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user asian commitmentby Stephanie lucas

Th e question of our r ight to pursue the Vietnamese War or to aidthe Vietnamese people in such acapacity is a hotly debated subjectthroughout the United States. Butdebate extends far beyond ourshores. &France has become a leading figure in foreign debates. An exampleof this is an I article found *in thepro-Communist monthly Les TempsModernes which is headed by Jean-Paul Sartre . The author of thear tic le argues that "the UnitedStates is consciously risking aworld* war fbecause it believes thedanger is very slight in view of theinternal divisions within the Socia list camp." He fur ther sta tes thatit is the right and duty of a Socialist sta te , j such as the DemocraticRepublic of Vietnam (D.R.V.), toprevent the f crushing of a revolution it did not instigate in the

southern half of the country.Although President Johnson has

revealed our aims in Vietnam asaid to the establishment of a stablegovernment and freedom of th epeople to establish such a government, these a ims have $ been misconstrued in the foreign press. Forinstance, Les Temps Modernes considers our a ims to be four in number .

One, to show that Imperialismhas adequate forces to crush, inVietnam or elsewhere, any victor-ious revolutionary movement,armed or not.; Secondly, that anySocialist country a ttempting toprevent such I repression will be"ruthlessly" destroyed itself, evenif the revolution it seeks to helpis taking place in the other half ofthe same nation.The third a im of the UnitedStates according to the foreignpress, is to show that despite solemn treaties of mutual defenselinking Vietnam to the rest of theSocialist world, the la tter willabandon the cause because of theAmerican will to fight and becauseits stra tegic superior ity is so formidable . And the f inal a im is thatany attempt, armed or peaceful, tochange the social and international relationships imposed by American Imperialism will remain ahopeless venture for a long time tocome throughout the world.These views express Jthe hostile

feeling present in this | Frenchnewspaper and represent one of theunpleasant features of our commitment to the Vietnamese consideration. This type of commentary

causes many Americans to wonderas to the value of such a commitment. For it is not only the Frenchwho harbor feelings negative toour own attempt in Vietnam. Ifthis were the case, it could be tolera ted but the German press has a lsocome out against U. S. policy.

Their chief complaint is with themeans by which we are imposingour will in Vietnam. One paper inparticular, Der Speigel, has refutedthe "war cr imes" being committed"in abundance" by Americans. Toquote the paper , "They are employing methods i n t o |which they havepoured all the technical strengthan d perfection of their enormouslyproductive industry."The paper goes on to say thatthe U. S. has never sanctioned torture Until now and that we havenever before engaged in militaryoperations on behalf of a puppetregime which we alone sustain.In conclusion, Der Speigel claimsthat i t is not just Vietnam whichis paying a high price but the entire non-Communist world.From these two examples of foreign opinion it is obvious that thetask of the United States in Asiais becoming increasingly difficult.I t was thus with great expectationthat Mr. Johnson undertook his tr ipto Manila .The President was intent on remaining in the background at theConference. His desire to do so wasexpressed to the National SecurityCouncil when he said, "This is notan American show."

-Even so, the Administra tion stil lfaces many critics. To some theManila Conference was fruitless.Their belief is that the talks andproposals are ineffectual becausethey are based on the fa lse assumption that once North Vietnam pullsout of the South, the war will bereduced to a simple police action.

Thus the debate goes on. Can theissue be reduced to a right side ora wrong one? Is communism athreat only when directly interfer-r ing with the government of theUnited States? The entire problemseems* to have developed int o amuch largerfissue. The Americangovernment must, of necessity, attack Communism wherever it isseeded and begins to grow. A monumental task, bu t a just one. Onthe other hand, | th e Communistworld cannot afford to lose sucha vita l area as Southeast Asia toher arch-enemy. Consequently, theVietnamese War.

gannon carnival, dec. 2-4;sheila andrews candidate

stvol. xxxviif no. 3 mercyh urst college erie, pa, november 22,1966

sponsored by hurstannual national graphics exhibitionat erie art gallery during november

The Sixth Annual MercyhurstNational Exhibition of Graphics isin the % l imelight a t the Erie ArtCenter a t 338 West 6th Street f romNovember 6 through 80. Under thedirection of Mr. Hubert Haisoch,this year 's theme, "AmericanDrawings", promises to be one ofthe most outstanding exhibitionsMercyhurst has sponsored. Entrywas open to any ar tist in theUnited States; the medias used included pencil, charcoal, pastel, penand ink, brush and ink, and mixedcollage. Two hundred and ninety-six |American Jartists submittedtheir works. Chosen If or displaywere ninety-one of these worksplus two works by the judge, Mr.Don Vogel, a painter and pr intma-ke r from the Department of Art ofthe University of Notre Dame inSouth Bend, Indiana.

A reception was held on Sunday,November 6, from 2 p. m. to 5 p.m. a t Mercyhurst for a ll entrantsand those interested in meeting theentrants. Taped comments on theworks by Mr. Vogel were played atthis reception.The $200 Mercyhurst First Purchase Prize will be presented toJames Costello of SouthjjLBend, In diana for his work, Family Picture .The $100 Second Purchase Prizewill be awarded to Bruce McCombs

of New Orleans, Louisiana, for hispiece entitled Dogs. And the Honorable Mention Prize of $50 willbe given to Sarah McGrath of Ber-kely, California, for her work, Self-Portra it . Mr. Don Vogel has commented, "I wish there could havebeen more pr izes; *the works wereso deserving".vThe theme, "American Drawings", brought a response from art i s t s residing in thir ty-six differentsta tes. Especially encouraging wasthe exceptionally good responsefrom ar t departments of var ious

dorm

The Annual Gannon Winter Carnival, sponsored by Blue Key Honor Fraternity, will take place inGannon Auditorium, December 2,3 and 4. By student choice, Mercyhurst College will again participatein this year's activities, which willinclude a computer dance Fridaynight, booths Saturday and Sunday,and the coronation of the queen,Sunday evening.

