10 p, one-sided pages, mimeograph on matte off white paper. Staple in top left corner, 15 horizontal folds. Announces that an article "Black Mountain's Tenth" was featured in Time of the Dec 27 issue Announces that Gretel, Edward Lowinsky and their daughter arrived at Lake Eden on Dec 30. Students present- mentions that the returing old students include Betty Kelley, Mary Brett, Aurora Cassetta Piscitello, Dick Bush-Brown and Irene Sagan. The entering students include: Nancy Albee, Dan Dixon, Jerome S. Flax, Hampton Duxbury, Anne Gantt, Mary Kriger, Irene Lott, Janet Rees, Flora Ricks, Gerden Rollins.Visitors- Junelaine Smith visited the day before Christmas and left one day after the New Year's Day Richard-David Smith visited last Friday. Miram Frankel and James Norton visited last weekend Mr and Mrs George Thorp of Chicago visited last weekend Corporal Willo Von Moltko visited today.
BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE COMMUNITY BULLETIN
College Year 11 Bulletin 13
Monday, January 3, 1943 (Vacation Issue 2)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
“Black Mountain’s Tenth” is the title of the feature article in the Education Section of the December 27 issue of the Time.
The program notes on Edward Grieg, prepared by Ruth Miller and Maja Bentley for Station WISE for three radio programs in January, have been printed and are being distributed among the Western North Carolina school children this week.
The College has been invited by Radio Station WISE in Asheville to prepare two programs on Stephen Foster and his music for the Children’s Series. The radio programs will be given the last two Wednesdays in March.
Quintus Dreier, having received a scholarship to Putney School, will leave next week for Vermont to enter this school.
Holly Gregory left by train yesterday afternoon for her home in Massachusetts. She will not return to the College in January.
Lydia Griscom will not return to the College in January.
Kenneth Kurtz left yesterday afternoon for a two weeks’ vacation in Florida.
Edward and Gretel Lowinsky and their young daughter, Naomi Ruth, arrived at Lake Eden on Thursday, December 30.
Bob and Lillian Orr and their children have returned from a brief vacation in Tryon, North Carolina.
Mac Wood has been granted a half year’s leave of absence from the College. He and Emily have gone to Florida.
Bob Wunsch has returned to Lake Eden after a short vacation at his home in Monroe, Louisiana. He is at present getting together a collection of College photographs for the Associated Press, working on the January Newsletter copy, writing an article for The Carolina Stage, and junior and senior colleges in February, and making plans for a tour of Mid-Western high schools.
BUILDING PROGRAM:
The foundations for the Magnesium Pilot Plant have been laid and the side walls are already up. Working on the building project are Hurley Brandon, Arthur Reed, and Max Penley. For a while Quintus Dreier was a day laborer on the job. Ted Hines has also helped now and then with the work.
Bas Allen and Pearson Mundy are building the barn shed for the beef cattle.
APPOINTMENTS:
Bas Allen has been appointed Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. Ross Penley has been appointed Superintendent of the Farm. Roger Banks, formerly a student at the nearby Farm School, has taken up his work as assistant to Ross Penley. He and his wife are now living in the top floor apartment in the Studies Building.
FROM THE BUSINESS OFFICE:
Ted Dreier announces that during the month of December gifts totaling four thousand and eighty dollars ($4080.00) were received by the College.
As yet, there have been no reports from the students who are raising money for the College during the Winter Vacation.
B M C COMMUNITY BULLETIN- 1943-44 BULLETIN – 13 – Page Two (Vacation Bulletin 2)
RECENT VISITORS:
Junclaine Smith arrived for a visit to Lake Eden the day before Christmas and left for her home in New Orleans the day after New Year’s Day.
Ricard Davis-Smith of Washington, D.C. is visiting Ted Hines. He arrived on Friday evening of last week.
Miriam Frankel and James Norton of Antioch College were week-end visitors at Lake Eden.
Mr. and Mrs. George Thorp of Chicago visited the Edward Lowinskys last week-end. Mr. Thorp was for two years in charge of Quaker projects for refugees in Iowa.
Corporal Wille Von Moltke, an apprentice teacher in the Art Department at Black Mountain College during the Fall Semester of 1940, arrived at Lake Eden this afternoon for a visit of twenty-four hours.
A Recent Letter:
Dillon Graham, Chief of the Bureau of the Associated Press in Charlotte, North Carolina, writes in part:
“It is likely that there may be a picture-story for the Associated Press Photo Service about Black Mountain College.
Could you arrange to have a set of pictures made and forwarded here at your earliest convenience? We could possibly use a dozen or more pictures, with the main emphasis on the non-schoolroom activities, such as the students running the college farm and performing other maintenance tasks. Of course, some conferences, student signing contracts to perform certain scholastic and other duties.”
WINTER QUARTER STUDENT ADDITIONS:
Among the returning old students will be Betty Kelley, Mary Brett, Aurora Cassotta Piscitello and Irene Sagan. Dick Bush-Brown will also return to the College on January 18.
Among the entering students will be: Nancy Albec, Dan Dixon, Jerome S. Flax, Hampton Duxbury, Anne Gantt, Mary Kriger, Irene Lott, Janet Rees, Flora Ricks, Gordon Rollins.
WITH FORMER STUDENTS:
New Addresses:
Private Henry B. Adams,
A.S.N. 14167532
4th Co., 4th Trng. Regt.
A.S.T.P. B.T.C.
Fort Bonning, Georgia
Cynthia Carr, Ph. M. 3/C
U.S.N. Hospital
Waves Barracks
Memphis, 15, Tennessee
Mrs. D. D. Dwight
Box 57 Route 1
c/o J.D. Duskin
Gulfport, Missippi
Alexander Eliot
Office of War Information
35 West 45th Street
New York, NewYork
Nan Oldenburg
54 Main Street
Concord, Massachusetts
A/C W.C. Berry, A.S.N. 14175101
557 N.T.S, Flight 44
Class 44-4
Solman Field
Monroe, Louisiana
Mrs. William C. Diffenderfer
(Dora Harrison)
7214 Oak Street
New Orleans, 16, Louisiana
D.D. Dwight
Squadron 592
Flight B Gulfport Field
Gulfport, Missippi
Lieutenant G. Henrickson 01051595
Co. E, 10th Bn, 3rd Regt.
Camp Reynolds
Greenville, Pennsylvania
Nancy Russ
190 North Paul Street
Brookline 46, Massachusetts
B M C COMMUNITY BULLETIN- 1943-44 BULLETIN- Page Three (Vacation Bulletin 2)
Avn/ F.M. Stone, 32423119
Sqdn. 21, Bks. C. SAAAS
Santa Ana, California
Private Ralph W. Tyler
Company A, AST 1147 West Hall
University of New Hampshire
Durham, New Hampshire
J.K. Tankersley S/2C (RM)
Bldg. 175 WAVE Barracks
N.O.B.
Key West, Florida
Sybil Yamins
123 West Thirteenth Street
New York, 11, New York
IN THE MAIL:
Private Henry Adams writes from Ft. Benning: “I’ve been in basic training here since December 6. Every day there are eight hours of drill, tactical training, classes, and hard work. This heavy work went on without a break right up to Christmas Eve. When Christmas day arrived, it meant only another day off for us. But that, believe me, means a lot to us poor overworked basic trainees… This basic training center at Ft. Benning is reserved for mean who have qualified for the A.S.T.P….Everyman here has had a high school education, and many have gone to college. As a result there are a great many really intelligent conversations on current affairs the war, art, literature, and general topics. Any person fortunate enough to be in the ASTP can have a good time just talking and exchanging opinions with intelligent people of a good background.. There is one great disappointment about this place. We thought that Georgia in the winter would be a warm place with soft, balmy breezes by day and clear, starlit skies at night. Were we disappointed? You bet. It is always… cold or rainy, or on too many occasions, both. But the Army never worries about that. Our military training continues on schedule right through mud, ice and sleet…”
Barbara Dwight writes from Mississippi(Gulfport): “Dunc started school here yesterday. Mechanics will be quite a new field for him, and, I hope, an interesting one. He will have a little more time off here than he did as a cadet- which will be very nice.. We spent a brief furlough in New Orleans … We saw the Westons and Mickey and Carol. We saw quite a bit of Mickey and just a glimpse of Carol on her way to bed. Mickey has lots of poise and charm.”
Alex Eliot writes from New York City: “At present I am writing and directing propaganda shorts for overseas distribution by the O.W.I.. Have applied for a commission in the Navy. My application has been approved and it looks as though it may well go through. I have not seen many of the former BMC people. Harry Winter married my sister-in-law, lives nearby. And is now Export Manager of Pepsi-Cola….Katz, Gair and Steinau I’ve glimpsed on their appointed rounds. I’d like to get in touch with Dick Andrews. Do you know his address?”
Lieutenant George Hendickson writes from Camp Reynolds: “The letter from Flight Sergeant Carlton (quoted in Bulletin 11) was most heartening. It is damned heartening to feel that others besides ourselves feel that Black Mountain has a future worth. Not only is it heartening, but it puts upon the College itself a great obligation, not only to the United States, but, it would seem, to the world at large to carry on in spite of war, flood, hell and damnation. Every spark of human decency and every liberal thing should be kept alive for the future. Somehow it is your job to nurse this thing through the darkness of the coming months. You all owe not only the present student body as well as the future, but those of us who were students a moral debt that the College will go on…”
A/S Otis Levy writes from Pullman, Washington: “The results of the Dramatists Alliance Contest sponsored by Stanford University came last night… Some woman from Canada won the money, and I won ‘Secondary Honors’.”
