Reflections on Lawrence Lawrence University
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Lawrence University Lux Selections from the Archives University Archives 12-1971 Reflections on Lawrence Lawrence University Follow this and additional works at: http://lux.lawrence.edu/archives_selections © Copyright is owned by the author of this document. Recommended Citation Lawrence University, "Reflections on Lawrence" (1971). Selections from the Archives. Book 5. http://lux.lawrence.edu/archives_selections/5 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives at Lux. It has been accepted for inclusion in Selections from the Archives by an authorized administrator of Lux. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LAWRENCE Volume 52, Number 3 December I 971 Lawrence is printed in the U.S.A. and entered as second class postage at Menasha, Wisconsin, eigh t times a year in January, March , May, June, August, October, November and December. This magazine is printed on 100 per cent recycled waste paper. Reflections When Lawrence celebrated its I OOth birthday, President Nathan M. Pusey could say that Lawrence was la rge, but not large enough, that the program was better, but not good enough. A facu lty committee was recommending informal student-faculty contacts, projects in honors work and comprehensive examinations, an insistence upon better work from students, and a reduction in the faculty's work load as ways of improving the intellec tual atmosphere of the campus. Trustees were reviewing figures which indicated that the largest student body in history was on campus, that the faculty had been built up to pre-war teaching strength, and that a surplus in the budget could be anticipated for the next few years. The Lawrentian was revel ing in the fact that "for the first time in years, Lawrence will have a social life identified with America n colleges," and urging students to participate in theatrical and music pro ductions, join campus clubs and organizations and to take part in "the liberal arts experience." It was an exciting time for trustees, administra tors, faculty, students and alumni. The institution forged by Henry M. Wriston and honed by Thomas N. Barrows promised to be polished by athan M. Pusey and his successors. Lawrence is preparing another birthday celebra tion, the I 25th, and though the individuals and activities have changed, the same mood of optimistic excitement prevails. To discover the how and the why of these changes and this mood, LAWRENCE invited five fac ulty members who were celebrants at the IOOth annive rsary to refl ec t upon the events and the discussions which· have taken place during the last 25 years. Joining the discussion in the WLFM recording st udio were Dorothy Draheim, regist rar since 1931 ; Anne P. Jones, member of the French d.epartment since 1937 and now John N. Bergstrom professor of French; Bernard Heselton, professor of physical education si nce 1938 and athletic director at the time THE RECORDING STUDIO OF WLFM provided the setting for a discussion of Lawrence and its development of his retiremen t; Marshall B. Hulbert, administrator between, from left, Registrar Dorothy Draheim, Bernard Heselton, back to camera, former athletic director; Anne P. from 1932 to 1970 and now Mary Mortimer emeritus Jones, John N. Bergstrom professor of French; Marshall B. Hulbert, Mary Mortimer emeritus professor of liberal arts; professor of liberal arts; and James Ming, member of the LAWRENCE editor, and James Ming, T.A. Chapman professor of music and associate dean of the conservatory. the Conservatory of Music fac ulty since 1944 and currently T.A. Chapman professor of music and music program is assured. Instead, it gives us a new college students taking courses in the conservatory acting associate dean of the conservatory. kind of opportunity. Because there are fewer and reduce the overall cost of running a conservatory? The following is a condensation of the transcrip fewer schools that offer a high quality liberal arts MR. MING: Yes, it would help from the standpoint tion of their discussion. education along with a high quality music educa of teacher/student ratio and productivity ratio. We tion for the people who want that combination, have made a substantial move in that direction this MISS DRAHEIM: Much of the remembering that I we find that the students who are attracted to this year by increasing considerably the number of have done about what Lawrence is now has been program are coming from a much wider geo music courses available to the general college conditioned by the external forces that have graphical area than formerly. I think recognizing student. A jazz program, inaugurated under a grant influenced our work. For instance, I came to work this presents us with some marvelous new oppor from the National Endowment for the Arts, is in the Registrar's Office about the time of the tunities, among these is a higher degree of selec proving to be very, very successful. The program Depression. We worked through the National tivity in admitting students. We must find a way to includes the Jazz Ensemble, the course in Jazz Recovery Act and all of those limiting factors. We reconcile the economic aspects of the program Composition and Arranging, and the course in Jazz had World War II and th at changed us a great deal. with the opportunity and this is what we are History and Literature; all of these are of interest But by a careful management of the resources we working on right now. Change within conser not only to our own music majors, but to the had, by a thoughtful appraisal of the conditions vatories and music programs has been taking place college student as well. We are also offering that were shaping the students who came to us and for some time. specific courses in contemporary music, English with which we had to reckon, we managed to MR. HULBERT: What about the bachelor of arts music and opera, designed fo r the non-major build a program and we are still around. It is a degree with a major in music? Has the enrollment student. We also are making available as many of cautious approach and we are still working on that grown in this category? our major music courses as we possibly can to philosophy. The bold programs we have under MR. MING: That has grown to a very pronounced people who wish to elect them. Participation in taken have been very cautiously approached, for degree. Last year we had the greatest number of these courses has shown a marked increase this instance. There is a large segment of caution as I bachelor of arts music majors in the freshman class year and we expect that to be sust<iined .. feel it and other people feel it too. (21) that we have ever had. Our admission people MISS JONES: There does not seem to be nearly as MR. HULBERT: I'm sure there is a segment of tell us that this program is most attractive to many much participation, though, on the part of college caution in any institution and a great deal of students throughout the country. It draws many students in the ensembles as there used to be. tradition that has to be preserved. If presided over people who might not otherwise consider MR. MING: T think the differeJJce there is that the by people who have been there a long time, Lawrence. Interest in this program is causing us to interests of students on the campus today are faculty members are reluctant to make big changes change our curriculum somewhat, to design quite different from what they used to be. It is until they have thought it through very carefully. courses which will meet the needs of these people. difficult for the ensembles, orchestra and choirs to EDITOR: Has this been true within the conservatory? I am not sure how long the growth in this attract students who are willing to commit them MR. MING: From the standpoint of the conser particular program is going to endure. The current selves fo r an indefinite period of time. The impact vatory, a great many things are in the process of economic and employment situation in the of television, the interest of students in activi st change, and I think the most significant one has country prompts many students to ask "What can causes, the war and social issues simply have taken occurred in the last ten years. Around Lawrence I do with this degree upon graduation from them away from participation in this sort of thing. the state university system has expanded enor Lawrence?" It does not attempt to prepare one for The opportunities for this participation have mously in the direction of providing a type of a specific career. We are gratified at the growth always been here. We wish we had more of it. I see education similar to ours. This has not yet had and the interest in this program and I am certain some signs in the last two years, that, generally much of an impact on what we try to do here, nor that it will play a very important part in our total speaking, the students may be turning again do we know whether it will, but eventually it will music offering at Lawrence. towards this kind of involvement and participation affect us. MISS JONES: Could the economic pressures be than has been the case fo r the past five years. Of greater significance is the fact that small relieved to an extent if there were more work MISS DRAHEIM : I think we will see more of that. I schools with music programs of our type are available in the conservatory for college students? am sorry Ted Cloak (Evangeline H.