Editorial opinion Shortened arrival period outs in on orientation time and nerves Welcome to Penn State, home of the lines. In past years, freshmen arrived two or three days before upperclassmen and had a chance to get acquainted with each other and the University before the University filled with returning upperclassmen. This year, Sept. 2 was arrival day for all students. Orientation was shortened* leaving less time for freshmen to become acclimated to the University. Thomas R. Harmon, manager of Police Services, said preregistration helped eliminate congestion, since registered students could return just before classes start. Last Spring Term, however, the Records Office in Shields told students it had discon tinued its usual practice of mailing pink slips to a student’s summer address if the student provided a stamped, self-addressed envelope. For returning students, this caused uncertainty about when they had to be back on campus to register. Harmon said traffic problems this year were not as bad as in the past when the University had separate arrival days for freshmen and Junk mail and mushrooms: life's truth or The reading of unsolicited letters (commonly referred to as junk mail) can often be an enlightening experience. No, the pressures of column writing have not softened my head nor have I been munching mystical, magical mushrooms. I have been thinking about reality. It's not easy to think about reality (especially in the surreal surroundings pf central Pennsylvania). But every so bften in order to maintain my sense of lanity I find it necessary to try to operate individual fact from social iction; newsworthy media messages rom planted public relations promos; iriadultered truths from diluted half ruths. For the trauma of waking up one dark morning (after having lived for x number of years in blissful ignorance) to find oneself confronted with the un deniable facts of reality is often too much of a threat for the mortal mind to manage. The end result of this rude awakening (which I have witnessed several times) has a name; it’s called mental breakdown. So there 1 was lying on the livingroom Down the drain Wliv is the cost of room and board so nut ra'gepusly high?" From im experience working in the kitchen l.ely. ! see trays loaded with food not eaten. A tray might have two glasses of milk am* lull and die second half empty, a piece of pie ,vith one corner nibbled off and a second dessert of ice cream three-fourths finished. In case you didn’t know, all this food is fed to the garbage disposal. I know because I put it ihere. Luckily, this waste is only done by a small percentage of the students. If one student takes eight napkins and uses one, those seven unused napkins didn’t have to be purchased, loaded into the napkin dispenser, dumped into the trash and removed to the dumpster. The total waste costs much more than the few napkins that must be bought and employees that have to be additionally hired. I take what I am sure to eat, then if I decide that I would like more, I would go back for seconds. This method of eating is less wasteful than taking one of everything and I also do not gain weight by overloading my plate. The cost of room and board must really not be bothering me because if it was, I would confront Nittany line floor grappling with the complexities of reality, trying to understand why we as a nation are so hell bent on self destruc tion, when lo and behold the mail arrived. Ordinarily this mundane event would have passed unheralded. But that day's portal offerings were unique. Besides the weekly issue of Science News, two pieces of the dreaded junk mail were deposited in my box. Together, this trilogy of third class printed matter succeeded in placing reality into its proper place. Let me explain According to that week’s issue of Science News, “hallucinogenic plants have always been and still are sacred in primitive societies.” upperclassmen. Donald T. Arndt, director of housing services, said 25 percent more students checked in on arrival day this year, and check-in was running about 25 percent faster as of yesterday. Arndt said he thought more students were returning earlier because of tomorrow’s football game, which was moved up a week. Burrowes Road, Mifflin Road, and sections of Pollock and Shortlidge Roads were made one way to alleviate traffic congestion, especially around the Pollock-Centre-South Halls area, which Harmon said is the most concentrated residence area. The Centre Area Transportation Authority rerouted buses to stay off-campus and the Campus Loop buses did not run, Harmon said. But the shortened orientation period still means less time for freshmen to get settled at the University, faster rates of student arrival, more traffic and more frazzled nerves. The University could probably save parents and students considerable anxiety by stret ching arrival and orientation as in the past over three or four days. Letters to the Editor the student sitting across from me in the dining hall and ask why he is taking food and not eating Regrettably, it’s easier to complain about the waste and to write a check to housing than it is to correct the