Alcalá 1968

Introduction

Life in America today is centered on ever expand–

ing circles of contact and communication. It involves

not only family demands, but those of the community,

the nation, and of the world through social and cul–

tural pressures. This life of multiplicity leads not to

unification, but rather to the fragmentation of man's

energies and pursuits.

The pages which follow represent a minute mo–

ment in time-the student in pursuit of knowledge as

prescribed by an institute of higher learning-a uni–

versity. At the conclusion of this moment, the multi–

plicity of the world will engulf the man with a false

sense of values: values weighed in quantity, not qual–

ity; in speed, not stillness; in clamor, not quiet; in

words, not thoughts; in acquisitiveness, not beauty.

How can he remain the whole man in the midst of

centrifugal forces?

Man needs to achieve a balance of the spiritual,

intellectual, and physical life. There must be time for

solitude and sharing, space for significance and

beauty, closeness to nature to strengthen our under–

standing, and faith in the continuity of life-life of the

spirit. the creative life, and the life of human relation–

ships. In the spontaneity of the here and now so vividly

portrayed in this volume, the student at the University

of San Diego de Alcala is hopefully approaching this

balance which he will need to sustain him tomorrow.

Here, in Alcala Park which overlooks the birthplace

of Christianity and civilization in California, there is a

glowing atmosphere of unity and progress, a renewed

spirit of enthusiasm in the University life, for enriched

educational opportunities have brought about a flow–

ing interchange of ideas and activities among the

Colleges.

-Ray Brandes, Ph.D.