Newspaper Page Text
Verier Cluster
MERCER UNIVERSITY, MACON. GEORGIA
October 23, 1964
Bill Dayton
Editor in Chief
Volume XLV No. 6
Bob Hurt
Executive Editor
JOHN LOU
s
a negative revolution
Ben Jordan
Business Manager
Diana Denton
Managing Editor
John Weatherly—Editor of the Cluster Review
News Editor ' Bernard Lindsey
Contributing Editors Anne Johnson, Katie Koellner,
Sam Oni, Edward Simmons, Jacob Beil, John Lough, Harry Chaffin
Social Editors Lucy Green, Sara June McRae
Associate Editor „.. Davis McAuley ^
Only eleven days remain for Americans to
reach one of the greatest decisions ever to face
our nation—who will lead our country as Presi
dent of the United States for the next four years.
The choice will be such an important one, for only
prudence, restraint, and a peaceful spirit can pre
vent hurling our peoplo into primary Destruction.
But world peace is not, nor should it be, our pri
mary concern, for we have a great land to run.
it is our business as young Americans to
make sure it is run correctly.
When our nation was founded, our forefathers
sought to throw off the harness of tyranny which
had been forced upon them by Great Britain.
However, in throwing off this “harness”, the ef-
Sports Editor Lamar Oglesby
Circulation Manager Joyce Davis
Advertising Manager Lee O’Brien
Den Mother Mary Beth O’Quinn
News and Features: Ellen Janes, Joyce Davis, John Lough, Bobby
Douthit, John Johnson, Clayton Stephens, Charles Lewis, Faye Johnson, f ort waR not "negative revolution”. This was a
Nancy Hendrix, Sue Evans, Toni Vissage, Nancy Barrett, Diane Wilder, move ment to form a new and great country where
Charles Brooks, Anne Jo Hendrix, Daniel Sheffield, Helen Van Vlack, a jj men, regardless of race, color, or creed, could
Laura Castleberry, Julia Stovall.
Staff Photographers: Jimmy Gibson, Bob Hurt, Gary Broadnax,
Proofreaders: Nancy Willet, Frances Hobbs, Walter Pharr, Mela Perira,
Cherry Skinner.
Cartoonist LeRoy Young enough to declare their independence—they had
to have a definite, clear-cut alternative. This was
But, for the sake of these "freedom-seeker
let us assume that their proposal Is not total
negative; and I must ask you to really stret
your imaginations on this one. There are ti
things which must be considered: what each ca
didate or party has done and what each cant
date or party proposes to do.
Now let us analyse the Goldwater side. Fin
we will list the Goldwater achievements in
Senate: an irrigation project for the state
Arizona. Now let us deal with what the “temp
rary spokesman of the Republican Party,” pn
soees to do: restore free enterprise. My fig
question: how? By repealing laws, he says, a
making them. My second question: which lawi
work and live together. They adopted a consti
tution, which has been, is, and always will be the
guide for our people. This was the "positive re
bellion,” for these men realized that it was not
Cluster Battlefield
The Cluster is happy to see that the Republicans have finally come
across with some material for our pages. We were sorry not to have had
any pro-Goldwater columns last week, but, as was obvious, we were
prepared to print the material we received, all of which was in support
of President Johnson As we stated in our editorial announcing the
Cluster’s political neutrality, we hope to make our pages a political
battleground. We also said that should any one party have more
space than its opponent, it would be due to the failure of the latter
(last week, the G O P) to submit any material by Sunday night. We
think that fiifStly, in this issue, we have something resembling the
battlefield for which we had hoped.
For GOP Opinion, see letters on page 3 and 'Which Future’ on page 4.
Bells Bells Bells
The Norman Luboff choir was singing an air by the composer
Delius, Willingham chapel was full of students, faculty members, and
other Maconites, come for an evening with the musical arts which,
as Dryden tells us, “will untune the sky.”
