The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 12, Ed. 1 Friday, December 2, 1960 Page: 2 of 8
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Two
THE THRESHER
mmmmm
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1960
Bear With Us
The next few issues of The Thresher will be some-
what handicapped with the absence of the editor, who
is ill and will be confined to his bed until at least Janu-
ary. We ask that you please bear with us as we attempt
to continue publishing without his guiding influence
and talent at tying loose ends together and hope you
will wish him, as we do, a speedy recovery.
In the meantime, we feel it "just won't be the
same" until he returns.—M. T.
O
Culture 'Package'
"Throughout the four-year program . . . each stu-
dent pursues a broad program of the fundamental sci-
ences and humanities, rather than a narrow course of
specialization." With these words in the "General An-
nouncements" the University commits itself to a lib-
eral education for its undergraduates.
That is, it attempts to instill within each of its
students an awareness of the culture that produced
him and the one he must live in—its intellectual tradi-
tions, its values, its institutions. Any man can be
trained, just as any German shepherd can be taught
to "heel," but no man is really educated until he is
aware of his own culture.
Freshman year is the time to start, and freshman
history is the place. This is the first test of Rice's
greatness.
The freshman even gets a choice—History 100 or
History 110. Unfortunately, neither of them does the
job.
Both courses are, as we suspect all freshman his-
tory courses are, a sort of assembly-line structure in
which facts, names and dates are rattled off every
two weeks giving little chance to anyone to appreciate
their real significance. They are descriptive history
courses in an age of interpretive history. They give top
grades to eager freshman girls with stacks of notes
and "key-phrases" and the ability to digest them all
and unload them at appropriate times.
These skills are perhaps useful in advanced history
courses, but to the engineer wandering through his
first and probably last contact with non-material cul-
ture, they just don't do the job. He has little more
appreciation for the culture influencing him than be-
fore, and regards the study of history as a rather
useless process. And any American history course is
too specialized to give a real feeling for Western cul-
ture, especially the brief sojourner.
More important, the courses tend to be politically
and economically oriented. Greek philosophers are
mostly hard-to-spell names, and Jefferson was the
third president. This is nobody's fault, it's inevitable,
but it's also regrettable. Culture arises from much
more than politics and economics, things like art and
the intellect. Why not include some study of them on
a meaningful basis?
Can we do it any better? Yale University offers a
"directed studies" program to emphasize the interrela-
tionship of the humanities, and many other schools
give "Western Culture" courses—a blend of history,
philosophy, the arts, and languages. Why not give
every freshman a three-course "package" of Western
culture, in small groups, seminar-style, on a really in-
telligent level? We have the students to take it, we
have the faculty to teach it, and all we need is some
applied effort to expose the freshman to his cultural
heritage.—W. P.
THRESHING-IT-OUT
The
Thresher
An all-student newspaper for 44 years
DICK VIEBIQ
Business Manager
MILTON NIRKEN
Advertising Manager
BURTON SILVERMAN
Circulation Director
DENIS ASHTON
Editorial Assistant
The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper of Rice University,
{b published weekly from September to June, except during holiday recesses
and examination periods, and when unusual circumstances warrant a special
issue. The opinions expressed are those of the student staff and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the Rice University administration.
Entered as second class matter, October 17, 1917, at the post office
in Houston, Texas, under the act of March 8, 1870.
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.
BILL DELA1
Editor
MARJORIE TRULAN
Associate Editor
GRIFFIN SMITH
Managing Editor
EM LINDAMOOD
News Editor
Freshman Defends Guidance/
Nu rse Ja ne Writ es To Johnny
To the Editor:
Recently an attack was made
on freshman guidance based on
the idea that "no one has been
able to justify class unity at the
obvious expense of individual
growth within the academic
community."
TO SOME upperclassmen, the
academic community may seem
like a warm and friendly place
with much opportunity for indi-
vidual growth, but to the new
freshman it is large, strange,
and indifferent. The "unity
which results from sharp differ-
entation from the rest of the un-
dergraduates" is necessary if
the freshman is ever to become
an identifiable member of any
part of that community. With-
out the forced participation of
guidance, many freshmen would
be swallowed up by the aca-
demic community, and the few
that leave their rooms only for
classes and food would be much
more numerous.
"It is unreasonable" to be-
lieve that "prostration before a
paper-mache owl on Saturday
afternoon" could seriously affect
the mental processes of the
freshman.
—FOREST BASKETT
Hanszen '64
Nurse Jane
Recalls Column
Dear John Fowler:
In a familiar column of a fa-
miliar campus newspaper long,
long ago, there was a big, nasty
story. The story said mean
things about the campus' New
Young Nurse. It said the in-
firmary was Real Messy. And it
said that the New Young Nurse
should work on animals and not
on people any more ever.
"FINE," SAID THE New
Young Nurse, blinking back the
tears. (But she was really very
hurt!) Everyone knew there
were no animals on the familiar
campus. What to do! ? Then
someone said to ask the boy who
wrote the mean things. The New
Young Nurse said that she
would ask him herself.
"COME INTO MY infirm-
ary," said the New Young
Nurse to the boy who wrote the
mean things. But she didn't ask
him a question. She stuck him
with a great big needle when he
wasn't looking. After that the
boy didn't write mean things
anymore. He began to scurry
around. Scurry. Scurry. The
New Young Nurse knew where
to find an animal.
