Ripon College - Crimson Yearbook (Ripon, WI)

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ESTABLISHMENT

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My thoughts are those of a person who happens to be a president — and who prefers being known as a person rather than the holder of an office. The satis- factions that are mine from year to year — the things I remember with the greatest pleasure — are the person-to-person associations with Ripon students. These are what make a tough job eminently worth while — knowing and being known by those for whom this college really exists. Students whom I am likely to know best are the students who are most actively engaged in the life of the college — in com- mittee service, student government, publications, athletics, music, theatre, organized social groups, or whatever. Mutuality of interest leads to mutuality of involvement student to student and student to that real person who happens to be president. With each year, I find more cause to rejoice in those associa- tions. My sincere personal thanks to the Ripon student body for two superb term papers, and a number of fine discussants, in Selfhood Explored Through li- terature ; eight highly effective students on the faculty-student committees with which I work closely; two diligent student assistants in my office; cooper- ative, intelligent officers of the Student Senate and staff members of College Days; at least twenty very thoughtful, responsible majors whom I consulted on tenure cases; the larger number of students who brought their balanced, mature concerns to my of- fice; and many more students who enriched life for Mrs. Pommer and me through plays, concerts, inter- collegiate sports, film showings — and through the pleasures of meeting them here and there on cam- pus. These are a major cause of my enthusiasm dur- ing this first year at Ripon.