Page 100 - TheGoldBug1969-70

page 4 the gold bug April 27, 1970 Struggle for rebirth: Tk £1rs} Sense... S.O.S. entangled in debate about goals G:Jes l:7h.t by Keith Thurlow Ing UseU relevant to all Involved. S,O.S. is an organization that we, as students of 1970, Ear-lier this year a new system for getting contacts and Essentially was tried. It was a step in Expert' Now have tended- to regard as a permanent part of the organiza- organizing teams because, Instead of the traditional one decentralization improveit Service .:;:;';:';:;'~ Styles tional structure of WMC. HowevertheStudentOpportunity contact man, each small committee orgroupwUhinS.O.s • Service was formed spontaneously rather In 1962"-by a was given the responsibilIty of making Its own contacts .gb Gr;;"~t,·Cio.KS of the early of students with very humanitar-Ian interests. of served, system broke down because, as one member ob- number and definlnlt its own project • Although it is difficult for us to believe, the students This by the estabUshment accused 60's were wasplacedon too much responsibility the new and being inactivlst _and not very interested In much of any- thing. One particular speaker from New Yo'rk made this Inexperienced members of the groups. However, sofar no the responsi- efforts have been made to centralize I E. M~in 51. comment to an audience here at WMC. A young freshman serious and turn it back over to one or two exper-Ienced bility W<'Slminstcr, M(]. was very much bothered by what she heard and she com- people. A number of people have defined the problem but mented to Dr, Griswold that everyone told her she wasn't they have beenurtWilIingtocommltthemselvestothe solu- doing anything but no one gave her any suggestions as to tion, one which obviously Involves a little bit of extra what she could do. She and Dr. Griswold asked around FOR THE FRESHEST PASTRIES and thought about what could be done and between them work. To complicate this organizational difficulty there AROUND they came up with the idea of a student opportunity se r-, has developed a schism around the role oIthe team as the GOTO vice that would provide students with opportumttas to base of S.O.S. activity. There are those that support the it has been used since traditional team approach because WOlFSON'S IUE SHOP involve themselves directly in cultures other than their the first project and because It has proven Itself to be an own. The Idea was to try to go to areas where some useful LOCATED NEAR THE COLLEGE IN service might be rendered to the people while the students effective work unit In the past, Those who oppose this traditional approach are convinced that a more indi viouat- WESTMINSTER SHOPPING CENTER and the people became acquainted with each other. tsttc approach is better suited to meet the needs of indivi- From the beginning the organization was student con- PHONE 848.2133 dual students seeking to Involve themselves In another ceived, organized and operated, with Dr. Earl Gris- wold and Dean Ira Zepp serving as casual advisors. Dur- culture, They would send individuals alone or allow the ing the first year a format for determining action was groups to disolve into the new cuUureinsteadof maintain- designed and it has been In use until the beginning of this ing their Integrity as a unit. Actuattyones these subjects were and a tended to disappear pur-sued, the differences YAYU ALC!Err.S year when there 'w ith a new has been exper+mentatton .UI' & LAUNDERERS,INC. system. its brief history S.O,S. has sponsored a wide During . variety In many parts of projects Bolivia, Puerto Rico, have been sent to the Phill1plnes, of the world. Teams LAUIIDERIIiG DRYCLEAIIIIIG Appalachia, Misstsstppt and Oklahoma. Theseteamshave TAILORIIIG Involved themselves in a var'Iety of se r-vices such as build- ing a numter of libraries, counce ling at the local W.M.C.A, Garunnr Stl)ra!!;C &: Linen Rental Service starting a little league, and working in an orphan home. Service tor Students in WMC Student Center More important than the actual service rendered Is the Monday through Friday wav the teams lived In, and experienced assirnnanng, a new culture, while at the sametlmeworkingto be accept- 9:()O O'clock Until 3:00 o'clock Daily ed by the people they were living with. Each member OI the team livedwith a Iarmly in tha area defined by the pro- ject. The students ate and slept just as their hosts did and they spoke the language oflhelr hosts. Students that have been members of teams comment that this Intimacy provides the most rewardIng and pro- found experiences of the entire adventure. Every student Earle H. Brewer, Prop r talked to came away from an S.O.s. experience a little MarvinJ. Brewer, Prop. more satisfied with himseU, he came with a tittle more Hair Cuts By Appointment insight to what it meant to himseU.to be a member of the Phonc . R4S-2S20 or S4S-S220 human race, and he learned to better knowwhat made him 5XYZ W. Main St who he was. As Sue Green said, there is the "beauty of Wrstlllillster, Md. personal relationships" which just can't be appreciated within the famUlarlty of our own culture. Char-lee Will- iams believes that her S,O.S. experience has helped her find hersell through contacts with other people, She said the living was like stepping outside of herseU and just watching a person a little different than she had known Lefs Get It Straight before. Keith Muller described his experience as being valuable to him than the money he would have far more made II he would have worked at home for the summer. SEARCH FOR MEANING For Sue Schmidt S.O.S. meant simply living with people and getting to