May 20th, 1954 - Bard Digital Commons

COMMUNITAS
Official Publication of the Bard Colleae Communit-v
~
E.P.C. Pulls Through Crisis-Students Participate Actively
The Monday meeting called by
Dan Klubock, acting-chairman since
Louise Odes' resignation, began with
committee members sharply criticising each other and the committee.
During the fracas a letter from Dean
Gillard was read in which she expressed her concern over the two
resignations submitted last week.
Statements by students and faculty members added a more optimistic tone to the meeting when
the differences between EPC and
Council were outlined by a student
who stated that EPC's work was of
a creative nature which required
much deliberation and thought. The
problems that EPC concerns itself
with are not of a routine n.ature nor
does it deal with immediate problems as does Council. Bard is an
academic community and EPC is
an academic committee. Such type
committees on other campuses: are
rare. In dissolving EPC, a student
said he felt that it would be
showing to the faculty that we were
either too apathetic or too much
like contented cows feeling that there
is no longer any need for change or
ameliora tion.
These sentiments buttressed by
other students present, seemed to
change the tenor of the meeting
and discussion w.as insisted on the
Senior Project and the changes to
be proposed by COAS. It was decided that each division be consulted
on how the new and still unofficial
proposal would effect their members.
Louise Odes' f,o rmer EPC chairman has returned to serve on the
committee as representative of the
Art Division.
The subject of the Senior Project
will be taken up again next week
when the committee meets in South
Hall on Tuesday.
Psychology East
and West
by WERNER WOLFF
Swami Akhilananda of the Rama
Krishna Order, founder of the Vedanta Societies in Boston and Providence and author of several books,
evoked a great deal of discussion
with his talk on "Hindu Psychology"
recently given at Bard.
This writer, introducing the Swami,
commented upon the difference between our conception of Hindu psychology and the Hindu conception
of American psychology: The Hindu
psychologist draws rabbits out of
hats-and the American psychologist
draws habits out of rats. But Hindu
psychology, as the Swami presented
it, is not magic in the Western
sense but it deals with other dimensions of thought. In India, psychology is neither a branch of phil?sophy as it was, and still largely
IS III Europe, nor is it a branch of
applied science as it tends to be in
the U.S.A., but psychology in India
Is lived and applied philosophy. A
p.sychological training of introspectIOn leads to a direct experience of
objective values.
Such a concept must frighten an
American audie~ce . Introspection,
we are taught, IS of no scientific
value since it is subjective and not
v.erifiable. .The existence of objective values IS denied by our cultural
:-elativism .and psychological scepticIsm. A dIrect experience of objective values is not understandable to
those who believe that all psychological processes are based upon
learning and conditioning. How can
we have learned what we have not
perceived by our senses nor taken
from our environment? This does
not make sense for a psychology
based upon emeiricism. But it also
does not make sense for a psychology based upon pragmatism. What
can we do with a direct experience
of objective values? What's the use
of it?
Hindu psychology proves to be
neither daydreaming nor magic
trickery. Hindu psychology changes
Bard New York Arts Festival
Scores a 1-1 uge Success
by ALEX GROSS
Rarely has the Bard Community
united in such an intent, intense,
and integrated undertaking as that
of last Monday evening. all the more
strange for the event did not take
place at Bard but in New York City.
The occasion was the festival of the
Art, Music, Drama, and Dance Dep't.
which was held in the Kaufmann
Auditorium and Art Gallery at the
92nd Street YM and YWHA. The
theatre was all but filled to capacity
by an audience of over eight hundred people, of whom approximately
one hundred were Bardians, past and
present. The greater part of the
audience, however, was made up of
prospective students, parents and
friends.
'
Barbara Wersba opened the evening's proJram by introducing Hurd
Hatfield, who has appeared on the
screen in "The Picture of Dorian
Grey" and on stage in Tenessee
William's "Camino Real." Mr. Hatfield, a Bard alumnus, narrnted how
he had profited from his education:
Bard is an outstanding college for
the arts, he said, in that it allows
the student to find where and
whether he belongs within their demanding pattern. It enables him to
explore his interest, to discover
whether it may be called appreciation or ability.
Judy Zinman's dance "House of
(Continued on Page 3)
May 20. 1954
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NEW' YORK
Vol. 1, No.7
ALBEE SOCIAL, May 17 - What
looked like a family row in public
turned into an interesting session of
EPC with long-awaited student participation.
~
Auction to be I-Jeld
At Zabriskie May 29
A public auction wi! be held at the
Zabriskie estate on Saturday, May
29, beginning at 10:00 A.M. The
proceeds of the auction, sponsored
by the Bard College faculty and
staff women. will go to the Bard
95th Anniversary Scholarship Fund.
A large number of items from the
estate will be offered. for sale as well
as many articles donated by friends
and neighbors of the College.
Lunch, consisting of home-cooked
food, will be served at noon. The
catering will be done by the women
of the Bard faculty and staff. College students will conduct visitors
on tours of the Zabriskie Mansion
from 12:00 to 2:00 P.M.
The chairman of the auction committee is Mrs. C. Theodore Sottery.
Members include Mrs. Heinz Bertelsmann, Mrs. William Asip, Mrs. Cal
Avery, Mrs. Warren Carrier, Mrs.
James H. Case, Jr., Mrs Fred Crane,
Mrs. Gerard DeGre. Miss Ada Green
Mrs. Richard Gummere, Mrs. Don~
aId Hartman, Mrs. Robert Koblitz,
Miss Mary McKee, Miss Muriel
Marker, Mrs. William Morrow, Mrs.
Ormsbee Robinson, Mrs. William
Sorrells, Mrs. Isabel Teator, Mrs.
Walter Ulickas, and Miss Marion
Vosbugh.
