UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, March 6, 1968
International House?
No, let's not yet toll the death knell. International House is still an issue at KU.
There are some among foreign students who think it is a bad idea, and oppose it.
There are some among American students who are similarly inclined.
And then there are some administrators who predict it won't work and have called it uneconomical.
But the Daily Kansan does not think so. Nor does this editor, or a number of students, both foreign and American. And, believe it or not, the idea has friends in the administration.
The Housing Office will conduct a survey of students, both foreign and American, to answer some basic questions on International House—questions like if they want to live in one, how long they can live there, and how much rent they can pay.
Their cooperation will be invaluable. Their responsibility is even greater. Much of what happens about International House will depend on their answers.
Our position on this issue is only too clear. Theirs is not. It shall be the purpose of this survey to eliminate such an information void.
All we ask is that they answer the questions not for their own time but for that of others coming after them. Their answers will affect the students coming after them more than it will affect them.
It is no use to argue that there should be no
international house since it proved a failure elsewhere. It is a better idea to see why it failed and what can be done to make it a success especially here at KU. That is one more reason why a survey of this nature is important.
At this time, we can't say what kind of International House we shall have—if we ever have one—since we don't know all the answers. We know there are some international houses for residential use alone; there are others for both room and board. And still there are others operating like a student union, a forum for the internationally inclined at all hours of the day.
We are not asking for anything unique or unusual. We just want a place for the exchange of different ideas, the diffusion of various cultures, a place to foster international goodwill and peace on our campus. We want to have our students' experiences enriched, to have new visas for them at this crucial time in their lives.
So far, International House seems to be the one solution. And we ask for it therefore.
If others should find it inadvisable, let them take advantage of this survey to say why. If they should have better suggestions, we are not too unreasonable to avoid backing them. If there is nothing forthcoming that is constructive, we urge that they stop being negative for its own sake. Let them give us constructive ideas, not nos.
—Swacbou Conateh Assistant Editorial Editor
Letters
Of mice and men
To the Editor:
It seems to me that Laurence Day would do well to stick to his journalism and leave psychological diagnosis of "loose" KU instructors to the behavioral scientists.
Ted Wilch
Tecumseh senior
***
To the Editor:
The feeling of at least one journalist on campus seems to be that effectiveness consists of these elements: bias, ambiguity, repetitious analogy, sarcasm and emotionalism. Laurence Day's editorial was lacking in objectivity, logic, substance, organization and originality.
He opens by introducing a "type of teacher" whom he describes with hypothetical quotations ("I'm-a-nice-guy-get's-suffer-to-together. . .") He proceeds to construct the comparison with the frightened field-mouse, and concludes with the common assurance that this "curiosity" is one of "probably only a minority", thus harmless and, furthermore,
Published at the University of Kansas daily during the academic year except holidays and examination perifolds. Attendance for semester, $10 a year. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kan. 66044. Accommodations, goods, services and classes. Students without regard to color, creed, or national origin. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of Kansas or the State Board of Regents.
Managing Editor-Gary Murrell
Business Manager-Robert Nordyke
Assistant Managing Editors ... Will
Hardsen and Robert Lovett,
Mason John Mussell
Hardesty, Timi Jones, Rich Lov
Miami, John M. Keenan
City Editor Robert Entriken Jr.
Assistant City Editors Janet Snyder,
Rael Wilson
Editorial Editor Diane Wengler
Assistant Editorial Editors
Hill, Swaebou Conchate
Sports Editor Steve Morgan
Assistant Sports Editor Pamela Peck
Assistant Sports Editorudy Behrman
Photo Editor Mohamed Behrman
Feature and Society Editor Beth
Gaudiford
Assistant Feature and Society Editor
Janane
Copy Desk Chiefs Chip Routes,
Charla Jenkins, S. Allen Winchester
Advertising Manager Roger Myers
National Advertising Manager Lorrie
Boring
Classified Advertising Manager David Clutter
Promotion Manager Michael Presner
Production Manager Circulation Manager Charles Goodsell
Kansan record review
Bob Dylan's newest is good
By Will Hardesty
"John Wesley Harding" (Columbia) is a surprising and pleasant change from "the old Bob Dylan."
For me to pretend to be able to analyze the meanings of Dylan's lyrics would be facetious and naive. One would have to know Dylan well to be able to understand all the subtleties of his music.
One might reasonably hope to give some general impressions of the purely audio qualities of the album, however.
beneath contempt and to be pitied.
This is the "new" Dylan.
"Harding" sounds something like a supper club jazz trio with Dylan up front. Throughout the album, one can hear Dylan playing a melodic, played-with-subtle-rubbery fingers piano.
The album jacket reflects the newness. Gone is the old garish, surrealistic, kaleidoscopic-colored cover. Arrived is a quiet cover done in blacks, whites and grays.
Even Dylan has changed. On the cover, he is wearing a Lincoln beard. Gone is the sunburst haird. Arrived is a curly head of hair. Dylan is even smiling—almost shyly, as if his muscles had almost forgotten how to smile during his years of protest.
The album is less pessimistic, more smiling, more melodic. Even Dylan's harmonica has undergone a change. It is now more melodic, like a calihoe, yet still moaning, but not like a wailing banshee.
Dylan is not yet really encouraged about the American scene, but he isn't as abysmally depressed as he used to be.
Dylan is more of a singer in this album than in any previous one. None of his songs this time around are sing-song, chanty, like "Mr. Tambourine Man."
It seems as if he is ready to relax. He's tired of the bad times. "If you can't bring good news, don't bring any."
It is difficult to extract the premise of Mr. Day's accusations. His hackneyed presentation of mass-media magic-words ("sick," "insecure," "afraid") repeated among unfounded assertions ("mouthing . . . half-assed philosophies," "life . . . out-of-control and empty," "afraid of nearly everything") is little more than vicious name-calling and indiscriminate mud-slinging.
The reason for his bitterness is not known. His lack of desire to be "cruel" is not evident. His affinity for the word "hate" is incongruous. The treatise is malicious, chaotic, and distasteful. The contents are unbecoming an assistant professor who can, in the same breath, make reference to the "value of education."
Carolyn Cogswell Topeka senior
***
To the Editor:
How do you ever win a war? When the people back here have the war brought home for them? When someone close dies? Or when a nation's conscience is sailed with the balm of self-righteousness? Is it "sweet and beautiful to die for one's country?" Or is that the lie Wilfred Owen saw it to be in the 1900's when he wrote his poems?
When is a war won? Even its declaration can't make it a holy crusade. Can we have a moral war? I bet we can if we war against self-importance and pride. If we value human life enough to place it before our imperfect ideas of freedom and brotherhood. Can't we war with words and ideas which cannot kill the body and just might free the soul? Is it possible to think and act with good faith or is idealism just a young man's dream. Why can't we arm ourselves morally for the battles to come and be positive, truly "reasoning together" instead of slugging it out in the dark?
Dirck de Velder
Dirck de Velder Lawrence graduate student