BEACON Published Every Other Week by Students of the Bennington College Community. April 5 1949, Vol. 3, No. 1 Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont 15 cents per copy College Optimistic About Critical Financial Issue Admissions Office Plans The most important current issue this amount for general funds, and Beacon Staff Elects facing the college is the financial $9,000 was raised by alumnae for the Travel Program situation. In September we found out scholarship fund. Therefore, by Feb- New Editor 2 As a part of the College's whole plan that we were minus about $150,000 of ruary 28 we had available $7 ,000 for At a staff meeting held on March of public relations Miss Shelly andMiss the total estimated cost of running the general funds and $34,000 for scholar- 24, Ellen St. Sure was elected to re- Boynton are carrying out an annual school for the year. The situation was ships making a total of $107,000. This place Cynthia Lee as editor of the Bea- program of planned travel. It includes brought to a crisis during Non-Resident amount subtracted from the original con. Cynthia is one of the founders of extensive excursions throughout the Term when, at a meeting of trustees $150,000 deficit, leaves a $43,000 deficit the Beacon and started as a member of United States to visit various public and administration, reports as to how which we must. still meet. the editorial board in her freshman and private secondary .schools as well the deficit has been handled this year We have fairly definite. assuranceyear. She has been editor for the past as to carry on the usual important pre- were given, and decisions as to how it that this deficit will be dimimshed by year Ellen joined the Beacon staff liminary interviews of candidates for could be met next year were made. about $24,000 by the end of the school early last Fall and was elected to the admission. This kind of travel and vis- year. The goal for the alumnae editorial borad in October. itation is not only valuable to the Deficit Largely Diminished This Year scholarship fund for this year isset at Linda Borden's term as asisstant ed- yearly admissions program but is equal- In spite of the fact that we have $20,000. $9,000 having been paid, the itor also expired this term. Linda had ly vital in establishing a sound relat10n- done everything possible to meet this remaining $11,000 will be paid before served on both the staff and the editor- ship and mutual understanding of pol- deficit completely this year, we found July Also, it is expected that the As- ial board before being elected assistant icy and principles between the College it impossible to raise all of the $150,- sociatesof BenningtonCollege and par- editor last Spring. Since the editors and the secondary schools from which 000. In round number the financial of- ents will contrbmte $13,000 for general have decided to dispense with the of- students come. With lack of contact fensive went like this: . funds. In short, the .approximate fice of assistant editor this year, no over a period of years and without op- Last August 1, the beginning of the amount which we can feasiblycount on one was chosen to succeed Linda. portunity for face to face discussion, in- school's fiscal year, we had on hand by July is $24,000 leavmg a total of Betsy Palmedo replaces Susan Pierce terest wanes and mistaken notions de- $67 000 in reserves. From August 1 to $19,000 which the college hopes to as Business Manager of the Beacon for velop on the part of both school and February 28 we received an additional raise before· July. the coming year. Betsy's former po- college. $40,000. The Associates of Bennington Plans Made to Alleviate Next Year's sition as Circulation Chairman is being College and parents gave $31,000 of Deficit filled' by Laura Franklin who worked Assisted by Alumnae Because of the proved fact that each under Betsy last year Patty Powell, Last fall Miss Boynton visited twenty- year the college will need$150,000 more who was on the writing staff of the three schools in the Cleveland, cincin- ? Which One of the Nominees. than it nets under the present financial Beaconlast term, is takingJame Rob- nati, Columbus, Louisville, Detroit, system, the trustees and administra- ert s place as Adverbsmg Manager. Chicago areas. This winter, between During elections, it is usual to con- tion have had to make several neces- them Miss Shelly and Miss Boynton sider the nominees' qualifications in sary changes in the income plan. These visited forty-six schools in Virginia and terms of the formal statements in the changse include: in or around Washington, Baltimore, constitution. Consider further: Opening Meeting of Philadelphia, New York, Providence l. An increase in the student body from Which one of the nominees for exec- 300 to 350 students. Social Science Workshop and Boston. A considerable amount of utive committee will keep herself well- talking, walking, and traveling by pub- 2. An increase in tuition from $1,750 An idea which originated simultane- informed on committee activities and (double room) and $1,850 (single lic transportation took place. In some will use her knowledge and abilities to ously but independently at a faculty . cases Bennington alumnae who were room) to $1,950 and $2,000. facilitate coordination and communica- 3. An increase in the scholarship fund and student committee meeting last Fall also alumnae of the schools joined in became a reality last Tuesday when the on thevisits. Because of their first tion between these committees and the in proportion to the incraese in the campus as a whole? whichone willuse student body. That is, about one- first of a series of Social Science Work- hand knowledge of Bennington, they shnp meetings was held. contributed a considerable amount to forthought and ingenmty m msbgatmg third 01' the students will be on and exciting stimulating Community scholarships; the same percentage This Workshop is designed to chal- the interviews and in the visits. In col- lenge the knowledge and methods of laboration with the Alumnae Office this Meetings? that we have at present. Which one om the nominees for Judi- various fields for the solution of com, plan of operation for future visits will By increasing the student body by mon and pertinent problems, to facili- be further developed. It is hoped cial Committee will enforce a law passed 50 students, the school will gain a net by the community? . Whichone will tate the exchange of information among- eventually that students now in College of about $100,000. This amount will students who are specializing in partic. may also assist when a trip to a school use perception and insight in under- cut next year's deficit down to $50,000. by a r epresentative of the Admissions standing personal and communityprob- ular subjects and to encourage critical This year the scholarship fund total- evaluation of basic assumptions and Office coincides with their non-resident lems? Which one will use objectivity ed abot $52,000, enough to provide about assignments. in coming to decisions and firmness m one-third of the student body with full concepts. The Workshop meetings are We are listing the schools which have standing by them? or partial scholarships. The reason being planned and organized by the stu- been visited this academic year. You Which one of the nominees for Rec- for this high percentage of scholarship dent committee composed of Jane may be an alumna of one of them. reation Council will solicit ideas from students is that out of all the register- Walker, Sue Bangs, Packy Cooke, Mary Lou Kingsbury, and Travis Foote. November 1948 students organize these ideas, and fol- ed applicants who are most eligible for Mr. Brockway served as chairman of Cleveland low themthrough? Which one will be acceptance at this college each year, the first workshop meeting at which The Hathaway-Brown School conscious of the great need for recrea- about one-third cannot afford to pay The Laurel School tional activity and will use persever- full tuition. In order to maintain our the problems and techniques of inter- Shaker Heights High School ance and imagination in promoting it? high scholastic standing and in order viewing were discussed. Three students Cleveland Heights High School who spent last winter period working (Continued on page 6) Which one of the nominees for the to get the right type of student for this college, we must necessarily raise in this area presented a short resume of Educational Policies Committee will the methods used in their particular work effectively as a liaison between the scholarship fund in proportion to the IN THIS ISSUE raise in student body. This fund will t ypes of interviewing, the problems en- faculty and students in her field andwill be raised to $67,000 next year. countered, and the ways in which these Community News: Page contribute actively to the committeeas All of these calculations are based on problemswere met. a whole. working on over-all educat10nal Beacon Staff E lects New E ditor 1 the assumption which seems reliable at Admissions Office Plans Travel policy ?' Which one will see thatt each this point, that prices will be the same Three Students Discuss Program ........... .. .... .. .. 1 division is formed on all committee ac- next year. On t he basis of Benning- Interviewing Experiences College Optimistic About Financial tivities? Which one will be persistent ton's fund raising experience over t he Issue ............