Furman University - Bonhomie Yearbook (Greenville, SC)

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BONHOMIE: What is the role of drama in the Furman community? ELLYN SMITH (Junior): With the efforts of Dr. Hill in the creation and enlargement of the drama department, the inclusion of drama as a fine arts requirement, and the acquisition of Theatre 70 Playhouse, come increasing interest and participation in the theatre. Now we are faced with the problem of how to close the widening gap between the fine arts created by the separation of music, drama, art. and science into four buildings. Very seldom do we see the ‘ synthesis of talent and ability of art. music, science. and drama majors. They need each other if not for experimentation. then for liberal education and recreation. In my opinion, the students owe it to themselves to stimulate creativity and interaction within their environment. BONHOMIE: As a four-year member of the Furman football team, how do you feel about the program and its chances for improvement? PAT WIGGINS (Senior): Obviously the program has been inadequate. Look at the record. But now the administration and the coaches, armed with newly acquired money and athletic talent, hope to save Furman’s floundering football program. An adequate football program. however, entails more than the mere acquisition of good ball players. It must also provide for their development, both as individuals and as a team. In other words. Furman must make good high school players into good college players. But how can Furman do this when it is not prepared to provide these athletes with even the bare necessities for development. such as an adequate diet and weight training equipment? To handicap those upon whom we place demands is folly. Furman can no longer afford to ignore the needs of its athletes. By doing so in the past. Fut'man has succeeded only in hurting itself and its athletes. Perhaps these new athletes will fulfill their potential and justify Furman's investment in them, but if conditions remain the same, they will do so in spite of the program, not because of it. BONHOMIE: Are married students isolated from Furman activities? ANITA HART (Senior): Furman's activities for married students are largely what the student himself makes them. All of Furman’s regular activities are open to the married student. It seems, however, that unless the student was inT volved in organizations such as clubs, sports, and fraternities or attended events such as ball games. Film Arts. Fine Arts, and Fall Weekend before he was married, he is unlikely to be involved as a married student. Student Opinion '21

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Student Opinion BONHOMIE: Considering your four-year educational experience at Furman. if you could make one change, what would it be? BOB CARBREY (Senior): I would attempt to remedy the problem concerning the existence of two distinct communities on campus. It seems evident that sexual segregation exists as a deterent to the establishment of a university-wide community. Furman men and women are not only separated geographically but also by the archaic. ante-bellum morals which govern so many of the rules they live under. Physical isolation of residence halls and policies such as in loco parentis and ultra-conservative dormitory hours for coeds limit, if not extinguish most attempts to establish mature relationships between the sexes. As long as antiquated ideas govern rules which attempt to isolate and limit the interactions between Furman men and women, two distinct “societies will continue to prevail. BONHOMIE: Considering your four-year educational experience at Furman, if you could make one change, what would it be? BARB REID (Senior): Only one change? This would have to be for me an increasing importance placed upon relating the liberal arts education we receive to the lives we plan to forge outside the academic community. This would mean a change in both professor and student attitudes and would require a coordination between the two in choosing and preparing for a career. It is a discouraging fact to face, but at present, the typical Furman graduate (teachers and potential graduate students excluded) is faced with career decisions for which he is generally unprepared. BONHOMIE: Has Furman lived up to your expectations of an American university? LEVI REEVES (Junior. Republic of Liberia): As a citizen of a country where less than fifteen percent of the population is literate. I find it difficult to express what my expectations of an American uni- 20 Student Opinion versify are. However, based on mw experiences at Barrington Colleg®) (a Christian school) in Rhode Island. and Howard University, I can admit that Furman University has lived up to my expectation academically. As a Baptist institution Furman is relatively more liberal than Barrington, where it is immoral to smoke, dance, and where one is required to attend religious chapel services twice weekly. But like Furman. Barrington has a student government with little or no participation in decisions that affect student campus life. It is often said students are not mature enough to be given full responsibi-ity like other Baptist institutions, i.e. Brown University. This has some truth, but during our four years here, if we are considered irresponsible and nothing, other than more rules, is done about it. where else are we to learn to accept responsibility? Students must be judged by what they have failed to do responsibly when they were given power, and not by what they might not do or could do wrongly. Furman, as I see it, can only be objectively compared with other American universities mainly on the basis of its high academic quality and not on the basis of stimulating and maintaining leadership ability and creating a sense of responsibility in most students. These statements do not imply my dislike for the school, since, of the three higher educational institutions in my native land, none can be compared with Furman in almost all aspects: a fact which demands a much broader scope in education for most African students abroad. With the rate at which Furman is growing, there is no doubt in my mind that it will become an all-around superior university in the very near future.

