Author: paula.mcgrew@gmail.com

Christmas Spirit — 1933

The year was 1933. 

 It was the height of the Great Depression, with unemployment peaking at 25.2%.

The 18th Amendment was repealed on December 5, effectively ending Prohibition.

The year began with Herbert Hoover as President of the United States until the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 4.  Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany on January 30.

Christmas Eve, 1933 by Clifford Kennedy Berryman. Library of Congress.

The stockings represent some of the New Deal Programs wished for by F.D.R.

  • CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps)
  • TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
  • FCA (Farm Credit Administration)
  • CWA (Civil Works Administration)
  • FACA (Federal Advisory Committee Act)
  • AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration)
  • NRA (National Recovery Administration)
  • PWA (Public Works Administration)

Christmastime at WVWC in 1933

So, what was life like at West Virginia Wesleyan College in December of 1933? We get a wonderful view of that in the December 20, 1933 issue of the Pharos. It is only four pages long, but absolutely packed with information. I would encourage you to take a look at the entire issue!

Here are a few examples.

Page One alone has stories about academics, chapel, concerts, dinners, formals, fundraising, parties, and oratorical contests, and upcoming theater productions. According to this page, the following events occurred:

  • December 9     Sigma Delta Chi Formal
  • December 14   Christmas Dinner for Girls in Agnes Howard Hall
  • December 15    All-College Party
  • December 16   Sigma Delta Pi Formal
  • December 18   Special Chapel Service – Thuse
  • December 18   Ladies Hall Party
  • December 18   Oratorical Contest
  • December 19   Flute and Piano concert

It also included this article about Christmas Spirit

Notice the paragraph that begins with the word parties. Even though there was fun to be had, the spirit of Christmas included the opportunity to help others who lived in homes “where finances are very low.” During the Great Depression, this incuded many families.

Page 2

Page Two included Christmas greetings from the editors

Nineteen and thirty-four is not far off. It will give us our second childhood. May we profit by our past errors and use the coming year to advance our cause a little nearer to the goal we seek.

A Student Opinion Piece on Liberal Arts Education is there as well.

And an advertisement from the Colonial Theater on Main Street!

Page 3

Page 3 basically gives us sports highlights and advertisements.

  • Basketball season got off to a rough start in December 16 loss to WVU with a final score of (32-24)
  • The full basketball schedule is listed for the year
  • 3 Bobcats were named to All Conference in football, and 6 received honorable mention
  • Advertisements – both local and from further away.

Page 4

Page 4 includes an article named Idle Chatter, by Golly. It includes a fun take on the weather which may sound a bit familiar to us in the current day.

“How do you like this weather? Nice for Xmas, isn’t it? Or should I have said ducks? Or sleds? The fact of the matter is, you can’t tell a thing about weather. You are liable to have snow and sleet in the morning, finished by rain and spring weather in the afternoon with a beautiful harvest moon at night.”

All in all, this issue of the Pharos shows that life was going on more or less as “normal” at a very rough time. 

This strange little puzzle is actually a sign of the times. Maybe they were hesitant to make this too readable with Prohibition such a recent reality! It turns out that it is about Horse’s Neck (a drink that contained alcohol). Can you decipher it?  🙂

Feature Writer Asks Old Santa For New Ideas

Beginning on Page 1 and completed on Page 4, there is a poem which is a lot of fun. I will close with this, and wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I’ve added some illustrations and photographs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You Note

It may be about 86 years late, but I consider this blog post as a Thank You to the fine folks at the Pharos in 1933. Their work has made it possible for us to know what life was like on campus in very different times — and that it all still looks pretty familiar!

Marking the Hours

The chimes in the steeple of Wesley Chapel have been a huge part of the college experience at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

January 2018

The October 24, 1973 issue of the Pharos includes a story written by Phil Loftis, For Whom the Bells Toll. In this article we learn that the original carillon of Schulmerich Chimes was given to the college by the Shannon family, and placed in Atkinson Chapel in 1961. When Wesley Chapel was built, the bells were transferred to the steeple, and an additional lower octave was added as a gift from the Phillips family. 

The music could be played automatically using similar technology to the old player piano rolls, or it could be played manually. Dr. Robert Shafer was the person to play them manually, and he did so at least once each week.

Westminster Chimes

At the top of each hour, the Westminster Chimes ring out. Many generations of students have run to class trying to beat that last chime!

The tune that is played is generally known as the Westminster Quarters. It originally was called the Cambridge Quarters, as it was composed for St. Mary the Great church in the center of that university in 1793. When the great clock (known as Big Ben) was installed in London in 1859, it became more widely known as the Westminster Quarters. Ringing small sections on the quarter hour, the full tune rings only at the top of each hour.

There are words!

The official words to this song are:

All through this hour

Lord be my guide

And by Thy power

No foot shall slide

Other variations, such as the one sung at the end of meetings of the Brownies in the U.K. and Canada, are similar.

Oh Lord our God

Thy children call

Grant us thy peace

And bless us all

Updated Variations

The bells were silent for a few years as the original equipment aged before a generous gift from former Board of Trustees members William, ’58, Hon. ’05 and Mara Linabarger Watson ’58 made it possible for the beautiful hourly chimes and the sounds of “Home Among the Hills” return to West Virginia Wesleyan College’s campus during the 2015 spring semester.

Thanks to the Watsons, the chimes have been upgraded to a digital version that will last for many generations more.

Today, the chimes are programmed and played by Neil Roth and Brett Miller. There is a different chime for Saturday just to keep things interesting.

When bad weather comes during times like Founders Day or Commencement, it is not unusual to hear them chiming Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head or Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

During the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, the campus held a watch party. The chimes added to the festive atmosphere that day playing such things as I’m Being Followed by a Moon Shadow and Here Comes the Sun.

 

Finals 

As the Fall 2019 semester came to a close this week, and students were preparing for their final exams, I am almost sure that I heard a student singing:

It’s finals time

Why did I wait

To get to work

Now it’s too late

I am hoping that things will go well for that student, and that one day he may find himself graduating with his class.

