REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR
II. NOTES ON ACTIVITIES
Degrees Granted May, 1944: Two Master of Education.
Candidates for Degrees June, 1945: Three Master of Education.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH SEIDLIN May 11, 1945
I i n ii in mil
A. The Circulation
The effects of the decreased enrollment due to the war were re- flected in the circulation figures for the year ending April 1. The home circulation for this twelve-month period was the lowest in many years, being 2,624 less than the previous year, and 28,830 less than the year before that. It is interesting to note, however, that in spite of the decrease in home circulation, there was an increase of 2,105 in the use of reserved books over that of the previous year, and a de- crease of but 2,004 from that of 1942-43, which was close to normal.
B. Gifts To The Library
Again this year, the number of volumes added to our collection by gift exceeds the number added by purchase, due as last year to the curtailed appropriations and to the generosity of friends of the university. Among the donors of large numbers of books during the past year are the following: Mrs. George Openhym, Albert A. Becker, Rev. Carl H. Ellicott, the University of Michigan Library, Professor Lelia E. Tupper, Former Chaplain William H. Genn6 and Mrs. Genne, Dr. T. H. Dunkelberger, the New York State Department of Social Welfare, the United States Museum, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington. To these and to the many who have made smaller gifts to the library, we are gratefully indebted.
C. Reorganization
The general reorganization program is progressing steadily, though in a manner much less evident to the public, for our work on this project is now confined almost entirely to the reclassification and recataloging of books that were in the library previous to January 1, 1943. This work will continue until all books are catalogued by the same system.
D. Allocation of Funds
Ever since coming to Alfred, we have felt the necessity of mak- ing definite allocation of library funds for the use of the several teach- ing departments on the campus, but have hesitated inaugurating the policy in the face of decreasing and uncertain budgets. This year, however, on the suggestion of the Library Committee, who felt that a definite allocation, although small, would be preferable, the system was begun. With the help of a sub-committee of the Library Com- mittee, we made a study of the expenditures of the library and the needs of the departments, and established definite department alloca- tions. The hearty response of the chairman of the various depart-
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN 43 ments indicates that the policy meets with general approval. It will be continued, and a constant study will be made, with the assistance of the Library Committee, to try to secure a fair and just allocation to each department, based upon its special needs, the use made of its books, and the relative cost of books in the several fields.
E. Vertical File
In the past year, we instituted a Vertical File for the classifica- tion of pamphlets and clippings. This is to be a permanent file, dis- tinct from the more temporary War Information File. Several hun- dred items have already been classified and made available for general use.
F. Physical Changes
Few changes were made in the physical plant during the year.
Two new stacks were placed in the Annex in South Hall, which en- abled us to get all the books there onto shelves, but as the books are placed four deep on some of the stacks, we need still more stacks to make the books accessible. Two new bulletin boards were placed on the walls of the entranceway, greatly improving our facilities for display. Early in the year a portrait of the late Dr. Daniel Lewis, '69, was hung in the Reading Room, in recognition of the part played by Dr. Lewis in the organization of the central library in 1887.
G. Personal
Both the librarian and the assistant librarian attended the 3-day convention of the New York State Library Association held in Ro- chester on September 15-17. There were many interesting and in- structive discussions, but it was a disappointment that the meetings of the College library section did not materialize.
During the year, the librarian addressed the local Amandine Club, the Liberal Arts Class in Our Changing World, the Forum Class of the S. D. B. Church, the Rotary Club of Hornell, and the Rotary Club of Wellsville. We have also conducted, somewhat irregularly, a column of book discussion in the Alfred Sun under the heading "The Browsing Corner".
