St Francis College - Motus Yearbook (Biddeford, ME)

Page 27 text:

teau, the course provides an opportunity for ex- tensive reading in the field of French Literature without the pressure of classes and exams. The other is the General Mathematics Honors Course which allows capable students to complete fresh- man mathematics in one semester, and thus be able to start Analytic Geometry and Calculus the second semester. The major weakness of the curriculum is that it does not provide enough opportunities for in- dependent study under guidance, nor does it in- clude enough accelerated programs for the more capable students. The result is often that courses are geared to the average student, and are unable to stimulate the full potentialities of the more gifted student. The academic atmosphere at Saint Francis has obvious assets and deficiencies. The close rela- tionship between students and faculty members provides an extraordinarily fine opportunity for discussion and individual help. A number of the classes are still small, and this permits a close student-teacher relationship in the classroom. A wide range of periodicals kept up to date in the library reading room, away from the noise of the dormitories, and improvements in the library itself have made the develoPment of an aca- demic atmosphere easier. Unfortunately, these assets are sometimes coun- ter-balanced. Considering the ninety student economics and sociology courses, it is to be hoped that the trend is not away from small classes. College men are sometimes referred to and treated as boys in other areas of college life. Some courses are watered down to meet the needs of these boys. In a few instances, especially in Philosophy and Theology, free thought is discouraged. Philosophy is often pre- sented as a depository of long established abso- lute truths rather than a search for truth or even a love of wisdom. The Theology is embedded with scholasticism, and most teachers ask little more than the doctrines be memorized. The alert student is tempted to see the learning atmos- phere as narrow and parochial while feeling that he is under suspicion if he attempts to change it. Still, it would be a mistake to think academic liberalization would solve Saint Francis College's ills. Much needs to be done with the student body itself. The majority of the students would not respond to a free intellectual atmosphere, nor would they know what to do if they were placed in one. This leads us to some interesting observations concerning Saint Francis' future. The leaders of the College community have permitted them- selves to become so engrossed in the plans for physical expansion that they have permitted their plans for academic excellence to take second place. Despite the presently competent faculty, the College rendered more dimcult the higher quality of. the student body through yearly increases in the costs without an effective scholarship-relief program. Perhaps if the Col- lege shifted the emphasis of its academic pro- gram to one of quantitatively low but academic- ally high standards, physical expansion would aImOSt take care of itself. The Class of 1963 feels that it has profited intellectually by its soiourn at Saint Francis Col- lege, but it also feels that many avenues are open so that other classes may derive more benefit. - EMlLE TALBOT.

Page 26 text:

22 By the end of the Fifties criticism of Catholic higher education had become so incessant as to be almost trite. A century of silence was broken only by a few perspicacious and daring indi- viduals, and, when the initial shock subsided, Catholic educators settled down for a truly criti. cal appraisal of their system. They found that the accomplishments of Catholic higher education were quite momentous. Five generations of a predominantly immigrant minority group had constructed a huge system of schools on 267 campuses, including 31 uni- versities, enrolling 322,000 students. These schools graduated countless doctors, lawyers, teachers and businessmen. Their alumni were successful and respected members of almost every community. At the same time, however, this educational system had failed in the attain- ment of one goaI-excellence; too often it had even neglected to adapt such a goal. Where, asked the critics, are the Catholic scholars? Where are the leaders in the arts and sciences? The answer often was that they did not exist at all. The critics asked, where was there a Catholic college or university which could compare with the quality of the finest secular colleges? The answer again was that such an institution did not exist. Saint Francis was affected by this discussion no less than any other Catholic college. Yet be- cause of the brevity of its educational experience, Saint Francis was excused by most critics as a school that had not yet matured. This, in a certain sense, was true. However there must come a moment when a careful analysis of Saint Francis' stature in the field of education is not only required, but necessary. If Saint Francis is a different college in 1963 than it was in 1959, this change is evident in many segments of the life of the school. The curriculum is one of Saint Francis College's strong points. Solidly liberal arts, the College eliminated courses in business administration and account- ing several years ago, and has structured its courses around four divisions, namely Humani- ties, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathe- matics, as well as Theology and Philosophy. Among the outstanding features in the curri- culum are several new courses. One of these, Modern Christian Literature, was instituted as an inter-departmental course utilizing the full resources of the Division of Humanities. With four professors, the course first explored the state of contemporary man through a study of Romano Guardini, Nicholas Berdyaev, Teilhard de Char- din, Karl Adam and Thomas Merton. The con- centration was then shifted to modern French authors, especially Leon Bloy, Charles Peguy, Paul Claudel, Georges Bernanos and Julien Green. The instructor in American Christian Literature varied the approach to include writers whose points of view are influenced either con- sciously or unconsciously by the divine redemp- tion of man. Thus the course was abie to consider writers such as Nathanael West and William Faulkner. The section of English Chris- tian Literature focused mainly upon Gerard Manley Hopkins and T. 5. Eliot. Although the course exhibited a need for better organization, it did stimulate student response and the Division of Humanities is to be congratulated for its initiative and vision. Two other courses are worthy of special note. The first is the directed study in French Literature, offered on alternate years. Thanks to Mr. Paren-

