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Show Editorial Challenge is a major program of the year which at-mpts at-mpts to involve students in the issues of the day. "Man gainst Himself" had the possibilities for new and diverse pinions on the internal structure and states of the country. : provided a slate of topics which differed from the usual rietnam and the Draft. Yet, Challenge '68 fell short of its oal. Most of the University students did not participate in le study of man in his present environment. Thirteen )ecialists addressed groups on the Negro, population ex-losion, ex-losion, poetic self expression, and medical advancements, 'hey spoke to empty chairs, rarely were there more than 00 listeners. Ginsberg drew the largest crowd on Monday, 'he program should have logically built to a Friday.climax, owever the numbers dwindled as did general interest. Part of the problem is obvious. The speakers, though ualified in their fields, were not crowd drawers. Their talks -ere focused on specialized points which attracted interest 'om students only in that particular field. The scheduled eakins: times influenced the crowds. Few students were illing to cut their 1 1 a.m. class to hear a discussion on a ibject they knew little about. Their only means of judge-ient judge-ient of the speaker was his list of credentials. The schools e attended however, did not serve to provide the student ith the insight as to the feelings of the speaker on his des-nated des-nated topic. The committee spent a year planning a program which ould be directed to the University studentbody. The stu-ents, stu-ents, however, failed to respond. About $15,000 of student mds was directed to a meager student representation. The udents wanted a program they knew all about, so they ould know what to expect. They weren't prepared for a :al Challenge. The poor response, therefore, was a result of a program lanned for the students which interested only a few. Per-aps Per-aps professors could have contributed to the program by ending their classes to the lectures which related to their ibjects, increasing audience numbers and correlating Chal-nge Chal-nge with academics. Speakers could have been brought 1 to present two sides to the issue, this extending the interest id relating the scattered topics. Logical progressions could ave been set up leading from one facet of "Man Against limself" to another. The program lost purpose by present-ig present-ig 13 separate and fairly unrelated ideas. The biggest im-rovement im-rovement could have been made with the students response, hey could have exhibited an active interest in an expensive fogram. But, all of these are "could haves'' and were never simulated. As a result, Challenge '68 was a very small hallenge. |