Flunking Out?
The problem with an editorial like this—it won't be read
by those to whom it’s written, namely the freshmen who will
flunk out next term or next spring.
The number of freshmen who flunk out their first year in
college is dishearteningly great. These are freshmen with
the brainpower to contribute much to our society, but who
will never get a chance.
You're out of the cradle now. frosh; this isn’t grade 13 in
high school, this is college where you're supposed to think for
yourself as an adult.
Obstacles are presenting themselves that only you can
solve—and you're going to bloody your nose on a few of them.
It’s your reaction to defeat and disappointment that will mark
you as boy or man.
Some of you will blame your professors for being too hard
or unfair. All professors aren’t saints, but what about those
students who got the A’s and B’s in the last test. You had
the same opportunity. And you can always learn it in the
library, if the prof won't give it to you in class.
The biggest crying towel presently in use is: "too many
activities—Homecoming, house dance, firesides, football
games.” Sure it’s a grind. Ever think of saying “Xo!” to some
thing? You'll never get through life or college" if you don’t
start using this two letter word. If you're pressed, put the
books first. Tell the fraternity upperclassmen you’ve got to
study; let ’em get someone else to decorate the float. It takes
guts to say n»!
And stop being a sheep. If your dorm friends want to shoot
the bull or take in a show, tell 'em to count you out. Anvtime
a guy takes in a show on a week night or goofs off before a
test, you can darn well bet he’s going to want company. It
eases his conscience when he’s traveling in a li*rd.
Or maybe you’re the type of guy that’s learned the chant
of the just-passing upperclassman: “Boy! I got a C and I
didn’t know a thing!... Just sit next to an A student ... I
never study ... Take geography, it’s a sure B . .. Anyone for
a show?”
Buddy, if you can't see through these guys, you might as
well forget it. If you can't see past the end of your nose and
figure out what you want out of college, you might as well
leave for the Army now instead of next term.
Consider the future—when you’ve got a wife and kids and
you’re trying to explain to a potential employer just why you
should be hired on the basis of a C-minus college record ...
or why you’re qualified despite the fact that you flunked out
your first term in college.
Initiative, self-drive, is a quality you'd better pick up, and
fast. Figure these problems out for yourself and then follow
the conclusion. Or if you’re really fouled up, go see your
adviser—that’s what he’s for—or better yet, if a class is giving
you trouble go up and see the professor. You’d be surprised
how helpful he'll be if you show a little interest and willing
ness to learn.
Initiative includes making yourself study. That library is
more than the parade of co-eds. Get off in a corner, turn your
back and make your study time count.
Remember: knowledge is understanding. If you try to get
along by simply memorizing the stuff by heart, you'll be in
trouble. You might pass the test, but you aren't getting what
college has to offer. To learn is to understand—get meaning
not memorization. Then you’ll enjoy what you learn, retain
it and carry it into your adult lift with you.
If there’s one course that freshmen moan and groan about
it’s freshman comp. And if there’s one course that’s going to
do the average frosh more good than the rest put together,
it’s freshman comp.
From the start of college to the finish, you’re going to be
expressing yourself—term papers, book reports, blue book
exams and a myriad of other papers. If you can’t get your
points across in writing, you can’t hack college. Put some
real effort into that comp course—it will probably be your
only training ground.
A lot of freshmen, most freshmen, are hampered by the
fact that they don’t know what to major in. You came to
college because it was the thing to do. You’d like to find
a major, but in the meantime you’re sort of taking it easy.
Just remember, Buster, you start building your foundation
as a freshman.
If you get up to your junior year and finally pick a major,
you may look back and find a blank—no grades, no study
habits, no background knowledge. The chance of making
a success out of the second two years after that kind of start
is slim.
If freshmen could only realize how important the first term,
first year, in college is. Start strong and hard and you build
study habits, self-confidence, a good GPA and the right atti
tude. You get the feel of college and you let professors know
you’re here for a purpose.
