“Wednesday; February 24, 1960 "THE COLLEGE NEWS Page Five Aspirants To Alliance Post Melinda Aikins Activities: Freshman. Year: Linda Davis Achievements: Freshman Year: Laurie Levine ‘| Activities: Freshman.-Year: --Adiance ‘Hall Rep. Treasurer of the Undergrad . (Council Conference » Freshman. Show - Pérmission. Giver (‘College Inn) Freshman Hall Play Sophomore Year: ‘Alliance Publicity Chairman Co-Chairman Young Democrats College News Business Stafif Maids “and Porters” Show —Junior—Year:—— Alliance ist. Secretary NSA Coordinator (on Executive Board) ‘Permission Giver Junior .Show “In recognition of the responsi- bilities of the student body to be informed of and to participate in national and international affairs, the Alliance has been organized to facilitate the presentation of cur- rent issués to the college and to initiate and co-ordinate appropri- ate activities...” (Bryn Mawr Constitution, Article II, Purpose). I believe that Alliance is not mere- ly an organization; it is potential- ly a dynamic force to inform the student body and to generate its interest. In the presentation of current issues to the college, Alli- ance is in effect directing the at- tention of the student. It is my contention that through the years Alliance has failed to exercise its full potential. If elected President, I would ini- tiate more regular and better pro- gramming, in particular, frequent Current Events and more timely speakers. While our topics in the past have been “good,” they have often not interested a substantial part of the student body. We must be aware of the shanp distinction between what people “ought” to be interested in and what they are ac-. tualy interested in. Admittedly, the Alliance has been at a disadvan- ~ Freshman Show Crew. - Debate Club Member ‘Hall Rep. to Alliance - College News. Reporter Parent’s Day Committee Sophomore Year: Permission: Giver Campus Guide Debate Club Chairman Publicity Chairman for Alliance Member of Young Democrats _|_ ‘Chairman of Publicity for Joint Conference. It.is my belief that Alliance was established to maintain an aware- ness on campus of current politica} events and their implications. To a limited degree this aim has been fulfilled, but I think that there should be greater concentration on bringing before the student body the important happenings in the world of politics today. More emph- asis should be on the informative aspect of Alliance than is now man- ifest: This is not an impracticable aim for Alliance and I believe it to be a pertinent and necessary one. There are many areas within the scope of Alliance where it could be achieved. There are two main areas where careful planning could remedy the failure of Alliance in recent years to provide a sound awarerfess and comprehensive knowledge of cur- rent affairs. The first area where this could be remedied is the inter- nal improvement of the clubs un- der Alliance. One of the chief or- gans Alliance has for disseminating information, precisely in this field, are the Current Events lectures. If issues were explained briefly and clearly before an interpretative dis- cussion ofa situation was begun, students““would be able to know causal-factors as well as an evalu- ation of the problem and examina- tion of its possible effects. The Discussion Club, now almost -entirely unknown on campus, could other schools and organizations for | Continued on Page 6, Col. 5 perhaps bring out important hap- Continued on Page 7, Col. 3 Freshman Hall Plays Freshman Show Sophomore Year: eed Soda Fountain—Co-Manager Maids and Porters Show ‘Hall Rep. to Alliance Sophomore Carnival Committee Freshman Week Committee Junior Year: Hall Rep. to Alliance _ Chairman of Discussion Club — Junior Show—Props Chairman College News—Subscription Board What does Alliance do today? What ought it to do? Is there a gap between the two and if there is how may we fill it? Alliance is supposed to be the focus and locus of political thought and action. It does not succeed in focusing campus attention on pol- itical problems, although it tries to do so through Current Events speakers. and work within indivi- dual clubs. The Alliance board could be a great source of politi- cal discussion, but now acts in an uncreative capacity merely as an administrator. Why does this situation exist? In the first place, nobody thinks she can contribute to political dis- cussion but comes to meetings be- cause she feels that it is her duty to do so. She is wrong in her first assumption; she can at least voice an opinion which is based purely on a bias. From this she may be- come aware of this bias and ques- tion its validity. At the same time nobody thinks anything will result from discyssion. However, some- thing would result if conditions were conducive to it, for example, if meetings were held at earlier tims in more pleasant and less businesslike surroundings. The appeal made.to freshmen during orientation week from the hart is inadequate. The freshmen Continued on Page 7, Col. 5 “Big 6” organizations in Good-| Hanna Woods Activities: Freshman Year: Freshman Hall Play Hall Rep. to Alliance Alliance Publicity Assistant Nominating Committee for Hall President Sophomore Year: Alliance Treasurer Chairman of Young Republicans Red Cross Coordinator for Valley Forge Hospital Junior Year: Alliance Vice President Permission Giver Fire Captain - Reorganization provides a splen- did opportunity for introspection by Alliance and other members of the Executive Board of Under- grad. Each organizaion should re- examine its philosophy and under the newly adoped plan should at- tempt to fulfill its purpose of ex- istence to the extent most- bene- ficial to the college community. The aims of Alliance have been to stimulate political thought and controversy on campus and to provide active outlets for related activiy through relatively autono- mous clubs. But Alliance must be Lquestioned:How—well-have we at=1 tained our--objectives? Are our goals representative of the needs