4 2A - Tuesday, September 29, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com MONDAY: In Other Ivory Towers WEDNESDAY: THURSDAY: FRIDAY: Campus Clubs Before You Were Here Photos of the Week 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com GARY GRACA DAN NEWMAN dita r in Chief BusinessManager 734-647-3336 734-764-ea5e graca@michsigandailyrcom tmdbsiness@gmnail.com Starting of a research university Anyone who has spent time on the Hill has most likely noticed the white dome peak- ing out between the Alice Lloyd and Couzens Residence Halls. However, few probably know they are looking at the first ever astronomical obser- vatory in Michigan. The Detroit Observatory, completed in 1854, was the center of University President Henry Philip Tappan's efforts to transform the Univer- sity into one of the country's original research universi- ties. According to the website of the University Lowbrow Astronomers, a student orga- nization comprised of about 90 amateur astronomers, Tap- pan had "a vision of the Uni- versity that included not only the traditional classical course but also a scientific course," and believed astronomy to be an integral part of this cur- riculum. The observatory was named in honor of a group of Detroit businessmen, who proved to be the most gener- ous donors once fundraising efforts began. According to Karen Wight, program coor- dinator for the Detroit Obser- vatory, the major motivation behind the businessmen's donation was their need for an accurate time standard to gov- ern Michigan train schedules. An observatory would help to create such a standard. Tappan himself traveled to Europe to purchase the instru- ments for the observatory. When he returned, however, he was dismayed to find that construction had begun at the corner of Observatory Street and Ann Street, which at the time was a half-mile from Central Campus. Wight said this spot was chosen because the real estate was "cheap and available." As it turns out, the unconventional location was a good choice, as many other universities who built obser- vatories on their central cam- puses ended up knocking them down and relocating off-cam- pus, a result of rising costs and demand for centrally located space. University astronomers continued to use the observa- tory until the 1950s, when its telescopes were considered old-fashioned and the lighyt pollution from the growing Ann Arbor provided less than ideal viewing conditions. According to Wight, while many minor discoveries had been made at the observatory, "1850s astronomy was not looking to revolutionize the world. They really wanted to verify Newton's understand- ing of the universe." Today, the building bears the distinction of being the oldest campus structure in its original and unaltered form. It is second only to the Presi- dent's House in age. Recently, the observatory has re-opened for observations and public visits, afterdecades of non-use following a 1998 restoration. The building is open to the public twice a month for tours, as well as for public viewing nights. According to Wight, these viewings are a "very rare event" and are always tenta- tively scheduled due to the tendency of clouds to roll in, "which," she says "in Michi- gan, they do every 10 minutes or so." -ALLIE WHITE CONTACT INFORMATION Newsroom t News Tips Corrections Letters to the Editor Photography Department Arts Section Editorial Page Sports Section Display Sales Classified Sales Online Sales OfficehoursSn.-Thurs.t11 .m. - 2a.. news@michigandaily.on correstions@michigandaily.com tothedaily@michigandaily.omn photeokmihigandaily.com arspae@nihiandaiy.con opinion@michigandaily.com sports@mihigandaiy.om disptay@michigarndaity.com classified@michigandaily.com nneads@icigandaiy.com The Detroit Observatory, located on the Hill, houses two large telescopes from the mid- 1800s. CRIME NOTES CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Driver arrested, Vehicles collide, Lecture on Job networking U.S. military officials have taken to jail no injuries Arabic works workshop proposed lifting a ban that J prevents women from serv- WHERE:1000 block Fuller St. WHERE: Medical Center WHAT: History Prof. Juan WHAT: Senior counselors Yao submarines ccordn WHEN: Saturday at about 6:25 WHEN: Sunday at about noon Cole will discuss the transla- will discuss career network- a icd f fight.ngi p.m. WHAT: Two vehicles were tions of writer Kahil Gibran's ingafor women. $1S for par- mlsorestr tefrom tg tgin WHAT: A subject was arrested involved in an accident, Univer- works and his influence on ticipants. for drunk driving,.University sity Police reported. There were the Arab Renaissance. WHO: Center for the Educa- report said. Finance finance@michigandaily.com EDITORIAL STAFF Courtney Ratkowiak Managing Editor ratkowiak@michigandaily.com