WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 9. 1955 Democracy Not Sliding Downhill—Rossiter _ By EVIE ONSA Thg system of our American democracy has not moved steadily downward since col onial times, Dr. Clinton Rossiter, professor of government at Cornell University, said last night at a Liberal Arts lecture. • . A "major part" of our American tradition was shaped by our ancestors, an "astonish ing breed," who made the same mistakes and had the same faults as the men of today "They were not all saints," he said, "and we are not all sinners." • Dr. Rossiter, speaking to an audience in 121 Sparks, described the position of Americans today as not only "heirs" •of democracy, but as "trustees" of generations to _come It is the duty of the people of today to "set a good example" for their • descendants, he• said. This feeling was strong among the men of revolutionary times who looked upon tradition as a "guide for the bold and not as a refuge of .the timid." He is not sure the people . of today regard their tradi ticin in this light. • •In describing the ideal attitude toward. tradition,. Dr. Rossiter said we should be honored but not enslaved by it. • Four Divisions 'of Tradition He divided the understanding of the American tradition into four categories: religious, eco nomic, social, and political. For over 150 years the tradi tion . of religious liberty has been separation of the church and state and individual worship, he said. In the question and answer per iod he gave his opinion of the blue law which governs Sunday movies as a "real hangover." As examp les of government in tervention in the' economic field in colonial times he cited fees for services like corn-grinding, feeS on food, and drink, and on mar ket practices in general. Government Intervention Our forefathers, he said, looked upon government intervention and regulation as important and necessary. While stating the social beliefs in our tradition, Dr. Rossiter pointed out that there is a differ ence between preaching and prac ticing equality, and said a Glass less society has never existed in America. He described classes as an "in evitable fact of life" and said eco nomic achievement was the cri terian for determining class. Democracy in colonial times, he pointed out, had no real stand ing, as the only men who were eligible to vote were the property owners. But he added our ances tors did make remarkable contri butions to the constitutionalism in our political tradition. • Leik Named Delegate To SDX Convention Ronald Leik, senior in journal ism from York, has been named as a delegate to the national con vention of Sigma Deltd Chi, men's national professional journalism fraternity. The convention will be held in Chicago today through Saturday. Women's Chorus to Meet Women's Chorus will rehearse at 7 tonight in 100 Carnegie. DR. CLINTON ROSSITER, professor of government at Cor nell University, who last presented the second in a series of Liberal Arts lectures in 121 Sparks, last night said that American democracy has not been in a downward slide. VVSGA Considers Students For Committee on Dorm Rules . Daisy Zimmerman, Women's Student Government Association vice president, accepted names. of students interested in a Student Enforcement Committee yesterday at a meeting of the WSGA House of Representatives. The enforcement committee will attempt to find out how students feel about women 'students en forcing the dormitory regulations. Miss Zimmerman said that pre sent plans would allow dormitory hostesses to supervise the en forcement while students enforced the regulations and penalties. Names of students for the Sen ate Standing Committees of Hous ing and Publicity were turned in by the dormitory unit presidents. The unit presidents appointed women for these committees. - The •WSGA House agreed that WSGA office hours should not be held. The opinion was that they were not worth the time that would be spent. Miss Jeanne Lindaman, assis tant to the dean of women, asked unit presidents to, remind• coeds to wear hats to Chapel and Church. Miss Zimmerman requested that unit secretary-treasurers pick up WSGA. minutes. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA Applications for WDFM Positions Are Available Applications for student an nouncers of student radio station WDFM ar e available,‘ in 307 Sparks instead of in 3l Sparks as was erroneously reported, in The Daily Collegian yesterday. Upon application the applicants will. receive word as to the time of an interview on Sunday after noon. Old Amish Customs Revealed - in Study "Now what are you up toy young fellow?" This is the most frequent Amish greeting found by Dr. Maurice A. Mook, professor of anthropology, in his four year study . of the Amish people and their customs. Dr. Mook says the Amish people . are the best example of a sectarian society to be found in modern America. Their communities can be found in the United States and Canada. They are church communities . with their roots still in the 17th cen tury followers of Jacob Amman. Amish Split in Europe Dr. Mook explained that the Amish split from the Swiss Breth ren in Europe and came to Lan caster County several hundred years ago, disr?rsir , 7 to other states. The main occupation of the Amish is farming. The old and the young, who have not been admitted into the Church, are not required to take part in farming. Even the old and young, how ever, follow occunations closely related to farming. • • Follow Farming Dr. Mook said the' Amish are quite willing to discuss farming. He said he has found 'little diffi culty in finding out'about family background. •but that the Amish are • reluctant about discussing some subjects, probably because they are afraid people will write critical • articles about them. Members of the Amish Church will not allow their pictures td be taken, as they consider it vanity. The Old Order Amish cling to the strict rules laid down by the Church which follow the princi ple that they forsake anything which "bespeaks of worldliness." No Gadgets for Amish They do not object to outsiders enjoying modern "gadgets," but they will not have them for Their own. They will ride in modern forms of transportation, but they will not own or drive cars. Customs in one Amish corn munity vary from those in an other. For example, in one com munity the Church allows the use of window curtains, but not the use of shades, and in another the practice is the reverse. Communication is Rapid Dr. Mook said there is rapid communication between commun ities: A local preacher is wel comed in all communities. The main recreation of the Amish is visiting in the home and at Church. They sing what they call fast hymns in social singing and slow hymns for worship ser- By SUE CONKLIN vice. The Church services are held in the home. " , • Dr. Monk says he feels he would be welcome in most of the Amish homes he has visited in the past four summers, but that many questions he would like to •ask them thnv vrn ,, lri not want..to • swer. He' says interest ILL family and the community makes his study possible. They wonder why outsiders are interested in their way of life. Dr. Mook's main interest is to determine the size, composition, and organization of the family and study the "ecology" of the religious communities. Study is Strange . Dr. Mook's study of the Amish is somewhat .unique, .for an an thropologist usually studies un civilized peoples. But Dr. Mook explained that he feels man and his way of life in any age and degree of civilization is a fit sub ject for anthropology. Newest Answer. to an Old Probteets "What to Give" STONE MAJESTY b SPEIDEL NAVAJO by SPEIDEL Give well .-- give vee . 44 o lk FES s_Cel64* a . ;I* PAGE FIVE
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers