Iowa Wesleyan College - Croaker Yearbook (Mount Pleasant, IA)

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gear’s HUorfe in tfjc gtegoctattons Interest in the work of the two Christian Associations for the school year 1915-1916 has been keen and spontaneous. The opening of the school in the fall witnessed a change in the time of the weekly devotional meetings. Time out of mind the young men’s meeting had been held Sunday mornings at eight o’clock and the young ladies had met on Thursday afternoons. With the opening of this school year, however, the order was changed and arrangements made whereby both associations might meet at the fourth bell on Saturday. This eliminated so many religious duties for the men of the college on Sunday and made it a more popular hour for all concerned. The plan has proved its effectiveness and it is quite likely that it will remain in vogue. The spirit of the two meetings when they are held simultaneously is more in harmony, and more and more as the new order of things becomes fixed in the minds of the students the fourth bell on Saturday will be a time set apart for worship. During the year some of the strongest Christian leaders from this section of the state have acted as leaders in the devotional meetings. Some of the out of town men who have led the meetings of the Y. M. C. A. have been: Mr. Kennedy, State Student Y. M. C. A. Secretary; Evangelist Charles Goff, who conducted a union revival meeting among the evangelical churches during the winter; Evangelist Williams, an old racehorse man who led a revival campaign among the Baptist people the early part of February; Rev. Heppe, the pastor of the First Methodist Church, of Burlington; Professor D. B. Heller, an ex-president of- the- local association, and at the present time superintendent of the Seymour public schools. Resident leaders and student leaders have been: Reverend Osborn, Dr. Luebbers, Frye, Hon. W. F. Kopp, Wiltse, Professor Koch, Stillwell, Professor Boyer, Reverend Moore, Arm-bruster, Akcrson, Professor Edwards. The young ladies have had among their leaders the following: Mrs. Sowers of Bloomfield, Miss Helmer, Miss Lynch, Miss Nutting, the Y. W. C. A. secretary of the Keokuk high school, Miss YTorhees, Miss Booth, Mrs. Warhurst, Amy Zimmerman, Katherine Druse, Dorothy Withrow, Nellis Curran, Emma Bloomquist. Other interesting meetings during the year were the Christmas and Thanksgiving services, the Day of Prayer for Colleges, and the Sunrise Easter Meeting. Two special evangelistic efforts in which the students took a vital interest were held during the winter. The first was particularly a college meeting, and was held under the auspices of the two Christian organizations. Reverend Hankins, a Wesleyan alumnus and at present pastor of the Methodist church at Morning Sun, held a week’s campaign before the Christmas holidays. The purpose of the meeting was the deepening of the religious life of the students and the salvation of souls at Wesleyan. Much good was accomplished under the leadership of Reverend Hankins. The second series of meetings in which the students took an active part was the union revival campaign under the auspices of the city churches. The Goff evangelistic party had charge, and a revival the like of which was never before witnessed in Mt. Pleasant was held. During the meetings the regular college prayer meetings were abandoned and

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|9. Wi. C. H. Cabinet OFFICERS President Emma Bloomquist Vice-President .... Grace Howard Secretary Gladys Hastings Treasurer Hattie Wolf §9. iH. C. Cabinet OFFICERS President Edward Wahl Vice-President Harold McCullough Secretary Donald Lawson Treasurer Alden Doud

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all of the energies of the faculty and student body were expended in the union effort. The town and college will long reap the benefits of the meeting. The Associations have been glad to have in our midst during the year two Chinese students, BeVong and BeDi Lee. A collection from the faculty, student body and friends was taken up to assist in their support. The young ladies have readily taken up with American ideas and ideals and Wesleyan is fortunate indeed to have a part in their religious training. The work of biblc study and mission study has been held under the auspices of the First Methodist church. The college classes meet with the regular church Sunday school for the opening exercises each Sunday, then retire to the basement of the church, which has been reserved entirely for their accommodation. Different courses of study arc offered and the work taken up is optional with the different classes. The student volunteer hand is now composed of five members. They meet one hour each week and take up study along the lines of their life’s work. Different members of the faculty and returned missionaries have brought before the volunteers ideas of the actual work on the field. The social phase of the Association work has been more attractive than ever before. The opening of the school year witnessed the annual student mixer in the dining hall of the young ladies’ dormitory. Previous to this, however, the young ladies who were just entering school had been entertained at a Pullman party in Harlan hall, and the men were entertained at the city Y. M. C. A. These get-together gatherings have an important place in the experiences of the new students, and a spirit of Christian fellowship pervades the campus after they have been enjoyed. Other functions have been held during the year by the cabinets. The extension work of the associations, although limited by the size of the college town, has been quite extensive. The main work of the men along this line has been the gospel team work under the able direction of Professor Boyer of the mathematics department. Several of the men of the college have had an active part in Sunday schools in the capacity of teachers, and one or two others have acted as deputy scout masters under the local scout chief. Among the young ladies the extension work has taken on the form of preparing gifts for children in the cities. A class in social service has been conducted during the year by a number of the ladies with the expectation of forming extension clubs in their home communities during the summer vacation. Although much good has been accomplished during the year a much better year of service is looked forward to. It is the hope and prayer of the cabinets that still greater things are in store for them in the way of spiritual blessings.