Der Keller to Open
"THE WALLS, MAN . . . LIKE, THEY'RE 1OO YEARS OLD."
The Record
STUDENT PUBLICATION OF ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY
Vol. 83
Collegeville, MN. 56321, September 18, 1970
No. 7
Hill Foundation Grants $142,500; Alternate Degree Program Planned
By Jim Davies
The Board of Directors of the Hill Family Foundation has approved a grant of up to $142,500 to St. John's University to aid in the development and implementation of a Tutorial Program in Cross-Departmental Studies. Dr. A. A. Heckman, President of the Foundation, in his letter informing Father Colman Barry of the grant, said that "We are convinced there is no better institution in which to test this kind of program than St. John's University."
Father Hilary Thimmesh, member of the English department and former Academic Dean here, will head the new program. The first students-underclassmen with undecided majors—will be accepted next Spring.
While the specifics of the new program have not been worked out, the general direction is clear. The tutorial program will not be a separate entity, but, as Father Hilary hopes, an integral part of the educative process here.
The reasons for not undertaking tutorial instruction in American colleges seem less compeling now than formerly. To begin with, there is reason to believe that a significant number of graduates of American high schools are now sufficiently prepared to undertake individual and self-reliant programs of study in college.
An increasing number of teachers are also prepared to approach learning across departmental lines, as is evidenced by the steady growth of such fields as the history of science, social thought, Black studies, non-western studies, comparative literature, and the history of ideas.
The development of new learning resources such as data retrieval systems, videotape, audio recordings, and microfilm makes it possible for a single teacher to direct a larger number of students while still working with them as individuals.
It is against this background, and against the background of growing dissatisfaction with the absurdities
which are intrinsic to the course-class curriculum, that the proposal to the Hill Foundation was made. Students in this program, as in the English tutorial program, will work closely under a mentor, or "master" teacher. Under this teacher he will develop his curriculum, and with him the student, as he progresses in the program, will study his area of specialization.
The program, freeing its members from the structural rather than academic rigors of American college education, will be an alternative way to earn the degree at St. John's.
Father Hilary sees many opportunities in the new program. It should, he thinks, avoid the teacher and student as adversaries relationship which inevitably results from the competitive class experience. It will give the student time off from
racing to classes so that he can look both at his own life, and at the expanse of Western culture.
Father Hilary feels that the tutorial program is both socially and psychologically sound, "at the same time a more relaxed program, and a program where you work harder." There will be, he hopes, none of the "Now I'm going to sit down and mix a recipe of Western culture" approach to ideas.
Father Colman Barry, President of St. John's, is enthusiastic about the new program. "If this proves successful," he said, evidently relieved to be asked about something other than coed dormitories or administrative business, "we are confident that it could markedly affect the quality of education not only at St. John's but elsewhere as well."
By Tom Ervasti
St. John's University is soon to have its very own night spot and 21 drinking lounge located right on campus. Designed with "atmosphere" in mind and aptly called Der Keller, the snack bar-lounge will be located in the basement of the main building beneath the present food service area.
This welcome addition to the university will have three separate facilities to offer to the students of the twin campuses: private dining rooms available by reservation to individuals or groups, a snack bar open to all students, and a 21 drinking lounge to be reserved, of course, for all the legal members of the student body.
Jerry Mead, new food service director at St. John's, with some help from the administrative council, is primarily responsible for the project which is presently nearing completion. When asked to give an estimate of how much longer it will be before the new establishment will be open for business, Mead said that he did not anticipate it to be much longer than a week or two.
Each of the three separate sections of Der Keller is pervaded with an antique atmosphere. In each of the private dining rooms this atmosphere is particularly striking. There is a low ceiling and a choice of either dim colored lighting or candlelight. The snack bar and lounge have old-fashioned barrel-style tables in the booths, and antique novelty lights have been donated by the Schmidt Brewing Co. and the Coca-Cola Co. But it is probably the basement location of Der Keller which contributes most to its relaxed, antique atmosphere. Mead explained that various other eating places that he is familiar with are spending large sums of money to create just such an antique environment. Der Keller, he said, has that environment already built in.
