Iago Two
Editorials .

Do we want another dorm?

Editor’s note: Present college building plans include a physical educa-
tion complex, joint dining tncilities, and a new women’s dormitory. All are
contingent upon government loans. The loans for the dining facilities and
the new women’s dormitory can be applied for by July at the earliest.

Ttie dining taciiities will be located between Darby gymnasium and the
railroad tracks. The new women‘s dormitory, consisting o! 8 units housing
48 women each, win he between Loose Hall and the railroad tracks where
the present swimming pool is.

The tremendous need {or careful scrutiny alld reassessment of the present
residence hall system was pointed out by prolessor Joseph Wall (hlstory), tac-
ulty chairman, in his statement regarding the recent court case. We stressed
this need just a week previously when we urged the speciiic consideration or
integration or the campuses.

Like the strictly academic side of a liberal arts education, the residence
system cannot remain static. Its usefulness must be assessed with respect to
a changing world. A mmmittee to consider the underlying philosophy oi the
residence hall system is just as imperative as the existing committees consider-
ing curriculum and the community court. Such is committee, composed jointly
of faculty, Students, and administrators, must shoulder the dilllcult task of de-
ciding not only where and how and with whom to house men and women in d0r<
mitories, not only what regulations to impose and what facilities to provide, but
more lundamentally, whether the dormitory is the most appropriate living 5itu~
ution. They must explore the alternatives suggested by private apartments in
town tor some students, collegeowned homes tor others, and college built apart-
ment buildings for still others. They must compare the advantages or commu-
nal living with other ways or his, in light or the college’s goals.

Finally their philosophical decisions will have to be tested opposite more
pragmatic considerations such as iinancing and crowding. For example, it they
decide dormitory housing as we now have it is not ideal, they may indeed be
overruled by economic realities. Nevertheless, it is gravely important that in
building new dormitories we act either according to our philosophic principles
or consciously against them: it is not fair to avoid them.

We recommend that the proposed construction oi a new women’s dormitory
be postponed pending the report oi a committee on the Grinnell residence re—
quirements: its rationale and usefulness, and how these can best be Served.
Building a large and costly dormitory calculated to last hit 50 to 70 years will
perpetuate the present residence custom without philosophical justification.

his is contrary to the spirit or continuous critical examination proper to an

The Grinnell REPORTER

Friday. Msy I. list
_—_.

Negro students at Grinnell —

Last week The Reporter circulated a questionnaire to all Negro students on
the Grinnell campus, including the tour exchange students lrom LeMoyne, The
purpose of the survey was to evaluate the Negro's opinion of his position on cam-
pus and to determine it he lelt any pressures resulting directly lrom his race.
The results were to have been publicized with the hope of inlorming Grinnell
students of the feeling in this area. The questions dealt with hall life, academia
situations, personal relationships, and attitudes encountered in the town a! Grin-
nell.

Although approximately 40 forms were circulated, only nine were returned.
To the question oi whether or not prejudice exists within the Grinnell couege
community, hall of the respondents felt that Grinnell was relatively free of ra-
cial bias. This group lelt that any alienation within the community was the re-
lult of individual, not racial differences.

The other halt lelt that racial prejudice did exist and was a deﬁnite hin<
dranco o their intellectual and social development. For the most part, they at.
tributed such prejudice to ignorance and lack oi experience in interacting with
another racial group. Even those who had denied the eiostenoe or discrimination
on campus felt that there was some hostility in the town.

Even though a total response was not expected, the disappointing number nt
returns seemed to indicate a certain apathy even toward an issue so important
to intergroup relations. Some of those who declined to participate in the survey
felt that there was a racial problem but that a survey would be ineffective in
improving the situation.

Despite the poor response, the questionnaire had a limited value in that it
opened the issue and stimulated some debate. These have been some of the
questions under discussion: to there a problem or racial prejudice on campus?
If there is a problem of ignorance in race relations at Grinnell, how can both
whites and Negroes educate each other? Why does there seem to be a tendency
among Negroes to gravitate toward one another? Does this tendency indicate a
desire to be separate, or is it the result ot an insecurity caused by white rejec-
lion?

Although the tact that some people have begun to discuss racial issues is
important. such discussion will have further value only if it is extended to the
entire student body. — P. M.

 

her. These are the two most recent

always be remembered in my heart) for

academic community.

—M. M.

 

letters . . .

REPORTER critics answered

Recent issues of The Reporter have
aroused some people and have elicited
letters troni an assortment of others.
The combined letters suggest that too
often “outside” news has been given

‘orily over campus events, and that

adition has, in effect, been sacked
by the new title or this paper.

The semester is almost over. it
would he terrible for Miss Neuman and
her stair to reel that they have failed
in their commitment to responsible
journalism, or that we should have
tailed to grasp the purpose of their
:tyle. For their purpose, i believe, has

sen this: to unseal the shroud or a
small college convinced that it is iso»
lated, situated in the middle of “no-
where," with no vital contact with the
world. Was The Reporter's coverage or
the New York Spring Mobilization to
and the War in Viet Nam truly wasted
space? And completely irrelevant? Or
John Phillips‘ account or his experi~
ences in a college where one sees,
smells, speaks with and helps Human.
ity, dues this story not belong in the
Grinnell College newspaper? Or do ob-
jections stem lrom this: that the paper
isn’t paying lirst allegiance to its own,
so to speak. it should stick to printing
what the majority oi the people on

this campus already half-know by the
time Friday trickles in.