Jacob SniloVitZ ManagingNtews Editor smilovitz@michigandaily.com SENIOR NEWS EDITORS: Matt Aaronson, Jillian Berman, Trevor Calero, Jenna Skoller, Kyle Swanson ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS: Nicole Aber, Mallory Jones, Emily Orley, Stephanie Steinberg,Eshwar Thirunavukkarasu Robert Soave Editorial Page Editor soave@michigandaily.com ASsOcIATEEDITORIALPAGEEDITORS:EmilyBarton,BrianFlaherty,RachelVanGilder ASSISTANT EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS: Emma Jeszke, Matthew Shuter Andy Reid Managing Sports Editor reid@michigandaily.com SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS: Nicole Auerbach, Mike Eisenstein, Ian Kay, Ruth Lincoln, Alex Prosperi ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS: Mark Burns, Chantel Jennings, Gjon Juncaj, Ryan Kartje, Chris Meszaros, Ryan Podges David Watnick ManagingArtsEditor watnick@michigandaily.com SENIORARTS EDITORS: Jamie Block, Brandon Conradis, Whitney Pow ASSISTANTARTSEDITORSJoshuasBayer,Carolyn Klarecki,AndrewLapin, DavidRiva Zachary Meisner and photo@michigandaily.com tlitReeder Masagingrhoot ditors SNIO POO EDITORSSadAsalaChanelVon Habsburg-Lothringen ASSISTANT PHOTOEDITORS:MaxCollins,ChrisDzombak,SamWolson AngelaChih and design@michigandaily.com MaureenStych ManagingDesign Editors SENIOR DESIGN EDITOR: Allison Ghaman Jessica Vosgerchian Magazine Editor vosgerchian@michigandaily.com Katherine Mitchell copychief mitchell@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE COPYCHIEF:Melanie Fried,Adi Wollstein BUSINESS STAFF Katie JozWiak sales Manager SALES FORCE MANAGER: Molly Twigg MARKETING MANAGER: Michael Schrotenboer Ryan Businski classified Manager CLASSIFIED ASSISTANT MANAGER: Kayla LaFata Ben English Production Manager Allison Santacreu Layout Manager Vivian LeeFinance Manager Brittany Morales Circulationnanager Brad Wiley Project coordinator The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter termsbystudentsattheUniversityof Michigan.Onecopyisavaiablefreeeof chargetoallreaders. AdditionacopiesmaybepickedupattheOaiysofficefortS2.Subscriptionsforfalterm,startingin Snr>teberviaU.S. malae$1Winterersm(Jenuaryen tougpri lis15,searlngSeptemn tihropril s$191. Univrsty tfiitenaiesujct t:anrduedsusciptionrate.Oncanpus ubsciptionsforfaltermare$35.iSubscriptihpsnust eprepaid.The Michigapp ipyaogr TheAssociatedPressand TheAssociatedCollegiatePress. Police reported. He was taken to Washtenaw County Jail. no injuries and both vehicles experienced minor damage. WHO: Department of Com- parative Literature WHEN: Today at 4 p.m. . nkownsubec WHERE: Wolverine R Michigan Union Broken window, found tres no suspects Funding for WHERE: South Quad er WHERE: Michigan Union WHEN: Saturday at about 1:25 internships WHEN: Sunday about 8:15 p.m. am. WHAT: A subject was found abroad .om, tion of Women WHEN: Today at 1p.m. WHERE: Center for the Education of Women, 330 E. Liberty CORRECTIONS . An editorial in yes- terday's edition of the Michigan Daily "A Smarter Loan System" inaccurately reported that the financial aid legislation passed the House on Thursday. It was actually passed last Thurs- day, Sept. 17. " Please report any error in the Daily to correc- tions@michigandaily.com. The only treatments available for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's dis- ease, only slow the effects of the disease, but can't reverse the damage. FoOR MORE, SEE OPINION PAGE 4A A third-party on Face- book.com created an application polling how many people think Presi- dent Barack Obama should be killed, according to CNN.com. The application was immedi- ately disabled, although the U.S. Secret Service is investi- gating the issue. WHAT: The exterior of a win- dow on the south side of the Union was broken, University Police reported. Maintenance was notified. trespassing near the front desk in South Quad, University Police reported. He was read trespass rights and escorted from the building. WHAT: Experts will dis- cuss funding options for international internships and research programs. WHO: International Center WHEN: Today at 12 p.m. WHERE: Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union More school: Obama would curtail summer vacation Obama says more time in school will boost grades, test scores WASHINGTON (AP) - Students beware: The summer vacation you just enjoyed could be sharply cur- tailed if President Barack Obama gets his way. Obama says American kids spend too littletime in school, putting them at a disadvantage with other students around the globe. "Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly pop- ular ideas," the president said earlier this year. "Not with Malia and Sasha, not in my family, and probably not in yours. But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom." The president, who has a