PAG* *nn» Editorial Opinion. Sputnik equals 180 + 40 A Spultuk-jrihpired conference on education that could lead to a 6-day school week ar.d a longer school year in Pennsylvania has been called by Gov. George M. Leader. The special conference will be held Jan. 28 and 29 in Harrisburg. One hundred leading Pennsylvania educators have been invited to discuss how the quality of the educa tion in the more than 2500 school districts in the state can be improved. No on®, it seems, would be greatly surprised if the special conference recommended a 220-day minimum school year. The present minimum is 180. And to get in thes6 extra 40 days, Saturdays may' be used. Although v.e feel the quality of the education in the public schools can definitely be strengthened within the present 180 days, we are most happy to see that the Leader administration and the educators have not stopped there. It seems that not too many months ago—in the pre- Sputnilc time—not 100 many politicians would even have considered a longer school year, for it would cost money. That was when both Democrats and Republicans were going out of their way to see how they could save money on education. And they came up with some ways, including the Penn State “disaster budget.” Without arguing which party did the least for education in the last legislative session, it will suffice to say that both parties did not do enough. But thanks to Sputnik, money seems to be of secondary importance for a change. It appears the state is going to make an effort to meet the Soviet challenge, and it un doubtedly will be a non-partisan effort- In fact, Penn State may get what it asks for in the next biennium. Thankful ‘tho we are for this somewhat belated effort, we can’t help wondering how much better off America would be if it didn’t take a Sputnik to wake up America to the Soviet challenge in education and scientific and technological supremacy. The Season Arrives Many special Christmas events have been planned for Penn State students, and two of them are especially appealing to us. The Chapel Choir will present its impressive candle light service at 10:55 tonight in Schwab Auditorium, and Jon Barry Wilder will present a reading of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol" at 8 p.m. Monday in the Helen Eakin Eisenhower Memorial Chapel. We can think of no better way of getting into the spirit of tiie season than by listening to the Chapel'Choir sing traditional Christmas music and by hearing a talented young man read one of the classic Christmas stories. Weve Gotta Speak Up Although we generally don't take a stand on an issue like this, we cannot keep quiet any longer. It's been in the air for some lime now and we haven't commented upon it yet. But we now feel that too many students have been cold toward this issue far too long. And, what's more, we can't take much more of it. We hope the weatherman does something about this ... cold weather. Editorials are written by the editors and staff members o! The Daily Collegian and do not necessarily represent the views ot the University or of the student body. A Stvdent-Opcrated Newspaper iatlu Collegian Sucecssoi to The Free Lance, esl 1887 fflbllahtd Tttnda* thrvufh baturdi; moraine dorms (he Limmity rear, Tht Daily €*tle*iati t* • #todent-op«rat»d n**»oaD«r Entered as atrond-ciaM matter July 1. 1934 •! (fc* Collect Pa.. Tost Offire undri the art of Marrb 3. 1873 Mali fttfcerripttea Prteai $3.01 pet aemeaUi - SS.H per rear tie Lf_ < Saturday Evening—6:4s: Sign on and us. ragr. Xews: 7:00: Hi Fi Open House; 9:00:; Manaxtox fcdiloc J.dj Harkixon: City Editor. Robort franklin: Sport* Editor Vines Cl Sund*J' B< EvTO'n~—-6cm” "and braeei: C.pj Editor Anno irirdbrre: AuUunt Copy Editor Marion Bratty: AuiiUn: x- '. 