Page 2 - CROSSROADS - December 1978
From The
President’s Desk
A scene from Charles
Dicken’s Christmas Carol left a
deep impression on me. When
Scrooge's nephew extended
Christmas greetings, Scrooge’s
response was, “Bah, humbug.
What right do you have to be
merry? You are poor enough.”
His nephew countered, “What
n'g.it liave you to be dismal?
You're rich enough.”
In fact. Scrooge felt wretched
because lie had cut himself off
from all human r. lationships;
he loved only his money. On the
other hand, Scrooge’s clerk,
who was also poor and cared for
a crippled son, was happy
because he loved his family and
they loved him.
The same is true of us. The
source of our personal hap
piness is in giving and receiving
love. This is also the message of
Christmas: we celebrate God’s
love for us which was expressed
by sharing His Son so that we
might be drawn into His own
divine family. As we celebrate
this Christmas Season, we are
called to accept in a personal
way God’s love for us. My wish
FR. NEIL W. TOBIN
for you this Christmas is that
you might both appreciate and
accept God’s love in a way
consonant with your humanity.
The Christmas message also
includes giving and receiving
human love. More and more I
realize that our human con
dition produces an in
terdependence; we are people
needing people. Sometimes I
am in need; other times I am
the object of another’s need.
To admit that we depend upon
others isn’t always easy; often
we want to work out things for
ourselves, and we let our
Alumnus Chooses Career
As Street Performer
Ray Jason, alias Ray Smith,
class of ’68, seems quite
s£ isified with the rather
nonconventional lifestyle he has
chosen.
Ray earns his livelihood as a
street performer in San
Francisco, giving his juggling
performances from the back of
a 1932 Model B Ford flatbed
truck which he restored for that
purpose.
In a recent letter to Jack
Hanahan. chairman of the
physical science division at the
College and associate professor
of Spanish and geology at the
College, Ray spoke about his
chosen profession. “Perhaps
the opinion back there at B.A.C.
is that 1 am wasting my talent
and intelligence ... on a
frivoulous and juvenile pursuit.
Perhaps 1 am. But I view
theater as one branch of the
B.ick to Basics' movement that
is gradually but steadily at
irac ing thousands of followeis
■'SIreel performing helps
und'rmine a! nos' everything
'hat is evil in America; con
sumerism. waste, bigness,
greed, energy gluttony,
distrust, impersonalism,
despair, disparity of wealth,
etc. .Needless to say, it’s not
going to topple the system, but
combined with other private,
personal and heartfelt com
mitments, it can have a
tremendous impact.
'' In my opinion, if there is any
■lesson in the 60's, it is that mass
movements are doomed unless
the participants are willing to
aiso alter their own styles of
life. As Ezra Pound said, ‘...the
real man perfects the nation’s
culture without leaving his
fireside.’ ”
As a student at Belmont
Abbey College, Ray was in
volved in numerous and varied
activities. He served as
president of the Student
Government Association, editor
of the student newspaper and
captain of the debate team. He
was also a member of Tau
Kappa Epsilon, Delta Epsilon
Sigma, Young Democrats Club,
and the Literary Discussion
Club. He participated in six
intramural sports and won
innumerable citations and
trophies as a debater.
“The CoEvolution Quar
terly,” a favorite periodical of
Ray’s, recently published one of
his articles concerning his
street performing philosophy.
According to Ray, his purpose
with the piece was “to inspire
other sidewalk performers
across the country to view their
craft not merely as a stairway
to the stars, but rather as a
legitimate, vibrant form of
alternative entertainment.” In
the article he also encourages
non-performers “to support
their street entertainers with
more enthusiasm so that all the
better ones aren’t sucked into
the mainstream show business
industry.”
We at the Abbey had a chance
to see Ray at work during half
time of the November 27 San
Francisco 49ers - Pittsburgh
Steelers football game, which
was featured on ABC’s Monday
Night Football. The College
would like to thank him for
notifying us of his performance
in advance, and wishes him the
best of luck in his chosen
career.
pride get in the way of the
charity of others. But we cannot
stand alone in our complex
world; we do need each other
and we should be happy that
others are concerned enough to
share their love with us. To
offer an opportunity to another
to expend love on us is a
beautiful gift that sometimes
we forget to give.
As we realize that others need
us, we meet the full challenge of
our Christian commitment.
Sometimes it’s our material
possessions, sometimes our
time, and, perhaps most dif
ficult of all, sometimes it’s
simply our being in relationship
with another. Helping others
cost us, but its reward is a deep
feeling of joy.
My Christmas wish for you
includes also the joy that comes
from people needing people.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed
New Year!
Father Neil W. Tobin
President
The executive board of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Alumni
Association includes (left to right) Tibbs Harris (’72), secretary;
Tom Amann (’74), president; Rich Vitolo (’70), vice president and
Rich Guicheteau (’72), treasurer.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Alumni Happenings
Growth Through Involvement
One month after his election as president of the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Alumni Association, Tom Amann set the tone for the'
local alumni this year. “Growth through Involvement” is the theme
for 1978-79 according to the 1974 accounting major.
The executive board of the chapter is developing a system for
better communication among the alumni.
“Involvement is the key” said Amann. “There are 300 alumni in
Charlotte. We would like for half of them to attend just one event
during the year. Every event during the last two years was en
joyable; all the alumni have to do is attend.”
Ovens Reception Follows G-W Game
The Bulldogs from Gardner-Webb College ruined the Abbey’s first
appearance in the Charlotte Coliseum in the 1978-79 basketball
season, but the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Alumni Association didn’t let
them ruin theirs.
The local alumni chapter sponsored a reception in the Starlite
Room of Ovens Auditorium following the Belmont Abbey-Gardner
Webb basketball game.
Tom Amann (’74), president of the chapter, thanked the alumni
group for attending and introduced Fr. Tobin, president of the
College. Basketball coach Bobby Hussey introduced the team and
thanked the alumni for their support.
Alumni and friends from the Greater Charlotte area renewed old
acquaintances and made several new ones during the first social
event of the 1978-79 school year.
Buffet, Fun Bus Set For Jan. 27
Jim Babb, a 1959 graduate of Belmont Abbey College, has invited
the Charlotte-Mecklenburg alumni to a buffet at his home prior to the
Belmont Abbey College - Atlantic Christian basketball game
Saturday evening, January 27. Babb, the executive vice president of
Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting Company, has also arranged for the
double-decker WBTV “Fun Bus” to transport the group to the game.
More details will be sent to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Alumni.
Gaston-Meck. Alumni Game - Feb. 3
The second annual Gaston County-Mecklenburg County Alumni
Basketball Game will be played prior to the Belmont Abbey College-
Wingate College basketball game, Saturday, February 3, 1979. The
alumni game is slated for 5:30 p.m. The game is open to all alumni in
Gaston and Mecklenburg counties. Send in the reply card below or
call Jay Briody in the Alumni Office, 825-3711, ext. 234.
Jason’s restored 1932 Model B Ford flatbed truck which he uses as
a stage.
GASTON-MECKLENBURG ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME
February 3,1979,5:30 p.m.
Wheeler Center, Belmont Abbey College
Name
Class Year
Street Address
City State
Zip
Phone
’Gaston County Team_
Mecklenburg County Team_
• Return or Call by January 27,1979 -