PAGE POUR THE MICHIGAN DAILY THURSDAY, MAR 24, 1953 THURSDAY !.. ARCH 24..N a~1 NO RUSHING CHANGE: Second Semester Pledging Would Aid Quad, Fraternity "Run For Your Life!" J ITS RECENT study the Operation Inquiry committee of the Inter-House Council crit- icized first-semester rushing by fraternities be- cause it "results in a divided loyalty at best (of the rushee), and in a majority of cases, almost complete apathy towards the residence halls." Although no new rushing plan was submitted in the committee report, it was the opinion of the Inquiry group that fraternities and quad- rangles would both benefit if rushing was de- ferred until the second semester. The "divided loyalty" referred to by the In- quiry group is not caused by the rushee. Rather, it is a characteristic of the pledge who has al- ready signed over his allegiance to a fraternity. THE SYSTEM of second semester rushing is an improvement over the present method used, but perhaps there are other systems which are even better. One plan might be to allow first-semester 'freshmen to rush, but to restrict pledging to second-semester freshmen and sophomores. Second semester pledging would be an asset to the quadrangles because it would insure them of the undivided loyalty of their first-semester residents. Fraternities might benefit because they would not have to take first-semester freshmen. Instead, they could take as pledges only men who have firmly established them- pelves on campus. The fraternities would have more time to evaluate the rushees and could get to know them better. They could improve their member- ship by taking only those men whom they thought best. Because second-semester fresh- men and sophomores would be eligible to.pledge, the fraternities might still take two pledge classes each year. THE BIGGEST advantage of secondl-semester pledging is to the pledge. It is impossible for a rushee who has been on campus for only three weeks to get to know the various fraternities. But once he has already gone through a rush- ing period, he has had a chance to formulate his impressions of certain fraternities. If rushing was allowed to the first-semester freshmen, they would have an opportunity to get to know the various houses. They would also be relieved of the pressure exerted by the fra- ternities in order to get them to sign the pledge cards. If during this rushing period a rushee liked two or three fraternities, he might open- rush them throughout the semester. By the time he becomes eligible for pledgeship he may have have even decided which fraternity he liked best. The overall result would be a stronger Quad- rangle system due to more participation in ac- tivities by the residents, and an improved Fra- ternity system because of the better quality of the membership. -Norman Barr UNN4ECESSAY SECRECY Ot CURRENT MOVIES At Architecture Aud.... THE WINSLOW BOY with Robert Donat, Margaret Leighton, and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. THE WINSLOW BOY is an engrossing and interesting study of upper-middle-class British life at the beginning of the century and of the age-old struggle of man to gain justice and freedom. The pivotal point of the film is the expulsion of twelve-year-old Ronnie Winslow (Neil North) from a naval school for the theft of a meagre sum of money. The Winslow boy ardently inists he did not a. :' 1'; t ' " ttlilC- .. I y5 ~i-~?s 4bod ow"Or -C," 'MPns - DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN steal the money; and both his par- ents (Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Marie Lohr) and his sister, Cather- ine (Margaret Leighton), are in- clined to agree with him. It is only a short while before the Win- slow family hires Sir Robert Mor- ton (Robert Donat), England's most famed lawyer, to represent them at the young lad's hearing. Soon the Winslow issue assumes national importance and becomes a battle against the Medieval be- lief that "thecking can do no wrong." Of course, everything eventually works out all right and the boy is cleared of charges. INTERWOVEN into the main current of the story are several sub-plots which recount the ro- mantic pursuits of Catherine and the happy-sad aspects of family life. All of this is handled with moderation and a sense of humor,. Throughout, there is a feeling of authenticity and an observance to small details, both of which add immeasurably to the film's enjoy- ment. Robert Donat as Sir Robert is perhaps the most dominant note in the entire picture. His portrait of the English lawyer-cool, ele- gant, suave, and always in control of any situation-is finely drawn. Donat seems to personify the Brit- ish mind at its very best; and his scenes are directed and performed with admirable skill. Although he appears some time after the film has begun, he becomes, and re- mains, the center of attention. The other performances are somewhat uneven. Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the father gives a believable portrayal of the stern father, only faintly suggesting the more human aspects of the char- acter, which detracts little from the performance but leaves room for a broader interpretation. Marie Lohr plays a conventional mother role in a conventional style; and Margaret Leighton as Catherine is sometimes only half plausible as an attractive, refined suffregette, the perennial beauty with brains. The remainder of the cast-espe- cially Neil North who does a sensi- tive job as the boy-has been se- lected with great care and each brings to his role both technical and dramatic skill. Kathleen Har- rison makes a delightfully humor- ous maid and Francis L. Sullivan and Stanley Holloway appear in minor parts. The Winslow Boy is one of the better, more serious British films which have recently been over- shadowed by the "small comedies." It is well worth seeing and its present revival seems very justi- fied. --Ernest Theodossin MSU: Infringement Or Deserved Name IF THE BOARD of Regents is really serious about this Michigan State name change thing, it should be preserving its energy for the legal battle ahead, instead of wasting time try- ing to persuade an incorrigible group of legis- lators. That is, if the Regents see the possibility of rectification through court action. There is, among the general statutes of Mich- igan, one that reads as follows: "No corpora- or corporation lawfully carrying. on business in by any other existing corporation of this state, mislead the public or any name already in use tion shall assume any name which is likely to this state, or so nearly similar thereto as to lead to confusion or deception." WHAT ABOUT this? The University is a cor- poration, albeit a constitution and public one. So is State. If the Spartans succeed in get- ting a new letterhead, the Regents need only bring a court action to enjoin them from fur- ther use of any name "likely to mislead the public." Certainly if a corporation for private profit named itself "Universal of Michigan" and en- gaged in the business of printing textbooks, there would seem to be sufficient cause to en- join further use of the name. The same thing should hold if a corporation began under a name like "Michigan State Dairy." IN THE old days, a plaintiff had to prove an attempt at, or success in, unfair competition through confusing names. According to one judge, "A corporation has no more right to use its name to effectuate unfair competition than has an individual." But now it need only be proven that the name of defendant corporation is "likely to mislead the public." The Regents would not have to prove that State is inten- tionally trying to confuse people. However, courts are not always equitable and courts, too, can be "likely to be misled." The Regents might lose the case, if 'it were not for the clause, "likely to mislead the public." Anything is likely to mislead the public. THIS WRITER does not think that State will fool anyone, whether it call itself State College or State University. It will still be Michigan State. But this writer's opinion should not stop the Regents from pursuing their interests by re- course to state statute. Such a court case would make for inches of scintillating news copy. --Jim Dygert IN ALL RESPECT to the grand traditions of the University of Michigan, the creation of Michigan State University still doesn't appear worth all the clamorous opposition drummed up against the change in the past few weeks. Various arguments oppose changing Michi- gan State College to MSU. Possible confusion resulting from having a University of Michigan and Michigan State University