St Francis College - Motus Yearbook (Biddeford, ME)

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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

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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.

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Claude Gauthier Sculptures adorn the campus unless one con- siders the crudely chiseled statue of Saint Francis which stands stalwartly on the green in front of the main building. As yet, no adequate music room for the practice of instruments and choral recitations has been provided to alleviate the now cramped and pressing condition where both activities sometimes commence at the same time and struggle for supremacy. Nor is there any hall available, with the exception of the gym- nasium, for the rehearsal and staging of plays. All the weaknesses in our cultural condition must, however, be considered in their proper perspec- tive-that is-against the background of the his- tory of the College. Certainly, in an older institution, such a low ebb of cultural facili- ties would be outrageous, but in a compara- tively new college, such as Saint Francis, which is, at present, concerned with the major necessi- ties for a solid and firm edifice of learning: class- room buildings, chapel, etc., such a state of affairs is excusable. To estimate the cultural status of Saint Francis College, however, only by the number of facili- ties for such presentations on campus would be to greatly belie the actual issue. Ostensibly, it might seem that Saint Francis is, for all practical purposes, destitute, arid of cultural activity. But this is not the case! The presence of an active cultural concern on campus can be verified by the number of cultural programs sponsored either directly or indirectly by the College on campus or in the surrounding area during the past year. To name them all would be to con- sume more space than this article can afford, so I shall have to be content with the mention of the most important cultural advances of com- pus, hoping that the others will be given due credit elsewhere in the book. The Student Senate, as of this year, organized a Cultural Attairs Com- mittee, which has been of inestimable value in procuring various outstanding professionals in the arts to appear for special performances. This year, the Cultural Affairs Committee sponsored a concert series, which featured a rare diversity of artists: Claude Gauthier tPoet-Composerl, Edith Stearns tPianistl, Sandy Ives tFolk Singerl, and the Boston University Quartet. A special radio program of WIDE was held, in coniunction with the College every Wednesday evening for one half hour. The topics of discussion ranged from the image of Saint Francis College in the nearby tOWn of Biddeford to cultural contro- versies between members of the Saint Francis French Academy over contemporary French Catholic authors. The cultural highlight of the year was, how- ever, the April Symposium, entitled The Chris- tian in the Modern World. The Symposium saw such distinguished panelists and speakers as Paul Chapman, director of Packard Manse in Stoughton, Massachusetts, and Reverend Cantius Matura, professor of scripture and liturgy at the Franciscan House of Theology in Montreal, Can- ada. The Symposium also received other eminent persons to staff its panelist positions: Dr. Edward T. Gargan, professor of modern European History at Loyola University, the Reverend Daniel T. Honan, a poet-curate of Saint Joseph's Church in Brewer, Maine, and Dr. Joseph D'Alfonso, a senior member of the Bates College department of Philosophy in Lewiston. The literary world also made its appearance with such well known writers as the poet, John Logan of the University of Notre Dame and the novelist, Michale Novak of Harvard University taking part in the dis- cussions devoted to Modern Christian Literature. Also contributing to these controversies were Dr. John Lindberg, instructor of English at the Uni- versity of Maine, and Robert Parenteau, acting Head of the Division of Humanities at Saint Francis College. Other names should, perhaps, be mentioned here but the limitations set on this article have already been exceeded, and prevent their inclusion. In conclusion, we are acutely aware of our deficiencies in the cultural sphere at Saint Francis, and these weaknesses have been al- luded to in hopes of their improvement and rectification. However, at the same time, we are also profoundly conscious of the advances that have been eftected during this academic year. A dissatisfaction with our cultural status is Finally a fundamentally good symptom; for it indicates that there will be increasing and multiplied efforts at bettering our condition, and thus our institution. Indeed, it is only when we become satisfied with culture that we lose our grasp of this elusive concept, sometimes relin- quishing, losing it forever in a surfeit of com- placency. - JEROME WYANT. Mr. DeTurk goes on the air for Saint Francis College. 25