Tuesday, July 2, 1968
THE SUMMER SESSION KANSAN
5
—Kansan Photo by Jan Maxwell
Franklyn Haiman
Franklyn Haimantalks on rhetoric
By Heather McNeil Journalism Camp Reporter
Franklyn S. Haiman, professor and chairman of the department of public address and group communications at Northwestern University, spoke Friday at the Forum Room as part of a symposium on issues in public communication.
Haiman's speech was entitled "Rhetoric of 1968—A Farewell to Rational Discourse." "My title is over-dramatized," Haiman said. "It was written at the time when LBJ and Nixon were the candidates for the presidency which was a pretty grim prospect."
HE SAID rational discourse is in more trouble now than it has been at any other time. "Today's rhetoric concerns hawks vs. doves, vis a vis war; black vs. white, vis a vis racism; drugs, sex, and student power."
Haiman divided the trends away from rational discourse into three sections:
- The emotionalization of verbal discourse
- Body rhetoric
- Body rhetoric
- Civil disobedience
"One doesn't need to remind his audience of the increase in body rhetoric," Haiman continued. "Instead of relying on facts and logic, the demonstrators rely on persuasiveness." Haiman specified the protest groups, marches and the lunch counter sit-ins.
Concerning the first, Hainam mentioned slogans, buttons, and "spicy four-letter words." "There is over-simplification, dramatization, and generalization. The students meet with demands and not requests. Rather than saying that one is mistaken he is a liar. There is more bluntness and escalation of emotionalization.
HAIMAN ADMITTED there is a thin line between civil disobedience that is an open defiance of the laws and between the body rhetoric. The sale of marijuana, draft dodging and school boycotts were examples of his idea of nonviolent disobedience of the laws.
Haiman continued with an evaluation of the effectiveness of the strategies as such:
- The new modes are effective in establishing solidarity and enthusiasm in the believers.
- The new modes alienate a hard core of opponents and backlash violence.
"The emotional ethics of the rhetoric of '68 must give way to rational discourse or the tension will disrupt the nation.
"The times are clearly out of joint. I can't be confident of the new rhetoric."
AT THE CONCLUSION of Hai-
man's speech, three critic-commentators reviewed his opinions. The critics were John G. Grumm, professor of political science; Warner Morse, department of philosophy, and Phillip Tompkins, visiting professor of speech.
Two of the criticisms were Haiman contradicted himself concerning his defenses of violence and that he omitted which laws to obey or disobey.
Bureau changes children's lives
By Janet Migdow Journalism Camp Reporter
Across the country the lives of thousands of children ages 6-21 are being improved by the KU Bureau of Child Research.
The Bureauau's projects include response tests with mentally retarded children, research into animal reactions, and Project Headstart.
Classified ads get results
Several of the Bureau's projects do not have their headquarters at KU. Most of the work done with mentally retarded children is done at Parsons.
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