The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, November 4, 1949 Page: 2 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 21 x 15 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Two
THE THREBffER
Praise
Finding fault is easy. More than that, it is quite enjoyable to
discover and point out the mistakes of others. And the papers are
full of such criticism. It is with a real sense of variety and pleasure
that one finds something in the papers which really deserve praise.
It happened this week. George W. Armstrong offered $50,000,-
000 to poverty-stricken Jefferson Military College, and to Southern
Methodist University, and both schools refused his offer.
For SMU, an established college with sufficient funds, the
refusal was relatively easy. But there are not enough words in the
Dictionary to describe the courageous action of the directors of Jef-
ferson College. With a mortgage due, and no funds with which
to meet it, a gift from the god dropped in their lap. But the god
asked in return their souls, and the souls of their pupils. Assume that
Jefferson could have found a use for all of the fifty million. Who
couldn t? Consider then the sheer guts it would take to turn down
such an offer, and to look elsewhere for the money which was nec-
essaiy to keep the school from closing its doors. This brand of moral
courage requires recognition by all lovers of freedom.
And thank God for men like Nathan Klein, who, when he
heard of the college's courageous act, sent his check for the amount
of lhe mortgage which was due. It is gratifying to see the people
of this country rally against any attack on our Declaration of In-
dependence and Bill of Rights, which are one of America's greatest
heiitages. Mr. Klein personally fought his own battle against in-
toleiance, modestly saying. This is my way of meeting my obliga-
tion to the system of life that has allowed me to prosper."
P
oesy
Lvery once in a while, someone drops something like the fol-
lowing poem on the office floor. [Tie poem is well thought out,
and succinctly written, and thoroughly worthy of its type-metal.
We have, however, an inflexible rule not to publish anything with-
out 'mowing the identity of the author. I his poem was signed
with initials, and it was only through some rather foxy detective
work that we found out who the author is. In the future, please don't
be afraid. We' re not!
As you have suspected, we transfers lack sense,
So clarify this, we implore;
We've heard all the things Farrell Fulton's against—
But what, IF YOU PLEASE, is he for?
• R.E.B.
Other Papers Say
Liberty To Know . . .
When will we learn that ideas and thoughts cannot be forcefully
delroyed? When will we realizQ, that social and political theories
not be fought with suppression? ,
An examination of history—from the days of the beginning of
'in ( hnstian era, when believers in Christ were fed to" the lions for
their beliefs, all the way up to the book-burnings of the Nazis in
Germany, all should be ample proof to us that you an't suppress
ideas or legislate them out of existence.
Vet we continue to think of fighting Communism ii>-terms of
J•'«1 sentences and outlawing legislation.
When will we realize what a mistake this is?
An idea can only be fought by showing that it isn't a good
idea —and Communism can only be successfully fought by proving
that capitalism is a better doctrine of government. And if this can't
be proven to the majority of the people, then that majority should
have the opportunity of making its own choice of the best form
of government..
Instead of doing this, we show our lack of faith in our system
of rovernment by using force to enforce its theories and punish those
who think contrarily to its precepts.
We are making a mistake in doing this. Liberty of all the
people is a basic doctrine of our governmental beliefs—and to
deprive even one person of that liberty, is to deny the 'existence of the
entire concept of democracy and our belief in it.
^Iong time ago, the poet, John Milton, wrote:
"Civc me the liberty to l(twn>, to utter, and to argue freely
according to conscience, above all liberties."
Letters to the Editor:
Kelley Called on to Thresher Accused
Explain Christian Writing Scandal
Motive in Brooming By An Irishman
To the Editor:
The holy war is still with us. We
are back to normal. Once again we
can determine the normal of a broom
as applied to the posterior of a
Freshman. Jim Kelly tells us that
"Christian Brotherhood" will soon
return to our campus with the pro-
gram of hazing and personal humil-
iation. Ignorant as I am, I still
fail to see the logic of the statements
of Mr. Kelly. It seems that the idea
of "Christian brotherhood" and per-
sonal humiliation are the very anti-
thesis of each other. For that rea-
son I would like Mr. Kelly to ex-
plain this inconsistency in the logic
of his beliefs. The spirit for which
Mr. Kelly is seeking is not found in
the sweeping of a backside with a
broom, no matter how deep seated
the want for such a spirit may be.
