University of Virginia Library

Shut Out

How can you expect someone
to suddenly blossom as a leader, an
involved citizen, an informed voter
when he has attempted to shut
himself out from participating in
life for four or possibly more years;
students have the franchise now,
should we forsake participation in
the political process until we have
finished contemplating and reading?

Is it at all reasonable or more
importantly desirable to have large
numbers of persons sit idly by
while wrongs go uncorrected, bad
situations become worse, and the
opportunities for improvement are
lessened; apparently Mr. Coghill
would like students to return to the
days of the 1950's when
uninvolvement was as high a virtue
as virginity. Fortunately, students
today are involved in the affairs of
their country and their universities.

* * *

It has been contended by many,
particularly those in the
administration that activities of the
"University Tuesday" sort are bad
from a public relations standpoint.
A letter recently received from a
gentleman in Virginia Beach whose
son graduated from the University
last June would seem to indicate
that such is not the case. The letter
said in part: "Each successive year
we visited the campus it appeared
to be more and more of a rat hole.
Keep plugging—you've got a lot of
people on your side."