5 p, one sided pages, mimeograph on matte off white paper. Updates from former students, campus announcements, news regarding the student community work program.
BLACK MOUNTAIN COLLEGE
Community Bulletin Bulletin 14
College Year 12 Monday, January 22, 1945
CALENDAR:
There will be a world news summary tomorrow evening at 7:00 o’clock in the Lobby of South Lodge. Bill McLaughlin will give a report on the happenings in the Americas, and Dick Bush-Brown will summarize the news in the rest of the world.
The Board of Fellows will meet in Bob Wunsch’s study tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 o’clock.
The Faculty and Student Officers will meet in the Faculty Room on Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Seven or eight Education students of Temple University will pay a three-day study-visit to Black Mountain College, beginning on February 2.
Herbert Miller has been made a member of the local Price Control Panel covering Black Mountain, Swannanoa and Oteen. His special field will be restaurants and food stores. At times, he will ask for students to volunteer to help in checking prices.
Trudi Straus left on Saturday afternoon for Baltimore, Maryland, to be with Dr Erwin Straus next week.
Tea will be served on Wednesday and Friday afternoons each week in the Lobby of the South Lodge from 3:45 to 4:30 o’clock.
The first Student Meeting of the 1945 Winter Quarter was held on Tuesday evening in the Lobby of the South Lodge. Bill McLaughlin, the new Student Moderator, was the chairman of the meeting. The students named candidates to fill the vacancies left by the withdrawal from the College of Harriett Jones and Egbert Swackhamer, organized the Community Work Program for the next three months and decided to hold meetings twice a month.
Patsy Lynch and Edwin Woldin were chosen student officers in the Tuesday elections. The other officer for the remainder of the College year is Eleanor Smith.
Black Mountain College has added two men to its teaching staff, Dr Max Wilhelm Dehn, as Visiting Professor of Mathematics, and David Corkran, as Visiting Instructor of American History and Literature.
Dr Dehn, who was a Tutor at St John’s College during the 1943-44 session, taught, before coming to America, in some of the leading schools and college in Europe. He was Assistant in Geometry and Analysis in the Technische Hoehschule in Earlsruje, Private Docent in Mathematics, and later Professor Titularius at the University of Kiel, Professor of Mathematics at the Technische Heiskole of Trondhjem. He was also a member of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences in Oslo and in Strassburg. When Dr Dehn first came to the United States, he was Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy at the University of Idaho and later Visiting Lecturer at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. Dr Dehn is teaching courses in mathematics and a course in the Platonic Dialogues at Black Mountain College.
Mr Corkran, a graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and of Harvard university, began his teaching career as head of the English Department at Louville Free Academy in Louville, New York. Later he became head of the English Department in the North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka, Illinois. Before coming to Black Mountain College, Mr Corkran was instructor in the teaching of literature and history at the Winnetka Graduate Teachers’ College.. During
BMC Community Bulletin –2- Bulletin 14
The 1935-36 session, Mr Corkran was Acting Headmaster of the North Shore Country Day School, and for the next eight years he was Assistant Headmaster and Dean of Boys at the same institution.
Irma Ehrman, the new student-secretary in the College Office, was formerly a secretary in the College Office, was formerly a secretary with the National Orchestral Association in New York City. Her home is in Flushing, New York. She will do secretarial work for Ted Dreier during the Winter Quarter.
WITH FORMER STUDENTS:
New Addresses:
Leonard Billing
St Croix Friends Service Project
PO Box 282
Christianard, Virgin Islands
In the Mail:
David Bailey writes from Princton, New Jersey: “Ken Webb and I are starting a new school next year. We will be co-directors. Hes on the spot this winter doing the many administrative details, and I’ll take over come summer when he’s at his camp...I think we’re going to have a good school; certainly we will if we get the right teachers. It will be a sort of BMC prep, I suppose.” (Note: According to a folder, the school will open in the Fall of 1945 in Woodstock, Vermont, with accommodations for forty boarding students, boys and girls between the ages of twelve and sixteen... “A high standard of scholarship will be supported by sound, progressive methods. Classes, which are interesting, vital, stimulating, will avail themselves of all the modern techniques which an able, alert faculty can provide... Central to the school’s physical program will be the philosophy of work. Harvesting crops in the Fall, care of livestock, wood cutting, cabin building, carpentry and other construction, planting in the Spring will occupy some of the free time of students and faculty alike. The school’s forty-acre tract of farm land will be supplemented by the resources of Camp Timberlake and Timberlake Farm, both within easy distance for an afternoon or a weekend camping trip.... Regarding the things of the spirit as of equal importance with training of hands and mind, Woodstock Country School will encourage its students in a simple, genuine type of religious life. Two of its founders are Quakers whose concern it will be that something of the calm and poise of the Friends pervade its activities...”