Delius, however, was not given his full chance to “raise a mortal
to the skies,” or “draw an angel down,” for that composer’s message
last Wednesday night was most rudely interrupted by the indecent
caterwalling of Mercer’s ever-vigilent class bells. We would certainly
think that there is some way to turn the things off for a few hours,
particularly in the chapel building. We most definitely hope that in
the future, someone will take such precautions as to insure performers
and lecturers who appear on the Willingham chapel stage after class
hours that they will not liave to put up with such disrupting audible
vandalisms as those class bells.
their alternative —the United States Constitu
tion.
Today we are dealing with another revolution,
although not quite so worthwhile as the drama
tic events of 1776. This revolution is just the
"revolution in the negative” of which I have
spoken. It claims to come under the name “Con
servatism.” It is the haven of Ku Klux Klanners,
John Birchites, segregationists—who claim that
their “freedoms” have been taken away. It seems
to me that the only freedom the Federal Govern
ment has taken away from these extremists is
their right to hate those who do not deserve to be
hated. But this is not my point. What these people
don’t realize is that this is a mighty big nation,
watche'dover by a mighty big God, who expects
some mighty big things from us nationally and
internationally. And the negative rebellion just
doesn’t meet these expectations!
Of course, to be fair we must look to the oth
side—the present administration. Since 1961, i
dustrial production is up 26%, and profits (aft
taxes) is up 62%. Taxes have been cut by nil
billion dollars. By extension of the Social SecurH
Act, nine out of ten working Americans now «
joy Social Security protection, and more than
million older Americans are receiving benefit
Gas rates are being lowered. A “War on Poverty
program has begun. A Peace Corps has bet
established. “The Library Services and Construi
tion Act” is providing poor counties with adi
quate library facilities. Favorable REA legislate
is assuring more and more farmers and rui
dwellers with modern electricity. Good crops bri
good prices through the Government Farm Sul
sidy Program. The Manpower and Trainia
Act is providing unemployed workers the op
portunity to learn new skills. Must I go orrt
I can only hope that all clearthink Amen
cans will look more deeply into the issues th»
a few have been (namely the Goldwaters), fo
such a search into the depths of what Americ
means—where it is and where it is going wi
reveal that there is more to solving our problem
than a flamboyant, unproductive “negative rev*
lution”.
SAM ONI
who cares
Letter To The Editor
The time is 5 p.m. as you enter the cafeteria
for your evening meal. Of course, you know supper
isn’t served until 5:30 p.m., but you remember
the harrowing experience of yesterday and the
day before and you don’t want to take chances.
Yesterday as you came into the cafeteria,
there were only a handful of students already on
the line. The time was 5:15 p.m. You had
come this early to avoid the rush. But as the
minutes ticked by you noticed that the line in
front of you was gradually growing thicker and
larger. Then it suddenly dawned on you that
P
Editor, The Cluster:
Ed Simmons’ defense of Dr. Otto (Oct 9) and the resolution
of the Mercer Ministerial Association were very timely. It is impor
tant that Mercer defend academic freedom and the freedom and alone- mos t Q f the tables in the halls were being taken
ness of the individual before his God from any meddlers who would ^y diners, but somehow you didn't seem to be
abrogate these basic tenets. Students, faculty, and administration will making any progress towards the kitchen. A
stand together to prevent outside influences and interests from dictat- glance at your watch told you that you had been
ing the content or personnel of our chapel or classroom programs.
Mr. Simmons is quite right when he says, “The college has a duty
to present the various sides of issues without laying down the abso
lute path.” Dr. Otto and I have not always been in agreement in re
gard to our degree of success in achieving this ideal, but I would prita were the unprincipled group of students
“fightJto the death” for his riifht to be wrong. T , who find nothing wrong in flouting established
Sincerely, rules and conventions. These conceited “bro-
Marshall Daugherty there” and “sisters” couldn't care less about the
standing at the same spot for thirty-five minutes.
You wondered why. Was the kitchen to
blame for this snail pace? No, the kitchen al
ways does a brisk job of serving. The real cul-
feeling of the fellow students. They have
audicity to not only break the line but also
actually walk straight into the kitchen to
their meal.
