HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN, JUNE 7, 1971 -- PAGE TWO
Eclitorial comment:'
The (r)evolution
of the
"Guerilla"
During the past few months the decor of our campus has
been adorned by two editions of our official underground
newspaper, "The Guerilla." "The Guerilla" is a self-proclaimed
"political and literary journal published for the academic
community at the Hazleton Campus of the Pennsylvania State
University" which professes to reflect the conscience of
Highacres. Since "The Guerilla" welcomes criticism, I feel certain
that this editorial will be appreciated.
In Volume I, No. 1 of "The Guerilla" (dated February 22,
1971) it was stated that "MI material (sent to "The Guerilla")
will be published, UNCENSORED." The statement was also made
that "The Guerilla" is "...the only real voice you have on this
campus."
As I am a writer for a newspaper I can readily appreciate the
excitment involved in producing a vehicle for meaningful
communication, especially if it is produced for a worthwhile
purpose by one or many concerned persons. I believe "The
Guerilla" IS such a communications medium and that much time,
trouble, and concern must have been involved in creating it: a
worthwhile accomplishment!
The first edition of "The Guerilla" was released at a time
when it seemed that "The Highacres Collegian" might have to
close down its presses due to financial difficulties which have
since been overcome. Perhaps this was a factor in the conception
of "The Guerilla." Certainly ONE factor was the fact that those
who have contributed to "The Guerilla"believe that their opinions
will not be printed in "The Highacres Collegian."
The desire to improve the Highacres campus is readily
apparent in articles such as "Right Off, Faculty Members," by D.
J. and the creative "About A Pathy" by K. K. in the first issue.
There was a noticeable lack of campus criticism in the May 25,
1971 issue (Volume 1, Number 2) except for an interesting article
concerning the SGA by Kris Karchner which expounded upon
some vital points including the parking lot situation. It seems that
"The Guerilla's" criticism of the Hazleton Campus has been
limited to a tirade against "The Highacres Collegian," the
apathetic student body, and (mainly) the SGA.
Articles dealing with political and moral issues have been
more abundant including "Reality No. 1" by D.J., "UP in
Smoke" by T.K.; and "Coffeeville Kansas Blues" by M. Cblasurdo
in issue No. 2. The latter article was well-written and worth
reading despite Mr. Colasurdo's ambivalence between spelling the
word "Americans" with a "c" or a "k."
Meaningful quotes, poetry, and humorous cartoons are also
scattered throughout "The Guerilla." More care could have been
taken in proofreading both editions for mistakes, however.
Besides typographical and grammatical errors, which I suppose
might be taken as "scars in fine leather, proof of the origin and
authenticity of the material in which they are found," there are
also errors which should have been avoided. These mistakes are in
the realm of "misquotes," such as attributing a Kris
Kristopherson quote to Janis Joplin and misquoting a verse from
the Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit." Trivial as these errors
might seem, quoting correctly is one of the major responsibilities
of those dealing in any of the media. Also, as "The Guerilla" is an
"underground" paper, little care has been taken in obtaining
permission to print quoted material, although care usually HAS
been taken in giving the correct source or reprinted material (
except, of course, for the aforementioned error.)
Tip Eigilarrts Trillpgian
The Collegian office is located in the Memorial Building
Office hours are Monday thru Friday, 1-4 p.m.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
John Roslevich, Jr
Paul Pianovich
Kris Karchner
E. J. Pietroski
T. W. Heppe
Richard Campbell
Assistant to the Editor: Gloria Smitrovich. NEWS: Alice
Bright, Arnine Cumsky, Margie Grega,SusanKisthart, Anne
McKinstry, Celine Student, Jean Yeselski. SPORTS: Tom
Caccese, editor; Mark Braskie, Jack McCutcheon. CREDIT:
Susan Kis thart. CIRCULATION: Gloria Smitrovich.
TYPING: Susan Kisthart, Kathy Motyl, Mary Polasick.
ADVERTISING: Ed Pietroski, manager; Bob Allison, Barb
Fahringer. COMPOSITION: Joan Mente, Alice Bright.
