Author: paula.mcgrew@gmail.com

Roughly Halftime

1890 is the year that WVWC was founded.  2020 marks 130 years.

1960 marked roughly halfway to the 130 years! Many of the faculty in 1960 had been here for decades, and many of them would be here decades more. That year there were 14 new faculty members, bringing the number of faculty to 63. This continuity of dedicated and amazing people has been a huge strength for the school and for the thousands of students who have learned form them.

The welcome reception for faculty was a big deal! Held in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library in 1960, they talked, laughed, and prepared for a new year. The library building had been dedicated on May 27, 1953. The wraparound addition was dedicated on October 20, 1972 — therefore the building itself was just about halfway to big changes. (And yes, there was food in the library!!!!)

Enjoy this great bunch of photographs. They speak volumes about the people, the place, and the community that is Wesleyan.

I have included 10 photos here, but click here if you would like to see the full collection of photos.

Prelude to 1890

Getting ready for the 130th Anniversary of WVWC – which first opened September 3, 1890. Here is a bit of background information! More to come as the week progresses.

Prelude to 1890: What happened in Buckhannon BEFORE WVWC was founded?

Who was involved?  Why was it founded in the first place?

 

Our perspective of time and place is important to the study of history.

For example, here is what it looked like in Buckhannon in 1900.  Ten years AFTER the college was founded!

The campus has changed a bit!  But, you can see some familiar street names to give you some context.

You may not recognize some of the buildings that are in this picture.

And, you will realize that there are a lot of our current buildings missing from the picture!

When you think of WVWC History, you are likely thinking of YOUR history (band, choir, fraternity, sorority, team, professors, classmates: People and experiences).

I am thinking of MY experience:

  • My history goes  back several generations. My Grandfather -Class of 1941, My dad – Class of 1957, My Mom – Class of 1968 and many others.
  • Each generation experienced the school in different times and in different ways, but the core of the place has not changed throughout the years. For example, when my grandfather was here, there were only 5 buildings! When my father graduated, none of the buildings on the Chapel Oval side of campus existed…including the chapel!
  • We each think of the professors that have had an impact on our lives.
  • I think of the time I first met my husband in the cafeteria in McCuskey (where the Art Department lives now). 

The photograph on the right shows my family members who have graduated from WVWC (all except Grandpa Russell and the daughter of the two seen graduating here – who has her Masters in Education.

So, depending on your perspective, your initial impression of WVWC History may be different from mine and from what your classmates assume it is all about.

But, from the very beginning, there are some things we all share whether we know it or not!  Let’s explore them together. 

  • The nature of the place has not really changed throughout all of the changes.
    • Beautiful campus and buildings
    • Spirit of service and community engagement
    • Caring and nurturing faculty and staff

This is a souvenir postcard from 1901.

On the top left corner, you will see Ladies Hall – or, as we now call it Agnes Howard Hall.

On the right, is the Seminary Building. What? This is a building that many do not know about but is a huge part of our history. For the first 15 years, this was the major building on campus. Everything was here — classrooms, offices, 2 chapels, rooms for the literary societies, and even a gym. It burned in February 1905.

On the bottom left you can see the President’s House. This was on our campus from 1892-1952.It was built by President Hutchinson (the first president) with his own funds. He made an agreement with the Trustees that they would buy it from him when the time came that he would be leaving. And they did! If you come out the door of our present-day library and go straight down the sidewalk toward College Avenue, you would have come to this house. It would be on your right and across the street from what is now the Upshur Parish House.

The bottom right is a picture of the Pringle Tree. There is more about this later in this lesson, but I think it is interesting that the person who created this postcard thought it was important to include this tree. It shows that the college and the community have always had a strong relationship.

Here is a better photograph of the Seminary Building. This is one of my favorites because of the people.

I love the parasols, the people leaning out of the windows, and especially the guy on the right who will be forever late…

We tend not to think of these as having been real people.

They were here. They had dreams and worked hard. They had problems from time to time. They greeted each other on campus and in the halls as we do today.

But, let’s take a giant step back and see how they (and we) got here.

How did we get here? 

We did not get here by accident or by magic.  

We were created. By people who had dreams.

We were created through a lot of hard work and effort.

Who were these Dreamers, and why did they create us?

How and why were they here?

In the late 1700s, there were three types of people who came over the mountains to explore and settle the area that we now know as West Virginia.

  • Adventurous Settlers – Exploration, Indian Fighting, Hunting and Fishing, pioneers. Other schools have embraced the terms Mountaineer and Pioneer, but they apply to us as well.
  • Social Minded Settlers – Wanted to make a better life. Many were immigrants. They were also seeking to escape the overpopulation and lack of employment in the seaboard colonies.
  • Religious Settlers – (to quote Thomas W. Haught)…….”These were the men whose souls were on fire with a holy zeal for the spiritual well-being of all those living in the scattered pioneer settlements of the new land”.  Education was a key part of that work. Click on the Circuit Rider to see a brief video.