May 11, 1945
Respectfully submitted,
C. M. MITCHELL, Librarian
REPORT OF THE CHAPLAIN
( Excerpts )
To the President of Alfred University:
I have the honor to make this report of the Chaplain for the year 1944-1945:
I. The University Church
The Chaplain preached his first sermon here on July 30th, 1944, and began his duties as Minister of the University Church on Sunday, September 17th. He attended the Winter Conference of the Student Christian Movement, returned to a 50th Anniversary Celebration of his former church in Grafton, Massachusetts, and preached at Sage Chapel, Cornell University. The pulpit was occupied on these Sun- days, respectively, by Dean Ahva J. C. Bond, Mr. Ray Sweetman, and a group of four students (Helen Dreher '45, Doris Hill '45, Gordon Swanson '45, and Bradley Barger '46) who, according to all reports, presented one of the most meaningful services of the year. On two occasions the Chaplain has welcomed guests to the pulpit: on March 4th, Rev. Samuel Blizzard, Jr., assistant in Rural Sociology at Cornell and representing the Student Volunteer Movement, preached the ser- mon and on April 29th, the sermon was given by Rabbi Jerome Malino of Danbury, Connecticut,
Particularly in view of the reduced enrollment, participation in Sunday morning worship throughout the year has been very good with 175-200 usually in attendance. Several special services merit mention: the Christmas Candlelight Service by the Choir of 60 voices on Sunday night, December 10th, and V-E Services on May 8, in co-operation with Pastor Everett T. Harris and Dean Ahva J. C.
Bond, drew more than a capacity congregation; the Memorial Ser- vice for President Roosevelt on April 13th, and the Spring Concert by the Choir on Sunday evening, May 6th, were both attended by 300 people; and one of the richest services of the year was the Thurs- day evening Communion in Holy Week.
II. Mid-Week Chapel
The experiment with a single weekly Chapel Service on Wednes- days at noon has proved successful. Rarely have there been fewer than 75 attending and on occasion there have been as many as a hundred. The most remarkable feature of the Chapel has been the consistent attendance. The brief, 20-minute services have been held on every Wednesday of the school year with the exception of exami- nation periods. The Chaplain has given a short, 10-minute meditation at every service except that of April 25th, when Rev. William Semple of Canisteo spoke in the absence of the Chaplain, and that of May 16th,
REPORT OP THE CHAPLAIN 4n when Mr. Ralla Ram, Student Christian Movement Secretary for India, Burma and Ceylon, was a campus guest
The Chapel has been greatly enriched by a Choir of nine voices under the direction of Mrs. S. Ray Scholes. The University has recog- nized their contribution by purchasing vestments for the singers and for the Chapel pianist.
III. Alfred Christian Fellowship
This organization, under the capable leadership of Helen Dreher '45, and an excellent Cabinet, has continued to exercise its unique function in the life of the University. It has provided the traditional Sunday Afternoon Music Hour from 2-3 and a superior program of Forums, Firesides and Speakers on Sunday evenings. Attendance at these meetings was consistenly high (60-100) until Rush Week early in the spring. It dropped decisively then for several weeks but has since climbed steadily again. More than a hundred students have signed up for the May Outing and Retreat on May 20th.
IV. Student Counselling
This has consumed a far greater portion of the Chaplain's time than he had anticipated and, for better or worse, he has tried to give himself freely and, whenever possible, immediately to students who have come to his office or home for such a specific purpose. No record has been kept of these student interviews but it is safe to say that they have required at least an average of five hours a week. So far from complaining, the Chaplain feels that this is the most rewarding area of his work; it is his constant prayer that the students who come also find it so.
V. Teaching
The Chaplain has carried five hours of regular teaching through- out the year—three in Sociology (Basic) and two in Religion (Old Testament). During the second semester he has conducted a Tutorial in New Testament (two hours).
The Chaplain mentions with appreciation the help of his wife, who has entertained numbers of students at tea and in the evening, and has served more than a hundred individual meals to students.
The Chaplain is greatly indebted to former-Chaplain Genne for his excellent work here and for his personal help last summer; and to President J. Nelson Norwood and Dean Alfred E. Whitford for time they have given him so freely and advice they have given him so wisely.
REPORT OF THE DEAN, SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
( Excerpts )
To the President of Alfred University:
This report of the dean of the School of Theology to the President of Alfred University and to the Board of Managers marks the com- pletion of ten full years of service to the University and to the Seventh Day Baptist denomination as dean and instructor. During these years I have had always the support of the Board of Managers, and the constant and unfailing support of the President. I shall miss the wise guidance of the President, and express here the hope that he will be retained on the Board of Managers.
