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 redact student or University roooemoork, Unsigned editorials are written by the editor.
Look Around!
Have you looked at your campus lately? You
should, because it looks like hell.
Papers, cigarette butts and wrappers, match
books, candy wrappers and old newspapers com
prise an unflattering covering of much of the
campus greensward, especially near the most
travelled walks.
Although the department of physical plant is
charged with the removal of this unsightly and
totally unnecessary litter, the students have an
even greater responsibility to prevent its accumu
lation in the first place.
Furthermore, the students should have a greater
personal interest and pride in the appearance of
their campus; poor impressions reflect on them
as individuals.
Perhaps Cabinet could enlarge the scope of the
keep-off-the-grass committee to include a study
of the best way to stimulate a healthy pride in
campus beauty.
At the same time, its name could be changed to
a more dignified and positive-sounding one like
"campus beauty" committee.
Yet history shows rather conclusively that the
formation of a Cabinet committee never solves a
problem by itself. Student support and active,
willing participation are absolutely essential.
University of Wisconsin students were shamed
into a realization of the disgraceful condition of
their campus lawns by the pupils of a neighbor
ing grade school. That shouldn't be necessary here.
Maybe you are too busy to notice your own
campus, but visitors are not. And they carry
memories of what they see, long after they've
gone.
My Country—Right?
Through the ages, men have been stirred to
thought or action by the sentiments of nationalistic
or patriotic feelings.
Nationalist feelings have even been granted
priority in some quarters over any and all other
loyalties. It was Stephen Decatur who once said,
"My country right or wrong."
Experience has proved these sentiments to be
among the factors leading to international strife
and war. Surely these unfortunate experiences
should serve to prove the necessity for recognizing
some higher loyalties than the tics of nationalism.
But in The Sunday Bulletin we read, "His loyal
ty to his country is of course the supreme obliga
tion," and again, "The test for the good citizen of
every other loyalty is whether it is consistent with
loyalty to his country."
It was speaking, of course ,of the good citizen
of the United States. And yet the actions of dis
loyal persons to other nations and other causes is
condoned and even lauded.
The Bulletins sentiments are to be regarded as
unfortunate, especially if wholly sincere, for if re
ligious, should we not recognize our supreme loyal
ty to our God? And if not religious, can we find no
higher loyalties to our fellow man, to progress, to
some other worthwhile principle which transcends
narrow political boundaries?
Let us rather say, "My country—let us examine
as intelligent citizens whether it is right or wrong,
so that it is more likely to be right, and so we can
correct it if it should be wrong."
End of an Era
Yesterday's sudden report of the decision of
John Lawther to retire from the position of head
coach of Penn State's basketball team came as a
complete surprise to some people and a shock to
others who had come to regard the 49-year-old
court campaigner as a State trademark.
Certainly one of the most colorful and talked
about mentors in the game, Lawther in leaving the
coaching lines marks an end to one of the most
controversial eras in State athletic history.
Lawther's system of possession ball long has
been the main forte of student and alumni wolves
who have been snarling more than ever over Penn
State's court record this year.
But anyone who has been a little closer than
the average fan to the inner mechanism of recent
Lion cage outfits will attest that, while not com
piling an outstanding record, the much debated
sliding-zone and set-play systems have paid off.
Only recently Staff Cassell, coach of American
University, paid Lawther one of the finest tributes
that one coach can make of another when he said:
"With the material Lawther is given to work with,
he is the finest coach in the country."
As strict and tough a disciplinarian as can be
found (as any former Lawther-coached player will
admit), there isn't one courtster who will not grant
that Lawther was as straight-forward and ethical
in his methods as a preacher.
While he expected a lot from his athletes he
wouldn't hesitate an instant in getting out with
the boys to show them the correct way to execute
a particularly tough maneuver.
Just what Lawther's departure will mean to
future State cage teams one cannot say at the mo
ment, but that the greying mentor has left his mark
on the game's style of play is a matter of undis
puted record.
AT THE MOVIES
CATHALIM—John Loves Mary
STATE—Return of October.
NITTANY—Reci. Head.
