Humanics Lecture - "Ageless Humanics: Empowering Health and Human Potential Across Generations" - Pamela S. Higgins, 2025

This is a video of a lecture titled "Ageless Humanics: Empowering Health and Human Potential Across Generations" which was presented on April 17, 2025 by the 2024-2025 Distinguished Professor of Humanics, Professor of Health Sciences, Pamela S. Higgins. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lori Ciccomascolo begins the video with an introduction and recognition of past Distinguished Professors of Humanics in attendance and then introduces Professor Higgins. Professor Higgins's lecture shares milestones reached during the previous year's project focused on an affirmative approach to aging and the intersection between Humanics and public health. Following Professor Higgins's presentation, Dr. Ciccomascolo presents Professor Higgins with a Distinguished Professor of Humanics pin, then announces the winners of the Humanics scholarships with the assistance of Emeritus Professor Peter Polito. Dr. Ciccomascolo then introduces the 2025-2026 Distinguished Professor of Humanics, Rebecca Lartigue, who addresses the audience.Humanics is a word that has a special meaning in the history and philosophy of Springfield College, as well as in the college’s motto of “Spirit, Mind, and Body.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines Humanics as, “the subject or study of human affairs or relations, especially of the human element of a problem or situation as opposed to the mechanical.” In 1962, Dr. Glenn Olds, President of Springfield College at the time, began to wonder why this name was given to the intended philosophy of the college by Dr. Laurence Locke Doggett, Springfield College’s first full-time president. Olds acknowledged that the practices of the faculty were in large part consistent with the Humanics philosophy, but he believed that a more self-conscious application would improve chances of its continuity and survival. To ensure this, a Distinguished Professor of Humanics position was created at the college, first filled by Dr. Seth Arsenian from 1966-1969. The purpose of this position was to catalyze a renewal of consciousness in the philosophy. This was done by annually mandating the Distinguished Professor of Humanics to give a Humanics lecture on the definition of Humanics and what the concept means to them. Arsenian started this tradition in 1967 with his speech titled, “The Meaning of Humanics,” in which he described the concept as a set of ideas, values, and goals that make our college distinct from other colleges and make commitment and unity toward commonly sought goals possible

Finding Aid: MS 547 - John L. Neumann Papers and Slide Collection

The MS 547 - John L. Neumann Papers and Slide Collection contains mostly photographic slides. These slides relate to three different events or programs, including the International Sports Program with Saudi Arabia that took place in 1976, a 1980 trip to Zacatacas, Mexico, and 1988 visit to Seoul, South Korea for a YMCA conference. The vast majority of the slides come from the International Sports Program with Saudi Arabia. The slides contain a lot of photographs taken from their time spent in Montreal during the 1976 Montreal Olympics. There are also slides from training activities, friendly matches and trips to New York, New Jersey and Cape Cod and Boston. Along with the slides is a small plaque that was given to John Neumann for his participation with this program. There is one folder of slides that were taken at the YMCA conference in Seoul, South Korea, 1988. John Neumann was a volunteer along with clinician Wendy Fox (of the YMCA of the USA) at this conference. The slides seem to be folders taken at the conference and at locations around Seoul, including facilities and/events at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Finally there are a group of folders containing slides from a trip to Zacatacas, Mexico in 1980. John Neumann was guest lecturer and volunteer in an AAHPERD (American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) sponsored health/nutrition and fitness program held there. Events held at this program, including Bull Fights, Rodeo, and visits to Aztec Ruins are represented.To learn more about John L. Neumann, see: https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/people/9

Finding Aid: MS 546 - Lu Hui Ching's Research and Training Institute for Physical & Health Education in China papers

