Classroom clipper, Vol. XX, No. 2, December 1963 - January 1964

              SAN NARCISO
[fR-MfteCÜÔRARY
STUDENT TRAVEL, 1963 ... In today’s world, educational travel is a major way of advancing the ideal of international understanding. Here are a variety of case histories which illustrate the many facets of student travel, which, in the summer of 1963, was at an all-time high.
Thus, “Operation Philippines” was launched by the students, with a goal of 5,000 books and $5,000.
Navy Offers Help
Almost immediately, word came from the Philippines, from the base commander, saying that the Navy would construct a library building and provide transportation for the books—if the project was successful.
Working hard, the students quickly assembled more than enough books, but $5,000 was needed to purchase special volumes such as dictionaries, and to pay for repairs, to obtain a card catalogue, and to ship the books to San Diego, where they would be picked up by the Navy.
BOOK DEPOT ... A garage serves as a storage area and workshop for “Operation Philippines” at Western Maryland University. In foreground, Janet Shanholtz, student chairman, and Dr. E. Earl Griswold, adviser, check volumes.
SOS and 5,000 Books
“Uncommitted Generation” Proves Its Mettle with Operation Philippines
OF ALL THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS who last summer went abroad—some to study, some to explore distant lands, some to do research—perhaps none went on a more significant mission than seven students from Western Maryland Collège.
Their mission : to fly via Pan American Jet Clipper to the little community of San Narciso, Luzon, the Philippines, to put 5,000 books on new library shelves.
Behind these books and behind this trip is a story of student achievement and American friendship stretched across 10,000 miles.
Challenged by Speaker
It all started at an assembly meeting at Western Maryland College, when a speaker described American students as an “uncommitted generation.” Stung by this challenge, a group of students formed
the Student Opportunities Service (SOS) to “provide convenient opportunities to serve through which students can channel their enthusiasm in important and practical areas.”
SOS decided that its first project would be to assemble a library for an English-speaking area where it might be most needed.
In 'far-off San Narciso, Lt. Paul W. Shelton, chaplain of the Naval Communications Station, heard of the Western Maryland project through the American Library Association arid wrote to SOS explaining the needs in this remote area. He pointed out that magazines, periodicals and current books are expensive and almost impossible to find there. The native dialect is generally used but the working language is English and almost all are able to read and speak it.
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP . . . Children and adults of San Narciso, students of West Maryland College, and U.S. Navy personnel join in dedication of new library.
The students formed teams to explain the project to service clubs, church groups and anyone who would listen. Friends, foundations and parents were contacted and the money was raised.
Still more was needed—the knowledge of how to operate a library. The college staff gave them space in which to work, encouraged library science students to help, arid found a retired librarian to direct operations and give instructions.
A seven-student team was selected, of which each member had raised more than $500, to go to San Narciso to put the books on the waiting shelves and to train a native staff to operate the library, (cont.)