Abstract
Andrew D. Mullen examines the history of Houghton College in New York in the era of the Vietnam War in his chapter “‘Bypassing … Houghton’s Serene Copse of Academe’? A Wesleyan College’s Engagement with the ‘Perplexities’ of Vietnam.” He shows that while the protest-confrontation activism on many campuses around the country was not present at Houghton, the campus community was not indifferent to the tensions regarding discussions and debates on the Vietnam War. Mullen directs attention to Houghton College’s opinions and attitudes of the war through reactions to such events as the 1969 Moratorium, the incursion into Cambodia, and the Kent State killings. Throughout the chapter, Mullen addresses the stances of students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and alumnae through contextualizing those stances through the religious and political beliefs expressed at the time. The chapter demonstrates how the Vietnam War remains part of Houghton’s history with a long-term impact.
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Notes
- 1.
Kathleen Doran, “Paine Family Sailing for Far East as Short Sabbatical Ends,” The [Houghton College] Star, vol. 60, no. 14, 9 February 1968, 6; Nora Swindler, “Revolution Report!” The Star, vol. 60, no. 17, 1 March 1968, 3.
- 2.
Lois Gridley, “Dr. Paine Resides Safely in Nha Trang During Viet Stay,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 20, 8 March 1968, 1; Miriam Paine Lemcio, Deo Volente: A Biography of Stephen W. Paine (Houghton, NY: Houghton College Press, 1987), 217.
- 3.
Carl F. H. Henry, “On Christian-Jewish Understanding,” Christianity Today, vol. 6, no. 3, 10 November 1961, 32.
- 4.
See, for example, William E. Pannell, My Friend, the Enemy (Waco: Word, 1968), 53; David E. Settje, “‘Sinister’ Communists and Vietnam Quarrels: The Christian Century and Christianity Today Respond to the Cold and Vietnam Wars,” Fides et Historia vol. 32, no. 1 (Winter/Spring 2000), 81–97.
- 5.
“Viet Culture Gap Seen by Visitor,” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 27 September 1968, 5.
- 6.
“Diana Acevedo Serves Bases in Vietnam under Red Cross,” The Star, vol. 63, no. 15, 26 February 1971, 5. See also Joann Puffer Kotcher, Donut Dolly: An American Red Cross Girl’s War in Vietnam (Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, 2011); Connie Mangham [Fairchild], “Give Me Freedom, or Give Me Death,” [Houghton College] Lanthorn (1969), 44–46; “Gaoyadeo Girls Provide Financial Support for Vietnamese Orphan,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 11, 12 December 1969, 6.
- 7.
Richard L. Wing, A Vine of God’s Own Planting: A History of Houghton College from Its Beginning Through 1972 (Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House, 2004), 171.
- 8.
James R. Tony, in The Houghton Alumnus (May 1970).
- 9.
Frank E. Gaebelein, “Crisis in Christian Education,” Christianity Today, vol. 15, no. 17, 21 May 1971, 4–6.
- 10.
“Evangelical College Students: An Opinion Sampler,” Christianity Today, vol. 15, no. 17, 21 May 1971, 11–13.
- 11.
Ilona Molnar, Letter to the Editor, The Star, vol. 58, no. 8, 19 November 1965, 2; “Students Back Viet Nam Policy,” The Star, vol. 58, no. 10, 10 December 1965, 1.
- 12.
“Hard Questions on Vietnam,” The Star, vol. 59, no. 17, 10 March 1967, 2.
- 13.
Richard N. Ostling, Letter to the Editor, The Star, vol. 60, no. 8, 10 November 1967, 2.
- 14.
“Validity Explored,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 8, 10 November 1967, 2; “On Caring,” Ibid.
- 15.
“Our Crisis,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 13, 2 February 1968, 2.
- 16.
Gene Cole, “Perspective,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 14, 9 February 1968, 3.
- 17.
Lois Gridley, “Houghtonians Tell Views on Fighting in Viet Nam,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 18, 8 March 68, 3.
- 18.
“Nixon Picked U.S. President for Houghton’s ‘Choice ‘68’,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 22, 26 April 1968, 1. Additional results of the poll at the national level reported in subsequent issues of The Star. Circumstances of the poll’s administration at different campuses may explain in part the relatively high level of support for the war at Houghton, granted that here (apparently unlike most colleges) the survey was administered to the entire student body during required chapel.
- 19.
“Newly-formed Political Clubs Plan for Guest Speakers, Canvassing, and Film.” The Star, vol. 61, no. 6, 25 October 1968, 1.
- 20.
George Q. Flynn, Lewis B. Hershey, Mr. Selective Service. (Chapel Hill, UNC Press, 1985), xiii–xiv.
- 21.
David Phillips, “The Three Alternatives Concerning Vietnam Facing Draft-age Men Discussed in Depth,” The Star [reprinted from Moderator], vol. 61, no. 12, 7 February 1969, 3.
- 22.
Wolfgang Saxon, “General Became a Symbol,” New York Times, 21 May 1977.
- 23.
Flynn, Mr. Selective Service, xiii–xiv.
- 24.
Phone interview with Steve and Kay Cummings, 11 June 2021.
- 25.
Nick Chamberlain, “Lt. General Lewis Hershey Fails to Bridge the Generation Gap,” The Star, vol. 61, no. 20, 25 April 1969, 2.
- 26.
“Students Organize in Vast Drive Against Vietnam War,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 3, 3 October 1969, 3.
- 27.
John Jordan, “Quiet Thoughtfulness Marks Houghton Moratorium Day,” The Star vol. 62, no. 5, 17 October 1969, 2; Interview with Jack Leax by Houghton student Todd Nelson, 2 April 1992, Houghton College Archives.
- 28.
James R. Tony, “If Houghton Is an Island,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 5, 17 October 1969, 2.
- 29.
“Student Reaction to Moratorium Day: Alfred and St. Bonaventure Campuses,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 5, 17 October 1969, 2; Jack Leax Interview with Todd Nelson, 2 April 1992, Houghton College Archives.
- 30.
David Pullen, Letter to the Editor, The Star, vol. 62, no. 6, 24 October 1969, 2.
- 31.
James R. Tony, “Insensitive Silence,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 7, 31 October 1969, 2; President Stephen Paine, Letter to the Editor, The Star, vol. 62, no. 8, 7 November 1969, 2; “Student Opinion Varies Over Policies in Vietnam Conflict,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 8, 7 November 1969, 3; “Responding to poll, Student Senate Plans Veterans Day, Moratorium,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 8, 7 November 1969, 3.
- 32.
John Jordan, “Veterans Day Is Marked at Houghton by Flag Raising, Chapel, and Discussions,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 9, 14 November 1969, 1; “Issues Discussed at Last Senate Meeting Range from Moratorium to Room Check,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 9, 14 November 1969, 3.
- 33.
“Despite Dire Predictions, Mobe March Dramatically Objects to Vietnam Policy,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 10, 21 November 1969, 3.
- 34.
Gordon H. Finney and James Thomson, Memorandum to Faculty, 9 May 1970, in Gordon Finney’s personal papers. Photocopy sent to author by Adele Durkee Finney; “Cambodia Invasion Sparks Demonstration and Prayer,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 22, 15 May 1970, 1.
- 35.
“Referendum Results,” The Star, vol. 62, no. 21, 8 May 1969, 1.
- 36.
Jud Lamos, “Dilemma of a Political Christian,” The Star, vol. 64, no. 10, 19 November 1969, 2.
- 37.
Edward Merzig, “‘Safeguard’ is No Answer,” The Star, vol. 61, no. 19, 18 April 1969, 2; “A Time to Reorder Priorities,” The Star, vol. 64, no. 7, 29 October 1971, 2.
- 38.
Irene DenHollander et al., Letter to the Editor, The Star, vol. 61, no. 20, 25 April 1969, 2.
- 39.
“Laos Eireness Formulates Christian Position on War,” The Star, vol. 63, no. 15, 26 February 1971, 5.
- 40.
Personal communication, Norman Campbell to author, June 2021.
- 41.
Interview between Jean-Louis Roederer and Todd Nelson, April 1992, Houghton College Archives.
- 42.
Among other contributions to The Star, see especially, the section of “Letters to the Editor and Jim Wallis,” vol. 64, no. 10, 19 November 1971, 2.
- 43.
Editorial Board, “A Time to Reorder Priorities,” The Star, vol. 64, no. 7, 29 October 1971, 2.
- 44.
Robert Sam Anson, McGovern: A Biography (New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1972), 15–18; after the election , The Star does mention that his father was a Wesleyan minister, and his church background would have been known by three prominent faculty members who had moved to Houghton from South Dakota.
- 45.
See especially, Nelson’s interviews with Gudrun Mindrebo [Stephenson] and Richard Halberg, Houghton College Archives.
- 46.
“Forces at Work,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 10, 8 December 1967, 2.
- 47.
Ted Merzig and Peter Knapp, “The View from Here,” The Star, vol. 60, no. 11, 15 December 1967, 2.
- 48.
Jim Tony, “D. C. Editors’ Conference Shatters Domestic Peace Myth,” The Star, vol. 61, no. 15, 28 February 1969, 3.
- 49.
For an especially strong endorsement of Houghton and Houghton students, see Dave Lalka, “Perspective on Thankfulness,” The Star, vol. 63, no. 20, 23 April 1971, 2.
- 50.
David Swartz provides insightful analysis on this point in the context of his study of Evangelicals at the national level in his Moral Minority: The Evangelical Left in an Age of Conservatism. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2012.
- 51.
Stephen Woolsey, “Miscellaneous Rumblings,” The Star, vol. 64, no. 21, 5 May 1972, 2.
- 52.
Rolland E. Kidder, Backtracking in Brown Water: Retracing Life on Mekong Delta River Patrols Bloomington: iUniverse LLC, 2014.
- 53.
Correspondence and personal conversation with Dean Liddick, retired editor of the Houghton alumni magazine (Summer 2020 and 2021) and similar correspondence with Ben Colter, May–July 2021.
- 54.
Marc Jason Gilbert, The Vietnam War on Campus: Other Voices, More Distant Drums (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2001), xiii.
- 55.
Carolyn Paine Miller, Captured (Chappaqua, NY: Christian Herald Press, 1977) 287–88; Phone interview with the author June 2020.
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Mullen, A.D. (2022). “Bypassing … Houghton’s Serene Copse of Academe”? A Wesleyan College’s Engagement with the “Perplexities” of Vietnam. In: Laukaitis, J.J. (eds) Denominational Higher Education During the Vietnam War. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98653-7_3
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