The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 2, Ed. 1 Friday, September 16, 1960 Page: 2 of 6
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THE THRESHER
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, I960
P. E. Dilemma
Despite the elapse of five months since the estab-
lishment of a faculty committee for evaluating the
Physical Education Department, the future of the P.E.
major remains in doubt, and the controversy over the
place of a physical education degree—or department—
at Rice remains unresolved.
Last April, it was suggested that the P.E. major
be dropped, and that athletes be offered, instead, a
special business administration degree. However, the
controversy was not simply another symptom of Rice's
changing self-image, but a local version of a nation-
wide conflict between academic and athletic interests
in American colleges, a conflict in which physical edu-
cation—that is, the training of physical therapists and
coaches—is caught in the middle.
Nevertheless, although Rice is not, in this instance
at least, unique in its difficulties, the problem here is
thrown into greater relief by the high standards of
admissions. The popular image of Joe Cogsnovsky,
flunky football hero, certainly is not accurate, but just
as scientific talent does not necessarily imply athletic
ability, athletic ability may often come combined with
very average intellect. Furthermore, the amount of
<
time spent in training, in spite of attempts at regula-
tion by the various inter-collegiate conferences, makes
a special course of study for athletes an absolute neces-
sity.
But, of course, both the admission of athletes with
sub-standard academic qualifications and the subse-
quent special academic consideration shown them has
aroused resentment, leaving the P.E. Department
caught between the Athletics Department which treats
it as a convenience, and the academically-minded, who
treat it with contempt.
As a result of this step-child like treatment, the
P.E. Department has developed a kind of inferiority
complex: they rarely miss an opportunity to preach
their message: the importance of good physical condi-
tion and healthful physical activity, not realizing that
it is not the Renaissance ideal of the Whole Man with
which the dissatisfied quarrel, but the double standard
that the P.E. Department represents.
Yet the Department is one of the most enthusia-
sstic on campus, perhaps as an outgrowth of mission-
ary zeal, but more likely because its instructors are
genuinely interested in their subject, convinced of its
benefits, and proud of their department's reputation
with both coaches and graduate schools.
Unfortunately, the future of their department is
to a large extent out of their hands. As long as Rice
is involved in high pressure inter-collegiate athletics,
some special program will be required for athletes— '
hetrogeneous as they are in intellect, and busy as they
are with training—and there will be those who will, as
William Stevenson, President of Obenin College put it,
"resent—and rightly so—the imposition of a double
standard." ' —D. A-
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS ^
eCNie MEENIB
CAteiuwueeNr w
a
gt-ytVMtT.
'I JUST A HOIZ1ZiFLE ?2LW\0g.—THAT THE
WILL pBpUlKE ALL f10 PASS 1"H' 6NTKANC# EXAM."
Both Parties Watching
The Eyes Of Texas
rciLNc>
THRESHER
an all student newspaper since 1916
BILL DELANEY
Editor
MARJORtE TRULAN
Associate Editor
DICK VIEBIG
Business Manager
MILTON NIRKEN
Advertising Manager
The Rice Thresher, the official student. newspaper of Rice University,
is published weekly from September to June, except during holiday recesses
and examination periods, and when unusual circumstances warrant a special
issue. The opinions expressed ore those of the student staff and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the Rice University administration. ,
News contributions may be submitted and advertising information pro-
cured at the Thresher offices on the second floor of the Rice Student
Memorial Center or by telephone at JAckson 8-4141, ext. 221.
Entered as second class matter, October 17, 1917, at the post office
in Houston, Texas, under the act of March 3, 1870.
STAFF FOR THIS ISSUE
Griffin Smith, Denis Ashton, Km Limlamood, Buddy Herz, Anne Watts,
Evelyn Thomas, Phil KusaeUky, John Fowler, Melvin Buck, Steve Rogers,
Neal Holifield, Betty Creech, Cynthia Lyle, Kenneth Carr, Ann Kriegel.
By KENNETH CARR
For the first time in memory
Texas is being watched closely
by people interested in the out-
come of the upcoming Presi-
dential election.
A Democrat stronghold —
which has gone Republican only
in the landslide years of 192S,
1952, and 1956—Texas is used
to being ignored by the candi-
dates and leading speakers. Not
so this year.
WITHIN THE past week
Texas has seen three of the
four candidates and heard a
promise that the other, Henry
Cabot Lodge, will be here la-
ter.
Besides the candidates, we
have already seen the Lady
Bird-Kennedy clan traveling tea
parties and the leader of the
GOP conservatives, Sen. Barry
Goldwater (in connection with
the campaign of John Tower,
GOP candidate for the Senate
against Lyndon Johnson).
