Women’s roles
need improvement

Women at Grinnell can effect some important attitudinal
and academic change on campus. Whether or not this is
being done, though, is a subject for debate. In recent years,
women have become aware of themselves as a political group
and have pressed for certain demands [women faculty,
women’s studies, non-sexist language, etc.). A Women's
Group has been formed and a Women's Center was opened.
Consciousness raising sessions have been held. Last year a
health care service was started.

The question which needs asking, though, is how much
can women accomplish on this campus when they let
themselves become bogged down by trivial issues or when
they don’t involve themselves in the campus community, In
four years there has been a noticeable increase in the
predominance of male hall representatives and student
advisors, while women have been content to take on
traditionally social positions, such as Hall Coordinator. It
has been 4 years since there has been a female SGA
president. In fact, the SGA cabinet this year is
predominately male.

It may seem most important for women to tune in to broad
national feminist goings on. Those issues are important. But
by staying ”above it all" groups can become disillusioned,
out of touch and eventually ineffective

The women at Grinnell have chosen to be here and are thus
a part of the campus community. It seems that they are
abnegating their power by not filling important student
positions Here and now, their immediate surroundings, is
the place to make themselves heard, gain authority and
make changes.

After break, the Scarlet and Black will be publishing a
special four-page spread on Women and Grinnell. We are
seeking ideas, articles, drawings, and photographs which will
illustrate personal perceptions of feminism. If any member
feels that they have something which would have relevancy
{no matter how controversial] to this special publication,
please let one of the editors know. This cannot be a wor-

thwhile endeavor unless a broad outlook is presented,

Perhaps with a little limelight,» the women of Grinnell will
be able to present a multi-faceted and lucid statement of
solidarity.

second class postage paid at Grinnell, la. sour
subscription $7.00 per year
wllhln Powesniek county 5.5.50

The
Scarlet
Er Black

GrinncllCollegc
Grinnell, Iowa

Lynn A. voedisch
Janet Pnpe

Doue Schultr
Elaine Ashbsugh
iohn lwaseki
Rich Arnold
Mary Brown
Mark Mayer

Ann Ainsworih
Carin DePree, Beth wiley
Janet Wemworlh

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Editor
Managing Editor
News Editor
Feature Editor
photography editor
sports Editor

copy .Editor
Advertising Manager

Business Manager
cartoonists, artists

aepoarzus
Tom Arenbero. Tom Paniear Eva
le‘schblel, alli ourke, Newton White,
Rose Micnnya, John buckwalier, Torn
Parsons, aoo Currey, oeoule Weiner,
Lucv Maltinoly. Davld wick. Terry
ouain, Chrlsiine Dawson, Mark
Voornees, Dennis Hansen, Paul
, Sieinbrecher
spears REFORTERS
, Dave Schech'ler. Tim machete;
aooori Mover , ,
nuniisnod weekly except durlng nolidays and vacation
nerloos by Grinneli College, student Publications and
Radio committee. Grinnell, iowo 50m,

AndHMCKlbben, Ned Landau.
sheiley Blair, stepnen willrarns.
Jlm Garst, Mark Louviore. Dal/ld
katnan. Nltk Maiden

coLUMNisrs

Jeri Miller. Katnv Kramer, Paul
steinorerhsr, Dan i—icxter

Michael chessier

The Grinnell Scarlet and Black, uctober 10, 1975—11. 4

comment

AANDTHERE’S THE MAN WHO
MADE IT ALL PossrisLE—

. . . as a bearded gentleman chugs away . . .

The New Time urges contribution

To the Editor:
Open reply to Michael Steiner
Dear Michael,

We appreciate your letter to the
S 51 B (Oct. 3). It is dialogue such
as this that we wish to foster
among the campus community,

As we understand it. your
primary criticism concerned our
“holler than thou” attitude. This is
certainly not the attitude we inc
tended to convey. Ii it was, we
would not be asking for your help
and input. Nevertheless, we
maintain a critical stance towards
the attitude that persons can solve
the social problems facing us today
“as best i can in nty own way.” We
see this individualist position as
arising rrom a particular class out-
look, i,e.. that of the privileged
middle class. We strongly feel that

this attitude is insufficient to solve
problems which are social in
nature.

There is all important distinction
between our position and that of
“concerned liberals." The politics
of the latter are “handraid
politics;" that is, they only deal
with the symptoms and not the root
causes of society‘s ills. We feel our
politics go beyond the liberal
stance.

