The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 29, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 15, 1949 Page: 1 of 8
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7NE X/CE
VOLUME THIRTY-SIX — NO. TWENTY-NINE
HOUSTON, TEXAS, SATURDAY, JAN. 15, 1949
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Pierre Carpenter takes advantage of a proposed duel to teach Colleen
Allessandra something about a pistol as "The Boor" raced to a climax
Tuesday night.
Weeks of Hard Work Pay-off
As Plays Prove Outstanding
by Robert Mcllhenny
Weeks of diligent practice, sweat, tears, heartbreaks, and
nervous prostration paid off for the Dramatic club Tuesday
night with the outstanding student accomplishment of the year.
From curtain to curtain all the evening was well planned, bal-
anced, entertaining, and highly successful. Congratulations
of the highest sort are in
order!
After a little dragging repetition
which might be blamed on Chekov,
the evening began with a torrid love
scene between Colleen Alessandra
and Pierre Carpenter, both new
comers to the Rice stage, as was
their support Harry Clampett. The
somewhat trite material, these three
had to work with and a possible lack
of experience, though certainly not
talent, left "The Boor" slightly below
the other two plays in audience ap-
peal. But it was a creditable per-
formance well worth repeating if
the Dramatic club has the oppor-
tunity.
Old hands and new faces alike
shared top honors in the dramatic
presentation of Eugene O'Neill's
"lie." The play, typical of O'Neill's
feeling for the sea, offered a worthy
challenge for the talents of the
cast; and it was a challenge well
taken. Only slight hints of over-
acting and one brief deviation from
the playwright's stark realism de-
tracted from the able interpretation
of the most difficult play of the
evening.
Bob Borden's husky, though he
claimed accidental, Scottish accent
was typical of the practiced per-
fection of the dialect by the entire
cast. Etta Colish's portrayal of the
demented captain's wife was almost
professional, while Art Cole made
almost as despicable a captain as
Mr. O'Niell intended him to. be.
Henry Walters turned in a good job
of acting but it was far over shadow-
ed by his competent directing which
was indispensible for the success of
the play.
It is a difficult verdict to return,
but because of one short sequence
and unavoidable miscasting in the
minor parts, "lie" must take only
second honors.
Playing to an already warmed and
enthusiastic audience, and cheered on
by the ovat'ion to "lie," the cast of
Noel Cowards "Ways and Means"
added the last delicate touch of spice
to a well seasoned night. The super-
(Continued on Page 4)
Dr. Tsanoff, Dr. W. H. Hamrick,
To Debate Socialized Medicine
Two Students Also
To Speak on Plan
For Health Aids
A professor will meet his
student of 20 years ago at the
forum program "Is Medicine
Menaced by Socialization?" at
8 p.m. Wednesday, January 19,
in Anderson Hall 104.
Dr. R. A. Tsanoff, professor of
Philosophy, and Dr. W. H. Ham-
rick, Houston surgeon, are the chief
speakers. Two students will round
out the evening's program.
Dr. Tsanoff Wanted it made clear
that he represented strictly the lay-
man's view on this question which
has been brought more fully into
public view as a result of President
Truman's plea for compulsory na-
tional health insurance in the recent
"State of the Union" address.
The medical practitioner's opinion
will be presented by Dr. Hamrick.
As a B.A. graduate from Rice in
1929, Dr. Hamrick was a student in
one of Dr. Tsanoff's philosophy
courses. He received his medical
training in Galveston and graduate
work in surgery from the University
of Pennsylvania. He is a member of
the public relations committee of
the Harris County Medical Asso-
ciation.
Students and faculty members are
invited to this program sponsored
by the Forum Committee. As is cus-
tomary in Forum programs, a ques-
tion and answer period will follow
the addresses.
O
Student Activities
Committee Named
The Student Activities Commit-
ft
tee is the group of faculty members
and Students who consider all extra-
curricular affairs, and pass upon
those that it feels necessary to con-
sider. The Committee's action in set-
ting aside the Student's Council's
decision to have the Instructor rat-
ing poll before finals, and stating
that it must pass upon the wording
of the poll called to Student atten-
tion this committee.
The members of this committee
for this year are: the Dean for Stu-
dent Activities, chairman, ex officio
Mr. Hugh S. Cameron; Dr. Hugh D.
Brunk; Dr. R. I. Davies; Dr. J. K.
