EXHIBITS
War and Peace: Beginnings
The Center's Beginnings
Creating the Center
The onset of the Vietnam War brought much debate and controversy to the United States of America. Protests happened all over the nation as individuals spoke out against a cause they saw as unjust and unnecessary. Dr. Daryl Chase had a different idea about how peace could be achieved and what caused war.
The Center for the Study of the Causes of War and the Conditions of Peace was dedicated on 7 December 1966[1]. The center was created under the direction of Dr. Daryl Chase, the president of Utah State University at the time, as an effort to promote peaceful living among the students and faculty at USU.
Dr. Chase outlined the goals he had for what the center could accomplish. He did not want to encourage students to go out and protest the war. He did not want students to burn buildings and harm others. Dr. Chase wanted the students to learn. He wanted them to know how they could create peace among their fellow students. He wanted them to know that it was possible for them to make a difference in the world without causing harm to themselves or others. He wanted them to read and learn about why war happened and how peace could be achieved[2].
The Center's Programs
From its start, the Center for the Study of the Causes of War and the Conditions of Peace made efforts to reach beyond Utah State University. President Lyndon B. Johnson was invited to speak at the dedication ceremony of Center. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed at the dedication and Herman Kahn was the keynote speaker[3]. Dr. Chase wanted the nation to know about the efforts he was making in the name of peace.
The Center implemented many programs to promote peace in the community and among the students. Speakers were brought in from around the country to share their ideas of how peace could be established and how war could be prevented. Some of the speakers and topics included "Games Nations Play" by Jack Vaughn (1966), "World Peace and America's Price" by Richard C. Hottelett (1967), and "Can Knowledge Bring Peace?" by Arthur Larson (1967)[4].
The organizers of the Center sent requests to similar scholarly organizations around the nation requesting materials supporting their efforts. The goal was to create a library of resources specifically directed toward achieving peace in the nation[5]. They wanted to create an environment of education and learning surrounding the war, while simultaneously discouraging the violence that had often been perpetuated.
[1] Chase, Daryl. Center on War and Peace Scrapbook. Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. University Archives. 7 December 1966.
[2] Chase, Daryl. Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. University Archives. 3.1/3-10 Box 14 Folder 5. May 1966.
[3] Chase, Daryl. Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. University Archives. 3.1/3-10 Box 6 Folder 10. 27 July 1966.
[4] Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. General University. 10.10:1 Box 1 Folder 3.
[5] Chase, Daryl. Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. University Archives. 3.1/3-10 Box 6 Folder 12. 13 July 1966.
[6] Frank Wolfe, “Wikimedia Commons,” Lyndon B. Johnson Library, 21 October 1967.
[7] Chase, Daryl. Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. University Archives. 3.1/3-10 Box 14 Folder 5. May 1966.
[8] Chase, Daryl. Center on War and Peace Scrapbook. Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. University Archives. 7 December 1966.
[9] Chase, Daryl. Center on War and Peace Scrapbook. Utah State University Special Collections and Archives. University Archives. 7 December 1966.
Page Created By Elizabeth Peel