heads the list. There already is confusion among people not familiar with the state's college situation. There is the story of the girl from New York who wanted to go to MSC but not knowing the Uni- versity was any different from MSC came to Michigan by mistake. Changing the C to a U will not add to the public's confusion. Among those who know the two schools are Michigan State and Michigan anyway. SOME CHARGE the change is unconstitu- tional. They say the state constitution al- lows for one university. But there can be an- other University in Michigan as evidenced by Wayne University and the University of Detroit, Simply calling the school Michigan State Uni- versity doesn't make it the state University. Michigan under the Board of Regents still re- mains the constitutional state university and in questions of law should remain thus. Corporation laws exist prohibiting adoption of names that would lead to confusion with an- other corporation operating in the same indus- try. But this argument can be by-passed by al- leging confusion already does exist and chang- ing the C to U would make no difference. OF ALL arguments most sympathy can be found with those frank people who say the grand tradition of the University gathered through merit of its accomplishments of the past century plus would become fused with Michigan State's, a relative newcomer to big time college circles. Graduates are justly proud of graduating from the University of Michigan. The name of University of Michigan however is said in just that way. Nobody ever says I graduated from Michigan State University. Peo- ple who know the situation in educational cir- cles will still know the difference between grad- uates from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. Michigan State College is a university. Why not let it maintain its prestige in athletic and other circles and still be just and term the East Lansing school a university. -Dave Baad (Continued from Page 2) (Stringed), Special Education (Men- tally handicapped); Sr. H.S. English, Social Studies, Physics-Chemistry. Allen Park High School, Allen Park, Michign-Latin; Biology English; Gen- eral Science Mathematics; Social Stud- ies. Hemlock, Michigan-(Rural Agricul- tural School)-Lower Elementary; Later Elementary; Sr. H.S. Science. Van Dyke, Michigan - Elementary; Speech Correction; H.S. Speech. Modesto, California-Elementary. Kingsport, Tennessee - Elementary; Jr. H.S. General Shop; General Science; Mathematics; Language Arts; Span- ish or Latin; Instrumental Music; Art; Sr. H.S. Science; Commerce; English. Maumee, Ohio - Elementary; High School Industrial Arts; Home Econom- ics; Business Education with minor in either Social Studies, English, or Math- ematics., Wheaton, linolis-Elementary. Henderson, Nevada - Elementary - Kindergarten through grade eight; Sev- enth & Eighth Grade Manual Training. Palmer, Alaska - Elementary. High School Mathematics; Home Economics; Athletic Coach; Commercial. For additional informtion, please contact the Bureau of Appointments, 3528 Administration Building, NO 3- 1511, Ext. 489. PERSONNEL REQUESTS: TV Station KETC St. Louis, Mo,, has an opening for a man as host on an aft. ernoon program for children, This p. sition entails production work as well as work before the camera. Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, New Jersey, offer job opportunities to Mech. E., Elect. E., Chem, E., Ordnance E. for Production, Development, Research, De- sign, and Inspection. Entrance ratings are B.S.-GS-5, M.S.-GS-7, PhD-GS-11, St. Regis Paper Co., Pensacola, Flori- da, needs a Chief Draftsman for the Engrg. Dept. Man should be a Mech. E. and have a minimum of ten years ex- perience. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, Mass., has positions for women as Secretaries, As- sistants in Courses,Office Assistants, Librarians, Library Assistants, Medical Laboratory Tech., Junior Secretaries. For information contact the Bureau of Appointments, 3528 Ad, Bldg., Ext. 371. Lectures Public Lecture. "Picasso and Ancient Art," Otto J. Brendel, professor of clssi- cal art, Indiana University, Thurs., March 24, at 4:15 p.m. in Auditorium B, Angell Hall, auspices of the Department of Fine Arts. Readings by Members of the English Department. Prof. Bennett weaver. "Poetry: What It Is." Selections from Frost, Maseleld, Coffin, Bert L. Taylor, Phyllis McGinley, the Brownings, Og- den Nash, etc. Thurs., March 24. Audi- torium A, Angell Hil. 4:10 p.m. University Lecture in Psychology. Fri., March 25 at 4:15 p.m. in Rackham Am- phitheatre. Dr. Kenneth B. Clark of the College of the City of New York will talk on "Some Implications of Deseg- regation for Social Psychology." Academic Notices Law School Admission Test: Applica- tion blanks for the April 23 admini- stration of the Law School Admission Test are available at 110 Rackham Building. Application blanks are due in Princeton, N.J. not later than April 13. Pick up blanks by April 1. Graduate Record Examination: Appli. cation blanks are available at 110 Rack- ham Building for the April 30 admini- stration of the Graduate Record Ex. amination. This administration will be Led at Michigan State College. Ap- plication blanks are due in Princeton, N.J. not later than April 15. Blanks should be picked up by April 1. 402 Interdisciplinary Seminar on the Application of Mathematics to Social Science, will meet Thurs.,. March 24 in. Room 3401 Mason Hall from 4:00-5:30 p.m. on "The Study of Channel Capaci- ty." Henry Quastler (Illinois) will speak. Seminar in Applied Mathematics will meet Thurs., March 24, at 4:00 p.m. in Room 247 West Engineering, Dr. I Marx will speak on "Half-Plane Diffraction: Wiener-Hopf Method." A Social Seminar will be held Thurs., March 24, at 7:45 p.m. in the East Con- ference Room of the Rackham Building. Panel discussion by Institute graduates on "Education for Public Administra- tion: A Critique." Refreshments. Actuarial Seminar Thurs., March 24, at 4:00 p.m, in Room 3212 Angell Hall. Prof. Cecila J. Nesbitt will summarize the discussion of "Interpolation in Terms of Operators." Electrical Engineering Department Colloquium. Fri., March 25, Dolan H. Toth, Engineering Research Assocates Division of Remington-Rand, "Magnet- ic Switching Circuits." Coffee-4:00 p.m. Room 2500 E.E. Talk-4:30 p.m. Room 2084 E. E. He will give a more specialized talk on this subject to the EE-235 class Thurs. from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in Room 2084. open to all Interested. Astronomical Colloquium. Fri., March 25, 4:15 p.m., the Observatory. Lowell Doherty will speak on "The Luminous Shock Tube and its Application to Problems of Astrophysical Interest." Aeronautical Engineering Seminar "Compressible Flows With Heat Addi- tion," by Dr. Adolf Busemann, aero. nautical scientist with N.AC.A., Lang. ley Field. Fri., March 25, at 4:00 p.m. in Room 1504 East Engineering Build. ing. Doctoral Examination for Philip Dan- iel Bouffard, Chemistry; thesis: "Con. tact Angles as Influenced by Adsorption at the Phase Boundries; Adsorption at Interfaces Formed by Mercury, Water, and Organic Liquids," Fri., March 25 1565 Chemistry Bldg.. at 3:30 p.m. Co. Chairmen, F. E. Bartell and L. O. Case. Biological Chemistry Seminar. "Acti- vation of Pancre&tic Proteinases" under the direction of Dr. Merle Mason; Room 319 West Medical Building, Sat., Mar. 26, 10:00 a.m. Concerts Student Recital. Suzanne Grenard, pi. anist, will be heard at 8:30 p.m. Thurs, March 24, in Rackham Assembly Hall, playing compositions by Galuppi, Brahms, Schubert, and Honegger. Miss Grenard studies with Joseph Brinkman, and her recital will be open to the public. It Is to be presented in partial fulfillment of the yequrements for the Master of Music degree St. Matthew Passion by Bach, will be performed at 8:00 p.m. Fri., March 25, in Hill Auditorium, by the University of Michigan Choir and Symphony Or- chestra, Maynard Klein, conducting; soloists include Harold Haugh, tenor, Philip Duey, barito. c, Frances Greer, soprano, and Arlene Sollenberger, con- tralto, all members of the faculty of the School of Music. Student soloists: John Moser as Judas, Ja Berg as Peter, Donald Nelso.1 as the High Priest, William Merrel as Pilate; Joan Marie Dudd, Pilate's wife; June Howe and Elizabeth Fischer, Maids. Marilyn Mason Brown will appear as organist, Phillip Steinhaus, harpsichordist, and Percival Price, carillonneur. The Chor- ale Choir from twenty-four Michigan High Schools will be conducted by James B. Wallace. Open to public. Events Today "The Skin of Our Teeth," Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning come- dy, will be presented by the Depart- ment of Speech at 8:00 p.m. in Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre. Tickets are on sale at the box office 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Christian Science Organization Testi- monial Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Fire. side Room, Lane Hall. International Center Tea. Thurs., 4:30- 6:00 p.m., Rackham Building, Sailing Club. Meeting Thurs. at 7:45 p.m. in 311 ;. Eng. Congressional-Disciples Guild. Thurs, May 24, 7:00 a.m., Breakfast group at the Guild House Chapel. 