“Mei 3: 3 z gl/M lOWENSE 6“ GRINNELI. COLLEGE SCARLET & BLACK "The misuse of language is not only dist-shtul n. stint. it it even iniurious to the soul." _ Plato l'NflOI EAY TON Vol. LXVIIl Giinnell. lewd, Friday. May a. 1970 No, l4 Grinnell College Closes Doors in Protest Memorial Service Held On Wednesday By Greg Butcher President Glenn Leggctt, SGA President Andrew Loewi, and Dean Joseph Wall addressed a liaslilyrcalled all—College Con- vocation Wednesday on Central Campus Following announcements by Loewi and an invocation by Rev. Dennis l-laas, President Leggett spoke about the week's events and the College community‘s response: ”Yesterday was a terrible day [or all oi us individually . . .but the College as an institution also had’a terrible day. I do not personally believe that the cancellation of classes as a form of protest was the wisest course [or us to follow. “We should be committed to doing as much as we can to make society better than it is, But i think we have got to do this from the solidly established home base oi the college and devise a series oi constructive proposals, oi which this memorial service and the visit oi iaculty, students, and administrators to Congress, are solid instances. otherwise, i believe we will continue to go from one ad-hoc determination to another, and that irustration and depression will continue to ac- cumulate until this precious little college comes apart at the seams.” Loewi tollowed President Leggett's speech with a short, terse address He said in part: “It has become clear that We are beginning to witness the same kind of irrational repression that occurred in Nazi Germany. . .Yesterday tor the first time this institution took a stand on a political issue, It is a big iirst step, but it is not enough. it this institution is going to survive as a place [or rational inquiry, it must in the times ahead commit itself to political action on all fronts . , .I don’t consider this service to be a memorial to those. who have died 7 it may be a memorial to America, ihope we can work to Ensure that it is note" Dean Wall gave the final speech, in which he tried to place the recent events in historical perspective, citing a lengthy passage irom Henry David Thoreau Some oi his remarks were as follows: “These are tragic days ior us as a College, tor us as Black men and white men, ior us as Americans, {or us as inhabitants oi this small planet, which is being polluted by industrialism and deiiled by war. . .We con- demn and we weep in our despair and frustration. Condemnation certainly is important but despair is selidcstructivc." All Advertisement Placed In The New York Timcs ADECLARATION OFCONSCIENCE As members of an institution committed to reason and morality and to the relationship between private and public responsibility, we, the majority oi Faculty and Students oi Grinnell College, joined by other Citizens of the city of Grinnell, vigorously condemn the recently intensified aggressive action of the United States in Cambodia and Vietnam and the acts of oiiieial repression so obvious in recent days at Kent State and other universities These im- moral and irrational acts and others similar to them threaten the life of this institution and other institutions of higher education; they disrupt the process oi learning, increase the polarization of society, and society’s potential for violence. These acts must be condemned, and we condemn them, We urge all academic in- stitutions and all citizens to take a similar position and to join us in making their voices heard in centers of state and national decisionrmaking, We are sending official delegations to the Governor of Iowa, the President of the United States, and the Congress. .We encourage others to do likewise. (Paid tor by Students, Faculty, and Administrators of Grinnell College, and by Concerned Citizens of the City of Grinnell, Iowa). Campus radicals took control of [he ROTC building on Tuesday and were joined by a curious and semi—participa- tive crowd of as many as four hundred students at one point. Chiei Peters graciously lent his car as a chair. A good time was had by all. Students Debate College Shut-Down: Poll To Be Taken Altcr eight hours of at times stormy debate in two meetings a set of proposals was drawn up to be submitted to a student opinion poll to be held Friday in the lunch lines in addition a student strike was Called, in a twoehour meeting Wed- nesday night a group or about 600 students passed a resolution proposed by Tom Thomas. “1. To continue discussions with the specific intent to suspend normal institutional activities oi Grinncll College with Considerar tion tor individual commitment and ireedom ior individual action Students Fast, Occupy Chapel for Contemplation Tuesday afternoon Jim Demopulos, Grinnell sophomore, moved into Herrick Chapel for a period oi three days oi tasting and thought. He was later joined by others, who resolved to share his time of living on bread and water and searching the soul, and by Wednesday morning the group had grown to tour: Mike O'Connor, Dave Walker, and Anne Bendheim, all sophomores. It was apparent to those who dropped in to talk to them that they saw