Friday. October ll. ma

SCARLET AND BLACK

 

FORUM APPRAISAL SHOWS
GOOD THAN BAD

IT MORE

By JONATHAN JENKINS

The College Forum, Grin-
nell's social and recreational
center. was designed by the
architects Skidmore, Owings.
and Merril of Chicago. A two
level building. the dimensions
are 210 feet by 70 feet. Con-
struction was begun in the
spring of 1963 and was com-
pleted late in 1964, The total
cost of the project was soroboo
It was ﬁnanced entirely trim
the Ford Foundation Matching
Fund of 1961494.

According to the folder
handed out in mailboxes earlier
in the semester. the Forum
“exists to provide services and
facilities which help to fulfill
the needs of the campus com-
munity. lt . . . serves as a so-
cial, Cultural. and recreational
center for all students. faculty.
stall. and guests of the college.”
It also serves. one hopes. as a
place where students can con-
verse. not only with themselves.
but also with the laculty. But
how well does it actually serve
these purposes?

Several students told me that
they believed that the Forum
was a good place to meet
people and that they had

Cyclone Photo

An eastern view from the college Forum.

eral bridge players expressed
the hope that part of it might
be used as a card room. be-
cause the noise of the jukebox
in the nearby North Lounge
alien disturbed bridge players
in present card room. I was
unable to determine Whether
pool players. located in the
same room. are also disturbed.

The Grill is undoubtedly one

The Coffee house whlch separates the Grill and the South Lounge.

learned something train the
people they had met. one said
that he believed that the Forum
was “not bad” as a meeting
place but expressed the wish
that more faculty members
would Come. One at my iricnds,
who has become somewhat of
a permanenL ﬁxture of the
Forum. said. in the Grill, that
“the faculty segregate them-
selves at lunch.” Is it possible
that students tend to segregate
themselves, too?

One person who was inter-
viewed said that the South
Lounge, although originally in
tended for conversation among
students. was used for study-
ing with or without necking.
The South Lounge does serve.
however. as a place for read-
ing. studying, watching T.v.,
as well as for coffee hours.

'receptions, lectures, and the
like. Unless there is a special
occasion during the day. stu-
dents seem to use it mainly at
night;

Several people expressed
their - disappointment at the
’faiJure of the coffee house. Sev-

ot the most popular areas in
the Forum. The people with
whom i talked were in agree
ment that the food served there
was good. The pool room is
used continually during the
day. The North Lounge clearly
is also successful as a place
for informal recreation and
parties. The music room, near

‘ ettes,

the South Lounge. according to
the people who work at the
Forum desk, is used rather
sporadically. The private din-
ing rooms. on the lower level
of the building. which may be
used by groups of students. fac-
ulty, or staff, for either social
or organizational events, are
quite popular, and several
groups usually make use of
them every day. The kitchen-
adjoining the dining
rooms are also quite popular.
according to the Forum direc-
tor. Mrs. Hawk. The rooms
which are set aside for study-
ing are, however, not used too
frequently

Although not all persons in-
terviewed agreed that the For-
ilm always served its purpose
as a place where students could
converse with themselves [or
faculty members. it seems evi-
dent that most people agreed
that it is successful as a social
and recreational center for the
Campus. While many agreed
that it otters a good change of
pace, some felt that it was also
an excuse to avoid studying.
One student, who must remain
unnamed. for obvious reasons,
said that although it was “not
as good as an l-V.” he liked it.
Another stated: “It's more use-
lul than the reception center.”

0n the whole, it appears that
after almost four years of oper-
ation. the Forum is quite slic-
cessflll and that it is One of the
most intensively used buildings
on campus.

Several’lmdents. play pool In the Genie

Page Thirteen

Viewpoint
Home Rule: Freedom or Anarchy

By SUSAN KAESER

Recent events have once again made the question of rules in
the residence halls of concern to the college community. The iu<
elliciency, undesirability, and irrelevance ot the present nlle struc-

, ture has been voiced by many factions of the community. faculty

and administration. and has led to,the proposal of an alternative
structure. home rule. However. in considering this Viable alterna-
tive many students are not aware of the concept involved, and
are unable to accept home rule as a possible structure

The problem seems to stem from the traditional nation or
rules. Previously, administrative policy has provided a set at
preventative rules as guidelines to limit student behavior. The regi-
ulations on hours, student use of the lounges and residence halls
have defined what the student cannot do. The student is expected
to cﬂmply and follow the authority.

