The Campus Chat (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 9, Ed. 1 Friday, October 16, 1964 Page: 2 of 6
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MM 2—EDITORIALS
Crowds Overenthusiastic?
Arts Series Promises
Best Shows in Years
The Campus Chat
Friday, October 16, 1964
Cadet Officers Now Carry 'Gig Stick'
Barksdale Uses Silver Sword Inlaid With Rubies
In a wave of baroque and Renaifi-
sance music the Roger Wagner Chor-
ale and Orcheatr* Monday night
opened what haa promise of being
the finest Fine Arts Series in many
years.
Dr. James L. Rogers and his com-
mittee are to be commended for as-
sembling the entertainers — musical
and dramatic, serious and on the
lighter side — which will parade be-
fore us this year.
Members of the audience, mostly
North Texas students, are also to be
congratulated for their response to
music which to many was strange,
new and possibly over the heads of
many.
The wisdom of giving every series
number a standing ovation .just be-
cause the performers were lucky
enough to l>e booked at North Texas,
however, i questionable.
Several seasons ago the Dallas audi-
ences got the standing-ovation bug
and every pianist or singer that came
along went deaf from the tumult that
followed every number
Before Plans Materialize
A standing ovation signifies that
the performance was excellent and
probably would not be duplicated by
a group for a long time. It is. in short,
uncultured and boorish to fly to your
feet at the end of every performance.
Even though the crowd may have
been overly enthusiastic, attendance
was good for Monday night's series
opener and the season is off to a good
start.
Prospects are also bright this sea-
son for other new types of evitertuin-
ment.
The British revue-style comedy. "Be-
yond the Fringf," should offer to many
North Texans an opportunity to see
the raaather British concept of the
theater.
The committee has also scheduled
an "old favorite": the Dallas Sym-
phony NTSL' ex-student Ivan Davis
also will play here this year
If the spirit which the audience ex-
hibited Monday night continues, this
year's Fine Arts series should have
better support than those of past
years. —Cragg Hines
'Sunshine' Overshadows
America's Space Program
After a lull of more than a year, the
race for space has again assumed com-
mand of front page headlines, and
again the headlines show that the
United States is running a |>oor sec-
ond.
The Soviet t'nion this week launched
and returned a three man spaceship
the Sunshine — that orbited for 24
hours with a doctor, a scientist and an
engineer aboard The surprise achieve-
ment completely overshadowed the re-
cent U.S. claim that it hoped to launch
a two-man rocket by the end of the
year.
e • •
Unfortunately for Americans, this
has been the pattern of space progress
since the mid-1950s: The United
States reveals its plans for future
years, but Russia quietly completes a
feat even more ambitious before U S
hopes materialize.
The first Sputnik was a perfect ex
ample of the routine to come Through-
out the early 1960s American photo
magazines, "Disneyland" and practi-
cally every other form of mass pub-
licity told of America's plan to hoist
a satellite before 1960 But while
America a publicizing the space
craft. Russia launched it
Watching the United States run
second time and time again -especial-
ly to this latest flight that puts the
Soviets years ahead of American
plans—has caused the (terennial ques-
tion: Why race at all'"
• • •
The question was handled most
bluntly by President Kennedy shortly
after he took office. Meeting the chal-
lenge head-on, he quickly added the
race to the moon to Eisenhower's list
of prime economic goals, conservatives
yelled, but Kennedy placed primary
importance on the space frontier.
His opponents wondered why we
should spend billions to shoot rockets
into outer space. Businessmen asked
what is the profit.
This week's Soviet launching |>er-
haps answered these questions even
better than the articulate Kennedy
could. If for no other reason, Russia's
feat was worth the investment because
of its publicity. Headlines throughout
the world proclaimed the achievement,
and millions were shown that Russia
is years ahead of America in technolo-
gy at least space technology.
• • •
This proclamation to the world—
this public relations stunt, if you like
—made the trip worthwhile, and it
would make a speedeti-up effort by the
States equally as profitable. Undecid-
ed nations can get a box score of tech-
nology from a nation's scientific re-
sults, and they are prone to sway to-
ward the nation in the lead.
