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May 10, 1958 - Image 4

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Michigan Daily, 1958-05-10

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Wer 3Mibiigan Bait
Sixty-Eighth Year
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS BLDG. * ANN ARBOR, MICH. * Phone NO 2-3241

"When Opinions Are Free
Truth Will Prevail"

Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This mus t be noted in all reprints.

TURDAY. MAY 10, 1958

NIGHT EDITOR: PHILIP MUNCK

Two Looks at Course Booldet

PRO ...
STUDENT Government Council's plan to pub-
lish a course evaluation book is basically
sound . . . providling the world "evaluate"
is kept in mind.
The Council proposes to send out question-
naires to all freshmen and sophomores con-
taining approximately 20 questions pertinent
to an evaluation of a course.
On the basis of the answers, providing there
is a 50 per cent return of questionnaires cover-
ing all major undergraduate courses, the book
will be compiled and each course and instructor
thoroughly evaluated.
That there is a definite place for such a book
at the University is unquestionable, for course
evaluation of one sort or another takes place
every day.
STEDENTS go to counselors to receive opin-
ions on courses, they question other students
about the merit of a certain course, teachers
often ask for anonymous course evaluations by
their students at the end of a semester.
It would seem then, that published evalua-
tions, easily purchased by all who desire them
would give both students and faculty access to
information that could be obtained, but not
nearly to such an extensive and unbiased de-
gree.,
These evaluations can serve a three-fold
purpose. 1) They aid orientation of students,
primarily incoming freshmen, to University
courses. 2) They can create interest in courses
which might not otherwise receive notice. 3)
They can, perhaps help improve the level and
teaching standards of the University.
ALTHOUGH the book will be sold rather than
distributed freely, there is no purpose other
than providing a service to students of the
University involved. Indeed, if it were financi-
ally possible to make this a non-commercial
endeavor, it is certain the Council would "clear-
ly" approve it.
As it is, the Council is reconciled to losing
money until the book is established "tradition-
wise." However, it seems, that the good that the
book can and will do, will make some sacrifice
and financial loss secondary.
THERE are those who twill say and have said
that it will turn into a "sham." Some main-
tain that it will become a "popularity contest,"
in which the more popular courses, although
not ri*cessarily the best courses, will be en-
couraged.
Others say that it will not be an evaluation,
but rather it will turn into a "criticism" in
which as one educator so aptly put it, "the
students will be trying for the teachers' scalps."
There are these possibilities of course; how-
ever, both seem unlikely primarily because it
is SGC which is undertaking the project.
It is obvious to all, and especially to the
members of Student Government Council, that
they cannot afford to publish a booklet which
will prove a humbug. They are in no position to
do so.
The tide of campus opinion, although more
favorable than at other times during SGC's
short career, is not realistically nor conclusively
wit)a the Council. Indeed, it would take little
to turn the tide against it. An unethical, un-
founded, biased course evaluation booklet could
cause SGC to drown in negative reaction, and"
for this very reason, the Council has no alter-
native but to insure the booklet's success.
--JUDY DONER

