RECORD
MARI ST COLLEGE
Vol. IV, No.
S
Poughkeepsie, New York
November 20, 1963
Is The Pull of Gravity Real~
Father William
A.
Wallaee Poses Question
In Lecture On "Reality In Science"
The early 20th century saw in
modern science, a crises which still
persists today. Father Wallace wanted
to show us how a perennial problem of
philosophy, whose solution was sought
and dealt with by the Greeks, is rea-
ffirmed by modern science today. This
problem, which is materialized in the
realism of modern science, is two-
fold; the problem of the very large and
the problem of the very small.
The
first, that of the very large, is posed
with the question, is the pull of gravity
real?; and the second is posed with
the question, are the elementary par-
ticles real?
With these questions he
hoped to stimulate the problem of
realism in science.
The question is asked,
what is
gravity? The most common answer is
that gravity is the pull the earth exerts
on all bodies.
Because of this com -
monly entertained notion, Fr. Wallace
then asked the question, is the pull
real? And from this pressing question
we realize that the real, like the true
and the certain, is another perennial
philosophical discourse.
What Fr.
Wallace understood by the term real
was to first simply compare it to some-
thing that is not real.
Fr. Wallace defined the real as in-
cluding that which exists outside our
minds, independent of thought,
An
opposing definition would be one deny-
ing the mental, the rational, and the
logical. The rational or logical exists
in the mind in such a way that it can
not exist outside man, such as the con-
cept of nonman or nonbeing.
There-
fore Father concludes that the real
exist in and outside the mind.
Now returning to the original ques-
tion, after establishing the above con-
cepts, we ask, does the pull exist out-
side our minds? Or is it only a fabri-
cated concept -to aid in understanding
what is outside our minds? To answer
this question, Fr. Wallace pointed out
first that we must distinguish between
two kinds of real, the Physical and the
Mathematical.
In order to exemplify
this need, Fr. Wallace presented the
example of the historical development
of the pr·esent theory of order
in
the
Universe. Pertaining to the universe,
the early Greeks thought that the
celestial spheres in their revolving
motion were physically real.
This is
evident in Aristotle as seen in his
necessity of a first mover un-moved.
The causal relationship of the bodie' s
motion is transmitted directly through
the spheres themselves.
Later, men
like Eudotus, Colupis and Ptolemy, in
order to save the appearances of
things, designed complicated schemes
such · as eccentrics and
epicycles.
From the Greeks to men like Coperni-
cus and Galileo,
the concepts of
eccentrics and epicycles never ceased
to cause discussion, and most of it was
centered on their physical significance.
But these thinkers gave the general
feeling and were convinced that, al-
though the celestial spheres were a
physical entity, the eccentrics and
epicycles were only mathematical ex-
pressions or theoretical expressions
to save the apoearance of things.
As
more data was accumulated,
and
schemes \Vere formulated to save the
appearances of things, the intellectual
climate was such that when Copernicus
presented his Heliocentric theory of the
Universe, a great philosophical prob-
lem arose.
If
what Copernicus theo-
rized is true then the planets and the
earth actually rotate around the sun,
and the moon rotates around the earth,
leaving the conclusion that the bodies
of the universe do not revolve about
one absolute center, as held by Aris-
totle and the Book of Genesis.
The
Moon, from the earliest of thought,
went about the earth in a physical way.
In Copernicus' scheme,
a physical
motion and not a mathematical one is
displaced from the center of the uni-
verse. This motion, now representing
that of the epicycle, becomes a physi-
cal real.
For Newton,
the planets were
physically rotating around the sun, and
the Moon around the earth.
The rea-
sons he gave for their remammg
physically in orbit resulted in his first
two laws of force. Since the first re-
quired that the planets should shoot
off into space,
tJw second was a force
continued on
p.
4, col. 1
Marist Students Attend
International Conference
This year Marist College will be
represented at the Fifth Annual Inter-
national Conference to be held at Skid-
more College November 22 and 23, 1963.
The area of concentration will be Post-
war Germany with emphasis on the fol-
lowing:
1.
How the division of Germany affects
the Cold War.
2. Whether a democracy "imposed" by
the Allies can succeed despite an un-
democratic tradition.
3. How the internal political contest
between the Christian Democrats and
the Social Democrats reflects a border
conflict between conservative and lib-
eral elements in government.
4. Whether Germans will eat French
or American chickens as the European
Economic Community grows.
5. How our German contemporaries,
anew generation of university students,
view the past, present, and future.
The two delegates representing
Marist College, are Ed Krissler, Pres-
ident of the Fleur de Lis and John
Passmore, Vice President of the Jurior
Class.



















Page 2.
THE RECORD
Editor: George E. Hallam
Asst. Editor: Gerry Marmion
Moderator: Dr. George. Sommer
.
·
.
·
t"oe
·R·E:coRD
RESPONSIBILITY
Is there a student body? Perhaps a minority group of about
30 students can be termed as such.
Recently the Student Council of Marist College asked the stu-
dent body to come forward and voice their opinions on what they
thought should be done to improve the Constitution of said body.
The Student Council, for the convenience of the students,
_
set up
a table in the cafeteria specifically for this purpose.
Where
are
all the students with their gripes about our student government
?
One man or even thirty men cannot do the job. Our constitution
is badly in need of revision and improvement. I voiced my opin-
ion how about you, fella.
The student government is supposed to work for the students.
This end cannot be accomplished without knowing what the stu-
dents want. The door was opened but few chose to enter.
Maybe it would be better to revise and improve the student
body. It is about time that they
were
moved off their butts and
started acting like responsible college students. Responsibility
is a big word which almost everybody on this campus tries to
avoid. Everybody seemf? to come up with the same excuse, this
is a small college and it's young how do you expect us to do any-
thing". With an attitude such as this Marist
is
bound to stay
small and stay young if not immature.
The original idea that had been presented to the Council was
to have questionnaires passed around to the students. This idea
was quickly voted out because they realized that an attitude such
as yours existed and a questionnaire was not the answer.
So
they decided to make it simple for you. Maybe the student body
is waiting for a personal visitation by Mr. Verrico or Mr.
Treanor. You might have a long wait.
Many thanks from the Student Council and staff of the Record.
Features: Gerry Marmion, Editor; Joseph Sendra; Edward
Douglas; Peter Maronge; William Meagher; Ted Flynn; Ed
Parr; William Treanor; Rodger Caloa; Daniel Meyers; Gus
DeFlorio; Joe Cavano; Tom Duffy, John Falcone; Joseph
D'Onofrio.
Sports: John Barry, Editor; Dennis O'Brien; Brian Johnson
Make-up: Jim Sullivan
&
Gerry Johannsen,
·
Editors; David
llbnoghue; Dick Freer.
Circulation: John Guiliano, Manager; Thomas Troland; Chris
Hynes.
Noved>er 20, 1963
THE EYES HAVE IT
"The night has a thousand eyes,"
goes
·
the song,
·
and
.
the Marist College
Evening Division has about ~ven hun-
.
dred - - but Marist makes up in variety
what it lacks in quantity.
For example,
there are those
heavy-lidded eyes in the back of Mr.
Reiiciich's
8:30 to 10:10 lecture; and
those pupils-dilating-in-shock eyes
staggering out ofBr. Murphy's Scared
Scripture midterm exam; and those
veined,
quivering eyes,
struggling
back to normalcy after a tortuous
session with Dr. Schroeder's tachis-
toscope;
and those slightly crossed
eyes of the fellow who made the mis-
take of gazing too long at an E. Rimai
Fisher painting; and the wide, panic-
striken eyes in Dr. Balch's classroom
whenever he makes one of those
characteristic pauses and requires
some student to supply the rest of the
statement that he (Dr. Balch) was
making; and those crafty, knowing eyes
filing out of Br. Cornelius• Business
Law I; and those harried, guilt-ridden
eyes emerging from Br. Michael's
Moraility of Marriage course; and those
beady, shifting eyes sitting around the
conference table of the Evening Divis-
ion Student Council; and those sad,
poet's eyes, turning sadder as they
scan
the latest
edition of the Record;
and those widely staring "what have I
done?" eyes whose owner has just won
a point of argument from his instruc-
tor and then remembered who grades
his e.xam papers; and those smugly-
staring-straight-ahead eyes of the guy
who has just answered a question cor-
rectly after four others had bungled it;
and those desperately unexpressive
eyes of the fellow whose work is being
read aloud to the class as a negative
example; and then there are those winG-
ing, searching eyes of the fellow who's
just taken his first mouthful of the
cafeteria's vending - machine coffee
(wincing at the awful ta set - - search-
ing for some place to spit it out); and
those weary, long-suffering eyes star-
ing ceilingward while the instructor
goes over for the fifth
11
once more" for
that
11
I
1
m still not convinced" guy of
which
there
seems to be one in every
class; and of course there are the in-
tense,
slightly hurt, "I'm-pursuing-
truth-no-matter - what-you-guys-think"
eyes of that same "one in every class;
11
and last, but by all means not least,
are the solemn, downcast eyes of men
praying for
the
guidance of Blessed
Marcellen Champagnat at the beginning
of each class.

















N_ovember
20, 1963
-
Letters to ihe Editor
Dear Editor,
One can be nothing but stunned at
the speed in which
-
Mr. Treanor con-
dems .. one .. tow .. three .. no less than
four of the forerunners
in
the upcoming
presidentials.
·
John Kennedy is no
good because he's the incumbent;
Nelson Rockefeller because he follows
the political tradition of campaigning
while in office; Barry Gol~water be-
cause he's "ultra" and William Scranton
b~cause he don't wanna play.
What shall we do Mr. Treanor---
burn these men as witches or use your
space for advertisements?
Respectfully yours,
Peter Hanley
Dear Mr. Hanley,
According to Webster's New World
Dictionary of the American Language
(College Edition), a witch is: " ...
l.
a
woman supposedly having supernatural
power by a compact with evil spirits;
sorceress: the term formerly was also
applied to men.
2. an ugly and ill-
tempered old woman; hag; crone .
3. (Colloq.), a bewitching or fascinat-
ing woman or girl ... "
Therefore, the first part of your
question must be denied since it is in-
herently contradictory. As for the
alternative, this space is much too
valuable for advertisements.
Bill Treanor
To
the Editor,
In a certain society there exists a
process of government which qesides
being despotic is also detrimental to
the majority.
·
It is that type
in
which
there exists a dictator who is elected
by
·
a council of nobles. This monarch,
for in fact he is a king, with all the
protection of Divine Right, has abso-
lute power concerning the framing of
laws and their enforcement.
He is
chosen by the nobles for his strength
and therefore has their complete sup-
port in his use of Machiavellian prin-
ciples.
Reviewing this process, one fact
stands clear;
there
has been no pro-
vision made for the will of the majority
who are governed, concerning the laws
and their enforcement.
The people
have no agency to which they can
appeal when either an unjust law or
punishment is imposed upon them.
Therefore they are being denied the
basic right of trial by a jury of peers.
Rather they are being condemned by
an all powerful despot, without re-
course, on the basis of laws which
Page 3
THE
THEATRE
GU I LO
PRESENTS
By Sam
&
Bella Spewack
Directed
by J.W.
Britt
NOV. 21, 22,23 · 8:30 P.M.
NOV.24· 2:30P.M.
Mari st Audi tori um
Marist Students-$1.25 Others-$1.75
they did not approve.
What is the solution to this prob-
lem? Simply stated, it involves form-
ing a common council which would not
only help to frame laws but would also
·
be involved in their enforcement, by
·
serving as
a
court to which offenders
would be referred. Each offense would
carry with it a specific and just pun-
ishment which would be
strictly
en-
forced at all times, for all people,
and not merely when and upon whom the
dictator decided.
.
Such a solution aE
this would remove from the despot, the
power of police which (all dictators re-
peatedly) claim they do not want but
need to insure order and prevent chaos.
Thank you,
Robert Hackett
NOCTURNE
Dear George,
You asked me how things are comin
along up here
en
I ha...-e to say "not too
well. " You remember why I came
heer
in
the first place, right after
Kennedy was elected. We both thought
th1i:t with a catholic in power that great
Jesuit army would start to move, en I
wanted to be on there
side.
Well, I
been hangin around, keepin my ears
open but their awful cagey.
Like the other day, I
•'1ought
I'd
try to take the bull by the horns.
A
bunch of em was sitten in the cafeteria
an I sashyed over an took a chair.
Right off, I gives a wink and sez "I'm
with you boys. When•s
the
big day?·"
To show you how foxey they are, right
away they all dry up and look at me like
I was scruwey or somethin
.
I sees
that they aren't goin
·to
let me
in
on it
so I snickers a little an makes out like
I was kiddin.
They know I'm on to em
now though cause I catch em lookin at
me funny-like when I pass em in the
hall.
They aint much other way to get in
with
em
cause they
always
keeps to
themselves. In class they sits together,
an don't have anything to do with us.
They calls themselves religious so I
guess we 'uns are irreligious.
I got the leaders marked out though.
All the regular guys wears black robes
with white ties but the leaders dress in
white.
I use to think the one in white
was the Mother Superior or somethin
but now theys too or three of em. I
think one is the captain
en
the others
are his lootenants.
When I git on the
inside I'll let you know.
Your frend
Chuck
P. S. I didn't do too well on the exams.
In philosophy I got a F. When I asked
the perfesser how cum he sez "I'm my
own sufficient reason for the F."
I
still aint figgred out what he means.

















Page 4
FACULTY OFFICES
Upper Donnelly 214-220
ROOM
1 - Mathematics
Bro. Carolan
Mr. Thomas
ROOM
2 -
Modern Languages
& Latin
Mr. deSurcy
Mr. Norkeliunas
Bro. Joseph Robert
ROOM
3 -
Philosophy & Religion
Mr. Casey
Dr. Drennen
ROOM
5 -
Business
Mr. Kelly
Mr. Doran
Bro. Cornelius Russell
ROOM 6 - Admissions
Bro. John Malachy
ROOM 7 - Teacher Education
Bro William Murphy
ROOM 8 - Academic Vice President
Bro. Edward Cashin
ROOM 9 - Psychology
Bro, Daniel Kirk
203 -
English Department
209 -
History Department
Lang. Lab - Bro. Joseph Balengar
Bro. Gerard Weiss
to keep this from happening.
This
operating force was for Newton, the
force of gravity. The cause of gravity,
Fr. Wallace points out,
was never
established by Newton. However, was
gravity only a mathematical entity?
For Newton, No! The reason for this
was that the force, operating in the
first law
is
real, and since the revol-
ving motion of
the planets is r-eal, _ the
force holding them in must be real also.
Now returning to the original ques-
tion, is the PULL of gravity real, is
it a physical real or only a mathemat-
ical real? In the light of the difference
between the two reals as presented in
the lecture, Fr. Wallace concludes
that the pull of gravity is not real.
Arriving at this conclusion,
Fr.
Wallace points out that he is not a
Positivist or a Atomist but a Moderate
Realist. Positivism, stated Fr. Wal-
lace, has a long history, in dealing with
the very problems which were discussed
in the lecture.
With men like Bishop
Barkely saying that a knowledge of
causality can be only gotten by the
metaphysician, to men like David Hume
saying that not even the metaphysician
can know causality.
The Positivist,
from Perthuese to the present day
Bertrand Russel, contend that force
and pull are only mere convention,
THE RECORD
signifying the product of mass and
acceleration.
On the other extreme
there is the Atomist or Mechanist who
say that atoms and other elementary
particles are real answering and ex-
plaining everything.
Seeing this di-
lemma,
Fr.
Wallace states,
that
scientist of our day must make a
stand.
He says and I quote, "The
characteristic of our age is the flight
from responsibility".
The responsi-
bility he speaks of is that the scientist
must make a choice of the above ex-
tremes or take the path of the Moderate
Realist. If he does take this path, and
remain on
it,
he must be a scientist
as well as a philosopher. To deal with
reality you must be a scientist and a
philosopher of science as well.
Sports Spot
With the opening game of the basket
ball season only two weeks away the
team is getting down to some serious
practice.
Last Wednesday,
on its
initial scrimmage, the team more than
held its own against a strong and big
New Paltz team.
The squad for this season has more
depth and size than last year's. Fred
Weiss, the leading scorer and every-
thing else for the last two years, re-
turns for his final campaign. An im-
proved and slightly taller John Ouellet
has moved into the pivot with Weiss
taking up his new station in the corner.
Veterans LaForge and Barasonak,
ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL
November 20, 1963
second scorer on last year's squad,
suffered a broken thumb in the first
practice but hopes to be ready for
opening day.
Jimmy Wright and Paul
Mahar are two more returning letter-
men ready for action this year.
This squad isn't completely made
up of returning players. There are
two newcoming Freshmen battling for
the starting lineup. This pair consists
of 6
1
4
forward John Murphy and back
court speedster Bill Davidson. It
wouldn't be too much of a surprise to
see both in the lineup on opening night.
The team has been really working
hard to bring Marist victory with a
rather impressive
schedule.
One
thing is beyond a doubt, and that is
that the team needs the support of all
the students.
It's good to see no games scheduled
for the
"cardboard coliseum"
this
year ... Let's hope vet Denny O'Brien
isn't as injury prone in basketball as
he was
in
intramural football. . . . The
Giants should face the Bears in the
playoff of the N. F. L. this year. With
Tittle
at the helm the Giants will over-
whelm them as they have the Browns,
Cardinals, and Eagles ... The Knicks,
since they've finally decided to use some
smarts, will make the N. B. A. playoffs.
with their tremendous outside shots
will see duty in the guard positions.
Tom Financane will add muscle under
the backboards besides his varied
driving techniques.
Denny O'Brien,
when they roll themselves into shape,
will play important roles in the team's
balance.
Bernie Dooley and JimDaly,
Fri. Dec. 6 -
The annual "Holly Hop" to be held at the
II
Cov-
ered Wagon" from 9:00 P. M. to 1:00 A. M.
Tues.
&
Wed.
Dec. 10
&
11
Len Schultz Orchestra - Tickets $4.00 per
couple.
The annual "Christmas Festival of Music" by
the Glee Club - this year's theme -
11
Peace on
Earth". Curtin rises at 8: 00 P. M. - tickets -
$1.
00.
Tickets for both events may be purchased from
any student or by contacting the School of
Nursing.
tfl!IY
Sitt!
Nov.23,1963
12-SP.M.
Place:Poolside
12,16,20 gauge guns - No adjustable chokes
Shot
&
Slug contests
Ammunition & Guns supplied
Junior Class


4.5.1
4.5.2
4.5.3
4.5.4