Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

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DR. JOHN R. CUNNINGHAM f- resident This is the story of a college and a class. It ' s a story about the four years that the class of ' 52 spent at Davidson, it ' s about the growth of the thoughts and aspirations which entwine themselves into the heritage of a college and are its tradition. We come to college, we stav four vears and leave. In that time we have become a part of the school and it has become a part of us. How much we become involved in traditions max never be known. We change and maybe the college changes, but change is inevitable and would be more noticeable by its absence than bv its presence. Despite the change certain ideas and principles remain and will neveT be removed no matter how much embroiderv is done on the outside. In this brief review of the Class of ' 52 we want to crvstallize in out memory the place that Davidson College has had in forming our lives. All in all. we weren ' t so different from the class that came in before us and the class that will take our place. And yet, we are different from any class that has ever been here.

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BEHIND THE SCENES a t the office of

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lere ' s ) ow Slic k I mi man in the class is different. Everything we do is unique. We are .1 class and .is .1 group we have characteristics thai are solely our own. We have lived together and suffered together and out of tliis heroic mixture we have developed a sense ol brotherhood that makes us distinct from ,m other diss before or since. In these pages we want to be able to live again the crises of our college life. We want to feel again the surge ol pride alter a victorious football game and we want to feel again the wash of disappointment when we got licked. Our laughter, our discouragement, our accomplishments and our defeats; in these pages they will live again and remain in our memories as a part ol our personalities. I he Davidson Storv is not denoted to any one class or to any one group of an description. It is a blend, whether good or had. of the character of anyone that has c er participated in the corporate life that is the college. From the President to the rawest janitor, each has a role and a line in the corned) or tragedy that is Davidson. Since the storj docs not have a beginning at which to begin, it seems just as appropriate to start at the top. ami without question the top is personified in Dr. John Rood Cunningham. Any institution or organization, whether it he .1 business, an army, or a college, is molded and shaped bv the hand of the man in the upper most position ol leadership. Very lew ol ' us have come into direct contact with Dr. Cunningham and yet we leel that he has the personality and the character that this school is seeking to mold. In the brief times that he has tome down to us from the Olympus of national and international events we have see tin ' man in the various phases of behavior. We have heard him speak on religious and secular topics. We have seen him on the platform with our national leaders and with our student leaders. We have heard him predict the weather, and we have heard him pray. From this composite impression comes a man that despite a cloak of habitual dignity has a warmth and understanding founded on a faith in God and human nature. We see a man that is selflessl) devoted t o the group which he represents, lie is the Davidson gentleman. But to the student. Slick John is still the smooth operating businessman who got the hard skinned alumni to shell out lor the new outbuildings around Chambers. 1 le is still the man with the nervous twitches when evei ,i guest speaker is on the platform, and he is still the lust vesper speaker of the year. Nothing peculiar here