Primary Document Five

The Back of his Hand!

Student Flyer,

1950

What happens when a delegation representing 400 students visits a college president?

When that president is Gideonse, the response is not a handshake, but the back of his hand.

Seven students, representing the unanimous disapproval by 400 students of the banning of Vanguard and the suspension of its editors, visited President Gideonse in his office, in the hopes of a rational discussion and solution.

They met with an unyielding wall. The President’s mind was made up—he did not want to be bothered by mere student sentiment.
Why is Gideonse so adamant?
What does he want?

HE WANTS TO SUBSTITUTE VANGUARD FOR HIS BULLETIN BOARD!
He wants a campus which will accept his policies without opposition. For this reason he is determined to prevent Vanguard from printing independently. He hopes to frighten and intimidate the whole campus by suspending its editors.

BUT GIDEONSE’ INTIMIDATION CAN BE STOPPED!

It can be stopped by making the principles of the suspended editors our principles.
It can be stopped by assuring the continued publication of Draugnav, whose existence is living proof of student resistance to his policies.

IT CAN BE STOPPED BY A THOUSAND COURAGEOUS STUDENTS.

A THOUSAND COURAGEOUS STUDENTS
who see Vanguard’s flight as their flight;
who feel its suspension as the suspension of their rights
WHO REPRESENT THE DEMANDS OF ALL THE STUDENTS FOR AN INDENDENT COLLEGE NEWSPAPER.

Vanguard will be published as an independent newspaper only if the campus recognizes the need for its existence. It will be published only if our support for it is made known.

Join the committee of 1,000
Come to Rally 3129B 12:15
Emergency Committee for Student Rights