"Bard Will Go On," Faculty
Effort Applauded by Trutees
what we call the laws of the mind
and What we call the laws of nature
Extra-sensory perception can be
trai~ed that is telepathy, prophecy,
conjuration sem to be normal reaction of atma, the self, whihc associates itself with brahman or the
absolute; or in Western concepts:
the individual with his psychological
energy can contact the "powerhouse
of world energy". In this way the
Hindu-psychologist can change the
laws of nature. He can, as has
been demonstrated, walk on fire
without burning and w·alk over water
without sinking. It was stated that
he even can float in air and be
buried with suspended animation
and revive.
Without discussing here how much
of these reported phenomena could
be explained by_the use of suggestion and mass hallucin'ation, how
much could be explained by selfinduced hypnosis, catatonia - there
are definitely enough phenomena
carefully investigated and proven
which indicate that Western man
only lives part of reality, he only
lives his reality. Eastern man lives
another part of reality; to understand him we have to modify our
model of the universe.
Hindu psychology could only develop with attitudes basically different from those of Western man. Introspection demands inaction and
meditation which Eastern man values
as highly as Western man values
extraspection, namely. looking outward, and acting. The Eastern unity
of psychology, philosophy and religion is opposite to our separation
and specilization of the various aspects of man. Their mainly spiritual values clash with our mainly
materialistic ones, their internalization is opposed to our externalization. Their absolution contrasts with
our relativism and their submission
of the body to the laws of the mind
(Continued on Page 3)
Community Chorus
Plans Concert Series
Under the direction of Clair Leonard, the Bard Community Chorus is
planning to give a series of concerts
in June. The first of the series will
take place on Wednesday, June 2nd,
at the Church of Heavenly Rest,
N. Y. C. On June 7th the Chorus
will give its second concert in Hartford, Connecticut, at the Christ
Church Cathedral. The Connecticut
alumni are cooperating in an effort
to make this a successful event. In
addition to these two recitals, the
Chorus plans two more performances
in this area-on June 11th at the
Zabriskie Mansion and on June 12th
in Kingston.
Top I-Jat
The "best musical of its generation" TOP HAT, starring Ginger
Rogers and Fred Astaire, will be
shown at the Lyceum Theater in
Red Hook on Wednesday, June 2,
at 7 and 9 p.m., for the benefit of
the 95th Anniversary Fund Drive.
Due to the limited seating capacity
and the large demand for tickets
before they were even printed. tickets
are being sold in advance for a subscription of $1.00. The management
of the Lyceum has cooperated with
the staff women and faculty wives
at Bard, sponsors of the event, to
bring this hit film to Red Hook.
All proceeds from the showing will
go to the fund drive.
TOP HAT, a re-issue of the film
made in 1935, is still considered one
of the best musicals ever made. It
features tunes that many of us will
remember and gives us a look at
two stars as they were almost twenty years ago and who are still
tremendous box office attractions in
1954.
Tickets for the event, in addition
to personal solicitation, will be available at a few places in Red Hook
and Rhinebeck. Members of the
community desiring tickets may purchase them at the Bard Store and
Coffee Shop. Mrs. Robert J. Koblitz, Chairman, Mrs. Gerard DeGre
and Miss Betty Shea, are the committee arranging the Bard Benefit
Movie.
Scotch Masons
Meet at Bard
The tranqUility of a Bard weekend was broken last Saturday evening after supper when 500 Masons
descended on the campus to use the
gym to confer degrees on members
of the Hendrick Hudson Lodge.
Fifty or sixty of these clansmen
were from Thistle Lodge, Yonkers,
New York, while the others came
from the surrounding communities.
Thistle Lodge, one of the three Scottish Lodges in the country, often
travels about conferring degrees, for
which they need special dispensation
from the Grand Master of New
York. Thistle Lodge was founded
in 1912 by Scottish immigrants. and
at present 60 % of the members are
of Scottish descent.
95th Anniversary Drive
An eighteen man team which included two bagpippers and a drummer called th ecIan together, and
then entertained the enthusiastic
Bardians and Masons who had
gathered on the lawn in front of
the gym. As the music became more
and more compelling, one Bard coed did a Scottish folk dance with a
kilted Mason. Members of the team
were decked out in full regalia.
Faculty and Staff .
Students and Parents
Alumni
Parents of Alumni
Community Drive.
Trustees
Following the dancing, the team
executed the letters BAR D on the
lawn in precise style. Bardians and
Masons then partiCipated in a rousing game of soccer, after which the
Masons went into the gym to attend the ceremony
The program will include selections by Bach, Brahms, and Moussorgsky, and will conclude with
works by Lewis Hamvas and Clair
Leonard of the Bard faculty. Piano
accompaniment will be by Malcolm
Bilson and Steven Portman.
Special Donors
Total
$ 8,429.44
11,399.86
6,243.00
3,625.00
1,137.00
5,800.00
16,182.00
............................ $52,916.30
The question of what is worn
under the royal stuart plaid kilts
Was not resolved at this time, 8S
none of the Masons would tell.
GYMNASIUM, May IS-President
Case stoated in his Convocation address, tonight. three historic events
took place this week; the Supreme
Court decision on school segregation
President Eisenhower's secrecy di~
rective, and thirdly, "that despite
unfinished business . . . progress
shown here . . . justifies the statement that Bard will go on."
Over two hundred members of the
Community gathered at the meeting,
announced early this afternoon, to
hear President Case's report on the
New York city meeting with Bard
Trustees. He s'aid that they had
reviewed the progress made here on
three fronts by the faculty and were
pleased with their accomplishments
in preparing the budget, fund raising, and in admissions work. He
revealed that the Trustees passed
all but three points in the budget
submitted by him. The three points,
not speCified by Case, are scheduled
for review in the near future.
