North Carolina Newspapers

Iage twl MAROON AND OOLU Friday, May 6, I9fi« IMarooii /Vnd Gold Dedicated to the best interest of Elon (Allege and its students and faculty, the Maroon and Gold is published semi-monthly during the college year at Eloo College, N.C. (Zip Code 27244), publication being in co operation with the journalism department. EUITOKIAL BOAKl) Mike Wyngarden Editor-inChief Richard Hutchens Assistant Editor William Bradham Assistant FMitor Tom Jeffery Dramatics Editor Jack DeVito SporU EMitor Carole Hopowski Girl Sports II ijeid Alumni Editor Lulher N. Byrd Faculty Advisor Jimmy Pollack Staff Photographer Il':i’ORTOBIAL STAFK Thomas Anderson Charles Avila William Barker Marta Barnhart John Bennett Mary Benson Martha Broda James Brower Eileen Cobb John Crook Roger Crooks Ted Crutchfield Leon Dickerson Ferrel Edmondson Kenneth Paw Daniel Fuller Ronald George James Graham Daphne Hilliard Judith Hillers Ray Dennis Howie Howard Johnson Tim Kempson Charles Kernodle Donald King William Macey William Moore Philip Pagliarulo Elaine Phelps David Potter Larry Rayfield Comar Shields Owen Shields Stephen Sink Wayne Smith David Speight Thomas St. Clair William Stiles Stanley Switzer George Weber Wilson FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1966 PECULIARITIES OF SNOBBERY In one of his books, Arthur Koestler tells about a friend of his who was given a Picasso drawing which she thought was a reproduction. She hung the picture in a rather inconspiculous place on his stair case. A few months later, however, she learned that the drawing was an original — where upon she quickly removed it to a place of honor over the fireplace mantel in the liv ing room. As a valuable “original,” it de lighted and thrilled visitors who had not given it a second glance before. Koestler then asked the question; had the picture changed? Yes and no—it had rwt changed artistically or physically, but it had symbolically. Its intrinsic merit was no different, but its importance as a status symbol had multiplied a hundredfold. This is equivalent, of course, to the stories that turn up every decade or so, in which a Heifetz goes out into the street and plays the fiddle incognito for a few coins, and is unrecognized as a great con cert violinist. In the dynamics of cultural snobbery (as in social snobbery), it is the appearance and not the reality that really matters. For most of us live by names, and not by things. Americans, for instance, still believe that any titled E:nglishman is an aristocrat, although the British know that there is as much difference between one iord" and another as there is between a Duke and a dustman. And most of us lack the ability to tell the real thing in any field outside our own. Many years ago, on the coast of France, there was held a “Charlie Chaplin ’ contest during a fiesta, in which the entrants made up like Chaplin and imitated his screen mannerisms. Unknown to the others, Chap lin himself entered the contest—and came off with only third prize! Speaking of the screen, it is sadly true that many of the "sex symbols” of Amer ican filmdom have been actresses who did not feel sexy at all, but were frigid, de pressed and suicidal in their emotional lives. The reality of the personalities had nothing at all to do with the image pro jected by vast publicity campaigiw— which they soon grew to hate and despise as dis tortions of their true selves. Ninety per cent of our judgments are based on appearance; this is why the “image industry" has become so import ant in manipulating public opinion. Today, for instance, we identify beards with “beat niks"; in our grandfathers time, the beard was a symbol of dignity, of respectability, of all the bourgeois virtues so flouted by the bearded contingent of today. Distinguishing between the substance and the image, between the appearance and the reality, may be the hardest task confronting the human race. In the case of Picassos, it is admittedly a job for an expert; but in the case of picking Presi dents, or choosing mates, we often go just as frightfully wrong, taking the label for the contents. — SELECTED. NEW RELIGIOUS INTEREST Much of the editorial comment in recent months has been aimed at the trend to- wqard radicalism on the various college campuses of the United States, and this has been triggered by the recurring dem onstrations which have taken place In var ious parts Of the country, but a survey teleased recently in a news story offers the a few blasts and bravos By ■MIKK WYNGARDEN RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Vifll, the week of lectures entitled "Stu dies in The Humanities: Elon College, law, is ovL-r. The various scholars, each aiici eveiy o.iu of them, performed their jolij rtuli vi_,or and are now back on their 1 u.-.poctive campuses. It is certain that all who pariook oi the various activities, stu dents, faculty and administration alike, foi'ined their opinions about the scholars. Without a doubt, some of the papers and |x;r.)onalities were liked better than others. Acid that ii well and good, because that m'iu-v,, th;.t the people here at Elon were aitcmptin;^ to distinguish between the .arioiis topics. But, the really important questions must be anki-d: What did the scholars think of Elon? Did they think that the week was worlhwhile? Will they take back to their campuic iTcditable observations? How did I hey leact to the hundreds of questions put lo them by the students? What did they think of the faculty members whom they r lo;’’ '.