5:00-5:30 p.m., Len- ten Meditation in Douglas Chapel. 7:15- 8:15 p.m., Bible Class at the Guild House. La Petite Causette meets Thurs., May 24, 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the left room of the Union cafeteria. Scrabble en francais. Episcopal Student Foundation. Stu- dent and Faculty-conducted Evensong Thurs., March 24, at 5:15 p.m., in the Chapel of St. Michael and All Angels, Holy Communion at 7:30 p.m. Thurs, March 24, followed at 8:15 p.m. by four seminars dealing with various aspects of "Everyday Christianity," in the Par- ish House. Mid-Week Lenten Vespers in the Sanctuary of the Presbyterian Church sponsored by Westminster Student Fel- lowship, Thurs., March 24, 5:10-5:30 p.m. Meditation from Mark - "ogvns LETTERS TO THE EDITOR On Egyptian Policy ... To the Editor: HAVE just read a letter to the Editor (Michigan Daily, March 22, 1955) on Egyptian Policy signed by four names and "eight others." Do these "eight others" think they are giving more weight to the ar- ticle? As to the content, if the writers do not like the idea of having Egypt see "Israel as a cancer en- dangering the Arab people," I don't either, because a cancer is an inner growth, whereas Israel is a foreign imposition. Secondly, if Saleh Salem of Egypt said that "Egypt will not make peace with Israel even if Israel were to implement the UN resolution on Palestine," this is what is implied-- 1) that Israel is not implement- ing the UN resolutions in Pales- tine.'The area of Israel now is al- most double the area allotted to them by the UN. 2) that Egypt (or any other Ar- ab country) cannot have real peace with the enemies of peace and justice. The UN delegated Count Bernadotte as Mediator in 3:30-5:00 p.m. today in Michigan Union cafeteria. Russian dance group prisyadka prac- tice will start at 7:00 p.m. today in rec- reation room of Madelon Pound House. We will start practicing the other steps at 8:00 p.m. Baha'i Student Group-sponsored dis- cussion usually held in the League will take place this week at Apt. 2, 612 Church St. Thurs., 8:30 p.m. All stu- dents welcome. S t u d e n t Leadership Conference. Thurs., March 24, 7:30 p.m. Room 3- KLMN of the Union. Sponsors, Michi- gan League, Michigan Union. Leader, Allan Menlo, Lec. in Educational Psy- chology, consultant in adult and com- munity education. Open to public. Frosh Weekend-Maize Team Posters Committee will meet tonight, 7:30 p.m. in the League. Coming Events Weekly Coffee (and tea) Hour will be held in Lane Hall Library, Fri., Mar. 25 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. The Bahai Group is guild host. Episcopal Student Foundation. Break- fast at Canterbury House following the 7:00 a.m. Holy Communion Fri., March 25, Annunciation. Canterbury Coffee Clatch, 4:00 to 5:15 p.m., Fri., March 25. at 5:15 p.m., in the Chapel of St. Michael and All Angels. Canterbury Campus Series: The Right Rev. Richard S. Emrich, Bishop of Michigan, discuss- ing "A Christian Faces Death," third speaker of the Lenten Series on "Chris- tianity and Evil," at 7:30 p~m., Fri., March 25, at Canterbury House. Phi Bete Kappa. Annual Meeting, Fri., March 25, 4:15 p.m. in Room 1408 Mason Hall. Election of new members. Members urged to attend. Congregational-Disciples Guild. Fri., Mar. 25, 10:15 p.m., Open House and re- freshments at the Guild House follow- ing the concert in Hill Auditorium. Note the change on your Guild calendar from 8:15 p.m. 1948. What did the Israelis do? They assassinated him in Jerus- alem in September of the same year. 3) that before asking for peace, one must have justice-a term un- known to Israel. Our homes, busi- nesses, schools, lands, and all our possessions were taken over (stol- en) by Israelis who have not yet paid one cent in the form of in- demnity. Now they are tearing down Arab churches and mosques in Israel. 