THURSDAY, NOV. 9, 1967
PAGE TWO
Competence In Teaching
The American college professor today is establishing in
part an image that contorts the real purposes of our higher
educational system. Our professors are failing to a great
extent to expose the significance of independent learning to
their students. The student has become confused about a
standard method of teaching, for he is swamped by a complexity
of theories and teaching methods. He is subjected to lecturers,
talkers, analyzers, note givers, book worshippers, and ditto
machine operators. The grade has become his icon, the ultimate
goal of his educational strife. The love of learning and the
respect for wisdom over knowledge have not been emphasized
enough. The effects of such a system should aggrevate students
into action to correct the corruptive methods used by their
university professors.
One particular problem is the maintenence of a competent
faculty staff. At St. Andrews our administration is constantly
trying to perfect its faculty staff, and on the whole we do have
a competent one. Our tuition is also constantly on the rise.
I was told last year while in conference with an administrator,
that the main reason for the constant increase in tuition was
the attempt to offer higher pay to attract the very best of
teachers to join St. Andrews faculty. But I claim that when
administrators scout for the very best teachers, they oft times
make oversights in their choice. These oversights that must be
erased in order for a college to prosper by recruiting the very
best in teacher material.
Administrators are always attempting to obtain the maximum
number of Ph.D’s possible for their faculty staff. The Ph.D
is a scholar to be respected, but not always is the scholarlj
Ph.D a good teacher. We know this is true, for we have at one
time or another been subjected to a scholarly Ph.D who has
indeed shown thecontrary in his teaching. Too often it is assumed
that because a man has successfully completed his schooling
(Ph.D), he is competent to teach. The incoming professor Is
usually accepted on interviews, references, and background
schooling. Seldom is time taken to observe the teaching methods
of the Incoming professor, or even to observe the successfulness
of old standing faculty members. The professor who is in
articulate, boring, redundant, or non-involved in his classwork
does more harm to the college than he does good, for if his
abilities are not par to the education he has received, he does
not deserve higher pay than an enthusiastic professor with less
education who has an enlightened interest for his subject and
for improvement of his institution’s educational program.
With the constant increase in St. Andrews tuition, the ad
ministration would do well to accept new faculty members
not on scholarship alone, but with recognition of their true
teaching abilities. Likewise, pressure should not be placed upon
a standing faculty member to further his degree in order
to reserve his teaching position if he already has teaching
abilities suitable to student interest and understanding. Rather,
the administration should know its able teachers through
student reference, and from that alone determine its best
staff. Administration should back the degree-seeking professor
to the fullest extent, but never should they push a faculty member
into further education if he already is an able teacher.
The student is likewise responsible to his college and to
himself In pointing out to the administration the most able
and most interesting faculty members. The poor professor might
for .years tend to fool administrators and even his colleagues
about his teaching capabilities, but he cannot fool his students
for any length of time.
Right now, while St. '.ndrews is growing and preparing a
better system of education 'or its future students, is the time
to notice faults and improvise changes in administrative policies
that tend to lag the progres.=; of its improvement behind the
progress of its rising tuition.
Letters to the Editor
“Know Thy Prof’
Error Rebuffed
Evening
Dear Editor:
The last issue of THE LANCE
contained an article entitled
“Know Thy Professor.” Not
recognizing the name of the
person involved, I read the
article with interest since it
struck me as strange that there
would be another person on the
faculty with a name so similar
to my own.
1 was appalled when I dis
covered that the article was
actually the result of an “in
terview” with me. I certainly
hope that no one who read the
article feels as if he “knows”
me on the basis of this article..
If one considers the errors in
FACTUAL material aline (both
names mlspelled, Park College
is NOT in Texas, Kansas State
College, not University to men
tion a few) one cannot help
but wonder if the opinions re
corded in THE LANCE are
actually tho.se expressed by
Miss Calhoon.
I want to state emphatically
that my opinions regarding
Basic Science were not ac
curately discribed. I feel that
the interviewer reported what
he tliought rather than what 1
said. Admittedly Basic Science
has problems as does any newly
formulated course, however,
deny that the course is un
realistic. The “bad start” in
the course this fall was due
mostly to student fear. I feel
that any valid reason for this
fear has now been eliminated
and that our biggest problem is
to try to convince the students.
One of the most attractive
features at SA is the Basic
Science program and I have
found it to be one of the most
exciting courses In which 1 have
ever been involved.
Sincerely,
Audra Calhoon
This past Sunday night the
St. Andrews campus was graced
with the presence of UNC’s
assistant professor of marriage
counseling, Dr. William F.
Eastman.
A native of New Hampshire,
Dr. Eastman holds a B A, in
education from Rutgers, a
Bachelor of Divinity degree
from Yale, a master’s in social
work from the University of
Maryland, and a doctorate in
education from the University
of Pennsylvania.
Currently he divides his time
between teaching, marriage
counseling and practicing the
art himself as counselor for
UNC,
Dr. Eastman spoke Sunday
on the problem of our Increas
ing sexual freedom and its bear
ing on the unmarried of today.
He followed his lecture with
a question-and-answer ses
sion in which he responded to
questions on his talk and on
closely related topics. The fol
lowing is an abridgement of
his lecture:
“Our society’s sexual codes
are in flux under the steady
and varied Influences of the
present; changes In our so
ciety encourage this atmos
phere of change. The topless
fad and wife-swapping clubs
are increasing throughout the
nation. Men and women pres
sure their peers, implying that
one is unhealthy if he does
not indulge.
