Abilene Christian College - Prickly Pear Yearbook (Abilene, TX)

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Coming back - the thrill of it all We couldn't have a social hour till Sun- day afternoon or after Literary Club Saturday nights. We were restricted to the campus, and we would walk down the way for a certain distance and kick our feet over the end so we could say we'd been off the campus, said Byrd R. Lewis, a graduate of the class of 1923. Although the students in 1923 fand many other years, as wellj found excite- ment in getting off the campus, today most alumni find even more excitement in coming back to campus. Homecoming, more than any other event of the year, is a time when many come back to become reacquainted with old friends, meet new people and become involved in the universityis activities. ACU exes who visited the campus Oct. 30-Nov. 1 during Homecoming weekend were eager to express their thoughts about the differences between ACU today and the time when they were students. School policies, rules and the dress code were common topics for the returning alumni. This page: top - Mike Ditz, a Homecom- ing visitor, thinks about the day's ac- tivities after enjoying the barbecue lunch provided by the university: middle W Jay Bailey falls from the platform into the water at the Galaxy social club dunking booth during the Homecoming carnivalg bottom 5 Another plate is added to the growing stack of trash during the Homecoming barbecue. Opposite page: top f Spectators watch as balloons are released during the hah'time show at the Homecoming football gamep bottom - More than 6,000 students, faculty and visitors enjoy the barbecue lunch provided during Homecoming activities. Charles Anderson, a graduate of the class of 1957, said, We thought the rules were kind of strict, but as I look back, they were not as strict as we thought they weref, ACU helped me more than I would have been helped otherwise, said Sidney Blankenship of the class of 1966, 'ibut that's not to say everybody has a free trip when they leave here. Everybody still has rules they must deal with, rules that even go back farther than ACU. You can't change everybody in four years. Carol Cayce Clinton, of the class of 1967, talked humorously about the dress code while she was in college. We could not wear pants unless we were going bowl- ing or planned to participate in other sports activities. And many girls who 'went bowling' never went bowling. Charles Cayce, also of the class of 1967, spoke seriously about the differences of college students ofthe past and present. The era in which we grew up was started with our parents and reinforced by the school, he said. 'SWe thought as long as we stayed in the church and married somebody from the church, we would turn out all right. But that is not a reality of life. I think the kids here now have a lot more understanding of what realistic life is about. They have a better chance to make a success of their lives. Leaving the discussion of rules and dress codes aside, Mrs. Clinton verbalized a feel- ing known by many ACU alumni. What you really have all through your life, will be the friends you've made in college. It is those friends and the memories they helped create that make coming back have such special meaning to many ACU alumni. Homecoming 17

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South acific delights crowd South Pacific, a musical adapted from James A. Michener's Tales of the South Paczfe, delighted Homecoming crowds Oct. Z9-Nov. l with four perfor- mances at the Abilene Civic Center. The musieal's setting is a south sea island plagued by the hardships of World War ll. Ensign Nellie Forbush. a small-town girl from Little Rock. Ark.. is nurse to a crew of dame-watching sailors. But Nellie's attention is caught by Emile DeBecque, a wealthy. middle-aged French planter, who serves as her host during her stay on the island. Love soon develops between the two, but almost is shattered when Nellie finds that DeBecque once was married to a Polyne- sian and is the father of two liurasian children. Nellie is confused and disturbed by his revelation and begins avoiding the Frenchman. Lzmrz Hall and Barry Sniool, along with lfllfot Belles, Kevin Wwnrs mia' llflarlv .S'Iot'lfdalc, sing in Ilia' pfllllllt' of' Ilia Wllll!IIlvSgI'l'lllg Follies, ln response to Nellie's withdrawal DeBecque offers his knowledge of the island to l.t. Joseph Cable, a Marine who has come to the island to establish a coastal watch of an adjacent Japanese- controlled island. Cable is sidetracked from his mission by Bloody Mary. the islands native en- trepreneur. She lures him to the secluded island of Bali Ha'i. where her beautiful daughter. l.iat. lives. Cable finds himself captivated by l.iat. but like Nellie he is torn between his love and cultural prejudices. Cable turns from the romance to his mission. which is directed by the island's Capt. Cieorge lronbelly Brackett and his eager aide. Cmdr. William Harbison. Us- ing radio reports from DeBecque and Cable. the American forces are able to capture the Japanese-controlled island. But the invasion costs Cable his life. While Dellecque is gone. Nellie's love triumphs over her prejudices, and she goes to care for his children. The musical closes with Deliecque returning to find Nellie and his children waiting for him on his terrace. Music tl