7 . M . The Third Programme• 11 -30 -i SporU Kditnr. Malt Math-., and Loo Prato; Mako-op Editor Ginny PhilHpa; Pbo s;or,!rvff ' 1 Editor Grorcr H.rri.on Si*n on. Ne^j A»t Ho* 41* t. See Mortenaon; Local Ad. Mgr M Marilyn Elias; Asst. Local AA-and Market Reports; 7:00: The People Mft. Rase Ann Gonuln: National Ad Mgr.. Joan Wallace: Promotion Mgr. Mtritan* Art; 7:25: Behind the Lectara; 7:50: Maier; Prr«c-nneJ Mg?. Lynn tilassbem; Classified Ad. Mgr.. Steve BUUteia; Ca-i State News and National Sports; 8:90:; Cirentation Mgr*. Pat Miemirfci and Richard Llppa; Research and Rteorda Kgr..; Sounds in the Night; S:$Q: Greek Quiz;; Barbara Wall; Office Secretary. Marlene Marks. (9:00: Campus News and Sports; 9:15: _ ~~ ~ ~ jFirst Freedom; 9:10: Marquee Memories; 1 STAf'F THIS ISSI E: Night Editor. Larry Jacobson: Copy Editor, Lynn Ward; Wire'10:0O: National and International New§;j Editor. Daxe Fn.eman ; Awdnant*. Lioda Scgar. Eiii* Hlunu-nthal. John Steiner, Judy;10:05: Syapboaio Notebook; 11:00: New* goflewberget; LoUi 2tcvi*rth,- /juy- Jiaacctshaltf toiiia Jlaxgtx. %*l***.>„■ .* ;. * a , * Und £iga-ol£. . - ...... j ED DUBBS. Editor STEVE HIGGINS. THE DAIIV COLIEGIAN STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA Interpretation Britain Verging On Saving Her Economic Life Associated. Press News Analyst Great Britain today seems to be on the verge of saving her eco-j nomic life with , a scientific de-! velopment ranking second only toj the application of coal power to her machinery two hundred years! :ago. , ! In the early part of the 18th century Britons sparked an in-! 'dustrial revolution which has since remade the living standards lof a large part of the world. It made her a rich and powerful nation with interests around the globe. It made it possible for her to support far more millions of people than could have lived on what was produced by her little island. She look the raw ma terials of the world, processed them, and sold them back at huge profits. She became the banker of the world. Alter two devastating wars, Britain appeared to be headed for a return to an insular economy. 1 Her industrial revolution had spread until she faced terrific trade competition and the loss of. foreign markets to foreign indus-; tries. Mining her coal, the major' source of her economic strength, l became uneconomical. ; So she turned to production of! power through the use of uranium,,' harnessing the A bomb. But that is an extremely expensive proc- 1 ess. Plant construction and con-! version of raw materials is slow. Now the skilled Britons have j forged ahead once again lo har- I ness a power which could have j a far more sensational effect on j the life of the world than all j the sputniks. j It is the power which makes the! hydrogen bomb such a terrible weapon. In the early days of her history] Britain depended heavily on the! seas around her for food. Later! she depended on the world sea! lanes for her commerce. All her! life the sea has been her friend and defender. Now she proposes lo go back io the sea in a new crisis, lo ob tain unlimited quantities of a new raw material for power, heavy hydrogen, and so once more revolutionize her indus try. She can claim again “There’ll: always be an England," and byj that she does not mean just a' little island. Gazette Candlelight Sen ire. 10:55 p.m., Schwab Confessions, 4 and 7 p.m.. Our Lady ofj Victory Church 1.R.C.-Coamopolitan Club, combined Christ- mas j tarty. 8 p.m.. Chapel Jounce Outinz Club. Cabin and . Trail Division Fun Party. 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; buses behind O«mond Outinz Club Field and Stream Division, Deer Drive Players* Production. “The Caine Mutiny Su*ry,“ g p.m.. Center Staze Varsity Basketball. 8 p.m.. Rec Hall TOMORROW Alpha No, 7:30 p.m., 303 Willard Chapel Service, Christmas choral prozram, 10;55 a.nt.. Schwab Circa circulation staff. 6:30 p.m.. 209 HUB Hillel Foundation T.V. Film Forum. 7:30! p.m.. Foundation Mass. 6 :3G p.m.. Eisenhower Chapel Outinz Club. Field and Stream Division, Annual Came Banquet, 4:30 p.m., Valley Forestry Camp Protestant Service, 9 a.m.. Chapel Roman Catholic Masa, 9 a.m.. Schwab Sigma Delta Chi smoker, 8 p.m.. Pi Kappa! Phi Christmas Candlelirht Dinner, 5 p.m., HUB Faculty Luncheon Club, noon. Hetzel Union French Club and Spanish Club combined Christmas 'party. 