900,000 Palestinian Ar- abs, as a result, are refugees. 4) that the statement was most probably made after a bloody mas- sacre of some Arab men, women, and children. I should advise all those inter- ested in writing on the subject to read the history of Palestine and the UN decisions before attempt- ing to jot down fantastic state- ments to suit their whimsical dreams. My article may intrigue some to answer it, but I shall neither both- er nor waste my time answering childish letters even if they are written by more than eight. -Raja Nasr, Grad. * * * Arab V iewv.. . To the Editor: THERE HAS been a barrage of letters attacking me on the Palestine issue. One of them goes as far as accusing me of using the vocabulary of the Nazis and of the Communists. I would like to as- sure that writer that the vocabu- lary I used previously was neither taken from the Nazi (Sturmer" nor from Moscow's "Pravda." The vocabulary was borrowed, howev- er, from the work of a distin- guished Zionist leader. In his book, "The Revolt Story of the Irgun" (p25) M. Begin writes, "In this new chapter fate played another of its tricks on me. Conspiratorial work was to me quite unknown before I plunged perforce into its depths." In addition Don Peretz irk the "Middle East Journal" (Fall 1954), quoting the Concilliation Commission on Palestine, writes that eighty percent (80%) of Is- rael's Total area is land owned by Arab refugees. If separating a man forceably from his property is not part of active conspiracy-if that is not robbery-if that isn't rot- ten, I would like to know what on earth it is. Also I would like to advise the gentlemen to quit boasting of the defeat of seven Arab states by 600,- 000 Israelis. There was no victory or defeat in the Palestinian War. It ended with the cease fire order by the UN before any side was able ;o achieve a clear cut victory. Lastly the gentleman praises Israel's sincere desire for peace settlement and condemns the Arab states "stubborn refusal." What kind of a settlement is that which is desired by Israel? It's a settlement on her terms or none at all. It is one with no repatria- DREW PEARSON: British Atom Use Leads WASHINGTON - The British have jumped so far ahead of us in the race to develop peace- time power from atomic energy that Eisenhower is appointing another commission. While we have been concentrat- ing on weapons, the British in 1957 will begin getting electricity from the world's first successful atomic power plant. Belatedly the Atomic Energy Commission has realized this. So Eisenhower will name a commission of business- men and atomic scientists to study what should be done about the peacetime use of atomic energy in the U.S.A. Washington Pipeline NOT ONCE since Congress con- vened have Speaker Sam Ray- burn and majority leaders of the House been invited to the White House to confer. During the 80th Congress in Truman's day when the Republicans had a majority, he invited GOP leaders to the White House every Monday . Naval intelligence has positively confirmed that Russia now has an atomic submarine . . . Ambassador Bohlen reports that ex-Premier Malenkov is being shoved further and further into the background by the new Russian regime. Mal- enkov is reported being watched day and night by secret police and is so worried that he is losing weight . . . Prime Minister Chur- chill is getting worried over the sweet talk now being exchanged by Marshal Tito and the new Russian government. He has urged the British foreign office to beware of a Tito double-cross . . , Secre- tary Hobby, only lady member of the cabinet, has kept herself so aloof that Dr. Martha Eliot of the Children's Bureau hasn't been able to consult her boss fo rsix months. Barefoot Boy of Wall Street W ESLEY ROBERTS, the Kansas boy whom Ike fired as chair- man of the Republican National Committee, has a new job-this time on Wall Street. He's the representative of Leh- man Brothers for wining and din- ing members of state toll roads and thruway commissions in order to get the big New York banking firm in on 'some of the juicy financing that goes with the thru- ways. Most people don't