In other words, the third group wanted to save the souls of the other two groups! And they wanted to educate them. This is very important to our story.

Life on the frontier was not easy.

To compound the difficulties posed by rugged terrain, harsh weather, and primitive living conditions, and wild animals, there were wars to deal with!

French & Indian War 1754-1763

This is a war that was monumental in the history of our area, but one that does not get as much coverage in many history classes for some reason. At least it didn’t in classes I was in. (My perspective)

The very basics: 

  • The French had established settlements, missions, and trade with the Native Americans around the great lakes region.
  • By the 1740s, The English settlers were coming across the Allegheny and Appalachian Mountains and began competing with the French.
  • Some Indians chose to side with the English before realizing that the English wanted to take their lands rather than to establish trade.
  • In other words, The British and the French were fighting, the Native Americans were fighting with and for both sides, and life was hard.
  •  William Pitt became Prime Minister of England and had a more aggressive approach
  • The Pringle Brothers (John and Samuel) were not fans of the military life, and deserted from Fort Pitt in 1761
  • Eventually, they came to the area which is now Upshur County and lived in a hollow tree near Buckhannon from 1764-1767 
  • 1768 Went for Supplies
  • 1769 Came Back with Settlers
  • You can read more about them here (Pringle Brothers & the Sycamore Tree).

The Settlers were in conflict with the Natives of the area…

This was not surprising, considering that the natives had considered this their hunting grounds for many many years. Even after the war was over, the fighting was not. 

Revolutionary War – Joined the cause of freedom

Many of the settlers were soldiers during the Revolutionary War. After all, remember that these were independent people who valued their freedom! This one you have likely read more about!

10 years AFTER the Revolutionary War began, the Methodists dedicated Rehoboth Church, in Monroe County. It is claimed to be the oldest church building west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Francis Asbury was still actively preaching and organizing churches in the area.

With all of the wars, primitive settlements, threats from Indians, and economic woes, the role of churches and preachers in the development of the area is sometimes not as widely emphasized, but is a major factor in all of it.

Rifles as well as Bibles were carried by the worshipers. (Still much danger from Indians)

It is still there! And is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In other words, an Independent Sort of People came here, settled here, lived here.  They still do. This is still a good description of our character.

The area west of the Alleghenies was settled by people who valued adventure and freedom. 

Development was slow to come in the early days, and there was also conflict with the people on the other side of the mountains – in “The Other” Virginia.

We valued independence and freedom.

Slavery? Not so much. But there was certainly not agreement on all things among those West of the Alleghenies…loyalties were often divided, even within families.

One of the founders of this college was a member of the Virginia Legislature and voted for the Order of Secession from the Union! He even fought for the Confederacy.

Three of our other founders were in the Union Army. Two as soldiers, and one a Chaplain.

When you consider that only 28 years before the doors opened to students (September 3, 1890) Buckhannon was the site of Jenkins Raid (August 30, 1862) where 20 prisoners were taken by the Confederate troops commanded by General Albert Jenkins. During that raid 5,000 small arms were confiscated along with ordnance, stores, and clothing. ( e-WV article on Jenkins Raid)

As polarized as our society is right now, it seems amazing that these people were able to find some common ground around such an important issue as education, and to do all of the hard work that was necessary to fulfill that dream.

Even beyond the Jenkins Raid, Buckhannon was right in the middle of the conflict. 

  • The first land battle was fought in Philippi – only about 20 miles away
  • McClellan’s army camped here on their way to the Battle of Rich Mountain
  • We have streets named Sedgewick and Meade……..two of Lincoln’s generals
  • Presbyterians had tried to build a school here before the war, and even had lumber and materials on the site. McClellan’s army took them. Now the Presbyterian school is  in Elkins….(Davis and Elkins College, which first opened for classes on September 21, 1904).
  • Upshur County soldiers fought on both sides of the Civil War.

So, the area was founded by independent people, and conflict was all around.

These are important things to remember as we shift to the topic of Education.

West Virginia had few schools, and few opportunities for formal education beyond the basics

Students had to go to PA or OH for those opportunities to places like Allegheny College, Ohio Wesleyan University, etc. The 1840 Census indicated that 28,924 white persons over the age of 20 could neither read nor write.( e-WV article on Education)

Terminology: 

  • Academy – An academy was often for boys only, and quite often military in nature
  • Normal School – mainly for teacher preparation, and generally offered a two-year course beyond secondary level. The first of the public normal schools in the United States was founded in 1839, in Lexington MA, so the concept had been around some 50 years by the time of our founding.
  • Seminary – The term Seminary meant something very different than the way we use it today.  Although many students from here did eventually go into the ministry – this was NOT a seminary as they exist today, dedicated solely for religious studies. Rather, it was an educational institution which offered educational opportunities for women as well as for men From the very beginning, the founders were adamant about two things:
    • This was not to be a sectarian school (all would be welcome). Although there was a great emphasis on spiritual growth as well as educational growth, that was to be expected!
    • Women and men would be part of it. That included faculty as well as students. In the late 1800s, this was fairly radical.

This timeline shows that many schools were being founded in Western Virginia (West Virginia after 1863) during this period of time.

Education was highly valued.

  • The earliest ones were Academies and Military Institutes.
  • By 1858, there was finally a Female Seminary founded in Morgantown.
  • Education for black children was also being addressed.
  • The first Free Public School was not until 1865.

Some of these things make a bit more sense if you remember that the Civil War was raging from 1861-1865. (Perspective of Time)

Many schools were being founded by church denominations as well as schools to train teachers:

  • Alderson Broaddus – 1871 in Winchester, VA —1876 moved to Clarksburg — to Philippi in 1901 — Baptists
  • Glenville – 1872 – State school. Teacher’s college
  • Salem – 1888 – Seventh Day Adventists
  • West Virginia Conference Seminary – 1890 — Methodist
  • Davis and Elkins – 1904 — Presbyterian

Back to the Methodists……..those Circuit Riders

The Methodists had also experienced some internal conflict! 

The Methodist Episcopal Church was founded on Christmas Eve 1784 at the Lovely Lane Church. Before that time, there were various Methodist Societies that generally met in homes for prayer and worship. http://lovelylane.net/home/history/

Methodist Protestant Church

Formed in 1830 as the result of a difference on several issues by a sizable group in The Methodist Episcopal Church. The key issues at dispute were the role of bishops, the desire to elect the presiding elders (district superintendents), and the desire to have lay persons represented in the voting membership of the Annual Conference. The new denomination soon established its constitution and discipline and held its first General Conference in 1834.  (http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/glossary-methodist-protestant-church-the)

The Methodist Protestant Church also backed a school which we recognize. Morris Harvey (now University of Charleston). 

Methodist Episcopal Church South

“Formed as a result of the separation from The Methodist Episcopal Church. Reflecting the debate in that nation over slavery, pastors and members of The Methodist Episcopal Church found themselves embroiled in a strong controversy. At the General Conference of 1844, a Plan of Separation was voted on which would have facilitated an orderly division of the denomination over a period of time, largely along regional or geographic lines. However, the leaders of the southern group immediately set out to establish a separate church. This was done in the first General Conference of 1846 of The Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Though weakened through the period of the Civil War, the new church grew and became a dominant religious force in the southern portion of the nation. In 1939 The Methodist Episcopal Church, South reunited with The Methodist Episcopal Church and The Methodist Protestant Church to form The Methodist Church.” (http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/glossary-methodist-episcopal-church-south-the)

1939 – Uniting Conference in Kansas City, MO – April 26-May 10

Reunited: Methodist Episcopal Church North, Methodist Episcopal Church South, and Methodist Protestant Church to become The Methodist Church

Bringing all of the branches together again after all of the years of Civil War, reconstruction, the Great Depression, and World War I was a monumental step. One of the outcomes was that there are now often two Methodist Churches in the same town – sometimes next door to one another. In addition, West Virginia Wesleyan College was chosen by the West Virginia Annual Conference as the Conference College – over Morris Harvey.

1968- Uniting Conference in Dallas, TX – April 21-May 4

United the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church to become the United Methodist Church

This occurred in 1968 – one of the most divisive years in the history of the United States. It was weeks after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. The issue of the Vietnam War was dividing people across the country. And, in the midst of all that division, the church came together as one.

All along the way there was a great value put on Social Justice and Equality

Interesting times, though…the United Methodists are once again in conflict.

Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, the General Conference was scheduled to meet in May. At this conference, the issue of the role of gay clergy is one that is tearing the organization apart. That, and the fact that being a worldwide church, means that perspectives from many cultures are clashing when trying to address social issues. General Conference will now be held next year, and could result in far-reaching changes.

Prelude to 1890

The school did not just appear………

It took a lot of meetings, travel, reports, WORK – and of course money.

If you recall from the last slide, the Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1784 – and by 1884 there were Centennial Celebrations being planned. You may recall that concern over education had been present for many decades before that as well.

The report of the members of the Committee Centennial Celebration stated:

“That the erection and endowment of an institution of learning of high grade for both sexes be one of the principal objects of the thank offerings of our people of this Conference. The location of said institution to be fixed by the Conference at a future session. “ (Annual Conference, 1884; Haught, p.155)

Thus began a whole set of meetings and fund raising. All of them done without the modern conveniences such as telephones or even roads! 

Many of the men who served on the Committee on Centennial Celebration and the resulting Board of Trustees of the Centennial Fund eventually also served on The Board of Trustees of the West Virginia Conference Seminary. 

  • All of this just years after the Civil War, and during the Reconstruction Period.
  • And, all of this while still divided M.E. North, M.E. South, and Methodist Protestant. 

Methodists Valued Education and Social Justice — Then and Now

Clergy were involved

Lay People (church people who are not ministers) were also involved – and these same people,  who were so highly involved in church leadership, were also highly involved in the formation of the WV state government

  • Several were present at the Wheeling Conventions, and in the creation of the State of West Virginia
  • Several were on the committee to draft the state constitution

Fundraising was done all across the state in large and small churches in order to provide funds for building, staffing, and operating the school 

Today the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church is still the body which elects the Board of Trustees for West Virginia Wesleyan College.

