Editorial—
Local pub's last call
loss to lushes out late
We're not asking that Unlvorsily President Paul
Olum declare' .1 day of mourning. «w arts we requesting
lh.it flags be flow 11 at half mast. Hut wo do want to taki*
this opportunity to nolo with sadness the passing of
one of our favorite watering holes, the legendary Max s
on tilth Avenue.
After fallhfullv serving the University community
lor U2 years. Max's had its last •‘last call” Saturday
night. A crowd of the faithful gathered to bid the place
farewell, and they did a thorough |ob — the last k«>g
was drained early at 5:30 p.m.
By all accounts, it wasn’t a somber occasion but a
happy send-off that well honored the tiny bar. Since its
inception in 1027. Max’s had been a well-known popu
lar establishment. Its closure was not due to a lack of
customers, but rather a lease dispute with the family
who owns the building and the grocery market next
door.
There was a push a few weeks back to raise the
money that would have kept the place in business and
have it declared a local historical landmark, but appar
ently the effort did not succeed. That's too bad.
With its cozy atmosphere, colorful patrons, live
music and free-wheeling conversation. Max's was al
ways a lot of fun. It was a comfortable place to go. not
just to drink, but to truly relax and get out. There used
to be a whole bunch of these kind of late-night spots —
not just bars — on the west side: Lenny's Nosh Bar.
Poppi's. Prince Puckler's. These are all gone now; only
the Dairy Queen on Hilyard and 13th serves as any
kind of social meeting place in those blocks.
Beyond this trend of favorite establishments shut
ting down, we're especially sad to w Max's go. The
place, with its history and traditions (the peanut nights
and Phony Art League) has long been part of the West
University neighborhood. It was part of a trio of hot
spots along 13th Avenue that included Old Taylor's
and Duffy's (another pub casualty).
Max's greatest days were during the late 1940s. Af
ter World War II. the University was suddenly inundat
ed by hordes of soldiers and sailors ready to continue
their educations. These men were a rough-and-tumble
sort that frightened the University faculty with their
drunken antics. In response to their constant partying,
the University and the blocks surrounding it were, for
a short time, declared a dry campus.
The line of demarcation ended right at Max's: it
was t/ie place to go. No doubt, the sounds of all those
people crowded into that tiny place, that “shoebox” as
bartender Mike Lutz calls it. and their happy memories
will long haunt the place. We hope so. Max's — here's
to you.
Cr+f'*y #<*** S«r¥**
Democrat
Letters
Shudder
Fred Wheeler, in his letter
(ODE, April 28). states that not
only are allegations of racism
by lose Comejo-Kossi against
the Federalist Society "ground
less," but that the "University
Office of Affirmative Action
and the ASUO both rejected his
complaints."
I, too. was present at the Inci
dental Fee Committee meeting
when the Federalist Society ap
pealed the IPG’s previous deci
sion rejecting funding for the
group. I, lot), read the docu
ments in question that were put
out by the Office of Affirmative
Action and the ASUO. The
truth is, neither department
had investigated the Federalist
Society at that time, and this
fact was made crystal dear to
Wheeler at the meeting!
Wheeler would like us to be
lieve that Kossi's allegations
are the sole reason this group
was denied funding. I would
like to point out. however, that
Kossi was not even present at
the first 1FC meeting when
funding was denied! And no.
contrary to Wheeler's claim
that "the IFC accepted (Rossi’s
allegations) as fact," the IFC
merely stated, and rightly so,
that the IFC was not the body
that could or should decide the
matter.
Rossi was indeed wise in
tape recording the meeting "to
prevent future misquotations."
If the Federalist Society has the
audacity to lie about a meeting
whoso minutes are on public
record for anyone to see. 1
shudder to think what else they
may have lied about!
Catherine Collins
Senior, biology
Context
Bert P. Tryba (ODE, April
2B). what does the word "con
text" mean to you? Just curi
ous. Well, it’s pretty darn evi
dent from your letter that the
word “context” is not an active
part of your vocabulary.
