The daily collegian. (University Park, Pa.) 1940-current, February 21, 1956, Image 4

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    PAGE FOUR
Prblkiesd f ***4•7 throvirk
&fiords, seatsisits loans
Me 11/severeitt test. dos
Dolly esfittrissi ts a •lsdewt.
MPS" V•t NO gtiv.44l...er
at ronit•tlua matter liar S. 11H It Mit Stlits Clitifff, Pis. Pest Office ander
MIKE FE/4811.8ER, Editor
MIKE MILLER. Associate Editor
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night Editor, Sue Conklin; Copy Editors, Dick Hufnagel, Mike Moyle; Assist
ant,, Torn Werner, Joe Cheddar, Ann Richards, Joan Chase. Kip Newlin, Paula Miller.
Let's Wait Until We
The nation's fraternity system is under fire
this week---and for good reason.
For it is the fraternity system which must
take the blame for the tragic and inexcusable
death of lø•year•old Thomas L. Clark. a fresh
man at the Massachusetts IM - stitute of Tech
nology. He was found Friday, drowned under
the ice of a reservoir.
Pi.; part of his initiation into Delta Kappa
f.:p,ilon, Clark awakened at midnight on
Feb 9 and was driven into the country some
ten rtli)t•-; from to, fraternity. Blindfolded, he
. di upped off and told to make his way back
to the campus by 8 a.m. the next day.
,Npparentiv in the dark Clark mistook the
Otte, mile long ice covered reservoir for an
open fi..1(.1, lie broke through the ice several
hundu .l yard-, from zdiore, Drowning ( aused
(li atti.
The incredible and frightening aspect of this
tragedy is that it was not a case of over
enthusiastic hazing. The hazing practice—tak
ing a pledge for a ride and dumping him—is not
unusual: only the consequences of this specific
incident were.
Dr. Jame. It. Killian Jr., president of M.1.T.,
expiessed the school's "sympathy and over
whelming regret" about Clark's death. Delta
Kappa Epsilon national officials said they had
long been opposed to "any activity of initia
tion that might result in accident. DKE officials
promised that this policy would in the future
be "vigorously pursued."
The president of M.1.T., too, promised to
abolish aspects of the fraternity system that
made such tragedies possible.
Clark's "fraternity mates were completely in
nocent of any conscious negligence," Dr. Killian
said, "They, too," he explained, "were victims
of tong-practiced traditions and procedures
which, it is now clear, cannot be condoned in
this institute or any other, in dormitories or in
fraternities."
We consider this statement by Dr. Killian
just as applicable to Penn State as it is to M.1.T.,
just as pertinent as if Thomas Clark were a
freshman here, just as necessary as if his body
had been fished from Whipple's Dam last Fri
daPey,
nn State must not wait until it happens
Safety Valve
Cramming Isn't Educational
TO THE EDITOR: We, Donald Chalmers. The
Engineering Student Council, and myself, hard
ly intended to do away with the University, fire
any mean professors, prohibit the giving of blue
books, etc. We only intended to show some re
spect for those individuals who have reached
that paramount eighth semester. Don't we show
respect for our students who reach the all elu
sive 3.5 average?
Now to the subject of studying for final
exams. How many students do anything but
cram for finals? Do you? It is conceivable that
you can have four finals• in 36 hours and not
have an actual conflict? It has happened and
probably win continue to happen. Can you
actually study these subjects "to see the course
as a complete unit and not as just disjointed
bits of information?" Or are you under such a
nervous strain that all you tend to do is confuse
that information you have already gained?
I do not want to "deprive the eighth semes
ter students of an academic activity they should
not miss." Most of the subjects that graduating
seniors are taking are within their chosen field
so they would want comprehensive review. If
a review of the course is required (and I be
lieve it is) just once (the eighth semester)
couldn't the last two class sessions be taken up
for this purpose? Certainly more could be ac
complished in this manner than in the cram
ming hours at home . . .
l' finally . . What do professors think of
finals? Many professors are prone to count the
Frosh Choose
Queen Finalists
The five finalists for Freshman
Queen have been announced -by
the Freshman Advisor3‘ , Board.
Finalists aze Filippa DeMatteo,
freshman in arts and letters from
Curtisville; Karin Dejuhasz, fresh
man in music education from
Heidelberg, Germany; Priscilla
Doll, freshman in education from
York; Arlene Kondor, freshman
in arts and letters from Morris
ville; and Patricia Reno, fresh
man in arts and letters from For
e.t Hills.
The Queen will be chosen by
applause wiring intermission at
the Frosh tlop, Friday from 9 p,m.
to midnight in the tietzel Union
ballroom.
The- finalists and six members
of the Advisory Board will be
interviewed over WDFM Friday
Gip Bang Collegian
&steamer to THE FREE LANCE, ee. 1117
~,-0D
Kramer Appointed
Greek Week Head
Edward Kramer of Phi Epsilon
Pi fraternity, has been named gen
eral chairman for Greek Week,
and seven committee chairmen
have been appointed.
