Dear Mom, Dad, Serena, John, and Mary,
Dick is out playing football so I thought I would write you all a letter. I better type fast because he will be back soon to go to dinner and I will never get this finished because I am going to a special class after dinner. Dr. Fugate, the head of the German dept. and the Foreign Study Program just got back form Europe and he is having "us" (the majors and other interested people of whom there aren't too many) over to his house so that we can read Faust together. It will probably be a weekly sort of thing until the end of the quarter. We're all supposed to have the first part of it read by tonight, that's about half the book. I read it all over vacation and I guess one other guy did but no one else seems to have it done yet. It will probably end up with Dr. Fugate telling us about everything anyway. Education is supposedly, or at should be theoretically getting away from the system of the teacher simply telling and the students doing nothing but absorbing. However with Dr. Fugate I do alot of listening and absorbing. If possible, I'd like to graduate, and learning the stuff he has to tell is a definite requisite.
Learning class is like the total opposite. The emphasis is on the experiential approach to learning. We are reading one book which is all about the different theories of learning, some get into stimulus response type stuff, while others concentrate on the thought and mind processes. I don't get too thrilled by theories but the rest of the class is more geared to personal and group observations. We are divided into groups of about seven people and the whole purpose of the group is to study the development of the group and the individuals in it. We meet twice a week in the small groups and twice a week as a whole class. Every Friday we have to hand in a journal about our personal observations or just about anything that seems especially pertinent. I just finished mine for this week before I began this letter. I wrote it on how my emotional mood had altered during the week and what I thought had changed it: i.e. health, friends, school work, lack of motivation, etc. I had a really bad cold the beginning of the week but it is pretty much gone.
There was a little excitement here on Tuesday and yesterday. Dr. Moltmann, a German theologian has been here speaking this week and on Tuesday night the school got three telephone calls saying there was a bomb in the chapel where he was going to speak. Lots of policemen with flashlights were on the scene and although nothing was found they moved the 600 people or so who had gathered in the chapel over to the Fine Arts building. They kept the building under "tight security" for a24 hours and last night Dr. Moltmann did speak in the chapel although there weren't quite as many people. Dr. Chen (acting pres. of K. while Dr. Hicks is recovering from his stroke or whatever) announced all about the bomb scares which was the first official announcement of such although the rumors had been thick. He also said that anyone should feel free to leave if hey felt so inclined because they were remaining at their own risk. Not too many seemed to realize how true that is.
I seem to have lost Roberta's address already. I got some 5¢ stamps to send her a card so try the address again and maybe I can get the two connected. I also got a letter from Patty Walker this week which I hope to answer soon but you can acknowledge my receipt of it if you see any of the Walker clan. Sue Steusloff Durham and her husband bought a four bedroom house in Portland. Right now all they have is a dog but I think the baby is due in about two weeks. Gee, it almost makes me fell like an aunt.
Speaking of aunts, Dick's Mom and aunt went down to Tennessee this week for sort of a vacation. We went out driving last weekend because the weather was beautiful and the tress all pretty color.
Thanks for checking on the VW at Tolles'. It sounds a bit stiff to me. There were some new ads in the paper last night so the possibilities certainly aren't exhausted. maybe as i gets closer to winter people will be willing to take even less money for their camping stuff.
Is Dad home from New York yet? I envy you with all those apples. I have been buying four pound bags of Jonathons or Macintosh at Thrifty Acres. That costs me about 49¢ per 4# bag which is definitely cheaper than 12¢ an apple at the snack bar.
It is amazing how much different I feel being here as a senior than I did as a freshman or sophomore. Seeing all the freshman makes me really aware of it. This has now become very much "home:, tied up with friends, responsibilities, and just plain living. I can remember when I used to have feelings like I just had to get out of the dorm or I'd go crazy or get away from Kalamazoo awhile. But now my attitude seems to be more of, Why should I get away? I live here. I like it here. Sometimes I get sort of down thinking about taking senior comps. and such in order to be able to graduate. I have to pass them. But I keep impressing on myself that if I work reasonably hard between then and now, there is no reason to get myself upset -- I either pass or I don't. If I do, tremendous. If I don't, I can't see that it will ruin my life.
Too bad about the Reds. I was rooting for them!
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