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Sing We Now of Christmas

Some people start the Christmas season in August, or at the very least during the week of Thanksgiving.

Lessons and Carols 2018 (Photo by Dewayne R. Lowther)

For me, though, it can never really be the Christmas season until the Festival of Lessons and Carols at WVWC. There is just something about the music, the chapel itself, the organ cranked up and many voices joining together as we sing, “O Come All Ye Faithful” or “Joy to the World.”

Although there were musical celebrations and concerts from way back in the 1890s, and for awhile it was a combination of the Hanging of the Greens and the music, the present form of this program began in earnest in 1980.

Early Years

There have been choir concerts, band concerts, orchestra concerts, and every combination of these things through the years to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. The joy and the sense of community at these celebrations has been around for a long time.

Here are some examples from Christmas 1961, shown in the January 1962 issue of the Sundial. This was the first year for a special group of choir members, the Wesleyan Chorale, under the direction of Irma Hopkins Collins.

Hanging of the Greens

During Christmas of 1961, another Wesleyan Christmas Tradition was born. For many years both the Hanging of the Greens and the Lessons and Carols were combined into one program, although that is no longer the case.

The January 1962 Sundial also explains this tradition and provides us with an accompanying photograph.

Climaxing the Christmas observances “The Hanging of the Green” joined the list of traditions at Wesleyan on December 12. This enactment of an ancient English custom involved the legend of the hanging of the green as well as the relating of the significance of the laurel, mistletoe, holly, and ivy in the folklore of the English people. A wreath including the four Christmas greens was presented to James Stansbury, assistant to the president, who accepted it on behalf of President Stanley H. Martin who was ill.

Festival of Lessons and Carols

From 1980 until his retirement in 2013, Dr. Larry R. Parsons directed an Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols. It was inspired by the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge – which is celebrating 100 years of this tradition this year.

The music has been beautiful, haunting, expressive, and joyous in this format for 38 years, always done with care and hard work. From year to year the styles of music have changed – sometimes with organ and piano only, other years with brass or woodwind choirs or harp or chamber orchestras, cello, or violin. But always the choirs are well prepared and present a gift to the assembled crowd.

Always the traditional readings have been included. The readers have changed from year to year, generally including campus leaders from all areas of the community. Lists of participants reads like a Who’s Who of Wesleyan through the years. Click here to see details of this beautiful tradition.

The traditions have been carried on by R. Daniel Hughes and his choirs. He is including other area choirs from the community as well.

Importance to Choir Members

The preparation of this music has been something that choir members through the years report being very challenging, incredible amounts of work, and one of the things they fondly remember most about their college years.

In fact, this particular year, two Choir Alumni came back to Lessons and Carols with choirs of their own students. Barbara Wygal Lutz, 1978, and Jeremiah Smallridge, 2007 (each a choir Giant in his and her own right) directed their students (who were absolutely amazing!) Barb’s group travelled to Buckhannon from Greenbrier East High School, and Jeremiah shares his talents and joy for music at Buckhannon-Upshur High School.

Barb Wygal Lutz and her Choir — Barb Wygal Lutz, ’78, and her Choir from Greenbrier East High School

Lessons and Carols Buckhannon-Upshur Choir — Jeremiah Smallridge, Class of 2007, and his Buckhannon-Upshur High School Choir

Importance Beyond Our Campus

This year the program was shared via Facebook Live so that those who are not in Buckhannon could see and hear this important tradition. As of this writing 1,670 people have been reached by the video post and there have been over 1,000 views. That number keeps rising, making this accessible in a wonderful 21st century kind of way. Comments on this feed have come from ecstatic alumni, parents of singers, and many others who were not able to be here in person. For those of you with Facebook, check out WVWC Creative Arts to access this video.

Many pastors who are alumni of the college report that they have similar Christmas programs in their churches, inspired by their experiences here.

Campus Christmas Tree 2018 — Lauren Weaver and President Thierstein Light the Campus Christmas Tree

Following the Festival of Lessons and Carols we gather around the Campus Christmas Tree for the official lighting ceremony. This year was unseasonably warm and void of snow — but that is certainly not always the case!

Sing We Now of Christmas

With participants from across time, and with participants elsewhere, we bring in the Christmas Season on campus.

This year marks 50 Years of Christmas Celebration in Wesley Chapel, 38 Years of Festival of Lessons and Carols format, and the 100 Year Anniversary of King’s College at Cambridge celebrating in this way.

Now it can be Christmas!

Death By Obsolescence

The Beginning

The West Virginia Conference Seminary opened on September 3, 1890.

The very next week, on September 11, 1890, the Literary Societies were formed.

Thomas W. Haught tells us that President Hutchinson and the faculty, “took the roster of students and divided it into two lists, equal in number, assigning all students to one or the other. There were practically no requests made by students for permission to change from one group to the other, and both groups at once set about organizing by adopting names, consitutions, and electing officers.”

LIterary Societies Chrestomathean and Excelsior — Read more about these early days in Thomas Haught’s book, pages 168-169

Society A and Society B became Chrestomathean and Excelsior.

Chrestomathean (from the Greek) A useful selection of literary passages for those with the desire for learning
Excelsior (from the Latin) Higher, Always Upward

In the Seminary Building, each of these societies had a Hall, which they decorated elegantly, and which included a raised platform and a piano. In the same manner as societies at Oxford and Cambridge, the societies at the West Virginia Conference Seminary were places where intellectual issues of the day would be discussed and debated and where cultural activities would thrive.

Chrestos in Session 1912 — Photo from 1912 Murmurmontis

You may be wondering what kinds of intellectual issues were discussed. Here are some examples from 1891:

March 27, 1891 That the right of suffrage shall be extended to women.

April 10, 1891 That the Railroads and Telegraph lines should be owned by the government.

April 17, 1891 That the Steam Engine is more beneficial to mankind than the Printing Press.

May 1, 1891 That the Pulpit wields a greater influence for good than the Printing Press. (It would appear that the negative argument prevailed here.)

May 7, 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.)

1890-1910

For the first 20 years or so the school maintained a very strict environment for the students. Strict religious and social rules prevailed:

No Dancing, No Smoking, No Plays, No Dating

Therefore, these meetings were the only forms of co-educational social contact beyond the classroom and the chapel services.

Boys and girls took great pride in displaying their intellectual and oratorical skills to impress each other.

Excesior Society 1908 — Murmurmontis 1908

They spent a lot of time together- at meetings, and preparing programs and debates. In many cases romances flourished. Here are a couple of examples of couples who met in the Chrestomathean Literary Society, and who were later married for many years.

Edward Boetticher became a Methodist pastor after his graduation in 1926, and served as a Trustee of the College from 1949-1965. Here is a related story about Edward and Gazelle: In the Footsteps of Giants.

Charles Aubrey Jones, Seminary Class of 1904, is well known to modern-day Wesleyan as the person who donated our large and valuable collection of materials on Abraham Lincoln. He was also the editor of the very first Murmurmontis (yearbook) and stayed in close contact with the school throughout his life. I had the honor to meet with Charles and Ireta’s daughter, Betty, when she was in her 90s. She told wonderful stories of Mama and Daddy and the love they had for Wesleyan and for each other.

Leadership Opportunities

The officers of these groups wielded a lot of power,and had many opportunities to grow in their leadership skills. They planned and presided over the weekly programs and the meetings. Officers changed each term:

For this particular year these were the dates:

Fall Officers (September 3, 1902 through November 11, 1902)
Winter Officers (November 12, 1902 through March 1, 1903)
Spring Officers (March 6, 1903 through June 4, 1903)

Many of these leaders became leaders of the school in later years by serving on the Board of Trustees or on the Faculty. Or even President of the College! Here are a few names that may be familiar.

After 1910

There were an increasing number of students at the school, making the groups much more difficult to maintain. The first year the school was open, there were a total of 201 students. By 1910, there were 408 on the roster.

There were also increased opportunities for socializing, more speciaized groups for students to join, and greater social freedom.

Athletics were on the rise following the building of the Gymnasium, and students would often have to miss meetings for practices or games. There was the Athletic Association, and teams: Football, Baseball, Track, Basketball, Girls Basketball.

Christian youth organizations, such as the Y.M.C.A and the Y.W.C.A. were gaining in popularity both here and in the region, and the school also had a Homiletic Club.

Choirs and eventually bands began to appear.

There was even a Co-Ed German Conversation Club by 1912!

Debating Societies were formed, and Intercollegiate Debating was gaining popularity throughout the country. On the Wesleyan campus were two: The Wesleyan Debating Club and The Webster Debating Club.

Sororities and Fraternities started forming at Wesleyan in the early 1920s.

And the Pharos and Murmurmontis staffs were both Co-Ed.

In other words, Student Organizations were specializing. Debate, oration, music, drama, and social interaction were being done in new ways. Many of these things became part of the curriculum of the school as well.

In a two part series of articles for the Sundial in 1961, William C. Seifrit (Assistant Professor of Speech 1959-1964) described the history of the Literary Societies from their beginnings up through the 1920s. Please click here to read these wonderful articles:

The Meaning of ——- “Chrestomathean and Excelsior” (Part 1) pages 4-8

The Meaning of ——- “Chrestomathean and Excelsior” (Part 2) pages 4-7

Voices From the Past: Thanksgiving Thoughts

Chrisman, Lewis Herbert 1947 — Lewis H. Chrisman 1947 Murmurmontis

Thanksgiving Thoughts, by Lewis H. Chrisman (November 1947)

The request to write a few words of Thanksgiving greetings for the West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin causes memory to throw the light of other days around me. In these times of comparatively easy transportation, the Wesleyan campus on Thanksgiving is a rather lonely place. Students can get home easily, and practically all of them take advantage of their opportunity.

This was not so back in the administrations of Dr. Fleming and Dr. Cutshall. Then the whole college community remained in Buckhannon. In the morning most of us went to church. The rest of the day was spent in lazy comfort. Then came the climax, which was a traditional dinner in the Agnes Howard Hall. My only painful memory of the occasion was of a nefarious and unsuccessful attempt being made to compel me to carve the turkey at the speakers’ table. Those of later generations are warned not to picture this company assembled in the present dining room. In those days the girls of the Agnes Howard Hall dined in the large room on the first floor on the side next to the Administration Building. I often think of that crowded room on Thanksgiving evening with the heavily laden tables and the happy company. And I am sure that these memories are shared by many others of that college generation.

Since those days much water has passed down the Buckhannon. Wesleyan has gone through some hard storms and successfully weathered them. Other generations of students have come and gone. Wesleyan men, and some women, have journeyed to the ends of the earth at the call of war’s rude tumult. Yet the life of the college at Buckhannon has moved steadily on. Some of us for almost thirty years have faced students in the same classrooms. It may be hard for Wesleyanites of other days to imagine the chapel packed with students to the top seats of the balcony, as is now the case. We must though, remember that the Wesleyan of yesterday is the Wesleyan of today. The past, the present, and the future march hand in hand.

Although we no longer gather in the Agnes Howard Hall on Thanksgiving Day, there is still no better time for us to relive the experiences of the past, to remember those who made college life richer and brighter, and to renew our allegiance to the great moral and spiritual verities which undergird the universe.

Chrisman, L. H. (1947). Thanksgiving Thoughts. The West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 40(8), p.2.

Chrisman, L.H. (1949). Our Thanksgiving Heritage. The West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 42(9), p.3.

Lewis H. Chrisman

Orange and Black Are the Colors of Leadership

Frank Meredith Thompson was a leader from the very beginning of his life until the end. Born in 1880 as the oldest of six children in a poor rural area of Pennsylvania he sold papers, ran errands, trapped muskrats, and pumped the organ at the Presbyterian Church to earn a few pennies.

There was no high school anywhere in the vicinity of his home, but he realized the value of a good education. He saved up $75 and came to the West Virginia Conference Seminary where he graduated in 1902. At the time, the preparatory program of the school was not yet college accredited, although the Classical program which he completed was very rigorous. Click here to see the full curriculum! The description of the Classical Course in the 1902 Catalog states:

In this course, Latin, Greek, and English are the principal studies. Due attention is given to Mathematics, History, and Natural Science. This has been considered the strongest course in our best schools and colleges from time immemorial. It is especially popular at the Seminary. No other course so thoroughly prepares the student for the various professions and callings in life as this one.

While a student, Thompson organized the very first football team at the school, and they challenged a corps of civil engineers who were in the area working on the B. and O. Railroad to the school’s first football game on Thanksgiving Day 1899. The Methodists practiced one week prior to the game and “appeared for the battle uniformed in odds and ends made up mostly of baseball suits.”

Frank Meredith Thompson, however, appeared in an orange and black striped sweater which he purchased and wore because of his great admiration for the Poe Brothers of Princeton. His teammates, in turn, admired the sweater so Frank declared that Orange and Black would be our school colors as well. He told all about this when he came back to campus in October 1949. He stated:

At that time the Poe brothers were football stars at Princeton University. Princeton’s colors were orange and black. I wanted a sweater just like the ones worn by the Poes, whom I idealized for their gridiron prowess. So Princeton’s ivy league colors are ours. I guess I can tell the story now – after fifty years.”

Frank Thompson chose great role models! You can read more about them here.

On Tuesday, September 11, 1900 Thompson was an organizing member of the Athletic Association at the school.

When the school fielded the first official football team in 1902, Thompson was the captain of that squad.

Frank Meredith Thompson’s Life Beyond Buckhannon

Enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard regiment for the Spanish-American War
Went to Allegheny College, where he received his A.B. in 1906
Went to Boston University, where he received his S.T.B. in 1908
Served Methodist Episcopal Churches in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore
Enlisted in the Army in 1917, where he served for 27 years in the Chaplain Corps in many places including France in World War I, the Mexican border, Panama, Hawaii, and as the chief of chaplains at Fort Benning, Georgia during World War II.
Retired to Pinehurst, N.C. where he continued to serve churches on an interim basis, was active in civic groups, played contract bridge and golf, and was well-known for his warmth and his generosity.

Frank Meredith Thompson with Scarborough and Cebe Ross — President William John Scarborough, Thompson, Cebe Ross

In October of 1949, Col. Frank Meredith Thompson returned to campus, out of gratitude for his experiences in his student days, to establish an annual $50 award to be given to the “Wesleyan athlete who has the most outstanding record as athletic achievement for the year.”

Frank Meredith Thompson did inspire others. He also lived a life where he dreamed more, did more, learned more, and became more.

And, thanks to him, we are all wearing Orange and Black to this day!

Sources:

(1900, September). Athletics. Seminary Collegiate, pages 22 and 23.

(1949, November) Thompson Tells How Our College Colors Originated. West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin.

(1960, August 19).Thompson, 80, Chaplain for 27 Years, Dies. The Pinehurst Outlook. [Transcribed by Paula McGrew, 11/18/2018]

(1960, August 25). Col. Thompson, Army Chaplain, Wrote Reminiscences of Busy, Active Life. The Pilot. [Transcribed by Paula McGrew, 11/18/2018]

(1960, August). Man Who Gave Weesleyan Football and Its Colors Dies at Age of 80. Record Delta? [Transcribed by Paula McGrew, 11/18/2018]

Over Here and Over There – 100 Years Ago

Fall semester of 1918 was like none other — before or in the 100 years since.

The U.S. had entered World War I, students had left to serve, the War Department organized Student Army Training Corps to train soldiers – one of the 500 was on the campus of Wesleyan – and the Spanish Influenza epidemic caused quarantines.

Students who were “Over Here” were thinking about their friends “Over There,” and soldiers “Over There” were writing letters home to friends, faculty members, and to President Wallace B. Fleming.

Student Army Training Corps (S.A.T.C.)

Student Army Training Corp 1918 — World War I
Student Army Training Corp., 1918

The War Department organized Student Army Training Corps units in about 500 schools around the country, including Wesleyan. The purpose was to allow students to continue their education while finding and preparing those who would become officers. Click here to read the 15 pages of Rules and Regulations for these units.

On September 30, 1918 there was an Inaguration Ceremony for the 200 troops who would study and train at Wesleyan. It was held in front of the Administration Building, and simultaneous to other such ceremonies across the country. President Fleming and Dean Thomas W. Haught spoke.

Three Lieutenants were present: Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Fred Horton, Jr., Adjutant Cecil G. Gaston, and Personnel Officer Neal Y. Pharr. Adjutant Gaston read words of greeting to the men from the President of the United States, the Secretary of War, and the Chief of Staff.

The October 7, 1918 issue of The Pharos gave some great details and descriptions of the program and of the ceremony. Click here to read the stories in their entirety.

The soldiers were housed in the Gymnasium, then only six years old, which was converted into sleeping quarters and a mess hall for the men. The basketball court was fitted with army cots, and the mess hall was located in the basement.

Their days were regulated with four hours of class work, two hours of supervised study, two hours of drill, and a required 8 1/2 hours of sleep from 9:30 pm to 6:00 am. The girls on campus were quite interested in meeting some of these soldiers, but there were fairly strict policies that limited those interactions.

The Music Hall (now known as the English Annex) was put into service as an infirmary when the Spanish Influenza epidemic made an appearance on campus. Quarantines were put into place for both S.A.T.C. soldiers and Wesleyan students.

Armistice Day (November 11, 1918)

The glad news came that the war was over at the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month!

The War Department then disbanded the S.A.T.C. programs at the close of the term. The soldiers were able to be home by Christmas. Some chose to come back as regular students to the college during the next term.

Over There in the Fall of 1918

While all of this was happening here on campus, there were Wesleyan students abroad. They were on the battlefields and behind the lines. Several of them wrote letters to President Fleming, Professor Deck, and others at the school to let them know how they were doing. They were thinking of their days in Buckhannon as well. This issue of The Pharos was published just one week before the war ended.

Here are a few excerpts, and a link to the full letters:

W.H. Snedegar to President Fleming: “Just a few lines from one who, though far away, still carries with him pleasant thoughts of the past year spent at Wesleyan, and who still has the Wesleyan spirit running thru his veins. I was called for service June 24th, and on July 18 I was on my way to France.”

From Harvey Swisher: “I did not realize being an officer was so much superior to being a private until I began to travel, but we sure do get the best of service and treatment. Over here the officers are billited with French families, in good beds and with the finest of food. They are all very interesting and courteous to us. I am learning to speak French very well, and I think after a few months here will be able to carry on a fluent conversation.”

Also from Harvey Swisher: “We get our gas masks and steel helmets soon. The helmets are rather heavy, but one soon gets used to them. I am well clothed, have good shoes and boots to keep me warm and dry. I do not want you to worry, as I am getting along fine and am very able to take care of myself.”

From Grant Swisher: “I am glad to hear that old Wesleyan is going to have a military course this fall. I know that it will bring many new students to school. I wish you all the success in the world for the coming school year. I am well and getting along fine. We hope to be up where we can get a few Germans soon. Do not expect to stay away from the old U.S.A. so very much longer.”

From Edwin Krick: “We are in the trenches from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. It is a long and weary night, but the shells keep us busy moving around. I get a little sleep now and then, but have to be on the lookout for gas, as it is the thing we fear most………”No doubt you read a good deal of what is going on over here, but you do not get the facts. I have not gone over the top yet, but our time is at hand.”

The War Issue of the Murmurmontis (1920)

The 1920 edition of the Murmurmontis was designated as the War Issue to pay tribute to all of the things that had occurred, the lives changed, and is a record of things that somehow went on as usual during this remarkable time. It is certainly worth the time to look through it!

Some of the men did not return from the Great War, and are honored in this publication.

One of these was Lieutenant Roy Earl Parish, who was the subject of an earlier post to this blog. You can read it here.

Remembering All Who Were Involved

The world had never seen anything quite like it before. Celebrating 100 years since the end of World War I, and the chance for those involved to return to the lives that were interrupted.

Trend of Times Sounds Familiar

William Edwin Stephens wrote a series of articles in the Pharos in the spring of 1940. It was called Trend of Times, and included such topics as The Mass Mind (February 21, 1940) and Defending Democracy (April 10, 1940).

Stephens was a senior that spring, and World War II was looming. He was from Moundsville, WV and was a member of several organizations on campus in addition to being a writer for the Pharos. Those organizations included:

Pi Kappa Delta: Pi Kappa Delta represents the most able debaters of Wesleyan’s campus. This organization is to promote forensic endeavor. It was establised in 1928. It is nationally affiliated. (Murmurmontis 1940)
Play Shop: “The play must go on” is the motto of this group of actors and actresses on Wesleyan’s stage. Those students who complete four internships are eligible for membership in this club. (Murmurmontis 1940)
Sigma Alpha Sigma: Honor students of the college, those with the highest scholastic averages, make up this organization’s distinction. It was organized in May 1933. (Murmurmontis 1940)
International Relations Club: Foreign policies near and far are the interests of this group of young history students and those interested in the affairs of the world today. (Murmurmontis 1940)
Debate

(I include his credentials here as a way of saying that he was very well qualified, was thinking things through, and was an expert in the art of debate rather than in the emotion filled tone of the recent election ads on all sides.)

Following his graduation in 1940 (Cum Laude, with a Double Major in Social Studies and Education) William served in the 8th US Army Air Force in Europe during World War II and retired as a Lt. Col. from the US Air Force Reserve. He was a Personnel Manager for Dupont for 27 years. See his obituary for details.

On the eve of Election Day 2018, I would like to let William’s articles speak to us across the sands of time. They certainly have a ring of familiarity and relevance about them. And, he includes the voices of well-known and well-loved faculty members as well. Click on the titles of the articles to see them in their entirety and in the context of the other things that were happening at the time.

February 21, 1940 The Mass Mind

March 3, 1cdm16111.contentdm.oclc.org/…ll13/id/2722940 Propaganda Analysis (Which includes the voices of Professor Harold Ahlgren, Professor Lewis Chrisman, Professor Arthur Allen Schoolcraft, Professor Harold Steele, and Professor George Glauner.

March 30, 1940 Yellow Journalism

April 10, 1940 Defending Democracy

April 17, 1940 The Real Issue

Searching for Shalom

Sometimes there are no words.

This week several messages of sadness and loss came – The Orange Line is hurting. Through social media, college emails, and then even national media we have learned of the loss of some of our WVWC family members.

Betty Barrick Furan, Class of 1979, died of a massive heart attack. She was a member of Kappa Phi while at WVWC and her friends remember such great times together. After graduation she also earned a Master of Divinity Degree at Drew University. She loved music.

K. David Rollins, Class of 1976 (seen here with the Sports Writers for the Pharos in 1976) was a member of the Council on Church Ministries and a brother in the Phi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity. He walked in the Orange Line each and every year during the Founders Day Convocation.

And then came the news that Daniel Stein, Class of 1969, was among those murdered at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, Pennsylvania.

He was a new grandfather, and loved spending time with his grandson and cheering for his Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a leader in the Pittsburgh Jewish community, and was known for his volunteer work and generosity.

During his time at WVWC, Daniel was known for his infectious smile, kindness, and was well liked by those who knew him.

Daniel was one of two Spanish majors who graduated in 1969, and had a minor in Latin American Studies. He probably spent a good bit of time with Robert B.. Green, who taught Spanish from 1965-71. In addition, Dr. Fred Peterson, a world expert in Latin American Studies, would have been one of his mentors.

Peterson, Fredrick A. (Hiner Photo - 3) — Photo by Hiner

Stein was very involved with Intramurals, such as pictured below. Although the individuals in these pictures were not identified, it certainly shows the fun and the competition that was taking place.

Each of these members of the WVWC family was a beloved friend, a beloved student, a beloved classmate, a beloved colleague, a beloved family member. The WVWC community is weeping with all who loved them.

We also weep with the Jewish Community. The senseless violence against these people of faith has gone on far too long in far too many places.

Ladies of Leadership

The eyes. Looking at these ladies, you can tell several things. They were intelligent, they were determined, and they were going to succeed.

Clara Brooks Fishpaugh (Education 1925-1930)
Mrs. Camp Wellington Foltz (Assistant Instructor in Piano, 1926)
Ruth M. Raw (English Composition, 1925-1930)
Rachel Ogden (Dean of Women 1926-1932; Professor of Modern Languages 1926-1947)

5. Lois Murrel McCloskey (Home Economics 1922-29)

6. Alice Nason Ross (Physical Education for Women 1922-41; Coached Basketball and Field Hockey)

7. Elenore Hancher (Biology 1926-28)

Buckhannon Branch of AAUW

In 1928, these seven ladies and others gathered to organize the Buckhannon Branch of the Association of American University Women (A.A.U.W.) The seven pictured here all taught at Wesleyan. Others in the group were the wives of professors and other professional members of the community. All had college degrees from colleges and universities whose graduates had been approved for membership in this national society. Schools such as Columbia University, Pennsylvania State University, Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, Ohio Wesleyan, and Allegheny College.

The first president was Rachel Ogden from 1928-1930; and again from 1933-1935.

Other Charter Members included: Mrs. W.H. (Rachel) Barlow, Martha Bonar, Mrs. Hyre D. Clark, Marcia Mae Glauner, Mrs. O. Earle (Myrtle) Karickhoff, and Virginia Shinn.

The AAUW website states that:

“AAUW has been empowering women as individuals and as a community since 1881. For more than 130 years, we have worked together as a national grassroots organization to improve the lives of millions of women and their families.”

The Buckhannon Branch has been doing just that for 90 of those years. The list of members reads like a Who’s Who of West Virginia Wesleyan College and of Buckhannon. These women have been a reflection of our community and an inspiration to it.

Leadership on Campus

Besides the AAUW, these Charter Members of the Buckhannon Branch were active on campus and leaders of that community as well. Among the things they were involved with were:

Tallagewe (A democratic organization for women. The name was derived from an Indian word meaning “endless” or “everlasting”)
Y.W.C.A. (Open to all women. “To further the interest in religious relationships among women of the college.”)
Student Volunteers (For men and women, “To bring together the students of Wesleyan College who are interested in promoting and living Christian lives.”)
Pan American Chain (1941) was organized by Rachel Ogden, an expert in South American Cultures. As was mentioned in the 1943 Murmurmontis, “Mrs. Ogden was interested not only in languages but also in the welfare of those who speak them.”
Rachel Ogden’s committee work on campus included service on the Faculty Committee: Fraternity 1927-1929; Faculty Committee: Fraternity-Sorority 1929-1931. As the Greek organizations were beginning to be developed on campus, I think that Rachel Ogden’s voice was heard in those discussions.

Rachel Ogden Leads the Way

Rachel Ogden arrived on Wesleyan’s campus on February 1, 1926 to become the Dean of Women. She had heard of the wonderful leadership among women on this campus when she was a student at Allegheny College. While doing her graduate work at Columbia University, she had met alumni and faculty members from here. She admired the work of the previous Dean of Women, Florence Stemple (also from Columbia University.)

The February 3, 1926 issue of the Pharos indicated that Dean Ogden intended to carry out Dean Stemple’s ideas and ideals to the best of her ability. One of the most outstanding of these ideals being that of developing a distinct type of woman, one that might be recognized anywhere as a West Virginia Wesleyan woman.

“The typical Wesleyan woman will be willing to learn, generous in judgement,and will have a real culture of hearts.”

“She will be a woman with throrough preparation for service, a service devoted to the finest and highest. All this means that she will take a definite, determined stand against any actions or suggestions that can be misinterpreted because of their endangering our development toward the ideal we have in mind.”

Dean Ogden’s idea of service is that of self value in preparation for efficiency in living the fullest lives possible. She says that from a selfish standpoint – if from no other – the shortest path to happiness is in the rendering of service to others. Dean Ogden believes that a girl is taken for the estimate she places on herself, and that she should estimate herself as a high investment, as an investment with the idea of service.

Before she had ever seen Wesleyan, Dean Ogden says that she had a great respect and interest in the school, due to the fact that she had come in close contact at Allegheny College (her Alma Mater) with students from this school, and that furthermore they had left her with an impression of strong manly and womanly, as well as studious characters.

“The development of this ideal is not new, it is merely the realization of it in Wesleyan.” states the Dean. From time to time the new Dean of Women in our college will add to her plan of program by the introduction of major and minor helps toward the development of an “Ideal Wesleyan Girl.”

From the beginning of the school, the Founders declared that it would be quality education for both boys and girls. From the first day the school was opened there were women on the faculty. These things were unusual.

Women in the United States had not succeeded in winning the right to vote until 1920, but women’s leadership has been part of our Intsitutional DNA from the very beginning.

Happy 90th Birthday to the Buckhannon Branch of the AAUW! Generations of leaders inspiring leaders…..

In the Footsteps of Giants

Sometimes we can’t see them…..

If you walk up the front steps to Wesley Chapel, you cross some.

At first glance, you might assume that you are seeing the footprints of John Wesley. But, if you look past the statue and focus in on the steps which lead to the door of the chapel, you will see another name……..

In Memorium

Edward L. Boetticher

Let us unite the two so long divided, knowledge and vital piety. John Wesley

We may know that John Wesley was the founder of Methodism. He, and the beautiful statue of him on the WVWC campus, will be the topic of another blog another day. But who in the world is Edward L. Boetticher?

Edward L. Boetticher the Student

Boetticher, Edward L. Murmurmontis 1927 — Edward L. Boetticher, Class of 1926

Edward was very active on campus. He also graduated in only three years!

Edward’s campus activities included:

As a member and First Vice President of Alpha Gamma Phi Fraternity (forerunner of Kappa Alpha Fraternity), Edward lived in the house at 49 South Florida. Faculty advisers and hosts were Nicholas Hyma and Edgar Sorton. Housemother was Mrs. Maude Mick.
Edward was a member of the Chrestomathaean Literary Society, and the Vice President of the Cutshall Literary Society in 1926. (This organization was reorganized into an Honorary Fraternity for students with high academic achievement and Boetticher was the President during the second semester 1926-27.)
Lyceum Course Manager 1925, 1926
Men’s Glee Club, Treasurer 1925; President 1924; Vice President 1925-26
Ministerial Association member. This group prepared for the task of ministry and aided each other in deepening their own spiritual lives.
Murmurmontis Business Manager, 1925
Pharos Reporter, 1924
Student Council
Wesleyan Players, Treasurer 1926
Y.M.C.A.

His education did not stop at that time.

1926 West Virginia Wesleyan College, A.B.
1929 Boston University, S.T.B.
1930 University of Pittsburgh, M.A.
1942 West Virginia Wesleyan College, Hon. DD

Edward L Boetticher the Methodist Minister

Edward met his future wife, Gayzelle Rusk (College Class of 1925), while at Wesleyan. She was a member of many of the same organizations. She also served as a school teacher after graduating with her degree from the Normal School in 1922.

Together they shared a life of ministry. Edward’s ministerial footprints included:

Licensed to Preach 1924
1925-26 Conway/Glenfield
1926-27 In School
1926 Admitted on Trial Methodist Episcopal Pittsburgh Conference
1928 Full Member of Methodist Episcopal Pittsburgh Conference
1928 Ordained Deacon
1928-31 Pittsburgh: McCandless Avenue
1929 Ordained Elder
1931-35 Pittsburgh: Beechview
1935-40 Monessen: First
1940-56 New Kensington: First
1956-62 Superintendent: Blairsville District
1962 Member Methodist Western Pennsylvania Conference at Merger
1962-December 15, 1963 Executive Secretary: Conference Board of Missions/Church Extension

Edward L. Boetticher the Trustee

From 1949-1965, Edward served as a Trustee at West Virginia Wesleyan College. His love for the school and the church combined to make him a very active trustee. Earlier catalogs listed the committees on which the Trustees served. Edward’s list included:

Alumni Relations 1954-1959
Executive 1959-1960
History, Archives and Fine Arts 1956-1959
Instruction 1949-1952
Policy and Planning 1955-1956; 1957-1959
Religion 1955-1957

Edward L. Boetticher in Memoriam

Edward died on December 15, 1963 just as the campus was experiencing great growth. His widow, Gayzelle, honored him by providing memorials in a few different areas.

This plaque, just inside the door of the Meditation Chapel, indicates that Gayzelle Rusk Boetticher established the marble altar in Edward’s memory. There was considerable work and reinforcement of the floors needed for that project.

As mentioned above, Edward’s name is carved into the very steps leading to the front door of Wesley Chapel, and includes a quote from John Wesley about the importance of linking education and spiritual matters — both of which were extremely important to Edward as well as to John Wesley.

Edward the Family Member

Curiosity about his family background led Edward to Washington, D.C. in 1938 to meet with Lt. General Frederick Von Boetticher, the German military attache. This meeting led to wonderful conversations and a visit with long lost cousins in Germany after World War II was concluded.

At one such visit, in 1952, Edward was presented with the Von Boetticher Crucifix. This item, dating from about 1356, had been passed down through the generations of the family from that time forward. There had always been at least one in each generation to go into the ministry. To read more about this amazing artifact, click here.

Dr. Boetticher returned from his European travels with the crucifix. It remained in his home until his death in 1963 when his widow, Mrs. Gayzelle Rusk Boetticher, decided that it more appropriately should be placed in the new chapel of the couple’s beloved alma mater.

Edward L. Boetticher was a

follower of Christ
student of John Wesley
student and alumus and trustee of West Virginia Wesleyan College
seeker of his family footsteps

And we follow in his.

The Orange Line

This year as the Orange Line passed my seat during the Founders Day Convocation I saw many familiar faces. My parents, former colleagues, former classmates, former students and others who have been part of my life at various times and in various places.

Friday evening we enjoyed visiting with my reunion class at the Decades Reception. These ladies have been friends since the fall of 1974 when we all lived on the 3rd floor of McCuskey together as freshmen. (The photo includes a few significant others we have picked up along life’s way.)

We had a great time telling stories and laughing and sharing about the many things we have done and accomplished in the 40 years since our graduation from WVWC.

We had a good laugh about some of our favorite WVWC memories…..box walking in the fall leaves while singing Pumpkin Carols, Campus Pizza deliveries when we couldn’t find a ride clear out to Hills Plaza to the old Pizza Hut. And, of course, the time my roommate signed me up for the bowling team as a joke, only to discover that the joke was on us because unless I actually did sign up they wouldn’t have enough for a team. And homecoming parades and floats like this one were such fun.

Also at the Decades Reception my husband and I ran across some friends who were attending their very first class reunion – his 50th – and were able to catch up on the news since we last saw them more than a dozen years ago.

This is the very nature of the Orange Line. That line weaves throughout our lives and ties us all together.

One of my students in my Legacy of Dreamers and Giants class (a future member of the Orange Line) turned in an assignment last week in which she referenced a copy of the Sundial in 1973. In that issue was also an article entitled And they Called it Wesleyan written by Jamie Wellman.

It was about college history, and had been researched in many of the same places I am finding such information now. It turns out that she was a member of the class of 1973 – which was having a reunion this year as well. So, I stood by as the class of 1973 had their reunion photo taken at the Decades Reception……and I found her! I told her that I had read her articles, and about DreamersAndGiants. We found that we had much in common. You can read her articles here.

And they Called it Wesleyan, part 1, by Jamie Wellman. (Pharos 9-26-1973, p. 8)

From the Roaring 20’s til Now, by Jamie Wellman (Pharos 10-3-1973, p.12)

Saturday evening I watched one of my former students (a member of the class of 2019) perform in the wonderful play at the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts.

Sunday morning, I went to chapel to hear Rev. Douglas Miller, Class of 1988 (and classmate and theater contemporary of my sister and brother-in-law) give a wonderful sermon. His parents, also alumni, were there and it turned out that they were friends with my parents. And HER mother was a graduate of the Class of 1923 and had been a Chemistry major studying with Dr. Nicholas Hyma. She was one of the first members of the Benzine Ring.

All in all, the Orange Line was winding around and around my heart all weekend. These were but a few examples. All around me the same was happening to person after person.

There is a beautiful poem about the Orange Line written by Charles K. Dick. Although Charlie was not a graduate of WVWC himself, he captured the spirit of the college beautifully. He was Assistant Director of Marketing and Communication from 1998-2000 when he wrote the poem.

The Founders Day Program had this to say about the Orange Line Poem:

Ever since 1890, students have entered West Virginia Wesleyan College, where their minds were challenged, their talents nurtured and their hearts inspired. As they completed their studies, they moved on to share their knowledge, experience and values in new settings. Former Wesleyan students have carried the spirit and substance of the College into the global community and into almost every form of human endeavor. Wesleyan’s alumni have formed a constant connection between the College and the world beyond – and both College and world have been strengthened. It is appropriate on the celebration of Wesleyan’s Founders Day that the heritage of the College be symbolized as a line of former students who represent more than 14,000 alumni.

The Orange Line

I am the orange line – My beginning was long ago

I have no end – I am perpetual

My source is in the West Virginia hills

My reach embraces the world

I am in America’s small towns – I am in her great cities

I cross the seas

I grow

I am your warm, enduring memories

I am your shared experiences

I am your friends, your teachers

McCauley, David from mountaineerjournal.com 2016

I am your link to the past

I am your dreams for the future

Wherever you are, there too, am I

I am you – You are Me

We — are the orange line.

The DreamersAndGiants project celebrates those in the Orange Line. One of our first semester students in my class this fall put it beautifully. Hannah said, “With DreamersAndGiants, you are connecting generations of Bobcats living and dead.”

Wish I had thought to put it just that way.

Early Years

Hanging of the Greens

Festival of Lessons and Carols

Importance to Choir Members

Importance Beyond Our Campus

Sing We Now of Christmas

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The Beginning

1890-1910

Leadership Opportunities

After 1910

In other words, Student Organizations were specializing. Debate, oration, music, drama, and social interaction were being done in new ways. Many of these things became part of the curriculum of the school as well.

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Thanksgiving Thoughts, by Lewis H. Chrisman (November 1947)

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Frank Meredith Thompson’s Life Beyond Buckhannon

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Student Army Training Corps (S.A.T.C.)

Armistice Day (November 11, 1918)

Over There in the Fall of 1918

The War Issue of the Murmurmontis (1920)

Remembering All Who Were Involved

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Buckhannon Branch of AAUW

Leadership on Campus

Rachel Ogden Leads the Way

Happy 90th Birthday to the Buckhannon Branch of the AAUW! Generations of leaders inspiring leaders…..

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Edward L. Boetticher the Student

Edward L Boetticher the Methodist Minister

Edward L. Boetticher the Trustee

Edward L. Boetticher in Memoriam

Edward the Family Member

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The Orange Line

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