‘.'pII, as soon as this column is read, crtcin people will say to me—“Those are silly questions. What do you mean with whst did they think of Elon? And one per- ,0.1 in particular will say, well if they did not like it here, they never again have to come back. After all, we gave them the privilege of coming here.” These re actions of course are so much wind; but let us, nevertheless, attempt to ascertain the results of the week as seen by the scholars. To begin with, the majority of those visiting lecturers never heard of Elon until they were asked to speak here. They have heard of it now and will never forget it. The entire college community pat its ego on the back and say, “We are good.” In -hort. each and every visiting scholar vpr taken away by the hospitality, the re ception and the audiences here at Elon. The importance of these implications cannot be realized enough, and as one of the scholars himself remarked, “Say, the stu dents here take their academics pretty seriously.” So, when Dr. Aiez returns to Oberlin Col lege and chats with the members of the faculty and administration there, the word Elon College will be spread around with great viRor and will be associated only with the finest impressions. The same holds true for the other scholars and their schools. So much for the impressions received by the scholars. What did the students, faculty and administration here at Elon pain from the week" In the first place, they saw and heprd some of the finest orators in the country. Each one of them presented his paper with clarity and precision. And all who were present had an opportunity to see a scholarly mind in action. But, perhaps the most favorable result obtained by the student body was the chance to converse with these men, and this is what imp’’‘^ssed the dignitaries most. The yall remarked that the questions put to them by the students really put them on their toes and made them earn their money. Thus, their impressions of Elon students was most favorable indeed. Anyway, the week is over, and the Lib eral Arts Forum hopes that the “Human ities Week, will be continued next year. It is a tribute to the students, faculty and administration that the week this spring proved to be such a success. interesting observation that there is a new wave of religious interest among college students. That survey story follows: While college students have been cap turing the headlines with ‘new radicalism,” the nation’s campuses report a wave of interest in the study of religion. In the Journal of Higher Education, Robert Mich- aelsen, chairman of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Cal ifornia in Santa Barbara, calls the trend "a quiet revolution.” The impact has been most extraordinary at the large state universities which, in the past, usually offered no religious studies at all. Ironically, despite frequent charpe; that the Supreme Court has been acting "godlessly” in its ruling prohibiting sec tarian religious activities in public insti tutions, religious study at state universities has been speeded by these court decisions. Nationwide spot checks by the New York Times confirmed this week that students have been enrolling in courses on religion in record numbers. Some institutions find it difficult to recruit enough faculty mem bers to fill the demand. Not unlike the student rebellion, the re vival of interest in the study of religion appears to have its roots in an intellectual search for direction and identity — not in sectarian or theological motives or in personal piety. The mood most generally reported is one of groping for answers, not of search for — must less acceptance of — dogma. Heralded As Great Success Arts Forum Offei s Cultural Programs (Continued From Page One) I In his paper Dr. Sweeney, an >utstanding orator, attempted to explain the problem of understand ing art in an impatient age. A piece of art, related Dr. Sweeney, must be understood in terms of its own attributes, and he further de clared that the real aesthetic con cept: of many many times can- lot be defined, especially in an age in which impatience i.s such a dom inant force. The lec*'ire was fo' 'owed by a reception in West Dorm parlor. Dr. Ferrij Reynolds introduced Dr. Sweeney to his aud ience on Monday nijjht. On Tuesday, April 26th, the ;cene shifted to West Dorm Par lor, where Dr. Alfred G. Eng- ;trom. Alumni Distinguished Pro cessor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, presented a paper in the afternoon on "The (Than;4ing Image of Man in French Tjterature.” In his paper, Dr. Eng- strom claimed that the hero of Twentieth Century literature is an itcast, one who is an outsider and a stranger, which is just the opposite of the hero in older types of literature, who was a center of society. This was the third time that Dr. Engstrom has been brought as a speaker to the Elon campus by the Liberal Arts Forum. As most of the people observed when they met Professor Engstrom, he is a very fine gentleman, and he spent much of his time entertaining questions from the students. Dr. Eleanor Moffett, of the Elon faculty, intro duced the speaker for this pro gram- . Then, on Tuesday evening, April 26th, again in McEwen Dining Hall’, Dr. Frederick B. Artz, em inent historian from Oberlin Col- ’e"e and the author of numerous books and articles, presented a ■)aper entitled “The Earliest Col- ’e-’e Students: 