EDITORIAL WRITERS: John Hancock, Mel Mundie,
Richard Rockman. PHOTOGRAPHY and ART: Paul
Pianovich. MEMBER: The Press Association of
Commonwealth Campuses, Association Press Services
Newspaper Council of the Press Association, Intercollegiate
Press.
Letter Policy
Opinions expressed in The' HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN are
those of individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the
official views of The COLLEGIAN.
Unsigned editorials represent the official opinions of The
COLLEGIAN.
Responsible comment to material published in The
COLLEGIAN Is invited. AU letters must be type-written and signed.
Faculty members are students are invited to submit articles to
be published in a special section of The COLLEGIAN entitled
'lmpact.' Articles and other material (poems included) should be no
longer than 400 words and must be typed.
....Editor-in-chief
Executive Editor
Managing Editor
Business Manager
Production Manager
Faculty Advisor
STAFF
Although some of the articles in "The Guerilla" are signed by
the author's name, many are only signed by the author's
(presumably) initials. Although I respect and understand an
author's wish to remain anonymous, sometimes the guessing game
frustrates me. The article I enjoyed the most was one I wish I
knew the author of. It is an editorial entitled "yes, We Have No
Narcotics," a humorous little story about a threat to our
Freedom of Speech due to implied censorship of music played on
•the radio by the Federal Communications Commission. I was very
disappointed to see this written in "The Guerilla," however,
primarily because I had already formulated the concept for a
similar editorial which was to be in this very space. They beat me
to it.
All in all, "The Guerilla" has proved to be an informative
addition to our campus. However, I saw nothing printed in "The
Guerilla" which could not have been printed in "The Highacres
Collegian." "The Highacres Collegian" welcomes anyone writing
for "The Guerilla" (or anyone at all, for that matter) who feels he
has something meaningful to say, to submit his material to us to
be printed in "The Highacres Collegian:" We will not turn you
away if you have something to say. If you do not want to write
for "The Highacres Collegian" on a regular basis, we invite you to
submit "guest editorials" whenever you feel you have opinions or
information to share with your fellow members of the Highacres
area. "The Highacres Collegian" does NOT censor material
(unless, of course, there is a lack of space in which to print
everything, in which case it is up to our editor to joggle a few
words around, without changing the author's meaning, in order to
fit everything in: this is, after all, what editors are for (among
other things.) Remember, also, that "The Highacres Collegian"
has a "Letters to the Editor" column which has been gathering
dust lately.
I disagree, therefore, with the claim that "The Guerilla" is
"...the only real voice you have on campus." The reproduction in
"The Guerilla" is not as clear as that of "The Highacres
Collegian" nor is it as widely read: more reasons why it might
prove profitable for those writing for "The Guerilla" to write for
"The Highacres Collegian." Certainly, it would add more life to
our own paper. It should also be noted that those producing
"The Guerilla" would be saving their money if they used "The
Highacres Collegian" as their medium. •
This should in no way be taken as an affront to "The
Guerilla" or the people who produce it, but should instead be
taken as an attempt to open the lines communication at
Highacres wider that they are. Certainly the material in "The
Guerilla" is worth reading wherever it is printed.
Have a safe, enjoyable, and worthwhile summer!
The preceding editorial was submitted by regular COLLEGIAN
editorialist, Richard Rockman. We felt it expressed our own views
concerning the relationship between "The Guerilla" and THE
COLLEGIAN—ed.
There's a lot more to law and order than just shouting the
need for more of it. Two recent events illustrate once again that
the louder the-shouts for law and order the quiter becomes the
concern for constitutional rights and basic civil liberties. But
there is something about that concern for basic civil liberties,
quietly resting indelibly in the human conscience, which speaks
more loudly to decent-thinking folks than all the escalating
shouts for law and order.
The history-making 7,200 in-a-single-day mass arrests of the
May Day demonstators in Washington D.C. brought that quiet
concern into the- open on a national level. The law and order
public officials, from the White House to the Justice Department
to the local Washington police department, saw as their primary
duty to the ;national electorate the guarantee of a free flow of
traffic in the-nation's capital and the assurance that government
employees would make it to their offices for a full day's work.
