Editorial opinion: unhappy ending .Collegian PATRICIA J. STEWART Editor Successor to the Free Lance, est. 1887 Member of the Associated Press Editorial policy is determined by the Editor. Opinions expressed by the editors and staff of The Daily Collegian are not necessarily those of the University administration, faculty or students. Mail Subscription price: $17.50 a year. Mailing Address: Box 467, State College, Pa. 16801 Office: 126 Carnegie Editorial Staff: 865-1828 Business Staff: 865-2531 Sports Staff: 865-1820 Collegian Editors: Managing Editor, Rick Nelson; Editorial Editor, Rich Grant; Assistant City Editor, Jeff Deßray; Layout Editors, Betty Holman, Steve Ivey; Copy Editors, Maureen Keely, Diane Nottle, Kathy Suhorsky; Sports Editor, Ray McAllister; Assistant Sports Editors, Mark Simenson, Rick Starr; Photo Editor, Randy Woodbury; Assistant Photo Editor, Joe Rudick; Graphic Artist, Jennie Atty; Cartoonist, Peter McElhinney; Weather Reporter, Barry Richewien. Attention Apartment Dwellers Leaving Your Apartment? No. 1 Don't forget to give 60 or 90 days notice - depending on which one your lease specifies! No. 2 If you want your security deposit back submit a written forwarding address to your landlord! THE ORGANIZATION OF TOWN INDEPENDENT STUDENTS Several hundred people were rude and self-centered in Rec Hall last Sunday night. They arrived in the middle of the “Cage” per formance and noisily waited to present their Spring Week awards. The incident has provided an impetus for those spreading anti fraternity prejudice. But not all of the noise-makers in the back of Rec Hall were Greeks; some of the carnival events-were put on by independents. Some say it was natural for those in the back to talk because they were nervous and excited over a project they had worked on for weeks. But isn’t one of the purposes of the Greek System to teach community, consideration and the spirit of brotherhood? Some justified their bad manners by stressing that the Spring Week carnival was for a good cause, the Renaissance Fund. But the end does not justify the means. Nothing gave them the right to disturb a program people paid to see. They had no excuse. But it didn’t have to happen. Much of the blame can be laid on Colloquy and Spring Week leaders whose lack of planning and communications created the problem. According to Bruce Kelly, Colloquy chairman, he had arranged with Spring Week people to have the awards given out Business Office Hours: Monday through Friday 9:30a.m. to 4 p.m. before "Cage,” but when he made the announcement early in the evening, he had no takers. He added he believes the awards ceremony alienated the audience expecting Allard Lowenstein to the point that nearly all of them left before he arrived. According to Mark Rickoff, Spring Week co-chairperson, he had arranged with Kelly to give out the awards after “Cage.” He said radio reports indicated the play would end at 9:30 p.m., so people had to wait for 45 minutes in the back. According to John McKee, chairman-elect of the IFC Board of Control, “Cage” ran late and Campus Patrol told people to sit in the back and wait for the program to end. ’ Other observers state" that although Spring Week people caused a disturbance, no one from Colloquy directly announced that Lowenstein would arrive late, and most of the audience was so tired that they left. Obviously, there was a failure of communications between Colloquy and Spring Week leaders and between Colloquy and the audience. The incident..is already three days old, so recriminations should end soon. Colloquy and Spring Week are both events which are planned early. Next year better planning can lead to better endings. The Daily Collegian welcomes responsible comment from interested townspeople, faculty members, alumni, undergraduates and graduates. Anyone interested in submitting a column should contact the Editorial Editor, Box 467, State College, Pa.-16801. Telephone 865-1828. Offices in 126 Carnegie. JOHN J. TODD Business Manager Forum Letter policy The Daily Collegian welcomes comments on news coverage, editorial policy or noncampus affairs. Letters should be typewritten, double spaced, signed by no more than two persons and no longer than 30 lines. Students’ letters should include the name, term and major of the writer. Letters should be brought to The Collegian office, 126 Carnegie, in person so proper identification of the writer can be made, although names will be withheld by request. ra, SPRlNG^jjpf SALE 30% Reduction on Some Pants $2.50 - $5.00 Jeans & Jackets Letters to t An apology TO THE EDITOR: In regards to the disturbance during Colloquy Sunday night, we wish to extend our sincere apologies to the performers, the Colloquy staff and all those in the audience who were affected by the group awaiting the Spring Week awards. We also would ask for the fair consideration of all those involved, regarding the circumstances surrounding the disturbance. It was announced the awa’rds presentation would take place at 9:30 p.m. in Rec Hall. Many of the people who went up for the presentation were not aware “The Cage” was in progress up until 10:15 p.m. Further, we believe the problem would have been eliminated if the doors had been kept locked until the performance was finished. We doubt that after waiting nearly an hour, any group of that size, Greek or not, would have behaved differently in a similar situation. We do not condone inconsiderate and rude behavior and are not attempting to justify the actions