The daily collegian. (University Park, Pa.) 1940-current, February 17, 1955, Image 4

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    PAGE FOUI,
Published Tuesday threrldh
I
Saturday eaernlnse daring Xite Bath' Coliegtan
I
the University rear, the
Daily Collegian Is a student
operated newspaper. Solemner to THE FREE LANCE. eat. 11110
Entered se eeeend-class natter July 6, 16341 et the Stet* College, Pa. Poet Offlee under
DIEHL McKALIP. Editor
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night Editor, Margie Blank; Copy Editors, Don Shoemaker, Sue Conklin; As
sistants, Becky Zahm, Terry Leach, Dodi Jones, Bill Eisenberg, Mike Moyle, Ned Frear. Ad Staff:
Sally Rosser, Bob Hughes, Betty Manifold.
Grading System: A Big
Tonight 25 All-University Cabinet members
will work on the fate of an ambitious 36-page
report on a new grading system.
Such ambition, when coupled with a well
pr2sented report, gives the issue one point in
its favor. The report makes sense. It is accurate
and logical. It almost persuades the reader to
accept it without question. On the surface, it
seems just what the University needs. But is it?
Cabinet members should not be afraid of this
'report. It is long, thorough, and complicated
with many statistics. Belt its very importance •
demands careful consideration. Cabinet mem
bers should ask questions on points they do
not understand and not let a complicated report
hush them into awed silence.
Rudolph Lutter, who investigated the matter,
deals thoroughly with a proposed grading sys
tem that is accurate to the hundredth degree.
Under it, each student would get exactly the
grade he earned. As Mr. Lutter points out,
this may encourage a student to work at his
best.
But, would it tend to place too much emphasis
on grades? Philosophers and educators have
long cried for study for its own sake. This may
not be possible at Penn State because technical
fields require knowledge be learned, at any
jackets for Team?
Tonight All-University Cabinet will be asked
to purchase a gift for each member of Penn
State's national champion soccer team. While
we, too, feel the men deserve our praise in
every way possible, we urge the members of
Cabinet to consider two major questions before
acting on the suggestion of Richard Gordon,
team manager.
First, is it the function of Cabinet to reward
the University's winning athletic teams? It
seems this task would fall more into a project
for the Athletic Association.
Secondly, will Cabinet be setting a precedent
which it cannot live up to? If Penn State should
some year have many championship teams,
it seems possible the Cabinet treasury might
not be able to meet the demand set with the
establishing of a tradition.
Historians tell us Cabinet has given athletic
team awards in the past, but the tradition has
lapsed. We question whether it should be started
or renewed tonight.
Safety Valve---
Parking: Corrupt?
TO THE EDITOR: In my opinion this business
about parking is the most ridiculous and cor
rupt thing in existence.
First, in order to get a parking area near
where you live, you. must either be completely
di - abled or know someone. I am a resident of
Irvin Hall, and all the people who live in Irvin
Hall and who have cars were given a choice of
parking area '72, located directly north of For
estry, or parking area 50, located in the Jordan
F—tility Plots.
Directly in back of Irvin Hall, on Curtin Road,
is narking area 62. In front of Recreation Hall
is area 61. Both these areas can hold all the
cars from Irvin, Watts, and McKee Halls. Yet.
we are given areas nearly a mile from our
do-ms . . .
To continue, if you happen to know someone
on the Traffic Court it is almost certain you
won't have to pay for any tickets. When you
appear before Traffic Court, they give you
three choices: guilty, not guilty, and guilty un
der extenuating circumstances.
If you plead guilty, they fine you. If you
plead not guilty, they ask you why you got
the ticket. As long as you did get a ticket you
must be guilty. Once again you pay. And if
you plead guilty under extenuating circum
stances, you are asked why these circumstances
were extenuating. After you tell them, they
find these circumstances were, in their opinion,
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA
WILLIAM DEVER% Business Manager
Bite to Chew
expense. A large school needs grades and stu
dents may feel the need for more accurate and
fair grades. But the emphasis this plan will
put on grades should be carefully considered.
Another point io be questioned, is Just how
this system of a 5 to sip would differ in sub
tracting points for a course failed. Is it the
same as our -1? The report indicates so. But, it
does definitely eliminate the -2, which is the
most needed change in our present system.
This, in one respect, is a tempting reason
to favor this plan. But, there may be other
plans which would accomplish this and more,
too. It's all a matter to think over at length,
and one not to accept at face value.
If this proposed plan has the same effect
as the -1, then how does it differ from the
4 to -1 plan used in most other schools? In 64.5
percent of colleges similar in size and curricula
to the University, the 4-0 plan is used, while
none use the 5 to zip. This, too, is cause for
question.
Cabinet members should try to have a good
understanding of this proposed system and all
its implications. Only so, can they take in
telligent action. It is important that questions
are asked, but it is more important what ques
tions are asked.
Guessing Games
The Daily Collegian "Safety Valve" is be
coming more of an, incognito "you Collegian
people guess who wrote this letter" every week.
We urge those stud nts who send letters to
the editor to sign their names to the letters.
It is under these conditions only that the letters
will be considered for publication.
In the past semester we have received a great
number of letters either unsigned or signed
with initials only. Many of these letters are of
a nature and subject matter making them of
much• interest to the student body. We feel they
should be offered to readers. Unfortunately,
they cannot be unless they are signed.
