Faculty Interview
Montreat-Anderson College Student Newspaper
Montreat, N.C. 28757
Phone: 669-8425
Senor Reyes: MAC’s Cuban professor
Joe Compton, Editor
Ruth Akennan, Copy editor
Judy Miiiiner, Features
Robert Heeth, Managing Editor
Linda Field
“Moose” Wall
Sam Feldman
David Field
Paul Williams
Virginia Meldahl, Artwork
Linda Leach, Advertising
Mary Vilas, Photography
Published every other Friday except holidays and
examination periods.
Ad rate: 75 cents per column inch.
By LINDA FIELD
“Vamos a empezar con la
leccion.” Senor Reyes has
begun another class.
Montreal’s Spanish teacher
came to the United States with
his wife and daughter in 1961.
They were leaving Cuba after
the takeover of Castro’s
Community Party.
Senor Reyes taught at “La
Progressiva,” a Presbyterian
college, for 25 years. He had
his Ph.d. in Spanish from the
University of Havanna, with a
minor in History. When “La
Progressiva” was forced to
shut down, the Reyeses
escaped to Jamaica. They
prepared a month there for
secret departure, then left for
Miami, Florida. Most of their
important papers and per
sonal belongings were left
behind. Senor Reyes smiles at
the thought, “It is exciting
now, yes? But then, no.” '
The Reyes family lived in
Miami for the next 5 years.
There Senor Reyes worked at
the United Presbyterian
Center for Refugees, sup
plying food and medical
services to escaped Cubans.
In 1965, Senor Reyes
received a letter from a
missionary friend, asking him
to consider a teaching position
at Montreat - Anderson, which
needed a Spanish teacher.
Senor Reyes immediately
contacted the school, and after
his credentials were ap
proved, was accepted to begin
teaching the following year.
Senor Reyes says his wife
briefly taught Spanish at two
high-schools in Asheville, but
does not work now. His
daughter studied at Montreat
and graduated from Central
Presbyterian College. He
comments that she was
among the first girls to attend
Central Presbyterian, and the
only one in her biology class.
In his free time, Senor
Reyes likes to read and listen
to classical and religious
music. “I must also work and
study English,” he chuckles.
“That is very necessary, no?”
As a boy, Senor Reyes liked
to play baseball, but has no
preference for sports now. On
most nice afternoons you’ll
find him walking home from
Montreat - Anderson.
With his broken English,
Senor Reyes adds, “My wife
and I are very happy at
Montreat. It is like a big
family and everyone is very
nice, we enjoy it here.”
Is there division?
By JOE COMPTON
Montreat has a problem: there are too many Charismatic
Christians, too many spiritless Christians, too many fence-
sitters, and too many who don’t care for any of the above.
These four attitudes cover just about all of the students at
MAC. Unfortunately, there seems to be no apparent bond
between these groups. The reasons for this are basic and need
to be dealt with. Since the latter two factions are constantly
drifting from one side to the other, only two of four groups need
be discussed - the Christians and the Charismatic Christians.
First of all, it is my opinion that there are no grave dif
ferences between these two groups. It is also my opinion that
there is no division between the Christians on campus. As God
is moving the world closer and closer to His Kingdom, the
separate Christian factions are coming together as one,
compact unit, one body. Different Christian factions are no
longer known just by their sad and pious faces. Neither are
Charismatic Christians fl^iown just by their exercise of the gift
of tongues. More than ever Psalms 133:1 is coming to be un
derstood and practiced by every disciple of Christ: “Behold,
how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together
in unity.” I would suppose that the persecuted Christians
behind the Iron Curtain learned this important passage and
quickly put it to use. When the police start banging on your
door wEuiting your head, you’ll not bother to ask your feUow
Christians whether or not they speak in tongues before you ask
them to pray for you - no, you’ll simply ask for prayer.
This should be our attitude towards each other on campus
and in church. Montreat has the most beautiful and loving
spirit about it than any other college I’ve ever visited. The high
school seniors who visited not long ago shared this same view.
I sincerely do hate to hear people talk of division and non
unity. When people talk about it, others seem to believe it. The
only division at Montreat is that caused by those who speak it
forth and spread it about just like sawdust on a cheesecake - it
covers up the real thing.
So, in conclusion, let us all partake of God’s Kingdom
together in love, which is the perfect bond of unity. When
Christians do this, it is pleasing in the Lord’s sight.
. Left to Right; Beth Suarez, John Bailey and Gail Tysor enjoy the sunshine as they lounge on the library lawn.
Montreal past seen in old records^ documents
By LINDA FIELD
Montreat has been unique
since her founding in 1897, as a
conference and recreation
center. With ten thousand
visitors annually, the
Presbyterian community
offered rest, physical, social
and spiritual restoration. Her
benefits are the same today.
However we can dig up some
interesting and humorous
facts about the way things
used to be in this community.
