The Rock, February, 1958 (Vol
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Whittier College Poet Commons The Rock Archives and Special Collections 2-1958 The Rock, February, 1958 (vol. 19, no. 4) Whittier College Follow this and additional works at: https://poetcommons.whittier.edu/rock arch ives The Rock - Alumni Magazine I9 THE ALUMNI PUBLICATION OF WHITTIER COLLEGE ALL HAIL OUR GREAT WARRIOR CHIEF... Wallace J. "Chief" New- man, named to national All-Time Coaching Hall of Fame . See Page 7. IN THIS ISSUE FEBRUARY Student Union-Campus Inn Nears Completion ... 1958 Foreign Travel Tours . Basketball Team Wins Far Western Tournament. Stauffer Joins Board ,Now Jmportant Jj Fhe Rock? As guest editor of this month's issue, I couldn't help doing a little reflective thinking on the title of this publication. The Rock out on the center of the campus has stood as long as the College as a jousting point between classes and rival schools. Through the years, it has become a beloved tradition in the hearts of many alumni. Amazingly enough, though victory bells and banners and even some live students have been snatched away from time to time as booty by rival schools, no one has to date succeeded in making off with the Rock. Simulated Rocks have appeared on Homecoming floats, and there have been several attempts, complete with block and tackle to make off with The Rock. After much work and sweat, would- be Rock-absconders have found much to their dismay that there was more to the Rock than meets the eye. When we think of the Rock in terms of what it means to Whittier College, perhaps we would do well to be reminded of what a man named David had to say about THE ROCK as a foundation several thousand years ago: "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my de- liverer; my God, my strength in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my RAY LENTZSCH guest editor high tower." . Psalms 18.2. Seems to me, I've heard somewhere . "All other ground is sinking sand." What does THE ROCK mean to you? THIS MEASURES A PART. BUT NOT THE WHOLE MEASURING THE ROCK WITH A TAPE doesn't tell you how much is underground, nor does it give you its symbolic foundation in the history of Whittier College. Vol. XIX Dec. 1957 No. 4 A publication of Whittier College published during the months of October, December, March and June at Whittier, California, Box 651. Entered as second class matter under the act of August 24, 1912. Member American Alumni Council Editor - Ray Lentzsch Page 2 THE ROCK Chemical Executive Named To Board Of Trustees NDUSTRIALIST JOHN STAUFFER Iof the Stauffer Chemical Com- pany, one of the largest chem- ical firms in the nation, has been installed as a member of the Whittier College Board of Trustees. The Stauffer company, of which Mr. Stauffer is Chairman of the executive committee and senior vice president, is the 10th largest chemical company in the United States. It operates 44 plants in this country and four subsidiaries in foreign countries, and its gross business amounts to more than 150 million dollars annually. STUDENTS GET FORETASTE of what it's going to feel like seated around fireplace of Student Union-Campus Inn which is scheduled for completion by The Los Angeles Division of March. the company established by Stauffer, which also has an of- fice in San Francisco, was form- Student: Union-Campus Inn ed in 1919. Produced at this plant are industrial and agricul- Gets Finishing Touches tural chemicals, molded battery containers, and miscellaneous T LOOKS QUITE POSSIBLE that Painter Avenue and offers the molded plastic products. Ithe new magnificent $650,000 suggestion of a mountain chalet. student union-campus inn will The building comes as the ful- The interests of John Stauffer be completed by March. fillment of the dreams and hard are numerous. He serves as di- work of many students, past and rector of Australia Enterprises, As walls are painted in tur- Inc; Chemical Corporation of quoise and buff, as strippings present. Much thanks is due the many California; Western Phosphates, for acoustical ceilings are ap- Inc.; Wheeler, Reynolds and plied, and as tile and doors are students of the past who worked and paid for a building that fu- Stauffer; and Stauffer de Mex- added, I begin to envision the ico. building alive with students. ture students would see complet- He was president of Wesco I can see students around the ed. Since 1952, students have worked and assessed themselves Waterpaints, Inc., before that giant circular fire place in the that this dream might come true. company's merger with the Na- lounge gazing reflectively into tional Gypsum Company in 1952. the crackling flames, singing He also served as a director of songs, or just resting tired neck Consolidated Chemical Indus- muscles against the backs of big tries, Inc., and West End Chem- leather chairs. ical Company prior to their mer- I can hear the sound of laugh- gers with the Stauffer Chemical ter and bull sessions from the Company in 1955 and 1956. soda fountain or the rumpus Since its incorporation in 1954 room. Mr. Stauffer has been president The sweeping breadth of the and director of the Stauffer elegant dining room brings up a Foundation which has been dedi- picture of students all dressed cated to the assistance of hospi- up. I cannot help wondering tals, churches and colleges on the what the mural will be that is West Coast. being prepared on the west wall. The John Stauffer Communi- I can see Mrs. O'Herron cations Building presently under proudly overseeing her staff in construction was made possible the spacious kitchen that makes through a gift of $175,000 by the old Campus Inn look like a Mr. Stauffer this past year. broom closet. Prominent in various Los An- I can see couples lolling geles civic affairs, he served as dreamily on the front balcony a director of the Los Angeles beneath that giant pine tree, JOHN STAIJFFER Chamber of Commerce in 1950 which shields the building from new board member and 1951. FEBRUARY 1958 Page 3 Tribute To Tommy, Our Own Good Humor Man By Eleanor Zimmerman, '60 OMMY DOESN'T KNOW this piling up dirty dishes, attending pound box of candy for the Phil- T tribute is being written—in burlesque shows, and even adelphia Hall girls because he fact Tommy declined an in- changing his registration from never had to lock their door at terview. And a member of his republican to democrat while his 2 a. in. (The girls gave him a family said a story just couldn't wife is "flat on her back." surprise party in return). be written about him because he The letter offers hope that So our campus patrolman is a wouldn't talk! Mrs. R's visit to the hospital will paradox—so kind they say he But scores of Tommy's friends make her feel better because of has a heart as big as a mountain on campus and off said it could the cross she has to bear, mean- and would give you the shirt off and should be done because no- ing Mr. R. his back, and yet with such a body deserved orchids more than Floyd Mengel, Hoover custo- touch of mischief that you dare M. R. Thomason, the campus pa- dian, had warned that anyone not match wits with him. (Tom- trolman and ex-officio member with stitches, operation-in-cur- my's father was a lawyer, so he of the public relations depart- red, had better beware Tommy's can quote points of law verbatim ment since 1946. letters because "if it hurts to until you flee in confusion). At any rate there is no ques- It seems that Mr. Thomason, laugh, it's just too bad." Peggy Hayes, who worked in tion that M. R. Thomason alias but nobody calls him that, is "Tommy", alias "Pop", alias Whittier College's perennial har- the public relations office last "Goldenthroat", (which Dean binger of good will and laughter, year and is now with Business Week in L. A., relates that he Reinstedt dubs him) is a wel- sometimes via anonymous letter come visitor in his little faded or phone call in practical joke once had a new secretary run- ning all over the campus looking blue jeep or when he subs as style, and other times with a mail carrier or even on the end running line of chatter and hu- for her boss, Ken Richardson, of a questionable phone call. mor that George Tenopir, direc- who was then dean of students. tor of admissions, says is too Tommy had impressed her that Many ex-poets we were una- subtle to record on paper. "the vice president" was waiting ble to contact—such as Dan Mc- impatiently on the line. Grew, Warren Ramsey, and the According to Mr. Tenopir, he student who parked the truck in can "work you over" until you're Peggy also tells about the let- the dormitory patio, would no not sure whether you've done ters he wrote to her and three doubt join us in paying a "Trib- something wrong or not. Whittier grads of '56, Jane Bres- ute to Tommy" for the pleasure lin, Dixie Stallings, and Rudy and joy he brings to others. H. Scott Ramsey, who was Pehrson, when they took rooms former superintendent of main- together in South Pasadena. He tenance here and hired Tommy applied for a job as their house- about ten years ago, tells about boy, offering "right and left tat- Tuition Raise At the time Mr.