problem by getting involved. After doing a little thinking about the high cost of room and board, the question I should be asking is: “Why is the cost of room and board so low?" Edmund Good, 14th-vocational education. August 15 Bill of sale It seems necessary to remind some people that when one deals with laws (as per the Hyde Amendment, the Fetal Life Amendment, etc.), the concept of moral choice does not apply. There is only what is legal; if one goes outside of what is legal, one will be punished by law, unless one can afford to buy American “justice.” I read the usual emotion-packed propaganda which uses only the mythology of unborn babies to depict abortion and eliminates any need to “Amen to that,” I thought as I con tinued reading the article entitled, “Psychedelic Botany ” “Whether they (psychoactive plants) may be employed therapeuticaly or experimentally to help understand the complexities of function of the central nervous system, their value cannot be underestimated.” “Far out,” I said, utilizing the lost language of a primitive, drug-crazed, ’6os-oriented, subversive sub-group of anti-establishment bohemians who were never accused of underestimating the therapeutic value of psychedelic sacrements. The article’s contributing authority (a Harvard botanist who acknowledged his affinity for peyote buttons) continued: mention and/or deal with the lives of pregnant women. Larry Mueller (8/15) writes that “wishing that a woman pursue a career or that she not ex perience a pregnancy resulting from rape are good desires,” but in his opinion the woman’s desires are never to take precedence if the woman becames pregnant and “we cannot choose abortion as a reasonable alternative. ’ Clearly, for pro-lifers, the problem of moral choice does not apply to the abortion dilemma. If a woman is pregant whether or not by her own choice she has no choice except to continue that pregnancy. Where were these so-called pro-lifers when Pennsylvania was not using federal tax monies for the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)? Unless pro-lifers restrict their defense to life within the womb, I’ld assume that everyone will join with me in support of the above program which provides basic nutrition for low-income pregnant women, nursing mothers, newborn infants and young children. In the Aug. 11 Philadelphia Inquirer, I read that the WIC program was sabotaged last June because of an “inadequate” health department computer. And, because of further bureaucratic indifference of state officials who were aware of the problem, thousands of needy women and children were turned away from the program even though there was money available. Eight and a half million dollars was returned unused to the federal government because this money was not spent in the WIC program. Last year, Pennsylvania ranked 49th among 50 states in percentage of available WIC money put to use. industrial Jean S. Guertler, graduate-feminist studies August 15 I would like to comment on the letter written by Mark D. Van Ouse which appeared in the Daily Collegian on Wednesday, August 15. Van Ouse states that the unborn child.. .has been ostracized from the ranks of human beings. . . Killing, thus, has been legalized and marketed in the form of abortion.” Coercion free Such a statement is based on the assumption that the fetus is a person. This is not a fact. It is an issue which depends upon a person’s religious “the most interesting finding from the chemistry (of psychoactive plants) is the similarities between the prinicipal plant hallucinogens and chemicals found in the human brain.” “My God,” I thought, “that means that people like Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, the Pope, the anti-paraphernalia crowd, etc. are naturally hallucinating and-they-don’t-even-know-it! ” That’s unreal. To be sure, such unreal thoughts are disturbing when one is contemplating the true meaning of reality. I mean, how is a person suppose to “get in touch with the real world” when popular magazines tell them that they have “acid on the brain?” How can they seriously deal with the complexities of today’s mobilized society when they know that Harvard professors are being paid to “get off on psilocybic toad stools? How is one to cope with reality when it is so damn unreal? Enter the first piece of junk mail. Direct from “The Institute for the Ad vancement of Human Behavior," the orange, white and blue brouchure an nounced a weekend symposium on “Taking Charge of Your Own Life.” What timing. Here I thought I was doomed to a life of uncontrollable, unrealistic mind tripping and now I find I can learn to take charge of my life. I can learn about “some of the paradoxes and contradictions that lie on the .i>W i< and moral beliefs. To outlaw abortion would be a violation of the first amendment of the Con stitution which guarantees all Americans religious freedom. , Although several religions oppose legalized abortion, among the many religious groups which support it are: American, Baptists, Lutherans, Reform and Conservative Jews, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, United Methodists and the United Church of