PAGE FOUR
Published Tuesday titrough
Saturday° mornings during
• the University year. the
. Daily Collegian is a.student
; operated newspaper.
Entered as second-class matter July 5, 1934 at the State College, Pa. Post Office under the act of March 3. 1879.
DIEHL McKALIP; Editor
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night Editor, Ann Leh; Copy Editors, Ted Set-rill, Al Klimcke; Assistants,
Becky Zahm, Virginia Miller, Tony Arthur, Tom Smith, Jim Brown, Shirley Calkins. Ad Staff: Pat
Dickinson, Gail Smith.
Open Board Meetings:
Why not open the meeting of the boards of
state institutions to the press?
That is the question asked by Rep .
. Francis
Worley (R-Adams) in the bill he will introduce
into the State House of RepresentatiVes next
week. He wants to open' their doors because
the boards "conduct public business and spend
tax monies in the operations of their insti
tutions."
- He is right. He goes on to say, in an interview
with a Daily Collegian reporter by telephone
last night, the bill would probably apply to
the University. This is indicated, he says, be
cause the University "is receiving direct ap
propriations from the Legislature," and several
members of the University Board of Trustees
ate appointed by the Governor.
Opening the boards of state institutions has
been a pet project of Jerome Weinstein, editor
of the Centre Daily Times and president of the
Pennsylvania Society of Newspaper Editors.
He is heartily in support of the proposed Wor
ley Bill and speaks of the University as the
Constitutional ? ?
According to recent press releases, it looks
like Penn State student government is going
to be a junior United States of America. Robert
Dennis, member of the All-University Cabinet
constitutional revisions committee, made the
statement Wednesday that student government
here will probably more closely parallel the
three departments of the federal government.
The main change, to effect such a parallel, will
be in the court system and according to Dennis,
Tribunal may have power to rule on actions
of Cabinet.
Such a set-up looks fine at first glance. There
certainly is nothing degrading about being com
pared with our national government. But we
wonder just how close a parallel can actually
be drawn between the two bodies.
Under the change briefly outlined by Dennis
(which is not an official release from the re
visions committee and is still subject to further
discussion by the committee), Tribunal will
have a degree of power over Cabinet actions.
Tribunal is now a men's court exclusively. This
provision means that either the women's court
is left out in the cold so far as Cabinet action
is concerned, or the women's court will be in
corporated into Tribunal.
The one alternative is about as unfeasible as
the other. If women are not given a part in
the judicial powers of student government, the
entire system loses an element of democracy.
If Judicial is incorporated into Tribunal, this
means the double standard now in operation
at the University (i.e. the difference in regula
tions for men and women) will have to be
carried into the court system. And we wonder
just how Concerned the male element of the
court would be about a violation of women's
dorm hours, or the women about the number
of showers mangled in Hamilton Hall.
It is of course possible the committee can
manufacture a close enough analogy between
Penn State and the United States to draw up
a constitution parallel to that of the national
government. We wonder, however, just how it
will adapt such a constitution to the seemingly
unremovable factor that all student court de
cisions must eventually end up in the laps of
the dean of men and dean of women.
Beaucoup: Con
TO THE EDITOR: Did you hear the thunderous
roar that rose from the fourth floor of Main
Engineering on the morning of Jan. 13? It all
happened when the architecture students read
Marcie MacDonald's "cute" column on the Het
zel. Union Building, in which she states that
"it's beginning to look like a building instead
of a Frank Lloyd Wright nightmare."
It is one thing to have an opinion, but quite
another to express this opinion in a manner
highly detrimental to one individual. Frank
Lloyd Wright has done more than any other
living American architect to save the architec
ture of this country, to provide contemporary
Americans with a contemporary architecture.
He has given the United States the chance to
point proudly to its contemporary architecture,
the chance to call itself a leader in this branch
of the fine arts. Not all of Wright's work is an
unqualified success, but to hold his work to be
a nightmare is simply a lack of education.
The undersigned suggest that in the future,
it would be best that only those qualified to
speak about architecture do so, and that Miss
MacDonald continue her comments in the field
of fashion.
- - - -
Charles Wright, Richard Hartman, Marty
Darlington, Gerald Rishel, Lee Stauffer,
George Hughes, Judith Byrns, James Howard,
Robert Breading, Frank Wagner, Charles
Matts, Richard S-al7old, Peter Donald
Lenker. Cynthia Palmer, Richard Stanley.
ailt Delp Cuttegtan
, Successor to THE FREE LANCE. est. 1987
, .., v i'
-P. M.
