Whittier College Poet Commons The Rock Archives and Special Collections 11-1976 The Rock, November 1901-1976 (vol. 44, no. 2) Whittier College Follow this and additional works at: https://poetcommons.whittier.edu/rock Recommended Citation Whittier College, "The Rock, November 1901-1976 (vol. 44, no. 2)" (1976). The Rock. 171. https://poetcommons.whittier.edu/rock/171 This Magazine is brought to you for free and open access by the Archives and Special Collections at Poet Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Rock by an authorized administrator of Poet Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. pwf&dzv viol- l'% 74 Years of Memories On the eve of our 75th birthday which will coincide with the nation's Bicentennial Celebration, The Rock staff felt that this would be the appropriate time for some reflections about Whittier College by those who have been (and still are) a part of this campus - the alumni. With the enthusiastic cooperation of many fine people, here are some reflections about Whittier College and what it has meant to a cross-section of graduates. The First Four Decades Miss Loretta Cook, member of the Class of 1905 attended Whittier during its earliest days. Now living in the quiet and peaceful Quaker Gardens in Stanton, California, this fine lady still exhibits the sparkle and zest of a freshman at the College. As she reminisced she recalled many of the early days when things were just getting started. "Not only was Whittier College growing at that time, but the City of best, which has left lasting memories ner, Edith McCaslin, at Whittier Col- Whittier, too, was beginning to emerge with me ... what they were has been lege." as a community of conservative and more remembered than what they By the twenties, Whittier's faculty God-fearing citizens," she emphasized. taught." had been strengthened to twenty-one "My father was one of the founders of "I learned," Mr. Cammack continued, members and the student body Whittier College" she added. "that the small and simply equipped numbered around 200. President Walter "In the early days of the College, we one-room chemical laboratory and Dexter had received a $100,000 grant to made an association with a certain kind biology classroom, and the gravel and expand the College and an additional of people that has carried on throughout sawdust surface of Hadley Field need 100 acres of land for the development of my life," continued Miss Cook. "The not keep us from putting forth our very the "New Whittier College." College taught us loyalty and pride, and best efforts." "We were all like a big family when I if I could state in two words what "Should I boast, or confess, that went to Whittier College," said Albert E. Whittier has meant to me, I would say Hadley Field left as many or more (Mick) Madden, a soft-spoken Irishman that could sum it up in those two memories with me and was as helpful in and graduate of the Class of 1925. "The words!" forming a foundation for my life's work general education one got during that In 1915, the year that Walter as was Founders Hall?" queried Walter. time helped all of us meet the problems Cammack graduated, Whittier had a "Perhaps it was, because, the of the day." new president, Absalom Rosenburger, potentials of youth guidance qualities "The calibre of students was very very who was integrally involved with and work through the YMCA led me high, which stimulated you to do your making the College acceptable to the into the field of physical education and best," continued Madden. "College Yearly Meeting. public recreation." prepared us for a life of integrity, Walter, who was the son of a Quaker "My work along this line began honesty and sincerity. Coach Ek Perry who was on the committee to organize a immediately upon graduation from had a great influence on me and his Friends School of higher education, Whittier College by conducting the first example of helpfulness influenced my knew that he would be expected to playrounds in Whittier in the summer life in doing for others when I began my attend Whittier College and he did just of 1915, sponsored by the City and the life's work." that. YMCA." "With a student body of only 200 we "The dedication and scholarship of "Yes," continued Cammack, "were I were so much like a family that a special the teachers influenced all of us in the to sum it all up I would say that my four loyalty developed which has lasted all student body in those days, and inspired years at Whittier College were four these years." us to make the most of our opportunity wonderful growing and learning years, The 1930's were depression years and to learn," said this holder of 11 varsity full of friendships and meningful life- the memories of these difficult years letters. "The friendly concern for each of directing influences, capped only by the were ever present in the desires and us was always an incentive to do our fact that I found my wife and life part- attitudes of the students. In the Class of 1935, Nellie Bishop Counts was a began attending classes. Pat remembers special events such as product of the times. She had to work in "My wife is a graduate of 1951 and convos with Christine Jorgensen, Pete order to get an education and Whittier Whittier College allowed us the freedom McClosky, Eugene McCarthy, Strom College, realizing the importance of to arrange classes around working Thurmond, and Birch Bayh as being helping deserving students provided hours. The College was such an extremely stimulating and valuable by Nellie with a job in the Registrar's important part of the community that bringing national issues to campus. Office. we rapidly felt like part of the "Several professors were concerned "While pursuing my studies, working community too." that students reach higher standards to and attending classes, I developed a Because of this, the Nolins have actualize their potentials. Dr. Burnett deep loyalty and appreciation, not only deliberately stayed in the same place was truly concerned with the individual for Whittier College but for those who with their five children for many years. student and displayed an active interest worked for it," she said. "Whittier Seabron continues to strengthen his in his subject area." College, to me, was a college that Whittier College background and is now Pat feels that Whittier was a good cared," she added, "and they saw to it pursuing a doctorate at USC. preparation for her future interests and that those attending would get an Mrs. Kendall (Mary DeLapp) Bowlin, career plans. As a graduate of the first education." graduate of the Class of 1955, also met class to complete a degree under the "The first-name basis between faculty and married her husband as a result of new modular system, she found that the and students; the friendliness and attending Whittier College. Like system has great merit for the responsi- family spirit; and the teacher training - Seabron Nolin, she too heard about ble student concerned about his educa- all these things helped us in our life's Whittier through a former graduate, her tion. Personal responsibility practiced work after graduation." cousin. in the framework of academic flexibility "The people I worked with, like "I was interested in Whittier because and nurtured by concerned professors is Martha Rudder and Miss Haig; the of its smallness, specialized teaching potentially Whittier's greatest gift to its month I worked as Dr. Dexter's and its good educational reputation. It students. secretary; those moments will live with especially appealed to me because it me forever. Those were the days!" was a Christian College - this was a What Does definite influence." The Post-War Years Mrs. Bowlin feels that Whittier It All Mean? provided her with a good balance of both academic and social interest. "It was what I expected college to be," she By the spring of 1947, enrollment at noted. "It was different from high The consensus of opinion among Whittier had reached 928, of whom 556 school but I had fun and made many those interviewed was that the small were men, nearly 500 of them CUs. lasting friendships. college has many advantages that a big This postwar resurgence brought with it "Meeting my husband was like a city college doesn't have. Seventy years inevitable expansion and changes in the storybook romance and that was a very ago, Whittier was one big happy family. total development and programs of the important part of my experience at This spirit of fellowship and concern for College. Whittier. Many of our friends are all individual human beings is the Seabron A. Nolin, Class of 1950, Whittier graduates and we still meet richest legacy that Whittier College has transferred to Whittier College in 1948 monthly for pot luck suppers." to offer. And this spirit does not end at on the advice of a friend and alumnus, The Bowlins would like to send their commencement, but is carried outside Dick Spaulding. Seabron was attracted children to a college similar to Whittier. into the community and world by more to Whittier because of the excellent "I feel I had a tremendous opportunity than 12,500 alumni. This same spirit faculty reputation, the small size of the to enhance the potentials I already had. will continue to make Whittier College a campus and the liberal arts curriculum. The College fit my personality and very special place, reflections of many "Actually, I intended to pursue a helped me to grow and enlarge my peoples, places, and events.