>AGE FOUR
Editorial Opinion
Honors in Credits
The exceptional student, who for so long has been
only a face in the crowd, has often been stifled instead of
encouraged. Lost in an educational system which is geared
to the average student, the potentialities of the mentally
gifted are finally being recognized.
The University is increasingly expending its program
for this student by establishing Honors Courses. At the
present time, these courses Include the engineering science
curriculum, political science 300. and similar programs in
business administration and home economics.
The purposes of the Honors program are to raise aca
demic levels and to increase motivation and initiative of
the exceptional student by giving him the personal re
sponsibility to pursue what interests him as far as he
wishes.
The plan was given a boost last fall in the Academic
Atmosphere workshop at Student Encampment and last
week at the All-University Cabinet meeting. Both times
students nodded their heads “yes,” yet the attitude seemed
to be that this is an administrative affair and the responsi
bility for promoting Honors Courses was‘far from that
of the student bodv.
What is unfortunate is that too few students know
about the special program. Some departments recruit stu
dents by invitation; however, for the most part, the courses
are open to all students with a B average or belter and a
minimum number of required credits.
The Senate subcommittee on the superior student has.
been studying the problem for three years and has been
presenting periodical progress reports. Another report
will go before the Senate sometime this semester.
Dr. Ruth Ayres, former chairman of the subcommittee,
said that a significant purpose of the program is “to help
each student to maximize his potentials, and we know po
tentials differ. This is our job ... not to waste the time of
a brilliant student while we are explaining something to
a slower student, which he can't get any faster.”
The structure of these courses enables the student to
\ express himself in class as well as on paper and to use
library resources efficiently. Most of the work is done on
the student's own initiative since there generally is no sys
tem of testing.
In this respect the Honors Courses are comparable to
the program of study of European students of the same
class standing. Most authorities claim students in Euro
pean universities to be academically about two years
ahead of American students.
Many other schools in the United States have
incorporated Honors programs into the academic schedule.
In a survey taken last year by the subcommittee. 24 out of
38 institutions have special programs.
This recognition of the exceptional student, while long
overdue, is an important advance in educational theory
and practice. But it is no less than imperative that
America develop fully its most valuable resources: its
most briliarvt students.
Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn
at no other.—Edmund Burke
GdUarleie are written br the aditars and staff • embers
af fbt Oatly CaUeclan and da aoi aactaaarily represent
the eieaa af tbe Lntvecslty at af Cite stadeot body
A Student-Operated Newspaper
Satiy (EdUegtatt
Successot to The Free Lance est 1887
rn«*da> Uuevgb Saturday morttta# daring (be University vest. Tbs
Daily i'nlleftan b t student-operated newspaper Entered %» second-class natter
July * U3I at tbe Slate Cottar* Pa Poet Office andev the art «f March I. 1179.
Mail 'Mtbsrriptio* Price: 19 99 per «eneate> - 93-99 per teat
>Uk'BS Editor STEVE HIGGINS. Bus Mgr.
STAFF THIS ISSUE: Ni«ht Editor. Lynn Ward; Copy Editor. Denny Malick;
Wire Editor, Marie Rus.no; AuLtsnts, Luck Thieesen, Neal Friedman. Mac Me*
Cattffhan. <'armclia LaSpada, Linda Sffir, Marilyn Lontx, Jan Horitje. Judy
XtoMabiuft
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN. STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
Letters
Student Wants
Steele Ousted
TO THE EDITOR: The fact that
All-University Cabinet not only
endorsed All - University Presi
dent Robert Steele’s action but
failed to suspend him immediate
ly from office and force restitu
tion of the extra day’s expenses
seems virtually inconceivable.
Steele’s action speaks for itself
but the action, or rather lack oi
action, on Cabinet’s part forces
us to conclude that student gov
ernment is in deplorable condi
tion.
Robert Nurock (Liberal Arts
Council president), George
Thompson (freshman class presi
dent! and Edward Dubbs (Colle
gian editor) are to be commended
for having" enough judgment to
abstain from voting on that
stickv bit about endorsing (and
at the same time, condoning)
Steele's action.
However, they would be in .line
for congratulations had they
voted against it! As Steele said
himself, “I failed to live up to my
responsibilities. In my position
this is not allowed.”
It should be pointed out to Mr.
Steele that this sort of thing is
not allowed in any position and
that his resignation should have
been handed in along with the
"expense” account . . .
—Paul D. Richardson, '6O
e Letter Cut
Gazette
Academic Year Institute Colloquium, Dr.
Henry A. Finch on What is Man, 4:10
p.m.. 10i» Arnmby
ACEI. John Taylor on “Let's Get Married,
7 p.m.. Urarute playroom
AIM Judicial. 7 p.m.. 213 UVD
Chess Club. 2nd round of University tour-
naim-nt. 7 p.m.. 7 Sparks
Delta Nu Alpha. 7:3t> p.m.. Phi Mu Delta
Freehman Advisory Board. 3 p.m., 303
Willard
Crane*,
HilltJ Besinncn* Hebrew, 7 pm., Found*'
tion
Hillel forrmint board, 8 p.m., Foundation
Hill*! Purtm Celebration, 7 p.m., Found*-
Bavarian Schoplattlers. 7:30 p.m..
