Muzzy Discusses Student Apathy For Volunteer Community Work

Convincing college students to use their abilities for the community's benefit is the major problem facing university volunteer service groups, Robert Muzzy of the United Community Service declared Saturday. He made his remarks as a summary of the student volunteer convention held at PBH over the weekend.

Reviewing the ideas presented by the 75 students at the meeting, Muzzy said that the organizations must instill with-in volunteers and the college community at large a concern for the development of the service program, and this involves "a selling job."

Students Must Adapt

A second major problem he noted was the relationship between the student organization and the agency. Muzzy said that while it is up to the students to come to the agencies with concrete proposals as to how they can help, they also must remain flexible and adapt to the agency's wishes.

Thomas R. Wardell '62, outgoing chairman of the PBH Social Service Committee, noted that PBH had gained valuable advice from the representatives of the 22 service groups. He said that the emphasis placed on the individual worker rather than the organization at schools such as Lehigh and Northeastern made the program a more valuable experience for the student.

"Effective social work and development of the volunteer worker are not incompatible aims," Wardell declared. He pointed out, however, that PBH lacks a good deal of individual ingensity because of its size, which is "immense" compared to most other collegiate groups.

Another plan that might benefit PBH. Wardell said, is the type of orientation program employed by Regis and other schools. He noted that at Regis prospective volunteers are acquainted with "the people, program, and expectations" rather than just physical facilities.