Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07
American College Students Revolt
Against Old Rah Rah Traditions

spread to all other institutions One
proof is alleged to be that in many col
leges the pre-foct ball game rally has
been abandoned. The rally at Harvard
before the Yale game was given up
three years ago. asked an under
graduate why
why should we go and holler our
heads of because lot of silly old grads
tell us to?" he asked They come out
from Boston and get red in the face
shouting You've got to beat Yale!
You've got to beat Yaler OF course the
team will beat Yale If it can"
1t did.
And the next year Yale gave up its
rally also.
OF course this is really not a sign of
boredom and indifference, but sign
| that Bill Mcclellan Is right when he
says the undergraduates have a much
saner attitude toward the sport than
the old grads have or the public at
! large It Is saner and more adult. 1t
values pumpsd-up enthusiasm at its
true worth and labels it bunk"
Wants Teachers, Not Bricks.
His thinking and feeling have led him
to question so many traditions. and he
has seen such breakdown in liberalism
in the world around him, which once
would have claimed his devotion, that
he honestly isn't sure enough OF him
self to care to show enthusiasmS. Actu-
ally he is at heart hungry and eager
for leadership that seems to him for
ward looking, honest and unfettered.
He wants teachers, not bricks and NOR
tar. If YOU will talk with the average
undergraduate today, you will find him
much more inclined to enthusiasm
about his teachers In science than about
those in history, philosophy, literature.
and so on. He can seldom tell you why.
but now and then you will encounter an
expressive one who will plainly say 1t
is because the science teacher Is trying
only to find out what Is true, while the
others refuse to try to clear away pre-
conceptions.
In other words. the undergraduate OF
today wants to use his own mind, and
he wants teachers who will show him
how to do it and let him decently alone
in the process. He can look after his
own college traditions for himself.
thank you, and If he finds lot OF them
are bunk, he isn't going to hesitate to
say So; :. - ,..o-...,,n
than being a rah rah boy.
Columbia Has Problem.
Meanwhile the Columbia students
now have fight on their hands. The
Hardness millions have been bestowed
on Columbia to build a new library,
and 1t is proposed to set it on South
Field, the only wide-open space Column
bia can boast, the only spot where the
undergraduates can exercise.
The news wasn't sprung till the stu
dent paper had printed its last issue
for the year, so written comment isn't
available. It would certainly have in
dicatsd a hot revolt had there been q
chance. Probably some editor would
have pointed out that Harvard couldn't
wait to accept millions for It's library
until it could secure proper place to
put 1t, but stuck 1t into the yard, where
it dwarfs everything else. robs other
buildings of light and Is a misf1t gen.
orally.
Now Columbia can't wait to get q
proper place for its gift, but must de-
Stroy what little campus 1t has and
take away the one open space for eXer-
else near the college lest few millions
escape its grasp. 1t might even occur
uate opinion, widely expressed. that real
generosity would include sites to put
buildings on when none Is available
otherwise.
At any rate, this editorial would have
been one more indication that the I'M
dergraduate of today is in revolt, and
intelligent revolt, against excessive en-
phasis on size, on brick and mortar on
the control of his destinies by wealth,
however philanthropic, and, above all,
by mere traditionelism. He is seeking,
however blindly, for the true values in
his college life, and they have got to be
his values, not those invented by some
body else, maybe long ago. Show him
his values, and he will 60 with you just
as far, just as hard, Just as enthusiast
tically, as any youth ever 1would. any
where 4