Sixty-Ninth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
"When Opinions Are Free UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Truth Will Prevail" STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG. ' ANN ARBOR, MICH. *-Phone No 2-3241
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
The
Physical
Residence Halls Miss
Goals of Michigan Plan
Y, MAY 3, 1959
NIGHT EDITOR: PETER DAWSON
(Continued from Page 1)
In Lansing and Ann Arbor:t
Real Story Confused
HE UNIVERSITY administration has been failed to supply a payment to meet the Uni-
put in a difficult position by the current versity's end of May payroll.
financial crisis. The state Legislature must be It seems inconceivable that the administra-
made to think that the University is in the tion, which is at the same time telling the
worst of all possible financial conditions. At the faculty they will be paid, has not drafted a plan
same time administrators at home must make of action in the event the University's, rather
the faculty believe that things aren't entirely than the State's, resources must be used to
bad and paychecks will be sent regularly. keep this promise.
The dilemma of the administration, then, E BEST OF ALL possible administrators,
is to please everyone, to cry "wolf" in Lansing TH BET OF
ad"optimism" at home, In this best of' all who "ooze optimism locally at every oppor-
and " optimismisagesthing. tunity, should certainly have a plan drafted to
possible universities, optimism is a good thing' make this work. A moral consideration enters
The administration is still walking well on both here too.I h nvr sideraintev
sides of the line. An example will suffice to point here too. If the University does li fact have
up the effectiveness of this procedure. the resources to meet another payroll, it should
inform the state of this fact. This will enable
'We have lost some of our top faculty people," the all-too-scarce state cash to go for the most
one said in Lansing. serious crisis in Michigan, meeting welfare pay-
"There is not a rise in the number of people ments and hospital expenses of the indigent.
leaving but there have been more offers to our It appears to be about time the real story of
top people," another said in Ann Arbor. the University's financial crisis was told all
over. There seems to be a sufficient reason for
PERHAPS the most interesting result of the the best of all possible administrations to
the financial crisis has to dG with the future, decide what the situation really is, and to re-
Administrators claim there has been no "official port it honestly and consistently.
discussion" of what would be done if the state -ROBERT JUNKER
The Bord and the Bowl
OPPORTUNITIES, DIVERSIONS:
Study Conditions in- Fraternities
men need social contacts with up-
perclassmen and that to put the
new students in separate housing
would deprive them of their op-
portunities to gain from older,
more experienced contemporaries.
The argument has some validity
but with the present program
there aren't too many upperclass-
men anyway. 'They can hardly
wait to get away from the fresh-
man and the rules he engenders.
* * *
BESIDES, the advantages to be
gained for upperclassmen out-
weigh the possible deficiencies of
the freshmen who would also gain
by being exposed to a higher con-
centration of staff people.
In the long run the freshman
would be more inclined to re-
main in the system with a more
liberal future in prospect and
would reap the benefits of a resi-
dence hall system that would,
serve more students better and
create an atmosphere conducive
to a well-rounded university edu-
cation. The system would then be
a definite contribution to the edu-
cational experience, in fact would
be a large part of that experience.
Most of the residence halls do
have definite programs to promote
educational growth to some ex-
tent. One, for example, has a lim-
ited faculty-guest program in
which the house invited profes-
DURING the three-day Big Ten Conference
beginning May 21, Michigan will vote on
whether it wants to continue the Rose Bowl
contract.
Casting Michigan's single vote will be Prof.
Marcus B. Plant, whose official title is Faculty
Representative to the Intercollegiate Confer-
ence on Athletics.,.
Contrary to the implications of his title,
Prof. Plant does not represent University faculty
opinion as such. Since the University's Ad-
ministrative-faculty-student-alumni Board in
Control of Intercollegiate Athletics was given
jurisdiction over the Intercollegiate Athletic
program by the Regents, he reflects its opinion.
The Board has already decided in favor of
participation in the Bowl. From this it would
seem that the issue is settled and Michigan's
position has been taken. But the Faculty Sen-
ate has called a special meeting May 18 to dis-
cuss the issue and Student Government Council
will take a referendum within the next two
weeks to poll student opinion on the problem.
