
still can see why many of the
complaints were waged against
the film. Clyde did not play with
guns; Clyde played with sex.
Bonnie was, at best, out for
cheap thrills. The abrupt end,
the last, powerful and eternal
stare of Clyde for Bonnie before
they are riddled with hundreds
of bullets, climaxed a sometimes
comic, sometimes tragic tale of
life as a bank robber.
“Bonnie and Clyde” did not
seem to have that earthshaking
effect on society it was supposed
to have. True, there was a
rebirth of the 30’s style dress
after the film’s appearance; but
that was never more serious that
the recent arrival of the midi (I
hope that’s a joke!). Children
did not tell Santa they wanted a
mask and a gun for
Christmas-oh, yes, and a
get-away car.
Why didn’t the movie hit us
Goodbye, Charlie
been a consultant to the New
Jersey Turnpike. One of his pet
projects has been to encourage
the use of green taillights on
automobiles. “People recoil in
horror at the thought of green
taillights, thinking ‘green means
go.’ But the brake fights would
still be red and the taillights
would change to red when the
car slows to 10 mph or less.” He
cites an experiment which was
performed on a Detroit freeway
at 3 a.m. using cars equipped
with these taillights. “With all
the green taillights ahead, you
could really see that something
was happening when someone
put on the bright red brake
lights.”
Although the mounting
highway deaths and injuries have
motivated him in that field, the
increasing number of ship
collisions caused him to try to
investigate that further, too. But
the Maritime Board had no
money for research; to the Navy,
the collisions were personnel
errors, and to the Coast Guard,
the collisions could have been
avoided if the radar had been
placed correctly. The pay-off
came though when Charlie
inquired about it to the
by Tom Ogden
as expected, or at least as
predicted? For one reason
America has always had crime
movies. The Bogart and Cagney
films glamorized crime just as
much, for even “B & C” showed
the all-too-realistic end of a
criminal’s career. Also, America
has always praised its
anti-heroes, the big threat most
critics felt from the appearance
of a Bonnie and Clyde. If
anything, the love for the
anti-hero merely caused more to
appear in films (e.g., “Butch
Cassidy”). Apparently we like to
watch the underdog succeed, but
not to play him. Also, the more
knowledgeable audience could
see through obvious flaws in the
film (e.g., the Freudian
implications of the guns, the
attempt to create a Depression
mood in the reunion scene, the
“evil” Southern sheriff getting
information). Lastly, “Bonnie
and Clyde” was never meant
to—and did not-glamorize
crime. It told the story (slightly
Hollywood-ish) of two petty
thieves who could never steal
enough to set them up right,
who were always on the run, and
who, of course, met their
destined fate.
The film was artful, unique
and pleasing...and
thought-provoking. A quiet
audience always leaves that
movie. But a social disaster?
That “Bonnie and Clyde” was
not.
CHARLES MARSH
Assoc. Prof. Engr.
THE CAPITOLIST
insurance companies. “They told
me,” he states unbelievingly, “
‘lf there weren’t any collisions,
we wouldn’t be in business, now
would we.’ ”
Charlie appreciates the
relatively free exchange of ideas
here at Capitol and likes
Venderville and Meade Heights
where people of all disciplines
can get together. (“My wife
thinks I do more work in
Venderville than in class.”) “But
I am disappointed that
engineering and liberal arts
students do not interact much.
They seem to have a natural
suspicion of each other.” Feeling
that engineering students would
benefit by taking Social Science
courses, Charlie says, “Engineers
are people of good will, nice,
bright and know how to attack
problems. But they haven’t felt
that these social problems are
their responsibility.” “Science
courses could benefit social
science students in areas of
ecology for example, and in
methods of problem solving.”
Having taught engineering for
23 years now, Charlie feels that
it’s time to try something else.
“I want to start something now
while I have good health and the
time to do it. My wife with a
Ph.D. in Geography, until
recently has been frustrated in
trying to find a job. Now she
will work while I spend some
time sort of retreading my
mind.” Mrs. Marsh will be
teaching at Richard Stockton
State College near Atlantic City,
New Jersey.
Reflecting on his career here
at Capitol, Charlie says, “I’ve
enjoyed meeting faculty in other
disciplines and teaching here.
Fm going to miss exchanging
ideas and living with students.
That’s a real fringe benefit of
this campus.”
This campus and those of us
who know him are going to miss
Charlie Marsh and rapping with
him in Venderville. Many of us
think he has been a fringe
benefit of attending here. Good
luck, Charlie.
AROUND THE CAMPUS ...
SGA Ratifies New Senators
C O P. in SGA
Constitution
By means of a petition
bearing a majority of the
signatures of SGA senators, the
Capitol Campus Student
Government Association
officially ratified the new
Council of President’s
Constitution on April 15, 1971.
The C.O.P. replaces the former
Organization of Student
Governments (OSGA) which was
formed to provide
representation of all University
outlying campuses at University
Park, the focal point of most
decision making and to give
more power to these campuses
by uniting.
The OSGA, in the opinion of
most campuses, abused the
function and needed to be
replaced. Capitol never really
committed itself to OSGA
because it did not benefit our
campus commensurate with the
financial commitment expected.