Safety Valve ...
TI-PE DAILY COLLEGIAN STATE COLLEGE PE
WILLIAM DEVERS, Business Manager
Much Needed
greatest offender, through closed meetings, in
the state: •
qt spends $2O million of the taxpayers' money
and conducts its board meetings in private,"
he pointed out yesterday. On the success of the
bill he has no idea, out says it is "a great step
forward, if for no other reason than to bring
it before the. public."
This is . all very fine. 'We agree with Rep.
Worley and Mr. Weinstein in thinking the bill
a very good one and that it is proper for the
meetings of the hoards of state institutions to
be open to the public. One question, however,
must be answered before a bill of this type
could be applied to the University.
Is the University Board of Trustees the board
of a state institution? Some times it is and some
times it is not. It causes more discussion in
legal circles than, "Which came first, the chicken
or the egg?"
University attorneys and legal advisors have
debated the issue for nearly the 100 years of
the school's existance. Each time the legal
question arises, it must be established . for par
ticular instance whether Penn State is or is not
a state institution. This comes from the Uni
versity having a private corporate charter and
still being supported as the state university.
From our point of view, we would like to
see all board meetings • open whether or not
they are the board of state institutions. It seems
little harm could be done if the board had
nothing to hide and, at the least, it would -keep
them cognizant of the fact the people effected
by their doings were watching them.
The issue at hand, however, involves the
boards of only state institutions, and whether
their proceedings are open to the press depends
on the Worley Bill. The effect on the University
can only be determined after it is established
if the• University is a state institution. In spite
of all this, we, stand for open meetings.
AIM: Suicide?
Apathy is one thing, but cutting .one's own
throat is another. That is exactly the situation
the Association of Independent Men Board of
Governors is approaching through their indif
ference to board meetings.
For two consecutive meetings now the board
has had to scour the neighborhood for a quorum
before the agenda could be started. AIM presi
dent Robert Dennis has decided the situation
is critical enough to warrant a compulsory at
tendance clause in the AIM constitution. Under
the clause those councils whose representatives
are illegally absent from board• meetings lose
their seats on the board until they name a new
representative.
Constitutional clauses of this nature are not
unusual in. themselves. The unfortunate thing is
that they should be necessary.
Just what is motivating this indifference
toward AIM is hard to say. If it is the result of
dissastisf action with the AIM government, board
members should realize abstinence will not
bring about any constructive changes. These
can be made through participation only.
If, rather, the trouble lies in just plain dis
interest in AIM, then board members should re
evaluate the entire situation. Independent stu
dents for years have clamored for a strong part
in student, government. They have this role
now. They should think twice before throwing
it to the wind—which they are doing through
their• present attitude. —Peggy McClain
Bea ucoup: Pro
TO THE EDITOR: Three cheers for Marcie Mac-
Donald, a home ec major who is aware of
architecture, who knows the name of Frank
Lloyd Wright, and who has opinions she is
willing to express.
I am aware that some architects have written
a letter to the editor about Miss MacDonald's
column. I feel that these architects Signing the
letter have been very narrow-minded, express
ing the desire that architecture be left to the
architects. Many signers are members of Pi
Gamma Alpha, a fraternity whose purpose is
to promote the interest of art and architecture
at PSU. Can they be sincere in condemning
Miss MacDonald for expressing her beliefs? Do
they actually believe the architects of the HUB
have even come close to the correct solution for
a building that is to be used by 14,000 students
each year? Certainly Wright would laugh at
this factory-like box.
Let these architects realize they will be de
signing for many people, some who can even
think and express their opinions. We need
architects who can sell their ideas, not condemn
others.
Gazette .. .
• Today
NEWMAN CLUB, Daily Rosary, 4:30 p.m., Our
Lady of Victory Church. Open house, 8 p.m.,
Catholic Student. Center.
Editorials re . d ‹werit cite
viewpoint of the writers,
not necessarily the policy
of the paper. Unsigned
editorials are by the editor.