1 Carncirie
Newman Club Choir Practice, 7:30 p.m.,
Church
Newman Club Norena. 7 p.m.. Church
Newman Clob, speaker, 7 p.m., 104 Pro-
gram Center
Philosophy Club, Dr. Henry T. Hit on
’Conflicts,
Phi Slffina lota, Dr. Frederick Steiner on
"Meetings With Three Poets," 8 p.m„
McElwain
Riding CJnb. 7 p.ro.
•‘Ring Round the Moon,* 3 p.m., Little
Theater, Old Main
Sprint Week Carnival Committee, 6:30
p.m.. 212 HUB
WRA officer** applications, 6 p.m., dean
of women's office
Zoology Clob. 7 p.m.
Roger Clisby, Myra Faulx. Reuben
Dworsky, Sandra Goldman. Robert Heist.
Barry Herr. George Huffman, Arthur
Kinsley. Barbara Levin. Lucretla McNitt,
James Naugie, Mary Estel] Peters, Louis
Plants. Geortre Kauchfuai, Basri Seter.
Fred Speicher, Joseph Wachtel. Barbara
Wagner.
Job Interviews
Eonitable Life Aasurance Society: Mar 19:
Math interested in actuarial work, resf-
denta of New York City for employment
in home office.
Diamond Alkali Co: Mar 19: BS & MS
in Chem. ChE. Acctt. Mgmt for sales.
American Viscose Corp: Mar 19-20: Acctt.
lE, Chem. ChE, ME; also Jr. Sr, Soph
in above fields for summer employment.
Ft. Monmouth (Signal Corps Ccnnt’er):
Mar 19: EE, ME. Phy».
Baltimore • Css & Electric: Mar 19; EE,
ME, CE. Chem. Math. Acclg.
CAMP INTERVIEWS
Indian Lake Camp, Mar 8; Camp Con
rad Weiser, Mar 11, 12; Camp Wise, Mar
12. 13: Camp Carondowanna, Mar 13;
Hotel Conneaut. Mar 1?. 18.
Lutherans to Hold
Lenten Communion
The weekly Lenten Service of
Holy Communion will be con
ducted at 6:45 a.m. tomorrow in
Grace Lutheran Church.
Administrants of the Sacrament
will be the Rev. Arthur L. Ruths,
pastor, and the Rev. Dale S.
Bringman.
Breakfast will be served in the
student center immediately fol
lowing the service.
Angel Flight Applicants
May Register at HUB
Freshman, sophomore and jun
ior women interested in inter
views for Angel Flight may apply
before March 12 at the Hetzel
Union desk.
The rushing interviews will be
gin March 13. Selection will be
based on poise, appearance, per
sonality and interest in the.organ
_ ization.
TODAY
100 Weaver
7 :15 p.m.
214-3 HUB
7:30 p.m.
217 Willard
113 Frear
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Washington Beat
Not Since British
Burned the Place...
WASHINGTON, March 4 (IP) —Not since the British
burned the place in 1814 has there been such excitement
ov'er tampering with the U.S. Capitol.
The east front of the old building is to be extended
32.6 feet, and the reaction has run from: It’s the only way
to keep passersby from being
conked by historic, but lethal
falling stones, to
Stop this vandalism!
Congress began the whole
thing,
It set up a Commission for
the Extension of the U.S. Capi
tol, which has gone about its
job of extending. The first con
tract, which will run to around
$lO million, is now in the pro
cess of being let. The total ex
pansion program, to be carried
on over a number of years, will
cost $llO million.
First a word about the com
mission members, none of
whom has a record for sus
tained vandalism.
Speaker Sam Rayburn is
chairman. He’s assisted by
Vice President Richard M. Nix
on, Senate Republican Leader
William Knowland, House
GOP Leader Joe Martin and
the Capitol architect, J. George
Stewart.
They’ve decided though
not unanimously that the
Capitol should have is face
lifted. This would provide
more room and replace sand
stone that is wearing away.
A consulting architect, John
F. Harbason, that a Senate sub
committee that pieces of stone
as big as water tumblers are
tumbling off the Capitol.
“It was with just such a
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 5. 1958
By Arthur Edson
weapon," Harbeson said, “that
David slew Galiath."
This hasn’t halted the criti
cism.
Several bills are before Con
gress to stop the work. The
Columbia Historical Society,
Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant 111, pres
ident, passed a resolution call
ing the plan an act of vandal
ism. The "Committee to Pre
serve the National Capital’*
had a word for it: Incredible.
Appropriately, the. Capitol
has a history almost as varied
as the nation it serves.
Dr. William Thornton drew
up the first plan, and after him
came other men with their
own plans and dreams: Hobari,
Latrobe, Bulfinch, Mills, Wal
ter. By 1865 the' Capitol was
completed as it stands today.
Leicester B. Holland says in
the journal of the American
Institute of Architects: “It is
almost unbelievable that a suc
cession of building operations,
by such various hands, could
have resulted in anything but
a hodge-podge.”
"Instead, the outcome is by
common accord one of the
most beautiful buildings in
the world, dignified, simple,
well-proportioned, harmonious
in its varied detail, unique in
composilion," he wrote. .
“It is certainly finer than
any of its architects could
have planned, if he had been
left wholly to himself.”