—Sian Degler
From there the event goes on to its logical conclusion bolstered
by threats of heavy fines and dire punishments for absences on both
sides. Some members of both groups are undoubtedly missing, be
cause each announcement of a forthcoming tea causes grandmothers
to die en masse, and of necessity the unfortunate grandchildren
must hurry to their deceased relative's bier.
But for the bulk of the men and women remaining in State Col
lege, the affair is begun. As one sorority president exclaimed,
"Damn the drips, girls, full speed ahead." And with smiles fastened
to their pusses they plunge into the social maelstrom like one of
King Arthur's knights out to rescue a fair damsel.
FOR THE NEXT TWO OR THREE HOURS the fraternity be
comes a mad whirl of conversation, dancing, bridge games, and if
you can find the stuff, punch-drinking. Finally, after the sorority
president feels the gals have been there for a suitable time she
gives the high sign and one by one they steal away like wraiths in
the night, later to meet in the Corner Room to discuss the ordeal.
Very few persons of either sex that I've talked to really enjoy
the teas. For some strange reason boys would rather meet girls
outside of a formal gathering and vice versa. But still, week after
week, semester after semester, year after year, the practice
—Ray Koehler I continues.
©,fvf ar,ratio .14i.;•••PAwirs
Your Lion
LAST SUNDAY I had the fortune, whether it be good or mis,
to participate in one of the greatest hoaxes ever perpetrated on
unsuspecting fraternities and sororities. I am speaking now of the
Sunday afternoon "tea."
Why they call those afternoon tete-a-teies "teas" in the first
place has always amazed me. Of all the many liquids served at
the affairs I have either attended or heard about. tea is the one
beverage that is NOT in attendance.
Usually the refreshments consist of some muddy-looking, vile
smelling liquid labeled punch and stale cake that looks as if it spent
its best years on an anonymous bakery shelf.
The cake bears upon its droopy icing the proud standard of
Sigma Epsilon Xi (or whatever the name of the fraternity throwing
the affair may be) and if the house treasury is in good condition the
social chairman may go hog wild and order the sorority's emblem
to be put on the cake also. The latter condition, of course, is the
epitome of good taste and every house that can afford the expense
of the extra icing decorations does so.
When came the idea of staging these fiascoes, and from what
dmented brain they first emerged, will probably never be known.
Suffice to say, like the poor they are always with us. And progres
sive though we may be in other ways, no responsible person would
DREAM of tampering with the accepted social order—especially at
Penn State.
WITH VARIATIONS, all "teas" follow . the same general pat
ern. Some go off better than others. Some worse. But broadly speak
ing they're all alike.
First the social chairman of Sigma Epsilon Xi calls the social
chairman of Kappa Gamma Knish, and in his most suave manner
invites the entire charming group of girls to the Sigma Ep house
the following Sunday afternoon so that the two groups may be
come mutually acquainted.
Miss Kappa Gain accepts in her most gushy, simpering mannel.
and assures Mr. Sigma Ep that "our girls are just dying to meet the
handsome, debonair Sigma Ep boys we've heard so-o-o-o much
about."
Men grit their teeth and attempt to be "handsome, gay, and
debonair." Women smile and do their darnedest to be "lovely, gra
cious, and charming." Neither group quite succeeds.
Did someone ask why they continue to torture each other? You
tcy and fleece ik out!
By Red Roth
TrL
z:,. i . :ti;_ .- i,.:1::.1.X1
TO THE EDITOR AND MR. GLADFELTER:
With reference to Mr. L. D. Gladfelter's editorial,
"Our New Morality," in the March 4 issue of the
Collegian:
Mr. Gladfelter takes issue with the U.S. policy
in Frankfurt of shutting off food, water, and elec
tricity from the Soviet repatriation mission, after
said mission had refused orders from the U.S.
Military commander in Germany to leave the
U.S. Zone.
To quote Mr. Gladfelter:
"This is, in the final analysis, the same starva
tion program practiced by the Nazis—one which
we decried bitterly."
Possibly so, but with a few differences:
1. The Soviet mission had had ample notice
that it would not be allowed in the U.S. Zone
after March 1. While the mission claimed that it
could not leave without orders from the supreme
Soviet commander, the idea seemed to be that the
Russians were going to flout U.S. authority and
see what happened. They promptly found out.
