Remarks by President Emeritus Earl Danieley

Often in the history of this institution, events of national significance have had a profound effect on our campus community.

A predecessor institution, Graham College, was founded in 1859. In 1863, it had to be closed because of the War between the States.

Elon College was founded by act of the N.C. General Assembly in 1889. It grew and developed slowly, but it was enjoying a period of relative stability and prosperity by the late teens. Then, in April of 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. A very large number of our students volunteered to serve in the military. By commencement of that year, it appeared that no men would be left on campus. The graduating class of 1918, which had numbered 46, had shrunk to 30. More than 600 of our students and alumni served in the armed forces of this country in World War I. The male students of the college pledged that they would "...use their opportunities fully to improve their minds in order to more effectively serve their country and the cause of human freedom."

A unit of the Students' Army Training Corps was established on campus to provide military training for selected men students.

World War II began in Europe in September 1941 when I was a freshman here. In September of that year, the chairman of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Authority granted approval for the establishment of a unit of the Civilian Pilot Training Program on our campus. Many of our students and faculty left school to serve in the Armed Forces. In March of 1943, the 325th College Training Detachment of the Army Air Force was established at Elon. Under this program, 672 pilots were trained.

Elon was the first college-level institution in North Carolina to discontinue participation in intercollegiate athletics for the duration of the war.

Following that war, in 1945, the United States joined in forming the United Nations with a firm resolve to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war; and to reaffirm our faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of men and women of nations large and small.

The preamble to the constitution of UNESCO declares, "...since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." In October of 1969, we were caught up in a season of national discontent largely due to our participation in the war in Vietnam. In speaking to a peace rally in 1969, I stated that "the path to peace is the way of justice for each and every person; the way of respect for men as men; the way of freedom for all of God's children regardless of race, or creed, or national origin; the way of patience and understanding and tolerance as we deal with one another; and above all, the way of love -- the love which is of Christ and which is powerful enough to make it possible for all mankind to live together as brothers and sisters."

I speak to you now of these catastrophic events during our history and their profound effects on our campus in order to tell you that whatever has happened to our community or to our nation, we have always stood together. We have loved and appreciated our own families, and we have had a high regard and deep concern for the families of our friends and associates.

Where there has been pain, we have tried to bring relief; where there has been grief, we have sought to comfort; and, where there has been sadness, we have brought a sense of peace.

We have ministered to broken bodies, bound up broken spirits, and prayed for healing of broken hearts.

We are profoundly shocked and deeply saddened by the monstrous evil which struck an unwarranted and dastardly blow against the United States yesterday. We feel deeply the loss of human life and sympathize with their families; we have compassion for the injured and pray for their healing; and we are infuriated by the senseless loss of liberty which resulted from this horrific act. But in the midst of our anger, our grief, and our sadness, I stand before you to remind you that it has always been the Elon way to rebuke evil, to stand for freedom and justice, and to move forward in unity as one great family. Long live this wonderful Elon spirit, and long Live Elon University.

Wednesday, September 12, 2001