Agnes Scott College - Silhouette Yearbook (Decatur, GA)

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M;ss Margaret Phyth; Miss Muriel Harn FRENCH DEPARTMENT Miss Margaret Taylor Pythian, the head of the French Department, taught courses in the French novel and drama. Her interests outside the college included housekeeping, taking walks, reading, and fishing and swiinniing in the summer. One of her specialties was making French onion soup. Little philosophical saying enhanced the classes of M. Pierre Thomas, assistant professor, as do the clever sketches which he drew to illustrate stories for French conversation periods. Miss Mary Virginia Allen, assistant professor of French, was also a lover of cats. In fact she said that when she retired she would like to run an S.P.C.A. home. Miss Allen is the faculty adviser of the French Club. A new arrival to the department this year was Miss GERMAN DEPARTMENT Chloe Steele, assistant professor, of Denton. Texas. She was a scrabble and bridge fan and delighted in read- ing mystery stories. Mrs. Frank A. Sewell, instructor, was an Agnes Scott graduate who returned to teach here this year for the first time. She said that she was one who flutters in all directions. and that three activities which she enjoyed were reading, housekeeping, and scribbling plays. Miss Muriel Harn. Professor of German and Spanish, was well known for her afternoon parties — attended by German and Spanish students, and her dog Mickey. Students delighted in seeing her many souvenirs of her travels, including the beautifully carved wooden Nativity scene.

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ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Professor George P. Hayes, the head of the English Department, won the admiration of the college com- munity for his bravery under fire as chapel speaker on Suppressed Desires Day. He also had a special place in the hearts of the students for his work as facuhy advisor of Agnes Scott ' s very successful debat- ing team. In a popular course on argumentation he led a practical study of the subject which included class debates and oral discussions. Professor Emma May Laney had her last year before retiring from an active teaching position highlighted by her trip to Mississippi in the fall to deliver the address honoring her college English teacher at her class reunion. In the winter Miss Laney witnessed Mr. Robert Frost ' s fifteenth visit to the campus. The poet first came to Agnes Scott at her request and has made annual trips here ever since. Miss Ellen Douglass Leyburn, associate professor of English, was one of many teachers whom Agnes Scott is proud to have among its graduates. She served as president of the Beta chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and as a faculty marshal. Mortar Board and May Day Com- mittee owed much to her capable work as a faculty advisor to them. Miss Annie May Christie, associate professor, made a special study of American literature and taught popu- lar courses in this field. During her leisure moments she liked to garden and to listen to symphonic music. Miss Margaret Guthrie Trotter, associate professor of English, was the faculty sponsor of Folio, the fresh- man creative writing club. A rumor went around cam- pus that she had written and published short stories anonymously. Miss Roberta Winter, associate professor, specialized in speech and the dramatic arts. When she attended Agnes Scott, she was an active member of Blackfriars in which she said that she always played men ' s roles. She now directs the productions of this group. The faculty advisor for B.O.Z.. the upperclass writing club, was Miss Janef Preston, assistant professor. She had recently had several of her own poems published in poetry magazines. Her interest in creative writing was carried into her classes on narrative writing and on verse forms. Agnes Scott was happy to see Mr. Walter Edward McNair, assistant professor of English, return to teach- ing this fall after an absence due to illness. Mr. Mc- Nair in his courses offered instruction i n literature and in critical writing on the freshman and sophomore level. Assistant Professor Mary L. Rion joined the Agnes Scott faculty for the first time in the fall of 1955. She had previously taught at Hood and Mount Holyoke Colleges. Miss Julianne Hale, instructor, assisted Miss Winter in teaching speech and drama and in working with Black- friars. She designed the set used for the gorup ' s pro- duction of Antigone in the fall.

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Miss Florence E. Smith, Mr. Richard Drake and Mrs. Cathe HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT The head of the Department of History and Political Science, Professor Walter B. Posey was chosen by the seniors as investiture speaker this year. History majors remember Mr. Posey ' s definite harrow and recall that his favorite painting is Crossing the Dela- ware, while all students know his friendly smile. Mr. Posey was a travel enthusiast and found that life had no dull moments. He was an authority on American history. Miss Florence E. Smith, associate professor, was very interested in chamber music, especially Mozart. She played the piano, organ, and violin and had performed with various musical groups in and around Atlanta. Gardening and flower arranging were two of her other interests. Mr. Richard Drake, visiting instructor, who played the flute, was another music lover in the history de- partment. Mr. Drake ' s other hobby was taking and de- veloping photographs. He was a candidate for the Ph.D. at Emory University. Mrs. Catherine Strateman Sims was chairman of the conunittee to select Fulbright scholars for the United Kingdom. Having come originally from Britain, she had an accent which students love. This past summer she travelled in Europe with her husband. She was faculty adviser of the International Relations Club. Mr. Walter B. P.