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University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1964
Dear Sister
Sorority bids went out last night, and the 322 women who pledged were probably in a state of something between tearful joy and quiet satisfaction. All well and good.
Raise high the roof, roses, tea, and sisterhood.
Have fun, but before the emphasis on rush week is diminished by studies, consider the ugly side of Greek life again underscored last week—the unwritten but iron-clad policy of white supremacy, reaffirmed when two Negroes went through the all-white rush and were politely refused.
It is not a simple story. You can't write it off by saying all KU sorority women are bigots (although some doubtedly are), for the whole Greek system is bound in a stifling circle of self-perpetuation which threatens to make it as outmoded as Victorian hoop skirts.
FIRST. A RUN-DOWN on last week's events.
The two Negro women went to the first two days of Panhellenic rush—Tuesday and Wednesday—when the 12 sororites held open house.
After this, one dropped out. She explained that she had no hope of getting a rush party invitation and had no real desire to pledge a white sorority.
The other received one invitation from a sorority, after what was described as a lengthy debate.
Girls whom sororities are seriously interested in pledging are usually asked to three rush parties—Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon.
After that, bids from sororities are paired with rushee preferences on a preferential matching system.
But after the first invitation, nothing.
The white folk relaxed and pursued their own peculiar tribal customs.
FOR THE RECORD, the Negro who received the invitation was graduated in the top 15 per cent of her high school, and made a 1.9 point grade average last semester. One sorority member described her as "vivacious, charming, and fun to talk to."
Campus attitudes.
Some women are saying that the Greek white supremacy policy must be ended. However, they are anxious to point out that their views do not necessarily reflect the attitudes of their chapter.
Most take an attitude of "Integration would be nice, but..."
One reservation raised is this: think how miserable the first girl or girls in the minority would be—they wouldn't be at all happy.
POSSIBLY, but with this attitude we should
all go home, turn the electric blanket up to five and come out next spring. If the cult of happiness were the overriding rule of all society we would still be in the Stone Age.
Another attitude. We would like to break discriminatory practices, but we might drive away the kind of girls we want to get.
That is enslavement to social snobbery, not so pure but simple. What kind of girls do you want to get? Bigots?
The system.
To be pledged, a rushee must have a recommendation from a local alumni chapter. Self-perpetuation at work. Who of the 40-year-old "girls" back home is going to write the recommendation? Only some kind of crackpot—in the alumni mind—who approves of social integration. After that, will the recommendation be approved by the local chapter? Next to impossible.
THE GREEK VOTING system on rushees, inherited from the alumni, demands a unanimous vote from the active chapter for a candidate to be pledged-one blackball and you're out.
The alumni swing a big club.
Threat one. If any sorority revolts against alumni policy of racial discrimination, the active chapter may have its charter revoked. This actually happens. To cite an example, a Beloit College sorority recently lost its charter for pledging a Negro.
Threat two. The girls down at the university need a new wing on the house, or slip-covers for the living room couch, or pans for the kitchen. In short, the chapters need money, something collegians don't have in quantity but alumni do.
If a Greek organization should decide to revolt against the system imposed on them (and there were faint signs last week that some may be toying with the idea), it will be a tough fight.
At a glance, it seems the Greeks must play along with the alumni attitude if they wish to preserve their chapters.
Before reaching that conclusion, consider this. Adamant as the alumni appear to be, they are bound to go along with the collegians sooner or later. Considering American reverence for youth and pre-occupation with youth, alumni will not block campus action for long if Greeks act.
At some universities, coercive regulations have been made to end race discrimination among living groups. At KU it will not be necessary if the ideals of Greek brotherhood and sisterhood are carried in the heart instead of worn on the sleeve. A big if.
Tom Coffman
BOOK REVIEWS
THE GREAT AMERICAN GENTLEMAN, THE SECRET DIARY OF WILLIAM BYRD OF WESTOVER, edited by Louis B. Wright and Marion Tinling (Capricorn, $1.65).
Historians of the colonial period long have leaned on the diary of William Byrd for insights into life in Virginia. Byrd was the William Byrd of the celebrated Georgian home called Westover, and his diary is to Americans what the diary of Penny is to the British.
So this is a real bargain in paperback. The editors have put the diary in a form understandable and palatable to modern readers, and we find rich depictions of daily life, relations with the Indians, slavery, Byrd's personal thoughts and emotions, and the development of the colony of Virginia.
**
THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE, by John Braeman (Capricorn, $1.65.)
