The Daily Collegian Editorial Page
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PAGE TWO
Everyone's Problem
Racial discrimination is everyone’s problem.
All persons sincerely opposed to the practice of
categorizing and discriminating against minority
groups on superficial grounds should join in the
organized display of public opinion by refusing to
have their hair cut in barber shops which deny
service to Negroes.
This is not a mailer for idealists, dreamers
and other underdogs alone, but is the concern
of all decent-minded persons believing in the
basic tenets of democracy.
Leaders in all fields —-academic, religious, hon
orary, civic, governmental, administrative, busi
ness, service—should take positive stands support
ing the boycott.
Influential student groups can help to bring the
boycott to a speedy, and successful, end by urging
the students they represent to stand on the right
side of the Jim Crow fence.
Among these are All-College Cabinet, Interfra
ternity Council, Association of Independent Men,
Panhellenic Council, Leonides, the seven school
student councils, Windcrest Borough Council,
Women’s Student Government Association and
Women’s Recreation Association, Pollock Circle,
Nittany and West Dorm councils and all honor
aries and clubs.
Yet the problem is more than a student one.
Why has the administration maintained a
"hands-off" attitude? Support of the American
Association of University Professors would be
helpful. If the boycott has not been settled be
fore the next College Senate meeting, its voice
would be influential.
The Borough of State College has an even
greater stake in the elimination of discrimination
than students. The cooperation of the Borough
Council, the Commerce Club and the newly-formed
Junior Chamber of Commerce, should be expected.
Where are the religious groups? In a field
which lies at the very heart of religious credoes,
churches, student fellowships and the Penn State
Christian Association have been woefully silent.
Then there are groups and individuals who
disagree with the present method of action. The
editor, himself, belongs in that group, yet he
cannot stand idly by, in reading to applaud an
olhers' success or cry "I told you so" at their
failure.
It is senseless for organizations trying to accom
plish the same end to weaken their cause by
working at cross purposes. Collegian, therefore,
although not agreeing wholeheartedly with the
programs of either CORE or NAACP, has endorsed
both, on the chance that either may succeed.
One thing each of us must not forget is that
the fight against discrimination is a struggle for
something to which the Negro is already entitled
—equality, and the chance for each member of the
race to be accepted on his own individual merits.
Nor is the boycott a fight against the barbers,
but a concrete assurance that public opinion
whole-heartedly favors equality in barber shops.
Formula for Death
Too many people think of accidents as some
thing that always happen to someone else. But
remember you can’t read your own obituary.
Are you the guy who brags about your record
time in getting home? Keep it up, buddy, and
you’ll have two records when you cross the finish
line in the race against time . . . and one of them
will be filed with the insurance company.
If you took a few drops of poison in your tea
every night, you know you’d eventually drop dead.
Of course, that’s a silly statement for no one in
their right mind is going to keep dosing himself
with deadly dope. Yet, apparently sane, you may
be giving yourself regular treatments of deadly
driving.
Here is a formula for a potion which “you can’t
feel at all” until it “hits you”:
one pari, playing lag with pedestrians
two parts, testing the speedometer on slippery
grades
one part, trying to beat the light
three parts, playing "I'll gel there first" with
other students from your home town
one part, weaving in and out to get ahead of
those slow oafs.
Mix well and season with alcohoL
Remember, spending an hour more to get home,
may mean 50 years more before you reach your
final home. Stop paying up the premiums on your
death policy.
(Pjr laihj Collegian
Suecruo, M THE FREE LANCE. »U 188 T
Published Tuesday through Saturday morninKß inclusive dur*
ing the College jear by the staff of The Daily Collegian of The
Pennsylvania State College. Entered as second class matter
July 6. 1934. at the State College. Pa.. Poi»t Office under the
*et of March 3. 1879. Subscrip ions —s2 a semester. $4 the
ichi'o! year.
Represented for national advertising by National Advertis
ing Service, M adiiori Ave., New York, N.Y. Chicago, Boston
i,os Angeles, San Francisco.
