Author: paula.mcgrew@gmail.com

The West Virginia Wesleyan College Seal Through the Years

Carved by Wolfgang Flor, as commissioned bythe Class of 1964, this seal hangs in the Social Hall of the Benedum Campus Community Center

 

The majority of  this  week’s post was written by Robert James (Jim) Stansbury in 1964, and illustrated by Paula McGrew in 2018. Please click on his name to read more about Jim.

Stansbury, Robert James (Jim)
Jim Stansbury (Photo by Howard Hiner)

Jim, the son of Harry A. Stansbury and Ada George Stansbury,  held multiple positions at WVWC from 1954-1970

  • Director of Alumni Affairs 1954-1961
  • Assistant to the President (Stanley H. Martin) 1961-1963
  • Director of the Campus Center and Campus Coordinator 1963-1970

He wrote this on May 30, 1964 about the Wesleyan Seal which hangs in the Social Hall of the Benedum Campus Center. The class of 1964 had presented the seal as their class gift that year. This seal was carved by local sculptor Wolfgang Flor.

 

Jim Stansbury writes:

The Wesleyan Seal

History

The annual catalogues of the College and Seminary afford the only record of the beginnings of the present seal. A search of the minutes of the Board of Trustees has revealed no mention of any official seal.

The rudimentary evidence of a seal is found in the 1897-98 catalogue of the old Seminary; this plain emblem had two concentric circles with “CHRISTO ET ECCLESIAE” in the center and “WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE SEMINARY” between the circles. At the bottom was “1886,” the year of incorporation. This appeared twice more, in 1898-99 and in 1899-1900.

Seal first one 1897-98
West Virginia Conference Seminary 1897-98

The first few College catalogues, beginning in 1903-04, contain no seals or emblems. President John Wier had endowed the school with the name, “The Wesleyan University of West Virginia” in 1903-04; in 1906 the Trustees changed the name to the present one. This name appears on the covers of the 1906 and 1907 issues, while the discarded name appears on the inside. The search for a seal at this time may have been an effort to make certain that the new name would be permanent.

Seal in 1906-07

Catalog 1906-07

Another emblem was used in 1907-08. It contains some of the basic elements of the present seal: three books, a candle holder, a candle giving forth light. A circle of leaves perhaps reflected the affection held for the Oak Grove.

The 1908-09 issue has on its cover the first rendition of the present seal. It was used in 1909-10 on both cover and frontispiece.

Seal 1908-1909
Catalog 1908-1909

In 1932-33 it shed its scalloped edge and was decorated with piping on the entire circumference. This version has been used almost continuously since then.

Seal 1932 to present
1932-1933 Catalog

Interpretation

The bas relief of the seal presented today is, in several ways, an interpretation by Mr. Flor. Changes in the original have been made over the years; such as the number of books (sometimes one or two), the design of the torch and lamp, a right or left and, and alterations in the Hebrew characters. Mr. Flor has gone back to the original seal and even consulted with Hebrew scholars to insure accuracy. Native Upshur County walnut was selected for stock, in part to harmonize with furnishings in the room.

The outer circumference has the suggestion of a scalloped edge like the traditional seal. The rough treatment of the wood is intended to convey the emerging of the seal from elementary beginnings to its present form. In keeping with this, the year of the institution’s founding, 1890, appears at the bottom, flanked by two oak leaves, symbolic of he first College seal and of the Oak Grove.

The seal itself is encircled by the more recent piping bordering the Latin name. The open book, representing “The Book of Books” proclaims, “Let there be Light” in Hebrew characters. The ancient oil vessel burns on as the student, clothed in academic garb, holds his torch of learning, receiving light from the lamp of knowledge.

The thoughtfulness of the Class of 1964 will make possible the continuing awareness of the purpose of Wesleyan. Mr. Flor has carved an inspiring symbol, which will be an enduring reminder of a noble past and a guide to a promising future.

May 30, 1964

James Stansbury

The college seal appears on official documents, catalogs, and on campus signage. It has also been carved into a podium by Bobby Hawkins, Physical Plant employee from 1978-2013.