But in 1890, a mere 25 years after the Civil War ended, and after countless meetings, fund raising, and planning, the West Virginia Conference dream of a school finally came to pass.

Trustees included both clergy and lay members, elected by the Annual Conference.

The Lay Members of the Board of Trustees in 1890 included:

John Cambridge Bardall

  • Trustee from 1887-1915
  • He lived in Moundsville, WV and was a manufacturer of leather goods and brooms.
  • He ran one of the largest broom countries in the country at the time.

John Adams Barnes

  • Trustee from 1885-1930, and Secretary of the Board from 1894-1921
  • He lived in Weston, WV, and served on the site location committee
  • Mr. Barnes was the Director of Citizen’s Bank of Weston

Benjamin Franklin Martin

  • Trustee in 1890-1894, and Treasurer of the Board 
  • Mr. Martin was one of the framers of the West Virginia Constitution
  • He was a delegate to the General Conference in 1876
  • And, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1877-1881

Samuel P. McCormick

  • Trustee from 1887-1889 (he died before the school officially opened)
  • He had served in the Army of the Potomac
  • After the war, he was a lawyer and prosecuting attorney
  • In 1880, he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention

Henry C. McWhorter

  • Trustee from 1885-1916, President of the Board from 1898-1913
  • He was a Judge, and lived in Charleston, WV

Alex M. Poundstone

  • Trustee from 1885-1919
  • He served as a Captain in the Federal Army
  • A lawyer in Buckhannon, WV
  • West Virginia Legislature 1872-1879
  • Prosecuting Attorney in Upshur County 1886-1900

William Alexander Wilson

  • Trustee 1890
  • Lived in Wheeling, WV
  • Manufacturing and Businessman

Samuel Woods

  • Trustee 1887-1897, Chairman of the Board 1887-1897
  • Was a member of the Virginia Legislature when they voted to secede from the Union
  • He voted for secession, and fought with Stonewall Jackson’s unit
  • However, after the war, he came back to Barbour County and resumed his Law Practice
  • He was a Framer of the West Virginia Constitution in 1871

The Clergy members of the Board were also an interesting group.

They were not only ordained ministers, but leaders in education and community alike.

H.J. Boatman ( I still have more research to do on this one!)

J.A. Fullerton

  • Trustee 1885-1898
  • Was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1850
  • Edited the Methodist Episcopal Times

L.H. Jordan

  • Trustee 1885-1899

A.J. Lyda

  • Trustee 1884-1897; President of the Board 1884-1887
  • Charter Member of the West Virginia Conference
  • Chaplain in the Third Virginia Volunteers; U.S. Army

E.H. Orwen

  • Trustee 1885-1891; Secretary of the Board 1890

J.W. Reger

  • Trustee 1886-1893
  • Circuit Riding Preacher
  • Chaplain of the 7th West Virginia Infantry

A.B. Rohrbough

  • Trustee 1886-1896
  • Preacher, Teacher, and Newspaperman
  • Superintendent of Public Schools in Buckhannon for two years in the 1870s

L.L. Stewart

  • Trustee 1884-1894
  • Elected to General Conference 1892
  • General Missionary Committee 1891-1892

W.R. White

  • Trustee 1886-1894
  • First State Superintendent of Free Schools

To review:

Lenna Lowe Yost’s Centennial Tour

 

This is a big year for voting. In particular, it marks 100 years for the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to participate.

The timeline includes these facts:

West Virginia Wesleyan has a direct connection to this story in Lenna Lowe Yost. Earlier this year, I wrote in more detail about her heroic work. You can read about Lenna’s Legacy here.

This year, Dr. Katharine Antolini has created a fun way for all of us to remember and to celebrate Lenna’s Legacy as we celebrate 100 years since the 19th Amendment became law.

Maria Benjamin, daughter of Jon Benjamin in the Art Department and granddaughter of Rob Rupp in the History Department, created this wonderful “Flat Lenna” which was reproduced and distributed to people all across the state. Lenna then “attended” many celebrations and visited many of her old haunts.The photos taken of Lenna became a way for her to revisit many places of importance to her story. 

 

 

“Flat Lenna” was scheduled to attend several suffrage celebrations over the summer of 2020, but the COVID crises sadly ended her travels.  In fact, the last event I attended at WVWC before the campus closed down was a wonderful celebration on March 10. Thanks to Katharine for providing this great tribute to Lenna, her spirit, passion, and her leadership.

 

ZOOM on! First Day of School 2020 Style

Today is the first day of class for Fall Semester 2020. For the first time since 2002, I am not gearing up to teach a First Year Seminar class at WVWC. Always an exciting blend of nerves and excitement (for the students and for me), we would gather together to start something new.

