Page Two
Make Earth Enjoyable
Before Invading Space
Several people have taken issue
with the statement that the $24
billion spent on the space program
could have helped he nation's
poor. Most have been scientists
defending their profession from
the technological point of view.
They contend that the value of
the space program lies in the fact
that NASA's achievements today
lay the foundations for further ex
ploration, which is really a poor
argument since it doesn't justify
the existence of the space pro
gram at all but merely evades the
issue by implying a highly scien
tific and thus, more noble cause.
Agreed, the re-allocation of ap
propriations in the war in Viet
nam would provide a great asset
to the poverty program. That is
not to say however that the stand
ard of living in America would be
increased enough to permit ac
celerated spending toward space
exploration. It must be remember
ed that much of the money spent
for the war is tied up in the mili
tary-industrial complex. Although
unemployment rates are going
down. to a certain degree, a return
of soldiers. from Vietnam would
cause a detrimental fluctuation in
the economy.
It is not logical to assume that
a withdrawal of funds from the
space program would cause a sci
entific "dark ages". Progress in
NASA's programs could be stunt
ed temporarily, but think of the
more important consequences
which could result from funds ac
crued in the medical field. The
hospitalization situation is espec
ially critical. Science exists for
the betterment of man's inviron
ment and develops because of his
insatiable curiousity. Therefore
science cannot stop but only be
diverted into more useful chan
nels. •
Education and problems result
ing from massive pollution de
mand financial aid immediately.
Needless to say, even Nixon's wel
fare program designed to cut down
on the more socialistic aspects of
the present system, would benefit
immensely from additional ap
propriations distributed through a
good, welfare administration. To
ignore groups of Americans, such
as our Indians who are starving
from a lack of education as well
as food while basking in the glory
of the Apollo 11 moon shot is des
picable.
To assume that science will find
a way to support the quickly in
creasing population through the
development of new food or nutri
tional advancements is an idealis
tic delusion. Ecologists have esti
mated that at the current popula.
tion growth rate the weight of
human flesh should outweigh the
mass of the earth within the next
thousand and some years. Added
complications arise when coun
tries such as Israel pay their citi
zens to have children in order to
augument their human facilities
for welfare. Of course even if sci
ence found a way for sustaining
life, war, pollution, and disease
would necessarily destroy the ex
traneous population more brutally.
Mathematical calculations indicate
that even if habitation of other
planets was feasible, it could hard
ly occur in time. The physical cap
abilities of the earth compared
with its population growth rate
would render the establiq ement of
a synthesized society on another
celestrial body highly improbable.
In summary it would be more
desirable and more practical in
the long run for the 'United States
or any other country for that mat
er to at least delay its support of
a space program. in order to aid
the many more crucial scientific
and educational fields.
EDITORIAL POLICY
The editorials appearing in this
newspaper will be opinionated
and therefore subject to criti
cism. All letters that are type
written land submitted to the
newspaper staff will be printed
with the exception of those that
are repetitions or in poor taste.
The staff reserves the right to
correct or delete portions of the
letters for publication purposes.
All letters must be signed, but
names will be withheld upon re
quest.
Signed columns represent the
view of the author only and do
not reflect the Editorial policy of
the Nitiany CUB.
THE NITTANY CUB
SGA Urges: Vote For
Person Not Personality
The first weekly meeting of the Student Government Association
was held in the Memorial room of the Administration Building on
Wednesday, October I:.
Roy Kirkley, President of the student body delivered the opening
remarks, noting the communication gap existing between student
organizations. Roy blamed this gap mainly on the lack of bulletin
board space for all student groups.
The matter of Associate De
gree Student graduation was
brought up. In the past, all two
year students had to go to Uni
versity Park for commencement
exercises. Last spring a petition
was submitted to University Park
requesting that graduation exer
cises be held at the ,respective
Commonwealth Campuses. The
SGA feels that the institution of
this measure would help to "en
rich the social life of the Com
monwealth Campuses," and sig
nificantly reduce graduation ex
penses and inconveniences for
the student and his family. Dean
Lane remarked that action was
well underway regarding this
change. •
The meeting proceeded to the
item of Student Affairs, Student
Government and Student Judic
iary elections and appointments
during the third week of the cur
rent term. Students were urged to
actively support those men and
women whom they thought were
worthy of election and publicity
was asked for around campus.