John Braeman subtitles this volume "A Documentary History of the American Revolution: 1763-1776). It is one more of many volumes that offer us living history rather than secondhand accounts.
The book is designed for the general reader and student, and includes a brief narrative history of the Revolution, and a select bibliography. There are writings here by the celebrated figures of the Revolution, plus acts of Parliament, proceedings in colonial legislatures, letters, actions of the Continental Congress, statements from military commanders, and articles from journals and newspapers.
PHILOSOPHY AND CIVILIZATION, by John Dewey (Capricorn, $1.85).
***
John Dewey published this volume in 1931, a work in which he attempted to apply his techniques of philosophical analyses to other fields. What it amounts to is a depiction of philosophy as a way to analyze culture and intellectual development.
The contents are varied, including discussions of the development of American pragmatism, the practical character of reality, logical method and law, corporate personality, nature and reason in law, perception and organic action, philosophy as freedom, body and mind, science and society, the unity of behavior, and so on.
from the morgue
In 1937, the UDK established a committee to investigate student working conditions on the campus.
The investigations showed that there was a great deal of exploitation of student labor, especially in private homes where women students often worked from 6 p.m. until midnight to earn 25 cents. Many men were reported working for about 15 cents an hour.
The Men's Student Council set out to establish minimum standards of conditions and hours for student employment.
DailiTransan
University of Kansas student newspaper
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Founded 1889, became bweekly 1904,
trweekly 1908, daily Jan. 16, 1912.
Member Inland Daily Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by National Advertising Services and News service; United Press International. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $1 a year. Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the weekdays, University holidays and examination periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kansas
Engrave It In Letters Of Gold
P-t-P Infanticide
People-to-People's chairman attempted a sort of infanticide last night by trying to sever relations with P-t-P's parent organization, the All Student Council.
P-t-P was created in April 1961 by an ASC bill. As a committee of the council, People-to-People relies on it for financial support. P-t-P's chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary-treasurer must be approved by the student body president.
Last October, when ASC appropriations to the organizations it supports were approved, the council attached two special stipulatoins: an every-two-months report on finances and activities and the acknowledgement of ASC support in each organization's publicity.
Last night Harper made a brief financial statement at the ASC meeting, then proceeded to suggest that the council leave the P-t-P funds frozen. "We must be unyoked from ASC," he said. "We have enough to do without bothering with campus politics and other such trivia."
Harper admitted that P-t-P has not yet experienced political pressure, but feared that his organization might sometime be politically controlled by ASC.
When time for reports came around, Jerry Harper, P-t-P's chairman, failed to show up at the ASC meeting. He was excused by the council, however, and was sent a personal reminder by the ASC chairman. When Harper failed to report at the next meeting, the council froze P-t-P's funds.
Under the same bill, an organization's classification may be reevaluated by an appropriations committee (consisting of the ASC Finance Committee, the dean of students, and the executive secretary of the University). A review of classifications will be made this spring.
Under the ASC bill on appropriations, People-to-People is now the council's responsibility, presumably because of its social and service functions. Organizations of an educational or public relation function are the responsibility of the University.
Last night the ASC moved to leave P-t-P's funds frozen until the next council meeting. Tomorrow morning the ASC chairman and vice-chairman, Harper, and Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe will meet informally to discuss the problem.
A few questions should be posed:
Does Harper actually represent the feelings of the P-t-P board and club members? One board member said Harper's action last night was the result of a compromise among the board members.
Is People-to-People's function primarily social, service, educational, or public relation? This function determines its classification under ASC or the University.
- Did Harper's speech last night constitute a legitimate report, filling ASC stipulations on appropriations?
Probably there are several solutions to the seeming stalemate between People-to-People and the All Student Council:
1) Harper could repent, make a full financial and activity report to ASC, leaving P-t-P under ASC control.
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2) Harper could apply to the appropriations committee to change P-t-P's classification and put it under University control.
3) P-t-P could become an independent, private organization depending on contributions from private citizens.
4) Nothing could be done, and P-t-P at KU would wither awav.
Now People-to-People's purpose of promoting international brotherhood and understanding is an eminently worthwhile one. Its accomplishments up to now and the spread of the organization from KU to campuses across the country have been extremely outstanding.
If P-t-P feels it impossible to continue under ASC control, there are those specific legal channels by which a change of jurisdiction may be accomplished. More defiant taunts at the ASC and the failure to negotiate by the P-t-P can not but seriously jeopardize the future of the organization.
- Margaret Hughes