The MS 546 - Lu Hui Ching's Research and Training Institute for Physical & Health Education in China papers represent the efforts of Lu Hui Ching (Lu Huiqing/卢慧卿), a doctorial graduate of Columbia Teachers College, to establish a Research and Training Institute for Physical and Health Education in China. She was mentored by Dr. Josephine Rathbone in this effort, who also is well-represented in the collection in correspondence and official documentation. Support for the project was sought internationally, and a committee was formed that met multiple times from 1948 through 1949. Funding sources were researched and plans for establishing fellowships were explored. A Bank account was established for the project. It should be noted that while the efforts were being made in support of this project, China was in the midst of a civil war and there was dramatic political turmoil. On September 1, 1948, the Communist party proclaimed the North China People’s Government. Only a year later, on October 1, 1949, Communist leader Mao Zedong declared the creation of the People’s the Republic of China (PRC) and the central government fled to Taiwan. These events are reflected within the documents in the collection. Materials with the collection include notes, meeting minutes, planning documents, reports, financial materials, questionnaires, and correspondence. Most of the materials come from 1948 and 1949. Correspondence is in English, though there are some letters written in Chinese. Correspondence makes up a fair portion of the collection. Most of the correspondence is written by or written to Lu Hui Ching and Dr. Josephine Rathbone. Correspondence between important physical educators at the time includes Dr. Dorothy Ainswort, Charles H. McCloy, Ruth Evans, Peter V. Karpovich, Emily Case Keefe, and Jesse Feiring Williams. There is a letter to John ma (Yuehan Ma), but no origianl correspondence from him. There are multiple letters written by Dong Shouyi (Tung Shou Yi). Other correspondents of import are Dr. Han Li Wu, Ministry of Education in China, John Leighton Stuart, Ambassador to China, Kuan Yu-Shan, a possible fellowship candidate, T. C. Tang, and Chih Meng, the Director of China Institute In America. There are also correspondence between Yenching University and the True Light Middle School in Guangzhou located in the Canton or Quandong province of China. Other organizations contacted included UNSECO, the Hazen Foundation, the United Nations, and the Kellogg Foundation. Of particular interest is a letter to Dr. Paul Limbert, President of Springfield College asking Springfield College to take custody of these materials and Dr. Clarence Linton's letters stating his opinion that the project could not work at this time due to the political climate in China. In addition to correspondence there are reports and desicriptions of the project, including drafts of these documents. Some of these descriptions come in the form of correspondence or marketing sent to educators and founding organizations. One such mailing was sent to educators in China along with a questionnaire regarding the state and needs of physical education in China. There is a folder of returned questionnaires within the collection. Also included in this mailing was a letter of support from the True Light Middle School and the support of the Yenching Univeristy and its faculty. Meeting minutes from the Preparatory Committee on the project are included. As are financial records, including cancelled checks and deposit records through the accounts' closing on May 31, 1950. Finally there are some biographical information contained on Lu Hui Ching. This includes a CV, copies of some personal materials like information from Camp Wabunaki in Maine and text from a short talk she gave for an AAPE (American Alliance of Physical Education) on April 17, 1949. Of note is an interview she gave on the project with the I.O.E. Broadcasting program on February 7, 1949.For more information about Lu Hui-chʻing, see:https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/people/97

Finding Aid RG 159: Springfield College Fencing Team Records

This is the Finding Aid is for RG 159 - Springfield College Fencing Team Records collection. Materials in this collection contains mostly photographs from the time that Fencing was a varsity sport at Springfield College between 1906 and 1937. Most of these photographs are team or group photographs. In addition there are a few photographs of fencing on the campus, either from events, club or class activities, from after it stopped being a varsity sport (ca. 1970-1990). The only print documents are a proposed schedule of expenses for the 1916-17 season and a letter to Charles D. Todd, class of 1918 discussing fencing. These come from a donation that also included fencing bag and fencing team badge from the 1916-1917 season. Finally there is a fencing mask and two practice fencing foils. The fencing foils may not have been used by the Fencing Team, but may have been used by the Gymnastics Exhibition Team in their Tableauxs or general programs.To learn more about the Springfield College Fencing Team, see: https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/corporate_entities/30

Finding Aid: RG192-05 - School of Physical Education, Performance, and Sport Leadership: International Sports Program with Saudi Arabia Records

