Jhe SaCem'de
olume LVIII
Salem College, Winston-Salem, N. C., Monday, May 3, 1976
Number 7
Alumnae Affect
Salem Future
By Anne C. Roark
Paradoxically, as 130 seniors
link that they have paid their
,liege dues in hard work, dedi-
ited service, and steep tuition
11s, they are about to become
jlem College alumnae and will
3 Expected to work even harder
1 new careers, to extend their
sdicated service to endless alum-
ae projects, and to continue
iving money ad infinitum to the
alem College Alumnae Fund.
At least four times a year for
le rest of their lives, the new
alem alumnae will receive soli-
itations from the Development
(ffice asking that they give the
loney which will buy the books
3F the library, improve faculty
alaries, grant scholarship op-
ortunities, pay the heating bills,
nd generally keep Salem College
1 operation. Because tuition
osts do not pay all of the opera-
ional costs, let alone improve the
quality of the educational of-
erings, the financial support of
ilumnae is vital, according to
fames L. Barrett, Director of
Development.
The people in the Development
Dffice — whose job it was last
i'ear to raise well over half a
million dollars — spend countless
lours designing publications, plan
ning strategies, writing propos
als, and enlisting volunteers to
persuade Salem alumnae and
other friends that, without their
support, the College could not sup-
vive.
According to Doris Eller, Direc
tor of Alumnae Affairs, “Of the
6,700 Salem alumnae across the
country, almost 2,000 contributed
to the College last year.” Although
20% participation is not a bad
record by national standards ac
cording to John Barrett it is a
long way from the 50% participa
tion figure experienced by some
private colleges.
It is unfortunate that so much
money and effort must be spent
in raising money. “But, there is
an old saying in fund raising,”
continues Jim Barrett, “that 10%
of the people give 90% of the
funds. Each year we cannot pre
dict who all of those 10% will
be until we ask everyone.”
Any sensible graduate might
wonder why she should support
her alma mater after she has
already spent almost $16,000 (less
parking tickets, books, meals out,
new clothes, and trips home). Or,
why she should volunteer her time
and services to the Alumnae As-
soeiation when she has, during
her undergraduate years, al
ready invested at least 3,600
hours of work (at an average of
30 hours a week, 15 weeks a
semester, 8 semesters a college
career), and contributed at least
20 hours in community endeavors
^Founder’s Day alone.
year, while voluntary support of
colleges dropped $80 million or
3.6% and while giving to private
women’s colleges fell by almost
5%, the Salem College Annual
Fund increased by 22%!
Jim Barrett maintains that Sa
lem graduates should be proud
to be affiliated with an institution
which is so highly valued by its
constituents. But this is no re
lief. During the last ten years the
cost of educating one student has
increased nationally by 42%.
Predictions indicate that educa
tional costs will continue to in
crease almost another 40%
over the next decade. “If Salem
College is to continue, a tradition
of quality education, alumnae and
friends must continue and in
crease their support of the Col
lege.”
“What if a recent graduate
cannot afford to give? I am ask
ed that question all the time,”
says Allison McCall, a 1973 gra
duate of Salem College and
Director of Annual Giving. “Of
course recent graduates cannot
cont., p. 4
Salemite and friends work at telethon
(Photo courtesy Jim Barrett)
Pursuit of Happiness Provides An
Alternate Approach To Learning
TThe
. - answer is simple and
lirect: Without alumnae support.
College cannot survive.
(Certainly, Salem alumnae have
lone a commendable job of sup-
•orting the College thus far. Last
By Jettie McCullough
The Pursuit of Happiness, a
cross-disciplinary program involv
ing 36 students and five faculty
members, is beginning its fourth
month with overwhelming sup
port from both the faculty and
students taking the course. The
Pursuit of Happiness, or Humani
ties 210, is a study of four institu
tions, politics, the economy,
education, and health, designed
to replace the normal one semes
ter load of four courses, and giv
ing the student four elective
credits. Five faculty members.
