The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, April 13, 1962 Page: 2 of 8
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-THE THRESHER EDITORIAL PAGE
'Heeded: &Ute$e Ivnufau
During the next three weeks, each of the men's
colleges will begin pi'eparations for next year's
room assignments.
As always, there are those few in each college
who would prefer to live elsewhere; there are
non-residents who, though they hope to move
on campus, have no real ties to their college
beyond the mere fact of assignment and who
find that their closest friends are in other col-
leges.
These students are met by the unyielding rule
prohibiting any change in college membership.
Consequently they are forced to remain part of
a college in which they are not vitally interested
—or they just stay off-campus.
Are these restrictions necessary? Why should
a student who wants to change his college mem-
bership find it impossible to do so?
Indeed, when the college system was planned
in 3 950-57, specific provisions. were included to
allow transfers from college to college. Some-
where along the line, these provisions have dis-
appeared.
If a student, particularly a non-resident trying
to move on campus, wishes to be part of a college
other than the one to which he was assigned his
freshman year, we can think of no good reason
why he should be barred.
Such allowances would help the colleges—in
each case, the first would lose a disinterested
member while the other gained an interested
one. Obviously, too, it would help the students
involved since they would be able to room with
their friends and associate With the college of
their preference.
The mechanics of transfer are simple enough.
It can be handled by a system of formal applica-
tions to the college governments, with students
allowed to "swap" colleges on a one-to-one basis.
The colleges should arrange to handle these
transfers—enough time is left this year. It is
a small point, really, and there will not be great
multitudes who want to change; but to make
provisions for them will help iron out the im-
perfections in the present system of arbitrary
college assignment. And, at the same time, the
college system will be brought a step closer to
the spirit in which it was conceived.
7« S«Uto*
A new editor takes over the next two issues
of The Thresher, beginning May 4. We sincerely
hope that he will remember that he was elected
by the student body and will remain constantly
responsible to it.
We would admonish him always be accurate,
honest, and fair in his editorial policy and to
insist on the same standard of quality from
those who work with him to publish this news-
paper.
We hope that he will always be aware of and
feel acutely the burden of responsibility that has
been placed on his shoulders, and that he will
always consider the effects of his actions upon
the University and upon its students, never
wielding unjustly the power with which he has
been entrusted.
We hope that he will be able to accept his
shortcomings, defeats, setbacks, and disappoint-
ments with humility, but with inspired courage
always to try again, and to do better the next
time.
We pray that he will never be afraid to admit
that he might have been wrong.
We would like to see him remain sensitive to
student opinion and take the initiative in speak-
ing directly with the administration of the. Uni-
versity when he feels the student voice needs
to be heard or that the students deserve an ex-
planation for administrative action.
We hope that he, tc^), can look back with pride
on the accomplishments of The Thresher at the
A end of his year as editor.
And we would share with him a description of
the editorship as we found it. In the words of
Marshall Matt Dillon: "It's a chancy job, but it
makes a man watchful . . . and a little lonely."
M m mm
70U CAN JUST IMAGINE HOW EMPEROR MG FELT
DURING THAT THIRD DYNASTY"
THRESHING-IT-OUT
Students Asked To Avoid
Any Splash Day Incidents
President
Rice University
Houston, Texas
Dear Sir:
We are pleased to note,
FACULTY SOUND-OFF
Accomplishment/ Interest/ Obligation
Dr. John E. Plapp, Associate Profes-
*oi of Mechanical Engineering, is a
resident associate of Hanszen College. He
received his Ph.D. from the California
Institute of Technology.—Ed.
By JOHN E. PLAPP
Department of
Mechanical Engineering
It is only fair to admit? here
at the beginning of this article
that T accepted the invitation
to write it with some hesitation,
since at the time I had no par-
ticular ax to grind.
The reader, therefore, should
not expect to find anything so
entertaining as a proposal that
the Board of Governors be
hanged in effigy or that coed-
ucational colleges for upper-
classmen be instituted next fall,
However, having been a Rice
undergraduate at one time and
having lived and worked in ra-
ther close contact with Rice stu-
dents for the past seven years,
I should like to say a few things
about academic motivation.
MANY OF US as students
have asked ourselves, "Why
should I beat my brains out
here at Rice when I can go
somewhere else and have a lot
of fun while getting a degree?"
This question of why one should
work hard really does deserve
serious consideration.
Some of the main reasons why
students work might be as fol-
lows: Fear of not making a de-
cent living after college, par-
ental demands that one get a
degree, desire for economic and
social betterment, desire to ex-
cell others in achievement,
pride of accomplishment, inter-
est in the material that is
learned, and a feeling of obli-
gation to develop and use one's
talents.
I SHOULD LIKE to say
some things about accomplish-
ment, interest, and obligation.
The
Thresher
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 are those of the Btudent 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 3, 1870.
