THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1950.
.4
L Declines
Aompulsory
J. S. History
AIDS FORGOTTEN MEN:
Primrose's Solo Work
Lends Boost to Violists
ASSOCIATED PRESS PICTURE NEWS
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Although many universities and
colleges now require the study
of American history for gradua-;
tion, University officials here do
not favor such a requirement
The officials interpreted the re-
sults of a recent New York Times
survey of history courses in 1301
institutions.1
*.*.*
THE SURVEY shows a big jump
In the number of universities and
Folleges requiring United States
history. At present, 34 percent of
all institutions require such a
course, while only 18 percent had
the requirement in 1942, the date
of the last Times survey on the
subject.
And the number of educators
who favored a compulsory his-
tory course also increased from
51 percent to 62 percent during,
Sthe eight year period, the survey
indicated.
To University faculty men the
trend emphasizing American his-
tory courses was part of the new-
ly developed interest in American
culture, first noticed about 10
years ago.
* * *
"A NEW INTEREST in things
American began shortly before the
war when our long accepted val-
ues were being challenged by the
rise of fascism. Though it was in
part a reaction against the criti-
cal challenges of the twenties, the
general trend was emphasized dur-
Ing the war," Prof. Joe L. Davis,
an authority on American litera-
ture, said.
Prof. Karl Litzenberg, chair-
man of the literary college cur-
riculum committee, could see no
emphasis on American culture
developing within the curricu-
lum here.
He pointed out that some of the
newly developed area programs,
for example the American civil-
ization program, indicate only
a trend away from highly special-
"Uied studies. The attempt is to
supply breadth as well as depth,
he said.
HE QUESTIONED w h e t h e r
American history should be re-
quired under the present system,
but suggested it might be if the:
college had a core curriculum of
certain required courses.
Prof. Benjamin W. Wheeler,
of the history department, sawI
a danger in arbitrarily requiring
all students in all colleges to take
history courses.
"A legislated history require-
ment might possibly lead to res-I
triction of the kind of history and
the way it is taught with regu-
lation through police power," he
said.
BUT PROF. WHEELER did
think that some approach to
American problems was valuable.
"Personally I think history is the
best way to provide that approach,
but there are other ways." And
he felt the choice should be left
to the student.
Some educators interviewed
for the survey said that a re-
quired course would make stu-
dents less susceptible to foreign
ideologies.
Dean Charles H. Peake, of the
literary college, thought that it
depends on what contribution a
specific course gives the student
in developing his power to evaluate
idealogical forces. He said that
other courses, like political science
or sociology, might be as valuable
as history.
Many technical schools report-
ed that history was not required
because students didn't have the
time to take such courses And
Dean Ivan T. Crawford, of the
University Engineering School,
agreed with them that compulsory
history was not necessary even~
though he thought it was a valu-
able study.
Elect Officers,
To Inter-Guild
Rosemary Jones, of the Wesle-
yan Guild and the Indian Club,
has been elected president of In-
ter-Guild, Lane Hall Director De-
Witt C. Baldwin has announced.
Donald Flowers, of the West-
minster Guild, was elected vice-
president; Raebena Quale, of the
Canterbury Club, was elected sec-
retary, and Peter Chen, of the
Chinese Christian Fellowship was
named treasurer.
* * *
THEY WERE formally installed
as the new officers during the In-
ter-Guild retreat last week-end*
The retreat is one of the im-
portant annual affairs of Inter-
Guild. It is held to promote bet-
ter understanding between Pro-
By LILIAS WAGNER
Long the forgotten man of the
orchestra, the viola player is com-
ing into his own at last, thanks
largely to the efforts of May Fes-
tival soloist William Primrose.
Time was when the over-anxious
proof-reader changed "violist" to
"violinist," hardly knowing that
the over-sized fiddle existed. But
since Primrose started soloing, vi-
olists have taken heart.
"It's unfortunate that there are-
n't more viola soloists," the virtu-
* * *
An enthusiastic exponent of
chamber music, Primrose point-
ed out one major reason why
there are few quartets playing
professionally.
"Wherever the quartet plays, the
money is divided four ways, so that
few quartet players can make a
living from chamber music con-
certs alone," he explained.
"IF PEOPLE who were fond of
chamber music would organize
plans throughout the country, cor-
responding to the civic concert
subscription series, quartet musi-
cians could play the circuit and be
assured of a livelihood," Primrose
said.
Scotch by birth, Primrose
spends a good deal of time in
Europe, where music of all kinds
is very active.
