PAS E FOUR
THE COLLEGIAN
Establiished 1940. Successor to the Penn State Collegian.
established 1904, and the Free Lance, established 1887.
Published every Friday during the regular College year
by the stall' of the Daily Collegian of The Pennsylvania
State College. Entered as second class matter July 5, 1934
at the Post Office at State College. Pa. under the act of
Marcr S. 1879.
Subscriptions by mail only at $l.OO a semester.
Member
[associated Collegiate Press
GDlletsiale Dieiest
Editor-in-Chief
Lee H. Learner
Advertising Manager Aiat*
Managing Editor
Herbert Hasson Serene F. Rosenberg
Senior Editorial Board:
Service Editor ._.. ..Rita M. Belfonti
Feature Editor . M. Jane McChesney
Sports Editors—Arthur P. Miller, Rembrandt C. Robinson.
Editorial Assistants—Helen. V. Hatton, Emil A. Kubek, Ber-
nard Cutler.
Reporters—Nancy Carastro, Peggie Weaver, Betsy Merkle,
Victor Danilov, Ruth Constad, Gertrade Lawatsch.
Junior Advertising -Board—Betty Federman, Bernice Fine
berg, Elaine Miller, Kitty Vogel.
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Managing Editorßernard J. Cutlet
Assistant Managing Editor 'Helen Hattot
Sports Editor Rem Robinsor
Assistant Advertising Manager Kitty Yoge
News Assistants—Seymour Barash, Lynette Lindquist, Rost
Sherman, Jean Anne Thompson, Fay Young.
Wednesday, April 5, 1944
All editorials represent the opinions of
the writer whose initials are signed to it,
and not the opinion of the corporate Col
legian staff. Unsigned editorials are by the
editor.
The Press vs. Thespians
The current hue and cry over Collegian's
recent review of Thespians' "Time to Dan
ce" has raised a more important issue than
whether or not the show was good. By now
the relative merits of the Thespian offering .
have been discussed and argued and apolo
gized for to such an extent that they are a
more or leSs moot point
-The "more important issue" is the ques
tion of freedom of the press .
One of the less violent fan-mail letters
received by Collegian within the past few
days referred to the review of "Time to
Dance" as "a , rather 'sad reflection' in it
self" and went on to ask "If Collegip will
not back campus activities ,who in - - - -
will?"
The very obvious flaw in that argument
is that it brings this question to mind: "If
a campus activity isn't worth anyone else's
acclaim, why in - - _ - should it expect Colle
gian's backing?" But that's splitting hairs
and let's not be petty about it.
The, main point is this:
Collegian is more than willing to back
campus activities—that is a foregone con=
elusion; a conclusion which can be proved
by the favorable preview stories that ap
peared in the paper before the show ; a con
chision that can also be proved by any or
ganization that has asked Collegian for
news_ space.
That is as it should be, for any campus ac
tivity is entitled to the benefit of the doubt
before the results of its work are apparent.
And Collegian will always open its columns
to rebuttal of any of its criticisms. It is Col
legian's duty as a news agency and a public
service organ to grant that benefit and that
rebuttal.
The proposition, however, works two
ways; and when the results of a group's
work do become apparent, Collegian, as well
as any other person or group ,is entitled to
its opinion . . .whether that opinion con
tains blame or acclaim, Collegian is entitled
to it. That, friends, is what is called free
dom of the press.
Collegian always has ,and always will,
back all campus activities; but Collegian
never has been and never will be, a back
slapping publicity organ for any campus ac
tivity.
Distributor of
Business Manager
Rosalind Becker
Letters To Editor
mininimmomffinummlliinnummumownyminumtiommummoll
Other Side Of The Story
The Daily Collegian
Dear Thespian Staff
' Do not let the review of your Thespian show,
"Time To Dance," which appeared in the March
31 issue of Collegian discourage you. Many of us
are not in agreement with the writer. I enjoyed
the show and can truthfully say that, though not
as sensational, it was as good as past productions
and better than some.
It is always the last show that cannot compare
with past Thespian hits. Remember that the Ley-
den and McAdams shows used to get the same
write-ups, but now, theirs are called the "shows
to be remembered."
Sincerely yours,
Frank Gullo
Dear Editor
It is no easy matter these days to keep student
activities functioning. There are so many difficul
ties that even the most courageous spirit is in-
dined to give up and acknowledge defeat. And
yet the college should make every effort to see
that student activities are kept going. As an ex
ample of the many difficulties that may arise, we
have only to point to the recent Thespian produc
tion. No one who has not worked with Thespians
or has not seen them struggle valiantly to get a
production together can have any idea of what
troubles beset them.
The last Thespian show was not a professional
production,—the Thespians themselves will be the
first to admit this, but they did have a show and
a show that proved entertaining to over a thous
and people. "Mim" Zartman really did a good job
with the dance line, in fact I would go so far as
to say that some of the dancing was up to Thes
pian best. Jimmy Burden's musical arrangements
and his orchestra were also good. The staging of
the production left much to be desired, but it is
impossible to stage a musical revue without an
efficient stage crew, and men these days are
scarce.
On the whole Thespians are to be commended
for their brave effort in trying to keep their or
ganization going. If they succeeded in entertain
ing their audierice, why should we find fault.
There.is a place on this campus for musical shows.