B M C COMMUNITY BULLETIN- 1943-44 BULLETIN- Page Four (Vacation Bulletin 2)
Nan Oldenburg writes from Concord, Massachusetts: ‘I don’t know that I could have gone to a place more different from Black Mountain than Radcliffe is: Most of my classes are just straight lectures. The professor reads his lecture and the students take down as many of his words as possible. Nobody is ever asked a question, nobody ever asks one. At first this system made me mad, but now I realize that it forces people to learn a great deal, including me…..Since I don’t live in a dormitory, I don’t know anything about Radcliffe’s social life. The girls seem all very kind and nice.”
Nancy Russ writes: “I’m still working over at M.I.T. for the Navy. It’s a nice but hard job.”
Morton Steinau writes from Philadelphia on December 12: “Corporal J. Evarts wired that he will be coming through Phila from N.Y. today, and will stop for half a day….Uncle Sam feels that things are now so serious in the conduct of the war that he is obliged to have my assistance; being over a weak soul, I have acquiesced, and will join his forces next month.”
Nancy West writes from Hartford, Connecticut: “Well, it looks like I’ll be going to the Rhode Island School of Design sometime in February. Among other things I plan take a course in textiles. I’ve joined a dramatic group here in Hartford and enjoy it very much. They’re thinking of giving ‘Shadow and Substance’ next and they’re thinking of having me take the part of Bridgit.”
Sybil Yamins writes from New York City: “The work at the Red Cross is intensely interesting, and I am very enthusiastic about it. It doesn’t seem possible I have been out of college and working for six months now. The first few months, especially during the summer, I just enjoyed the freedom of being out of school, with no term papers, exams, and the like on my mind, and time to do lots of the reading I had wanted to and hadn’t these past few years. But now I am seriously considering taking a night course or two at Columbia or N.Y.U.- the sort of thing I didn’t get enough of at Black Mountain and couldn’t squeeze in at Simmons with all the required courses. It is ironical that when you are in school you seem to look forward to graduation and a job; then, when you have them, suddenly you want more education.”
COMMENTS ON ROMAN MACIEJCZYK:
Mrs. Rebecca Mangold writes from Pasadena, California: “Roman had developed in so many ways this last year. He had grown up, and had overcome so many ways this last year. He had grown up, and had overcome so many of his obstacles….He loathed the cruelty and brutality of war, and the thought of killing his fellow men was abhorrent to him. Yet he had a keen sense of duty and integrity and had such fine ideas of what he hoped he might do to help to make a better world when the war would be over…..The funeral was on Thursday, December 2. A fine young pilot accompanied Roman.. He remained for the funeral, and he told me how much Roman was appreciated in the camp, and what a wonderful navigator he was…. We know so little of what happened; in fact, I think there’s little to be known. It was about 11:30 on the evening of the 24th. They had been up more than five hours, and were circling for clearance to land. Everyone was killed instantly. It was very foggy in the field that night. That is all we know…”
Lieutenant George Hendrickson writes from Camp Reynolds: “I was shocked to read about Roman Maciejczyk in the last bulletin. It brings everything rather close when this business gets people you know personally. I’m afraid that this is only the beginning, and that there is a very black year or two ahead of us..”
Private Isaac Nakata writes from Camp Shelby in Mississippi: “With surprise and sorrow I read the news of Roman’s death in the college bulletin…We had been in constant correspondence ever since he was inducted last summer.. I can think only of his pleasant personality and his good character…About three weeks before his death Roman wrote to me from Wendover Field. I should think you would be interested to know how he felt then, so I am taking the
B M C COMMUNITY BULLETIN- 1943-44 BULLETIN- Page Five (Vacation Bulletin 2)
Liberty of quoting from a paragraph of his letter:
‘I often wonder what we’ll do with ourselves once the war is over. Those with families have the problem solved for them, but we single ones will have to blendly start anew at some indefinite point. For myself, I’m trying to save enough for another college year until I can otherwise answer the problem. Of course if I don’t return, the problem will have solved itself very simply. However, it is the general characteristic of youth never to apply death to itself, but to others, so I continue to assume my return- but the perennial question is: To what? And For what?’