Page 28 text:

24 Culture is a rather ambivalent concept, and, to my mind, does not admit of precise and accurate definition. Even Webster's definition seems vague and non-committal as if any char- acterization of such an abstract term or concept could be at best but a passable substitute for its true and inherent nature, for what it really is in its totality. It is defined as the increase in knowledge and improvement in taste, resulting from education, refinement in manners, appre- ciation, thought, etc. And yet, this definition, valid though it may be on some points, lacks the force, intensity, vitality and drive both in its phrasing and in its description of that complex phenomena called culture. It had obvious lean- ings towards that misconception of culture so vehemently denounced by Matthew Arnold as that attutude prevalent among people who thought culture merely a desirable quality in a writer of belles-lettres. it should be obvious by now that we are searching for a more comprehensive definition of culture than a mere dictionary will afford us. What is culture anyway? Certainly it is no figment of our imaginations, but an actual omni- present reality, constantly evoked in everyday language in adiectival form to denote a particu- lar person or a prominent place. Indeed, culture is not merely a method or an ornate, super- imposed embellishment of the personality, but an attitude of the mind and spirit contrived to receive truth. This attitude of the mind is, by no means, a static or passive one, capable solely of receiving impressions but unable to produce them; rather it is a dynamic disposition, involving the whole personality. It is, in short, the whole personality in search of truth. But, to leave out analysis of culture at this point would be to greatly falsify its basic and essential nature through over-simplification. One may clearly perceive a dichotomy in the con- cept of culture. The passive aspect of culture may well consist in the personality being in- formed by truth, the continual acquisition of knowledge by the human mind. However, cul- ture also has an active aspect, plainly apparent in the humanistic and social responsibilities it performs. Matthew Arnold aftirms of culture that it moves by force, not merely or primarily Edith Stea rns Sandy Ives of that scientific passion for pure knowledge, but also of the moral or social passion for doing good. And it is this aspect of culture, to do more than merely perceive the truth that, in my opinion, distinguishes scientific learning from aesthetics. Scientific study is concerned primarily with truth solely for its own sake. Aesthetics, on the contrary, has an interest in knowledge only insofar as such data is able to transform and elevate the condition of man. It is not a heightening on a more material level either, but one on a definite spiritual plane. It is, in a sense, a lifting of the soul. Art eftects this spiritual elevation in man by allowing him to perceive and to sympathize with the beauty and truth embedded in actual and concrete creations of the human race, their creation, in turn, being ultimately attributable to God. In a way, one can truly say that, in its immediate cause and effect, culture is a product of man made ex- pressly for man. Of course, it is important to emphasize that a true and valid culture is an amalgamation of both aspects, one alone not sufiicing to complete the concept. The remainder of this article intends to devote itself to a discussion of culture as it manifests itself on our College campus. As Saint Francis College is characterized by the term liberal arts, my consideration of culture will be limited to the arts which have, in a traditional sense, been excluded to a study of literature, music, sculpture and painting. If we are to consider the cultural level at Saint Francis solely by the visible manifestation of facilities on campus necessary for the promotion and advancement of the above fields of artistic endeavor, we shall have to admit, in all honesty, that they are deplorably weak. Only two fine arts courses are offered to the students and even these do not run regularly, but are interchanged with one another each year. Furthermore, many students are unable to take advantage of these courses because of the perennial problem in Catholic institutions the inevitable theology- philosophy squeeze. The abundance of required courses prohibits the free and unrestrained selec- tion by the student of the more cultural-in-this- case, fine-arts course they may wish to pursue. As far as art exhibits on campus, the situation is drastically desperate. Except for a few point- ihgs in the Humanities offices, the College is bare, devoid of all canvases of creativity. Few