Widener Col'lege' It Is by BRUCE CRAWFORD Or Club Within What Will Soon Be and JERRY WARD Known As Widener College
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l~ VOL. 26 - NO. h: PMC COLLEGES, CHESTER, PA., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22,1972 TWENTY CENTS 'I{apelski Regiment' 8rings Opposition 'Widener Col'lege' It Is By BRUCE CRAWFORD or club within what will soon be and JERRY WARD known as Widener College. "We don't want to become a Boy Scout troop." On July 1, 1972, PMC Colleges Bruce Boehm puts it a different way: will become "Widener College." "At least before we were a college. So learned a gathering of mem 'Pennsylvania Military College' was bers of the "PMC Family" last Fri self-explanatory. " day at a convocation in MacMor Although cadets receive no spec land Center when President Clarence ial privileges upon graduation over Moll, after an introductory speech, ROTC students, Bruce Boehm feels turned to a duo of coeds who peel there was a sort of mystique about ed a cover off the dining hall wall re being a cadet at PMC. Several cadets vealing a blue and white. banner were asked if there was virtually proclaiming "Widener College." With- unanimous dissatisfaction with the . that, a respectable amount of ap exigencies of the cadet lifestyle. All plause was generated by the audi of them said yes. There was also ence. agreement with Shawn Pulford that, Announcement of another name "it would be better to have an ROTC change, however, was not quite as unit." well received - the dropping of Photo by MIKE VLAM Rumors that the use of the Wid The revealing of the new name by a pair of coeds. "Pennsylvania Military College" as ener and Kapelski names involved a tag for the present cadet corps for financial commitments were shot the late George Widener) for per Mr. Bichsel put a damper to spoke with Vincent Lindsley, director the appellation "Kapelski Regiment." down by Director of Development mission to use the name "Widener" in other rumors, such as ones as to of admissions. An undetermined - but sizable - Donn Bichsel. In reference to the naming the college and in asking Mr. whether the school's colors would Mr. Lindsley was most emphatic in number of cadets vacated their chairs, proposed scholarships for cadets from Kapelski for authorization to assoc change or whether the mascot name his feelings that the students must leaving the gathering completely or Mr. Kapelski and the use of "Kapel iate his name with the military as would change. He said that "No de "talk up" the new name, and, gen standing at the rear of the dining ski Regiment," Bichsel said,"the pect of the college, each was in cisions will be made until commit erally, help project it to the com hall, after hearing announcement of one was in no way tied up with the form ed that there would be no im tees are set up" with· representa the latter. other." Bichsel stated it was "a mat mediate or implied financiaL commit tives from various segments of the munity and the world outside the college, even through such simple Larry Trail perhaps spoke for . ter of weeks" ago when the schol ment associated with the granting of college. He noted it would have arships first were discussed. permission. been foolhardy to make such judg practices as wearing Widener Col many when he said, "Most cadets lege jackets (when they become came for the name" - "Pennsylvania ments in the short space of time be The Board of Trustees, in fact, available) . Military College" - which to many "BE IT RESOLVED, that in the tween the choice of the name by adopted the following resolution at voting of the Board of Trustees to stands_ior _oxer 100 years of disci the committee and the announcement He expressed touches of pessim their Thursday meeting. name th e institution Widener CoL - a period of just about two weeks. pline and tradition. Another conno lege and in naming the military com isms though, particularly toward the tation of the name, according to "WHEREAS, in asking Mr. Dixon ponent the Kapelski Regiment the How will the name affect stu present (and presumably, past) Penn Shawn Pu;ford, is that "regiment" (F. Eugene Dixon, chairman of the conditions outlined above apply eq dents and their procurement? For Morton student bodies. "They did not feel enough espirit de corps," he sounds like a little sub-organization board and executor of the estate of ually after the act." insight on this subject The Dome commented, "if I may use a military term in a civilian context." Insofar as incoming recruits for the Kapel Widener Family Has Long History ski Regiments goes, Lindsley said, "I don't think the name change will The Widener family, for whom pany and the Pennsylvania Railroad agreement, the Widener School came His mother created the Harry EL be the reason they are small ( in num PMC Colleges is being named, is as Company. under the general supervision of a kins Widener Memorial Library at bers) if they are small." famous for its philanthropy and col At one time he and his associates joint committee representing the Harvard to house his famous rare lections of art and rare books as ·it owned street railway systems in Phil Widener trustees and the Board of book collection and also erected an all Pessimism also touched the cadet is for its contributions to American adelphia, New York, Chicago, Pitts Education. The Longport home was purpose building in his honor at the corps, probably rather heavily. In business, finance, transportation and burgh, Baltimore and Washington, sold and the proceeds were used for Hill School, Pottstown. dicative of such feelings are the ap thoroughbred horse racing. D.C. He is credited with consolidat school improvements. The Widener George Dunton Widener, brother proximately 10 letters of intent to The Wideners were among the first ing highly-fragmented street· railway trustees continuously contribute $100,- of Harry Elkins Widener, is credited transfer reportedly received by Dean American families to exhibit a strong systems and is recognized as the lead 000 a year to the school's operating with making noteworthy contribu William Cottee, vice ·president for social consciousness and share their ing force behind continued moderni expenses. tions to genetics through his research student affairs, and the American great wealth with society. zation of mass transit. At the time, . all Widener's internationally _.famous and development of sheep and thor flag at half mast Friday on the Old street railways consisted of Market Main flagpole. They built and endowed the art collection, which he kept in the oughbred horses. He maintained one Street, Columbia Avenue, 7th and 9th Widener Memorial School for Crip palatial Lynnewood Hall estate in of the finest racing stables in the na Streets in Philadelphia. He continued Optimism pervaded, though, inso pled Children, Philadelphia; created Elkins Park, was ranked as one of the tion at Lexington, Ky. and Erdenheim to press for greater efficiency and later iar as the "Widener College" name the Widener Memorial Library at finest in the lInited States. At the Farm, Whitemarsh. He died last De became a pioneer in the introduction goes. As Donn Bichsel stated from his Harvard University; and donated time of his death in 1915, it was cember. of electric street cars, despite initial personal point of view, "It's the best their world-renowned art collection valued at more than $11 million. It local opposition. F. Eugene Dixon, chairman of the thing that ever happened." And, at a to help start the National Gallery of included six Van Dycks, four Rem Board of Trustees, is a nephew of minimum, probably most people will Later, he organized gas and elec Art in Washington, D.C. brandts, two Titians and representa George and Harry Widener, his agree it "sounds good," as freshman tric lighting companies in Philadel ·They also gave their Philadelphia tive works of Raphael, Botticelli, El mother being their sister. Don Watkins put it. phia, Reading, Harrisburg, Atlanta, mansion to the Free Library of Phil Greco, Valasquez and Monet, among Savannap, Vicksburg, St. Augustine, adelphia and their Newport, R.I., others. He also collected rare bronzes, Minneapolis, Kansas City ·and Des home to the Protestant Episopal Dio tapestries, statuary, chinaware and Moines. furniture. There's Much Work Ahead cese of Rhode Island. He served on the Philadelphia He paid $700,000 in 1914 for the By BRUCE CRAWFORD The change to "Widener College" Through the Widener Memorial Board of Education, 1867-70, and famous "Cowpj!r Madonna" by Ra Bank accounts" diplomas, charter, will also mean that two campus or Foundation in Aid of Handicapped was appointed city treasurer in 1873. phael, which at the time was the most insurance policies, mortgages, li ganizations · - WPMC and theatre Children, the family has continued its As treasurer, Widener found the city expensive and most valuable painting censes, employment applications. pmc - wi ll have to give thought to philanthropy by providing financial unable to pay certain warrants that ever brought to America. The prev what they might want .to change their aid to the Child Development Center, had come due. So, he personally paid These are among items o.n a long ious high was the $500,000 he paid names to. Norristown; St. Christopher's Hospital them and agreed to wait until the list of things which have to be for Rembrant's "The Mill." for Children, Shriner's Hospital for city could repay him. He was also a changed, modified, replaced, deleted, And, even with a list already con Crippled Children, and the Center candidate for mayor of Philadelphia In 1940, the collection was given updated or heaven knows what else, taining several hundred items, Direc for the Blind, all of Philadelphia; and in 1892 and in 1900 he sought a seat in behalf of the entire Widener fam in changing the school's name.