know them and letting them get to know her, She emphasized that this reciprocity of relationships QUESTIOII: I am ayoung person still searching for mean- was very important. S.O,S. couldn't exist without people huge common ground for aggreement was established. ing in life. I went to church a few times, 'but all the getting to know one another, for In Char-leers words "We Because of the posslbillties of cultural shock, members preacher talked about Wag things that happened way hack must remember mat people are what's bapperung-c.and generally agreed that new students would gain group in Moses' day, or what we should give toward tire church it's them that. are important." S.O.S. is a unique organ- strength and reassurance from a team, Everyone also budget. Isn't there more to Christianity than that? Has it ization on campus because it is the only one that exists agreed that if an experienced member felt that he or she got anything to say to young people today? to provide students these cpportuntttes to seek themsel- could function better alone, then projects could be so AlI.wEII: In the first place, you cannot judge Christianity or ves through their experiences with others. designed. In fact, graduate Richard suner has done some the Church by a few sermons sampled at random. Only by But, nowever wonoerrur are its basic premises for exist- solo work in the Philipines, Everyone rntervtcwec seems attending a faithful Bible-preaching church regularly will ence, S.O,S. is an organization and just like other organ- to agree that there is no rule forcing what one called the you begin to grasp the meaning of Christianity and dis- izations It must continually struggle with time and all the "mystical team relationship" to exist. Teams or the cover what it can do for you. If you are really in earnest elements that are brought through time which wear away a.bsense of teams can be taUored to meet each specific about this, I suggest that YOU_,'::,.::.io::::,'c:'h:::.l:_ _ at the strength of the original conception. At the present situation. Also read the Bible, eepeci- come to a young person to- time S.O.S., the organization, Is entangled ina rather signi- This dissention could have developed in part as a result ally the New Testament, day. Once you accept His can fJcant debate over the nature of Us continued existence, of some problems of compatability thatdevelopedinsome slowly, thoughtfully, and to-come after Him, you will This article will seek to understand and clarify this de- groups last year. In the oplnlon of a number of people, prayerfully: God will, give lind yourself beginnin.:; to bate and relate it to S.O.S. and our time today, S.O.S. Is these problems arose because selection of group members understanding to those who understand what lite is all an organlzation buflt around and for people, and, as a are earnestly seeking the about. Soon you will be co- became less stringent than In the past years, There seem- truth. Thirdly, seek personal operating with God Himself result, every phase in its constitution must be relevant ed to be an emphasis toward quantity of projects instead counselling from the pastor to make this meaning- reb to the people it serves. For this to happen there must be of quality, and as a result, a number of people were thrown of the church you attend- vant in the lives of others. II a kind of spiritual rebirth with each new generation of together that would have better remained apart, This year but Jet me emphasize again you are seeking "self-fulfill- students so that the structure is cleansed of anything the student selection committees will more rigorously that it should be one where ment,"assomanypeopleare Irrelevant and shaped to meet the needs of its people. This select their S.O.s. representatives. Interes'ed students the preaching is true to the today, ponder agai!' the Is a risky process because a change often means a step should remember that S.O.s. activities are strenuous and Bible. words of that young man, Into the unknown. SUCh steps have to sometimes be re- they require a great deal of effort from each individual Augustine, who said, "1..(Ird, The challenge of following Thou madest us for Thyself, traced and a new direction has to be taken, but unfortunate- to fit into the new culture and to adjust quickly to a new Jesus Christ is the most anJ we can find no resttiJl ly these corrective measures aren't alwaystao.:en.People way of living. Last year, S.O.s. sponsored more groups meaningful one that can we find rest in Thee." may become frustrated and bewildered and angry at un- than it ever has before. AU indications are that this pat- planned results, ami their actions and attitudes reflect tern will be modified so that there will be fewer, more . these feelings. People become reactionary toward ~ach rigorously selected groups, Those interested In parUci- For free booklet, "FOLWWING CHRlsr," write to other and a bIt. stubborn In tt_teir way, When this happens pating In an S,O.s. summer experience should apply as Box3Z1.~. N.J. 07'6S7.DDT._ it is time for everyone involved to do some serious soon as possible and represent themselves well. Introspection, Goals and basic motives and original pre- Among those Interviewed, there existed a common goal mises should be examined openly and 'luestloned with the that Is going to be very Important to the future direction idea of maldng improvements, Then the rebirth of the of S.O.s. programs. This goal contradicts the more popu- organization should be continued wIth the hitentlonoimak- lar conception that S.O.S. teams strive to go Into a heathen [:X~ (Continued on Page5)