Page Four Films by Dick rrrnminn Ric MacDowell addresses Wednesday's open Senate SCARLET AND BLACK Frlday. ieptembcr 15‘ I961, initial. hhhhhih Cdillillllll'TEE PhdthSS By NEIL FISCHER The curriculum revision report at President Leggett’s ad lion Committee on Educational Policy will appear in a few weeks, ac- cording to Chairman oi the Facility Joseph Wall. Wall summarized the "premises and objectives” oi the report Wednesday night beiore an open meeting oi the student senate in ARH. The committee, which began work last September, had six basic premises, the faculty chairman said: To take a critical look at Grinnell’s “general education” requirements; to recognize in- creased interest in independent study; to possibly revise the college calendar (to a quarter or trimester system rather than the present semester system); to examine the idea oi inter-disciplinary work; to check “overrspecialization and oversprolessinnalization” oi our education; and to “look at our iaculty organization.” Chairman Wall explained that during the first month of work, Leggetl’s ad hoc committee “was doing nothing but read.” Swarthmore College’s educational policies, he said, were par- ticularly scrutinized. “They seem to be doing much the same sort He said that flityone per cent of male students and forty-nine per cent oi iemale students who had been sent the questionnaire replied to the committee. He noted that. these percentages were about double What “poll-takers would expect." Most. criticism from students of the Grinnell academic situation stemmed from advising and counselling worries, the chairma said. Particularly, Wall stated, underclass and psychologica cottnselling availability were questioned by students. “Surprismgly enough,” Wall mused. “Most students inter- viewed said they iound non-academic lite at Grinnell a satistactory complement to academic life.” Seventy per cent of students sup- ported this conclusion. Asked by East senior Don Winney why students did not par- ticipate on the Committee itself, Wall said two factors were in- volved. He said that “. i . first of all, discussion Could not have been as tree among iaculty members ii students had sat in on the meetings.” Another {actor involved, Wall explained, was time. He said that. Professor (Alan) Jones estimated that the committee spent ”99“”!- Te“ °i ”'9 oi soul-searching we are.” ipeeth follows below. in committee work. Wall. added that questionnaires distributed to studenls and Grinnell College graduates at the end oi last year were helpiul around 300 hours in discussmn. There are six facility members 0! the ad hoc Committee on Educational Policy. The Chairman of the Faculty and the deans are ex officio members. Professor Haveman l5 committee chairman. MACDGWELL SCCCESTS MANY AREAS FOR CAMPUS COMMUNITY CONCERN More important than any one rule is the concept oi a total view oi our college and the ideals we feel it should strive for. There are some, however, who cringe at the very thought oi general philosophy and demand action rather titan words. We heartily sympathize with them, ior we recognize the necessary need ior action and yet can not move in any direction until we decide what our end results should he and how they will eiiect us in both shortrrange and long-range perspectives. As an institution, Grinncll’s primary responsibility is academic. We are here to be educated. Yet, education is liot the process in which a professor lectures and the student repeats those lectures when called upon in a final exam. Education is active. it demands an exchange oi knowing where the protessor leads his pupil as both or them search in an attempt to iind an understanding. And it is knowing, not. knowl< edge, ior knowledge is terminal while knowing is pi-ocessive and continuous. it is jointly productive, and that is what makes it exciting and relevant. We can learn irom every person who surrounds us. And all of this learning should have as its goal“ the preparation oi the learner ior iiie — not academics, but life in a real world at sweat and fear and problem Too often we ignore this here at Grinnell; but that should he education's primary purpose, especially in a small liberal arts college. The change toward this which we must take comes in two areas: First Ihe cur- riculum. This fall as Mr. Wall has stated, We will receive a report by the curriculum committee. We should use this as a jumping-oil point for improving Grilineil. We can not tear radicalism in maki g charges, ior we need it. The teacher-pupil rela» tionship is poor ior many iactors. Why not have all lectures mimeoed and handed out, then spend the usual lecture time in meaningiul class discussion? Change the curriculum to make us think. Add a new course in 20th Century American mytiis in which we would delve into the myths oi our time which we are perpetuating. and seek some solutions to them. How about going outside oi our narrow concepts oi Western society and setting up courses in Asian studies? Cut down graduation credit requirements so more time can be spent in meaningful work outside the classroom. Set up community action pi-ogiams where students could work in a ghetto ior a semester and get iull credit. li we are going to have programs like the ACM se- mester or year in Latin America, then one participating should receive inll credit rather than squabling with dept. heads who don't like the program, and receiving only partial credit, iorcing them to spend extra time in undergraduate work. We must make our curriculum come: alive and bring exClIement into the most. routine “intro” courses. The enthustasm of a lively bull session should be present in ARH, but this takes concerted community eiioi-t, especially on the part oi a willing faculty ready to make necessary changes. However, changes are not only essential in Ihe curriculum. Since we are a re.' dential college. oilr total living situation should enhance and complement what hap< pens in our class rooms. Our present living situation does not . . . in {act it negates it. The carryover from the classroom to the dorm is ml, How many students know a professor well enough that they ieel he could write a recommendation about them as people, not academicians? How many students actually try to build this necessary rapport? How many iacnlty members deliberately shy away irom it, reeling that their job is one which stops when the bell rings? Look at the inadequacy oi our aca- demic counseling system. How many iaculty counselors can recognize their students by sight and call them by their tirst names? Why not change the present system and set up one where competent upperclassmen council in both the academic and social area, then have those truly interested iatulty members serve as general hall conn- sailors who work will) the student counselors, using