SCARLET AND BLACK

 

 

EDITORIALS,-

A New Policy

Grinnell College is located
in a town which is often con-
sidered isolated. In my opinion
it is very much in the main
stream of events. It, along with
many institutions in this soci-
ety, is undergoing V a r i o u 5
changes as the goals and inter-
ests of the college community
and the society change. This is
my attitude towards the Grin—
nell situation and is the basis
for my editorial policy. As edi-
tor, I would like to make the
newspaper an example of this
attitude. The paper will focus
on the goals and interests of
the “community.”

The Scarlet and Black will
attempt to represent and chal-
lenge the situation by being
concerned with those issues
and events which are import-
ant to the variety of people at
Grinnell. This shall include
concerns directly related to the
educational situation and to the
greater society of which we are
a part, even if it is in sheltered
Grinnell College, Grinnell,
Iowa.

Some new features are being
introduced to the paper in or-
der to fulfill this hopeful role.
First, the management of the
newspaper will be extended to
include an editorial board and
a research editor. In order to
become more aware and re-
sponsive to the variety of issues
and people that exist at Grin-
nell, the editorial board will
meet weekly to give direction
to the paper’s concerns. A spe-
cial research editor will be
working to provide well ex-
plored, in-depth articles and
surveys. In addition, there will
be several regular columns.
Social and political problems
will be covered in a “Revolu»
tion" column and a series of
draft articles. Our immediate
situation will be covered in a
guide to the town of Grinnell,
“the talk of the town," and a
second column of commentary
on Grinnell College. Feature
articles will appear as often as
possible raising other valid is-
sues. Hopefully faculty and ad-
ministrators will freely partic-
ipate along with students. The
goal is primarily communica»
tion, through the presentation
of ideas and the facts of events
which are of concern to the
college community.

Susan Kaeser

Help Wanted!

The sail; is under new management
and needs all the help it can get! Any-
one interested in typing, reporting.
copy reading, or any olher kind or
help, please drop in on us in the north

’ end of the Forum basement, or a note

“We Won’t Go . ..”

As editor of the Scarlet and
Black, I have signed the 1968-
1969 version of the US. Na
tional Student Association “We
Won’t Go” statement for stu-
dent hody presidents and edi-
tors. After fighting through
other channels to change the
course of America’s foreign
policy and to remove the in-
equities of the draft system, the
problem still remains. Left
without alternatives the state-
ment concludes,

“Along with thousands of
our fellow students, we campus
leaders cannot participate in a
war which we believe to be
immoral and unjust. Although
this, for each of us, is an in—
tensely personal decision, we
publicly and collectively ex-
press our intention to refuse
induction and to aid and sup-
port those who decide to refuse.
We will not serve in the mili-
tary as long as the war in Viet-
nam continues.”

Although our newly elected
President pledged, “to conse-
crate my office, my energies,
and all of the wisdom I can
summon to the cause of peace
among nations,” I’m afraid this
statement is still necessary.
Although the statement is not
appropriate to my position, I
give it my full support as editor
of the 5&3. After serious con—
sideration I have concluded
that this statement represents
my feelings and the actions I
would take if I were in the
position of a draft age, Amer-
ican male. Although this will
not effectively change the situ~
ation, the consideration and
commitment involved in voic-
ing this objection is important.
I hope I am representing the
other students on the Grinnell
campus.

S. K.

Judicial flounell chosen

Two new members of the Judicial
Council were selected Thursday. James
Lew, '70 and Joshua Sachs, ’71. will
both serve ior one year terms, this se-

mester and the first semester of next
year.

The Scarlet 81 Black

srudenl Newspaper of
Grinnell College.
Grinnell, Iowa

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LETTERS:

Comps Questioned

To the Editor:

Having just taken a, comprehensive
examination and a GRE, I ohjectl
These examinations in History were not
unfairly difficult, but they were not
fairly justified. For one, I learned noth-
ing new. It would seem to me that in
any educational system, an examination
could support itself only on the grounds
that it challenged and helped synthe-
size previous learning. It should be only
a learning experience. However, the
comprehensive, and especially the Grad-
uate Record, only tested tor a required,
quantitative knowledge or [our years of
study. i did not come out of the test
satisfied that I had Either discovered
new understanding or better completed
the unity or my major field. I had only
regurgitated a few dim memories
brought to life by some spotty revrew he
tore the test.

Secondly, it the comprehensives' pur-
pose is relegated to the state oi “judg~
ing” the value oi human students, (as
linals so often do) why is it necessary?
Our computerized transcripts already
have our value divided and subdivided
into numerical standards. why is the
Student intimidated once more With a
grade? Graduate schools don't require
such information. An excellent pass on a
comprehensive does not raise a student
item the bottom ten percent of his class.
It would only mean that for once, he
had gained some correct (acts. No rests
could really cover every dinerem per-
son’s academic progress over four
years.

Finally, I don‘t understand why my
scheduled graduation must be jeopar-
dized by a possible failure in a Compre-
hensive. I would suppose every course
next semester is also a threat to such
graduation, but not extraordinarily so.
Each course is part of a normal study
load. However, my lwo spring compre—
hensives are the equivalant of two extra
term papers for the semester. In my
Case, that means I will have six or seven
term papers [0 write. it seems almost
perverse to be allowed this near to
graduation, and then more severely scru»
tinized than in any other semester at
Grinnell. Furthermore. a second semes—
ter male (and females in other cases)
has also to plan iuiure tactics against

Friday. Jimmy 24, I969

Flush For Freedom

(Ed. Note: The [allowing is I
letter that arrived during vacation.
We are sorry we were unable to
publish it earlier.)

Dear Sirs:

The Students for Violent Non-Action
(SVNA) is planning a massive demons
stration in protest of the existence of
the new administration. On January 20,
1969, as Nixon says the last word or the
lnaugural oath t“. . . so help me God"),
we plan to have every toilet in the
country flushed.

We realize of course that we may not
be able to reach every toilet, but we
hope that, with the cooperation at or-
ganizations such as yours, we Shall be
able to reach a large majority of them.
We are attempting to enlist the aid at
students at every college'and university
in the nation as well as everyone else
who wishes to join. The protest will re—
quire a high degree of organizational
wort as we hope to flush lhe toilets
not only of the dorms, apartments, and
lecture halls in and around campuses.
but also downtown hotels, restaurants,
railroad stations, and high schools, pri-
vate homes, etc. Posters will be avail-
able at cost to aid in advertising from
the SVNA. ,

If you are interested in lending sup-
port please write to:

Students {or Violent Non-Action
1212 E. 59th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637

With your help in promoting this
project, FLUSH FOR FREEDOM will
be a success.

Sincerely,
Frank Malbranche
National Chairman, SVNA

_____’__—.
if,—

his draft board and other constructive
maneuvers. He doesn't need extra pro-
blems that might even Vlolale a future
strategy.

in short, comprehensive exams serve
little purpose. They are not an education»
al device; they are probably poor and
certainly unnecessary detectors at in-
tellectual achievement; and they are in
an illogical burden placed upon an al-

most graduate. I repeat, i objectl
-M8rk S. Snldat

 

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