<2lp Satlg Collegian SueeaMOr to THE FREE LANCE, est. 1887 Published Tuesday through Saturday mornings in clusive daring the College year by the staff of The Daily Collegian of The Pennsylvania State College. Entered as second-class matter July 5. 1934, at the State College, Pa„ Post Office under the aet of March 3, 1879. Collegian editorials represent the viewpoints of the writers, not necessarily *he policy of the newspaper. Unsigned edi torials are by the editor. Dean Gladfelter Editor •hsSsb** Managing Ed. John flalbor; News Ed., Stan Degler; Sports Ed., Ray Koehler; Edit. Dir., Herbert Stein; Society fid., Deanie Krebs: Feature Ed., Janet Rosen: Asst. Sports Ed., Art Benning; Asst. News Ed., John Ashbrook; Asst. Society Ed.. Bcttina dePalma; Photo Ed.. Wilson Barto; Senior Board: Jack Boddington, Bill Detweiler. Asst. Bus. Mgr., Thomas M. Karolcik; Advertising Dir.. Harold L. Wollin; Local Adr. Mgr., Hugo R. Mandes; Promotion Mgr., Laura Mermelstein; Circulation Co-Mgrs., Edward W. Noyes, Gerald F. Veager; Personnel Mgr., Ed* win Singel; Clansilied Adv. Mgr.,, Shirley Faller; Office Mgr., Loretta Stempinski; Secretary, Winifred Wyant: Senior Board: Norma Gleghorn, Delores Home, Mary Kauffman, Sue Halperin. STAFF THIS ISSUE Night editor: Bob Vosburg; asst, night editor: Norma J. Philip: copy editors: Dottie Laine, Lee Stern, Len Kolasinski; assistants: Ted Soens, Mary Stark, and Amie Bloom. Advertising manager Stephanie Herlitz; as sistants J. Dulick and B. Rosenthal. Re-Evaluation People in the atomic age—even the intelligent and educated—are not quite sure where they are going or what moral values they hold. To day’s world presents questions of world hunger, fear, disease, and hatred which thus far have not been soluable on the basis of. the old, es tablished philosophies. THE TECHNOLOGY for such solution exists. Yet, as Norman Cousins has pointed out, social thinking of modern man, which axiomatically lags behind technological thinking, is obsolete for the atomic age, and a sound underlying so cial approach to modern problems has not been formulated. Under pressure of forces dividing ihe world, current generations are despairing of ideals on which American democracy was predicated and are succumbing to antithetic ideas and conditions exemplified in submission to a con scription program and emphasis on conform ity in thought. Although some scholars have made attempts to evaluate current mbrals, we still are not sure what our morals are, and, whatever they are, we’re equally uncertain whether they are the right values for us at the moment. A re-orientation of the faith we live by is needed as a foundation of the peaceful world we seek. Opposition to a program we don’t like communism —is not enough. Although this is not the first time that disintegration of moral values has threatened a civilization, it is the first tme that adequate information and re search facilities and techniques have been avail able for systemmatic re-evaluation of social philosophy. ONE APPROACH to the problem would be establishment of a commission on re-evaluation of ideals composed of scholars in philosophy, psychology, and the social fields. Such a com mission could investigate intensively the entire field of human relations, pooling knowledge, ability and methods to re-examine basic modern precepts and to formulate a new program for living. Should it be able to produce a new ap proach to social affairs, it might help halt the drift toward despair and ‘destruction which is enveloping us. Here would be a vast opportunity for some university or universities interested in human affairs to assign its best scholars to attacking the problem of determining whether the old moral ideas still apply, whether new ones must be sought, what those new ideals might be, and whether any ideals at all are consistent with modern social and technological conditions. The men who could do the work are men connected with universities which, as the seat of higher learning that copes with man's un derlying problems, should have a primary interest in forwarding such a program. Well informed scholars in non-university circles also could be invited to take part. We suggest that Penn State and her intellec tual leaders take the initiative in seeking estab lishment of such a commission to re-evaluate moral theory as a bold new approach to world understanding and harmony. Driving? Following almost every vacation, the Daily Collegian prints an account of one or more auto accidents in which Penn State students were injured or killed. WITH ANOTHER SNOW upon us, chances are greater than ever that the first issue