PACE TWO The Dally Collegian Editorial Page Udnnriain and eolumne appearing in The Dally Collegian repreeent the oplnlona at Iha writer. They make na data ta reflect atadent or ITnlre ratty eonoenaua. Unatrnad editerlale are written fey the edtteek Worth $1000? Is Penn State getting its money’s worth from its NSA affiliation? National Student Association dues and convention expenses will consume $lOOO of the 1948-49 Interclass Finance budget. Penn State has been instrumental in the forma tion and growth of NSA, nearly from its inception, and has compiled an enviable record of participa tion and leadership in conventions and in the re gional and national organization. But of what use is all this prestige to the indi vidual students who compose NSA, and for whose benefit NSA exists? The ultimate worth of NSA can be measured only on the basis of concrete accomplishments on each individual campus. Granted the local committee has consumed much time and energy planning for the year’s pro gram and the regional assembly, as well as con ducting many surveys, what has it done to im prove the College? If NSA is to fulfil its proper function as an association of students, it must create student interest in itself. To do this, a program of action, properly publicized, is absolutely necessary. What happened to the publicity campaign and the membership drives? Why have the delegates to the national assembly failed to prepare reports for publication in Collegian? All-College Cabinet, as the sponsor and patron of NSA on this campus, cannot be relieved of the responsibility for ascertaining that Penn State students are receiving full value from the NSA appropriation. The Public Grows Up Whether we like it or not, the picket line, like sex, is here to Indeed, one might go so far as to call this the “Age of the Picket Line.” The picketing by the NAACP to protest refusal of State College barbers to cut the hair of Negroes is nothing new; for the past several years the picket line has no longer been confined to the working men striking for higher wages, but has teen employed by numerous groups wishing to get a message across to the public. Student picketing has almost been the vogue for the last few years. In addition, white-collar employees, such as those in the stock exchange, have hit the pavements carrying signs and hurling cat calls at scabs. Even men of the cloth have joined the lines and have taken an active part in picketing. Men, women, and sometimes even children, have registered their protest against situations or events in this way. AH in all, it’s a good sign; it augers well for the future. Picket lines, when they become so widely-spread, begin to indicate the de gree to which the public is beginning to come to grips with the problems that face it, problems which usually would go unnoticed ,-ave by a few avid reformers. Once the people take a more active interest in the conditions which surround them—the conditions which, by constituting their environment, play a great role in shaping individual lives and atti tudes—then the alert public will begin to look after its own in terests and take action to protect those interests. So don”t be disturbed about the picket lines. They’re merely symptom of a populace finally coming of age. Kr -O W * ' v ’ 'j " w "S@sSS^? '• :, s^^?SJc7] ife, fC-' *r ' pip till- And he sent forth a dove... PteilSW*: /-v 1 * '~mmo*~rr* £ \sf /* ; '.^V \'V'v<U.":v • ' ■ ■ oc. : ‘ '/ V* —L. D. Gladfelter Site Safety VaL • Because of the controversial nature and extreme importance of the subject matter (and the availability of space), letters exceeding the 200-word limit have not been cut. Annual Bandwagon TO THE EDITOR: Every year the Penn State student body gets on a bandwagon—And every years end sees that same bandwagon stuck in the mire that results when the members fail to think out the broad scope of the problems at hand. Now you have a boycott of barbers . . . Swell! The correction of a problem starts at home, not on alien ground—And I for one have seen no local person in the picket line. If these so-called reformers are truly against discrimination they will refuse to live in fraterni ties, sororities or rooming houses which hold dis criminatory practices. I don’t imagine they’ll do this because it would directly jar their comfortable way of life. I guess over 70 % are at present paying for the privilege of living in discriminatory sur roundings. “Don’t cut your hair here—wait till you go home!” Don’t make me laugh. Do you all come from non-discriminating home towns? I doubt it. I hope all the girls who are picketing stop going to their home town barber shops and beauty par lors, if they find out discrimination exists in any single one of them. . . . I also hope no one else will be led into the glamour of your first picket line job with discrimi nation as your excuse. It is far more serious than just joking in front of a barber who is only pro tecting his business. Only through education and evolution, not revolution, will this deep rooted problem be settled. Don’t, by any means, let nature take its slow course. Hold educational sessions here and at home. Meat with your own Chamber of Commerce and try to amiably solve your home town discrimi natory problems in an intelligent, lasting way. When you feel like carrying signs—show up at next years “Beat Pitt” Rally! I’m sure your efforts will really be appreciated then. —Mike L. Horen, '4B. Where the $ Goes TO THE EDITOR: In Wednesday's Collegian it is stated that “if the men (who eat in the Nittany Dining Hall) had a good explanation of where the money goes they would be satisfied.” Undoubtedly some of us would be pleased to learn that we are contributing to a fund for The Society of Aged and Indigent Dieticians and Dining Hall Super visors, or some such worthy cause. The