Kutztown University - Keystonia Yearbook (Kutztown, PA)

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Dr. Italo L de Francesco President of Kutztown State College ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING For years I was puzzled, and somewhat disturbed, by the fact that Kutztown State College is situated exactly midway between Reading and Allentown. The notion in my mind was that we were not in the city and not quite in the country and, therefore, had the advantages of neither. But somewhere along the way, a new realization dawned on me — the founding fathers knew what they were doing when the school was originally founded and located here. For that matter, they have been knowledgeable at every step of her growth as an institution of higher education. Here, indeed, is a reasonable quiet area where one can still look up and see the blue sky; here again, it is possible to look ahead and see fields of grain or green pastures set against a background of purple mountains. Yet in all this, one realizes that he is only a few miles away from major transportation routes, airlines, industry, big business, and centers of culture. After thirty-one years of pondering, I have concluded that Kutztown is quite fortunate in her location between two fine cities, eighteen miles away in either direction, and on the main stem to New York or Philadelphia or to the state capital, Harrisburg. In order to properly appraise the blessings of our geographic location, it is essential to account for many social elements, chief among these the cultural assets in Allentown and Reading: museums, musical organizations, big industry, big business, the theater, and other social conveniences of con- temporary communities. These facilities are available whether for study or personal engagement. 4