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
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