The New Time is a newspaper;_
we do not simply “get together in a
group and talk about Social and
political issues.” As a newspaper
collective, we seek to research real
problems, analyze them, and
Communicate what we’ve learned
to others, in hopes of raising our
own and others' political cons
sciuusness,

We urge you not to rest on your
past political record. We also urge
you not to assume that dealing wigr
things in your own way is the most
effective course of action and will
lead to positive political change.
Not only do we feel that there is
creative potential at Grinnell'
change the attitudes that per-
petuate racism, sexism, and.class
privilege, but also that such
critical questioning is an ,i »
valuable aspect or our time heﬁ
We invite you and the entire
campus community—students,
faculty, B 5: G workersito con
tinue to contribute your ideas, your
experiences, your knowledge, and
your criticisms. .

The Nchime
Box 1295

Break: Just another off—campus study ,

To the Editor:

Well gang, it’s almost time for
our favorite program to begin,
Grinnell-at-Home. You know what
I’m talking about, those nine or ten
days which are officially called
midsemester break, but actually
are days filled to the brim with
study. And why not? Our
proiessors have worked long and
hard to get where they are today,
and there‘s no reason why we
budding young stars of tomorrow
should not study and write and
sweat and quiver during our days
away, After all, that’s the mm of
which scholars are made. Ask any
professor; he‘ll tell you,

lonly have three papers to work.
on while enjoying the Grinnellab
Home program, My worry now is

‘whether or not that will be enough

work to keep me busy, and my
system pure whilst i am away. 1,

Students decryh

To the Editor:

We would like to express our
disappointment in the lack oi in
volvement by the college comr
munity in the events that took
place on Skip Day, The lack of
involvement has renewed our
belier that the vast majority of this
college will not take advantage of
free beer and good times even
when they‘re presented on a silver
platter.

Do students get off on pressure?
it seems unfortunate that
throughout the whole day we saw
no more that 1/.i of the students
participating at any one time.
Even some of our best friends
divorced themselves from the
activities.

Perhaps students misread the
purpose or skip Day, which as we
see it was an opportunity to close
the books, get out of the library,
and enjoy the Indian Summer.
Most students ' appeared 'to have

remember back in my sad and
depraved youth, I guess when l
was a freshman (we were
unliberated then, too), how angry I
used to get when I had work to do
during my “vacation.”

i used to think vacations were,
please don‘t laugh at my naivele, a
time to relax and enjoy some good
times with friends or. heaven
forbid, to enter the mundane world
of work and earn some needed
cash. The professors would get
such a gleam in their eyes when
they would answer my complaints
with a sharp reply: “I’m doing you
a favor, kiddo; ‘do you want
,eve’ryrhing due the day before you
leave, and nothing worthwhile to
do while away’”

That used to burn me up because
one professor’s favor turned into a
nightmare when three or four
professors decided to give me a

skip

ought, lvever. the day
provided a chance to study more
rather than study less.

Even the people who took the
advantageoi the chance to escape
some of the daily pressures were
affected by the vast majority who
did not. Not only did the partyin'
students miss a chance for a mass
riot but the studyin’ students
missed a Chance to ride in the golf
cart with their own SGA President.
Furthermore, we feel it was un-
couth of the people who studied to
further the capitalist . pig
philosophy of “getting ahead.” We
feel they must be running dogs oi
the capitalist-imperialist. powers.

However, we cannot put the
whole blame on the students. We
think that the taculiy is also par
tially at fault. Many students still
had papers due and tests to be
taken. Many oi the students who
studied tell that they had no coice
Inrthe matter.

break. But now I have becc'ng
enlightened. The spirit *» ’
everlasting bliss and serenity
envelopes me, lam at peace with
myself, and I know absolute Lru’l:
To study constantly is to becorr a
better person, a full human be$
Look at our faculty. Have you ever
seen a group or better people, at
fuller human beings?

[will return to the old homestead
with a trunkload of books for ten
days of my purification rite. I shall
do as the intellectuals, the elite,
might we say the Elect, tell me:
“Work yourself silly, buster!" And
I shall return from Grinnell-at»
Home a better person. i may not be
worthy of the learned ones yeti‘l
give mea few more years. I‘m sure
I can escape reality for the world of
mind games as well as the ‘l
Fellovaichard Arnold 3.

day involvement

We see the most feasible reme:
to the situation that developed on
Skip Day as a banding together of
the students to rid themselves of
the pressures imposed by the
fascist powers. Many students
target that they set the standards
as much as the faculty does.

Despite the apparent lack oi
interest among most of the alibi;
community, those people who u.
participate in the events of the day
seem to have really enjoyed
themselves. We would like to
express our appreciation to
President Turner, Will Collins“:
all the others involved in planning
the event. Even though many
students did not participate in ski;
Day, we had an absolutely mar»
velous time (and even got a sun-
tan).

Thanks to the planners,

Shelly Blair
Terri Yasdick

 