It also proved too restricting on
individual campus freedom.
Several meetings of the
schools concerned resulted in a
new, more flexible and
democratic organization which
provides the advantages of
representation and unity
without the hazzards of
legislative restriction and
expressive dues. The C.0.P., as it
is called, has been approved by
at least 11 campuses.
CAPITOL HOSTS
FAMED TENOR
by Gary Wetterhall
and Ro Scanlon
Music lovers at Capitol
Campus enjoyed a rare treat
Monday night as world
reknowned tenor William Lewis
enthralled a capacity crowd with
a repetoire of art songs and
operatic arias.
The music of such great
composers as Handel, Liszt, and
von Weber was very well-paired
with the incredibly beautiful
voice of Mr. Lewis. The program
opened with a selection from
Handel’s “Judas Maccabaeus”
followed by a moving series of
Franz Liszt’s art songs. An
enthusiastic audience then
thrilled to the “Durch die
Waelder” from von Weber’s “Der
Freischeutz”. After a Poulenc
song cycle, and selections by
William Klenz, Mr. Lewis closed
with “Leve-toi Soleil” from
Romeo and Juliet by Gounod.
But the audience wouldn’t let
Mr. Lewis leave so easily. They
applauded until he and Barbara
Garges, his accomplished pianist,
reappeared onstage for an
encore.
Afterward, Mr. Lewis
graciously met with students and
friends at a coffee hour
reception.
A favorite of opera fans
around the world, Mr. Lewis has
appeared with such greats as
Leontyne Price, Anna Moffo and
others. Although his repetoire is
extensive and universal, Mr.
Lewis’s preference is Modern
German, with a particular
interest in Richard Strauss, who
in his own words is “way out”.
Mr. Lewis will be performing
in four German operas: Parsifal,
Fidelio, Der Freischeutz, and
Salome, during the next season.
Special effort should be made to
see Richard Wagner’s last and
most monumental
work—Parsifal—which will be
presented at the Met in April.
AMBULANCE SERVICE
944-6344
At the first SGA meeting of
the new term, April 7th,
President Levan placed before
the Senate the names of three
Seniors to fill the vacancies of
the previous term. Mr. Levan
submitted the names of these
seniors after carefully scanning
their interest and qualifications
for the respective positions. The
vacancies were in the Humanities
and Social Science curriculum,
and one Senior was also needed
to fill the position of Senator at
Large. Normally, because of the
number of vacancies, an election
would be required, however the
Senate made an exception in this
case and gave Lee Levan the
power to appoint, provided he
secured a 2/3 majority of their
vote.
Lee nominated Missy
D’Alessandro to fill the vacant
position of Senior Humanities
Senator. A discussion followed
and Miss D’Alessandro was
approved by the Senate. Missy is
a member of the All University
Council and Manager of the
Meade Heights Coffee House.
Lee then nominated Alan
Gallagher to fill the vacant
position of Senior Social Science
Senator. A discussion followed
and it was decided that Mr.
Gallagher be present at the next
meeting, April 21st, in order
that the Senate may become
acquainted with him and cast a
Wednesday, April 28, 1971
Mr. Lewis summed up his
other plans when he confided to
members of the CAPITOLIST
staff, “I’m doing Leonard
Bernstein’s revised “Candide” on
Broadway next year!”
CONCERN, INC.
ECO-TIPS No. 2
1971 Cars
1. Use 91-octane unleaded
gas. Most 1971 American cars
are being made to use 91-octane
fuel. Consult your dealer or
manufacturer if in doubt.
2. If unleaded gas is not
available, use 91-octane low-lead
gas. 02 gram lead per gallon).
Pre-1971 Cats
1. Some pre-1971 cars can
use 91-octane unleaded fuel.
Learn the octane and lead
requirements of your car from
your automobile dealer or by
writing the manufacturer.
2. If your car does need some
lead, use LOW LEAD
GASOLINE of the LOWEST
OCTANE LEVEL on which
your car can run without
knocking. Try 91-octane first.
3. If you have a car with a
very powerful engine, you may
need a higher octane fuel. Try
94-octane unleaded or low-lead
first. If your car knocks, try a
slightly higher octane level. BUT
ALWAYS USE THE LOWEST
OCTANE, LOWEST LEAD
FUEL THAT KEEPS YOUR
CAR FROM KNOCKING. If
you find your car needs
premium (100-octane) fuel, use
premium unleaded gas. The
octane level of this fuel has been
raised by adding aromatic
hydrocarbons which are
considered less toxic than lead.
General Tips
Have regular tune-ups at least
twice a year; a well-tuned engine
pollutes less.
Walk more, ride bikes, form
car pools, support public
transportation systems.
vote. At this meeting Alan was
introduced to the Senate and a
vote was taken on his
appointment. This was
unanimous.
Neil Madonick motioned they
bring to the table the recall
motion on Steve Forman. Bernie
Schonbach seconded this motion
and the Senate voted
unanimously in favor to recall
Mr. Forman, former Senator at
Large.
Lee Levan then nominated
Bill Freeman to fill this vacancy.
A discussion followed and the
Senate voted unanimously in
favor of Mr. Freeman’s
appointment. Bill is
Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook
and a member of the Black
Student Union.
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