PAGE 1:01.IR
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ROGER ALEXANDER. Editor
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Night Editor, Terry Leach; Copy Editors, Ginny Philips, Carole Gibson; As
sistants, Chuck Dinocco, Jim Kopp, Barbara Drum, Linda Segar.
Tile heat's on:Why Don't They Cool Things Off
Yes Vlrgin:a, there is such a thing as air
conditioning. It's still on the job cooling. de
humidifying, and in general making life more
comfortable on hot muggy days for we mechan
ically dependent humans.
You may need this reassurance if you are a
student at the University and don't get out
side the grey mountains that surround the Uni
versity much. For chances are Virginia, you
spend many hours during these hot muggy
days and nights going to the local movies.
You probably have noticed the heaters seem
just as hot, sticky, close, and arid inside if not
=ore so than outside in the street. Well no
wonder, for none of the three theaters in State
College are equipped with air conditioning.
The only cooling systems employed are fans
which merely shift the hot, sticky, close, and
arid air from one side of the theater to the
other. This is why you roast to death when
you attend the movies in the spring and early
fall.
Just to refresh your memory Virginia, air
conditioning is by no means a new air cooling
process. It goes back before the war years.
However most of the theaters that are equipped
with air conditioning today were converted
right after the war.
Up until two years ago there was no chance
at all to get air conditioning installed in the
three local theaters as they were all owned by
the Stanley Warner theater chain. Since all
three theaters were controlled by the same
interest there was no need to install such a
system. There was no competition to worry
about. The students either went to one of the
three theaters or else they didn't.
Two years ago one of the theaters was sold
to a private interest. It was hoped at that time
that, since there now was some competition,
one of the theaters would install air-condition
ing to increase its attendance. If that had been
the case, the other theaters would also have
to install air conditioning or else suffer a tre
mendous drop in attendance.
But alas and alack Virginia, nothing hap
pened. Both owners adopted a watch and wait
policy, wondering which one was going to make
the first move. They are still waiting for that
first move on the other's part,
Let's look into the situation as it stands now.
One theater is far too old and small to even
think about installing an air conditioning sys
tem. That leaves two other medium size thea
ters which are likely candidates for air con
ditioning.
It was estimated that a system capable of
producing 60 tons of cooled air an hour would
be needed for each of the two theaters. The
cost would run upwards of $35,000 to install
such a system.
Now, what plans have the owners of the
theaters made concerning air conditioning in
the future? The theater operated by the Warner
chain plans to install air conditioning "some
time in the future." No specified date was set,
so the future date might be anywhere from two
months to ten years from now. There are sever
al other theaters in the Warner chain that have
been picked ahead of the local theater to re-
Safety Valve
Gad, Aren't Men Cads? The Campus as Tribute
TO THE EDITOR: Spring brings out flowers,
leaves, Bermudas, tennis rackets, and students.
It is of the latter that presents a problem. One
of the most disgusting things I have ever seen
is the way the male population of the West
Halls gather in the courtyard after the noon
and evening meals.
It isn't a friendly gathering for they line up
along the walls, on the grass and the walks,
and act like a bunch of organized hoodlums.
A female walking to or from the dining hall is
subject to most everything from being bom
barded by tennis balls to whistling and very un
gentlemanly remarks.
As I have observed the crowd that partici
pates in this activity I have noted that it is
not one of the campus leaders, of the gentle
man or the good all-round male. It is the crowd
pf West Halls men (?) that have so little respect
for themselves that they lower themselves to
this figure of an immature child.
This is not entirely a problem of the male
sex. for there are a few girls that dress, walk,
and act in a manner very unbecoming to them
selves. I feel very sorry for this female that
craves attention so much that she lowers her
self to this cheap admiration. She is a mixed-up
female. Regardless of how a few appear there
is no excuse for the treatment that the rest
receive.
A male of college age, average mentality and
psychologically normal should not permit him
self to partake in this form of showing off.
They are strong only in mass, showing off for
their friends, or trying to get admiration from
the girls. We girls do not admire you or think
you are very clever. We think you are a part
of one of the most disgusting and repulsive
demonstrations we have ever seen, and we hope
you will grow up and follow those that know
better so we can Say we admire the male popula
.
tion of Penn State.