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BONHOMIE: What are the advantages and disadvantages of ratting at Furman? LINDA McNEILL (Freshman): The purpose of ratting, as I understand it, is to provide some basis or gimmick by which freshmen can become acquainted with upperclassmen and become accepted into the open arms of the Furman Family image. Granted, the need of an incoming student to have some informal way of establishing the proverbial Identity to which he is entitled is one that should not be overlooked among the chaos attendant to a campus orientation of computer cards and registration lines. However. I feel the program should serve some constructive purpose other than to provide emotional outlet for frustrated sophomores. Furman being the type of school it is, ratting can fill a definite social need; on the other hand, beanies and smile boxes can often become a source of intimidation or annoyance by which those involved lose sight of their actual worth as mere social traditions. As was finally achieved to some degree this year, ratting can be made effective — but only when explained and used to further the ultimate aim, good-natured social interaction. After all, freshmen need all the breaks they can get... 22 Student Opinion BONHOMIE: What are the advantages and disadvantages of ratting at Furman? WIN SMITH (Freshman): Ratting is a policy employed to bring the freshman class together socially through proper adjustment to college life; and, to a lesser extent, to instill in the freshmen a respect for authority. The theory behind ratting is very noble; but in practice, the nobility appears to have been unsinued. The first goal of ratting, creating good social relationships among the freshmen, can be obtained and later proves to be invaluable. The use of nametags and beanies are good methods of give-ing the freshmen a sense of identity and companionship. Activities such as field day and the community bath are valuable opportunities for the freshmen to make new friends. On the other hand, not all activities of ratting are beneficial to a student’s adjustment to college life. The other, less colorful side of ratting, that of teaching freshmen to respect those deserving it (in this case upperclassmen and the administration), tends to waste energy that could be purposefully directed elsewhere. Respect is a quality which takes time to earn; it cannot simply be assigned to a person or a group because of their age or status in society. Upperclassmen may be amused at the ease of ordering freshmen to do pointless rituals, but the freshman's response is not generated by respect, but by fear of punishment by the rat court. There are two ways in which to effectively unite a group of people. One is through oppression by a common enemy, the other through working toward a common goal. Unfortunately, this year’s freshmen feel that the policy used to unite them was one of oppression by a common enemy — upperclassmen. In the future, the policy of ratting might be made more effective and possibly more enjoyable if the freshmen were directed toward a common goal. )) BONHOMIE: How has the travel abroad program affected your education? CAROL WINFREY (Senior): The fall term in England was a learning experience in itself and complemented by three years of classroom experience at Furman. Since the program was rather flexible, it gave each student an opportunity to develop his own individuality. We were allowed a great deal of independence and were challenged to explore our own particular interests, which ranged from British educational systems to dramatic and musical productions to ancient historical ruins. Living in England for three months exposed us to new political systems, customs. mores, and. especially, attitudes. By comparing this life style to our own, we were able to view our country and customs from a completely different perspective. The travel abroad program now presents a challenge to me for the future, for I am convinced that the educational process cannot be confined to the university as such but must be continued through an integration of academic, cultural and social pursuits.