University of Hawaii Honolulu - Ka Palapala Yearbook (Honolulu, HI)

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When election time came rolling urouiul on campus, it was a far cry from the upper league political bat- tles like the one which gave John F. Kennedy the nod in the Big Race. I II student elections did, however, catch a little of the luster of the big time. With the unadulterated enthusiasm of their full eighteen years, the underclassmen provided most of the dash and bravado that smacked of high school |H litical hoopla with banners, pamphlets, oratory, some shaky political machines, and even two political parties. To the jaundiced eye of the upper- classmen. elections were so much a mutter of conservative dignity that no one chose to run for office. Then there were the beauty run- offs - Ka Palapala. Homecoming, Ban Pacific—in which the confused voter had too many choices, all worthy ones. Reams of printed matter on candi- dates and platforms were distributed only to end up in the nearest trash cans. At the end of election days on campus, it was rare to find a full ballot box. but nary an empty trash can was in sight. Members of ihe Student Organization for Active Politic (SOAPI assail the Hrmenway courtyard «hruhliery with posters as the campaign reaches climax-intensity on election morning. After running the gantlet of candidates milling about outside the ping-pong room, voters present their ASUH cards to get the handful of multi-sized, multicolorrd ballots. Non, a few x’s and the civic duty's done. Lite on election night, weary counters go on tallying votes in the ASUII office. With the previous preferential election system alundoued, tallying was easier and faster. 9Q r rs T

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a dim reflection of biff time politics ELECTIONS With voting room doors closed and campaign leaflet in thr rubbish can , potter make a lonely last stand, waterapotlcd and dripping, in the rain wet. deserted Heraenway patio. 28

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EAST-WEST CENTER rough road, no driver They're »milmc at the Ka I’alapala Pageant Iwaulir» in the l%0 yearbook. The USA Welcome Reception aimed in part at familiarizing Center grantee with such a«pe I of »t udent life a» publication and club activities . East or We |. women easily strike up a ronverution. just a thb grantee from India and a publication representative are doing at the BSA reception. Theory became concrete reality last fall, when the first two East-West Center grantees arrived. The number has now swelled to an even 100. Now that the dream of a cultural and technical interchange center is down to earth, it’s riding a rather rough road. Students, the majority of them from Asia—only nine arc from this country, often find problem in adjusting to local climate and foods, as well as the numerous little quirks of custom. Most Asian students speak English fluently hut find it difficult to take notes from fast-talking lecturers or to complete often voluminous reading assignments. Slang and idiomatic ex- pression in daily conversation», too, introduce comprehension problems. The average grantee is accustomed to essay-type exams given at the end of the year, so he finds six-weeks objective exams unusual. Most of the scholars are college graduates work- ing on advanced degrees. Agriculture and leaching English as a foreign language are the fields w ith the great- est number of Asian students. Although many of the Center stu- dents arc Muslims. Hindus, and Bud- dhists, there arc also a surprising number of Catholic and Protestants, and these find religious similarities one means of gelling to know regular non-Center students. The West’s” part in the inter- change has been carried on by the community organization. Friends of the East West Center, which acted ns a channel through which local fam- ilies invited grantees to dinner or to various get-togethers and sight-seeing tours. Campus clubs invited Center peo- ple to meetings and socials. A kokua” system, in which regular students would team up with a Cen- ter buddy” was planned hut not car- ried out extensively. The arrangement will Ik put to use this fall when more scholars arrive. Shortly after the arrival ol the last group of grantees at the beginning of the second semester, the Bureau of Student Activities sponsored a Wel- come Reception at which campus leaders were able to become better acquainted with Center grantees. After a year of Regents’ indecision, the desperate need for a |K rmanent Center Director was still unmet in April, and an appointment seemed unlikely until the fall semester. The rough, prlfall-filled road that the Center is slowly moving over now may vet damage irreparably this ve- hicle of cultural interchange, unless the guiding hand of a Director is supplied quickly hy the Hoard of Regents. 30