Wheaton College - Nike Yearbook (Norton, MA)

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Political science makes possible a more de- tailed study of current governmental sys- tems and events which occur in and between the various governments. The daily paper may help you to follow what is going on in the world today, but Professor Hubbard will help you to understand these events. Under Dr. Hubbard the History department in- cludes Dr. Gulley, Mr. Knapton, and Mr. Hidy. The mathematicians gather on the sand to draw circles. The universe is amenable to x and y, and the ultimate is unrevealed in o. Or so it would seem to those of us who have not progressed beyond plane geometry and quadratics. For the student of mathe- matics the science is not so occult. It serves physics and chemistry and the social sciences by reducing data to the lowest and most workable terms. The department 1s—mathe- matically speaking—equal to Dr. Garabe- dian and Miss Watt. The sound of violin and ‘cello entices us around the next corner. The aesthetic experi- ence to be derived from music is extraordin- arily soothing and yet stimulating. Even in these days of swingaroo and hot trumpets the stately airs of Bach, the lovely melody of Mozart, the grandeur of Beethoven are loved and appreciated even by the so-called young- er generation. The truth of this statement 1s illustrated by the fact that the enrollment in music classes at Wheaton increases yearly. This year lecture classes were much larger, and a new appreciation course was intro- duced. There are already two victrolas which are constantly busy, and a third could be used. Besides appreciation there are classes in piano, organ, instrumental music, voice, harmony, and counterpoint under the direc- tion of Mr. Ramseyer, Dr. Garabedian, Miss Brohaugh, Miss MacLeod, Miss Totten, and Miss Wood. Miss Brohaugh has directed the orchestra this year, which played at Found- [ 18 |

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and costumes, written and directed plays. The English department reluctantly said good-bye to Mr. Boas, head of the depart- ment, and Mrs. Boas when they sailed for Europe after midyears. During their ab- sence Mrs. Ballou has taken over their Junior and Senior Tutorial classes with Mr. Mat- thiessen and Mr. Houghton of Harvard University lecturing to the Juniors. The in- structors in the English department under Mr. Boas are Mrs. Boas, Miss Shepard, Mrs. Mackenzie, Mrs. Ballou, Dr. Sharp, Mr. Earle, Miss Tweedle, Miss Winslow, and Miss Rice. Another language in the labyrinth—Ger- man. With the increasing demand of the day for universality, we find a proportionate demand for study in foreign languages. This interest seems to be especially marked in the German department. Not only do we find courses in German grammar and in the liter- ature of the country, but there is also a course in the folklore and customs of Ger- many—Kulturkunde, a course conducted by Dr. Korsch. We find on campus a German club under the guidance of the department, which presents a Christmas party every year at which German carols are sung and kuchen are served. The members of the German de- partment are Professor Korsch, Miss Kramer, and Miss Crawford. Language, the tool of thought, has many of its roots in Greek and Latin. Understand- ing of these leads to a greater proficiency in and a finer appreciation of expression. The field of philology reveals much in respect to these great languages. Roman and Greek civilization, are divulged by their language and literature, which in turn reflect upon the language and literature of Europe. The civilization of Greece, a bulwark against the infringing Orient, is a mere phase in the long chain of events that have made up wes- tern civilization, and yet the things that are Greek are the touchstone of the ages. The study of the classics reveals other fields. History, politics, the thoughts and beliefs of men are disclosed to us. Once the language of all Europe, Latin is now the international tongue of science. The classics department, under Dr. Work, Dr. Lynn, and Dr. Eliza- beth Evans, views the past with an eye to understanding the present. Another turn in the maze and the ages are spread before our eyes. History is not only a political survey of the growth and decline of certain countries, but also deals with the cultural, economic, and social aspects of civilization. These broader differences in customs and habits often are responsible for the type of government and the political events of a nation. To understand present- day world events, it is necessary to observe those events and evolutionary stages which have gone before. History is not merely a sequence of past events. Factual history must be interpreted and given relationships in order to be seen with its full significance. [17]

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er's Day exercises and the Christmas choir concert. Senior music majors also conducted a Sunday vesper service in the spring. We come next in the endless twistings of man’s knowledge to that subject which is perhaps the oldest and the most venerable of all—Philosophy. Up through the ages, however, Philosophy has, like the phoenix, recreated itself. For us it is a synthesis of all our gleanings from other turnings of thought; Dr. Mac, Mrs. Clark, and Dr. Sprague show it to us as an accumulated wisdom of the past which is startingly applicable to our own lives. It is the all-inclusive study of life. Only one step further and we come upon Dr. Shook in the midst of an experiment, shaking his head and saying, ‘Well, if we had enough time and if the conditions were right, it would work.’’ Physics deals with those changes in matter and energy which do not involve changes in the composition of substances. If you have long wondered about the colorful arrangement of weights, pulleys, and machines which inhabit the basement of the Doll’s House, a course in Physics would explain it. In relation to music there is a fascinating course on the nature of sound and on the mechanical differences of various musical instruments. For a student interested in mathematics, there are mechanics courses taught by Mr. Garabedian, which apply mathematical formulas to physics problems. Man has begun to know himself as Aris- totle once suggested, and in psychology one finds the intricate labyrinth of man’s con- sciousness. Psychology 1s the science of how man works. It discusses his mentality, the development of his perception, the change in the sutures of the bones. Dr. Hunt tries to discover the simple facts of attention, Miss Amen is concerned with the mental and physical developments of children and will send you over to the nursery school, where Miss Chandler and Miss Jacoby are incharge, to observe. The great complications of the opposing theories of the Behaviorists, the Configurationists, and the Vitalists are ex- plained and made simple by Miss Rickers. The prayers of men are in all corners of the maze we are exploring. Religion is no 1so- lated thing. It is a part of our lives whether we think of ourselves as religious or not. The department of Religion attempts to broaden the knowledge we have of religion, to place us in a background of all religions, all philosophies of religion so that we may wisely estimate our own beliefs. Contemporary religion may be studied both factually and philosophically. As a feature of this course Dr. Sprague has invited other men to speak on their particular spec- ialties within the field. One may study the Old and the New Testaments as literature, or follow out the philosophic implications of religion. Whatever phase one concerns one- self with, one is never far from the primary interest of man’s beliefs. Within our labyrinth we come upon an accumulation of tongues—the Romance Languages. French, Spanish, and Italian are filling the air with syllables and meaning. Professor Riddell, Miss Metivier, Miss Park- er, Miss Buchler, Miss Littlefield, Mrs. Travis, and Miss Pond are talking. We listen as they speak of a wealth of literature and custom and civilization. Southern Europe outlines itself in our brain with all the color and imagery of which language is possessed. A few more turns and we come upon Zoology. Someone is studying a lobster with advice from Miss Voter; someone 1s listening to Dr. Lange explain the cells of the body. The Zoology department presents a jumping- off place for those who plan to go on in the study of medicine or in research or laboratory work. Beside the theory and fundamental facts studied in class, many groups are taken on field trips to study animal life in its nat- ural environment. The General Zoology class makes an annual trip to the seashore for marine life, and the Comparative An- atomy students are given the opportunity to observe operations in a Providence hospital. And so we come through the labyrinth, and close the Wheaton Bulletin, and try to decide what courses to take next year! [19 ]