7k* Ortf* Petty
EMERALD
Thoughts on Wanclering Thoughts
Making the classroom scene :
Scene one: “Ohh! Excuse me—I guess I
wasn’t following very closely. (Nervous
giggle.) What page are we on?"
Scene two: (another class and another
student, equally embarrassed) "I know, I
know, but I just don't understand it. Could
you go over that just one more time?” (He
hadn’t bothered to read "it” before class.)
Scene three: (A professor reading a term
paper to himself) "Other books by Shakes
peare include 4A Tale of Mid-Winter’ and
‘Hamlett’, which everybody agrees is his
best play. I agree too." (Exit prof, whim
pering, to his wine cellar.)
These are some vignettes taken “from
life” at the University of Oregon. They were
selected to illustrate what is probably one
of the most damaging hindrances to effect
ive college education.
Lack of concentration is this hindrance,
and the scenes above are some of its
symtoms.
You think you can concentrate? Maybe
you have this invaluable ability (most folks
do), but ask yourself this: in how many
classes this term have you been able to ab
sorb yourself completely in the subject at
hand? There always seems to be something
distracting conveniently nearby: the lesson
not completed for the next class-hour, the
brunette two seats left, tomorrow’s house
dance, the professors halting lecture-style.
Concentration in school is something like
having your teeth filled: it's immediately
more convenient not to.
But the three examples above show pretty
clearly what lack of concentration in school
means: wasted time for both student and
his academic partner, the professor.
For a student to come into a class, say, of
French, and lose his place and/or stutter
and hedge around a question he should be
able to reason out, is a waste of time. So is
a term-paper that shows no more “concen
trated" effort than a hasty reading of a few
scources, and no personal examination to
speak .of.
Why can't these (us!) “distracted” stu
dents come to closer grips with their class
subjects? As we’ve already suggested, part
of the answer is no further than the near
est distraction, whether it’s an open window
or the professor’s “startling” tie.
But part of the problem may well lie in an
academic system that requires most stu
dents to attend six hour-long classes two
or three times per week, with as many as
five in a row in one day. To spend just fifty
minutes on History of Philosophy and then
to rush on to Math 101 for a similar period
requires some furious mental gear-shifting.
Most students, in fact, can't make such a
full-range shift in topics and approaches
fast enough to get up much "mental speed”
before the next class arrives.
They either strip their gears, or stay in
low throughout the whole trip.
This might be impartial solution: students
and professors who have had connection
with seminars and other two-hour-and
longer courses are pretty well agreed that
they can concentrate on and go much deeper
into the subject in such "jumbo” classes,
than they can ever do in the traditional
class-hour.
By the same token, perhaps the tradi
tional five- or six-class class term’s schedule
could be replaced (particularly in non-pro
fessional areas) with fewer classes, of two
hour or more duration, and of course more
general and “surveying” in approach.
Yogi mystics advise their disciples that
Nirvana can be approached by concentrat
ing on one’s navel. Oregon's students might
well replace that mystical object with the
classes on their schedule.
Footnotes
There was much talk at last week’s Sen
ate meeting about previous Senate attempts
to stir, and to depend on, interest in student
government: “We’ve had our hands burned
trying this kind of thing before.”
Comment: how can you get burned in a
region where there literally is “no fire?”
In line with this, Senate faculty member
Prof. Howard Dean had one of the best
quips in ASUO annals: “Will the Senate
rove, while hands burn?”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Emerald Editor:
To William W. Quesinberry,
In my judgment, the book re
view of “Doctor Zhivago” of
fered by Miss Treece in Friday's
Emerald was an excellent piece
of writing. It reflected sound
organization and analysis.
It’s excellent also that you
challenge her opinion, but your
rude manner of so doing left
much to be desired.
You recognized, I hope, that
Miss Treece was careful to label
her review as "opinion.” We all
have a right to our opinions,
and mine is that Miss Treece
should be commended for a job
well done and that you, Mr.
Quesinberry, should learn how
to disagree without being dis
agreeable.
Graduate in Journalism
Ronald Abell
Emerald Editor:
Although Mr. Quesinberry is
entitled to his opinion on what
the function of literary reviews
should be, his rather personal
attack on the review of “Dr.
Zhivago” was far enough be
yond the bounds of good taste
and good sense to call for a
reply.
The review was written in a
tone of humility and modesty
as that of a student reading the
book for the first time. It wasn’t
offered as “sterling critical
analysis.”
Whether or not it was ac
curate in its most headlineable
conclusion, the review was well
written and penetrating. It
would do credit to any college
newspaper or student reviewer.
Mr. Quesinberry didn’t men
tion his own opinion of the book.
What the Nobel judges say is
good enough for him. If he was
living in Russia, he could with
a conscience equally at peace
accept the position of estab
lished authority there that it is
a poor book and not worth read
ing.
It isn’t the function of a re
viewer, or any journalist simply
to bow to authority. The first
duty of the reviewer was to her
judgement. Mr. Quesinberry was
entitled to disagree with the
evaluation, after reading the
book itself. He accomplished
little by pointing to the glaring
"heresy.”
Ken Robison
Graduate in
Journalism
Emerald Editor:
It is highly gratifying to
learn that the campus is pos
sessed of at least one fearless
critic who is unafraid to loose
his thunderbolts and let the
chips fall where they may.