We will withhold names from letters if writ
ers so request and offer good reasons for such
action. However, the original letters must still
be signed when sent to the editor.
—Peggy ,McClain
Gazette • • .
Today'
AMERICAN FOUNDRYMEN'S SOCIETY, 7:80 p.m., 209
Engineering C
DELTA SIGMA PI, 7:30 p.m., Alpha Sigma Phi
FENCING CLUB. 7:30 p.m., North Corridor, Rim Hall
FROTH AD CANDIDATES, 8 p.m., Froth Office
FROTH AD STAFF, I:30 p.m.. Froth Office
FROTH CIRCULATION STAFF, 7:80 p.m., 318 Sparks
FUTURE TEACHERS OF AMERICA, 7 p.m., 317 Willard
LANTERN EDITORIAL STAFF. new and old, 7:30 p.m.,
104 Willard
NEWMAN CLUB, 7:30 p.m., 304 Old Main
NEWMAN CLUB DAILY ROSARY, 4:30 p.m., Our Lady of
Victory Church
OUTING CLUB, 7:30 p.m., 121 Sparks
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Lois Berquist, Jerome Breiter, Patricia Brown, Clarence
Bryan, Dorothea Cassel, Helene Cohen, Robert Cubbison,
Gerhart, Vincent Girardy, Warren Gittlen, Harold Harding,
Andrew Hibler, Irene _Jacob, Paul Kauffman. Frances Katz,
Lee Kummer, John Kurtz, Berardino Malabed. John Mc-
Neill, Thomas Muller, Evelyn Pobicky, Martha Rankin,
Robert Reid, Robert Ryall. Joan Shaddinger, William Shaw
ley. Carl Skooglund, Edgar Smith. Ronald Stark. John
Szendrey, William Troutman, John Tunell, David Williams,
Michael Znacho.
not extenuating at all. So there you are, 'left
holding the proverbial bag . . .
There are many solutions to this problem.
First, give students parking areas near where
they reside. Second, increase the available
parking facilities. Third, forbid first and sec
ond semester students to have cars on campus.
Last and far from least, replace some of the
members on Traffic Court with impartial men
such as Dean of Men Simes.
Under the present system, I don't see why
students such as I continue to have the foolish
notion that maybe the members of the Traffic
Court will see it our way. Now I know this
will never happen under this system . . .
• Letter Cut
leditertahi espressos the
viewpolat s the Writer'.
met neeeseatibr tie volley
of the gem. Unsigned
edlteriele ere Ire the editor.
s set of Wards S. 1179
—Dottie Stone
—Sidney A. Schreiber
Little
Man on Campus
"Boy. you should see some of the girls that come out of that house."
Marcie geaucoup
The Cavaliers were out Tuesday night; they gave a half hour
concert over behind McElwain to a court-full of darkened windows
in which were stationed dozens of appreciative coeds.
The coeds were very disappointed when they left; despite house .
meetings, books, and the like, everybody takes a break when the
rich voices of the Cavaliers warm the cold night.
There's something very worth
while about the idea of four young
men giving their time and talent
to the purpose of entertaining
their fellow students. They must
get cold as ice
bergs standir
ankle deep
snow while th
present th
"c o n certs,"
they love ev'
minute of it. A,
they sound w
derful.
While the bo;
stop for bre.
between s o n
the more dar
girls call out
quests. Some
times they are granted, sometimes
not. It doesn't really matter; hats
off and a big thank you to the
singing Cavaliers!
The one thing the Daily Col
legian doesn't have is a music
critic, but never let it be said
we ever let such a group as the
Cavaliers go by without com
ment.
As long as we're speaking of
music . and hqts off, congratula
tions are in order to the Jazz Club
for getting organized and active
about as quickly as any other
campus organization that's been
born around here in years.
The Max Kaminsky concert
last night was the product of
this baby group's efforts. Right
good results, they tell me. Of
course, not everybody's crazy
about jazz. but the club mem
bers explain that we "just don't
understand it."
But anyway, for those that un-
RiUR3DAY. I•tbKtlAk T I/, I v*o
By MARCIE MacDONALD
derstand and appreciate, the Jazz
Club has grown up to be, a real
dynamo.
One small complaint, still on
the subject of music, has 'cieen'
voiced by a lot of people at cer
tain times following big - dances.
That is, why do the "name'" or
chestras that come to colleges to
play for these dances insist on
presenting what turns out to be
concerts without the benefit' of
chairs for the audience?
There is a difference between
a concert and a dance; the first
is for listening, the second for
dancing. Lots of the small south I.
-
ern colleges have a very nice
system whereby the orchestra '
.or band in question presents a
rousing, boisterous, free concert'
in a smoke-filled auditorium
during the afternoon before the
dance.
This way, the musicians and
cats alike get all the screaming
and stomping out of their respec
tive systems beforehand, and
when the hour for the dance ar
rives, everybody is quite satisfied
to take it easy and relax to real
dance music.
This avoids inumerable cases of
spinal fracture of the tibia.
Music' hath charms. in the
right place at the right time.
Tonight on WDFM
7:25 --- Sign On
MM!MEI
_
45 ___- As Tow Believe
Os _ _ Concert Cameos
9:30 ___ The Master's Palette
Thought for the Day
'By Bibler
11.1 114E9ACYCL118
E=tt=l=l
Just Out
Swat Star Ella Lotan