But there are other factors to con-
sider that make the race even more
significant and necessary. Space
should be explored at any affordable
price for the vast amount of knowl-
edge about our universe, our way of
life and our future that can surely be
gleaned from the other side of the
moon.
e • •
If these reasons are not sufficient
to force an all-out space effort, there
is an even more American answer, the
tradition of competition and challenge.
American expansion has often been
described as a series of frontiers, none
of which has ever gone unchallenged,
and this new frontier should be no
except ion.
Even if there were no publicity, re-
research gains or other reasons, space
should be assaulted and conquered,
like Mt Everest, merely because it's
t here.
—Bill Perkins
No Respect for Campaigners
Heckling Teens Prevent
Expression of Viewpoint
A disturbing factor showing up in
the election campaigns of both Bar-
ry Goldwater and Lyndon Johnson this
fall could lead to more serious con-
sequences
This is the "teen-age heckling"
which is fast becoming a national dis-
grace. Its disgrace is that it is being
allowed by an adult generation too
long accustomed to excusing what it
really is—hoodlumism—in he name
of "youth."
It may l>e called "teen-age heck-
ling," but it is in fact more violent
and intolerable than any form of mere
heckling. President Johnson, for ex-
ample. was whacked on the head re-
cently with a Goldwater sign as he
campaigned in Arizona It is hard to
believe that the President of the Uni-
ted States cannot command enough
respect from crowds to protect him
from such an inexcusable act.
• • •
Similar acts have also been ex| eri-
enced by Goldwater In Asbury Park,
N. J., persons not of voting age cre-
ated such chaos that Sen. Goldwater
was forced to cut short his speech.
In South Carolina, Mrs. Lyndon
Johnson was subjected to vocal abuse
that was totally lacking in decency
and self-restraint.
Incidents such as these are, to put
It mildly, sickening. When a candidate
for office cannot express his views
without interruption, it is time for a
close examination of campaign tac-
tics.
Mrs. Johnson continued her speech,
raying that "this is a country of many
viewpoints. I res|>ect your right to
express yours. Now it is my turn to
express mine."
• • •
She was much too generous Any-
thing resembling the incidents in
South Carolina and New Jersey i*
not. even by stretching thi- imagina-
tion, an expression of a "viewpoint."
It is a senseless outrage against all
concepts of civility.
There is no issue of free speech in-
volved Kather. there is a serious is-
sue of ignorant lawlessness and lack
of respect that is completely and mind-
lessly nonpartisan, that supi>orts no-
body and nothing but anarchy, and
which is no less dangerous simply
l>ecause it stems from the young
Such incidents should be complete-
ly suppressed If the parents can't or
won't do it. then the |>o!ice should.
There are laws against disorderly con-
duct—even by "teen-agers" and even
in political meetings — and these
should be applied by the i>olice power
without the slightest hesitation.
Even the young must not be per-
mitted to trample the profound right
and duty of the American people to
listen in rome kind of public order to
the messages of their 'leaders.
—Lehman Holder
By JIMMIK < KAH.
A freshman Air Fore* ROTC cadet was
Mantling at attention tin the drill field
awaiting inspection when suddenly a long,
lilver iword inlaid with rubies and • pearl
handle wai laid softly on his shoulder
It wasn't a threat on his life, hut a meant
of measuring for the proper poaition of col-
lar brass and ribbons on his uniform
The sword, a product of World War I be-
■
P
longing to Cadet Col. David Barksdale from
Denton, is one of 11 "ifig sticks" used for
the first time at North Texas by command
officers in the corps, the only ones allowed
to use "gig sticks."
Barksdale, who is wmg commander, ex-
plained that the senior officers got the idea
of using the measuring sticks last summer
while in summer camp, a training period re-
quired before cutlets can receive their com-
mission in the Air Force.
