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Seventieth 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 2-3 241
To-"
Then Opinion& Are Free
Truth Will Prevail"
ditorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.,
Y, SEPTEMBER 15, 1959
NIGHT EDITOR: ROBERT JUNKER
The Daily's Obligation.
TO the University Community
EIE DAILY, as any newspaper, is part of a
community, with responsibilities to that
ununity. And the fundamental circum-
ace of The Daily is that its responsibility to
University community -it serves is almost
l11y that of a newspaper, never that of a
ature of the University.
'he Daily, as a newspaper, can, be consid-
- in many ways the focal point of Univer-
life, for it has a unique opportunity to
d together the various facets of a highly
ipartmentalized community. The Mental
alth Research Institute, the history depart-
nt of the literary college, the workers on the
>enix Project's nuclear reactor - there are
ggering differences among these groups, and
there are also the ties of being under the
Le,organization. Through The Daily can be
ated an actual community, of interest as
I as of necessity.
;esides bridging the gap between units of
University, The Daily must also bridge the
between the academic realm'and the out-
world. Many of its readers, particularly
>ng the student body, read no other news-
er, but depend upon The Daily to provide
rn with coverage of significant world events.
ny faculty and administration members use,
Daily to keep abreast of local happenings.
UT MORE THAN all of that, The Daily has,
a newspaper's main obligation - to im-
ve the community surrounding it. This it
do through constructive editorial criticism,
, more important, through the creation of
informed populace that has the facts to
ble it to think for itself.
or this should be the primary function of
paper - to inform, in, order to improve.
'o The Daily, this means a number of things.
neans, first, that news coverage must be as
iplete, and as factual, as a great deal of
e can make it. It means Daily reporters-
st search below the surface of any given
'y, to bring the reader a really complete ac-
nt, one that sees a particular event from
possible angles and viewpoints.
his, of course, is the goal, the ideal. In
etice, Daily stories do not always nieasure
to these standards .-but the standards
there to be aimed for, and each effort by
eporter is an attempt to measure up to
T HESE ARE the obligations of any respon-
sible newspaper. But a number of circum-
stances which make The Daily a unique pub-
lication also provide it with the extra respon-
sibilities that go along with extra privileges.
In particular, The Daily's nearly-autonomous
nature frees it from the restrictions most
newspapers take for granted - the pressure
of a publisher's whims. The Daily is virtually
independent, with full freedom to print what
it wants, so long as it remains within the
boundaries of good taste.
This freedom brings a great responsibility
with it - the obligation to print the truth,
regardless of where it hits. There is always the
temptation to set aside a story harmful to the
University, to keep bad publicity to a mini-
mum. Yet, if there is to be an improvement, if
there is. to be any movement to eliminate a
harmful practice or situation, the University
community as a whole must have ALL the
facts, as Qnly The Daily is in a position to
provide.
Basically, The Daily is also a non-profit or-
ganization (although it is actually quite a bit.
more than self-supporting). But it is complete-'
ly free from any need to placate advertisers;
the influence of those who advertise in The
Daily is restricted wholly to their own adver-
tisements, never to the news columns,
THE CHARACTERISTICS of the community
The Daily serves is another advantage --
and, of course, another responsibility. Fore-
most among these is the fact that The Daily
operates in what is, for it, nearly a one-news-
paper community. The Daily is not shackled
by the need to whet its readers' apetites with
sensationalism in any sense. It .is in a. posi-
tion to rely on sober, thoughtful journalism;
it can steer clear of the flashy, the slanted, the
sensationalistic. But because it is a one-news-
paper community, its responsibility to cover
every aspect of a story is even greater.
Finally, The Daily operates in an intellec-
tual community, with a readership that must
be considered above average in terms of intel-
ligence and interest in significant affairs. The
Daily has a tremendous responsibility to recog-
nize this, and take advantage of the oppor-
tunities it offers.
--THOMAS TURNER
Editor
/..."~i(u
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49 n t
p
3 S 4
Y Chi: "._ _ ,x"-
7 5 t
MUSIC, DRAMA:
Ann Arbor Offers
Varied Cultural Fare
()N THE MUSICAL front, Ann
Arbor offers students and
townspeople a fairly diverse array
of material, so that, the local
crowd can sample a representative
section of the musical scene.
In this respect, the culturally-
minded individual can sandwich a
large quantity of musical experi-
ency in between coffee dates at the
Union and visits to Health Service.
The theatrical frontier is equally
expansive. Speech department pro-
ductions encompass the whole
range of theatre (legitimate and
otherwise). The Drama Season
brings a usually impressive but
occasionally creepy collection of
famous and infamous talent to.
this, city.
