The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 3, 1964 Page: 2 of 10
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The Rice Thresher
ClENCg
Hugh Rice Kelly, Editor
John Durham, Associate Editor
Jim Zumwalt, News Editor
Susan Bridges, Copy Editor
THRESHING-IT-OUT 1
Wilson Attacks Tired Professor
'Divided
The resignation of the Jones Master was
doubtless as much a question of personal-
ity conflict as a question of educational
philosophy. Be that as it may, the resigna-
tion does emphasize significant issues—
not the least of which is the autonomy of
the college system.
The idea of college autonomy is not one
that any of the colleges can afford to ig-
nore. nor have they. But especially in
relation to Jones College there is a defi-
nite need to reconsider the question.
The concept of autonomy does not, of
course, necessitate demands of complete
independence from the University. The col-
lege system is a part of the Rice whole,
not separate from it. Nevertheless, it can
only be described as self-deception to
imagine that the colleges can really reach
their potential as long as the administra-
tion feels compelled to keep its officers
in direct contact and control of any aspect
of the college.
We do not doubt the seriousness of the
oft-repeated statements of the administra-
tion that Rice will fully support the devel-
opment and growth of the colleges. But
t.he present situation at Jones, in which the
Dean of Women actually has her office in
the college, is symbolic of the fact that
the administration has never really trans-
lated its ceremonial expressions of support
into day-to-day practice.
Mow can there be genuine autonomy in
Jones College when such obviously internal
affairs as room assignments are placed
within the province of the Dean of Wom-
en? Can the college government rationally
be expected to serve two masters and
serve either one well ? The Jones Cabinet
is at present responsible to the College
Master in intellectual and cultural spheres
and to the Dean of Women in all other
areas.
We feel that much of the present diffi-
culty stems largely from the University's
failure to recognize the essential differ-
ences between a . traditional academic
hierarchy and the distinctly unorthodox
educational system which it instituted
with the colleges in 1957. The University
is in fact attempting to impose, especially
at Jones, a standard system of adminis-
trative control on what should be a freely-
developing institution. The philosophies
which stand behind an administrative-con-
trol system based on deans of women and
students and an autonomous college sys-
tem predicated on responsibilities carried
out by students and college members are
in many areas mutually exclusive.
We are not arguing for the abolition of
the office of the Dean of Women.
We do believe that the direct access
which the women's dean possesses is cor-
rosive to the internal integrity of the col-
lege. The community-building efforts of
the college, which this direct administra-
tion intrusion disrupts, are as related to
the "educational and cultural" objectives
of the college as are more formal activities
of the college in these areas. We do not
think that the several areas of college ac-
tivity can be neatly compartmentalized
with some assigned to the college itself
and others to a university official.
We hope that the discussion of college
autonomy between faculty, students, and
administration will not cease now that one
of its chief proponents, Dr. Class, has re-
signed his position as Master. Indeed, it
seems that the colleges should be eager to
gain from the administration actual sup-
port which is in accordance with the
University's public pronouncements about
the college system. The administration
should be willing to clo more than listen.
—JWD
'Ok *7tie *20ay Out
It looks as if Rice's answer to the soror-
ity, the "literary" societies, may be going
out of style. There were eight in 1950, and
there are four now, the latest casualty
being the Sarah Lane Literary Society,
which announced its dissolution this week.
The "lits", like slime parades and class
governments, are carryovers from the
Rice of the past whose relevance to the
present structure of undergraduate stu-
dent life is becoming increasingly tenu-
ous.
Whatever service functions the "lits"
may have served in the past to counter-
balance their exclusiveness was eliminated
with the college system. And with a sec-
ond women's college set to open next year,
any lingering arguments in their favor
should disappear entirely.
Senate 7&U I0ee6
About this time last year a movement
was in full swing to "abolish the Senate."
This year, who could care less?
Certainly not the Senate members. They
hardly even bother to meet anymore and
the chief issue the body faces is muster-
ing a quorum to dispose of pressing min-
utae.
Brave words about restoring the Sen-
ate's prestige were kicked around in the
elections last year after the year-long deb-
acle of the '63-'64 Senate. So far no luck.
Dear Tired Professor,
I would like to take issue
with you, if I may, in regard to
your comments this past week
about dilapidated Rice students.
And I do so because I feel that
you have violated certain prin-
ciples, certain matters of form,
which are fundamental to the
ethics of criticism.
I do not take issue with you
over what you were trying to
say or get across; I quite agree
that student activities have
been a little too risque this Fall.
But I must object to thfe man-
ner in which you said it;.
