PAGE FOUR Editorial Opinion Voting Is a Privilege, Take Advantage of It Will 3000 students once again decide what legislation will be passed affecting the 15,000 University students in the forthcoming year? This is a pertinent question to widespread speculation on whether there will be a large voting percentage in the elections today and tomorrow. Substantial reasoning is behind this speculation. Voting percentages in the past have been far from com mendable. Apathy has been the keynote of every election whether it be for student council or for SGA representa tives. And we are sick of apathy! A rundown on the fall voting percentages in the past five years is: 1955-33 per cent total; 1956-33.4 per cent; 1957-32.7 per cent; 1958-43.7 per cent; and in last spring's elections, a total of 23 per cent voted for SGA officers and Assembly members. Every year, student leaders, the Collegian, and even some interested students decry the disinterest shown in elections. Why should these few have to act as guardian angels for college students?—students who supposedly have had years of indoctrination on the privilege of voting. College students are visualized as the future molders of policy whether it be local, state or national. Present apathy is poor encouragement for those who are really interested in having their opinions voiced through their elected leaders. Maybe we are just being idealistic in thinking that Penn State students recognize the rights that they could and should exercise. It can be assumed from the low per centages that a large majority of students at this Uni versity will be content to sit back all their lives and let other people decide for them. Yes, we are sick and tired of trying to persuade stu dents to vote. There is no valid reason for students to refuse to vote. The biggest excuse found for not voting is: "student government leaders never do anything so why vote for them?" Have the non-voters considered that student gov ernment leaders find it difficult to represent the entire student body when so few members cast their ballot for them. Three years of research, careful study and planning went into the reorganization plan so that student govern ment would be more representative of the entire student body. Penn State now has an assembl embodied with the power to pass all legislation affecting students. This asesmbly is elected directly through the classes. The authors of the plan were not thinking of them selves and their own interests when they drew it up. They were thinking of the students. Thinking that students might like to elect representatives to the highest student legislative body at the University. Were they wrong? Only the election results will tell. Only the students who vote today and tomorrow will answer this question. Don't vote! Destroy the privilege of voting. Destroy what people all over the world are giving their lives for. Destroy your voice in a government that can help students realize their aims through its legislation. But, if you feel that you would like to have your say about who is going to run student government for one whole year, VOTE! It's a democratic University. All it takes is one matriculation card and the best intentions of having a sounding board of student opinion in the SGA Assembly. A Student-Operated Newspaper 55 Years of Editorial Freedom Batty Tollrgiatt Successor to The Free Lance, est. 1887 Published Tuesday through Saturday morning during the University Year. The Daily Collegian is a student operated newspaper. Entered as second•elass matter July S. 1934 at the State College. Pa. Poet Office under the act of March 3, 1879. Mail Subscription Price: $3.00 per semester 85.00 per year. DENNIS MALICK GEORGE McTURK Editor 4 E 4°l " Business Manager STAFF THIS ISSUE: Wire Editor, Katie Davis; Night Editor, Meg Teichholtz; Copy Editor, Jim Moran. Assistants: Karen Hyneckeal, Kayrl du Chacek. Ron Smith, Robert Kraft, Bob Kil born, Sharon Bohm, Fayenola Zalmon, Cindy Cordero, Trudy Gerlach, Nancy Langsner, Alyce Blair, Edie Smith, Lynn Bor donaro, Emily Nissley, JoAnne Mark, Pat Haller and Sue Taylor. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN, STATE COLLEGE. PENNSYLVANIA Letters Reader Urges 'Joey' Pledges TO THE EDITOR: During the past two weeks there has been a great controversy over the com pensation given to Nittany Coun cil Executive Board and the dor mitory presidents of that area. This past Wednesday evening the Nitany council voted to set up "Project Joey." This project will bring 60 orphans to the Nit tany Area on Christmas to cele brate the holiday. Each dormitory will contribute funds for this worthwhile cause. The majority of the dormitory presidents have pledged their SIO compensations to this fund. We hope the remainder will follow since this is the ideal method of using their compensation. Will other living units follow suit? We hope so. Gazette TODAY AIM. 7 p m.. 203 HUB American Meteorological Society, 7:30 p.m., 224 Mineral Industries ASAE, 7 p.m , 206 Ag Eng Beta Gamma Sigma. 5:45 p.m., 218 HUB Chess Club, 7 pin , '7 Sparks Christian Fellowship, 12:45 p m , 218 HUB Dancing Class, 6:30 p.m , HUB ballroom De%tolay, 7:30 p.m., 218 HUB El Circulo Espanol, 7.16 p.m., Home Eco. nomics living. center Fall Election'', ti a.m.