Ann* Bichards
Ile BAH Collegian
Successor us THE FREE LANCE. est 1187
eIIED .- 11. .
WE DAILY COLLEGIAN STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
DAVID RICHARDS. Business Manager
ceive air conditioning. As soon as the money
is available, the local theater will also be air
cooled.
The other theater owner is also planning on
air conditioning sometime in the future. How
ever, there is no money in sight to convert
the theater.
What we can't understand is why the local
theaters aren't at the head of the list of theaters
to be air-conditioned. It's no secret they receive
most of their revenue from students and play
to near empty houses in the summer months
when students are on their vacations, presum
ably enjoying movie entertainment in their
home town theaters which are air-conditioned.
It is quite a letdown to come back to State
College in the fall, and be forced to sit in a
stifling movie house in order to see a movie.
Perhaps if a fourth theater was established in
town, increasing competition, the theaters would
find it mandatory to install air conditioning to
capture back their audiences which were going
to rival movies.
Yes Virginia, we all know that movies consti
tute the greater part of student entertainment
thl•oughout the week and especially on week
ends. The trouble is the theater owners know
it also, and figure as long as they have the
students within their grip, they can continue
putting off improvements in their establish
ments.
Well Virginia, if you don't like the situation
as much as you and many other students say
you do, you could probably solve your problem
by boycotting the downtown theaters. It might
be hard to miss some of those movies you es
pecially wanted to see, but if attendance fell off
enough, and the theater managers complained
loud enough to the owners, the situation might
be altered.
The owners have too great an investment in
State College to close down the theaters com
pletely. Besides someone who knew what the
students wanted might come in and take the
profits they were getting now. The only way
therefore the owners could continue would be
to install air conditioning and please the stu
dents.
Of course you can't please everybody all the
time, but since this seems to be a campus-wide
gripe, the installation of air-conditioning would
probably reduce all other, complaints about the
movies to a mere whisper,
Several years ago when television was threat
ening the attendance at the theaters, Holly
wood agents dreamed up a big promotion stunt
which declared that movies were better than
ever. True, we now have Stereophonic Sound,
Vistavision, Three-D, and a host of other tech
nical advancements, but while the inventors
were busy making the quality of the reproduc
tion better, they forgot the most important fac
tor in show business—the customers.
Yes Virginia, there is air conditioning, and as
soon as the theaters discover this, perhaps it
will be installed. Why don't you and the rest
of the students attempt to enlighten the owners
of this fact. We're sure they would be delighted
to find it out.
TO THE EDITOR: In regards to Mimi K. Hoov
er's letter, I would like to question several
points she allegedly assumes as absolute truths.
These points which Miss Hoover bases her ar
guments on are in reality mere guesses on her
part.
In the first place, religion does seem to be
a one-hour-a-week affair for the great majority
of the students on this campus. The idea that
the University chapel will continually have
students in it who are meditating seems a very
fax fetched one when the number of students
who go to the churches downtown to meditate is
considered. The idea that student conversations
are - humdrum" may be a part of Miss Hoover's
experience but not of some others.
The idea that God must be worshiped in a
chapel because we will not worship Him else
where seems to be another fallacy. I feel that
God is everywhere, and the idea that human
beings are only aware of his presence when in
church is to claim that college people are in
capable of abstract thought unless given a direct
stimulus. Once again, this may be Miss Hoover's
experience, but not mine.
It seems to me that our duty to the Creator,
as college trained people. is to serve humanity.
Our constant reminder is the sufferings and
needs of humanity, and we should need no
other. This whole campus is a tribute to God,
in that it testifies to the wisdom with which
he endowed man.
In summary, the idea that man needs a
special place to worship God is an example
of the narrow ideas that a blind adherence to
religion teaches. God's greatest gift to man was
giving him a brain to think with. The use of
this gift is a greater tribute to God than the
blind, unquestioning adherence to a religion of
a past age.