Editor
Lew Sioite
Managing Ed., Elliot Shapiro; News Ed., Malcolm Whits;
Sports Ed., Tom Morgan; Edit. Dir. Avni Gcrton; Feature Ed.,
Jo Fox: Society Ed., Frances Keeney; Asst. Soc. Ed.,
Neville; Photo Ed.. Betty Gibbons; Promotion Mgrr., Seims
/ a s ofaky; Senior Board, Claire Lee.
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Managing Edjtor
News Editor
Copy Editor -
Assistants . . _
Assistants
Advertising Manages
Business Manager
Vance C. Klepper
George Vadaas
Bill Dickson
... .. , Charlotte Seldman
Heleti McNally, Norman Goode,
Janet Rosen, Joe Coppa
Norm Berish, June Snyder.
Marian Goldman
.. Ruth fideUieia
'Havon't you one that's a little lower?*
Artistry and Precision
An innovation was crowned with outstanding success last Sat
urday. It promises, in fact, to become an annual, traditional part of
Penn State’s Christmas observance.
Fifteen minutes before the performance began, an overflow
crowd had assembled in Schwab Auditorium, and others were being
turned away. Best of all, the Chapel'Choir’s first Midnight Christmas
Worship Service was presented with precision and artistry, sending
its audience away with a sense of true pleasure.
Scheduled as it was for 11 p.m. on a Saturday, there were seri
ous misgivings among some of those who staged the service that it
might be poorly attended.
It might also be noted that most of the same program was to be
presented at the regular Chapel service the following morning. It
is a tribute to the town-wide reputation of the choir for a con
sistently artistic program that ushers were forced to close the doors
long before the service began.
To the choir, for its voluntary extra rehearsal and uniformly
fine performance, to soloist Rebecca Griffin and trumpeter Russell
Nickerson, to organist George Ceiga, to acting Chaplain James T.
Smith, to department-head Hummel Fishbum, and particularly to
director Mrs. Willa Taylor, a low bow.
Corner Rumors
This is the season when people sing, “Sleigh bells ring . . . are
you list’ning? In the lane . . . snow is glist’ning.” The weather calen
dar may be a little confused this year but the song “Winter Won
derland” is as much a holiday ritual as Santa. Richard (Chang)
Smith ’26 wrote it.
The Thespian show “The Kid, Himself” was written by Chang
. . . and Chang was just a kid, himself . . . big and blond, curly
headed, loaded with self-confidence and enthusiasm. Barnum was
his hero and show business the only thing that mattered.
Beats Bug
He was one of those people you can’t picture being sick. But
TB sent him to the sanatorium. Laughing at the bug’s attempt to
slow him down, Chang set up an office and began entering radio
and magazine contests . . . netting about $lOO monthly.
Well again, he invaded Tin Pan Alley, clicking with such songs
as “The Breeze,” “When a Gypsy Makes His Violin Cry,” and
finally “It Looks Like an Early Fall.”
1935 was an early fall ... for Chang. In the words of “Sock”
Kennedy, his classmate, “The Old Master called him last Saturday
night to write lyrics for that big song up there . . . and I know the
Kid will do it with plenty of confidence.”
In th* Groove Again
After 12 months, Petrillo and his boys have “O.K.’d” record
making by union musicians once more.
All but three states, Arizona, Nevada and North Dakota, are
represented in this year’s record enrollment. In selecting out-of
state enrollees (limited to five per cent of the total student body),
first preference is given to Naval ROTC applicants and second to
children of alumni.
Memo: A car trick may end in a grand slam. Give your
parents the best Christmas prssent . . . you.
'Carol' Presentation
Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” will
be presented in the Little Theatre
in Old Main at 7 p.m. Thursday
by the Dramatics 101 class. Georg
Miller plays Scrooge in the pro
duction.
—Malcolm White.
By Jo Fox
I. Bamberger
I. Bamberger and Co. will hold
its annual career open house lor
college seniors and faculty near
the employment office on Bam
berger’s ninth floor, Dec. 27
through 31, at 10 a.m. and 2:30
p.m.
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER US.
When State Was Small
Many years ago when Penn State was srpall
and cohesive, deans could sit down with all the
students and profs of his school to discuss their
mutual problems. . x .