Christ. In fact, abortion is mandated by Jewish law to protect the life and health of the mother up until the moment of birth. We cannot signle out the laws of one religious denomination and force them upon those who maintain different beliefs. Although abortion has been legalized, it has not been marketed, as Van Ouse suggests. Women have not been coerced into having abortions, but have been provided the freedom of terminating an unwanted pregnancy. Nancy Touchette, graduate-chemistry September 4 Encore Draft registration has divided many people in this country and on this campus. With Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr.’s stay of a Philadelphia court decision ruling the sign-up process unconstitutional, many young people will be anxiously waiting for the Supreme Court’s final ruling on the matter. The constitutionality of forcing persons to reveal their social security numbers has been questioned. Moreover, any registration plan excluding women may be ruled as discriminatory against males. Although The Daily Collegian has run op-ed pages in the past on women in the draft and on registration, the question still lingers of whether registration is right or wrong. On Tuesday, Sept. 9, The Daily Collegian will focus its first op-ed page of Fall Term on the continuing controversy surrounding the new military draft sign-up. If you have any com ments on registration, please submit them to the Editorial Editor, 126 Carnegie. All letters must be typed, double-spaced and no longer than 30 lines. Deadline isTODAY, 5 p.'im Ififa' V r 4* !l * , » • > VI -Wv« V niuitrotlon by Dtllo Hoke reality? pathway from biological dependence to ij psychologicalaridspiritualautonomy.” Too heavy as in dead Weight. For i after reading the rest of the “institute’s” brouchure, I learned that the sy rm, posium’s “faculty” was actually a bevy of overeducated behavioralists who (for;-' a cool $115) would "explore my sexual| guilts." i According to that particular, piece of] - unsolicited mail, the , “regain control of my destiny” tods billy • a check and a stamp away. All I hactito;: do was to worship the authors • to Win,” “Precision NirVana;”| “Existential Psychotherapy" and. “Sext and the Single Man.” • | Unreal. But, alas, I read the second piece of: junk mail and bang. Instant reality £‘lo ! to 15 percent off all merchandise; just in j time for back-to-school; a once-in-a-’'; lifetime offer; easy credit terms})-, available.” 3 “Oh Lord!” I cried, tears rolling down ii my face, “I’ve been saved! BBt'iHiß 888 HSB BHH ■EH BHH life-is all about! This ji» tho'^solute *"£![. . .'lf «■« n „ 234JLCollegeAve. Thisisreahty. , H/bm BLf *. * A. Under Mid-State Bank And then a sudden calm swept B B H«| vAIHI Ak Hours 9:00-5:30 Daily like a cool evening gust on a torridt. BJSO BJB/U B ■ EL Mon. & Fri. 9:00-9:00 summer’s night. A smile crept across * B B my faceas I realized that the decision!: had been made. The ultimate turnings point in the time of my life had passed. ■ For if this is reality and it is then} all I can say is: pass the mushroom^,| please. Daniel Dillman is a graduate studentj'nl' journalism and columnist for The Dail)|< Collegian. ■ ; 'r . . ' , '£■ m I . . ■ • 1 ■■ ■ 7 — # l Easy access v The Daily Collegian encourages comments off news coverage, editorial opinions, and on* campus or off-campus affairs. Letters should bf type-written, double-spaced, and no longer thaif 30 lines. ) ; Students’ letters should include the. author name, term, major and date when letter is beinlj submitted. They must be signed by no more -thailj two persons. , * I; Bring letters to the Collegian office, 126 Car") negie (across from Willard Building) so prope j identification of the writer can be made. Name j may be witheld on request with approval of th ; editorial editor. The editorial editor reserves the right to edi j letters for grammar or space limitations or t s reject them if they are libelous or in poor tasted j Friday, Sept. 5, 1980-Page2 Betsy Long Editor BOARD OF EDITORS: Managing Editor, Doug Bel|j Editorial Editor, Maryann Hakowski; Assfetam Editorial Editor, Andy Linker; News Editors, TJaula Froke and David Van Horn; Sports Editor, Efehfss Bachman; Assistant Sports Editors, Mike PoofmaJ and Tom Verducci, Arts Editor, P.J. Platz; Assistan Arts Editor, Justin Catanoso; Photo Editor, Riel Graff; Assistant Photo Editor, Betsy Overly; Editor, Della Hoke; Copy Editors, Lynne Johnson, Baft Winemiller, Chuck Hall, Paul Boynton, Jan Corwid Cindy Deskins, Paddy Patton; Town Beat Coordlnato|'J Phil Gutis; Campus Beat Coordinator, Kathy Hoke;j General Assignment and Features Coordinator, ViclU Fong; Assistant General Assignment and Feature Coordinator. Bernadette Eyler; Weekly Collegiaw Editor, Wendy Trilling; Assistant Weekly Collegia*: Editor, Christopher Lee; Office Manager, 'Elairfjj Lembo. COMPLAINTS: News and editorial complaints shou| be presented to the editor. Business and advertise complaints should be presented to the businai manager. If the complaint is not satisfactory resolved, grievances may be filed with the Accutefcj and Fair Play Committee of Collegian Inc.. on filing grievances is available