8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 12, 1967

1/4

may: a highlight for seniors m^y, (/While the members of the Classof 1967 are finishing theses and research projects in anticipation oftheir graduation, the underclassmen are preparing for the Mayactivities to be held in honor of theseniors.The first of these activities, abig sister-little sister buffet dinner,was held on Sunday, May 7, in Mc-Auley Main Lounge. This dinnerwas the sophomores' last informalfarewell to the seniors. It is*alsothe newest addition to the list ofsophomore-senior activities.On fMonday, May 8, the SeniorTheater Party was held. Freshmen,sophomores, and- juniors all contributed to the success of the party.The sophomores presented themovie, Anatomy of a Murder, atthe merciad

> -

Vol. XXXVni-N o. 8 Mercyhurst* College, Erie, Pa. May 12, 1967

must interrupt a recent marr iage,a college education, or a careerwhich may never be fully pursuedafter years* of special t rainin g.

The government might give thearmy distinctions received byother areas of national securityan d put umilitary service on thebasis of a well-paying job. If fed-

Thus, deferments are granted, eral* au thorities andimilitary em -Tfce decision-makers fo r jthese Payees could act in intelligent co-cases are teachers, im personal operation toward atta ining theirlocal draft boards, and even high goals, constructive results mig ht beauthorities who might give personal consideration to the needs ofsome family. Is this as fair as we in military service ra ther than in

realized. More men might feel asense of duty and seek their career

can be? business or. some other area.

analysis of a voluntary draftby Christine Murphy

One of thejmost controversial ligation, one hum an being equal to s ure tha t the men are willing, co-topics in the news today involves anoth er ? Subjectively, this is not! operative, and sincere in their m is-a revision of the presen t draft sys- always fair. We are considering sion ? Why not make sure thattem,tthe objectives being fairness either young boys jus t out of high their jobs are done as efficientlyand impa rtiality. This "fairne ss" is schfri, perh aps never before away as possible?an impossible goal in the current from home, or young m en w hosystem since, in itself, th e concept Sof conscription is unfair.

In a society which boasts principles of democracy and freedom ofthe individual, we find unwillingdraft-prospectives seeking^ refugein Canada or burning their draftcards in protest.

Canada's draft law pertains onlyto home defense, whereas duringwartime I the nations depends onvolunteers for its defense. Nowthis, it seems, is an ideal situationwhich, by eliminating most of theproblems now being discussed,wouldf present a new and perhapsmore acceptable system for us .

Before examining the pros andcons? of adopting this method, itwould be well to define the present

Iproblems. The two currently discussed issues involve individualfreedom acting on personal convictions and the equalization factor.

The first point exists as an?important reason for the present compulsory system, and that is insuring a sufficient number of men forth e defense of our country. This isthe only factor tha t migh t justifytiie draft. National security is vitalnot only for the United States asa leading 5 world power but alsofor each individual and his interest in self-preservation.

The second problem arises as aresult of the draft. In securingproper defense, how should theyoung men be selected for servicein the armed forces? Should everyman be required to fulfill this ob-

Utopian as it may sound, it ap- J t * impossible at this momentpears that defense provided for on to P r o v i d e a definite solution toa volu ntary fbasis is the best tte d r a f t Problem. But the idea ofa voluntary draft system is an in-answereto the J problem. A recentradio panel discussion mentionedthe unbelievable expense of training and paying our men. If we are system of our supposedly demo-investing this much , why not make cratic society.

teresting and certainly a moredemocratic outlook for the defense

bishop whealon to speak atcommencement ceremoniesThe graduating class of 1967 willcommence their final activities onSunday, May 28th when the Bac

calaureate Mass will be celebratedat 10:00 a. m. in the Chapel ofChrist the King. The celebrant willbe the Reverend William E. Biebel,Chaplain of Mercyhurst College.The Baccalaureate Address will begiven by the Very Reverned Mon-signor Thomas P. Griffin, Episcopal Vicar for (Charities in the Diocese of Erie. Mem bers of the sophomore class willr serve as ushers.Following the BaccalaureateMass, a brunch will be held for thegraduating seniors and their parents in the College Dining Hall be

ginning at 11:00 a. m. The sophomore class:members will serve themeal.?Commencement -Exercises willtake place in Memorial Auditoriumat 2:00 p. m. Sister Mary Jane tKlempay, R.S.M., the AcademicDean of Mercyhurst, will presentthe candidates for their degrees.The | Presidentsof Mercyhurst College, (Sister Mary Carolyn Herrmann R.S.M., will confer the degrees upon the graduates, j-, Thisyear we are most honored to haveas speaker the Most Reverend JohnF . Whealon, S.T.D.,S.S.L., TheBishop of Erie, who will deliver theCommencement Address to thegraduates*

7:00 p. m. in the Little Theatre .The juniors provided the entertainment for the evening, while thefreshmen were in charge of refreshments.Immediately following the Theater Par ty, the Rose Ceremony tookplace on the foyer steps. In tossingroses to the sophomores, the seniors bid farewell to their littlesisters.The traditional Lantern Ceremony will be held on the eveningof May 27 inf the campus grotto.This ceremony will ! be th e last

farewell of the sophomore class totheir big sisters. After a brief entertainment, the sophomores, in fullacademic attire, will light the seniors ' way to the grotto area . Thesophomores will! carry lanterns,symbolic of their position as underclassmen, while the seniors willcarry sm all | ships lighted by candles, symbolizing the completion oftheir college career.When the seniors reach the grotto,^they will sail their ships on apond as a sign of their departurefrom Mercyhurst. This will be followed by the singing of "Ships ofFriendship" by both the sophomoreand senior classes.

ceremoniesset for may 14On May 14, JAmerica observes

one of its most treasured days Mother's Day. Here at Mercyhurst,this day will jbe set aside for theMother of us all in the Mary's Dayceremonies.