"Going to concerts is traditional
there," he pointed out. "Evidently
Ann Arbor audiences don't need
to be sold on music either," he
added.
* * *
PRIMROSE appeared to be the
epitome of ease and relaxation
during yesterday's rehearsal. Many
wondered if he was ever nervous
before performance.
"If I get worrid before a con-
cert, I just get worried, that's
all," he shrugged. "I don't fight
it. The nervousness goes away
eventually."
The Bela Bartok concerto Prim-
rose performed last night was the
last work by the composer, and
was written for Primrose.I
* * *
"THE WORK has a simplicity
which began to show during the
last two years of Bartok's life,"
Primrose said. "If he had lived, it
would have been very significant."
After touring cities in Canada,
Primrose will continue his busy
schedule with a trip to Europe.
This was his first visit to Ann
Arbor.
,if
WILLIAM' PRIMROSE
oso said. "However, if a man has
a good steady orchestra job, it's
difficult to drop everything and
plunge into solo work or quartet
playing."
* * *
PRIMROSE, LIKE many vi-
olists, started out on the violin,
but turned to viola with the en-
couragement of the virtuoso Ysaye,
then his teacher.
He played first chair viola for
several years with the NBC
Symphony under Toscanini be-
fore going to Philadelphia, where
he teaches at Curtiss School of
Music.
'U' of Philippines Celebrates
Two Anniversaries This Year
By PETER HOTTON
The University of the Philippines,
"adopted sister" of the University
of Michigan is celebrating two
birthdays at once this year.
The 3,000-student institution
which survived artillery shelling,
wartime control by the Japanese
and a post-war tornado is observ-
ing the anniversaries of its 42
yearlold "old campus" and a re-
cently-established "new" campus.
* * *
CONSTRUCTION on five per-
manent buildings at the one year-
old "new" campus is proceeding
rapidly under a $5,000,000 dollar
war damages grant from the U.S.
Another big factor in setting
the war-ravaged university back
on its feet was the shipload of
books sent by University of
Michigan students, according to
Jaunito Obsede, Grad., newest
UP "export" to Ann Arbor.
Obsede, who has been both a
student and instructor at the Pa-
cific institution apd spent the war
years working with Filipino guer-
illas, described the "new" campus
as a 1,000 acre tract located in a
district of Quezon City, 10 miles
from Manila.
TU' Will Hold
Adult Institute
The 18th annual Adult Educa-
tion Institute, sponsored by the
University Extension Service and
the Michigan State Federation of
Women's Clubs, will be held Tues-
day, Wednesday and Thursday,
with the graduate school serving
as headquarters.
One of the traditional and larg-
est events held by the Extension
Service during the year, this in-
stitute will feature many Univer-
sity professors who will lecture on
current topics.
"DEMOCRACY at Home and
Abroad," which will be considered
at three different levels, the local,
the state and national, and the in-
ternational, will be discussed by
Prof. Arthur W. Bromage, Prof.
Harold M. Dorr and Prof. Lawrence
Preuss, respectively. In the field of
medicine, cancer, mental health
and failing vision will be dis-
cussed by Prof. Isadore Lampe, Dr.
Leonard E. Himler and Prof. F.
Bruce Fralick, respectively.
Prof. Leo Goldberg, of the as-
tronomy department, will talk
on "Exploring the Universe."
Music and fine arts will be re-
presented by Prof. Glenn D. Mc-
Geoch, of the music school, who
will talk on "How to Listen to
Music," and Prof. Thomas F. Mc-
Clure, who will give a lecture-dem-
IN CONTRAST the "old" cam-I
pus occupies a mere 20 acres-
about one-half the size of the
original University of Michigan
campus.
During the war, the university
continued to function despite
damaged facilities and' Japan-
ese control. "The Japanese gave
us a comparatively free hand
in running the university," Ob-
sede recalls, "but we had to
teach compulsory courses in
Japanese culture and 'Nipongo,'
a Japanese language"
After the pounding that the
buildings received during the
American liberation of the is-
lands, classes were held in leaky
buildings with hardly any equip-
ment and only a very few books,
Obsede relates.
* * 4'
"BUT WE went right to work;
to restore our former standards,
and the gift books were a God-
send."
A tornado which leveled a
score of temporary buildings
complicated reconstruction on
the "new" campus where only
two riddled structures remain-
ed after the war.
Although much hard work lies
ahead, the university is the only
state institution on the islands
and is well on its way to surpass-
ing its pre-war reputation, ac-
cording to Obsede.
