Northwestern State University - Potpourri Yearbook (Natchitoches, LA)

Page 8 text:

Just exactly what is a college? Probably to each of us it has had various meanings at different times in our lives. Perhaps while in grammar school or col-lcgc (kol ' ij), n. (L. collegium, community, »ociety, guild, fraternity) 1. institution of higher learning that gives de- grees. 2. Am. the academic department of a university for general instruction, as distinguished from the special, profes- sional, of graduate schools. 3. Am. school for special or pro- fessional instruction, as in medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, or music. 4. Am. organized association of persons having certain powers, rights, duties, and purposes. 5. building or buildings used by a college. m we junior high, thought of college as merely a place for which an older brother or sister departed each fall. Upon reaching senior high we begin to look to the future and examine the possi- bilities of a college ed- ucation. We realize that job opportunities and chance for success are greatly improved if we have a college degree included in our agenda of qualifica- tions. And so upon graduation, finances per- mitting, we march off to one of the hun- dreds of colleges or universities throughout the nation.

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There was a wonderland wilderness, covered with virgin forests, thriving in fertile untilled soil. Nature was generous with her bounteous gifts on this hill, and a spot of lasting beauty was created after years of earth building. It was into this mystical land that the white man first ventured in 1714. On the banks of the Red River a settlement was established — the first in the land which would later be a part of the great Louisiana Purchase. The colony of Natchitoches endured and in time became a thriving community, a focal point for busi- nessmen and traders. As the need arose, churches and schools were established. As the quest for education moved into Natchitoches, a group of soft-spoken nuns established the Convent of the Sacred Heart in 1856. The land which they acquired was a part of the old Bullard Mansion, built in the 1830 ' s. The progress of the academy was shattered with the onset of the Civil War, and in 1875 the school was abandoned. In 1884 the Louisiana State Normal College was established on these same grounds. The initial aim of the school was to prepare students for teaching in the public schools of Louisiana. This scope was eventually broadened and in 1944 the name of the institution was changed to Northwestern State College of Louisiana.

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But to the students of Northwestern this is not just one of many schools — it is our school. To many it is our home — a place to live, learn, and love. At first glance, few people have any conception of what Northwestern, or col- lege itself will mean to them. The freshman year is spent primarily in just getting into the swing of things. Orientation, rush parties, and the Tech game help us to get acquainted with college life. On the surface we jokingly com- plain about the dormitories, food in the chow hall, and the nutty profes- sors, but inwardly we feel the beginnings of a deep sense of pride in our school — its heritage, reminiscent of long ago — and its modern program for expansion, ever striving for progress in the future. Yes, Northwestern is a remarkable institution, and we stand eagerly upon the threshold of knowledge she has opened for us. But all of the benefits reaped here will not come from books, for we are also learning how to live and work with oth ers as an adult. This is the world of the Northwestern student.