University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Education Play Enhances Children ' s Learning Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child ' s soul, wrote Friedrich Froebel in the 18th century. This concept of the importance of play in a child ' s life was the basis for an international play conference held for the first time at The University from June 29-July 2, 1983, which at- tracted more than 500 participants. Directed by Joe L. Frost, chairman of The University ' s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the play conference assembled the largest group of play researchers ever for such an event. Frost said, The con- ference will explore research on play , the function and design of play en- viroments, and provide practical ideas for enhancing children ' s learn- ing through play. The lack of safety standards for playground equipment was also emphasized. Along with the honorary sponsor of the conference, the Pacific Cultural Foundation of Taipei, Republic of China, and The University were 11 other sponsors. The Play Conference was divided into several sessions highlighted by such speakers as Jens Pedersen, chairman of the Planning Group for Children and Culture, from Copenhagen, Denmark; Shu- Fang Lo Chia, professor of child development at Fu-Jen University, Taipei; and other respected resear- chers from around the world. The conference included tours of seven Austin area playgrounds to evaluate the variety of equipment Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood . . . used. Austin, said Frost, has the best playgrounds of any city its size in the country. This was due in part to the work o f UT students. They designed play environments for various schools, churches and other groups requesting their ser- vices. According to Frost ' s records, approximately 60 percent of those environments designed had actually been built. Presented at the international play conference were 73 papers to be published in 1984 by the Association of Childhood Education International. According to Frost, the conference exceeded all expectations. With the success of this first play conference at The University, play has become serious business. Julie Del Barto Two young children enjoy the play environment designed by UT students at St. Martin ' s School Education 111

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ZL Education Kennamer Stresses Public Affairs The students who attend the Col- lege of Education have chosen to knowingly go into a field of service to adults and children, and they know they won ' t be gaining much financial reward, Lorrin G. Kennamer, dean of the College of Education said. Yet they still want to do it. They are choosing a tough way to make a liv- ing, but they realize there is no greater reward than that of helping our children. Although the trend is to ask which career will make the most money, education students are prepared to do what they like best, and their attitude of helping others is really marvelous. Kennamer, a professor of geography as well as an ad- ministrator, once had the opportuni- ty to work in a stockbroker ' s firm. However, he chose to pursue a career in education. Monetarily, I made the wrong decis ion, but I ' ve been very happy and satisfied in what I ' ve done, he added. I think I would have had a lot of ulcers had I gone in- to the stockbroker ' s business. At one point in my life, Ken- namer said, I wanted to be a preacher. I came from a very religious family and had set my mind on atten- ding Pepperdine University in California to become a minister. I thought I wanted to be a real Bible- thumping preacher. It would have been fun to have been a revival or television preacher, but then I got drafted. Kennamer eventually earn- ed a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt in Ten- nessee after serving as an ensign in the Navy, teaching high school students and attending two other universities. I never did major to become an administrator, nor did I plan on becoming a dean, but I enjoy my position very much. Every day is dif- ferent. If I ever get tired of it, I ' ll get out. I still keep my hand in teaching, though; I teach a geography class every semester, Kennamer said. Currently, Kennamer and the Col- lege of Education continued the work of the Human Resource Development Program, designed to teach people how to train others in industry and business. This is a big field, Ken- namer said. In fact, there is three times more teaching and learning in industry and business than in all the schools and colleges put together. We are also continuing our involvement with the community because they are our laboratory where we student teach and where a lot of our faculty do their research. The community is our partner in our training program. Kennamer, dedicated to The University since 1956, said his greatest accomplishments were writing such books as The Atlas of Texas and The History and Geography of Texas, his hobby, golf, and his position as dean of the Col- lege of Education. I am especially proud, Kennamer added, of the fact that I have s urvived. Susan Edgley %y i W ,. I 1 Dean Kennamer of the College of Education currently teaches a geography class every semester. 110 Education

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ZL Engineering WPCF Names Gloyna President Earnest F. Gloyna, dean of the Col- lege of Engineering, predicted that within the next two or three years, we will have, in my opinion, the finest engineering teaching facilities in this country. And so, the building boom continued with the construction of a new petroleum and chemical engineering facility. Gloyna also led his department through a massive ex- pansion in endowed faculty positions. Gloyna said, The engineer of yesterday will not be capable of designing the manufacturing facilities of tomorrow. Therefore, if we are a world-class university, our engineering program should provide the leadership in the educational arena for this new industrialization of our country. Our faculty must be ... well- grounded in the sciences and engineering technology, but also ac- tively involved in the cutting edge of research, Gloyna said. They must, above all, be interested in transmit- ting this new information to the stu- dent body along with the fundamen- tal principles of science and engineer- ing. Second, he said, the college must provide a teaching experience to the student body, both graduates and undergraduates, that is the very best that (it) can possibly deliver. Finally, Gloyna said, We must have the facilities that attract both (high quality) faculty and students. The dean proudly stated that the college ranks number six in the na- tion in terms of the number of Na- tional Academy of Engineering members among our faculty. Gloyna said that being one of those members was his most prestigious honor. The dean ' s most recent award was the Venezuelan National Conservation Award. Gloyna was also elected 1983-84 president of the Water Pollu- tion Control Federation. Gloyna, dean of the College of Engineering since 1970, held the Bet- tie Margaret Smith Chair in En- vironmental Health Engineering. His many accomplishments included two books, 150 papers and 75 major reports, most on water supply and waste management. He was a consul- tant to the United Nations and World Health Organization, govern- ments of five countries, the U.S. Senate, and over 100 cities, industries and consulting firms since 1952. Dean Gloyna and the College of Engineering recently formulated the college ' s plan for the next six years. It was to guide the College of Engineer- ing ' s phenomenal growth and im- provement into the 1990s. Jon Langbert Dean Earnest Gloyna, chairman of the Science Advisory Board of the Environmental Protection Agency, works to better water pollution controls. 112 Engineering