JUST WHAT practical effect such recommen-
dations will have, on University athletic
policy is not clear. Under the Regents' By-laws,
the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics
receives recommendations from the Faculty
Senate Advisory Committee and any expres-
sions of student opinion. But what should hap-
pen to such advice from there is conspicuously
absent from the by-laws.
It seems, then, that whether the faculty's
and students' opinions carry any weight is en-
tirely up to the Board. If their decisions should
run contrary to the Board's, it would have to
decide either to pass them off with a shrug or
meet again to reconsider its decision.
The whole situation seems a bit confused,
but if six Big Ten schools vote against the
Bowl as they have indicated they will, it won't
really matter anyway. No team from this part
of the country will go to the Rose Bowl.
--JEAN HARTWIG
By JAMES BOW
Daily Staff Writer
IN THE beginning there were no
fraternities on the University
campus. Nor were there cavernous
libraries with elevators, electric
lights and cigarette machines.
The Athens of the Midwest in
the ninteenth century was a farm
town, and students helped pay ex-
penses by working in the fields in-
stead of in laboratories. North
Campus was a forest and the Uni-
versity stadium was pasture land.
Under the administration of
President James Angell the Uni-
versity embellished its intellectual
environment with new buildings.
Tappan Hall and the Economics
Building are the last vestiges of
the period, unsentimentally call-
ed "the fire house school of archi-
tecture."
TODAY, Hill Auditorium and
the General Library, Angell Hall
and North Campus illustrate the
variety of cultural opportunities
at the University. Housing units
have their own study rooms and
libraries, which, theoretically at
least, further the pursuit of knowl-
edge.
Studying is left up to the in-
dividual, even if other individuals
in the next room may prefer
stereophonic sound. And students
forsake the luxury of their own
study rooms for the congenial quiet
of the libraries.
One freshman, faced with the
opportunity of his own study room
in a fraternity, thought he would
still choose the libraries. On the
other rand, a sophomore fraternity
member compared the evening
hours in his house to a morgue.
"Everybody who wants to make
noise leaves the house."
"Most fraternities have quiet
hours for studying," Jim Martens,
'60, Interfraternity Council presi-
dent, pointed out. "The comments
that one can't study in a fraternity
are very untrue."
But in spite of modern innova-
tions and a campus of 23,000 stu-
dents, the University possesses
some reminders of earlier days.
These vestiges of the past are not
easily seen but they are integral
in the lives of many students.
* * *
THE SMALL living unit - the
fraternity, sorority or cooperative
house-is a reminder that the Uni-
versity itself once was small, that
professors as well as every stu-
dent used to recognize one another
when they met on campus. Co-
operative housing is reminiscent
of traditional college rooming
houses, in which students waited
table and stoked the furnace. And
the problems of fraternities and
sororities are not new; their early
days saw opposition from the
faculty and administration.
Thus, with some 25 libraries on
campus, studying is a matter of
choice. Small housing units pre-
sent many diversions from the
study desk, and at the same time
seek to develop the traditional cul-
tural opportunity of small discus-
sion groups.
AT HILL AUDITORIUM:
Festival Concert Fresh, Delightful
sors to break bread with students
of the professor or students who
are interested in a particular field
of study.
* *
PROGRAMS, of this sort, if
handled correctly, add much to
the education and social growth
of students and should be encour-
aged. They not always are.
Similarly programs of films de-
picting social life in other coun-
tries, political conditions, histori-
cal facts, art forms and practi-
tioners, and documentaries are
first-rate horizon -broadeners, for
residents. Several programs of this
sort have been instituted and are
well attended.
Another crucial facet of insti-
tutional living is the quality of
study conditions. They are not of
the best in the University's resi-
dence halls. Acoustics are quite
good, too good in fact, and it's
easy to be distracted if one's
neighbor, on the other side of ex-
tremely good sound-conducting
walls, has the dry heaves or plays
Stan Kenton too loud. Study halls
are available in most houses but
are somewhat underused except
during final exams.