Such thinking had the familiar ring of Mayor Daley's demand
for an undisturbed 1968 Democratic National Convention in
Chicago. The open threat to halt the processes of-government was
unthinkable, you see, even though filibustering in Senate chamber
is part ofS standard procedure. President Nixon encouraged
Washington Police Chief Jerry Wilson to short-circuit established *
arrest procedures to keep the streets and building entrances clear.
Massive roundups and detentions occurred, even though adequate
detention facilities had not been prearranged.
And as always happens in such short-circuited, short-sighted
and arbitrary procedures, those rounded up included both
persons of dubious guilt as well as the totally innocent. It
happended in Chicago in 1968. Visitors to Chicago found that it
was unsafe to be ;standing in the ;street outside their hotels. They
just might be grabbed or clubbed by cops on the rampage. And it
happened again in Washington during May Day Demonstration.
Of course, whatever disruption was caused by the
demonstrators in the streets ofsWashington wPs soon dwarfed by
the chaos in the Washington courts when such arbitrary detention
tactics were • submitted to the due process of court procedure.
Once again the mockery of justice which the loudest shouts for
law and order always portray brought to the surface the concern
for basic individual rights. The motorists of Washington are
appeased and satisfied, perhaps, by the tactics of mass arrest and
illegal detention. But the rest of America evaluates and judges
such tactics.
The jurors all said, after the trial was over, that the
discrepancies in the testimonies ofspolice undercover agents were
responsible for the -esy acquittal. Decent- thinking folks had their
say, over and above the "system". The verdict was not a triumph
ofs the legal system, as so many newspaper editorials like to
contend. It was then triumphant expression of decent-thinking
peoplesabout that system. The legal system, after all, took two
years out ofsthesiives ofcthirteen innocent people, nine of the
thirteen being behind bars for twenty-five months because they
weresunablesto post the required bail. That sad history is hardly a
triumph ofslegal justice.
So in two instances at least the contemporary charade of law
and order has been exposed for what it is.
Dick Gregory
the light side /the dark side
Letter to
the editor
June 2, 1971
To: SGA Teacher
Evaluation Survey. Committe
It has come to my
attention that the Teacher
Evaluation Survey, proposed
and organized by the Student
Government Association early
in the academic year, is now Along with two other
being conducted. Your records members of the faculty I
will show that I have chosen discussed this with a member
not to participate. I feel some of your committee
explanation may be approximately bur weeks ago
worthwhile. and received some assurance
My actions from the the matter would be cleared up
inception of this project before the new permission slips
throught the late stages of were collected. Apparently
development have indicated, I there was a change in thinking
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believe, my firm support.
Indeed, immediately following
the presentation of the idea by
the SGA to the faculty, I
willingly signed the permission
slip and returned it to your
committee. Unfortunately, I
find the 'final' form of the
survey unsatisfactory. As a
teacher it would give me little
more than no information at
all, but, of more concern is the
apparent ambiguity I find in
the phrasing of a few of the
question.
a
• S4aipois
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for that was the last contact I
had with your committee.
In the five years I have
been at the Hazleton Campus I
have used my own student
opinion survey in my classes
nearly every •term. Therefore,
• the idea of a student survey is
not new to me. In choosing not
to participate in the SGA
survey this term ; I am not
indicating an opposition to the
project. On the contrary, I
supported it throughout its
development and I still support
the general concept now.
Although I will participate in
any future survey if the
ambiguity is removed, I must
add that I would still find it
necessary to use my own
survey in addition to yours. I
firmly believe there is a value
in student opinion as it applies
to course and teacher
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evaluations and your survey,
by itself, would not supply me
with anywhere near the
amount of criticism I seek.
My own survey is also
being conducted this week in
my classes. If the committee
feels it would be of any value, I
will be most willing to turn
over the entire set of
completed surveys for your
examination.
Our goal, I think, is a
mutual one--continuation of
the project with increasing
faculty participation. I offer
you my time and efforts--I will
be pleased to assist you in any
way possible.
M. L. Shaevd
cc: Mr. Kostos, and Editor,
Collegian
Ves6 s
Ii SuEDES