Monmouth College - Ravelings Yearbook (Monmouth, IL)

Page 25 text:

In any present moment the streetlamp ' s arc is never clearly defined. Only in retrospect does its perimeter become clear. Wise men keep its limits before them in principle. It is the business of philosophy to examine these principles ration- ally; they are the necessary conditions of moral life — of goodness and honor. Dr. Thompson, the head of the philosophy department has done much to strengthen the liberal ideal at Monmouth College His proposal for curriculum revision is now under study by the faculty. This program is aimed at intensifying the |unior and senior programs along lines of in- tegration and depth. It calls for close inter- departmental cooperation on the part of the faculty and a broadening of the program of in- dependent study. This approach has provided a fertile background for such interdepartmental seminars as are now offered by English, sociology, and history departments PHILOSOPHY Dr. Thompson is the author of the recently published book, A Modern Philosophy of Religion, which has been adopted as a text book by some twenty five colleges and universities, including Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Rochester, Syracuse University, Uni- versity of Nebraska, Indiana University, Rice Insti- tute, and Oberlin College

Page 24 text:

20 American University students view Lmccln Memorial in Washington, D. C Clare Gemrich and Sally Smith are students who participated in the Washington Semester Plan The people who pride themselves on their indifference to the issues of government are not- aware of the violence and grief which accompany dictatorship Displaced persons tell us that in Nazi Germany the boots of the Gestapo and the S S Corps could be heard patroling in darkened streets from Munich to Berlin; mothers and their young were gassed, burned, clubbed, or shot be- cause they were not the children of a fictive super-race That could happen anywhere ' Our best defense against it is an informed and re- sponsible citizenry which takes pains to probe the competence of candidates for office, takes an interest in current events, and informs its re- presentatives of its wishes. Through informing citizens of their responsibilities, Dr Gamer ' s department of government makes a material contribution to the democratic ideal. Each year Monmouth College participates in the Washington Semester Plan College stu- dents from many colleges and universities spend one semester in Washington, DC, doing inde- pendent research, seeing the politicians at work and meeting the autonomous experts who run the government from behind the scenes Clare Gernnch and Sally Smith spent the first semester of this year at the American University in Wash- ington and this semester Gertrude Morrill and Paul Carlson are studying there. Through informing citizens of their responsibilities, Dr. Gamer ' s department of government makes a material contribution to the democratic ideal.

Page 26 text:

22 CLASSICAL LANGUAGES The Creek and Roman worlds are the hist- orical source of western culture, its language, and its customs Creeks discovered the secrets of formal mathematics, developed the arts of sculp- ture and architecture, and the thinking of their philosophers was applied to establish the truth claims of Christianity Rome gave to posterity the model of effective government and legislation, the sparkle of its orators, and the beauty of its poetry The grandeur of these early civilizations is forever interred in their literature and poetry. Dr Ralston ' s Creek students may probe the works of Xenophon and Plato, or read selections from the Creek New Testament, while Ovid, Horace, and Vergil are studied in Latin courses taught by Miss Fox. These classical languages are not important only because of their cultural significance. The Creek tongue influenced the Latin language and Latin is the ancestor of the Italian, Spanish, French, and Roumaiman languages; and to a large extent the English language. This year a classics club has been organized at Monmouth College, it is sponsored by Miss Fox and attended by Dr Ralston and Dr Thiessen, who once taught Latin in Miss Fox ' s absence. The Classics Club is at present seeking to affiliate it- self with the national classics organization, Eta Sigma Phi Through the study of the classics students get an app