They marched shoulder to shoulder in the spirit of Rev. Martin Luther King's march on Washington, D.C., in 1963.

Sometimes they sang, sometimes they spoke softly as they walked from Grace Lutheran Church, to Eisenhower Auditorium yesterday commemorating King's birthday.

About 100 University students and community members participated in the march to honor and to revive the slain civil rights leader's dream of equality and brotherhood.

A brief ceremony inside Grace Lutheran Church, on the corner of Garner Street and Beaver Avenues, preceded the march with a welcome from State College Mayor Arnold Addison. Thomas Poole, University director of religious affairs, followed with a prayer.

James B. Stewart, director of black studies, put the day's march in context by reminding the participants that in order for King's dream to be realized, people must stop "daydreaming and sleepwalking" and become active in the movement for civil rights.

"Let us march as a recommitment to King's dream. The world of which King dreamed has not been realized," Stewart said, ". . .(because) we were to busy watching the passages of civil rights acts."

Marchers responded strongly to Stewart's message.

"We do need to start living and learning the dreams of Dr. King. We also need to keep on the right path with dreams, revolution, bloodshed or whatever is necessary to have justice," said Tara Webb, Black Caucus vice president.

Vice President for Student Services Bill Asbury also agreed. "Activism is educational for those who participate," she said. "Students are better educated when they leave the community."

Four student marshalls -- some of them wearing army fatigues and all of them wearing red armbands with the letters MLK written on them -- led the march down South Garner Street, across College Avenue and along Shortlidge Road to Eisenhower.

One mother and her daughter walked together, holding hands, joining the other marchers in singing verses of We Shall Overcome, a song often associated with the civil rights movement.

Coreen Lewis, who marched with her parents in the 1963 march on Washington, said she brought her 9-year-old daughter Maela because she wanted her to learn about the struggle King helped to lead.

"Martin Luther King is so far from us. He was one great man. He tried to help everyone. It is really sad to see his dream become lost," Lewis said.

Maela Lewis also had her own reasons for marching.

"I think that we should march in honor of Martin Luther King because he spent his life trying to get white and black together to live in a family," she said.

Another participant, Yvonne L. Terrell, said she decided to march because a rise in racist attitudes has made it important for people to become involved.

"I think it's about time African-Americans start getting out more and supporting more. And I think it's about time African-Americans start going out into the streets again," he said.

Larry Young, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, said, "I'm marching out of respect for Dr. King and to provide an example to others that the work is necessary."

Aside from the dreary weather, only one other factor dampened the day for some of the marchers -- the low turnout.

"In the university setting, students get caught up with grades and partying," said Donald Ealy, 1953 University alumnus. "They don't take time to think what's important in the world."

Some of the marchers said the University must become more committed to establishing King's birthday as a holiday by canceling classes the entire day. Classes after 3:30 yesterday afternoon were cancelled.

Robert Lynch (graduate-communications) said canceling classes would show the University is sincere about celebrating King's birthday on campus.

"I'm glad that people finally recognized the holiday," Lynch said.