Pogo Eight

Two Grinneii Farmers: A Profile

By STEVEN GROW

How much does the Grinnell College student know about the
Midwestern farmer? Last week, the 58d} polled a biased sample of
students represenung the seven major minorities on the campus.
of the groups polled, only the cross country team was 100% certain
that there are tar-ms within walking distance of this campus, But
what of the farmers themselves? What kind of work does farming
involve? What do local farmers think about Grinneli College? To
ﬁnd out, the Sim interviewed two local farmers.

“Farming is a big business," according to Mr. Maynard kai-
lety. Mr. Ratfety {arms loo acres southeast of Grinnell. He raised
com, soybeans, and dairy cattle. According to Mr. Ratiety. the
typical iarmer does most or the work himself. He not only plows
tields, but also purchases supplies, bargains with buyers, and re«
pairs his own equipment. He also has a current knowledge of hy-
brid seeds, chemicals {or weed control, and fertilizers. Farmers
oiten know much about veterinary medicine and keep informed
about livestock breeding and market trends. in other words, the
farmer usually rims every part of his business.

Farming is not all riding tractors and chasing cowsl What
kind of training do farmers have? Both of the men interviewed
have college degrees. Both men are also sons oi iarmers. Accord-
ing to Mr. Raymond Harris, who farms 430 acres north of Grinneli,
this is common. The best way to learn the business is to grow up
With it. Another reason is that a large investment is necessary to
start a farm.

A 300 acre farm with equipment, seed, and livestock would
cost at least $130,000, according to ligures supplied by Mr. Harris.
For this investment the average tanner has a net income of only
about $5,000 a year. "This is an average," said Mr. Harris, “it is
a little higher in iowa.”

i asked Mr. Rafieiy why a man with his training is content to
make so little money for his time. He has a degree in mathematics
1mm Brown University.

“Farming is the last of the individual free enterprises,” said
Mr. Railei He enjoys being his own boss, He also enjoys the
rural liic . farm is a good place to raise children,” commented
Raifety.

Are farmers very active in politics? According to Mr. Harris
and Ml'-. Raifety, the lariner is about as active as the average citi-
zen. "Some farmers are quite active in politics," said Ratiety.
Mr. Harris is a Candidate for Poweshiek County Supervisor.

Besides party politics, many farmers are active members oi
organizations to promote their interests. Tile tour leading organi-
zations are the Farm Bureau, the National Farmers Organization
(NFC), the Farmers Union, and the Grange,

"The Farm Bureau is mostly concerned with getting good
legislation," stated l-larris. “It has lobbyists in Congress and in
many state legislatures.” Also it provides many services to the
tarmer.

“Farmers should have some control over the price at which
they sell their products," said Rafiety in explaining the NFO's
goals. The NFO is trying to persuade tarmers to bargain collective-
ly with buyers.

The Grinnell farmer is a busy man. But what does he think
or the College?

Mr. Raffety is concerned about the violence on some college
campuses, “We read in the newspapers about all the violence on

 

 

Several calves on Mr. Rallety‘s iarm.

some campuses," he said. “Some kids don't seem to appreciate all
the sacrilice that helped make the college great. Many or us have
been waiting and hoping ihat the majority of students, who don‘t
believe in Violence and disruptions, would state their views."

“What will socieiy be like iiizeen years tram now it good
men do nothing?” asked Railety.

Grinnell College in particular? “A lot oi townspeople are con-
cerned about the iact that Grinnell seems to have no rules," said
Raiiety, a member of the Grinnell school board. “What influence
are the students having on our children?” He implied that the
students oi Grinnell have some responsibility In the community
mwhich they live and that many students do not seem to realize

is.

Relations between students and townspeople? “Some students
seem to enjoy antagonizing townspeople with their behavior,"
commented Ratiety. Both Harris and Raitety agreed howevei, that
Grinnell students ate generally “good Lids. " , '

SCARLET AND BLACK

Friday, October l8. "6

Lewis Book Helps Find Paradise Lost

By ELEONORE SPIEGEL

Revolution and rebellion seem
to be the watchwtu‘ds oi the
Western world these days, even
in a part of it so isolated irom
“reality" as Grinnell is said to
be. since i wish to encourage
progress, including revolution,
though revolution seems cir-
cular rather than progressive,
1 thought I would do my civic
duty — which Mr. Arieti, in his
usual, inimitable manner, helped
me see -— and point out that the
greatest rebel in history is Satan
and that we might do better if
we followed such an illustrious
model. Milton has given us one
of the best literary treatments
of Satan: and there will he sev-
eral courses next semester
teaching Milton, to help us be-
come ever better rebels, no
doubt. but ior those people who
are too impatient to wait till
next semester or feel the press-
ing need now to be the best
rebels we can, i highly recom-
mend C.S. Lewis' short book A
Preface to Paradise lost.

Lewis' chapter on Satan he-
gins by reminding us that tho
pro-Victorian Romantics thought
Milton made him a great and
glorious figure. And we must
certainly concur with their view,
though it seems curious, I know
to say that progress can be
made by returning to preVicton
ian ideas. but, then, progress
works in mysterious ways —-
doesn't it?

At any rate, Lewis points out
that Satan, in the beginning ol
Paradise LNK, really is an im-

pressive figure. He is like “the
Sun new ris‘n" (1.594); he stood
“In shape and gesture proudly

. like a Tow'r” (1590-1): and
he was the emperor of “Godlike
shapes and forms/Excelling
human” (1358-9). Besides be
ing glorious in his person. Satan
is glorious in his cause. He has
been treated unjustly ~ or ii-
legally, as we say today — and
so he prefers "to reign in Hell,
than serve in Heaven" (1.263).

