Friday, January 17, 1936.
THE SALEMITE
Page Three.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY
N. S. F. A. CONFERENCE
SKIER FOR U. S.
Discussion groups on varied sub
jects relating to campus and nation
al issues recommended certain reso
lutions to the Congress as a guide in
carrying out NSFA policy policy and
activities. The following are only
the resolutions adopted by a major
ity of the delegates assembled in
plenary session.
1. Resolved; that NSFA work for
.a reduction of initiation fees for
national honorary societies, or en
courage the development of local
fraternities to take their place.
2. Resolved; that NSFA (1) sup-
jKjrts the principle of integrity of
the news, (2) condems the vicious
and un-American propaganda being
spread by Hearst publications, (3)
praises the work of the American
Newspaper Guild, and all newspapers
working to preserve an honest and
free press, (4) that a committee be
appointed to suggest a plan for the
boycott of Hearst publications and
newsreels.
3. Resolved; that NSFA ge on
record as favoring co-operation be
tween member and non-member col
leges within their individual states
such unAmerican measures as the
teacher’s oath, student loyalty and
sedition bills into our legislature by
jingoistic and pseudo patriotic
groups, is contrary to the fundamen
tal ideals of education in a true de
mocracy and contrary to the fun
damental guarantees in the Bill of
Rights of the Constitution, and,
whereas the implication of these
measures is not onlj' false but is de
rogatory to an intelligent citizenry,
be it resolved that NSFA exert every
possible effort to bring about the de
feat or repeal of these measures
wherever they occur and that all
similar regulations of college ad
ministration or city be opposed.
4. Resolved; that (1) NSFA go
on record as favoring the adoption
of Honor Systems among those
schools and colleges which do not
already have such a system, (2)
NSFA go on record as favoring the
sponsoring among high school and
preparatory schools on the part of
the institutions of higher learning,
student government as a preparation
for the more intricate points of Hon
or System to be had at college.
5. Resolved; that University Ad
ministrations be petitioned to in
clude as part of the college curri
culum Sex Hygiene courses for which
University credit will be given.
6. Whereas the introduction of
the subsidization of athletes partici
pating in inter-collegiate competi
tion be unconditionally condemned.
Be it further resolved that the
practice of some college coaches iu
allowing their name, and the name
of their team to be used in commer
cial advertisement for w^hich they
receive financial remuneration be
likewise condemned.
7. Resolved; that the NSFA go
on record as supporting the Nye-
Kva:le Bill, making military training
optional instead of compulsory.
8. Re.solved; by the NSFA that
with the aim of (1) encouraging non
member colleges to NSFA member
ship and points of view, and (2)
favoring, where needed, the organi
zation of subsidiary NSFA units
within the respective states
£). Resolved; that NSFA go on
record as favoring American partici
pation in the Olympic games next
year.
10. Whereas in gome colleges stu
dents have no voice in the assembly
programs which the student body at
large attend, be it resolved by the
NSFA that there be student repre
sentation upon the Committee, on
group which dictates the type and
nature of assembly programs.
11. Resolved; that the NSFA
sponsor an organization of college
editors to further disseminate col
legiate news and work for the more
complete freedom of the college
press.
12. Whereas the case of Dr.
A. J. A. Kraus has been brought to
the attention of the NSFA, we in
struct the Executive Committee of
the NSFA in New York to investi
gate the facts and if the Committee
finds that the college has dismissed
Dr. Kraus on the ground of mental
unfitness merely as a guise to cover
thir opposition to his policies, the
Executive Committee shall take the
steps which are to the best interests
of Dr. Kraus.
13. Resolved; that NSFA should
continue its activities as the United
States representative of Internation
al Student Service.
14. Resolved; that NSFA contin
ue its activities as the United States
representative of International Stu
dent Service.
14. Resolved; that the NSFA
continue its affiliation with the CIE
for the coming year. Be it further
resolved that our univ'ersitp,es be
more widely informed as to the
travel facilities provided by the
NSFA-CIE agreemehts such as stu
dent identity cards, travel tours and
conferences.
Resolved; that the NSFA make a
thorough investigation and report
available to colleges upon the exist-
upon rates of foreign money ex-
ing forces and conditions operating
change for travelling American stu
dents with emphasis upon obtaining
agreements similar to those existing
for German Reichchecks.
15. Resolved; that the President
of the NSFA, in his work of carry
ing out Article IV, section 2 of the
Constitution with respect to acade
mic freedom, be authorized and en
couraged to co-operate with the Na
tional Education Association, the
League for Educational Freedom,
sponsored by the Progressive Edu
cation Association, the American
Federation of Teachers, the Ameri
can Civil Liberties Union and other
groups working toward the same end.
10. Resolved; that NSFA go on
record as approving the American
Youth Act.
17. Whereas the NSFA firmly
supports the principle that the Fed
eral Government should assume re
sponsibility for providing an oppor
tunity for needy students to obtain
higher education,cultural and recrea
tional advantages, apprenticeship,
occupational 1 training and employ
ment, and whereas the NSFA is of
the opinion that the NYA as it is
now instituted is inadequate to meet
this responsibility, therefore, be it
resolved that the NSFA urge the
national government to provide suf
ficient funds to adequately care for
these needs, and be it further re
solved that the NSFA recommend
increased effort to eliminate the in
justices in alloting advantages, waste
and unworthy projects.
18. Be it resolved; that the NSFA
impart to NYA that they suggest to
various college presidents that some
of the aid received by colleges from
N\ A sources be used in payment for
student-led forums outside of the col
lege. Be it further resolved that the
Forums Committee recommend to
NSFA that it sponsor forums for
American universities, these forums
to be financed by proposed or avail
able funds.
19. Resolved; that the NSFA col
lege information concerning true co
operatives as they apply to college
liife and distribute that information
to member colleges together with
s'*gSe®'-ions for a tentative procedure
in starting a. co-operative in any
given school.
20. Resolved; that NSFA go on
record as favoring the entrance of
the United States into the League
of Nations with the provision that
we engage in the activities of the
League of Nations only up to the
point of military action.
21. Resolved; that the NSFA rec
ommend that all American colleges
be required to give courses in In
ternational Relations and interna
tional organizations. Further re
solved that the NSFA go on record
as furthering the establishment of
International Relations Clubs in open
forums in various colleges that are
members of NSFA
22. Resolved; that NSFIA icoin-
tinue its membership in the National
Peace Conference.
23. Resolved; that the NSFA go
on record as approving the extension
of the present Neutrality Act.
24. Resolved; that the NSFA go
on record urging American Youth
never again to go beyond the bor-
m
This Is Miss Ellis A. Smith, who
was selected as a member of the
.\merican Olympic Woman’s ski
squad to go to Garmlscliparten-
kirchen, Germany, to compete in
the winter OIymi)ic games there.
A note written on Wednesday of
last w'eek was received by Gertrude
Schwalbe from Dr. Minnie J. Smith
who has returned from the hospital.
She wished Gertrude to convey to
the student body her gratitude for
the plant sent her by the Salem stu
dents. Dr. Smith has been improv
ing nicely since her recent operation.
Dr. and Mrs. Rondthaler send
their greetings and “delighted
thanks” to all the Salem girls
through .Josephine Whitehead for the
poinsettias sent from “their Salem
girls. ’ ’
ders of the United States to partici
pate in a foreign war.
25. Resolved; that the Executive
Committee give consideration to the
possibility of beginning the fiscal
year July 1st rather than Septem
ber 1st.
26. Resolved; that the “Mirror”
be abolished within two months un
less IftOO subscriptions arc available.
27. Resolved; that students should
actively participate in curriculum
revision; that students should take
the responsibility for emphasizing
the understandings, attitudes, skills
and other learnings to be gained
from college courses rather than on
credits and grades; that the guidance
program of colleges and universities
should be adequate as to number and
qualification of counselor.s, for em
phasis upon the values both of col
lege courses and extra-curricular
activities, and for the cultivation in
each student of a critical and cre
ative attack upon the problems con
fronting him; that more serious at
tention be given to the nature and
scope of the curriculum in our
schools, and that both in and out
side of the classroom greater em
phasis should be placed upon study
and solution of student problems, of
general problems, of education and
of other social problems.
28. Resolved; that the NSFA go
on record as opposed to all direct
consumption taxation, pairticuliirly
sales taxes.
29. Resolved; that the NSFA go
on record as favoring the public
housing program financed by the
government for the benefit of those
classes who cannot afford to partake
of the benefits of our modern hous
ing.
30. Resolved; that in college
where the compulsory activity fee
pays for dances and the payment of
the year book, and the payment of
the clubs, exclusive of the Athletic
control, that this money be spent by
students under the jurisdiction of
the student council with the faculty
sitting only as advisers.
31. Whereas there are many mal
adjustments in the present economic
system, and whereas many college
students and young graduates are
unemployed and have good prospects
of remaining so, be it resolved that
the president of NSFA appoint a com
mittee on vocational guidance for
students of college and post gradu
ate years, to actively promote co
operation with the Government on
employment and vocational guidance
and with private agencies.
PROPHECY OF SOPHO
MORE-FRESHMAN
PARTY
The music goes ’round and ’round
the recreation room of Alice Clewell
building. Showers of balloons and
confetti rain on the dancers who
are mere shadows under the soft
lights. The blue and white decora
tions make a perfect background for
romance. Broadshouldered football
players saunter around .with admir
ing girls at each arm; ambitious
young business men talk to a breath
lessly interested audience; never
tiring college boys sha'g with delight
ed girls near the orchestra.
There is a lull in the music:
snatches of conversation are heard
Tj-pical bits are: “No, I can’t go
out, but we can sit in the parlor.’
“Don’cha love the way Bill dips on
slow pieces!” “Yes, we can have
dates on Saturday nights.” “He’
just crazy to meet you.”
The envious faces of the juniors
and seniors peer through the win
dow. But the freshmen and sopho
mores ignore them, self-consciously.