Barksdale explained that tactical officers
ut the Summer Training I'nit, which whs
held at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring
Hntl Walker Air Force Base, N. M . used gig
sticks to check the way a cadet wore the
uniform anil also the manner in which he
kepi his room. At summer camp, the pillow
on the cadet's lied was checked with a "gig
stick" fur its correct position as well as the
distance from the bottom of the sheet to the
floor The measuring sticks were named
"gig" sticks after demerits (commonly call-
ed "gigs") which cadets receive for not hav-
ing their uniforms und belongings in neat,
military order.
Barksdale pointed out that stealing the
tactical officer's gig stick was a great sport
during the four week encampment. The idea
of stealing gig sticks has been passed on to
the North Texas ROTC, ant'; Barksdale's
sword was stolen last week The sword,
which was a gift from his father, was re
turned Monday,
"To have your gig stick stolen is a great
honor," he said Barksdale explained that
when a flight of men wanted to humiliate a
tactical officer, they would refrain from
stealing his gig stick
The wing commander described gig sticks
as "the greatest single morale booster there
is." He added that other than measuring
parts of uniforms, the only purpose of the
brightly decorated sticks is for ceremony.
Although some of the cadets' gig sticks
aren't as elaborately decorated as Barks-
dale's. they have proved to lie interesting
ut least, interesting enough to lie stolen.
Cadet Col Kd Stribling's gig stick was
stolen one hour after he got it.
Burksdale pointed out that the cadet of-
ficers' own imagination is displayed in the
sticks, with some of them consisting of a
long stick with a voodoo heat! on the entl
or a chrome gearshift lever from a dragster.
Two of the cadet officers have gig sticks
with a triangle attached so that the cadet
being inspected can be checked on whether
he has his feet at a 46-tlcgree angle while
ut attention.
"All men are little boys at heart," Barks-
dale said "We like to carry swords ant)
swagger sticks."
Cover to Cover
iilKiHUHiiiiiiHIliitHiliiHHillllHiifiiilitiiliiiiilHiii!"
ill
Ordinary Mind' Discusses
Socrates, Children, Cigars
7s This a 'Gig' I See Before Me?"
Cadet Col. David Barksdale uses his "gig stick" to measure for the proper position
of collar brass and ribbons on Cadet Lt. Col. David McClintock's uniform. Barks-
dale's "gig stick" is one of I I used by command officers in the corps.
Letters to the Editor
"Adventures of an Ordinary Mind" by Les-
le> Conger. W. W. Norton and Co., 2.'tfi pp.,
$3.95
Lesley Conger's "Adventures of an Ordi-
nary Mind" is far from ordinary.
If you detest "the Three Stooges, old Bet-
ty Boop cartoons, dinner music, self-help
books, cute corkscrews, aprons for barbe-
cuing husbands, Man-Tan coupons antl com-
mittees," as Miss Conger does, then her
Students, Reporter Confuse 'Sie Hi I ft'
To the Ktlitor
The article by Carolyn Ryan in the Oct.
!i Chut "Norwegian Conquers Language
Barrier" was most interesting. However, I
should like to point out that the caption
under the nicture tloes contain a mistak.
It should read "Sie hilft She helps" (instead
of "Sie hilft You help").
I write this letter only as a form of self
protection During the past three weeks I
have corrected my students at least 47 times
every hour for making this very error. Since
my students have this blind faith in the
printed word, it becomes necessary to go to
great lengths in changing this habit.
Hy this time I occasionally entertain the
wildest assumption that my students are
able to ust- this little pronoun correctly I
really don't understand why there should be
a problem The pronoun "sie" means "she";
the pronoun "sie" means "they", the pro-
noun "Sie" means "you."
If the student is very observant, he can
notice that only two of the three pronouns
are exactly alike The third, after all, is
capitalized To tell the difference between the
other two is just as simple. Somewhere in
the sentence there is an unnoticed verb entl
ing which will give him the clue.
Mark Twain once wrote that it is possible
to learn the (ierman language (which he
called "that awful language") in about 30
'•eai s | am not able to understand why it
should take thai long After all, even little
children -oeak thai language in (it-rmanv,
and they never confuse the "sie" pronouns.