^General Chairman from Mercyhurst is Nancy Ketchel, '68. Assisting her in this year's plans are:Betty Buda, publicity; LorraineCondino, talent; Gerry Hirsch, ticke ts ; Marlene DiTullio, construction;Holly Knauer and Joyce Skotnicki,throne design.Mercyhurst's entry in the queen'scontest is Sheila Andrews, a juniorHome Economics major from Niagara Falls, New York. Selected bythe student body, she will vie with

representatives from Villa MariaCollege, Gannon College, St. Vincent Nursing School, and Hamot Apar tments .Nursing School for the covetedtitle . r

expansionJ!Mercyhurst College has appliedfor a loan for the construction of a

new dormitory. The application isnow in Philadelphia awaiting approval. UntiUthis loan is granted,however, the College is lacking accomodations for some of its resident students. To supplement thedormitory space, the Administration is renting some of the Baldwin

The practice of renting the

sheila andrews

apartments came into effect abouteleven years ago when the dormat Mercyhurst became inadequate.At that time we rented only sixapartments. The McAuley dormitory was built and this affordedsufficient space.

Recently, however, Mercyhurstagain had to rent apartments. Thisyear they total seventeen. Theseare used as housing for some of thejunior and senior resident students.Next year the College hopes to rentfrom the government some of therecently purchased and renovatedapartments. I t expects to rent atota l of thir ty-one apartments.

colleges. The ninety-one graphicspieces chosen are felt to be representative of the fine graphics workbeing done throughout the UnitedSta te s .The show was judged on October22 by Mr. Don Vogel, a noted au-

the Annual Graphics Exhibition; afund of $100 is set aside for th einitiation of next year's show.As chairman, Mr. Haisoch hasexpressed his confidence in theshow's success. Mercyhurst has already set a three weeks attendance

f T

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thority, painter and pr intmaker inhis own r ight. The works are presently available for sa le .Mercyhurst was able to f inancethis Exhibition and the pr izes bycharging an entry fee of $2 perwork. The finances received areused solely for the sponsorship of

record a t the Art Center^ Of theSixth Annual ! Graphics Exhibitionhe has said, "It is a good show, fullof variety, and quite controversial.It will be beneficial to the Erie areasince the people of Erie have littleopportunity to see much in the wayof drawings."

library plans revealedThe library has been visibly expanding its resources in the lasttwo years. This expansion is foundin the number of books now onth e shelves36,600. The tota l number of books which have been added average approximately 2,500per year. During the '66-'67 calendar year it^is hoped that a t least3,000 new books will be added tothe growing number, on the aver

age of about 100 books per week.Since the school year began; therehave been 750 various books included in the list of sources presentlyon the library racks.The book selection is done bythe librarian and the faculty. EachDivision Chairman is allotted a certain book budget and this is brokendown into departments. This budget must be spent in the schoolyear . Faculty response to personalinterest in their particular subjectareas has been reported as excellent and a marked improvement inthe book collection is evident.

Since the library was built for acapacity of 40,000 books, it hasnearly reached that quota . In June,1966, six new ranges of shelvesholding about 10,000 more bookswere added to alleviate the crowded conditions until a new additioncan be bulit. -

The dire need for such an addition is evident. Middle States Eval-uators a lso suggested that the Administra tion make definite plans toenlarge the library facilities. Workspace for the librarians to processand prepare library mater ia ls is a ta minimum . Browsing or loungeareas in the present library have

had to be used for shelf space.The proposed * addition \ will beknown as the Learning ResourceCenter. The Center will be attached to the present building. A wingwill extendffrom the ElementaryEducation literature Room to thenorth of the main building formingan H. Tentative plans call for th ecompletion of this building in abouttwo years.Floor plans for a three I storyaddition have been submitted bySister Mary Martin. These includeon the first floor: library offices,processing room, magazine storage rooms, a large lounge, spacefor periodicals both^ current iandthose which are bound, a typingroom, conference room, faculty research!center, listening room, andcloak room.The second floor will house approximately 50,000 books on openshelves, a typing room for students,conference room and a children'sliterature room. The third floor willbe a balcony type which will havea capacity for about 25,000 books,a curriculum library, a typing room

for students and a conference room.On allfthree floors there will bemany study booths for students andlounging areas.

This [ building wi l i | be financedmainly by gifts. The MercyhurstLay Advisory Board has taken thisas their special project and are doing much to raise the funds. TheCenter will cost approximately$750,000. If $500,000 is raised bythe school, then the governmentwill cover the rest of the costs witha loan.