CON . .
IT IS NOT CLEAR, as admissions director
Clyde Vroman pointed out in yesterday's-
Daily, whether SGC's course evaluation booklet
is supposed to help the faculty improve courses
or to help students elect courses.
But the booklet is not capable of effectively
doing either.
Underclassmen do not have the perspective to
consider their courses in either the context
of preparation of a major or of the aims of
the professor who presents the material. "Do
the readings overlap the lectures?" the sort of
question which the survey would ask, is mean-
ingless if the person asked to answer it doesn't
know how important the overlapped material
will be in the long run.
Underclassmen are capable only of expressing
initial reactions, and the faculty receive these
from their own evaluation program and from
observing students in their classes. Publishing
the consensus suggests the nonsensical notion
the faculty must be shamed into improving
their courses.
WHETHER the booklet would help students
elect courses, and whether it should, is a
much more basic consideration. If this is the
aim of the booklet, although SGC never de-
termined that it was, then it is not consistent
with the Council's avowed concern with aca-
demics.
Giving freshmen and sophomores a guide to
"gut courses," and encouraging them to evalu-
ate the courses they are taking in those terms
for others is not good educational practice. It
is quite possible a student's recation might be
favorable to a professor labeled as having
"nothing to offer."
If "nothing to offer" sounds harsh it is
necessary to point out that Ron Gregg's com-
mittee is using the Harvard Crimson's course
evaluation booklet as a prototype. That booklet
sounds more like the Harvard Lampoon staff
turned it out-it labels one course " a real gut,"
its subject matter "almost indistinguishable."
SINCE THIS BOOK is the pattern and because
there is no reason to expect questionnaires
here to be any more interesting to go over
preparatory to publishing a booklet, SGC's
course evaluation booklet should be every bit as
superficial though perhaps not as funny.
But suppose for a moment the staff Gregg
has assembled from SGC and The Daily does
a conscientious job. Suppose the students eval-
uate the courses they have taken the past
year more fairly, more carefully than they
generally do in the faculty's evaluation. The
book would still tell students things they should
learn through the grapevine or by observation
if at all.
An evaluation booklet might say "the out-
side readings are rarely, if ever, mentioned on
the final" and no one would read any of
them. It might say "the early lectures present
material you can pick up in recitation" and
no one would ever go to lectures. Maybe the
students who would casually accept this little
book as gospel are the type that would cut
chronically anyway as soon as they found these
things out, but there's always the possibility
that letting a student who intended to sleep
through college into a course which had a lot
of work might wake him up. But SGC doesn't
seem to regard this as valuable; they're going
to warn this guy in terms he can understand
so he can go back to sleep.
-THOMAS TURNER

"Naih -Wrong Kind Of Summit"
;~e.
C'
,,. ""aM * wr S -
r-"
A R
--9-
- f
3 . r

AT HILL AUDITORIUM:
A vsharian Provides
Virtuoso Performance
WHEN reviewing performances of what are essentially amateur
groups, one is often torn between the desire to be kind and the de-
sire to be accurate. In this regard I recall an anecdote told of violinist
Mischa Elman. Elman was on tour, and found himself deluged with a
procession of local "musicians" in each town. So often in such cases,
the visiting artist tends to give inaccurate judgements to spare- the
feelings of the people involved. But often a comment like "A small
voice, but shows great promise" would lead the poor family to mortgage
the farm to pay for development of a talent which really wasn't there.
Elman, upon being confronted with this situation looked up and
said: "A small voice . . . but rotten." His wife never let him publicly
judge amateurs again, but perhaps his point is well taken.
After this lengthy explanation, last evening's concert by the School
of Music at Hill Auditorium can be considered. Beyond any question,
the high point of the evening was a performance of the first move-
ment of Brahms' D major violin concerto by violinist Michael Avsha-
rian; Carl Karapetian conducting. Avsharian showed himself to be a
first rate mhusician, turning in an excellent performance of an extreme-
ly difficult piece of music.
The conductor had his orchestra well under control; it is remark-
able to get this much music from a student orchestra.
First on the program was a Mozart /piano concerto, K. K. 491 in
C minor. David Effron, conductor, took this a trifle slow, but this is
a matter of taste, of course. Pianist Nelita True played all the notes,
but never got off the ground; instead, aiming for a restrained,' and
fairly unsubtle approach which will not do with Mozart piano concertos.
The Griffes "Poem for Flute and Orchestra" came next, played
with a great deal of enthusiasm by a husband/wife (or brother/sister)
team, Kathleen Course, flute; Thomas Course, conductor. The flute
went into some difficlt passages and emerged'unscathed An unfortun-
ate microphone placement allowed WUOM listeners to hear too much
of the flutist's breathing, but this is a minor matter. Percussion was
well managed.
* t *

*I

WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND:
Acheson A ffirms Dulles' Policy
By DREW PEARSON

MARJORIE CRAMPTON, a graduate student in violin, played the
second and third movements from Wieniawski's second violin concerto.
This is a typically uninspired and uninspiring mid-nineteenth century
virtuoso concerto, which got a generally adequate performance under
the direction of Harry Dunscombe.
After the intermission, Arthur Hegvik played saxophone in Ibert's
"Concertino da Camera," a jazzy, modern work for alto saxophone and
eleven other instruments. Certainly this showed off Hegvik's not incon-
siderable talents, although one wonders if conductor Robert House
might have shaped the piece more. Perhaps not, Ibert is not a first
rate composer by any stretch of the rule. Still, one must remember the
saxophone literature is limited.
The lone vocal selection was "O Isis Und Osiris" from Mozart's
"Magic Flute," sung by bass Willis Patterson, and conducted by Howard
T. Howard. It is difficult to assess Patterson's abilities on the basis of
this short exercise in the declamatory vocal style, but it seemed properly
solemn.
Apparently, School of Music students compete for places in this
concert; final choices being made by a faculty committee. This oppor-
tunity undoubtedly is an invaluable one for these students, since it af-
fords them a rare opportunity to perform and conduct under condi-
tions approximating the "real thing." Thus the concert serves a dual
function, since it also acquaints local audiences with contemporary
talent.