“There are pessimists a-
mong us who forsee disinte
gration, abuse and exploltationj
however, I would stand with the
optimists who forecast freedom
from inhibiting fears and guilts,
who see in the Increase of
self-determination and mature
responsibility a movement to
ward more creative, produc
tive, sensitive human relation-
A DUDLEY FEATURE
ships than can surpass the
heritage which has been chan
nelled through my generation to
your generation.
“You and your present col
lege generation are the most
intelligent, the healthiest, the
most mature, the best-prepared
group ever to present your
selves to a college faculty. It
seems to me fundamentally
right that my generation be-,
lieve in you. You are seeking
answers and are trying to de
termine your response to funda
mental issues of human re
lationships. Among these is a
simple concern: Should I en-
■ gage in premarital Intercourse?
“It Is a right that each of
you should decide for your
self. However, the necessity and
the privilege of developing your
own values In human relation
ships present you with respon
sibility and often Inevitable ten
sions. We need to learn how sex
can be used for each other,
and not so much by each other.
“As with most Issues of im
portance, the questions in your
mind regarding premarital in
tercourse deserve more than a
curt reply, and merit an ex
ploration in terms of their ef
fect upon you, upon your part
ner, jmd upon your society.
“To know clearly about one's
motivation, to be objective about
love and sexuality, is excep
tionally difficult. Sex is often
used for reasons having little
to do with its true and funda
mental role: by virtue of in
experience and immaturity,
college students, like other a-
dults, fall prey to the inappro
priate uses. I imagine that all
too many of you know, as do 1,
a young woman or several who
have suffered the lonely loss
and the fierce anger of re
jection and the trauma of dis
illusionment when their pre-
Senate Urged To Act
BY LINDA SUSONG
The St. Andrews student body
is aware of the up-coming
drinking bill soon to be pre
sented to the Senate for con
sideration.
The bill is now in tentative
form in the social welfare com
mittee. The bill will be drawn
up in the committee to be pre
sented as the formal bill to the
Senate.
I urge the Senate to get this
bill out into the open as soon
as possible. It is necessary to
have the bill in concrete form
in order for valid arguments pro
and con to be presented.
This is a big issue for the
college and the enthusiasm of
the students is high. A great
deal of interest has been shown
by those for and against the
bill.
This concern could be shifted
if consideration is further de
layed. Now that concern Is ap
parent, the Senate would do well
to get the bill out of the com
mittee and onto the floor.
Entertainment Sets Precedent
by joe junod
One organization on campus this year has stuck its neck out
to make social life a bit more enjoyable for the student body.
I speak, of course, of the Student Center Board members who
have done a superb job in organizing, advertising and presenting
the Glenn Yarbrough concert and the Fall Fling weekend,
which featured Chad and Jeremy,
The SCB was allowed $7,000 for its budget by the Student
Association. They took the majority of this money, which is
to cover entertainment for both semesters, and invested it
in the Glenn Yarbrough and Chad and Jeremy programs.
If the students hadn’t shown up in mass for the two concerts,
then the SCB would have had only $1,000 remaining for second
semester entertainment. Because of the large turnouts, the
concerts grossed approximately $3100. This is the best return
on social activities in the history of St. Andrews.
I
According to Ted McCormick, treasurer of the SCB, the
board plans to take the profits of the first semester ($3100)
plus the remainder of their budget ($1200) and sponser two
big dances after Christmas. The Valentine’s Dance will feature
the Monsaa and Spring Fling weekend should prove to be a big
success if all goes as planned.
This semester should set a precedent for all future decisions
concerning SCB’s budget. They have proved that they can handle
the concerts so that the proceeds are worthwhile. Next year
they would be perfectly justified in asking for a larger sum of
money than they received this year. Who can argue with this?
marital pregnancy fractured
rather than rallied their re
lationship.
“One further note; if you de
cide on the basis of your mu
tual love to share sex, and then
because sexual deficiencies ap
pear, the entire relationship
was terminated, what does this
say about the quality of your
love?
“Many girls resent having to
say No, and then having to back
up their message with tactical
maneuvers. To ask the woman
to do that which is against her
best judgment Is disrespectful
to her as an individual. What
does it do to the woman to ask
her to risk her values and her
future before you both know that
the man has committed his fu
ture to her?
“Your attitude, appreciation
and responsibility regarding
human values and premarital
relations will be communicated,
knowingly and unknowingly, to
your children, and will there
fore be Instrumental in the
formulation of their attitudes
and their adjustments. What
you decide about sex is per
sonally and publicly important;
your decision will be reflected
in the individual happiness and
the productivity of yourself and
of many other persons, and in
the quality of the family and
the community and the national
life you and your generation will
build/^
Hopkins Prof. Visits
Dr. Richard J. Kokes, Pro
fessor of Chemistry at Johns
Hopkins University, arrived on
the St. Andrews campus this
week as the most recent visit
ing scientist.
Dr. Kokes began on Monday
by informal conferences and
ended the day with his public
lecture entitled “Science
Doesn’t Know.” There he dis
cussed scientific thinking and
the Industrial Revolution and
its effect on science.
Dr. Kokes will be here
through next week lecturing to
the Basic Science course.
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