Calvin College - Prism Yearbook (Grand Rapids, MI)

Page 28 text:

ix f': 'Y 'A 1 -E i'i'f'ATlLjff f Us -ith Row: Rev. Peter A. I-Ioukstra, Rev. John Geels, Rev. John H. Rubinirh, Dr. Edward J. Mnsselink, Dr. Jacob H. Bruinooge, Mr. John Mamersma, M. Henry Holtvluwer. Dr. Ralph Bronkema 3rd Row: Dr. John G. Van Dyke, Rev. Edward Juling, Rev. Martin Monsma, Rev. Edward B. Pekelder, Mr. Theunis Rihbens, Rev. Gysbert J. Rozenboom, Rev. William Haverkamp 2nd Row: Mr. Stanley Vander Ploeg, Mr. Herman Elenbaas, Rev. Watson Green, Mr. Tony Meeter, Mr. Tony Noordewier. Dr. John Van Bruggen 1st Row: Rev. John G. Vande Lune, Dr. Jacob T. Hooizstra, Rev. Richard J. Frens, Dr. Samuel T. Volbeda, Rev. Henry Schultze, Rev. Gerrit I-Ioeksema, Rev. Edward J. Tunis, Rev. Nicholas Monsma 2 an A slight tremor ol excitement runs through the senior pre-sem students, distinguished looking gentlemen make their appear- ance on the campus, :ind the board ol trustees is again in session. This year when the board met in the second week of February, nine lziymen, appointed by Synod, took their place for the Hrst time, with the nineteen ministers representing the Classes of the Christian Reformed Church. In addition to exzunining can- didates for the Seminary, the board makes teaching appointments, und reviews ull other problems lacing the school. These men are in lull control of Calvin's policies, and us such the board serves :is the very backbone of the school. 24

Page 27 text:

' at Cirrlelizzgs lo Ille Sizzclenl Body! The real assets ol' a student are ideas. lt is, therefore, the business of a liberal arts college to stimulate idea-getting. It is the manipulation olf ideas at which every student should become adept. NVQ are living in a materialistic age, and many schools have yielded to the demands of machine handling rather than to the handling of ideas, which, after all, produced the machines. That is one of the reasons why Calvin has resisted, as far as possible, the pressure to introduce vocational training. Back of the machines that we would like to manipulate stand ideas. Back of any program are ideas, and only he who has some control of ideas can lay at least a partial claim to having been educated. The entire world of creation constitutes an embodiment of divine ideas. That is the reason why we speak of it as divine general revelation. Christ Himself so interpreted the natural world. That is the reason He sought and found spiritual values in the trees, vines, helds, as well as in people. Spiritual truths are of exceedingly great signihcance. The Bible itself is a con- veyor of ideas- God's ideas -put in a form so that they may serve as an illustration of general revelation. lt may not he necessary for me to prove to Calvin students the fact that the great value that they should receive from Calvin is a reservoir of ideas and some ability to handle them. But it would seem to be necessary to warn them against permitting an idea to become master of their thinking and living until they have reached certainty in the matter of its truth. The ideas of students -and of all people, for that matter-are liable to be immature, unwarranted and insufficiently supported by facts of Revelation. Since ideas make and break nations, span the oceans, cure diseases, open and close prison doors, determine the political coloring of a nation and set one on the truthful way of life, it is obvious that there must be no mistake on this score. May 1 suggest that we all reexamine our stock of ideas re- peatedly. Check and recheck them by the only standard of truth that we possess. Do not cling tenaciously to an idea that is unworthy of the truth-seeker's support. Do not form conclusions too quickly and then worship them devotedly. There are few persons more pitiful than those who cannot be convinced that they are wrong. And by the same token there are few people more pitiful than those who are right and then yield to the im- portunity of error. May good ideas ever be your chief stock in trade! j XMLJ

Page 29 text:

AN f l-P y 1 3 yi : ' ide gmfmf lllf W xt M147 . X!'fw?1g.TN Ely 1 I X lk xl ll . 3 To facilitate the work of the Board ol Trustees, the group is will divided into two committees. One of these, the Executive Com- 'M M mittee, handles all matters pertaining to education-teaching Lay appointments for example-or the examination of seminary candidates. The other committee, the Board of Finance, has control of all fiscal matters. Y'Vith the expansion program underway at Calvin, this group serves a most important function. It not only lays the Financial framework of the Calvin story of '49, but for many Calvin stories to come, as well. Upper photo: Rev. Gerrit Hoeksema, Rev. Edward J. Tanis, Dr. Jacob T. Hnogstra, Dr. Jacob H. Bruin uoge, Dr. John Van Bruggen, Rev. Martin Monsma Lower photo: Mr. Henry Voss, Mr. Tony Noordewier, Rev. Richard J. Frans, Mr. John Hekman, Rev Edward B. Pekelder, Mr. Henry Holtvluwer, Mr. Sanuel Van Til