1200 to 1600.” He was greeted by an overflowing and "nthu'iastic audience. A most humorous man. Dr. Artz enter tained questions from the floor. Dr. Edwin A. Moore introduced Dr. Artz, who was guest at a re ception in West Parlor after the program. Dr. Artz appeared again on Wed nesday afternoon, when he gave another paper entitled “How and When the Modern World Begjm” in West Dorm parlor. He was again greeted by a large audience and again answered questions from the floor At t'lis program the speaker was introduced by Prof. James P. Elder, and again a re ception followed the lecture. On VVe ' 'f.day evenin'?. Dr. Urban T. Holmes, Professor of Romance Languages at the Uni versity of "orth Carolina at Chapel Hill, gave a paper entitled “Life In the Middle Ages.” In this paper, ELON SPEAKKR MEETS PRESS Congressman Gerald R. Ford, who proved to be one of the most entertaining speakers of the liberal Arts Forum’s “Humanities Week” series, is pictured above in one of the genial moments of his press conference, during which he met with representatives of the North Carolina nwspapers, radio and television stations in the new seminar room of the college’s Carlton Memorial Library. Another picture of Congressman Ford is shown on the front page of the Maroon and Gold. Dr. Holmes gave detailed ac- faculty, entertained the students .'ounts of the life of people in the i^vrlflh CpT’'ury. He too was greet ed by an overflow audience. A 10 t enlertaininT speaker. Dr. lolmes talked at length after the eception with students. A recep- ion was held for Dr. and Mrs. Holmes in West Dorm Parlor. Dr. Frances Muldrow, of Elon’s mod ern language department, intro duced this speaker. On Thursday morning, April 28th, in Whitley Auditorium, Dr. Paul Gross, William Howell Pe- gram Professor of Chemistry at Duke University, gave a lecture entitled "The Fifth Estate in the Twentiesth Century — The Chan? ing Image of the Scientists.” In his speech Dr. Gross, former spec ial consultant to Presidents Tru man and Eisenhower, claimed that the scientist, contrary to popular ninion, cou'd not merely wave ■'.i- ma^'ic wand and come up with ome new and miraculous theory Dr. Gross, who was introduced to his Elon audience by Dr. Roy Epperson, of the Elon chemistry faculty, entertjiincd the and facultv members in a question and answer ^fi '^io'i in the new Elon Femimr room in the Library. On '^h'lr diy ni>’ht, Dr. James G. M'Mannaway, of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washing- 0.1. presented a paper in McEwen Dining Hall entitled “Shake speare’s Quintessence of Dust.” Dr. McMannaway’s paper was re ceived with a standing ovation, the only paper to receive such a tribute during the entire week. The ^uest speaker was then the honor 7uest at a reception in West Dorm Parlor. This final speaker of the week was introduced by Prof. Tully Reed, chairman of the Elon English department. The “Humanities Week,” which must be hailed as an unoucstioned .success, came to a close when the Elon Players, student dramatic ^rouD, presented Oscar Wild’s "The Importance of Being Ern est.” a satire on Victorian English ociety. in Mooney Chapel The- itre on Friday and Saturday night, April 29th and 30th. A Sleeveless Errand By WILLIAM BRADHAM As you may or -^.-v n' rr-a'l in this editor's h't co'u-^n, 1 con- chided my di'MP'i.n teria sitiiatioi wit'' ■ concerning the attitude of students and officials in regard to the pressing situation. • • • Now, before attempting to put forward some ideas concerning that situation, I would like to men tion, although It may not be needed, last week’s Liberal Arts Forum symposium. Although this editor missed some of the lectures due to pressing a'-ndemic prob lems, I would still like to extend my hand of con'^raMil'itions. ^e Foni"! has n'''^prtaken a most ambitious project and has given of itself unselfishly in order to present a worthwhile academic week. Just as a personal feeling, I would like to state the great contribution of one scholar es- necially. Dr. Urban T. Holmes. For me. Dr. Holmes is the epit- omy of a true scholar. He man ages to keep his subject of study on a real and personal level. He makes it interesting, a facet some scholars seem to forfeit in order Now, I have digressed long to play up their own “intellectual abilities.” Enough said. Congratu lations to the forum. * • • enough. So I must return to m' topic. My Durpo'e w’s ■'> the prevailing probleir. o' tH- general attitude of students and officials regarding the dining hal! dilemma. First, let me take the problem af the student attitude. It appears to this editor that the general stu dent attitude is one of constant complaint. So, I would ask myself ‘ Is there true cause for ‘his com ■jlaint?” The very i"act that there is a general dissatisfied attitude or feeling would lead one to be lieve that there is sufficient rea son for complaint. Of course there is. The editor has already discussed the major prob lems. However, the attitude emit tod by the student populace is not ■'inctnictive. only destnictive. Also in their apathetic attitude, they put torth no offer for a remedy or simple aid for the betterment of the situation. They simply com 'Nin. and nothing else. So, if there is something to be done, then the attitude of the students mus change. They must help! One reason for the student atti tude is the inability to know the real deep-seated problem. Few re alize that it takes time to remedy the cafeteria