Mead went on to explain some of the details of Der Keller's operation. The private dining rooms will be open to any club or group of individuals. Reservations should be made through the food service and Mead asked that at least 24 hours' notice be given. The snack bar area will be open to all students from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every night and will feature a unique, coeducational menu ranging from "Johnnie" and "bennie" sandwiches to "charconeys" and "bippies." The drinking lounge area and bar (also open from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. every night) will serve beer only to those students who are 21 and over. Mead has high hopes for the success of this particular innovation on the St. John's campus. He said that he was aware that one or two students could ruin a good thing for many others. Consequently, identification will be carefully checked to help guarantee the success of this part of Der Keller. Mead said that he hopes for full cooperation from the students on this matter.
Presently, only two things stand in the way of Der Keller's completion: the final installation of booths and the drinking bar and the compliance with a few building regulations required by the local fire marshal. Neither of these, Mead hopes, will take long to finish.
When he arrived at St. John's last spring, Mead said he noticed the need on campus for more private dining facilities and an area where students could both relax and enjoy themselves. Since then, with the help of the Administrative Council and Father Gordon Tavis, he has been highly instrumental in the planning and building of Der Keller. Mead said he hopes Der Keller will be a place with real atmosphere where any and every student can come for total relaxation and good food.
FR. COLMAN BARRY, PRESIDENT; DEAN JOHN LANGE
USG AND THE POLICY OF DEFICIT FINANCE
By Jim Leisentritt
At their regular meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 9, student representatives committed themselves to the spending of approximately SI5,500 in student funds.
The first expensive project of what looks like an expensive year was the Neil Diamond Homecoming Concert. Last spring the USG asked the Activities Allocations Board to "look into" the possibilities for a Homecoming concert. Generously interpreting this directive as a mandate, the AAB and the Homecoming Committee hired Neil Diamond at the cost of $8,500, signing the contract three weeks before the opening of school, and four weeks before the necessary USG approval. At the Sept. 9 meeting, USG members were asked to approve an AAB allocation to the Homecoming Committee of unspecified amount, since decided to be $4,500. The rest of the concert cost is to be made by seating 1,500 persons in the BAC (including folding chairs in the orchestra pit) at $3 a head.
This method of figuring AAB funds (student activity fee money) in with gate receipts as part of the profits justifying a large outlay for entertainment apparently did not seem unorthodox to USG members. The measure passed quickly, 14 to 4, with little discussion. The money comes from AAB contingency funds, intended to cover extraordinary end-of-year and operating costs of all funded organizations, not to subsidize financial ventures whose profits go to the Undergraduate Student Government. Losses from the concert, presumably, would be covered by the AAB.
The AAB has been covering the Student Government's losses for quite some time. Last semester, the USG contracted a debt of $3,362.30. The AAB, from student activity funds, covered $1,894.44, leaving a working debt of $1,462.86, which must be paid from this year's allocation for the USG. This
is the reason for the low budget, the other financial measure adopted by the USG Wednesday night.
USG members passed, without amendment and within the space of two minutes and 47 seconds, a regular budget of $6,562.14, intended to cover all Student Government operations from September through May. It seems hardly likely that an organization that managed to spend itself into next year's money in one semester, is going to stick to the resulting low budget for an entire year.
Last spring, even the Activities Allocations Board became alarmed at the USG's carefree financial habits. In a memo to the USG, dated March 11, 1970, the AAB warned:
First of all, closer attention should be given to the expenditures and income of the organization, whether this be on a monthly or a weekly basis, so that the student government and the student body knows where the USG stands financially. Secondly, it would seem that an organization that is in financial straights would not attempt to sponsor.. .an event or events if their budget could not afford it.. .It must be remembered that any organization which proves that it is financially irresponsible (in terms of deficit spending in a particular year) will receive a very critical analysis when their budget request is considered for the following year.
Student awareness of the vague way in which the USG does business, and of the manner in which it disposes of large sums of student money, might cure a lot of that financial irresponsibility. Until such awareness comes about, one can only expect the USG to do it again, and again, and again.
