Bethany College - Bethanian Yearbook (Bethany, WV)

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FACULTY SEMINAR Delle Williams John Erskine Oe e Willicn-s and John Erskine, both seniors, were the first students asked to present papers before the faculty seminars. Student summary of rec- ommendation madeat the three seminars for the betterment of stu- dent college experience. The faculty has done something about their discussions. BY DELLE WILLIAMS Four weeks ago the faculty of Bethany college met in its third seminar, a scientific experiment in the field of education . Student representation in this meeting was an unprecedented innovation. That fact alone would justify a live student in- terest in seminars. Seminars inform, instruct, inspire; they do not act executively. The germ of ideas lately brought to fruition in the college program may be traced, however, to the minutes of preceding seminars. Seminars were instituted on this campus in 1936 to meet a felt need for discussions of which the faculty meetings could not take care. Pro- gressive trends of education defined in terms of the needs on this campus were to be discussed. Many of the problems considered by our social panel last year were anticipated in the faculty seminars. For instance, we read in the minutes of one: There is no inherent opposition be- tween curricular and extra-curricular interests . . . Spiritual means of happiness and social peace are quite as necessary as the material . . . Hence, we should have increased opportunity for participa- tion in the arts, crafts, recreation. (Notice the plea is for participation, not entertainment. Spec- tatoritis is a disease the infirmary doesn ' t treat — unfortunately.) Furthermore, the faculty, not being as lethar- gic as the student body, has done something a- bout their discussions. They not only propose but also encourage participation in the crafts . This year, cases for the display of hobbies have been added to the ground floor of the library. There are four of them — one for freshmen, one for sophomores, another for juniors, and the fourth for seniors, if you wish. What can the classes offer comparatively? It might be inter- esting to see. You who have leather work, water colors, arrow head collections, etc., display them! Miss Cutlip will be glad to talk with any riders of hobbies — though chicken raisers mav find an exhibit hard to arrange. As for the arts, they are looking up . Music and drama need no mention here to make them known to the student body. They are going con- cerns on our campus. Esthetic dancing is also receiving some attention. Chapel programs and lecture courses have introduced us to folk and interpretative dancing. (The Shag and Susy-Q manage to get around on their own.) Programs such as the arts club, with its every-member- participation, are to be commended. It has made Bethany art conscious, and helped supply in inter- est what we are lacking in courses in the field. The modern art lectures last year did their bit for Bethany, too. We hope they will continue this year, but might we suggest that a series be chosen that will not find its way into a New York junk shop after a month or two? The college is interested in the student not only as he now is, but as he is to be , physically, mentally, spiritually. Our present health program grew out of hours of consideration of the best interests of the stu- dent by the faculty. To see is to believe the im- provement of the new set-up. Instead of a dose of castor oil — from a part-time nurse — for ev- erything from a sprained ankle to a cold, we have efficient health examinations, prescriptions, and scientific counsel. The foundations for ef- ficiency here and satisfactory work hereafter are built on sound physical health — student practice to the contrary. Flagrant abuse of health — late (or early ) hours, excessive smoking, living on nerves — should be regulated by student opinion. We are here to build a life, not destroy one. Mentally, the college offers the student an ex- cellent curriculum and, more important, the stim- PAGE FOURTEEN

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tetfauuan ... PARTICLES The Young Republican National Federation is sponsoring a $15,000 oration contest for college stu- dents. Among the speech topics contestants must choose from are — would you guess it? — Can the Initiative of Youth Be Maintain- ed under the New Deal ? and New Deal: a Menace to Individ- ualism. Details may be obtain2d at the Bethanian staff office (if we ever get an office ) . Professors come and go! Pro- fessor Booth, Bible teacher and grade A wit, is away on Sabbatic- al leave, while there is a new Miller and a new Clark, potential chemistry and economics pro- fessors. Out of Miami university comes the plea that the youth of Amer- ica organize into a vast lobbying group to exert its influence on issues affecting young people. Such an issue is the war ques- tion. Young men from the ages of 18 to 21, while not entitled to an official voice in deciding upon war, are expected to do much of the actual fighting in case the older men choose to protect our interests abroad, says the Miami Student. The postcard method of lobbying suggested by Mrs. Lyon in her chapel speech to Bethany students concerning the Chines? situation may be an initial step. The first meeting of the Bc- thespian club was held October 4, 1938. Freshmen were welcomed and the organization was divided up into little theater groups which in turn are to present one-act plays for the meetings of the club. Miss Hosp spoke briefly concerning the purpose and a- chievements of the organization. The groups under the direction of Eleanor Baker and Kay Hess are to present their plays at the next monthly meeting of tho club. Freshmen do not realize that Bethany is a different place from what it was last year, but upper- classmen know that Bethany is indeed not the same without Huff ' s famous dark room — also known as the Bamboo room, the Palm room, the Orchid room, and in general a den of iniquity. There is one thing less for the administration to frown upon an J one rule less for the student body to break. The- Bethanian announces that there will be a meeting held iii room 33 on next Monday evening at 7:15 o ' clock for all freshmen who wish to try for a staff posi- tion. Notice, Faculty Club A certain member ' s parental fondness to Tannhauser (to-tan- Hauser) was not intended to ex- press musical appreciation, un- less the sounds ejected by Mr. Hauser while being overtly repri- manded approximated melody. However, the writer ' s recollec- tion of th? incidents, does not recogniz; a melodious intent, but rest assured the opus effected harmony. The onus probandi is mine. May it suffice that I am happy to be one of you. Yours, For less jue de mots. Two excellent lecturers have been scheduled for this month by Dean Weimer. On October 25 PvOllo Walter Brown will present an evening lecture and also in chapel on October 26. Mr. Brown has written Next Door to a Poet, Toward Romance. As of the Gods, and a biography including the selection. A Listener to the Winds, which is included in the freshman English College Omnibus. He was born in Crooks- ville, Ohio, and at one time work- ed in a coal mine. He was grad- uated from Harvard where he later taught English. He is now a resident of Cambridge, Massa- chusetts. Harrison Brown, lecturer, writ- er, and authority on international economics, will deliver an eve- ning lecture on November 7 and in convocation the next morning. He will be on the campus for sev- eral days and will be available for student conferences during this time. Mr. Brown was obtained as a lecturer through the Insti- tute of International Education. He is an Englishman and lives in London. During the World War he was in the British army. He is quite familiar with German af- fairs as he lived in Germany from 1928 to 1932. He will probably be able to give an unbiased in- terpretation to the Nazis party activities. He has given several radio addresses in America and is acquainted with the political philosophy of the U. S. S. R. The tentative movie schedule of the Bethany theater for the coming months has been announc. ed with the following pictures scheduled: October 21 — Valley of the Giants. October 28 — Four Daughters. November 4 — Secret Actress. November 11 — White Banners. November 18 — Cowboy from Brooklyn. November 25 — Garden of the Moon. These pictures are subject to change, according to Mr. Leroy Strasser. Classes have recently organized and elected their officers for the coming year. The Seniors have chosen Ralph Burger as their president; Jack McGinty will as- sist him as vice-president; Doro- thy Johnson as secretary, and James Steele as treasurer. The Juniors ' leader will be Al Wright. Bill Porter has been se- lected for vice-president. A slight difficulty arose after the election, a tie between Bobby Murray and Catherine Smith for the office of secretary. The matter was turn- ed over to the new president. Other offices filled were: treasur- er, Mary Jane South, and histor- ian, Marilyn Roberts. The Sophomores have also se- lected their staff. This year they will be headed by Scott Kaler, with Lylc Mayne helping as vice- president. Dorothy Colteryahn is the secretary; Peggy Geyer is treasurer: and Tommy Cullison is the representative to the ath- letic board of control. This week the Bethanian is in- troducing a contest in which val- uable prizes will be given for candid camera shots of student activities. The best will be used in the magazine with a by-line telling who took the picture. PAGE THIRTEEN