Perhaps there’s a small degree of
"ood-natured gloating and flounting
done, but turn-about is fair play.
Ofcourse, you’ve guessed that this
is a prophetic picture of the Sopho-
more-Freshman Party to be given
Saturday night by the I R> S., and
very probably a quite true one.
COLLEGE ENTRANCE
TOO EASY SAYS
DIRECTOR
New York (NSFA) — In his an
nual report, Frank Bowles, acting
director of admissions at Columbia
University, pointed out that during
the depression many American col
leges had lowered their scholastic
standards and had adopted unsound
methods to attract students. In an
.ttempt to maintain enrollment fig
ures, he said, these institutions have
made college entrance too easy, re
sulting in the decline of the value of
college degree.
‘ ‘ There have been two methods of
altering entrance requirements.”
Mr. Bowles explained. ‘ ‘ One, usually
adopted Svithout public announce
ment, has been to drop the qualita
tive admissions requirements. By
1930 many well established colleges
had reached the point where they
refused to accept students who stood
in the bottom quarter of their sec
ondary school class.
“This condition, however, could
be maintained only as long as there
was a sufficient number of applicants
with good secondary school records
to keep the enrollments up to pre
depression figures. As soon as eco-
nomio conditions made it impossible
for many to continue their educa
tion and forced others to enter tax
.supported instead of private institu-
tion.s, there arose an immediate pres
sure to admit students who would
formerly have been rejected. Natur
ally many colleges yielded to this
pressure, and naturally the quality
of their students suffered.
“The other and more widely pub
licized form of ‘liberalization’ of
entrance requirements was to drop
all specific requirements except, per
haps, four years of English, and to
place emphasis on the ability to do
one thing well.
‘It is difficult to see how a col
lege can avoid lowering the value of
its degree if the entrance require
ments are thus altered. It may be
argued that high-quality students
will continue to take the normal col
lege entrance program, regardless of
college entrance requirements, but if
such is the case, there is reason to
wonder why it is necessary to change
the entrance requirements.”
Another fault Mr. Bowles said,
was that scholarships and loans have
become numerous, that the the sec-
ondary-school graduate has come to
consider financial assistance as his
inalienable right, regardless of his
abilities or necessities. There are
some cases where the really able and
outstanding student receives so many
offers of scholarship that he can play
one institution off against another
and bargain for a larger award.
I THINK
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Please remember that unless you
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cannot be accepted but that we shall
not sign them if you do not wish
us to
REVIEW
It seem.s that all the teachers are
trying to make the students fail
their work instead of trying to help
them pass it.
Just before Christmas holidays
when everyone was too busy and too
excited to study the teachers gave
longer assignments generously
sprinkled with testa.
Then they gave a three weeks holi
day so the students could forget
what knowledge they’d gathered. It
was real fun forgetting 1 I I But
it isn’t real fun for the students to
return to school and have an over
supply of work put on their should
ers because the teachers are trying
to reach a goal.
Please if the faculty gires the
students three weeks to forget;
shouldn’t they give the students
three weeks to review — Shouldn’t
they help the students to remember—
Help them to pass ! t
SOMETHING FOR THE
PROFESSOR TO
THINK ABOUT
Now that the time for examina
tions is again drawing near we be
gin to have a growing dread for the
time to come. Is this the purpose
of our education, the ideal attitude
toward our lessons which we have ,
chosen to study f I would say no.
Then there must be something wrong
somewhere, something that causes
us to hate to think of the approach
ing examinations. Of course you
(or will yout) will say, “It’s only
those who have not studied properly
during the year who are now so wor
ried.” I disagree. I have observed
that those who have not allowed
themselves to get behind in their
lessons and who have made very
good grades are, as a rule, those who
do the most worrying toward the end
of the term. I am not advocating
as yet the abolishing of examinations
because I, for one, am unable to think
of a better method, but I believe
there is room for improvement in
most of the examinations.
I believe the average examination
is too long, and yet a written test
covering such a great amount of
material must be thorough. When
I think of some of the paat tests I’ve
had I feel at despair in regard to
the coming reviews. A student who
goes on an exam and has to write
pages and pages on a subject which
he has studied and heard discu.ssed
in class for days and days finds him
self bored at the unpleasant task of
again writing a summary on the
subject. He often feels inclined to
go at the task half-heartedly mak
ing it as short as iwssible, thereby
often leaving out something of im
portance. To remedy this feeling of
futility, and yet to really cover the
subject, I think instructors might
give longer tests which require short
answers such as completion tests
which have already been used to
some extent in a few departments.
Of course, the professors would have
more work in making out the exam
inations, but they would hare easier
jobs in correcting the papers and
would also prevent what is known
as students as “bulling.” The stu
dent would not be as easily fatigued
before an exam was over as in the
long essay type test. Of course, in
a few subjects an examination of
this type is impossible, but at least
there can bo a variance in the ques
tions from the ordinary classes. In a
completion or matching test the in
terest is held by the constant change
of thoughts.