Now that the College has grown into a true
university, such a friendly, informal and personal
procedure is impossible. For this reason school
student councils came into being and serve a vital
function. . .. .
School councils represent the interests of their
fellow students, who elect them. Theirs is the
task of considering, discussing and attempting to
solve mutual scholastic and welfare problems.
By compiling legitimate and constructive criti
cisms of curricula, courses and methods of instruc
tion, studying them, and presenting proposed im
provements to the schools dean, they perform a
valuable service to the school and the entire
College.
Their representation on All-College Cabinet
makes student councils especially important as
sounding boards of “grass-roots’* student opinion.
To stimulate student interest in their school’s
council, the Daily Collegian plans to publish a
series of articles telling something about the
make-up, function, projects and personnel of each
council, immediately after the Christmas holidays.
It is hoped that increased knowledge will foster
active participation by a greater number of stu
dents. Action is a prerequisite for a worthwhile
council.
Z)k. Safety VaL
A Repudiation
TO THE EDITOR: In yesterday’s Collegian
there was a statement issued by the American
Veterans’ Committee Executive Board to which
my name was signed. Since I was not consulted
in the final composition of the letter, I wish to
publicly repudiate this statement. Furthermore, T
should .like to explain my disagreements in order
to clarify my position and that of those with whom
X
we have favored a picket line and boycott since
March, 1946, at a time when the large number of
combat veterans present at State College would
have aided victory. However since a majority of
those, not only in AVC, but other campus organi
zations favored a more “peaceful” approach, we
accepted their decisions. When CORE was set up
we again urged direct action, but were rebuffed
by the majority. This fall CORE accepted eur
proposal for setting, a time limit; the non-discrim
inatory barber shop was to have been established
by January 1949. If this failed to materialize, we
intended to initiate our program of boycott and
picket line with or without them.
In the meantime, the NAACP decided to act
immediately, compelling us to make a prompt de
cision. Because the AVC letter implied my per
sonal preference for a non-discriminatory Bhop,
which is not so, and was published without nly
prior knowledge, I feel it necessary to refute that
statement unequivocally.
Movies-Barbershopt?
TO THE EDITOR: About a year ago, a great
stir was created in State College concerning Sun
day movies. Today a much more fundamental iapue
is being brought to our attention—Will Negroes
be served in town barber shops? The question of
keeping the movie houses open or shut oh Sunday
seems to be completely dwarfed by this more
immediate problem of sheer common decenCy that
one wonders why the Churches of this community
have had so little zeal for this more fundamental
issue.
Let the Churches speak out one-half as
vehemently for the rights of fellow men as they
did against Sunday entertainment, and we can
stop boycotting and start being civilized.
—Two names withheld.
Collegian Gazette
Wednesday, December 15
CHESS Club, 3 Sparks, 7 p.m.
CAMPUS Center Club, 418 Old Main, 7:30 p.m.
EDUCATION Student Council, 125 Sparks, 8:i0
p.m.
IFC, 405 Old Main, 7:15 p.m.
College Hospital
Admitted Monday: Hudson Grotzinger, Robert
Patton, John Karcha.
College Placement
Hagan Corp., December 15 and 16, eighth semes
ter men in EE, ME, Sanitary Eng, Ceramics, Chem
Eng, and Chem.
Piaseck Helicopter Corp., December 17, eighth
semester men in AE and ME.
Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Co., December 16,
eighth semester MB, EE, Miping Eng, Architec
tural Eng, CE.
Supplee-Wllls-Jones Milk Co., December 17,
eighth semester men in Dairy Huabanchy.
Long Island Lighting Co., December M, eighth
semester, in EE and ME for public utility work.
Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., December 16, eighth
semester, lE, EE, ME, Chem Eng, and Ceramics.
Training program in industrial engineering. Will
lead to factory technical assignments. Few open
ings in maintenance.
At the Movies
CATHAUM—The Night Has a Thousand %ee.
STATE—lsn’t It Romantic.
NITTANY —Jenny U Mow.
—Leo Trey.