The activities will begin at 2:00p. m. with a processional out to thefront campus. The student bodywill lead the processional. Following them will be the seniors; thequeen's court, Mary Mehl an dRosalie 'Bars otti; and the queen,Mary Bernas. The climax of theceremony will be the crowning ofOur Lady.

After the crowning, the seniorsand their guests will attend Benediction in Christ the King Chapel.During the coronation ceremonyand Benediction, a student choralegroup, under the direction of JaneProsser, will present a number ofselections. i

honors convocation heldHonors Convocation was held today, May 12, at 2:00 p. m. Thisyear's convocation address was delivered by William B. Ball, J. D.,General Counsel to the^ Pennsylvania Catholic Conference.eral arts colleges and universitieswas awarded to Divina Barbush,Judy Pitney and Jane Prosser .

awards givenn explanation of traditons byRosalie Barsotti, senior class presi-dent J was followed by the tassel V A T f J o * f l f ' Cceremony and the passing of the ^ ^ ^m ma^m^tmm ^gavel f rom SGA president JudyPitney to president-elect KathyIcardi. The dedication of the Prae-terita was read by Georgina Can-toni, this year's editor.Student honors and awards werepresented by Sister M. Janet,Academic Dean. The St. CatherineMedal is awarded each year byKappa Gamma Pi to a sophomorein recognition of outstandingacademic achievement. ChristineStrong |was honored, with thisaward.Rosalie Barsotti, the senior whohas best realized the school mottothrough personal integrity, socialcompetence, and outstanding intellectual habits, received theCarpe Diem Award.The Archbishop John Mark Gannon Award for general scholasticexcellence was presented to DivinaBarbush. ,Senior (Barbara Kosciolek w ashonored for her outstanding serviceto the Sodality. Judy Bauer, another senior, received equal recognition for her work in YCS.Judy Pitney won the LeadershipAward, and Sue Geltch receivedthis year's SGA Award. The DayStudent Award was presented tosenior Marikae Sorvelli.For their scholastic and leadership in extra-curricular activities,seniors Divina Barbush and JudyPitney were awarded membershipin Kappa Gamma Pi, a nationalCatholic women's honor society.Membership in Delta EpsilonSigma, an honor society which recognizes high J scholarship amonggraduates of Roman Catholic lib-

Three Mercyhurst seniorsJudyPitney, Divina Barbush, and MaryJane 'Prosserhave received scholarships enabling them to do grad-uate work in their chosen fields.

Judy Pitney, a history major, haswon a full tuition scholarship to theUniversity of Wisconsin^ at Madison, where she will earn her master's degree with a concentration inEnglish history.

French major Divina Barbushhas been offered three ^scholarships: an NDEA fellowship at theUniversity of Massachusetts, anassistantship at the University ofPittsburgh, and a teaching internship at Assumption College, Massachusetts. Divina has declinedthese \ offers in order to accept ateaching position in French atPatchogue Senior High School!inLong v Island. J

Jane Prosser, a music major, hasreceived a $2100 fellowship to theUniversity of North Carolina atChapel? Hill for graduate work inmusic history . *Another Mercyhurst student,sophomore Chris Syguda, has been

named a finalist in the SargentSchriver Scholar Program. If sheis a winner, Chris will spend thesummer livings and w orking J-withthe people in one of seven newlydeveloping nations.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 12, 1967

2/4

Page 2 the merciad

meditation of a sisterteachera. a. u. p. s p e c t r u mBy Sister Mary Charles

(During the opening prayer ofthe Eight O'clock Class)!l| "Direct, we beseech Thee, foLord,? all ourj actions, by T hy Holyinspirations I. SYes, dear Lord,? here we ar eagain, *these young women and Iseeking your light! and guidance,but I wonder . r . Does this prayerhold the meaning for them that i tdoes for me? Have they yet experienced those crises which seemed to have been miraculously E resolved? |f so, did they j* recognizeYour help?Are these girls close enough toyou, 0 Lord, to appreciate yourpersonal interst in them? Do theiractions reflect the sensitivity ofheart and the refinement of manner which is truly I feminine . .and Christian? Would a fvisitorto our campus be conscious thatthese Christians love one another?

. . and carry* hem on by^Thygracious assistance | . . .| Do*thesestudents feel a need for You at all ?They seem so self-sufficient whenthey write newspaper articles thatalmost challenge Your existence orYour r ight to guide them jthroughthe Church. They seem to . feel su perior to You when they use YourName in conversation orjon bulletin boards merely for emphasis.(But, then, dear Lord, maybe theirlack g of trust in You is merely aperverse way of recognizing Youreternal existence for then, Youmust be over 25 years old, and according to the New Generation,that means You're no t }to betrusted.)But, dear Lord, It grieves meto know they even refuse the assistance of their fellowmen. Theyignore the'experience embodied inth e psychology? of learning andsuggestions for good health. Howmany years and dollars must theywaste before they realize that lawsof habit-formation apply to themand that physical laws cannot bebroken? When will they learn thatrefinement and good taste must bedeveloped by practice?. . . that every prayer . . . Whenare they praying, dear Lord ? Whendo they dare to be quiet enough tolisten?to You? Only\;a small percentage participate in the Euchar-istic Sacrifice each day. Are theyconscious that You dwell in theTabernacle in a special way . 1 . .a l l day . . . . tha t they don ' t evenneed an Appointment to see You?i . . and-work of ours . . Howconsciousfare these students thattheir principal work is academic,but th at i t must be supported bycommunal living ? ' How many areready to share the work of planning and completing projects forthe welfare of the group?. . . m ay always begin from Thee. . . Did a particular "Letter to theEditor1' is a recent Merciad beginfrom Th ee? If so, it went as tray. . . Do "low class" par ties beginfrom Thee? . . . Do gr iping sessions begin from Thee ? . . and by Thee be happily ended . . . Oh, dear Lord, when can I

tell these students what I wish forthem as Christian women, whatthey are missing when they areconcerned solely with themselves?. . . How can I make an impact ontheir daily lives and yet remainwithin the context of chemistryand physics? . . . May the order ofthe universe, the simplicity of Yourphysical laws, the elegance ofcertain problem solutions, thenecessity for neatness, logic, andpatience in the laboratory havetransferral value into their?dailylives . . . Let the effect of myteaching help them toward You asFinal End, if not toward an A inthe course. * g,. . % Amen.

