Page Two

EDITORIAL:

Does Faculty Autocracy Disrupt Education?

Sixty-one students were suspended from the
University of Chicago this week for protesting a
faculty decision against the rehiring of an instruc-
tor who had “leanings to the left.” Those students
dramatically displayed their involvement with their
education and educators. They were incensed by a
faculty that was apparently more concerned with
politics than with education, The student anger
caused the first major rebellion aimed at the faculty
of an institution.

College faculties have an almost dictatorial
power in hiring and firing practices, which can de-
cisively form the character of an institution. Stu-
dents want a say in determining the character of
their education and some are willing to risk sus-
pension to combat actions undermining the quality
of knowledge they wish to gain. The student ac-
tions at Chicago are defensible for they are chal-
lenging an aspect of society, the faculty structure,
that is disrupting their education.

This incident brings to mind a certain similar
faculty decision at Grinnell. A letter appeared in
the November 15, 5&3 protesting the termination
of Sheldon Parzen. The students were deeply con-
cerned over his termination “His clarity of pre-
sentation and command of classic and contempor-
ary material combined with his unique ability to
communicate makes him a most inspiring teacher
. . . Such desire to extend himself beyond the class-
room realm has resulted in a balance of rapport
and respect rarely found between teacher and stu-
dent.” This instructor has obviously given a great
deal to his students. It seems difficult to understand
what motivated the faculty to terminate this pro-
ficient educator. ‘He isn’t even a political threat.
One wonders what led the faculty to this action
,(fear)? Apparently educational concerns didn’t.

Why is this disruption to our education not
being challenged? Now that our social lives are
passified, SGA, SDS, and the average Grinnell stu-
dent seem to be suffering from a lack of concerns.
It is time for those students who are now free of
other distractions (opens, the election, etc.) to hit
what is presently happening, education. Concern
must be expressed more deeply than simply divert—
ing more time to studies as the faculty suggested
earlier this year.

This institution is no different from others and
must not remain impervious to student concern for
education (the letter to the editor did not succeed
in extending Parzen’s stay). Students must also end
their apathy toward the institution. Faculty posi-
tions are important to every student for they very
much form his education. This is one of the most
relevant issues of the day and must not be ignored.

Perhaps the SGA and SDS could get organized.

Perhaps the faculty could take some action on
behalf of the higher goals of education.

Perhaps the students could get concerned
enough to at least participate in the newly formed
Educational Policy Committees. Chicago students
were willing to be suspended attempting to deter-
mine their education. Are Grinnell students afraid
to even raise their voices? S. K.

W

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Four Grinnell students were
named “Dengnates” from re-
gion 10 by the selection com-
mluee ol the Woodrow Wilson
Foundauon. They are, James
Arieti, Michael Dompm, Caro-
lyn VanDyke Fi‘iedléindcr, and
Donald Stump.

Those receiving “Honorable
Mention” were, Clifford Froh-
lich, Annette Gould, Diane Pom«
erance, and Eieonore Spiegel.

SCARLET AND BLACK

talk of the town
By FREDRICKA NELSON

ihe talk today is mostly of the coming
spring though everyone agrees that their hopes
are quite premature. the ioreboding ice that
is all over my street and the streets of my
neighbors, ihe stm'ckeepcrs and small busi-
nessmen, is a Continual reminder that we
are in the depth of winter. it comes to us
in November or (lccember and We all long
for a white purified world. after expectancy
comes a different sense of our surroundings
as the snow becomes dirty piles and icy
puddles ol cokeeflour colored mush. we number
the days of january and febrllary as just
so many mornings oi sprinkling limo and
sand around our own places while we dream
ol the warmth and smell oi spring. [his is
the rounih winter or some, and for when,
just one in a lifetime of iowa snows. before
i came lo grinnell we had some huge bliz—
zardlng seasons with ten foot drifts and ice
on the trees almost an inch thick. we didn‘t
have school or electricity because both roads
and wires were all wintered out. for the past
few years big snows haven't been a fact and
winter has not disrupted institutions as much
as ll. might. snows are good and bad though,
since you run out of water in the summer if
you don’t get enough in winter. this winter
that's upon us came with promises of being a
hard, long, stopped—up storm season — some-
thing we wait lnr with mixed feelings de-
pending on our age. children never mind
cold at all and delight in playing castle or
fort in the grey piles of mid—winter. the first
snow this year was early and considerable —
a sufficient sign to some that this would bl
on lower winter that was.

this week part of the town We chosen to
describe for you is main street past fourth
avenue. the area begins with coast-20mm
and is oi interest where inhabited to just past
the tracks. the most picturesque buildings from
this street were torn out last summer in
whati have heard was a response by the city
to an advertisement for east street gallery
ieanining a photograph of that part or me
block. the businesses were rather defunct
but interesting. one store front was filled
wilh appliances and carried a hand-penned
sign: BuY, SelL, Trade and maybe, ii my
memory can give an impression of the master-
piece, ForRenL there was also the p and m
cafe with warm restaurant yellow wood booths
that had built in coat hangers. the cafe and
one used furniture store have fallen by the
Way in the midst of new aluminum doors and
big windows, except that where they once