Students' Loyalty to Bard Applauded
The Pre3ident said that the trustees were most impressed with" ... the
evidence of faith and loyalty to this
college shown by the stUdents." He
mentioned that a report from the
Registrar's Office said that in the
past two months there have been
fewer requests for transfers than in
any other year.
At one point of the meeting President Oase committed a lapsus linguae that raised hopes momentarily
when he said that the Anniversary
Drive had reached a total of 74
thousand dollars. He immediately
corrected himself, amid sighs from
the audience, stating tbat the current figure for the Drive was 54
thousand. He later clarified ('he
error explaining that the errant 20
thousand was money collected by the
Trustees before the Drive had begun
as part of their regular duties and
belonged to another account.
Faculty and Staff Contracts
Renewed
Case stated that "definitive contracts" with the faculty have been
renewed " ... on terms no less favorable than last year." Moreover, staff
members would have their contracts
renewed on the same basis except
for several members who are retiring. He again stressed that the trustees ". . . recognized with appreciation the role the faculty has played
in the campaign. Good spirit was
characteristic throughout the Drive."
Bardians Counted Upon For
High Enrollment
Regarding enrollment for next next
year, he said that the budget was
based on an enrollment of 210 students, however, " . . . (there is) no
reason why we might not have an
average enrollment of 250 students
next year." He pointed out that the
difference between the two figures
rested on the admissions work done
by the student body.
Before concluding, Case said that
the Trustees unanimously voted faculty representation at future Trustee meetings. He closed the Convocation with the suggestion that "we
might all toast Bard's 100th Anniversary which is coming up soon."
-F.P.C.
Bishop Boynton
Confirms Three
The Right Reverend Charles Boynton, Sufferagen Bishop of New York,
conducted a service of confinnation
in the Chapel last Thursday, May
13. This was the first such service
to be held at Bard in several years.
After having been prepared for the
Sacrament by the Reverend Lever
Bates, Ann Avery, Peter Martin, and
Richard Kraus were confirmed.
Students of the College assisting
in the Service were Herb Graefe
Tom Whitcomb, Michael Winn, Har~
ry Linindoll, and David White.
Following the Service, a supper
attended by approximately 35 people
was held at the home of Rev. and
Mrs. Bates, in Tivoli.
PAGE 2
COMAIUNITAS
May 20, 1954
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COMMl,T NETAS
EDITORIAL BOARD
FRANCES CO CANTARELLA, GEORGE W ALTUCH, DAVID
L.
WHITE
Published weekly on Thursday during the academic year except during vacations
and the last two weeks of each semester.
Opinions expressed in COMMUNITAS are those of individuals and not necessarily those of this publication, or of the Bard College Community.
Paid advertising space does not necessarily represent endorsement of the matter
therein by the publication or of the Bard College Community.
Telephones: college phone, Red Hook 2411 ; private phone RH 5091.
EDITORIAL
We Still Like Bard
Several weekends ago, Bard had the honor of entertaining three
The contingent from Cambridge came for the
purpose of doing an article on Bard for the Harvard Crimson.
The
story is to be part of a series of features on "three small New England
Colleges," in which the editors,
n •••
tried to pick three (colleges) which
are as different as possible both in character and success.
Bard, which
we feel has largely failed, is young, ultra-progressive and financially on
the rocks.
Amherst, which we feel has been highly successful, is old,
conservative and wealthy.
May 18,1954
To the Editors:
Feature Editor .................... ............................. ..... .Eva LaSalle
Cultural Editor ......................................... ....... .......Irving Dworetzsky
IJiterary Editor
.......................................... Zelda Abele
Sports Editor .................. ...... ..
... John Baruch
Copy Editor
Doris Pines
Business Manager
__ .Peter B. Weston
Advertising Manager
_._.AI Landau
Circulation .... .-.. -............. -...
................ -............... Esther Heiferman
visitors from Harvard.
Letters to the Editors
Middlebury, in the middle, is a perfect amal-
gam of both the advantages and disadvantages of a small college."
The
quote taken from the CrimJ011 was apparently written before any of
the articles were.
The "journalists" from the banks of the Charles River, obviously
Your editorial in the April 8th
issue brought to the attention of the
community the already popular misconception thoat the Educational
Policies Committee is "not fulfilling
its functions." While we EPC members appreCiate your efforts to renew interest in our work, we should
like to point out that EPC has been
working very well this semester; we
are no longer swamped by idle conjecture on the present and potential
scope of EPC's function , but have
been functioning since February.
Despite the handicaps pointed out
in your editorial: an appalling lack
of conununity interest, reflected within EPC by a series of resignations,
and some difficulty in finding willing
and seriously interested candidates
to fill the vacancies; EPC has sponsored a successful School-College
Conference, has nearly completed a
workable faculty evaluation sheetwhic will be in use before the end
of this semester, and has been attending COAS meetings to consider
proposed changes in the senior year
curriculum (particularly the Senior
Project). Most of our meetings have
been devoted to an examin·ation of
the senior year experience; a letter
on the subject, sent to all recent
alumni, has provoed some very interesting and l or helpful replies; we
hope to question present seniors,
who are certainly closest to the
problem, as well.
Finally, I would like to agree
wholeheartedly with your statement
that "a working Educational Policies
Committee is one of the greatest
advantages to be derived from the
Bard type of education," and to reiterate my conviction that EPC has
been "working" all semester - and
expects to continue to do so in the
future.
Sincerely,
Rose Bakst
for EPC
pressed for time, were nor able to attend any classes at Bard but despite
this handicap their keen insight into educational matters permitted them
to give a detailed analysis of the qualificatons and comptence of the
faculty and student body.
Their perceptiveness was further pointed out
by the fact that they were able to give a detailed evaluation of the
whole Bard set-up in the space of a twenty-four hour weekend.
Simply for the sake of an academic comparison, the editors have
collected the CrimJOn'J opinions on certain phases of Bard and parelleled
them with the statements m~de by the Middle .States Association of
PLEASE NOTE ...