! Y
,

WASHINGTON - A private
luncheon meeting between ex-
'Secretary of State Dean Acheson
and a group of Democratic Sen-
ators recently learned that if
Acheson were Secretary of State
today he would follow practically
the same policies as John Foster
Dulles.
Acheson gave some evidence of
this during one closed-door meet-
ing of the Democratic Advisory
Committee when he balked at a
proposal by Gov. Averell Harri-
man of New York to change the
wording of Acheson's Democratic
policy statement on foreign af-
fairs. Adlai Stevenson, another
member of the advisory commit-
tee, also wanted to change the
wording but Acheson was ada-
mant. The wording, he said,
would have to stand.
THE SENATORS who invited
Acheson to lunch included Albert
Gore of Tennessee, Joe Clark of
Pennsylvania, William Proxmire
of Wisconsin, Frank Church of
Idaho, and the unofficial Sena-
tor from Alaska, Ernest Gruening.
They were surprised when Ache-
son" displayed some bitterness at
his old friend, George Kennan,
whom he had recommended for
the all-important post of United
States ambassador to Moscow and
who was the original author of
the American policy of Soviet
"containment." This' was the
Acheson-Truman policy of build-
ing American bases and a NATO

wall, all around the Soviets to
block further expansion.
Kennan has now advocated co-
existence with Russia, has indi-
cated that conditions have
changed since the days when he
recommended a tough, uncom-
promising policy against Russia.
Kennan has also favored a de-
militarized zone in Central Europe
in which there would be no mis-
sile bases, either American or
Russian.
Acheson in talking to the Sen-
ators was vigorously opposed to a
demilitarized zone.
S * * *,
ILLUSTRATING Arab bitter-
ness, Acheson told how he had
attended a meeting of Arab
United Nations delegates whom
the State Department had invited
to a country club near New York.
Acheson spoke in glowing terms of
a new era of prosperity and peace
in the Near East which would be
obtained by rebuilding the famous
irrigation works on the Tigris and
the Euphrates Rivers.
Acheson told the Senators how
he had given the Arab leaders a
picture of the good life ahead,
told of the desire of the United
States government to bring hap-
piness to the Arab world, of plans
to send in American capital and
the great future of the Arab
people through the development
of this irrigation project. It was
implied that they would have to
forget their bitterness toward Is-
rael.
The Arab leaders sat and lis-

tened transfixed to every word
that he said, Acheson told the
Senators. After he had finished
they came up and congratulated
him..
* * *,
THE State Department, which
has been doing a good job of get-
ting foreign visitors acquainted
with the United States, should
keep an eye on some of its unof-
ficial diplomats inside 'the U.S.A.
They seem determined that for-
eign visitors not get to know the
American people who, after all,
are a somewhat important part of
the United States.
In Prescott, Ariz., the State De-
partment and the Governmental
Affairs Institute are represented
by Miss Lela Roach of the Busi-
ness and Professional Women. She
seems to believe that foreign visi-
tors should see the Grand Canyon
but not get to know American
people. When Italian members of
Parliament visited Arizona, great
pains were taken that local Ari-
zona newspapermen should know
nothing about the dinner given in
their honor.
Again, when Chilean members
of the Chamber of Deputies
stopped off at the Grand Canyon,
the press and radio stations were
boycotted. This was not the fault
of the Chileans, but rather the
local unofficial "Diplomats" who
had motorcars warmed up, ready
to whisk the visitors off for a full
dose of scenery with no contacts
with the American way of life.
(Copyright 1958 by Bel Syndicate, Inc.)

T-David Kesse
To The Editor_ .

1.