EDITORIAL STAFF
EDITOR MARJOR1E TRULAN
ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRIFFIN SMITH
Managing Editor Eugene Keilin Engineering and Science
News,Editor Fryar Calhoun
Feature Editor Harvey Pollard
Sports Editors Dick Park,
Milton Nirken, Ronnie Kline
Senate Larry Moore
Colleges Charles Kipple
Politics Kenn Carr,
Syd Nathans, Pat McGowan
Steve McCleary
Religion Phil Strange
Fine Arts Robert Zelenka,
Stefan Offenbach
Photography Scott Morris,
Bob Warren, John Reavia
Cartoons Charles Dent
Faculty Advisor Dr. Donald Mackenzie
BUSINESS STAFF
BUSINESS MANAGER CHARLES, WILLIAMS
Assistant Business Manager Danny Tompkins
Local Advertising and Circulation Manager Burton Silverman
National Advertising Manager Dick Viobig
Learning is always an ac-
complishment,' and it should
particularly be recognized as
such on the Rice campus.
A freshman's first set of 3's
and 4's may look very disap-
pointing in comparison with the
flock of A's he made in high
school, but only a little reflec-
tion is required to show that
the poorer grades here stand
for much more real accomplish-
ment.
Interest in the material that
is being taught is a necessity
for a high level of accomplish-
ment. Interest is a bit difficult
to create from nothing, but it
is worth noting that interest of-
ten accompanies accomplish-
ment even when it has not pre-
ceded the accomplishment.
AN OBLIGATION to develop
and use the talents that have
been given to us should underlie
all the other motives that we
may have for doing a good job.
We cannot pass this obliga-
tion on to others, nor can we
avoid it. Our abilities must be
developed fully if we are to
serve as we should ourselves,
our families, our communities,
our nation, and, ultimately, the
God who gave us those abil-
ities.
The vast majority of us here
simply have too much potential
to neglect or slight this de-
velopment.
PLEASE DO NOT assume
that I am arguing that only the
students who are making all l's
are doing their work well. In
view of the differences that
exi#t in kinds and degrees of
talent, we all know that some
persons who are making 3 av-
erages are doing better jobs
than others who rank high on
the dean's list.
Those of us who take the New
Testament seriously should re-
member ..that in the parable of
the talents the criterion for
commendation of the servants
was not the absolute amount
that they gained, but rather
what they did with what they
were given.
Also, please do not think that
I am condemning extracurric-
ular activities. Many of these
can very definitely contribute
significantly to a person's total
development when he allots the
proper amount of time to them.
Houston Hotels
Drop Color Bar
Major hotels in Houston
quietly integrated their facili-
ties April 1.
"There have been no inci-.'
dents," said one hotel official
in confirming the action.
"The action was taken by all
convention hotels in the city and
each one has accepted at least
one Negro since the action was
taken," he said.
He said motels have not inte-
grated as jret.
"The hotel action applies to
rooms, restaurants, everything
except private club facilities,"
he said.
Local newspapers have not
published the action. The hotel
official said Houston newspa-
pers and radio stations were
asked not to publicize the ac-
tion unless incidents developed.
Lunch counters operated by
nine major Houston stores were
integrated quietly Aug. 5, 1960.
Newspapers and radio stations
agreed to publicize the action
only if incidents developed. No
incidents took place.
through the advance registra-
tions being received by our ho-
tels, that numerous college stu-
dents are planning to attend
our annual Splash Day festivi-
ties scheduled for April 27, 28,
and 29, 1962.
In light of the unfortunate
incidents that occurred. during
.last year's celebration, being
aware that but a fraction of the
attending students were in-
volved, we are hopeful that you
will assist us in avoiding a rep-
etition of the disturbances.
It will be appreciated if you
will advise your students,
through campus media, to avoid
any unpleasant situation they
may encounter while in Gal-
veston.
You may be sure that we are
fully aware that an undesirable
element follows these activities,
whether it be Galveston Splash
Days, New Orleans Mardi Gras,
Las Vegas Heldorado Days, etc.
Please be assured that we are
delighted to have the collegians
tfvisit with us—we are looking
forward to a most successful
1962 Splash Days festival.
Yours truly,
EDWARD SCHREIBER
Mayor
Since no Rice students were involved
in the 1961 riots, and since few of us
fall in the category of "undesirable
elements," we feel such an admonition
is quite unnecessary.—Ed. r
0
Kennedy Feted
At RMC Party
Last Thursday, April 5, the
staff of the-Rice Memorial Cen-
ter gave John Kennedy a sur-
prise party in the Grand Ball-
room.
Mr. Kennedy, who has re-
signed as Director of the Rice
Memorial Center, was presented
with a gold wrist watch.
Mr. Kennedy has been direct-
or of the Center since it was
opened in 1958, and has accept-
ed a position as a College Book-
store Specialist for McGraw-
Hill Publishing Company.
^Under Mr. Kennedy's man-
agement the Campus Store has
grown to one of the largest in
the country in relation to the
size of the student body served.
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The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, April 13, 1962, newspaper, April 13, 1962; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth231207/m1/2/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.