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page 2 th e merciad Tuesday. November 22,1966

a query stress and the college experienceAt Mercyhurst: | I aCan a Catholic learnfto be a Christian?Three years of observation lead to a negative conclusion.Too many of us have a faith untempered by reason: the wholemeaning of Catholicism is capsulized in the words of consecration and consummated, at communion. In essence religionhas become a series of rituals and ceremonies, do's and don'tsnothing more. Too few have internalized the mind and spiritwhich moved Kahlil Gibran to write: j * f

| I sing the praise of|my home and long to see again mybirthplace; but if it refused shelter and food to the needy wayfarer, I would, in my inner voice, convert my praise into eulogyand my longing into forgetfulness. | j j k J |K It appears that our goals and relationships are influencedmore by social and economic background than by agape, ^fetpart of the function of afCatholic college is supposed to be toa Christian he will discover an abyss where he once thoughtthere was religion, faith, and life. |The institution that launches such a change in mentalityhas the obligation to satisfy the need the change creates. Forour purposes, a large portion of the remedy should come fromthe Theology Department! It doesn't because the tension between faith and reason remains unresolved; consequently, thebridge between ritual and meaning remains non-existent.What can the department, in conjunction with the BluePrint Committee, do to aid the quest for truth ? According toIgnace Lepp, the only person who has made Christianity meaningful to the modern educated mentality is Teilhard de Char-din. Would we dare seek a solution from him? | | | P f ! -1In deciding an answ er, it would be wise to remember that;. . . he to whom worshipping is ai vindow to open but alsoto shut, has not yet visited the house of his soul whose windows are from dawn to dawn.

spectrumUnder the stress of socialIandscientific changeJ will religion endure?! ,In whatever society, some humanexpectations, in $ the fulfillment ofwhich people have acquired a deepemotional investment, are doomedto frustration.^ These frustrationsare of two main types. The firstconcerns those events which wecannot forsee or control, or both.The second lies in the dimension ofuncertainty. In both cases a majoradjustment, sometimes practical,always emotional, must be made.H Besides the problem of emotionaladjustme nt to- frustratio n, t hereare the two main questions. ] Th efirst is the generalization whichasks not only "Why must it happen to me ?" but "Why must it happen to anyone at all?" The secondasks why men must endure painand deprivation so unequally andhaphazardly.To the cultural man, goodffor-tune and suffering must always beendowed with meaning. Religion,in a general sense is the "justifica-'tionlof the ways of God to man,""making sense" out of the totalityof the human; situation both cog-nitively and emotionally, e. g. A belief in a life after death or em

phasis on the Utopian future of human society is one way in whichthe books of th e' huma n economyare balanced. fIn the face of acceptance of ultimate defeat, it provides "a citadelof hope built on the! edge of despair." It does what science, reasonand experience cannot d o. "Religion. . . makes easy and felicitous whatin any case is necessary . . . "Jew, Catholic and Protestant despite their differences have a basis

for unity namely the American Way of Life. However, religionin America jds orientated towardsfunctional alternatives rather thaninternalized faith because this cannot make for genuine socio-relig-ious integration, the 1 consequencescan be disastrous.Spiritually, the American Way ofLife is best expressed in a certainkind of idealism which has come to^ Mr 'be recognized as characteristicallyAmerican. The way is individualis-

tic, dynamic, pragm atic. It affirmssupreme value and dignity of theindividual and stresses incessantactivity on his part, for h e is neverto rest but is always striving to"get ahead." It defines unethic ofself-reliance, merit and character,and judges by achievement. Deeds,not creeds, are what count. American, or secularized, religion overlaps this national character of ours.Within the limits set by the particular traditions of the ; churches,it is non-theological and non-liturgical; it is activistic and occupiedwith the things of the world to adegree that has become a bywordamong European churchmen. With"latitudinism," associated with thede-emphasis of theology and doctrine: Americans tend to believethis activism has gone a certaintha t ethical behavoir and good life,rather than adherence to a specificcreed, will earn a share in theheavenly kingdom. And5 the optimism, moralism and idealism ofJewish and Christian faith inAmerica are evidence of this.However, while this may aid ournational unity now, the questionarises as to how much it will bene-

ifit society in the long run. Durk-heim: says religion is a symbolicPublished E very Three Weeks |the merciadMercyhurst College, Erie, l*a., $.35 per issue $3.00 per yearEditor In Chief Jane CarneyExecutive Editor Peggy Meagher

Associate Editor Rosemary BarnumPage Editors Stephanie Lucas, Chriss Strong ,Anne Canali, Rosalie HodasPhotog raphy Editor Kath y KelleyHeadline Editor ; Emily FaticaTyping and Copy Editor - Cathy VarcaExchange Editor \ Jeanne fKeimBusiness Editor - - - Paula SemrauClub News Co-ordinator - i . .Bonnie DeLucaModerator Mr. Barry McAndrewEditorial Staff.. Bonnie? Ignaczak, Mary Ann Bnabender, Liz' Smith, Terry Jones, Mary Patalon, Paula Roseto, Judy Kern,Peggy Concilia, Rose Ann Beckon, Gene McManus, TeriSneeringer, Pat Downs, Cathy Funari, Barb Scully, ValerieMangin, Delene Thomas, Charlene Kienko, (Mary Bernas,Kathy Humphries, Elaine.March and Betty Barczak.

by jttdy pitney"There will be 1000 college anduniversity students who take theirlives this year, 9000 others who willattempt to do so, and 90,000 morewho will threaten suicide," predict-ed an article in the October Moderator, the national magazine for

leading students. Dr. EdwinSchneidman, a leading expert onsuicide, and Dr. Edward! Shoben,Director of the American Councilon Education's Commission oh Academic Affairs, appeared at a national press conference to claimthat the Moderator projectionswere, if anything, conservative. Thecauses of student suicide and thecorresponding mental stress aregenerally considered!to be inadequate campus mental!health programs and an outmoded system ofhigher education. |Mercyhurst College is in theprocess of updating its academicformula to meet the needs of thefuture and, specifically, to escapethe range of the outmoded. In so

doing, it has recognized an important responsibility and accepted thechallenge .inheren t in* it. Perhaps

expression of society. (See pg. 4)Now society contains both good andevil, for it is made up of individuals who contain this duality.Therefore, can Ireligion remainmerely an expression of society andhave society I still remain intact?Must not religion influence societyto greater goals, to a higher moralplanerather than constantly being remolded by society? The way provides a foundationfor the possible future existence of

a nation al religion. However, itwill have sprung from a societywhich still contains that fr ighten-in g qualitygood and evil. And religion, expressing society but notinfluencing it, will continue to institutionalize the latter, along withthe former. History has shown us,time and again, that to do this is toinvite the centrifugal force of self-interest or evil to destroy the existing social order.

letterslettershEd. note: The following letter wassent to "the merciad" by a soldierin Viet Nam. We have printed theletter here in case any of the students might be interested in writing to him.