-10 p.m., HUB card- room Hind Governing Board, 7 p m., 7fillel Kappa Phi. 7 p.m., Weislev Foundation Outing Club, Ski Division, film, 8:30 p m , Schwab Auditorium Nychology Club, 7:30 p.m., 203 Willard Riding Club, 7 p nt., 112 Ruckhout Rod and Coccus Club, 7 p.m. 206 Patterson Sehuhplattler German Polk Dance Club, 8 p.m., 3 White Sigma Theta Epsilon, 7 p m , Wesley Foun. dation chapter room Slavic Club, film, 3.15, 7 :15 p.m.. 10 Sparks Sports Car Club, 7 p.m., 212 HUB Women's Chorus, :30 pm , HUB assem• bly room 'VVRA. Dance Club, 7 p.m., Whit. dance ettelto WRA Volleyball Intramurals, 6:30, 7 :30 p m., White gym WS(A, 6::t6 p m , 217 HUB Zoology Club, 7 p.m., Freer Lab Job Interviews Square D Co., EC&M grads in EE, ME, 1F Am Research & Development: Jan BS & 1960 MS PhD cands, in EE, ME, Aero E, Metal, Phys, ChE. Wierton Steel: Jan BS grads in ME EE, Cer Tech, Metal, Acetic. Continental Oil Company: Jan BS grads in Pet Eng & DS & 19G0 MS, PhD midi. in ChE. Pet Eng, Chem for Research & Development. Penna. Power & Light: Jan BS RIVAS in EE (elect & power option). Eng Sri, ME. & BA in A&L, Math. Adv. UTS 4 16 C _ eipt 4 3 t ....Viedie~LLA L i ‘ZY , ONLY 28 MORE DAYS UNTIL 11E10 1 /ENS eiRTHDAY: 4 01 4,••• 1 / 4 10_ 4A• _ _ 022 WERE DOES THE 1 1; , 71t' GO? 1 I . c . r i ve. ..411.014.44140.11114.1. diA4.11!.14.1%A.11,..k.• ft-ige —Robert Fishbein, '63 Salvadore Cardillo, '6l William Rothman, '63 TODAY Division Little Man on Campus by Dick Bible, Alp , Glorer rxsiwaY YOUR wricte FUTURE!! YOU MU4I 51119 Y HARP RIGHT UP Tb THE THANKSGIVING GAME.'" Letters So ph 'Comments' on Editorial TO THE EDITOR: When I got Tuesday's Collegian, I was glad to see an editorial concerning the party platforms in the com ing SGA elections. Upon read ing this article, however, I was keenly disappointed to find, instead of an honest construc tive appraisal of the two party platforms, that they were oft en completely slandered and misunderstood. I feel that this should be corrected. This was especially true of the platforms concerning alter ations to the new telephone system. The University party proposes "soundproofing" of the new phones installed in the girls dorms, not by instal ling booths at each phone at high cost, as the editorial states, but by installing plastic soundproofing boards at a much lower cost on each side of the phones in the dorms. The editorial went on to say that the University party plat form concerning the installa tion of a phone at the HUB desk for free downtown calls is "hardly important." I have con sistently heard students com plain about not being able to call downtown without going to a pay phone. Several years ago there was such a phone in the HUB, how ever the HUB committee re moved it because it was cost ing too much. If SGA funds were made available, such a Jan BS Vets PhysEd Discussed Again TO THE EDITOR: To the brainwashed PhysEd major: I was sorry to read of the misunderstanding a senior PhysEd major had on the sub ject of physical education for veterans. The program definitely has its values and merits, we do not argue that point. But it also has limitations. It is not as ab solute as he would have us be lieve. The requirement of compul sory physical education is too rigid for the simple reason that it does not perform its function in regard to veterans. I would like to clarify this by using what he said as an Live Lion Mascot Requested TO THE EDITOR: LSU has a So let's all get behind this tiger and Army has a mule. A effort . . . so when the cheer- Why not get a real live lion leaders yell "Roar Lion Roar" as a mascot for the fighting —a mighty roar by the king Blue and White. of beasts can be heard across Now that Penn State is a nationally ranked team and is in the public view, it is time that we had a lion to add color and spirit to our football ef forts. The costs of maintaining this symbol of our Alma Mater would be quite small in com parison to the spirit and en thusiasm that it would gener ate among the student. body, WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 18. 1959 phone could easily be installed. The editorial omitted entirely one University party plank which provides for the pos sible installation of an extra phone at the reception desks of each of the larger girl's dorms. In speaking of the Campus party's platform concerning the phone problem, it was stated that "a lot of planning went into present phone system so we should give it a chance to prove its worth." It has gotten this chance, and it is obvious to most everyone concerned that improvements should be made. I think the planks presented by both parties merit close con sideration by the student body and that it is too bad that such an important campus publica tion as the Collegian prints such an uninformed editorial. —William Stout, '62 (Editor's note: If each tele phone soundproofing device cost only $1 including labor, the expense would probably run over $lOOO. This is a pretty high cost. Also, according to Frank Pearson, University Party Clique chairman, the plank providing for installat ion of an extra phone at 'rec eption desks of women's res idence halls is not an official party plank and has been pre sented for approval to Elect ions Commission. Who's unin formed?) example. He is obviously an "outsider looking in." He went to great bother in graciously elaborating the social develop ment aspect of physical educa tion. Heaven only knows that we veterans recognize this mo- mentous contribution to indi vidual development. If a person can go through the service and still retain the desire to obtain a college edu cation, you can be sure that his "social qualities" have been developed. However, this physical edu cationd major, as a senior, Will shortly be realizing the "social aspects" we once experienced. —Randall Almony, '62 the Nittany Valley. —Bernard Barsky, '6l (Editor's note: How about that? We could transfer all the money from`the fund for a new lion suit and collect money at pep rallies and football movies for a lion. Hail! However, it might be rough on the honor line when the lion leads the football team out onto the field before each game.)
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