You are still on the same spot as those wh
walked in only a few minutes ago return thei
empty trays to the kitchen. Naturally you at
beginning to lose your patience. In righteou
indignation you wonder if you should not folloi
the disgraceful example of people who have littl
sense of fair play and break the line. You
cide that you won't because two wrongs don'
make one right, and also because you are cos
siderate of the feelings of others. Meanwhil
you are smarting with a burning anger and numb
ing hunger. Finally you get your tray of food-
after fifty-five minutes of waiting.
So today you think you are smart and yo
go in half an hour ahead of time. Today, yo
are lucky—only half a dozen broken the line
front of you. You get your tray and settle dow
to eat. All in all, it took you just forty-fiv
minutes. Some improvement!
EDWARD SIMMONS
bridging the gap
REVIEW BY BILL DAYTON
It is very unfortunate that the relationship
between many Mercer students and their home
churches is precarious. I have heard many
laments concerning the inadequacy of Baptist
churches from students who feel that their ex
periences at Mercer have been “growth in the
Spirit.” And the students are not the only ones
complaining. The leaders of many Baptist
churches are attacking the University as betray
ing the “old time religion.” Actually, neither side
is completely right or wrong.
I wish to suggest several reasons why there is
a gap between student and church. And I hope to
outline a policy to suit the problem.
The student is often at fault in his critical
but uninvolved attitude. Having long harbored
rebellion, many students use the dabbling of
theology that they receive in the basic Christian
ity courses as the excuse to unleash resentment
otherwise founded. Some rebel out of downright
immaturity in spite of teacher and parents. Sud
denly some students feel themselves above their
past. Losing sight of the real significance of their
church life, they lapse into inactive criticism.
Such criticism of course goes unheeded because
it takes the form of the unreasonable and the
The church is not without fault The church
often disparages the revaluating of the old posi
tions. In the face of a growing number of col
lege students who demand more because they
question rather than absorb, the church has re
fused to meet the challenge of adding new depth
to the “old time religion.”
Therefore, for the sake of the student as
well as the denomination, I suggest that new
steps be taken. First, I Would suggest that both
acknowledge that God may have spoken to the
other. Neither gives due recognition and under
standing. Students, then, must stop their aim
less criticism and begin working Constructively
within the churches. When there is dissatis
faction, they should express what is lacking in a
spirit of humility and offer alternatives.
In the same spirit of humility, the churches
should welcome the demands of the students for
improvement They must not defensively assert
that what applied thirty years ago still applies.
The churches bear the greatest burden in the
problem, for whether students are incorporated
in the spirit of Christian love depends greatly on
the understanding and love shown by the church.
This love is the debt of the Church even to the
Luboff Choir
Excellent"
\\
The Norman Luboff Choir presented its audience with an -
cellently varried musical fare last Wednesday night when it beg;
Mercer’s concert series for this year.
We thought that the opening number was somewhat disappoint!!
as Sjolund's “Christ Is Risen” bears just enough resemblance
Handel s work on the same theme in “Messiah” for Sjolund's pie
to pale in the comparison which it invitee
However, this becomes unimportant as one listens to the rest
the program. The first section, of Latin hymns, reaches a Him
with “Exultate Justi In Domino.” The next part of the progra
makes a gentle change of pace, presenting a series of madrigals ai
airs, with a surprise ending in the form of “Geographical Fugue”.
The most curious pieces in the first two sections of the progra
were Lesering's “O Filii et Filliae,” with its double chorus and t
unexpected quick pauses which gave it a jazz-spiritual effect, si
Toch’s “Geographical Fugue” with its dream-like web of (sung) pis
High point of the program, we thought, was LubofTs presentstia
of Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” The acoompanyment (obviously meant for
harpsichord) was very nicely handled on a grand piano. The i
raingment and direction were flawless save for the first Grand Pa us
which was a few seconds too long and so confused soma awbsss of
audience that they mistook the end of a movement for the end of tb
(Continued on page S)