PAGE TWO
The Daily Collegian Editorial Page
Editorials and columns appearing In The Daily Collegian represent the opinions of the writer. They make no claim to reflect student or Ilatvontty eensensons. Unsigned editorials are written by Dm odittna.
For Absentee Voting
About the middle of every October, as regu
larly as clock-work, many civic-minded Penn
State students get very much excited, and rightly
so, because they are denied sufficient opportunity
to participate in local, state and national elections.
REFUSAL OF THE COLLEGE SENATE to
suspend classes for the "first Tuesday after the
first Monday" every other year, gives the impres
sion that that august body does not attach suf
ficient importance to the most fundamental act
of democratic citizenship.
Yet the previously-mentioned agitation is, we
feel, as mis-directed and as poorly-timed as its
purpose is justifiable.
Considerable time, study, energy and argument
are consumed in the preparation of the College
calendar. Students should not expect it to be
changed on a moment's notice, even for such a
worthwhile cause.
HOWEVER, THE GRANTING of an election
day "holiday" is, at best, only a poor remedy for
a grievous omission from the Pennsylvania
election laws. ' That is, a provision for absentee
voting by college and university students.
Higher education is becoming more and
more prominent on the American scene: college
students and graduates should be among the
leaders in civic enlightenment and activity.
When students are exposed to a situation most
conducive to awareness about political issues, and
when they are learning the theory of representa
tive government, they should be encouraged to
participate in the practicum of voting.
POLITICALLY - MINDED ORGANIZATIONS
should seize this opportunity to work for a cor
rection of this fault. Now is the proper time, while
the legislature is in session. Yet the task will
probably be a long-range one, so the enthusiasm
should not lag in June.
Two groups immediately come to mind as
probably having an abiding interest in the
problem. Both have the advantage of affiliation
with numerous similar groups throughout the
state.
They are the Intercollegiate Conference on
Government and National Student Association.
They may count on support from us, should they
favor inaugurating a movement to adopt absentee
voting in Pennsylvania.
Silence Not Golden
It is not customary for a newspaperman to pub
licly criticize the editorial opinion of an associate,
but it is only fitting and proper that someone
should take exception to the editorial "Costly
Cheering" by George Vadasz in Tuesday's Col
legian.
One does not doubt Mr. Vadasz's sincerity in
writing the editorial. He expressed himself as a
true sportsman throughout, but what we contest
is the EIBA ruling concerning cheering at college
boxing performances.
I do not believe in unsportsmanlike conduct and
do not object to clauses in the rules regarding
sportsmanship. But I firmly believe that it is
against all laws of human nature to enforce a
rule against the practice of cheering at any sport
ing event.
Would the EIBA officials defeat the purpose—
or at least, one of the purposes—of intercollegiate
sports by enforcing this rule which in effect cur
tails our school spirit? Everyone knows that a
good, healthy cheer is a feature of the sporting
atmosphere. Why defeat this stimulating device?
It is furthermore my belief that if Mr. Taylor
were attending a boxing meet at which he were
not officiating, he, too, would be cheering. I am
not condemning Mr. Taylor's action—as an offi
cial he should abide by the rules—but I cannot
condone the shortsightedness of the EIBA officials
who enacted such a rule on
After all, college students are human—or at
least, allegedly so. I would be among the first to
lead a campaign to abolish—or at least, amend—
the EIBA rule against cheering. Such a cam
paign would be worthwhile in the light of some
petty campaigns that the College has heretofore
catered to.
Xlp Etatlg Collegian
Successor to THE FREE LANCE, est- 1887
Published Tuesday through Saturday morning* inclusive dug.
Ong the College year by the staff of The Daily Collegian of The
Pennsylvania State College. Entered str second class matter
July 15, 1934, at the State College, Pa., l'oot Office under the
Act of March 3, 1879. Subscriptions $3 a semester, 44 th e
%thee% year.
Represented for national advertising by National Advertle ,
tog Service, Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. Chicago. Boston.
i.eo Angeles, San Francisco.
Editor
Lew MOD*
-
Motioning Ed.. Arnold Genoa; News ltd., Malcolm White;
Soorto Ed., Toni Morgan; Feature Ed., Loretta Neville; Society
Ed, Prances Keeney; Asst. Soc. Ed. Claire Lee; Edit. Dir..
John Donnell; Betty Gibbons; Promotlon Co-Mgr., Dick Moor
man; Aut. NSW' Ed.. pot Hunsberger; Senior Board. Roseman'
Squißoni*.
Boa. Mgr.. Margaret Brecce; Adv. Director, George
Lotto; Local Adv. Mgr.. Louis Gilbert; Circ. Mgr. Brett Krim
irk; Class Adv. Mgr., Wilma Brehm; Personnel Mgr., June
Snyder; Promotion Co -Mgr., Marlin Weaver; Office Mgr.. John
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Mamas's! Editor George Vadass
News Editor ~... dart Senior
Cony Editor ___, _ . _ Myrna Tel
Aseletients _. . Jock Boddtwirton, Deande irobs. Stan Dealer
Advertising Manag Ed Hinkte
Assistant -----.--------_----- Marion Goldman
—Ray Banter.
Business Manager
Vence C. Klepper
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Know Your College
As the land-grant college of Pennsylvania, Penn State's primary
purpose is to serve the people and interests of the Commonwealth
and Nation.
PRIOR TO THE 1850's most higher education was furnished by
the classical colleges, with their emphasis on Greek and Latin and
neglect of practical studies, such as the sciences and agriculture.
For the lawyers, physicians and ministers who comprised
the bulk of the "'educated elite" in that era, this traditional
liberal arts training was adequate and satisfactory.
But with the industrial movement in the state came a rising
clamor for technical training and vocational education, to be made
available to the common man.
BECAUSE THIS REFORM MOVEMENT was, as usual, resisted
by the classical colleges, a small group of pioneering Pennsylvanians
established, in 1855, the Farmers' High School, "an Institution in
which youth may be educated so as to fit them for the livelihood of
a farmer,"
In 1862, by the Morrill Land-Grant Act. the federal govern
ment offered public lands to the states for the establishment of
colleges prOmoting "the liberal and practical education of the
industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life."
The endowment was given to the Farmers' High School the
following year by the Pennsylvania Legislature, which "pledged the
faith of the State . . . to carry the same into effect."
MEANWHILE. ITS NAME HAD BEEN CHANGED to The Agri
cultural College of Pennsylvania, in recognition of its true character,
and in anticipation of the passage of the Morrill Act, which had been
actively supported by friends of the infant College.
From the time of its birth as one of the first of the Land-Grant
colleges. Penn State's purpose has been to meet the changing
educational needs of everyday living.
It pioneered the development of experimental farms; offered the
first systematic curricula in engineering, mining and metallurgy;
early carried the resources of the College to every part of the State
by means of an extension service.
ITS RESEARCH STAFFS continually make significant contri
butions to the foundations of modern technology; its off-campus in
struction for freshmen, under over-crowded post-war conditions, iE
still unique.
Much of the philosophy expressed by President George W.
Atherton in his inaugural address has become a part of the solid
and broad foundation of the Penn State we know today.
He thought that changing conditions in life should be matched
by changes in education, and sought to equalize and integrate the
branches of learning related to agriculture and the mechanic arts,
as well as providing a liberal education for the industrial classes.
ACCORDING TO DR. ATHERTON'S CONCEPTION of the Col
lege's destiny, it was to become a great State university, reaching
out in all directions to render the greatest possible educational serv
ice to the people of the Commonwealth.
In the steady progress toward realization of this dream, the
College has expanded the scope of its services both horizontally and
vertically. Thus more citizens of the State have received direct bene
fits from Colleges activities, which have continuously increased in
diversity and scope.
That, after all, is the purpose of Penn Shift.
• With Monday being the day that old Dan'l Cupid runs amok,
we wonder whether he'll head for the marriage classes• ... Look out,
Dr. Adams and the School of Home Ecnosnica, You will be bowing
competition!
I. Founding, Purpose
Very Brief
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11
✓he Salety Valve
Letters to thy editor Inuit be signed for inclusion is tits
Safety Valve, although names will be withheld on request. Tele
phone numbers and addressee must be included to fastnesss
verification of authenticity of signatures. Letters a:needing
200 words in length may be cot when required by sag.
limitations.