follow ing Christmas vacation will contain a story about injuries suffered in holiday auto acci dents. The reader of this editorial could be one of the victims. Common sense rules of safe driving are familiar io all of us. If is their application during the holiday driving that will deter mine to a large extent the length of _ Colle gian's accident story. And th «» 1 application may be the factor that keepj the reader's name out of the story. Owen E. Landon Business Mgr. John Ashbrook L.iiLy Si...it. Cw E;xam Schedules Thb .sbhioJ clafefe has sef'up a committee t 6 investigate possibility of abolishing final exami nations for eighth-semester seniors. ANOTHER PROJECT WHICH the entire student body might undertake would- be an ef fort to have the College adopt a shorter and more simplified final exam schedule. Yesterday the Collegian printed the exam schedule for this semester. It filled 130 inches of space in the newspaper. For many students, this lengthy schedule, will cause inconvenience because of the number of conflicts which are certain to arise due to the method of exam scheduling used. Many schools—Pift, for example—use shor ter and simpler schedules based on the limes at which classes are held during the school week. In this fashion, it is possible to avoid conflicts completely, the schedule is less com plex, and students keep their hair from turn ing gray. . Of course, such a schedule necessitates giving the final in the same room in which the class regularly is held, and this would mean that use of departmental finals would be precluded. But we doubt if that would be such a great evil, and we think the College would not harm itself by giving the simplified variety of scheduling a trial. Value Demonstrated Latest achievement of the campus student work agencies is institution of floral service for big weekends. Other agencies in operation now handle sale of newspapers and of magazines, and dry-cleaning service. ADVANTAGES TO BOTH student salesmen and student customers are apparent. They in clude convenient door-to-door deliveries and quick and efficient service. Agency work pro vides additional income for students who other wise often find the financial problems of a col lege education too rough. Student self-helps of this, nature are of con siderable value on any campus. Their value at Penn State has been and is being demonstrated day after day. Safety Valve ... Absurd Punishment TO THE EDITOR: In reading William Clark’s letter concerning the punishment which he and a “number of us small men on campus” propose to mete out to the members of the Beta Theta Pi house, it seemed to me that these gentlemen have an axe to grind. While I agree with him that episodes of this type should be strongly discouraged, as indeed it was ($35 is no bargain for any Christmas tree), the absurd punishment proposed does not “fit the act.” Mr. Clark (and his nameless friends) proposes to fine fraternity approximately $7 per man for something which he has no assurance was known to the greater part of the men in the house. Does not this seem to be a manifestation of the unfortunate attitude of some indepen dents to club the fraternities at every oppor tunity on any pretext, rather than a cry of righteous indignation? Contrary to anything these gentlemen may have heard, the fraterni ties are not densely populated with wealthy young men. If the men concerned were from a Nittany or Pollock Circle dormitory, would Mr. Clark propose the same punishment? I think not. Perhaps I have misstated the case. But at any rate, my recommendation to Mr. Clark is a cold, shower followed by a quiet evening pursuing “The Merchant of Venice.” “The quality of mercy ...” Reprimand On Snowballs TO THE EDITOR: It is usually thought that when students reach a college level they have also reached a certain degree of maturity. The actions of many students on campus in recent days has tended to bring affirmations of dis approval and condemnation. These juveniles that see fit to throw snowballs at buildings and students, particularly the women, are a menace to the public safety. Enough damage has already been caused by the unthinking and oblivious students on cam pus. Many dorms already exhibit the mark of indifference through rampant and reckless be havior. Something should be perpetrated to remedy this situation. Perhaps these offenders of common decency can divert their energies into more useful channels of endeavor. Gazette... COLLEGE PLACEMENT .Seniors who turned in preference sheets will be given priority in scheduling interviews for two days following the initial announcement of the visit of one