The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 1, 1976 Page: 2 of 16
sixteen pages : ill. ; page 20 x 14 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
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sCjtwc
threshing-it-out
hit for obnoxious bitchiness
the nice thresher
editorial
Each year the Thresher staff publishes a parody
issue on April Fool's Day, the Trasher, filled with
traditional slapstick irreverence towards everything
that is Rice, including our own beloved newspaper.
Unlike most years, though, as the staff was putting
together this year's effort, we began to think seriously
about the Thresher's role at Rice, and, in particular,
the role it has played this year. And, we must confess,
our reflections did not paint a pretty picture.
What we saw, looking back, was an often unbridled
and vicious hostility towards Rice people and
institutions, coupled with a cynical and cavalier
disrespect for objectivity and impartiality in reporting
the news. This negativism has pervaded virtually every
aspect of the newspaper, extending so far that in many
cases the editor has chosen to make brutal, defensive
replies to letters which pointed up the Thresher's
obvious shortcomings. Obscene, offensive, and
uncalled-for personal attacks have been printed in the
Misclassifieds; The Rice People's Calendar has been
loaded with personal gossip (and, regrettably,
occasional deliberate inaccuracies); the editorial
column has been used to launch bitchy, emotional
attacks on President Hackerman and over other
insignificant "issues"; the paper has been filled with
meaningless and dull "filler"; and the news has often
been suppressed, mismanaged, and mangled. It would
seem that there was no rule nor principle of professional
journalism which the Thresher has not managed to
break. The newspaper has degenerated to a worthless
rag. All the while, valuable and talented reporters and
writers were being driven from the staff by the paper's
lack of leadership and by intense personality conflicts.
As you might guess, the Thresher staff felt an
overwhelming remorse over these self-realizations. The
Trasher completed, we resolved to own up to our
problems and turn over a new leaf: this issue is the first
in a new tradition, that of responsible and sound
journalism.
Our new goals are quite simple: to report the news
quickly, accurately and fairly—without the bitchiness
and condescending tone which characterized the paper
before. Now, adopting the philosophy of our sister
campus media, KTRU, we're not going to offer criticism
until we can find honest, constructive solutions to the
University's problems. For example, we won't write
about the Food Service until we can show Joyce Rubash
exactly how she can do her job better. Moreover,
following the trite-but-true saying, "If you can't say
something nice, don't say anything at all," the
Thresher will work to boost President Hackerman
(he's got a difficult job), the athletic program, and the
Student Association. They need support, not
muckraking.
A few familiar features had to go, though—they
weren't in keeping with our new philosophy.
Doonesbury, for example, deals too flippantly with
important issues of national concern; the
Misclassifieds, often tasteless and overtly sexual, are
impossible to control; Dr. Borologist is sexist; and
Ted Andrews is, quite simply, full of hot air. All of these
have been cut. New features will include: a social
column, regular Bible and other inspirational
writings, and "human interest" stories.
So, with this issue, the newspaper has been reborn.
Call it by its new name—The Nice Thresher. From
now on things will be a lot different.
11*21*75
To the editor:
Your ridiculous responses to
Wayne Hale's thoughtful
letter in the November 20
Thresher were the last straw.
Your tone sounded like that of
a bratty little kid. It is my
belief that you are a person
with very little power who has
gone power-mad. This is also
pointed out by your recent,
uncalled-for attack on KTRU,
and by last year's criticism of
the Pub for their selection of
football-shaped tap-heads. All
these attacks amount to is
immature bitchiness.
Wayne Hale made one
excellent point which you
overlooked (?) in your
rebuttal—that we have to read
the Post to find out what's
going on around here (e.g.,
Thursday night's basketball
scrimmage was unpublicized
by the Thresher). The only
thing worthy of journalistic
merit in the paper is
"Doonesbury", but hell, its in
the Post anyway. (I take that
back; Nancy Taubenslag's
Texas Monthly article was
pretty good.)
But as the average student
opens the Thresher, how can
he help but laugh? Several
issues have featured "Gonzo
journalism" articles by Ted
Andrews. These articles would
be more at home as National
Lampoon parodies of Hunter
Security attacked
for ignoring the
library suckers
to-
gary brewton
rice university
houston tex
dear sir.
for the good of the
reputation of rice univer-
sity and the fine family
name of fondren please
print this in your trea-
sured news paper you so
excelently edit.
may be the big shots also
little ones at the security
will be able to read the
following. in the basement
toilets (mens) only two
toilets.
on the mezzanine mens
toilets. on the first floor
mens toilets. on the second
floor mens toilets on the
third floor mens toilets
these places are used by a
few sexually oriented
young bastards to ply their
sucking jobs also their
rear end intercourse acts.
this practice is a discrace
to the fondren library and
to the god fearing employ-
ees and students.
now the security may say
they did not know this was
going on but they do.
these suckers and etc
should be arrested and
expelled from rice univer-
sity as it is known on the
outside as well as on the
campus
sidned—
a staff member
S. Thompson than as Rolling
Stone material. And Phil
Parker makes two things clear
in each issue: He knows
nothing about writing and he
knows nothing about sports
(e.g., vivid descriptions of
"quarterback traps", great
insight into the even-vs.-odd
defense dilemma, last year's
football article with a "food
theme", etc. etc., etc.) Someone
with a basic ignorance of the
game of football should not be
allowed to cover it.
In short, I believe that
gwb's continuous habit of
finding fault with Rice's
students, faculty, benefactor's,
organization s, etc., should
begin just a little closer to
home—that is, with the
Thresher itself.
Ever so respectfully,
Steven Maley
ex-Lovett '78
P.S.—The Men of Lovett
suggest that you change the
name of your column from
"Shootin' Blind" to "Shootin'
Deaf, Dumb & Blind", or
maybe just "Shootin' Dumb."
Reflecting on homecoming:
thanks for all the memories
October 9, 1975
Dear Gary,
I just wanted to take time to
stop and say thank you for
finding room for the picture
last Thursday. My only regret
was that all the nominees were
not able to be photographed. I
am particularly appreciative
of what you did considering
the attitude towards Home-
coming you expressed to me
previously. By printing the
picture, you demonstrated the
premise of a fair press—
publishing something of
general interest to anyone who
would be inclined to wonder
who was running, even if you
do feel it is a "waste of time."
I would, however, like to
express my point of view of
Homecoming. To me, it is not
so much for us, the students, as
it is for the alumni. To be
perfectly honest, to most of us,
Homecoming is just an excuse
for big parties—which, for
some wienies is necessary
before they will go out and let
loose. But for the alumni, it is
an opportunity to remember
four very special years of their
lives, and to relate to those
now participating in the Rice
Experience in some arbitrary
way—be it lunch in the
colleges, a football game, or
some other means. And I
cannot feel that giving them
that opportunity is, or could
ever be, a waste of time.
The idea of Homecoming
Kings and Queens takes on a
new aspect when viewed in
this light. Whomever we elect
has not won a popularity or a
beauty contest. He and she
have been elected because they
exemplify the type of Rice
students with which we want
the alumni to identify.
We have plenty of oppor-
tunity to honor someone
because of their appearance or
degree of popularity. But I feel
that Homecoming in the past
has always been a chance for
us to show that Rice people are
just a little bit deeper than
some of our peers attending
other institutions. To us, it is
more important to "honor"
these people because of how we
can react towards them; thus
because I feel that through
these people, our alumni can
get a little better glimpse of
what goes on in today's Rice
mind.
If all this sounds like too
much bullshit, well, what I had
to say called for a few cliches,
to be sure. But I sincerely feel
this way and my only reply
would be that Rice students
have always been given the
chance to be themselves—
when we begin to stifle others,
we're the losers, not them.
Thank you again
printing the picture.
for
Sincerely yours,
[/<:*<>//<! , wau/c/*ti
This is intended as a
personal correspondence
between us. Please, do not
publish it as a letter to the
editor.
r y/a„A,
New machine
saves strokes
for operators
To the editor:
Varityper Division of
Addressograph Multigraph
Corporation is happy to
announce the preview of the
new Comp/Set 503. The
preview will be held in the
Houston branch at 2900
Richmond Avenue, Houston,
Texas, starting Monday,
October 6, 1975.
The Comp/Set 503 combines
the new tape recorder/play-
back feature with the
simplicity and convenience of
operation of the Comp/Set
500. By utilizing the tape
recorder/playback, you can
capture the operator's original
keystrokes on tape for later
use. This feature can save your
operator many hours of
duplicating the same material.
Call me at 529-4331 for a
demonstration on this fine
piece of equipment. We are
always happy to help you in
meeting your typesetting
needs.
Sincerely,
Robert Frisbie
District Sales Manager
Varityper Division
the nice thresher, thursday, april 1, 1976 — page 2
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Brewton, Gary. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 1, 1976, newspaper, April 1, 1976; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245288/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.