The President’s Report for February 18, 1956

McCluer, Franc

English

Digital Commons@Lindenwood University

tINm:NWOOD COLLEGE ST.. CHARLES, MISSOURI Office of the President TO MEMBERS OF' THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORY BOARD OF LINDENWOOD COLLF.OE: I notice an omission in the transcript of the report which ha.a been mailed you and hasten to correct it. The first reeomn~ndation on pa~e 8 should read as follows, "It is fprther recommended that the college advance from its\endowment surplus fund the difference between the amourlt paid on its subscriptions an1 the $3001000 we unde~ok to ~aise, this advance to be repaid by payments •. on subscriptions made to the college for the chapel .ru;nd and by money secured in further campaii;;n for the chapel building in the Synod and among friends of t he c~lege." FLM:MY Yours sincerely, -f./3/V~ F. L. MoCluer President REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF LINDENWOOD COLLEGE TO THE BOARD OF DIRECT0RS FEBRUARY 24, 1956 It i s a pleasure to make this report ~o the Board or Directors of Ltndenwood Collegeo STUDENT BODY - ---The academic record of the first semester indicates a very satisfactory • experience for the student body generallyo One student had to be dropped at the end of t he s emester because of complete failure and 20 were placed on academic probs:ti on for the second s emestero Six students received "A" marks in all their worko Thirty-one were on the r~an•s Honor Roll and 70 on the Dean's Honorable Mention I.:i.st., 'I'he 7 students who were i n Washington, n.c. on the Washinrton Semester Prog;~a.m made vecy sup-eri or records among the students of the 14 colleges cooperating during th:a first sen~st er. 'fhe individual achievement o:f' · students outside the classroom is seen in t he reco'""ni t i on r.:i ven Shirley Parnas, a S~nior, who i s t o pe a soloist with wi th StQ Louis Phil;Ia:rmonic this sprim·, and t?e leaderahip of one of our foreign st udents, Angeliki \7elL.)u , &,t ·the St udent Christian Conf erence at Athensp Ohio, during the Christman vacati nno 'l'he soctal :1.ctivity program has been well directed and held within reasonable boundsQ One new invitation has been r eceived and accepted this yearo Ten of our students are spending the wee~..,•end a t Princeton as guests of Princeton students" 'rheir a.ct:tvities on 'this visit will be described i n a article in : ~ £~, which has t'\ wi de circulat ion among high school and college students 0 Repor t to t he Boar d February 24, 1956 'rhe mustc students were heard in anhour•a progr am over station KMOX the afternoon before Christmas, the program be:J.ng recor ded i n our aud:J. torium before the Christ.mas r ecess . The program was a very gr ea t cradi t to the l'iusic Dapa:rtment o ENROLLMENT The new moving picture has been very well r eceived in church groups and before high s chool groups and was shown on television from a Nashville station during the Christmas vacationo Our admissions staff f eels that the picture has been a very _great help in the enrollment of studente o • • • I Aa of February lu we have 260 students enrolled for n~xt year ~8 compared wH,h 187 on the correspondin~ date last yearo This is a 39% increase. I n connection with the enrollment the Pre8ident and the Dean have met 1-ii th the f aculty in small p.:rouus ·oo discuss our hol ding power and our counseling program in the hope th~t t,he whole staff' will coop~rate in a more vigorous er .fort to hold c.t~dents u.~til graduation. We have been thinking about this problem which is a current one among small liberal arts colleges in the Middle West for some Mme and tia-:,,-; mnde somo slight gainso For exampl e , the average percentage of freshmen grs.duating in the period J.9L.0-48 was 1502%~ and si nce that time it baa become 19.8%., RELIGIOUS EDUCATION MAJOR ........ ---. --· ... ----.. -~-----~ The n<:nrly cstahliatied 1·el:ip.ious education major has attracted quite a numb~r of no·w enr.ol.1mcmts, and of the~ 10 schol arships set aside for these majors, 8 hnve alre~r3y be9n assir;nP-<l . These students are obligated to remain at Li ndenwood ·t,..•• f'cmr y~ro--s and to ro i nto act1Ye service of t he church as assj_stants i n the f i.P-ld of re) j, :i.0\.18 edunn:t5.on. Report to the Board - 3 - February 24, 1956 The nationally advertised scholarships offered by the Boa1-d of Christian Education have attracted 31100 applicantso Final awards will be made in April to between 25 and $0 students. Three or them have applied for admission to Lindenwood. RELIGIOUS EMPHASIS WEEK We have just concluded our Relir,ion in Life Week with Dr. H. Louis Patriot, pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sto Louis, as leader. Dro Patrick made a profound impression upon the stu~ent col1U1Illnityo We all feel that it was one of the most effective such weeks we have had•,, POLITICAL CONVENTIONS The Republican and Democratic student political