Roman was like that, always searching, thinking and busy. The lack of stimulating thought in the army bored him…”
Phyllis Joseph Thomas writes from Philadelphia:”I think we have lost a really gifted creative and brilliant young man. I think Roman would have made his mark as an anthropologist. His death provides a real test for our belief in this war and what he and the rest of us are fighting for. I know it won’t be the last such test, either….”
Note: Roman’s mother, Mrs. Louise Maciejczyk lives now at 4485 Colbath Avenue in Sherman Oaks, California.
WITH FORMER TEACHERS:
Walter C. Barnes
Wheelock College
Pilgrim Road
Boston, Massachusetts
Dr. and Mrs. Fritz Moellenhoff
106 North Glen Oak Avenue
Peerin, Illinois
Corporal Wille Von Moltke, 31303413
Company 6, 24th Battalion
Seventh Regiment, I.R.T.C.
Fort McClellan, Alabama
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Martin
3819 W Street S.E.
Washington, D.C.
Allan and Betty Sly
616 Prince George Street
Williamsburg, Virginia
EXCERPTS FROM RECENT LETTERS:
Mrs. Fritz Moellenhoff writes from Peerin, Illinois: “We have had a very busy and somewhat exhausting year. We are without a resident physician and the number of patients, mostly from the closeby rural districts has greatly increased….The children are growing up…Esther is a junior at the University of Chicago preparing to major in psychology….Andrea is a freshman in high School…”
Lieutenant Bedford Thurman writes from Lubbock Field in Texas: “Well, I did it. I get married Saturday night, 27 Nov., to the sweetest girl in the world…A Lubbock girl…..Read every word in the college bulletins. B.M.C. must go on and on….”
FOR THE RECORD:
The holidays at Lake Eden
The mica miners finished their new tunnel just in time to make it a Christmas present for Dr.Hansgirg.
The Herbert Millers served tea at their home to all the people who came in to hear President Roosevelt’s Christmas Eve message.
Ross Penley invited the few remaining students to a Christmas Even supper- to a table leaded with steak, chicken, oysters, drinks and vegetables.
After the meal the students sang Christmas carols in front of each house. They were invited in for refreshments.
Christmas Dinner was the leading event of the holidays. It was
B M C COMMUNITY BULLETIN- 1943-44 BULLETIN- 13 – Page Six (Vacation Bulletin 2)
Prepared by Malory Few and her staff and served on white table cloths.
The Robert Orrs had open house on Christmas afternoon.
The kitchen staff failed to appear to cook breakfast on the morning after Christmas. Ben Sneed, on his round of firing the furnaces, notes this fact and reported it to Kenneth Kurtz. Kenneth and Trudi Straus prepared breakfast.
Ann Kurtz, who has been ill now for more than a month, spent part of the holidays in a hospital in Asheville. Ann is slowly recovering.
The NewYear was ushered in with a number of parties. The students celebrated in the lobby of South Lodge before a log fire.
Reported by Ted Hines
B M C COMMUNITY BULLETIN- SUPPLEMENT TO BULLETIN 13 (Vacation Bulletin 2)
DEREK BOVINGDON MEMORIAL FUND
Largely through the efforts of Charles Lindsley, who taught chemistry at the College from September, 1938 to September, 1941 and who was a special friend of Derek Bovingdon, a student a the College for almost exactly the same period of time, a memorial trust fund has been set up to provide scholarship loans to students who could not afford otherwise to come to Black Mountain College. The trustees of the Fund are his wife, Barbara Siock Bovingdon, his mother, Gortrude King Bovingdon, Charles Lindsley and Theodore Dreier, who as treasurer of the College will be Ex-Officio treasurer of the Fund. Barbara and the Siock family have contributed (2000 to begin with a substantial basis for the Fund. However, it has been thought that many others who know Derek would like to participate; so all who would like to are hereby invited to contribute. Other contributions, as a matter of fact, have already started to come in from both present and past members of the Black Mountain College Community. The Fund will not only be a help to those individuals who benefit directly from it but also to the College in that it will make it mere nearly possible to carry out the policy of admitting students on the basis of their merit and their promise of future development no matter what their financial status may be. Checks should be made out to the Derek Bovingdon Memorial Fund and sent directly to the Treasurer at the College.
ANOTHER MEMORIAL?
Since the above trust was established, Roman Maciejczyk not his death in a very similar way when the bomber he was in crashed. Unfortunately it is to be expected that other alumni of the College will die in the war. The question has been raised whether in addition to the fund in memory of Derek there should not be established a memorial for all former members of the Black Mountain Community who give their lives. Several people have already suggested that a scholarship fund would also be most appropriate for this purpose. Either this or some other form of memorial might serve, although it will probably take some time to work this out. The matter will be taken up soon by faculty and student officers, and suggestions will be welcome.