problem. Mr. Word is attempting to remedy the food Droblem, but as he said, it takes *ime. Also he needs the student ooperation, or he cannot do a ood and complete job. Granted ■■e problem appears hopeless at ime, but a closer look will revea’ ‘hat there is an attempt to solv? it and thus get student faith. The one fault which re?r£ it"- head is the officials’ ?,*(itude. Maybe they do not realize the problem, and they maybe th“- do know and don’t care. Perhap that is too harsh a statement, bu it is the way many students feel for they know nothing else. I am on this side of the fence. There seems to be the same apa thetic attitude on the officials’ part as with the students. So, all we can do is hope for increased in terest and cooperation on both sides. As a closing note, the Slater Food officials are to be congratu- lated on their attempt to maka the dming hall more enjoyable The flowers and table cloths are an improvement. Also the buffet suppers and the fashion show make ;he mundane existence in the din ing hall a little more easy to take. Congratulations! As long as the f(^ improves, we should have little to worry about. glorious feast By RICHARD HUTCHENS The reader will not need to brace him self for another tirade in this issue of the Maroon and Gold. Tliis column will be de voted to a suggestion concerning an inno vation in our fair college and to heap a measure of praise on one of the most stim ulating and brilliant speakers i editor has ever heard. Primarily, the praise is directed toward Dr. James J. Sweeney, the Munday evening speaker during last week’s "Studies in Humanity” program presented by the Lib eral Arts Forum. Dr. Sweeney gave as his topic "Art and Impatience” and de veloped it enthusiastically and dramatically. The audience, regardless of its interest in or his acquaintance with the won : of visual art, couldn’t avoid being impressed with the delivery and the ideas of a man so visibly enamored with the universal language of art. Seeing the age of the 20th century as one characterized by “impatience”, the speaker enlightened the listeners as to the one area where one cannot afford to be impatient, that of art. It is absurd to think that an observer can look at a painting, a piece of sculpture or architecture only once and discern the value of the work. To look at a work of art and to attempt to decide just what the work resembles, according to Dr. Sweeney, is to destroy any chance for the rewarding experience of becoming personally involved with it. The object in perusing a work of art, is not to look it over and compare it to something of one’s own past experience but to make the work an experience in itself. To use the far more illustrative and effective diction of Dr. Sweeney, when one is in a museum standing before a sculpture he should not ask, “what does that look like?” Rather, the sympathetic observed would ask “what is this?” and the informed response to the query would be “that is a scupture.” What the artist does, or attempts to do, is to convert the mind’s inspirations and insight to order. To see the order inherent in good art and to realize the achievetnent of bringing the chaos of the universe to this order on some sort of medium is to begin to understand what value is contained in the products of artists all over the world. Secondly, the innovation Is concerning what Elon College could do about improv ing the students’ conception of what art is and what it represents. A tremendous stride toward this end would be to re vise the program of fine arts education. The suggestion is to divide the Fine Arts Course that is presently being taught by Professors White and Daniel and to allow each to instruct a course devoted entire y to his chosen field, that being respectively music and art. The results of this change would be multiple and beneficial. For one, the know ledge gained of the two fields would be of a more coherent nature, and the pro fessor would gain a definite advantage in that he could proceed more readily from topic to topic without fear of losing the continuity of his subject. Most important in this consideration is the hoped-for result that instead of ne smattering of knowledge gained from tt^ course in its present context (which completely unsatisfactory to a student witn any intrinsic interest at all), there will a more complete and ctmprehensive eQi^- cation on the fine arts, just as there is m- forded in the survey courses on Americai history and English history. -otinns In closing, I would like to mvite (luestioiB on this suggestion and/or criticisms^ enough interest is indicated on the P of the students the editor will matter further. Please send fespo^es Box 1334 or accost the editor in the na • Your advise is more than welcoine. Wisps of Wisdom Of the two, a ready hand is superior to a leady tongue. Too many people who want to change the shape of things try doing it by chiseling. One sure “sometiiing” a man gets for nothin? is failure. Too Many! One of the answers to a questionn^e published by a magazine to find out ow muck people knew about the Bible con ed this choice bit of himior. To the “How many wives does the Bible allow each man?” the answer was sixteen (four better, four worse, four richer, four poorer^- On The Tab America is a wonderful country. Where else can you walk out of your home, step into a time-payment car, and drive down a bonded highway on credit gas to charge something at your favorite store.