The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 17, 1968 Page: 2 of 10
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editorial —
I the rice thresher
7^ catettcLai, Jtont
The calendar proposal endorsed in this column last week,
which called for an early start to the first semester next year, has
brought howls of anguish from the faculty from every direction,
it seems there do exist things like ironclad research contracts,
summer teaching commitments, and national conferences of aca-
demic organizations, which make it impossible for a faculty mem-
ber to resume his duties at Rice until after the end of August.
It is regrettable that a residential college, bound as it is in a
University system rife with financial and other muzzles, cannot
effectively compete for the allegiance of its associates. But that it
can't is certainly understandable—without here passing judgment
on the propriety or utility of a Defense Department contract or the
Modern Language Association—because it is a professor's depart-
ment and discipline and not the college with which he is associated
which puts bread on his table and a roof over his head.
Fortunately, there is a way out of this dilemma, which would
meet the objections of the faculty to an August Freshman Week,
as well as allow students to take their finals after a substantial
leading period, but before Christmas.
It's called the Jan Plan.
Tin' Jan Plan stands on its own merits. For those unfamiliar with
this long-debated proposal, it would set up an academic calendar
(.''insisting of two slightly shortened semesters sandwiched around
:i period of four or more weeks beginning during the month of
January-—hence the name. During the semester, courses would be
taught much as they are now. During the mini-semester in the
rnisldli', however, students would be free to work, singly or in
groups, mi a variety of special projects limited in scope only by
i!:>■ imagination of the students and faculty who conceive them.
Special departmental course offerings, independent research
i r study in a student's area of specialty, intensive language train-
in,!.", creative art or drama projects, field work in the social sciences,
interdisciplinary study—all become possible under a schedule with
such a potential for both concentration and creativity.
The ability of a student to assume responsibility for his own
continuing education should be the major goal of higher education
in an age of rapidly increasing knowledge in virtually every field,
and of increasing demands on the adaptive abilities of the individ-
ual. There is no good reason why this responsibility should be
postponed until after a student receives his degree. Students are
going to spend most of their lives finding things out on their own;
the institution of the Jan Plan would do much toward developing
tools for this independent searching. Such is the real stuff of
threshing-it-out fj&f „ >/V
Moffat knocks Humphrey-baiters of 'new' left
education.
—drb
To the Editor:
If opposition to the present
administration means anything,
it means it is rather important
who is president of the United
States. I am not surprised to
find those who agree with Rich-
ard Nixon or George Wallace
supporting those candidates, and
I have no quarrel with them
beyond my conviction that they
are in varying degrees mistaken
about the nature and solution
of problems now facing this
country.
But the reasoning of those
too radical for Humphrey and
thus preferring Nixon or Wal-
lace is a scholastic and meta-
physical marvel. The l'easoning
does at least reveal the motive
of those who employ it: the
New Left argument is that
neither their relative agreement
with Humphrey concerning
ideals and goals nor the course
of the nation during the next
four years is as important as
their hope to reach power
through a Humphrey defeat.
Perhaps such people are un-
der the impression that 'they
and their political effectiveness
can survive anything which
might occur, but they could
easily be wrong about this. A
more important point is that if
they can sacrifice so much now,
in the hope of eventual power,
it is hard to feel confident that
they will find less reason to do
so in the future.
The Vice-President, on the
other hand, has a distinguished
record of effective support for
racial, economic, social, and
political justice. Very few Am-
ericans—running for office or
not—could present better or
m ore consistently validated
credentials.
It is undoubtedly a fine thing
that the Democratic Party be
Purified, and that the Evil and
Obscene Bosses be Punished,
but a presidential election is
for another purpose.
I urge those who do not hon-
estly prefer another candidate
to vote for Hubert Humphrey.
Nixon people should vote for
Nixon, of course, but for Mc-
Carthy people to support Nix-
on—by action or by inaction—
because they are mad at John-
son (and at Daddy) is an eva-
sion of the reality of human
choice. Freedom is choosing I
think, and those who will not
choose are condemned to live
as victims of other people's de-
cisions.
