P. 002 NOV, -09' 99 (MON) 13:56 U OF A TEL:2053488681 RepriXted front: ,I=Malmt 4WD 11He Ye& el NUMIER a The Children's Crusade BY NANCY LOVE POUTCS Boa Number OM, which WWI Sap- Pox, a central figure in founding the with legislators. even though he was poled to be the fire one to move out Quaker religion, "to apeak truth to power!, not so sure it would do any good. He and to arrive at the destination, was had driven a group of high school having a problem. No one could find The 700 men and women who had students to Washington not long the bus driver. "We lout the goddamn resolved to speak truth to power were before. and they had been very dis- hue driver." the etudenta in charge beginning to take seats in the other couraged because the politicians re- were telling each other, Then someone buses, They were students at Hever- fused to talk to them. would rush off to look in another ford College (about 550 of the student "But we did a lot of advance Place be could have gotten to, There body of 600), students at neighboring Planning." the Haverford students was a quiet urgency. a teatrained doff Bryn Mawr College, which alums countered. But no one was really peretion about their search, their need some faculty with Haverford (there sure how succeasful they would be. to get the thing rolling, to gat the 15 were 70 girls, although they had been Bus Number One finally starts up. buses moving to Washington. asked to limit their contingent to 50), Frank Sinatra's velvety voice explodes The crowd that waited in the pre• ten from the Haverford administra- from the speakers; "Strangers in the dawn chill under the trees around tion (including the president of the night exchanging glances. ." A roar Stokes Hall stood in subdued silence. College), 50 faculty (out of 70), goes up in the bus, part laughter, part Some wore white cloths, some black, 13 staff (including secretaries and derision. It is an unexpected intru- tied around their arms. Several hun- groundskeepers), three from the board sion, "Where's the stewardess?" some- dred people waited quietly. This was of managers of the College (including one asks. They get the jarring music the day that Haverford College, a the chairman), shut off quickly, and one of the stu- Quaker college for men an Philadel- The driver finally climbed up the dent marshals takes a bullhorn M phia's Main Line, was going to move steps into Bus Number One. He make announcements. to the nation's capital to see whether hadn't tried to hold up the departure One of his requests is that every. they could communicate their concern maliciously. He was really in favor one wear name tags for identification. about the Cambodian =him. They of what the College was doing. glad There will be many students in Wash- were following the advice of George they were going to exchange views ington that day and Haverford doesn't ti}wv.; Haverford president Coleman (center) led 700 to Washington. Hugh Scott was one or Congressional leaders who !Waned to troubled academic community. NOV, -09' 99 (MON) 13:57 U OF A TEL:2053488681 P. 003 POLITICS want to have any of them attaching resources of the College with the with the Intolerable facts of govern- themselves to their group. They have problem of getting out of Cambodia, ment by working in Philadelphia poli- Promised Congressmen a peaceful For the first time it seemed to us that tics for the last few years. A clean-cut confrontation and they intend to keep the old alignments in Congress were political science major with tamest it that way. breaking down. that minds ware not blue eyes, Gowen is aware that some John Coleman, mesident of the Col- Made up and we could hope to influ- students at Haverford are probably lege, is on But Number One If he is ent Congress and public opinion." not as tolerant as ha—or as politically uptight about the responsibility of Murphy is from Alabama and the sophisticated. moving his college to Wallington for drawling rhythm of his Southern He hors the day will provide a the day, he doesn't show it—or the speech tends to take the edge off the means o getting over to Congress a strain of the sleep lost the past few sharp urgency of what he soya, Or sense of how the progress of the war days. A handsome, even-tempered maybe it is that its all so rational. IS destroying academic institutions, man who moves physically and men- He has thought over what he hopes "Also, I think one of the functions tally between the generations with an this day will accomplish, and when will be to reinforce senators who are ageless elasticity, he talks about bit. he talks about it on the bus now that On Our side, But the real targets will earnest without showing bitterness. the day is really underway, We like be those who AM wavering and don't "I have hem talking to other college something he has almost disassociated know which way to turn," presidents," he is saying, "and they himself from already. The students Jr Is obvious that the leaders of the tell me they have never seen such want to present a picture of a uni- day are realistic and clear-eyed about bitterness on campuses before, such fied university, to show It's not just a what they are doing, They know what a disruption of the educational proc- few fringe crazies who are dissenting. kind of reaction to expect. As Tom ess. They want to create a new image for Gowen put it, "People don't like war. "This idea came at just the right demonstrations, to build a bridge be- but they like college students ins,- time for us. It gave us something to tween academic institutions and the focus on, to keep the bitterness from public. To pulling us apart.". Coleman realizes, THEIR CREOIT, the student body "Also, we come to give Congress a of Haverford has seen the wisdom of course, that the size of Haverford new perspective and to learn how we of playing the game by the rules of has helped make such a unified veto —"can be of some influence. We all are thou they seek to influence, When Lure possible. A few students and fac- bonded together by a sense of anguish. Stan Murphy placed calls to the of- ulty chose not to participate, but the The Kent State incident just intend- fices of Southern congressmen he degree of unanimity is still something fled our mission and our goal to in- of a small miracle for a campus like made sure to identify himself as "Stan fluence the course of things." Murphy from Tuscaloosa; I go to a Haverford where individualism is en- Murphy appears to be the antithe- couraged, a testament to how desper- small church school up North." know- sis of the fiery radical. With his log- college student who ately these young people wanted to ical words, his full face and portly ing the only get their message to their government, would get a hearing would bevy to go body, he looks now like the moderate to a "church" school. The students a government that had up to this college professor he could become in have decided to wear coats and ties. point thumbed its nose at them. 20 years. But as he continues to talk • "Some students in the Washington some hair and beards were trimmed about what has happened since Kent in the interest of making the right office we set up to coordinate this State, some of the mounting impa- impression. To a man. they have thing wanted to get in touch with tience of youth comes into his voice: Nixon as well as Congress," says "The situation is getting damned showed up immaculately groomed. Anyone who is aware of the usual president Coleman. "I discouraged it. near unbearable," he says. "Beason nonchalance of Rumford students Was one of the 34 college presidents no longer reigns. We can only expect toward dress and grooming realizes Nixon turned down. What do you a great deal of violence unless the what a sacrilice this must have been. gain by another turn-down?". lack doors of government open and there Coleman knows too well how frus- are honest people who are willing to They have also agreed to be not only trating it is not to be listened to. rying peaceful, but nonabrasive, again a have dialogues. Haverford is t difficult compromise for some. The idea for the Washington con- to show men can still be reached by Not many people sleep on the buses, frontation came from Stanley Murphy. hope we are right," NUM I although most have had only a few a Haverford senior, a psychology His fellow students in the peace hours sleep the night before. When major who is the outgoing president movement have been discouraged at the buses pull up at 9:00 a.m. the sun of the school's student association. every turn, Nothing came of their After Nixon's Cambodia speech it is shining brightly on the pristine candidate Eugene McCarthy or their white Supreme Court Building. The seemed irrelevant to go on with aca- moratoria, How many times sky is an .unbelievable shade of fen- demic work In the old way. And not before they get beaten over the head lay blue.