I have reference, of course,
to Willy Quesinberry’s cour
ageous attack on the shocking
book review that brazen Pat
Treece had the audacity to write
for Friday’s Emerald. It is
equally gratifying to have one’s
faith in the infallibility of tlje
Nobel Prize Committee restored
after it had been shaken to its
very roots by a mere wisp of a
(gasp) girl.
Let's face it Willy, it’s just
remotely possible that Pat
didn’t mean to subvert the lit
erary taste of the campus, al
though on face value that seems
to be the case. Maybe we-should
take a milder tack and give
poor presumptuous Pattie the
benefit of some of the vast wis
dom of the ages that we gradu
ate students have stored up
during the course of our endless
search for knowledge.
The first thing for you to
learn, Pat, is never to express
your opinion unless you’re sure
it will find favor with the Mob.
No matter how 'well thought
out and honest your opinion may
be, and how tastefully it is pre
sented, you’re a heretic if you
don’t conform. The very idea of
a girl reading such a book is
bad enough, but that she should
have the impudence to hold
opinions contrary to those of
the omniscient majority (who
doubtless haven't bothered to
read the book )is intolerable. By
the way, Pat, thanks for the
best piece of critical writing to
appear in the paper this year.
Speaking of tending to your
knitting, Willy, why don’t you
read the book instead of writing
nasty letters?
Arthur P. MoIIermott
Graduate in Journalism
More Class Distractions
(8EE LEFT)
"/ don't know why it's so hard
to turn."
Prediction: Senate Ransomed
For Indian, Pioneer Retired
Here is a roundup of predic
tions (in capsule form), for the
next year. Technically predic
tions for the new year should be
made at the beginning of the
year. However, we didn't think
of it. But here they are. who
knows, this prediction idea
might catch on.
The ASl'O Senate will put the
show on the road with one night
stands stated in Itt major I'.S.
cities and 53 foreign countries.
The University will take 40 per
cent of the gross with the re
maining profits ticketed for
Kwama. They (Kwama) in turn
will build a memorial to the
now defunct bunion derby. The
statue (a ten-story life-like rep
lica of a bunion), will bo erected
on top of Friendly Hall.
The co-op and Student Union
will switch buildings. The li
brary will be converted to a
student activity center (the Or
der of the O will bum all the
books).
The new swimming pool will
be closed to the student body.
Instead it will serve as a health
spa for honorary members. This
is planned to serve as an in
centive "to^et more kids in ac
tivities.”
The roving' Senate will miss
its plane connection at Guam
and will cancel its appearance
in Beirut).
The Pioneer Father will retire
on pension. A statute of Frank
Sinatra (holding a scotch on the
rocks), with Dean Martin will
lie substituted in its place. The
pioneer mother will la; replaced
by an abstract of Bess Tru
man.
Tommy Manville will turn
down a Dad s Weekend invita
tion.!
Chris Conner will "come back
to Serrento.” More and more
English soldiers will “go you
back to Mandalay.”
With the Senate on the road
a vigilante student judiciary
board will be set up. Its first
action will be to expell three
students on grounds that “they
are intellectuals!”
The Senate will spend the
summer on the Riviera. Univer
sity accountants will eye this
move suspiciously.
Ford will rcval plana for a
sports car that will Beat 11 six
footers.
The Co-op will mfrec with
the Kugene Water and Klectric
Board, General Motors, and
U S. Steel.
Relative-* Weekend will take
the place of Homecoming. The
student with the most relatives
bivouaced on the campus for
the weekend is the winner. The
winner will be treated to a
round of applause on Friday at
Four.
A newly elected queen will
say, "this is not a great honor
— but I'd like to thank all the
people who voted for me just
the same."
Boris Pasternak’s "Doctor Zhi
vago" will be concensed to one
page by Reader's Digest.
"Hurricane” Jackson, Art Ar
gon, and Fiddle Fisher will con
duct a coaches' clinic on the
Oregon campus come late
August.
The Senate will wind up its
world tour next December with
a whistle stop campaign through
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona
and Utah. Through a lack of
planning they will wander into
the Great Salt Lake Desert.
Weakened by starvation, they
will be captured by a remote
tribe of Nez Perce indinns.
They will be held for ransom
until the University returns
Chief Joseph.
OKEftON DAILY EMERALD
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published
four time* in September ami five day# a
wek during the school year, except during
examination and vacation period#, hy the
Student Publications Board of the Univer
sity of Oregon. Entered a# second clan*
matter at the post office, Eugene, Ore
gem. Subscription rate#: $5 per year, $2
per term.
Opinion# expressed on the editorial
page are those of The Emerald and do
not pretend to represent the opinion of
the ASUO or the University.
JERRY RAMSEY, Editor
BIEL BRYANT, Busings Manager
I'll I L HAGER, Managing Editor
CHAR LI E SWI FT, Advertising Mgr.
MIKE FORRESTER. News Editor
BILL BEBOUT. BEN TROW
BRIDGE. JOHN LENGEL. MIKE
HOLLISTER, DAVE LORTJE,
Associate Editors
dick McKinney, larry kurtz,
Sports Editors.
MARY JO STEWART. Feature Editor
PEPPER ALLEN. Women'.. Editor
TOM CHAPMAN, FACETS
Managing Editor
DON JEPSEN, Entertainment Editor
LOUIS PARKER, Photo Editor