Harding College - Petit Jean Yearbook (Searcy, AR)

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ANUS qives pERsoNAl views ON Cl1RistiAN educmiow CLIFTON L. GANUS, JR., Ph.D., President of the College, spoke often at churches, schools and camps in behalf of the college. This proved to be important in development work, fund raising, student recruitment and general public relations. He served on the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Foundation of Associated Colleges and was the chairman of the Arkansas Council of independent Colleges and Universities. During the summer of 1976 he spoke in eight states for Citizenship Seminars and Farm Bureau state meetings. He spoke at schools, civic meetings and on television on Bicentennial themes and spoke at the Yosemite En- campment in California on several different topics. He went to Norway, Sweden and Denmark for two weeks during the summer to learn more of their economic, political and social systems. Ganus was involved in oversight of the graduate school and academy in Memphis and visited several elderships of congregations in Memphis with regard to the possibility of a campaign for the graduate school. He was guest speaker at the meeting of the presidents of Christian colleges at Northeastern Christian Junior College in Villanova, Penn. He also spoke at the lectureship and elder's workshop on campus. He served as an elder at the College church of Christ and preached and held meetings in various cities. The following is from an interview held with Dr. Ganus in September, 1976. Petit Jean: What does Christian education mean to you? Ganus: Christian education to me is the finest kind of education because it means Christ in education. It simply means adding the fourth 'R' of righteousness to the old timey three 'Fl's of reading, writing, and arith- metic. lt actually is attempting to have an excellent education in the basics of mathematics, English and history, etc., but to have it in an atmosphere and situation that stresses Christ and spiritual values. Not only in these particular classes are these values stressed, but also in the whole at- mosphere of the institution: the social 20 PRESIDENT life, recreational life, academic lifeg in every aspect of the work. Petit Jean: Do you believe that the students and graduates of Harding are better equipped to meet the demands of living and their occupations because of this environment? Ganus: l feel that we ought to have not only a strong academic program but a strong social program, a strong extra-curricular or co-curricular program because all of these things help to play a very important part in the total development of the students. You learn in your relationships with others, you learn by doing, by being a part of something, as well as learning from the text book or the class situation. So we try to have at Harding a program that is designed to develop the individuals physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. We do believe in strong academic work, and I think that is quite evident in the numerous awards and honors that our students and faculty have won in so many different academic fields. We also think we ought to be strong athletically. In other words, we should do the best of our ability and use the talents that God has given us in everything whether in the classroom, the football field, the basketball court or singing a song in a program. This helps our students to grow and mature, then when they get out into life they do a pretty good job of competing in the world. lf you just took out the spiritual side of it and left only the physical, material side, l think we still do an excellent job. PetitJean.' What are the advantages students at a Christian college have over those who do not have this Christian environment? Ganus: I think there are many. To be able to sit at the feet of Christian men and women who are outstanding in their fields and are good teachers is a tremendous advantage. We have an abundance of excellent teachers at Harding, and to study under them is to me outstanding. Another is the op- portunities to learn the Word of God. And to become steeped with His Word and His Will to me is outstanding and something you can't get in so many places. To sit in chapel every day, to attend Bible classes, and the Wed- nesday night services are experiences that will help an individual far more than he or she realizes at the moment. We gripe sometimes at having to go to 'by

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X chapel every day. Later in life many of the people who get a little tired of it will wish they could come back and go to chapel. They will really think of chapel as being a highlight of their experience at Harding. I have had this told to me over and over by alumni, not while they are in school, but when they get out. They think back, You know - my what I missed, what I could have had. So I guess it's just a fact of life. I think it's a great advantage in a Christian college in being able to study with so many young people with like faith. I didn't have this when I was growing up in New Orleans where there were only two or three Christians my age. So when I came to Harding it was like a little bit of heaven because we had so many and then we only had 379 students. And too, this is a wonderful place to find a Christian mate. There is no guarantee you will find one, you still have to look, but at least there's 'a better opportunity in a place like Harding. Here you see one another under all types of pressures. These are some of the advantages I think you have at a Christian school, there are others of course. Petit Jean: Why did you choose Christian education as your Held? Ganus: I know an education is important, but I would not teach in a school that was not a Christian school. For the simple reason that I feel a Christian education is the best kind of education. Sometimes l've had people say, Brother Ganus, l'd like my child to have a Christian education, but I want him to have a good education. As if it is the case of 'either-or', but it's not to me, it's 'both-and.' When you get a Christian education in a school such as Harding you have strong academic work and this is evident by our students who go on to graduate school and do outstandingly in professional work. For example, we've had.156 young people to go through Pre-medicine at Harding and go on to medical school, but only one has failed to make the grade. One out of 1563 that's tremendous. That is an in- dication of the quality of our science and pre-medical programs. The same can be said for other areas, not necessarily in the same numbers, but it is tremendous when they go on and write back to us and say how well they were prepared in history, mathematics, psychology or social work. This is an indication that Christian education can be strong academically. Petit Jean: How did you get into this field? Ganus: When I graduated from Harding, I was going to preach. I started preaching when I was a fresh- man here in 1939 and have been ever since. I was moving to Charleston, IVliss., to preach for two years, and I decided to go ahead and get my Master's degree. Dr. Benson, who was president then, asked me to come back to Harding and teach. The president of David Lipscomb College in Nashville, Tenn., also asked me to come over there with a view of ultimately becoming head of the history department. I visited Lipscomb, but I knew Harding and I decided to come back to Harding because here I could teach Bible as well as history. I loved Harding and always have. I decided I would teach Bible and history and preach each weekend. This is my 31st year teaching at Harding, except I don't have much chance to teach anymore, just occasionally. Petit Jean: What are the personal rewards you have gained from being at Harding? Ganus: I suppose the feeling of being able to assist thousands of young people to realize their am- bitions, their goals educationally, assist them to grow into a more mature relationship with God, assist them to become better Christians and better , I ffl I fs I 9 ' In , at P-K ' lfl L4 1 ri! QL . . if , x I' fit I i citizens of this nation in which we live is my personal reward. I'm not in Christian education for the money. I want to see young people grow and develop, and I love the institution, its purpose and what it's trying to do. Because Christian education is Christ in education is the only reason I would be at a school like Harding. I have gained personal benefits from having our children here in this community and with the wonderful associations that my family and I have with thousands of Christian people. My own opportunity to grow spiritually and to mature and develop is a reward of a Christian college. But I really believe that my best reward is wat- ching young people come here im- mature, unlearned and somewhat weak at times and then see them leave as strong faithful Christians. That to me is one of the great joys of being at a Christian school. Occasionally it goes the other wayp you see them go downhill, but it's so seldom in com- parison to the number that grow, blossom, mature and develop. And that's what it's all about. 1. CLIFTON L. GANUS. JR., President of the College. 2. DR. GANUS makes an an- nouncement in a chapel service. 3. LAUGHING with alumni, Dr. Ganus enjoys the Black and Gold banquet in November. 4. LISTENING to a friend, Dr. Ganus pauses at the November Homecoming game. PRESIDENT - 21