Southwestern College - Moundbuilder Yearbook (Winfield, KS)

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Southwestern resolution came up there looking to the abolition oF church support For war. A group oF students, Fired by the Flaming oratory oF a senior, Percy Beck, proposed to send a telegram to Dr. Kirk. The move- ment grew until Finally the whole college in chapel assembled authorized the Fol- lowing telegram: 'Southwestern in 1917 took up arms and laid down life to make the world sate For de- mocracy. Southwestern in 1994, with the same spirit, wishes to join in the crusade to make the From Future world saFe wars. We look to you to lead usf' lVlilitaris- tic and sensational news- papers saw in this altru- istic sentiment thus ex- pressed opportunity For In Memoriam W H MOORE D D D M YETTER Kirk rushed between the opposing armies. Turning to the Southwestern warriors, he ordered them to lay down their arms. Une young Fellow deFied him. The president pointed an accusing Finger at him and shouted, Young man, you are expelledln ul-low can you expel a guy that isn't even in college? the hoodlum retorted. l-le had joined the Southwestern Forces For the Fun oF the Fightl ln the roar oF laughter that rose From both hostile Forces good humor was restored and the president easily dismissed the mob. l3roFessor Vinsonhaler, one oF the colorful Figures oF the later years, had a similar experience. l-ie was against everything that distracted From the main business oF his classes 'T' W. L. fBiID MARTIN an attack upon Upaci- Fismf' They sent repor- ters, stirred up students and citizens, and wrote long articles headed Southwestern Goes l3aciFist.H A storm oF criticism raged about the college. Special chapels were held with red-hot speeches, songs and cheers. Faculty and students stood Firm and waited For Dr. Kirkis return. l-le got here just in time For Final chapel in commencement week. ln one oF the greatest speeches oF his career, he vindicated Southwesterns patri- otism, challenged anyone to interFere with her right to teach the truth, and asserted her intention to continue to stand For peace and right at any cost. l-le was cheered to the echo. Never were stu- dents and proiessors more proud oF their leaderl None being able to gainsay his stand, the critics retired and the incident became a part oF Southwestern's dramatic history. President Kirk was equal to any occa- sion. Une night a Fierce battle raged between the students and the ldohnniesfi At the height oF the conFlict, president Page I3 and especially the mod- ern custom oF Hdolling upn in public. Qne day a girl who really needed no extra embellishments was hard at it when she was very sharply ordered to pay attention to the beauties oF literature rather than to those purely physical. HBut,H she said, 'lm not a member oF this classlu Who are you then?H 'lm a Wichita Ll. student here on a visitln She needed the lesson just the same-and got itl The pro- Fessor is noted For his sarcasm-all in a good causel Cn one occasion, when a class had been more than usually heedless, he exclaimed, HQ you kids, lid like to take your heads olmf. It would disFigure you someabut not be much loss to any oF youln During Dr. Kirkis administration, ath- letic rivalry with Fairmount grew to such proportions that raiding oF each other's campuses and battles between students in automobiles, with rocks and gunFire oc- curred. Representatives oF the two student bodies met on neutral ground and drew up the Treaty oF lVlulvane,H abolishing the

