European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 28, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes columns . Morris judging Quayle on College record irrelevant or vice president has suf. Of s suffered a bum rap on at least one count. Various pundits and political foes have categorized Dan Quayle As a c student. While this May Well be True blaming him for it makes about As much sense As charging that Elizabeth i was a dirty old lady because she did t take daily show ers. In the current educational Environ ment a College student who makes a c is considered a below average Quayle s Day c was a respectable Grade the sign of a student performing atan average level. If the Man was indeed a c student Back then he d easily be a student today i which Case no one would question his academic performance. The use of College grades for any Pur pose except determining eligibility for athletics academic standing or admission to graduate school is absurd. And of those three uses the first is subject to abuse and the third is of questionable value. There Are several reasons for this. The most obvious is that there Are almost As Many standards for determining a grades there Are teachers. Only if an institution or a department within it define learning As the simple ability to regurgitate facts on a standardized test can unanimity exist. Vhf t8trh?Tbachth in the Assumption was school and spending the next four years might wish otherwise but College con that the Majenty of and class Especial earn a a pop Haa or a i 0. If a 1 Luu. co a Ai. A u/�.,_ _ r a in up ii Iii a Utai Izui cais Kigiu Wisn owner wisc Dut Collipp run. Equally important and most often a he " a sad shot Applit Only 1� a Sis of a lot Morevo hods a Erlo oked is that a Grade measures a Mas a r issus to m i Ino Rity of students nowadays. Most and the Library. A by at one Point 2s Jujj Lesil is chaps Quayle s most admirable to overlooked student s achievement so Ely s no m in time. Whatever level he or she is on or averages out to at the end of the term becomes a lifelong entry on the col make a c. Now students enter College take longer than four years and carry Les expecting and accepting nothing lower than a full Load most semesters. This than a b. Gives them extra time to devote to each furthermore students have the Power course. Quayle did t have that option. K it 4rta awk a �4-a 4 a a. As a male in sound mental and to assume that an average perform Tion of instruction Mance Over 20 years ago reflects the Man specious research arguing that grades of today is to argue that human beings Don t influence students ratings it s of magically lose the ability to learn some Vious that a quid pro quo exists Stu where in the first third of their lives. Dents believe fervently in grades even if Quayle came along before the Phe faculty does t. How maintain the c average necessary furthermore there s no evidence that Quayle wanted to do any better than a c. George f. Will perhaps Quayle s most e ment in the entire Campaign was his Refu Sal to release his grades. He got through College and Law school. He has two Diplo Mas. Why should anyone care if he Madea c in political science or american his tory he has earned an a in the real world practising the former and we All should Hope he does splendidly in contributing to the latter. . Morris is a professor of English at Harford Community College in Bel air my. Distributed by the los Angeles times Washington Post Bush hits the ground running Buffo where l a h i full v i i 111 re Lair Wao x4 4 a. -. _1_. _ _ Washington new presidents serve up Rich sauces of symbolism High in political Bush has begun with a blizzard of words and gestures communicating High mindedness. We Are at the English muffin phase folks swooned when Jerry Ford popped his own muffin into the presidential toaster which also has been a Cardigan sweater and Jellybean phase of Young presidencies. This humanizing perhaps miniature zing of presidents Isa recurring skit for a Public that periodically pretends it wants ordinariness in that extraordinary office. The Bushes up with horseshoes Down with de signer clothes Are quite traditional in their ostentatious . Their carefully choreographed simplicity projects the image of indifference to image. This is Carter redux As in the religiosity Bush s first presidential act was to Lead the nation in prayer the walking on Pennsylvania ave nue the country music the open House the Stern talk about ethics. Carter s presidency confirmed this Law frenetic Reliance on symbolism indicates uncertainty about what you want to do. Amidst the familiar metaphors breezes blowing pages turning doors opening of Bush s inaugural address there ran a vein of familiar moralist. It equate rectitude with right and assumes that having the right attitude is tantamount to doing the right thing. Bush feet May be in Cowboy boots but his head is in new England Home of right mindedness and not coincidentally abolitionism. The abolitionists were not much help in end ing slavery while preserving the Union but they were pure in thought. The abolitionist mentality was visible in the one specific vow in Bush s inaugural concerning cocaine this Scourge will it wont but Bush has struck a pleasing pose As redid m the Campaign when he said if i m elected president if i m remembered for anything it would be this a Complete and total ban on chemical weapons " Bush National Security adviser Brent scowcroft speaking last sunday said he supposed a verifiable ban to be that is the unvarnished truth but Bush has an arresting attitude if not a practical Posi Tion. Bush also stood foursquare for rectitude when became out against bickering and for bipartisanship in foreign policy. Bush like Many who came of age Politi Cally during. World War ii assumes that bipartisanship is the american Norm. That is a misreading per Hausa non Reading of american history. P the fiercest dispute of the 1790s some historian say it raised the Specter of civil War swirled around the Jay treaty with Britain. The War of 1812 stirred Semi secessionist sentiment in new England which near Mosis Neutral zone the mexican War 1846-48 was denounced by whig critics including congressman Lincoln As among other things unconstitutional. The War with Spain 1898 and the acquisition of territories brought bitter debate about the very nature of the nation Between 1914 and 1917, modern isolationism found its voice heard again in the late 1930s advocates of a Pacific first strategy troubled for a a?ndau5u�f theuman they had an a a in Gen. Douglas Macarthur who was heard from again during the angry debates about Korea. E much s8 been made of the fact that Bush inaugural address contained the word Are we enthralled with material things less appreciative of the nobility of work and sacrifice but one reason he was inaugurated was his pledge not to ask Central sacrifice of citizenship taxes. No new taxes was a pledge not to let Public need impinge upon private materialism. Bush s pledge does mean a sacrifice of National Security. Scowcroft when asked if Bush s tax pledge and his Promise of a Strong National defense Are conflicting goals said of course of course they but As attitudes each is popular. After praising sacrifice Bush said serenely behave More will than Wallet but will is what we however in government will without Wallet is usually ineffectual. And willing an end without willing the Means to that end is Mere attitude sizing. Bush was praised for saying at the Republican National convention i Don t hate that is an admirable attitude but actions count. Governments run on Money and Bush s Solo significant Campaign Promise was to keep the government s Wallet thin. That is Why when he promised a new activism bespoke of the need for voluntarism and generally Dis playing better hearts and finer the new activism will not be by the government that he does not hate but will not fund. Bush has hit the ground running in place promising rectitude handsome attitudes and raising anew this question beyond serving is there something he wants to do Washington Post writers group the opinions expressed in the columns and cartoon son this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Way to be considered As representing the views of the Mars and stripes or the United states government