They are: George Smith, Tau
Kappa Epsilon, work project:
George Renirney, Theta Chi, ex
change dinner; David Richards,
Kappa Delta Rho, publicity; Wil
liam Mills. Phi Mu Delta, IFC
sing: Thomas Hollenbach, Sigma
Nu, Greek Sunday; David Fried
enberg, Alpha Epsilon Pi, ban
quets.
during the "Hubzapoppin" pro
gram.
Music for the Frosh Hop will
be provided by the Lamp Light
ers. Joan MacKenzie, sophomore
in arts and letters from Lans
downe, will be vocalist.
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN STATE COLLEGE PENNSYWANIA
!RIMER VOCELSINGER, KuMona M
a Pledge
Kill
here. Clark's initiation prank was not noticably
different than pranks staged every week here.
If anything, the M.I.T. stunt was milder than
some with a Penn State locale.
Pledges here kidnap brothers and take them
fur ride-% Brothers here overpower pledges and
talyr them for rides. Fraternities here send
pledges without cars to distant cities.
This is all done in the name of spirit. It
builds unity. It molds men. It breeds brother
hood.
And it may someday cause a death. Will this,
then, be "conscious negligence"? Or will this be
another reflection of a system which makes
such tragedies possible?
Aren't the two really the same? Isn't the
fraternity system itself guilty of gross negli
gence—and arrogant ignorance—if it allows
sophomoric behavoir, which gets out of hand
and becomes dangerous and which reflects dis
honor on the brothers, the fraternity, the fra
ternity system, and the University?
It is nonsensical to ask "Can something be
done about it?" Of course, something can. The
University can do what Dr. Killian says M.I.T.
will do: "Use every means and power at its dis
posal to eliminate those excesses associated with
hazings or initiations which might possibly lead
to accidents, which are physically or mentally
hazardous, or which are unbecoming to students
of maturity and to an institution . . ."
But this is within the area of Interfraternity
Council's duty and jurisdiction. It would be a
sad commentary on IFC if it should choose to
ignore the excesses carried on in the name of
brotherhood building, and merely await ad
ministrative action.
A mild pre-initiation code was proposed and
promptly defeated by IFC on March 21, 1955.
The vote was 25 to 22 with two abstentions.
In the wake of the awakened interest in fra
ternity excesses now expressing itself all over
the country, IFC would be wise to reconsider
the question.
It can risk ignoring the need for curbs on
over-enthusiastic fraternities. Penn State cer
tainly can afford to wait until there's a pledge
death here.
Sure, it can
Gazette
ARNOLD AIR SOCIETY. 7:90 p.m.. Della Upsilon, .class A
onflorm
BELLES LETTRES, 7 p.m.. Atherton Lounge
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ORGANIZATION, 7 p.m., 304 Old
Main
DAILY COLLEGIAN ADVERTISING STAFF. 7 p.m., 9
Carnegie
DAILY COLLEGIAN BUSINESS CANDIDATES, 7 p.m,
317 Willard
DAILY COLLEGIAN PROMOTION STAFF, 6:30 p.m., tO3
Willard
FIVE O'CLOCK THEATER, Little Theater, Old Main
FRESHMAN COUNCIL, 6 :30 p.m., 213 Hetzel Union
FROTH ART STAFF AND CANDIDATES. 7 p.m., Froth
office. iletzei Union basement
FROTH BUSINESS STAFF DIRECTORS. 7:45 p.m., Froth
office, Hettel Union basement
RED CROSS C0MM1171.7.E. 8 p.m.. 218 Hetzel Union
CENTRAL PROMOTION AGENCY senior board, 7 p.m.,
CPA 'office
STUDItNT EMPLOY Ni ENT
The following camps will conduct interviews at the
StuiPnt. Employment Agency. 112 Old Main. Interested
atudent.4 may sign up for interviews there.
CAMP WISE. Feb. 23
CAMP lIIRAM HOUSE. Feb. 24 and 25
PHILADELPHIA YMCA, March 7
CAMP WOODLANDS. March 10
CAMP CONRAD WEISER, March 13 and 14
CAMP MENATOMA. March 14 and 16
University Hospital
Bernard Actman, Gerald Althotmo. Albert Blackhurst,
Irwin Fessler, William Hess• Charles Schooley, Richard
Simturrmacher, Margaret• Thomas, Fred Trust, James Wyatt,
and John D'Angelo.
final of little, they're never sure how much,
or no value. Those professors who rely solely
on the final exam for a grade are doing their
students a great injustice.
•Leiter cut
'Camera Club
Offers Course
Registration for a three session
course in elementary photography
sponsored by the Penn State
Camera Club opens today at the
Hetzel Union desk.
The first session of this course
which is designed to give the ba
sic rules in good picture-taking
will be held March 23, according
to Joseph W. Rohrbaugh, Jr.,
president.
Registration for the free course
which is open to students and fac
ulty will continue until Feb. 29.