Instruction
The usual schedule of classes has been carried throughout the year by the regular teachers, Dr. Edgar D. Van Horn and Dr. Walter L. Greene, on part time as in the past, and the dean, who carries a full teaching load. Dr. Ben R. Crandall and Dr. George B. Shaw, both of whom teach on alternate years, did not have classes this year. We were fortunate in having the assistance of Rev. Everett T. Harris, Rev. Albert N. Rogers and Rev. Harley Sutton. These men did splendid service in the fields of pastoral theology and religious edu- cation. Three of our students took a course of study in the Agricul- tural and Technical Institute. The directors of that school gave fine cooperation in working out a general survey course calculated to be useful to the country pastor. The instructor who taught the course also took a great deal of interest in making the work valuable to the theological student. We hope hereafter each student of the School of Theology will take this course. Students have come under the tuition of two professors in the College of Liberal Arts.
We did not have this year the usual lectures given by a Seventh Day Baptist minister. Rev. Leslie O. Greene was invited to come to Alfred for this service but he was unable to be with us this year, but promised to try to do so next fall.
Students
Throughout the year we have had four degree students. One stu- dent who holds a divinity degree started in with us in the fall, but later joined the Navy as a chaplain. Only two of these students are Seventh Day Baptists. They will graduate this year, along with an- other who did part of his work here but who finished elsewhere. We expect the other two student, a Wesleyan Methodist and a Free Methodist, will be with us again next year. We know of but two
REPORT OF THE DEAN OF SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY 47 Seventh Day Baptists who expect to enter next fall. Both will re- ceive their college degree from Salem College this month.
The dean had ten college students in his class in "A Faith for To- day," which ran during the two semesters. He enjoyed the work with them, and plans to offer the same course next year.
Ordinations
Within the year four young men, graduates of the School of Theology, have been ordained to the Gospel Ministry. It has been the privilege of the dean to attend and participate in all these services.
He has thus far assisted at the service of ordination for every one who has graduated since 1938, the date of the first ordination service since he became dean.
Extra-Curricular Activities of the Students
All the regular theological students have served churches during the year. Three students attended the Inter-Seminary Conference of the Middle Atlantic Area at Scranton, Pa., last October. The two Seventh Day Baptist students visited our denominational headquarters at Plainfield, N. J., in May, inspecting the Tract Board rooms, the Publishing Plant, and the Historical Society rooms.
Our two resident seniors and the dean prepared the material for the Sabbath Rally Day supplement to the Sabbath Recorder.
Finances
By cutting the cloth according to the pattern we have completed another year with a balanced budget.
Contributions to the ministerial retirement fund have been made this year both by faculty members and by the treasurer.
More and Better Ministers
A general dearth of ministers affects Seventh Day Baptists as it does other denominations. The greatest need of the School of The- ology just now, if it is to serve the denomination adequately, is more students. For this need at present we have no answer. In the interest of better preparation on the part of our young men for work in the denomination the Commission of the General Conference is concerned that every student for the ministry shall get at least a major part of his training at Alfred. We believe the Commission, and all who are interested in the future of the denomination, are justified in this in- sistence. As a matter of fact during the last several years practically all of our young men entering the ministry are graduates of Alfred School of Theology. We need more of them. Thus trained they get the fundamentals of our own faith along with a broad training in all
that pertains to a successful Christian ministry in the Seventh Day Baptist denomination.
There is a movement on foot just now to bring to Alfred in the not distant future a young man from Jamaica and one from New Zealand for training for the ministry. We shall do what we can to provide courses of study that will meet the needs of these students.
Meanwhile, we stress the importance of recruiting ministers in our own American churches, so that capable leadership in our schools and boards shall be provided, as well as copetent pastors and effective- evangelists for our churches and waiting field ripe for the harvest.
R E P O R T O R T H E D I R E C T O R O F T H E B U R E A U O F A P P O I N T - M E N T S C O L L E G E O F L I B E R A L A R T S
(Excerpts)
To the President of Alfred University:
I hereby submit my Annual Report as Director of the Bureau of Appointments for the year 1944-1945.
In the class of 19^5 there are seven seniors preparing for teaching.
Otherwise, this year seems to be a, repetition of last year. If anything, the shortage of teachers is accentuated Calls for members of the graduating class came as early as last December and since then inquiries have been coming in at a rate of about one hundred per month. Those of our alumni who wanted to change jobs had no difficulty at all in "bettering themselves" this year. The Bureau of Appointments at Alfred University has been in corrsepondence with virtually every secondary school in the State. When more or less normal times return, it will thus be relatively easy for us to cir- culate our candidates.
The volume of business transacted in the Bureau of Appointments has exceeded even that of last year.
