Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1961 University Daily Kansan
Page 8
'American Youth - Serious, Realistic'
Editor's note: Are America's young people becoming increasingly conservative and conformist? Such is the opinion expressed recently by a former counsel for the Peace Corps. United Press International asked 40 educators, university and high school, across the nation if they agreed. The following dispatch reports their view.
By Jack V. Fox United Press International
The young people of the United States today are in a serious mood, they are much more sophisticated politically than their counterparts of a generation ago, and they are much more realistic.
The comparative economic security of recent years has resulted in less outward and emotional rebellion than during the New Deal days. There is acceptance of the "organization man" status.
BUT BASICALLY they are moving away from the passivity of the "Silent 505" and are showing signs of being an energetic new force in American society.
That is the consensus of a poll taken by UPI among 40 educators — university professors and deans, high school principals and teachers — reacting to the recent challenge of Morris B. Abram, former counsel for the Peace Corps
Abram said college and high school youths are becoming conservative and conformist and that they have little or no objection to censorship, to wire-tapping or to third-degree police methods.
A F EW EDUCATORS agreed with Abram. But the overwhelming majority disagreed. Their view was summed up succinctly by James C. McLeod, dean of students at Northwestern University, Chicago.
"I don't think in any generation have I seen more enthusiasm for departure from the conservative and conformist outlook than in the present generation of college students." said McLeod.
COMMENTED DR. Frank Duddy,
president of Westminster College,
Salt Lake City;
"Today's students are more conscious of the world around them, more cognizant of the problems and more concerned about them."
"I think your young people of today have much more belief in themselves. I think they are less conformist than they were five years ago. There is no jazz hoopla about them today."
"It seems to me they are aware that changes need to be made and where they need to be made. These kids are nobody's fools. They tend
to work organizationally today more than they did in the 30s."
A NUMBER OF educators asked what Abram meant by "conservative."
"There is no question of the increase of political conservatism," said Dr. Adolph Grugger, dean of men at U.C.L.A.
"We have thrice the number of Young Republicans on the campus as Young Democrats and there is a definite movement behind Goldwater.
"But to equate this to mean they are conformists and willing to submit to such things as censorship is impossible. Today's students are absolutely not conformists. If anything, we have a revival of rugged individualism."
ONE OF THE FEW who agreed almost completely with Abram was Dr. Norman Zucker, professor of political science, Northeastern University, Boston. Said Zucker:
"This trend is explicable by view of the fact that the political forces facing the youth of today are overpowering. These forces are so overpowering that present day students are unable to comprehend what is going on and, furthermore, do not want to comprehend or accept the world and its complexities."
Here are some comments from high schools:
Gordon A. Bailey, principal, Austin, Tex.:
"They have more interest in what's going on than we give them credit for. Maybe there aren't public demonstrations, but those aren't the mark of an inquiring mind."
HYMEN ALPERN, principal, New York City:
"Many of our students are willing to conform to the standards set by society, but this represents no change in their attitude over the years. Perhaps this characteristic is more noticeable today because the children now come from families that are more financially secure."
Harry Nicholson, principal, Denver. Colo.
"IF THE WORLD thinks the high school and college students are conservative and conformist, adults are looking at the youth through conforming and conservative eyes. Adults get a misconception that youth is apathetic because adults don't take time to sit down and find out what students are thinking."
Ralph Backman, principal, Salt Lake City:
"I have noticed that the general behavior in school this year is one of sober conformity. They're greatly concerned about the world. I
New Discovery to Help In Leukemia Research
LOS ANGELES - (UPI) The concept of leukemia must be re-examined in the light of a new discovery.
That was what Dr. Howard R. Bierman, director of the Institute for Cancer and Blood Research in Beverly Hills, Calif., told the American Society of Hermatology.
Bierman said an unsuspected defect in leukemia patients which could have bearing on past research was discussed by his staff. He said there was an apparent breakdown in the delivery of white cells from the bone marrow, the manufacturing center, to the circulating blood.
He was one of four experts to outline the latest steps in the battle against cancer and leukemia during the group's fourth annual meeting.
BREAKDOWN OF THE "conveyor system" compounds abnormalities found in a leukemia victim's rate of manufacturing white cells, he said. (White cells are the disease fighters in blood.)
Lt. Col. Donald L. Howie of the hermatology division of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington told the meeting a vaccine apparently had therapeutic effect on cancer of the lymph glands. He said the vaccine prepared from Venezuela equine encephalitis virus
Another physician from Walter Reed Hospital, Dr. William H. Crossby, said researchers found that when a cancer patient's spleen was removed the patient was able to tolerate larger doses of anticancer drugs. He said removal of the spleen might prove to be an important discovery.
The fourth expert to discuss cancer was Dr. Frank H. Garner of Peter Brigham Hospital in Boston. He spoke of the use of male hormones (testosterone) and female hormones (estrogen) in bone marrow failure cases (anemia).
HOWIE POINTED OUT THAT 11 cases were treated with the vaccine. He said two of seven cases which were not advanced showed dramatic improvement.
probably was not the answer to cancer. But he said it might lead to the discovery of other viruses which could be used to treat cancer.
Garner pointed out that testosterone in large doses weekly tended to build up the blood. But he said with women and young girls it sometimes was necessary to simultaneously give estrogen to counteract the effects of the testosterone.
would say the times have had a sobering effect on teen-agers to a great extent."
A STRIKING difference was noted in responses from different parts of the country.
Said Dr. Walter Delaplane, dean of the school of arts and sciences at Southern Methodist University, Dallas:
The only difference between a caprice and a life long passion is that the caprice lasts a little longer. —Oscar Wilde
"Students in this part of the country seem to be more interested in the football game or the dance than academic activities. Students here tend to be conservative. Their parents seem to give them everything—so why should they want anything more? They seem to be less creative than they were."
ON THE OTHER HAND. Thaddeus Eymour, dean of Dartmouth College. savs:
"In recent years I have been aware of an emerging conscience among our young people and a growing commitment to service. There are heartening signs in the 1960s that the silent generation of the 1950s is beginning to speak and act."
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Robert Baram, assistant professor of journalism, Boston University, says Abram is more right than wrong.
"WE ARE IN sore danger of shaping our nation's political way of life into the same kind of infallible idol the Reds have long created of theirs. There is now a strong movement to make of our system a new or auxiliary religion. This means that sharp criticism and or censure
are looked upon by many as indecent, or even sinful."
IN A HUMOROUS VEIN, John T. Bonner, Jr., executive dean of student relations at Ohio State, said:
"All youths are somewhat rebelious. The unfortunate part about being a college dean is that you become a father image at about the time the students are beginning to hate their fathers."
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