Alliance Contenders: Hanna Woods, Linda Davis, and Laurie Levine. Melinda Aikens, of those whom we serve? How may we be more effective in fu- ture?» The choice to modify, the chance to progress are inherent in Alliance, however the first full year under reonganizaion will be an unusual and exciting challenge to both the membership and its leaders. There is a distinct opportunity for integration within the social sciences as discussed by Messrs. Bachrach, Brown and Schneider in the News. Alliance can rise to this need by providing speakers and activities which cut across disciplinary lines; such flexibility of. program should appeal to a wider group of interests on cam- pus, One means would be greater coordination with League and In- tenfaith. In addition, cooperation would conserve limited funds and diminish undue inter-organization competition. This attempt at broader range of topics is not new to Alliance, nor—is-the concept of joint action, but there is room for development in both areas. For those who prefer to con- centrate on a more narrow field, the activities of the clubs are de- termined entirely by their mem- bers. In the past the various 8 feature, but. it ean lead to Continued on Page 6, Col. 2 Perry Cotler Activities: Freshman Year: Lead in Freshman Show Campus Guide | Freshman Representative to (Curriculum Comm. . Chorus ‘ Sophomore Year: Parents’ Day Committee Campus Guide Permission Giver Carnival Planning Committee— (Chairman of Poster Committee Dance Committee Inter-Faith Rep. from Merion Junior Year: Campus Guide Permission Giver Freshman Week Committee Hall Interfiaith Rep. Dance Committee Junior Show In the past, when an attempt was made to evaluate Inter-Faith, we. have been inclined to propose that it has failed in some way to achieve its goal. We have taken as indices of its failure such things as the poor attendance at chapel. Much of the first part of this year was spent in reorganizing, in the hope that by a new plan of action we might be ‘better able to put ourselves across. I think perhaps the reason that Inter-Faith has failed to arouse the interest of a larger segment of the campus, not only in the speak- ers but in the organization itself, is because the organization sees it- self in a role it can never play: that is, a spiritual one. This is imposs- ible because of the v nature of _the attitude of the campus as a Nominees for Interfaith Office Interfaith Nominess: Kathleen Livezy, Sephanie Condon, —. Cotler and. Margaret Dickie. “Ma rgaret Dickey Activities: Freshman Year: League Orchestra Student Christian Movement Sophomore Year: . 5 League (Coatesville committee chairman) Student Christian Movement Taught Sunday School Junior Year: Interfaith (hall rep and chapel committee) Student Christian Movement (“hostess”) League (Girl Scout committee ‘Chairman)~ , _ Orchestra The coming of “the 1960's. marks! ~~" Continued on Page 7, Col. 2 the beginning of a great step for- ward toward increased commu- nication and conversation among in- dividuals of the various faiths rep- resented in our country today. The prospect of progress seems very good, if conversation rather than forced unification be the goal. Similarly, the goal of Inter- faith as I see it, should be a real conversation among the faiths rep- resented at Bryn Mawr. To this end, there are several things I hope to see next year within the framework of the Interfaith As- sociation: 1) Discussions in i sa Tuesday meetings in which members of all faiths or of no particular faith, will participate — bringing into fruitful conversation the most complete understanding of the sev- | Bryn Mawr campus is determined | Stephanie Condon Activities: Freshman Year: Chorus Rotating Freshman Rep. to Self- Gov. Permission Giver Sophomore Year: Chorus Hall Rep. to Interfaith Hall Librarian Interfaith’s influence on the by what the student body wants it to be. Its role, therefore, is to be a service to the campus, following expressed interests in planning its programs. As a representative or- ganization, it should be able to gather student opinion and to pro- vide for everyone who wishes it, an opportunity to express her re- ligious views. Perhaps one of the most impor- tant and least recognized functions of Interfaith is to introduce stud- ents to churches and synagogues in the area, To effect such a pro- gram, Interfaith must work close- ly with local clergymen. For this purpose we might consider a new system of representation on cam- pus wherein a girl of each denom- ination would represent the church or synagogue which she consistent- ly attends: For the campus direct- ed activities of Sunday night Chapel and mid-week lectures, there would be one representative in each hall to contact students for opinions and announcements. These two “branches” of Inter- faith must work together to bring to you a balanced program of serv- Kathleen Livezey Activities: Freshman Year: Freshman Hall Rep. to Alliance Panel Committee for All-College (Conference Temporary Hall President (East House) Student Christian ‘Movement Freshman Show Permission Giver (Campus Guide Sophomore Year: ‘Student Christian Movement Campus Guide Junior Year: Curriculum Committee—Jr. Class Rep. Junior Show Interfaith Vice-President Interfaith President (since De- cember) — Student Christian Movement Permission Giver The quest for personal identity is one of our basic aims as college students. It is one of the affirma- tions of religion that the answer to “who am I?” “does my life hold any meaning?” is not to be found in a purely. human frame of reference. In fact, the asking of such questions may be seen as a response to our relationship with One outside ourselves. The Inter- faith Association has a valid place on campus to the extent to which it encourages us in this personal search and provides a meeting . ground for individuals for mutual exchange and understanding of ideas. IF cannot pretend to satisfy the “religious needs” of students Continued on: Page 6, Col 4 ee ee