At the top of the music heap is
the Choral Union Series and the
Extra Concert Series, which fill
Hill Auditorium with capacity
crowds. They feature attractions
such as the Boston Symphony Or-
chestra, Violinist David Oistrakh,
and an' assortment of other first-
and second-rate orchestras. and
soloists.
S* r
ALTHOUGH the Choral Union
series operated, at one time in a
fairly rarefied atmosphere, the
vacuum has been filled lately with
a variety of vapors. Many of the,
famous musicians of the last cen-
tury have appeared at Hill Aud.
Rachmaninoff played his concer-<
tos there, Koussevitsky, Stokowski,
Paderewski, and others of the
same stature have appeared.
Sometimes it appears that famous
names are revered far past their
prime, so that recently, some sing-
ers who have lost most of their
talent occasionally are to be found.
~ "'
.. ,,.
Will'p 71 CAashIAt GTW4
CAMPUS PROBLEMS CITED:
Apathy, SGC Year's Big Student Issues
The Daily's Signed Editorials
BY ORDINARY newspaper standards, The
Daily's editorial page is unique.
It has no editorial policy in the usual sense
Df the word.
In fact, if a strict definition of "editorial"
s used, it doesn't even print editorials on the
page.
For as an organization, The Daily has no
reneral bias to impose on its interpretation of.
he news, no control over what specific issues
vill be discussed and no rules dictating how
hey will, be editorially evaluated. If an edi-
orial constitutes an article which presents the
ditor's viewpoint, or of those in control of the
>aper, as the dictionaries say, no editorials ap-
year on the page, except those written by The
Daily's editor.
PRESENTATION of the bare facts is largely
left to the news section of the paper.
The demands posed by The Daily's two prin-
iples of news discussion-debate and objectivity
re answered on the editorial page through use
f the unusual medium of the individual, signed
ditorial. Such editorials represent the view-
oint and analysis of their author alone, and
lo not in any sense reflect any collective opinion
) The Daily.
Paragraph I of The Daily Code of Ethics
tates that "The Editorial page of The Daily
hall not reflect one point of view to the exclu-
ion of all others .. ." This forms the basis of
"he Daily's traditional free discussion policy of
pening its editorial columns to any staff mem-
er who wishes to present his own honest
pinion, logically, accurately and responsibly
tritten and in good taste-regardless of the
articular position taken by the author,
And there is, it might be added, no uniformity
f opinion on The Daily's staff. Liberals and
onservatives, affiliates and non-affiliates, peo-
le of all opinions and outlooks write for the
paper. In fact, many hold completely contra-
dictory positions, which leads to the practice of
occasionally printing side by side two editorials
of diametrically opposed viewpoints.
W HEN UNUSUAL circumstances occur and it
becomes desirable to express some kind of
collective opinion, this is done solely by means,
of the so-called "Senior Editorial," written and
signed by the senior staff as a whole, separate
in location and function from the usual in-
dividual editorials. But this only represents the
position of the senior staff and does not pre-
tend to speak for The Daily as a whole.
One of The Daily's greatest and most unique
advantages is that its views are absolutely not
under the censorship or control of outside
groups. The Daily operates under the overall
supervision of the Board in Control of Student
Publications, which acts as the legal publisher
of the paper. The Board, however, is only con-
cerned with the broadest direction of all stu-
dent publications at the University and main-
tains a firm policy of refusal to either censor
The Daily's editorials or dictate its policy.
Members of the University administration,
often the most favored targets for Daily edi-
torial criticism, can assure anyone who asks
of their lack of control over the editorial page.
Such emphasis on individual thought and
discussion presents, in turn, problems which
would not exist if there were a definite editorial
policy or outside control. Despite efforts to the
contrary by all connected with The Daily, ir-
responsible, poorly informed and badly rea-
soned editorials may sometimes appear.
HOWEVER, The Daily's masthead claims
"When Opinions Are Free, Truth Will Pre-
vail," and this reflects the guiding philosophy
of the entire editorial page. Serving an in-
credibly diverse University community whose
primary concern is with the implications of
this claim, The Daily refuses to believe that
any one mind has a monopoly on truth or
validity, and asserts always the corollary that
each individual who wishes has the right to
speak his mind.
"Opinions," many of them well-informed,
others less so, but valid in their own right,
"are free" on the editorial page. And it is
through this belief that the page attempts to
fulfill yet another function: to assist in the
creation and maintainance of a flourishing in-
tellectual community at the University.
