MAY 3, 1968
Cub Staff Challenges 'Westerner' Readers
This issue of The Westerner is, as you may know, the cub edition. The purpose of a cub paper is obvious-to give the journalism students an opportunity to put out a paper entirely by themselves. However, the job of putting out the paper should never be the responsibility of any one group of students.
Should not the school paper reflect the thoughts, opinions, and ideas of all the students? True, staff members and reporters are responsible for finding and reporting the facts of the news, but the function of a newspaper does not end in simply reporting facts. Without intelligent comment and criticism the facts-especially in a school paper-become (or remain) "old news" or meaningless trivia.
This year we have seen many changes within our school. Never before was there greater dissention among students, faculty, and administration and between students themselves. Attempts
However, throughout the entire year, The Westerner - the "voice of the students" - was not used as the tool it can and should be. No student who was not on the staff or a reporter used his paper to express his feelings. Why not?
The challenge of a responsible and noteworthy newspaper must be met by all students. It is the job of the staff members and the reporters to see that the facts are presented accurately, but it is the job of all students to see that their paper says something worthwhile.
The challenge must be met in a positive manner. Respond to this paper-perhaps to the letter from the faculty members, or especially, to this editorial. Make suggestions; let the paper really become the voice of the students. If every student meets this challenge, The Westerner will realize its potential of being a truly great school paper.