There are two possible reasons why your
paper printed this error. One is that some-
body read the copy incorrectly The second,
antl much more likely, answer is that the
ghost of one of the Arabian students has fi-
nally caught up with Mr .lohansen antl
haunts him for inflicting the impossibilities
of the Knglish language upon him. For there
can be no question English is impossible
to learn
Thomas H, Kalk
((if the Foreign Language Faculty I
To the Ktlitor:
As an ex-serviceman I think that Mr.
Bishop's article on the "outmoded, unjust ami
inequitable" draft program in the Oct 2
Chat missed the essence of the American
way of life.
"Ask not what your country can do for
you ask what you can do for your country,"
has been repeated frequently in the past few
months, but it seems as if Mr Bishop has
forgotten these famous words.
Americans have never been known to free
loatl the benefits of a generous government.
Kather, it is the American people who have
given of themselves to form the government
we are so proud of
"The draft hangs over our heads, but most
of us hope to escape it," Mr Bishop com-
ments.
An individual with a college education is
more beneficial to his country than one with-
out it. Antl "escaping" the draft to attend
college is in itself not bail Mr. Bishop's
next comment, however, lacks the altruistic
attitude America needs so badly today
"After we complete our education," he
goes on, "we will again be plagued by the
As an Afterthought
draft antl might find it impossible to get
decent employment."
Students are not the only ones who want
to succeed in life Countless American boys
have been discharged from the service only
to find that the "better" jobs have been
given to people who managed to "dodge"
the draft. While these boys were overseas
defending the principles of American democ-
racy. their counterparts in the States were
capitalizing on the economic opportunities
afforded only by the sacrifice of the service-
men around the world.
The draft system may be outmoded antl
revisions may be needed, but it tloes not have
to make inductees feel like "suckers who got
taught." It is this very attitude, and not the
system itself, which has made the draft "a
failure from the standpoint of military ef-
ficiency." What is needed, then, is a change
in attitude.
"Eternal vigilance is the cost of freedom,"
and it has always been the American tradi-
tion that every individual carry his share
of the burden.
Fernando Pinon
Box 505, West Dorm
literary brew is definitely your cup of tea.
Miss Conger, housewife turned author for
the second time, writes in a style strongly
reminiscent of .Jean Kerr's through-the-kit-
chen-window view of iife.
At the age of 39, the author realizes that
she has reatl nothing but textbooks, cook-
books, novels and magazines. This is the
story of her Htlventures with the clussica,
antl her distractions.
Since she is not so systematic as she is
ambitious, her comments on the classics often
get mixed with anecdotes about her family.
Miss Conger seems equally adept at discuss-
ing the leak in the kitchen ceiling or the
works of Plato and Socrates Her wry wit
is aimed at such diverse topics as cigar
smoking, her six children and the ethics of
phoning yourself long-distance.
Although Miss Conger has tried hating
"the man who shot Gandhi, hit-and-run driv-
ers, noisy disc jockeys, segregationalists, a
crabby home economics teacher I had 26 years
ago, creditors, editors who reject my stuff,
Alexander Graham Bell and even myself"—
she admits that her hatred usually dwindles
away in pity or tolerance. It iB obvious that
she will never make her mark in the world
as an "angry not-so-young matron," but she
should put smiles on a large number of faces.
The format of "Adventures of an Ordinary
Mind" is more or less undisciplined. Miss
Conger jumps from subject to subject as if
she were having a very entertaining conver-
sation with the reader Her opinions are
candid antl refreshingly her own. Sometimes,
unfortunately, they become a little too acid,
especially on the subject of religion, and
mar the book's general flow of humor. Gen-
erally, however, the book is well paced antl
diverting light reading
There is nothing to be learned here, but
much to be enjoyed.
JOHN MASHKK
Poetry Not Limited to English Profs
By TOM SHI FORD
Contrary to the opinion of many North
Texans, poetry is not just the intellectual
toy of a numl>ered group of long-haired
Knglish professors.
