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From Social Disorganization to Social Justice

This week marks the 14th Annual Social Justice Week on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College. Last year’s publicity (2018) explained why it is that this is such an important event. It said:

Social Justice week celebrates the social justice roots of the College through the United Methodist tradition. There are several events and opportunities that will engage participants in various social justice issues, from poverty, racial equality, modern slavery, and more.

Social Justice Week 2018 13th Annual — 2018

Social Justice issues are not new. Some have been around for centuries while others change with the times. Any time there is inequity, prejudice, poverty, war, or an entitlement mentality you will find social justice conversations happening. Any time there is a group of people that feels entitled, or when there are policies in place that need changing in order for people to be treated justly, you will find social justice conversations happening. They have happened at West Virginia Wesleyan for more than one hundred years.

Early Conversations

The September 1900 issue of The Seminary Collegiate shows that students were writing and speaking about issues such as post-Civil War America, hazing and educational policies in military schools, what constitutes heroism, and racism.

Debating was a major component of the Wesleyan experience for many decades, and the topics considered very often fell into the area of Social Justice. Each of the two Literary Societies had full-fledged debates once a month. Later, a debate team emerged which won many intercollegiate debate tournaments. This resulted in students who were well prepared in researching, reading, critical thinking, debating, and communicating their thoughts about the issues of their times.

Here are but a few samples of the kinds of issues being debated – with arguments being presented both affirmative and negative. This helped to prepare well informed leaders for the future.

Resolved:

1891 That the right of suffrage shall be extended to women.
1891 That the Railroads and Telegraph lines should be owned by the government.
1891 That the Steam Engine is more beneficial to mankind than the Printing Press.
1891 That the Pulpit wields a greater influence for good than the Printing Press. (It would appear that the negative argument prevailed here.)
1891 That the Negroes have a greater right to complain of ill treatment at the hands of the U.S. than the Indians. (It would also appear that the negative argument prevailed in this one.)
1900 That more restrictive immigration laws would be beneficial to the United States
1900 That the Ancient Greeks were more patriotic than are Americans
1900 That Government would not be possible without morality
1900 That the action of the United States in regard to our new possessions is commendable
1900 That idleness should be prohibited by law and work should be furnished by the State to those unable to secure employment
1907 That there should be an educational qualification for Suffrage
1910 That Nickelodeans are more of a detriment than benefit to public morals
1914 That the nations should disarm and settle all disputes by abitration
1925 The constitution of the United States should be amended to give Congress power to regulate child labor.
1927 That the primary system of nominations should be discontinued
1930 That public conscience should be directed by Prohibition
1948 That the federal government should adopt a policy of equalizing educational opportunity in tax-supported schools by means of annual grants

A Strong Voice and Great Mentor

This is also Women’s History Month, and a great time to highlight a Woman of Wesleyan who encompasses both strong women and social justice. That person is Dr. Florence Weirick Schaper — Teacher, Counselor, Mentor, Leader.

Schaper, Florence 1962 — Florence Schaper
1962 Murmurmontis

Dr. Schaper taught Sociology from 1950-1967. She also became the head of the revised Counseling and Guidance program in 1954. She had been very active in her profession for many years, and was retired from the military as a Lieutennant Commander. President Scarborough said the following as he announced this appointment:

Dr. Schaper’s previous experience in this field includes being Director of Student Guidance and Personnel for ten years at Lindenwood College, St. Charles, Missouri. During that time she was President of the St. Louis Branch of the National Vocational Guidance Association which is concerned with integrating education and industry. Dr. Schaper has been an active member in the American College Personnel Association for many years. During World War II she had military leave of absence from her educational work while she served as a Naval Reserve officer in Communications Personnel.

While heading up the Counseling and Guidance program, she exhibited her leadership working closely with the following group, and eventually also initiated the New Student Placement Service:

Miss Nellie G. Wilson, Dean of Women
Professor John D. Shaver, Dean of Men
Rev. Sidney T. Davis, College Chaplain
Mr. Donald Flynn, Director of Group Ministry

She also continued her role as Professor and Head of the Department of Sociology, where the following courses were being taught:

Fundamentals of Social Problems
Principles of Sociology
Social Problems
Cultural Anthropology
Race and Ethnic Relations
Social Disorganization
Rural Sociology
Urban Sociology
Community Organization and Leadership
The Field of Social Work
Social Organization and Reconstruction
The Family
Criminology
Child Welfare
Social Theory

She worked closely with students, mentoring future leaders in the field of Sociology and Social Work, cooking dinner for them and providing programs, research opportunities and field experiences. From what I hear, she was available to them at any time during the week except when the Metropolitan Opera was being aired on the radio on Saturday afternoons!

Social Justice Week Continues Great Legacy

I believe that somewhere, Dr. Florence Schaper is watching the current students at Wesleyan as they celebrate Social Justice Week. That she would be right in the middle of it all if she were still on campus today. Maybe expanding on one of her courses from the 1950s: Social Disorganization!