The most touching memory is a simply, complacent momentwhere not there was kindness, not even gaiety,But merely peaceThe loneiness grows feeding on \ hatred,We're crying and sad, but w hy?A dream has been lost that will never come again.Eyes and mouths closed by the mindcan never see or speak.Leaves are falling but new ones will grow.

The sun will shine and blot out the darkness;We can st ar t again and like the dawnDiffuse light on ou r own confusion, fWe'll be able to forgetTomorrow^f

The Sodality wishes to inform the stude nt bo dy! tha t th eLenten Mission collections totaled $200.00. As was previouslyannounced, this money will be sent to one of the orphanages inViet Nam for needy children. Those who contributed realize thatthis small gesture is a way of showing our personal concern forthe needs of others beyond our own immediate environment.1

ALONEAlone, envelopedyet stamped

each surveys a staircaseClimbing methodically, movingin thought towardswho knows ?

When will a foot step on non-reality's pace?

'Round boxes of peoplethe wind blows.Mailmen feed egoes of steel.Eagerly, each awaits a patheticsample of ambrosial woes.

Who will break the seal?What will happen to man's will ?Where will reality become real ?

Bonita DeLucaI AGREE WITH YOUt

I agree with you, Vachel Lindsay,Becase I have seen the leaden-eyedDie like sheep, needlessly. |I have seen them fail at all they've

tried mWhile the chosen few reign su-preme '$'And are swept along with the glitter ing tide .Of cheerleaders dating the footballteam. 'How lucky I am I'm one of thechosen. J JjjHo w s a d your poe m h a d t o spoilmy dreams.W I BethSchill

on leaving S A . . .By Judy Pitney

\The days of the 1966-67 SGA are over; its J mandate togovern |has now expired. In searching for the words to express my ^feelings about relinquishing the Presidency of SGA,I found none more appropriate than those of Eloise Klein,1964-65 Student Body President at Immaculate Heart Collegein Los A ngeles."I told myself a long time ago that there is no reasonfor Student Body Presidents to be unhappy people, especiallyabout their office and their responsibilities. There is no reasonto rejoice because the worries will be passed on to someoneelse. The happy part is that there will be people to welcomethe responsibilities, to face the changes, and to learn that thereis a song to sing in student government."The job of student government is a never ending one.Realizing this at the outset,fSGA has endeavored throughoutthis year to deal with aslmany issues as possible. To havecovered them all well was the ideal, to have done a good jobwas our goal. I leave office aware of the fact that there is, asalways, room for improvement and amplification in SGA,there is room for striking out in new directions. This will bethe task of the new government. |SGA should and m ust be a v ital and exciting organization.There should be "a song to sing in student governm ent." Many

times this year I heard its melodyat the Town Meeting,while administering the Questionnaire, during the planning ofthe Student Union. There were days, too, when not a note ofthe song could be detected.I have tried to constructively serve SGA and in so doingengage in strengthening responsible studenthood at Mercy-hurst. I am grateful for the opportunities which my electionconferred on me; still more for th e steadfast confidence whichyou have placed in me. The personal satisfaction and renewedspirit which have become mine are gifts which I will alwaysbe grateful. In return I offer my sincere wishes that the students, facuity and administration of Mercyhurst will alwaysknow success, happines and peace.lettersletterslettersletterslettersletterslethEd. Note: We all acknowledgecertain downfalls, in the healthservice, it is true, bat to attack thepersonality traits of one who isin charge had no connection withth e faults of the service. In the future the merciad policy concerning this column will be as follows:If the letter contains a personalattack, it will be returned to thesender for revision. If that personrefuses to revise the letter, themerciad will then reserve the righteither not to print it or to cutout the objectionable parts. Wedo ?not feel that this is a grossinjustice to the students' freedom

Published Every Three Weeks fMercyhurst College, Erie, Pa.f the merciad

$.85 per issue $3.00 per yearEditor in Chief ; Chriss StrongExecutive Editor ; Mary Ann MortonPag e Editors Elaine Marsh, Mary Ann D'Urso, Chrisi Bogdanski, Rosalie HodasPhotography Editor - Kath y KelleyHeadline Editor Charlene KienholtzTyping and Copy Editor . Cathy VarcaExchange Editor . Emily FaticaBusiness Editor - ..Lorraine TuckerClub News Co-Editor Bonnie De LucaModeratorJ _ . . Mr. Barry McAndrewEditorial Staff . .Judy Pitney, Mary Ann Morton, MargaretFox, Louise Durr, Carol Hall, Chris Murphy,I- Betty Jean Zimmerman. |j

of speech because in actuality, theeditors did not institute this columnto deal with personality conflictsand we do not want it to becomean outle t for them. Rather the purpose of the "Letters to the Editor" column is for the students to"air valid gripes," and thisf is asit should Ibe and wills continue tobe. But'; these ' "gr ipes" should beconfined to criticism * for t he goodof systems and methods, not merely to strike out at those we maydislike personally.Although many valid questionswere raised in the letter, we feelthat the last paragraph was an a ttack rather than an objectivecriticism which defeated the original purpose of the letter. We sincerely regret the unintentionalharm which was caused by theprinting of this letter. *

Sincerely,Jane Carney'66-'67 Editor

must prepare for classes. Thenof course, she is a dean of residence who is responsible for thecounselling and order of some 50girls . And last, but not least, she isto see that any of the 300 dormstudents who are sick, receive proper medical attention. Some of hexother 'responsibilities as nurse include regular visits to the sick atthe convent, caretaker's home, andthe hospital. Sometimes, if she'slucky, Sister can even find!time,like the other faculty, for a coffeebreak.

Dear Concerned Students,We are concerned too. Like you,we have observed that the Mercyhurst health program is inadequate.One nurse, no matter how qualified, would find the following duties comprising more than a fullschedule.Fi r s t of fall, the fact that Sr.Anthony is a nun obviously requires duties to her vocation. Besides this, she is a teacher (who

All this does not leave muchtime fo r Sister's making personalfriends of all the students, nordoes it inspire much reason for acheery grin to all of them. How^-ever, we students who have beenhere longer and who know her, findSr. Anthony an understanding anddear friend, and from our ownpersonal experiences, have sincereconfidence, that should any emergency arise, Sister iwill meet itwith the capability, willingnessand concern that she has shown onso many past occasions.

As far as the common cold andother minor ailm ents of "concernedstudents" go, Sister Anthony haschanged her office hours upon previous requests to accommodatethese things. So if you are sick,don't let her sit there during officehours , twiddling her thumbs, and(Continued on page 3)

Friday, May 12, 1967

government:a proposalBy fMary Ann Morton

In recent weeks debate over student action reached a pinnacle incampus history-. Factions such asthe "Don' t Voters"^ caused an upsurge in student interest resultingin a record jj turnout a t the S.G.A.elections on Apri l 14. If th is interest lasted only for a week ora day, however, it defeated itspurpose. Students who feel a thatthe officers are the sole peopleresponsible for S.G.A. action relinquish their freedom. When the constituents fail to be the watch-dogsof government between elections,the only rights they lose are theirown.

Students, however, cannot be expected to show continual interest

S.G.A. fails to offer stimulation.No living body even if it does respire slowly can be expected tocontinually respond without occasional excitation. The student bodyis responsible for 50% of the stimulant, S.G.A. the other half. IfS.G.A. is striving for unity, thenthe constitutional questions whichplaque the government and theelectorate should be resolved. Onlya Constitutional Convention willafford open debate to many of theseissues. %.

Although committee heads outnumber the class representativeson Government, the representativesdo play a major role of voicingstudent opinion within S.G.A. Itseems strange that the candidatesfor the positions of class representatives are afforded $ no meansof publicity during the campaign.Surely limited methods could bepermitted fin order to clarify thecandidates ' pla tforms.

It can no longer be neglectedthat there is a definite need for re form in regard to voting policyand procedure. Since the weightedballot restricts the democraticrights of the underclassmen, itshould be stricken from the policyconcerning all S.G.A. offices. Candidates would thereby be forcedto identify their positions with allof the electorate. In addition, thevoting procedures for the-Jvariousoffices should either be clarifiedbefore each election or standardized for all offices. The policyshould then be stipulated at leastthree months before the date ofelection.It is also necessary that therebe distinct reforms made concerning some of the committees ofGovernment. If S.G.A. expects students with specific problems to petition the committees, it shouldmake the Committee Constitutionsavailable to the entire studentbody. This could be done either bypublication or placing copies on reserve in the library.

sM Periodical meetings of the Student-Faculty Committee should beheld during which critical evaluation of student j faculty relationscould be made. The student representative on the committee shouldthen be given a position on S.G.A.so that Government couldt refercertain problems to her in due gov-1ernment process.

These necessary changes inin the government constitutionswilknever come about?unless t h e !people in Government realize thatthese are mechanical changes whichmust be looked at objectively.These proposed changes deal withprocesses not with people. Thefacts speak for themselves. AConstitutional Convention cansolve the problems of governmentalprocedure, but only people willmake titI work.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 12, 1967

3/4

Friday, May 12,1967 the merciad Page 3

What kind of | rapport should exist between S6A and thefaculty ?Should ALL candidates be permitted to campaign?Should committee members have as much voice as classr epre sen ta t ive s? !Should the representative structure (20 gir ls for 500 students)be changed?Are changes of student indifference justif ied?!

uenos ermanaBy Mary Ann ParkYou'd; never believe this, butKathy and I have finally arrivedin Merida. With very limitedSpanish vocabulary (mostly nocomprende) we managed to makeour way through customs officialsin Mexico City and even get a cabfrom the aeropuerto here to Collegio Peninsular . What a day weha d yeste rday! from breakfastflight from Buffalo to Chicago,luncheon (with our first taste ofMexican food) flight from there toMexico City and from Mexico Cityto Merida! Seems impossible 'th atwe could have travelled so manymiles and yet have been transplant-ed to an entirely different culturein such a short t im e.The accommodations the sistershave provided! for us (Julie ha smoved in, and the girl from Manhattan ville is here too) must be theMerida; television, our own typewriters . . . such luxury 11 neverexpected . . .This is how Bonnie Brennan( '67) began her f irst le tter to Sis

ter deMontefort last July when shearrived at her home-for- two yearsin Merida, Yucatan. She and Kathy

Fitzgerald, a lso a last year 's graduate of Mercyhurst, left the UnitedStates July 19, 1966, as the secondand third MCLAP volunteers toLatin America . MCLAP's pioneeron this southern tra il was JulieO'Mahony who is now completingher second year as a teacher inMerida and will return to theUnited States this summer.

These .three Mercyhurst gra duates are br inging to life a dreamthat began here on campus in theSpring of 1964. It's name is MCLAPMercyhurst College LatinAmerican Program.It all started when Pat Delaney,formerly of v St. Thomas MoreClub's Latin American Program,came to Yucantan, Mexico. He hadspent two year's at Colegic Central,a I boys' school operated by theMaryknoll Fathers in Merida. Afterhearing Pat's experiences and seeing his enthusiasm, Julie asked thebi g question"Why can't we dosomething like that?" And theanswer was an excited "We can.Let 's star t now!"Today, three springs?later, 'MCLAP is well on its way to maturity

l e t t e r s l e i t e r s l e t t e r s l e t t e r s l e t t e r s l e t t e r s l e t t e r s l e t t e r s l e t t e r(continued from page 2)

then call her away from lunch foxan aspirin or class excuse (which,by the way, have been disappearin g in?quantities la te ly ) . T ry tomeet her half way so she can beas efficient as possible at all herresponsibilities.Sincerely,First Floor McAuley

it

Dear Editor , |"Don't JVote" signs have beenmissing from the corridor sinceAprilj 7, but conversations stillabound with topics instigated| bythe "Don' t Vote" a ttack on thecomplacency of Mercyhurst politics.The negative campaign, far fromendangering any "democratic pe-rogatives" has endangered studentdiscontent with the gap| in communication between the student andher "representative" government.On April 25 the Student Government held a gr ipe session, realistically termed a Pitch-In, which capitalized upon the emotional response incurred by the "D on' t Votemovement. The topics of discussion specifically defined areas needing reform. Criticism was directedat the non functioning Student-Faculty Committee with its unrealistic separation from StudentGovernment, at the ineffective useof c lass representatives, a t the"God-image" of SGA, and fat th enon-representation of the present

committee system.These issues stand as a cleanchallenge to th e incoming membersoffthe Student Government. Ourle thargic student body has shown awillingness to become involved byits 88 per-cent turnout on electionday, byfthe 80 students who stopped to join the Pitch-In, by its hostile reaction to the "Don' t Vote"campaign,! Will SGA accept thechallange to fulfill its resp onsibility to become representative ofthe 396 voting students ?

Sincerely,. D. DonnellyDear Editor ,As a Sister of Mercy, an a lumnaof the college, and a person whohas lived with the college nurselonger than any "concerned"!s tudents, I was very much dismayedthat any school paper editor wouldpublish such an indictment. I t wasdisturbing enough that any studentof Mercyhurst College would writea letter for publication which conta ined mater ia l that is untrue.| If our concerned students cannotbe appealed to on the level of

conscience and sense of propriety,perhaps calling their a ttention tothe legal aspects of a libel suitwill prevent them from makinga similar error af ter they haveleft the protective environment ofa college campus. According to a1964 decision of the Supreme Court,the Fi rst Amendment give s! thepress the right to criticize the official conduct of any public officialprovided that it does not knowinglypr in t falser information or utter lydisregard the need for accuracy.Further , the descent to a levelscarcely above name-calling makesme question just how much concernthese students have for their spir itual well-being. Is it in any degreeas important to them as beingsmiled at? Were these concernedstudents among the few studentswho attended the Saturday Mass ofFather - Daughter Weekend ? Werethey concerned enough to attendLenten?. Devotions? There weretwenty to thir ty of two hundredresidents who saw fit to do so. Arethese concerned students amongthose who come on time for Masson Sunday? There are less concerned persons who come as muchas fifteen minutes late.

Y e s , there are reasons for concern;^ but are they in the areapinpointed by these "concerned"students ? ? kMy one hope is that these "concerned students," whose names,incidentally, were not printed at-the end of the letter, have gainedsome knowledge of\ the damagedone when persons confuse journalism with sensationalism.Sincerely,Sister Stella MarieDear Editor :I was very much distrubed bya.1 letter which appeared in thelast issue of the Merciad. The letterto which I refer was criticizingth e "health service" here at school.The way in which the letter wentabout it was competely ir responsible. ')First, these students could besued for libel. If Sister Anthonywere Ia lay faculty member therewould be every reason to sue fordefamation of charactor and slander. The accident in which a girlfell while in the infirm ary didnotlhappen as |was alleged whileSister was not in her office. Toyou who wrote the article, and Idon't know who you are becauseyou won't assume the responsibility for what you wrote by signingyour name, I saybefore you star tmaking accusations about anythingand especially before - you submit

them to the Editor for all faculty,students, alumnae, Sisters of Mercyin convents connected with thismotherhouse, and Fathers of ourstudents who received the lastissue, CHECK OUT YOUR FACT S.What you put in pr int is an ir reparable lie .Second, since when ji s a newspaper the place to criticize personalities? I feel that on this pointboth the immaturity of the writersand the irresponsibility of the

newspaper staff was glar ing. I f thepeople that wrote it didn' t haveenough foresight to realize theeffects why didn't the staff members? These people should haveenough responsibility to be ableto read a le tter of that ^naturean d refuse |to print i t . Freedomof the press stops when the dilatory effects are as far reachingas these were, especialUy whenwhat was writtenfwasn't t r ue .Third, and last, as a member ofDorm Council there have beenseveral incidents that 'have happened on our floor where I neededSister Anthony for one of the girls.I had her paged and she was thereIMMEDIATELY. Granted Sisterdoesn't sit in her office 24 hours aday. Most of the student body doesnot expect her too. I know, however, that I can have Sister where-ever on campus I need her in fiveminutes J by paging her . For lessser ious matters I know the hours Ican see her in her office becausethey are posted on her door. To me,this is availability not apathy. Youhave accused Sister Anthony of being unsympathetic . I say SHE ISNOT. You, however, were unmerciful for ever submitting such anarticle. Who among us is so per

fect* to hurl those kinds of accusations? Sister, for myself and myfriends who have been in the infirmary, may I say thank you fora job which is done very well.To Whom It May Concern:

I just can't sit back and as aMercyhurst Alumna le t the happenings of late at the college pass by.These past few days walkingaround the halls, I know my mouthdropped open time after time. Isaid to myself"Is this Mercyhurst?" "What is Mercyhurst coming too?" "Oh no, we 're not beingput in the same cheap, vulgar classification of other colleges?"Mercyhurst, whether studentsand faculty here now realize it ornot, has a reputation and a good

o n e . It has been built up over the

years by good people both religiousand secular, and to see it pulleddown like this goes against mygrain. I 'm one Alumna, a t least,who would like to express her feelings. This is my own opininn ithas nothing to do with my jobmy departmentall repercussionsshould come back to me.When a girl is of age to attenda college, she should be alady, orleast have the makings of one. Nolady in my opinion would expresspublicably the coarseness shown inthe Mercyhurst halls of la te . Don' tour students care what opinions areformed of them by outsiders coming into the building and seeingsuch examples of crudeness. Aprospective parent would be stopped short, I 'm sure .

But what really got my "cork"was the le tter to the editor in theApril 14 issue of the M erciad* Wh atpurpose will becould becan beaccomplished by degrading a nun?Even in my days a t Mercyhurst,there? were legitimate {channels togo through when a situation suchas you say exists, arose. In no circumstance is there any justificationin trying to solve or change a problem at the expense of an individual.Have you not learned yet what itis to be a Christian?Anyone who knows me knowsth at I am liberal minded,' but I alsobelieve and demand such things asdiscipline, respect for myself andfor others and our beliefs and ourr ights. I know that our youngerpeople must learn, must grow, mustturn into our leaders, but they m ustrealize that this only comes withtime -experience w i s d o mgained from others. "Stop and Listen." I %

I am proud that I went to Mercyhurst and that I graduated. I owemore to her than I can ever repay.I only hope that the I undergraduates will take the advantages offered to them and be able somedayto reach the same conclusion.Sincerely,Mary C. Lieb

Take Out ServiceOn Alt Menu ItemsIBONANZA

Sirloin Steak Dinner $1.591 Lb.T-Bone Steak Dinner $2.5 0Chopped Sirloin Platter $.99BANQUET FACILITIES4125 Peach St. | Erie, Pa.Phone 864-4994f

and its reputation is spreadingnot only on campus, but throughoutPennsylvania. The program is aidedby the Foundation for InternationalCooperation and CFM.Ilt is alsonow financially supported by interested IErie citizens and studentmission collections. The Knights ofColumbus from Grove City, Julie'shometown, have also initiated a $1per month support program .From the lit t le beginnings, MC-LAO has set for itself a big goal.Open to all students, but madeup primarily of juniors and seniors,it studies the problems of LatinAmerica , prepares its membersboth spiritua lly: and culturally toteach! along with* the MaryknollSisters of Mexico in the grade andhigh schools of the country. Theprogram also welcomes auxiliarymembers who do not plan to teachafter graduation.Junior and Senior member members attend weekly meetings inwhich they study conversationalSpanish and also, through suchmeans as slides and lectures, learnabout the Mexican way of life.Julie, Kathy, and Bonnie are nowliving at Rogers Hall and teachingin grades ranging from pre-schoolto junior college and businessschool. There letters show thatthere days are busy.An October letter from Kathysays; "You'll never guess what 3happening nowwe have been hitby a 5 hurr icane. We didnt haveany school today because the rainsand winds are bad. We have it asbad as those in Progresso or tonthe Islands. Some of the J peoplefrom Progresso have; come toMerida with their families and afew of their belongings 1500people so far . They ares taying atthe number of schools throughout

the city. The poor people who livein the Coloniatheir thatched roofhomes will be ruined, many of themwill!:lose everything they have tha t they have worked so for. Itmakes* you wonder why thesethings have to come, destroy, leavepeople homeless, and kill. It makesme sick. Now they will have to begin all over again. Only (with) thehelp of God and His grace couldthey have enough courage and initiative to begin from scratch. Andonly a few of them will complain.How much we have to learn fromthem."f | $ f\It is a daily involvement in anew way of living, and it is filledwith determination, enthusiasm,and dedication.

%Martucci's Tavern2641 Myrtle StreetDelicious Spagh ettian dRavioliServed from 4 to 10 p. mBarbato'sItalian Restaurantand Pizzeria

1707 State St Erie, PaPhone 521-2158

Yaple's Dairyan dIce Cream Bar4026 Pine Ave.Phone 864-4839

Make Reservations Now AtCappabianca Travel Agency718 State St. Erie, Pa.Use Boston Store Charge455-5411Good Books in All Fields

ERIE BOOK STORE17 East 8th St.

Erie, Pa. 452*3354

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 12, 1967

4/4

Page 4 the merciad Friday,

LI

the nationEd. n ote: T he following article, isthis-issue's report from the UnitedStates National Student ^Association.

voluntary nat'l service National leaders of 18 youth andstudent organizations emergedfrom a conference in Washington,D. C. on February 5 with anhistoric point statement^ a strongcommitment to action and an informal agreement to continue tomeet.

. . . Never since their formationha d left-wing Student for a |Democratic Society (SDS) land right-wing Young Americans fori Freedom (YA F) united on a majorpolicy statement.*|g . Never since the growth ofyouth and student organizationsover the past decade had all majororganizations agreed to ; such a decisive committment to action.

. . . Never since the mushroomingof the young American populationafter World War|II had such astrong coalition of youth and student seemed so imminent.It was fitting that the Joint statement of the leadership conferencebe announced to ajlarge gatheringof student editors just finishingthe discussion of a United StatesStudent|Press Association conference on the "Generation Gap." .

Th e Conference Statement: "I nthe absence of\ any commitmentfrom national pleaders, we, i th eyounger people of our society,hereby establish voluntary nationalservice," said Moderator magazinepublisher Sherman |Chic kerin g| inintroducing the joint statement ofthe Moderator Conference on Voluntary National Service. |The statement read; We approach the problem of the -draftfrom various perspectives and findtwo major points of agreement:1. That the present draft systemwith it3 inherent injustices isincompatible with traditionalAmerican principales of individual freedom within- a democratic society, and that forthis reason the draft shouldbe abolished.

an ignorance, proverty, racialdiscrimination and war.;*Quickly demonstrating the radicallydifferent perspectives from whicha joint statement was forged,Gregory Calvert, National Secretary of SDS, indicated that he sawthe draft as a tool of the milluiry-industrial complex and saw theabolition of conscription as a weakening of America's present foreignpolicy in Vietnam.

%

In turn, David Franke, editor ofYAF'sgNew Guard indicated thathe saw the draft as the most totalitarian policy in the country.He strongly favored the Americanpolicy in* Vietnam , yet he lookedfor an immediate move to elimm-ate conscription because at no othertime than during an emergencycould the issue command the senseof urgency needed to make drasticreform possible.Student leaders from religiousorganizations joined the UniversityChristian Movement's President

Charlotte Bunch in pointing to theethical and moralf implications ofth e Judeo-Christian tradition whichcalled for individual responsibilityfor the ills of society.USNSA President Gene Grovespresented a framework for voluntary national service which wasagreed upon by fifteen of the eighteen groups represented. The blueprint assumed the abolition of conscription in any form an d tho rightof the individual not to serve society. More J positively, ihe statement encompassed the detailed proposal of the Ripon Society as amove towards a voluntary armyand the Moderator proposal for private as well as public institutionsto faciltate th e voluntary service

of young Americans on the issuesof hrir choice,j|fa tho manner oftheir choice, and at the time oftheir choice. Copies of f the RiponSociety proposal cm be obtainedby writing Uox 138, Cambridge,Mass. Reprints of the "Moderatorproposal can be obtained by writing115 South 37 St., PhiladelphiaPenna.

2. That an urgent need Sexistswithin our society for (youngpeople to become involved inelimination of such social His

unified actionA number of follow-up programswere proposed, many based on theunique demands, and abilities ofthe diverse organizations repre-

poll: political partiesRecently Judy Pitney, S. G. A.President, proposed a politicalparty system for Mercyhurst.Through this 3ystem, the studentbody would be able to express m oreinterest in the workings of studentgovernment. The a minority partywould be able to keep the majorityparty in check..More cooperationcould be obtained between stu dentsand administration.The majority of students interviewed, however, seem to disagreethat a political party system wouldbe an asset.Many felt that political party

MJ

12-12-13-11415.17-

calendarHonors ConventionFraternity WeekendMary's Day ISeniors Exams BeginYearbook Staff 1Dinner i18O.G.A. Picnic22-25-Final Exams26Cadet Farewell

27-i / i ,28-

DinnerSenior Awards .Sophmore FarewellBaccalaureate andCommencement June 22-August 3-SummerlSession

tickets often carry people into office who are not deserving becauseone or two \ of the people on theticket are capable leaders and wellqualified for their positions. Somesaid that the only way they wouldaccept this * system would be ifticket splitting was allowed andno one was required to vote J astraight party line.| Others felt that k Mercyhurst ispresently too small to warrant theneed of political part ies and thatthe anticipated growth over thenext few years?would still not beenough to require student registration in political partie s.JA few felt that political partieswould not help the very definite

problem of student apathy. Onestudent said she thought studentsunder political party system wouldbe less likely to vote!than beforebecause, especially if her p arty hadar majority in registration, shewould feel her vote would notamount to much. |Of the students that favored thisnew system, the main reason prevailing was that everyone runningfor an office would be forced tohave a strong!platform and carryout all campaign promises sincethe minority party would be constantly prodding them during theirterm of office.

sented. One unified proposal foraction was based upon the conference statement signed by alleighteen leaderst The Student Serv.ing Society Registry.The essential goal of the Registry, initiated at the I press ^conference, is to count individual com

mitments to the elimination ofconscription and futherance of voluntary service. Questions in theapplication form will provide essential information for the analysisof how individual commitments toserve can be matched with societalneeds. Further, the growing number of individual commitments willform a silent lobby for the abolition! of conscription. Finally, * fand when voluntary national service is established as a nationalpolicy, the Registry will facilitatethe initial feed-back of informationto potential volunteers.The SSS Registry is being ad-ministered by the Moderator Publishing Company. A fee of fiftycents upon application! will serve

to offset the costs ofi promotionand processing of application. Eachapplicant will receive a reg istrationcard and then his application willbe turned over * to the NationalService Secretariat, a non-profitcorporation funded by the RussellSage and Carnegie Foundations forana lysis! and holding. pModerator Editor Philip Werdellemphasized the necessity of grassroots action: "Youth and studentsmust encourage applications on aone-to-one basis. Local campus organization is the key to the success of voluntary national service."A number of the organizationsrepresented at the conference arealready planning programs to assist their local representatives or

chapters to mobilize commitmentson their campus. agreement to continuecooperation

As the Registry begins operationand as individual organizations de- velop their own particular programs, p articipan ts; in the leadership conference are looking forwardto their next meeting.Reed Martin, Executive Directorof the U. S. Youth Council announced that they will be sponsoring a meeting on the theme, "Whatis a Voluntary Society?" This hasbeen tentatively scheduled as thefocus of the next meeting timefor youth and student Leadership

Conference i on Voluntary NationalService.moderator conference statementon voluntary national service =The conference statement will beprinted on the registration cardsof the Students Serving SocietyRegistry. Application forms for th eregistry will soon be availablethrough the organizations indicated. Or, write: SSS, c/o ModeratorPublishing Company, 115 South St.,Philadelphia, Pa 19104. 5

undergraduate study abroadWhat role does undergradulate study abroad play in Americaneducation? |SWhat happens to American students overseas?Does the studentand the U, S, educational institutionprofit byan t overseas experience?

Each year, an estimated 10,000American undergraciulates studyabroad in more than 300 academically sponsored programs. Theseare some of the questions theirfast-proliferating presence raises.Along with other fundamentalquestions, they are explored in"Undergraduates Overseas: A lookat U.S. Prog rams ," published todayby the Institute of JInternationalEducation and the Council on Student Travel.

are four principal types o f'pr ograms Bet up to accommodateAmerican students overseas, namely: (1) the branch campus, wherean American institution establishesa "branch" abroad which serves asan extension of its efforts in gener al ! education; (2) a half-wayhouse, in which the student is attached to a foreign university buttakes fhis American college's courses; (8) complete integration, inwhich an American becomes a student of the foreign university; and(4) independent study in which the

mim^^ _^_-^___ student undertakes an individualThe author is Dr. Ben Euwema, research project abroad after consultation with hisxTJ. S. campusadviser. There are also varioussub-types of programs, whichdiffer radically in character standards and duration.

professor of|English at Pennsylvania State University, formerdean of the University's Collegeof liberal Arts, and former direc-tor of the university's undergradulate study-abroad program in Germany. He reports on three conferences on "The Eole of Undergradulate Study Abroad! in AmericanEducation" co-sponsored last springby HE and the Council on StudentTravel .

Convened in New York City, Racine, Wisconsin, and San Francisco,th e conferences served as a forumfor 125 college and universitys

Two distinquished foreigners whoparticipated in the workshops, Dr.Hubertus :Scheibe, executive director of the German Academic Exchange Service, and Dr. ~ RobertDavril, rector of the University ofNice, expressed the viewj that j themost effective program is completeintergration into/the host university. They also urged greater degree of coope ration| among American colleges and universities indeveloping overseas programs inorder to lighten the .jburden onforeign universities.presidents, deans and faculty members representing a wide varietyof institutions of higher learning.They considered the problems of ffrei ^ e r s i t i e s , and procedures

Also explorerd were, languagerequirements, affiliation with

Beauty CharmLucille's Beauty Salon

3702 Pine Ave.Call 445-0740

Burhenn's PharmacyCorner 38th St. & Pine Av e

Phone [ 456-7762Erie, Pa. %

Quality Dry CleaningShirt Laundry ServiceI PARIS| CLEANERS4025 Pine Ave. i Erie, Pa.H . 866-7641

the diverse study-abroad programsand explored solutions.

Most workshop participants, thereport i indicates, agreed th at thenon-academic objectives of studyabroad are, (1) "to enlarge horizons";? (2) "to prepare students to. live!in a smaller world"; (8) "tohelp students to master at leastone foreign language"; and (4)to help the future leaders ofAmerican society to understand thenature of the world and of the forces in it.There was however, no unanimityat the workshops, Dr. Euwemawrites, "with respect to the primacy of the academic objectives.Whereas everyone felt that academic objectives were ^important,not everyone agreed that the programs should stand or fall exclusively on their value."According to the report, there

literary clubOn May 16 in McAuley Lounge,the English Club honors its grad-is general chairman for the meeting, and Chris Murphy will be incharge of refreshments.Chriss Strong and Jean Diemertwill direct the program, which consists of orai&tinterpretation ofscenes from three plays illustra-ing the relationship between God

and man in modern drama. J. B.by Archibald MacLiesh treats theChristian concept of this relationship. T. S. Eliot's*'Cocktail Partyrepresents the humanistic orientation; and the cosmic approach tothe Man-God involvement is conveyed through Tiny Alice, anabsurd statement by Edward Albee.Because theater sprang both inancient and in medieval times fromreligious ceremony, and becausereligious ceremony, these threeplays are presented to examine theconnection between theatrical andsexual (except in J. B.) experience.

for selection and orientation of students. Other questions ponderedwere how to encourage more malestudents to enter into the programs, and how to overcome thethe obstacles to devloping study-abroad programs for U. S. undergraduates in the natural sciencesand technology.Administrative difficulties under-scrutiny included appropriate overseas locations, student living arrangements, program length, U. S.faculty involvement, costs, and accreditation, tDue to the lack of reliable instruments for evaluation, the repor t concludes, it is difficult toassess the impact of overseas programs. However, Dr. Euwema reports, "the students are, almostto a man, enthusiastic about their

experiences and almost invariablyurge the college to continue to expand its operations."During jthe three conferences, itwas repeatedly urged that "Amen-rican institutions andf Americanstudents have by now made sosubstantial an investment of time,energy and money (in foreignstudy programs) that it is not prudent to continue the present rateof expansion unless and until weare more certain (on the basis ofobjective data) of what our purposes are and how effectivelythey are being achieved."Copies of the report areavailable for $1.00 from the Institute of International Education,809 United Nations Plaza, NewYork, New York 10017.

Largest Selectionof Pierced Earrings in TownStarting at $1.00 per pairOpen M on., Thurs., and Fri.9:30 till 9 I IOther Days Till 5:30 p. m.Breakiron Jewelers

"The Pierced EarringStore of Erie"3702 Pine Avenue Erie, Pa.