The Bells of the Past, Present, and Future

The long tradition of hearing a reminder at the top of the hour that time is marching on reminds me of the song by Natalie Sleeth, Hymn of Promise. A few years ago I caught this beautiful song ringing out over the campus after commencement.

There are a lot of wonderful back stories to the chimes at WVWC. Another week I will focus on the generous people behind the bells that we so closely connect with the college experience there. But, for now…

Grades to turn in

What did they earn?

Finals are done

What did they learn?

Decisions, Decisions: Choose Your Own Adventures

Do you remember the old Choose Your Own Adventure books? They started in 1979, and for about twenty years they were very popular. In them, no two people were reading the same story. If you read it more than once, even your own experience would be different. You would read until you came to a point in the story where a decision needed to be made by the main character — and then YOU would make that decision.

I often think of these books in relation to our own stories. We do make some decisions that change everything – who we are, what we do, where we live.

Life’s decisions start way before this, but one of the first major ones that a person makes comes at the time when they graduate from high school. This is a decision that will have a major impact on how the adventure of your life will unfold.

Some choose to go to college. Some choose other paths to their adventures.

Many things go into this decision, but at the end of the day that is a yes or no question. The answer leads to new questions and decisions to be made.

Going to College

If your answer to the question of college was yes, you need to decide which college.

A lot of factors go into this.

  • Is it close to home? (If so, is this a good thing or a bad thing for you?)
  • Can you get scholarship assistance?
  • Does it offer the kinds of things you are interested in studying?
  • Does the school have a good reputation for high quality education?
Choosing A Major

  • Many students get to college knowing exactly what they want to do, and what major to choose.
  • Many others come with a vague idea of what they want to do – and find that their goals change once they get started. Yet others are interested in everything, and have to explore which direction they eventually want to focus.
  • At times, majors are chosen because of advice or pressure from others who are trying to help guide us.
  • Perhaps you get to college and discover that what you thought you loved is actually very different than you thought it was.
  • The bottom line at the end of all of these choices is for you to find what you love and where your strengths actually lie.
Choosing Your Classes

At registration time, there are a lot of options. Which classes should you choose?

  • If it is required for your major – Yes, but there may be flexibility in when to take it.
  • If it is required for general education – Maybe. There are many different things that can fulfill those requirements and there is a lot of flexibility as to when to take them.
  • Some classes are offered that are just things you want to know about! You have curiosity or a passion about that topic. This is a great opportunity to get started on your lifelong learning.
Attending Classes

The answer is yes.

  • The only exception is when you are really sick – you need to get well, and nobody else wants to catch what you have.
  • You are paying for these classes.
  • When you miss, you are cheating yourself.
  • You are also cheating others of your participation and insights.
  • If you are just unmotivated, or too lazy to go to class, you might want to look back at those earlier questions to remind yourself why you chose to be in college.
Doing the work

At the end of the semester, faculty know what is coming. 

  • Some students will have done the work all semester, and be fully prepared for the final exams.
  • Other students will have done just enough to get by, and they will be experiencing panic. Often these students start begging for extra credit points.
  • Some students will suddenly realize that they have put things off and left things undone, and will realize that they are about to be rewarded accordingly.
To Go Or Not To Go?

At WVWC in just the last week there have been hundreds of activities, concerts, plays, ball games and events. Decisions have to be made about how many and which ones to attend. 

It is also a busy time, in which people are buckling down to get ready for the end of the semester. Sometimes people really are too busy to go. Sometimes, they are just too tired. Sometimes, they just don’t know or just don’t go.

Here are just a few examples of things on the WVWC campus from last week:

A Luggage Drive will be hosted December 2nd through December 10th. The students in the WE LEAD Poverty Reduction Team are asking for donations of luggage (duffle bags, suitcases, totes, backpacks, etc.) and a variety of necessities such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, new small blankets, books, and new stuffed toys. You may drop off your items in the CCE (behind the Bobcat Den) on the second floor of the Campus Center. The opportunity to make a difference.

West Virginia Dance Company, in its 43rd season, presented the a new evening long work entitled “Love of Power vs. Power of Love”, which explored the choice between exerting power over others or acting out of love. The piece unmasks the divisiveness, isolation and intolerance that involves the misuse of power, and reveals the power of love to heal, unite and remind us of our shared humanity.

Art Opening in the Corner Art Gallery: Elizabeth Graham’s exhibit of photographs entitled “What Once Was” which is a visual display of abandoned coalfields in West Virginia. 

Restorative Practices Conversation: an ongoing community exploration of Restorative Practices. In our time together, we will grow from our previous conversations on cultivating community well-being and accountability to discuss what constitutes mutually cared for, flourishing relationships, where we see restorative relationships in our community, and how to continue growing relationships like these on campus. All are welcome! Attendance at previous circle discussions is not necessary. Pizza will be provided! 

The last general Student Senate Meeting of the semester. The opportunity to be involved and share your thoughts, opinions, and dreams.

Marching Band Concert and New Uniform Unveiling:  The band has not had uniforms in decades. This week they unveiled the new ones. Were you there?

L to R: John Harvey, Caitlin Ware, Alyssa Perry, Corey Jackson, Alex Jones

The Planetarium Show: Saturday’s show was a treat for the ears and the eyes.  This show is similar to a laser light show with spectacular visuals on the dome as Tchaikovsky’s music plays in surround sound. It is not the same as being there in person but you can preview the show on Youtube.  After the video, we will take a tour of the December sky.  If the weather is nice, we will pull out the big telescope after the show and look at the Moon. 

Hanging of the Greens: Each year at Wesleyan, members from across the campus community work together to cut, create, and hang wreaths and garlands that decorate campus throughout the holiday season. The newly created adornments were then hung in Wesley Chapel.

