Small College
I ran into this while reading Paul Helmreich’s wonderful Wheaton College, 1834-1957: A Massachusetts Family Affair:
Overall, as in the area of administrative staff and structure, the first four years of the Park administration encompassed substantial alterations in the academic curriculum and in requirements for both admission and graduation. In a statement to the faculty in September, 1927, Park asserted his belief that it was necessary to “conduct here an experiment in education which will make Wheaton stand for something other than a second-rate minor edition of the larger colleges… . The only hope of the small college,” he went on, “lies in the adventurous spirits in its faculty who dare to try educational experiments.” [p270]
I can’t agree more. I had no idea entering Wheaton that this would be the case, but the “adventurous spirits” and “educational experiments” were some of the things I valued most. I’m glad to see that, seventy five years on, this notion of excelling as a Small College and not trying to become just a small College hasn’t been lost.
It’s a shame I didn’t read this book while at Wheaton; It’s only now that I’m learning so many interesting things about the history of the school, campus, and culture that I was immersed in on a daily basis.
Comments
Clearly, Wheaton has its share or problems. However, I think my appreciation comes from two ares: the ability to look back and see the things that were good about it that I never noticed while I was there, and the experiences I had that may have been somewhat different than yours.
The time I spent in the CS department was an exceptional time. I was able to directly pursue goals through classes, research and a thesis that I was interested. Also I was able to take part in faculty research projects that definitely had the “adventurous spirits” and “educational experiments” feel to them.
Wheaton’s problems aren’t unique. Wheaton is in the business of making money, just like every other school. It has the jocks, the spoiled rich new englanders, the abercrombie kids and us elitists. And the student body is, generally speaking, apathetic to both the honor codem and the opportunities that Wheaton offers them. Yet the good parts of Wheaton, if you’re lucky enough to be a part of them (and recognize them as such), make up for all of this. It’s not an appearance of radicalism that I’m referring to so much as small but dedicated groups of honest “adventurous spirits,” ready to pursue education and growth is a slightly less rigid manner than elsewhere.
Posted by: kasei on December 3rd, 2003 10:18 PMi envy the tunnel vision cs afforded you.
Posted by: shuli on December 3rd, 2003 10:42 PMSpeaking of Wheaton, I was reading this article about pornography shops infiltrating rural communities when I found that one of the largest adult chains engaging in this strategy is called Lion’s Den Adult Superstores.
Now that’s a Lion’s Den I’d go to, not like the student-pseudo-starbucks crap Lyon’s Den we have now. It’s become so lame.
Posted by: Benjamin on December 4th, 2003 10:12 PM
i fear that your appreciation for the institution i’ve learned to ignore as i wander its vapid halls arises from either an educational experience i did not attempt to pursue or strict nostalgia. The professors that talk me into thesis and conferences warm my proverbial heart place, yet sharing class rooms with spoiled jocks and other assorted spoiled new england kids daily drains my enthusiasm for this school. Daily i wonder what the actual admissions criteria is. How many sons of Pepsi and daughters of Fleet are balanced by sexual perverts, the emotionally unstable, the rampant overachievers and Posse.
I once heard a kid say that Wheaton makes it easy for any one to be a leader in anything. Likewise, James said there’s money to be had, you just have to ask. But the majority of the student body seems uninterested. It just looks to me like Wheaton admits a certain number of shiney kids to soak up their resources. Like it’s more interested in its appearance of being a radical small school so it’ll bring in enough obviously excellent and outspoken to hold up their Honor Code (which is widely ignored) and display some moral character (which is widely lacking).
But then again, who is Wheaton trying to impress with all this radicalism? I doubt the perspective students by the ratio of J. Crew and Abercrombie materialists (maybe that’s a broad generalization, but fuck you i’m keeping it) to the Adar Cohens (not saying he’s any better) that populate the dimple and den. I’d believe it if it’s all geared toward the alumni who remeber the days of feminism and a more pronounced female presenece on this campus (other than sheer numbers…more like in leadership roles).
Maybe i’m overly skeptical, but it is hard for me to see much virtue here. either way, i can’t sympathize.
Posted by: shuli on December 3rd, 2003 8:03 PM