Having read so much about Dr. Florence Schaper, and hearing about her from many who knew her, I would imagine that she would love nothing more than to cheer on the wonderful and socially aware students of modern-day Wesleyan in their work for Social Justice.

(Click here to see a list of those who have taught and mentored Sociology and Related Disciplines at West Virginia Wesleyan)

First In Line

When the West Virginia Conference Seminary was founded in 1890, new opportunities became available for students in the area. The very first person in line was Roy Reger.

The first student to enroll in the seminary on opening day was Mr. Roy Reger of Buckhannon, West Virginia. Seventy students were enrolled for the first term of ten weeks. The total enrollment for the year was two hundred and one. One hundred sixty-seven students were enrolled in the Classical, Literary, Scientific and Normal Courses. The balance were in the Department of Art, Music and Business. (K. Plummer, 1965)

Many years later, in 1963, portions of a letter from Roy Reger were published in the West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin – Sundial which described the early days at the college. You can click here to read the entire thing, but I will also transcribe it here.

One day early in September, 1890, very early in the morning, my father and mother called my two younger brothers and me from sleep and brought us to Buckhannon in the family spring wagon, a distance of eight miles over two high hills, a two hour journey.

Arriving at the Seminary grounds we hitched the horses to the fence by the campus and went across the field to the school building, the first three story building we boys had ever seen.

There my father took me to the president’s office and I was enrolled as a student, by mere chance being the first whose name was entered on the big book.

That was an honor to be more and more (gratifying) with the passing of the years.

Of the students enrolled the first year, West Virginia contributed the overwhelming majority. Most of them had very little money, some cooked their own meals; others who lived near Buckhannon went to their homes over the weekend and brought back with them enough food to last two or three days, others took their meals in boarding houses at which modern day students might possibly eat one time, but certainly no more.

Several of the teachers were from outside of West Virginia and had come to the Seminary with the idea that they were to engage in a noble missionary work in a primitive and backward community.

As our class historian in 1893 said in his class day history, the students had much difficulty in teaching the teachers that this was West Virginia and we were West Virginians, and to be respected accordingly.

The new building was scantily equipped with furniture and had no library or laboratory equipment. When we wanted a piano to use in a literary society program on the second floor, the boys had to carry one down the stairs from the third floor, then carry it back again after the program.

Chairs often were carried by the students from one room to another, especially for any unusually large gathering.

The faculty had a great advantage over the students that first year, and used it by instituting and enforcing very strict rules.

Most of the students were strangers to each other, and constituted a disorganized body in which there was as yet no school spirit or crystallization of ideas and customs, so we had to take what the faculty gave us, and like it.

The big bell rang loud and long every evening at 7:00 o’clock and woe to any student caught out on the street by a faculty member after that hour.

Chapel attendance every day was compulsory, and Professor Trotter carefully called the roll of the entire student body at each session, and a student absent without cause had a more or less unpleasant interview with the president.

Every student was required to attend church every Sunday morning, and a chapel roll call on Monday everyone had to answer “church” or “not at church.” Boys with somewhat flexible consciences who had not attended church sometimes answered by saying “not at” in a low tone of voice and coming out strong on “church.” This is an observation not a confession.

Great stress was laid on religious and spiritual life and every Sunday afternoon a service called “students’ meeting” was held in the small chapel, generally conducted by President Hutchinson. Attendance was entirely voluntary, but was aways quite good.

The social life of the students was centered largely in the two literary societies, as there were no fraternities or sororities. Students were not allowed to attend dances, or go to the theatre. In these societies were developed some splendid speakers, who owed much to their training there.

For some years the societies had a contest at commencement in which the rivalry became so strenuous and consequent feeling so bitter at times that the contests finally were discontinued. Largely as a result of this discontinuance, the societies gradually became less and less a part of the school life, and finally died.

Although the school offered only an academic course, the average age of the student body was considerably higher than the college students of today. Most of them had no high school work and had a very great thirst for an education. Many taught school in the winter, and attended the seminary in the fall or spring term, sometimes both terms, as the common school term at that time was only four months.

Notwithstanding the rules and restraints which at times seemed to us to be too strict, we had a good time had a high regard for the president and most of the teachers, and set up a standard of hard work and scholarship which we hope still exists in our Alma Mater.

Later Years

After briefly teaching English Studies at the Seminary, Roy went on to West Virginia University and received his A.B. degree in 1898 and then taught for three years at Marshall College before taking a two year teaching position in the Philippines, stationed in Manilla. Upon his return from the Philippines he studied law at West Virginia University, completing the degree in 1905, and opened a law practice in Buckhannon. Eventually he moved his family to Charleston where he worked for the State Department.

Roy Reger graduate of WVU 1898 — Photo from the West Virginia History OnView, from WVU Libraries

The local boy who had never seen a three story building had received an excellent start. He became a teacher, a lawyer, and a leader in state government. He was the first one in line.

A Stately Statement: The Lynch-Raine Administration Building

Administration Building 2019 — Photo by Danny Green, 2019

This stately building on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College was built in 1906 on the site of the original Seminary Building, which had burned on February 4, 1905.

After that tragic fire, in the Trustee Response, we read, “A vigorous campaign is in progress for money. The money can be secured only by dash, brains, faith, and persistence”. It ends by saying, “Let rallying be the order not dallying.” These were the words of President Wier.

President Wier did, indeed, go out and rally support.

Gifts came from many people who truly believed in the mission of the school. One major gift even came from Andrew Carnegie. Another from D.K. Pearson, a Chicago millionaire who was a very strong Methodist and a very serious philanthropist.

Daniel Kimball Pearsons had previously given money for the Seminary. He not only donated again when he heard of the tragic fire, but urged his friend Andrew Carnegie to do so as well. Pearsons and his wife had no children, and he had donated his fortune through the years to 54 church-related schools throughout the United States. He believed in education and in young people. In fact, in his biography, he referred to these as his 54 children. He said,

My children are all inanimate objects. I have placed the money I have given them in the shape of perpetual endowments in charge of the management, but those men are simply the instruments chosen to keep the money drawing interest for my children.

From 1906-07 it was simply called the New College Building.

From 1908-28 it was generally referred to as College Hall, although some pictures had the caption Hall of Liberal Arts.

Beginning in 1929 it was most generally referred to as The Administration Building until the Trustee meeting in Fall 1953 when it was renamed the Lynch-Raine Administration Building.

Who are Lynch and Raine?

These two men combined for nearly twenty years of leadership as Presidents of the Board of Trustees. Their work and their generosity were major reasons for the growth of the school throughout those early years.

Judge Charles Wesley Lynch

In Bench and Bar of West Virginia, George W. Atkinson said of Judge Lynch

He is incorruptible. He is severely candid and is essentially just. His ability is unusual, and his life and achievements stamp him as a lawyer, jurist, and a patriot of the highest grades.

John Raine

Upon his death, there was an article in the September 1940 issue of the West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin honoring John Raine and expressing appreciation for all he had meant to the college.

So, the next time you see this building take a closer look. Think about the people who made it possible and the people for whom it is named. It is not just a building with offices and classrooms. It is a symbol of much more than that.

It shows the determination of people not to give up when fire consumed the major building on campus in 1904.

It shows that people outside of our area, and who were not even connected to the school, believed in the mission of the institution.

It honors two men who provided great leadership.

It makes a statement.

Administration Building Murmurmontis 1926 — 1926

Images in Bronze

John Wesley looks out over the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College. He has been there since 1967. Sculpted by prominent Atlanta architect and sculptor, Julian Hoke Harris, the statue was commissioned for the campus. It has long been a place for students to meet and for photographs of families, friends, teams, and other campus groups to be taken. From groups of faculty to the Sago Mine disaster balloon release to celebrating new students, homecomings, lacrosse victories to pep band rallies, John Wesley tends to be right in the middle of it all.

John Wesley and the Methodist Church

Through his sermons and his prolific writings, John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist movement in England, and was a major influence on the formation of churches in America, sending instructions to America in 1784 for the formation of a separate Methodist church for the United States

There were many divisions of that group throughout its history over such things as church governance, social issues, and other factors which resulted in nearly 30 denominations which come from this heritage. Here is an interesting list of these denominations.

Some of these groups have divided, some have come back together.

In 1939 – Three groups reunited to be come The Methodist Church

In 1968 – The three reunited groups welcomed another one, the Evangelical United Brethren, and they became the United Methodist Church

1939 Uniting Conference

In the late 1930s, nearly 100 years after the Methodist Episcopal Church, South had split from the denomination over the issue of slavery, there was a reuniting of three of these groups: Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church South, and the Methodist Protestant. It was quite an emotional event.

On the 14th Day of the Uniting Conference in 1939, the leaders of these major groups spoke. You can read their words here:

From left to right:

Bishop John M. Moore — Methodist Episcopal Church South
James H. Straughn — Methodist Protestant Church (At that time President of the Methodist Protestant Church, later ordained a Bishop)
Bishop Edwin Holt Hughes — Methodist Episcopal Church

Photo for Plaque — Photograph from Bishop Straughn’s Personal Reflections

These three leaders have become a powerful symbol of all that happened in Kansas City, Missouri from April 26 – May 10, 1939.

Bishops Straughn and Hughes have spoken at West Virginia Wesleyan. Bishop Straughn, in particular, is considered a great friend of the college and served on our Board of Trustees from 1941-48 when he was serving as the Bishop of the Pittsburgh Area.

