Civilian Defense Council at Work

Abstract

C IVILIAN-DEFENSE activities at the University of Alabama have three functions: to provide protection for students and faculty, to give training in defense skills which will enable those who secure the training to take part in civilian defense in any community to which they might go, and to develop leadership in planning and executing civilian-defense programs. In carrying out the third objective, civilian-defense activities on the campus have rested largely on students' shoulders. It has been assumed that leadership can only be produced by giving students the opportunity to exert leadership. Civilian-defense work was begun at the University of Alabama at students' suggestions. In connection with the Speakers Bureau of the Alabama State Defense Council, a panel of University students was chosen to discuss before a state-wide defense meeting the problem: What does youth think civilian defense should be doing? The five students who participated in this panel were so stimulated by preparing for it and the discussion which followed their part of the program that they suggested to the Executive Director of the Alabama Civilian Defense Council that the University students form their own council. He agreed and the students who were on the panel were asked to become the nucleus of the University Civilian Defense Council. To this group of five young persons were added other members of the student body. The new members were chosen because of their capacity for leadership, interest in defense activities, and willingness to work. Three faculty members added to serve as equal members of the Council, acted as representatives of the faculty portion of the University body. These faculty members held no veto power nor wished any. The fact that the students could and did outvote the faculty members on certain issues left the responsibility more on the students' shoulders than would have been the case if the faculty members had possessed controlling votes. The Council has had but two purposes: to co-ordinate and promote defense efforts on the campus, not to carry on a program of its own. The Council has been a co-ordination center to which any University student or faculty member could bring suggestions. If the suggestion was considered good, a method was worked out for putting it into operation.