Today, though, it is different. Classes are beginning without students actually being on campus. Teaching and learning will be done remotely for the time being.

Already today, I have seen both excitement and nervousness in action as students and faculty gather in a new way.  There will be many challenges along the way, but also some wonderful new opportunities.

It seems a bit strange to me today, as I realize that those classes I taught for years were actually also preparing the students for the current times. And, just maybe, preparing me as well for a time when everything in the world is shifting under our feet.

The first several years, I taught the seminar as a course called 10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College: The Skills You Need to Succeed. Based on Bill Coplin’s book by the same name. It turned out that those were skills needed to be good students as well as to be successful after graduation. 

  1. Establishing a Work Ethic  (Be Honest • Manage Your Time)
  2. Developing Physical Skills (Stay Well • Look Good)
  3. Communicating Verbally (Converse One-on-One • Present to Groups)
  4. Communicating in Writing (Write Well • Edit and Proof)
  5. Working Directly with People  (Build Good Relationships • Work in Teams • Teach Others)
  6. Influencing People (Manage Efficiently • Lead Effectively)
  7. Gathering Information  (Search the Web • Conduct Interviews • Use Surveys) 
  8. Using Quantitative Tools  (Use Numbers • Use Surveys • Use Spreadsheet Programs)
  9. Asking and Answering the Right Questions  (Pay attention to Detail • Apply Knowledge • Evaluate Actions and Policies)
  10. Solving Problems  (Identify Problems • Develop Solutions • Launch Solutions)

In these days of COVID-19 and social upheaval, these are STILL some of the best, and most important things! 

  • Work Ethic, for example, is very important when faced with the responsibility of learning (and teaching) via ZOOM. Time management is key! 
  • Staying Well is certainly of importance during a pandemic, as is putting your best face forward in those little boxes on the screen.
  • Communicating Verbally is not so different, really, whether you are in the same room or intentionally connecting from a distance. In fact, I have found over the last few months that it is actually harder for people to “Zone Out” in a virtual setting.
  • Communicating in Writing is still very important as well. Since you are presenting yourself through your writing (syllabi and assignments alike), you really need to be able to be clear. Sloppy work will stand out even more than it already has for many years.
  • Working Directly with People must be done intentionally, and with great attention to detail. Teaching remotely is not the first choice of many faculty members (with or without a pandemic). It causes them to have to reconsider each and every part of their courses. Students who are shy have told me that they actually prefer this opportunity to interact with others without the social pressure of an in-person environment.
  • Influencing People is extremely relevant to the experiences of 2020. While this is always true in an election year, even more so with Virtual Conventions thrown into the mix. Being able to clearly communicate your views on all of the issues of our time has probably never been so important.
  • Gathering Information seems like it should be very easy these days, but the sands are shifting all the time as to the best places and ways to do this. Being able to conduct interviews and survey people to find out information is helpful. My all-time favorite part of teaching this class through the years was to make sure that the students were aware of all of the library resources available to them through the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library – both in the building and online.
  • Using Quantitative Tools in 2020 is amazingly relevant. People are throwing numbers around all over the place. Social Media (which wasn’t even a thing when I first started teaching this class) has made everyone think that they are experts. It is important to know what all of those numbers actually mean.
  • Asking and Answering the Right Questions. Wow. This one is powerful.  Education and Health are both important. Which is more important? Can we do both? When to start? How to proceed?
  • Solving Problems The world is in dire need of people who can develop this skill.

So, as classes begin today, I say to all who are facing new challenges (opportunities?) ZOOM ON! I salute you for all you are doing.

Eyes Opened and Message Received

The March in Selma had an impact on the world. The importance of it was experienced first-hand by three WVWC Students and their History Professor, Robert Hunt.

Here is an account of that event as told by Andy Anderson.

Today seemed a great day to share this as the Celebration of Life for Congressman John Lewis will take place at 11:00 this morning at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. His life has had an impact far beyond what he probably even realized.

Click here to read the article in the Pharos

Andy summed it up pretty well in the last paragraph..

 

Related Article

Dr. Hunt Bowls them Over (Sundial 1963-09, p.30)

 

The World of Maxine Moose Bruhns

In 1941, E. Maxine Moose graduated with honors from Bridgeport High School, and received a scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan College. Below is a picture of her from the 1942 Murmurmontis. She was even a cheerleader!

Then, on December 7, 1941, her life took a dramatic turn. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, and the United States was plunged into World War II, Maxine answered the call for the home front war effort and went to work working on B-52 bombers. She was one of the women known as “Rosie the Riveters.”

After the war, Maxine went to Ohio State University where she studied Philosophy and Psychology, but even more important to the trajectory of her life, she met and married Fred C. Bruhns. A German student, Fred had worked hard to thwart and defeat the Nazis, even being imprisoned for those efforts. He spent the rest of his life working to make life better for refugees including Austrian, Palestinian, and North Vietnamese.

The two of them traveled to more than 80 countries, where she met everyone from the Dalai Lama to Albert Schweitzer.

All of this prepared her well to become the second director of the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh in 1965. This was not just a job for her for the 54 years that she held the position. It was a passion, a calling, a love.She celebrated all of the cultures of the world, and gave many students the opportunity to experience things beyond their own experiences. 

This is the top of the webpage for the Nationality Rooms at Pitt. There is a lot of great information here that will tell you a lot about Maxine Moose Bruhns as well. When she arrived, there were 19 Rooms and they provided 8 scholarships for summer study abroad. When she retired, there were 31 Rooms, and 54 Pitt Students had studied in 35 countries in the summer of that year. Click here to see video tours of all of the rooms.

But, this girl from West Virginia never forgot where she came from. She was a true Dreamer who also spent a lifetime helping to make the Dreams of others come true. And inspiring new dreams.

She remained a supporter of the Mother’s Day Shrine in her native Grafton.

She stayed active in the alumni association at her high school Alma Mater, Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, WV.

She remained connected to West Virginia Wesleyan College, and in 2007 received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. 

Since 2007, Bruhns Scholarships have been given to Wesleyan Students to help them to experience the world. These scholarships have enabled many students to stretch their comfort zones, as Maxine encouraged them to go to non-English speaking countries with cultures very different from their own.

One of these students was Maggie Lohman, also a graduate of Bridgeport High School (and now also of WVWC). Click here to read about her experience in Thailand in Summer of 2019.

In 2018, four students were recipients of Bruhns Scholarships. Click here to read about their experiences.

I am collecting a list of all of these recipients and their stories of inspiration. If you are one of these, or you know one, please contact me at historian@wvwc.edu. So far, I know of:

2012

  1. Evid Miller –Turkey
  2. Gabrielle LaFata — Israel
  3. Matthew Gillich — Ghana

2013

  1. Rachel Channell – Kauvasi, Greece
  2. Andrew Wade Phipps — Prague, Czech Republic
  3. Briana Nicole Shockey — Cape Town, South Africa

2014

  1. Sydney Pettit — South Africa
  2. Alberta “Ali” Crawford — Poland
  3. Rachel Rodgers — Czech Republic
  4. Colin Winkie — VietNam and Cambodia

2017

  1. Jennifer Kirk — Accra, Ghana

2018  (Article about all four)

  1. Jenna Fuerst — Bosnia and Herzegovinia
  2. Hannah Jones — Thailand
  3. Arin Shatto — India
  4. Anna Slayden — Ghana

2019

  1. Maggie Lohman – Thailand
  2. Casey Stallman –Madagascar

2020 – None due to COVID-19

The world lost a great traveler on July 17, 2020. Maxine Moose Bruhns died at the age of 96. She leaves a legacy of world understanding and a host of students who have had their lives transformed. 

The following are some items about E. Maxine Moose Bruhns that have appeared in WVWC publications as well as some news stories and obituaries.

  • Bruhns, Maxine Moose
    • (1947) Eleanor Maxine Moose, x’45, became the bride of Fred Charles Bruhns of New York City, on December 21, in the North Broadway Methodist church at Columbus, OH. The young couple will make their home in New York City. [West Virginia Wesleyan College Bulletin, 1947-05, p.4]
    • (1950) Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Bruhns, (Maxine Moose, ‘45) have completed a two-year stay in Europe where Mr. Bruhns was employed by the International Refugee Organization in Austria. They are now visiting Mrs. Bruhns’ parents in Bridgeport, WV. [Pharos 1950-12-15, p.4]
    • (1965) Maxine Moose Bruhns, ‘45, Recalls Visit with Dr. Albert Schweitzer. [Sundial 1965-12, p.32-33]
    • (1992) Maxine Moose Bruhns, ‘45, director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs, recently received the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh’s Glick Award for leadership and service in intercultural exchange and understanding. In her position, she directs activities of more than 30 nationality and ethnic groups, including ethnic studies, workshops, concerts, exhibits, and observance of national and traditional holidays. She also supervises committees to raise funds to provide grants for students and faculty to study abroad, and to subsidie university courses in language studies. [Sundial 1992, Fall, p.19]
    • (2007) E. Maxine Bruhns is the director of the University of Pittsburgh Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs. Born in Grafton, WV, she attended West Virginia Wesleyan College for a short time before transferring to Ohio State University, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and philosophy. Upon graduation, she married Fred C. Bruhns, a refugee specialist who through his lifetime worked for several international organizations including the United Nations. During their extensive travels, Ms. Bruhns worked with CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty, and taught English to Africans, Cambodians, Iranians, and Vietnamese, among others. She earned a master’s degree in education from the American University of Beirut. Since 1965, she has provided leadership and vision for the University of Pittsburgh Nationality Rooms, housed in the Cathedral of Learning. She and her husband established 34 international study scholarships providing summer study abroad funding to over 800 students. Ms. Bruhns received the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh 2004 Tribute to Women award in recognition of her commitment to international education. Her vision of opening educational doors now includes West Virginia Wesleyan College with the establishment of three scholarship programs. [Commencement Program, May 6, 2007]
    • (2018) Maxine Bruhns, the last living relative of Anna Jarvis (founder of Mother’s Day) spoke at the Mother’s Day Shrine anniversary celebration. [Mountain Statesman, 2018-05-15]
    • (2019) Maxine Bruhns was attending West Virginia Wesleyan when Pearl Harbor was attacked. This changed her life, as she left school to serve her country by working in an aircraft factory making wings for B-52 Bombers. [Trina Runner in Connect Bridgeport 2019-02-26]
    • (2020) E. Maxine Bruhns officially retired on January 1, 2020. She served as director of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs at the University of Pittsburgh for more than 50 years. She died July 17, 2020 at the age of 96.[The Pitt News, July 18, 2020]
    • (2020) Obituary [The PittNews, 2020-07-18]
    • (2020) Obituary [Connect Bridgeport 2020-07-21]

Charlie Miller: Athlete, Coach, Colleague, Mentor, and Friend

From star athlete (1962-1966) to Head Coach (1992-2005), Charlie Miller made his mark on West Virginia Wesleyan College. Along the way, he mentored many students and made many life-long friends.

As a player, he led WVWC to the WVIAC Basketball Tournament Championship in 1966 (and was voted the Most Valuable Player).  In addition, he was a standout on the track and field team. His school record for the long jump stood for 23 years!

He was inducted into the WVWC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.

As a coach, he continued his success. He served as the Assistant Basketball Coach alongside Head Coach, Gary Hess. Together they won two WVIAC Titles, one regular season championship, and coached one NAIA National Tournament Team.

When he later returned in 1992 as the Head Coach for WVWC Basketball, after serving in that capacity at Lake Forest College for many years, Charlie’s teams won another WVIAC title and the school’s first NCAA II playoff berth. Long-time friend Bob Skinner believes that to be one of the greatest coaching accomplishments in school history.

Having earned his MA in Education along the way, Charlie also mentored and coached quite a few students in the classroom during his years on the Wesleyan faculty.

This week, Charlie lost his battle with cancer. Social media posts were full of love and respect for this Wesleyan Giant, and many a tear was shed. His team members, students, and coaching friends are mourning his loss as are his faculty and staff colleagues.

Life-long friends and coaching partners, Gary Hess (’60) and Charlie Miller (’66) had the chance to visit at an alumni event in the fall of 2019.

Quiet Beauty

It’s very quiet on campus this summer.

Generally, after the students leave to go home in May, we are immediately full of Strawberry Festival traffic. Bands and Arts & Crafts and Quilt Shows and Queens and Princesses

Not in 2020.

In June, we generally have a couple thousand United Methodists arriving for Annual Conference. Meetings and greetings. Wesley Chapel full. 

Not in 2020.

In July we generally have a few weeks where the Gifted Camp and the Summer Research students are seemingly everywhere for a few weeks.

Not in 2020.

But, this year, with all of the deafening quiet going on, something strange and wonderful happened.

Jim Watson was the first to notice. As he was doing his daily walk around campus, he saw a female deer, obviously about to become a mother. He continued his walk, and when he came back around to that side of campus he noticed

As if that wasn’t enough, there was another surprise…

The next day they were bedded down between the library and the English Annex.

The following morning, my husband and I were walking along, and the orange flowers beside the sundial started to move…there was no wind. If you look closely, you can see the fawn hiding in the bushes.

While I was quietly tiptoeing in to get this photo, Gary whispered that I should turn to my right and take a look…

Yes, it is quiet on campus in the summer of 2020, but there is still life.

It shows the beauty of nature.

Or, as Jim said in his Facebook post when he first told about the fawns, “sometimes nature is too pure and beautiful to believe, and life offers miracles every day if you choose to open your eyes.”

Since January 8, 2018, the DreamersAndGiants blog has been published weekly, each Monday.  Beginning July 1, 2020, this Blog will now be published occasionally.   To all the fans of this blog:  Stay Safe and See You Soon.

I’ll continue to put an announcement on social media when a new post comes out, but if you want to be sure to be notified be sure to subscribe so that you will get an email.

Paula McGrew

Hearing Voices

 Important conversations about racial injustice have been taking place for a really long time. As early as 1891, the Chrestomathean Literary Society at the West Virginia Conference Seminary considered this topic. On May 7, 1891 their meeting was devoted to a debate:      

That the Negroes have a greater right to complain of ill treatment at the hands of the U.S. than the Indians. (The Negative Team Won)  Conversations on important topics were being considered and discussed.

As a student at the college between 1974 and 1978, you would think I would have been tuned in. Sadly, I don’t remember much of it. I considered myself fairly enlightened. To my knowledge, I never did or said anything racist (if I did, I am truly sorry). I certainly did not consider myself to be part of the problem…which is part of the problem. 

Recently I took a long look at what was being said throughout the years, and who was saying it. I found some amazing things. Some of them are very helpful in learning where we have been. Others clearly show that we still have more listening to do. Click here to get a list of  links to articles from as far back as over a century ago, lots from the 1960s, 1970s, etc. Listen to these voices and truly hear them.

Below are a few examples of those who came to campus. There are many others from all walks of life.

Alex Haley spoke on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College on March 3-, 1971. This was five years after The Autobiography of Malcom X, which had been on the New York Times best seller list all that time, and which was one of Time Magazine’s 10 Most Notable books of the 1960s. It was while he was still writing Roots. In fact, the working title for that book was Before the Anger at the time he spoke in Wesley Chapel.

In 1969, Maya Angelou published her famous work I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This book made history as the first nonfiction best-seller by an African American Author. In 1972, she spoke in Wesley Chapel.

On March 31, 1979, Julian Bond spoke here. The topic of his lecture was: America What Next? At that time he was the senator from Georgia.

Bond, Julian
March 31, 1979
Wesley Chapel
Black Awareness Week

Benjamin Hooks was here in both 1982 and 1990.

Faculty and students have been involved in issues of justice in ways both large and small. Even so, there have been those who have hurt others and been hurt by them.

I am very proud of a group that has formed at West Virginia Wesleyan College. The Center for Restorative Justice is holding serious conversations, and has some wonderful plans. The leadership involves students, faculty, and staff. Some of the faculty and staff members are also alumni, and have had the benefit of learning from some amazing people along the way…such as Dr. Joseph Mow, Dr. Peter Bercovitz, Dr. John Warner, and many more.

Click here to learn more about this group and see how you can help.

As I have been reading these articles, listening to friends, and hearing from others on social media about things they have experienced, I find that I still have much to learn. For example, we donated to the Center for Restorative Justice recently, but did it anonymously. Not sure why! We want everyone to know that we are proud to help in this work. So, I am going to go back and donate once again…and sign it loud and proud.

Written in 1972

Old Smokey – Decades of Service

This week the topic that kept coming up in my reading was heating systems. That was unexpected in the middle of June! First of all, the WVWC History class I am teaching this month was looking at original buildings on campus. 

Only three years after the school opened, the March 1893 issue of The Seminary Herald indicated that the original heating system had not been a success for long.

1905

I am not sure what happened with the heating between 1893 and 1905, but on February 4, 1905 the Seminary Building was destroyed by fire. Furnaces in the basement were deemed to be the cause. Immediate plans to rebuild included a separate power plant rather than one located within the buildings.

The Pharos: 1905-09

Besides the College building, there is also being erected on our campus a power house. Heating power has been removed from all the buildings, and hereafter will be supplied from the central power house, which is located wide apart from any buildings. The power house and the installation of the Webster System of heating throughout our buildings will cost in the vicinity of 11,000. The new plant is of such character that the electric lighting of all the buildings may be installed at any time.

Warren Webster and his young company  installed 75,000 of these systems in the world’s finest buildings. It was considered the standard in heating for large buildings. (His son later wrote a biography of his life and times, which can be read here.)

1920

We noted in class that the campus of 100 years ago was quite different from the campus today. 

The College Catalog 1920  (100 Years Ago) included this description of the heating plant at that time:

Heating Plant: This was built in 1905 and contains the boilers, pumps and coal bins needful for heating the other buildings upon the campus. Its capacity has been nearly doubled by the addition of a new hundred horsepower boiler recently. 

Other buildings in 1920 included

  • College Hall (known today as the Lynch-Raine Administration Building)
  • Library on 2nd floor of College Hall
  • Domestic Science Equipment in 2 rooms on south end of the ground floor of College Hall
  • Woman’s Hall (known today as Agnes Howard Hall)
  • Haymond Science Hall
  • Physical Laboratory (In Haymond Hall)
  • Chemical Laboratory (In Haymond Hall)
  • Music Hall (known today as the English Annex)
  • Gymnasium (the Old Gym, not Rockefeller)
  • President’s Residence

2020

A Facebook Post from Jim Watson (‘79) about “Old Smokey” prompted a comment about a Pharos article written by Bruce Ennis (‘63) and a wonderful photo of the power plant shared by Danny Green (‘74). I had never seen that photo before, and I also went in search of the article in the Pharos. (Smokestack’s Control Poor Says Hicks, Pharos 1962-02-06)

Here are some fun things I learned…..

  • Two boilers were installed (1913 and 1925), and were not adequate by 1962
  • The heat was regulated manually.

Fireman James Campbell said that he operates the amount of heat going into the Administration Building by observing how far the windows are open in the rooms facing the smokestack. Thus, one side of the building, perhaps facing the sun, may become overheated, while the opposite side remains only lukewarm”.

  • Old Smokey was there until 1965 when it was razed in preparation for building Wesley Chapel.

Photo by Howard Hiner, shared on Facebook by Danny Green ’74. This is looking from the present-day parking lot near Jenkins and looking toward the Old Gym.

Generations of WVWC folks experienced Old Smokey between 1905 and 1965. Many other generations of WVWC students have never heard of it before. It is fun to converse with both groups!