Clippings from George S. Benson

Searcy will be among. 26 Arkansas cities to receive Awards of Excellence for outstanding civic betterment projects during Arkansas Community Development Program awards ceremonies in the Camelot Inn at Little Rock, Wednes- day. The projects submitted by the Searcy Chamber of Com– merce were the George S. Benson Auditorium, and the Owatonna Tool Company' Searcy's newest . industry . The city will receive a pla- que which will be acc~pted by Dwane Treat, president of the Searcy Chamber of ComJilerce. For exhibiting ~~t~ao~– dinary leadership ~b_il~ties ~n development activities _m their hometowns, 28 i~– dividual Arkansans will receive Awards of Excep– tional Accomplishment dur– ing an Awards Luncheon. The Governor FrankWhite will be the principal speaker. On behalf of ACDP sponsors, Arkansas State Chamber .of Commerce President Ji~ Nichols of Little Rock will make all award presenta- AUGUST 1981 . .... ~. ~-. . Benson Revisits China-After 45-Year Absence Dr. George S. Benson, president emeritus of Harding University, as a guest of Dr. J. D. Patterson, recently reviJted China after an absence of 45 years. The two men were in the People's Republic of China for three weeks. While touring Buddhist temples filled with large Buddha images in Peking, Nanking and Shanghai, the visitors were told, "The people are given religious freedom, but the government believes t hat Buddhism serves their interest best." Benson reported that the changes observed af:ter 45 years were quite remarkable in some areas, while in other areas there appeared to be no change at all. "The most readily observed changes," Benson reflected, "were in the way the girls dressed and combed their hair . .. Girls working in offices and, in fact, in many public places was also a decided change," Benson commented. Benson lived in China for 11 years before becoming president of Harding in 1936. He was the first Church of Christ missionary in China and was driven out by Communists. During his stay, Benson opened three schools; Canton English School and Canton Bible School, to which the College Church of Christ holds the deed, and the School of the Poor, for the children of the coolies. On his return to China, Benson found none of these structures still in existence. Productivity was one thing that hadn't Returning from a three-week tour of China earlier this summer were Dr. J. D. Pat– terson, local dentist, and Dr. George S. Benson, right, president emeritus ofHarding Unive~ity and former missionary to China. · changed since 1936, Benson said. Patterson commented, "The most important message I have for American people on my return is 'Thank God you live in America.' " Both men were amazed at the tremend01,1s growth of American tourism in China. Last year it toppea two million, and it is expected to surpass that m_ark this year.