One last point—the success of a term’s work depends on a
strong finish. There are few class grades that can’t be pushed
up or down a peg depending on the amount and method of
study put in during the last two weeks of school. This term
can still be saved, if you spurt at the finish.—(D.L.)
Oregon Daily
EMERALD
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published five days a week during the school year
except examination and vacation periods, by the Student Publication* Hoard of the l-niyer
»ity of Oregon. Entered as second class matter at the post office, Eugene, Oregon. Sub
scription rates: $5 per school year; $2 a term.
Opinion* 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. Unsigned editorials aie written
by the editor; initialed editorials by the associate editors.
JOE GARDNERTEditor JEAN SANDING. Bu«lne»t M»n»|jtr
_ PICK I.EW1S, JACKIE WAKDKI I A m-iaj. I lit h
I'AI I. KEEFE, MauaKiitK E.litcir PONNA HI NltEKti, Advriti. . M icn
JERRY HARRELLTNcw* Kdi^ OOKPON KICK. Sport. K.I1I..1
Chief Desk Editor: Sally Ryan
Chief Makeup Editor: Sam Vahey
Feature Editor: Dorothy Her
Ass’t. Managing Editor: Anne Ritchey
Ass’t. News Editors: Mary Alice Allen,
Anne Hill, Bob Robinson
Chief Night Editor: Valerie Hcrah
Ass’t. Sports Editor: Buzz Nelson
Office Manager: Hill Mamwartug
Nat'l. Adv. Mgr.: Mary Salavar
Circulation Mur.: Kick Hayden
Office Mgr.: Mtrjtc Hannon
Layout Manager: Dick km
Claaaiftcri Adv.: Helen K. fohiMKm
Morgue Editor: Kathleen Morriton
Woman’* Page Co-editora: Sally Jo (»rrig.
Marcia Mauney
The Big Moment
—The Looking-Glass—
Brigadoori on Screen
Lacks Charm, Appeal
By Len Calvert
Emerald Columnist
Caution: If you have seen a
stage version of "Brigadoon,” we
do not recommend seeing the
screen version currently show
ing at a downtown theater.
The movie version of the
Scotch musical lacks the charm
and lightness of the Alan Ler
ner and Frederick Loewe stage
show. It also lacks five of the
songs which made the stage show
so memorable.
One has to give M-G-M credit,
however, for at least transferring
the plot intact from stage to
screen. One must criticize, how
ever, the omission of such songs
as “Come to Me, Bend to Me"
and "There, But for You, Go I.”
The movie “Brigadoon" is
big, elaborate and colorful, but
it never quite gets off its feet,
despite all the dancers in the
cast. Perhaps this is a cause
of its slowness; it is more a
dance movie than a musical.
One thing which we found re-1
gretable was the almost com
plete elimination of the role of
Meg Brockie. It was her role
that added so much to the stage
show.
In Cinema-Scope and Ansco
color, “Brigadoon’s" costumes,
dances and sets are all worthy 1
of praise. Also noteworthy is the
chase scene when Harry Beaton
threatens to leave the village
and thus break the enchantment
which surrounds it.
The most effective part of the
movie is the distinct contrast be
tween the unspoiled beauty of
“Brigadoon” and the rush and
pettiness of modern civilization
in New York. The contrast prac- j
tically strikes you in the face,
it is so great.
The dancing of Gene Kelly
and Cyd Charisse is excellent, ,
as to bp expected. However,
when Mix* ('harisse in trying
to look llkp she’* in love, she
looka more like a dying ralf.
A parting shot should be
aimed at the make-up depart
ment. The make-up on the wom
en is far too heavy. The eye
shadow is so heavy, that they
look like they haven't slept for
weeks.
However, if you hnven't seen
the stage show, you might enjoy
the movie—
(A note should be added here
also about the pot-pourri of mu
sic to be found in the total pro
gram playing at the local theater.
