Page 2
University Daily Kansan
Thursday, Oct. 31, 1963
Shutting Out Sunlight
"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessing upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country."
This non-denominational prayer was recited many times in New York public schools until it was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court last year and ignited the flames of controversy which are still burning in the heart of Congressman Frank J. O. Becker, R-N.Y.
BECKER HAS PERSUADED 93 of his colleagues in the House to sign a petition that would reinstate prayer and Bible reading as a legal part of public school activity. This is about half of the number required to force a floor vote on the controversial proposal, which the House Judiciary Committee refuses to report on. Becker's ultimate goal is a constitutional amendment authorizing voluntary religious activities in schools.
The resolution would authorize school Bible reading and prayers and affirms that "nothing in this Constitution shall be deemed to prohibit making preferences to believe in, reliance upon or invoking the aid of God or a supreme being in any governmental or public document proceeding, activity, ceremony, school, institution or place, or upon any coinage, currency or obligation to the United States."
Rep. Becker is from New York, which prior to 1962 suggested to its public schools that the above prayer, which the state board of regents had written, be recited every morning. Anyone, it said, could leave the room if he didn't wish to say it, or simply remain silent.
The controversy began on June 25, 1962, when Justice Hugo Black gave the 6-1 majority opinion of the court. There was "no doubt," said Justice Black, that a "daily classroom invocation of God's blessing . . . is a religious activity." It was
"neither sacrilegious nor anti-religious," he added, "to say that each separate government in this country should stay out of the business of writing or sanctioning official prayers and leave that proper function to the people themselves."
Although Justice Black and a majority of the Supreme Court were at once pounced upon by such notable figures as Herbert Hoover and Cardinal Spellman, he simply had recited the doctrine of freedom of thought, which is inherent in the first amendment of the Constitution and the doctrine of separation of church and state.
THE CITIZEN' FREEDOM to believe in what he wants or not to believe in what he wants is part of the foundation of free thought, which is so important in the formulation of the public opinion which controls our governmental processes. Free discussion and thought is the sunlight which makes the plant—government—grow and mature. If it is shut out the plant wilts and dies.
Becker wants to shut out that sunlight by giving government the power to sanction a belief, when just government germinates only under the sunlight of free thought. He wants to forget those who disagree, the minority, and discard their protections and freedom.
Even though most Americans profess a belief in a God, Becker wants to ignore a minority very evident in this question—the atheist. Becker would counter this statement by saying the atheist would have the right to leave the room or not say the prayer. Yes, Mr. Becker, before the eyes of his classmates, he would walk from the room. When he came back he would be lectured on democracy. The teacher, standing under a picture of Lincoln, would then tell the class that democratic government is based on freedom of thought and all the class members would believe. Wouldn't they?
- Phillip Magers
You're The Best
Editor:
There is a great deal of truth in the UDK comment that this year's Homecoming theme is a disappointment to many people and organized living groups. (Myself not the least—as a native of Manhattan I was set to sink my teeth into the Wildcat.) However, I would disagree that the theme lacks possibilities — when the groaning ceased at Lewis Hall and the brains were put in gear, there were a number of clever and original ideas offered for decoration, and there was considerable discussion before one could be selected. To those who felt that the theme wasn't even worth a try, where is your imagination and intellect? Buried under a stuffed chicken-wire Wildcat?
As for enthusiasm, in Lewis, where such is usually hard to come by, the only thing holding back completion of work is a shortage of paint brushes.
This year's Homecoming theme does not say that there shouldn't be any rivalry between the two strong schools. It recognizes, rather, that there are two types of rivalry: one says, "Beat K-State"; the other, "WIN, Hawkers! You're the best!" And this year's theme was chosen to be executed on the basis of the latter.
Carol Borg
Manhattan sophomore
UNITINITY Daily Hansan
111 Flint Hall
UNiversity 4-3646, newsroom
University 4-3064, newsroom
UUniversity 4-3108 business office
Member Inland Daily Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St. New York 22. N.Y.
Institute, 270 Broadway. National. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $5 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the university year except Saturdays and Sundays for adamination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founded 1889, became biweekly 1904,
1926.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Dok. Brooke. Business
Bob Brooks ... Business Manager
MEN'S DEFENDMENT
NEWS DEPARTMENT
Mike Miler Managing Editor
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Blaine King     Editorial Editor
NEWS DEPARTMENT
The People Say . . .
Editor:
Standards All Right
Gary Palmer
208 Templin Hall
In last Tuesday's edition of the Daily Kansan you published a letter written by a "native New Englander" who doesn't seem to like the conditions in which he is now living.
My first reaction to his letter is that if he doesn't like it here, why is he here? Scattered between the boundaries of this country are hundreds of colleges which can provide about what one desires. If a person wants to attend a school where he can partake in the consumption of alcoholic beverages and go to bed with his favorite member of the opposite sex, then he should (according to the New Englander) choose a school in the East. Instead he chooses a Midwest school and complains about the standards. He should have investigated to see what the standards were before he enrolled. If he didn't investigate, it's his own fault that's here.