Sp/4 Walter L. LewandowskiRA 16 690 007 | fUS A Stratcom Fac Phu LamAPO US Forces 96243 VietnamDear Editor:I am one of many American soldiers serving our country in Vietnam. The reason I?am writing isthat I am almost completely out oftouch with the American public.The second reason being that I' would like to know what is happening in the United S tates. But aboveal l 13 would like to receive J somemail from intelligent young ladies. &

I am a member of the UnitedStates Army Strategic Army Communications Command, stationed in"Phu-Lam, Vietnam w orking in thefield of our choice, (namely electronic technicians) trying to do ourshare for the protection and wellbeing of the United States.

I am writing a few colleges hoping I will get a reply from someone.Thank you for your time andthoughtfulness, and I would alsolike to say that I would appreciateall letters and I will answer themall as soon as possible.Respectfully:Sp/4 Walter L. Lewandowski

at this time* Mercyh urst Collegeshould also consider meeting the responsibility entailed in providingstudent personnel services. IThe present-day college healthservice must embrace the positiveaspects of education and preventionas well as the restorative measures.The primary reason for the existence of any health program in acollege is the development of anadequate program for its students.This program extends beyond themedical aspects and includes a responsibility forphys ical , emotional, and environmental health of thestudents.The maturity and emotionalgrowth of the student are recognized as part of his total education.Young adults are searching foridentity and for meaning. Theperiod of late adolescence is one ofcontinuous adjustment to pressuresand problems. These pressures,coupled with the need for academicachievement, produce emotionala poem

of

by : suzanne schillingYesterday:Propelling myself against the windI spun into the sun, singingslowly weaving the sounds. laughterin my path. *I hit the sand, sprawling,and arms, legs graped for avisible, , ?a concrete. . %The hot grains burnt into myskinand as the sky and water became one meaningless. f, roarone poundingmonotony,jft th e crystalk foam explodedquestionsinto my mind.Today: IStaring now through tiny windowframesI experience only a certain numbnessAnd the yesterdays of my life ar eechoed in the sobsof the Northern wind,Piercing throughthe silenceI lli ^ Basins trees.A smiling face split theafternoon's warmth,| for only a second . . .8 then disappeared.Into the nebulous drone of wordsa person passed quietly in non-stop

motion towards his ownI personal unknown. JjAs I sit reviewing the scenes of y es t e r d ay ^and watching the reality oftoday, vI have only to clutchthe echo of breathing tides.

disturbances varying in severity. I tis estimated by a leading figure inthe field of college mental healththa t a t leas t 10 % of college students experience | sufficient emotional conflict to warrant professional treatment and that 18-25%of st ud ents ! will seek consulationwith a psychologist if the service isavailable. To say that the problemsof stress, of emotional upheaval donot exist at Mercyhurst is to takethe College out of the realm ofreality. * iMercyhurst has an organized sys-tem of personnel serviceson pa per. I ts health service includes astaff of a nurse (resident) and aphysician (consulting). A StudentPersonnel Services Director ischarged with providing the following services: Orientation Prog ram,Counseling Service, Testing Service, Clinical and Psychiatric Referral, Non-Teacher Placement, Educational Vocational Guidance andAcademic Advisors. Thus, everyneed of the student in regard toservices would appear to have beencovered.

In practical \ application, theseservices have not reached an extension which would reflect theirimportance,fFirst of all, the students are not made aware of theseservices Communication has failedto alert the student body to theabove-mentioned provisions. Secondly, one already over-extendedpersonwho is teaching nine hoursin course workis charged withproviding approximately 600 students with the above-mentionedservices. The question of whetheror not this is humanly possibleMsredundant. Thirdly, on paper thestudents have access to a clinicalpsychologist. In practicality, accesshere has a limited connotation. Theimportance of counseling and guidance merits the employment of afull- time person. An out-of-the-col-lege consultator does not fulfill theneeds of the ^students in this* re spect. At>the same time, studentsdeserve and need a Placement Director who can devote his energiesto the wealth of details that thejob entails. We have acknowledgedthat a growing enrollment requiresa greater faculty but it seems thatwe have neglected to realize that italso requires an increased staff inStudent Services. Since both services ancV. education are intimatelyrelated, should they not receive atleast comparable accent?

