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Student Newspaper of Grinn-li College
Grinnall, low-

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An lndeoendmt newspnpcr published weekly
except during holidays nnd cxamlnauon periods, by
the Grinnell Committee on Sludenl public-lion».
Subscription nu 35.00 per school ycu.

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The Visitation Question

On October 28, some of the fac-
ulty released a letter to the students
asking for a rededication to educa-
tion, warning that the only hope for
mankind lay in knowledge and the
ability to act upon knowledge. The
students have responded by numer-
ous declarations of “home rule,"
-"floor rule,” and, in some cases, decla-
rations of “room rule." The student
government has responded by push-
ing a proposal which asks the mem-
bers of each hall to devote much time
to establishing rules on visitations un-
til the Student Affairs Committee can
make some official recommendations
to the President of the College.

Grinnell students have not before
shown so great an activism in any-
thing as they do now on the problems
of Visitation. Could it be that students,
completely uninterested in a national
election in which all the candidates
seemed uninspiring, and uninterested
in the diverse problems of the world,
have concentrated all their attention
on the issue of open dorms? Or could
it be that open dorms is the only ques-
tion that seems to have the relevance
necessary to stir undergraduates to
action?

The complexities of the open
dorms issue never cease to fascinate
students—what must be done with the
bathrooms, should girls be allowed‘
to take showers in a boys’ dormitory,
,what must be done to preserve mod:
esty (though one would think, it
seems, that this insistence on mod-
esty which has led several floors to
restrict bathroom visitations from
members of the opposite sex between
the hours of seven and ten in the
morning is nothing but a Neanderthal
bourgeois inhibition), and if the third
floor declares open visitations, but the
second floor does not, does someone
commit an offense by travelling from
the second floor to the third. The
limitless intricacies boggle the mind.

The zeal of students in pursuing
increased sexual freedom does not re-
flect a noble liberalism and interest
in the rights of men. It reflects, rath-
er, the selfish wish to ”be able to do
what I want," despite the implica-
tions and consequences of such ac-
tions.

The faculty letter discussed the
“bleak prospects” of undergraduates.
»- Has this desolation made students for-

.SCARLET AND ILACK

Mines ALEXANDER ARIETI
Editor-ln-Chi'ef
ion-menus NEWKIRK
Managing Editor
yvoa sronxuy
Sports Editor

JOHN GARDNER, PAUL LEWIS.
PAUL xorHMAN. MARK SAELEMAN

Associate lzdiim
saves STROM
Business Manager
boucrns mu.
Circulation Manager
MlMl ANDERSON
Cartoonist

Nlncy Beckett, Byron Collins, John Gordltyi
Reggie Graham, SlBDhen Grow. Vicki Lofqulst,
Cindy Root, Kristi SchmmV
Lynn. Scimers, Freda mm

Reporters

gettul of the problems of the world?
The excess idealism that youth is ac-
cused of possessing seems to be defici-
ent in Grinnell students Indeed, they
would seem to be lacking in it.
There is a wretched world to educate,
to serve, to save. But the children
here continuously squawk about the
necessity for sharing bedrooms. Sadly,
many students have shown their first
real enthusiasm in discussing the in-
tricacies of open dorms; this “expense
of spirit in a waste of shame" does not
seem likely to end soon.

Library Fines

The library exists for the benefit
of the academic community. It is not
a profit-making organization, and it
should certainly not work to impov-
erish students. Nevertheless, the li-
brary's merciless sytem of fines often
assists in the financial collapse of the
college’s best-mannered students.

The college fines is student a cer-
tain sum for books which are returned
past the “due" date, and a certain
much larger amount for overdue
records. The student, in the zealous-
ness with which he pursues his
studies, sometimes, and quite excus-
ably, forgets to return a book. When
the hapless fellow has received a no-
tice from the librarians informing
him that the item is overdue, the stu-
dent usually returns it with all pos-
sible speed.

To fine someone for forgetful-
ness of this sort is unjust. The library
ought to, establish s grace period of

' three days when a student is free from

fines, during which time a notice will
be sent to him informing him that his
book is overdue. Such a policy will be
equitable and will help to ease the fi-
nancial woes of students.

New Pencil Sharpeners

There has recently been a change
for the better in ARH which is espe-
cially worthy of mention. Several
pencil sharpeners have been placed
on every floor of the building. The
sharpeners ought to be an aid in stu-
dents’ education.

The college should continue in
this installation of needed devices by
placing additional bicycle racks out-
side ARH and the dining halls.

Letters to the Editor

Teacher Termination
Eiicits Protests

To the Editor:

"But the main business of A
college is holding classes, main-
taining faculties to teach them,
and encouraging students who
can profit from them.” October
28, mos—Statement from some
of the faculty

We wish to express our deep
concern regarding termination
of the teaching contract of Shel‘
don D, Parzen. It has come to
our attention that the primary
reason for this action was the
noncompletion of his doctoral
thesis. We feel that a decision
made on this basis overlooks his
teaching competence and other
related qualities.