from Gerry Hamilton, executive secretary, Collegian Inc. Students can increase education One of the great tragedies of this ustle-bustle world is that people do not ike time to reflect about what they am. Even in an academic environment ich as this, students do not really think it the implications of what they are sing taughtiin the classroom. School too hen becomes’ nothing but a battle for firvival: 'reading texts, memorizing icts and passing tests. Know those facts pd get them right! i This emphasis on only getting the facts ight is deceptive. “Facts” do not exist i a moral vacumn, but are presented in (le context of some sort of value system. \ they are not, then what makes them forth teaching? The problem is that the value system, £ world view, from which a professor Caches is not always defined clearly for e students. Often it lies implicitly fderneath all that is taught. .Consequently, it is left to the student to iink out all the implications of what he i she is being taught. That is no easy ;i atter, especially with all the pressure '/keep pace with studies. But this ought to be a high priority, iowledge does not come by passively cepting what professors say. That is iy the memorization of facts. When dents do only that, they can implicitly ' Jept “facts” shaped by a world view yat actually contradicts what they I’j* © 1980CMgiabm : Kathy Mathehl Business Manage!; y going beyond profs lecture WfW^ i Cj r WELCOME BACK STUDENTS ' MoUmCo/J I li 0 The world’s bert-fttpj®jMns. r f\u h.s.s Army Style Fatigues s 10" S-| -J99 (Many Colors) Work Pants Great Selection of Warm-up Suits Double Knit Acrylic $H 799fn$QQ99 Reg.s3o.o0 t 0550.00 If IV# really believe. Simultaneously, they can cheat themselves of the chance to be challenged and pushed, both in tellectually and emotionally,, as never before. That is why students must develop their ability to critically examine what they are being taught. They must go beyond asking "what?” to asking “why?” In essence, students must listen to lectures and read textbooks “world viewishly,” as James Sire, editor of Inter-Varsity Press, said in his book “How to Read Slowly.” Although Sire deals specificially with literature, what he says can be applied directly to the classroom: “A world view ... is a map of reality; like any map it may fit what is really there or it may be grossly misleading. The map is not the world itself, of course, only an image of it, more or less accurate in some places, Lee and Levi Pre-wash Straight LegJeans^ Reg. 22.99 $4 788 Save $5.11 I I Wrangler No Fault Pre-Wash Jeans Flare and Straight Legs Original 14% oz. s l5 BB Sold Elsewhere at 21.99 Lee Boot Cut Jeans s ls® B Pre-Wash Reg. 522.99 Chic Denims By H.I.S. 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What they presuppose about themselves, God, the good life and the validity of human knowledge governs both what they say and how they say it. “That is why reading with world views in mind (your own and that of the author) will help you understand not only what is written in the lines but what is written between the lines that is, what is presupposed before a pen ever reaches the page.” With literature, Sire suggests that people ignore the speed reading courses and read more slowly, even re-reading at points, in order to think carefully about what’s written. However, while students can do this with textbooks, it’s not possible to tell professors to speak more slowly. Examining course material world viewishly is difficult at best. But it is far from impossible. In an essay on university study, Kenneth W. Hermann of the Center for Christian Studies, Champaign, 111., lists some questions one can ask about material presented in courses: • First, “what is the professor’s view of man? How is man’s personality determined?” Is man just a more complex life-form or does his existence have added significance? • Second, “What is the professor’s view and explanation of evil in the world.” • Third, "What relation does the professor see between man and creation?” Is man a ruler who manipulates the earth or a steward who cares for the land? • Fourth, “Does the professor seek a solution to evil through sophisticated technology, manipulation by a political elite, or grandiose socio-economic transformation?” Is he optimistic or pessimistic about the future of mankind? • Fifth, “How does the professor define his subject? What is its scope? Is it defined so narrowly that it deals only with trivial questions?” These are just a few of the questions one can ask about professors and what they say. Nonetheless, these are crucial questions that each and every student should be asking. Many students could be in for quite a surprise if they bothered to ask them. The tragedy comes when they do not. Rick Jackson is a graduate student in speech communications and columnist for The Daily Collegian. College Avo. I Wilsons i £ . i Mid State >«£-/ |sj Bonk ' , » under ! y, Bank 1 J* High Gear Knit Sweater Shirts $ 11" and $ l2" Reg. $16.99 aad $17.99 Campus Knit Shirts Reg. $16.99 s 9" Chamois Shirts Men’s and Ladies Reg. $18.99 $4 >199 2 for $26.00 I*T s 3°no s lo o( W I on Athletic , -' r