^^LUme LVII, Number!
Serving the Mars Hill College Community Since 1926 September 2, i983
nrollment Levels Up
financial Condition Stabilizes
{As Mars Hill College enters the 1983 -
school year, it is on a much better
tar st^ding than expected last
te h figures for this year
ii than expected,” according to
lent Snelson, Assistant to Pres-
Hni Friday. Dr. Smith Good-
h ®®ntley, who was unavailable for
i^nie
Assoi
ciate Dean for Admissions,
said in a public statement issued by the
college on August 18, that paid student
deposits are running ahead of this time
last year by better than two percent. This
coupled with the college’s traditionally
high retention rate of upperclassmen,
means that the college could be reversing
a trend of declining student enrollment.
Goodrum also noted several factors
?tudent Overcomes
andicap to Earn First
'egree in New Program
which he believes are leading to the
increased student numbers: more confi
dence in the nation’s economy, attrac
tion to the college’s financial aid pro
gram (Mars Hill will award over $3
million in scholarships and other forms
of financial aid this year), and an in
creased interest among North Carolina
students. Dr. Bentley stated at the facul
ty workshop August 17 that he was “en
couraged,” but “we still have a long
way to go.” Regarding the increase in
enrollment, Jeff Gordon, an Admissions
Representative speaking for Dr. Smith
Goodrum who was unavailable for com
ment on Friday, states, “it’s really too
early to tell anything yet, not until add-
drop is over.”
When asked if the financial condition
of the school had actually improved. In
ternal Auditor Claude Vess Jr. replied
“I would not be overly optimistic. We
had to make terrific cuts last year, and
we are still working under those cuts.
It’s just that enrollment figures are more
in line with what we had anticipated.”
He went on to add, “it’s not a complete
turn-around, but is is much more posi
tive. It’s on par with what we had an
ticipated under the austere budget for
mulated last year.”
Regarding the outlook for programs
during the upcoming school year. Miss
Snelson stated, “governing bodies will
be determining priorities under the 1983
- 1984 budget.” “Overall,” Claude Vess
summarizes, “the plan is working; it’s a
stabilized situation.”
Hall, a vivacious young
legg **'^’*tger, credits her Mars Hill Col-
^^^^*^®f®ssors with helping her over-
the t form of dyslexia to become
Mijjj graduate in the college’s
I Theatre Performance program.
Tfy
I came to Mars Hill, I wasn’t
Qualified academically,” she
jlbiiit' (an impairment of the
.^as ° ’"^ud) was a new ailment when I
through school, and mine
i^^rs diagnosed until I got to
*chooj teachers in the public
iVitij ^ ^•‘fu’t have the time to spend
^nd I was doing average work
**01 vp^’ ^ passed myself off as a
.the
^ bright student.
Ones
My parents were
thetg**'^^ ''’ho really caught it, because
'^8e would tell them I wasn’t col-
*■131, and that they should send
^ ^ ^och school to learn a trade.”
i'n 5 b 5*'toring Mars Hill, she enrolled
study skills program that the
‘‘I ^^Ponsors to learn how to study
1iy
^ ^^^^ulutely no study habits when I
uty teachers here picked up on
but
^VsIp •
away and were very
NifvlH bringing me along, and believe
)'0u don’t have good study habits,
^ ^t will not make it.” She became
>nti
K^tUraii
”Her ^ Pursued the subject in college,
fjj. ^nd animated conversation,
Otloo S it hard tn hplipvp that chp was
ere.
sted
m drama in high school and
iCe
^df “Oh yes,” she states,
*0 lyi • Orama became a way for me
People.”
{ ^*'0e n^**^'* Musical Theatre Perfor-
: ^8ram was added to the curric-
• the mid-1970’s and is designed
for students interested in singing careers
in musical comedy and/or opera. This
specialized program is one of only a
handful in the nation.
“I became aware that a straight dra
ma major was not what I wanted soon
after I had to take my first technical
class,” Sara Page notes. “I just do not
do well around technical things. Rigging
lighting for a play terrified me. Plus, I
wanted to continue with my singing. So
this major seemed to be tailor-made for
me.”
“After changing her major to the
musical theatre program, she immedi
ately learned that she had a lot of
ground to make up in music classes. “I
had never had to live in the ‘catacombs’
of the music department before, but
these two areas, music and theatre, are
so demanding of your time. You have to
spend the time practicing and rehears
ing, or it just isn’t going to be there
when you have to use it.”
Being the first person through a new
program has both advantages and disad
vantages. “My teachers would not let
me ‘slough off’ any of the requirements
just because I was the first one to go
through it,” she states, “but by the same
token, when problems arose, they were
very cooperative in discovering suitable
arrangements. All of the faculty in both
departments were cooperative and help
ful; in fact, I consider them my friends
and don’t hesitate to take any problems
I have to them.”
Sarah Page has had important roles in
most of the college’s recent productions,
including “The Great American Musical
continued on page 4
The Biltmore House and Gardens featured in the new Where To Go/What To Do
section. See page 3 for complete story.
times.”
One of the highlights of the evening
occured when Barbi McKay, while
speaking with Dr. Bentley and drinking
a Coke, momentarily lost control in
response to his humor. Dr. Bentley later
stated “no permanent damage was done
and only limited mopping was neces
sary.” Overall it was a very enjoyable
evening, and in this writer’s opinion,
this event should become an annual tra
dition.
One final note, at this hour Dr. Bent
ley is still searching for the student or
students responsible for turning up his
electric blanket full blast in the middle
of one of Western Carolina’s most se
vere heat waves.
Open House
On Monday, August 22, as a part of
the Gateway orientation program for
Freshmen and Transfers, Dr. and Mrs.
Bentley opened their home to students
for an informal walk-thru visit and re
ception. The Bentley home is a very
beautiful one, which greatly impressed
many students. One of the most impres
sive features of the house was the many
interesting and diverse art works present
in the decor. According to Dr. Bentley,
“these were done by friends, so that we
can have all of our many friends, from
our many travels, around us at all