The Plaque

More than a decade after this event, President Scarborough recognized the huge importance of the 1939 Uniting Conference, and of this particular moment. Working with his friend, Michael Late Benedum, who provided funds through the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, and long-time Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Clyde O. Law, the dream of a one-of-a-kind monument became a reality. The architectural firm involved in creating three new buildings on campus at the time, Poundstone, Ayers, and Godwin, connected us with leading sculptor, Julian Hoke Harris of Atlanta (Yes, the same one who later created our statue of John Wesley).

Bishop James H. Straughn, the center person on this plaque, was here on campus to dedicate this one-of-a-kind plaque. This took place on May 28, 1953 at the dedication ceremony of both the plaque and the Methodist History Room in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library. Although that room has moved to a different area and the plaque itself has moved to a new place on campus (the hallway in Martin Religious Center just outside of the Chapel Office), his words are powerful reminders for all of us. The full text of Bishop Straughn’s dedication speech can be found here, pages 1-4.

His speech includes:

Conference and College Relationship
West Virginia Religious Heritage
The importance of the history of these things
The stories of the sculptor and this work of art
The story of the Uniting Conference in 1939 from the perspective of a central figure in that event, and including the roles of the three people immortalized on this plaque
The story of the very photograph that was used as a model which has a great back-story of its own

Thus, Julian Hoke Harris has captured important images in bronze for West Virginia Wesleyan College. His work remains an important reminder of our heritage.

Sculptor and his Works Julian Hoke Harris — Julian Hoke Harris and the Images in Bronze
That he has created for West Virginia Wesleyan College
**For the Preservation and Telling of Our Stories**

Navigating Our Shared History

My WVWC History Class was on a “Field Trip” this week and looking around in the West Meditation Chapel when I mentioned that the name did not refer to the direction the building was facing, but to Calvin and Mary Lowe West.

Of course, one of the students pulled out a cell phone with a Compass App on it to check and see. This IS the age of the App after all!

It turns out that Calvin West, a devout Methodist, had spent a short time in Buckhannon during his youth before relocating to Florida. He was not a graduate of the college, but was so impressed with the school that he created an endowment fund “The Calvin A. West Scholarship Fund” which has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to help students fund their education at Wesleyan. His widow kept up the support of the school in his name, and provided further funds for the Meditation Chapel, which was completed in 1967. He followed his heart. She followed his lead.

Others were also involved in making the Meditation Chapel a special place, donating funds for many of the items that are there. Many of these people were alumni or their families who wanted to be part of the growth and mission of the school, and to create something special for the benefit current students. They were both following and leading.

Navigation Tools

Compasses tell us the direction that we want to go. They help us to know if we are on the right path.

Maps tell us how to get there. They show us the best way to get there. After all, the shortest route may not be the best one.

Our college publications also give us clues.

They tell us about landmarks along the way and the people who have led us. They give clues about where we have been.

Catalogs

For those who haven’t read a college catalog lately, I can tell you that there is more in there than just a list of classes. They help us to take a look at our current bearing (the manner in which one behaves or comports oneself).

Catalogs include:

The calendar of important dates and deadlines
Statement of Mission
A brief history of the school
Information about accreditation
Procedures and the process for enrolling and graduating
Tuition, fees, payment procedures, and financial aid
What courses are required for the various programs
Descriptions of each course
Outcomes for the programs
Academic policies and information about withdrawal, transferring of credits, auditing courses, grading, transcripts, technology requirements, commencement, academic integrity, plagiarism
Student life policies about social responsibility, code of conduct, sexual harassment, alcohol and drugs
Resources available to students, such as: the Campus Center, Campus Security, Career Center, Chapel, Child Development Center, Cultural Events, Food Service, Health Services, Housing Services, Learning Center, Library, Motor Vehichle policies and procedures, Physical Education Center, Wellness Center, Testing Services, and Writing Center
Lists of Aministrative Officers and Staff
List of the members of the Board of Trustees
List of the Faculty
List of the Presidents and Deans throughout the history of the school

The Pharos

Our college newspaper was named for the Lighthouse of Alexandria. This lighthouse, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was built to guide and protect sailors. Likewise, our paper has served to announce upcoming events, discuss the storms of life that may be in the area, and otherwise to map out the course and give reports about the journey.

The Sundial

The West Virginia Wesleyan alumni publication is called the Sundial. There is a great deal of information in it about the school and about the people who care about it. It includes information about students from the past and current students as well as updates on the school itself. It also includes a good deal of information about finances and campaigns to do building projects for the future. The name of this publication is inspired by the sundial in front of the Lynch-Raine Administration Building. Sundials tell time by the way that sunlight and shadows interact. Much like a compass, it is set to true north. Unlike a compass it registers time rather than direction. It is local time.