'Phony Idealism'
TO THE EDITOR. •
"Costly Cheering":
Paul Gallico once called American colleges "the
last stronghold of hypocrisy." The Intercollegiate
Boxing Association rule forbidding applause or
cheering during progress of a round seems to bear
out this contention.
You can dress up the managers in tuxes, intro
duce the contestants as "Mr.", and call it "college
boxing," but basically it's still a brawl in which
two men are out to clobber each other as often
and as hard as possible.
Instead of berating the "juvenile minded" stu
dents who committed the unpardonable sin of
cheering for their favorites, why don't the edi
torialists exert some pressure on the EIBA. to have
this inane rule changed?
It's just possible that the "already shaky col
legiate boxing realm" is so because of its phony
idealism.
—Bill Welsh.
Disapprove Discrimination
TO THE EDITOR: Believing that the denial
of necessary personal services to individuals on
grounds of color is a violation of the Christian
principle of the brotherhood of man and the dem
ocratic principle of equality, the members of the
State College Roger Williams Fellowship (Baptist
youth group) hereby express their disapproval of
the existing policy of racial discrimination in local
barber shops.
--John W. Bacon, President.
—lra V. Brown. Vice-President.
—Shirley Robinson, Secretary.
—Robert fi. Eads, Adviser.
Collegian Gazette
Brief notices of meetings and other events must be submitted
to The Daily Collegian office in Carnegie Hall by 2 D.m. oil
the dm before the issue in which it is desired to appear.
Friday, February 11
College Hospital
Admitted Wednesday: Taylor Pott e r, Ruth
Melamed, Edward Smucker.
Discharged Thursday: Ida Greenberg.
College Placement
Combustion Engineering Co., February 21,
eighth semester in ME.
Bethlehem Steel Co., March 14 and 15, eighth
semester in ME, EE, lE, CE, ChE, MEng, Met, Cer.
Report to 204 Old Main to fill out preliminary ap
plication form.
General Motors Corp., February 21 and 22,
eighth semester candidates for B.S. Degrees in
ChE, ME, EE, TE, Met, CF. M.S. candidates in
Phys, ME, EE, IE, ChE. Ph.D. candidates in Phys.
Men with at least a 2.0 average completing junior
year in June 1949, men who graduate in June, but
plan to go on with graduate work, men who are
now doing graduate work and who are candidates
for M.S. degrees in 1950, for Summer Employment
ME, EE, ChE, Met.
SKF Industries, Inc., February 23, to interview
graduates for training in ME.
Koppers Company, February 24 and 25, June
grads in ME, IF„ CE, Chem Eng, Chem.
Humble Oil & Refinuing Co., February 22, June
grads with Ph.D., M.S., or B.S. degrees from Chem
Eng, Chem.
RCA, February 21 and 22, eighth semester stu
dents with degrees in ME, Physics, and EE.
Babcock & Wilcox Co., February 23, eighth se
mester students with degrees in ME, IE, Chem
Eng, Physics, CE, Metallurgy, Fuel Tech.
At the Movies
CA.THAUM—Words and Music.
STATE—HiIIs of Home.
NITTANY—Forever Amber.
Edit Briefs
Add Power of the Press: Some time ago, a Daily
Collegian edit brief decried the serving of cock
tails (grape juice and ginger-ale) in Atherton Halt
Recent investigation shows that while the same
beverage is being, served Sunday noon, it is no
longer called a cocktail. (How temperate can you
get?)
The government is trying to effect a divorce be
tween the American Telephone and Telegraph
Company and its manufacturing subsidiary, West
ern Electric Corporation. Such a breakup might
mean lower telephone rates, as Attorney General
Clarke says, but we'll bet it will take more than
this to change the rules governing the use of
dormitory phones.
The average age of Penn State seniors tops that
of their 1948 counterparts by nine months. But
there's a silver linin# the older they are, the
sooner they'll be eligible for social security bene
fits.
Word that McElwain Hall will not open until
September must have been a blow to long-suffer
ing men students who had hoped that the four-to
one ratio would be eased a bit by the opening of a
new women's dorm this spring. That ratio, incio
dentally, Seely proportional to 121118411 line
Re Tuesday's editorial,