Month: May 2020

Memorial Day Appreciation

West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 1950-05

Of the 405,000 American soldiers who died in World War II, 26 were Sons of Wesleyan. Among those 26, only six were graduates – the others had their education disrupted by the war.

The plaque was meant to honor them, and to help future generations to remember them. As far as I know it may still be in Atkinson Chapel somewhere, but there have been renovations since that time and since 2009, that place has stood vacant. I can’t remember ever seeing it — or maybe I just was not very observant. However, 70 years later it has inspired me to remember (and learn about) these men.

This Memorial Day, I would like to take the opportunity to honor them once more. I will focus on those who were graduates, but the honor and appreciation extends to all of them.

John Francis Elkins ’29

He was a graduate of WV Wesleyan College and taught school in Logan County for 14 years. Although he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, there are memorials in  multiple cemeteries in southern West Virginia as well. (WV Memory Project, Veteran’s Database)

Boggs Hall ’37

A Graduate of Sutton high School and WV Wesleyan College, Boggs Hall was employed in the land department at the State Auditor’s office in Charleston before leaving for Basic Training at Fort Bragg N.C. Boggs Hall received a Purple Heart. He is buried in Holland, where he died, but also has a memorial in his home town of Sutton. (WV Memory Project, Veteran’s Database)

Carl Robert Reger ’43

He was a graduate of WV Wesleyan prior to enlistment and in his senior year president of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Member of First Methodist Church, Buckhannon. Recipient of the Purple Heart and the Presidential Citation. He is buried in Heavener Cemetery in Buckhannon. (WV Memory Project, Veteran’s Database)

Francis Clay Robinson ’36

A graduate of WVWC, Clay also went on to medical school at Harvard, where he graduated in 1941. Newspapers tell us that he was a resident physican in Worchester MA prior to enlistment, and WVWC Alumni publicatons indicate that he was a Clinical Instructor at the University of Vermont Medical School as well. (WV Memory Project, Veteran’s Database)

Paul Jones Rogerson ’35

He graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College and from the University of Chicago, and taught for a year at Moundsville High School and at Linsly Institute in Wheeling before entering the service.  Paul died 5-12-1944, at the age of 31, of pneumonia in Louisiana.  (WV Memory Project, Veteran’s Database)

Loran Alexander Umpleby ’42

He graduated from WV Weslyan College in 1942. Records show that the plane crashed down at Storeton, near Birkenhead, Cheshire, England.  Their base in England was at Tibenham, Norfolk, England. The 24 crew killed in the explosion had taken war weary aircraft over to Langford base in Northern Ireland and were returning to their bases at Tibenham. (WV Memory Project, Veteran’s Database)

Memorial Day

Shortly after the Civil War, Decoration Day was a time to honor those lost in that war. Graves were decorated and people remembered the horrors of neighbors and family members fighting each other to the death.

After World War I and World War II, the holiday was expanded to include those lost in all wars. But, it was not until 1971 that it became a national holiday. In our society, holidays mean trips to the beach, parades, and cookouts.

Much respect to these, and all men (and women), who have sacrificed for us. 

Dreamers and Giants and COVID-19

Dreamers and Giants and COVID-19

This week I have become aware of two Wesleyan graduates who have died of COVID-19. I am sure there have been (or are likely to be) more such losses. Each one is heart breaking. Each of them came to WVWC with dreams. Each fulfilled those dreams and touched many lives in the process.

Norm Moyer, Class of 1976

Throughout his years at West Virginia Wesleyan, Norm was surrounded by a host of peers and faculty members who encouraged, challenged, and supported him. Many of these folks have stayed in touch throughout the years.

In his obituary, we find this:

About a year ago Norm wrote ”Joy is my chosen mission and as John Wesley said, ‘The world is my parish.’ The bible says, ‘Rejoice, Again I say Rejoice!’ The middle of Rejoice is joy. The mission I have set my life path upon to travel is to bring JOY into everybody’s life to assist them in remembering an essential part of their humanity. …It’s my vocation.”

Michael Bari, Class of 1984

Michael Bari was born January 20, 1962 in Toronto, Canada.

He died on May 13, 2020 in Alexandria, LA

Photo by Howard Hiner

A member of the WVWC Baseball team, and Physical Education Major, Mike was active in many areas of campus. He was part of an intramural organization made up of members of various groups and teams across campus. They apparently were a force to behold, and were known as Hecklers II.

He had a very distinguished coaching career, incuding two years as the Women’s Basketball Coach at WVWC. I always enjoyed talking with him on campus! His other creative outlet was his Sports Radio Talk Show, which had an extensive following.

My heart goes out to the families and friends of these two members of the Bobcat family in particular, and to all of those who have lost someone to this pandemic. When reading the numbers of deaths on the news, it is so overwhelming. Each number represents a person. Each person has a story (or many).

