Communication between individuals and groups is desperately needed in order to solve the problems of our society.

In order to have this communication between members of society, there must be an open‑minded tolerance of the other person's ideas. Today, our society is intolerant of the other man's opinion. Whether right or left, many men have been denied the right to state their opinions.

But in order to have a truly open society, an opinion must not only be heard but also listened to; people must compare objectively the ideas of their fellow men. In America today this is difficult, for with the tools of mass media, people can be swept up in an idea without really knowing what the idea is.

This was illustrated by the boycott scare. Many students were ready to go outside and boycott for no other reason but that everyone else was going to do it.

Another example of lack of communication is shown by the widespread dissatisfaction with Student Council. Everyone has his vague complaint about this institution; but when an opportunity to express opinions of Council was provided by the Student Council Evaluation Seminar, participation was almost nil.

The seminars, in general, have not had the success they might have had if better communications had been established. The students were so long out of contact with what was going on in these cloistered bodies that their purpose of providing better communication between students and administration was defeated for the majority.

The communication situation at Maine West is not hopeless. Students, teachers, and administrators must simply decide to communicate, to express opinions, to listen to other people's ideas, and, most of all, to think about what is said.