Ar upperclasl majors who
have had prolonged Contact with
Mr. Parson through course work
and independent study, we feel
qualified to attest lo his capa-
bilities as an instructor. His
clarity of presentation and com-
mand of classic and contem
porary material combined wlih
his unique ability to communi-
cate makes him I most inspir-
ing teacher. The sire of his
classes and the variety of ma-
jors present serve to corroborate
his inspiring abilities. He ll
ever willing to conduct supplc~
mentary classes or inleldually
tutor students in order to clari-
fy material. This sensitivity to-
ward students is further mani-
fested in his rule as an adviser.
Such desire to extend himself
beyond the classroom realm has
resulted in a balance of rapport
and respect rarely found be-
tween teacher and student.

We find it disturbing that such
exemplary qualities should be
overlooked in preference to a
doctoral degree; it is our hope
that teaching excellence be giv-
en pn‘oriiy. We regard our in-
volvement as an integral pun
in questions of employment of
instnlctors, for ultimately it is
our education which is at stalls.
Professors of Mr. Panen‘s call-
ber are all too few at Grinnell
And their passing presents a
time of both regret and reflec-
tion—regret on the part of
students, and hopefully, reflec-
tion on the part of the iaculiy
who have made this decision.
R. v. Clayman R, Steinhorn
W. Shaul L. Belles
L. Cafes J. Ellis
M, Wiesenfeld

Parssinen Protests

letter on Guroff Idea

To the Editor:

In their letter in the last
Scarlet and Black, Miss Spiegel
and Mr. Stump wrenched a
statement of Mr, Gumff’s’out
of context, and made it say
something it did not say. The
pedagogical principles alluded
to by Mr. Guroff and obfus-
caicd by Miss Splcgel and Mr.
Stump are serious and com-
plex. At present they m on
trial in the Social Studies
course. Whether they will be
continued or not depends upon
an evaluation by staff and stu-
dents nt the end of [he semes-
ter. This process undoubtedly
will be long and arduous: a re-
fleclion of the complexity of the
issue. .

What particularly disturbs

me about Miss Spicaeiis and ,

Mr, Stump's letter is not ill
misunderstanding of, or op
(ion to, these principles. Ratheg
it is their preference for .
clumsy kind of wit to serious
discussion,

Underlying this preference, I
believe. is a dangerous nssump.
don that intellectual problem
are only semantic and logic
problems, In order to refute an
argument, one need only
project its absurdity from I
sentence fragment. In order
prove in argument, one use}
only clarify it, and deiend
logically. Complex issues can
thus be disposed of eiiicleml
and one need not suffer t
agony of reasoning through
problem only to find that than?
is no “correct” solution. into
lectual methodologies that pun
port to yield final solution!
ought to be distrusted for me
same reason as political idea)-
ogies that promise the same.
the subject matter of both can;
not be simplified without beln‘
mutilated.

Certainly the terms of an an
gument ought to be clarified
before it is made, and the logic
of an argument ought to bq
tested, if that is possible. EM
how does one deal with prob;
lems which cannot be reduce
to a syllogism? Miss Spiege
and Mr. Stump have shown on.
way of dealing with such prob
lems, and in so doing they have
aligned themselves with tho“
who claim that such amblguoul
questions as sexual morality
and religious truth can be do-
finitively settled according to
logical principles. These peopl.
may have gained the consoli-
tion of consistency, but often
they have done so at the ole:
penss of intellectual integrity.

Terry Pussinen
(Hi-“011)

Crone" Withholds

Apology to Kent

To the Editor:

it was good to see Mr. Kent
in hls‘l‘eply to my letter, mnleu
——however disingenuouslyAthat
he “shudders" at the spectacle
of the irrational forces which h.
helped to unleash. There are,
however. I few chinks in the al-
rnor of his self-righteousness
w h i oh are worth noting
Mr. Kent, in his pose 0
representing the great modes-
aie position of westem humarh
ism, confirms the great value
of the great books, which enabl‘
us to see pfartlcular’persons BI
fitting one of the major types or
categories of men. In Mr. Kent’s
case, that type is the Machxcvel.
lian hero, that is, the man who
would rather seem good than be
good.

I should like to offer a direct
apology. to Mr, Kent for taking
him to be [he lnstigator of fill
petitions—hut because of the
conflicting testimony he has
offered, in his letter and at th!
mass rally held the night of the
"sleepin", I find that I cannot
do so. Mr. Kent, under quesuon.
ing, admitted to the existence
of the petitions and did not
than repudiate them as he does
now. I was almost the only fac<
uliy member present at that
hurried meeting —— the peti-

LE'ITERS— '
(Count on Pm I. Sol. 1-)

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