Besides the songs from j'Briga
doon,” the audience is treated to
an appetizer of Strauss Waltzes
played by the M-G-M symphony
orchestra and a main course of
songs by Tennessee Ernie and
other western stars in another
short.)
Oregon Professor
Publishes Book
Herbert E. Bowman, assistant |
professor of Slavic languages, is
the author of a book just pub
lished by the Harvard university
press. Entitled "Vissarion Be
linski (1811-1846): A Study in
the Origins of Social Criticism
in Russia," the book is the first
complete study of Belinski.
Belinski has been called the
father of the Russian intelligent
sia, and thus a founder of the
revolutionary movement.
The book is one of a series
in comparative literature being
prepared by Harvard. Bowman
prepared the book for the press
while he was a research fellow
at the Russian Center of Har
vard.
College Capers..
From Coast to Coast
By Lucia Kneppor
Cm*rald Colummt!
A PAIR OF obvious Ice cream
fanciers at WSC decided to have
an ice cream eating contest. They
started out with one pint of
chocolate at n local ice cream
parlor. Three pinta and an hour
later the two decided to call It
a draw. After all, they didn't
want to ruin their dinner! All In
all they gorged themselves with
three quarts of Ice cream and
have decided to challenge all
corners to future contests to elect
a champion chocolate ice cream
eater of WSC.
• * •
LOST AND FOUND is doing
a great business at the HUH at
University of Washington. They
receive the usual number of cant*
etas, binoculars, eases, padlocks,
slide rules, pipes, thermos bottles
and tennis balls. But, recently
they acquired a partial set of
false upper dentures!
A STUDENT of the masculine
species, reports the WSC Dally
Evergreen, showed up for classes
last week with one broken arm,
therefore unable to take notes.
In one of his courses, one of the
fairer sex offered her aid by
taking his notes for him He was
evidently all prepared for such
gallantry for he hauled out a
piece of carbon paper and handed
it to her. She took same, placed
it in her notebook and took
notes for the unfortunate male
as she did her own. Might keep
this idea in mind when next you
break your arm, patting yourself
on the back!
* • •
THE SAE's at North Dakota
are an fnterprising bunch. The
latest discovery was "study pill*
destined to revolutionize the
American educational system."
The brothers manufactured the
wonder drug and sold It at 75
cents a pill. Needles* to say. the
grade-point raising medicine con
taining “truth serums, caffetn
and boiled down crib notes"
swelled the pockets of the
businesslike SAK's. But then
tame expose, and ruin ... an
inscription on the “study pill"
was noticed to plainly read
"HEXAL" better known by phar
macists as aspirins.
• • •
COEDS AT KANSAS STATE
have gone on a pipe smoking
erase!
* • *
SAN JOSE haa a novel Idea
for livening up the usual dreary
exchanges between houses on
their campus. One of these ex
changes was held recently with
the lliemc of "old clothes and
funny faces." Pledges of both
groups were introduced and
members of each pledge class
were required to give a brief life
history.
* * *
A BEAUTY CONTEST to find
the boy with the most beautiful
legs on CMmpus was started at
the University of California. The
P' ize awarded to the winner . . .
one pair of Bermuda shorts.
* * •
A FRATERNITY at WSC
sponsored a watermelon eating
contest for all sorority pledges.
Winners from each sorority
chewed for the world champion
ship title. Trophies were present
ed to the winner and runner-up,
blue ribbons awarded to the
other finalists.
* * •
WAKE-UP seems to be a prob
lem for all students on this cam
pus. At UCLA fraternities they
have solved this problem . . . one
bright morning at 5:30, all
pledges simultaneously leaned
on car horns and blasted the
neighbors out of bed.
Today's Staff
Make-up editor: Jackie War
dell.
Copy desk: Marna Gehrman,
Bob Funk, Paul Keefe, Marcia
Mauney, Sam Vahey.
News desk: Jerry Harrell,
Mary Alice Allen.
Night staff: Mollie Monroe,
Mary McCroskey.