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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1968)
Education As a Human Being Harvard Senior 'Flunks for Education By JOHN WOODFIELD Associated Press Writer ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Randy Runyon would have been a Har vard" senior this year but, he is not. He’s a St. John's freshman. With little more than a year standing between him and a Harvard degree, he chose to start college all over again at the tiny nonsectarian college in Annapolis, Md. He is not the first student to make this surprising move. The same thing happens at the college's new western cam pus. which snuggles in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Moun tains. Linda Carithers. who was a junior on the dean's list at the University of New Mexico, wanted to transfer to the little college which refuses to accept transfer students. Like Randy, she ‘flunked'’ herself into the freshman class. Why would good students take this great leap backward'? Randy Runyon did it because he says he wanted to go for ward. "Backward and forward de pend on where you want to go, he says. “College should give you an education as well as a degree. I was getting a degree but not an education. "I was getting professional training, but an education is something different. Education should prepare you to deal with all of life, how to make sense of what’s going on around you and how to appreciate what is writ ten and said about it. Education Not Trained “I want to be educated as a human being, not trained as a physicist or an historian. That can come later.” Randy did not leap blindly. He thought about it for more than a year. "It was a big decision, espe cially financially. Both my wife. Diana, and I have National Mer it scholarships, but mine ex pires soon. It'll be very hard going. “But,” Kandy continued, “it's worth it. “The experience at St. John’s itself is worth it. There is real intellectual excitement here, a joy to learning. The students are here because they want to be. If a student doesn't enjoy it, he leaves. “At Harvard very few peo ple enjoy their studies. They en dure them for the sake of a degree. And Harvard is probably a lot better than most places." Each year a substantial num ber of students in good standing at the most distinguished col leges in the country apply for admission to the freshman class at St. John’s. But why does St. John's re fuse to accept credits earned at other colleges? Single Curriculum “We have a single, all-required curriculum,” explains President Richard D. Weigle. “We are not an educational cafeteria. We do not have course offerings. We have a program. Our program has a beginning and that is where all students must begin. “Like the acts of a play, each year of the St. John’s program is built on the one before. “We refuse to compromise the integrity of our program even though we are well aware of the difficulties which f«cc a student who wishes to transfer. He must make a great sacrifice of time and money. Happily, our scholar ship funds can help to ease the financial problems." The college is as stubborn about its she as it is about its program. Doubled Enrollment Responding to the pressure to expand, St. John's doubled its enrollment without changing its size. It started a whole new college 2.000 miles away. In 1964. a small band of fac ulty and administrators set out from Annapolis, where the col lege has been located since 1696, and established a colony cam pus in Santa Fe. In 1965, St. John's was both the third oldest and third newest college in the country. Some things about St. John's are very new. Randy’s classes are a model of what is called "student-cen tered school.” Instruction de pends more on the activity and initiative of the 10 students who make up Randy's tutorial group than on the pronounce ments of the supervising fac ulty member. "He can't do our thinking for us,” explains Randy. "We learn by thrashing things out, by find You are most welcome to browse around and see what's new and unique each day at the id. A Bargain Bench is now featured where huge discounts are applied to new items daily. For exam ple today 50 record hits of yesterday will be on the bench of Vi PRICE! We are the only distributors of Arhoolie Jazz Records in Oregon. Also there will not be a waiting line for a pool table in our lounge. the id 877 E. 13th Open 9.30 to 7:00 ins each other's mistakes. We're always involved. "1 didn’t know how it would be, being in with freshmen again, hut it's great. Three of us in my group have been trans ferred from other colleges, blit that works to our advantage. We learn by teaching each oth er. The more 1 can help some one else to learn, the more I can learn myself.” Other things about St. John's are very old. It insists on old-fashioned in tellectual discipline. There may r b«> "joy" ns Randy says, Rut there is also a lot of hard work. It is the only nondenominationul college which requires all stu dents to study ancient Greek. It also requires them to study Einstein’s papers on relativity. The college has turned to the classics in order to provide n thoroughly modern education which will prepare a student for the future as well as the present. Want to really get results? Use Emerald Classified Ads 1 > Experience makes rhe difference... get it now! Come out on top because of your prac tical experience. Positions are now available on the KMRKALD stall for reporters, feature and sports writers, copy editors, proof readers, and otice workers Some positions are salaried. Drop by 301 Allen Hall or phone ext. 1818 for more information Ask for Linda Meierjurgen, associate editor, or J.B., Bishop, business manager. Oregon Daily Emerald CLIP and SAVE i Calendar of Events I TUESDAY THE COMMUNITY: • Panel Discussion, "Civil Disobedience" Dr. Clyde DeBerry Dr. James Klonoski Dr. Howard Representative of i U.S. District ; Attorney's Office I 6:30 EMU Ballroom • Shakespeare Film "Winter's Tale" I with Laurence Haney 8:30 EMU Ballroom WEDNESDAY THE CAMPUS: • Brtterlick Singers Concert at 4:00 EMU Ballroom • Shakespeare Film "Winter's Tale" 8:00 EMU Ballroom • T.V. Special "Right Here, Right Now... A College Primer" PL-3, 9:00 p.m. THURSDAY CONTROVERSY: • Robert Welch Chairman and Founder of John Birch Society 7:30 Mac Court • Underground Film 4:00 EMU Ballroom FRIDAY ENTERTAINMENT: • Friday at Four Jug, jazz and rock bands 4:00 Fishbowl • Low Rawls 8:00 Mac Court Tickets still available SATURDAY SPOUTS: • Alt-Star Volleyball Oregon vs. OSU half-time of OSU basketball game • EMU Recreation costs at Vi price Sponsored by GREEK FOCUS 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Game Room DAILY EVENTS FOLK SINGING GROUP ... 11 a.m.-l p.m. daily, EMU Fishbowl PHOTO DISPLAY . . . Taylor Lounge, EMU GRADUATE ART DISPLAY . . . 200, EMU GREEK FOCUS TABLE ... 10 a.m.-3 p.m. EMU Terrace SET YOUR SIGHTS ON Greek Focus Week CLIP and SAVE
