Bethany College - Bethanian Yearbook (Bethany, WV)

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HISTORY OF BETHANY ' S PUBLICATIONS Nothing mirrors the spirit, or college life so much as do student publica- tions. Conducted by stu- dents, expressing their opinions and outlooks, promoting their interests, and recording their activ- ities, the publications of the student body of Beth- any college give us a picture of the Bethany that others knew and that we know. College students today would find a wealth of interest in studying the back numbers of the Collegian and Bethanian. Hidden in their lines are suggestions of social history: the growth of America, the growth of industry, the changing attitude of youth. All of this provides a background which makes the pro- gressive growth of Bethany publications a thrill- ing epic. The method of portraying the vital touch of Bethany has varied with the ups and downs of the college. Finances, wars, fires, technical advance- ments are all reflected in the history of Bethany papers. Various purposes are stated for the publica- tion of the several journals, but all have foremost in mind the fixation of college life and spirit for the moment and its preservation for future pleasure. Alexander Campbell, the illustrious founder of Old Bethanv. first published the Millenial Harbinger in IS 30. It was a monthly magazine and we find in the prospectus of the first issue dated Monday, January 4, 1830, This work shall be devoted to the destruction of sectarianism — it shall have for its object the development — of that political and religious order of society, called The Millenium which will be the consumma- tion of that ultimate amelioration of society pro- posed in the Christian scriptures. The Harbinger changed hands in 1863, and became the property of Prof. W. K. Pendleton who continued its pub- lication until the end of 1870. The first monument of student life was the Stylus which was first published in the early 1850 ' s, by the Neotrophian society and the American Literary institute. The Stylus was de- signed to be a medium through which may be made known to the world such essays (prepared as a regular performance in the literary societies) as were valuable for their literary beauty, origin- From the Millenial Harbinger to the present Bethanian. The dramatic story of life and opin- ions of Bethany students as unfolded in the pages of his- toric college publications. BY JOHN ERSKINE a 1 i t y , and freshness of thought. In studying the Stylus, we find that it was issued monthly and was a twenty- four page paper. As a glimpse into the internal structure of that paper, we have a cross-section o f what was of interest to stu- dents in the early days of Bethany. The breadth of the reading and the rhetorical skill evidenced show the importance attached the literary, classic- al and oratorical excellence. There was great entrepreneural risk involved in publishing the Stylus. This magazine was pub- lished 10 months of the year and was mainly sup- ported by the contributions of the students which were solicited in tearful monograph. As an add- ed inducement, a splendid lithographic likeness of the faculty of Bethcny college was given to those securing fifteen subscriptions. The problems of slavery and states rights which absorbed the political interest of the day did not apparently receive enough attention at Bethany to be discussed in the Stylus. However, the conflict which broke out in I860 caused the demise of the Stylus as many young Bethanians left to defend their convictions with bayonet and bullets rather than through peaceful literary channels. A revival of the booklet was published in 1866 under the title Bethany College Guardian, and was continued to 1883, when it was revised and rechristened the Collegian. The Guardian catered little to the literary interests of the student body, but maintained ? position representing Bethany college among the publications of the Disciples of Christ denomination. The procuring of the newly invented steam press by the Wellsburg Herald effected a pro- found influence toward changing The Guardian from pamphlet to magazine form. The increased enrollment joined with other factors to make possible the publication of a larger magazine. Literary accomplishments were again the basic materials, being but an enter- prise of the students collectively it was intended to reflect the talents and tastes of the students. Gleaned from Vol. I No. 1 of the Collegian: Attendance at Bethany was then 116. PAGE FIVE