No, my sad friends, Miss Neuman
and her staff are to be commended
Important issues have become relevant
ligaln.

Eleni Sarant

More critics
To the Editor:

The April 22 Grinnell Reporter was
read with a great deal of interest as is
usual. The way in which the Reporter
approaches the news has rmouently
amazed us. Lest we be accused of not
being constructive, please consider these
suggestions as ways in which we think
the paper can be improved.

A. Do not try to compete with the
New York Times. You simply don’t have
the ability. Leave the coverage of the
New York peace march, in which
Grinnell did not have a delegation, to
the major newspapers. They do a better
Job or coverage and it should save you
some space to use on activities taking
place here at the college. it there one
no activities worth reporting maybe it.
will save you Some money.

B. Try to be somewhat more accu-
rate in your prootreading. In last
week’s Grinnell Reporter one of your
headlines mentioned the selection at
ten new ti—lai-s yet you only listed nine.
The _week bctore you announced the
appointment of several social coordi—
nating members to the ateculive cabi<
net. There are only three membeis on
the cabinet and one nonrvoting mem-

 

The Grinnell Reporter

(formerly the Scarlet 8. Black)

Grinnell College
Gnu-toil. low. mu

BPS

Member at tit.
Coll-glen
Pun Sonia.
sun on

ausmrss Handout
EDITORIAL snrr _

iPOR'l's colmn __
copy mlron

IECHNICAL wruwrson ._

not Nut-bin.

A weekly newspaper published each Friday of
the collar: year by the Grinnul communes on Stu.
dent Puhlicaﬁoni.

tiring by National Advenlsing Sui-vine, lnc., College
Publishers Representative. lo East soot street, New
York :1, N.Y. second class poms: pud ot Grinnell,
lows. subscription rate “no per term: your law
mid subscription.

Represented lo! ruttonill adver-

iuyityu. Nem-
simn wtu

aurora rum, rhyme Murray,
Rich-m scnnelm

__nmy Annun-
IA SDeihmll

examples we can remember.

Each happening by itself is relative-
ly unimportant but together they are
indicative at a carelessness that is not
becoming to a newspaper of the stature
you hope to attain. _

c. Your editorial commending the
changed outlook of the times as wit-
nessed by your ability to_prii_it ii cer-
tain word and get away with it was in
poor taste. Surely you have other top-
ics more deserving of editorlal coin.
ment. You need not enlighten everyone
concerning the changing campus view.
points nor is it necessary to call atteni
tion to the “victory." _

Most everyone accepts the necessity
of a newpaper printing the news in
all its details. This is your obligauou
Now apparently the Board of Publica~
tions shares this view. They need not
be congratulated. .

D. m not to insult the administro.
tion. It really makes for poor relations.
We are still otter many reforms which
can only be achieved with the help o1
these people. Your statement concern
ing President Leggett. was also in poor
taste. The point you make could ave
been better made with a simple request
that he submit an article and listing
the reasons why he has been unable to
do so up to this time.

E. The picture that was drawn or
spring Disturbances appeared to be
somewhat distorted. it seemed to us
that the character of this Spring night
was exaggerated.

Lest you think we are a totally unr
appreciative audience We hasten to add
that in many respects this past Grinnell
lleporter was one or the better ones.
llany or the topics were timely and
very interesting. The two editorials
were very poignant, Mr Eastman’s
essay should be required reading tor
all.

no not hide li-om controversy, as we
suspect you won’t, but in your con.
trovcrsy be accurate, polite and to the
point. And please remember to present
news as news and opinion as opinion.

Charles Wall Lynn mchmnn

nsnk Baliltov Doll Gregory

Bond raulwell nan Bucks

steve Kent siisiiii Fog;

More support
To the editor:

Some people stubbornly refuse to
enjoy a lively newspaper or to respect
its courageous editor. So never cast
pearls heroic swine.

David Dillon

To the Editor:

In a rash of letter—writing enthusiasm,
characteristic no doubt of o senior soon
to graduate and no longer to be held
responsible tor views expressed here,_ I
would like to thank the 8&3 (as it will

its feature articles on Don Smith, the
Friends World Institute, and the mo-
bilization in New York. As it so hap—
pens, intimation of this sort about
student life outside Grinnell is not real-
ly available in other newspapers, even
the Des Moines Registerr And as for
student life at Grinnell, we already
wallow in it; must we also read about

it?
Mike Aruow

Neal on Judicial System

To the editors:

how long will we allow our redun.
dant, inetricienc and archaic “judicial
system" to aggravate the personal and
nodal agonies or punishment and oct—
roct‘ioul No one ~— least of all those
whose iutures are directly involved _.
benetits from this type 01 moture or
procedure. it the events or last week
can help, by the example they offered
or the “ideal” operation oi the tradi-
tional system, to eliminate this sys-
tem, they can perhaps mitigate their
individually tragic consequenca.

Linda Neal

Open Dorms

To the Editor:

The SGA Open Dorms Committee has
asked. “What is wrong with structured
hypocrisy?" The answer is that living
a life or hypocrisy destroys a person’s
integrity and sense or worth. The indi-
vidual who seeks selfrrespect and the

See LETIERS on Page 4

Last Week's Answers .—

EEI .
E

I
IEI

I! was brought to the attention 0!
the author that ”Ora Ike" ((4 across)
is a misspelling of “Aura Lee,” El-
vis’ much - parodied hi1. Research
proved this to be hue. The error was
due to the fact that the author’s fa-
miliarity with the will was Inquired
{mill-U. Janet I’ollnd

 

