a Four

SCARLET AND BLACK

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‘Grl'nnell “Considers" Poverty

By KATHY butt

'A number of knowledgeable sources
believe that Grinnell is taking a step in
a relevant direction this spring. From
April 22-14 there will be a student ini-
tiated and organized poverty symposium,
right here under the spreading labelled
trees.

Dale Stein, head of the symposium
Dom/mittee said that the idea was formed
when there was a lot of talk about open
dorms and a lack of meaningful intel-
lectual activity. ”No students from each
social science division are in the Commit-
tee Last semester thEy met once or
twice every week.

One of the main determinations of the
group was that this project would be
controlled completely by the students.
Mr. Milner and Mr. Schwartz have been
advising the group, but the students
have made all final decisions. The
laculty and administration have been en-
touragingly enthusiastic but have not
been directly involved.

The administration has been helpful
in getting iunds tor the program, but the
students have done the actual soliciting.
Most of the money is coming from large
corporations and church organizations;
the college is not pmvrding any. any
speakers have been invited, but there
have been many refusals. Half of the
number desired have agreed to come.

There will be panels on the nature at
poverty, the black sub-culture, the gov-
ernment’s rule, and community organ-
izing, and live lectures. In choosing the
participants the committee tried to com-
bine academicians, communiay organi-
zers, church leaders and antiestab-
lishmentarians. They hope that the
guests can be treated to the traditional
coffee hours, interested student dinners,
and will be able to stay in the dorms.

when asked of what value an intel<
lectual symposium could be in dealing
with the problem of poverty, Mr. Stein
said that, although there is not a lot we
can do at Grinneil, he hopes that this
will motivate individuals to act and will
help to provide the knowledge and under-
standing of the problem that is neces-
sary to attack it. He concedes that the
symposium can not provide the real un-
derstanding needed and that the best
education would be working and living
with poverty. But he feels that because
most students have middle class back-

grounds, ihey cannot envision what pov-
erty means and they must find out be-
fore they can act. Concerning the mid
of a liberal arts education, Dale Stein
commented, “it gets away irom the
practical aspects and deals with the
theoretical. I hope the conference will
help bridge the gap."

Students are needed to help with the
program, moderate panels, and intro-
duce speakers. it this symposium is
“successful” the Rockefeller Foundation
may be willing to fund future ones.

Dixie Harrington, political science pro
fessor, questions the purpose of the con-
ference Although She does not doubt
the motives of the student organizers,
she is afraid that Sterile intellectualizing
will replace action. There is, she feels,
the possibility that people will ieel satis-
iied that they have an understanding of
the pmblem and will not feel the need
to solve it. Miss Harrington wonders
what projects students will be free to
initiate, She believes that this one would
have been begun by the administration
or another department anyway, and,
therelore letting the students do it in
nothing more than a liberal devicer

Neither does Roy Walker, senior, see
what good the program can do. He be-
lieves that ii there is money available
it should be channelled to neighborhood
programs in Des Moirles or Marshall-
town, or used directly in some other way.
“if people here do not understand it
now, discussions or books or lectures on
Grinnell campus will not help. You have
to View it first hand There is the same
hang-up with sex. You don’t need panels
and programs to understand it, but posi-
tive experience." He feels that the ad—
ministration is using the same political
ploy with this “student initiated pro-
gram" as it has used with the black stu-
dents and the student government; pia-
cate the students by making them ieel
like they have a voice and are in direct
control.

z—-—:—__s—"_l

NOTIGE

Applications ior the Student Advisor
program for 1969-70 academic year are
available from any Resident Advisor or
the Deans of Student’s Office, today.
They must be returned to Resident Arl-
visor or Deans by Friday, March 7.

In any II. T"!

Exhibit Panned — ‘Superfitial'

By RICHARD WICHSTROM

The collection of paintings from the
Viviano Gallery, New York. on exhibi-
tion at Schaeffer Gallery from February
12 through March 15 is regrettably a
typical Grinneli exhibition. The Work of
Peter Lanyon, Cesar Manrique, Manabu
Mabe. and Afro is highly superficial.

Peter Lanyon, an English painter, who
died in 1964, is well-known internationally
ior his landscapes of his native country.
From my knowledge of his work, the re
putation is well-deserved. However, the
chaotic and unstructured paintings cur-
rently on exhibition give no indication of
the power and beauty in much of hill
work.

Cesar Manrique, & Spanish painter,
makes extensive use of hot reds and
thickly applied impasto. Although seem-
ingly forceful and dramatic at first, the
paintings are pristine and delicate to
the extreme His elegantly applied im-
pasto is trite.

Manabu Mabe, a young Japanese
painter who had his first one-man show

last year, exhibits interesting washes.
in Breath of Life his wash creates grain
tactile qualities in some areas and 1
others creates very fluid movements!
dissolving line and distinct shapes. This“
technique, however, has the tendenc,
to deaden his color. His oriental heri
tinge manifests itself thmugh deiicat
sweeping line, but his warlt is merely
decorative and superficial.

Afro, a welleknown italian artist, hal
the highest quality of work on exhibi
His style is reminiscent of Franz Klein i
some respects. His work can be chara
terized by supple forms and subtle tons.
relationships. In Quatemo a black Iigur
4 is dominant from which a series
harmonious shapes and movement
evolve. Warm blown washes achieve int
teresting tactile qualities and form
beautiful compliment to the iorcefu
blacks. ll Grande Nero explores the fol
range of tonal relationships and posses
es interesting figurative qualities. How.
ever, the vigorous color in Trofeo seem
forced and unresolved — iull of soun
and fury, signifying nothing.

 

Comp Options Proposed

A group of ten seniors, in different
major fields met this week to initiate
a discussion of the weaknesses and po-
tentials of the present system of comps

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and to formulate a rough proposal to!
the revision of comps.

At present, the proposal provides foul!
options for the student; he and his ads
visor would decide at the end of hi:
junior year which one would best fit
his needs, They will consider the coursal
he has taken, his future plans, his
strengths and weaknesses, and 1M
possibilities within his field.

The student could choose from the
{our following options:

1) to take the three part oomprehens

sivo as it is presently administeredl

2) to take an independent with or with
out credit, including a paper and do.
fense of it,

3) to take a symposium with or with-
out credit,

4) to make up his own option (either an
innovative plan, or choose not to take
them at all)

in this form, the proposal emphasizes
ﬂexibility, both ior individual studenti
and for the different departments. Thiﬁ
proposal is hopefully the beginning of q
broader inquiry into the usefullness oi
the present system of comps as part of
Grinneil’s commitment to education out:
side, as well as within a student’s mas
jor ﬁeld.

in the hopes of opening up some of
the possibil' ‘es for comps, there will
be a discussion Wednesday, February 2d
at 4:30 in the South lounge. Facult,
members, and all'students in all classej
are invited to participate. A proposal ‘
this sort needs suggestions and oontris
buttons from different segments of the
college.

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