Lessons and Carols: The service feaured Christmas carols and musical selections performed by Wesleyan’s Concentus Vocum, Concert Chorale, Wesleyan Singers, and the Wesleyan Brass Quintet, under the direction of Dr. R. Daniel Hughes, associate professor of music and director of choral activities. Carols included arrangements by David Willcocks and Alice Parker.

To read more about the history of this event, please click here.

Here is a link to the service on Facebook Live. Credits to the WVWC Performing Arts folks!

Lighting of the Campus Christmas Tree

Decisons, Decisions: Choose Your Own Adventures.

Tradition…….and traditions

Tradition

Derived from the Latin word traditio (to hand over, or give for safekeeping)

Our Tradition (That which we value and believe is important enough to protect for safekeeping and to share with others in the future.)

  • Provides us with a source of identity
  • Reinforces our values
  • Creates connection with each other, including past and future members the community
  • Provides us with lasting memories
  • Provides comfort and security, especially during times when there is a lot of change happening

For the purpose of this writing, I am making a bit of a distinction between the overarching Tradition and the traditions (specific activities, items, or groups) which help with that transmission to new generations. They amplify and exemplify the Tradition that we value.

Some Examples:

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was this week. The overarching value of this holiday is Thankfulness.  Thankfulness is the tradition.

Traditions of Pilgrims and Indians, turkey and Indian Corn have a very different connotation in modern days. We still give them a nod, but are much more focused on the Thankfulness. That tends to be illustrated by fall leaves, pumpkins, turkeys, parades, football, food, feasts, and family.

Facebook was full of photos of families and friends celebrating this holiday. They were all very different, and yet all focused on the Tradition of Thankfulness.

  • Norman Rockwell-like tables and family gathered around
  • Groups of two or three all the way up to twenty or thirty gathered at buffets, tables at Grandma’s house, or restaurants at the beach.
  • Many families missing the members who were out hunting
  • Tables decorated with pilgrims, pumpkins, and turkeys
  • Some of those tables with full-on Christmas decorations in the background
Christmas

Christmas has an overarching Tradition of Giving.

A celebration of the gift given by God. His very own son. We give gifts to each other as a way of remembering that gift. Even though the holiday is based on the Christian celebration of God’s Gift, it turns out that society in general also wanted to celebrate the Tradition of Giving. Secular images now compete with the religious symbols of this holiday. We tend to mix and match them in our decorating.

Angels, Shepherds, Wise Men, Stars, Baby Jesus in a Manger, Mary and Joseph are joined by Santa Claus, Reindeer, Snowmen, Elves, Gingerbread Houses, Candy Canes, Snowflakes, Trees, Ornaments (even ornaments based on every possible popular culture icon).

And yet, Giving is at the core of it all.

Hmmmm…..Thankfulness leads to Giving. No wonder some families have a hard time separating the two!  🙂

West Virginia Wesleyan College Tradition

Thomas W. Haught wrote an article in the Sundial in 1936 entitled, Some Observations on College Traditions.  It is a good read!

West Virginia Wesleyan has a long heritage, based on tradition.

John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist Church. These are the things that he believed to be important. These are the things that he passed down to those who would become the founders of WVWC.

When the Methodist Church in West Virginia wanted to pass on Sound Learning and Christian Character to a new generation, they founded the West Virginia Conference Seminary. The Trustees at that time made it clear that they wanted the school to be non-sectarian (in other words welcoming to all students regardless of their faith) and they wanted both male and female students and faculty to be included.  [Welcoming]

Thomas W. Haught enrolled just months later, during the second term of the school’s existence. He learned much from the early faculty, and was educated in this school that valued Sound Learning and Christian Character. That character included many things, among them a dedication to both service and compassion as well as an expectation of personal integrity.  [Christian Character]

As the school was not yet a college level institution, he then went to WVU to earn his undergraduate degree and on to Harvard University. In 1904 the school did grow and adapt into a college level institution. In fact, as the needs of the students and the society have changed, the school has grown and adapted to meet those needs time and time again. [Growth and Adaptation] [Sound Learning]

Returning to WVWC to teach for over 45 years, and to be involved with administration in the offices of Dean and Registrar as well as serving three times as the acting president, Thomas W. Haught continued passing down the values and traditions of the college to new generations. 

Looking at the WVWC of today, we still see them.

Using the Thomas W. Haught list, and adding a few of my own, I have come up with the following categories of values making up WVWC Tradition:

  • Christian Character (Service, Compassion, Personal Integrity)
  • Community
  • Growth and Adaptation
  • Sound Learning
  • Welcoming

Some WVWC Examples

I had planned to choose a few as examples here, but there are just too many. Many of them fit into one of these categories. Many could be considered in multiple categories. Most have something to do with Community. Instead, I will list some (certainly not all!) and you can attempt to see where they fit in and why these represent the values that we want to hand down to future generations for safekeeping.

So many traditions. Some have evolved. Some have disappeared over time. That, in itself, shows the value of Growth and Adaptation.

They are listed in alphabetical order…….(Once A Librarian Always A Librarian)

  • A source of identity
  • Reinforcing our values
  • Creates connection with each other, including past and future members the community
  • Provides us with lasting memories
  • Provides comfort and security, especially during times when there is a lot of change happening

What Did I Miss?

Click here to let me know what I missed!

DreamersAndGiants 101

101st Consecutive Weekly Blog

On January 8, 2018 I posted the very first of the DreamersAndGiants Blogs.  It was appropriately titled Registration Day and New Beginnings. In it I thought back to the days in the 1970s when registration was done via computer punch cards.

It also invited readers to take a look at my new website, DreamersAndGiants.com. The purpose of this new venture was to tell the stories about WVWC and the people who have studied and worked there through the years.

Today, I am amazed to discover, is the 101st consecutive time I have posted an announcement that Monday = Blog Day. No two of these have been alike. They consist of things that I have run across during the week or something that I have always wondered about. Many of them have been about people. Many are about buildings or things on campus that we generally just don’t notice in our busy lives.

I have been asked why I always use the DreamersAndGiants term without putting spaces between the words. Two reasons, really. One is that the url treats it that way. The other is that it is impossible to tell the Dreamers from the Giants.