THE THIRD OF A
SERIES OF FOUR
COMMUNITY DANCES
WILL BE HELD
Colleges and Secondary Schools, last Spring. ,. The Middle States Association is composed of a group of prominent educators and scholars whose
function it is~o evaluate schools.
We have also compared some of the
statements made in the Crimson with other figures and statements from
TOMORROW EVENING
THE FLICKS: Just opened; 3 du Maullassant stories; The Mask, The
MGdel, and The House of Madam.e Tellier are all incorporated in LE
PLAISER showing at the Normandie. The cast includes Jean Gabin,
Claude Dauphin, Danielle Darrieux, and Simone Simon. For lovers of
sight and sound, 3 COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN is cinemas coping with
Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire and others at the Roxy. The yarn takes
place in Rome. ANA-TA-HAN by Josek von Sternberg of BLUE ANGEL
fame is currently at the Plaza. For real entertainment BEAT THE
DEVIL with Bogart, Jeniffer Jones, Ginga Lollobrigida, Robert Morley
and Peter Lorre are at the 68th Thea. The plot was hatched by Truman
Capote and John Huston. The Art at 8th and 5th Avenue is running to
J. A. Rank thrillers which are well worth seeing, TURN THE KEY SOFrLY, and a terrifying tale, THE HIDDEN ROOM. AROUND B'DWAY:
Fact Finders Association scientifically claims that the May 1st performance of OH MEN! OH WOMEN! rates an average of 2.4 laughs per
minute. Opens the 25th MONSERRAT, by Lillian Hellman adaptation
of Emmanuel Roble's work. THE THREE PENNY OPERA is going into
its last two weeks and The Cherry Lane Theatre is continuing Philip
Barry's HERE COME THE CLOWNS.
Bard's jazz enthusiasts will be interested to learn that the First
American Jazz Festival sponsored by Newport Jazz Festival Inc., will be
held the weekend of July 17-18 e.t Newport Casino, New Port Island and
will include practically every big name jazz musician in the business.
People like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Eddie Condon, Toddy Wilson,
Art Tatum, Erroll Gamer; Gerry Mulligan, Stan Kenton, Sarah Vaughan,
Ella Fitzgerald, Osrer Peterson, Count Basie, Lester Young, Roy Eldrige,
Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz and George
Shearing are all scheduled to take part in the jamboree.
Jazz, the sponsors feel, is America's only original art form in music.
They hope the festival will promote a wider understanding and appreciation of this American Folk Form. Proceeds from the festival, a nonprofit enterprise, will be used to give scholarships in Jazz and in the
study of the origins of American Folk Music. High fidelity recordings
will be made of the entire Festival, and will be presented to the Library
of Congress.
Advisory Board for the event will include society leaders, classical
and jazz composers and musiCians, music authorities and critics, and distinguished business leaders. A partial listing includes: Louis Armstrong,
Jazz Musician; Leonard Bernstein, Composer, Conductor; Arthur Fiedler,
Conductor; Benny Goodman, Musician; Father Norman O'Connor, Jazz
Authority and Cleveland Amory, Author, Lecturer. A number of afternoon forums will be led by these critics and musicians who will explain
and demonstrate jazz fundamentals and styles.
Tickets for each concert are $5, $4 and $3. Each ticket to an evening
concert includes admission to that afternoon's discussion groups. The
proceeds from the Festival will be used for scholarships in jazz and in the
study of American Folk Music.
NOT SATURDAY
the Bard College catalogue.
THE CRIMSON SAYS ...
On The Town
-FRACAT
between musical ideas and body
movements) harmony, piano, literature and techniques, history of
music, history of scenic design, play
structure, history of the theater
history of costume, criticism and
history of dance.
MIDDLE STATES SAYS ...
". . . many buildings are in e. state
of disrepair."
"Bard College is in a good state
of maintenance . . ."
" ... situated in a dull little hamlet in upper Dutchess County."
Setting-superb . . . Surrounding
conductive to the development of an
academic conununity at once selfreliant and friendly to its neighbors.
emphaSis on individuality at
such a small place has frequently
lead to complete disregard for the
community . . ."
"The students are articulate, elert,
and apparently very much interested
in their community as well as in
their academic program."
Though realizing the difficulties that the journalist undergoes in the
" ... one wonders whether the refreshment (from the Field Period)
is worth the eight weeks of academic endee,vor which are lost."
"The value of the field periods .. .
appears to be well established."
members of our administration were either misquoted or quoted com-
"Most of the Men however, live
in barracks . .. n
Over 80 % of Bard's men stUdents
live in Wardens or Kappa House ...
all constructed of stone to t.he best
of our knowledge.
process of interviewing, we feel it our duty to point out that three
Sunday. May 23
8:30 Your Evening at the Opera.
Monday, May 24
8 :30 The Chuck and Jerry Show
(talk and pop).
9:30 The U.N. in Review (from Columbia U.) .
10:00 Progressive Wax (Dave Banker
and (Jazz).
Tuesday, May 25
8:30 THE TEMPEST by SHAKESPEARE (presented by the B.
B. C.).
pletely out of context.
10 :00 The
"During the last year the circulation (in the library) has increased
from 62 books per student per year
to 85.
Heaviest per student use of any
college in the country.
"Because of its ... small size and
limited resources it cannot attract
too many outstanding men for its
faculty."
Ploose consult the catalogue reo
The Faculty.
replete with passages complimenting Bard, admitting the advantages of
"Detailed research is not part of
the (educational) plan."
Senior Projects-" . . . frequently
resulted in pieces of work that . . .
are of quite unusual merit."
". . . normally of considerable value
in promoting self reliance and a
sense of responsibility."
knock Bard, finds itself devoting a great deal of its space to our advant-
Courses on history, style and development offered at Bard. Introduction to, Intermediate and Advanced Criticism and History of Art.
MusicaJ form as an expression of
movement (analysis of structural
and textural elements of musical
works stressing there relationShip
The Crimson may be correct in stating that Bard newspapers have
in a Fine Arts course here
. (Harvard), a student learns the past
masters, along with the trends in
modem art. At Bard he will learn
to sculpt, paint, and model, with
onlyincidenYaJ. treatment of the
background of the subject.'~
WXBC Program
It was very gratifying to note in reading the Crimson article, that
despite their preconceived notion that Bard had failed, the story was
the Bard type of education and casting glances at the general informality
that prevails ' here.
When a newspaper which has obviously planned to
ages despite themselves, we find that our faith in this institution and
what it stands for is greatly reaffirmed.
disbanded almost yearly.
The Crimso1Z, on the other hand, was founded
in 1873 and has probably never disbanded.
It seems to us, however,
that a record of long-term consistency and tradition does not bring with
it the right to sacrifice accurate and competent journalism.
Musical Comedy Hour
(R u t h Rosenheim presents
Broadway).
11:00 Music for Meditation - The
Music 102 assignment (Janet
Nicholas and May Ascher)
Wednesday, May 26
8:30 London Studio Recitals (Campoli, violin; Eric G r itt 0 n,
piano).
9:00 The WRBC Playhouse.
10:00 Education Around the World
(from Columbia UJ.
Thursday, May 27
9 :30 Dick M·ack presents Music
Without Words.
10:00 Jazz Workshop (Dave Banker
and Dan Butt).
Don't forget, Music for Mediation,
a good time to study, Monday
through Thursday at 11:00.
May 20, 1954
Bard Art Festival
(Continued from Page 1)
Silence," a re-vision of her presentation of last semester, was favorably
received by the audience, and seemed successful in every way. The
theme, though somber, was continually sustained, and the entire group
danced so well as to lend a captivating unity to the work. Participating in musi~ section of the program were Steve Portman, Malcolm
BiIson, Margery Bloch, Naomi Greenberg, and Sandra Propp.
COMMUNITAS
PAGE
A Brief 1-1 istory of
Bard College was founded in 1860
as St. Stephen's College by Mr. and
Mrs. John Bard and a group of their
neighbors and friends. The purpose
of the new institution as set forth
in the origin.al charter granted by
the State Legislature on March 20,
1860, was to establish, conduct and
maintain "a seminary of learning in
Red Hook, Dutchess County, which
shall be training college for the
education and Christian tmining of
Mildred Dunnock, who recently
young men who design to enter the
appeared at Bard in "The Trojan
sacred ministry in the Protestant
Women", opened the second half of
Episcopal Church."
the evening. She spoke of the great
Soon thereafter it extended its
enthusiasm with which Bard stuprogram to become a college of the
dents seemed to be fired. The colarts, letters and sciences with special
lege is an ideal place, she said,
provisions for preministerial stuwhere one dreams of education takdents. The emphasis of the proing place, but at Bard it is a reality.
gram, however. has shifted since
1933 from a predominantly classical
The Drame Department's presentaeducation to one in which the liberal
tion of Anatole France's "The Man
arts and sciences are combined with
Who Married a Dumb Wife", a gay
the fine and performing arts.
slap-stick farce, served as the perJohn Bard and his Family
fect climax of the evening's enterJohn Bard (1819-1899), the foundtainment. Ronald Jacoby as a lawer, was a member of a prominent
yer and Bill Crawford in the bit
Psychology
Hyde Park family. His father, Wilpart of a beggar gave especially fine
liam Bard, (178-1853) was the foundperformances. but so did nearly
(Continued from Page 1)
er, President, and Actuary of the
everyone in the oost.
is radically different from our sub- New York Life Insurance and Trust
During the intermission and bemission of the mind to the laws of Company. His grandfather, Samuel
fore and after the performance, the
Bard (1742-1821), was an eminent
the body, which makes us dependent physician, a founder of the College
Art Gallery was thronged with visitors, most of whom seemed quite on sensory pleasures and weak con- of Physicians and Surgeons (now
student painting and sculpture. Per- trols of the mind dispose Western part of Columbia University), and
impressed with the quality of the man to mental disease which alarmat one time the personal physician
haps the greatest testimony to the
of George Washington.
ingly
increase
in
our
civilization.
success of the evening was revealed
Both Mr. and Mrs. Bard were
by Mr. Case, when he informed the
Thus, the mere existence of Hindu people deeply interested in religion
community that an invitation had
and education. Soon after they purbeen held out to Bard to return psychology is a tremendous chalchased "Blithewood" in 1853, widely
lenge to the west who in this mirror known as one of the most beautiful
;next year.
recognizes its incompleteness, its estates in the East, they started
limitations, its arrogant one-sideed- their educational work, first in nearness and which could recognize here by Madalin, then on their own estate,
of values which we experience in our renamed by them "Annandale". There
one of the roots for the bankruptcy they built a little neighborhood
time. If a culture really finds what school which today is called Bard
it is looking for, did Hinduism find Hall.
eternal energy for the recreation of
The Founding of the College
As early as 1856 the need for a
the self and Western civilization
find atomic energy for the destruccollege which wquld give to YOU~g
men desirous of entering the EP1Stion of man and his works?
copsl ministry, and to others, a
classical education had been discussed with Mr. Bard by the Right
by JOHN BARUC~ Rev. ;Horatio Potter, Bishop of New
York, and the Reverend John McVicker, superintendent of the ProtNow that the rain has finally let up for what looks like the re- estant Episcopal Society for the Promotion of Religion and Learning in
m ai nder of the spring, the athletic program has once again swung
the State of New York, a professor
at Columbia College, and an uncle
ourdoors. The program started last Fridaly with the scheduled tennis
of John Bard. In 1858 the Bishop
classes.
