|
|||||
| Fall 2002 | a publication for alumni, family, and friends |
||||
Submitted on behalf of Sarita Veatch McCaw Dad was the speech department when he started there. He spent five years at Dakota Wesleyan. His men's and women's debate teams won three first- and two second-place standings in their college debate leagues. Mother had graduated from Northwestern with a bachelor's degree in oratory and elocution, and was sent to the college to teach "culture, movement (P.E.) and articulation (speech)." There were four "maiden" faculty members, and to be fair, Dad dated each of them in a strict rotation for several months, but gradually Gwen was every other date, and finally, the only one. It was at Dakota Wesleyan where they chose to establish a scholarship to honor what they learned there as starting teachers. The help and support received served them well for the rest of their long and distinguished careers. They donated to that fund each year on their wedding anniversary, and I have continued that tradition. Thanks to Dakota Wesleyan, both Homer and Gwen were excellent teachers and influenced many lives during their 90-plus years. Laura Stark Johnson ex'32,
'37 I ask the same question when I try to make up this list of DWU faculty, 1930-32 and 1936-37, the years I was there. There were so many in such a short time and yet with so great a lifetime influence upon me. Clara Sinclair, education: University of
Chicago, fountain of John Dewey. "We learn to do by doing," my mantra for
60-plus years of teaching. Another inspiring couple during the '30s were the Hertels, Leo and Elsa, Ph.D.s in art and German, refugees from Nazi Germany. They gave me an awareness of the world outside of South Dakota, which led me to join other students in 1936 to a protest march against the war in Spain. So much could be said about the '30s as a decade in which to come of age. Fortunately, DWU was there with an unbelievably good faculty. I would have been powerless all these 90 years without them. William Hersey ex'49 I chose a two-year music education course. It was the head of the music department's first year at DWU. His name was Lyle Gilbert. He was a short, stocky man with curly dark hair and brown eyes. He would direct the choir, give voice lessons and teach a few music courses. The main thing I remember about Professor Gilbert was the time he was in charge of the Christmas party. It was a "steal." The students were to lift something of another's and the owner would get it back as a Christmas present. For example, a girl would take a piece of lingerie from her roommate and give it to her roommate's boyfriend who would then give it to his girlfriend as a gift. Even members of the faculty would get things back. The business manager couldn't remember whether he left his hat at home, at church or at a café. He got it back neatly wrapped at the party. Submitted on behalf of Robert Pennington was associate professor of sociology at DWU. In one of his classes students could pick anything they wanted for a class project. Courtney and DeWayne Hofer brought in Pennington's brother-in-law, George McGovern, who was campaigning in his first election, against Harold Lovre. Needless to say, they got an A on that project. Roger Hutchinson ex'60 June E. Wolf Briggs '62 Dr. Wagner was visiting small churches in South Dakota as part of a fund-raising campaign during his presidency. When he came to the Hazel Methodist Church, my neighbor told Dr. Wagner that he needed to hear me play the piano. Dr. Wagner came to our home, I played for him and he told me about the upcoming auditions for music scholarships to be held on the Wesleyan campus. I went, I auditioned and I won a music scholarship. After the auditions, I met Dr. Kugel. Dr. Kugel guided me through what the music program would be at Wesleyan, was supportive of helping me find work to help pay the bills, and provided a not-so-subtle nudge to ensure that I would be at Wesleyan in the fall of 1958. He encouraged me in finding private piano students in Mitchell, hired me as an accompanist in his voice studio and made numerous referrals for me to play for community organizations to supplement my income. I graduated from DWU debt free which, in retrospect, was quite an accomplishment since I had no idea where the money was going to come from to complete four years when I started. I am grateful for the influence of Dr. Wagner and Dr. Kugel mentoring and shaping my life and professional career. Georgiann Crum Crouse '64 Dr. Florence White was my French teacher and sponsor for our TAG group. It was a group of women who qualified for Mortar Board, but since there were not enough women grads in each class at Wesleyan to actually have a chapter, we had our own group. Our Target, Aim and Goal was Mortar Board. Dr. White used this group to teach us etiquette skills as well as preparation for our future careers. She lived alone except for Squiggles, her cat. I checked on her apartment for her one summer and fed Squiggles as well as bringing in the mail. She sent postcards addressed to "Squiggles White" and I dutifully read them to her! Dr. William Kugel was dearly loved by nearly all who knew and worked with him. I started taking vocal lessons from him in high school and up until his death the summer before my senior year at Wesleyan. Dr. Kugel had a most unusual way of directing. He used his diaphragm to get us started. A soloist wouldn't know until just before the selection began if he/she was on for today. Dr. Kugel would give the soloist a nod and off we would go! Andrew Boyajian '65 If Gunga Din Were a Scandinavian