Leonard Billing writes from the Virgin Islands on December 28: “It is surely not cold down here. We are running around comfortably in shirt sleeves. But it has been raining a lot, and the wind has been blowing hard incessantly. It hasn’t seemed at all like Christmas time to me....Life in the tropics is pleasant and tends to be fairly easy. The people are mostly very friendly, easy-going, slow-working, and not very aggressive. In fact, they are quite lethargic. The social pastimes of the middle classes seem to be dancing (an interesting mixture of rhumba and jitterbug, called ‘buck-up’), gambling and talking. Of course, with rum (good, four years old) only seventy cents a quart, there is universal drinking. But people don’t get drunk very much. Sexual freedom is the most noticeable point in the social platform here, at least among the poorer natives. Illegitimacy is openly accepted. It is not at all uncommon for an unmarried mother to have several children, each with a different ‘title’ (father’s name). However, the upper strata have accepted American ‘morals’ to the extent at least that they frown on promiscuity. The interesting thing I understand, is that the social platform was, developed and encouraged by the old British landowners in the days of the slaves to decrease the influence of the family. Now, when those people are happy with their present pattern, we try to make them reconform to our standards.”
Lieutenant Don Page writes from China on January 2: “Entered China by the only possible means to date- air. Flew the famous ‘Hump’ and I can say it is one place I’d hate to have to walk out of...To me China strikes a more agreeable note than did India. I was fascinated
BMC Community Bulletin –3- Bulletin 14
With India; but the whole culture was so foreign, most of the people had very little to do with us, and, of course, there was distinctly British influence every place we went. Here the whole atmosphere is different. The peasants, and others, are very friendly. I have never seen such a happy people. They always seem to be laughing and joking and seem to like us. They are much more Western in attitude than are the Indians even though they aren’t much further when it comes to living standards...There are plenty of fresh vegetables here- something we never got in India. They eat something besides buffalo meat- the Hindus can’t. They seem to make an effort here. In India most of the people seemed sort of stagnant, in a sense...My views are certainly subject to change, as I haven’t yet been in a town of any size, but the rural districts are beautiful. It is gratifying to find that something besides rice will grow in the Orient...The peasants in this area are quite swarthy and very healthy looking. I've also seen many Mongolian types here. Have also seen many women with bound feet. They simply can’t walk- they just hobble along the road. The produce and merchandise are hauled, for the most part, in small two-wheeled carts pulled by the smallest horses I’ve ever seen. Few of them are over four feet high...In India almost everything to be carried is loaded on the head. Here the Chinese have wonderful closely-woven baskets, one hung on each end of a long flat stick which they balance on their shoulders. They then revolve the stick from shoulder to shoulder without losing a step. It’s fun to see...The peasants are invariably dressed in blue- very becoming with their black hair and swarthy complexions...There was a place near here decorated for new year's with various paper forms- stars, flowers and abstract forms. I was amused to see even airplanes and bombs made of tissue paper and hung with the rest of the decorations...The living quarters and food are about the best we have had since the States. The meals are all prepared and served by the Chinese- we would never allow the Indians to touch the food because of multitudinous diseases there, but here it’s quite safe. Somehow, one just doesn’t feel so remote here in China...We’ve had some foxhole time due to night bombing by the Japanese, but we’ve already got quite used to it. We still can hit a fox hole or slit trench in no time flat when necessary...”
Corporal Harold Raymond writes from Washington State: “ I was fortunate enough to get a rather long furlough for Christmas and made the long day-couch trip across the continent to my beloved Massachusetts. The joys of home and civilian life are, of course, obvious after a long stretch of army life....On my return to the camp, I found that I had been transferred to another outfit, a group of men who had been back here for some months after service in the Aleutians. They are now about ready to move out again for parts unknown. So I am finally going across. It's about time; and, while no one welcomes all the overseas service men entails, I can’t help but be glad that I’m going and that a much too long period of hanging around in various camps is over. Most of these men have had a good deal of overseas service so I feel very much like a rookie and an outsider; but that, of course, will pass in due time. I’m to be a radio operator for them, so am frantically brushing up on my Morse Code and operations procedure....In what spare time I still have, I continue to haunt the library to read with almost fanatical seal, for I can’t help feeling it will be my last chance for some time. Dos Passos, Sholem Asch and even George Muredith have given me a good deal of pleasure on the fiction side.. In addition, I have been exploring the field, relatively new for me, of Oriental and Far Eastern History....Well, there is no telling where we go from here and it’s difficult at times to see what it’s all about; but the only thing seems to be to keep going with as much faith and courage as can be mustered.”
WITH FORMER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF:
New Addresses:
Mr and Mrs Oliver Freud
15 West Roland Road, Parkside
Chester, Pennsylvania
Mrs Helen Lounsbury
17 North Chatsworth Avenue
Larchmont, New York
BMC Community Bulletin –4- Bulletin 14
In the Mail:
Mrs Lounsbury writes from Larehmont, New York: “My plans for Highlands were suddenly changed by the death of my brother here. I had to come to help my sister as she is now alone and I seem to be needed...I am living in a charming apartment and it is always warm and quiet; and when the sun shines, it pours in through the windows where I could have flowers. If I stay on here, I shall try to have some...”