Dr. Nancy Gilliland (Sociology),
Dr. Mary Hill (Philosophy), Mr.
A. Hewson Michie, Jr. (History),
Dr. Sally Rackley (Classics), and
Dr. Clark Thompson (Religion/
Philosophy) are involved in the
program. Humanitios 210 may be
offered as often as a group of
faculty members wishes to pre
sent a course proposal, although
Dr. Thompson said, “It should be
offered at least once every four
years so that each student will
have an opportunity to experience
this method of education.
The Pursuit of Happiness is an
investigation, starting with con
temporary issues and working
back to issues of the American
Revolution, while constantly look
ing at the meaning of happiness
in each time period. As Dr
Thompson explained, “We don t
start out with a conclusion, but
we start with ideas to investigate
such as ‘What is the pursuit of
happiness as Jefferson meant it
in the Bill of Rights?
Dr. Hill said, “There is more
demand on students because this
is their only course,” and yet
the students interviewed did not
feel pressured by demands. As
Janet Jones said, “I have been
learning more than in a regular
four course program, yet I don’t
feel the academic pressures of
deadlines and grades. I am work
ing to benefit myself, and not
to please anyone but myself.”
Sarah Parsons agreed, saying
“This semester has been good
for me because I don’t feel like
I’m under a lot of pressure to
produce, produce; consequently,
I have little tension to cope with,
and more time to pursue my
happiness in areas other than the
study room.”
The reactions of students in
the program tell the most about
what is being accomplished. Beth
Kinney explained what the Pur
suit of Happiness entails when she
said, “I like it a lot because it’s
relaxed, and we can study without
the regular academic grind, as
through self-directed study. I
have found that learning is more
than just school work. I’ve learn
ed what it is to learn, and this
will help me a lot next year.”
In the Pursuit of Happiness, stu
dents are able to develop their
own strengths by pursuing a topic
that interests them in more depth
than they are normally able to
pursue it.
Because Math majors. Psychol
ogy majors. Sociology majors,
History majors. Biology majors,
English majors, Philosophy/Reli
gion majors and various other
majors are participating in this
program, each topic is viewed
from many perspectives. This
allows students to come in con
tact with ideas that they would
not normally be interested in,
and also creates a strong sense
of academic community. Students
and faculty work together in re
search and following through on
questions. As Dr. Thompson
explained, “the topic was chosen
so that both students and faculty
can learn together, since the
topic was new to both. As we re
search different topics, everyone
brings to bear what they know
from their different majors.”
Since this program involves in
vestigation by topic with no set
discipline, and because the stu
dent has no other responsibilities,
she is free to pursue a topic in
any direction, using many differ
ent educational forms, and the
community resources. Although
the program’s freedom may be
its “most attractive feature,” as
Sarah Parsons said, the adjust
ment to the free structure is not
always easy. “I was so used to
the structured program”, said
cont. p. 4
Sister, can you spare a dime?
The Alumnae Association Tele
thon held on April 12 and 13
received approximately $2500.
The telethon was a means to
contact alumnae in Forsyth
County who might not otherwise
contribute to the Alumnae Annual
Fund. Seven hundred alumnae
were called.
Ms. Allison McCall, Director of
Annual Giving said that the Fund
received pledges both from alum
nae who have never given before,
and from people who have not
contributed in twenty years. Some
alumnae were wary of making a
contribution over the phone. They
felt much more comfortable de
ciding on their own when they
wanted to make a donation. Still,
the response was good.
Students, alumnae and friends
worked at the telethon. When
someone received a pledge, she
would blow a whistle and her
pledge card would be picked up
and the information recorded.
The whistle added excitement as
well as competition to the evening
Prizes were given to the people
acquiring the most pledges.
Ms. McCall emphasized that a
donation to the Alumnae Associa
tion does not need to be paid all
at once. Payment can be made in
installments. Also an alumna
can designate where she wishes
her money to be used.
Unfortunately, student partici
pation was lax for the telethon.
There were few volunteers so
most workers had to be recruited.