of our members. We do feel however, the University community should not be too quick to blame all Greeks when a large part of the problem was poor planning and coordination. We would also ask you to remember that all the efforts of groups participating in Spring Week were directed towards raising money for the Renaissance Fund. People are very quick to point out any bad incident involving Greeks, but they tend to overlook many of the good things done by members of the Greek system, both on campus and in the community. Once again, we wish to extend our apologies to the com munity and ask that you'be fair in your judgment of the situation. Anti-Greek bigotry TO THE EDITOR: in reply to a letter from a Mr. Aris and Mr. Rausch in The Daily Collegian May 22, bullshit. I am amazed that the .Collegian would print a letter that merely shows the ignorance of its writers. The letter is ridiculous, and even a bit humorous, for the writers attribute the behavior of certain inconsiderate in dividuals to the entire Greek population of the University. Such gross generalizations account for racial, ethnic and other deplorable forms of prejudice in today's society. Hopefully, the writers will benefit from a college education and learn to open their eyes and take a full view of a situation before making harsh and irrational judgments. They were excited TO THE EDITOR: I feel that I must reply to the comments made by Mr. Aris and Mr. Rausch concerning the “disruptive and juvenile behavior" displayed by the Greeks awaiting the presentation of Spring Week Awards Sunday night at Rec Hall. First, there was very poor planning on the part of both the Colloquy and Spring Week officials as to when their respective programs could take place. The fact that Rec Hall was still in use at 10:15 p.m. by Colloquy was not the fault of the people Baggies Knits Shirts Belts Watch Straps Sun Glasses not on sale prices. Great Buys at 342 E. College Ave. Pete Stainthorpe President, Interfraternity Council Carol Cabrey President, Panhellenic Council Brian Addison [3rd-liberal arts] e E who came for their function at 9:30 p.m. The Colloquy Committee should have been more accurate in estimating when Rec Hall would be available. Also, people not familiar with the workings of Spring Week can't realize the sense of competition and purpose that con stitutes all the hard work for the carnival. Excitement and tension was all through the air immediately preceding the awards, as it always is, and I’m sorry that it resulted in noise and confusion. Weeks of work and preparation go into the carnival and participants are always anxious for the awards presentation. It’s always been quite maddening to me that Spring Week receives little real attention on the campus scene, even though it raises over $l,OOO for the Renaissance Fund every year A prime example of this is in The Daily Collegian, May 21 where Colloquy received two pages of coverage in pictures and ar ticles. The Spring Week Awards won were listed in a tiny space and all the Greek names were printed wrong practically beyond recognition. Last week's efforts were not merely, as in the immortal words of Mr. Bruce Kelly, "Spring Week groupies" having a good time, but some dedicated people putting m a lot of work for a worthy cause Spring Week groupies TO THE EDITOR: I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Spring Week groupies whose presence added so much to the enjoyment of all those who trudged through the rain to Rec Hall Sunday night to see “The Cage " The clamor they raised by their thundering entrance while the play was in progress and the constant roar emitting from their direction until they were finally asked to (and I quote) “Shut up” by the rest of the audience was quite an impressive display of maturity and consideration. It was infuriating enough for the rest of us to have to strain to hear what was happening on stage, but when the noise continuing through the question and answer period forced the speakers to shout into the microphones in order to be heard, the whole scene became absurd. To add to the embarassment I felt for those who had come to perform for us, one'-of the actors had to interrupt the proceedings to ask that the noise be discontinued for the sake of that segment of the audience that was trying to hear the program. Unfortunately, that only provided a temporary hush as the frat men and the young lovelies representing various sororities resumed their animated conversations within five minutes. I can understand their excitement when I try to imagine how ecstatic I would be if faced with the possibility of winning such meritorious Spring Week awards as “Best Window Decoration," “Best Poster," “Best Skit,” etc., which were to be presented to the participating fraternities and sororities after "The Cage." I suppose that compared to such socially significant awards as those, the Tour ex-convicts on stage crusading for such a trite issue as prison reform would be a bit of a drag. -At any rate, I extend my best wishes to those fraternal organizations that did win prizes. However, it seems like the height of hypocrisy to get so involved in the humane purpose of Spring Week which is to provide the opportunity of a college education to financially disadvantaged students and then behave as inhumanely as these Greeks did while waiting for their efforts to be rewarded. itor Karen A. Redic [9th-psychology] Paula Revene [Bth-journalism]
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