* * *
IT SHOULD be pointed out that
fraternities offer little better study
conditions and the Undergraduate
Library absorbs much overflow of
exam-worried Greeks as well as
residence hall scholars. Apart-
ment dwellers can, of course, have
a greater influence over their
study situation. Unfortunately
there areneighbors in apartments
too .The easily distracted student
is not in the best of all possible
worlds.
Part of the difficulty could
probably be alleviated by upper-
class housing. The arbitrary, staff-
developed, sometimes - enforced,
sometimes-not quiet hours invite
violations whenever the chance
arises. With more mature students
and mutual, student-defined study
rules less pressure for rebellion
and more pressure for considera-
tion of others would be generated.
Would Discourage
The freshmen houses would, on
the other hand, be slightly higher
in staff concentration and this
would discourage the rambunc-
tious underclassman from venting
his spleen by slamming doors, and
yelling down the hallway.
It is obvious then, that the full
potential of the Michigan House
Plan has not been realized. Opin-
ions differ on the extent to which
it has been achieved, but it's plain
that improvements are needed de-
spite any measure of success
which may have been achieved so
far.
a
U N N ACKNEYED orchestral
works in brilliant performance
by Ormandy and the Philadelphia
Orchestra and some fine singing
by Dorothy Kirsten lent Saturday
evening's May Festival concert an
appropriately fresh and spring-
like character.
Purist considerations aside, the
Bach "Chaconne" has always
seemed mostcompelling in its
original form for solo violin, al-
though the elaborate but tasteful
transcription for full orchestra
which opened the program served
to effectively highlight inner voices
not obvious in the monochromatic
texture of violin performance.
Louis Gesenway's orchestration
provided a showpiece for the noted
woodwinds and strings of the
Philadelphia group.
Miss Kirsten has a lyric soprano
voice to match her cool blonde
good looks. Though not of a size
necessary for greatest effect in the
operatic repertoire, Kirsten's voice
has an unfailing accuracy of pitch
with a distinctive reedy quality
and is exceptionally well-focused.
Her interpretations of the major
arias from Puccini's Tosca and
Charpentier's Louise were beauti-
fully vocalized, but did little to
suggest any difference between tpe
passionate Latin inamorata and
the Parisian seamstress whose
temperament is nearest Miss Kirs-
ten's own.
Prokofiev's Seventh Symphony,
has been regarded by some as
Exhibit A in the realm of politi-
cally approved contemporary Rus-
sian music. It manifests its com-
poser's affinity for mordant, bit-
ter-sweet lyricism in a relatively
well-mannered and diluted fashion
and has a seemingly deliberate
triteness of thematic material,
particularly in the final movement.
This work, which is perhaps more
tongue-in-cheek than the "Clas-
sical" Symphony, was given a
superlative reading by the orches-
tra, though it would lend itself
to a more introverted approach.
** *
THREE pleasing songs by Hn
del, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Landon
Ronald completed Miss Kirsten's
scheduled offerings. Her exquisite
though small-scaled legato sing-
ing made "Care Selve" from Han-
del's Atalanta and the Russian
"Nightingale and the Rose" truly
lovely, with a particularly haunt-
ing effect achieved in unaccom-
panied passages of the latter song.
Miss Kirsten's encore "Un bel di"
from Butterfly, was sung with
gratifying attention to vocal clar-
ity and characterization. Only in
the climactic passage did her voice
prove inadequate a
Roussel's pungent and unique
blend of French impressionism and
Russian barbarity, as exemplified
in the Second Suite from the
ballet "Bacchus et Ariane," is
eminently suited to the talents of
the Philadelphians. This was from
the top-drawer of orchestral per-
formances, with Ormandy holding
the coruscant masses of sound in
complete control.
-John McLaughlin
I
OFFEE.. .BLACK By Richard Taub
Secrecy in the Senate'
ONE FUNDAMENTAL belief of those wh~o put
out a newspaper is that information is good
--that an informed public or an informed soci-
ety will be a more successful one than that in
which people do not know what is happening.
Whether explicit or not, this is also the
fundamental principle of those connected with
a University. For the University is devoted to
the advancement and dissemination of infor-
mation about the world we live in; the theory
being that this increase in information might
somehow make the world a better place, if
man can restrain his more traditional impulses.
Yet, many faculty members seem to deny this
very value, that of free information and public
discussion, in their own community. Their
actions are marked by a curious reticence about
letting the world know what they are doing.
Examples are numerous.
AST MONDAY, the Faculty Senate spoke out
vigorously against loyalty oath requirements
in National Defense Education Act scholarships.
The action is commendable, as have been other
faculty statements this year, since for the first
time in a long while the group is beginning to
speak up vigorously.
But by holding the meeting secretly, the
faculty deprived the campus community of
hearing vigorous discussion with keen insights
concerning this particular problem. Such a
public discussion would have helped the com-
munity greatly to understand the peculiar and
sometimes sensitive position of a university in
our society.
A Senate committee also reportedon the
problems of increased size of the University,
but alas, not at all for public edification. It
might surprise faculty members, but there are
many students and other members of this com-
munity, who have thought about this problem
quite deeply and for whom additional infor-
mation would be quite valuable.
HE SENATE passed up the opportunity to
promote public discussion and an informed
community, in an area where such discussion
might have accomplished a great deal.
Ironically, many of the faculty members
supporting this secrecy are the same ones who
vigorously oppose "over-classification" of gov-
ernment information, and the deplorable lack
of information available to the public about
specific government operations.
"Playing it close to the vest," is not only a
idiocy almost anywhere, but even more ridicu-
lous in a University community.
The final result is two-fold. One, the com-
mittee is in the position of "springing" the
results and plans on an unprepared community,
which may react strongly simply because of the
novelty of the idea.
SECOND, the committee may have deprived
itself of many good ideas from students or
even other faculty members. There is just a
general fear of reporting tentative conclusions.
Part of this is probably a result of general
faculty processes - for researchers are fre-
quently afraid to report tentative conclusions
or lines of research, for fear they will be dis-
credited or perhaps plagiarized.
There is also the fear that the public would
begin to criticize something which is merely
tentative, a possible consideration, or a future
dead-end.
Yet, frequently public discussion, even that
which attacks tentative conclusions may be
valuable. It may show a new line of approach
to a problem, it may point up new obstacles,
and at the very least it might prepare the
public for the eventual decision, thereby avoid-
ing the sudden and often deadly reaction.
MORE IMPORTANT, perhaps, such action
would encourage discussion of University
problems, discussion which does need much
more stimulation. We have a feeling that if
enough people are discussing certain difficulties
of the University, things are going to get better
before they get worse.
There probably is some genuine faculty doubt
about the quality of discussion its deliberations
might lead to. This is part of a general faculty
problem on this campus, at least in the literary
college.
Many faculty members under-rate the intel-
lectual capacity of the undergraduate student.
Of course, those that do, fail to see what value
there would be in undergraduate comment.
They might be surprised, especially if the right
students are utilized.
THERE IS even additional value in the com-
ments and opinions of the undergraduates.
For the faculty member does have a limited
viewpoint. He may make tests, studies, evalua-
tions; but he still does not know what it is like,
no matter how recently he has done it, to sit
on the other side of the lecturn.
Students will always see things faculty mem-
ha,.e d non il nmAtimP-, +h~ an. birP +.o
Senimore Says -0-0-0
AFTERNOON CONCERT:
Thomson Works 'Weary'
THE AUDIENCE was given three
special treats on Saturday af-
ternoon's May Festival Concert:
William Kincaid's excellent flute
playing, the premiere performance
of Virgil Thomson's "Fugues and
Cantilenas from the United Na-
tions film Power among Men," and
the rarely heard Dvorak "D Major
Symphony, Opus 60."
William Kincaid is the grand old
man of the flute. His playing is
legendary. Except for the first
movement of Thomson's "Flute
Concerto" there was very little dis-
tinguished music for Mr. Kincaid
-Daily-Denny Leland
INDEPENDENCE!"
"FROM THE PATERNAL.. . TO THE FRATERNAL ... TO REAL'
TOWN AND GOWN:
City, University Closely Bound Together
By THOMAS TURNER
Daily Staff Writer
"ANN ARBOR, Research Center
of the Midwest," proclaim the
signs at the approaches to the city.
The research facilities referred
to are of codrse those of the Uni-
versity. Perhaps no adequate gauge
of the extent to which the Uni-
versity dominates the city in other
ways could be made, but Chamber
of Commerce publicity may be
helpful.
Other Ann Arbor advantages
the publicity stresses are the hos-
pital facilities, which the 856-bed
University Hospital dominates;
the cultural activity, in which the
University's May Fertival, Concert
Series, Platform Attractions, Dra-
ma Season bulk large; and recrea-
tion, with the University's athletic
department providing almost all
spectator sports.
Lest it be concluded this domi-
nance by the University is super-
ficial, it is necessary to look at
some statistics.
A recent estimate set Ann Ar-
bor's population at 64,500, of
which annnximatelv 20.000 were
Arbor's living costs are as high as
any of the country. To some ex-
tent, this is the result of the high
percentage of professional people
the University employs here. And
in one sense it is an asset to the
community. But at the same time
it is a handicap to these faculty
members and others, as they at-
tempt to make ends meet, shop-
ping in Ann Arbor stores, buying
property here.
The students of the University
have also to contend with the
prices prevailing here. About 1/3
live in non-University housing-
the number has been estimated
around 7,000 to 7,500 and the
majority of them shop out and
cook their own food.
These students living in rented
rooms and apartments are of
course an important source of in-
come to the city's landlords. As
the University grows, the cur-
rently - loose housing situation
seems likely to tighten up, for
there are only a certain number
of houses near campus convertible
to multiple dwellings.
Whether rents will rise greatly
cussed in the past, never com-
pletely resolved.
A glance down any commercial
street near campus reveals as
many men's and women's cloth-
ing stores as the whole down-town
area. These stores, (and the book-
stores, in a sense), are a benefit
reaped by the non-University resi-
dent of the city, for without stu-
dents to support these stores his
choice of places to shop would be
severely crimped.
For the future, the close ties be-
tween town and gown promise both
advantages and disadvantages.
The University's growth will fur-
ther alter the face of the city, and
require continued close work with
city officials to ensure minimizing
of conflict. But the advantages to
the city are many,
to play, but when he played it was
real magic.
The premier of Virgil Thomson's
"Fugues and pantilenas" was very,
disappointing. Perhaps this is good
music for the film, but it is dull as
a concert suite. This is surprising,
particularly since Mr. Thomson's
excellent score for the film "Louis-
anna Story" made very engaging
concert music.
The third Thomson work was
"The Seine at Night." This is a
picture postcard of the noble
French river. Perhaps a good pic-
ture postcard, but weary music.
* * *
VIRGIL THOMSON is the "mod-
ern American composer" for this
year's May Festival. Mr. Thomson
may be modern but this music is
not. It is a collection of hackneyed
19th century cliches which, on oc-
casion, are put together in a dis-
tinguished fashion.
This kind of "modern music" is
what one has come to expect from
the May Festival. Prokofiev, Ravel,
Vaughan Williams, etc.,, are all
dead, and their music is as familiar
in concert as that of Brahms. The
argument presented by musical
enterpreneurs is that "modern
music" does not sell, audiences go
to concerts to hear Brahms and
Tchaikovsky.
As proof that people don't like
modern music," we are told "the
Thursday night May Festival con
cert is always sold out and people
like Brahms."
* * *
WITH ALL due respect to
Brahms, Rudolf Serkin, and the
Philadelphia Orchestra, the reason
that Thursday night sells out is
because everyone goes to opening
nights and because it is always.
more of a circus than a concert.
More important however, Hill
Auditorium is sparsely populated
when "modern/ music" is played
because it is not really modern
music. It is the music of composers
who are trying to write with ma-
terial everyone has heard over and
.
t
,.~