conventions will be held on the L:f.nde'l'lwood campus April 19-210 Approximately 60 collAges have indicated their interest in eendin~ delegates and the keynote speakere have been secured. Former Governor Dan 'l'hornton, of Colorado, will be the keynoter for the Republicans on Friday, April 20, and Senator Thomas Co Hennings, Jro will speak ~or the Democrat,s on Saturday morning, April 210 The faculties of other colleges are cooperating in preparing delegates for the writi~ of pls.tforms, and the discussion of issues and candidates. PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS The armual conference of chapla1na and professors of .Bible from the Presbyterian coJ.l r"•.:3s Has held on the Lindenwood campus in Octobero The Presbyterian College U~1.on met on t he Lindenwood campus on January 90 P::·er-i<' --nts , neans, a1111 Business Ya11ap.ers were in attendance at this meeting which we fe<"l "ras handled ver:y successfully. The discussions centered about the problems of faculty St'.larie n, securin~ competent teachers to take care of the proepeotive increeMd. enrollme;1tE1 , prov1.ci:i.np. facilities for substantial increases in enrollment, Report to the Board - 4 .. February 24, 19$6 reaching the relirious ltfe of the colleP.e colllll1unit1es~ fund raising, budget making, and the prospect for increased support from the church. At the meeting in St. Louis of the Association of American Colle~es, the Association was addressed by two members of the Li ndenwood staff - Dr. Theodore 0111., T)ea.n of Chapel, and the President of the Collefl.8. Dr. Gill epo'ke on the Chris t ian reliP.ion as a context in which we educate, ano the President spoke on the .future of liberal s.rtso MISSOURI COLL~GE JOINT FUND COMMITT!i:E1 I NC . The Missouri College Joint Fund Committee has employed Dr. F.ugene R. Pa,z:e., as i t s Executive Secretary. Dr. Page fornerly taught at Central College, was Commander of the V-12 Unit at Westminster, and has ··recently served as Director or the Education Division of the Sto Louis Chamber of Commerceo He comes to the Missouri College Joint Fund Connntttee directly from a position as Executive ' Secre·~ry of the Missouri Consumer Finance Association. He will have his office temporarily at Lindenwood Collegeo The Mi ssouri Collep,e Joint Fund Conmittee received 134,000 from business organtzat,ions this last calendar year as compared with ~22,000 a year ago. It ie hoped that the idea of corporate support of privately supported, liberal arts eollep,es has becorr.e so wall established that with an Executive Secretary the Missouri association will receive verv much greater suppor t. ADVISORY ROA.RD MEf-'IB'El?S :ct is a pleasu:re to announce that the Reverend c. Ralston Smith, DoDo, pastor of the First Presbyter:tan Church in Oklahoma City, Mr. George Wo Johns, v:1.ce ... president and general merchandise manap,er of To Ao Chapman Company in Milwaukee, a'1d f' · • Curtis Y.it,cheJ.l, who is starting a publishing company in Coral Gables, Flor it.fo, havl':l c.cceptcd places on our Advisory Bosrdo Report to the Board - s - February 24, 1956 CHAPEL BUILDING The chapel and church buildin~ is under construction under a contract entered into by the joint committee representin~ the Board of Lindenwood College and the eonp-regation of the St. Charles Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Robert Wright. The ~rantaed maximum oost of this building is $458,288. In ma.kinp. the campairm for funds with which to P.rect this building, the church sought ~150,000 and the oolle~ sought ~300,000. The total subscriptions, including oash gifts, are slightly in excess of t2BO,ooo. The church raised its $150,000 and the college secured the balance throughout Synod and its alumnae and friems. Total cash receipts have amounted to $120,415, of which t59,271 hae been paid on subscriptions received by the college. The bills in connection with this ent.erprise, total:1.ng $106,535, have been paid and cash on hand amounts to $13,880. Mr. Kriete StW71berpA attorney, is seeking incorporat.ion ot the Lindenwood College and St. Charles Presbyterian Church Corporation under articles approved by the Board of Lindsnwood ColleRe at its October· meeting and by the congregation of St, Charles Presbyterian Church at a conrrre~ational meeting held January 40 It is hoped that a eerttficate of incorporation will have been received by the t.1.me tho Board of T.,:i:nderrwood College meets in Februaryo FORD F0UNDATION GRANTS Announcement of t l1e grants from the Ford Foundation to liberal arts colleeee and hospitals was n1ade in the newspapers on December 13, 19550 Lindenwood College received two grants totaling aoproximately $250,0000 One is an endowment, grant and the other an accomplishment ~ranto EndO"ment grants wera made to the 615 privately supported, accredited, four yonr liberal arts colleges ·and universities in the nation0 The principal Report to the Board - 6 - February 24, 1956 of this grant must be held for 10 years and the income from it is to be used only to increase faculty salarieso Accomplishment grants are made to colleges "which have led the way in their regions in improving the status and compensation 0£ American college teachers"• The selection of the colleges for the accomplishment grants was made by Ford's College Grants Advisory Cormtittee after six months• study. In the five state area of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri, Lindenwood was one of 6 institutions to receive an accomplishment grant, and Lindenwood is the only small liberal arts college to receive such a v.rant in Missour.io The use of the accomplishment ,;;rant is not restricted as is that of the endowment grant. It is the expectation of the Foundation that colleges receiving the aceomplisbment grant will make an effort during the next fev years to secure at least equal support from other sources, though no formal match~ requirement is made. It is good to note that the forward and confident look of the Board of Directors in a period of lowered enrollments-which has led us to increase faculty salaries and maintain the excellence of our curricular offerings has attracted this additional support on the part of the Foundation. These grants are to be paid in 'two equal installments, one before July 1, 1956, and the other before July 1, 1957. Tnis · action of the Ford Foundation is the most sip.nifioant and far-r.eachinp: i n its e ffects in t.he histor:y of Arerioan philanthropy. This support is a challen~a, too, to th~ friends and constituencies of t hese collar.es to move forward with renewed faith and enthu..siasm for the gr.ant does l"lot, meet all needs of the colleges o The income on the grants to Lindenwood, for ox3.lllple, wil:1. be about 1.1:J.o.,ooo, approximately 1.2)% of our over-all expenditures Report to the Board - 7 - February 24, 1956 this year. For tho churches t hat sponsor this college, for all of us who believe in it and have asserted our loyalty to it, he re is a challen?e to invest in its future l-Ti th ureat conf idf)nceo Since the income on the endm-tment grant :ls restricted for fa.cul ty salaries And public announcement of this fact was made, the matter was diaoussed at the last repular faculty meeting. The income is beinP. used by some colleges as a percentage increase for all teacM.np- faculty, otheriY have decided to make the increases larger f or those in the lm,er ranF,es, and some have proposed to div:l.de the total income from -~he endowment grant into equal portions to be distributed among the faculty r e~ardless of rank. After discussion the Lindenwood faculty voted to request that this •, · ·· third plan of distribution be recommended to the Board of Directors of Lindenwoodo RF.Cor"NDATIONS It is recommended that the administration be authorized to increase the bas:1.c charge for board1 room, and tuition, by $100 and to rnake smaller increases in charees for sinrlc ro~ms, and room with private baths, and for individual instruction 0£ specifl.l ~t.11dents in music., such chanrres to be announced in the ca talo~ t.o l:>e 1.ssued nPxt September o It is recommended that t he su~r:estion of the faculty that the income from the :0·01•d endowr.1crnt, r-ran'~ be distributed in equal port:1.ons amonp. the full-time faculty mem'oors and to parl-time teachers on a proportionate basis be approved. It ts recommended that wren the title to the new chapel and church buildir,l?. ha:; b1:;on c ri~""·Yd to tlie Lindem1ood College and St,,. Charles Presbyterian Church Cox:,,orn-1:.i. on nnd v11en subscriptions for the erection of this building held by thn c'n rch and by tl"<e collefe have also been conveyed to this co:rporation, Report to th~ Board 'February 24, 1956 Lindemood. Colle~e t~anarer to tn8 corporation the principal or the Knight Chapel Fund and the balance of it.::. inco·ne, and the principal. of The Chapel Fund and the balance of its income for use -tn the payment of the contractor. It is further reconmanded '!',hat the college advance from its endowment surplus fund the difference be .:.ween the amount paid on its subscripti ons and the ~,)001000 we undertook to rais<3.I' this advance to be repaid b~ e~ ~n , ~ ~~ £ ~ -;d.,~ further campaign for the chapel building in the Synod and among friends of the ~ college. It is :recommended that a committee of the Board be appointed to work with the administration of the college i n seeking further gifts and subscriptions for the chapel and for an increase in endowment equivalent to that provided by the Ford accomplishment ~ant. Reepeotfully submi tted, f. t h/ttJ..u~ F o La McCluer / President 

The President’s Report, February 18, 1956

https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1090&amp;context=president_reports

The President’s Report, February 18, 1956

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Digital Commons@Lindenwood University