People Who Have Worked And Studied On Our Campus

People Who Have Walked Where We Walk

Learning and Teaching

Throughout this process of creating a webpage and a blog to share the stories, I have learned a great deal: about the people, about the school, the resources for finding out more about the school, and about myself.

I have been teaching this information in courses on campus as well as a couple of times online.  More and more of the required readings have come from these blogs!  To take this course without actually taking it, you could simply read through these blogs – your very own DreamersAndGiants 101! The full list of the blogs can be found here.

Lots of Stories Left!

After 100 blogs, I have barely scratched the surface of the stories that are to be found. Our buildings, our faculty, our students, our alumni, our organizations and athletic teams all have so many! I have a long list of things still to explore and share. Several of you have given me some ideas to add to that list.

As we enter Thanksgiving Week 2019, I would like to thank those of you who have been reading along. Many have subscribed and receive an email notice when a new one goes up. Also, I am thankful for the rich heritage that we share and the chance to know more about it.  

As I mentioned way back in that first Blog, it took us well over a century to get this far, and it will take a while to gather all of the stories.

 

To read more about the people and events that have made West Virginia Wesleyan College great, check out https://DreamersAndGiants.com.

Jazz Legacy and Echoes

November 16, 2019

What would cause more than 30 people to travel from seven states (and one even from as far away as Malaysia) to Buckhannon, WV to play jazz in the middle of November? There is only one answer to that question.

Doc Milburn’s Jazz Family Reunion

From 1966-2004. David Milburn taught at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Hundreds of students were challenged and inspired by him. Many of them became musicians and educators, some found their callings in medicine, banking, law, business, and a multitude of other professions. There are even several Wesleyan Jazz Sweetheart couples!

These students considered themselves part of the Milburn family and stayed in touch with his wife and daughters throughout the years. It was this sense of family that brought these people together. That, and the fact that they had shared so many incredible experiences together.

So how did it all begin?? It was all a product of the times, and of something much bigger.

The 1950s

The world was in a mess. The Cold War was raging around the world, The Civil Rights Movement was dominating the news in America. Into that mix came Jazz Music right in the middle of it all.

Louis Armstrong and his wife                                                                              Bettmann/Getty Images

Time Magazine ran a story in the December 22, 2017 issue which puts all of this into perspective. The article, by Billy Perrigo, is titled How the U.S. Used Jazz as a Cold War Secret Weapon. 

The music of jazz, which was structured around improvisation within a set of commonly agreed-upon boundaries, was a perfect metaphor for America in the eyes of the State Department. Here was a music of democracy and freedom. What the bands looked like was important too. “The racism and violence within the U.S. was getting international exposure,” says Von Eschen. “For President Eisenhower and his Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, this was a great embarrassment.” By sending bands comprised of black and white musicians to play together around the world, the State Department could engineer an image of racial harmony to offset the bad press about racism at home.

  • 1956 – State Department sent Dizzy Gillespie as a Jazz Ambassador
  • 1957 – State Department sent Benny Goodman on a tour to the Far East
  • 1958 – Dave Brubeck toured Eastern Europe, Middle East, Southern Asia as an Ambassador. He championed racial integration and equality at home and abroad

Meanwhile, at Wesleyan

Music faculty at Wesleyan tended to focus more on more orthodox forms of serious music. Ensembles consisted basically of Orchestra, Choirs, and Chamber Ensembles. Vocal instruction was offered and piano, organ, and violin were stressed as well as other orchestral instruments. Faculty included such greats as Calvin Buell Agey, Robert Shafer, Irma Helen Hopkins, Bobby Loftis, and Owen West.

There was an emphasis on music theory, composition, orchestration, and form analysis. In other words, there were strict rules when it came to music.

The 1960s

The Cold War was in full force.

    • Construction began on the Berlin Wall (1961)
    • Cuban Missile Crisis – world on the brink of nuclear war (1962)
    • First U.S. combat troops arrived in South Vietnam (1965)
    • Prague Spring Uprising crushed by the Warsaw Pact (an organization of communist states in Central and Eastern Europe) (1968)

The 1960s also was a busy time in the Civil Rights Movement with protests, marches, assasinations and the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In 1962,  Dave Brubeck, and wife Iola, wrote a musical called “The Real Ambassadors for Louis Armstrong (a musical commentary on race relations in America). The State Department cultural diplomacy tours of the 1950s were often at odds with the Civil Rights issues at home. This musical was intended to address the difficulties of these contradictions in message.

Meanwhile at Wesleyan

Milburn, David (Hiner Photo)
David A. Milburn

In 1966 a new faculty member was hired in the Music Department.

David Milburn, as it turns out, was about to cause a major shift in the departmental approach to music. Having had exposure to the great jazz legends, he was probaby a bit frustrated with this description of the Instrumental Ensemble Course in the 1968-69 catalog:

In 1969, he requested to form a Jazz Ensemble. Dr. Agey refused on the basis that jazz was not serious music and had no place in the department. He said that it could not meet in Loar Hall. So, David Milburn, the rebel, started the group and met off campus or in the SCOW (Student Center of Wesleyan). With no budgetary support, the band members literally sat around listening to records and writing out their own parts by hand.  Click here to read his recollection of that period of time. He recalls that:

We had to practice ‘secretly’ off campus and occasionally we were allowed to practice in the ‘Scow’ as long as the music department didnt hear about it. After the first year we were finally accepted by the music department but we had to use the name “Modern American Music Ensemble,” but at least we were acknowledged as a legitimate organization and they allowed us to practice on campus and even use Loar Hall to practice in.

The group quickly gained popularity with audiences and musicians alike. They learned improvisation and composing and to arrange compositions. They began to live by musical rules that went beyond the strict rules of days gone by.

By 1973, a mere four years later, the West Virginia Wesleyan Jazz Ensemble participated in the first of what would be 10 Friendship Ambassador Tours to Eastern Europe, playing the music of freedom and democracy to audiences living under Communist Rule. They became part of that Cold War Secret Weapon of cutural diplomacy.

