Comments on: Letters to the Editor http://www.vanderbilt.edu/magazines/vanderbilt-magazine/2008/10/letters-to-the-editor/ the alumni magazine of Vanderbilt University Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:22:51 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: E. Allan Blair http://www.vanderbilt.edu/magazines/vanderbilt-magazine/2008/10/letters-to-the-editor/comment-page-1/#comment-40 E. Allan Blair Sun, 22 Feb 2009 04:34:01 +0000 http://www.vanderbilt.edu/magazines/vanderbilt-magazine/?p=221#comment-40 This is about the social environment regarding the new president of the US. I graduated from Vandy 57 years ago. At that time, black people still had to move to the back of the bus. The JUL would not allow blacks to use the library. The School of Religion had a separate desk in the library, and they allowed students at Fisk to check out books through them. I think that this was one of the few cases where a religious institution was at the forefront of social responsibility My (now deseased) roommate Ron Rouse, and I objected to this custom, and we canvassed the entire board of the JUL to allow blacks to use the JUL like whites. Every board member turned us down, saying that the time was not right. I am amazed and delighted that our country has come so far in my lifetime. Allan Blair '52 This is about the social environment regarding the new president of the US.

I graduated from Vandy 57 years ago. At that time, black people still had to move to the back of the bus. The JUL would not allow blacks to use the library. The School of Religion had a separate desk in the library, and they allowed students at Fisk to check out books through them. I think that this was one of the few cases where a religious institution was at the forefront of social responsibility

My (now deseased) roommate Ron Rouse, and I objected to this custom, and we canvassed the entire board of the JUL to allow blacks to use the JUL like whites. Every board member turned us down, saying that the time was not right.

I am amazed and delighted that our country has come so far in my lifetime.

Allan Blair ‘52

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