 

 

Good Old Days

During finals week of my freshman year of college, I wandered into the bookstore to procure the dreaded Blue Book. The empty pages between the blue covers were just waiting for me to fill them with all of the things I had learned during the semester.

While there, a sign caught my eye. It seemed like quite the opposite of what I was feeling.

I was in the middle of exams, and packing, and saying goodbye to new friends for the summer. 

However, I bought that sign. It was in my dorm room for the rest of my college career. It is still with me, and looks a bit worse for wear. It was with me:

  • When my college sweetheart and I were newlyweds in Chicago — and homesick for family and the hills of WV.
  • When our children were newborns — and we were walking the floor night after night.
  • When family members died or moved far away.
  • Through new jobs, moves, school activities with the children, and empty nesting.

From time to time I still look at this sign, but with a new perspective.

Yes, those college days were the Good Old Days — in spite of the exams.

Yes, those adventures in Chicago — even during the Blizzard of 1979.

Yes, those wonderful moments (in retrospect) of endless rocking and singing to babies. They turned out to be pretty amazing people!

Yes, when looking back at the great memories we made with family members.

Yes, during each day and in every time in life, there were good things happening.

Good Old Days at WVWC?

  • Probably was hard to think it was the Good Old Days when, as seen on this 1900 map, the campus consisted of only the Seminary Building and Ladies Hall. And when the main building burned in 1905.
  • Probably was hard to think it was the Good Old Days during World War I and soldiers were training on campus…and students shipping off to fight in Europe.
  • Probably was hard during the Spanish Flu Epidemic in 1918.
  • Probably was hard, during the years that Roy McCuskey was president — during the Great Depression.
  • Probably was hard, during the years of World War II, and Korea, and Vietnam.

In each of these cases, there were very good things happening at WVWC in spite of it all. There were people (Faculty, Staff, Students) stepping up and being creative, just as there are in 2020. Giants then…Giants now.

2020

It is hard to imagine that we are living through the Good Old Days in 2020.

Pandemics, quarantines, online classes and meetings.

Masks and sanitizers all around.

Maybe, in time, we will remember the time spent with family without all of the running around.

Or the people who were heroic.

Or the people who called to check on us.

Or the creative ways we found to do the things that are important.

Personal Perspective

This year, in our family, there is a brand new baby – born a week before Mother’s Day. We celebrated Mother’s Day 2020 by introducing the baby to family members via Zoom. A good time was had by all.

These may well be Good Old Days yet.

I think I will give the sign to my daughter for Mother’s Day so that it can inspire her as well.

p.s. Congratulations, also to Lauren Weaver (WVWC’s United Methodist Church Liaison and Spiritual Life Coordinator) and her husband Nathan Weaver (class of 2013) on the birth of Ezra Lawrence Weaver on May 2!  And to Dr. Katharine Antolini, who was featured on a BBC news story about Mother’s Day as a Mother’s Day Scholar. Yes, these may be the Good Old Days after all.

Virtual

Virtual

Our lives have been transformed lately.

Things that we have done for years, and taken for granted, are now being done differently.

We connect with family and friends differently.

We learn, worship, celebrate, consume entertainment, and explore the world differently.

The word Virtual is defined as being almost or nearly as described, or almost a particular thing or quality. Oxford describes the origins as in the graphic below.

In many cases, the nature of what we are trying to achieve does not change: teach, learn, celebrate, support, enjoy, explore and so on. It may not be exactly the same. In some cases it is close, nearly, or almost. In some cases it misses the mark completely. In some cases it is just different — maybe even better!

Usage of the word has increased greatly in recent years, and my guess is that this has been especially true in the past few months. It seems that right now all of life has been impacted by the word Virtual.

Virtual Commencement

This past Saturday was a historic day at WVWC. The first ever Virtual Commencement happened. It was obvious that doing things as they are usually done was not possible. Travel was not possible for families, and groups over 25 people were not permitted as per orders from the governor. 

With creativity, interaction, and keeping the goals of celebration and interactivity in mind, I think that this virtual effort was successful. Parts of it were really nice! The nature of the college and the celebration of the graduates were captured very well. There were no limits on tickets, no hard bleachers for families to sit on for hours, and it is all available to watch again if you’d like! Later in the day, graduates were sharing the link and other photos from the event with family and friends. The celebration that was happening in all of the comments were not Virtual. They were very real! 

Click here to watch the recording.

It was almost as described. The essence of the celebration was strong. While not what most graduates and their families had envisioned, it did a great job of including participation and celebrating relationships. Students were invited to submit photos from their college years. Many submitted photos with friends, faculty, groups, teams, or activities that had been especially meaningful to them. Some chose not to submit photos, and that was ok too. Various campus folks included short video congratulations.

The ceremony ended, as it does in person, with the singing of My Home Among the Hills. But this time, the choir members sang it together while apart. The tears that came to my eyes were not virtual. My eyes were a bit moist.  Click here to watch it — over and over again if you’d like!