7 p.m.. Orange Nittany-PoUock Christian Association, 7 p.m.. Nittany 38 Jounce Readinr. “A Christmas Carol,* Chapel Jounce University Hospital Marcia Bloom, Jean Colgan, Brian Da vit. John Hane. Janet Henninzer, Carole ■Hiller. Joyce Klinfrman, Edward Kurtick, ‘Susan Leitx. Carl Maxzan, George Motto. 'Jam*-* Neebkt. Eric Ohramn, Jeanette Spangler. Kurt Stroviak, John Williams, Frank Wtibon. Weekend on WDFM By J. M. ROBERTS TODAY MONDAY Little Man on Campus b> oi,k ,il "" m wA "Hey, there in back! Am I asking too much that you BRING your. lesl paper to my desk when you finish?" Safety Valve 'The Trouble With Cabinet' ,TO THE EDITOR: Mr. Althouse stated in his editorial that ap- peared in Tuesday’s Collegian that the Penn State students “will |not stand for” ineffective leader- ship in student government. This jis, remarkable. | Since the beginning of the se imester (and in previous semes ters), the campus political parties [have been literally begging for jstudent opinion and cooperation jin student government affairs. I There were more than ample op portunities for participation in (activities of student government .by any interested student, and jthe overall response was disgust jing.’ • Obviously very few students cared enough lo develop an in terest in student government. allhough it was stressed again j realization of America’s lax atti and again as being beneficial to Itude towards scientific progress, the student as an individual This can be prominently seen 'and to Penn State in general. on. our own campus in regard Consider the small percentage J? lhe , J ? rar T h ?V«- is of students, who voted for candi- th .® onl Y da * on wh ? ch a student, jdates for All-University Cabinet! . out , concern for the next The fault, as I see it, does not lie! da X s clas “ s ' may bury him directly with the Cabinet, but! s f 1 j contentedly in scientific with the lack of interest in the! may pursue to his heart s Cabinet. What can be expected co ”! en , t , books concerning this ?Wp.“U h S ho„fcU>“ “?» il>»‘ Sgr'^nftoig. .be supported enlho.i.sUcally? ' to j li the students of Penn State mo less an authority than Dr. Mil i’f’f.Ht consideration from ton S. Eisenhower, there is a def- All-U Cabinet they should give | inite lack of an academic atmos more consideration to the type of Sphere on our campus. However, people they elect to Cabinet and isn’t it about time we became take the trouble to consider vot- aware of the important things of mg as a responsibility. life? Certainly most are content Perhaps Cabinet, in its present to fill their Saturday evenings state, is bowing down to the ad- with parties, dating and the like; ministration. But is it not feas-! but is this any reason we scholar ible to presume that If the Pennjly few should be denied the privi- State students demonstrated the j leges of the library? I know not fact, that they were supporting i what others may think; but as the Cabinet that represents them,!for me, give me the library Satur the Cabinet would be more in-!day night or give me Pitt! dined to consider controversial I . —Dennis Slrailer, *SB r "' ~jlT ji-,^ /2'/Vl SATURDAY. DECEMBER 14. 1957 questions with the student bene fit in mind? The trouble with Cabinet is. in an indirect but definite way, the result of apathy toward student government. No student should have to put up with in effective leadership, but only the students can solve the prob lem. Instead of waiting until next Christmas to wail about the in justices of the vacation situation, why not make sure NOW that Cabinet gets the support it de serves. It would be perfectly love ly if the apathy toward student government disappeared, but I doubt if anything short of com plete abolishment of the Christ mas vacation could wake up Penn Staters to the fact that they need effective student government. —Ann Pennell, Give Him Library On Saturday Nights jTO THE EDITOR: Frightening as [it is to many people, we can. I thank Sputnik for one thing: a
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers