Seventy-First Year
EVrrIED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
"When Opinions Ate Fre UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Truth Will Z 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 he noted in all reprints.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1960 NIGHT EDITOR: SUSAN FARRELL
Rush- ad
or
Meanin I
Rushees Evaluate
Pros, Cons, Bids
By HARRY PERLSTADT.
Daily Staff Writer
AT TWO o'clock this afternoon the University's 44 fraternities will
open their doors, living rooms and refrigerators to the unaffiliated
men wishing to gain knowledge about fraternity life.
The rushees may visit any of the fraternity houses without invita-
tion during open houses this week; 2-5 and 7-9:30 today and 7-9:30
on Monday and Tuesday evenings. After going through the house,
the rushee will usually receive an invitation back to a smoker, lunch
or dinner at the fraternity house. The smokers begin on Tuesdays,
the luncheons on Wednesday and dinners on the second Monday of
rush.
As the week wears on, the rushee will find that he does not have
I
The Fraternity System
And the Individual
A FRATERNITY is not somethin'g crystallized'
it is a changing form which may be influ-
enced in at least five ways: By traditional no-
tions associated with fraternal living, by the
university and societal context in which the
fraternity operates, by past and present gen-
erations of fraternity men and by the individ-
ual who threads his way through the rush
ceremonies which officially begin today.
People often assume stasis where fraternities
are concerned and thus discussion degenerates
into a series of cliches, e.g., fraternities breed
conformity, fraternities breed leadership,
pledging is an individual decision, fraternities
develop a balanced educational experience for
someone, fraternities are integral to the educa-
tional process, fraternities are ritualistic rot.
IN ALL THESE declarations some truth may ,
exist; but those who make the declarations
seem to forget that such truth is fleeting, that
it changes as fraternities evolve, and most im-
portant, that tfie individual can actually in-
fluence that evolution.
Take a local fraternity case, for instance.
The house is labelled a "jock house" because
of a preponderance of athletes who have pledg-
ed in recent years. This being the case, several
conditions are gradually set up: First, a ma-
jority of the individuals rushing the house
tend to be athletes since "the word is out";
second, rushees who are competent in every-
thing but athletics are liable to pass the house
up; third, individuals in the house are forced
to somehow rearrange the internal emphasis
of the house and also seek out good men among
the non-athletic rushees; fourth, even if the
"athlete" complexion of the house begins to
change, the label remains for several years.
ANOTHER ambiguous condition, equally awk-
ward, prevails generally among fraternities.
Many houses are gradually attempting to
shake off the old "rah-rah, raccoon coat"
labels and replace them with the currently
more respectable label of "scholarship." But,
in fact, neither the "rah-rah" nor "scholastic"
labels are fully characteristic of either the
system or of various houses within the system.
What is often forgotten amidst the labels is
the impact the individual can have on a sys-
tem-be it the fraternity, the classroom, the
University, the general society. What is for-
gotten is that the burden of clarification or
the burden of change is so often on the in-
dividual. IFC President Jon Trost and Pan-
hellenic President Barbara Greenberg, for ex-
ample, are working hard to remold the local
system so that it is more meaningfully within
the confines of liberal education. Whether they
succeed will largely depend on other individ-
uals.
IN OTHER WORDS, one may assert some-
thing broader than simply "rushing and
pledging is an individual decision," true though
that sentence might be. One should further as-
sert that the future of the fraternity system
depends incredibly on the individual: The Pres-
ident of the University, the Dean of Men, the
President of IFC, the fraternity member, above
all, the kind of individuals who rush or do not
rush, who pledge or do not pledge.
Perhaps, in fact, the Interfraternity Council
should organize a "roundtable of individuals"
in the near future: Not individuals who wish
to sound off, but individuals who care to evalu-
ate the present condition and future direction
of the fraternity system.
-THOMAS HAYDEN
Editor
Extended Suffrage: Not Soon
AT THE CAMPUS:
Fateful
Pursuit
"AN EYE For an Eye" is a good
movie, extremely well done by
Andre Cayette, starring Curt Jur-
gens.
The development is somewhat
slow, the actors somewhat awk-
ward, but this should not bother
the American audience, for the
subtitles are there to help.
One rainy night, after a heavy
day, Dr. Walter was listening to a
Beirut concern over the radio,
when the phone rang.
The woman had a stomach ache
... Dr. Walter was too busy and
the woman went away . . . and
died in the hospital.
IN TIE MORNING, it seems to
be just another unfortunate thing
like those that happen every day,
but Dr. Walter is now in the hands
of Fate. Fate, which is personified
by the dead woman's husband, Mr.
Bartak; Fate. which spies, wan-
ders and finxally gets a hold on
Dr. Walter.
It is Fate that commands
What will tomorrow bring to me?
It is Fate's secret.
But Fate has no answer. Mr.
Bartak is silent, following him,
and Dr. Walter is intrigued. He
wants to find out. Find out what?
He is not, sure. Maybe by follow-
ing Mr. Bartak, he will find a cer-
tain peace of mind.
. .
TilE PROBLEM IS that while
follovig M . Bartak, thus obey-
ing his own impulse, Dr. Walter
is simply being led by the hand
to his destiny. And till the very
end of the pursuit, we can't know
who really has the upper hand.
But there is always a hope, and
by hoping, by asking, maybe to-
morrow will bring the answer and
a means to escape. There is al-
ways that hope-but Fate has a
law: "An eye for an eye."
Apart from the story itself,
there are some excellent elements:
the Syrian mountains, the Arabic
hamlets, the tanned calm faces
and the god-forsaken holes, far
from everything.
-Christiane Angeli
the time to visit all the houses he
visited during the smokers. "The
best way of breaking earlier dates
is to tell the rushing chairman of
the preferred house to break the
date at the other house for you,"
Robert Peterson, '61, rushing
chairman, said. "But don't be
pressured into breaking dates.
Break them onlyhwhen you really
want to break them." Meanwhile
the fraternities will be eliminating
rushees in "hash" meetings held
after the house closes for the
evening. The rushing chairman
will inform rushees that the fra-
ternity has broken the date.
* * * -
BY SATURDAY OF the first
week some of the houses will be
ready to extend bids to potential
pledges. Although Saturday is
often considered too early a date
to bid, many of the smaller
houses have already decided on
their pledge class and a few
houses are afraid to lose pledges
to other houses.
"Once a bid has been extended
it is good for the remainder of
the rushing period," Jonathan
Trost, '61, IFC President, said.
"The bid rushee does not have
to accept the bid on the spot, and
may visit other houses in an at-
tempt to secure other bids. The
original bid, however, is still valid
if the rushee chooses to accept it
before the end of the rushing per-
iod."
* * *.
RUSHING IS coordinated by
/the Interfraternity Council. The
IFC is responsible for publicizing
fraternity rush, the mass rush
meeting, getting a list of the rush-
ees and checking on possible viola-
tions of the rushing bylaws.
The main purpose of the IFC
during the rushing period is to ad-
vise the rushees on rushing pro-
cedure and what to look for in a
fraternity. They urge the rushee
to inquire about the academic,
athletic and social aspects of the
fraternity. They point out the ad-
vantages of living in a small liv-
ing unit and making close friends
of people with similar interests.
They usually avoid other perti-
nent questions such as undercover
drinking, the "fine" system, and
the extraordinary pressures on the
member as far as athletics, activi-
ties, and dating are concerned.
Of course, the fraternities could
ask the rushee if he plans to live
in the house for the remainder of
his university career or move out
into the apartment after the soph-
omore year. Does the rushee really
want to participate in the "Greek
Way of Life" or does he want
honor and prestige? Often the an-
swers to these questions come after
the decision to pledge or not has
been made.
* * *'
UNLIKE THE SORORITY sys-
tem, the IFC has nothing to do
with giving out bids. The first
time that the IFC learns who has
pledged what fraternity is when
the fraternity president hands in
the filled out bid cards and a list
of the complete pledge class. The
cards and the lists are available
on Wednesday of the second week
but are not due back at the IFC
office until the following Monday.
The freedom which the frater-
nity and the rushee have in the
matter of bidding often has cha-
otic results. The fraternities are
eager to get the best rushees for
their house and are willing to get
a "hot" rushee into the fold as
soon as possible. This leads to
mass early bidding, most of which
is done on Friday of the first
week of rush.
THIS YEAR, as in past years,
the IFC was and is determined to
change the rushing system. But a
proposal to curb early bidding
failed and the possibility of early
bids and dirty rush increases with
each setback. The last time the
IFC made a thorough study of
rush was back in 1956. The possi-
bilities of delayed rush and pledg-
ing were included. Apparently
these ideas have not been totally
considered. The main arguments
against these proposals were that
the rushee has a certain anxiety
to rush and pledge a fraternity
and that delaying this would
frustrate the rushees and hinder
their University adjustment.
The fraternities, on the other
hand, often need the income from
pledge dues and initiation fees to
carry their house through another
year. Also the rushee would re-
ceive "biased" information on cer-
tain fraternities or get a distorted
view of the system because of
the frequent publicity which a, few
houses get. The problem of keep-
ing the fraternity men from con-
tacting potential rushees and in-
fluencing them arises.
* * *
THE ADVANTAGES of defer-
ring either rush or pledging are
that the rushee would be "adjust-
ed" to the University, have an
idea about his academic standing
and a better idea of what the fra-
ternities on campus actually do
and contribute to the University
as a whole. The rushee would
then be able to choose a frater-
nity on a more concrete basis.
It appears that if the fraternity
system does not change its rush-
ing procedure, early bidding and
dirty rush will become more and
more common place.
The IFC has followed the Pla-
tonic ideal that through rushee
education the problems of rush
will be lessened. However, the fra-
ternities are far from being the
individual utopias which such a
system would demand. The prob-
lem must be looked into once
again and this time a workable
solution reached.
ALTHOUGH interest in the 18-year-old vote
has increased from the dormancy of non-
election year, the question remains: what will
be accomplished in this area in the near
future? The forces acting both for and against
the proposal must be examined and evaluated.
One fact seems certain - the future of the
lowered voting age limit will not rest on the
weight and logic of one side's argument or on
the "inherent moral right" of either position.
Both sides have justifiable and rational argu-
ments to support their positions, and believe
in them,
The forces and attitudes present in our
society will be the crucial factors in deter-
mining the future of the 18 year-year-old vote.
For these elements will be the major stimuli
of the uncommitted masses and will deter-
mine their direction.
'FIRST, one finds the student movement -.
questionable in power and nationwide organiza-
tion, its influence in the Southern sit-ins can-
not be underestimated. It is a potentially
effective force which could greatly aid the
cause of the 18-year-old vote, should it receive
a "mandate from youth" and a definite sense
of direction,
Next, one finds that voting restrictions are
being decreased rather than increased in most
states. The national trend is toward the exten-
sion of suffrage, and this philosophy will prove
useful in aiding the movement.
A third factor which perhaps summarizes
the two previous attitudes is the rise of
liberalism among the nation as a whole. The
United States is more inclined than ever to
accept the liberal viewpoint. Included in this
outlook is the general acceptance of today's
youth as basically more intelligent than pre-
vious generations.
Spols System
SGC has been in the market for a nickel-coke
machine for the SAB. It hasn't been able to
get one.
Last night, it was announced members may
buy nickel cokes at meetings from cases spe-
cially obtained,
To the victors belong the spoils.
-SHERMAN
Editorial Staff
THOMAS HAYDEN, Editor
NAN MARKEL JEAN SPENCER
City Editor Editorial Director
JUDITH DONER ....,............Personnel Director
THOMAS KABAKER ,............. Magazine Editor
THOMAS WITECKI ....... ... ......... Sports Editor
K~ENNETH MoELDOWNEY .. .. Associate City Editor
KATHLEEN MOORE .Associate EditorialDirector
HAROLD APPLEBAUM........ Associate Sports Editor,
MICHAEL GILLMAN........Associate Sports Editor
This may be due to the increasing level
of public education or simply to the liberal
view that the species is intellectually improving
with time. Whether this assumption on the part
of the American public is justified or not, it
appears to exist.
7J7HIS abstract liberal viewpoint would not
be important in its own right, for it is
embraced by many who do not care one way
or the other about extension of the ballot,
but coupled with other factors which could
provide the necessary impetus, it may prove
very potent.
ON THE CON side of the proposition there
are also important forces and attitudes
supporting its arguments.
The forces of change are slow, even more
so when a group without power attempts to
influence the group holding such power to
grant it to them. This is the barrier the 18-21
yearold faction faces at present. It is indeed
a formidable hurdle.
The rationale of those opposed to lowering
the voting age requirement appears justified
to them. And their beliefs will be strongly
impressed on the nation should the question
become one of wide national concern. Their
attitudes will affect the uncommitted, tradi-
tionally hard to convince to change the status
quo, despite the rise of liberalism.
The time for change is closer than ever
before. The trends appear to show this. The
18-year-old cannot forever be kept from voting
in the majority of these United States. But
the next 10 years, envisioned as a period of
great change in this country, will probably not
see the passage of legislation granting suff-
rage to the 18-21 group. The elements against
the proposition are strong. They will fail
to respond to the pleas of those supporting
the proposition.
THE FAULT, however, does not lie entirely
upon the opponents in the "voting group",
but upon the passive and unconcerned attitude
of many of those excluded from voting by age.
There are those who have once fought and
argued fervently for the right to vote. But
beaten and discouraged by previous indiffer-
ence, they too have become passive and
dejected. The opposition from many of the 18-
21 age element has been most disheartening
to those actively interested in obtaining suff-
rage. The opposition has come largely from
some of the more intelligent members of that
age, also.
There are, then, two attitudes within the
18-21 age group which are opposed to obtaining
suffrage at the earlier level. First, those op-
posed in principle and secondly, those once
active but now indifferent and too aware
of earlier failures to help the new crusade.
THIS IS probably the greatest factor prevent-
ing the extension of suffrage to the 18-
year-old, and added to the other opposing
fnrces. the nrnnnsl seems dnnmed for at least
selection practices for organizations
did not touch on the activities
of groups already enjoying recog-
nition status.
THE REGULATION adopted by
the Council reads: "All recognized
student organizations shall select
membership and afford oppor-
tunities to members on the basis
of personal merit and not race,
color, religion, creed, national
origin or ancestry."
The immediate effects of this
changed climate on rush may be
an increase in the numbers of
Negroes rushing, and in the
number of Jews rushing primarily
non-Jewish houses.
An SGC committee on discrim-
inatory membership practices in
student organizations is in the
formative stages, and will arbi-
trate cases where violations of
the regulation is charged. In the
words of the rule, it "receives
evidence and personal complaints
of violation".
s S *
ORGANIZATIONS which are
found by the committee to violate
the regulations may then be placed
in a category of "special recog-
nition", which obliges them to
"work through all possible chan-
nels and with all possible speed
in order to bring their organiza-
tion into full accord with the
Council regulation. In particular,
it must report semesterly to and
work in conjunction with the duly
appointed Council agency."
The kinds of evidence enumerat-
ed fall into two points of Univer-
sity concern: first, that the or-
ganization does not discriminate,
and second, that the organization
is under no external pressure or
influence to do so.
Fraternities which appear most
likely to come under the commit-
tee's scrutiny in the near future
are Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu and
Alpha Tau Omega - all of which
have discriminatory clauses writ-
ten into their constitutions. In
granting recognition, SOC is sub-
mitted a copy of the constitution,
which must meet its recognition
standards. Under the new regula-
tion, these three organizations
clearly do not meet these stan-
dards, although last year their
status was unclear.
Besides this kind of constitu-
tional restriction on discrimina-
tory bases, several University
fraternities allegedly employ "hid-
den" restrictions -- part of the
fraternity ritualor bylaws which
implies discrimination on now-
illegal bases.
* 4,*
THERE SEEMS LITTLE ques-
tion that participation in rush
will be affected by the new regu-
lation and the widespread con-
sideration of it taking place on
the campus. The local NAACP
distributed a letter to Negro men
on campus last week, informing
them of some of the implications
of the ruling.
It reads in part, "We of the
NAACP are of course concerned
with the matter, and we feel that
we have certain responsibilities
in this situation.
The central point of the letter
is as follows: "Very few Negroes
have ever rushed non-Negro fra-
ternities on this campus. The new
policy which has been adopted
will be meaningless if Negroes do
not take an interest in non-Negro
groups. The fraternities for their
part are questioning their posi-
tion, and many of their leaders
will stand behind the new policy
and work for the acceptance of
seeking recognition, but the rules
LETERS
to the
EDITOR
Band Stand ..*
To The Editor:
IN RESPONSE to the letter to
the editor which was published
in the September 30th edition of
The Michigan Daily I have sev-
eral points to bring to the atten-
tion of Mr. Krachenberg and Mr.
Zeff concerning The University
of Michigan Marching Band.
First of all it seems as though the
two previously named persons were
the only two people in the entire
University of Michigan Stadium
who disapproved of the selections
and marching ability of the so-
called "Michigan Prancing Band,"
by the reaction and tremendous
acclaim given to the band for its
outstanding performance,
Next I ask what other band, or
orchestra, have you heard that
can play Gershwin like the Michi-
gan Band, even without marching
or "prancing." What other band
anywhere can dance like the
Michigan band and inspire like
the Michigan marching band?
ANY BAND anywhere can come
up with a rendition of Marches
by Sousa, Goldman, Alford, and
the rest. By the way, what would
you call the "Victors" and 'Var-
sity," if not marches?
Anyone who could be so "la-
mentably uninspired" by the
Michigan Band's performance last
week must be pretty dull and un-
inspireds to begin with.
And you say you want the brass
and percussion sections to go wild,
what would you presumably call
the demonstration put on by the
percussion section last week, which
if I recall correctly had to be
played twice because it was liked
so well?
Let's face facts, any time you
can find a marching band as
versatile and inspiring as the Uni-
versity of Michigan Marching
Band, you- have really accomp-
lished something,
Douglas C. Roach, '64
DAILY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
The Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of The Univer-
sity of Michigan for which The
Michigan Daily assumes no editorial
responsibility. Notices should be
sent in TYPEWRITTEN form to
Room 3519 Administration Building,
before 2 p.m. two days preceding
publication.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2
General Notices
Regents' Meeting: Fri., Oct. 28. Com-
munications for consideration at this
mneeting must be in the President's
hands not later than October 18.
Faculty Meeting-College of Litera-
ture, Science and the Arts will be held
on Mon., Oct. 3, at 410 p.m., in An-
gell Hal Aud. A.
University Faculty and Staff Meeting.
President Hatcher will give his annual
"State of the University" address on
Mon., Oct. 3, at 8:00 p.m., In the Rack-
ham lecture Hall. All staff members and
their wives are invited. In addition to
the five distinguished Faculty Achieve-
ment Awards, four Distinguised Serv-
Ice Awards for Instructors and Assist-
ant Professors will be presented for the
first time. A reception will be held in
SGC Regulation
Tests 'Good Faith'
By JEAN SPENCER
Editorial Director
MEMBERS of University fraternity chapters - and perhaps to a
lesser extent the campus community - will be sharply aware
during the coming week of a strong new influence 'on rushing
activities.
The core of this new awareness is that this is the first rush
period under last May's SOC regulation, which effectively defines
bases which may be used in membership selection and outlaws arbitrary
criteria.
Formerly, University regulations precluded biased 'membership
)I
4I
I
"WhichDid You Say Are The New Nations?"
} 4
4v6
17--
--/
g ~
A
A
I