The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 23, Ed. 1, Friday, March 13, 1959 Page: 2 of 8
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PAGE 2
THE OPTIMIST
MARCH 13 19S9
EDITORIALS
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Loyalty Oaths Safe?
Controversial loyalty oaths have entered the Collegi-
ate scent by way of the National Defense Education Act.
Loyalty oaths must be signed to get federal money
that is lent through colleges and universities to needy
students in fields of science modern language and edu-
cation. As In any segment of America's society there
are a few collegiate thinkers who rebel at the
thought of being forced to sign an oath of loyalty
to the United States government.
These may be laughed off as sensitive idealists but
there is virtue in their stand. There is something emo-
tionally awesome about signing one's name to any con-
fession be it of a crime or of loyalty to a country.
The promissory notes issued for Abilene Christian
College government loans contain the following condi-
tions: No monies shall be advanced to the maker (borrower)
unless he has executed and caused to be filed with the
Commissioner an affidavit that he docs not believe in and
is not a member or supporter of any organization that
believes in or teaches the overthrow of the United States
and of willingness to defend the Constitution against all its
enemies . . .
No visible adverse reactions have come from ACC
borrowers under the program but information garnered
by the Associated Collegiate Press indicates some rebel-
lion especially from the eastern colleges and univer-
sities. Two colleges have felt so strongly about the
loyalty oath condition of the act that they have re-
jected the program.
They are Bryne Mawr a women's college in Penn-
sylvania and Haverford a Pennsylvania men's college.
According to research of The Daily Californian the
40000 member American Association of University Pro-
fessors is sending letters to Congressional committee
members in an effort to have the "humiliating provision"
erased.
Senator John Kennedy (D-Mass.) has urged Congress
toorepeal the oath provision from the apt. according to
The Daily Californian. . .
He called it "an unnecessary futile gesture toward
the memory of an earlier age."
He went on to say that it might "defeat the very
purposes" of the act by excluding "the most Inquir-
ing minds" from its benefits.
According to the Californian. Arthur S. Flemming
the Secretary of Health Education and Welfare said he
felt that the oath would not uncover those seeking'Uo
destroy our government. lJjf
He said "Such persons have no scruples about sign-
ing such an affidavit."
The presidents of Yale and Harvard Universities have
agreed with Flemming's stand.
Of course the loyalty provision is an honest effort to
prevent financial aid to subversive forces in the country.
Unscrupulous subversive persons might not be kept from
getting loans by a mere oath of loyalty but such an oath
would place them under the judicial weight of perjury.
And should they be caught in actual subversion.
perjury would be an offense that would be a certain
trap.
One must respect collegiate idealism and still appreci-
ate the practical value of loyalty oaths in the National
Defense Education Act.
"The 5ory o My Li-f e "
by Jack Moore Staff Cartoonist
ana - -
--of UhL
inad
THE WPTIMIST
Published weak y except durlna summer vacation by tho students of Abilene Christian
CoUege. Subscrlptleni One Dollar par yaar. Entered ai second clan mattar Juno 29
192 at the pot office of Abilene Texas under Act of August 24 1912. Address el
communications to Th Optimist Station ACC Abilene Texas.
Editor
Assistant Editor
THE STAFF
Feature Editor
Society Editor .
rnoiograpner
Advertising Manager
Faculty Advisors
DENNIS RENNER
MARILYN MATNEY
HAROLD STRAUGHN
BARRY JACKSON
BARBARA ANTHONY
JJAVID DALLAS
BILL "MOSES" OSBORN
REGINALD WESTMORELAND
LANECUBSTEAD
Judy Brandon Mike Cummlngs Ennlo DaVoto Shlrlay Wilson Francas Merbury
Nancy Rlekert Jackie Thomas Malba Young Charlsla Woolrldga Ann Perrlsh Calnai
urns Clyd Forbess Phyllis Goodwin Jarry Bob Graar Billy Pann Evelyn Roberts
"""" iww .-.. .w. .... t rwievn fl.llfjf.
By DENNIS BENNER
"Are We Making a Playground
Out of College?" is the question
raised by the lead-off article in
last week's Saturday Evening
Post.
The question is a rhetorical one
as presented and answered by
Jerome Ellison a journalism in-
structor at the University of In-
diana. The heading of the article con-
tinued "Our campuses' are be-
coming marriage miils"' and fun
factories more devoted to beauty
qbeens than to higher education
charges this professor."
Ellison sites "intellectual im-
morality" as letting a "Second
Curriculum" flip in lo "take
precedence over the first.
He calls this "Second Curricu-
lum" an "accumulation of Irrelev-
ancies" and adds these character-
istics: that odd mixture of status
hunger voodoo tradition ' lust
stereotyped dissipation love
solid achievement and plain good
fun sometimes called 'college life.
Cars dates queens and "gi-
gantic" homecoming displays
came into focus. In fact Jerome
Ellison managed not to miss an
item worth bringing out on his
side of the question.
He says this whole trend "is
part of a national inclination to
push education aside whenever it
interferes with love or comfort
money or fun."
Jerome's article is also part of
a trend a trend that has long
since blossomed to maturity.
His work is one of many
"expose" articles' which expose
the frailties of vital American
institutions.
It's a tasteful job of muckrak-
ing; a public service.
Power Seen
Friendly
Our own president David Ma-
lone has friendly power all his
own.
His recent TISA presidency
came by acclamation.
An ACC delegate says -that
after Malone's 30 minute trea-
surer's report he was asked by
executive council members of
TISA to run for president.
At this motion otner candid-
ates dropped out of the race.
Miss Totems
Give Praise
Last fall when McMurry Col
lege was picking Miss Totems for
their year book they tried unsuc-
cessfully to get Malone to help
judge their beauties. (Presidents
arc reliable judges)
Malone was busy so they fell
back on an ACC newspaper edi-
tor one whose aesthetic back-
ground runs more towards appre-
ciation for fishing tackle.
That experience gave me a sur-
prizing indication of how Malone
Imnraeenii Ainla ..
1 mr- I v
Of 16 Mist Totem nominees
three mentioned ' David Ma-
lone an ACC boy they had
met at TISA who was "the
most friendly boy."
Such comment was spontan-
eous unsolicited. This boy
David Malone represents us well.
The Student Parent la a column designed
ta Includa oplnlan and Idaaa from the
Abilene Christian College campus lettere
printed In no way reflect the thought of
"'"the Optimist staff or the administration of
the college. They mett be signed although
the name may be withheld upon reqvett.
Mall letteri to the Forms Idlrer give them
to staff members or leave them In the .
office of The Optimist. ' ' "
Writer Praises
Chapel Services
Forum Editor:
A willingness to correct an in-
efficient program a tendency to-
ward Improvement should be rec-
ognized approved and encour-
aged. Our chapel services on the
whole have been better planned
more efficiently executed and
more successful in accomplish-
ing their purpose of spiritual
strengthening in the past two
months.
rfaV N
OF COURSE chopelj isn't per-
fect yet; serving Cfod is a task of
eternal vigilance both for us as
individuals and for Christians
as a group.
Chapel at ACC is a daily test of
the nearness of God of this com-
munity of (ideally) Christ-centered
learners on thtrrtnir
Taking care ofilthc collective
business of a day in thirty min-
utes is in deed a task that in-
volves many problems to be
worked out but in this as well
as in the other' aspects of our
curriculum we can ever strive
toward perfection making the
"First. Things. Firstsfacing us
every day in Sewell Auditorium
not just words but a reality.
hi lVf SPEAKING ot chapel I'd like
to place a "rider" on this letter
if I may just as food for thought.
How appropriate are ' the songs
"My Country Tls of Thee" and
"America" for a period of worship
to God?
Elton Higgs
Sophomore
THINK ON THESE THINGS
Speak to Your Big Roomie;
Be Kind to Him This Week
By JIM SAMUEL
Let's have a Be-Kind-To-YoUr-Roommate
Week! If you arc still
reading I know that you and
your roommate are getting along
pretty good.
But how about Improving your
associations?
I put down my book the other
day and spoke to my big old
roomie and it was real" encour
aging to him. He has been try
But if it has been cleaned once
or twice before this year you
ought to be able to get it done In
four or five hours.
This will probably shock your
old co-worker and no doubt he
will be quite pleased to realize
what a neat person you really'
are.
HAVE YOU told your room-
mate just how much Hying with
him means to you? Now don't
ing to get' me b talk' to him for ""!' " "j" '" " l"m' VT i " h
L longest tlirler1 " ' . .L'XS d Sa
... numuill6 nmu IU HUM.
This experience has led me to T
in cuc you can i mime oi any-
thing nice to say rember what
an accomplishment It was to put
up with you this long.
believe that we really should get
to know our roommates better.
Let's consider a few things we can
do to improve our roommate re-
lations. WHY DON'T you give your
roommate a nice little gift? You
know sort of heap coals on his
(or her) head for all those wise-
cracks he has been making about
you.
Nothing real expensive natur-
ally but just a little something to
help him appreciate what a swell
person you are.
Better yet clean up the room.
Now of course If the room Is be-i
yond thopolnt of no return forget
It. '
Seriously speaking here Is a
suggestion worthy of consider-
ation. Begin a daily prayer and
Bible-reading period.
Few things will help your
spiritual life more and nothing
will bring you and your room-
mate closer together.
Maybe you could get up fifteen
minutes earlier In order to work
In the time; you'll never be sorry
you did.
Be kind to your roommate this
week . . . think on these things.
4
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 23, Ed. 1, Friday, March 13, 1959, newspaper, March 13, 1959; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth95937/m1/2/: accessed May 14, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.