1988_04 The Daily Collegian April 1988

              Tuesday, April 12,1988 Page 3
News
Schweitzer's thinking explored
By Lob Henry
Staff Writer
In a noontime lecture Monday in the
CU, Dr. Waller Ensslin brought life and
humor to the life story of Albert Schweitzer.
The lecture, titled Peace Through Reverence for Life, incorporated comparisons of
Schweitzer's thinking and the state of
society today.
Ensslin, a retired foreign language professor and. Schweitzer enthusiast, used
slides to illustrate Schweitzer's life, the
people who influenced him most and his
thoughts about life and humanity.
The hour-long lecture couldn't begin to
give an in-depth study of the man, but
Ensslin used the time to highlight
Schweitzer's thinking instead of his many
humanitarian deeds.
Attendance at the lecture was minimal.
Only six people came to hear the Schweitzer story.
Ensslin said the low attendance could
be due to the fact that people might be
too busy to come and that also, they
might be intimidated by Schweitzer.
One person in attendance. Dr. Dekeka.
M.D., said that people today are used to
fast service. "They get ready-made food
and want ready-made spirituality, too."
Dekeka said of Schweitzer's spirituality
that it "isn't aggresive like we're used to.
There's no one passing a hat around for
donations."
Thoughts of Schweitzer as an intimidating historical figure were put to rest in
Ensslin's lecture. The great compassion
that was the central theme of Schweitzer's
life was shown as it developed throughout
'He was an odd guy who didn't fit in, as are all
great men.'
—Dr. Walter Ensslin
his life.
Through anecdotes and personal quotes,
Ensslin showed how Schweitzer developed his compassionate nature early in life.
At the age of five, Schweitzer composed his own edition of a prayer, Ensslin
said. The prayer asked God to keep the animals safe and protect all living things.
Ensslin told, in a thick German accent,
the story of how a young Schweitzer rejected the influence of his peers and followed his own moral code.
The story was of Schweitzer's classmate inviting him to shoot birds with
slingshots. Schweitzer, said Ensslin, was
too bashful to decline, but when the
moment came to let go the pebble,
Schweitzer heard the church bells in his
village, threw down the slingshot and
frightened away the birds.
Ensslin said Schweitzer had referred to
that moment "as the greatest experience
of his life and he never gave up his own
inner voice in favor of what others
thought
"He was an odd guy who didn't fit in,
as are all great men."
Schweitzer had been such a "dreamer
and a thinker," said Ensslin, "that his parents wanted to take him out of school.
"His father fell, 'if only Albert would
learn lo read and write, he could be a
mailman.'" Ensslin said
Ensslin explained the young Schweitzer was greatly impressed with the passion and teachings of Jesus. "He walked
in the footsteps of Jesus and used applied
Christianity instead of the lip service so
many use in Christianity."
Ensslin went on to show the great
philosophers and composers who had
influenced Schweitzer's thinking. Among
them were Nieiszche, Tolstoy, Kant,
Fredrick the Great, Beethoven, Bach,
Mozart, Schubert
Ensslin told the sparse audience that
Schweitzer, at 21, decided to devote the
first 30 years of his life to science and art
and the last 30 to the direct service of
man.
Before going to Africa, Schweitzer had
earned three doctorates, was an ordained
preacher and a celebrated organist
Schweitzer had been great friends with
Aiben Einstein, Ensslin said. He added
that Einstein and Schweitzer looked very
much alike and were often confused by
children seeking autographs.
Schweitzer had told the children that
while on the outside he might look like
Einstein, on the inside they were very different He went on to tell them that since
he and Einstein were such good friends,
he would sign for Einstein, Esslin said.
Ensslin told of Schweitzer's ethical and
philisophical discoveries while in Africa
In trying to think of a statement of
ethics, Ensslin said, Schweitzer had "ran
into an iron wall. Then as he was thinking, a nerd of hippopotomi surfaced in the
water close to where he was working. Suddenly, like a flash through his mind.
Albeit realized ethical thought could be
stated as: Reverence for life."
Ensslin took time in the lecture to explain the difference between culture and
civilization, saying historically the two
had intersected, but that it is no longer
true.
He explained culture as having to do
with inner growth and civilization as
much as with the outer appearances of
growth.
"Today we can build spaceships, but
look at all the missing children," Ensslin
said.
Ensslin pointed to a display of over 20
missing children ads at the front of the
room and said he'd collected the ads in one
month.
"This shows how far we've sunk in our
inhumanness."
He showed a slide of the Titanic disaster and drew a comparison between the attitude aboard that ship and current societal
attitudes.
"Mankind suffers from an almost
pathological fear of thinking.''
The lecture ended with a description of
Schweitzer's compassion not only for
humans, but also for animals. Ensslin
showed pictures of. laboratory animal
testing and concluded the lecture by saying "for all of his life, Albert suffered
from his compassion."
The College Union Program Committee and Foundation Health Plan
present
New Emerging Leaders
Foundation Student Leadership Seminar
Saturday, April 16, 1988
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m
"><*
FOUNDATION
HEALTH      PLAN
Featuring Kathleen Allen
College Union, Room 312-314
Buffet and learning materials included
s&«
•iiiK
Ms. Kathleen E. Allen, dean for student-development
at Mount St. Mary's College In Los Angeles, will be the
keynote speaker. She is active in student leadership
development, is editor of her own newsletter and is a
doctoral student at the University of San Diego.
Ms. Allen is the author of many papers and
publications, currently writing two books and is one of
the authors of Future Perfect, a recently published
volume in the National Association of Campus
Activities, (NACA), Reference Series. She is known for
her contributions as an educational presenter at more
than 250 workshops and seminars.
Ms. Allen will be sharing her leadership philosophy and how it can influence your
We and behaviors. Participants will discuss Ms. Allen's "life Skills' and how they can
improve student leadership and personal development,
In addition. Russ Sloan, Executive Director of the Fresno County and City Chamber of
Commerce will discuss creativity and delegation topics.  Mr. Sloan's background includes the
position of CSUF Bulldog Foundation Director and later as Athletic Director.  He also served as the
Executive Director at the California Bowl prior to his present position.
Mr. John Fu. CSUF Student Affairs International Student Counselor, will present "Knowing More
About Yourself and Others'. His presentation will focus on your personality and its influence on
human communication, interaction and leadership dynamics.