IN THE FUTURE the Re-
publicans expect to bring back
Nixon and Goldwater (each to
Houston) plus Lodge and prob-
ably President Eisenhower. For
the Democrats, President Tru-
man, Sen. Estes Kefauver and
National Chairman Henry Jack-
Bakei Announces
Coming Activities
Baker College will hold the
first full-fledged college dance
of the year when it hosts all of
Jones College in the Baker com-
mons at 8:00 Friday night.
Chauffeur service will be pro-
vided by Baker members from
Jones to the dance; and a floor
show and refreshments will
highlight the evening. Both resi-
dent and non-resident members
of both colleges are invited to
take part in the whole evening.
BAKER HAS also announced
plans for a beach party on
September 25 for resident and
non-resident members of the
college as an opportunity for
all members to get acquainted
in a cordial atmosphere.
The Baker cabinet would like
to issue an invitation to any-
one interested in attending cab-
inet meetings to be with them
in the college lounge Monddfc*
nights at 7:00 p.m.
son have announced tentative
or definite plans to visit the
state.
Even the Constitution Party
candidate, Charles Sullivan of
Mississippi (who has no run-
ning mate) was in Houston this
week.
TEXAS' DOUBTFUL tag
stems, I feel, from a series of
conflicting conditions. The most
fundamental fact of Texas pol-
itics is that Texas is, basically,
overwhelmingly Democrat. Also,
the Democrat nominee for Vice
President is a Texan. (This will
help Kennedy, although far less
than was originally supposed.)
On the other hand, in the
past two elections many people
have found that lightning does
not really strike when one pulls
the Republican lever.
Moreover, a surprisingly
large number of people are ac-
tually reading the phatforms
and discussing issues. In this
quite cpnservative state that
can only hurt the Democrats.
And like it or not, the issue
of religion (which cuts both
ways—more Protestants than
normal will vote GOP; more
Roman Catholics than normal,
Democrat) is a very definite
factor.
KENNEDY'S VISIT was dis-
appointing. No more than 500
or 600 unenthusiastic spectators
greeted him at the airport. The
crowd at the Coliseum was bet-
ter (10,000), but seats were
available there, too. And Ken-
nedy's speech was vry poor.
I have talked to Kennedy sup-
porters, Nixon supporters, and
neutrals and have not yet found
anyone who liked it. The abun-
dance of it seemed to be that
Texans are Democrats, so they
must vote for him. It was to-
tally devoid of issues (includ-
ing his stand on the 27%% oil
depletion allowance which John-
son, Rayburn, and Nixon favor
and the Democratic Platform
opposes.
A speech of aimless general-
ities-will not carry Texans. If he
returns before November, let's
hope he is more specific.
By JOHN FOWLER
a freshman at his first com-
mons meal: "oh my how revolt-
ing. a hair in my food.' a nearby
upperclassman: "you're lucky to
get the food part."
ah the fun.
If you would like some wise ad-
vice
On people and on girls at Rice,
Chemists, pre-meds, take your
pick,
Any one will make you sick.
And all of them have nervous
twitches,
From sprinkler-dodging in the
ditches.
(You can't blame them for be-
ing nervous
With gravy-spilling freshman
servers.)
They're all in all a rotten crew,
But till next year, they'll have
to do.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
(heard uttered by a freshman boy
leaving one of the get-acquainted
dances in disgust): "Sure I. like
girls, but I can't take much more
of This."
And there's the football play-
er whose girl broke up with him
because of offensive holding. . .
and another football player here
at Rice, who was so overweight
that the coach told her she might
as well give up the game.
Sign on a table in Sammy's:
"Please place aft dirty dishes in
.your nose."
the fowl salute of the week to
the lads who helped close down
the thousand and three ... by
obligingly getting thrown in jail,
great social workers.
Rice Players Set
Seminar Series
On Production
Mr. Norman Larson of the
Playhouse School of Drama will
conduct a seminar on the art
of theatrical directing in both
professional and amateur pro-
ductions Tuesday evening, Oct-
ober 11, in Hamman Hall at 8
p.m.
' MR. LARSON'S VISIT to the
Rice campus is the first in a
series of lectures presented by
the Rice Players to interested
campus organizations and stu-
dents in the interest of better
dramatic productions at Rice.
The succeeding three Tues-
day lectures will be delivered
by Mr. Robert Howery, Techni-
cal Director of the University
Theater at the University of
Houston, speaking on stage de-
sign and technical work; Mr.
J. D. Thomas, associate pro-
fessor of English, who will
speak on the relation of drama
to the university; and Mr.
Wayne Gill, whose topic is the
use of music in theatrical pro-
ductions.
A OPEN INVITATION is
extended by the Players to all
organizations Which present
annual productions, including
literary societies, Senior Fol-
lies personnel, memnfps of thee
Players, and all interested stu-
dents.
7
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The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 2, Ed. 1 Friday, September 16, 1960, newspaper, September 16, 1960; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth231154/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.