Next up was discussion of All
University Day at University
Park on November 1. Ticket price
are as follows: $2.25 for the din
ner and jammy, $3.00 for the
concert featuring the Iron But
terfly and the New Hedson Exit.,
$2.00 for the Fraternity Ball, and
By His Hands
They Are Fed
There exists on this campus a
gentleman who stands out as the
mother of the American student.
He is our own Robert Finley, men
tor, friend, boss, father, cook and
chief :bottlewasher. From him
comes all the delicacies which are
picked personally to please the
palate. If there is a complaint
about your room in the dorm,
he'll take care of it. Want some
refreshments for : your dance, or
a coffee and doughtnut get-to
gether, he'll give a hand or two
(Mr. Bickle's hands). Lose a dime
in the soda machine. He makes
sure you get it back. He's even
kind to his employees—sometimes.
(This has never been proven).
Mr. Finley is a graduate of this
university. He came here five
years ago when the cafeteria was
little more than thirteen tables
and an oven in. the basement of
Turnbull Hall. When he finally
got his new kitchen in the middle
of winter, he watched over the
installation, walking back and
forth as many as twenty times a
day, usually without an overcoat
(I bring this up to joint out the
fact that many thought he was
crazy: Students and faculty refus
ed to eat for fear of being poison
ed a ear still prvalent today).
Whenthat was done, he found he
had a dorm that he had to feed. As
head of food and housing, the
problems of the dorm were his
problems. Many times he was call
ed from his humble abode to_help
solve a problem. The administra
$6.00 for the round-trip bus
ticket.
Students were urged to make
banners for the football game at
which there will be a banner
contest. All Commonwealth Cam
puses will participate in this con
test and judging will be held for
selection of the best banner.
Size limitations for the posters
will be announced.
Student contributions were en
couraged in order to help Behr
en•d Campus meet its $1,100.00
goial in the United Fund drive.
Students cannot be openly solic
ited, so pledge is by straight con
tribution. One dollar or more gets
one an attractive collar pin to
let others know he did his fair
share.
As the last order of business
before adjournment, Bruce Zim
merman, Assistant to the Dean
of Student Affairs, read a re
port on the history of union
buildings and indicated what he
plans to initiate at the Reed
Union Bldg. (RUB). The idea
upon which he elaborated was
the formation of a Union Board
to help him plan and execute ex
tensive program of leisure time
activities for students. A post on
this board would be a good al
ternative for those students who
do not want to participate in the
S GA.
tion thought he was doing such a
great job, that they decided to
give him another dorm on which
to shower his attentions. Fortun
ately for Mr. Finley, the higher
echelon downstate also sent Mr.
Bickle, Mr. Finley's able assist
ant. These two (not unlike the
dynamic duo) fight a thankless
battle to keep this campus well-
LITTLE MAN ON C
You f30 4 (.5 WILL FIND ET - A 1.6 T EASIER To DRAW'
IF- YOU WILL STEP }BOCK FROM TR' MODEL A 13Itu
We Enliven Our
Lonely Dormitory
The cry of a stranger rings
through the corridors of Perry
and Niagara Halls, and signifies
the acceptance of another "dor
any"•
It is hard for an individual to
adapt to new surroundings, but
the newcomers to Behrend have
done surprisingly well. There is an
aura of warmth throughout the
student body that creates a home
, like effect to those who once felt
strange.
In order to relate to a group
of over 1000 a person must sacri
fice ra little part of his indivi
duality. This process is rough in
the beginning, but the end re
sults of this sacrifice are close
friendships and valuable exper
iences. Being forced to live with
another person can sometimes be
difficult, yet a compromise is
reached and roommates become
more than mere friends.
Although Behrend is growing,
it hasn't become impersonal, and
a. person can still find true mean
ing in this living experience.
This year over 1,000 students,
faculty, and administrators will
go through his lines. In his four
years here, nearly 4,000 people
have tasted his wares, and none
have died from food poisoning, yet.
During Customs Week, some
freshmen didn't know Dean Lane_
Some didn't even know Mr. So
chel. But every freshman, sopho
more,
and Junior on this campus
knew Finley. So winsome dormie,
have no fear. Despite what your
stomach says, there is a Mr. Fin
ley; alive and well, working for
this campus.
1 i'l . 7,--E,
. ..
, -_.
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::. -=,
-......
October 10, 1969
by Eric Walker
Robert Finley
11/I
10,
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