INTERPRETING THE NEWS:
From Secretaries to Summits

A Year for Human Relations

197O MAY BE just another year in the Cold
War, and there is always the possi-
bility that man may pick that year to bomb
himself out of existence. But there is a happier
alternative: 1970 could become the most im-
portant year in history.
A group of clinical researchers, meeting in
New York last week, called for an intense study
of -man under a large-scale program similar to
the International Geophysical Year. They pro-
posed that it be called the International Human
Relations Year, and be scheduled for 1970 in
order to allow detailed plans to be made and
the problems of international cooperation to be
worked out.
Although there would be many difficulties in
setting up such a Human Relations Year, the
rewards would be worth the trouble. Not only
Editorial Staff
PETER tCKSTEIN, Editor
JAMES ELSMAN, JR. VERNON NAHRGANG
Editorial Director City Editor
DONNA HANSON,......... ,. Personnel Director
CAROL PRINS .................... Magazine Editor
EDWARD GERULDSEN .. Associate Editorial Director
WILLIAM HANEY.................Features Editor
ROSE PERLBERG .................... Activities Editor
JAMES BAAD .......................... Sports Editor
BRUCE BENNETT ............ Associate Sports Editor
JOHN HILLYER. .............. Associate Sports Editor
DIANE FRASER .......... Assoc. Activities Editor
THOMAS BLUES...... Assoc. Personnel Director

would man gain some the insight into his
nature which he so obviously needs, but it
would also, have the corollary advantage of
being another valuable experience in interna-
tional cooperation-perhaps it could develop
into a habit.
IF WORLD-WIDE enthusiasm were generated
for this project, cooperation of the world's
governments could be insured. The difficulties
of international cooperation are, however, in-
significant in comparison with the problems of
coordination between the various scientific dis-
ciplines which would be involved in the Year.
For example, many University authorities in
the social science fields said that the scope
of the Year might be narrowed into one field
instead of encompassing-as they said it should
-all branches of social science.
There is no doubt that there would be many
serious obstacles in the way of setting up an
International Human Relations Year. To do
so, a hard-working, almost evangelical, organ-
ization would have to be established. But with
stockpiles of hydrogen bombs lying around, man
must learn to understand himself; and this
plan presents too great an opportunity to do
this to let it wither away.
-JAMES SEDER
New Books at theLibrary
Payne, Robert - The Terrorists: The Story
of the Forerunners of Stalin; N.Y., Funk and

By J. M. ROBERTS
DEAN ACHESON, who walked out of the State Department seven
years ago a badly bruised man, despite his high world reputation,
is re-emerging as a public figure and a power in the Democratic party.
Indeed, he -sounds sometimes like a man who is running for
Secretary of State in 1960.
His friends are quick to discount that.
They say he took a lot of pummeling for four years, at a time when
American policy was being adjusted to a complicated and dangerous
new world situation, and has no desire to go back. His renewed activities

are attributed to a belief that there
is greater acceptance of his ideas
now, and that he can talk without
danger to the Democratic party.
* * *
IN FACT, Acheson is now credit-
ed in some circles with filling a
party need. This theory is that
Adlai Stevenson, despite his world
travels and careful studies of in-
ternational affairs, is more theo-
retical than Acheson and handi-
capped by his two defeats for the
presidency.
Acheson kept in the background
for three years after the 1952
campaign in which the Republi-
cans attacked him unmercifully
and undoubtedly damaged his
prestige. He quietly practiced law
in Washington.
During that time the attack
shifted to John Foster Dulles as
it always shifts to any secretary
of state in a period when complex
problems are being met.

that the Eisenhower administra-
tion lacks the vision to do the job
on these matters about which he
agrees with it in part or in whole.
This is a tried political formula.
It presages rising Acheson prom-
inence in and out of partisan af-
fairs. And that's all, his friends
insist.
. *
Summit Conferene .. .
THE Western Big Three's sug-
gestion that Italy might take part
in a summit conference does more
than pave the way for bargaining
on the Soviet demand for numeri-
cal parity between Communist
and non-Communist participants.
It is, probably even more direct-
ly, a result of strains within the
North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-
tion itself.
In UN disarmament discussions
the Soviet Union has made a