Though Satan prefers Hell to
Heaven, he is not happy there.
He cannot take over Heaven,
he knows; but, like a great reir
el. he Won't admit defeat and
chooses instead to light injustice
with injustice by corrupting
Adam and Eve. His light now
isn't quite as glorious as his
light for liberty and equality
(v.790-2); but he is still lighting,
and that, surely is What really
counts.

Lewis points out that Satan
shows an almost human side or
his character in the Garden or
Eden. Spying on Adam and Eve,
he overhear: their tender talk
and sees them kissing; and he
turns aside “with jealous leer
malign" (IV.503). We don't see
him lighting for the cause in
that description, but isn’t it
good to know that such a fine
rebel wasn’t without normal
sexual impulses, even though he
was an angel?

Lewis also points out that Sa-
tan isn't comfortable anywhere.
We have seen him as the emper-
or of Hall, as the general vali-
ant in defeat, and as the lusty

spy, but he isn’t happy in any
at those roles. He doesn't ever
Seem to feel that he is where
he ought to be; wherever he la,
“Within him Hell/He brings
(IV, 2M). And no wonder; a
creature trying to turn the uni-
verse upside down can hardly
hope for peace at mind.

He does nﬂt succeed in turn-
ing things upside down; but he
does succeed, you remember,
in corrupting Adam and Eve.
Jubilant, he returns to Hell and
makes a speech to his subjects;
but God's judgment or him is
fulfilled and, as he finishes his
speech, “down he lell/o mon.
strous Serpent on his Belly
prone," (X5134). Here in Book
x he has come a long way,
Lewis says, irom the proud em-
peror or Book 1. But we milst
not he dismayed. After all,
what could be better than to be
A healthy animal?

Now I’ve only summarized
one or Lewis' points on Satan—
there are many mare—and his
book deals with more in Phra-
dise lost than only Satan. Al-
most everyone, not only rebels,
can benefit irom reading it.
Rebels of course, will find near<
1y everything in the book "rele~
vent”, Those students interested
only in academics and not in
“real life” will find Lewis help-
1ul in their studies of Milton.
And, lastly, Lewis writes so
angelically that it anyone rlis<
likes both politics and acade-
mics, he may read the book as
a “valuable aesthetic experi‘
ence”.

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POS‘l' Mori'em: By John Gordley

The history or the forum‘s
game room includes many EX<
amples of fine bridge playing,
Diiiicult hands have been bid
with precision, and impossible
contracts have been made. Ov-
er the years, the high quality
of playing has not only con-
tinued, but it has gradually im-
proved. One characteristic oi
the resulting game, however, is
that in some unusual instances,
the contracts bid and made have
been reached by unusual means.
Our linest players have learned
to successfully supplement Gor-
en bidding \vith their own im-
proved bids, leading in more
exact communication between
partners, and to greater success.

On rare occasion, a combine»
non of Friday night exuberance
and resultant bidding inac—
curacy prcduces a contract
unique even to the Forum’s
time honored tradition ol piny—
ing unusual bridge. One such
auction took place recently on
the lollowlng dcal:

Noun

5 x

H xxxxxx

D ,

c J lUxxxx

East

5 xix.:x
H thi
D QX
c Qx

SAK1098
H.
DKxxx
CAxxx' “ ‘

North, the dealer, true to
{drum tradition, psych . opened
one diamond, reiusing to allow
his cards to cramp his super-
ior ability, and hoping to
prevent a diamond bid by the
opposition. East doubled and
sat back to await developments.
South, facing an opening bid
with 17 points, jump-sliilicd m
2 spades. West passed, still in
Shock lram North's diamond
bid.

Taking a quick glance at his
hand, North raised to tiiiee
spades, unaware that his \lOld
in diamonds had allouerl his
black stilts to run together. Ens
joymg the direction in u ch
the autumn was headed,
passed hoping [or a set at {our
spades South, having lotind a
fit in his best suit, bid 4 NT ii)
investigate slam.

By this time, North had dis-
covered his blunder, but lie
lailed to realize that his part.
us: was pluyntg Blackwcod.
Having unsuitable distribution
for no trump, be bid his heart
suit at the five level, hoping
that the introduction at a new
suit would induce his partner
to pass. East, with a slight
smirk, passed. South, interpret-
ing the heart bid as showing two
aces, renewed the convention by
bidding 5 NT. Getting slightly
irantic at his partner's insist-
ence.on no trlinlp..Noi~ih re-
sponded with 5 hearts, East
passed 'Wllll ii‘i‘i encouraging

smile tor his intended victim.
South, expecting the conmct
to be cold, coniidently bid seven
spades, which was inourniuily
passed by North, East lnime<
diately doubled, holding the
four top honors in hearts and
live trump. South, imagining no
possible way at going down, re-
doubled

When West lead the ace or
diamonds, South experienced a
great surprise, as his partner
had promised that card in his
live heart response. When dum-
my was laid down, however,
his only reaction was shocked
disbeliel. North, however, was
overjoyed With the lead, and,
pointing excitedly at his spade
on the board, said, “i kliSW
that my trump would be good,"
as indeed it was, taking the op
illg trick.

South, overcome with griei, led
the jack of clubs, on which
East played his queen, covering
an honor with an ltoiidr. Sniiin
played his ace, and, with a
vehement imprecation, West was
iorced to drop his king. Souiii,
slightly relieved, then led
out the ace-king of trump. and,
noticing the queen-jack tailing,
ran East out or trump ind
claimed the rest in clubs and
the king of diamonds making the
bid.

In the team-oﬁfour tourna-

, ment, the partnerships oi Stran-

g e r -‘ Fe‘ldrnan/Mannheiiner -
Gottlieb land Strom-Earl/Gor—
don»Forsyth won :their matches.

 