This involves many things. It means that
By ROBERT JUNKER
Daily City Editor
A UNIVERSITY community, like
any other, is faced with prob-
lemis. Issues arise; solutions are
needed. The community in this
case encompasses more than 23,-
000 students, 2,000 faculty mem-
bers and the University admin-
istration, which must coordinate
the official student-faculty com-
munity.
When a problem of major pro-
portions arises, all three segments
of the community are drawn into
it. The biggest problem in terms
of numbers is apathy. This "let
the world drift by" attitude has
affected both students and facul-
ty at the University in the last
several years.
The students, many of whom
are content to study and ignore
the world in which they dwell for
four years, are rarely aroused to
action. Student G o v e r n m e n t
Council elections adequately dem-
onstrate this. A typical election
finds lessbthan one-quarter of the
student body voting, probably, a
lot fewer votink intelligently. A
referendum on whether the Uni-
versity should continue partici-
pation in the Rose Bowl' pact
drew only 2,000 voters in May.
* * *
THIS APATHY on the part of
the University community does
not mean there are no issues to
discuss and act upon. Apathy can
result when a University grows
too large for-students to feel they
are really a part of the commu-
nity. Of course, they are. And it
is here where many students fail
to meet their obligation to parti-
cipate in the affairs of the com-
munity.
Many are content to sit bliss-
fully back and watch events pass
them. Many do not even watch.
Responsibility for voicing an opin-
ion, voting, even keeping informed
of what's going on is left to the
"student leader" who turns out to
be, unfortunately, practically any
student who does anything. There
are so few who seem to care about
what's going on, however, that
the term "student leader" has
clique-ish overtones about it.
The University has real student
leaders, but not enough of them.
An even rarer category is the
"student follower." He is the stu-
dent who cannot lead very well,
but participates as much as he
can in campus affairs. "The apa-
thetic" could win any vote; they
have a majority.
Problems and issues still man-
age to exist in this atmosphere.
Last year the "Sigma Kappa
Case" brought to light the biggest
issue in recent years: student gov-
ernment.
Lately though. Mantovani and
the Vienna Waltz Gang have
dropped in, along with a motley
collection of juvenile singers and
a bizarre collection of people call-
ing themselves the "Boston~ Pops."
(Any relation between this group
and the real Boston Pops is purely
accidental.)
The annual Messiah Concerts,
Dec. 5 and 6, bring this well-
known musical masterpiece again
to Hill Auditorium, while another
Chamber Music Festival in Febru-
ary should be as memorable as the
preceeding ones.
In May comes May Festival, a
yearly event bringing the Phila-
delphia Orchestra and an out-
standing set of soloists to Ann
Arbor for a four - day musical
marathon guaranteed to floor the
most rabid musiclovers, even the
compulsives.
* * *,'
MEANWHILE, back at the.
League's Lydia Mendelssohn the
1959-60 Playbill of the Speech De-
partment will contain such gems
as "Epitaph for George Dillon,"
another loud noise from the Eng-
lish Boar. But more interesting
will be proposed productions of'
"Look Homeward Angel," "Enemy
of the People," and an unnamed
original play, to be announced.
The combined production of
Speech and Music departments is
alleged to be Donizetti's opera
"Don Pasquale." Regardless of the
opera, this should be a high spot
of the musical season.
The Stanley Quartet operates
out of Rackham Ampitheatre, pro-
viding a series of performances of
modern and ancient string uar-
tets (and quintets), usually of high;
quality. These concerts have also
turned out to be intellectual mix-
ers of no trivial value to the status
seeker.
For the seeker after worthwhile
amateur talent, there is "Mlichi-'
gras," not very musical, hardy
dramatic, but good clean fun
which cannot be mentioned here.'
* * *
NOW FOR A closer look at the
dramatic scene. The local self-
contained dramatic companies of
the past have vanished, although
one of them has redently oozed
back into Detroit to the dismay of
people with long memories.
Thus the Drama Season (pro-
fessionals of sometime high qual- '.
ity) and the Playbill (student pe-
formances of admirable quality).
are the mainstay of the dramatio
backbone of the campus theatrical
octopus.
Those ignorant of things musi-
cal are "prepared" for this-life by
a series of University courses
broadly grouped under the name
"Music Literature" wherein a vast
and nameless collection of .st-
dents are kept in a-perpetual whirl
of recapitulations and develop-,
ments. Rumor has it that some-
thing worthwhile can be learned
in this way, but there seems to be
some question of whether a dose
of musical salts poured down the
throat can yield much besides'
stomach trouble. Needless to 'say,
the concept of grading students on
their ability to assimilate :Such
knowledge is incredible but, for-
tunately, beyond the scope of this
discussion.
* * *
FOR THE serious music-lover,
or student interested in learning
"music," there is no substitute for
attendance at whatever of these.
musical events he can afford.