In the past Thespians have produced some cred
itable entertainments, and, when conditions im
prove, they will probably do so again.
A. C. Cloetingh
• * 4
Campuseer
What started out to be a quiet enjoyable weekend woune p . with
some excitement after all. On the black side of the ledger the • was a
pretty good variety show, with the piano playing of Marine.indrew
Linn furnishing, for us, the high spot of the evening. There were some
other good things, too, although the skits were as bad as Mr...;Tucker
made them out to be when he delivered an apology midwai ; in the
show, saying, "The best we can say for them is that they areshort."
But in spite of the skits, the show was good.
But what started the battle that has climaxed this week 14 a lot
of hard feelingS was a review in Collegian last Friday. of the, 7he.s
plan Show of a week or so ago. The reporter who wrote the {article,
and we are willing to take an oath that we were at the desk when the
piece was handed in, didn't like the show and said so. In that point
of view she is not alone, for there have been many who sa.o they
thought the show was not well done, to put it politely,. •
So now before we consign the whole subject to oblivion; until .
the next production comes around, we'd like to add our two cents and
see if we can't clarify the situation, at least as far as we are conferned.
Several months ago, when the announcement of the postpon‘ment
of the show was made, we had made a facetious remark in a iplumn
we wrote and the editor cut it because she said she had agreed hot to
pan Thespians. So Collegian said nothing except the usual ;stories .
before the performance and weregenerous in the apace giveh4•How
ever, by refraining from judgment or comment before the aliovif,in no
way bound the paper to pat the boys. and girls on the beak •afid tell
them how wonderful they are if they are not. And that is onilques
tion we are not going to attempt to decide. We know what per
sonally think, and we know what we've heards others say.
.±.!
But the point we want to make is this: Thespians puton , 4phow,
and they advertised' in advance that it was a Thespian 'pr9difetion,
which in years past has meant a certain kind of entertainmenti;They
charged a good. price , for the evening's. entertainment and: jellow
who laid a buck and a half on the line had a right to expect some
thing more than a hodge-podge. And there is the crux of the matter.
Most of the people to whom we've talked, said that in itself, the show.
was not so bad when all the angles were considered. ; But who, they
ask, wants to look at the angles at $1.50 .a couple. They want ;to see,
a show, and of the best.
Perhaps it smacks of hind-sight, but we'd be willing to bet, there
would have been much more applause and commendation for the
Thespians, and much less of the "It Stank" kind.if ' Thespiani'had
been frank about all the angles in the first place. We all knew that
talent is scarce, that men are hard to find to work on the crews which
are necessary fora smooth production, and when it 'is presented as
such, the audience knows what to expect and is not disappointed.
Mr. Cloetingh of Players expressed his high opinion of TheSpians
for carrying on, in spite of all the handicaps and we, agree with•: him
that they are to be commended for their work in trying, to keep: alive
an old Penn State tradition. But we feel, too, that periiapsthey. have
been too ambitions, and not realizing fully the exact extent of .their
limitations, have lowered the prestige of their organization withlhis
last show.
And to briefly repeat ourselves, Thespians' show was good, 'son-_
sidering the situation, but it was N. G. for the tariff at the door.
collegiate Review
Goon: "What are you pouring
whisky in yoUr Victory 'garden
for?"
Moron: "We planted tomatoes,
and I want them to grow up
stewed."
—The Gamecock of
U. of So. Carolina
IMMII=3
Taken from a freshman test
paper; A morality play in which
the characters are goblins, ghosts,
virgins, and other supernatural
characters.
* *
"Damn a prof that gives a quiz
on Monday morning."
"Damn a prof that gives a quiz
on Monday."
"Damn a prof that gives a quiz."
"Damn a prof."
"Damn."
—University of Washington
"Columns"
lIMMEI
A pretty coed In a pretty sleek
suit was quietly sipping a coke in
a local drug store when a friend
ly soldier told her that she was
from New York. After a while
she - learned that he had been em
ployed making slack suits for a
factory that sold merchandise to
only New York stores. He recog
nized the style, put two and two
together, and came out with a
telephone number.
"The Pitt News"
I:l==3
Coeds at Montana University
don't IWkeye Ipyat y tam, sight.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1944
By 808 KIMMEL•
Despite•the wartime trend, they're
in no rush to get married. The S -e
facts are revealed in a campus .
survey of attitudes toward engage
ment and marriage in a sociology
class titled "The Family."
The conclusions were based on
answers of 95 university women
proportionately allocated among
the four college classes. The aver
age age of the group was..l9.
A romantic 18 per cent of those•
questioned looked upon "love at
first sight" as a requisite to a
happy marriage,' but an• impres
sive 82 per cent thought there's
nothing to it.
—Wataugan
The professor's secretary saw a
magnificent blond carrying some
paper enter the office smiling
sweetly.
"Listen, ya lousey coed," snarled
the jealous secretary, "if •ya try to
muscle in on my territory, I'll
plant you among the potatoes." •
"Hell, don't mind me," answer
ed the other, "I'm only the profes
sor's wife."
Mother: Do You know where
naughty girls go?
Daughter: Yes, everywhere.
The real trouble with our youth
of today is that they.were aid out
the night before. •.•
Ka.l4ga,r4. o '
9,4 4 . r 4 ii" t 4 - 4 A 4 A t
—Texas Ranger
Cl==:l
—Sundial
EM=l