Gordon offers European Seminar
By MARK EMBLIDGE
How would you like to
discover how you can spend
this summer in Europe ear
ning three to nine semester
hours in history, English or
Bible for as little as $970? By
now you have probably heard
bits and pieces about Gordon
College European Seminar.
I^ast summer Dr. Crawford
went as a teaching historian.
Others at Montreat who have
attended are I>e Newell and
myself. I don’t know of a
person yet who has attended
this program who hasn’t
thought it to be the highlight of
their college career.
This is the Gordon
Program’s 18th year. The
two-month seminar attempts
to combine team study under
experienced historians with
the extensive use of individual
exploration in order to gain
the greatest benefits from the
Europe experience. I found
this method very effective.
Part of the day was used to
explore in a group, with the
group historian telling the
significance of a particular
thing. The other part of the
day was left in the individual’s
hand to do with what he
pleased. Without the group
historian, I would have missed
a number of important and
interesting things, but on the
same hand to be on my own
allowed me to attempt to get
lost in the crowd and to the
culture.
The original name,
‘‘Mountain Retreat
Association,” was thought to
be a mouthful in the early
days. A prize-winning contest
was held to find a better name,
and the award went to a
Pennsylvania school teacher
for “Montreat” (a contraction
of “mountain” and
“retreat”).
The ethics of Montreat are
clearly shown in the or
dinances adopted in 1901. A
few of the select ones are
listed:
Any person or persons found
drunk on the streets of
Montreat shall be fined $25.00
considered a good place for
“bathing in pure mountain
water” where “multitudes of
mountain fish may be seen.”
Isles.
There are five seminars
from which to choose. All five
spend some time in Western
Europe. Three of the groups
leave Western Europe for
Russia and Scandinavia,
Greece, and Israel. There is
also a group which spends half
of the summer in the British
The years of experience
behind the seminar have
taught the staff where to cut
comers on the expenses. The
basic cost is $750 which in
cludes air fare from Boston to
Amsterdam and back,
transportation through
Europe by mini-bus, ac
comodations in Swiss Chalet
hotels, hostels and ceunp
grounds, plus two meals per
day. The Greek, Russian, and
Israel tours have a slight
charge beyond this basic cost.
Up to three courses can be
taken. Their cost is listed in
the brochure which can be
acquired in Gaither lobby or
from Dr. Crawford. I en
courage you to look into what
the Gordon European Seminar
might have for you. All of us
who have been will promise
that you won’t be sorry.
Located in a 6-mile long
valley in the Blue Ridge
Mountains, Montreat’s 4500
acre tract was in part paid for
by the sale of 300 lots. Each lot
sold for $50.00 in 1897.
An early publicity printout
claims of Montreat’s natural
beauty, “Atmospheric con
ditions perfect. Here nature
givqs her purest and freshest
water. Health conditions are
perfect. All things helpful are
provided. The suggestion of
evil is excluded.”
Any person who shall
habitually wander about the
streets or public places of the
town of Montreat, without any
visible means of support, shall
be arrested as a vagrant and
fined $5.00.
Any prostitute or other
woman whose reputation for
chastity is bad, found on the
streets or public places of
Montreat, soliciting men,
drinking, or conducting
herself in an improper
manner shall, upon con
viction, be fined $10.00.
Persons engaging in
cing, card playing,
professional theatrical
formances, these activities
being contrary to the spirit of
Montreat, shall be fined not
less than $25.00.
In the summer of 1916,
Montreat experienced her
first and only flood. Incessant
rain and a pileup of debris
around the spillway caused
the water to overflow the dam.
’The damage was not ex
tensive, though a railway
train was detained 50 miles
from Black Mountain due to
the flood.
dan-
and
per-
In Oct. 1916, the first session
of Montreat - Anderson
College was opened. The
cafeteria, originally a tenth of
Howerton’s size, served
students and faculty during
the school term, and guests in
the summer. T-bone steaks
could be bought for $.20 each,
and $.35 would buy a whole
meal. But hikers had to en
dure plain bread and hard-
fried egg sandwiches for
lunch.
In a 1912 pamphlet,
“Montreat, What &me Write
and Thousands Think,” a
visiting professor writes of the
healthful benefits. “Its air is
worth $10,000 an acre. Full of
ozone and tonic, it sends the
tired man, especially the tired
preacher, back home with life-
tides fuller and bolder.”
Any persons loading
wagons, hiring out vehicles or
horses for purposes other than
to carry persons to or from
places of worship, taking
mail, passengers, or baggage
to and from trains, on Sunday
in the city of Montreat, shall
be fined ^.00.
In the past. Lake Susan was
This is but a brief look at
some of the events and facts
that have shaped Montreat’s "
past. There are now over 400
homes in Montreat, a far cry
from the original tents used to
shelter those coming to the
conferences. And people still
enjoy the fellowship and
mountain air.