Nat ional ! student* committeeshave long been studying this problem. Their work has been reportedin the i educational section of theNew York Times. W k | I 1

One wonders if the people atMercyhurst College will recognizethe problems of mental health, ofstudent stress, of Counseling andplacement as important enough tobe dealt with. i l l ua review! of "matthew". Only those who were fortunate enough to see the relatively unpubhcized Pawnbroker have the basis for its comparisonwith The Gospel According to St. Matthew. Both are excellentStudies m guilt. Neither is subtle with this themevrJB* GSpe} &*0T**nB to St. Matthew played at the StrandWednesday and Thursday. The thea ter was blacker than usualfor the showings. |1 ( 9 f l f V"1*"110?-mo?e-The P lo t is uncommon. The heroL f M ; - m e e n d l n g i s n o t * all surprising. The doubleirony of oblivious passers-by can be appreciated more by theth? ZtZA,?n/J? e m V i e - C o m i c r e l i e f w a s sacrificed forof drastic irony. **"* *** ^ doubtless for the sake u- i*wa 5 n o t < ^ c u l t *? identify with the screaming crowdwhich condemned theprotagonist The kiss of JudasTwVsEmbarrassingly honest. The usual trite ending was absent Itosteada strange guilt persists after th e showingthTprXly togeSa while longer than the guilty "Thank Gal it wasn't me^fhataccompanies trag edy. The basic difference between^ The GosodAccording: to St. Matthew and The Paw^ST^roves tof bethe final handling of the guilt. In The Pawnbroker th f viewerI h i a L d S t d T L ^ r , t h % i m ^Wli ty W of r S m ^ e l o rtne antagonist. The scales of justice ^are not snttflfi5 T TO *SS5 ? - * ^ r r h . ld s t h ^ W H?s se Lf of SS t fa l o twithout the alternative of recompense, i K e f f i J flSangry young man is not yet ended. -"g"w Bto*y oi urns

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Tuesday, November 22.1966 th e merciadcollege students' conflict Page 3' n m ppersonal

|b y betty barczak(Ed . no te : The following article isnot meant to include the attitudesof all college students, since all students do not ascribe to the beliefsand feelings presented here.)

Colleges and universities open upa new way of life to those whoenter their doors. The courses theundergraduate enrolls in, the activities he tak es par t in, and theunique atmosphere of the institutions itself give rise ft o a newawareness on the par t of the student, g;

| Th e collegian soon realizes theimpact of this situation. He seeshimself undergoing * a Ichange. Heis no longer that naive, idealisticteenager who listens, accepts an dobeys. He is an individualist, a real-list, an d a nonconformist. \

He feels he has a r ight to takea | stand on a controversia l issue,and is confident in his beliefs. Hecan no longer be spoon-fed. He accepts only that which h e : himselfhas found to be true. He tr ies be-ing honest with himself, sincere tohi s fellowman.

students find discrepancyIIn forming this new outlook onhimself and adopting new ideasabout the world he lives in, he becomes aware of a discrepancy between what he once held to be goodand true and th at which he now believes to be so. Such is the caseconcerning the undergiaduate an dhis re ligion.

I t is not that the students feelallj; religion ;is toboo, or that theycompletely deny thek benefits ofchurch affiliation. They are just notsatisfied with what they find in anorganized religion.

vs.f institutionalized religioncreed; one's religion isfnot th escreed of his church | but the belief he himself forms. In the effort to find what is true andeverlasting, an undergraduate willadopt any new ^thought 5at all.B y | trial-and-error methods hecomes to a belief of his own, notperfect, not complete, but hisown." jp Ipersonal re ligion more im portant

The college student, althoughperhaps not adopting a traditionalreligion, does indeed have one. Thestudent may be said to have a religion when he possesses and practices such virtues as goodness, just ice and personal integrity.He is convinced a certain way oflife is for him and he lives by hisconvictions. This is the religion ofthe college student.He turns toward this personalconception of religion rather thanan established one because he fails

to value a bureaucratic institutionwhich involves itself more with exterior concerns of building fundsand money raising projects thanworthwhile adventures to providefor the poor, needy and sick.whose problem?

College students are faced' witha serious problem.*Since childhoodmost of them have held memberships in these religious institutions. | Social pressures, family,friends and the church it3elf, de mand th at they continue to do so.Some continue attending servicesand performing outward displaysof faith, fothers neglect even thisand remain members in name only.

The questions then arise, WhoseAs has been explained already,

problem is this, and is there a solution ?the college student in many instances will continue to worshipand carry the dictates of his religion. Canwe however, call thisreligion ? Unsatisf ed and discontented, he feels like a hypocriteeach time he carries out these duties* He is u nable to find innerpeace while performing them andyet, is not sure if |he can justifynot doing them at all. The problemis his.

The colleges where these students study, recreate and socializear e most concerned with the issue.Many too, realize the need to re vise their theology department.They have witnessed the unrestamong the students and are awareof their responsibility to act. Theproblem then is th eirs.*

Worried, concerned, and perhapseven embarrassed about the situation, the church too is aware of thediscontent among some of its members. There is need for a revolutionary change within the re ligiousinstitutions. The problem then istheirs.

SS&3

xSm^iSX^^si^^s^ JttUur&5&?3Lord, may we remember the true meaning of this day \ and notsimply consider it a vacation from our daily work. May we raiseour hear ts to - you with thanksgiving for the many blessings youhave showered us with: life itself, our family, our frineds, theopportunity for a good education, and the numerous other giftsthat you have given us.t > I

hapsThe students who have adopted apersonal religion, the college administra tors who have watched ittak ing form on their campuses, andthe church leaders Who see it intheir members are well aware ofthe problem.

kpossible solutionlBecause this problem manifestsitself primarily as an intensely individual one, the members of eachgroup must engage themselves ina personal study of conscience, andthis perhaps, can be the only meansto an effective solution.

The college student needs more f i n A {%**$than a set of rules to guide him a ^ *mand articles of faith which he mustbelieve in.f The college studentwants to live his re ligion, not justpractice it . behrend slates film seriesiThough written over thir ty yearsago,, the following pass age fromCyril Hariss's The Religion of theUndergraduate , ref lects the collegestudent 's a tti tude toward re ligiontoday :

"When I speak of one's religion I do not refer to a church

apparition

This li t t le gir l is now|one ofthe foremost student leaders ofMercyhurst.| She can be |seenmost often with a gavel or a history book. Last year she displayed her journalistic ta lents asan important member of the mer-ciad staff. Who is she? (Seepage 4 ) .

