Page Two
SPECIAL ISSUE
April. 196S April. 1969
■ wV: 'j, X- ' - -1
Tutoring Links Learning, Living
The Student Corps Tutoring
Program was initiated during the
1969 spring semester as an attempt
to provide extra educational and
cultural benefits to underprivil
eged children in Madison and Bun
combe Counties. The program,
still in its formative stages, pres
ently consists of thirty Mars Hill
students, who spend one or two
afternoons per week helping se
lected elementary school students
with their scholastic difficulties
and also exposing the children to
the various museums, theaters,
and cultural events n the area.
This tutoring program, under the
direction of Mrs. Richard Price,
has as its goal both the education
al development of the students of
the area, and the self-development
of the Mars Hill student tutor. It
is striving to involve more college
students and more children.
Ultimately the Student Corp
Tutorial Program wiU provide
needed field work for students
seeking a teaching certificate and
will also serve as an outlet for stu
dent involvement in the commun
ity.
War and Race! Politics and
Poverty! Civil Disobedience and
Law! The Church and Morality!
These are all elements of the hu
man scene which need to be
viewed in light of the needs and
extent of a liberal education. And
they are all a part of the new
course entitled “Humanities” at
Mars Hill College. Students are
challenged not just to gather facts
or accept ideas, but are asked to
question and debate, to rebuke
and offer new solutions, if indeed
there are any. The course begins
first semester with an emphasis
on form, asking students to appre
ciate the expressions of man in all
art forms, but particularly in art,
music, drama, and literature.
From this point, the student is
asked to question himself, his as
sumptions, his ideas, and then to
share his thoughts with others on
the campus and in the class.
Hopefully, this process affects not
only class activities, but all aspects
of campus life — discussion in
other courses, the talk at the table
in the cafeteria, the bull sessions
in the dorms. But the emphasis
is always on the p>ositive, on striv
ing for new ideas, new solutions,
new goals. The questions relating
to the problem of “Who Am I?”
are continually stressed as being
a part of each student’s every day
existence.
Students Evaluate Food Stamp Plan
A study of the feasibility of
Food Stamps for Madison County,
North Carolina, is the primary
concern of two Mars Hill College
Seniors, Smith Goodrum and Joan
Leich. The idea, originally spring
ing from the Madison-Buncombe
Rural Development Council, re
quires an examination of tax and
budgetary factors, nutritional fac
tors, the opinions of potential re
cipients, and the projected eco
nomic and social impact of the
Food Stamp Program, as opposed
to the Commodity Program under
which the County now operates.
As the project has progressed,
an interview of commodity recipi
ents and a general survey have
been developed which should
serve as a limited county profile.
Important, also, have been the in
terviews with the county’s gro
cery owners, bankers, and other
leading personalities to determine
their view concerning the immedi
ate problem as well as the activi
ties and problems of the county as
a whole. Correspondence is fre
quently made with areas inside
and outside North Carolina that
are presently operating imder the
Food Stamp Program or where
either of the two programs is of
major importance.
Now that the project nears com
pletion, the students have found
not only the learning of research
techniques and interview proced
ures to be of great value, but also
the exposure to Madison County
life. Here is a unique opportunity
for students to be exposed to rural
poverty, Appalachian customs and
dignity, and untouched problems
and human resources. Simultan
eously with the Food Stamp issue
has grown their awareness of the
multi-problems of Madison Coun
ty.
On the basis of this emphasis
upon man’s relation with God and
his fellow man, students are asked
to move to the more specific prob
lems of what to do concerning
racial riots, political corruption,
the failure of the church to follow
the creative cry of Christ’s com
mands. Although the student does
not always go off the campus, he
is encouraged to be aware of and
to evaluate every aspect of life as
a fulfilling of his growth as a hu
man being. He will read Bald
win’s work and compare it with
Faulkner’s. He will study Job and
J.B, He will read The Fixer and
compare this with the film form.
He will again come to the point
of seeing all the problems of man
and the ideals of man and the
hopes of man expressed in all
forms . . . art, music, drama, lit
erature, and others. Hopefully, he
will, thereby, be encouraged not
only to commence his education
on his own, but to go out and “do
his own thing.” He will be en
couraged to see the visions, to take
cognizance of the need for change,
and to realize his commitment
through action. The next step is
his . . . Will he?
We SeeL % S.
erve
|MHC
Tommy Coaies (right), sophomore from Marshall, N. C.. works on arithmetic with three young brothers
during one of their twice-weekly tutoring sessions. Left to right. Dennis. David and Larry Carson. The
boys respond to Tommy's personal interest in them and look forward to their sessions together. Tommy
says he has foimd the tutoring "one of the most rewarding experiences of my life."