Gazette
Today
HILT.EL. Lox . and Bogle Brunch, 11 a.m. to 1! p.m., IliHot
Foundation
amwmAnt CLUB. Tir Parts. $ 940 Student Centar
Editorials represent the
viewpoints of the writers,
not nertssariLe the pone"
of the paper. the student
body. or the UniversltY
—The Editor
—William Eisenberg
ittle. Man on Campus
"We must have failed to proofread all of my new text. Miss Slurp—
why, parts of this chapter are written so clearly
I even understand it 7
pebbles on the shore
Penn State Critic
The final line falls upon a stage-struck audience of "drama
enthusiasts." The yellow beams pf light dim and blacken out.
An enthusiastic beating of limp hands follow and, depending
on the show, the cast theatrically poses on the stage, taking its
encores.
So ends a typical Penn State Players' production. Then,
according to most viewpoints, I,
as the Collegian "drama critic,"
surge out of my hard seat and
beat a lively retreat to the Col
legian office where I hurriedly
dash out an interminable list of
vitriolic words.
Such reaction to these reviews!
It is deafening in its dreadful si
lence, as far as my ears are con
cerned. All "interested" persons
comment, but never to me. But
on the basis of my special grape
vine, I could bet I can predict the
reaction of practically anyone on
campus to a review—provided, of
course, I know where they stand
in relation to a production.
What about a Penn State dra
matic critic? In this column I
shall attempt—what, to many.
seems impossible—to evaluate
his position or role on campus.
To start—l can't think of any
thing more interesting and yet
more useless than the comments
everyone gives to a review. They
are bound to please or displease.
But could anything be more nat
ural? Could the opinions of any
one, especially the exceedingly
biased thoughts of enthusiasts of
the Draina, really mean anything?
Of course not.
So where does that leave the
critic? Should his ego bound if
everyone is pleased or should it
fall kaplunk if no one is pleased?
Idealistically, it should do neither.
But it does rise and fall—couldn't
help it. For another reason,
though, it often leaps upward. It's
pleasant to know that people read
your "stuff" and take the time to
talke about it even if almost
never to the critic personally.
I rest my case. Comment means
nothing. An exception, though—
one may respect the opinions of
certain professors and instructors,
and possibly talented and exper
ienced graduate (rarely under
graduate) students.
In all honesty—believe me if
you wish—l get the greatest of
"kicks" out of hearing of these
derogatory comments. What a
thrill to get a trifle of letters to
the editor decrying my lack of
everything:
A big question keeps popping
up. Is the role of a Penn State
critic any different from that of
an "outside" critic, that individ
ual who reviews everything from
Broadway shows to straw hat
SATURDAY. MAY 19. 1956
By Bibler
by ted serrill
.
circuit productions. A difficult
question, since no one professes
to know what this outsider's role
All this critic does—with his un
stateable knowledge of the thea
ter and writing—is to set down
exactly what he thinks within the
time and space limitations. Occa
sionally, I exceed both limitations,
but this is fairly unimportant.
I attempt to do this objeco
lively. This means closing out
of my mind all the comments
on a production I hear on the
way to my typewriter. Some
will say this is impossible.. Some
will say this is just not done.
- I try.
This, simply, is my role as critic.
As such, every student could be a
critic. It seems as if the basic
question,' then resolves to this:
What is the role of a c o 11 e g e
audience?
I could immediately state that
the role of many theater arts ma
jors—especially those closely con
nected with a production--is to
disagree with this critic because
they believe they know more than
than I. Fine. However, it will
take a long time- for me to dis
cover whether they are _really
right or wrong in any specific in
stance—if I ever learn at all.
Everyone who has not seen
the production actually has no
right to agree or disagree with
me. They would know nothing
about a play or production I re
viewed.
So . . . the role of any review
reader is to practicaly , disregard
(Continued on page five)
Officers Elected
By Belles Lettres
David Powell, sixth semester
arts and letters major from Ard
more, has been elected president
of the Belles Lettrez Club, -liter
ary society.
Other officers elected were
Sandra Cunningham, sixth se
mester education major fr o m
Philadelphia, vice president; Ju
dith Cornwall, sixth semester.arts
and letters major from Hellam,
secretary; and Georgia Cohen,
fourth semester arts and letters
major from Melrose Park, treas
urer.