Mythology 101 Read Online Free PDF

Carl demanded. “That’s real important, too. And how about leisure sports?”
    “P.E. in high school or grade school is good for learning about things like that. You get a whole selection of different sports and exercises. Variety. At the University, physical education is too specialized, too competitive. It’s great if you’re interested in playing volleyball or aikido, but you can just take an exercise course to keep fit, and that doesn’t need any special space, or specific environment.”
    “The hell it doesn’t,” one of the opposing delegates sneered.
    Keith went on, ignoring the outburst. “In fact, if you insist, you could keep fit by exercising in your dorm room. Why not?” He pantomimed doing jumping jacks, athletically at first, then bowing over more and more in mock exhaustion. “Your roommate asks, ‘What are you doing?’ and you say, ‘I’m doing my homework for Gym.’” Laughter exploded around the room.
    “Now, except for the one gym course we’re required to take to graduate, fewer than 40% of the students at Midwestern ever set foot in the P.E. building again, and most of those are specialists. On the other hand, over 90% use the library. Why, even a few of the jocks do.” More laughter.
    “It’s crowded in there during mid-terms and finals,” one of the girls on Keith’s side complained. “There’s never enough carrels, and they lock the classrooms.”
    One of Carl’s backers, Maurice Paget, a tall black student, raised a hand. “Couldn’t that be negotiated with Library Services? If there was more study space available in the present structure, they wouldn’t need to build a bigger building.”
    “The trouble is that they use those classrooms all year round, especially during finals,” Keith said. “At maximum capacity, the student need exceeds available space. And Library Services wants to bring more study aids in, but there’s nowhere to put ’em. Audio/video aids, records and tapes, works of art—even,” a forefinger was raised on high, “ National Geographic . All of these things are to be available for study, to give you the, well, wisdom of the ages, to prepare you to be whatever it is you want to be when you leave Midwestern. But wisdom dictates two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time.”
    “That’s physics,” Rick put in.
    “Whatever,” said Keith. “Wise men discovered physics, right? The need for a better building to house books and study aids, and provide more room for their users, in my opinion, far outweighs the wishes of a few jocks for a fancier field house.”
    “Very alliterative,” called Lloyd from the center section. He never took a side. There was some applause as Keith sat down. Rick grinned, and they both looked to the other side of the room. Carl rose to his feet.
    “What about the kids that come here on athletic scholarships?” he demanded. “Don’t they get a voice?”
    “Don’t they have to earn diplomas?” Keith asked, counterpointing his question. “Just like anyone on a Math scholarship, the idea was that by the one outstanding talent they displayed, they were awarded a sum of money to continue their education by being more deserving than anyone else with that talent. In the opinion of the judges, of course. Ask my mother how I missed out on the Rhodes Scholarship.” There were jeers.
    “But I see what you’re asking, Carl,” Keith put on a reasoning expression that particularly irritated the other and Keith knew it. “Don’t they deserve to have a forum in which their particular talent can be brought to the attention of such people as football scouts?” He paused. “Well … no, not really.”
    “What?” Carl sputtered, starting to speak. “Why not? It’s …”
    Keith neatly cut him off. “The job of the college is to educate students and fit them out to seek their fortunes afterward. Having them available for scrutiny by scouts is a side benefit. Too bad there isn’t a place for kids who