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Morningside College. l-le had made South- western a real college, provided an en- dowment, and secured its recognition as an accredited institution. Dr. William l. Ward was made acting president and served till the end of the year. As presi- dents came and went, one personality remained constant for more than thirty yearseeprofessor John l:. Phillips, as stu- dent, teacher, registrar, dean, business manager, and vice-president. l le died at the close of his last year's service in 1925, and his funeral in Stewart Gym on the afternoon of commencement day was a great tribute to a great man. Dr. Albert E. Kirk became president January 1, 1919. Attendance grew from 300 to 1,346 faculty and facilities be- came inadequate. Expansion became im- perative. Dr. Kirk was adequate to this task. ln 1924 Stewart Gymnasium and The Story of Library was completed, one of the finest college structures in Kansas. President Kirk then turned to the problem of endow- ment and the fortieth Anniversay Campaign was launched. lts goal was a million and a third, but actually over f51,520,000, including SB144,000 that had been pledged on Stewart Gymnasium, was subscribed for endowment, debt payment, and educa- tional needs. Dr. Kirk was assisted in this campaign by R. A. Dadisman, William l. Ward, W. lf. Bigler, W. V. Burns and many others. faculty and students sub- scribed s5o,ooo, Winfield alone sub- scribed fl32Q0,000, Dr. Kirk raised educational standards, modernized the curriculum, increased the offerings of departments. lo him chiefly must go credit for the growth of the School of fine Arts. l-le brought into its faculty such outstanding personalities as Earl Stout, l-l. l-lugh Altvater, afterwards dean of the school, who secured for it membership in the National Asso- ciation of Schools of Music, the lrioramontis, C. Q. Brown, Cora Conn-Moorhead, I-l. S. Dyer, founder of the A Cappella Choir, l-lenry S. Loudenback, and many others. ln 1926 Dr, Kirk united the School of fine Arts and the Winfield College of Music. president Kirk stood for aca- demic freedom. Always an in- transigent foe of obscurantism, he opposed the movement to abolish the scientific teaching of biology in the college. l-lis eHorts cul- minated in a memorable five-hour debate at Great Bend in which the laymenfs conference wisely upheld the right of the college to teach the truth of God as revealed in nature. A historic episode was the Hpacifist fightf' Dr. Kirk, an ardent advocate of international peace, was at General Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts, A Ptzgv IZ

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warfare. This treaty being violated by certain Southwesterners, Dr. Kirk declared that if caught they would be sent home and would not need to pack their trunks, as the latter would be shipped home after them. With many another admonition, he kept peace for ten years. ln 'l9Q8, he re- signed to accept the position of head of the -college division of the Methodist Board of Education. l-le was succeeded by Dr. Ezra T. frank- lin. His task was largelya financial one, to collect pledges made in the last cam- paign, interest new funds, balance the budget, wipe out the debt that was accu- mulating on account of the growth in en- rollment. l-le assumed the burden cheerfully and adopted plans which he strenuously strove to carry out. l-le resigned in 'l93'l. Dr. P. l.. George, pas- tor of Grace Church Winfield, and presi- a dent of the Board of Trustees, was chosen acting president and for six months, in one of the most difficult periods of the colleges history, bore his double burden with unexampled dignity, diplomacy, and grace, Then the unexpected happened. Br. Frank E. lVlossman was called back in T931 to finish the work he had begun to make Southwestern an outstanding accredited college devoted to Christian education, the development of students fully fitted to make their contribution to the building of Gods Kingdom on earth. To this task he is now devoting his experience in college adminis- tration, his capacity for challenging and R. L. George, D. D. President of the Board of Trustee? The Story of holding loyalty, his financia ability, and all the powers of his later years. l-le has re- organized the faculty into nine depart- ments, led in the formulation of an up-to- date curriculum, carefully safeguarded the interests of the institution throughout the worst financial depression in the history of the world, and is now conducting a cam- paign to wipe out all indebtedness by 0ctober,'l935,when once again the Con- ference will meet in Winfield to celebrate the fiftieth anniver- sary. Truly, ifthe first hundred years are the hardest, Southwest- ernfs troubles will soon be half overl Southwestern has always been noted for her student activities. lnitiative, verve, en- thusiasm,strenuousen- deavor, careful atten- tion to detail, deter- mination not to be satisfied with anything short of excellence i this is the Southwest- l ern Spirit, ln 'l9Ql, she took second in the national basket- ball tournament under the coaching of Bill Bates. l-lere was a name to conjure withl Bill was an orator as well as an athlete. When he spoke in student council his hearers were moved to tears and voted him all the money he askedl Coach Nlonypeny has carried on the tradi- tion of success in athletics. With him vic- .ory is not the main thingf l le has ideals, standardsaaand they are high. And the victories have continued. Qnly this year Southwestern tied for the conference cham- pionship in basket ball. Lillian Cloud, by her talents and intelligence, has brought lustre to women,s athletics. Page 14