The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 17, 1966 Page: 4 of 10
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Lits are frivolous; why justify them?
Once again literary societies,
the alleged "constitutionalized
cliques," have com6 up for their
annual reign as the Big Deal.
Every February since the first
lit appeared on the scene all
the girls have traditionally
taken sides as "anti-lits" and
"pro-lits" and briefly battled it
out, whjle the boys have sat
back and gotten a good laugh
out of the whole affair.
And every February, without
fail,., both sides have eventually
come to the same conclusion—
that the only ones who are
really right are the boys, who,
all along, have seen them for
just what they are and just
what they ought to be, a laugh-
ing matter.
Everyone may as well admit
it — lits are ridiculous'; they're
frivolous; they're purely social;
they serve no useful purpose.
But who ever said they had to ?
If fewer than one quarter of
the girls in the University
(which is the proportion of girls
who are in lits or will be after
Sunday) want to get together
in congenial groups and have
a ridiculous, frivolous, purely
Valuable contacts with others
Originating as "literary"
groups, Rice's traditional stu-
dent societies have during the
years evolved into the more or
less social groups which exist
today. And I for one find this
evolution is not a matter worthy
of bitter attacks and snide re-
marks. The literary societies
exist for those who desire to
join a group of girls with whom
interests are shared. No stig-
ma is attached to those who
prefer to remain "independent."
To the girl who chooses to
become a part of such a group
comes a responsibility for shar-
ing the work load involved in
various projects. Some individ-
uals prefer not to get involved.
Fine. A certain amount of time
must be given in order to as-
sure the functioning of any or-
ganization. And to those who
think that such an expenditure
of time is a waste, I say: don't
join!
Resent Obligations
The literary societies provide
an opportunity to become better
acquainted with others. Some
feel that the same opportunity
is available to those not in a
literary society. And I would
agree with them—to a certain
extent. 1 can understand that
individuals filled with a so-call-
ed freedom-loving spirit might
resent the obligations imposed
upon the individual who accepts
the privilege afforded by a lit.
In the final analysis, how-
ever, one's decision of whether
or not to join a lit is dependent
merely upon the manner one
chooses to afford herself with
chances to meet people. I per-
sonally have had a most pileas-
ant association with literary
societies.
Share Problems
I'm happy that I have had the
opportunity to work toward our
common goals, and to share in
our problems. More than this,
I have made some friends of
whom I'm quite proud. Yet even
this is not to say that I support
my lit in a do-or-die manner.
I suppose there are even mem-
bers of whom I am not particu-
larly fond.
I feel compelled to state my
opinion on the question of the
lits' overall role with regard to
charity. Quite simply, the lit
does not exist solely as a serv-
ice organization.
Verge On Selfishness
1 believe the relative percent-
ages of money spent by the lit
on service projects and social
projects has been questioned. It
has been suggested that the lits
verge on selfishness. Yet the
answer rests in the fact that we
do not assume the role of char-
itable organizations.
I am not sincerely able to say
that a lit is the greatest thing
ever. Nor could I say that ev-
eryone s'hould belong. I do main-
tain, however, that there is
much to be gained through the
association that one has with
fellow members, and I am cer-
tainly happy that I made a de-
cision 3 years ago to give some
of my time, for I feel that I
have profited through the as-
sociation.
SAYRA MURPHY '66
OWLS
social good time, why should
they have to justify it to every-
one else? Why should everyone
else care?
Hard Feelings
Joining a lit is an "equal and
inalienable" rights*— no one has
to join (obviously) and anyone
can join. The only thing that
can keep a girl out of a lit is
three fours! Lits are called
harmful because hard feelings
and hurt feelings arise during
Rush, and no one can deny that.
But they don't last. Any girl
who is disappointed in Rush
usually realizes by the morning
after the calling in parties that
it doesn't really matter that
much.
