Yesterdays News

In the 1970s, Columbia University CARP (NYC) was often a haven of bright spirit and warm fellowship! Without some of the more “militaristic” constraints of center life, but with the hope of individual, intellectual and professional development along with the excitement of academic freedom and enlightenment, there was a vital and wonderful group of people! This smaller and more open-minded group was less intrusive on the surrounding environment; thereby, more capable of receiving and sharing the wealth and benefits of the university milieu. Many of the early ICUS and PWPA participants emanated from the Columbia Campus: Dr. Lloyd Motz, for example, Astronomy Professor extraordinary, who also discovered a way to capture and measure sunbeams and moonbeams!; and numerous others! I, myself earned both a BA in English and World Literature at the School of Library and information Science/Service. I was amazed, inspired, educated and vitalized by the combination of a Columbia University education and the emerging intelligence and warmth of the CARP spirit. Another important project The World Student Times, for which I had the honor of being East Coast Editor, provided a needed legitimacy to the issues of CARP!

In those days there were some misguided efforts to discourage students from continuing their formal education. Some members and leaders evidently thought that CARP’S purpose on the campuses, in general, was more of an “infiltration process” to gather members for IOWC, or whatever. But there were still individual visionaries including, at that time, some wonderful and deeply committed Japanese brothers and sisters. The existence of an evolving CARP has enabled a “deep impact” for students of subsequent decades to enjoy the truer experience of education and youth! Finally I’d like to recall one trip on the way to a summer IOWC in San Francisco, a first trip across America for me — through the Heartland, the wheat fields, the Rockies and the highways of roses and roses, and finally at sunset the Golden Gate Bridge! That heavenly summer of 1979, seemed to culminate in a brief but very beautiful, cosmic meeting experience with Tiger Park — wearing a tawny velour shirt and somehow outstretched on a dais-like couch, he seemed at that moment the personification of the Golden Gate Bridge and the meeting of East and West! Other very inspiring and developing CARP leaders and members must also be recalled: Jim Edgerly, Jack Hetema, Mr. Ikenu, Mr. Camillo Ramirex, the beautifully vital and witty Moorehouse sisters, the Azars brothers, Ellen Vogel, Shelly, many exceptional Japanese sisters, and numerous excellent and wonderful others!!! - Thank you all so very much!! - And may God continue to bless you always!