All in a Day

An Editorial by Paul R. Hallock
Editor-in-Chief, The Claymore, March 29, 1965

Just a couple of days ago, I was running along the corridor on the second floor in a desperate attempt to make the twelve o’clock French II class by twelve. I happened on Professor Philip Tays (whose Math class I had cut that morning) and startled him by catching up with him perhaps a little too quickly.

“PROFESSOR TAYS?!!!”

He stopped immediately, bent over backwards in a mock gesture of surprise, and turned to see exactly what was the nature of the big commotion.

“Professor Tays, I’d like to talk with you sometime about vector analysis because I don’t like it and I’d like to and I couldn’t do the homework last night and I wasn’t in math this morning because…”

He agreed. I then proceeded to French, late, as usual (ah, the patience of Professor Kittredge!) and completely forgot about the incident.

Until later. It really hit me then. The dramatic reaction, then in fun, of Prof. Tays was, and is, indicative of the faculty, administration, and other personnel of M.W.C.C. I take this opportunity to compare this minor incident, in a “freudian slip” analogy, to the actual attitudes of our professorial, administrative, secretarial, and janitorial staff. Here are a few examples, perhaps a little more on the serious side, that deserve mention:

Professor Douglas C. Hebb has constantly offered the use of his home for night meetings for such co-curricular organizations as the CLAYMORE (minimum adjournment – 2:00 a.m.), the Literary Club, and the Highland Chess Club. Mrs. Hebb has been a gracious (and patient) hostess, never failing to serve coffee and snacks to each of the groups.

Professor Margaret Kittredge, my faculty advisor, has not only helped me to no end personally, but also arranged a cultural trip to Boston for her Spanish and French classes, and entertained same at her Worcester home for a culturally informative and expertly organized showing of her Russian slides. This is really education.

Professor Ottmar Eckhardt, who is burdened each week with a fantastic load of Physics lab reports, has never failed to give the more personal attention to any inquisitive students in the labs.

Mr. Percy Blanchard and Mr. John Neville not only keep the building in more than presentable state, but are always very personable and always ready to help any student who needs it.

The girls in the office – Ruth, Helen, and Edith – well, they’re just amazing.
Such is the atmosphere in which we are educated. It is, to say the very least, one which is conducive to the intellectual and practical improvement of any student who is willing to realize it. Let us take advantage of this situation because, in only a short time, relatively speaking, this atmosphere, which we now take for granted, will be a luxury of the past.

One last thing – If you assume that the preceding facts were presented as a means to an end (or an “A”), you shouldn’t have bothered to read it.