Remarks to the Members of the Schola Cantorum of the University of Arkansas

Senator Fulbright, Ambassador, Mrs. McClellan, Members of the Congress from Arkansas, and ladies and gentlemen:

I want to express our great appreciation to all of you. I think the people of Arkansas must be extremely proud of you. And I think what is most impressive is the fact that this very unusual and difficult kind of singing, which places great stress upon your self-discipline, and also upon your cooperation with your fellows, under the direction of a very distinguished leader, that all this was made possible by your efforts, by the University of Arkansas, and by the efforts of the people of Arkansas who arranged to send you overseas.

As Senator Fulbright said, when the National Cultural Center is finally built, it'll be possible for us to organize, I think, contests of groups from all parts of the country who can come to Washington, and then the winner can be selected and sent abroad with the support of the people of the United States through the United States Government.

But I think there's something, in some ways more attractive and more informal, in the fact that you had sufficient confidence in yourselves, the people at the University and the people of Arkansas, to do it themselves and send you over there.

I think probably our greatest debt goes really to Italy, from which so much of our inspiration for music has come. So I think this close link between Arkansas and ancient Italy, between all of you who represent our best talent, I think is a very heartwarming evidence of the great ties that bind the Western World.

We are glad to have you here. I think that the people of Arkansas must be very proud of you, as I am. I am glad to see you.

[At this point, Senator Fulbright announced that the group would sing their full program, to which the public was invited, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon in the new Senate Office Building auditorium. The President then resumed speaking.]

We want to tell you we are glad to have you here. I appreciate Senator Fulbright calling me the other day and telling me you were going to be in town. I am glad to see you.