real issue, however, seems to be the indis pqtable fact that we are paying for something we do not receive. To illustrate, let me cite the cur rent month. In December, we shall pay $5O for food and $2O for lodging despite the fact that the vast majority of students will not be here for half of this month. In short, we shall pay $25 for food we will not receive and $lO for beds we will not sleep in. It is common knowledge that the living expenses of a student living in town or Tri-Dorms are less than ours m spite of the fact that, judged on the basis of cost, meals in the Nittany Dining Hall suffer by comparison both in quality and quantity. Still I believe most of us feel the exorbitant rates are compensated by the privilege of living in the “spacious” rooms of Nittany Dorms and dining in the "homelike” atmosphere of the mess hall. It will be interesting to note, however, if anyone can satisfactorily explain this assessing of almost half a month’s subsistence without apparent justi fication. From time to time, the Collegian publishes edi torials decrying the lack of school spirit here at State. I ask you. in all fairness, can any student display school spirit under an administration FRIDAY. DECEMBER IT 1! Driving Company Heh! Heh! Heh! Go ahead and eat those words. So you thought it didn’t seem enough like Christ mas without snow. Well, I did you a short favor, I talked to the people on the top floor about send ing a little "atmosphere.” Have to admit, though, that I did have a slightly selfish motive. After all, it would have been a rather dull holiday without all this slippery stuff on the streets. Who am I? Well, I am quite a celebrity. In fact I’ll go as far as to say that you’ll read more about me in the city newspapers than any other "Wheel.’* Sometimes I just rate a bunch of little one column notices, and sometimes I’m flattered with a blazing banner headline. You really are quite fortunate to meet me . . . it’s a thrill you experience only once in a . ... lifetime. Say you’re ready to go now? Let’s see . . . 224 miles . . . hmmm . . . that should take about four hours. Come on, come on, pass that “Dull Tool.” You’ll never make any time behind this . . . er . . . funeral . . . procession. Truck in the other di rection? I’ll bet your life you can make it. Tell those people in the back seat to shut up. Who’s driving this car anyway? them ... or Us? See? You’re O.K. so far. Watsa matter? You’re not going to “goof off” going down this hill are ya? You’ll never kill any time this way. The ice? Aw you’re a good driver. Car’s spinning? What’dya know. Re-lax, there’s nothin’ you can do now. Well, isn’t that a shame ... no railing on the side of the road . . . pretty good little drop too. See you down-stairs, friend. Heh !Heh! Heh! I can just see it, “Death (that’s me, by the way) takes five students.” What an operator, what an operator! which is obviously working overtime devising new ingenious methods for “extracting its pound —John Peri cola. • The editor, who lives and eats downtown, has been ignorant of reader Pericola's "com mon knowledge" of the comparative costs, quality and quantity of meals downtown and '.'on the Hill." As to the "indisputable facts" about value re ceived, we are unable to say, since we .are not yet acquainted with the true facts. The findings of the All-College Cabinet food committee will receive the fullest publicity, however. Colossal Nerve TO THE EDITOR: NAACP, incited by irre sponsible leaders whose names are familiar as leaders of last year’s Y.P.C.A., took an irrespon sible, rash step without any regard for more capa ble, intelligent groups already in the field and now has the colossal nerve to demand that all respec table organizations back up their action or be counted Jim Crows. Is a doctor expected to prescribe any old medi cine if he is not sure of the correct one simply on the grounds that some medicine is better than none at all? NAACP is trying to force medicine down the throat of a patient not yet ready for it, and if they succeed, that medicine will be vomited up in the near future with explosive force and tragic results. . T h ? boycott has only served to crystallize oppo sition and cannot hope to achieve permanent re sults. It is a minority weapon and therefore can pot expect support from organizations that exist by reason of a system of government based on majority rule through legislative action. Christian students, who do not believe that the end justifies the means, know that racial discrimination must be wiped out of the hearts of men by true faith m Christ. P,S. Collegian is violating the tradition of dem ocratic newspapers by not restricting its views to the editorial page. 'Erotic ' Lights TO THE EDITOR: Regarding the headline in Tuesday’s Collegian: lights are only "erotic” when turned off. _ —Jim Heinly. • Reader Heinly is so right! "erotic: tending to excite sexual desire."—Webster. Collegian Gazette College Hospital Admitted Wednesday: Claire Dunkleberger. Admitted Thursday: Judith PoKempner. Discharged Thursday: John Karcha, Joseph O’Donnell, Martin Garflnkel, Inge Hoffman, Eve lyn Smith, Robert Patton. At the Movies CATHAUM—Johnny Belinda. NITTANY—SiIver River. STATE—Christopher Blake. latly Collegian Successor to THE nil LANCE. sst. 13(7 Published Tuudiy through Saturday mornings (neluslvs dar* 111 tbs Collegs year by the itaff of The Dally Collegian of Tbo Pannaylvania State College. Entered aa eeeond claaa Matter July I. 1934. at the State Collage, Pa.. Poet OJflae ondar tfca 'ct of If arch S. 1179. Subaarig iooa It a earn eater, (4 tb* lehoo) year. Editor Lew Stono STAFF THIS ISSUE Niwi Editor Copy Editor I.’ Ed Weteaa Aaalatanta —Jo Fox. —Joseph F. Albert. Business Manages Vance C. Klepper ... Past El»esb»r»
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers