The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 7, Ed. 1, Friday, October 24, 1975 Page: 6 of 12

                                
October 24 1975
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Projects vary through years
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THE OPTIMIST
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Homecoming projects this
year celebrate their 20th anni-
versary. In 1955 the school
began the project tradition with
building modest little structures
in front of the Administration
Building.
The projects were started
mainly to take the place of a
parade with floats according to
Dewby Ray in the Alumni
Office. The first competition
won by Frater Sodalis was small
compared to some of the
monsters that would be created
later.
In 1958 Galaxy brought Dig
Tex to the campus for the first
time. Dig Tex was a gargantuan
figure of a cowboy that stand?
each year at the Texas State
Commencement of the
By CHRIS SEXTON
in 1912 Arthur Slater an
ACC student decided Abilene
Christian College should have a
student publication. In August
that year Slater and his friends
hand-pressed the first edition of
die OPTIMIST.
The masthead was centered at
the top of the front page with
the OPTIMIST in bold letters.
To either side was the admoni-
tion that "the world is full of
beauty open your eyes and see"
and! "the world is full of good
cheer up quit knocking."
Emphasis was placed on
Christian education and recruit-
ing students for ACC. The paper
appeared in 7 two-inch columns
and extended four pages with
most of the articles written by
faculty and administrative mem-
bers of the college.
From the beginning it was
considered an honor to edit the
OPTIMIST. In Slater's request
"for students to select a perm-
anant editor he wrote "If you
would like to be the editor or
associate editor or have a friend
you would like to see fulfill
these most honored positions
TXT
Fair.
The projects started as the
billboard or display type. Soon
the walk-in types were inte-
grated in. The project area grew
from just in front of the Ad
building to the front area of the
entire school. The projects got
very big and very intricate. One
project was larger than the
campus high school.
Restrictions set in. The
project area was changed to
where it now rests right outside
the Campus Center. Not only
did school restrictions kill the
big projects but students got
tired of shelling out so much
money. So to take the place of
the projects bicycle races were
held.
you had better get on the
the window."
An OPTIMIST tradition that
continued between 1920 and
1940 was the Class Edition
contest. The classmen would
select an editor to represent
their class and he would select
his staff. The official editor set
dates for publication of issues
for each particular class. The
copies were sent to the
Reporter-News editor who chose
the winner based on the best
lay-out reporting and story
selections.
During the first forty years
OPTIMIST headlines consis-
tantly reported baptisms of
students during College Church
meetings devotional were a
matter of report and worship
services on Sundays were
covered regularly.
A special issue of the
OPTIMIST on February 23
1934 reported that John G.
Hardin Baptist millionaire
agreed to donate $160000 to
save the institution from bank-
ruptcy which was the direct
result of the depression multi
III
The marathon races lasted but
two years 1972 and 73. Folks
got nostalgic for the old project
days and so just last year the
project tradition got under way
again. Last year the clubs were
allowed to build walk-in pro-
jects. This year the projects are
restricted to the display-type
and each club is allowed to
spend no more than $100 to
build their project.
Another Homecoming tra-
dition now absent along with
the huge projects is the bonfire.
Tito bonfire was always built by
the freshmen class and each year
it got 'bigger. In 1968 the last
year for it the fire was 68 feet
high. Bonfires were finally
halted by the fire laws.
'Optimist'
plied by heavy financial debts.
Advertising in earlier issues
displayed a simple appearance
that was appealing and person-
alized. In 1950 Dill Anderson
advertising manager allowed an
ad to be printed that showed a
young couple dancing. Many
letters were sent to the Optimist
office complaining of the pic-
ture. Anderson printed an
apology with the following
statement "The OPTIMIST will
not print advertising that is
detrimental to Christianity; in
the future this will be more
dosely guarded. We hope our
good readers will continue to
buy our paper."
November 14 1941 the
the first time in 22 years the
OPTIMIST will be printed by
the campus print shop. We hope
this heralds a new era of progress
which will see continued
improvement in both literary
and technical ends of the
OPTIMIST production."
Through the years campus'
unity has been enhanced by the
existancc of the OPTIMIST. .
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Ftater Sodrtls' reconstructed uddh celebrated the Homeeorolns
mueical "The King nd I" in 1961.
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