Page 60 - Scrimshaw1979-80

~~M\~ Grades challenged· Final exams are a peculiar phenomena. Often, in terms of grades they destroy or rescue a semester's work. Outside of this extreme, the present grading system fails to provide students with a reason to further study , during finals. Before they take a final most students calculaste what grade they need to keep their present grade, and what they need to raise it. The students who need in excess of 100% to get an A and anything above 60% to keep their B just do the minumum amount of studying needed to keep the B. This provides no incentive towork on finals. This bare-bones performance is hardly a true evaluation of either the student's overall knowledge of the material of their knowledge of the last third of the course. WMC's letter grading is not precise enough to truiy reward a student for continuing to work despite the inevitability ofa foreseen grade. One solution might be to use plus or minus after the letter grade. Gettysburg College puts plussesand minuses on transcripts, but does not figure them into the GPA. ~ An even better system would be to give a numerical grade such as 94, 83, 78. This would give the most accurate measure of a student's per. formance. Rally defended as a political tool; and- I am of. personally offende:f anyone, As the system now exists, a student with an 80and a student with an 89 fended at being damned for uS.lng however, upon reading the could both receive a B for their far from identical course work. Tothe Editor: symbolism as a political tool. December 6th Scrimshaw I, too, Some people say that such a numerical system would give students HaVing been challenged by the Craig Rae's Solution: was personally offended. with letter grades an edge over students who are numerically graded, editorial staff to- defend my I'd lust like to say that I thInk Irs Mark Dachille especially when applying to grad schools. However, it would work both motives for being at the rally, I feel great that someone has finally ways. Yes, it looks better to have a B on your record rather than an 81,but obligated to do so. come up wIth a solutIon to the~ A bad way? an 89is more impressive than just a B. Also, the numbers could be easily Yes, I would fight in Iran! 'yes, I controversy over the Iran rally. translated to a standard four point average. have written my congressman! vestree. you really showed If I had a child In college who There would be drawbacks to this system, especially with the course Yes, I watch the news each night to them. I'm sure that as soon as chanted "drop the Bomb" and that place a heavy emphasis on class participation and paper-writing. learn more about the latest word of your letter reaches the "nuke them till they glow," I'd feel But this system would provide students with a more accurate description developments In the crtstst Yes, I people who attended the rally that somethIng was sadly lacking of their performance, and it might provide more initiative. The students attended the panel discussion to they'll really feel put In their place. In the child and the education he is who realize that their performances will in no way 'affect their letter gain some information I A.nd I also They will feel guilty and vow never receiving; and I'd present him. grade will be sufficiently motivated to add a few points to their averages. held a burning Iralnlan flag at the to participate in such a rarty again. with some other alternative. r rally! Won't It be great when Craig Rae Who to Conqratulate been In college long enough to have wins the WMC Peace Prize. always thought the goal of Surely, -the editorial staff has education was to learn to think, to been exposed-tothe poltlcal tools of Lee's Letter: A Poor Joke [oke to question, to reason, to critically the poor Apparently, Scrimshaw would like to extend congratulations to the following propaganda, symbolism, and which Lee Maxwell refers is no evaluate, to seek-truth, to find out students who have been selected for inclusion in Who's Who in American raising emotion. My Involvement more than the one that he has how to make a just and humane world and do something about It. Colleges and Universities. Mitch Alexander, Gayle Annis, Mary Ellen In the rally was no more than these played on himself, with apparent Obvlousiy not! When college Bellanca, Barb Brazis, Mike Cantrell, Ann Dryden, Ann Hackman, Bill tools In action. The burnIng of the lack of self respect. Perhaps, he educated privileged American Hearn, Dennis Hoy, John Leitzel, Julia Logan, Mary Paula Markley, flag (and the rally Itself) was no cares not to reason logically, but students can only come up with Nancy Menefee, John Patrick, Ralph Preisendorfer, Suzette Scheffler, more than a symbol of my anger rather to see a letter In the force and violence as a soluflon to FredSmyth,andAlisonWard. and frustration over the entire Scrimshaw each week bearing his complex world problems,we're in IranIan crisis. I have not damned name. a bad way. Personal Viewpoint the staff for using the written word I must, now, apologize If I have PhylllSM.Scott A philosophical perspective of Christianity Dave Cleveland prove the logical necessity of God's Bible, the Book of the Dead, or I The strength of the Christian existence. Generally such at- Chariots of the Gods Is gospel truth eu-wrse, and aU-powerful God ultimate good. They are good In the allow the existence of evIl? Not all broader perspective seen only by l movement on campus, combined of tempts convinced only the Is equally vend. trouble area In evil Is performed by man. People God. This broader perspective is the with revival national A theologians producing them, but second and that of perfect good. But can any crippled, have been killed, Christian feeling, require that the they had been convinced already. Christianity Is heaven. Jesus psychologIcally broken by events perfect good Include the trampling basic tenents of Christianity un- A famous example Is St. Thomas promises eternal life to all who dergo review-a review long, long Aqulas and his five proofs of the believe In Him, and death to those beyond human control. The God on and destruction of some people, overdue. The last Intellectual existence of God. What they mostly who don't. He saId all, meaning described could have prevented even If for the Ultimate happiness ctrttrctem of Christianity occurred prove is hIs Incomplete un, everyone, regardless of other these events and yet chose not to. of most? Any perfect good must be during the enlightenment, and the derstandlng of physics, logic, and factors. So the Bible says that you Such a God must therefore. bear seen as perfect from all angles. responsibility full for them, and There must be no possible way to proof that Christianity could not the structure of language. can Sin all you want, yet God will thus responsibility forevil. Improve It. But Jf God Is all- satisfy Its intellectual critics is Mosttheologlansadmltfallureln still forgIve you if you believe in There are two final responses powerful, could he not get us to found In the almost non-existent the logical proof of God's Him, while the kindest unbeliever that could be made to this point. perfectIon without the peln- role it has played in philosophy existence, and abandon rationality will die. The [ustlce of such a The first Is that God didn't actually suffering Involved? After all, God ever since. as too limited. They depend In- system Is questionable. So Is the do anything, so Isn't responsible. candoanythJ"ng. Yet philosophy does not stead upon knowledge through personality of a God who would But one must still be held Now Christians respond with represent all of mankInd. Millions faith, often provided through a require that He be worshipped responsIble for one's Inaction as their last defense _ God's Good Is have continued to find comto-t in direct act of God. Such a "proof" I before He grants something well for one's action. If I were to simply not our good, and God's Good is their religious faith, and the ad- consider the ultimate cop-out. It within His power. A man who did watch someone drown when I was something we can never un. vocates of Christianity stili con- falls to provide a reason to believe the same would be called an evil, capable of saving him, I would be derstand. With this defense, they sider themselves unbeaten. The in God because It has abandoned cruel, megalomanlcal despot. responsible for his death through Isay that God stili always acts for air, then, seemsnever to have been reason Itself. Such a statement cleared. Granting that religious attempts to destroy any discussion There are other more minor my tnecttcn.. Good, but It Is a Good we cannot The second response Is more understand. They then conclude faith Is essential to human peace of through Its Implication that the problem areas In the Christian subtle. It Is that all of God's ec. thatltlstoocomprehensllSletotalk mind, I ask the Christian theologIans is in eessessrcn of doctrine. One Is with the idea of trees. whether they appear to about. But It Isn't. We can say movements on this campus to special knowledge which no critic prayer, where an all-knowing God cause us harm or not, lead to an . Continued page 4 enter Into a dialogue, justifying has or can have, thereby reducfng either won't know or won't listen to why that faith should be a critic's every argument to hopes and desires unless Christianity. rrrerevence. People who ask us to specifically addressed. And there's :SCRIMSHA W' What is wrong with Christianity? believe that everything they say Is the problem with Jesus, who Is the The holes are many, and I respect rIght. and anything that their same being as God under the anyone who tries to fill them. I wl1l critics say It automat!cally wrong, TrInity theory, yet needed to be point out some which have been are asking too much. convInced by God that He had to well punched:ouf before. The first The idea has other preblems. die, where supposedly He had problem is: why believe it at all? The theologians are saying that already decided that centuries Why believe that the Bible Is the special knowledge which one has before_,_.The belief of some word of God or that Jesus was must come, unquestionably and Christians that God is responsible God's son sent with a specifIc absolutely, from God. Therefore for failures Is another problem message? Especfallywhen biblical faith proves God's existence to the with Christianity, along with the j scholars believe that early Jews believer. But unquestioning faith one of miracles which don't hap- Ralph Prelsendorter .. Graphics spent a lot of tIme editing parts In anything would have equal pen, such as the example of Middle Special Assistants . Joan Hughes they didn't like, and It wasn't God validity. Several years ago In Ages peasants who crowded into Typists Jane arereneio, Pats! Moyler, but a group of early ChrIstians who Puerto Rico a man hanged several churches for sanctuary from selected the New Testament from people because, he saId, God told VikIng raids. The Vikings had ,Special Assistants Keith Arnold Janet Trainor John Hines a much larger s.tack of documents him to. Any theologian who argues come to foot the churches and all claIming religious truth. that God must be accepted through massacred anyone- they found Scrimshaw welcomes and encourages diverse opinions,iind proVides Putting the question of the faith alone must also belleve that there. room for opposing viewpoints. If }'_oudesire to be published, or wish BIble's vaildity aside, Christian God wanted those people hanged. The final problem I will present communicate In any other fashion, please address material to',Scrim- theologians have long attempted to Through faith alone,_belief that the is that of evil. How can an all·good, shaw, Box 1,Western Maryland College, Westminster, MD 21157.