Do You Know This Man ?
The man pictured above is H. K. Xewburn. lie is nationally
known as an educator. He is regionally known as a spokesman
for the University of Oregon. He is little known to students.
Dr. Xewburn has been president of the University of Ore
gon since 1945. He is a member of the Xational Education As
sociation and was president of the higher education depart
ment in 1946. He was a member of President Truman's Higher
Education Board. Xewburn recently made a trip to Europe to
study educational methods there.
It is our belief that the president of a university should be
available to students. President Newburn, with an extensive
background in education, is ideally suited for such contact.
However, his duties as president of the University and the
demand for his services in the educational field have appar
ently made this impossible.
Xewburn has made attempts to contact the students. In
October of 1951 he spoke at a 1 p.m. assembly. Less than 100
persons attended. Doubtless this showing discouraged Xew
burn. However, in the question period which followed Xew
burn’s prepared address a number of topics pertinent to stu
dent-administration relations were broached. The president’s
answers were published and were valuable in exposing the ad
ministration’s viewpoint on certain student problems.
At the beginning of the 1952-53 academic year Newburn
conferred briefly with student leaders at a social hour. It was
not the exhaustive study of student problems conducted by
President A. L. Strand at OSC at about the same time.
We feel that there should be greater student-administration
contact. Too often students are not aware of the policies which
the administration is pursuing. We suggest several ways of
remedying the situation.
1. President Newburn could set aside a monthly “question
hour” during which he would be available to students who
wished to learn the administration’s attitude on a specific issue.
2. President Newburn might adopt the type of day-long
leadership session used by President Strand.
3. The President’s office might issue, for publication, bulle
tins explaining administrative policies.
4. The President could designate administrative heads such
as William Jones, dean of administration, or Lyle Nelson,
director of public services, to meet with students.
An effective solution to this problem would be another step
toward uniting the University.
daily
EMERALD
The Oregon Daily Emebald published Tuesday through Friday during the college year
■except Sept. 17 and 19; Nov. 27 through Dec. 1; Dec. 3, 4, 9 and 10; Dec. 12 through Jan. 5;
March 5, 10 and 11; Mar. 13 through Mar. 30; and May 30 through June 4, with issues on
Nov. 8, Feb. 7 and May 9 by the Student Publications Board of the University of Oregon.
Entered as second class matter at the post office, Eugene, Oregon. Subscription rates; $5
per school year; $2 per term.
Opinions expressed on the editorial page are those of the writer and do not pretend to
represent the opinions of the ASUO or of the University. Initialed editorials are written by
editorial staff members. Unsigned editorials are written by the editor.
Larry Hobart, Editor Sally Thurston, Business Manager
Helen Jones, Bill Gurney, Associate Editors
Jim Haycox, Editorial Assistant
Al Karr, Managing Editor
News Editor: Kitty Fraser
Asst. Managing Editors: Judy McLoughlin
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Layout Manager* Jim Solidum
'Mr. Smith'
Bromfield Book
Compares War
With Marriage
Gy Michael Lundy
Louis Bromfield’s "Mister
Smith” (Signet Giant, 35c) is a
novel that should be read by all
women just before their wedding
and regularly at five year inter
vals throughout their married
lives.
It is a story which deals with
the traditional “middle class,”
somewhat in the Marquand, or
Cosmopolitan manner, but with
some unusually penetrating in
sight into the animal known as
the average American wife. In
the process of showing her up for
the shallow creature she is, how
ever, Bromfield unwittingly wins
more sympathy for her than for
the poor duped husband she preys
upon.
Wife Doesn’t Understand
Mister Smith is Wolcott Ferris,
who tells his own story, and who
sees himself as the normal coun
try-clubbing, well-to-do business
man who has discovered that his
wife doesn’t understand him, his
job is a treadmill, and his exist
ence is meaningless. He has look
ed about him and discovered
some truths about American life
and marriage which are profound
and thought-provoking.
Unfortunately, Mister Smith’s
attempts at escape and his even
tual fate do not in any way re
solve these problems, and do not
even make a very good novel.
Finds Peace in Pacific
The chronicle is written in first
person from the isolation and
comparative peace of a remote
island in the Pacific, where Fer
ris is stationed with four enlisted
men during the war. Surrounded
by the jungle, in fear of attack
by the Japanese, and guarding
supplies which the army will nev
er use, he finds purpose in his
life for the first time by writing
the story of his marriage.
Transition and contrast be
tween “The Jungle” and "Oak
dale” (Ferris’ suburban home),
which have alternate chapters in
the narrative, is extremely well
handled. The simplicity of the
existence, the respect for each
other’s privacy, and the mutual
understanding of the soldiers on
the island, point up the hurly
burly of meaningless existence
back home.
One of Ferris’ chief complaints
is that his wife Enid, and most of
his former friends, mask their in
stability and insecurity by never
being alone if it can be avoided.
They constantly surround them
selves with inane conversation
and meaningless activity so that
they v/ill never have to face the
futility and thoughtlessness of
their lives.
Cries Against Materialism
Bromfield’s book cries out
against the materialism of our
people in denial to the intellec
tual and creative, a subject which
has been well trodden on by other
writers; seldom as well as it is
here done in spots.
The book contains some great
writing, but one is led to wish, as
he struggles through the last
half, that Bromfield had made a
short essay about it instead of a
long novel. Certainly Wolcott
Ferris’ love affair with a dope
taking rich girl is not consistent
with the quality of the other
writing nor of the character him
self. The ending, with the hero
apparently getting accidentally
killed or committing suicide on
his jungle island (the issue is
left in doubt), seems an easy
way out for the author.
Friday at Eight
N C*
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