2. Mr. Gladfelter's allegations concerning the
Nazis are interesting, but not necessarily accu
rate. The people who made up the Soviet mission
could have, at any time after the blockade was
imposed, left and even had transportation pro
vided for them by the U.S. government—had they
chosen to accept it. I doubt very much if any
prisoner in a Nazi concentration or prisoner -of
war camp would have been allowed to leave at
will—to say nothing of having the German gov
ernment provide transportation to the nearest
source of food and water.
Some one once said that the cardinal sin in
journalism is to assume.
This writer assumes that Mr. Gladfelter was
assuming all over the place.
Collegian Gazette
ENGINEERING Student Council, 106 Main Eng,
6:45 p.m.
COLLEGIAN Ad Staff, 2 CH, 7 p.m.
NAVAL Electronics Warfare Unit, 200 Eng E,
7:30 p.m.
SKULL and Bones, 417 Old Main, 7:30 p.m.
PENN STATE Grange, Installation of Officers,
100 Hort, 7 p.m.
PSCA Commission Meetings, 304 Old Main,
7:30 p.m.
WRA Bridge Club, WH playroom, 7 p.m.
WRA Fencing, 1 WH, 7 p.m.
WRA Bowling, WH, 6:30 p.m.
PENN STATE Bible Fellowship Meetings, +l7
Old Main, 12:45 p.m.; 409 Old\ Main, 3 p.m.
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., March 10 and
11, June grads in IE for management training,
high grades are a requisite.
Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corp., March 10 and 11,
June grads in CE, lE, ME, EE, Metallurgy, and
Ceramics.
Union Carbide & Carbon Corp., March 9, June
grads in EE, ME. Chem Eng, and Chem.
Cleveland Graphite Bronze Co., March 10 / June
grads in ME, Met, interested in the automotive in
dustry; also June grads in Chem Eng and Chem
interested in the field of electro-chemistry.
West Penn Power Co., March 9 and 10, June
grads in EE, ME, and Ag Eng. Civil and indus
trial engineers for sales. Women June grads in
Home Ec.
J. C. Penney Co., March 10 and 11, June grads
interested in a career of retail merchandising.
Shell Development Co., March 14, candidates
for bachelors, masters and Ph.D. degrees in Chem,
Chem Eng, ME, and Ph.D. Metallurgist; women
chemists for library patent searching work.
Westinghouse Air Brake Co., March 14 and 15,
June grads in ME.
Procter & Gamble Co., March )4 and 15, June
grads With interest in field of selling and mer
chandising. Men to be selected on basis of their
ability to advance into positions of responsible su
pervision and sales management. Continual train
ing provided.
Hamilton Standard Propellers, March 29, six
months training program for Mechanical, E:ectri
cal and Aeronautical engineers.
Duquesne Light Co., March 14 and 15, June
grads for student engineer training course, in
ME, EE.
Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., March 16,
June grads in EE and ME interested in the elec
tric public utility field.
ER Elatig Collegian
Successor to THE FREE LANCE, est. IOST
Published Tuesday through Saturday mornings inclusive slur.
tug the College year by the stall' of The Daily Collegian of The
Penneylrani& State College. Entered se second class matter
July 5, 1934, at the State College, Pa., Post Office under qw
Act of March 3, 1579. Subscriptions $2 a exwmater. id this
school year.
Represented for national advertising AP National Aelvertio.
inn Service, Madison Ave.. New York, N.Y. Chicago, /Wen.
Los Angeles. San Francis o.
Editor
Lew Stone
s fasaitille Editor -- Barbars Bores
Neese Editor Nation Andorra&
Copy Editor
Assistant" Joe Copps., Gerald Hassell. !rod ROY
Illimiress SfiL Dos Rim Owe Dot liwire
TUESDAY MARCH 8 194
ne Said, Val.
A Few Differences
Tuesday. March 8
.41 COLLEGE PLACEMENT
411113111.8 Dinginess .
=Co C. 'mar
STAFF THIS ISSUE
—Donald E. Arian
871 vis Oases