Force does not produce "Christian
brotherhood"; neither dpes person-
al humiliation produce that brother-
hood. I challenge the proponents of
force and personal humiliation to
prove that "Christian brotherhood"
is a product of their system.
Perhaps the proponents of such a
system need to examine, once more,
the teachings of Jesus Christ. Cer-
tainly, they will not find any doc-
trine comparable to theirs in the
teachings of Christ. Rather, there
they will find the very antithesis of
their doctrines. I am sure that if
these same people were to submit
to such actions of personal humilia-
tion from the Freshmen that they
would not develop "Christian bro-
therhood"; rather, they would mere-
ly want to take it out on someone
else to satisfy their stupidity and
ease the humiliation. That is the
trouble today, a stupid desire to
beat someone else's posterior be-
cause they had theirs beat.
If they wish to humiliate .others,
then at least they should have the
courage and the intestinal fortitude
to recognize what they are doing. If
you, the proponents of hazing and'
personal humiliation, do not have
such courage, then discard your doc-
trine or else shut up and quit your
whining1. But do not try to justify
your warped actions in the light of
Christ's teachings. It can't be done.
At least have the courage to stand
one way or the other, but do not be
so cowardly as to try to tie your
actions with Christ. In so doing,
you have done nothing but desecrate
the name and teachings of Christ.
Sincerely yours,
Gail M. Mount
To the Editor:
Your scandal-sheet, the Thresher,
has been coming out regularly(?)
now with the latest juicy bits about
hazing and alcoholism. Don't you
think it's about time for the literary
minds in the school to turn their
talents to something constructive?
The Thresher could do some good
for a change if it would give a little
publicity where it belongs. The Sen-
ior Follies Committee has been beg-
ging for a little space in your paper
but you evidently don't think that
the cause is worthy. Frankly, I
think it would be rather difficult
to find a worthier cause. The show
is for the whole school on the order
of Hellsapopin and we are using
strictly Rice talent. The proceeds
are NOT going to the Mohamaden
Student Fellowship. They are not
going to be donated to the Soph-
omores for brooms. We are merely
trying to give the Senior Dance at
the Shamrock. Even you, Mr. Mc-
Geever, must realize that that is
harmless enough. Since, you your-
self, are a Senior AND an Irishman,
I hope you will take the matter un-
der serious consideration.
Sincerely,
HARRY HOOVER
0
SWC SPORTSMANSHIP --
(Continued from page 1)
At the meeting, Texas University
will be represented by Mac Bintliff,
assistant yell leader; Ellis Brown,
president of the Student body; asd
Dick Elam, editor of the Daily Tex-
an.
Texas Christian University will
send Pat Miller, Head cheerleader;
Larry Denton, editor of the Skiff;
Paul Haefield, Student Association
member; and Bill Hamilton, presi-
dent of the student body.
From Texas A & M will be C. C.
Monroe, co-editor of the Battalion;
Senior yell leader Glen Kothman;
and Keith E. Alsup, president of the
student Senate.
Southern Methodist University
representatives will be Bob An-
drews, Irving King, and Bob Gibson,
president of the student body.
Arkansas and Baylor have not yet
sent the names of their delegates.
0
ALMA MATER FIGHT SONG
RECORDINGS NOW ON SALE
Dean Cameron has announced that
he is holding in his office records
of the Rice fight song, and Alma
Mater, "All for Rice's Honor," which
he will sell to all interested students
for 80 centes a record.
The words were alive and vital then.
They are more alive, vital and true now.
J.B.S
7HEMCE |y 7WXESM23?
Entered as second class matter, October 17, 1916, at the Post Office,
Houston, Texas, under the act of March 3, 1879.
Subsc ription Bate $1.00 Per Year
Represented by National Advertising Service, Inc., 420 Madison Ave., New York City.
