Radford University - Beehive Yearbook (Radford, VA)

Page 22 text:

From THE CHANCE FOR CHANGE, an Honors Convocation address by Dr. John D. Wilson, President, Wells College, Aurora, New York. ... WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR SEPERATE DEPARTMENTS AND OUR DOZENS AND DOZENS OF COURSES, WHAT IS IT WHICH BINDS OUR EFFORTS TOGETHER? ONE ANSWER — PERHAPS THE OVER-ARCHING ONE — WAS SUPPLIED BY KING LEAR: WE ALL SHARE IN THE TRAGIC FATE WHICH OUR HUMAN NATURE CONFERS UPON US. WHAT WE ARE ALL DOING HERE UNDER VARIOUS CLOAKS AND DIS-, GUISES CALLED COURSES OF STUDY, IS WORKING AT THE NEVER-ENDING TASK OF SORTING OUT THE STRANDS OF OUR OWN EXPERIENCE IN THE BROAD CONTEXT OF THE HUMAN STORY. OUR COURSES CAN BE SEEN IN THIS PERSPECTIVE AS EFFORTS TO HELP US DECIDE WHICH QUESTIONS SEEM TO BE MOST APPROPRIATE TO THE JUDGEMENT OF THE ANSWERS GIVEN TO THEM. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE LIVE ON A DANGEROUS AND DISTRESSED PLANET, CHIEFLY BECAUSE MEN HAVE NOT LFARNED WELL ENOUGH TO DO THESE THINGS. YET IN SPITE OF THIS FAILURE, IN SPITE OF ALL THE SAD AND TANGLED EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, THE COLLEGE STILL LIVES IN THE HOPE THAT HUMAN BEINGS CAN AND WILL LEARN TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. THAT IS WHY WE ARE ALL HERE: TO CAST STILL ANOTHER AFFIRMATIVE VOTE FOR THE POTENTIAL CAPACITY OF MEN TO ORDER THEIR LIVES IN RATIONAL WAYS AND AS A CONSEQUENCE TO ACHIEVE A HIGHER MEASURE OF DECENCY AND MUTUAL RESPECT IN THE LIFE WE SHARE TOGETHER. IN THE COMMITMENT TO THIS ENTERPRISE, THERE IS THE RISK OF CHANGE — IN THE WAY YOU THINK AND FEEL, IN YOUR MANNERS, YOUR INTELLECT, AND IN YOUR IMAGINATION AND SPIRIT. THIS IS IN FACT WHAT A STUDENT TACITLY SUBSCRIBES TO WHEN SHE SIGNS HER COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM. WHAT SHE IS REALLY SAYING IS, I, JANET JONES, WILL SUFFER THE CHANCE OF CHANGE BY WHICH SHE MEANS I, JANET JONES, BEING NOT ALTOGETHER OF UNSOUND MIND AND BODY, AND ARMED WITH SOME PREJUDICES I HAVEN'T YET DISCOVERED AND SOME IGNORANCE AND SOME EXCELLENCIES OF MIND I HAVE DISCOVERED, AND KNOWING SOMETHING ABOUT THE ATTITUDES CULTIVATED AND PRIZED BY THE COLLEGE, AND BEING ANXIOUS TO TEST AND TRY THEM, DO HEREWITH PROMISE MY BEST, BECAUSE I AN PERVERSELY HUMAN, TO CHANGE THE COLLEGE BEFORE IT CHANGES ME BUT TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENSES IF I SHOULD LOSE. THAT IS WHAT SHE REALLY SAYS — WHAT WE ALL SAY WHEN WE JOIN A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS ONE. FOR WE ARE THE COLLEGE. WE WILL ALL, BY THE QUALITY OF OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR ACTS, CHANGE IT, AND WE WILL ALL BE CHANGED BY IT 24