their skills, plus those of the psychiatric climc and oiir administrative counselors to set up a really worthwhile program. l-louse presidents should be encouraged to invite prolessors to balls to talk intormally as people. not lecturers. What's wrong with seniors and others inviting profs up to their rooms for a beer and a bull session? We must be willing to work will] each other as individuals, not separate groups of faculty, studcnls and admin- istralion. We have a community and must act in the context of that Communty, not the way we alone ieel. To me a Grinliell education does not pi'epaie students ior liie, because it does not help them to relate to other people. Besides a better relationship among inculty, administration, and students, we need a better relationship among students them- selves. Our social system with an unnatural separat on of men and women in a cored campus . . . reiniorced by separate eating places, tends to segregate us. People don’t ieel at ease with one another. There is a lack of meaningful interaction and a lack oi respect. We aren't really open to each other, but narrowly reject or accept people on a superficial basis. The sexes seem to get together for iormal dating only, arranged in advance and go only to what the college calendar sets down. We complain that social events aren’t what. We want, and yet We don‘t spon< laneoiisly try to set up our own. The Senate initiative fund is there to provide in- centive for exactly this and Willi a revision in the procedure for using it, hopefully we will iind more creativrty and spontaneity in the social area. Our shiny Forum, ior the price it cost, has a sterility in it which reinforces the structuralism which We are attempting to remove. The South Lounge is a place ior creative discussion, yet you can’t speak above a whisper and the piano is only played on formal occasions. So we need changes in our social structure. Although there is a possib 'ty oi get- ting central zed dining in the near iuture, maybe we should investigate alternation of dorms as a better solution. integrating the campuses so you see a man or Woman, and ieel you can casually talk to someone oi the opposite sex without calling up a week in advance. I've heard lots or people say that alternation would be great — just so i don‘t have to leave my hall or be separated irom my hall brother — per. haps we should start by investigating the parochialism in our own hall system. Also within the context oi social relationships the lack oi opportunity for each oi us to 'meet in a situaton where we can meaningfully relate both as couples and as intormal groups. Besides the inconvenience which is caused by a lack oi opens. the individual’s ability to govern his behavior and accept necessary responsibility is hampered. With these ideas in mind the student house presidents, recognize that the problems in these two obvious areas, the academic and the social, must be solved. We see the appropriate means or action through legalized channels in which we consider the immetlate and future effects of our decision. The COfl-‘lP-AWS Board plans to initiate discussion Within the college community which will result Within a matter oi weeks with a specific proposal to the senate. Here the work oi the CDHP and AWS in the area of rule change can be complemented and reinforced. But there are other areas of importance, some of which seem mundane alter the sensationalism oi opens, htit which are important. We need to iorm a Senate com- mittee to nvestigate and vvorl- out grevieuces with Saga. We need to set tip a new system of course evaluation, perhaps including written teacher evaluation, available to the stttdents. We need to investigate the possibility of changing the time ior elec- tions to allow new otiicers moi‘c tliTlE to get oriented. We need to look into the World around us and set up talking about the Vietnam war and how we can and il; we as students must learn how to play a meaningiui role in changing our rotting society. We need to set up more chances ior recreation to ease academic tensions. We need more noncredit workshops in areas like iamily planning, marriage, accounting, the arts. We must change this college to in the catalogue so people will come here and won't be disappointed. in order to have better communication with the Trustees per- haps every graduating class should select a person to serve a one year term as a Trustee immedately after graduation. Maybe we can set up a program in which protesscrs can give students credit ior any work they ieel is academically worth- while. How many proiessors visit the classes oi their iellow collegues, and otter- suggestions on teaching method? Maybe one class period per semester in each course should be devoted to a general discussion of education and the problem of learning. It is not the job of a college to train students in a moral line, but, rather. to present relevant materials to them so each Student can develop his Own critique. The Grinneil Weekend for this spring is entitled “The Museum as Tastemaker in Society”, and I fear it is not the relevant topic it could be. son should, it no else can, set up programs like Grinnell weekends on drug use, on sexuality, and any other pertinent. interesting topics. Ii we need money, then let's set up a Senate committee ID work with Mr. Avison to get foundation grants for our worthwhile programs. Besides using our own ideas, we can communicate and discuss programs with other schools, remembering, however, that we must iit their programs to our needs, ior by blindly adopting them we also adopt the problems inherent With them. Finally we should look at some oi our newer programs and evaluate them _ lntErlm, no women’s hours, and hopefully, a radio siation by Christmas. We must relate their problems and iailuies to what we are planning now. i don’t tiiink that this is the time or plate for separation. We are not a school where students and administration and faculty are totally at odds—We do have some common goals. Our problem now is to pursue them in a context oi meaningiul dis cussion resulting in programs we need to solve Grinnell faults. This will take com- munity action and work. In our discussions we must recognize the total effect oi our actions and the ultimate consequences they Will have. I hope you'll recognize that change is essential and that changes can come best through work. We must make sure that our demands are truly our needs. Sacrifice may still be necessary, but it must be based on responsibility and thought. Our at- titude must be positive, just as our education must be positive — for it is only through accentuating the positive that we will succeed in making the Grinnell ex- perience relevant and worthwhile in the context or total community in preparalion for life.