Hope College - Milestone Yearbook (Holland, MI)

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH E BRAND B KRUITHOF English is bound up with every waking moment of our lives. We do our thinking in English; we speak and we write in English. English has greater social utility than any other subject as it is employed, in its three forms, writing, speaking and reading, in all activities of life, vocational and social and is the medium through which all other subjects are taught. The importance of the English department is displayed when we consider the importance of the English language itself. Only when we use it properly can we carry on life as we know it, and the members of the department have strived to give us enough of the fundamentals to satisfy our requirements. When we look at a corrected theme or at the results of a spelling test, we begin to realize that we need even more than we receive, but who has not grumbled at a difficult theme topic or slightly oversize assignment? First year English, required of all students, concerns itself primarily with grammar, rhetoric and composition. These act as tools for work in all classes and forms a basis for all ad- vanced courses in the English department. A student, master- ing these mechanical forms and rhetorical principles effectively, is equipped for a study of literature. Assisting the student in these fundamental courses of the department are Mr. Brand, Mr. Prins and Mr. Ten Moor. Literature is written not only for entertainment but has a secondary purpose in that it disseminates a philosophy of life and makes contributions to international relationships through which one gains an insight into the lives, culture and philoso- phies of peoples of other countries. Under the capable supervision of Dr. De Graaf, Dr. Hollenbach, Miss Reeverts and Rev Kruithof, we are introduced to the best of English and American poetry, essays, novels and dramas. For us they interpret, and teach us to perceive, the fundamental truths or bits of humor incorporated in each piece of writing. Hope is indeed fortunate in its professors and instructors in the English department, for each one is vitally interested in the language and literature of the field, and, by this very interest, manage to make the subject interesting to those who merely meet the minimum requirements or those who elect to take advanced courses in the subject.

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THE FACULTY of Hope College A liberal education is based on the idea that one of the purposes of a college training is to develop a philosophy of life. To encourage a student to find himself, his individual capacities, and to discover his own powers and enthusiasms, our faculty has provided an effective program in a clear and com- prehensive way. By devising a flexible educational program each student is given a chance to decide in which of the many fields of endeavor he is par- ticularly interested and most likely to succeed. In this rich curriculum created by the faculty is a wide range of subjects, developed to furnish each student with the general basis of knowledge to cope with the varied problems of the world. To help every student to live intelligently and happily and to un- derstand society in general in our complex civiliza- tion is the aim of every faculty member. It would be impossible for most students to imagine a day when they were not under the direct or indirect influence of the faculty members. Their position is not pretentious, but in making Hope College a home away from home , they lay the foundations for our future. Individually and col- lectively their talents and experiences represent a wide and varied field of learning. From early morning until late afternoon we have looked at blackboards and perused our books, we have listened, and studied, and supposedly learned. Certainly we owe a great debt to the group of faculty who have not only worked at instructing us. but have made it interesting from time to time and spent so much extra time coaching us. They are as important a part of Hope memories as the as- sociations of our fellow students. The work of the college faculty has been out- standing during this transitory year of 1946 and 1947. Even though the student body has increased tre- mendously, every student in given the opportunity to personally contact the faculty for careful guid- ance, friendly suggestions, and aid in the solving of their academic problems. The faculty has been called upon to sacrifice study, research and leisure hours to meet the de- mands of this increased student body. They have taken on academic teaching loads far beyond the capacity ever asked of them by the college ad- ministration. Their job has not been an easy job, and after working with them and for them we have acquired a respect and admiration for them that demonstrates the excellence of their work. In the years to come we will have a greater appreciation for the priceless guidance and direction which the academic staff have directly or indirectly exerted upon us. Because of their response with magnificent cordi- ality to the unusual requests made of them, this next section of the Milestone will give us an insight into this important phase of our life at Hope. 25

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John and Sam. representatives from Arabia, discuss their difficulties of our English language with the person who knows. In the classroom Dr. Hollenbach is engrossed in thought, attempting to comprehend a student's question Dr De Graff in a favorite pose, deciding on the type of test for his next class.