Mountain Mamas

This weekend we celebrated Mother’s Day, and it got me to thinking about mothers past, present, and future. These women have been our supporters, encouragers, teachers, and protectors. They are those who have fed and nourished us.

 

Many think of birth mothers when they think of Mother’s Day. Or perhaps an adoptive mother, grandmother, or other primary person in our early life.

These are the people who walk the floor with us at night when we have an ear infection or are teething. They lose a lot of sleep over us.

They feed us and take care of all of our basic physical needs.

They read us stories and help us to learn how to interpret the world.

They go to a lot of concerts, plays, and sporting events to cheer us on.

They teach us how to do life. They do life with us.

These are the people who launch a child into the world.

When we go off to college these people are sometimes afraid. They wory that their child may not be safe. They worry that they will not be needed or will be forgotten. They often have tears in their eyes as they leave their child at college. They will miss them.

No need to worry, though. They are just beginning a new type of relationship. They will just be watching the progress from a new vantage point.


There will still be supporters, encouragers, protectors, teachers, and those who will nurture their child. A new set of mother-type figures enter the picture — not as replacements, but as reinforcements.

From the dorm to the classroom to the library to the cafeteria to the chapel, and even up and down the sidewalks of Wesleyan, they are there. They will teach and guide and encourage and sometimes chide.  They will feed them.

After four years or so, these people will also feel the sting of tears as they launch the student out into the world beyond college. They will miss them.


Mother Figures During the Early Years at WVWC

In the early years, there were house mothers and dorm mothers. These were very strict people who had curfews. One such person was Rachel Ogden. 

She taught Modern Languages from 1926-47, but also served as the Dean of Women from 1926-32. Any girl who was in need of guidance or discipline found herself having a serious conversation with Dean Ogden.

Ogden, Rachel C. 1927

Another great example is Miss Nellie G. Wilson. Miss Wilson also held the title of Dean of  Women, and taught Religious Education. She served as a house mother for many years – many of them in Agnes Howard Hall. Although a strict disciplinarian, she was beloved by many.

Photo by Howard Hiner

The 1964 Murmurmontis was dedicated in her honor, and the lounge in Benedum Hall is named for her as well. During the Spring 2019 semester, this space was used as a temporary library study space during the remodeling of the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library. Her portrait hung over the printer, and I had the feeling that she was keeping a watchful eye on the current students.


Mother Figures in Present and Recent Times

There are way too many to name. The Campus Life Office is full of them, the Library is full of them, the Student Success Center is full of them, the Learning Center is full of them. Classrooms all over campus are full of them.

People like Alisa Lively, Katie Loudin, Jessica Vincent, Julie Keehner, Shauna Jones, Lauren Weaver, Tamara Bailey, Cindy Roby, Devon McNamara, Jill Okes, and Carol Bowman.

They feed students and take care of all of their basic physical needs. (I once personally saw one of these people go out and help to find a specific color shirt because she knew that a student needed it for a choir performance).

They read stories (and assign them to be read) and help students learn how to interpret the world. They challenge the students and provide resources and support to help them succeed.

They go to a lot of concerts, plays, and sporting events to cheer “their” kids on.

They teach students how to do life. They do life with them.

They are good listeners, they have shoulders to cry on and huge smiles for celebrating.

These are also people who launch a student into the world. And, when they go, they will miss them. They find themselves watching progress and accomplishments from a new vantage point.

Funny thing….often the parents and the students and these WVWC mother figures find themselves celebrating together and staying in touch for years to come.


Alma Mater of the Mountains

We consider the school where we graduate to be our Alma Mater – we even sing about it at times like Founders Day or Commencement. Our Alma Mater was written more than 100 years ago by President Wallace B. Fleming.  We generally sing only the first verse. My personal favorite is actually verse 2!!

The term Alma Mater is Latin for Nourishing Mother.  So, it turns out that it is also a Mother’s Day song!  Try substituting “Nourishing Mother” for the words “Alma Mater” — it works great for a Mother’s Day tribute.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Mothers and the Mother-Figures. Those early in life and those who help nourish students while they are at WVWC.

 

 

Guardian of Romantic Years – Happy Valentine’s Day

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

Banner

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

Path

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

Even faculty members have fallen in love!

Haught Wedding Announcement

Literary Society Love

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

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

Alma Mater

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

Alma Mater in four boxes

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

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

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

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

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

All kinds of love.

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

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

Poem transcribed

Snowy Night

 

 

 

Of Thee We Sing

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

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

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


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

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


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

The other celebrates the beautiful place where we are located.

Both bring a tear to my eye.



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