their action as an alternative to what was going on at the ROTC building. When approached ior comment they were quite reluctant to grant anything like an interview, since it was not their stated intention to set an example. Jim pointed out that the think- in started out as his own “ego trip,” an attempt to get away from the roar outside and think by himself. All four felt that getting away irom the group mentality ,was a good thing, getting away to a place Where it is possible to think things out and make personal decisions. Mike said he wanted to do some thinking about where he was going, what he was going to be iive years, ten years irom now. He also had decided to get away irom what he reierred to as hasty action and “do a little thinking in this nice, big, quiet place." Anne emphasized their in» tention to be themselves and not an example to others. She ad mitted the practical impossibility oi this, but tell the action nonetheless more important than the example. She said, “The people around here who think don‘t know what to do. The people who don’t think don‘t know either, but they do it anyway.” When pressed ior a statement, they quoted a song by the Moody Blues: “Gazing past the planets, Looking ior total view, HUNGER ARTISTS~ Continued on page 3 or Grinncll College students and iaculty, “2. That students meet tomorr row at 9:00 AM in Roberts Theatre to draw up a speciiic proposal to be presented to the students ior reierendum vote and to the faculty.“ Andy lnewi called the meeting loordcr at aboutB:30; whereupon a collection was taken to help de- lray the cost or sending ,d'elega tion irom Grinnell College to Washington, D. C. Tom Thomas, just back irom Ohio, where he had talked to a iew people connected with the Kent State incident, gave a briei outline oi the iacts, as he knew them, about Kent State, about Cambodia, and about the actions oi other colleges across the nation. He then argued that the present situation required the commitment of the institution to “non-violent action” in order to “put pressure on the Nixon ad- ministration to change its policies.” Much debate iollowed, on both sides oi the question. Various suggestions were made: that Grinnell Closc completely tor the duration oi the year, that classes he allowed to continue on an op» tional basis ior those students who wished to continue their work, that classes be cancelled completely and workshops in volving townspeople be held on the campus about the present sit- uation at Kent State and in Cambodia, and that the school remain open tor the rest or the term, those studcnts who wish to participate in the demonstrations to make their own arrangements to complete or not complete Course work as they see til. it was agreed that a iinal desision about the matter would be withlicid DEBATE— Continued on page 4 On Tuesday oi this week, the iaculty voted to suspend classes ior two days in protest oi the recent events at Kent State University. The statement at protest. included here, also condemned this country’s in~ volvement in Cambodia and Vietnam, Earlier in the day. the Senate and a group oi about three hundred other students met in the South Lounge to drait and discuss the resolution at protest, An amendment to the resolution was proposed which would have in- cluded a demand to tree all “political prisoners“ including Bobby Scale. The amendment was voted down by a narrow margin, President Leggett was present at this meeting to suggest possible changes in the resolution which would make it more ac- ceptable to the iaculty, The assembled students then over- whelmingly voted to accept the resolution. Minutes later the iaculty convened to debate the resolutions A number or amend- ments were oiiered, including one which would have speciiically condemned student violence as well as “official" violencel All the amendments were rejected. Mr. Horton, however, did propose an addition to the resolution which was to send a delegation of students and [acuity and townspeople to Washington, D.C, to protest personally. This addition was accepted. The faculty then overwhelmingly voted to accept the resolution. The vote was 71-6 Wim 9 abr stentions. According to the resolution, all campus iunctions, excluding the operation oi the dining halls and the residence halls would be suspended for the remainder 0i Tuesday and Wednesday. The Resaluvlmi As members of an institution committed to reason and morality and “lo the relationship between private and public responsibility," we, the majority oi Faculty, Students, oi Grinnell College, vigorously condemn the i- only intensitied aggressive uclimi of the United States in Cambodia and Wet Nani and the acts oi oiiicial rcprcssion so obvious in recent days at Kent State and other universities. Tlicsc immoral and irrational acts and others similar to them threaten thl: lite of this institution and other institutions oi higher education; they disrupt the process oi learning. increase the polarization oi society and its par tential tor violencc. These acts must be condemned, and Crinncll College as an institution cone dcmns them Be it resolvcd that r‘privale and public responsibil- SHUTDDWN— Continued on page 3