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ulus of great minds. Maybe you came to college to be went with and ain ' t yet as one girl is reputed to have told the dean of women, but regardless, in careful workmanship in one or more departments of the college you will find a satisfaction and pride unequaled by spurious thrills. Every year the administration is giving the student more freedom in work; every year the irksome requirements for graduation are being reduced. This year, instead of taking definite required courses, freshmen are only asked to elect one year ' s work from each of the five depart- ments of the college. With more freedom should come increased interest and greater excellence in work. One who has become so interested in exploring a new country in literature, or art, or science — so interested that hours and quality points are forgotten in the quest may find a year ' s foreign language holding up his gradu- ation, but he won ' t need coffee to keep him a- wake. Bethany can justly boast of its program of in- dividualized teaching. Professors are literally available almost day and night for conferences. Guidance is available for any one at any time for the asking. And in most cases one doesn ' t have to ask. Bethany ' s guidance program is based on friendship between counselor and coun- selee. Informal Sunday evenings at counselors ' homes, and counselee group meetings make it possible. At the beginning of each year a special effort is made by the administr tion in its fresh- man Week program to answer some of the ques- tions and solve some of the problems of new college students. In the past this counsel has been carried on for freshmen only throughout the year by an inadequate orientation program. The catalogue now lists for the first time two ad- vanced orientation courses dealing with political and social and marital problems — courses de- signed to meet the needs of upperclassmen. Bethany in its guidance program does not seek to break with the old life of its students in build- ing the new. It integrates its program with the high school from which the student comes and with the student ' s home. Education day, moth- er ' s day, parent ' s day, the evident pleasure with which professors and friends greet interested parents and teachers on any day testify to the college ' s interest in the student ' s background. The college tries to educate for the true (through its science courses), the beautiful (by its art and literature), and the good (in its re- ligion and ethics classes). But with all its good intentions, the college still graduates seniors with the trappings of intellectualism and pseudo- culture. One may even be well trained intellectually. and polished socially and still remain a snob. That leaven of religion, or philosophy of life, or what you will, makes the difference. Philos- ophy of life is a good phrase, a glib phrase. It rolls well on the tongue. But too often it means the bundle of prejudices by which we live. Now prejudices — in spite of the sound of the word — may be all right. It ' s all in knowing which ones to hold on to. It doesn ' t pay to be too open- minded. Open-mindedness so often is vacant mindedness. But a spirit of toleration can and should go hand in hand with convictions. A man ' s religion should be one of convic- tions. It should not merely be one of doing things because society disapproves, nor of doing things because they are good for him. It may include a steady devotion to a cause or social ideal that outmodes and perhaps requires the conventional social code to be revised and if it does he should have the courage to defend that ideal. This winter in the evening forums at the church we have a chance to consider problems of world importance, seek a solution, propose and defend our own convictions. Here is another chance for Bethany students to practice that free speech which is as much a tradition of the college as the tower clock. Bethany is listed as a Chris- tian college. That need be no misnomer if stu- dents are awake, for the college is supporting the program of the church as it tries to meet the needs of the students. The administration is interested in seeing that a student graduated from Bethany will leave, not feeling that ' twas better to have come and loafed than never to have come at all, but that he will leave with an attitude toward life and society that will enable him to serve society in any capacity without irritation and with the abil- ity to experience abundant living . . . with such an attitude that he will mar his living neither by contempt for his inferiors nor envy for his superiors. PAGE FIFTEEN