The idea of home rule is frightening to many because it doesn't
tell the student what he cannot do. Horne rule to many is under-
stood as being anarchy and rampant “freedom." Without pre-
ventive rules, [here is tear of law and order being thrown out the
window. if authority is removed and is not making rules, there
is no rule. This is a gross misconception of home rule. Home
rule can be a viable structure if those exercising it realize its
meaning.

Home rule is a positive form of rules. lt is not a denial of
rules or of a rule. but a posing of positive “do’s” to replace the
traditional “cannot” form ol rule. The arbitrary authority set up
for the student to follow is replaced by students’ thinking about
their actions. The present rule system only gives the student n
choice of breaking or not breaking a rule. He is not considering
his actions beyond the fact of a rule violation. Home rule demands
of the student 3 consideration of the actual implications of his
actions as they atlect others as well as himself.

The granting of home rule is a recognition and challenge to
the student not in his ability to lollow authority, but to develop his
own decision making ability. it is not a safeguard against some
undesirable action, but a stimulant to positive action. It is not
rulelessness, bllt a freedom with responsibility beyond oneself.
This greater awareness and this desire to develop as thinking in-
dividuals is the ultimate demand of home rule Educators and
students in a liberal arts institution should see this as being Very
consistent with their educational aspirations and should willingly
accept the challenge or home rule.

 

Grinneil Resident, College Students
Support Uncle Sam Club for Kids

Noisy and restless bands ol
children tear around Uncle
Sam’s Club every weekday att-
emoon and a few nights during
the week. Uncle Sam's Club is
a town-sponsored club run by
an adult advisor and manager.
Mrs. Robert ThomaZin. and
some 25 Grinnell College stu-
dents. A 15 member board of
towns people, oversees the use or
United Fund money for the
club.

Most at the grade school. jun
ior high. and high school kids
are from the south side of
town, where the club is lo-
cated. Many oi the town's low-
er-income families li\e in [his
neighborhood.

Mrs. Thomazin has super-
vised the club for 17 years. and
says that Uncle Sam's has
“done a lot for the cummua
nity." Both she and William
Shaul. a college senior and stir
dent director oi the club. main
tain that Uncle Sam’s exists
mainly for lhe children lo “let
on steam” alter school. No pro
fnnity, drinking, or lighting is
permitted in the clubhouse,
says Mrs. Thomazin. who sees
one of her duties as teaching
the children “right and Wrong.”

Many youngsters go to her
with problems they cannot dis
cuss elsewhere. she says. and
explains that she “loves every
one at tile children. dirty or
clean." ‘

William Shaul Calls the pro
gram “unstructured" and be-

‘lieves that Uncle Sam’s Club is

most important asa gathering
place (or students who have

nothing else to do atter school.
The grade school group, which
meets every afternoon alter
school. often has “crafts," The
junior high and high school
groups meet at night to wrestle,
play basketball. and engage in
other Sports.

Attempts have been made to
merge Uncle Sam's Club with
the Youth Club, which meets
in the Community Center. Mrs.
Thomazin considers the plans to
merge an attempt to close down
club. One lamily whose children
have gone to Uncle Sam’s Club
told the 58:]! that any move to
join the two clubs would be “ter-
rlble.” Mrs. Thdmaziu's work
with the children, both parents
said. is “wonderful.” and that
her charts are sulllcient to keep
the club running.

Parental support is lacking.
shy volunteers. Letters were
sent last year to parents invit-
ing thcm to express opinions
about Uncle Sam’s. Of the I75
families who received letters.
one mother came to one of the
evening discussions set up by
the college students.

Several c o l l e ge volunteers
have complained that they are
“baby sitting" at club sessions
which they Consider ”useless."
Lack ol money for supplies and
the unwillingness of the super-
visor to approve some proiects
have discouraged attempts to
try new ideas, says one student
Volunteer. .

‘Shaul plans to hold meetings
once a month to discuss prob-
_lems'the volunteers have Elk
countered. .

 