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DR. CRAMBLET ' S LIFE ... IN PICTURES -i$fc f ' $ « fife ■ ■: t % ; V P Top, eft fo right, 1. Bethanian moires a scoop with the first published baby picture of Dr. Cramblet. He is the one on the right with the curt. 2. Dr. Cramblet with two of his friends during his student days at Bethany College. 3. Dr. Cramblet with football team which he coached at Phillips College. He is in center with striped tie. Bottom, left to right, 1. After along march with a heavy pack. 2. Canada in the background, fish, in the foreground and Coach Knight, Dr. Woolery and Dr. Cramblet in between. 3. Our president greets the German and Chinese exchange students in his office. BETHANY ' S PRESIDENT AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS Is a college president human, or is he a culti- vated recluse separated from society because of his carefully complied fund of knowledge and delicate taste for the aesthetic? At least Bethany is fortunate in having an entirely human being at the head of the college powers-that-be. Here is an account of an interview this reporter had which brought him to this conclusion. Dr. Cramblet ' s study at the Heights where he does most of his work reflects his personality — that of a person interested and learned in almost every life phase. The pointed windows and shelves lined ceiling high with dark bound books reflect the dignity of his profession and of the generations of presidents who preceded him. A bust of William Shakespeare, a complete volume of Emerson ' s works and some memoirs of Alex- ander Campbell lie side by side with some of the most recently established periodicals. Life. Col- liers, The Amercican Mercury, and the best seller With Malice Toward Some and The Tide of Mont St. Michel balance the setting with a more modern flourish. Over the radio came the voice of Adolf Hitler and his interpreter, bullying the Czechs and justifying an imminent war. At a small work table were stacked accounts, business let- ters, important appearing pages containing the affairs of the college. And in the midst of this was President Cramblet, patient and cordial, wait- ing to see what I wanted. In the way of a short biographical sketch of Dr. Cramblet, just follow this material with one fing- er on the above photographs. The son of a form- er Bethany president, he attended school at Beth- any and we see him pictured above with two cronies in front of commencement hall. He then went out to Oklahoma where he taught and coached football at Phillips college. Along came the war, so Dr. Cramblet went in training. Soon he was back at Bethany teaching Math, during President Goodnight ' s regime. In 1934 he was in- augurated, assuming the duties of president. FACE FOUR

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Chapel commenced at 7:30 in the morning. Intemperance was a problem in student guidance. Vol. I No. 2: Students were called upon to boycott J. S. Poole of Wellsburg because he would not advertise in the Collegian. Underclassmen were tired of hearing that we are fitting ourselves for the great drama of life. During the presidency of T. E. Cramb- let, the Bethany Collegian maintained a different character. It was published in town by Pres. Cramblet, E. Lee Perry, S. S. Lappin, and others. It was then intended to be the newspaper of the town and contained a Washington gossip column. With the growth of journalism as a career for young men and women, the Collegian again changed its style. The literary societies had died out and the Bethany Publishing company had disappeared so that the Collegian was published by representatives of the student body. By in- creasing its publication to bi-weekly dates an at- tempt was made to make it the news organ of the campus. In 1926 the whole form of student govern- ment was reorganized and a board of publica- tions was created which undertook the mainten- ance of a newspaper and an annual. The first annual at Bethany was brought out in 1896. The class of ' 97, in presenting the Meteor, desired that it represent our college and her life. Truly it was a Baedeker to Bethany, describing the history of the college, the lives of its presidents, portraying its scenic beauties and telling its traditions. Most of the literary work in the annual deals with college activities. Essays and poems extoll alma mater, the music department, the literary societies, the freshmen-junior scrap and other like points of interest. The humorous sections included an education in the maxims of etiquette, for example: tea and coffee should always be poured into the sau- cer, then by lowering the head, sip it so as to avoid the rattle of the spoon ... In eating pie, grasp firmly with both hands and deliberately draw yourself to it. In 1898 Bethany published the second volume of the Meteor, but as there were so few students here then, it turned out to be a non-paying in- vestment. However, in 1905, the junior and senior classes attempted another annual which they called the Kodak. In 1909, the year of the Centenary of the continued to page 29 PAGE SIX