This is the Finding Aid for RG192-05 - School of Physical Education, Performance, and Sport Leadership: International Sports Program with Saudi Arabia Records contains reports, correspondence, notes, news releases, newspaper clipping and magazines, photographs, slides, brochures, books, and memorabilia having to do with the creation and running of the program. Materials were all created between 1974-1977. Much of the correspondence is between the Whittaker Corporation and Springfield College about the development of physical education and sports for the people of Saudi Arabia. There is also correspondence regarding the giving an honorary degree for Prince Faival Bin Fadad Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia. This was pushed, in part, by trustee and entertainer Art Linkletter. Reports include a proposal for a Sport and Physical Education School in Saudi Arabia and the Tests and Measurements report written by Dr. Wayne E. Sinning which contained the measurements conducted on the athletes from Saudi Arabia. Other reports and printed documents include manuals for the Athletes and staff involved in the program (some of this is in Arabic), books on Saudi Arabia, pamphlets from events including the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and a special brochure that recaps the programs (includes photographs and a textual recap). A report for the Springfield College president on the program written by the director, John Neumann, is also within. There are some photographs from the program, in particular their arrival on the campus of Springfield College. Finally there are some pieces of memorabilia created for the program, including a plaque given to participants, a card holder, and a baggage tag.To learn more about the School of Physical Education, Performance, and Sport Leadership: International Sports Program with Saudi Arabia Records, see: https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/corporate_entities/30

Finding Aid RG 155: Springfield College Boxing Team Records

This is the Finding Aid is for RG 155 - Springfield College Boxing Team Records collection. Materials in this collection contains a few photographs and a pamphlet. The photographs include team photographs from 1934 and 1936. The pamphlet is not necessary from the team which only existed for a few years, but is from an interclass boxing championship held on March 1, 1924.To learn more about the Springfield College Boxing team, see: https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/corporate_entities/30

The Springfield Student (vol. 138, no. 18) February 29, 2024

“The Springfield Student” was first published in 1909 in the Association Seminar, an alumni publication. The portion published in the Association Seminar has been digitized and can be seen in The Springfield College Alumni Magazine Collection (http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p16122coll3/searchterm/The%20Springfield%20Student/field/spring/mode/all/conn/and/order/date). Generally, “The Springfield Student” includes information about student organizations, athletics, alumni, and events. It also occasionally includes student poetry and fiction, as well as the conclusions of student-designed research. As the publication evolved, “The Springfield Student” began including editorials on world events and popular culture, as well as letters to the editor. Originally, the “Springfield Student” was published monthly from October through June, and its formatting resembled a magazine. In October 1913, the cover illustration simplified to only the title, the date, and the capital letter “S,” but the content and structure remained unchanged. On September 27, 1916, “The Springfield Student” was reformatted to resemble a newspaper: the pages decreased from around thirty to just four, it no longer included a cover, and it became a weekly publication. In the inaugural weekly issue, the editors explained the motivation behind the change: “To sustain the intimate and helpful relations that our Alumni and College should stress we feel that a weekly news publication is the best possible medium. [...] It is the purpose of the Staff to cover all College and Student Association activities in a very live way, reporting athletic contests in brief snappy articles, and giving members of the Alumni Associations space for contributions and newsy items.” During October 1917, in acknowledgement of the limited resources and significantly smaller student body caused by the United States’ involvement in World War I, the “The Springfield Student” ceased its weekly publication and instead published a few pages each month in the “The Association Seminar.” Two years later, October 1919, “The Springfield Student” resumed weekly publication. In this first issue, the editors wrote that they wanted to re-establish the newspaper “as the mouthpiece or spokesman of the student body.