Anonymity Fails
First of all, to write anon-
omously was not to write at all.
In some fit of seizure, you said
things and used words which
in themselves were not the most
decent in the language—and
then you had to hide behind
them.
Resorting to emotion, you
ended up culling all of the
euphemisms (probably with the
help of Roget) for the very
thing that you were criticizing.
In other words, you simply put
yourself in the same plane as
that which you were criticizing.
Reflects Self
Furthermore, the bases for
your criticism of Rice students
lay entirely within your own
little realm of experience—and
every one of the observations is
actually a reflection upon you.
Remember, what ypu say of
other people is simply an indi-
cation of what you are your-
self.
But most important is the
crime which I feel that you have
committed. I could sit here and
spread out on the face of this
newspaper who you are—but
that is of little importance to
me. I only want to stress who
you are not.
Protects Professors
I want to protect all of the
professors of Rice University
that did not write that letter to
the editor — to protect them
from the array of bad feelings
that has arisen among many of
the students over that article.
I want to protect them from
identification with the disgrun-
led professorship which takes
out its being misfit upon the
student body. And I want to
protect all of the professors that
are admired by the students—
as well as the professors that
never would have written such
a thing, or would have at least
had the courage to sign it if
they had.
Primarily for the members of
Hanszen College, I would like
to say that the "tired profes-
sor" is not a resident associate
—because there has been a
great deal of speculation at
Hanszen that he is. This is not
the case.
TOM WILSON
Hanszen ,5*64
Calahan Backs Athletic Program
Sir:—A recent article by Har-
vey Sachs apparently attacked
Big Time Athltetics on the basis
of two assumptions. First, the
income was no longer needed so
big-time athle'tics was no longer
needed. Secondly, seme sort of
double standard was created.
The first assumption is noto
worth commenting on because
whether or not something is
profitable does not necessarily
condemn it.
The second assumption seems
to be at the center of the argu-
ment. The term "double stand-
ard" supposedly implies that
there is something unfair going
on. Why should a P.E. major be
allowed to take a special biol-
ogy or English course ? Why
should an Academ be allowed to
take a special math or physics
course ? Doesn't specialization
in one field imply mediocrity in
others ? What's wrong with a
"double standard"?
Freshman Scores
Now then there is the conten-
tion that fifty or so athletes are
lowering the average SAT
scores of the freshman class.
What's wrong with that?
No one claims that people
who make above a certain mark
on the SAT definitely will be
successful students and those
below won't. It is quite likely
that there are some other things
which may have some signifi-
cance.
For example, whether or not
a person can "stick it out" or
make himself do things. Aren't
guts and determination supposed
to be at least minor qualities of
a successful student?
Possible Effects
The significance of the SAT
scores and the personality
traits of successful students is
not the important point. The
important point is that it has
not been shown that the ath-
letes have had any effect what-
soever on students who are ad-
mitted on other bases. If it is
possible to show one bad effect
then it will also be possible to
show a good effect.
This all brings us to the final
question. Why not have big-time
athletics? Many universities
have found it most rewarding
and well worth the income.
PAT CALAHAN
Baker '64
Howard Indicts
Book Store 'Provincialism'
Sir:—The "center of a book-
centered campus" (that is, the
Campus Store) seems to be
representative of the parochial
attitude of that campus.
When one peruses the shelves
one finds a great number of
valuable tomes—of the sort
that one ought to know if one
is a student. But it doesn't con-
cern itself with that which an
individual ought to know as a
citizen of the modern world.
More specifically, we are liv-
ing in the city of Houston, in
the state of Texas, and in the
U.S. There are certain pertinent
issues with which, as living in
these situations and as reaping
their benefits, we have the re-
sponsibility to understand. To
look at our campus store, one
would not be aware of this re-
sponsibility.
Need Live Issues
The most live issue in the
city of Houston today is that
of the County Hospital and the
problems thereof. There recent-
ly appeared a very important
book dealing with that issue,
"The Hospital," by Jan de Har-
tog." -
Perhaps 50 years from now,
when the book has become a
classic social protest, it will ap-
pear at Rice. But we ought to
know the issues it raises, now.
This is but one instance of
our parochialism. The maga-
zines and periodicals carried
there are also a reflection of
this syndrome. There has been
some improvement in the past
year, but there are still many
magazines with which we ought
to be acquainted. Thanks can-
(Continued on Page 6)
THE RICE THRESHER, DECEMBER 3, 196 4—P AGE 2
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Kelly, Hugh Rice. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 3, 1964, newspaper, December 3, 1964; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth244929/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.