Dunaway; Mr. Joseph S. Gallegly;
Mr. G. L. Hermance; Dr. A. Louis;
(Continued on Page 5)
Pre-Meds Ecstatic
Over Ball Tonight
It is with pleasure that the Rice
Pre-Medical Society announces its
Dance to be held tonight from 9-1
at Blossom Heath. Members of the
society say it will be the best dance
of the year, what with Johnny Sul-
livan playing and the complete fa-
cilities of Blossom Heath available.
Attractive decorations, electric
lighting, tables and chairs, and a
space in the middle of the floor suit-
able for dancing promise a gala
evening for those who attend.
Semi-formal. Stag or drag, two
dollars. No corsages will be al-
lowed.
Faculty Members Express
Varied Opinions Regarding
Closed Membership Societies
by Ruey Boone
In view of the national consideration and attention which
has been given in recent weeks to the question of invitation-
membership societies in colleges, four Rice Institute professors
have been asked to present their opinions of the status of these
groups.
possible solution to the problem, as
far as Rice is concerned. Two others
criticize the Thresher for attempt-
ing to change the policies of these
groups through "slanting of art-
icles", and "attempts to change by
legislation."
Views on the subject were
varied although all seemed to
agree on one point—that fraterni-
ties and sororities should exist only
if they are not harmful to either
members or outsiders.
One of the professors offers a
Dr. Fulton Explains . . .
Closed Membership Clubs Not Based
Upon Class or Racial Discrimination
J. S. Fulton, associate professor of philosophy, who is a member
of a fraternity himself, believes that the exclusiveness of closed organiza-
tions is not a question of discrimination against classes, races, etc., but
merely an attempt by people of the same type, and with the same in-
terests, to join together for social purposes.
In the case of college sororities
and fraternities, it is the desire of
the students to "be out on their
own and to form gangs or crowds,"
which are perfectly natural and val-
uable expressions of youth." "It is
the exclusiveness of these organiza-
tions," explained Dr. Fulton, "that
is not valuable. There is always the
problem of those who are left out."
Dr. Fulton pointed out that the
Yale College System successfully
broke up exclusive clubs on that
campus. The undergraduate students
are subdivided into separate col-
leges. Dormitories and other build-
ings are set aside for each college.
New students are assigned to the
colleges bjr lot, with the exception
of a small percentage with the most
outstanding records, who may
choose their own colleges. Intercol-
legiate rivalries are built up. Sports,
dances, and other outside activities
are carried on by the individual col-
leges. In such large groups there can
be cliques—no sense of clannishnesS.
Yet the groups are small enough so clubs."
(Continued on Page 5)
that none of the students remains
anonymous throughout his college
life.
A possible solution at Rice Insti-
tute, according to Dr. Fulton, would
be the construction of women's dor-
mitories on the campus. This would
provide the women students with
the needed social companionship
which now depends on the literary
societies. Dr. Fulton explained that
in a large number of Universities
the housing problem is so • acute
that sorority and fraternity houses
are necessary to take care of the
students. *
"I am personally opposed to fra-
ternities and sororities," stated Dr.
Fulton, "because they exist on the
principle of 'being better than'—the
system of supremacy. Anything
good that is done by these organi-
zations can be done just as well by
other groups which do not create the
evil brought about by exclusive
Student Activities Committee Decides
Rating Poll to Be Held Second Semester
The Student Activities Committee in meeting Wednesday, passed a
motion approving an instructor rating poll if it be held at the start of
the second semester. The motion was that "the Student Activities Com-
mittee approve the request of the Student Council to conduct a rating
of the teaching faculty with the following provisions:
1. The wording approved by the
Students Activities Committee.
2. The rating will be conducted on
the first and second days of the
second semester."
Thursday noon during the Stu-
dent Council meeting, J. S. Binford,
head of the Student Council Com-
mittee to Consider the Rating Poll,
reported the reasons for conducting
the poll after the exams l-ather than
before:
1. Quizzes being given towards the
end of the semester would interfere
with giving the poll.
2. Since the poll will be conducted
after the semester finals, but before
the grades are out the student will
be able to estimate the instructor
more fairly and still not be influenc-
ed by the grades received.
3. The previous objection that
courses changing instructors at the
end of the semester could not rate
their instructors fairly was not sus-
stained—since most courses do not
disband and their instructors can re-
turn and conduct the poll.
The motion to conduct the poll in
accordance with the Students Activi-
ties Committee suggestions was
passed.
Q
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The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 29, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 15, 1949, newspaper, January 15, 1949; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth230784/m1/1/: accessed May 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.