YR-YD Debate
On, Senate Set
The Young Republicans will be
host to a debate with the Young
Democrats on the Senate investi-
gation of Communism at 8:15 p.m.
Thursday in Rm. 3A of the Union.
The question will be Resolved:
that the present Senate investiga-
tion of Communism in the State
Department is justified.
Participating in the debate will
be Bill Halby and Gilbert Spiel-
doch of the Young Republicans
and Tom Walsh and Don Binkow-
ski of the Young Democrats.
The opinion of each speaker will
be his own and will rot necessarily
reflect those of the sponsoring
club, according to Howard Hart-
zell, YR vice-president-
WILLIAM AVIRETT
**
Averitt Asks
Press Help
In Education
The press must tell the people
about education's post-war prob-
lems, William Avirett told journa-
lism students yesterday.
Record enrollments threaten the
colleges' financial and academic
future, the vice president of Col-
gate University said.
Avirett, former education edi-
tor of the New York Herald-Tri-
bune, added:
"This problem must be brought
to the people," but the newspapers
are so concerned with politics,
sports and finance that "it takes
a microscope to find room for
news of education-"
* * *
DELIVERING the final Univer-
sity Lecture in Journalism for
the semester, Avirett said: "The
greatest problem of the university
is how to retain quality while it
is being swamped by quantity."
Newspapers must appeal to
the public for tax money and
endowments, Avirett declared.
Turning to the press in general,
Avirett predicted a return to per-
sonal journalism. He cited the
popularity of columnists, by-lines
and signed editorials
"PERSONAL JOURNALISM is
a stimulating influence lacking in
other corporation-minded Ameri-
can businesses," he added.
He mentioned William Hearst,
Col. Robert McCormick and
Capt. Joseph Patterson as exam-
ples of such personal.journalists.
Avirett foresaw a triumph of
objective reporting over interpre-
tive writing: "The American peo-
ple will say, 'Give us the facts; we
will draw our own conclusions.'
The newspapers which get a rep-
utation for objective reporting will
succeed."
Burt Leaves
For Ohio Post
The Rev. John Burt, chaplain
of the Episcopal Student Founda-
tion since 1946, has left his post
here to accept the position of rec-
tor of St. John's Episcopal Church,
Youngstown, O.
Mr. Burt, first chaplain of the
Canterbury Club, played an im-
portant part in acquiring Canter-
bury House, the meeting-place and
center of the group's activities.
He attended Columbia Univer-
sity and the Virginia Theological
Seminary after graduating from
Amherst College, and served as
chaplain in the Philippine theater
of operations from 1944 to 1946.
He came to the University after
his discharge.
Rev. John Burt was president of
the University's Christian Student
Directors Association for two years
and served as advisor to the Re-
ligion in Life Week programs.
To Cruise Atlantic
More than 128 University mid-
shipmen will spend six weeks this
summer cruising the Atlantic area
as part of the training under the
NROTC program.
The cruises scheduled to take
place during July and August will
cover the eastern seaboard aboard
carriers, destroyers and battle-
ships including the U.S.S. Mis-
souri.
Read and Use
Daily Classifieds
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,:
A N T I Q U E C L E A N E R--Mrs. Will Johnson attempts to
operate a 1905 model, 100-pound portable electric cleaner at the
National Antiques Show in Madison Square Garden, New York.
T W O'- W A Y 5 H O E S-A young woman converts a pair
of afternoon shoes into evening slippers by opening a small lock,'
pulling the "afternoon toes" from heels, and locking new evening
"fronts" into place. Shoes were shown at Frankfurt. Germany.
'MAID OF COTTON'
-Elizabeth McGee, South Caro-
lina's "Maid of Cotton" and good
will ambassador abroad, walks
in shadow of the Eiffel Towel
on her arrival in Paris.
A Q U E E N I S F 0 R T Y -Queen Ingrid of Denmark stands on the balcony of the royal
residence in Copenhagen with King Frederik and the Princesses Anne Marie, 3, Benedikte, 5, and
Marra i 9C to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd whidh greeted her on her fortieth birthday.
A
S E M I N OQL E THEME G I R L S -- Sally and Dorothy
Frank, who twirl batons with a West Palm Beach school band,;
will be theme girls for Seminole Suh Dance Festival. March 13.1
C I R C U S A R R I V A L S-Mrs. Martha Hunt cuddles Gar-
gantua II and Mme. Toto (right), baby gorillas, on their arrival in
New York with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Eailey Circus.
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