Murmurmontis

Loosely translated as “The Voice of the Mountain,” our yearbook name was reportedly suggested by Frank B. Trotter, professor of Latin. In it, we see the photographs of the people who were here at any given time and read about their adventures and accomplishments. This publication has given us a treasure trove of information about those who have come before us. There are some very strong, powerful, creative, brilliant, and truly Giant names: Hutchinson, Haught, McCuskey, Fleming, Martin, Rockefeller, Hyma, Brown, Glauner, Atkinson, Reemsnyder, Davis, Trotter, Schoolcraft, Ross, Jelly, McKinney, Coston, Wark, Chrisman, Hamrick, Holmes, Boette, and many many more. Their leadership and their voices are worth consulting.

Here is an article about the Making of the First Murmurmontis, by Charles Aubrey Jones. He was the editor of that first one in 1904, and wrote this article for the 1910 edition. His article ends with:

As memory treasuries for the periods which they cover, I am glad to have been associated with the movement which brought them about, for in their pictures, their memories, are recollections which grow dimmer as the years go by, and yet which we cannot well afford to lose, for youth and college days do not come again. The “Murmurmontis” brings them back to us.

Sadly, this publication ceased with the 2012 edition – a 21st Century victim of social media, apathy, and expense.

The audiences for these publications are sometimes limited. Very few alumni are likely to read a current catalog. Students on campus may pick up a copy of the Pharos, but those far away are not likely to do so. Sundials are delivered to alumni, but few current students will read them. The Murmurmontis is not an option for current students, and the alumni are likely only to read those for the years in which they were in college. Faculty and Trustees will vary in their reading of these publications as well.

Fortunately, the Catalogs are all available online. From 1890-2010, they can be found on the Internet Archive. (For example, West Virginia Wesleyan 1940.)

The Yearbooks can be found there as well from 1904-2010 (For example, Murmurmontis 1958)

The Pharos and Sundials can be found on Pages In Time, a digital repository made possible by the Friends of the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library. There are other collections available there as well including Performing Arts Programs and the George Rossbach Digital Herbarium.

DreamersAndGiants includes information and stories. Things that bind us all together as the West Virginia Wesleyan College Community.

There is a Blog post each Monday – to pull things from all of these other sources and tell the stories. The archive of all of them is available. A couple that are especially helpful in talking about our Navigation are:

Gifts of Stories from the Past

Cloud of Witnesses

So, how can we find a common map? A common path? A common sense of history and future? What Navigation Tools will we use? Is there an App for that?

Guardian of Romantic Years – Happy Valentine’s Day

Verse three of the West Virginia Wesleyan Alma Mater talks about the Guardian of Romantic Years. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be fun to think about that for a minute.

Yes, many people have found their life partners while here. At last count there are more than 1,400 Wesleyan Sweetheart Couples. These are people who met while students here.

Sometimes the courtship has involved long walks on the beautiful campus. Sometimes there were long hours in choir or band practices or lengthy science labs involved. Sometimes romances flourish in the library or in the cafeteria.

Even faculty members have fallen in love!

Literary Society Love

In the early years, it was not uncommon to find love in the Literary Societies (Chrestomathean or Excelsior) because these were organizations where it was approved for boys and girls to gather together. After all, you wanted that debate, or performance, or speech to be extra good! Some notable couples in this category would be Charles and Ireta (Lowe) Jones Seminary graduates in 1904 and 1906 respectively and Edward and Gayzelle (Rusk) Boetticher in the late 1920s.

Whatever the setting, there are people who have an interest (or a challenge) in common and who are spending a lot of time together at a time in their lives when they are discovering who they are and who they want to become.

Alma Mater

But sometimes the love doesn’t involve another person. Sometimes it is the love of learning that is discovered and celebrated. Sometimes it is the love for the place where we spend those romantic years dreaming and growing.

Wallace B. Fleming caputured some of the romantic spirit of the college when he wrote the words to our Alma Mater in 1918, and highlights some of the elements of love.

Verse 1 is about the magic mystic fountains (before we had ACTUAL magic mystic fountains on campus) and the noblest dreams of life. People who were making plans for their lives.

Verse 2 may be my favorite of all. It is about loving to learn as well as learning to love. And, again, the future is imagined.

Verse 3 actually mentions the romantic years. The exciting and mysterious time in life when plans are imagined and dreams are followed is described in this verse along with the call to high endeavor and never ending relationships.

Verse 4 is the same as the first verse. It reiterates the importance of following those noblest dreams of life which have begun and grown during the college years.

All kinds of love.

Agape (unconditional love for everyone).
Philia (deep friendship)
Eros (romantic love)
Storge (familial love….for the college family as well as biological ones)

Ann Lorentz, class of 1931, wrote this lovely poem which wraps up my thoughts for this Valentine’s Day. Not about her sweetheart, but about her college. It is a bit difficult to see, so I will also transcribe it here. The images will sound very familiar to those of us who have walked these same pathways.

Philosophically Speaking

When the West Virginia Conference Seminary opened in 1890, Psychology, Ethics, and Greek were taught by President Bennett W. Hutchinson. He taught these subjects throughout his presidency from 1890-1899. He was followed by President Simon Boyers who taught Ethics and Psychology from 1899-1900 and President John Weir who taught those subjects from 1900-1901. In other words, the subjects were of such importance that the presidents themselves taught them. What could be more important than to help students learn to search for and love wisdom? To think clearly about the meaning of life?

Several people have taught philosophy at West Virginia Wesleyan College through the years. Some have been here a few years. Others have been here much longer. Philosophy has at times been combined with other disciplines, and at other times stood on its own.

T. R. Watson (Philosophy, History, English Bible: 1905-07)
William Armistead Haggerty (Philosophy, Pedagogy, English Bible: 1908-09)
Paige Milburn (Philosophy and Education: 1910-13)
Frances Shreve (Philosophy and Education: 1914-15)
Norman Boardman (Philosophy: 1921)
Paul Crissman (Philosophy and Education: 1925-27)
Albion King (Philosophy and Psychology: 1928-29)
Randall B. Hamrick (Philosophy and Religion: 1941-43)
Jose Franuiz (Philosophy: 1947-64)
J. Brenton Stearns (Philosophy: 1962-64)
Joseph B. Mow (Philosophy: 1963-88)
Alfred John Black (Philosophy and Religion: 1967-73)
David K. Hill (Philosophy: 1974-80)
William H. Capitan (Philosophy: 1975-80)
Willa Pinto (Philosophy: 1976-78)
Bernard F. Keating (Philosophy: 1977-2017)
Robert N. Hull (Philosophy: 1994-2019)
Scott Williams (Philosophy: 2019-current)

Giants

Since 1947, four of these people have combined to teach 107 years of philosophy. They have not only been Giants on our campus but within their profession, often speaking at international conferences and founding new organizatons and opportunities to discuss philosophical matters with others.

Dr. Jose Franquiz was born in Puerto Rico in 1906 and educated at Colgate University and Boston University. He was an ordained Methodist minister as well as a philosopher. He presented papers all over the world, and led international study opportunities for students.

Dr. Joseph Mow was born in India to missionary parents, and attended an English speaking boarding school there. His higher education was done mainly at the University of Chicago, although he also studied at Oxford University for a time. After World War II he was active in relief work in China, working with refugees, and later became Associate Director for Immigration Services of Church World Services in New York City. Dr. Mow was an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.

Dr. Bernard F. Keating (known as Chip) received his undergraduate degree from William and Mary and his masters and doctorate at the University of Virginia. Being a true lover of learning, he also earned his M.B.A. from West Virginia Wesleyan along the way. Although he retired in 2017, he is still teaching and engaging with students.

Dr. Robert Hull has taught philosophy at West Virginia Wesleyan for 25 years. This week, on January 30, 2019, we have lost a Giant. Dr. Hull died very unexpectedly. At a school where we prize Critical Thinking, Rob was the one who taught a class on that very thing. He taught The Examined Life, helping generations of students to find meaning and to love learning. He founded the Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Research Conference in 2004, which gives opportunities for students in both the sciences and the humanities to think and research as well as to learn to think and act like the scholars that they are.

His enthusiasm for the school and his students was boundless, and he especially enjoyed sharing it all with his own children. Last May I found myself sitting beside Rob at Commencement. He applauded for each and every graduate. It was a special day for him, however, as he also was given the opportunity to hand the diploma to his own son, Ethan. He loved learning and wisdom and the sharing of it.

Dr. Debra Murphy, Associate Professor of Religion, has written a tribute to Rob Hull. Her words speak for many of his faculty colleagues. It is titled The Love of Wisdom. You can read it here.

Rev. Krysta Rexrode Wolfe, a former student, has written a tribute to Rob as well. Her words echo what I have been hearing from other students in the past few days. It is titled Philosophical Horizons. You can read it here.

West Virginia Wesleyan College has been blessed with amazing faculty members. Many of these people could have taught anywhere. They chose to be here. They love to share their love of learning.

Philosophically speaking, I believe it is what a college should be all about.

Food For Thought

Today, students take their meals in the French A. See Dining Center, commonly called “the caf”. It is a beautiful facility which was built in 1995, and named for local businessman and member of the class of 1939, French A. See. They come and go at times that are convenient to them depending on their class schedules or their co-curricular activities. They choose their foods from a variety of areas where the foods are all neatly labled with nutrition information. Food allergies are taken into consideration. This information is even available online. For the past several years, they do all of that without the use of trays! (They are still available for those of us who may need them when we dine there as guests.) Dress is casual. There is open seating.

For a change of pace, they may choose to eat at the Cat’s Claw or pick up a Grab-and-Go meal from the Sunny Buck’s convenience store. Between these three options, a student should be able to find something to eat on campus between the hours of 7:15am and 11:00pm. The Food Service is now Aladdin Food Management Service, LLC.

All of this would look very strange to students from earlier years at WVWC.

In 1895, Ladies Hall (known as Agnes Howard Hall since 1920) opened and had a Dining Room in the basement. Meals were served family style at set times. Only the female students ate there. Male students boarded in town with families at that time as there was no dormatory for men. Girls were expected to dress for dinner, and a hostess was assigned for each table.

A College Dining Hall was located in the basement of the Gymnasium, which was built in 1912, where male students eventually ate on campus as well. The college had a Dietitian on staff to oversee the nutritional aspects of meals.

These two were the places to eat on campus for decades.

The 1952-53 Student Handbook states that the Dining Halls “serve Breakfast at 7:15 on Monday through Friday and at 8:00 Saturday and Sunday; Lunch is at 12:15 every day except Sunday when Dinner is served at 12:30 p.m.; Supper is served at 5:45 every evening. Be prompt, because the food does not wait!”

To be a Waiter in one of these Dining Halls was to be part of an exclusive group. They dressed formally, and had a great responsibility. They worked closely together in a very professional manner. In the 1950 Murmurmontis, there is even a photograph of their organization: Lambda Theta Mu.

There was a definite set of instructions for Waiters. Click here to read the Duties of Waiters, How to Serve, and Suggestions to Waiters.

McCuskey and Jenkins

When McCuskey Hall opened in 1957 and Jenkins Hall in 1959, the Dining Rooms were located there. Today’s students have a difficult time imagining the Art Department area as a cafeteria. Likewise, the Fitness Center. At that time, the college catalog reported that “Dining rooms at West Virginia Wesleyan College are operated by the Saga Food Service of Oberlin, OH. Menus are scientifically correct. The food is excellent and plentiful.”

The food was not, however, neatly labeled as it is today – as those of us who experienced the phenomenon known as “mystery meat” can attest.

As the times have changed, so have the way students have their meals. From formal affairs to grab-and-go meals, from dietitians to corporate food service companies, from strict hours for family style serving to trayless cafeteria lines, things have changed. But, the importance of these opportunities for students to eat together is still strong. This is where friendships (and some courtships) take place. This is where hopes and dreams are shared.

Marching in the Footsteps of Dreamers

On March 24, 2017 I stood on a stone outside of the Lincoln Memorial that identified the very place where Martin Luther King, Jr. had stood on August 28, 1963 when making his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.

I stood there trying to imagine what that must have been like for the 250,000 or so people who were there that day. Each one had a story. Each one had challenges, frustrations, and dreams of their own.

But, there or not, many people were inspired to dream – and still are being inspired to this day. Dr. King’s words were timeless.

At WVWC, there have been many people inspired to dream and to help others to make their dreams a reality. In no way is this a full list, but merely a few examples to celebrate Martin Luther King’s vision and influence. The list would be extremely long even if it were possible to document the influence of Dr. King on each of these persons.

Robert Hunt, who was blind, taught history from 1959-1989. Students were often amazed to find that Dr. Hunt was an avid and talented bowler! He never let his blindness define who he was, and took students to Selma in 1965 for the March. One of the students wrote his thoughts about this trip. These young men from a small school in West Virginia were actively involved as volunteers. Dr. Hunt may not have had his sight, but he had the vision to take these students to volunteer at this important march.

Alfred Leon Moye, a junior, was elected Community Council President in 1959. He also ran track, sang in the choirs, acted in plays, sang in a quartet called the Chordials, and all this while being the top chemistry student at the school multiple years. At a time even before the Civil Rights Marches were being held, he managed to rise to the top. He has excelled in many areas of leadership throughout his life, including serving on the board of trustees for his Alma Mater from 1988-2013.

Lastly, I would like to mention a young sociology student from Ohio State University who rode the midnight bus from Columbus to Washington, D.C. to be present for the “I Have a Dream” speech in August of 1963.

Olson, Reginald Murmurmontis — Reginald Olson

Reginald Olson went on to become a United Methodist minister, professor of Sociology and Social Work at West Virginia Wesleyan, and a passionate worker for peace and justice. He taught at the college from 1979-1988, and during that time established the West Virginia Wesleyan College Peace Award which he personally presented to the first four recipients:

1985 (April 13) Senator Jennings Randolph for his work to establish the United States Institute of Peace
1985 (November 11) Jimmy Carter for the Camp David Peace Accords
1987 (November 10) Retired Admiral Eugene Carroll, Jr. of the Center for Defense Information
1988 (May 13) United Methodist Council of Bishops for their letter, “In Defense of Creation: The Nuclear Crisis and a Just Peace.”

Reginald and his wife, Barbara, were activists, pushing for openness and reform within the United Methodist Church and worked to change the church’s official policy that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. They advocated for a fully inclusive and loving church for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities at four international General Conferences between 2000 and 2012.

Peace. Honor. Respect. Justice.

Dr. King’s words were, indeed, timeless. We need to know them, study them, and remember them today. We need to keep marching.

It’s About Time

There is a concept that I refer to often. It is that of the perspective of time. We draw on our own experiences and memories when looking at a person, place, or event. These things shape how we see the world.

Atkinson

Through the years, Atkinson has served as the heart of the school.

The place where people had shared experiences of learning, worship, celebration, and mourning.

The place where faculty and students became a true community, and the place where that community grew to love the school.

The place where millions of memories were made although those memories will be very different depending on the perspective of time!

1906-1922 The Auditorium

1922-1967 Atkinson Chapel

1967-2008 Atkinson Auditorium

2008-2018 That strange building that is closed up.

1906-1922

When the administration building was built in 1906 (or College Hall as it was known at the time), it included a beautiful gathering space for 1,500 people. A place which was referred to from 1906-1922 as the auditorium.

Although it was certainly used for the required Chapel services, Atkinson was also the place which was used for drama productions, recitals and concerts were given by students and famous people alike, and many notable people came to speak.

For example, on Saturday, May 20, 1916, Helen Keller spoke in Atkinson Chapel. According to local papers, she received a standing ovation at the end of her speech, which she could neither see nor hear. She could, however, feel the vibrations in the floor so she knew her talk had been well received.

When President Wallace B. Fleming wrote our Alma Mater in 1918, it would have premiered here. And, through frequent singing of it, everyone would eventually have known all the words.

1922-1967

1922 it was renamed Atkinson Chapel in recognition of George W. Atkinson’s service to the college as a trustee and of his public service to the state of West Virginia. He also gave a gift of $4,000 that year – $3,000 of which was to be used to purchase a pipe organ for the chapel.

From 1922-1967 it was referred to mainly as Atkinson Chapel. Any of the students from that time would remember it as the place where they attended chapel services, lectures, concerts, thuses (pep rallies), and pretty much anything where the entire student body gathered. They inagurated presidents (from Doney to Martin).

The chapel services were required, and there were assigned seats. Roll was taken by student work-study workers. Not all services were strictly religious in nature, however, and some of these gatherings were addresses by presidents, deans, or faculty of the college. Some were nationally recognized speakers on topics relating to Liberal Arts Education or Social Justice.

Here is an example from October 1926

20th Paul Chrissman, Professor of Philosophy and Psychology, spoke on “Human Nature”
25th Thomas W. Haught, Professor of Geology, spoke on “The Last Leaf”
26th Ruth Raw, Professor of English Composition, spoke on “Following the Crowd”
27th Lewis H. Chrisman, Professor of English Literature, spoke on “Esau’s Example”
28th Nicholas Hyma, Professor of Chemistry, spoke on “Cheating”
29th Ralph C. Brown, Professor of Biblical Literature, spoke on “Elections”

1936 production of “The New Henrietta”

1967-2008

After Wesley Chapel was built in 1967, it was mainly referred to as Atkinson Auditorium – although at times the terms chapel and auditorium have seemed to be interchangeable.

The space was still frequently in use for theatre productions and some concerts. Those of us who attended in the mid 1970s might remember this as the place we all had to gather and watch Starry Starry Night with all of the freshman Humanities classes.

Although Atkinson received some renovations in 1953, by 2008 it was needing some serious repairs.

2008-2018

In 2008, after the completion of the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts was opened, the doors of Atkinson were closed. It was mainly used for storage for a full decade before recent activity to bring it back to life. Generations of Wesleyan students arrived and left without ever seeing inside Atkinson.

2019

Atkinson Returns — Photo by Tom Schoffler

This week, Tom Schoffler (Associate Professor of Musical Theater, and member of the class of 1997) was able to take his students back into Atkinson. He wrote on Facebook, “Today, for the first time in a decade, actors worked in Atkinson Auditorium!”

Comments began to fly………….

Alumni are rejoicing! (Reliving their own memories.)

Students are rejoicing! (They have been curious about this place.)

Long-time faculty are rejoicing! (They have missed the energy of the place.)

New faculty are rejoicing! (They are excited to experience this part of campus that has been closed to them.)

It’s about time!

Early Conversations

A Strong Voice and Great Mentor

Social Justice Week Continues Great Legacy

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Later Years

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Who are Lynch and Raine?

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John Wesley and the Methodist Church

1939 Uniting Conference

The Plaque

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Navigation Tools

Catalogs

The Pharos

The Sundial

Murmurmontis

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Literary Society Love

Alma Mater

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Giants

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McCuskey and Jenkins

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Atkinson

1906-1922

1922-1967

1967-2008

2008-2018

2019

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