Fall 2012 MAKING THE GRADE American influence in decline Natural selection’s challenge Japanese tea ceremonies Mentally disabled children in Britain U.S.-China clean energy efforts College athlete graduation rates American freight railroads Pros and cons of whistle-blowing Exercising teen minds Writerly considerations Phi Kappa Phi strategic plan Higher education’s purpose Poetry and the Oval Office Commencement of humor Educator Lucy Diggs Slowe Twice-exceptional students The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi held its 42nd Convention in August in St. Louis. About Us Phi Kappa Phi Forum and Its Phi Kappa Phi Forum mission statement Phi Kappa Phi Forum, a multidisciplinary quarterly magazine that enlightens, challenges and Relationship with the Society entertains its diverse readers, serves as a general- hi Kappa Phi Forum The Society began pub- interest publication as well as a platform for The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. is the multidisci- lishing what’s now called plinary quarterly mag- Phi Kappa Phi Forum P Phi Kappa Phi Forum azine of The Honor Society in 1915. (Issn 1538-5914) is published quarterly by of Phi Kappa Phi. Each The spring, summer, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, edition of the award-win- and fall editions feature 7576 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, La. 70806. ning journal reaches more articles across the disci- Printed at R.R. Donnelley, than 100,000 active plines by authorities, of- 1160 N. Main, Pontiac, Ill. 61764. members. Other subscrib- tentimes Phi Kappa Phi ©The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, 2012. ers include government members, who explore All rights reserved. Nonmember subscriptions officials, corporate execu- an overall theme. These $30 per year, domestic; $45 outside the U.S. Single copies $10 each; $3.25 each for active, tives, learned organiza- editions further contain dues-paying members. Periodicals postage paid tions, and university columns (e.g., business Baton Rouge, La., and additional mailing offices. administrators, scholars, The first organizational meeting of what and economics; science educators, libraries, and became The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and technology; arts and Note on content charities — and more. took place at Coburn Hall (above) at University entertainment) and pages The views expressed in this publication The journal is the flag- of Maine in 1897. The Phi Kappa Phi name on books, poetry, and are not necessarily those of the staff ship publication of was adopted on June 12, 1900. Although humor. Member news, of Phi Kappa Phi Forum, the Society staff, or the Board of Directors of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s Society headquarters has been in Baton chapter updates, and The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. oldest and most selective Rouge, La., since 1978, most of Phi Kappa Phi’s Society developments are all-discipline honor society, historical documents are stored at the also provided. Submissions with chapters at more than founding institution. The winter edition Address material intended for publication to: 300 colleges and universi- compiles the winners of Peter Szatmary, Editor ties across the country plus a few abroad. monetary awards from Phi Kappa Phi. Society Phi Kappa Phi Forum The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 at Uni- headquarters distributes $500,000 annually for 7576 Goodwood Blvd. versity of Maine, and upwards of one million various scholarship, study abroad, literacy ini- Baton Rouge, La. 70806 members have been initiated since the Soci- tiatives, and other related endeavors. ety’s inception. Notable alumni include former Phi Kappa Phi Forum helps uphold the So- Reprint permission U.S. President Jimmy Carter, former NASA ciety’s mission: “To recognize and promote ac- Mail to: astronaut Wendy Lawrence, U.S. Supreme ademic excellence in all fields of higher educa- Permissions Department Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, tion and to engage the community of scholars Phi Kappa Phi Forum 7576 Goodwood Blvd. writer John Grisham, YouTube cofounder and in service to others,” and its motto: “Let the Baton Rouge, La. 70806 former CEO Chad Hurley, and poet Rita Dove. love of learning rule humanity.” ■ Fax to: (225) 388-4900 Copying for other than personal or internal reference use without permission of Phi Kappa Phi Forum is prohibited. The honor SocieTy of Phi Kappa Phi 2012-14 Board of direcTorS Phi Kappa Phi Forum staff SOCIETY PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT FOR FELLOWSHIPS REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENTS Diane G. Smathers, Ed.D. AND AWARDS Anita Welch, Ph.D. Bridgette Cram Editor: Peter Szatmary Emeritus College Gypsy M. Denzine, Ph.D. School of Education Doctoral student in public affairs (800) 804-9880 ext. 42 E-304 Martin Hall Professor of Educational Psychology North Dakota State University Florida International University [email protected] th Clemson University College of Education 210K FLC, Dept. 2625 11200 S.W. 8 St. , PC 112 Layout: R Studios (freelance) Clemson, S.C. 29634 Northern Arizona University P.O. Box 6070 Miami, Fla. 33199 [email protected] P.O. Box 5774 Fargo, N.D. 58108-6050 [email protected] Proofreader: Martha Allan (freelance) Flagstaff, Ariz. 86011 [email protected] Editorial consultant: Traci Navarre SOCIETY PRESIDENT-ELECT [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENTS Director of Marketing and Member Benefits Ray Sylvester, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT AT LARGE Oluseun “Sam” Idowu Eberhardt School of Business VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE Trish Kalivoda Doctoral student in geosciences (800) 804-9880 ext. 22 University of the Pacific Curtis D. Black, Ph.D. Editor, Journal of Higher Education and statistics [email protected] 3601 Pacific Ave. 2407 Middlesex Drive Outreach and Engagement University of Missouri-Kansas City Stockton, Calif. 95211 Toledo, Ohio 43606 University of Georgia 420 RHFH Change of address [email protected] [email protected] 1234 S. Lumpkin St. UMKC Geosciences Department Athens, Ga. 30602 5100 Rockhill Road To request a change or correction to your SOCIETY PAST PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT FOR CHAPTER [email protected] Kansas City, Mo. 64110 mailing address, send your new address along William A. Bloodworth, Jr., Ph.D. RELATIONS [email protected] with your old address, your name, phone Department of English VICE PRESIDENT AT LARGE numbers (cell, home, work), email address, Rick Shale, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENTS and Foreign Languages 128 Danbury Drive John C. O’Quinn member status and member number. th Augusta State University Youngstown, Ohio 44512 655 15 St. Ryan D. Wright Note: Your member number is the first 2500 Walton Way [email protected] Washington, D.C. 20005 Pursuing M.A. in English multi-digit number from the left directly Augusta, Ga. 30904-2200 [email protected] University of Toledo above your name on your mailing label. [email protected] REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Memorial Hall VICE PRESIDENT AT LARGE 2801 W. Bancroft St. Send to: VICE PRESIDENT FOR MARKETING Dewain L. Lee, Ph.D. Mail stop #126 Change of Address Dean of Students Dianna Samuelson AND MEMBER BENEFITS 5-21 1st St. Toledo, Ohio 43606 The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and Associate Vice Chancellor [email protected] Angela Lumpkin, Ph.D. for Student Development Fair Lawn, N.J. 07410 7576 Goodwood Blvd. Department of Health, Sport, University of Alaska Anchorage [email protected] Baton Rouge, La. 70806 Executive Director and Exercise Sciences 3211 Providence Drive University of Kansas Anchorage, Alaska 99508 Mary Todd, Ph.D. 148B Robinson [email protected] The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Postmaster Lawrence, Kan. 66045 7576 Goodwood Blvd. Send address changes to: [email protected] Baton Rouge, La. 70806 [email protected] The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi 7576 Goodwood Blvd. www.phikappaphi.org Archive Baton Rouge, La. 70806 Contents Fall 2012, Vol. 92, No. 3 This Issue: MAKING THE GRADE Across the board, the past, present, and future entail meeting, surpassing, or falling short of standards. Photo illustration by Arnel Reynon from Shutterstock images PHI KAPPA PHI FOCUS 2 President’s Message By Diane G. Smathers Editor’s Note By Peter Szatmary APEX Awards 3 Letters to the Editor The U.S. No Longer Makes the Grade Coming Next Issue 4 By David S. Mason 29 Phi Kappa Phi Bookshelf Once the preeminent country in the world, America now 30 Society Developments lags behind others on many fronts. 34 Chapter Update 36 Member Spotlight 37 Member News 38 In Memoriam Chanoyu: Following Ceremony to a Tea 8 By Noriko Tsunoda Reider The ritual, steeped in history, reflects Japanese sensibilities COLUMNS via understated, decorous precision. 22 Business and Economics By John T. Harding 23 Science and Technology By Mark H. Griep 24 Workplace and Employment Children Who Disappeared in Britain By Kimberly Thompson 12 By Deborah Cohen 25 Sports and Exercise So-called idiots were sent to the Normansfield Training By Angela Lumpkin Institution for treatment — or for life. 26 Education and Academics By Timothy L. Hulsey 27 Arts and Entertainment By (William) Arnold Johnston and Deborah Ann Percy Natural Selection: Constantly Testing 15 By Michael Zimmerman FEATURES Biological determinism accounts for humankind’s evolution, 21 Crossword Puzzle and so does individual choice. By Jim Bernhard 28 Book Review Faithful to the Task at Hand Written by Carroll L. L. Miller and Anne S. Pruitt-Logan Taking the Measure of Graduation Rates in Reviewed by Harold E. Cheatham 18 39 Poetic Pause Big-time College Sports “Learning to Type” By Richard M. Southall By Katherine Cottle Why researching who earns degrees began, why the various 40 And One More Thing … metrics differ, and why all this matters. with Bob Zany Fall 2012 1 President’s Message By Diane G. Smathers 1897. Whether president of the local all seven crew members. begin my term as Presi- PTA or CEO of a Fortune 500 company, One of my first acts as Society presi- dent of the Board of Di- whether nurse or engineer, professor or dent is leading us in strategic planning.