Muhlenberg College - Ciarla Yearbook (Allentown, PA)

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their temporary assignments as special instructors were completed. During the war years five Faculty men and two members of the Administrative Staff served in the nation's armed forces and another distinguished himself with the National Defense Research Council's development of the V-T Fuze. During part of the war period the first woman ever to be elected to a full professorship at Muhlenberg, Dr. Bertha Paulssen, enriched the life of the College community through her work as professor of Sociology. It was also during these years that five men who completed long and dis- tinguished service on the campus were granted the retirement they had earned. Given honorary Faculty ranks were Dr. Robert R. Fritsch, professor of English Bible and a member of the Faculty for thirty-eight years prior to his retirement, Dr. Isaac Miles Wright, professor of Education, who was associated with the College for twenty-six years, Dr. Harry Hess Reichard, professor of German for twenty years, Walter L. Seaman, assistant professor of Romance Languages for nineteen years, and the Reverend Charles B. Bowman, who had been professor of Sociology for twenty years. It was through the consistent and thorough work of the Faculty and the self- sacrificing and loyal service of President Tyson and his Administrative Staff that Muhlenberg emerged from the years of war with a reputation of accomplishment second to no other College in America. As the College mustered all its resources to serve the nation and threw its full strength into the battles for peace, 2,076 of its sons left their accustomed places on the campus or in their home communities to wear the uniforms of their country and to join in the fight for freedom. Their heroic deeds and their distinguished service on every battlefront and in all phases of military activity reflected a glory that will forever brighten the pages of their Alma Mater's history. For them the Collegeuorganized a program that was without peer in American collegiate life. Bi-weekly letters from the Alumni Office, uncounted thousands of personal letters from members of the Faculty and Staff and from college friends and classmates, the Alumni Magazine, Christmas gifts, distinctive stationery, calendars, and birthday greetings poured into every corner of the world to keep them close to Muhlenberg. This, then, is the record-a record to which Muhlenberg men point with pride as they enjoy the prestige of their College's heightened stature. It is the record of the never-to-be-forgotten years of war that saw Muhlenberg gain confidence in the basic soundness of its educational creed, in its ability to accomplish what ofttimes seemed impossible tasks, in the strength of its foundations and heritages upon which an even greater College nowis building. Left: A view of the interior of the Gideon F. Egner Memorial Chapel. The set of Christian and national flags was presented during the war. U91

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Chapter II ADMINISTRATION and FACULTY From the President July 12, 1946 TO THE EDITORS OF THE CIARLA: Ever since 1893 Ciarla has been a pictorial, personal, and factual record of the students of Muhlenberg and their extra-curricular activities. It has made a distinct historical and sentimental Qin the best sensej contribution to the College. Each succeeding annual has successfully followed a tradition which all of us believe should be continued. To some extent, at least, this statement may seem to contradict the implications in the name of the volume, which, if freely translated means Nonsense! However, Ciarla has won for itself a place in Muhlenberg life which transcends the humorous and comical, no matter how prominently in the past it has called attention to the lighter side of campus existence. The present volume certainly is performing a service to our entire community which in no sense can be adjudged nonsensical. It is erecting a bridge between that happy Qin prospectlj pre-war era, and the as yet unpredictable POSt-War period to which we have been directing our attention ever since the military victory in Europe assured us of complete triumph of our arms over all our Axis enemies. Those few years were momentous ones for Muhlenberg College and the record of them should be set down. This Ciarla has attempted to do and it is performing a valuable service. It was then that the Navy invaded us and for three years the campus was given over to a routine which was entirely foreign to our normal conception of life in a liberal arts college. But Muhlenberg survived. More than that, she enhanced her reputation and to several thousand men who were sent here from all corners of the land demonstrated why the Navy chose this College as an officer training post. We enjoyed the experience. We believe those who were here in this period, whether in or out of uniform, will never regret their tour of duty at this insti- tution. i Ciarla is recording the salient facts of the period and by means of this gap- bridging edition is erecting a connection between the old and the new Muhlenberg which every activity will have to initiate in one form or another. We hope all will be as successful as the editors of this volume have been. Sincerely yours, y . 0' mreefanfp 04011. President The oil portrait of Dr. Levering Tyson, President of Muhlenberg College, shown at left, has been hung in the lounge room of the Chapel. The artist was Leonebel Jacobs. T211