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

Page 20 text:

Study Spot? — Don ' t Tell The dorm is too noisy, the library too crowded, and as tomorrow ' s review grows ever closer the need for a good study spot is suddenly the issue of the evening. Procrastination becomes a thing of the past. With everything yet to do and nothing done, you ' re looking for silence and solitude. But where? The elevator in Chambers, says David Snyder, a freshman. Preferring that to the elevator in the Union, David says he gets a lot done. It ' s nice and quiet, but it has its ups and downs. Thanks, Dave. Love Auditorium, too, seems to be growing in popularity as a quiet refuge for study. A dim light shines on the stage of the otherwise dark room, providing a comfortable atmosphere for work. Other favorites are the east balcony of the Commons, the ever popular fish bowl (that ' s Chem Lab to the rest of us), and even the Guest House, despite the admonitions of its manager, Mrs. French. Freshman Meg Surratt, after careful consideration, has come up with three study spots that she refers to as the Perch, the Porch, and the Stairwell. Probably the most organized selection yet. The Perch is a small balcony outside Meg ' s hall window that lets her watch the people go by while she studies. Rumor has it that a Humes paper was typed on the ledge late one night — The Porch is a reference to the stone slabs on either side of the Union steps. This is the preferred spot in warm or cool weather. The Union ' s outside lights also let Meg study right on through the night. Finally, the top of the library ' s back stairwell, equipped with a single chair and footstool, is practically unknown to everyone else and — surprisingly enough — very quiet, unlike most of the other places in the library. Refusing to be limited by traditional habits, students can be found studying almost anywhere. Uniqueness and creativity are bywords of Davidson, and its students constantly find new ways of proving it. ■ If sheer numbers give any indication, Humanities must be the single most popular course at Davidson. This year 126 students enrolled in the two-year program. (Above) Keg Carter, Mandy Dot son, Annie Porges, and Martha Nelson become truly initiated. Martha ' s paper is the first of 1956 which will exchange hands in the next two years. At right, first-year students attend lecture in Perkins Auditorium. By their second year, Mandy Barber and Anderson Scott, (far right) ascend the three flights of stairs automatically. Fran Gibson (top right), reads a staple of the program. Course books, which run as much as $356.20 over a two-year period, can run a student into the red. 16 Academics

Page 19 text:

the number one reason students apply to Davidson. says Admissions counselor Dick Jones. But is Davidson really a strong academic institution and do Davidson students strive for academic excellence? Some are not so certain. We are not encouraging ourselves or each other to become responsible thinkers. says senior John Hartman. The Davidson community is more interested in finding spots for next week ' s tests than in the morality of the draft or ERA. Having experienced academic life elsewhere, senior Marie Cefalo sees that here as far superior. The professors are devoted to academic, intellectual pursuits and the students are very receptive to what the faculty has to share. She continues. It is a give and take relationship which I find unique and stimulating. There is definitely a conflict between those who merely want to make a grade and those who really want to learn. T.C. Price Zimmerman. Dean of Academic Affairs, recognizes the fact that Davidson students are very career oriented but he hopes that while they are here preparing for a career that students will come to broaden their view of the world around them and to view learning as an end and a reward in itself. Goals determine the way in which we work. he continues, and if one ' s sole ambition is to tmake an A or B + then learning becomes a process rather than lan end. Senior Danny Armistead encourages Davidson students to make i learning an end in itself: The resources and possibilities here are i incredible; to pass up taking advantage of them is a real mistake. Jeff Mann, an experienced Humes student, takes notes through osmosis (far left). With opened eyes, Alex Nelson types his program (center). Whether taking a test or working in organic lab, Amy Ashworth and Marshall Dent seriously concentrate on their work (bottom left and right). Years of concentration didn ' t even help Professors Nelson, Yoder and Ortmeyer (below) as they lose a College Bowl match. Academics 15

Page 21 text:

|5 TT IT Humanities program continues to increase in ularity Academics 17