6
THE GUILFORDIAN
Lecturer Charles Merrill to visit Guilford this month
Philanthropist to relate many of his experiences after returning from Eastern Europe
Jennifer Watts
News Editor
One of Guilford College's key support
ers, widely traveled lecturer Charles E.
Merrill, will be conducting a series of pre
sentations on subjects ranging from the arts
to contemporary politics during a three day
visit to the campus this month.
He recently returned from his 12th visit
to Poland and Czechoslovakia, and several
of the discussions he will lead concern that
area of the world. In addition, he will bring
his experiences as a writer and educator into
Guilford's classrooms.
"He's kind of a Renaissance man," said
Art Gallery Curator Terry Hammond. "He
knows about a lot of different subjects."
Merrill will first lead a discussion Mon
day, Feb. 17 (noon-1 p.m.) about a new
exhibit on the second floor of Hege Library.
The exhibit, entitled "An Enduring Spirit:
The Art of Three Polish Printmakers," con
sists of 15 etchings donated to the Art Gal
lery by Merrill himself.
"[During his recent trip] he was able to
Mary Hobbs
continued from page 1
nifer Reid.
Ford understood how the selection could
have been misconstrued. "There is a lot of
anxiety about all of the changes going on,"
said Ford.
"It could have crossed their minds that the
College was turning its back on Hobbs and
its traditions. They saw bringing in someone
from outside to be hall director as sym
bolic."
To ease tensions within the hall, Residen
tial Life distributed a memo to residents
Tuesday to assure them they are not "plan
ning basic changes in the operation of the
hall" and held a forum Wednesday evening
to discuss the situation with Hobbs resi
dents.
One of the main concerns expressed dur
ing the forum was how to avoid having
someone who had not lived in the hall from
becoming hall director in the future.
Being aware of the significance R A expe
rience played in Res. Life's decision, a Hobbs
resident asked if it would be necessary for a
women wishing to seek the position to leave
Hobbs for a year to gain RA experience.
(There is not a position for an RA in Mary
Hobbs due to its size.)
Assistant Director Helen Mulhem, in re
sponse to the question, said she would rec
ommend that anyone wishing to be a hall
director gain that experience.
Ford agreed that it is important for a hall
director to have experienced the variety of
communities on campus, especially when it
comes to hall director duty.
During this time the HD must make rounds
meet with each of the artists represented in
the exhibition. He will share his insights
about the artists, their images and the situa
tion in Poland today," said Hammond.
That evening Merrill will address Pro
fessor Ann Deagon'sFiction Workshopclass
in the Founders Hall Gallery.
He will discuss the craft of writing and
read from his novel Emily's Year, the story
of a young Polish girl living in Massachu
setts who is transformed after she rescues a
two-year-old that has fallen down a well.
Merrill will also take time to answer ques
tions during the event, which is open to the
public.
Merrill will next address Professor Wil
liam Schmickle's Politics of International
Economic Relations class on Tuesday, dis
cussing the recent changes in the Eastern
Block.
The third class that Merrill will attend is
a session of Professor Lou Spaventa's Con
temporary and Historical Issues in Educa
tion.
Merrill is the founder and former head
master of the Commonwealth School in
Hodge remains optimistic despite tensions
Jennifer Watts
News Editor
Inevitably caught in the crossfire be
tween Mary Hobbs and Residential Life
has been Toiya Hodge, Res. Life's choice
for next year's position as hall director of
Mary Hobbs.
"It's nothing against Toiya personally,"
said Jodie Hargus; a Hobbs resident. "Our
problem is with Res. Life being authoritar
ian."
Nevertheless, it was difficult for Hodge
not to lake personally; She even hesitated
to take the position—knowing the opposi
tion she would receive from many Hobbs
residents—when becoming a hall director
was a goal very important to her.
She had her own doubts about her suit
ability to Hobbs at first, but realized she
would never know unless she gave it a
chance.
"f feci really bad for Toiya because it
has gotten to a personal level, even though
on campus and deal with situations in halls
other than his/her own.
"I think it's difficult for someone who has
lived in one building for four years to have
the same kind of sensitivity," said Ford.
Nevertheless, residents of Hobbs felt that
it was unfair to expect a student to leave her
"home" for a year.
They suggested, rather, that in their selec
tion process Residential Life establish crite
ria individual to the various communities
News
Boston. His book, The
Walled Garden: The Story
of a School, speaks on his
philosophy of education
and his mission to provide
an open learning environ
ment for everyone, regard
less of financial status.
His final scheduled ap
pearance is Wednesday,
Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the
Main Gallery of the Hege
Library. Merrill will de
liver a public lecture, "The
End of Communism and
the Search for Alterna
tives." A reception will
follow in the second floor
alcove galleries where the
exhibition of Polish etch
ings is displayed.
"I hope people will
come to several of the
events," said Hammond.
"They should be very in
teresting."
represented in each hall.
While Residential Life officials agreed to
discuss the possibilities of such a proposal
with residents, they expressed skepticism
over the idea's feasibility. At the meeting
Ford said, "When chosen, hall directors are
selected for work with Res. Life, not the
building."
This prompted many residents to feel that
Residential Life held its interests over those
of the hall, but Ford said, "We believe what
w jh ■
B. ijK B m BM
is in the best interests of Residential Life is
in the best interests of all the halls."
He went on to add that even though Hobbs
is undoubtedly a unique community that
should be commended for its closeness,
Hobbs is still part of the larger Guilford
community.
Ford said that he would sincerely weigh
the ideas presented at the forum, but he
refused to limit consideration of candidates
to inside the hall.
February 7, 1992