urged that the school then under
the direction of the Reverend George
The spring olltdoor program has not changed from the proposed
Frederick Seymour be expanded into
schedule which was printed in this column several weeks ago. Now
a College. A year later John Bard
offered approximately 15 acres of
thar we can starr rolling, for what we hope to be the remainder of the
land, the Chapel of the Holy Inseason, here is the way that the program shapes up.
nocents the parish school (Bard
Hall) ~nd an annual contribution
The tennis classes will be held from 9.30 A. M. until 12: 30 P. M.
of $1,000 during his life and ability
each morning of the week. Most of the classes are already filled to
toward its establishment. The Socapacity, which is ten students per class. This number has been chosen ciety for the Promotion of Religion
and Learning promised its support,
so that the classes will not be too crowded, and will give each student a charter was oboo.ined from the
Legislature of the State of New York
a chance to playas much tennis as the time permits.
on March 20th, 1860, and about
The archery classes , under the supervision of Steve Barbash and three weeks later, on April 11th,
1860, the institution was for~allY
Nina Priddy, are also filled. They are being held at the athletic field
organized in the offices of B1Shop
on Wednesday morning from 10: 30 to 12: 30, Wednesday afternoon Potter. The first Warden (i.e. President) to be elected was Mr. Seyfrom 2:45 until 3:45, and Thursday from 10: 30 til 12: 30.
mour' the faculty of two included
Two golf classes are being offered, on Wednesday and Thursday the Warden and an assistant professor; and the students numbered
afrernoons from 1 :45 until 3:45. Neither of these classes are comsix.
pletaly filled, and anyone wishing to join them is urged to do so. The
Early trustees included such leaders of the Episcopal clergy as the
other activities being offered are volleyball, and softball.
Rt. Rev. Horatio Potter, the Rev.
The softball team, after a series of well conducted practice sessions, John McVickar, and the Rev. J. Irewas forced to take an undesired rest two Sunday's ago, as the game was land Tucker, and several of Mr.
Bard's friends and neighbors, inrained our. Last Sunday, the team spent the entire afternoon waiting cluding John L. Aspinwall, James
for rheir proposed rivals from the International Business Machine Cor- F. DePeyster, the Hon Hamilton
Fish, Mr. John Jacob Astor, and
poration of Poughkeepsie. The squad from Poughkeepsie, quite well Chancellor John V. L. Pruyn of
known for their efforts in the leagues of the Dutchess County area, Albany. New York.
Three Principal Stages in its History
failed to appear for reasons as yet unknown. The regulars spent the
The history of the College from
afternoon beating a tough outfit under the direction of K. Botsford, 1860 to 1954 comprises three marked
stages. The first is the st. Stephen's
14-16.
period from 1860 until 1934, includThe team looks forward to a game this coming Sunday against ing affiliation with Columbia University in July, 1928; the second is
Red Hook.
This following Sunday 1S still open, but it IS the Bard College, C'olumbia Univerhoped that IBM will be able to make that date. The season concludes sity, period from 1934 to 1944; ~he
third is the post-war period begmwith a Sunday game against New Paltz on the 6th of June.
ning with the resumption of independence as Bard College in July,
1944. During the first two periods,
This coming Sunday, May 23rd, the Red Hook Country Club will the College was a men's institution.
It was at the beginning of the 1944feature golf pro Jimmy Nickols Nickols, a one-armed golfer, has
45 academic year that the College
amazed many fans with his exhibitions over the past years. He is the became co-educational.
The St. Stephen's Period-1860-1934
holder of numerous titles, and has the distinction of shooting a hole-inDuring the St. St('phen's period
one on a three hundred yard hole. I witnessed his feats several years ago,
the College maintained a close reand vouch for the fact that he is well worth seeing. The admission le.tionship with the Protestant Episcopal Church. Until 1933 all of its
is $1.00 and the proceeds will go to charity. For those who find it wardens or presidents were clergymen: (1860-1861) -The Rev. Dr.
discouraging to hit a golf ball with two arms, I suggest seeing Mr. Nichols
George F. Seymour; (1861-1863)I'm quite sure you'll be amazed at his exhibition.
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Richey; (1863-
Bard College
1898)-The Rev. Dr. Robert B. Fairbairn; (1899-1903) - The Rev. Dr.
Laurence Thomas Cole; (1904-1907)
-The Rev. Dr. Thomas R. Harris;
(1909-1919) - The Rev. Dr. William
Cunningham Rodgers; (1919-1933)The Rev. Dr. Bernard Iddings Bell.
Some Notable Alumni of
St. Stephen's Period
As might be e,>pected, the great
majority of the St. Stephen's alumni
entered the ministry. Approximately 1500 students enrolled at St.
Stephen's during those 74 years, 638
of whom earned the bachelor's degree. Alumni now living of this
period include such prominent Episcopal clergymen as the Rt. Rev.
Wallace J. Gardner, D. D., Bishop of
New Jersey; the Rt. Rev. Frederick
L. Barry, D. D., Bishop of Albany;
the Rt. Rev. Horace W. B. Donegan,
D. D., Bishop of New York; the Rt.
Rev. John C'btanler White, retired
Bishop of Springfield, Ill.; the Rt.
Rev. Robert Herbert Mize, retired
Missionary Bishop of Salina; the Rt.
Rev. Frank A. Rhea, Missionary
Bishop of Idaho; the Rt. Rev. George
H. Quarterman, Missionary Bishop
of North Texas; and the Rev. John
Heuss, D.D., Rector, Trinity Church,
New York.
In science, education, and the professions, present-day leaders include
William W. Vogt, National Director
of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Dr. John Joseph
Bittner, George Chase Christian Pr~­
fessor of Cancer Research, and Director. Division of Cancer Biology,
University of Minnesota Mediool
School; Dr. Bostwick H. Ketchum,
marine microbiologist, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution; James P.
