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Editorial

Wisdom of the Willow '

Due to changing circum- stances brought about by the passage of time, the needs and the means where- by these needs are to be met also, change. Laws, rules, and regulations which once were adequate may no longer be so. New situations-new problems- necessitate new solutions. Where new problems are subjected to old solutions a new problem is generated which is, of course, no solution at all.

The test for an individ— ual, institution, or society is in it's capa- city to adjust to the de- mands of the Present. Re— sisting the Present is like a brain artery resisting a sufficient flow of blood — apoplexy ensues: degener- ation of brain tissue de- velops leading to inevit- able paralysis or death.

Why did Rome fall? The Third Reich? Because they' were too rigid: unable to adjust themselves to con- temporary demand.

Lottors flue

Mr. Editor:

As one who has spent too

much teaching time re- arranging school—style chairs, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the "powers-that-be" for their provision, at long last, of SEMINAR rooms.

I would also like to thank them for making these rooms available in the TOP floor of Dalton Hall and thus nearer to the Sun. This affords a timely reminder that stu— dents have spent most of their young lives - just that period When they are normally most energetic and spriited r confined to sitting in rows and being bombarded with waves of sound, exactly like the prisoners in Plato's des- cription of the Cave who were bound with suadows and phantasma.

Of course even what has been unfortunately a tra- ditional high-school set—

I reject the notions that

Rome fell because of inter- nal moral decay: was power-

ful beyond her capacity: or spread her forces too broadly during conquest

and, thus, fell prey to her enemiesl These factors were

present, not as causal factors, but rather, as symptoms of a more lethol melody — rigidity. "If this were true how, then, did Rome last as long as she did?"

The answer to that is quite simple: Rome ex: perienced minimal tech- nological and scientific advance thus enabling her rigid structure to accom- odate it without serious complications. So long as

she was constant, she could

remain as an empire. But her conquests were to lead to her inevitable defeat because she exposed herself

to many cultures with their

diversity of achievements. Furthermore, while Rome was in conquest, she was

ting need not necessarily produce what has been un- fortuantely a traditional high-school mentality. Surely some fine education does take place in the school rooms of UPEI. However, teaching in school rooms will inevitably be enhanced by the addition — no matter how overdue or limited - of seminar rooms. These will provide

'an atmosphere not only of

teaching but also of learn- ing, an atmosphere in whidh the student becomes more deeply involved, whether in the lecture hall or the seminar room. It is this that would give UPEI the aura of a community of scholars, the aura neces- sary for a university, a. place in which each learns from all: Or, at least,

it won't do any harm to enrolment figures.

There may yet come the time when complaints are heard from students about having classes in school rooms, as there have been heard hitherto - or so some say — about professors

holding seminars, desp- erately, in their homes. Yours sincerely,

Joe Naylor

exerting he; force on the world — not vice versa. Therefore, so long as hse was militarily victorious she could preserve con- stancy: hoWever, as stated ’ above, in so doing, she exr posed herselftto too many diverse cultures which her rigidity could-not with— ' stand. Being rigid, she refused change, and that

his lethol.

fiWhat of Rome's greatness? Again, the answer to this is simple: although she produced impressive artist— ic creations: had a set of laws second to none: and was militarily brilliant:

-she failed to co—ordinate

these factors into a co- hesive unit. Otherwise put: she was politically weak. Rome was drunk with her own greatness and sought to reduce all the world to her will- the iron will - but the world was too much for her. The moment a nation (or individual) believes it is the center of reality

(solepsistic) it is then in decline. Thus, Hitler fell, and with him, the Third ' Reich. "

What of rigidity? In the individual, like the so- ciety, rigidity may appear as dormant or latent only to manifest itself in con- frontation with a changing reality. He will react nega atively with resistance which can take on terrible’ dimension (e.g. murder, genacide, etc.). He will become fanatic: a condit— ion which re—enforces it- self tp the point of des- pair at which time he may- either-realize his fanatic— ism and abandon that about which.he is fanatic, or destroy himself (Hitler).

If American and Canadian institutions are to sur— vive, they must adapt to contemporary demands. The alternative is decline and, eventually, destruct- ion. Russia and the United" States are, due to their power in eVery aspect, I most vulnerable to this threat. If they insist on remaining the same they invite only destruction. The same holds true for our educational institutions. If the Boards of Governors do not respond to the ad- dress of contemporary _ demand, they will soon-find themselves in a hot pre- dicament. To respond to en- rolment decline by reviving old solutions is to head in the direction of decline.r It expresses lack of wis- dom, which is character- istic of rigidity.

-Stan DaltOn