of the com panies of their choice. Other Students will be scheduled on the third and subsequent days. Wright Aeronautical corporation will interview January graduates in aeronautical engineering and mechanical Engineering Thursday, Jan. 11. Owens-Coming Fiberglas corporation will interview Jan uary graduates in M.E., 1.E., Chcm. Eng., E.E., and any one interested in sales work Wednesday, Jan. 10. AT THE MOVIES Saturday and Monday CATHAUM: All About Eve STATE: Let’s Dance NITTANY: Gigi —J. A. —J. Paul O'Brien Alpha Chi Sigma —Gerald L. Krupp Solomon E. Jaffe Little Man On Campus "I was chosen to play Santa for our sorority an' I'm just waiting 'til they all get to bed. Who are you going to play Santa for?" Contrasts Found In 1950 Christmas Christmas 1950 is a contrast between the red of Santa’s suit and the red spilled on the snows of Korea. After we give our Christmas gifts, dad will find himself with a hand-painted excuse for a tie, and mother will notice that the beau tiful .negligee is thr.ee sizes too small, and both gifts will find their way back to the campus. Meanwhile, GI Joe will be giving his life this Christmas to preserve our freedom. FOR JOE,- Christmas 1950 will not mean the exchange of gifts but the exchange of hot lead across acres of blood-spotted snow. He’ll have visions of the multi-colored lights that blaze along Col lege avenue, or other hometown streets, while he hangs empty cart ridges on a straggly tree—if he has time. And as we prepare to leave the burden of textbooks, bluebooks, and reference books to feast on a delicious, browned turkey, front line GI Joes huddle in frigid foxholes and munch hard biscuits washed down with coffee made from melted snow. Christmas usually has pleasant connotations. There are parties, mistletoe kisses, and gay farewells as we leave a friend's home to visit another. / Joe will have all that too but with variations. He’ll inch forward cautiously on a raiding or reconnaissance party; he’ll kiss the frozen earth when machine guns crackle; and he’ll wearily bid the Hung nam beachhead goodbye and prepare for other beachheads. We’ll joke about Saint Nick back home and hope that he brought us that tennis racket, evening gown, set of golf clubs, and on and on. Joe’s asking for a stocking filled with tanks, guns, planes, and reinforcements. AS WE SEND greetings to each other and then stack them on the fireplace mantel or elsewhere, Joe sends his own greeting from the barrel of a rifle at the advancing enemy column moving down a mountainside. Thus Christmas 1950 is strikingly similar to the Christmases of ’4l to ’44. They were just as dismal, desperate, and depressing. There was the Battle of the Bulge. However, then and now, we felt that our Christmas would not exist if totalitarian forces were victorious. But Christmas is just a small part of the picture. Our troops in Korea are fightng to save a way of life. The price of freedom is costlier than any other gift, but a free world makes every day Christmas. On Other Campuses Only 2900 University of Miami students signed up for the 3600 available tickets to the Orange Bowl classic, Dr. Thurston Adams, director of student activities at the school, said recently. He said he could not figure out the lack of student interest, but he added the extra tickets would be disposed of in some way al though the students may not approve. ( Northeastern University, Boston, Mass., has solicited approxi mately one-third of its $1,500,000 library fund. Almost $15,000 ofi the total amount obtained was donated by students in their attempt to build a new library. So far, $417,884 has been solicited. Students at Syracuse university last week celebrated the third anniversary of its-Student Union building. One of the features, of the festivities was a pictorial display of some 60 student union’ buildings of various colleges throughout the country. A ten-year old fox terrier became a hero and lost his life ini fire, at the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity house on the campus of George Washington university recently. At about 7 a.m. “Terry” raced? through the house, barking and crying, in attempts to rouse the house members. When the fire was under control and all the boys safely outside, Terry was found dead from suffocation inside the house. The Connecticut Campus, a tri-weekly paper published by thef University of Connecticut, has been ordered by school senate to re vise its constitution or face suspension of publication. The senate* termed the paper undemocratic. -w —.• *J, i«>oJ By Bibler Len Kolasinski i
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers