MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1965
THE RIDGERUNNER
PAGE THREE
THE ORASS EV THE
OTHER PASTURES
Springfield, 0.—(I. P.)—Last
Spring Interfraternity Council on
the campus of Wittenberg Uni
versity was asked by Dean of
Students Robert O. Long on be
half of the faculty committee
studying Wittenberg’s academic
climate, to formulate a report
stating the effect of fraternities
on the intellectual appetite of
campus fraternities,
A committee set to work with
questionnaires, interviews, and
meetings which confirmed the
validity of the premises used in
the report. In the course of
making its points the IFC report
was broadened in its significance
to stand as a rather pointed
statement of fraternity purpose.
As Wittenberg University
strives “to develop persons who
have the skills, knowledge and
understanding essential for effec
tive and ameliorative participa
tion in their culture,” they em
ploy what is known as a liberal
arts education. For decades,
Wittenberg graduates have been
so well prepared for post-gradu
ate life, that this educational
technique has won widespread
acclaim.
The solid success of this par
ticular liberal arts education has
generally been attributed to the
University’s small size or its dis
tinguished faculty, both factors
which contribute to academic ex
cellence. But the question arises:
Is unsupplemented academic ex
cellence, now a characteristic of
scores of universities and small
colleges, the whole story behind
Wittenberg’s outstanding record?
There is today, as there has
been for years, a sizable portion
of the student body which feels
that the institution’s academic
program, taken alone, does not
constitute an excellent liberal ed
ucation. Individuals may, and
often do, limit their college ex
perience to four years of scholas
tic routine, and according to
grade point averages, leave Wit
tenberg perfectly prepared for
their post-^graduate years.
Yet, by not probing beyond
the academic Utopia of ivy-
covered classroom, glass Union,
and aluminum dormitory, these
individuals have succeeded in
escaping the very life situations
they’ve supposedly been prepar
ing themselves for. Attempts to
rectify this shortcoming resulted
in the formation of fraternities,
the continued prosperity of which
speaks for their worth.
For years, Wittenberg’s out
standing students have joined
fraternities to gain deeper and
more meaningful personal rela
tionships, to learn social grace,
and to participate in the wide
range of fraternity activities.
Fraternity men are convinced
that a balanced social experience
complements, and therefore ben
efits the college’s academic pro
gram.
Moreover, knowledge obtained
in the classroom loses its ab
stractness and acquires a sat
isfying significance through re
peated application in everyday
fraternity life. Finally, the main
tenance of a smooth-functioning
fraternity requires its members
to assume responsibility, work
in close cooperation, accept au
thority, and weather both tri
umphs and defeats rarely en
countered at the individual level.
In short, fraternity membership
offers the individual opportunity
for personal expression and
close fellowship, social training
through a refreshing social pro
gram, and extensive experience
of life situations, all of which are
unobtainable elsewhere at Wit
tenberg. By providing these ben
efits, fraternities enable Witten
berg to grant a truly liberal ed
ucation, and in so doing, fulfill
their intended and most vital
function.
The relationship between fra
ternities and the University has
traditionally been one based on
the distinct and unmistakable
nature of their respective func
tions. Wittenberg students pay
tuition to the University for ac
ademic instruction and intellect
ual inspiration, and dues to fra
ternities for the other aspects of
their education. In this simple
relationship, one phase of the
college experience complements
the other to a most beneficial de
gree, as any study of Wittenberg
alumni will readily reveal.
Well aware of the worth of the
fraternity system, Wittenberg
has been most generous in grant
ing it autonomy to pursue its
program. In grateful response,
the fraternities have taken it
upon themselves to assist the
University in its push for “acade
mic excellence” by instituting
scholarship programs of their
own.
Wittenberg’s fraternities set
goals and provide additional in
centives for outstanding acade
mic performance; high achievers
are honored and often rewarded,
while low achievers frequently
face penalties. The results of
such concern are rapidly becom
ing apparent; for in addition to
campus social leadership, the fra
ternity system now enjoys a posi
tion of undisputed campus
academic leadership — a position
it doesn’t intend to lose.
However, it is on this very
issue of scholarship that the fra
ternity position is least under
stood, and quite often, unfairly
condemned. There is a growing
trend toward blaming instances
of campus unproductivity on, of
all things, the University’s fra
ternities. It is charged that these
centers of academic leadership
have failed to intellectually stim
ulate the student mass.
Amazingly, this charge is level
led while informal fraternity dis
cussions, which bring together
men of all interests, are inspiring
more intellectual enthusiasm
than the most glorious “capstone
course” ever could. It is obvious
that critics of the fraternity idea
expect even more. Typical of
their demands is that the groups
work toward the organization of
contrived intellectual and cultural
programs. But the fact that this
is not the function, much less
the duty of the fraternities, seems
to have been overlooked.
Fraternities cannot possibly as
sume the entire responsibility of
student inspiration, something
traditionally the duty of the
University’s faculty; fraternities
have their own obligations to
their members — obligations
which must be fulfilled first of
all.
To insist that fraternities just
ify their existence at Wittenberg
by carrying an obligation not
rightfully theirs is, to say the
least, unfair. Perhaps if the fra
ternities were the recipients of
each student’s fat tuition check
they could begin to inspire the
campus intellectual appetite;
then the responsibility to do so
would be theirs.
But such (is not the case. Fra
ternities still collect only dues.
What Is The
Circle K Club ?
Believe it or not! There is an
organization on campus which is
known as the Circle K Club. Too
many individuals on campus
think we are insignificant but
quite the contrary-we are work
ers.
Circle K is a service organiza
tion for college men which is
similar to and sponsored by
Kiwanis. We are sponsored by
the West Asheville Kiwanis Club
and they come to our aid many
times and we often go to help
them. We are probably the old
est organization of men on this
campus as we did precede both
fraternities as they are presently
recognized on campus. We are
not to be classified as a fratern
ity, but a service club which
serves the campus and commun
ity. We are of American and
Canadian origin and one of our
objectives is to make our mem
bers conscious of the responsi
bility of pi^eserving the ideals of
the two countries.
This year several of our activi
ties, I, in behalf of my fellow
members will try to enumerate.
In case you haven’t noticed the
huge and very attractive “Bull
dogs” insigniated placard in the
west end of our gym, I suggest
you go and look. We felt our
gym needed a touch of spirit so
we contrived this. We hope you
like it. Circle K put it there.
Recently we sold candy (Katy
dids) to raise money, and the
drive has been completed and
once more our books show the
proud black figures of prosperity.
Thanksgiving was a blessing for
one family in Asheville because
Circle K put a large pile of food
on their table. Thus another
oriented and completely executed
project of service, was fulfilled
by Circle K. Future—' Present
ly we are planning for Conven
tion Time the first of next year
of which we are the sponsors for
the whole Carolinas District.
This edition of the paper or next
will probably have the Circle K
“Playmate of the Month”!!!! We
thought we would add a little
spice, sugar, and cream to the
newspaper. So long for now.
John Franklin
Secretary of Circle K
For 1/18 the cost of tuition the
fraternities still provide Witten
berg students with the non-
academic aspects of an excellent
liberal education—a rare bargain
indeed. Moreover, the standards
of the fraternity system’s “hu
man” education” are being con
scientiously upgraded to meet
the demands of the changing
times.
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A-B HIKING
CLUB KEEPS
ACTIVE
The smell of a balsam grove
in the crisp air, the glimpse of a
red tail hawk lifting into the sky,
the view of distant ridges by
moonlight, meteorites blazing
through the sky, or the thrill of
a few of the attractions of the
crossing a narrow cliff are but
Southern Appalachian Moun
tains that lure those with a yen
for the out-of-doors. The Ashe-
ville-Biltmore Hiking Club was
organized in the fall when about
forty students indicated interest
by signing posted petitions, and
the club sought official recogni
tion October 4, 1965 from the
Student Government Association,
proposing to “enrich student life
through recreation in the open
air, through enhancing know
ledge of plant and animal life
(emphasizing natural history and
ecology) and through developing
skills appropriate to good woods-
manship.” Dr. W. S. Thurman,
department of Classical Langua
ges, and Mr. John Bernhart, de
partment of Biology, are the
club’s advisors.
The hiking club meets each
Thursday at 11:50 A.M. in the
Student Center Lobby to plan
the week’s activities. Hikes may
be planned for any day of the
week and may range from one
to ten miles in an afternoon,
often including a cook-out. These
activities are open to any inter
ested persons, and announce
ments of the club’s activities are
posted on the Student Center
Lounge bulletin board each
Thursday. At the December 2
meeting officers will be elected
for the year, and also members
are encouraged to submit designs
for an insignia to be adopted by
the club. Projected plans for the
future, in addition to weekly
hikes, are an over-night campout
and a venture through Linville
Gorge, one of the few wilderness
areas remaining in the United
States.
The students and faculty of
the Asheville-Biltmore Hiking
Club have formed one of the col
lege’s most active organizations,
and are doing more than lifting
their eyes to the hills amidst
which their campus is nestled.
The secluded joys of those hills
are being found by those who
seek them.
The Sports Mart, Inc.
Whatever the Game —
Remember the Name
32 Battery Park Ave.
Asheville, N. C. 28802
Secretaries are hard at work in
New Registrar’s quarters located
in the recently completed Social
Science Annex.
. . . New Fraternity
continued from page 1
hope to send everything in before
Christmas which could result in
A. B.’s Chapter being the first
one Nationally recognized in
1966”, says Roy. T^e formal
installation will be followed by
a banquet which will feature Dr.
Tom Galt, the National A.P.O.
President.
The chapter has just complet
ed a Campus Ugly Man Contest
which was won by Kappa Delta
Tau Sorority. The proceeds
went to the United Appeal.
Any person interested in the
Fraternity should contact Roy
Shipman. The other temporary
officers are; Jim Garren, Vice-
President and David Williams,
Secretary. '
The Faculty Advisors are;
Coach Daughton, Dr. Parkins
and Dr. Thurman. The Profes
sional Scouting Advisor is H.
Frank Gay, Jr.
Lee’s Jewelers
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9. ICtd.
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Asheville, N. C.
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