To explore more about the history of West Virginia Wesleyan College go to https://DreamersAndGiants.com

Connections and Legacies

Sometimes You Really Can Come Home Again

On Saturday, I had the chance to sit down and talk with Bishop Peter D. Weaver. He was reflecting on his time at West Virginia Wesleyan and how it had prepared him for his life’s work.

Weaver Committee 1965

Coming to Buckhannon

Pete Weaver was about 10 years old when his father, a Methodist minister, was assigned to the Emory Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A member of that congregation was Michael Late Benedum, the native of Bridgeport, WV who had amassed a fortune in the oil and gas industry. In spite of the large mansion and all of the trappings of a rich man, Weaver’s impression of Mr. Benedum was that of Christian humility.

Bridgeport United Methodist Church
Bridgeport United Methodist Church

The choir from Emory would go to Bridgeport and sing at Mr. Benedum’s home church each year, and when the time came for Pete to attend college, Mr. Benedum encouraged him to seek out a Methodist college. After visiting a few, he came to Buckhannon and immediately felt at home here among the beautiful campus and friendly people.

Campus photo grove side

Values Taught, Learned, and Lived

He arrived as a freshman in 1962, and had the opportunity to learn from such Wesleyan Giants as Ralph C. Brown, Sidney Davis and Jose Franquiz. These men taught him Bible, Religion, Philosophy. All three of these had earned the Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from Boston University. President Stanley H. Martin and Dean Orlo Strunk, Jr. had also earned that degree from Boston University. Boston University’s program emphasized Social Justice, Mission, Ecumenical work, Counseling, and Ethics. These emphases are evident at West Virginia Wesleyan to this day — perhaps still echoing the legacy of these men and others.

Brown (1915), Davis (1936), and Strunk (1953) were also graduates of WVWC.

Many other faculty members from Bible, Christian Education, History, Sociology, Psychology, and Religion were graduates of other theological schools as well including: Garrett-Evangelical, Iliff, Lutheran, Wesley, Western, and Yale Divinity School. The subjects being taught were being taught from the perspective of Love, Justice, Hope, and facing the realities of povery and injustice which was to be seen all throughout the world in various contexts.

In particular, he especially remembers the impact that Dr. Herb Coston had on his life in the class called Fundamental Social Problems. This was a course that was required of all freshmen. Read the course description here.

Other things kept Pete busy at Wesleyan as well, including writing for the Pharos, acting in plays, Phi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity, and serving on the Program Board for the new Benedum Campus Community Center.

Formative Times

College is always a formative time for students, and Peter Weaver was here at a very formative time for the college as well. Even as he was learning to struggle with the many social issues of the 1960s from faculty members who challenged and supported him, the college itself was being transformed.

The Stanley H. Martin era was one of incredible change and growth. New buildings included:

  • 1958 McCuskey Hall
  • 1959 Jenkins Hall
  • 1962 Doney Hall
  • 1963 Benedum Campus Community Center
  • 1963 Holloway Hall
  • 1964 Paul G. Benedum Hall
  • 1967 Christopher Hall of Science
  • 1967 Wesley Chapel and Martin Religious Center
  • 1972 Middleton Hall
  • 1972/1973 Wraparound addition to the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library

Campus Among the Hills

Coming Full Circle

After graduating from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1966, Peter earned his Masters of Divinity at Drew University and then followed in the footsteps of some of his mentor professors and went to Boston University to pursue the Doctor of Theology degree. He served churches for several years before being elected to be a Bishop in 1996 serving as Bishop in  Eastern Pennsylvania and Deleware conferences. From 2004-2006 he served as the President of the Council of Bishops.

In 2004, Peter Weaver was appointed to the New England Conference. As he was sitting in Boston University’s Marsh Chapel in that role, he looked up and saw the plaque bearing the name of none other than Stanley H. Martin. The chapel was dedicated in 1950.

Marsh Chapel Plaque

On Thursday, Peter Weaver gave the opening sermon for the West Virginia Annual Conference worship service — in Wesley Chapel. On Sunday, he assisted West Virginia’s Resident Bishop, Sandra Steiner Ball, in the ordination service for new clergy. He was home again on this campus which had so helped to build him even as Stanley Martin was building the campus.

I have to believe that Michael Benedum, Ralph C. Brown, Herb Coston, Jose Franquiz, Stanley Martin, Orlo Strunk, Jr., and all the rest, must be pleased.

Bishops Weaver and Steiner Ball June 10 2018

 

Family Reunion – Conference Style

This week, the campus will be busy. The Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church will be arriving — around 1,200 pastors and lay people. They will gather in Wesley Chapel and have worship services and business meetings.

They will set up displays in the gym to show all about projects and ministries they are doing all year.

The organ will play at full blast and, if tradition repeats itself once again, there will be more than 1,000 voices singing “O, for A Thousand Tongues to Sing”.

They will eat barbecue, ice cream, and have music out on campus.

They will have a homecoming. It is a like a huge family reunion!

This will be the 63rd consecutive year that they have done this. It seems like it has always been this way. For many of us it HAS always been this way in our lifetime, but before 1955 it had only happened 8 times! (1856, 1884, 1895, 1898, 1911, 1913, 1926, 1953). From 1955 to present, they have been here every year.

Since they actually founded the college in 1890, this makes a lot of sense. It took a lot of hard work and meetings, and planning, and fundraising for that to happen.

It is funny, though, that the college students who live here the rest of the year can hardly imagine this happening on “their” campus. They are never here during this event. Likewise, the conference people rarely see the students trudging through the snow on the way to class, or studying in the library. It is like two separate groups, yet their stories are closely intertwined.

That 1953 year must have been an interesting exception. That year, the Pharos tells us that Commencement, Alumni Activities, Dedication of the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library, and Conference all happened in the same week!!!!

 

In his speech that week on May 27th, at the dedication of the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library, Bishop Fred Pierce Corson said, “First we build our buildings, and then they build us.” This has proven very true in the case of the conference and the college.

The conference built buildings, then the buildings (and the people who taught in them) built leaders. Many of those leaders throughout the years have also been active in building the conference.

 

Soldiers, Students, and Fallen Heroes

On this Memorial Day, it is fitting to pay tribute to the role that West Virginia Wesleyan College played in the training of troops in various wars.

In his book, A History of West Virginia Wesleyan College 1890-1965, Kenneth M. Plummer writes of the impact of World Wars I and II on the campus.  In so doing, he also chronicles the impact of West Virginia Wesleyan on the Wars.

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

“The entrance of the United States into World War I brought to the campus a Student Army Training Corp of about 200 men. The military training program which was to have begun September 1, 1918, actually ran only from the beginning of October to the early days of December. The corps was housed in the gymnasium. The Music Hall was converted to a hospital to care for members of the corps who were stricken during the influenza epidemic.” (Plummer, p.55)

There were other impacts as well, including the process of mourning and grieving for soldiers who did not come home. President Wallace B. Fleming is a beautiful example of this. Roy Earl Parrish, class of 1908, was one of those soldiers.

Please take a moment to read President Fleming’s prayer, which he offered on January 21, 1919 at the West Virginia Legislature’s Memorial Service for one of their own members. A Prayer for Roy Earl Parrish.

 

World War II

“The impact of World War II was brought dramatically to the campus when early in March 1943, there arrived a contingent of officers and trainees subsequently organized as the 49th College Training Detachment (Aircrew). Students in Agnes Howard Hall were vacated and moved to living quarters in town in order to provide living space and staff offices for the detachment. Classrooms were provided using available space inthe music hall, the gymnasiu and by increased use of other facilities. The trainees were fed in a basement hall in the gymnasium. The college obtained sole use of the flying field on Brushy Fork for the training of the detachment. In addition to the men being trained for combat service, the college also maintained a program for training aides to draftsmen, engineers and chemists at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. A short, intensive course was provided for cadet nurses in training at St. Mary’s Hospital in Clarksburg. The training crew of aircrew cadets ended June 1944, the program for Wright Field aides was closed at the end of the war, the courses for cadet nurses were given during the summer terms if 1944 and 1945. Seven hundred seventy-four adircrew cadets, four hundred eighty-seven aides, and seventy-eight cadet nurses were registered in these programs. The courses offered were regular college courses modified according to the suggestions of military educational directors in order to meet the needs of the program. On February 29, 1946, in cooperation with the Air Technical Command Service of the United States Air Force, Wesleyan inaugurated a twelve-month course of training on the college level for veterans interested in placement as engineering aides in the laboratiories at Wright Field. The program was designed to train a minimum of one hundred fifty men.” (Plummer, 93-94)

Click the link below to read more about what life was like on our campus during the war years. Some familiar names are included!

Cub Flier (September 20, 1943)

Includes some interesting stories of wartime at Wesleyan, such as:

  •  Reemsnyder, Man With the Frog
  • The Song of the 49th
  • D.P. (Detachment Police) Keeps Eye on the 49ers

In memory of all who have given the ultimate sacrifice, and for those who have prepared for and fought bravely in wars long past, I offer these stories as reminders. For those in more recent years, I am also grateful.

Fear not that ye had died for naught,
The torch ye threw to us we caught,
Ten million hands will hold it high,
And freedom’s light shall never die!
We’ve learned the lesson that ye taught,
In Flanders field.

 

Caring for Campus

This 1915 photograph from the Library of Congress is not "Old Bob" but is representative of him

This 1915 photograph from the Library of Congress is not “Old Bob” but is representative of him

The May 1947 issue of the Sundial (alumni news publication) has a great little story about the retirement of an important member of the college community.

“Old Bob” Retires

“Old Bob,” the faithful horse-of-all-trades on the Wesleyan campus, has been replaced by two new pieces of equipment — a shiny red truck and an efficient gray tractor. To many Wesleyan alumni, “Old Bob” was a campus institution during his long years of service, and we are sure you will be happy to know that his new owner has promised to give him a good home. “Old Bob” was born on the Wesleyan campus 19 years ago, and it was a familiar sight to see him diligently mowing the lawns in summer or clearing snow from the walks in winter. Although the new machines will probably be more efficient than “Bob,” the Wesleyan horse will be missed by his many friends.

These photo post cards, published in the 1926 Murmurmontis show the campus as it appeared just two years before “Bob” was born on the campus. These were the only buildings until 1953.

Our campus has been a source of pride since the very beginning. The beautiful setting and the buildings are an important part of the Wesleyan experience. The 1926 Murmurmontis also included this message to past, current, and future students concerning the campus:

In case you find this difficult to read, here is the text:

TO YOU to whom Wesleyan lingers in a dear remembered past, to you for whom Wesleyan looms in a not far distant yesterday; to you for whom Wesleyan is yet in the promise of tomorrow, we dedicate these views. Perhaps they may bring back a recollection dimmed with years; mayhap provoke a smile of recent memories, or even bring a wistful dream into some quiet young eyes. And if some one or two of you, in gazing at these pages, slowly-turned, shall pause betimes and smile and then sigh, remembering dim, cool halls; sun-flecked walks; and the mellow peal of the old bell — then it is not in vain these memories have been given you.

The Giants who have kept these buildings maintained, the leaves raked in the fall, and those sun-flecked walks shoveled in winter have played a huge role in the history of the school. Their heroics too often go unsung.

Their tools are much different now.

So, on this 61st anniversary of his retirement, I would like to say: Well done, “Old Bob” and those who have come after. Your hard work has done much to create and care for the beautiful campus we enjoy today.

To find out more about the history of West Virginia Wesleyan College, be sure to explore DreamersAndGiants.com

 

Music – Methodists – Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day makes the news each year. We hear a lot about Anna Jarvis and the First Mother’s Day in 1908. But, as with most things, there are subplots to that story.

What do the things in the photo above have in common?

L.L. Loar

Lawson L. Loar was a successful merchant in Clarksburg, WV.  He was also the  Superintendent of the Sunday school of Andrews Methodist Episcopal church, in Grafton, W. Va. during the first Mother’s Day service held there in 1908, and gave of his time and money to help lead the plans for establishing the annual memorial to Motherhood. He died in 1938.

Until 1941, the West Virginia area was supporting two colleges: West Virginia Wesleyan and Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston). With the uniting of the Methodist Episcopal North, the Methodist Episcopal South, and the Methodist Protestant Churches in 1939, it became obvious that the area could not support two colleges, and West Virginia Wesleyan was named the one college of what was then the fourth largest Conference in the Methodist Church.  1943, there was a campaign to help provide for the future and strengthening of the college (The Great Wesleyan Movement).

Through the close connection between West Virginia Wesleyan College and the Methodist Church, Mrs. Lawson L. Loar agreed in 1943 to provide funds for the Hall of Music as a memorial to the Loar Family. This was a great act of faith and commitment at a time when the nation was facing World War once again. The building was not finished until 1953, but the funds were assured.

L.L. Loar had a connection to Mother’s Day, and to the Methodist Church.

Mrs. L.L. Loar provided funds for the Hall of Music in memory of the family through her own strong connection with the Methodist Conference and her belief in West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Music — Methodists — Mother’s Day

There is another interesting connection between Mother’s Day and West Virginia Wesleyan College.  Dr. Katharine Antolini, Assistant Professor of History and Gender Studies, did her doctoral studies about Anna Jarvis and the Mother’s Day Shrine in Grafton, WV. According to Chapter 2, p. 46 of Antolini’s book, Jarvis was later offered a teaching position at the West Virginia Conference Seminary (now WVWC) to teach English and Shorthand. For reasons unknown, she did not come. Antolini is considered to be a primary expert on the subject of Anna Jarvis and serves on the Board of Trustees of the International Mother’s Day Shrine in Grafton.

 

Sources

Antolini, K. L. (2014). Memorializing motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the struggle for control of Mother’s Day. Morgantown, WV: WVU Press.

The Great Wesleyan Movement. (1943). The West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 36(3), 1-2. Retrieved May 14, 2018, from http://cdm16111.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16111coll2/id/482

Loar Memorial Hall Dedication Today. (1953). The Pharos, XLVII(6), 1-1. Retrieved from http://cdm16111.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p271901coll13/id/1653

West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 47 (2), Catalogue 1954-55, 23. (1954). Retrieved from https://archive.org/stream/westvirginiawesl19541955west#page/22/mode/2up.

To find out more about the history of West Virginia Wesleyan College, check out https://DreamersAndGiants.com

Hymn of Promise and Launching Graduates

We tend to think things have always been the way we have experienced them. Or, that they will always be the way they are now.  They haven’t and they won’t.

The students who graduated this Saturday will always have a particular image of West Virginia Wesleyan College in their minds. The Chapel Bells ringing from Wesley Chapel, the fountain cheerfully spraying orange water into the sky, the faces of those that they know, and have come to love, will be of particular people.

This, however, was the 127th Commencement at the college. Faces have changed. Buildings have changed. There were no Chapel Bells…..and no Wesley Chapel in years gone by. Commencement didn’t always happen in the John D. Rockefeller, IV Physical Education Building! Students who came here with dreams have gone out and fulfilled them, and done even more than they could have imagined. The 2018 graduates will do the same.

1968
2018

Natalie Sleeth, wife of Ronald E. Sleeth (the 13th President of West Virginia Wesleyan College) captured this idea beautifully. [Be sure to click on their names to discover more about these amazing people].

Her Hymn of Promise is one of the most beloved hymns of the 20th Century, and was written in 1985. It is often sung at funerals. In fact, Ronald requested that it be included in his own funeral a month after it was first performed. However, I think it is just as perfect and relevant for Commencements! It is universal. Each graduate has grown and matured. They are ready to launch into their future — something God alone can see.

To explore more about West Virginia Wesleyan College history, check out https://DreamersAndGiants.com

Of Thee We Sing

When President Wallace B. Fleming wrote our Alma Mater in 1918, this was the campus he was inspired by. 100 years later, some things look familiar — and yet very different.

We have sung this music, with the lyrics set to the tune of the opera Lucia di Lamamore, thousands of times in the past century. Or, rather, we sing the first verse – perhaps because it is a bit musically challenging for many.

There were actually four verses, with the last repeating the first. On rare occasions we have included the third verse.  My personal favorite, however, might actually be verse two. Here are the lyrics to all of the verses.

When asked, many people believe that our official Alma Mater is actually a different song altogether. We sing My Home Among the Hills at all occasions. It brings a tear to the eye, as these types of songs tend to do. But this is actually a pretty modern phenomenon.

Written in 1963 by E.W. “Bill” James of Clarksburg, this song was first part of a play that James wrote to celebrate the West Virginia Centennial. It encompasses the entire state, and is especially descriptive of North Central West Virginia, where WVWC is located. He was a Trustee of WVWC from 1964-1978, and received an Honorary Degree in 1973.  Our choirs have enthusiastically embraced this musical tribute to the area.

One celebrates the earliest years, and the values that make us who we are.

The other celebrates the beautiful place where we are located.

Both bring a tear to my eye.

To explore the West Virginia Wesleyan College heritage further, please visit https://DreamersAndGiants.com 

 

 

WVWC Choir Sang at Uniting Conference in Dallas….50 Years Ago Today

April 26, 1968

Exactly 50 years ago today, Assistant Professor John E. Taylor conducted as the WVWC Choir sang at the Uniting Conference in Dallas Texas in 1968. This was a huge deal. And, they did as well as you would have expected — and received a standing ovation from the approximately 10,000 people present.

According to the 1968 Murmurmontis:

“The highlight of the year for Wesleyan’s choir took place in Dallas, Texas. The tour choir received a standing ovation during its appearance at the Uniting Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist Churches.

Wesleyan is very fortunate to have such an outstanding choir. Mr. Taylor, though his rehearsals consumed much of the members’ free time, has once again produced an excellent choir. Chapel services are held weekly with the Wesleyan choir providing the music. The Chorale as well as the choir present many special performances each academic year.”

Mr. Taylor is one of those people who was a Giant. A name that many may have forgotten or never heard.  His work followed the work of Irma Helen Hopkins (1958-1965), and the work he did here has been carried on in like fashion by such people as Larry Parsons (1969-2013) and Dan Hughes (2012-current).

We may not realize it, but all of us are standing on the shoulders of Giants.

If you would like to learn about more of the Giants at WVWC, be sure to check out https://DreamersAndGiants.com

Awards and Awesomeness

 

How do I know this? Because I have seen them in action. In the assembly on Saturday, awards were presented for Academics, Arts, and Athletics. There were Outstanding Writers, Researchers, Musicians, Dancers, Speakers, and Teachers. Marketers, Economists, Political Scientists, Historians and Humanitarians. It was impressive. As the students went forward to receive their certificates and plaques, I had a wonderful feeling that the world would be just fine with them in charge.

As if that was not proof enough, I have also seen them in action giving presentations, singing and playing in concerts, and on the athletic fields.  I’ve seen theater productions, dancers, and students organizing and leading worship services in Chapel and on Ash Wednesday.

West Virginia Wesleyan College was founded by the Methodists in 1890, and has long nurtured and valued these qualities. It is what makes us who we are. Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the date that the Methodists and Evangelical United Brethren Churches joined together as the United Methodist Church. As I was reading through this wonderful list of 50 Reasons to Celebrate the United Methodist Church, I recognized that tradition in our students. The celebration is the same!

To name just a few of the things that I recognized:

#1  John Wesley

#5  So many amazing kids, doing so many acts of kindness for their neighbors

#7  Young Adults sharing their gifts

#11 Care deeply about climate

#16 Promote ecumenical dialogue

#23 Use their talents to praise God and grow in their faith while inspiring others with their music

#31 To alleviate human suffering and advance hope and healing

#34 Volunteering in relief efforts around the world

#37 To address the mental physical and spiritual well-being of all

#29 To remember our role as stewards of God’s earth and care for creation

#40 Taking a stand against racism

#42 Wesleyan Heritage which put an emphasis on “practical divinity”

#47 Social Principles and Social Creed

#50 Our history, which gives us roots and can inspire us today

I think that the Founders would be proud!