Barbote's Italian Restaurantan d Pizzeria1707 (State Stre et Erie, Pa.Phone 521-2158

The Behrend Campus of Pennsylvania State University has announced its annual Film Series Program. Mercyhurst students are invited to attend any of the films.On every given date there will betw o filmsa full-length film ( 1 % -2 hrs.) along with a short subject(5-10 min.) .On December 3, Behrend will presen t THE GREAT DICTATOR, afilm directed, produced, and starredin by Charlie Chaplin. This film isa hilarious spoof on facism withJack Oakie as Mussolini and Chaplin portraying one of the funniestHitlers the world has seen.The short subject featured willbe Af CAVALCADE OP AMERICAN SERIALS, a collection of humorous climaxes from some of themost popular old serials. |Shown on January 21, will be ELLAZARELLO DE TORMES (HisFortunes and Adversities) , thestory of a charming Spanish urchinmatching? wits with some not-so-charming adults. The film, which isin Spanish dialogue, has English

sub-titles.THE CRITIC, an hysterical re view of a typically "arty "^ film,complete with commentary by MelBrooks, will be the short-subjectfeature. It is on Saturday Review's"don't miss" list .^Following this, Behrend will present THE LAST BRIDGE on February 25. In it, Maria Schell starsas a young German doctor captured

and forced to care for woundedYugos lav ! partisans. The f ilm received the First Award of the

Evangelical Film Guild.Fea tured wi th - T H E - L A S TBRIDGE will be THE GOLDENFISH, an Academy Award winningpresentation of a little goldfish, alittle boy, and a big, hungry alley-cat. I '}, 1On March 11, TWO DAUGHTERS, based on two short storiesby Indian author, Rabindranath Ta-

J wgore, will be shown. With this willbe THE WIND AND THE RIVER,a beautiful film made in the Valeof Kashmir.On April 8, there will be a Japanese movie, T HJjR O N E O FBLOOD, based on Shakespeare'sMACBETH. THE TELLTALEHEART, an animated cartoon withchilling narration by James Mason,

will be the short subject. 4Ending the series, on May 6,

will be KNIFE IN THE WATER,a Polish presentation \ voted BestForeign by the New York FilmForeign Film by ithe * New YorkFilm Critics Guild. $

As the last short feature, Behrend wiU show one of Charlie Chaplin's saddest social comedies, THEIMMIGRANT. Written and directed by Chaplin, it is treated withsentiment, romance and stingingsocial satire.

(Ed. Note: Now that StudentTeaching is again over for a year,the seniors have many memories totreasure.IFollowing are the jointreminiscences of several girls).Alii-over the city of Erie therewere shouts of welcome greetingnew teachers: Good morning MissSnell (Mary Mehl); Good morningMiss Barrillo (Adelle Parr illo) ;Good morning Miss Rapdamavich(Rita Radanovicm); Good morningMrs. Defino (Miss Terry Defino).Good mornin g boys and girlswelcome back to school. Since it'sthe first day of school iUhoughti t might be at good idea to fleama little bit about each other . . .(Oh, Oh, it's timefto go to thelava tory) .Boys and girlsit's our turn togo to the lavatory now. First rowof boys on this side; gir ls againstthe wall. Be sure to keep a straightiline in the halls . . . (Oh noMissWeigertand we're going to thelavatory!!!)What are you boys doing inthere? Who's in charge of | thesoap ?Miss Mehl, Suzy didn't goYouworry about Mary and pe t Suzyworry about Suzy.-!But we're suppose to t ry . . .John, are you the? last one ?When everyone is in a straight linethen we will pass to the room.That'sf wonderful how quicklyyou went to the lavatorynow wehave time to introduce ourselves.Linda, would you be first? rYes, Miss Jonesof course(Oh, Miss Weigert) I 'm afraid wedon't have time to talk right nowboys and girlsPatrolman Brownlfrom the police department is here 'to ta lk to us Iand show us somemovieswe must listen very carefully. S | m

1Fir s t rowboys line up hergir ls against the wall.John, is i t that important thatFred cut in front of you?Let's show Mr. Brown what goodhosts we are by being very quietand polite from now until we comeback to the room.Billy, you'll have to talk to yoursister la ter .Who can tell me the lesson wegot from our -friend PatrolmanBrown? Only 5 peopleare th erest of you thinking ? Th at's better Darlene, what was it? To putout forest fires. That's partly right.

mishapsBut what else (b r r ring) . . .Lunch time |a lread y? Why wedidn't even have time to introduceourselves.*

last day: halloween partyJ Mrs. Radamavichthis?morningdidn't we have a classroom full ofboys and girls? Now we havewitches and ghosts and fairy princesses.B r r ri ngThat's the signal for our paradeto begin. We're going tolline up ina single lineFirst rowno Jeffreya single lineone l ine ' . . .Now,ihow does a,paradellook?

One person behind the other, keepin g togetherno big funny spacesbetween each person . . Wasn' t that a f ine parade? Assoon as everyone is in his seatwe can begin our Halloween party.Would the monitors in each rowcometo pass out! the napkins?Then J the paper cupsthen th eDixie cups.Is there anyone in the first rowwho brought a treat? You maypass it out.

:cj Yes, if! you'd like to take yourcostumes off you mayput it in thecloak roomfirst r o w . . .farewell

Boys and girlstoday is MissMehl's last day. She has to go backto school for a while. We certainlywill miss her, won't we ?I wish you will not go away because we all miss you and je that 'sall. Do you have to quit school because you are getting marr ied?Tell your mother and father I saidhello. Good-bye Miss Parllo.Good-bye boys and girls, I 'll always remember you . . .