VISITORS:
Among the recent visitors to the College were:
Mr and Mrs Siegfried Schwartz, friends of the Jalowetzes. Mr Schwarts is a candidate for the vacancy in the Economics Department and for the assistantship in the business office;
Betty Rhodes from Cleveland, Ohio;
Lieutenent Bill Berry who came up from Columbia, South Carolina, for the weekend. He will leave Lake Eden this afternoon.
STUDENT COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAM:
The following is a list of students in charge of the crews that perform the various jobs of the Community Work Program. They are the proper authorities to approach with suggestions, questions, and complaints pertaining to the Work Program activities:
Work Coordinator: Bill McLaughlin
Sub-Coordinators; Cleaning: Vera Baker
College Store: Roxane Dinkowitz
Dining Hall: Joan Couch
Dishwashing: Judy Chernoff
Farm: Janey Helling
Furnace Firing: Janet Ramsey
Hauling & General Jobs: Bill McLaughlin
Kindling: Layton Noel
Library: Joan Keiser
Milk Cooling: Ati Gropius
Personal Laundry & Dry Cleaning: Patsy Lynch
Reading Room: Judy Chernott
Tea: Jeanna Cormany
The duties of the Work Coordinator includes, in addition to cooperating with the Faculty and other Staff members in planning and conducting work in the campus, coordinating the activities of the crews that perform the work. The sub-coordinators in charge of these crews plan and direct the activities of the members of their crews, submit time reports to the insurance-records complier, Janet Goldsmith, and meet regularly with the Work Coordinator.
Organization Details:
Cleaning:
1)Lodges: Vera Baker
2)Music Library: Lucy Swift
3)Science Building: Jagna Braunthal
4)Studies Building: Layton Noel (part time)
College Store: Roxane Dinkowitz and Janet Goldsmith
Dishwashing:
1)Breakfast: Dorothy Carr and Max Paul
BMC Community Bulletin –5- Bulletin 14
2)Lunch: Judy Chernoff, Jeanne Cormany, Alice McCanna, and Patsy Lynch
3)Dinner: Judy Chernoff, Curtiss Cowan, Janet Ramsey, and Joan Couch.
Dining Hall: Joan Couch, Janet Ramsey, and Nancy Smith.
Farm: Janet Heling (3 afternoons a week), Peggy Bennett (3), Betty Schmitt (3), Jagna Braunthal (2), Mary Phelan (2), Lorna Pearson (2), Layton Noal (1), and Eddy Woldin (1).
Firing Furnaces:
1)Studies Building and Kitchen: Janet Ramsey and Dorothy Carr
2)Lodges: Marvin Daniels and Max Paul.
Hauling and General Jobs: Bill McLaughlin (3 afternoons a week), Susie Schauffler (3), Suzie Tensdale (3), Eddy Woldin (2), Tom Raleigh (3), Tony Harrington (3), Lorna Pearson (1), Alice McCanna (3), Vera Baker (½), Betty Osbourne (3), Dick Bush-Brown (3), Joan Keiser (1), and Elly Smith (1).
Insurance Reports: Janet Goldsmith.
Kindling: Layton Noel (2), Mary Phelan (1).
Library: Joan Keiser (2), Curtiss Cowan (2).
Milk Cooling: Ati Gropius and Elly Smith.
Office: Sue Burton.
Personal Laundry & Dry Cleaning: Patsy Lynch.
Reading Room: Judy Chernoff.
Tea: Jeanne Cormany (2), Lucy Swift (1), and Roxane Dinkowitz (1).
COMMUNITY ROSTER ON MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1945
STUDENTS:
Vera Baker, Marilyn Bauer, Peggy Bennett, Jagna Braunthal, Sam Brown, Dick Bush-Brown, Dorothy Carr, Judy Chernoff, Jeanne Cormany, Joan Couch, Curtiss Cowan, Marvin Daniels, Roxane Dinkowitz, Irma Ehrman (sec), Charles Forberg, Janet Goldsmith, Ati Gropius, Anthony Harrington, Janet Heling, Joan Keiser, Betty Kelley, Alice McCanna, Bill McLaughlin, Layton Noel, Betty Osbourne, Max Paul, Lorna Pearson, Mary Phelan, Thomas Raleigh, Janet Ramsey, Janet Rees (sec), Anna Schauffler, Sue Schauffler, Betty Schmitt, Jane Slater, Eleanor Smith, Nancy Smith, Lucy Swift, Sue Teasdale, Edwin Woldin
STAFF:
Peggy Emery, Gerda Hagendorn, Helen Marden, Nell Rice, Annette Stone
FACULTY:
Anni Albers, Josef Albers, David Corkran, Max Dehn, Theodore Dreier, Mary Gregory, Fritz Hansgirg, Heinrich Jalowetz, Edward Lowinsky, Herbert Miller, Trudi Straus, Robert Wunsch, George Zabriske
FAMILIES:
Barbara Dreier, Edward Dreier, Maria Hansgirg, Johanna Jalowetz, Gretel Lowinsky, Naomi Ruth Lowinsky, Bessie Miller, Elizabeth Zabriske
KITCHEN STAFF:
*Bas Allen, Malrey Few, Gertrude Lytle, *Ben Sneed, Cornelia Williams, George Williams
*Not living on campus