  • 1973 (July) Romania 
  • 1974 (August 6-30) Poland 
  • 1979 (May)Romania 
  • 1983 (Summer) Russia and Romania 
  • 1987 Hungary and Austria
  • 1992 (Spring) Russia, Romania, and the Ukraine
  • 1996 (May) The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania
  • 1997 Romania
  • 2001 Finland, Estonia, and Russia
  • 2004 (May) Bulgaria, Romania, and The Czech Republic

A documentary, The Jazz Ambassadors, was made in 2018. It was directed by Hugo Berkeley and stars Leslie Odom, Jr. It is currently available free on Amazon Prime. In it we see how The Cold War, The Civil Rights Movement, and Jazz collided.

David Milburn and the WVWC Jazz Ensemble took an active role in the cultural diplomacy of the times. Truly, this was a remarkable set of circumstances and a talented group of people. This rich legacy adds to the close-knit family feeling among the WVWC Jazz “Oldtimers.”

An Era Comes to a Close

As the final Milburn-led European trip came to a close in the summer of 2004, the band found itself performing in a theater in one of the largest cities in Bulgaria. On that particular evening, the concert stage was shared with a local jazz band. That group performed first, followed by WVWC.

At the end of the concert, Wesleyan welcomed the local Bulgarian jazz group to share the stage to perform the final song together as one “super-group.” While the vast majority of musicians from both groups were unable to communicate with each other through the language barrier, everyone was able to immediately bond through the one true universal language—music. The performance of that final song was a literal expression of everything the Wesleyan jazz group had come to represent in Eastern Europe over 30 years and 10 visits: bridging cultural divides, and bringing humanity closer together through music.

Following Dr. Milburn’s retirement in 2004, and with the different times in which we live today, the group is doing a few different things. For a couple of years, the program was led by David Wright, but in 2006, James Moore arrived at Wesleyan bringing with him his own hopes and dreams for the program. Jazz at WVWC is alive, well, and thriving.

That group has a story all of its own for another day, but suffice it to say that David Milburn would be excited to see the Legacy being carried forward.

Family Reunion!! (At least some of the family. There are hundreds more who were there in spirit as well)

A highlight of the evening was when the band played Hey Jude, and the audience which filled the Culpepper Auditorium joined in singing Hey Slide (Doc’s other nickname).

Special thanks to Jim Watson for getting the whole thing going and giving everyone the chance to create a wonderful tribute to our mentor and friend. And to Neil Randolph who stepped in to pull all of the musicians together and get them ready to swing.

World Events with WVWC Ties

This past week, my First Year Seminar class has been discussing the fact that Wesleyan has intentionally interacted with the world for a very long time.

Veterans

On this Veteran’s Day (2019) I am mindful that many students encountered the world during their military service. During World Wars I and II many students, who had never been far from home, found themselves in France, Germany, and other places. Many came home with a new view of the world.  They served as soldiers, pilots, officers, and chaplains. The same happened in Korea and in Vietnam, and in such places as the Middle East and Afghanistan.

For example, according to his obituary in 2015, Franklin “Hank” Ellis (Class of 1943 and long-time coach and professor at WVWC)

was the Commanding Officer on the USS LCT 710 from May of 1944 through March of 1945 where he carried cargo from large ships to and across the Beaches of Normandy. He made the D-Day landing on Utah Beach, Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. In June of 1945, he was the Gunnery Officer on the USS LCI 728 in Pearl Harbor, HI. Mr. Ellis returned to Normandy for the 20th Reunion of D-Day, in 1964, the 50th Reunion in 1994, and the 60th Reunion in 2004. In 2015, he was awarded the French Legion Medal of Honor by the French government.

Faculty

Throughout the history of the college, there have been more than two dozen faculty members from more than 20 countries other than the United States. Others, born here, have lived and studied abroad thus enlarging their view of the world. All of these have impacted the lives of their students in ways beyond the curriculum. They have shared new perspectives about the world.

Many faculty have led study abroad trips, creating opportunities for thousands of students to expand their horizons.

Many have been speakers and participants at international conferences, such as Drs. Jessica Scott, Tamara Bailey, and Coty Martin at the International Studies Association International Conference in Accra, Ghana this year – the first time this annual event has ever been held in Africa. “Currents of Knowledge: Knowledge Production in the Global South Informing the Global North.” Co-Presenting at the ISA International Conference, Accra, Ghana, August 2019

International Students

As early as 1926, Methodist Missionaries around the world were making it possible for students to come to Wesleyan. Dorothy Lee was the first from China, and later a scholarship in her name was created. This scholarship has enabled hundreds of others to follow, including her own daughter, Julia B.

Sports teams and the arts have recruited international students as well, and these students have brought new perspectives to all academic disciplines.

Study and Travel Opportunities

From May term trips to summer programs, professors and students have been part of study abroad opportunities. Each time they came back to Buckhannon with new ideas of how people are alike as well as how their differences help to create new possiblities.

Scholarship Opportunities are available, both nationally competitive (like the Fulbright) and made possible by generous friends, such as the Maxine Bruhns Scholarship. There are many study-abroad opportunities.

Jazz Ensemble

The West Virginia Wesleyan Jazz Ensemble was invited, through the Friendship Ambassador Program, to tour Romania in 1973.  Less than a year later, they were invited to tour Poland on a similar program. Since then there have been numerous Goodwill Ambassador trips to Europe with the group playing in: Poland, Romania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Latvia, Finland, the Czech Republic,Ukraine, and the Soviet Union/Russia. 

Many of these tours included time in countries under Communist rule during the period of the Cold War.

[Many of these people will gather in Buckhannon next Saturday – November 16 – for a reunion concert to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the group. It will take place in the Performing Arts Center at 7:00pm].

Other groups, such as choirs, have also traveled abroad and shared the gift of music while learning about the world.

Individual Student Opportunities

Many people from West Virginia Wesleyan have been inspired, encouraged and supported in their desire to interact with the world. One of them, I know very well! And, as this is the 30 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I would like to share this experience.

My younger sister, Sarah, was inspired by a novel she read in her early years. From there, she was encouraged by parents and teachers. At Wesleyan, she had a Chemistry Teacher (Allen Hamner) who taught German, and she was further encouraged by such people as Herb Coston, Arthur Holmes, Larry Parsons, and Volkmar Lauber. Wanting to spend her  Jr. year in Germany, she was supported by administrators who helped make the connections and to figure out all of the red tape to make it possible for her to study in Heidelberg. Following her graduation in 1984 with a degree in International Studies, she was able to return to Germany to study for and receive her masters degree.

A few years later, in 1989, she returned to Germany once again to work with Radio Deutsche Welle, and found herself in Berlin 30 years ago this week (November 9, 1989) when the Berlin Wall came down. As she experienced and reported this incredible news, she met many people whose stories have impacted her to this day.

This photo was taken in the days just after the Fall of the Berlin Wall (30th anniversary of that event was November 9, 2019.) I was reporting from Berlin for Radio Deutsche Welle – armed with my Marantz cassette recorder and microphone. Of course MANY people were reporting from Berlin at that time, including the American TV networks. At one point I happened to be working the same street as Peter Jennings. The sharply dressed woman next to him was his translator. The fellow with earphones was his sound guy. I watched them work for a bit and then moved along to gather my own interviews. It was a crazy, exciting, wonder-filled experience.

And…this story was the main result of my Fall-of-the-Wall reporting adventure in Berlin. (I took this photo the morning they opened the new crossing at Potsdamer Platz. We heard them jack-hammering from the other side the night before.)

Click here and close your eyes to be transported to Berlin in November 1989….30 years ago. To a different time and a different place.

Sarah’s story is but one of the many stories that could be told by alumni of West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Wesleyan’s Intentional Interactions With the World

Whether it is bringing world experiences to Buckhannon or going to faraway places to experience new cultures, Wesleyan is so committed to encouraging students to learn about the world, and to offer service, that it is even one of the major missions of the college:

Old and New: What Vision Can Do

Buildings Create Opportunities

What could a Music Conservatory and eSports possibly have in common? Both require practice space, and both have occupied space in the same building on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College, more than a century apart.

1900

In 1900, ten full years after the opening of the West Virginia Conference Seminary, the campus was much different than what we see today.

West Virginia Conference Seminary Catalog, 1900

There was a main building which housed all of the classrooms, offices, a chapel, and  Literary Society Halls. There was Ladies’ Hall (a mere five years old in this photograph) for housing the female students. Men boarded with families in town at that time.

Professor James J. Jelley, hired in 1899 as the Director of the Conservatory of Music, was adamant that the Conservatory needed a building dedicated to that purpose. Space was needed for instruments, practice facilities, and to house the Conservatory Circulating Library of Music.

1902

In 1902, J.J. Jelley’s dream was fulfilled. This is one of the oldest buildings on our campus. In fact, it is THE oldest academic building. 

1905 and Beyond

Only a few years after it was completed it had its first of many changes in purpose.

  • The fire that destroyed the Seminary Building in 1905 meant that there was a huge need for office and classroom space.
  • When the Student Army Training Corp was here in 1918, a flu epidemic swept through the troops causing the Annex building to be used as a hospital and a place of quarantine.
  • Through the years, the building has been used for many other purposes as well, including admission office and art department, and today is beginning a brand new adventure as the eSports Stadium (dedicated on October 31, 2019) is now located on the first floor of the building.
  • The upper floors are now home to English classrooms and faculty offices as well as the home of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program.

The seemingly simple and plain building has survived several attempts to tear it down through the years. Although it is a very plain building, there were some subtle structural things done to try and make it a bit more interesting.

Through all of the years I have passed by this building, I never noticed them until I took an architectural tour of campus with local Architect, Bryson Van Nostrand.

As he pointed out:

  • The first floor windows are rectangles.
  • The second floor windows have a half-arch at the top
  • The third floor windows have a full arch

I’ll bet that you will never see this building in the same way again! I know that I find it interesting every time I pass by it now.

2019

And now, in 2019, renovation of the first floor in one of our oldest buildings has created a facility for another historic first. Wesleyan has the first collegiate eSports team in West Virginia.

Following NCAA guidelines on training and practice sessions, and competing in the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NACE), Wesleyan is once again leading the way into what has become one of the fastest growing spectator sports in the world. The number of colleges with eSports teams has doubled in recent years, and now boasts 130 schools involving more than 3,000 students.

Their new facility has made this possible. Like the Conservatory before it, the eSports Arena provides practice space as well as equipment. Coach Wu says that “this facility replicates tournament conditions with hardware that is used by League of Legends Championship Series professionals. The ‘Arena’ will enable us to play, practice, and grow as a team and I am looking forward to the accomplishments our team will accrue moving forward.”

Coach Kevin Wu and his team participated in the ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony on October 31, 2019 officially opening the eSports Arena at Wesleyan.

The inagural Bobcat eSports team includes a stong group of heavily recruited Computer Science majors who all happen to be from West Virginia. Coming from small towns and cities alike, these players will be applying technical skills, teamwork, and critical thinking as they compete.

  • Abraham Blouir of  Pennsboro, WV
  • William Butcher of Ellenboro, WV
  • Brandon Cochran of Given, WV
  • Stanley Ciciora of Lewisburg, WV
  • Thomas Flannery of Charleston, WV
  • Gabe Poling of Moatsville, WV
  • Jacob Williamson of Renick, WV

Abraham Blouir and his parents – Signing Day 2019 at Ritchie County High School

Coach Wu says that he is hoping to eventually develop a roster with thirty players, and is actively in search of female players for the team.

Computer Science professor Don Tobin says he is looking forward to working with these students in the classroom as well. He notes that eSports requires intense problem solving skills and teamwork – things that are in high demand in the world today.

Sports Innovations Through the Years

Another early building that set the stage for growth and innovation in sports was what is now referred to as the “Old Gymnasium.”

Gymnasium

Built in 1912, the Gymnasium provided facilities for athletics, physical education, offices, classrooms, and a location for dances and other festive events. Page 5 of the March 1913 College Bulletin describes the Gymnasium in some detail.  

These were the days of Giants in the athletic realm – both coaches and players.

The facility also made it possible for WVWC to organize and host the first state high school basketball tournament  on March 21, 1914. That year Elkins and Wheeling each claimed to be supreme.  Harry Stansbury, who also served as Athletic Director, invited them to Buckhannon to settle the dispute on the court. Elkins emerged victorious and became the first “State Champions.”  The tournament continued here until 1938.

In 1915, Wesleyan athletic director Stansbury contacted high schools all over West Virginia, inviting them to participate in an open tournament for the state basketball title. Fourteen teams answered the call, and the building of a sports tradition was under way. His vision, enthusiasm, and energy were the key factors in creating an event that has involved many thousands of players and fans throughout the years. Around West Virginia, March Madness is Nothing New thanks to Harry Stansbury.

Harry Stansbury Connection

When Scott McKinney,  West Virginia Wesleyan Chief  Financial Officer, went in search of furniture and equipment for the new eSports Arena, he found a great deal on some high quality tables. But these were not just any tables.

He found them at an auction at West Virginia University as they were preparing to tear down Stansbury Hall in August 2019. This building, originally built in 1929 as the West Virginia University Field House, was the home to WVU basketball from 1929-1970 and was the place where Jerry West and Hot Rod Hundley made history.  In 1973 it was renamed Stansbury Hall to honor Wesleyan’s own Harry Stansbury – who had gone on to become the athletic director at WVU from 1916-1938.

The tables, which would have cost tens of thousands of dollars if purchased through regular channels, were obtained for $1,200. But, more than that, I believe that Harry Stansbury, the forward-thinking, innovative son of WVWC would be extremely pleased to have a connection to this new adventure.

Agnes Howard Stories

As Halloween approaches and rumors of strange goings-on are passed along, tradition carries us to the tales that stay close to us, especially on Wesleyan’s campus.  Nothing could be more fascinating or more mysterious than the stories through the years of what used to be called the “Ladies’ Hall”, now known as Agnes Howard Hall.  Although the classical stories of ghostly voices and paranormal proceedings have never really been investigated, it brings us to mind of the tragedies of the early days that have not been completely forgotten. One such story  is of one student and her short time here at Wesleyan.

Agnes Howard and Her Family

Much of what we know about Agnes Howard comes from a  letter to the college from her younger sister, Helen.  In that letter we learn that their mother, Audree Ford, was a graduate of the old Seminary in 1896 and had lived in the new ladies’ dormitory for a while – likely when it was brand new in 1895. The story goes that she was being courted by C.D. Howard, and he had to ask permission from then President Hutchinson to take her on buggy rides around town.  It was a very romantic thing to do in those days.

Agnes was the second child of five, four girls and one boy.  Her older sister, Edna, was already going to school here and two younger sisters would attend later.  Helen, one of those younger sisters, sent a letter to the college in the mid 1990s, a few years before she died, telling us what little we know of Agnes.  She was 5’ 8,” tall for a young woman, and had dark brown hair which looked black to most. Helen says of her, “She was vivacious, outgoing, athletic.” She played sports and her favorite activity seemed to be riding horses.  One of the few photos we have of her is on a horse with two other students. Agnes is the one to the far right.

In her senior year of high school Agnes developed what we would now refer to as “rheumatoid arthritis”, particularly in her knees.  Her mother took her to Little Rock Arkansas for time in some famous therapeutic baths and she improved enough to go to college. She arrived at Wesleyan for the 1916 fall term and lived in the Ladies’ Hall.  She was fine up to February of 1917 when she started getting sick. She apparently finished the year and went home, never to return. She died on December 21, 1917. Her death certificate only says from “complication”.  Interesting but not unusual in those days. After discussing this with others who have done work on her life, we think that possibly the influenza might have caught her in her weakened state and that is what took her life.  Sad that she never got to finish her schooling here.

Agnes  is buried in the family plot in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Cowen, Webster County, West Virginia. There was no truth to the rumor that she died in the dormitory.  Perhaps it had been thought of by those who came after.

Her father, Clarence D. Howard, served as a Trustee at West Virginia Wesleyan from 1906-1934. He gave generously to the college, and was in hopes of giving even more before the great depression in 1929 caused financial reverses for him. In West Virginia Wesleyan College: First 50 Years 1890-1940, Thomas W. Haught writes:

Mr. Howard’s eldest daughter, Edna, had graduated from the College with the class of 1918. His second daughter, Agnes, had entered the College and was in residence at the dormitory. The suddenness of her passing from the apparent bloom of health, also the universal esteem in which she was held by reason of the rare combination of spiritual attributes that were hers, made a deep and lasting impression on all who knew her. Instinctively, one and all felt that to make the dormitory her memorial would be not only a fitting tribute to her, but would be an equally fitting recognition of the generosity of a man who literally went about seeking opportunities to convert his material prosperity into the finest fruits of the spirit.

Four children of Audree and Clarence Howard have been students at Wesleyan:

  • Edna, graduated in the class of 1918
  • Agnes, who tragically did not live to graduate
  • Helen, graduated from the college in 1924
  • Elsie, graduated from the Normal School in 1933

Haught writes that, “Mr. Howard’s generous patronage in sending four children to the College was an expression of his confidence in the aims and purposes of the institution; and his unstinted financial backing of its program spoke eloquently of his deep interest in its welfare.”

A brother, Harry F. Howard, attended the Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, VA.

And now for the stories:

Through more recent years there have been stories of unusual happenings occurring, all on the fourth floor.  We don’t really know at this time if this is the floor that Agnes lived on, but many surmise that it is. The fact is that any stories of this nature that have been recorded have all come from students living on this floor.  Doors opening and closing, objects being relocated, sounds of movement but no visual sightings, and one instance of a resident student’s name being whispered in her ear three times have all been told and reported. There were even a few tales of feeling pressure on their bodies as if someone was sitting on them.  Nothing has ever been corroborated but they do add to the mystique of the building and the ongoing legend that is Aggie’s legacy. Nonetheless, no new stories have been told for some time so it is hard to imagine anything factual to all of these stories. However……..

Agnes Howard will go on as being a piece of the history of West Virginia Wesleyan College.  As we move further away from the past and move farther into the future, her time here becomes a smaller and smaller piece of the Wesleyan story.  Her painting hangs in the lobby of the hall that bears her name and you can decide how well the artist depicted her beauty and vigor. She will be forever a part of West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Note:  information on the strange occurrences credited to Linda Loudin Wygal of the Upshur County Historical Society.


The Legacy Continues:

In the spring of 2017, as I was teaching a class on WVWC history, I had just finished reading Helen Hunter’s letter to the class one afternoon when a student raised her hand to ask if she could add something. Of course, I was anxious to hear what she had to say. I assumed that she had a story of her own about the ghostly happenings in Agnes Howard Hall.

Much to my surprise, Lauren Bolen’s addition was much more than that. It turns out that Helen Howard Hunter was her Great Grandmother! Thereby, Agnes Howard was her Great Great Aunt, and Audree Ford Howard and Clarence D. Howard were her Great Great Grandparents.

The spirit of life and love that Agnes brought with her to Buckhannon lives on. Even those who have experienced strange occurrences say that they never feel threatened – but rather that Agnes has a way of pranking people. This would tend to fit with the description from her family.

The legacy also lives on. Helen Howard Hunter, class of 1924 (daughter of Audree, class of 1896; Great Grandmother of Lauren Bolen, class of 2020) ends her letter by saying, “I might add that Agnes was a favorite with young and old, probably because she was so fun-loving. She would like your calling the hall “Aggie Howard”.  At Agnes’ funeral service, one of the floral wreaths had these words: “Too Soon”. How true!

Click here for more information about Agnes Howard Hall.

I’m trying something new! If you have stories about hauntings in Agnes Howard, Atkinson Auditorium, or other campus locations, click here to submit them.

Gifts and Gratitude

This week, something has come up again and again. While at first glance, these events may appear totally unrelated, they share a common theme.

Generosity, Thankfulness, and Appreciation are linked – frontwards and backwards. And further, they are self-perpetuating.

Throughout this past week, I have had conversations about these things with my class, as they asked – and answered – some interesting questions. It began with the gift of over $11 million dollars from the estate of Thomas Albinson. This was followed on Monday by a dedication ceremony for a bench out on campus.

Example 1: Tom Albinson Estate Gift of $11 million

Because Tom Albinson appreciated his experience at Wesleyan during his college days, especially his friendship and mentorship of Professor Franck Bayard, he left money to Wesleyan to help strengthen and expand the Business Department, Media Studies, and the College Radio Station. People and activities that had impacted his life were never forgotten.

The announcement came during the Founders Day Convocation, and was a complete surprise to the gathered crowd. Many jaws dropped, and a murmur went through Wesley Chapel.

Why would anyone give that much money? The connections made in the 1970s were powerful and transformative.

Generosity-Thankfulness-Appreciation.

Example 2: Bench Dedication

On the Monday following Founders Day, I had my class meet out in front of the library for a bench dedication instead of in the classroom. It was a chilly morning, and the family of David and Dot DuBois had come long distances to dedicate a bench in memory of their parents.

Although they did not complain (at least to me), the body language of the class before the dedication ceremony began indicated that it was really cold out there and to stand outside for the purpose of dedicating a bench might mean that I had lost my mind. After the ceremony, however, they wrote reflections telling how much they had enjoyed being part of such a ceremony. They look forward to sitting on the bench and thinking about the students who had come before them. They felt connected to the DuBois Family, and will now be searching for David and Dot as we continue studying college history this semester. They even enjoyed the singing of the Alma Mater out in the middle of the campus.

The family told great stories of how their parents had fallen in love at Wesleyan, and how in later years the entire family would come to campus each year for Annual Conference. The place had made quite an impact on them.  This bench, dedicated to their memory would be a place for current and future students sit and study or ponder.

At the end of the discussions (and a visit from Bob Skinner to tell them more about the Albinson Gift, the DuBois family, and others who have made gifts), my class and I have come to the following conclusions.

Why give a gift? (Generosity)

  • In Appreciation – In honor or in memory of someone or something or because you are thankful for someone or something.
  • To Celebrate – Holidays and Life Events such as birthdays, graduations, marriages, anniversaries, new baby, new job, new home. Generally involves gifts to individuals or small groups of people such as families.
  • To Support – To give aid for disaster relief, research, personal or institutional needs, etc.  There are thousands of people and causes in need of support.
  • To Surprise – For no reason at all other than to surprise a person. Often done out of appreciation or generosity.

How to receive a gift? (Thankfulness)

  • An initial Thankfulness for the generosity of the giver might include a thank you card or letter as well as verbal thanks.
  • Honor the gift by recognizing the generosity of the giver.
  • Thankfulness tends to focus on the appreciation of the gift.

Thankful for gift and giver (Appreciation)

  • Connections are made between the giver and the receiver.
  • A deeper understanding of the importance of the gift is involved on the part of the receiver — while often the gift is given in the first place because the giver appreciates the receiver.
  • Taking the time and effort to truly know about both the giver and the value of the friendship and your connection as well as that of the gift.

Gifts can be as simple as a smile, a hug, or an encouraging word or as huge as an $11.4 million dollar donation. The result is a greater connection and a stronger community – one that extends beyond time and place.

The gifts we encountered this week were given because Tom Albinson and the DuBois family recognized the value of Wesleyan and what happens here. They were not responding to a need only, but to the value. This is true of countless others as well who have been Generous, Thankful and Appreciative.