Page Two

SCARLET AND BLACK

 

Editorial

The last line

In the last two years I have participated directly in
the production of over sixty issues of the Scarlet & Black
. . . some 500 pages altogether. This is the last and I am

lad, but it it were mine to do over again, I would not
esitate. Sixty weeks . . . maybe 1,000 hours. Perhaps, I
nan best conclude by trying as best I can to tell why.

Why? is seldom an easy question to answer. This is
no exception. I could as easily tell why live, for the answer
is much the same.

It goes beyond a commitment to journalism. Journal-
ism is no sacred cow of mine. It goes beyond a desire to
correct the failures of Grinnell College. Though this is per-
haps part of the answer. Ultimately, I suppose, editing the
8&3, is part of search. A search which I share with my
classmates and probably with every other generation that
was once young and idealistic. A search for harmony and
meaning in the lives of men.

In a world like all human worlds, filled with hypoc-
racy and hate, is there no way in which men can live in
honesty and love‘.7 Is there no way in which individual
good is compatible with common good. Cannot commun-
ulism and nationalism give way to humanism. Must some
men always die that others may live.

The particular tool I have brought to my search is
a typewriter. There is no end to other approaches. The only
absolute seems to be that the search must he made. In
a nuclear world we canot share Frost’s unconcern:

A111 worry about is the sun ‘
We’ll be alright if nothing goes wrong With the
lighting
If we continue to fail in our search, Bob Dylan may have
come closer to the truth:
It’s a hard rains a gonna fall.

Editor Needed Again

Due to the resignation of editorelect Suzanne Gelber, the
5&3 again needs an edllof [In the next two semesters. Interi-
estod students should submit a letter or lppliuilion giving
qualiﬁcations and suggesting improvements in the son to
Henry-York Steiner, English, by Wednesday noon.

 

Educator Decries Grades

Two recent studies indicate there may be no direct relation-
ship between high grades in college and later professional success.

Dr. Eli Ginzberg, a new York researcher, studied a group oi
842 Columbia University graduate students who had won ieliow-
ships to the school between 1944 and 1950. Findings showed that
students who had graduated with honors, won scholastic medals
or had been elected to Phi Beta Kappa were more likely to he in
the “lower professional perlormance levels” than Students who had
not so distinguished themselves while in college.

In another study, a learn of University at Utah protessors
toiintl almost no relationship between the grades a medical student
gels and his laier perlormance.

An Explanation

Educator John llolt observes that current school methods‘

destroy love oi learning by encouraging students ll) work for
petty rewards 7 names on honor rolls, medals, gold keys ——
tor the “souslaction or healing they are better than someone
else." it's usually 8 combination of grades and extracurricular
participation that indicaies success in later lire.

rModcrator, November 1966

Scarlet" and Black

GRINNELL COLLEGE
Grinncll. low:

A waning newspaper puniisnsn sacn rndry or the
coilecc year y the crunch Commune on sruurnr run
“cations. neprssrntcd for national advertising by Na.
nonai Advertising service, Inc., Conege Puhlishers
RepresenruilVE, in East som arrest, New York. 22, my.
mom cuss postage pain it Grinnell, town Subscription

rate 15.00 per school year. 1800 paid aubscrivllons.
. Hlmla ruson
sin-o wni
, Henry wnncim
wows umoii , _ Morin. Berlley
maroon canon Nell Fischer
cm canon , Susan Gelner
SENIOR animus . .. Aim Axcirod, Ann kirsrnnrr
IiSSlS’rANT TO THE EDITOR , Anne rarrrr
CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER __ _ .iini sturru
PHOTOGRAPHERS _ __ Alan ncmnnmt. susan cursor
cincuuirton sTArr! __. Mlke nsioic, cnucx nomcnocu
sun: M raui Nuhmln, conic, smith, itryr maroon.
Etch-m Schnelmv, karny snca. .ian Hale,
hill Jones Bruce Bin-Atom, uicnarn Knmp,
Andy Burs, rhetor- Johnston, Hour-y WHhelm.
nytii. Murray, sum. Inorsen, Don winnsy

Friday. December 9. l9“
-

Faculty Comment

A Crime" Dilemma

By EZRA MENDELSOHN
Hlslory

I have been asked by the Scarlet and Black to
comment on the question oi student sexual moral<
ity. 1 claim no special knowledge which would al-
low me to speak with certainty on this complex
subject. but I believe that my recent arrival at:
Grinnell gives me a iresh perspective. I welcome
any response to my observations and suggestions,
for it. is clear that a continuing discussion is nec-
essary lot the establishment and maintenance or
hamiony among some students, faculty, and ad-
ministration.

One response to the debate over visitation and
women’s hours is simply to condemn all student
premarital sex. it is imitlcss to argue with
people who sincerely hold this position, just as it
is fruitless to argue with sincere Moslems that
Mohammad was not the prophet oi Allah. it is my
assumption, however, that premarital sex is not
necessarily harmful or immoral; it is likewise my
assumption that students who engage in such ac.
tivities at Grinnell should not feel that they are
committing an illegal act which, it brought to the
attention of the authorities, will result in severe
penalties.