To quote Webster: “Context
(n.): The parts just before and
just after a word or passage,
that determine its meaning."
When you quote the Bible
out of context, it means noth
ing, absolutely nothing. So, un
til you address the issue in con
text ... you're still talk'nC all
that jazz.
Rob Hartsock
Leisure studies
_Letters Policy_
The Bmerald will attempt to print all letters con
taining comments on topics of interest to the Univer
sity community. Comments must be factually accu
rate and refrain from personal attacks on the character
of others.
Forum
Religious studies an important element in understanding
By Christine Kotek
An open letter to the students
addressing racial discrimina
tion and intolerance recently
_Commentary
appeared in the Emerald (ODE.
April 21).
University President Paul
Olum and Provost Norman
Wessells. stated that •'universi
ty students deserve an atmos
phere conducive to learning,
with free and open interchange
among ail concerned, where
lives can bo enriched by inter
action with people of all races,
ethnicities, and creeds."
I heartily support this call for
openness and diversity here at
the University. I think an im
portant element in cultivating
tolerance and understanding is
education, in general, the ad
ministration promotes this
view, but a recent development
concerning the study of reli
gion here at the University
raises somo concern.
Budget cuts an? affecting
many departments, but a deci
ston to suspend the search for a
new professor in the Depart -
ment of Religious Studies has
put the department in a situa
lion which no other department
is facing.
The department currently has
three faculty members, but
with the departure of one of
them at the end of the year and
the imposed "hiring freeze,” it
is likely that the department
will close. After all, a depart
ment with two professors, one
of whom is retiring in 1991. is
not much of a department.
1 sympathize with the fiscal
dilemma the administration is
trying to resolve, but a decision
which could lead to the end of
the Department of Religious
Studies is clearly a shortsighted
move. Essentially, the depart
ment is viewed by the adminis
tration as being expendable and
undistinguished.
With regards to its being ex
pendable, I refer to the opening
quote trom the Ulum Wessons
letter Regardless of one's reli
gious views, one would agree
thill the study of world reli
gions is helpful in promoting
peace and understanding
among people. The Salman
Rushdie episode is a case in
point. Ignorance of another's
views is the greatest cause of
intolerance and hatred.
Also, from a strictly academ
ic viewpoint, religion is a fun
damental part of various fields
of study, including history, an
thropology, and cross-cultural
studies.
What sense does it make to
allow the Department of Reli
gious Studies to slip away into
oblivion? Religious studies
does not merely augment the
academic experience here at
the University, but it is a foun
dational aspect of any sound
liberal arts education. To think
otherwise is to have a narrow
view of the world.
Second, the Department of
Religious Studies is the second
Oldest department ot its kind in
the state school system. Since
its inception in 1934. the de
partment has had a history of
distinguished scholarship and
quality teaching.
In an ideal world, the depart
ment would Ire expanded to in
clude specialists in Islam and
Native American religion, hut
its core staff of three professors
does provide students with a
sound introduction to the
world’s religions.
Can this University afford to
lose such a department? If
one’s answer is "yes." is such
a response compatible with the
University's goal of academic
diversity and quality educa
tion? I think not.
In talking to students about
the situation facing the depart
ment. some students have ex
pressed the view that it is
something which does not con
cern them. 1 think all students
should be concerned about it.
By phasing out smaller depart
ments, the University adminis
trillion hopes to save money,
but in doing so the academic
opportunities here at the Uni
versity will suffer.
The end result will be a nar
rower curriculum that does not
benefit anyone, if the Depart
ment of Religious Studies goes,
who is to say that other depart
ments won't follow?
My being a religious studies
major directly involves me in
this situation, but 1 truly be
lieve that this problem facing
the Department of Religious
Studies affects all students. I
urge students to express their
dissatisfaction with the pro
vost's decision.
1 also urge the provost to re
consider his decision. The De
partment of Religious Studies
is a valued part of the educa
tional experience at the Univer
sity and should continue to be
so for years to come.
Christine Kotek is a Universi
ty student majoring in religious
studies.