Literary societies don't pre-
tend to be the Kappa Kappa
Gamma's and the Delta Delta
Delta's of Rice, and most girls
don't think they are. Surely
people are going to have their
feelings hurt over more im-
portant things than lits.
Make Friends
To some girls the literary
societies, since they are small,
are groups in which it is easier
for them to make close friends,
use their creative talents and
energies and speak up and be
leaders. For them, lits are im-
portant for more than just
frivolous and social reasons.
Oddly enough, the lits do per-
form some useful services too.
They give the proverbial schol-
arships, Christmas baskets and
parties for orphans, and they
enjoy doing these things. They
put out directories, calendars
and musicals of disputed merit,
and they enjoy doing these
things. Literary societies don't,
however, and they shouldn't
have to, engage in these pro-
jects to justify their existence.
Girls who think they would
like to be in a lit go through
Rush and join one. If they find
out they don't like it after all,
they "go inactive" and nobody
worries about it. At the risk
of breaking a tradition, the an-
nual controversy and the time
and energy wasted could be
avoided if everyone would just
recognize how unimportant li-
terary societies really are and
let those who so choose con-
tinue, unimpeded, being ridi-
culous, frivolous and purely so-
cial — and having a. good time.
PATTI LEWIS '66
President, EBLS
Institutionalized snobbery
$19.95 Up.
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You can approach the sub-
ject of literary societies from
any angle, and rationalize any
position you want to take, —
but you can never escape the
basic fact that lits are nothing
more than a form of social
snobbery.
The girls in the lits are plac-
ing themselves in the position
of judging someone else's social
acceptability, which I don't
think is valuable for them as.
persons or for the others who
are also involved — espeically
those who are judged.
Some people reply "but you
judge people every day, when
you choose your activities and
your friends." But, I submit,
you are then not judging in a
structured form; your clique is
not instutionalized. You are not
hurting people you don't even
know.
Self Confidence
Lits are valuable to too many
girls because they affirm their
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belief in themselves and their
acceptability by being chosen.
In thus contributing to their
self-esteem, the lits manifest
themselves in social snobbery;
members can feel a certain su-
periority to those who were not
accepted.
Often people join the lits
with the idea of never doing
anything; they just want to use
the name. The whole business
is contrary to my idea of what
an organization is — a group
whose members can gain and
give. I question if these lit
members ever gain; it is doubt-
ful if they ever give.
Useless
Beyond their institutional
snobbery, the lits are useless.
They don't widen your circle of
friends. There are even cliques
within the lits themselves; there
are people within a lit who don't
associate with each other.
Friends tend to pledge the same
lit, the lit which already con-
tains mo6t of their friends any-
way.
People have thought that the
lits would serve to bring the
two colleges closer together —
but this year's experience shows
that they are only serving to
tear them further a p a r t,
through the agonies of rush and
cutting.
Do the lits perform otherwise
unfulfilled social functions by
throwing parties ? They don't
have many parties: only a few
each year. If the lit activities
were removed from the calen-
dar, the places would automat-
ically be filled up; you would
never notice the loss.
Diehards
But the lits should not be
abolished. Any organization
should have a right to exist on
campus if there are people who
want it. Some say the lits will
die a natural death — but
there will always be a few die-
hards who will cling to this
status. If they need the lits to
prove to themselves that they
are socially acceptable, the lits
should be allowed to exist to
serve this purpose.
We don't talk about lits be-
cause people tend to get emo-
tional. I don't believe a girl is
a bad person just because she
is in a lit. But one has to make
some basic moral decisions be-
fore participating in the activi-
ties of lits — especially rush.
Whether you know it or not, as
members you are required to
make these judgments. But ev-
eryone should have the choice
to do this.
Annonymous
by request
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TOWNSEND
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THE RICE THRESHER, FEBRUARY 1 7, 196 6—P AGE 4
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Durham, John. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 17, 1966, newspaper, February 17, 1966; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth244964/m1/4/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.