At College, Moral Obligations Are Felt On Church Burnings

Both students and administrators from Birmingham Southern College are trying to come to terms with the arrest of two of their sophomores in connection with the burning of the 9 churches in West Alabama.

David Pollick, president of the college, has people contacting each of the churches. Both faculty and students feel an obligation to those churches, since the students were from Birmingham Southern. They want to listen to the churches needs, and perhaps help rebuild. They will make use of student volunteers, too. And, they have set up a fund to take donations, called "Alabama Churches Rebuilding and Restoration Fund."

The Student Government adopted a resolution which students flocked to sign.

The resolution said: "The alleged actions of the individuals linked to these crimes do not represent the values and principles held by the collective Birmingham-Southern College student body." It added that "the student body offers its full support and prayers to all those affected by these crimes."

All of the students were well liked, from good families, and never presented a problem. They were held in high regard by students with which they took part in theatre roles.

Back in his office on the Hilltop, Dr. Pollick said, "I think the underlying question remains to be answered: 'How did this happen?'

"We didn't expect this to happen to us any more than anybody expected it to happen to them. So this is the most serious question — how could two good students from wonderful families, with such a zest for life, do something so diametrically opposed to their background and this school?"

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