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Over the Coffee*Who Needs Friends?THE SOCIAL adaptability subcommittee of the Legislative Interim Committee — otherwise known as “The Flatt and Messerly Medicine Show and Jug Band” — has come up with a characteristically brilliant suggestion.It wants the Legislature to set up a “quasi-standing committee” (which may or may not be the same as a squat-ing committee) to “solve problems” at our state universities.Problems tike free speech, academic freedom and unfettered intellectual inquiry. It figures things are getting out of hand.The band members seem particularly upset about a couple of items that appeared in University of NorthernIowa publications.Prof. Josef Fox was quoted in the student newspaper as saying he has taught civil disobedience and would continue to teach it, a statement branded “immoral trash” by Senator Joseph Flatt (lead kazoo).And the North American Review, a quarterly published by the school, offended the sensibilities of Senator Francis Messerly (second washboard) by carrying a poem that “bordered on pornography.Naturally, responsiblepeople up there in Cedar* Falls are disquieted by the criticism. A faculty member I know called me up just the other day. He was crying.“Gee Sacheverell, 1 told him. “You shouldn't take it so hard,”“That’s easy for you to say,1’ he snuffer}. “The Iowa Legislature isn’t libeling your school“Are you kidding? The Iowa Legislature can’t libel a school. An insult from a legislature counts the same as two Ding Dong School Awards from the National,, Education Association.”“But they called Joe Fox's statement on civil disobedience immoral trash.“So what? What do they know? Almost all of their ex-perience is with moral trash.”And that poem they said bordered on pornography”“Yeah, I was wonderingabout that. Was it kind of aracy poem?”“It didn't even have any four-letter words in it.” “None?”“No. It had a THREE-let-ter word and a FIVE-letter word but no FOUR-letter words.”“Maybe the legislators miscounted the letters.”AND THEN to call the North American Review a liberal propaganda organ. ...”“Well, it did come out against high button shoes.” “It's not fair, it’s not fair,” “Calm yourself,” I said. “I’ll tell you what’s not fair. “What?”“I happen to write a column for the North American Review and Senator Messerly didn’t mention me In his critique of the magazine.”“He didn’t?”“Not a word. He didn’t even say that I was bordering on anything.”“That's tough.”“The least he could have said was that I was an effete snob.”“He probably didn’t thinkof it.”“That's small consolation. Listen Satch, the North American Review, should count its blessings“Why?”“With enemies like Flatt and Messerly, a quarterly journal of informed opinion doesn’t need friends.*1 -—Donald KaulA Cookie Crumbier(Tfte Refllsiiif's tow a New*; Servict)' BROOKLYN, 1A. - These are the times that , boggle children's minds.Kindergartneps Beth Morten, daughter of Brooklyn Chronicle publisher Frank Morlan, and Sherry Frant? were being taken to school, Morlan relates, when Sherry told Beth she was taking some cookies to school for the class Halloween party.Oh, dear,” Beth said. ”i don't have cookies for theparty.”•That's ail right” Sherry said. There’s a committee for that.”“Good.” replied Beth. Then, after a long pause, she asked,What's a committee?”'I don't know, Sherry i said.
Newspaper Details
Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa, US
Sun, Nov 09, 1969
Page 96
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
IA, USA 19 Oct 2021
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