iu> | Shoes by Adidas Puma Nike Brooks Converse Asahi 30% off all Swimwear by Speedo& Adidas Lee —Wrangler Corduroys ■ S I6”J Getting the Phys Ed 5 fit By MARY LEHMAN Bth-English I was one of the wimps in my high school gym class. You remember us, don’t you? Two fat girls and me standing in a cluster, who stared suspiciously at a rope. Some hearty gym teacher was about to insist we climb to the very top or we’d fail the course. It would take me about 20 minutes or so to shimmy up that sucker. Then, once I got there, I’d look down at the miniature people standing on the blue plastic mats and immediately plan ways I could marry Mr. Right, pursue a rewarding career and maybe have children without having to leave the gym ceiling because there was no way I was going to get down. By then the gym teacher yelled at me and everyone else had left for the showers. You have no idea what that does to a person’s self esteem. Well, all of this happened to me a while ago; I am part of that statistical boom of somewhat older, “returning" women students. There is an adjective that is usually applied to this group and I cannot think if it is exceptional, unusual or un natural. In any case, I am not 19, not in either engineering or business and I cannot remember the last time I was carded. I am here to tell you the happy ending to my story. I have been born again; I owe it all to Phys Ed 5. I was saved merrily pedalling up Burrowes Avenue with a racket sticking out of my backpack. I have a happy heart and a laundry bag full of soggy gray t-shirts. How did this miracle occur? It all started in fitness and games. This course is not generally considered one of your top draws in Phys Ed 5. Compared with sailing, for instance, it is not a high demand course. For one thing, the title is a little ambiguous. “What is this, do you know?’’ “I’m not sure, my roommate said you have to run a lot. . .” It’s usually the only thing you can pick up on the floor at registration, and it runs neck and neck with ballroom dancing lap I j -i B (■xzHsr"* 8 <gjSM?| O-T —u-iTii h~ i iJ- 1 / 1 -' /LC w±w±tmr UtV!LLUjaP Collegian forum . ■.. _ll ; "ill • -il’i.ii MilHuiljliWS This is your first chance to get involved in college* If you enjoy sales, marketing, creative advertis ing, or have a special artistic talent, we just might have a part-time job for you. We’re The Daily Collegian, Penn State’s student newspaper, recently voted the most progressive college newspaper in the United States. Offer ing you the chance to meet new people and develop new skills. If this sounds good to you, come in and fill out an application. Be sure to tell us what area you . would like to work in. For more information, contact Marc A. Brownstein, Sales Manager, or Debby Vinokur, Assistant Sales Manager at 865-2531, You can’t get experience like this anywhere else on campus. n d 126 Carnegie Building, University Park, PA The Daily Collegian Friday, Stfl * cj *0 / V in attracting liberal arts majors and people who need one more gym credit to graduate. The first day of class, our coach ran down the list of term standings and mentioned that some of us seemed to be ready for tenure. As a class, we were definitely a mixed bag. Week after week we rattled around the main gym, flailing away at each other with oddly shaped sticks, the purpose of which was only dimly understood. The coach was just a tad sarcastic which more or less equalized us and prevented anyone from taking them selves very seriously. Gradually, the chance of failing or looking like a fool ceased being much of an issue. We all looked like fools and an in teresting thing began to happen to me I started trying a little. For years, my motto had been the best way to avoid failing was to avoid trying. It makes for a dull life but at least you have your pride. With the possibility of failing removed, I had nothing to lose by trying. And what happened? C’mon, how many fairy tales have you read? You got it. I started succeeding a little. Nothing spectacular, but enough success to puzzle someone who had always thought of them selves as fairly inept. A whole new self-image began building up. “Oh, excuse me, I was just sort of casually wondering, when are the next Olympics? ” Then one day in racquetball it happened - my conversion experience. I saw the light. I was lunging for a ball sailing past me. My brain was evaluating the distance between my racket and the ball, the speed of the ball, and last, but not least, my own competence. I gave up. I couldn’t make it. I started to pull back when I heard my own voice yelling “get it! ” My body seemed to hang in the air for an instant, my arm grew a quarter of an inch longer, my wrist flicked and I'll be damned, I got it I overrode that little bugger who’s been living in a three room apartment in my brain for the past 10 years, telling me I couldn’t do it. I ended up losing the point, but I do believe I’ve begun winning the war. Now I stroll through Fisher Plaza with the obnoxiously radiant glow, beautific smile and soggy hair of a woman who’s found it. Just in passing, when are the next Olympics?
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers