Co unci ! votes dow n frat tax s ettle ment issue may go to state Supreme Court by Debbie Bobbins they were a part of a from Davis. He was quoted constitutional on literary and scientific in- in The Sentinel last week:: discriminatory grounds. Fraternities at Colby do stitution. Under Maine law, "It was correct that the There would be at least not yet know if they , will such institutions are exempt fraternities were willing to two possible outcomes to have to pay a combined from property taxes. take their case all the way such a ruling, according to total of $33,000 in property George Terry, speaking to the Maine Supreme Davis. The fraternities taxes for the 1981-82 year. for the city, agreed that Court." would like to see the law The fraternities were "the fraternities are on "A prudential committee, rewritten, with the hopeful that the Waterville property owned by a the fraternity governing discriminatory phrase City Council would accept a literary and scientific in- body made up of alumni, deleted to allow them proposal granting thern stitution." But he continued fraternity members, and exemption. However, the complete tax abatement in by saying, "While they are school representitives, will law could be rewritten so exchange for a $11,341 technically owned by Colby, have to meet to decide how that all fraternal (civic) service fee. The council they are not occupied by to proceed," said Terp. He organizations, including voted against this proposal Colby College. They are also said that the school had those that are presently by a 5-2 vote last Monday. occupied for corporate been supportive so far and exempt, would have to pay Sam fegro, who represents purposes, and to be exempt, hoped it would continue tc- taxes., was a property must be owned Colby in Ward 3, be so. r According to Terry, among those who voted and occupied exclusively for If the fraternities appeal ^There have been rumors against the fee. literary and scientific to a higher court, they will circulating that the City The service fee, determined purposes." be attempting to overturn a Council will be introducing by Jed Davis, the attorney Terry saw the fraternities' state statute. The statute as legislation to overturn the representing the frater- primary purpose as cor- it stands exempts all previous decision." At nities, George Terry IV, the porate, and beyond that as fraternal organizations present, it is unknown when City Solicitor, and William social; therefore, he and the except college fraternities - such legislation will be Jul ius See l ye Bixler , presiden t-emeritus Kirk, the City Assessor, was city concluded that they did from paying taxes. Davis introduced, by whom, and of Colby Col l ege, will speak at this calculated by a complicated not qualify for exemption. will attempt to have this what the exact wording will year 's commencement exerc i ses . procedure that related "We had hoped to gain statute ruled un- be, Terry said. property value to the public abatement at the City safety, public works, and Council level and avoid parks and recreation going to court .which would budgets. The formula, had cost a lot of money," said it received approval from Inter-Fraternity Council Bixler to speak at graduation the council, would have (IFC) President Doug Terp. required the fraternities to While no one is positive pay for police and fire yet, Earl Smith, Dean of the by Deborah Fanton Bixler and his wife were both honored with Doctor of protection, road upkeep, College, said he was sure Law degrees from Colby. Bixler is a life member of the and other public services, that "the fraternities would Julius Seelye Bixler, Colby's president from 1942 to Board of Trustees at Colby and Amherst. He has also but it would have exempted fight through the law courts I960, will be the speaker at this year's commencement been a board of trustee member at Smith and Eadcliffe. them from actual property all the way to the State exercises. Since Bixler left Colby in 1960, he has been lecturing tax. Supreme Courts. , .." "We asked former President Bixler to speak because extensively. In 1962, he lectured overseas and spent The fraternities originally The fraternities 31*6 still we felt he was a good speaker with a lot to say," said some time at Thammasarf University in Bang'kok, filed for exemption, arguing waiting for the official word senior class president Jeff Brown. "He is articulate and Thailand where he was counselor to the administration sharp, and because heV a part of Colby's history, we and helped in establishing a liberal arts program. feel he'd add a lot to graduation." In 1965, Bixler was a visiting professor at Bowdoin. In Born in 1894 and a native of New London, Connecticut, 1968, he was back overseas, lecturing at the Universities Residen t fac ulty Bixler was a member of the 1910 graduating class at of Canterbury and Auckland in New Zealand. Amherst College, where he was a member of the Phi Recently, Bixler spoke on Albert Schweitzer at the Beta Kappa Society. After a year as a teacher in a International Conference for Life conducted in New missionary college in India, he returned to attend Union York during the fall of 1981. pro gram continues Theological Seminary for graduate studies. After several months in the army during World War I, cont. on page 2 he taught at the American University in Beirut. He then by Greg Nemrow office. There, they returned to the United States for further graduate work evaluated living on campus at Harvard and Yale. He received his Doctor of Colby's program having during the past year. Of the Philosophy degree from Yale in 1924. BTa^BafafafafaYmmWmW m JTmlmWmm ^WS^Uj CJTT^b^ b^ b^b^' bm selected faculty members five faculty residences, four Bixler was a member of the faculty at Smith for nine live on campus has proved will have the same oc- years. In 1933, he jcined the Harvard faculty, where he to be popular with those cupants next year as they was twice a dean of the Divinity School, as well as *^^ SES!ZS!S^^ SSZZ!!E!ZmSZZZ^ZmSmZ~~m~Z£!mZZSZ^mir: involved, but there will not did this year. Bussey Professor of- Theology. In. 1942, Bixler became be an increase in faculty Assistant Professor of president of Colby. m Residential Life Council to residence space in the near Government Sandy Maisel While at Colby, Bixler supervised the completion of 26 future. and his children, who have new campus buildings, increased the endowment from chan ge for the better ' 'The program needs to lived on campiis for almost $1 million to $8.5 million, increased faculty from 50 to p.3 build from the basis three years, will remain in 105, and expanded the student body from 600 to 1150 established," said Associate their Mary Low apartment students. ; Dean of Students Joyce next year. Robert Weisbrot Bixler has written several books, over one hundred ' McPhetres. She said.that of the history department articles in scholarly journals and several hundred book • 'Winter Crane ' : a Japan • her office currently had no will remain in the Dana reviews. He has been president of the American ! idea as to whether or not faculty apartment for his Theological Society and the National Council on Religion of the imaginatio n , p. 7 more faculty residences third year as well. The in Higher,A personal friend of Albert Schweitzer, "Bixler ¦ ¦ ¦¦ ¦¦: might bfe built during up- McArthurs will be living in co-founded and acted as president for the Albert Sch- "1® , i i d i y the Heights' faculty ' com ng orm tor weitzer Fellowship. § renovations, residence again this year Bixler, president-emeritus at Colby, has received 14 • Baseball wi fii on$y V There was a more formal too, and Father Paul Goto, honorary degrees from; Colby, Amherst, Harvard, process in selecting the; who originally lived on B , Wesleyan, and Bowdoin, among others. In both loses some ^ p.P .faculty this year; faculty campus as resident 1955rown end 1958 he received desiring to live on enmpus; chaplain and became a a Colby brick. In 1959, the Art ; and Music Center was named after him ; an endowed ! were . scheduled : fori von • scholarship program how discussions with McPhetres' cbrit ; page 3 bears his name. In 1960, April 29, 198 2 Search for new dean is almost over by Bill Fredette friendly person" with he added. time with the participation "vision," "management The need for a new Dean of President Cotter and The Dean of Admissions skills" and a "high degree of Admission unexpectedly Robert Buche from the Search Committee, now of energy." arose last January when Board of Trustees. Also, a What' s in a bank name ? meeting-- with prospective He explained that the Dean Harry Carrol, age 57, student advisory committee candidates is expected to office has "peaking died while on sabbatical. He will be ' formed and will Due to a spate of mergers, Colby students will begin announce ^four finalists for characteristics," par- . was . considered among have some input into the seeing some changes in their old banks' names soon. the position by the aid of Ocularly in the spring when collegiate circles to be one final decision. In Waterville, the Waterville Savings Bank will soon the week. there is a lot of pressure to of the best Dean of The Search Committee's become a part of the Heritage Savings Bank, which The committee, appointed accomplish things. Besides Admission anywhere. goal will be to have the final will be headquatered here.