Gannon University - Lance Yearbook (Erie, PA)

Page 20 text:

Of tint mill qJiIciiL . . . Gannon College may be seen in many ways, viewed from many aspects, from with- out; hut only from within can it be seen in its entirety. To illustrate the student's aware- ness of their good fortune, and to allow the undergraduates to express their feelings on this view from within, we asked individ- uals from each of the four classes to develop our theme as it makes its impression on them. The results were fruitful, as can be deter- mined by reading these articles which ap- pear at the beginning of each o f the class sections. But we, the Seniors, by virtue of the fact that the approaching graduation will end our everyday contact with Gannon Col- lege find that this respect for the college is both reasonable and sentimental. In contrast with mathematics, phil- osophy teaches us that the whole is great- er than the sum of its parts; and we Sen- iors, through retrospective analysis, can realize the value of this in reference to our years here at Gannon. Certainly the education from matriculation to gradua- tion is much greater than the sum total of all the curricular and co-curricular hours which were consumed. For here we learned to absorb the principles of the sub- ject matter, and blend them into our lives, thereby developing the intellect and per- sonality, with a consequent development of our ethical standards and the concepts by which we live. — 16 —

Page 19 text:

ijmim an eircloU . Through the next few years, Gannon College underwent a phenomenal period of growth, which up to the present time, has increased the college plant to fifteen buildings, the faculty to nearly eighty members, and the total number of students to over one thousand. The college grew not only physically, but reached higher achievement in many fields; quality and diversity in academic fields, student acti- vities, sports, and all other forms of inter- collegiate comparison. After the war, and despite the pre- vious humorous references to the young institution as being a local school or Perry Square University, the public be gan to take cognizance of the college school which was growing to a place of national prominence. 1 1 HI 3 2 5E Jl 1 i ■4 v-' != ' ■ P iMHHlraHHlM nSd . £?. Wt irf A JnMF - J ■ T ™ 3- - fc -r x tl w » • -%- n ' - ' M But sometimes in growth there tends to be the evils which can detract from the glory of the increase itself — there is the natural inclination to sacrifice quality for quantity, or the even greater student problem of the individual's being lost in a crowd to the consequent loss of individual attention, and the grave error of impersonality in the educational system. Strangely, Gannon College escaped these potential shortcomings without the faintest trace of no- ticeable change. It can be said without qualification that there never was a student for whc.m a faculty member had no time. The astounding fact is that since the increase in size, the administration has taken more particular efforts toward the individual. This is a situation which is truly unique here at Gannon, and no one takes more pride in this attitude th;m do we, the students. — 15 —

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• • • emmn wmid rye Jjamv Truly then, we can say that the college accomplishes its purpose — the education of the whole man — to a degree which can be fully realized only by those Christian gentlemen whose good fortune it has been to experience it. Now, as we close the door on college days, we feel the debt which is ours; wc arc aware of the time and effort which was expended in making our training possible, . . . and we are grateful. Weakly, we may attempt to express our thanks in the frailty and limited extension of words, or resolve to be philanthropic benefactors someday; but the truest and most complete expression of gratitude we shall express in another way. Deep in our hearts, we resolve that we shall be the agents by which Christ will be brought to the the world. The real thanks that we yield to God, the College, and our fellow men, will be the truly Christ- ian lives which we lead,. R. Ray Ward — 17