Similarly, the student anxious to
learn or improve his knowledge of
the theatre cannot seriously con-
sider missing the Lydia Mendels-
sohn season, although Drama Sea-
son often panders to overstuffed
crowds of local illiterates and must
be carefully watched and evalu-
ated. If another local dramatic
company should arise, it is hoped
that it would be supported to
whatever extent seems necessary,
for such an organization would
fill a definite lack.
Summing Up: Big city sophis.
tocates need not assume their cul-
tural needs will be neglected in
Ann Arbor, for the dramatic and
musical season is comparable in
kind, if not quantity, with the
New York - Boston - Chicago axis.
Small-town hicks can profit by
association with these events,
usually do so to a much greater .
extent than the urban gang for
some unexplained reason. Tone-
deaf student leaders, engineers
and critics can at least try.
-David Kessel
I
HISTORIC DECISION-Last October, Student Government Council found Sigma Kappa sorority
in violation of University regulations on discrimination. The sorority was asked to disaffiliate from
the national, but SGC's Board in Review overruled this decision. This historic SGC meeting was held
in the Union Ballroom, with hundreds of students watching the proceedings,
THE SIGMA KAPPA case,
oriefly, concerned Sigma Kappa
Sorority: did it discriminate in its
membership policies and if so,
whatshould be done with the SK
chapter on campus. Student Gov-
ernment Council decided that na-
tional SK did indeed discriminate
against Negroes as members and
that the University chapter, as an
arm of the national, would have
to disaffiliate in June.
The Board in Review, a body
composed of students, faculty and
administrators, overruled SOC's
decision in this case and SGC ap-
pealed to the Board of Regents,
the governing body of the Uni-
versity.
The Regents decided that the
SGC Plan, an equivalent of a stu-
dent government constitution, was
ambiguous in many places. (The
Board in Review questioned SGC's
right to rule on such an issue as
sorority discrimination. The plan
did not specifically mention that
SGC had this power.)
All last spring a committee for
clarification of the SGC Plan met
to discuss a new constitution for
student government at the Uni-
versity. The SGC Plan had been
in _effect four years; now its weak-
nesses were to be ironed out. After
four months of meetings, the
Clarification Committee drew up
its final list of proposed changes.
* * .
AT THE FINAL meeting where
this list was compiled, one stu-
dent representative walked out of
the meeting; the other student
representative voted against the
new plan. The proposed changes
must still be approved by the ad-
trary to administrative practice
and Regental policy, the. new plan,
specifically allows review on the
substance of issues: was SGC's
decision right or wrong on the
basis of available evidence? This
substantive review, the adminis-
tration claimed during Clarifica-
tion Committee meetings, had al-
ways been present implicitly in
the old plan. Now it was to be
made explicit.
Student members of the com-
mittee claimed it had never ex-
isted in the old plan, and claimed
it should not exist in the new.
The new plan will now be re-
viewed by SGC, faculty and ad-
ministration. If they all agree to
it, the plan will be sent to the Re-
gents for final approval. The new.
basis for campus student govern-
ment will occupy much time dur-
ing the coming semester.
* * *
AN INTERESTING possibility is
brought up by the revision of the
SGC plan. Will the Sigma Kappa
case come up again, this time to
be tried on a more explicit con-
stitutional basis?
Some of the Regents, at the
time they asked for a revision of
the SGC plan, said the case should
be brought. up again for a final
decision. The Regents could not
rule on every specific appeal
brought by SGC to them, for this,
would be unhealthy both from
their point of view and from
SGC's. Their asking for a plan re-
vision might be interpreted as a
vote in favor of the student claim
that SGC had the authority to
rule on Sigma Kappa, if most of
the Regents felt the case would be
retried.
The troublesome problem is this:
1959-60 marks an era of good
feelings in University student gov-
ernment. No one wants to risk
antagonizing anybody. If this is
the case, as it appears, the Sigma
Kappa case will have to wait until
more turbulent times to be resur-
rected.
'.4
ir
Editorial Staff
THOMAS TURNER, Editor
PHILIP POWER ROBERT JUNKER
Editorial Director City Editor
CHARLES KOZOLL............... Personnel Director
JOAN I5AATZ ...................... Magazine Editor
BARTON HUTHWAITE.......... Features Editor
JIM BENAGH............. . .. Sports Editor
SELMA SAWAYA.......Associate Personnel Director
JAMES BOW.................. Associate City Editor
SUSAN HOLTZER ........Associate Editorial Director
PETER DAWSON ..........Contributing Editor
DAVE LYON................Associate Sports Editor
~- -
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