sixth- grader and a third-grader, wants schools to add time to classes, to stay open late and to let kids in on week- ends so they have a safe place to go. "Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a recent inter- view with The Associated Press. Fifth-grader Nakany Camara is of two minds. She likes the four-week summer program at her school, Brookhaven Elementary School in Rockville, Md. Nakany enjoys seeing her friends there and thinks summer school helped boost her grades from two Cs to the honor roll. But she doesn't want a longer school day. "I would walk straight out the door," she said. Domonique Toombs felt the same way when she learned she would stay for an extra three hours each day in sixth grade at Boston's Clarence R. Edwards Middle School. "I was like, 'Wow, are you seri- ous?"' she said. "That's three more hours I won't be able to chill with my friends after school." Her school is part of a 3-year-old state initiative to add 300 hours of school time in nearly two dozen schools. Early results are positive. Even reluctant Domonique, who just started ninth grade, feels differently now. "I've learned a lot." she said. Does Obama want every kid to do these things? School until din- nertime? Summer school? And what about the idea that kids today are overscheduled and need more time to play? Obama and Duncan say kids in the United States need more school because kids in other nations have more school. "Young people in other countries are going to school 25, 30 percent longer than our students here," Dun- can told the AP. "I want to just level the playing field." While it is true that kids in many other countries have more school days, it's nottrue they all spend more time in school. Kids in the U.S. spend more hours in school (,146 instructional hours per year) than do kids in the Asian countries that persistently outscore the U.S. on math and science tests - Singapore (903), Taiwan (1,050), Japan (1,005) and HongKong(1,013). That is despite the fact that Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong have longer school years (190 to 201 days) than does the U.S. (180 days). Regardless, there is a strong case for adding time to the school day. Researcher Tom Loveless of the Brookings Institution looked at math scores in countries that added math instruction time. Scores rose significantly, especially in countries that added minutes to the day, rather than days to the year. "Ten minutes sounds trivial to a school day, but don't forget, these math periods in the U.S. average 45 minutes," Loveless said. "Percent- age-wise, that's a pretty healthy increase." In the U.S., there are many exam- ples of gains when time is added to the school day. Charter schools are known for having longer school days or weeks or years. For example, kids in the KIPP network of 82 charter schools across the country go to school from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., more than three hours longer than the typical day. They go to school every other Sat- urday and for three weeks in the summer. KIPP eighth-grade classes exceed their school district averages on state tests. In Massachusetts' expanded learning time initiative, early results indicate that kids in some schools do better on state tests than do kids at regular public schools. The extra time, which schools can add as hours or days, is for three things: core aca- demics - kids struggling in English, for example, get an extra English class; more time for teachers; and enrichment time for kids. Regular public schools are add- ing time, too, though it is optional and not usually part of the regular school day. Their calendar is pretty much set in stone. Most states set the minimum number of school days at 180 days, though a few require 175 to 179 days. Several schools are going year- round by shortening summer vaca- tion and lengthening other breaks. Many schools aregoingbeyondthe traditional summer school model, in which schools give remedial help to kids who flunked or fell behind. Summer is a crucial time for kids, especially poorer kids, because pov- erty is linked to problems that inter- fere with learning, such as hunger and less involvement by their par- ents. That makes poor children almost totally dependent on their learn- ing experience at school, said Karl Alexander, a sociology professor at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Univer- sity, home of the National Center for Summer Learning. Disadvantaged kids, on the whole, make no progress in the summer, Alexandersaid.Somestudiessuggest they actually fall back. Wealthier kids have parents who read to them, have strong language skills and go to great lengths to give them learn- ing opportunities such as computers, summer camp, vacations, music les- sons, or playingcon sports teams. 6 a