I think that an outsider should feel privileged to be able to attend such a fine university. The above New Englander was permitted to enter the university and in six weeks here he is trying to change the state laws. In my estimation this is the height of immaturity and the inability to adjust to a new situation. It is people like this that cause political unrest.
His idea on the consumption of alcoholic beverages is completely insane. Taverns were built to drink in and if he feels he is too good for them, he doesn't deserve the privilege to drink. The law on alcoholic beverages is a state law and not a university regulation, and it is there for the protection of those who don't drink.
As for his views on the entertaining of the opposite sex, I have only to say that it hinges on his definition of entertaining.
A Picture on File
Today—just as yesterday, the streets and sidewalks swarm with students going to and from classes, but to those who knew Joe every open area seems just a little more vacant—just a little larger. He was not a pretentious man and few students even knew his name. I stopped by the Photo Bureau just in time to hear the university photographer answer the phone and say, "No, I'm sorry we don't have a picture of Joe Skillman on file." Yet, a picture will remain on file with many of us.
A man is dead. No picture on file. A good man—a kind man—a fair man—and a devoted man. Early yesterday morning—October 30, 1963—Joe Skillman, Chief of Traffic and Security for the University of Kansas, died.
To the University of Kansas:
As I left the bureau to return to my office I heard two students behind me talking. "Did you hear about Joe Skillman? He died last night. You know, he sure was a good old boy. He was my scoutmaster." I stopped to buy cigarettes in the Union building. The hostess said, "What will we do now. He was the most upright man I've ever known."
This, then, was the man, and that picture is on file.
H. H. Longsdorf
University Extension
SIXESHERBLOCK THE WASHINGTON POST
"Dear Gen. DeGaulle: Adenauer Has Retired. Macmillan Has Retired. Just Thought I'd Drop A Line To Ask How Are Things With You?"
-Best Wishes
String 'im Up Guys
Fie on that nasty fellow who hung up the phone and perhaps caused the untimely demise of the Talkathon. Shame, shame be upon him.
The consequences of this dastardly act are horrifying. The poor girl who was on the other end of the line could have suffered all sorts of traumatic feelings about being unwanted, unloved and undesirable over a telephone.
And the girl who was supposed to talk next. She was, no doubt, heartbroken.
The Talkathon had so many good points. First, the residents of JRP would meet the residents of Hashinger.
BUT WORST of all is that all those hours, all 300-plus of them, were wasted. And after all that effort, too. After all that unstinting devotion to the cause, with nary a thought of anything so crass as publicity, the residents of Joseph R. Pearson and Hashinger Halls are faced with the terrible fact that someone hung up the phone, shame on him.
Now everybody knows that boy-meets-girl is desirable. Some lecherous old men might insist that boy meeting girl in person is a lot more fun, but if the residents of JRP get their kicks by talking over the telephone, I say more power to them. Maybe someone could write an epic work commemorating the Talkathon. We could call it "Oedipus at Collonius Pearsonus," or "I Fell in Love with Her Voice."
WE MIGHT EVEN use Talkkons as a theme for Homecoming next year. It would be marvellous publicity for the school.
Except, of course, publicity isn't the aim of all this, and don't you believe it is. The residents of Joseph R. Pearson Residence Hall for Young Men of Distinction (their term) would never so low.
But back to that nasty fellow who hung up the phone. Word has it that he has written a letter of apology to JRP. He should, and he should be ashamed of wasting an hour of his time to go hang up a phone.
DOESN'T HE HAVE ANYTHING better to do, than to waste all that time required to drive to JRP? Here JRP and Hashinger residents were using their time to good advantage, talking on the telephone, and this mean man wastes his time to go hang up the phone.
And then insulting the dignity of the dorm by leaving a pumpkin! What a slap in the face to the conscientious men and women who had worked so hard for something so worthwhile.
Why, the unthinking Templinite who hung up the phone should be cashiered from the dorm, drummed from the University, and a black mark entered on his record forever.
I EXPECT the University of Kansas to take a firm stand against this kind of nonsense. How can officials seriously believe any student will ever again undertake any kind of worthwhile project if men who callously bring a halt to such activities go unpunished? This would put the University in the admirable position of approving of Talkathons, and I should think any University worth the name would be happy to support such useful projects.
Maybe students who participate in Talkathons could be excused from classes and class-work so they could talk.
Besides, what better proof, in these days when men are concerned about the drain on the gold reserves and the corresponding strain on the dollar, that the good old American dime still goes a long way?
Think how absurd it would have been if someone had spent the dime on a goldfish to swallow, or if the telephone booth had been used for something as childish as stuffing 20 men into it.
Talkathons are obviously much more important, and shame on the man who ended it. — Blaine King