Goshen College - Maple Leaf Yearbook (Goshen, IN)

Page 33 text:

g.-like Maple Leaf--.lad Under Dean Oyer's direction and leadership Goshen College steadily grew in program and effectiveness and in educational standing. Although his train- ing was primarily in the field of theology, he had a grasp of educational probf lems and a conversance with current educational trends that was of great value to him in his service to the college. ln the faculties of which he was a member, both at Hesston College and Goshen College, he was regarded as an educator of insight and vision, one who could build an effective working program to attain the ideals which he and the faculties espoused. He recognized the great impor- tance of developing effective methods of teaching and insisted that it was the obligation of a teacher irst of all to deal with students as personalities and not as elements of a machine, that the teacher's work was to teach people and not courses. By this emphasis he set up as the true goal of education the development of personality, a personality which for him meant the full rounded Christian personality, fully equipped to live the highest type of Christian life in the mod- ern World-free, strong, and fearless. Dean Oyer believed thoroughly also in the necessity of developing a Christian philosophy of life as the guiding faith. He felt that the college should not fail in helping the student to discover this philosophy, and insisted that every faculty member was bound to make his contribution toward this end. His ministerial career began with his ordination at Hesston. Kansas, in 1923. During his ministry he served the Hesston congregation as well as the Goshen College congregation as pastor. Almost immediately after his gradua- tion from the Seminary to take up his work in the church, he was called to larger and wider fields of service, and became actively indentified with the local and church-wide organizations that have to do with the teaching end of Christian service. At the time of his death he was chairman of the General Sunday School Committee, the Young Peoples Topics Committee, the Young People's Prob- lems Committee, and also a member of the Mennonite Board of Education. Rarely does God entrust to one individual the gifts which were his and of which he was so trustworthy a steward. To laud him would be out of harmony with his ideal of Christian humility. The tribute which has been made in these lines is given only as an expression of appreciaton for what the Spirit of God was able to accomplish through his life and what this life has meant to all who knew him and to the institutions which he served. His life is ended: his race i won, but his work cannot and will not cease. In death his life is multiplied. a an 5 9 the sweet influence of that life will continue in the lives of the host of students, y' Q co-workers, and friends who will live nobler lives because of what Noah Oyer Y meant to them. His monument will not be found in books or buildings, my N '- i wealth, but in the lasting record of himself in the lives of the individuals and institutions of which he had become a part. We do not know the ways of God, I f nor the providence which His wisdom has ordained for us, nor is it necess 3 to know. But the cause dare not cease because a worker has fallen. It re 3 Y for those who are left to gird up their strength and in the name of God carry 34:. 4 E It is theirs to complete the unfinished tasks of those who have had to lay the -12 down. With a faith unshaken and a courage undaunted, let us rally to the standard of Christ and the program of His cause, let us close the ranks and heal Q the breach that death has made. 1' 1' f -PRESIDENT SANPoRD CALVIN YODER. s k I 1 fa, ,.., o Q , ga- ,W ,G l' r'i YF m twenty-live

Page 32 text:

---l---The Maple Leaf In Memoriam DEAN NOAH OYER 1891 - 1931 The passing of Noah Oyer has taken from the college its dean and head of the Bible Department. from the college church its pastor, from the church at large an able and untiring worker. and from a large circle of students, alumni. and acquaintances a cherished friend. His death in the period of his life when his splendid abilities were rising to their zenith is a distinct loss to every group and organization with which he was connected. Brother Oyer. as he was know to a host of intimate friends, was born into a typical Amish Mennonite home in Central Illinois. By heritage, training. and environment he learned to appreciate'simplicity and to see the beauty in the common things with which he was surrounded. These qualities characterized his entire life and teaching. He was great in his humility. kindliness, and unas- suming nature which made him appreciated by all who learned to know him, As a Christian scholar and educator his attainments were recognized in the circles in which he moved. Having received practically all his training under the influence of a Christian college, his early convictions became definately formu- lated and deepened. and ripened into a mature Christian scholarship which the Church in every period of its history has always stood in need of. His high school studies and undergraduate work in college were completed at Hesston Academy and Hesston College and Bible School, from which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1919. In the autumn of 1920 he entered Princeton Theological Seminary where he received the degree of Bachelor of Theology in 1922. By this time he had also practically completed the require- ments for the Master of Arts degree at Franklin and Marshall College. The past two summers were spent in study at the Biblical Seminary in New York and at Columbia University. Throughout his training he maintained his simple faith in the Vwlord of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As the years went by, his 'evotion to the Word increased and his chief interest was that his students and . Q is congregation might fully receive its message. He was equally concerned that f w the message of the Word of God be translated into living character by all who i I had received Christ as their Savior and Lord. As a Bible scholar he excelled. ' ,v Q Having been more or less associated with him for the last fifteen years. and very 'Q intimately for the past seven. I consider him to have been one of the ablest at 'blical scholars and interpreters in the Mennonite Church. Q V 2 ,Q He came to Goshen College seven years ago, entering at once upon the it t ies of the oflice of Dean of the College, a position which he held until his fi eath. His administration of the affairs of this oflice were marked by the same ,I , 'I spirit that characterized all his work. He was considerate, even-tempered, slow to make a decision until all the facts were known. He was thorough, painstak- Q Q 'f ing, and deliberate, possessing qualities which made him a dependable counsellor is fitted him eminently for the work in which he was engaged. ' Q 1 ' I r lwcnly-four s ,.. .- 94 .,sig,g 4 f Q'

Page 34 text:

The Maple I-eaf Student Assistants ELLIS HOSTETLER ..- .----..- a,,,, ---. ------Education RACHEL WEAVER - - .- -- EEL. .. -----.- -- LLELE English LEONARD KREIDER ELLEE ---- . ..,,.,.. Physics Laboratory MERLE HARTZLER --- .... - ....... Chemistry Laboratory RAYMOND I-ITWILLER ............... Zoology Laboratory PAUL SLABAUGH ,,,.,.-,,,......... Botany Laboratory IRENE I-EHMAN ..,............E. BARBARA COFFMAN - Physiology Laboratory ------------------- ---Librarian WILLIAAl J ENNINGS LL...LLLLLLLL. -. ,LLELLE Typewriring ORA YODER .L,,,,,,..., - ,.LL .- LL.LL .- LLLL Bookkeeping MIRIAM HOSTETLER -. ABRAM P. HALLMAN . ORIE J. EIGSTI ----L - - ---.- L,.. .--Shorthand -- .-Physical Educalion for Men ---- .-----Athletic Director for Men CRITIC TEACHERS lln Goshen High Schoolj BONNIE DENISTON. B. A. .,--. EEEE -. ,,,,,,,....,,,,..... -English B. A.. Indiana University: University of Chicago: Columbia University DANIEL S. GERIG. M. A. ,LE.......,,..,. .History and Social Science B. A., College of Wooster: Study Travel in Europe: M. A.. University of Chicago U STANLEY SCHENCK. A. -- ---. Mdthemalits Q 5 'L B. A., Franklin College Q FRED BRYNER, B. A. ..,... .....,....,......... G eneral Science i 'V I I B. A.. Goshen College ' . CLARA E. TRAUTWEIN, B. A. ---Biological Science Q , ' B. A.. Indiana University GI-ADYS PECKINGPAUGH, S. --- ..... ..... C l0lhir7g Q B. S.. Purdue University Y g 4 at 3' 'Q' GERTRUDE WAHL. Ph. B. -- ..-,-. -.--, .-.. - - -Larin ,ff Ph. B.. University of Chicago 3 5 , 'I NADA 1. wmom. B. s. ------..- .--. - -.Foods B. S.. Purdue University , I ' HELEN VANDERVERRE. B. A. - -.-. ------- F rench ' B. A.. University of Michigan 3 in I n . twenty-six J- -' ,Q 'av 'ii 43. 4 1 ini'