Fusscas, Counsel, New York State
Department of Labor; John J. Keppler, Assistant Commissioner, N~W
York State Department of Somal
Welfare; John W. Calkin, mathematician, now with Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory of the University of
California; Rev. George Langdon,
Headmaster of the Salisbury School,
Salisbury, Conn.; and the Rev.
Nicholas Feringa, Headmaster, st.
Paul's School, Garden City, New
York.
1933-34-Year of Transition from
St. Stephen's to Bard
Dr. Bell resigned in June, 1933,
and Dr. Donald G. Tewksbury, then
Associate Professor of Education at
Teachers College, Columbia University, was appointed acting dean by
President Nicholas Murray Butler.
He had been a member of ra. special
committee representing the University which had studied the educational program and administrative
organization of St. Stephen's the
previous spring. One of the first
acts of his administration at the
opening of the 1933 Fall Semester
was to modify the lJatin and Greek
requirements for graduation which
led the New York Telegram to comment favorably in an editorial that
"this was a step in the right direction." Classical subjects would still
be taught, but now, according to Dr.
Tewksbury's statement in the New
York Tribune of September 13, 1933,
St. Stephen's College proposes to
afford full opportunity for young
men to develop their individual talents through a program adapted not
only to their individual needs but to
the demands of contemporary life."
The Bar(1 Plan of Education
Launched in 1924
What has since come to be known
as the Bard Plan was beginning to
oo.ke form. The first formal announcement of its purposes and objectives was published before the
opening of the 1934-35 academic year.
Describing it as "an educational
program for young men of distinctive ability,' Dean Tewksbury asserted that its speCial contribution to
'higher education would be a result
of the combination of the following
'seven major points:
"l-The conventional requirements for admission to college wi! be sharply modified.
"2-The particular abilities, interests, tastes, and purposes
of the student himself will
be the center around which
he will be permitted under
guidence to build his own
course of study.
"3-The student will devote most
of his time and effort
throughout his four years to
his own field, but as he proceeds he will be encouraged
to widen his interests and
extend his studies.
"4-The student will be expected
to assume the chief respon(Continued on Page 4)
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CARNIVAL STORY
JOHN FLETCHER
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SANITONE SERVICE
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COMMUNITAS
4
A Brief History
(Continued from Page 3)
sibility for his own education.
"5-Teaching will be looked upon,
not as a handing out of information and accumulated
wisdom, but as 'companionship in learning.'
"6-An unusual and striking feature in the new program is
the new program is the arrangement of the rolendar
of the college year to provide for a field and reading
period of six weeks at midyear between the two semesters.
"7-An important modification of
the usual college curriculum
for young men will consist
in the distinctive place given
to work in the field of arts."
Statements enthusiastically supporting the new program came from
leaders in education, religion, and
industrY - Nicholas Murray Butler,
Robert D. Leigh, V. T. Thayer, Rt.
Rev. William T . Manning, Thomas
J, Watson, Cleveland E. Dodge.
Problems of Financial Support
1934-44
In spite of the dramatic and distinctive qualities of the new program and its impressive sponsorship,
economic factors during the thirties
impeded its progress. It was an expensive program and gifts to meet
operating expenses as well as to
build endowment were hard to obtain. The Carnegie Corporation gave
substantial assistance at the beginning to enable the program to get
started and Columbia University
continued to help with opemting
deficits, but the College always lacked
adequate workin'!, capital. The year
1938 was critical financially; then
World War II and the added problem of shrinking enrollment in a
men's college seriously threatened
the existence of the institution.
During these ten years of affiliotion with Columbia University which
terminated in 1944, the College had
as its executive officers Dr, Donald
Tewksbury (1933-37), now Professor
of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University; Dr. Harold Mestre,
a distinguished biophysicist who was
director of studies during the 193738 academic year, then dean until
the opening of the 1939 academic
year when he suddenly died; Dr.
Poughkeepsie Paper Co., Inc.
•
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Phone 9015
Robert Leigh, acting dean during the ence when Dean Gray became Presifall of 1939, a former president of dent Gray. In 1946 he resigned to
Bennington College and a distin- become head of the English Departguished educator; and Dr. C. Harold ment at Rensselaer Polytechnic InGray who came to Bard in January stitute, Troy, New York, and in 1953
1940, from Bennington College and he was appointed Chairman of the
who remained until after the was Departmnt of Acadmic Studies at
the Juilliard School of Music in New
as head of the College.
The 1938 financial crisis of the York City. He was succeeded at
College which received wide atten- Bard by Dr. Edward C. Fuller who
tion was first publicly revealed by had been appOinted to the faculty
by MARVIN FLICKER
President Butler's report to his by Dean Tewksbury and who had
trustees on January 26th of that made important contributions to the
Scores of Bardians gathered on the
year. An editoriBl comment in the theory and practice of college science
poughkeepsie Star on Monday, Jan- teaching. He resigned in June, 1950, 'quadrangle' overlooking the Gym
uary 31, 1938, entitled "Educational to become Professor of Chemistry at Saturday night to hear the visiting
Cha.mplain College, Plattsburg, New bagpipers. Bar d's contingent of
Tragedy," stated:
York. James H. Case, Jr., now Presi- Scotchmen were not to be outdone.
