The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 57, No. 22, Ed. 1, Friday, March 20, 1970 Page: 2 of 8
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MARCH M 1970
PAGS 2
THE OPTIMIST
EDITORIALS
Which Figure Includes You?
KACC's Campus Call-In radio program on Monday nlghte
continues to provide stimulating thought for listeners even though
the listening audience might not be as large a it should be. John
Allen Chalk and Walt Cabe are regular hosts.
Monday's topic "The Church and the College Student" was one
of the two most popular shows Judging from the number of dorm
resident who called 665 and aired their opinions. Chalk and Cabe
think it is significant that this topic was popular.
iTheir guests Monday were Jimmy Allen of Harding College and
Bob Douglas College Church of Christ minister. The four men and
callers discussed why students go and do not go to church services.
Chalk asked seven callers what percent of the ACC student body
attended services regularly.
One failed to give a percentage figure but answers from the other
six ranged from as high as 75 percent to one who said he didn't
think 50 percent attended regularly. Allen and Douglas pointed out
that a study last spring showed 50 percent of the ACC students had
placed membership at a local congregation. Allen added that Harding
requires student to attend on Sunday and that about 00 percent "at
least leave the dorm." Another figure worth noting U that about 95
percent of the ACC student body lists Church of Christ as church
membership.
Now ask yourself this question: what percent of the ACC student
body attends church regularly? And which figure are you a member
of? Thinking about those 25-50 percent who do not attend
regularly are you part of the solution or part of Uie problem?
See You
With this issue the Optimist begins Its spring holidays. Like most
of you the Optimist will not be around next Friday.
Our next issue will be Thursday April 2 a day ahead of the
regular publication day. We will publish a day ahead of schedule
because of the proposed April 3 student body election to decide the
fate of the new constitution.
In the April 2 issue we will present the new constitution and an
article by two students instrumental in rewriting It: Dob McKelvain
and Tom Teague. Read it and be ready to vote.
LETTER TO EDITOR
Bloxom Explores City Election
Editor:
I write to the students of ACC
and the citizens of Abilene
about what I consider to be a
serious situation in the Abilene
city council race concerning the
Nortlulde position.
The race consists of Howard
Caver member of the black
Abilene community; Bob Hun-
ter an ACC administrative offi-
cial; and Joe Leal a local
businessman. My main concern
Is Bob Hunter challenging How-
ard Caver.
One important aspect in this
challenge to consider is the ACC
Image in the Black community.
On Sunday March 1 Howard
Caver spoke to the ACC Ethnic
Relations Forum.
He was asked of what type
image ACC had among Abilene
Blacks. He expressed it as one of
hypocrisy and generally one of
unconcern for anyone but the
existing city status-quo.
Now in this election a black
man from the black Abilene
community is running for city
council to represent an evident
minority in Abilene and oppos-
ing him Is a well-known ACC
official litis surely does not
improve the already apparent
poor ACC image among the
black community.
It has been pointed out
however that Mr. Hunter gen-
erally considered a moderate
eandidate filed after Mr. Caver
when an out-in-out contest be
April 2
tween races appeared possible. It
seems the Citizens for Better
Government feared the local
Birchers would run a candidate
on a "black vs. white" campaign
causing a direct raeial confronta-
tion within Abilene.
Yet when will the time come
that the citizens of Abilene
realize that a white does not
always know what a black needs
or what is best for him? When
will the citizens realize the need
for representation on the city
council for the black com-
munity? Mr. Caver is not a black
radical by any means yet he
does aspire to truly represent the
Abilene Macks their needs and
feelings and it is time we start
listening.
I do not question Bob Hun-
ter's concern for Abilene. Yet
when suoh a seemingly qualified
and needed representative is
running why does Mr. Hunter
choose to oppose him? Could
not the Citizens for Better
Government endorsed Mr.
Caver?
To those worried about a
direct racial confrontation) this
may be exactly what Abilene
needs to make its citizens take a
look at their real attitudes and
coneem toward the black man in
Abilene.
Looking at the apparent ad-
vantage in the familiarity of the
Abilene community with Mr.
Science Topics
To Be Discussed
A luncheon address by Dr.
Claude R. Hoeott Bseo Produc-
tion Research Company viee
president from Houston will
highlight activities Saturday dur-
ing the fourth annual Science-
Research Symposium at Abilene
Christian College.
Speakers from Texas Illinois
and Alabama will parUolpate.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. in
Foster Science Building. The
luncheon is scheduled for 12
noon In room 118 of College
Church of Christ. Lecture ses-
sions will be at 0:30 a.m. and 2
p.m. In Walling Lecture Hall.
Morning speakers will be: Dr.
Floyd Dunn ACC chemistry
professor; Dr. Dan D. Drew
associate professor of industrial
engineering Space Technology
Division Texas A&M University;
and Dr. David L. Russell chair-
man of the Department of
Pedodontios School of Dent-
istry University of Alabama.
Two speakers will talk at 2
p.m. on aspects of environment.
Dr. Robert W. Webb associate
bacteriologist with Argonne Na-
tional Laboratories in Illinois
will talk on "Studies on Environ-
mental Mutagens." Dr. Billy E.
Welch chief of the Environ-
mental Systems Division of the
USAF School of Aerospaee
Medicine will discuss "Man's
Environmental Requirements for
the Exploration of Space."
The event Is sponsored by the
ACC Development Committee
for Science and Mathematics
chaired by Dr. Roy Willingham
of Abilene.
Hunter and his endorsement by
the Citizens for Better Govern-
ment Mr. Caver has quite a
formidable task to win. I would
encourage aM who recognize the
evident need for Black represen-
tation on the council and see the
possible long-run advantages for
the well-being of Abilene sup-
port Howard Caver for the
Northside city council seat.
Sincerely
David Bloxom
ACC Box 768S
EDITOR'S NOTE - Although
the editor doesn't think Mr.
Bloxom knows all that needs to
be known about the three
candidates he has a right to
explain Uie way he feels on this
issue. He believes there is more
than just city polities involved.
He says "I do not question
Bob Hunter's concern for Abi-
lene." He feels the fact that Mr.
Caver is being opposed by an
ACC administrator will not help
the already unhealthy Image
ACC has in the black commun-
ity. But don't eruolfy Mr. Blox-
om. Talk to him about the
situation and find out why he
thinks it Involves all ACCians.
Ask Citizens for Better Govern-
ment representatives why they
didn't endorse Mr. Caver.
Absorb feelings of the black
community. Find gut why it has
labeled ACC as hypocritical and
unconcerned.
some truth
some shuck
from riymon fuMwton
A Texas size condemnation
for those of my fellow students
who choose to depart chapel
two minutes before the dis-
missal from Uie platform. I
might even call thk action rude.
In Three Rivers we wait until
things are announced as being
over before we fire out of any
meeting show or what-have-you.
Oh well some of them
probably think it's cute because
their buddies are watching.
Yeah real cute. So let's try to
cool our super-fast get aways.
Some critics have hailed the
coliseum as not the most advan-
tageous edifice in which to
worship. Agreed but courtesy
doesn't cost all that much even
in this day of Inflation.
I would like to bring some-
thing of import and relevance
to the forefront. The ACC
student senate will ait in on
two meetings of Uie Board of
Trustees per year. This has
come about through conversa-
tions with an Abilene member
of the board.
This move is to effect an
adequate line of communication
between Uie executive level and
the students and to help imple-
ment programs that are feasible
workable and necessary to cam-
pus life improvement. Now for
those natural skeptics I am "sure
of this word: Watch.
Abilene Christian College is
not going to be taken over by a
bunch of long hair radicals
because of the above mentioned
trusteestudent confrontation.
Reliable sources indicate that
Bible Is still being taught faith-
fully every day and we even still
have daily chapel.