Springfield College Graduate Commencement Program (May 11, 2024)

A program for the one hundred and thirty-eighth graduate commencement ceremonies of Springfield College held on May 11, 2024. This pamphlet starts with a description of the commencement exercises, including songs, prayers, commencement address, conferring of degrees, the Honorary Degree candidates, to then finish with a list of the members of the graduating class. Massachusetts' 1st District Congressman Richard E. Neal gave the commencement address

The Springfield Student (vol. 138, no. 15) February 8, 2024

“The Springfield Student” was first published in 1909 in the Association Seminar, an alumni publication. The portion published in the Association Seminar has been digitized and can be seen in The Springfield College Alumni Magazine Collection (http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p16122coll3/searchterm/The%20Springfield%20Student/field/spring/mode/all/conn/and/order/date). Generally, “The Springfield Student” includes information about student organizations, athletics, alumni, and events. It also occasionally includes student poetry and fiction, as well as the conclusions of student-designed research. As the publication evolved, “The Springfield Student” began including editorials on world events and popular culture, as well as letters to the editor. Originally, the “Springfield Student” was published monthly from October through June, and its formatting resembled a magazine. In October 1913, the cover illustration simplified to only the title, the date, and the capital letter “S,” but the content and structure remained unchanged. On September 27, 1916, “The Springfield Student” was reformatted to resemble a newspaper: the pages decreased from around thirty to just four, it no longer included a cover, and it became a weekly publication. In the inaugural weekly issue, the editors explained the motivation behind the change: “To sustain the intimate and helpful relations that our Alumni and College should stress we feel that a weekly news publication is the best possible medium. [...] It is the purpose of the Staff to cover all College and Student Association activities in a very live way, reporting athletic contests in brief snappy articles, and giving members of the Alumni Associations space for contributions and newsy items.” During October 1917, in acknowledgement of the limited resources and significantly smaller student body caused by the United States’ involvement in World War I, the “The Springfield Student” ceased its weekly publication and instead published a few pages each month in the “The Association Seminar.” Two years later, October 1919, “The Springfield Student” resumed weekly publication. In this first issue, the editors wrote that they wanted to re-establish the newspaper “as the mouthpiece or spokesman of the student body.

Humanics Lecture - "Reach Out With Whatever You Have" - Miguel L. Arce, MSW 2024

This is a video of a lecture titled "Reach Out With Whatever You Have: Service, Dignity, and Justice: 2024 Humanics Values" which was presented on April 18, 2024 by the 2023-2024 Distinguished Professor of Humanics, Professor of Social Work, Miguel L. Arce. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Mary Ann Coughlin begins the video with an introduction and recognition of past Distinguished Professors of Humanics in attendance and then introduces Professor Arce. Professor Arce's lecture reflects on the three Humanics principles for 2024: service, dignity and worth of all, and justice. Following Professor Arce's presentation, Dr. Coughlin presents Professor Arce with a Distinguished Professor of Humanics pin, then announces the winners of the Humanics scholarships with the assistance of Emeritus Professor Peter Polito. Dr. Coughlin then introduces the 2024-2025 Distinguished Professor of Humanics, Pamela Higgins, who addresses the audience. Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper concludes the video with her remarks.Humanics is a word that has a special meaning in the history and philosophy of Springfield College, as well as in the college’s motto of “Spirit, Mind, and Body.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines Humanics as, “the subject or study of human affairs or relations, especially of the human element of a problem or situation as opposed to the mechanical.” In 1962, Dr. Glenn Olds, President of Springfield College at the time, began to wonder why this name was given to the intended philosophy of the college by Dr. Laurence Locke Doggett, Springfield College’s first full-time president. Olds acknowledged that the practices of the faculty were in large part consistent with the Humanics philosophy, but he believed that a more self-conscious application would improve chances of its continuity and survival. To ensure this, a Distinguished Professor of Humanics position was created at the college, first filled by Dr. Seth Arsenian from 1966-1969. The purpose of this position was to catalyze a renewal of consciousness in the philosophy. This was done by annually mandating the Distinguished Professor of Humanics to give a Humanics lecture on the definition of Humanics and what the concept means to them. Arsenian started this tradition in 1967 with his speech titled, “The Meaning of Humanics,” in which he described the concept as a set of ideas, values, and goals that make our college distinct from other colleges and make commitment and unity toward commonly sought goals possible