"Shocking news came out of
dent of the College, came to Bard in Janet Goldenberg '57 and Pat Hecht
Annandale-on-Hudson over the
July 1950, after serving as President were doing the Fling with the best
weekend w hen announcement
of them.
of Washington and Jefferson Colwas made to the 136 students
Saturday the Fairburn "social sealege, Washington, Pennsylvania.
of Bard College tbat unless solution of the College's financial
During the three and a half years son" got underway at a party which
difficulties is found, the College
of his administration Bard has con- started in the afternoon, turning
will be forced to suspend operastantly improved its academic sta- into a battle in Dining Commons
tions at the end of the current
ture as an "uncommon college" and and ended in a gin party of e. more
semester . . .
gifts from friends, alumni, and trus- sedate nature that evening. Said
"It would be an educational
tees have reached their highest level Mr. Manuel Vega, impressed with
tragedy indeed, both for the
since the days of St. Stephen's, when the students' attitude following the
cause of education and for
the College was under the patronge Dining Commons skirmish, said, "In
Dutchess County which is so
of the Episcopal Church. The gift no other college in the country
proud to house Bard College,
of "Blithewood, the 825 acre neigh- would you find the students cleanwere the College forced to
boring estate, by its owner, Christian ing up a mess after they had made
close ...
A. Zabriskie, in 1951 represents the it."
Rev. Mr. Shelton Hale Bishop,
Public response locally and from largest single gift in the College's
rector of the l>argest Episcopal Conmany parts of the country was history,
prompt so that by Monday, March
The academic health and quality gregation in the United States was
22, 1938, the decision of January of the College was most recently at- the guest of the Bard Chapel this
Sunday. Rev. Bishop was respon26th was reversed. For 1938-39 the tested to by a committee of the
Rhinebeck Gazette of March 25,1938, Middle States Association of Colleges sible for cleaning up a great number
of terroristic gangs in Harlem a few
College, according to a report in the and SecondarY Schools, top accreditwas to be financed by $30,000 to be ing body in this area, who inspected years ago.
contributed by Columbia University Bard in the Spring of 1953. In their
Dr. Robert Koblitz Dr. William
and $30,000 pledged to be raised by report they noted that the academic Fmuenfelder, and Dr. Felix Hirsch
Were forced to cancel their Monday
faculty and students.
"program is frankly unique and exThe report went on to soy that perimental, directed toward a new and Tuesday classes. They are attending a meeting of the Board of
word of the decision "was flashed to approach to the liberal arts, with
the college immediately. The stu- considerable opportunity for special- Trustees, which it is understood to
be of rather serious and urgent
dents built a huge bonfire on the iootion in the fine arts, and with a
campus and, decorating more than sense of responsibility for the whole nature.
Uncommon insight and sensibility
fifty cars with streamers and bunt- college community."
plus imaginitive use of technique in
ing, met Dean Mestre and party at
the creation of Adolph's Moscow
the Barrytown station and conveyed
Mules makes them an unforgettable
them in a gigantiC processional to
experience. Worries about Senior
the College."
Projects, term papers, exams, etc.
Progress, War, and in 1944
VILLAGE
vanish as though they never existed
Resumption of Independent Status:
following a treatment with this
The Third Phase
cure-all tonic.
RESTAURANT
The following three years the ColMiss Marion Thompson, former
lege started to expand its enrolldirector of Student Personnel is now
ment and to give evidence of inassociated with the Girl Guides of
Near the Movies
creasing academic -and financial
America in New ork City.
health only to be struck by the war.
All those who are planning to do
This time the situation appeared to
Field Period work this summerbe saved by tl,le establishment dureither as a make-up project or as
ing 1943-44 of an Army Specialized
advanced work to be credited for
Training Program on the campus.
Rhinebeck, N. Y.
next winter - please submit your
The army programs in colleges were,
plans to the PR Office by June 1st.
however, short-lived, and a fresh
crisis arose for Bard when they were
terminated. In June, 1944, it was
announced that Bard College would
THE SLATER SYSTEM
resume its status as an independent
college and simultaneously open its
doors to women.
Bard College Today
This June will conclude the tenth
year of the "third phase" that bege.n
with Bard's resumption of independ-
STOCK EN BURG
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Here and There With the Faculty
•
FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT
FIR 5 T
NATIONAL
Alumni News
Class of 1950
LEWIS SILVERS is now teaching
art in Coronado, California.
ELLIOT HALPERN is living in
Sherman Oaks, California.
INGE SCHNEIER is with the
Social Science Foundation of the
University of Denver.
ZOE WARREN has been awarded
a Fulbright Scholarship to study the
Bharate. Natya dance technique in
India and also speCial work in
Madras.
Class of 1952
A son, Peter Eric, was born to
Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Abrons
(MIMI MULWITZ) on April 17th.
Announcement has been made of
the engagement of CORINNE STALLER to Stephan Pollon.
JACK JOLLIFFE, now stationed
at Fort Dix and a recent visitor to
campus, is engaged to NINA PRIDDAY '54.
BOB LADD, returned from his
army stint in Japan, visited campus
early in April.
Class of 1953
A daughter was born to JOAN
(Crevier) and EMME'IT O'BRIEN.
Cle.ss of 1954
BEATRICE "Rusty" GROSS, a
December 1953 graduate, is engaged
to Howard Atkin of New York City.
Class of 1955
MARJORIE PEAR, now studying
at Adelphi College, is engaged to
Elliot Baritz. A June wedding is
planned.
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Dr. Felix Hirsch will be a Visiting
Lecturer at the Institute of Tecnnology in Baden, Germany, for the
first semester.
Dr. Adolf Sturmthal spent the
Easter weekend on the campus with
his family completing plans for their
return this summer. His latest book,
"Unity and Diversity in European
Labor" was published in December.
Gerard DeGre, Associate Professor
of Sociology, has an article in "Contemporary Social Reform Movements"
recently published by Scribner's.
Professor Stefan Hirsch acted as
a judge in the 47th annual Indiana
Artists exhibition held at Herron
Art Museum in Indl6napolis, Indiana
May 2 through 30.
Mr. Andrew Wanning served as a
judge at Mt. Holyoke's annual contest for undergraduate poets. Participants include representatives from
Amherst, Connecticut, Mount Holyoke, Tufts, Williams and Vassar.
Red Hook, N. Y.
Red Hook, New York
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