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8/6/2019 The Merciad, Nov. 22, 1966

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Page 4 the merciad Tuesday, November 22,1966

elementary forms of the religious lifeby rosemary barnum

Book Review: Emile Durkheim,Th e Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, tr., Joseph W. Swain,New York: The Free Press, 2ndprinting, 1965.Durkheim's book had two outstanding points: it s theory and explanation of society as the sourceof the elementary forms of re ligious life, and the role of^integration thes e play in^ society.In The Elementary Forms of theReligious Life, Emile Durkheimpoints out tha t , in a general way,society has all tha t is necessary toarouse the (sensation of the divinein our mindsmerely by the powerit has over us. For its members itis what god is to his worshippers,for society also gives up the sensation of perpetual dependence. Itrequires that, forgetful of our owninterests, we make ourselves itsservitors, and^ it submits us toevery sort of inconvenience, pri-vation and sacrifice, without which

social life would be impossible.However, the empire it has overour consciences is due less!to thephysical supremacy than to themoral authority with which it isinvested. We yield to its order pr imarily because it is the object ofa venerable respect. And accordingto Durkheim an object, whether individual or collective, inspires respect when it automatically causesor inhibits action, without regardfo r any consideration relative totheir useful or injurious effects.This emotion of respect is inter ior and wholly spiritual. Its existence and wha t it is re la ted

i. e., wha t is respected by societydepends upon public opinion. Forthe intensity of this mental sta tewill only be directly proportional tothe degree that it is internalized bysociety's m embers.Because^it is in spiritual waysthat social pressure exercises itself,it cannot fail to give men the ideathat outside themselves there existmoral and efficacious powers uponwhich they depend. Yet, while theyrealize they're being acted upon,they do not know by whom. Sothey must invent by themselves theidea of these powers with whichthey feel themselves in connection.What form this beingor mania or godmay take, it is not merely an authority upon whom we depend. It is a force upon which ourstrength lies. For the ^collectiveforce is not merely outside of us;it does not act upon us wholly fromwithout. Rather, since society cannot exist except in and through individual consciousness, this forcemust a lso penetrate us and organize! i tse lf within us. Thus it becomes an integral par t of our bein g and by that very fact it iselevated and magnified.There ar e occasions when ; thisstrengthening and vivifying actionof society is especially apparent. Inthe midst of an assembly animatedby a common passion, we becomesusceptible ito acts and sentimentsof which we are incapable when re duced to our own forces. When arrived at this sta te of exalta tion, aman does not recognize himself anylonger. Feeling himself dominatedand carried away by some sort ofan external power which makeshim think and act differently thanin normal times. x

sqa news around the nationEd. note: At | the request of JudyPitney, SGA President, "the merciad" has added a special column.Since no other means would be aseffective in getting-the reports ofthe United States National Student Association to Mercyhurst students, a regular column &in eachissue will feature the la test news-tips.

economic bu rden of educationStudents from Ohio colleges anduniversities met to find ways ofshifting the economic burden ofeducation from individual studentsto sta te taxes. IStudents attendedfrom Ohio State, Ohio University,University of Toledo, Miami ofOhio, Central State , Kent State and

Wright University.USNSA's IAVP, Rick Stearns, andeducation staff member, Al Rekord,traveled to Ohio to observe. Alexplained how the student Committe e on Undergraduate Educationhad worked to obtain a broad basedta x for higher? education in NewJersey.

The Ohio students iplan to meetagain soon to take up the question; of forming a state-wide student organization. .pass fail arrangements

Nine hundred students elected totake courses under a pass/fa ilra ther than a regular grading ar r angement at the University? ofPennsylvania. Freshmen cannot ye tpartic ipate , and other students cantake only one or two courses underpass/fail under the new UP plan.The reform seems to be a direct re sult of a major student study ofthe educational environment lastyear in which pass/fail was one ofthe major recommendations.Pass /Fa i l is a major trend ineducational reform this year. Besides UP, new pass/fa il programshave been initiated at ColumbiaUniversity, Brown University, and

T- TT . .the University of Hawaii. Therehave been a large number of requests for information on this re form coming into SGIS. Al Milanois in the process of writing a program paper on pass/fa il to complement the lending library mater ia l.

I t seems to him tha t he has become a new being. The decorations| he puts on and, in the ..primitive,the masks that cover his face, figure mater ia lly in this inter iortransformation and aid in determining its na ture . For him and hiscompanions it is as though theywere transported into a specialworld, entirely different from thedaily life that drags along. Thus hecomes to experience two differentworlds: the sacred and the profaneand it is in the midst of theseeffervescent social environmentsan d out of this collective experiencetha t the religious idea seems to beborn. To strengthen these ideas andsentiments, it is necessary to bringtogether those who hold them, toput them into closer and more active relations with one another .This function is fulfilled by religious ceremonies. They rejuvenateconsciousness of the supra-human,or of the godswhich are actuallysymbolic expressions of society.And! because society exists onlyinsofar as it is present in humanconsciousness, religious ceremoniesserve to rejuvenate society: tobring individuals together to multiply the relations between them,make them more intimate with oneanother and the supra-human force.

Students readying equipment for Senior-Frosh Sports Night whichtook place last evening.sr . - f r . sports' night, nov. 21

calendar

apparitionThe merciad salutes Judy Pitney, president of the MercyhurstStudent Government Association.Judy is also a member of Y.C.S.and a former associate editor ofthe merciad. After graduation,Judy, \ a history major, hopes towork for the United States government or in foreign service.

