Peace College - Lotus Yearbook (Raleigh, NC)

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LOTUS: A large segment of today ' s college students are dropping out of col- leges before completion of their careers. Apparently something is wrong or missing in the academic community. Where do you feel this lack is and how do you feel it can be changed? Frazier: There is some- thing wrong with higher education, just as there is something wrong with every institution in the world and with every indi- vidual who helps make up these institutions. Courses have not been relevant in all cases, instruction fre- quently has not been stimulating, and the administration has often been nearsighted and unenlightened. However, it is not realistic to cast all the blame on colleges. I have a brother who enrolled at the state uni- versity to major in a certain subject. He found that he was not happy in that field of study, so he dropped out of school for a year, and then registered in a second college where he very successfully com- pleted a major and did graduate work in a totally different field. I have a sister who enrolled for graduate work only to find when she was half-way through the program that she was not well suited for that type of work. These drop-outs — these false starts — could not be blamed on anyone else. The individuals were to blame. This does not say at all that our system of higher education is fault- less, for it is not. It is only to say that there are other factors which contribute to our high attrition rate. LOTUS: On college cam- puses throughout the United States there is a great deal of dissent and disturbance prevalent be- tween students and ad- ministration. Do you feel there is much of a gap between students and ad- ministration here at Peace? If not, how do you feel Peace has managed to over- come this gap? What do you plan to do if you feel there is such a gap? Frazier: You perhaps know better than I just how broad the generation gap is here at Peace. As the president, I do not have an awareness of a serious gap, but I may be wrong. Certainly a gap does exist any time individuals from different generations live and work together — this is normal and, within lim- its, to be expected. I have frequently men- tioned one reason I feel that gap is not so obvious at Peace. I believe very strongly that all of us at Peace have a deep respect for other members of the college community. You do not always agree with me nor I with you, but neither party sees the need to become belliger- ent and abusive. In a small community such as ours we can talk together, debate the issues at length, and understand one another. Why should intelligent, reasonable people find it impossible 18 ' --■ ' ' rf ' rfir .C » n .- »» wr»L . -T

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BBSss ams a xissii ' of this trend, which some people think has reached epidemic proportions. It is interesting to note, howev- er, that this movement has achieved its present momentum only since 1965. And what happened in 1965? The number of high school graduates in the U.S. began to level off and many colleges found themselves with a declin- ing volume of applica- tions! This was especially true of those schools which were located in iso- lated geographical areas. I personally believe that many of the decisions to become co-educational were motivated more by geography than by a quest for academic excellence. Many of us still believe that women can get a bet- ter education when she is not intimidated in the classroom and relegated to second-class citizenship outside the classroom by the more aggressive male. This is what happens in every co-educational col- lege. And as every Peace girl knows, here in Raleigh we are not isolated from the masculine world. I will not say that there are no advantages in attending college with males. But I believe the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Let me give you an example which may be significant. I am told that about ten years ago a survey was conducted in Greensboro to determine the alma maters of women who were serving as presidents of major women ' s organizations in that town. And what do you think they found? That every single presi- dent had attended a woman ' s college! I believe this tells us something about the experiences in leadership which you can have in a woman ' s college but which would never be possible in a co-educational school. LOTUS: We hear so much about the Peace Girl Image , yet today ' s youth stresses individuali- ty. Do you think with this stress on individuality, girls can still be shaped into the Peace image? If so, why or how? Frazier: I do not know what or where you hear about this image . Per- sonally, I do not have an image of what every Peace girl should be like, but I do have some ideas about scholarship, ladyhood, good manners, gentility, respect for others, and similar matters. And I would hate to think that I did not. If good manners, self respect, and respect for our neighbor ever go out of style, then I want to turn in my card as a member of the human race! It may be that we tend to confuse bizarre behav- ior with individuality, but there is really no connec- tion between the two. Ev- ery college worth its salt encourages creativity and individuality, but it also encourages harmonious living, self discipline, re- spect for other human beings, appreciation of the good and the beautiful, kindness — and we could go on and on. Our task is to seek a balance between individuality and other traits which are equally important. At least that is what we are trying to do at Peace.

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to understand one another? I cannot refrain from saying something else — something I feel very deeply. I strongly believe that the members of this community are quite a bit different from those found many places. Former teachers, alumnae, former administrators, and others attest to this difference. Perhaps the quality of the people and of the relationships they develop is the most impor- tant requisite in the es- tablishment of harmony and good will. LOTUS: Each year Peace is faced with new girls who bring with them not only new clothes, but also newer and perhaps less restrictive values than Peace. What is your policy for handling the different viewpoints so that they do not conflict with the values of Peace? Frazier: That question is very much like the one you asked me about individu- ality. Some of the state- ments I made in reply to that question might be a partial answer to this one. Also, I think it is ap- propriate to say that we are looking for a special kind of girl to enroll at Peace — not just any girl who can meet the admis- sions standards. We try in every way possible to let the prospective student know what we stand for and to inform her of the type school we are. At the same time, we all know that we are living in a 20th Century society, and this society is changing very rapidly. Obviously, Peace College will change as our society changes, but I believe that Peace will always take a firm stand on issues which are basic to the Christian and the American ways of life. (And I did not necessarily intend to equate those two.) Let me say, too, that a conflict of values is not unique to our own com- munity, for every segment of our society wrestles with disagreement over value structures. In fact, I would expect that no- where is the conflict deeper and more divisive than it is in the Christian church. Even in very fine homes, between very sincere husbands and wives, there are frequently serious disagreements on what is right and what is wrong. As a part of the rapidly changing society of the 20th century, we can- not expect to be immune from this and other conflicts which persist in all generations and in all institutions. LOTUS: The role of women is going through a change in all facets of life, so much so that demands are being placed upon her that never were before and the positions she must fill are increasing. Yet, in the face of this Peace remains staid in her training of young women. How does the unchanging prepara- tion that Peace gives her girls enable them to face these new roles? Frazier: I will accept the premise that Peace re- mains staid in her train- ing of young women — for staid means the opposite of frivolous. But I am afraid I cannot accept the proposition that we are unchanging . If there are any courses in the curricu- lum that are really rele- vant, I believe they are some of those which have been added within the last three years. If there is a junior college faculty any- where in the region which knows what is going on out in the world, I be- lieve it is the Peace Col- lege faculty. If there is a college anywhere whose spirit has been raised while its face was being lifted, then I believe it is Peace College. Now I would say again that Peace is not frivo- lous, so we might be a little slower in experiment- ing and innovating than some other colleges. I am sure, though, that Peace will always be ready to adapt new methods, new styles, and new programs as their merits are demon- strated, but never in a capricious manner. Your education is too important for that, and we take your education seriously. 19