I also believe the Rice com-
munity ought to consider seri-
ously the insistence by certain
groups that anyone of integrity
must be on their side: the pro-
fessor from Austin, for instance,
whose letter was pi'inted in the
Thresher was explicit in claim-
ing to speak for "Decent Dem-
ocrats." The basis of a free soc-
iety must be the willingness
of groups and of individuals to
grant the good faith—the dec-
ency—of their opponents over
the whole range of issues which
may arise. Should people un-
willing to do this be trusted
with political leadership ? I
must speak as an "indecent
democrat," I guess.
It is perfectly clear that in
many places where the decent
kind are in control I would
find it very difficult to deliver
a political speech with any hope
of being heard. Will those who
respond to political argument
by howling it down, now when
they are outside the structure
of government, be turned some-
how into upholders of the rights
of dissent by acquiring power?
But then in what does the right-
eousness of the New Left ex-
ceed the Thugs and Fascists?
There are therefore two rea-
sons why Hubert Humphrey de-
serves the votes and support of
the Rice community: the first
is his manifest devotion to
liberal and humane causes; the
second is his commitment to a
liberal attitude toward change
and dissent, one which his en-
emies show little sign of dupli-
cating or even of understand-
ing.
The election of Mr. Humphrey
would not immediately solve all
—or any—of the serious prob-
lems facing the nation. But I
I have yet to hear of any good
his defeat would do; somebody
is going to be president of this
country next January, and it
will probably be Mr. Humphrey,
Mr. 'Nixon, or Mr. Wallace.
ALEX D. MOFFAT
History Dept.
State
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Registration regulation information
(The following: list contains information on where voters legally residing: in each state should apply for absentee
ballots for the November 5 general election, the last date a voter may apply for a ballot, and the date it must be returned.
The list was furnished to the Thresher by the Rice Young: Republicans.—Ed.)
Where To Apply Deadline for
Application
County Board of Registrars Oct. 31
* District Magistrate Oct. 31
County Recorder Nov. 1
County Clerk Nov. 4
County Clerk or Registrar of Voters Oct. 29
County Clerk • Nov. 1
Municipal Clerk Nov. 1
County Dept. of Elections Oct. 26
Board of D. C. Election Sept. 21
County Supervisor of Elections Nov. 4
County Board of Registrars Oct.
County Clerk Oct.
County Auditor Oct.
County Clerk (In Chicago, Board of Election Commissioners) Oct.
Clerk of County Circuit Court ' Nov.
City Clerk or County Auditor Nov.
County Election Officer Nov.
County Court Clerk Oct.
Clerk of Parish Court Oct.
City or Town Clerk Nov.
Deadline for
Return
.Nov. 5
1
County Clerk of Residence Nov. 5
Town Clerk of Residence Nov. 1.
Voter Registrar of Residence Oct. 31
City Clerk or County Auditor Nov. 4
Clerk of County Circuit Court Nov. 2
City or Town Clerk (Nov. 1
County Clerk Oct. 21
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
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Nov.
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Nov.
■Nov.
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Pstmrkd Nov. 4
Nov. 4 (via registered mail)
5
4
4
4
5
4
County or City Board of Election Supervisors Oct.
City or Town Clerk Nov.
City or Town Clerk „ Nov.
County Auditor Nov.
County Registrar Nov.
County Clerk Oct.
County Clerk Nov-
County Clerk Nov.
County Clerk Oct.
City or Town Clerk Nov.
County Clerk Oct.
County Clerk „ Oct.
Election Board of County . * Oct.
County Election Board Oct.
County Auditor ' Nov.
County Board of Elections Oct.
Election Board of County Nov.
County Clerk of Residence ' Nov.
Election Board of County Nov.
Board of Canvassers Oct.
County Registration Board Nov.
County Auditor Nov.
County Election Commission Oct.
County Clerk Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
..Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov. 5
..Nov. 5
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
..Nov.
Nov.
Pstmrkd Nov. 4
Nov. 5
5
5
4
1
2
5
1
1
5
Pstmrkd Nov. 5
Nov. 5
5
5
5
4
5
5
Nov. 5 (via registered mail)
Pstmrkd Nov. 5
Nov. 5
Nov. 5
Nov. 5
Nov.
..Nov.
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the rice thresher', October 17, 1968—page 2
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Bahler, Dennis. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 56, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 17, 1968, newspaper, October 17, 1968; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245039/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.