involved and their abilities to
make an important contribution.
There is recognition, however,
that this position may have to be
compromised later if there is to
be a conference. The mention of
Italy now lays the groundwork for
bargaining on that point.
THE situation within NATO
however, demanded something on
its own. Indeed, the Soviet sug-
gestion itself is believed to have
been based at least in part on the
hope of making trouble for the
Big Three.
At the last meeting of the
NATO Council it became evident
that Italy and some of the smaller
nations were worried by the tri-
power domination of disarmament
discussions, and by the big power
ability to break off negotiations
with the Soviet Union without too
much consideration for others.
Italy has been doing some be-
hind-the-scenes agitating about it
for a long time. For one thing,
she- thinks a badly disorganized
France receives a ranking above
Italy in international affairs
which is not warranted by the ac-
tual difference in power.
West Germany, Belgium and
some of the other smaller nations
subscribe to the general theory
that NATO must not be run by

Nixon .. .
To the Editor:
THE INCIDENTS which occurred
during the visit of Vice-Presi-
dent Nixon to Peru constitute an
insultofthe most reprehensible
nature to our nation. The Vice-
President was not visiting Peru as
a private citizen, but as a repre-
sentative of the United States of
America; therefore, the insult was
not to him personally, but to our
nation as a whole and to every
individual United States citizen.
Nixon is irrelevant.
.Coming from a nation with
whom relations have been close
and cordial for many years, such
an insult is all the more inexcus-
able. If we don't demand, official
apologies from the Peruvian Gov-
ernment and the two institutions
of higher learning (but appar-
ently not of common decency),
San Marco and the Catholic Uni-
versity, we're not entitled to the
respect we seek.
Some persons may attempt to
rationalize the incidents as Com-
munist inspired, but unless all the
university students are Commun-
ists this doesn't mitigate the insult.
Still less will it explain the con-
duct of the students at the Cath-
olic University, especially that of
the president of the student body.
To interrupt the Vice-President
with the insulting remarks used is
conduct of the crassest nature.
During the past year a large
'number of foreign dignitaries have
visited the University of Michigan
campus, and were treated with the
respect due them. I cannot imagine
any student body in the United
States conducting itself in a man-
ner similar to that of the Peruvian,
students, but if they ever did, I
have no hesitation in saying they
should be summarily expelled and
denied the privileges of attending
any other institution of higher
learning.
It is reassuring to find that
common decency and the tradi-
tional Spanish-type graciousness
is not extinct in Peru, but when it
takes the uneducated dock workers
in Callao to prove it, it's time for
the so-called intelligencia to do
some serious introspective re-eval-
uation.
-Herman Siqueland, '60L
Cleanliness . .
To the Editor:
MR. JUNKER has called the
issue of "clean" and dirty

Mr. Junker and the AEC have
hinted that a "clean" H-bomb can
have useful landscaping purposes
in peacetime. This is an immoral
rationalization for the uses for
which it is now intended. No in-
strument of war which will be used
to kill millions of people whether
by direct destruction or indirect
radiation can possibly be clean.
This paraphrasing seems like a
nightnare in which somehow a
children's bedtime story and Edgar
Allen Poe have become unhappily
confused. By some perversion of
morality in this nightmare, the
"good guys" are assuming moral
leadership and "creating a moral
force strong enough to keep world
peace" by promising to kill those
who don't agree with their par-
ticular brand of ethics.
-Torre Bissell, 160
Really? .
To the Editor:
A BOMB is a bomb is a bomb
Arthur S.,Bechhoefer, '58
DAILY
OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
The Daily Official Bulletin is an
official publication of the Univer-
sity of Michigan for which the
Michigan Daily assumes no edi-
torial responsibility. Notices should
be sent in TYPEWRITTEN form to
gRoom 3519 Administration Build-
ing, before 2 p.m. the day preceding.-
publication. Notices for Sunday
Daily due at 2:00 p.m. Friday.
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1958
VOL. LXVIII, NO. 158
General Notices
Spring Meeting, Michigan Linguistic
Society, Sat., May 10, 9:30 a.m., Rack-
ham Amphitheatre.
A and D Open House: Fri. and Sat.,
May 9 and 10, College of Architecture
and Design. Exhibitions, speakers,
movies and demonstrations will high-
light the two-day program. Exhibitions
will be throughout the school and also
in the area" surrounding the school.
The public is invited.
June graduates may now order their
caps and gowns at Moe's Sport Shop
on North University.
Concerts
Student Recital: Jack Heller, violin-
ist, will present a recital in partial ful-
fillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Music in Aud. A,

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