I bit of wisdomAnother marvelous educationaltheory was spun in the recentTIME magazine. In an article onstudent emotional problems, Timepropounded the following answer:"Deeply immersed in youth's natu r a l agonizings and inclinations

toward the dramatic, many collegestudents take their grades, theirspecialized studies-and themselvesfar too seriously. The decisionsthey face may seem overwhelming,but they face them at a time whena lifetime of options lies ahead.At an agelwhen high spirits andcuriosity about life ought to produce joy, it is ironic that so manychoose the one irreversible direction."TIME'S bit of wisdom for theAmerican Ipeople this week? College students should not be so serious.

November/ m1-30Mercyhurst Art Show

Student Art Sale* in DecemberDecember

2-3-4Gannon Winter CarnivalGannon Auditorium8Feast of the ImmaculateConceptionFree Day10Gannon Mil Ballf" 13Sociology Movie: "Cry forHelp" Itopic: suicide17Freshman Orphans' Par tyMercyhurst College18Christmas Cantata. Mercyhurst Little Theatre20Christmas Vacation Ibeginsafter classes. |saga, studentsform committee

This year , as in the past, theresident! students at MercyhurstCollege have the opportunity tovoice their approval or disapproval of the SGA food service.Through the efforts of the foodcommittee, it is possible for thesestudents to take an active part inseeing that they have a satisfactory food program here . 4Managed by Nancy McNamara,the purpose of 'the food committe e is to act as a mediating bodybetween SAGA and the Mercyhurst gir ls . The committee is available to listen to any questions,complaints, or suggestions that astudent might have. In turn,'- itis the committee's duty to presentthese queries to Mr. Repack, theSAGA director. The committeemeets with Mr. Repack regular ly,to discuss the issues brought before them. Through a mutual effort they try to find a satisfactory solution for any problems.The success of the food com- ,mittee, -however, depends not onlyon iSAGA's ability to listen butalso Ion the students' cooperationin voicing realistic opinions.

Make Reservations Now AtCappabianca Trave l Agency718 State Street Erie, Pa.Use Boston Store Charge" 45B-641ll

I When the seniors started classeson October 31, many of them wereamazed at the number of new facesin the halls, in the lounge, in thedorms. "Where did they all comefrom?" "There must be close toa million ofthem." Would you believe two hundred ?At this point, the seniors satdown to take stock of the situation. They decided: A. There aremore frosh than there are seniors.B. All freshmen look alike. C. Individually, no senior could come toknow them all. . D. I WE I WILLMEET THEM AS A GRO UP!Next, a plan of action was discussed. A Sports Night would bean ideal solution. That way, everyone would y be at ease. Carol Sa-bella was appointed chairman ofthe event. Working withfher wereMary Bernas and Mary Lou Gondain charge of enter ta inment and refreshments.Th e "get-acquainted^affair" washeld in the gym last night, Nov.

21, from 7:30 to 9:80. The eveningstarted officially with a volleyballtournament which was followed byenter ta inment and refreshments.Casual was the key word for theevent. As the evening drew to aclose, some* comments were overheard. "Not all the freshmen? lookalike. I was ta lking to one who . . S"Even though they've been here forfour years, the ^seniors are stillpeople." "Mary Lou, this is Pat.She's from your home town.""Where did you ever learn to playvolleyball?" "She taught me whenI was in third grade. I thought bythis time she'd be . . . "The evening proved to be quitea! success. New friendships werestar ted. Old acquaintances were re newed. Common interests were discovered. It is through evenings suchas this that mere students becomecitizens of the Mercyhurst community. It is through evenings such asthis that faces become personalities.praeterita sets goals

T he 1966-67 P R A E T E R I T Apromises to contain many new anddifferent ideas while presenting anaccurate account of the year 'sevents. To quote Editor-in-ChiefGeorgina Cantoni: "We are t r y ingin every way to make our yearbookpertinent to Mercyhurst College1966-67, not only through photography and general copy information, but also through the use ofappropriate diction to capture thespir it of the unique Mercyhurstwoman."A newly created staff position,tha t of Current Campus EventsEditor , is being filled by SharonLabosky. Her responsibility is tokeep the staff informed on allaspects of campus life from theprogress of the faculty ^blueprintcommittee to the construction! ofth e new building. This is a histep towards attaining the goal ofthis year's PRAETERITA: to bepertinent to Mercyhurst Collegelife. v I

The yearbook is also ^being expanded. It will have 184 pageswhichjis an increase of 32 pagesfrom last year's annual.Many different views .of thecampus including the grotto, theboulevard, the area of the new construction, and the libary are being

used for the Seniors' posed "in-formals."The first deadline was November11, and the deadline for the SeniorSection is November 22. Otherdeadlines are December 28, January 30, and February 27. The yearbooks will be distributed on May10, after the Honors Convocationceremonies.Staff members include: Editor-in-Chief, Georgina Cantoni; Mercyhurst Vitality Editor, Mary Bernas;Photography Editor; Suzette Aleci;Literary Editor, Mary DeSantis;Art Editor, Louise Tavinello; Current Campus Events Editor, SharonLabosky; Activities Editor, CarolHall; Academics Editor, Judy Fitzgerald; Underclassmen Editor, Sandy Adams; Senior Section Editor,Kris Monroe, Business Manager,Sylvia D'Aurora; Advertising Man-agers, Rosalie Hodas and MedaMitchell; Index Editor, Kathy McCarthy. Mrs. Marilyn Jewell is thefaculty^advisor of the PRAETERITA, * i

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Yaple's Dairyan dIce Cream Bar4026 Pine AvenuePhone 866-2441

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