******
At a time when fragmentation, alienation, and revolt are rife, whet,
an individual can no longer find identity in a self-contained commun-i
ity with a strong sense of group solidarity, significant segments of the'
Mars Hill College faculty and student body are quietly but resolutelj
taking a stand upon the fundamental issues of the social conscience
They refuse, on the one hand, to follow those who, unable to withstand
the pressures of a pluralistic society, seek refuge behind a facade oli
isolation, vehement protest, or intellectual snobbery On the other
hand, they avoid emotional involvement with those who are so fearful
and defensive that they destroy the vitality and meaning of the very
forms they are determined to preserve. Instead these students an^
faculty members have chosen to address themselves to specific needs
at hand. They hope thereby not to effect change for the sake of chang®
but to relate to others as true neighbors in a world community.
Already their endeavor is serving as a catalyst for invigorating the
intellectual climate on the campus, promoting interdisciplinary cooper’
ation, and committing the college to community service. More and
more students are demonstrating social concern and, concurrently, are
overcoming prejudices and gaining insight into the problems of allevi
ating poverty. Faculty and students alike are recognizing that learning
is both accumulative and continuous, that they must learn together ho"'
to deal with contemporary problems without ignoring historic experi
ence and theoretical knowledge.
In this endeavor, what is the role of Mars Hill College as an insti
tution? Its primary obligation is to mobilize all of its resources for de
veloping human potential. Moreover, it is essential that the college
give direction to the use of these resources by upholding certain prin
ciples. It must insist upon intellectual integrity and professional co®’
petence. It must foster an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.
must be alert to inadequacies and injustices, aggressive and positive i”
revitalizing existing structures, and imaginative in its inauguration o*
fresh approaches to the world’s problems. Only then can it provide
the conceptual framework within which every member of the com"
mimity can participate in the common goal of truth and justice.
Bill Willian
to participate
lina State Go
Program. T1
summer will
through Augi
25 students ii
An interns!
^0-hour work
trated semina
time as they
knowledge o
will have a c
ity to be of
'’alue to th
Which they w
The first w
Period which
tamiliarizatio:
aspect of No
fury, econom:
itics, and geoj
15 Weeks inte
finie employi
i®us state ag
ticipate in c
Carolina’s ac
®'ams in sem
a Week.
Bill, a juni
aame activel;
Paunity actio:
P^unity Dev
—Pauline B. Cheek
Research Assistant for
College and Community
Development Institute.
New Opportunities Explored
Humanities Stress the Individual in Society
New ways of linking the col
lege and the community are con
stantly being studied. Three of
the most recent such efforts which
are proving most promising in
clude a Saturday recreational pro
gram, a Christian Ethics Institute,
and child development training.
In January of 1969 the Depart
ment of Physical Education con
ceived an idea for providing recre
ational opportunities for those
youth in the County who do not
have access to private or com
mercial recreational facilities.
Faculty members were invited
to enroll their children, ages 6-13,
in a recreational instructional pro
gram to be held from 9:30 A.M. -
12:00 noon for a period of ten
Saturdays. For each day of par
ticipation a nominal fee of $1.00
per child was charged, half of the
fee paying for the faculty child
and the other half for a less for
tunate child. Physical education
majors were chosen to do the in
struction under the guidance of
members of the physical education
faculty. Activities included in the
program are swimming, gymnas
tics, recreational games and
rhythms.
sponsibility for its content and di
rection.
Recently Mars Hill College e®'
tablished an Institute of Christie''
Ethics which will initiate a week
ly seminar for fifteen ProtestaH*
and Catholic ministers from Ma^'
ison and Buncombe counties
ginning in the fall of 1969. Tk**
seminar will deal with the who^
question of poverty in the area. *
will be followed in the spring
a course in Church and CommU®'
ity, which will be limited
twelve students.
It is hoped that this experien*^®
will encourage those who are
who are debating whether to stal
in the ministry because they ca’’"
not see a vehicle for active soci^
participation. This wUl provid
the opportunity for the student f
redefine the church and its p’®’
tions in the commtuiity.
Also proposed is an internsb'P
with the SREB research prograi^
for the Mars Hill College Institu*
of Christian Ethics.
Mars Hill College is worki
jointly with Asheville’s Child
oi-
velopment Training Center to
fer a six-hour course in
childbtk’"
Originally a pilot project in
cluding 40 to 45 children was
planned. However, as the pro
gram develoi>ed it was difficult to
control growth. There are present
ly 87 youngsters enrolled, with
approximately 85% attendance
each Saturday.
methods. The Child Developin'
et>'
Training Center, sponsored by
Office of Economic Opportune
ity'
is designed to train aides for
start programs in the Southea^.
The culturally deprived chil
dren are transported to and from
the gymnasium each Saturday.
TTiis service is also provided by
the college students and faculty.
ern United States. It is offe^^jj
five times a year on a five-W^^^
workshop basis. The College
the center hope to inspire the st
dents enrolled in this course
further their education.
Also, the coUege hopes to apP
for a grant under the Teac
Program growth alone indicates
the success of this new venture. It
is hoped that the program may
continue next year with the col
lege students assuming more re-
Corps Program beginning m
fall of 1970. This program is
signed to recruit and train upP^jj
classmen to be teachers in scho®
.ii>
that serve children from lovV'
come families.
I
Leaders!
Training
Institute
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Child
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Extern
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