As has been mentioned in
these lines before ACC's worst
HS Students
To Visit ACC
Members of the Student Ad-
visory Board at Abilene Chris-
tian College will serve as hosts to
High School Day visitors help-
ing "to get the day started off
right" according to Ben Powell
assistant in the Office of College
Relations.
The 32 board members will be
stationed around parking lots
and in the MeOiothlin Campus
Center to greet students arriving
at ACC Saturday March 21.
They will also encourage the
visitors to register and to meet
faculty members at the informal
reception to be held in the main
room at 9 a.m.
Powell expressed the hope
that "the student body as a
whole will meet ami visit with
these students" and weieomo
them to the campus.
High School Day activities
Include 10 a.m. oh pel 10:30
a.m. Flying Cats performance
11 a.m. stage band show 1 p.m.
college planning sessions 2:15
p.m. traek meet with Brigham
Young and UTA and 7 p.m.
Hilltop Singers concert.
A slide presentation "Our
Primary Concern" has also been
scheduled for 12:16 p.m. in the
campus center main room.
public relations emanate from
some atudenta (former and cur
rent) badmouthlng it. So maybe
come of this flaek can be cut
down by thk new tool of
rapport. Can you read me and
do you D-I-O I-T? Fine.
How about a merit system for
the girk to offset the demerit
system used currently in Uie
woiren's residence halk? Or how
about a breakthrough of the
double standard and have demer-
its for Uie boys? Bye.
Duncan & Himes
(Continued from pace 1)
retleaHy perfect . . . but doesn't
work.
Bob McKelvain Tom Teague
John Fitxgerald and Art Mc-
Neese researched and authored
Uie document and did a splendid
Job of trying to incorporate Uie
interests of each segment of Uie
student body. By Uie way you
are a member of the 8A If you
are a full-time student at ACC.
(Some people apparently aren't
aware of thk.)
One aspect of the new consti-
tution you should be particular-
ly interested In concerns the SA
president. CurrenUy the presi-
dent has no power and k subject
to Uie dkcretlon and whims of
Uie vice president (as president
of Uie Senate) and the Senate.
The new constitution sets the
president as t.h.e. leader and
presiding officer of Uie Senate.
Thk alone k an outstanding
improvement for student govern-
ment. Changes In the Senate struc-
ture will Include (if ratified by
Uie student body) pkeing the
editor of the Optimist In the
Senate. Thk k good m that it
does serve as an attempt to
represent the communication
student and those who work on
student publications.
But it could be harmful if Uie
editor was not an objective
person and failed to retain hk
editorial and Journalktie Judg-
ment in matters pertaining to
student government. It's always
good to get him on your side.
More on highlights of the new
constitution next time.
THE OPTIMIST
ACC aHttfan. Be 8W
PueHtbed weekly exeset during
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TffwWtffJG ItTHH WfftwWtVl WIH'st
Mens by studsat ieumsHHs st
AMteas Chrktkft CeMsce. Sueseiif-
H&r rstssi $3 a year or $2 a SMMttsr.
Batered a soeoad stats matter June
29 1929 st las pest offJee in
AMisM Tex. wader tfce Aet ef
Auiutt 24 1912.
STAFF
Executive Editor . . . .Garner Reberfc
eAulttAabC Mi1 mjLskaWsai TaaJAlai fLiAsaaLn
awWWTfsj slvnwayWV a sV Wm ASMTWn
and David litem
AMUtaatPhetefiaplMr Bobby Brwin
SpocH Editor TlmPefkiM
Features Editer .Sharon Geibel
Cartoonkt Pstty Thorn
CehiRMiiH Duncan-Wines and
Rayxten FuMertoA
Faculty Advfcor . . . Dr. B. E. Davk
"""Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Mggagai
8TT
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 57, No. 22, Ed. 1, Friday, March 20, 1970, newspaper, March 20, 1970; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth99515/m1/2/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.