It is ideally a vibrant stimulus to society
as well as a creative release to the individ-
ual poet. But many students, having spent
hours laboring over Shakespearean sonnets,
counting meters and hunting internal
rhyme schemes, may think of poetry only
The Campus Chat
Mi m *n i Mil JtiiiriiHltam ItuildltiK
I'AC KM A K KR 6 riMRft
I'age Editor*
htan HorsroN
TOM SHt'KdKI'
JULIAN IM8HOP
TANCEY I.OVK
TEMPLE POCNCEY
JIM IM'KKY
M Mil I YN HAGINS
< arloonl*t*
Southeastern Journalism Conirni
BILL PERKINS, editor
Telephuue SA7-4611, e* tension 964
ALL AMERICAN 4ft TIMKS
newa
new®
editorial*
11 v) t tea • a m uaemen ta
Sport a
aaatatant •porta
IH ' r fiew«
DAVID TRIPP
JAME8 GRAY
Kditoriala Hoard
MARY TATt'M
CKAGG MINKS
Photoyrapher
liuainea* Office
PHIL HOGAN
HENRY MORROW
JACKIE OOLDING
JKRRY RAINKY
KARKN GOODMON
I.KHMAN HOLDER
W H HARVICK
manatrer
■ales
•alee
rlrculatlon-salea
as something which is unfortunately an-
thologized for Knglish classes.
These students and ones like them from
past generations have viewed poetry ami
poets with apathy antl sometimes even con
tempt. They feel that writing poetry makes
a person effeminate, or at least somewhat a
sissy.
For this reason,
poetry today has
lost its contact with
the people. In some
cases it has tie-
come merely a me-
chanical puzzle to
he fitted together
according to some
highly intricate pat-
tern.
I'oets and artists
in other creative
fields have almost
declared war on the
public with their works. They seem to defy
the people to find any meaning in them.
This is not as it should he.
£1
The Campua Chut student newspaper of North
Teins Stale University. I* published aemiweekl>
every Wednesday and Friday • during the Ion*
terma September through May and weekly
every Friday i during the aummer •eaalon June
through August eirept during review and ex-
amination period* ami trhool vacation!
Editorial *tatemenla "f the Campua I'hat reflect
the opinion of student writer* and not nerea-
tartly that ««f the North Teaaa State Universlt*
administration
LETTERS I ROM READER#: The Chat wel-
'limed letter* from reader* hot r*-«crve* the
right t> r«tit when nereaaary Letter* should he
tinned
- M -
Entered a« «ecund*eleaa matter April IS, I94U.
at the Post Office at Denton, Tesaa. tinder tha
Rt \ • of March I. 1*79
-II-
Represented hy National Adverliaing Hervicea.
Inc Subscription rates.
delivered b* mall IS
National Poetry Day pussed yesterday.
It passed without any special campus pro-
gram being held to honor poets. In past
years, the Knglish department has spon-
sored special speakers on Oct. IB This tra-
dition was allowed to die temporarily this
year
HI T DH. CLIFTON, director of the Eng.
lish department, said he hopes to have a
special program next year.
Before that time students here need to
re-evaluate their attitude toward poetry.
They should reatl the modern poets, if they
are bored by the traditional ones.
It would be good also to try writing a
few lines. Knowledge of meter and rhyme
is not essential. Strong, vivid images cap-
tured in blank verse many times have a
more powerful effect than the perfectly or-
dered ones.
If u student is interested in instruction,
two courses are offered in creative writing
at NTSU. Dr. A M. Sampley, past poet
laureate of Texas, teaches one in the Knglish
department. C R. Shuford, who this week
was honoretl as Arkansas Poet of the Pres-
ent, teaches another in the journalism de-
partment.
THERE ARK also several poetry contests
open to college students interested in sub-
mitting their works Two announced in Wed-
nesday's Chat offered $<560 as prizes.
The Poetry Society of Texas, which is open
to college students interested in poetry, an-
nually sponsors contests for prizes to lie
awarded each November. In addition, month-
ly contests are held during the winter
months.
It is time that poets and the public come
closer together again. If North Texans could
develop an appreciation for poetry, this cam-
pus might become the stimulus of some last-
ing creative work.
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Perkins, Bill. The Campus Chat (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 9, Ed. 1 Friday, October 16, 1964, newspaper, October 16, 1964; Denton, TX. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth313711/m1/2/: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.