Ripon College - Crimson Yearbook (Ripon, WI)

Page 28 text:

Erna Bagemihl Miss Erna Bagemihl likes ro tell about the time she walked down Ri- pons mam street in her hiking clothes and overheard one woman observe to several others. She teaches at the col- lege.' and in the tone of one telling an incredible fact. People need occasionally to be re- minded that she teaches for (except when the occasion demands dignity) she seems like one of the students. She is not really a teacher” for the infor- mation she imparts is not superimposed upon the defenseless student but is ab- sorbed by him in his contact with her. Her approach to English literature is based on the background that the class - ics and historical studies give. Her appreciation of literature is a part of her and she makes it a part of the stu- dent by that too rare pedagogical de- vice—inspiration. Parties and picnics are never com- plete without her. It’s she who sees that everyone gets there, remembers rhe salt, and leads the crowd in every- thing from charades to roller skating. She’s such fun.” is said again and again so sincerely that no one minds its triteness. Her living room, or bet- ter still her kitchen, is the finest place for chicken sandwiches and the discus- sions of Life (with a capital L) which accompany them. When Miss Bagemihl’s friends scold her because she doesn't write essays or publish the learned paper she's sup posed to be revising, she says. I haven': lime. Her acquaintances must agree. She guides scores of freshmen yearly from Zane Grey to Dostoivsky. from themes to light essays. She deals with the good and bad points of each student's English. She inculcates in other students a love for the classics of English literature. Between classes and conferences she finds time to urge a freshman who wants to he a lawyer to go out for debate: she helps a pen- niless sophomore to get a job; she en- courages an unemployed alumnus to regain his confidence. No student ever feels she is too busy to attend to his particular problem. Once to the amusement of that day and this, someone called Miss Bage- mihl phlegmatic. Though she may be calm enough outwardly, the sheer joy of combat she displays when roused by wrongs done to some student or faculty member is awe-inspiring to watch. The fervor of her German an- cestors who migrated to escape reli- gious persecution, still lives in their red haired descendant. Miss Bagemihl. like Dr. Goodrich, and Dr. Evans, and Dr. Webster, is a Ripon graduate. She has brought to her Alma Mater enthusiasm for its fine traditions and faith in the future which she is helping to build for it.

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Delta Suj Wins Float Prize Coach stands up. Hard telling how much grass he has chewed to- day! Pretty hard on him. But the Red men never let go—they're at it. But the Vikings take the game. Hard luck for the Red men—15 to 9—but what a game! The crowd is gay. just the same —there they go — piling oft bleachers—cars moving over the field—grind of brakes, notes of the band drift across the field—people with blankets trailing alongside. There go the coeds, red sweaters, tarns—laughs—and the hoarse call of voices over the field. Open house at Harwood. Lyle. Parkhurst and Bartlett. How that coffee sizzles all the way down! Sand wiches. cakes, mints, fill up all the ex- tra spaces. Tracy house smoker from 5 to 7: Merriman banquet--the crowd scatters. Lights flicker on the campus. Bart- lett's big R vies for honor with West —serenaders down on the lower cam- pus; tang of frost on the air; a moon and stars. The Commons greets all homecomers. What a rush before the dance: flow- ers. dresses, programs and those extra dates. What a noise! And then 8:30. The gym filled with lights and a happy crowd. Wally Beau hands out the rhythm! Noise! music, a shuffling of leet. and calls across the floor. But it isn't long before everything is over. Just a snack after- ward downtown. You decide to meet tomorrow. Then roll in. Tired? Oh. my! How good that bed does feel! It’s Sunday. Seems as if you just rolled in. A few' groans and noises come from under your breath. And does your head hurt! But you manage to get up. dress, and go out to dinner- may be a walk afterward. Time goes. You'll have to say good-by. Odl grads leave—calls—laughs on the air—screech of shifting gears— waving hands. See ya soon!' Gradually homecoming goes. Your head aches worse. There are queer jumps in your stomach. A few' pesky grads around to make noise. Never again such a homecoming! But wasn’t it a grand and glorious feelin? If hr the llall --23-

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Dr. Grace Goodrich To many students and alumni Dean Grace Goodrich is the center of the Ripon College family. She is the per- son to whom students, faculty and townspeople come for consolation and congratualtion. No one is too socially insignificant or scholastically faltering to be denied Dr. Goodrich s interested attentio.»] and no one is too well placed in social and academic circles not to feel the need of her friendly counsel. Individuals and groups drop into her living room to talk politics or to listen to Beethoven or just to bask in firelight and unstrained companionship. 1 can't deside anything until I see Dr. Grace.' her alumni friends still say. Dr. Goodrich will help us.' is the pan- acea for any ill that besets sorority, townswomen's club, or faculty commit- tee. Problems related not only to the intricacies of Latin and Greek gram- mar but also to campus love affairs, philosophical premises, moonlight pic- nics. modern art— in short, everything touching the life of any Riponite, past or present—are referred to her for so- lution. '1 always feel that I am my best self with Dr. Grace.' an alumnus once said. She seems to expect me to be cheerful and tolerant and sincere and I find my- self trying to be. Hundreds of alumni will agree. It is not that Dean Goodrich is conscious of her influence or even wants it. She smiles at her friends' shortcomings and loves the delinquents the more and she lets her acquaintances chuckle and scold by turns over her misadvanlayes. Even in the sacred confines of the libra- ry she will recount with genuine enjoy- ment some incident in which she was the ridiculous figure. Miss Goodrich has no need for false dignity. Students who study with Dr. Good- rich do not learn only Greek and Latin. These languages are not mazes of strange sounds and orphan endings: they become keys to the thought and life of highly cultivated peoples. Classi- cal students form a foundation for the appreciation of all literature, they be- come aware of the best in human expe- rience through the works of men who have the wisdom of all ages. Dr. Good- rich s students, though they do not al- ways know it. acquire a finer yardstick by which to measure their desires and attainments. They have the best that education can offer. There are many faculty members whom students respect and admire. There are a few whom students lov».. Dean Goodrich stands first in the group of teachers whom Ripon students re- vere and love.