realize it, but a whole new chapter in financing has sprung up with the advent of high-speed state thruways. New York state alone is floating nearly one billion dollars worth of thru- way bonds-$900,000,000 to be ex- act. New Jersey is floating $600,- 000,000; Illinois, Ohio, Indiana about $30,000,000 each, together with varying amounts by Okla- homa, Kansas, Kentucky and Maine. When you add up these amounts and deduct 21/% per cent for finan- cing, it comes to a lot of money, and the banking houses are fight- ing for the business. The bonds are tax free, and since a lot of big in- vestors are looking for places to put their money without paying income taxes, the bonds jump to above par immediately afte they'- re sold. This brings in further pro- fit. So Wes Roberts, who was fired from the Republican National Committee for lobbying with the Kansas legislature, has now turn- ed to big-time lobbying. No longer is he merely interested in the sale of a Kansas hospital at Newton. He commutes from Wall Street to Washington to Indianapolis to try to persuade his old Republican friends to let Lehman Brothers manage their state highway finan- cing. (Copyright, 1955, by the Bell Syndicate) Sixty-Fifth Year Edited and managed by students of the University of Michigan under the authority of the Board in Control of Student Publications. Editorial Staff Eugene Hartwig :.....Managing Editor Dorothy Myers .............City Editor Jon Sobeloff .........Editorial' Director Pat Roelofs ......Associate City Editor Becky Conrad........Associate Editor Nan Swinehart.......Associate Editor David Livingston.....sports Editor Hanley Gurwin ....Assoc. Spc'4s Editor Warren Wertheimer ..............Associate Sports Edlt"v Roz Shlimovitz.........Women's Editor Janet Smith Associate Women's Editor John Hirtzel .......Chief Photographer Business Staff Lois Pollak.........Business Manager Phil Brunskill, Assoc. Business Manager Bill Wise .. ......Advertising Manager Mary Jean Monkoski .Finance Manager Telephone NO 23-24-1 Member kr :0, I DRAMA REVIEW THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH, presented by the Department of Speech AFTER Strindberg, after O'Neill, after Obey and Cocteau came Thornton Wilder. Ex- pressionists they used to be called, although for some reason the word isn't very fashionable any more, mostly, I suppose, because the tech- nique has become so absorbed in other tech- niques that it is scarcely recognizable as such any more. Back in 1942, however, when "The Skin of Our Teeth" won its Pulitzer Prize, ex- pressionism had reached the height of its decadence and this is a still-amusing example of what it was like. What Wilder is expressing in his play is "a tribute to the indestructibility . . . of the aver- age American at grips with a destiny." His hero is one George Antrobus, a common man who nominally lives with his wife and two children in Excelsior, New Jersey, but who, in the course of the play, undergoes the threat of glacial demolition, the flood of Noah, and the disaster of war. The Antrobus parlor, in other words, becomes all the dwelling places of man through the ages, and the Antrobus family is all the families like his which have Wilder tells his story both satirically and sentimentally, and his hope is evidently that by constantly transposing the one mood with its opposite, he will negotiate the dramatic tightrope to something that is both "sensible" and good theater. In the play, therefore, he continually interrupts the ostensible plot with extensive asides to the audience, various Hell- zapoppin hijinks both on and off stage, and the frequent elevating and lowering of flats. TEE PLAY may, however, still come off as Hellzapoppin. What this depends on most- ly is the artful management of all those props on the stage. Timing is the crucial factor here, and although even awkward timing is approp- riate to "The Skin of Our Teeth," some of the Speech Department production was funny only because it was awkward. In the import- ant second act, the most adult in its tone, this awkwardness was especially debiliating, and the play, as a result did not get its proper emotional lift into the third. It needed Elia Kazan or somebody here. It left, in other words, too many burdens on the shoulders of capable actors like Paul 4