W

Seo berg Defended

To the Editor:

While I agree wnh Mr. Steinhorn that paying
$1,000 to Mr. Seaborg is containly costly, and
also agree that most of Grinnell found Mr. Sea-
burg to be dull, I do not find his analysis Of
the lectures to be completely lair,

Can anyone rightly blame Mr. Seaborg ior
our lack or a test ban treaty? or even more lu-
dicrous can he be expected to be able to ex»
plain why we do not have a lest-ban treaty?
Certainly there are better people to point Iowa
Certainly there are better people lo point
toward as causing the lack oi a treaty. Cern
tainly, an administrator of scientists and sci-
entist cannot be expected to be able to point
out the people and forces to blame for our
lack of a treaty.

I also doubt that Mr. Seaborg can be blamed
for his initial reaction in encountering the
Russians, “They’re just folks like us." This
naivette is a normal reaction, especially in a
country where one presidential candidate iells
us how lucky we were to be born Americans
and the other party’s vice-presidential Candb
dale makes fun of Orientals and Poles.

Walking Info Roberts and expecting a Dean
Rusk to give a dissertation on Vietnam was
folly. All that one could reasonably expect at
Mr aborg was to hear from scieiilisis and
administrator of scientists. If the audience
had started With this expectation, I believe, re-
actions to Mr. seaborg would have been a
shade more positive.

BYRON COLLINS

Friday. February 7. [969

The Scarlet & Black

Student Newspaper of
Grinnell College,
Grinnell. Iowa

in Indépendcnf news.
pm on paper no ism weekly,
\ WE except dining holidays
We find minimum periods,
by his Grinnell co.»

m ‘5

.§

§
a

nilllco on sinaenr Publi-

/ . \ callous Subscription

lillluwixsrue mic sum per school
year.

[dilfll , ,.., SUSAN KAESER
Business Manager unuce STROM
Managing hflilor mu. RAFFERTY
Associate Editor .. ”own: swee
copy :niio. . SARAH ANDREW
chm Pholflgmyilel . DAVID LlNoawM
Reporters Lynn Adams, Killhy null,
clill Fronllnh, Gary cladons,

bu Hirsch, camy Jones,

Mnrgurel Mueller, Rich Schmlechen
lei. sroln, Yvor Slonldey

stood has not been rebuilt, but oontains nice
sand, clean and flat.

the three remaining businesses are some
of the best in town: the loft, duifly's and
davis's. though i’Ve never ventured to the loft,
fhave heard that its quite a night spot, with
country music live three nights a week and
crowds of people on those nighis as well as
others. duffy's is a good old ba-r, small and
two walled, with peanuts hot roasted and some
particularly persistent pitch players in regu-
Iar attendance. duffy has been good :0 my
friends and i, even hosting a few members of
the sun francisoo mime troupe one evening.
just remember to smile. '

probably the superest place in town is mrs.
davis's second hand shop. the bargains In be
found are big-legged pants for a quarter,
overcoat: for one dollar and shoes from ten
in fifty cents. the fashions today an be
found in any shop like this for much more
reasonable figures than the usual $14.95. mrs.
davis is a good business-woman and has much
that deserves to be unearthed hiding .in boxes
and barrels about the shop. You really must
discover these spots in leisure, so remember
to walk down the street past the corner. maybe
you'll find something you wanted in a store,
or you can make a right turn at the tracks
and cake in the scenery around them out to
the end or town. supposedly out'a sight. living
here is a curious mixture of being enthralled
with your world, and again of simply moving
lhmugh it and later remembring, or feeling
you've completed something or ieeling a relief
that it happened without plans and held a
reward you hadn't counted on. we’re all
curious (and curiouser, as they say in fairy
tales).

peace be with you.

i am wailing, a long time now,
to rind, who shall anise. . .

from this sterilized iowa farm

to cry out in a resonant word,

just one, with hungry brealh,

I Am.

and who shall search with me

for a deadened Streak of Sun

and run mildly on its wavering my
to hide from this listless exile.
(apathy has a pervasive soul)

so who shall dare

to explode from is maddened lips
and grasp with the aching wind
a lost and burning breath. and who
might rise imm this vegetation

to flirt with the insanity of the moon,
or an unbom Child-

or a blind beggar

leglessly prophesying doom.

who will come from their mask

to kiss of the ground

and lie naked before the sun,

to leap from their mereness

and storm an ancient dance oi death
on a living grave.

who, who, who

here, shall rise from this place

and say yes, yes, yes,

.thank you, griilnell, but lor i,

for i.

i should proier to live
ED mason