John P. Driscoll, assistant pro
fessor of audio-visual education,
will speak at the club meeting at
7 tonight in 214 Hetzel Union.
Frosh Council to Meet
Freshman Council will meet at
6;30 tonight in 213 Hetzel Union.
ILditoriala repreeeat the
eiewpdthate 44 the writers.
abet steeesearlie U4l IMMO
et the paper, the stadeal
bade, sr the University
Me act at March 3, 111173.
The Editor
—Byron 3. Smith
Little Man on Campus
On Assignment
Inside Old Main
If you're in the habit of checking your watch by Old Main's
bells, watch out. Several times last week we got mixed up when
our watch didn't exactly jive with Old Main, and it got so out of
hand one day that our prof almost let us out 15 minutes too early.
Of course, we let the whole thing go by without comment because
things like that, we figure, are
bound to happen now and then.
But the other night we dis
tinctly heard five bells when it
was only two in the morning.
That. shook us up a little, and
prompted our investigation into
the matter.
The man who's in charge of the
chimes is located in the Physical
Plant department in Old Main
and goes by the name of Robert
Knouse. We were in to see him
the other day and he quickly
straightened the whole thing out
for us.
"Yes," he told us. "quite a
few persons noticed it. The
trouble started about a week
ago when the striking contact
became worn, and other com
plications naturally set in. You
know, of course. that there
aren't any bells up there at all,
don't you? The chime itself hits
a tuning fork and the sound is
amplified over the campus."
We assured him that we indeed
knew about it, because one day
last Spring as we made the hike
up to the tower in Old Main,
quarter-to-five's bells practically
knocked us back down the steps.
Thank you. Mr. Knouse. for
clarifying the matter. The bells
in Old Main are practically an
institution around this place.
and we can't have the clock
reading quarter to eleven and
the bells only giving out with
ten thirty. Some of our classes
are ridiculously boring and 15
minutes more would be just
about all we could take.
From The Centre Daily Times
of Feb. 18:
". . . At 10 p.m. it was more
snowballing as police checked a
complaint from Phi Sigma Kappa
fraternity that two small boys
had knocked on the door and
pelted the student who answered
with snowballs . . ."
OK. you Phi Sig's: when one
of those State College street
urchins does it again. turn him
over to IFC. They'll know what
to do with him.
PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK
Hidden way up on the fourth
floor of Old Main is, among other
things, the LaVie office, and its
staff is going all out now to meet
the deadline. The fellow respon
sible for the picture scheduling
problems in that organization is,
of all people, the scheduling edi
tor, Skip ,Witmer, and he told us
the , other.. day . "my room phone
stays busy all the time, day and
night. It's quite a job getting
different groups and individuals
together for pictures, you know."
"The one I remember best," he
continued, "concerns the time we
had to get the Tll4l group to
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 21, 1954
M !Nr_l
By ROri NALKER
gether for a retake. When we
finally did get it taken, one of
their officials practically demand
ed the other copies, and wanted
to know why we didn't give them
more space in the book. 'l've
seen bigger pictures on postage
stamps,' he said. Not only that,'
he wanted to know who drew up
the layout, who took the pictures,
and how he could go about com
plaining to the editor. But things
like that don't happen all the
time. Actually, it's been a lot
of fun,"
•ss
THAT MYSTERIOUS AND
OFTEN STRAIGHTFORWARD
FAR EAST DEPT.
The following classified ads ap
peared in the Jan. 21, 1956, issue
of The Times of Vietnam, and we
quote in full:
SECRETARY WANTED
Secretary w ante d. American
firm own office Saigon requires
secretary typist speking and writ
ing EngliSh. Write full details of
experience etc. to P.O. Box 96.
WANTED! !
English-Speaking Secretary and
"Girl Friday." Write P.O. Box
Saturday night of March 3rd
shapes up into just about the best
athletic program of the year, as
Pitt's heralded wrestlers invade
Rec Hall to meet the Lion gimp
piers, and from all indications,
you'll have to fight for a seat.
The Pitt-Penn State match has
been building up steam all sea
son, as both teams vied to see
who could outscore the other.
We'll probably see an overflow
of Pitt fans in the stands, and
wouldn't at all be surprised if
Lehigh sent a delegation. To us,
this match is the outstanding ath
letic event of the indoor season
and we wouldn't miss it for the
world.
Being an out-of-stater, it
amazed us at first how they
packed them,.-in for wrestling
meets here. but now that we've
become so interested in the
sport, we can easily see why.
Wrestling News picked , Pitt
third in the nation last week.
and Penn State fourth. Things'll
have to be changed around, we
think, after March 3rd.
Oh yes, the basketball team
meets Pitt right after the wrest
ling meet.
Tonight on WDFM
911 AIEGACTCLES
7:25
7.30
8:30 PM Mu Alpha
9:00 --____ _ Top Drawer
9:15 News
9:50 ---- * This World of Music
10:30 ___------.:-- Shfa Off
ftv Bibler
-., Sign Ow
Wein Show
Philip