To be sure, the problem is greater here in a
small, midwestem, Christian Community than it
would be elsewhere. I have been part of academic
communities in New York, Philadelphia. and
Israel. At each of these places either the institu<
tion was more liberal with regard to the sexual
behavior of its students than Grinnell, or the lo-
cation itseli provided the opportunity to enjoy a
relatively free social lite. But it is just because
Grinnell is what it is that we need to be more im-
aginative in solving our problems. On the one
hand, wo-‘have intelligent and, i think, tairly so
phisticated students, attracted to Grinnell because
ot its high academic standing. 0n the other hand,
we live in a narrow social environment. Concerts,
athletics. the occasional touring theater or opera
company are commendable in themselves, but we
all know that we ultimately spend a very small
percentage of our leisure lime attending these
iunctions. What most of us want to do (and I as-
sume that Grinnell students lire no exception) is
to talk, eat, and drink with our friends. We are
not going to sleep with every person with whom
we become friendly. We may not even wish to
sleep with those whom we love. But we are all
made to feel guilty in a system which treats visi-
rations as “occasions for sin," and we are all
made to feel uncomfortable in a system which im-

poses strict regulations and then tacitly ag es not
to enforce these regulations as long as iscres
tion” is maintained. 1

1 know that the common reply to the accusa-
tion that it is hypocri 'cal to have rules which are
discreetly ignored is. “You have more freedom
now than you would it the rules were enforced."
And I am aware of the criticism made of the
students that. by their protest, they only impeded
the eventual relaxation of regulations. The tirst
statement can scarcely be defended. As for the
second point, it seems to me that the students, by
making their teeiings known in a restrained and
responsible fashion, achieved lar more than they
lost. 1 take their action to be a sign of maturity,
rather than the reverse, and I think it is a highly
encouraging sign that Grinnell students are think-
ing not only of their exams and papers, but of
other problems as well.

Assuming that the students are sincerely up<
set by the lack of freedom which characterizes the
Situation at Grinnell, can We hope that laculty
and administration will be more responsive to
their needs in the future? Can’t we make a lasts
ing contribution to this whole question by think-
ing in terms of building new dormitories, which
would provide decent sitting room: for small,
informal parties? Can‘t we allow more upper
classmen (and women) to live oftcampus, it
they wish? Can’t we relax visitation regulationsi,
And can’t. we think in terms at establishing
oil-campus social clubs, so that students might
occasionally escape from the familiar (sometimes
all too familiar) atmosphere of the College?

The essential question, perhaps, is whether
Grinnell is to follow, or to lead. A“! we of the
iaculty and the administration prepared to take
certain risks in order to create a more healthy
situation at the College? And, no less important,
are the Students prepared to accept new respon-
sibilities (after all, greater freedom implie‘
greater responsibilities)? We know, in these post~
Freudian days. that sex cannot be swept under
the table. or snblimsted by means of fifty mile
hikes through scenic Iowa. We know that a
healthy attitude towards sex, one which recoga
nizes its tremendous potential lor both unselfish-
ness and harm, is dependent upon attitudes to-
wards authority, hoth parental and institutional.
Let me close wlth a plea that the whole ques~
tion or student sexual morality be explored anew
in the true spi 't of iniellectualism.

I stand with a iamous 19in century thinker,
who appended to one of his treatises: “Dixi et
salvavi animam meam.”

 

News
Briefs

Weekend Events

In preparation for nexi week's
big problems, the Sunni Calelh
(lat this weekend offers various
types of escapes. Friday night,
the Forum offers the best in
free juke box. Saturday [here
will be a rock and roll dance
with music by the clesmys,

The ARH ﬂick is "Lucky
Jim” and will be shown at
2:00 Friday and 9:45 Saturday.

There is also a basketball
game wllh Knox at 7:30 Sntur~
day in Darby.

lllllilllllillllIilillliillllllillililllllliilllllillllIIllililiillllllllllliillllliilll

Three in Washington

Three Grinnell Students are
currently attending American
University in Washington, Dc,
as Washington Semester stu-
dents. Mariana Alwell, Ron
Cogswell, and Leida Sclioggen,
all political science majors, are
participating in the program,
which involves an intensive

study at the federal government.
This is the twentieth year that
the University’s School ot Gov-
ernment and Public Administra-
tion has sponsored the Wash-
ington Semester program.

Religious Events

chuploin Dennis Haas will
preach the sermon at College
Church this Sunday at 11:00
pun. in Herrick Chapel.

His Iopic: “Christmas Is
Dead!”

The second half oi Handel’s
oratorio, The Messiah will be
played at 2:30 pm. Sunday
in the Music Room and
South Lounge, Forum.

Vespers will be held as
usual during the week or ii-
nais, Tuesday and Thursday
at 9:45 pm, Herrick chap
el.

Essa Grant

Grinnell has received a $2,500
grant from the Esso Education
Foundation, President Glenn
Leggett has announced.

The grant, which was award-
ed to Grinnell as part of the
loundation's Presidential Con<
tingency Program. is to he used
during the 1966-67 academic
year to help advance the col»
lege’s educational program.

Jones Scloes in D.M.

Don Jones, music, will be
bass soloist at a periormance
ct Bach’s “Magnified!" Io be
presented at Ihe Plymouth Con-
gregarional Church in Des
Moines at 4 pm. Sunday.

This is the second year in a
row Jones has been a Soloist in
a perl‘mn’iailce oi the “Mag
nificai” presented by die Des
Mollics chiii‘cll.

Graham Publishes

"Natural RUOI. Gratis," an
article by Benjamin F. Graham,
Jr., biology and F. H. sot-man
at Yale University. appears in
the newly published July»Sep<
(ember issue of The Botanical
Review.

Dr. Graham is associate pro-
fessor of biology at Gl‘innell and
Dr. Batman is professor of fur-
estry at the Yale University
Graduate School oi Forestry.

From “Grinnell and You"
November 1936'

Amelia Earhart, worlds {are-
most aviatrix, opened the cob
lege lecture course on October
13, 1936 with a talk, “Aviation
Adventures.” She said that
“based on the average ﬂying
which the average person does
in this country you may expect:
to be 128 years old hetero any
accident occurs to you.”

 