The squirrel loves Nurse
Jane. Nurse Jane loves the
squirrels.
Love,
"NURSE JANE"
P.S. Drop by the infirmary any
time. You remind me of a boy
I used to know . . .
Did Timid Mole
Carry The Show?
To the Editor,
I enjoyed the last issue of the
paper very much, however, I
would like to bring one matter
to your attention. I think there
was an omission in your review
of the Hanszen Minstrel Show.
Although Timid Mole was very
good, T think that you'll agree
that Big Shot carried the
show. A correction of this sort
would be appreciated. Not only
would it give credit where credit
is due, but it would correct a
faulty bit of reporting.
Thank you very much,
BOB GARLINGTON
* * *
To the Editor,
I enjoyed the last issue of the
paper very much, however, I
would like to bring one matter
to your attention. I think there
was an omission in your review
of the Hanszen Minstrel Show.
Although Timid Mole was very
good, I think that you'll agree
that The Professor carried the
show. A correction of this sort
would be appreciated. Not only
would it give credit where credit
is due, but it would correct a
faulty bit of reporting.
Thank you very much,
DAVE BEST
* * *
To the Editor,
I enjoyed the last issue of the
paper very much, however, I
would like to bring one matter
to your attention. I think there
wag. an omission in your review
of the Hanszen Minstrel Show.
Although Timid Mole was very
good, I think that you'll agree
that the Interlocutor carried the
show. A correction of this sort
would be appreciated. Not only
would it give credit where credit
is due, but it would correct a
faulty bit of reporting.
Thank you-very much,
PETER N. NUSTAD
* *
To the Editor,
I enjoyed the last issue of the
paper very much, however, I
would like to bring one matter
to your attention. I think there
was an omission in your review
of the Hanszen Minstrel Show.
Although Timid Mole was very
good, I think that you'll agree
that Eager Brown carried the
show. A correction of this sort
would be appreciated. Not only
would it give credit where credit
is due, but it would correct a
faulty bit of reporting.
Thank you very much,
'HARRY STELLMAN
« * *
To the Editor,
I enjoyed your last issue very
much and would like to take this
opportunity to commend your
paper for some very accurate
reporting. I agree that Timid
Mole carried the Show at the
Hanszen Minstrel Show, and I
would like to join you in offer-
ing him my congratulations.
Again, keep up the good work.
Thank you very much,
BENNY GREEN
Enough Ivy?
Williams Asks
To the Editor:
Last spring, the name of the
Rice Institute was changed to
Wm. Marsh Rice University. Ac-
cording to Mr. Webster, a uni-
versity is "an institution or-
ganized for teaching and study
in the higher branches of learn-
ing, and empowered to confer
degrees in special departments."
By this definition, we have been
a university for several years,
and yet there are those who
would sco'ff and say that we're
not a university.
IF THESE unenlightened few
would just look around, they
they would see ample proof that
we are a university, as if it even
needed proving. For example,
our faculty is among the most
distinguished in the country, and
our football team was in the
"top 10" during part of the
season. We have the highest en-
trance requirements in the state,
and just as many "Beer parties"
as anybody else. We have a
large, well-stuffed library, and
several active literary societies.
Even a national magazine de-
scribed us as the "most ivy-
league of the Southwest Con-
ference Schools."
Of course, any fine university
has a few malcontents who are
always trying to detract from
the fine name and reputation of
the university. They even resort
to such crude jokes as: "Archi-
tects cover their mistakes with
ivy; but, do we have enough
ivy?" Very funny indeed! It is
just people and remarks like
thE$ which prevent us from be-
coming an even greater univer-
sity than we already are.
THERE IS ALWAYS the
danger that these radicals will
influence others with their false
accusations. Although a few
among us may stir a little and
point accusing fingers at each
other, the novelty will soon wear
off and they will slip back into
the proper anonymity of the
crowd. This fact alone is proof
of our standing as a great uni-
versity.
CHARLES WILLIAMS
o
Have Time, Car?
Call The Thresher
The Thresher desperately
needs some one with a car who
would be interested in running
errands—with remuneration, of
course.
This person would take pic-
°* tures to the Houston Chronicle
Wednesday afternoons and also
copy to Scardino Printing on
Garrow Street, off Harrisburg,
plus other occasional trips to
the printer.
Call Dick Viebig, business
manager, between 11 and 12
o'clock weekdays in The Thresh-
er office, extension 221, for de-
tails.
Directories Here!
To the Student Body:
After many, many delays
the Directory is now here and
on sale. This year every
imaginable obstacle came up
to prevent earlier publication.
Since there was no registra-
tion line a two weeks "wait
was necessary to get all the
changes of address. Also the
Faculty Directory was some-
what delayed. In addition
every printer requires from
four to six (usually six) weeks
to do a job of this kind.
This along with various
other problems encountered
at the printer's has caused the
directory to be late. Sorry to
keep you waiting so long —
but it's here now! ! We hope
you enjoy and get a lot of use
out of your 1960-61 OWLS
Directory.
Mary Ann Calkins
Editor
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The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 12, Ed. 1 Friday, December 2, 1960, newspaper, December 2, 1960; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth231164/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.