—Hubert - Ream,
. President, Scarab Archi
tectural Fraternity
NSYLVANIA
Little Man on Campus
\ \
coszv
747:
"Let's see,l got - incomplete" math 215, "withdrawn" in Eng
lish 2, "conditional" in social studies; and a 'D" in phys ed—
Boy! Thank goodness I didn't flunk anything."
They. Say So ...
• Singing In
The, Wilderne§
By EDMUND REISS
(The other day we heard an interesting impression of one of
the important student groups—supposedly the most importa.nt,--,-,
at the University, and because of the large number of student
clubs and discussion bodies that might be included in this ,
description, we fee that it might interest our readers.)
Everyone is tense as the moment approaches. The press
porters file into the room. Most of the seats, tables, windowsills,,and
floor itself are filled with interested spectators. The distinguished , x .
. .
looking people around the large table settle down, one of . thein'
(probably the most distinguished) l
slams the gavel and the meet
ing begins.
As usual the evening is taken
with the most pressing problems,
and revolutionary decisions are
made by this prominent group
around its large table.. Hours and
hours pass and all the while the
reporters are busily jotting down
the words of wisdom they hear
uttered so the world (or at least
the world of the immediate vicin
ity) can read and learn and know
that its government is under the
supervision of exceptionally capa
ble people.
Far into the night goes 1 the
meeting of this group (by far the
most important group to meet
around a large table), but still,
the spectators have their eyes and
ears riveted to the extraordinary,
spectacle going on before them.
Certainly great things will come
out of this meeting; no one (at
least no one in the know, or at
least no one in the know of the
people gathered around the large
table) doubts that.
All sorts of codes, revisions Of
former codes, programs, an d
changes in former programs, are
brought up and discussed. (Some-
times, amazingly :enough, some
action on these is 'taken.) Also
reports are read, revisions of these
reports are heard, and finally
changes in the revisions of the
reports.
Each member (of the important
people around the large table) is
making 'reports and suggestions
for revision of -these reports for
each realizeS the reporters . are
efficiently jotting. .down their
words. Thus, several radical things
are proposed for. who..doesn't,like .
to see his name in - the paper ; ?
Also, there is the incentive that
perhaps a picture of one of these
important persons - (around the
large table) will be inchided with
the story in the paper. •_ •
However, why should only the
important people (again when we
speak of important people, we
are talking only of.those around-
the large table. Ater all, who.
else is important?) be the ones
to get their names in the paper?
Therefore, someone fro ra be .
fRI DAY: -JANUARY:M . ,. 1955
By Bader
1111
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P 40 ,
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CIS=::::
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mass Of facinated spectatow2in
variably arises and addre.Ves, ihe„
group (around the large table). :
and as would be expected; tiringS .
up some point which cause's' the
reporters to feverishly bear :down
on their pencils in an effort to
have these brilliant "Wordi :for
posterity.
However, the important people
(as was said above, this, - ternvfOr..'
obvious reasons pertainS
around the large table only):
not like• outsiders trying to rring6l - 6'
into their territory. This' person'
from the audience is not impor
tant, therefore why should he-get'
his name in the paper. Thus,- they _
try as hard as possible to: inak6
the.person's words appear .
lous • (a •not too difficult task 4.
So goes the meeting.: Finally
after several hours, a decisiOnl . is .
to; be made, but just then, a fever-
ish courtier (sometimes called
spy) rushes into the room,r•and
whispers to the most important'
of; the dignitaries around the large
table.....
.This.person.looks shocked and
then very tearful. However, he
remembers his. position, slams this
gavel'. and„ announces the decision.
will have 'Co be - postponed to an
other meeting,, for someone (an
outsider not- one of the 'impor
tant :•peorile- around the large"
table) , has''said,beards should - be
worn' by.all'rnen in the area un
.der the group!s-guidance.
.:.-The: reporters rushed out with,
this fact for such an important
statement-would surely replace
anything that could be decided
by„ the important people around
the large table.
Their day .of glory would have
be postponed, and so, as the
important people (formerly those
Who were. around the large table)
file nut of-the room, each one is
thinking ,that he will have to be
the first one to grow a beard (at
least each one mature enough or
"capable of such- an act.)
Tonight_ on WDFM
DIA MEGACYCLIB
EIMENIEEIIIIMI9
:30 Starlight Serenade
:30 Marquee Memories "Roberta"
-,—• News and Sports
:30-.•y Master's Palette
:30 -------- Thought for the Dar
_ Sign •On