Folklore Epic Gunga Din that Stupid Finn Stuart C. Crouse '65 Vianne Stensaas '65 I have shared his excitement for literature in my classes in the USA and around the world in China. Thank you, Dr. Kelley! Nancy Ronshaugen '67 Bill Bigger took the DWU Concert Choir on a memorable tour early in January 1964. We performed in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. We also sang in a beautiful church in New York City, at an all-black church in Rockford, Ill., and at many other places. Professor Bigger never lost his patience, enthusiasm or sense of humor, despite many logistical problems and the hassles of keeping 35-40 choir members on schedule and singing their best for each unique audience. We were among the first people in the nation to visit Arlington National Cemetery to see the newly installed eternal flame at President John F. Kennedy's grave. He had been assassinated one and one-half months earlier. I still do not have words to describe my feelings. I thank Bill Bigger for arranging this unforgettable experience. Mary Wing made drama come alive with her passionate devotion to the theater arts. One night during "Brigadoon," I totally "went up in my lines" as they say - just totally blanked out! It was a bad scene! She called me aside afterward and sympathized with me ... giving some suggestions for doing it better the next night and assuring me it was not as bad as it seemed. It was her way to gently suggest, not to criticize, to preserve a teaching moment. I took that example with me to teaching occasions in my profession. She was a uniquely talented woman. Orlando Gehring taught sociology. During my last two years of college, I changed my career path to psych/soc and began to load up on courses taught by Dr. Gehring. He was serious, wise and deeply committed to his subject matter. He made a dull-sounding demographics course interesting and relevant. In my more than 35-year career as a social worker, part-time teacher and many other "jobs," I still utilize things I learned in his classes. John A. Weber '70 Here's a favorite memory of Bill Houk. We were in a science class and Mr. Houk asked the question, "What kind of energy is given off when there is decay and fermentation of organic matter?" Silence in the room. He asked the question a second time. Again, no answer. He sat on the front of his desk. He looked at his fingernails, out the window, shuffled some papers. He was waiting for an answer. All he got was silence. We were spraining our brains and feeling a little uncomfortable with the professor's muteness. Several minutes passed in the unusually quiet classroom. Finally, it came to me. "Heat energy," I shouted. Mr. Houk went ballistic. It was like I was the smartest person in the world for coming up with an answer that I should have known immediately. When someone tells me they appreciate my enthusiasm as I teach, I know the model, mentor, master teacher who taught me. Mr. Houk, friend, educator, example, par excellence. I'm forever grateful. Deb Harrington Cap '73 Dr. Mary was awesome. She was enthusiastic, lively and thoroughly engaged in the process of teaching her love of reading to a group of students. The discussions in the class were unbelievable to a young person fresh off the farm! No matter how crazy the theory, no matter how strange the insight of the student, she encouraged everyone to speak up and make himself or herself heard. With Dr. Weinkauf's prodding and acceptance, I was able to open up and contribute to the discussions that went on around me. During one interim session (probably my junior year in college), I received a phone call from a professor who wanted to test a theory for his course. A panel of professors was assembled on stage in Science Hall Theatre to discuss how well people observe things going on around them - if they believe what they are told or if they analyze things that aren't as they seem to be. Basically, Dr. Weinkauf and I were built the same so prior to that session, I went over to Dr. Mary's home, changed into one of her favorite dresses, put on one of her wigs, exchanged my glasses for an old pair of hers (without lenses), walked to campus smiling at the people I met and joined the panel on stage. I was introduced as Dr. Mary Weinkauf. During the entire panel discussion, I didn't utter a word because our voices were not similar. After the session, I stood, removed the wig and students and faculty and staff were asked if they had realized that I really wasn't Dr. Weinkauf. A couple students had thought it strange that 'she' didn't talk because she was well known for joining discussions, but not one person realized that we had exchanged places, not even my roommate! Lisa Rentschler '90 It all started when I transferred from SDSU to DWU in 1987. I had been floundering in the large university setting and needed a change. My life did change because one professor, Ralph Roth, took me under his wing. He made me feel as though I was important and that the direction of my life mattered to him. He encouraged me to strive to be the best that I could be and not settle for anything less. I was Ralph's work-study assistant while I was at DWU and one of my fondest memories is going to the campus center for what we called "a break." We would each get a Hershey bar, his plain and mine with almonds, and then we would talk. We talked about everything - his family, my family, relationships, life. The most important advice Ralph gave me was to always have confidence in myself and my abilities and to not let anyone take that away. Ralph and I have kept in touch over the years. I try to stop and visit him and his wife, Elaine, whenever I am in Mitchell. Some of you may not know this, but Ralph makes beautiful dollhouses. I had always raved about them and how I wished I had one. On one of my visits, a few years after I graduated, Ralph surprised me with a dollhouse. I will cherish it forever. Ralph has been teaching now for 50 years. He is not only an educator; he is a friend, mentor, giver, and an inspiration. I will never forget the man who took me under his wing and changed my life forever. Stephanie Jean Campbell '97 The professor who made the greatest impact on me was Dr. Marv Miller. Dr. Miller challenged me while I was at DWU. He genuinely showed me that he cared about me as a person, not just a student. I did not always agree with Dr. Miller, but he never condemned me for it. He was always supportive and available to discuss my thoughts and opinions. I am still in contact with Dr. Miller about religion/philosophy discussions and still enjoy hearing his passionate answers. It is my sincere desire that all students would benefit from the wisdom of Dr. Marv Miller while attending DWU as I did! He will go above and beyond the call of duty to guide you any way he can. Daniel Beukelman '00 Another quote from Ralph Roth, "I was born at night, but it wasn't last night." Dakota Wesleyan University |
|||||