The teachers' salaries continue to rise, especially those of the beginning teachers. The average salary of the beginning teachers placed this year is approximately $1800. There practically is no longer any fixed salary scale for either beginning teachers or ex- perienced teachers.
R E P O R T O F T H E C O U N S E L O R T O P R O S P E C T I V E S T U D E N T S (Excerpts)
To the President of Alfred University:
In comparison with the 12 months ending with April, 1944, the period since then has shown a substantial increase in the volume of
REPORT OP THE COUNSELOR TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS 49 prospective student work. As a matter of fact, quantity, though not particular character, seems at least up to normal.
This development is attributable in considerable measure to ac- tivities, especially correspondence, involving service men who con- template entrance or re-entrance following discharge. These men
(and a tew women) range all the way from complete strangers who want to start college to former students who write largely for senti- mental reasons. Among them a large number result directly from the mailing of the Veterans' Education bulletin to former college stu- dents, former Ag-Tech students, ASTP men. and men who studied under Ag-Tech as Naval air cadets. Gratifying numbers of men from the last three groups have expressed interest in coming back as stu- dents in Liberal Arts and in Ceramics. Thus the cost of including these three categories seems abundantly justified.
The Counselor's work, as distinguished from the other functions of the office, has been so nearly the same as in recent years as to warrant no elaborate discription. Salient features, however, are noted thus:
PUBLICATIONS: Business Bulletin. Prenared by Mr. Whitcraft In collaboration with this office. Dated April, 1944; Laboratory Tech- nology Bulletin.. Prepared by this office in consultation with Dr. Bur- dick. Dated Feb. 1, 1944; Veterans' Education Bulletin. Prepared by the Adviser on Veteran's Education. Distributed by this office. Eight pages, illustrated. Two editions, both dated Nov. 1944, of 4,000 and 3,000 copies respectively. About 1,500 copies left. The most widely distributed and generally commended publication ever handled by this office.
VARIED ACTIVITIES: Correspondence. About 3,800 typed letters of which about one-third were dictated. Interviews. The Coun- selor had one three-day series in New York in March this year and in early June. Personnel. Last September, Miss Mildred Vars resigned and was replaced by Miss Dorrit V. Last. Otherwise the office staff remains the same as last year.
CURRENT ENROLLMENT PROSPECTS: At this season figures are always too small to provide dependable grounds for prophecy. It is to be noted, however, that this year's numbers are, in nearly every instance, below those of last year.
Recommendations
1. As at various times in the past, the Counselor recommends the employment at the earliest opportunity of an experienced public
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relations director who can devote a major portion of his efforts to this function.
2. The fiscal basis upon which this office operates needs careful reconsideration in relation to effective functioning of the office and therefore to the total welfare of the institution.
3. The many personnel efforts of the University, including the various functions of this combined office, should be more closely integrated and co-ordinated. Even with present personnel consider- able improvements could be effected, but really satisfactory results must await the appointment of an adequately trained personnel director.
4. Prospective increases in enrollment of veterans call for care- ful but prompt consideration with regard to such matters as: (a) Acceptance while in service to take effect as soon as feasible after discharge, whenever that may be; (b) Acceptance of new high-school graduates who anticipate immediate entrance into service but want to start here as soon as possible after discharge; (c) Entrance under really favorable circumstances in February and July, and, if possible, oftener so as to reduce to the minimum the waiting period between discharge and initiation of students; (d) Some sort of refresher or reorientation arrangements for those who feel or show the need of them; (e) Establishment, on an optional basis, of round-the-calendar study opportunities for those who want them.
5. Inquiries from prospective students and high-school advisers as well as published announcements from other colleges give occasion for considering carefully the meeting of additional professional or occupational objectives.
Some of these, such as the preparation of church secretaries, call for little more than regrouping and pointing up existing courses.
Some, such as the preparation of ready-to-work laboratory tech- nologists, call for several new courses, the employment of at least one additional staff member, and the purchase of additional equip- ment. These changes would, however, constitute only complements to a total program of which at least three quarters is already avail- able.
Others would require more ambitious developments. Among these, plastics and related fields such as synthetic rubber warrant particularly cordial consideration. Probably because of public ex- aggerations of the relationships between plastics and ceramics, in- creasingly numerous inquiries on preparation for work in plastics are coming to this office. As yet very little preparation for the field is available anywhere in the country. The few institutions that are