Published every Friday of the regular school year except during holiday and
examination periods by the students of the Rice Institute. Editorial and
Advertising offices are in the Fondren Library on the campus.
Temporary Editor Emmett McGeever
Business Manager Tom Smith
Assistant Business Manager Ernest Voss
Associate Editor Werner Grunbaum
News Editor Ruey Boone
Editorial Advisors Bob Mcllhenny, Finis Cowan
Sports Editor Howard Martin
Assistant Sports Editor Ted Lockhart
Fanfare Editor Patsy Brady
Society Editor Marty Gibson
Make-up Staff Allyce Tinsley and Harold Melnick
Reporters Beverly Brooks, Don Eddy, John Blake-
more, Tom Tenney, Bill Hobby, Pat Byyne, Ted Cornelia,
Georgia Hink, Alec Thompson, Bob Schwartz, DiSwey Gonsou-
lin, Betty McGeever, Lee Mary Parker, Nina Shannon, and
Westerbrook Christian, Bernice Davis
Words &
Music
by Bob Bradbury
"Houston amazes me. The people
don't realize how progressive they
are. There is so much vitally in all
the fields of art. This exhibit of
paintings in your library for in-
stance—why, in Milwaukee an ex-
hibit of that calibre would be one
of the high points of the season. But
here you seem almost to take it for
granted."
I was pleased that the gentleman
I quote above, one of the guest
speakers on last week's Forum, did
not mistake the attitude of the Rice
students for indifference but real-
ized that it was casual interest—
always a safer attitude for apprais-
ing art than indiscreet over-enthusi-
asm. This healthy attitude toward
art was the first thing that im-
pressed me when I began to study
student reaction to the Contempo-
rary Arts exhibits.
The second discovery was even
more interesting—and encouraging.
It must be admitted, before going
further, that modern art is still
something new and strange to most
of the students. The general reaction
was one of amused distrust. But
without one exception, every student
I talked to found at least one work
that he liked. The encouraging thing
was that almost every work exhibit-
ed was chosen by someone, and no
one work stood far above the rest in
popularity. Nor was there any corre-
lation between realism and populari-
ty. The realistic self portrait by
Kathe Kollwitz (No. 16) was no
more popular than the whimsical
"Three Masks" (No. 35) by Schatz.
The "Dancer" by Ney ("29), surely
one of the most difficult works to
appreciate in the exhibit was liked
by three students, who otherwise
were quite skepucal of the show as
a whole. Considering further that
the exhibit is limited to graphic
works and is therefore less colorful
and more limited in display of tech-
niques so important to modern work,
it is gratifying that the reaction has
been so favorable on our campus.
Whether this is due more to the
progressiveness of Rice students or
the basic approval of modern art I
shall leave up to the individual to
decide. Certainly the show has been
appreciated by the student body,
and it is hoped that we may continue
to have excellent exhibits in the fu-
ture.
The Houston Symphony launched
its season Monday night with typi-
cal pomp. Numbers of Houston so-
ciety members entered grandly be-
neath the marquee, walked proudly
down the corridor, maintained in the
throng of onlookers in the lobby,
and as far as we could tell, joined
the throng themselves to observe the
rest of society enter.
Mr. Kurtz opened the program
with Wagner's "Rienzi Overture,"
and brought out all its flash and col-
or quite well. Then came Haydn's
8th symphony in which he gave an
improved string section a chance to
show that they have magnificent
tone as a group. Kurtz directed it
with a delicate and sensitive touch,
with a result that the audience went
out at intermission well pleased
with the orchestra and looking for-
ward to the climax of the evening
in Brahm's 2nd Symphony.
The Brahms, however, was dis-
appointing. The orchestra seemed
tired during most of the symphony
until the last movement, which they
rushed through as if in a desperate
hurry to get home? Isolated passag-
es seemed to suddenly come into fo-
cus beatuifully, but they did not
make up for the rest which seemed
muddled and listless. The handling
of the Haydn Symphony however
showed the great improvement of
(Continued on Page 8)
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, November 4, 1949, newspaper, November 4, 1949; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth230821/m1/2/: accessed May 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.