Page 166 - ThePhoenix1996-97

Thursday, May 8, 1997 - Page 10 FEATURES Saying good-bye to the talents of an alumnus and professor and softball, and occasionally refereed in- By JEN VICK FealuresEtlilor tramural sports events. During his sophomore year, Stevens met Dr. Ray Stevens' desk faces the door so his wife Ruth Ann who was also a student at that when students pass by his office on the WMC. They have two sons, David, 32, and second floor of Hill Hall they can be sure to Joel,29. receive a friendly hello. Stevens received his PH. D. from the But when the semester comes to an end, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia this door will close for the English professor and taught for three years at Butler Univer- who will be retiring after 31 years of teach- sity in Indianapolis before returning to WMC ing at WMC. Stevens will not only be say- to teach in 1966. ing good-bye as a professor, but also as an "I felt r owed Western Maryland College alumnus, ending a 43 year relationship with something," said Stevens, who wanted to WMC. show his appreciation for the education the "I'll miss teaching very much, but I'll be college had given him. doing other things," he said. Stevens has done this in more ways than From 1954 to 1958 Stevens was a stu- one, not only as a teacher who brings enthu- dent at WMC and graduated summa cum siasm to the classroom, but also as a facilira- laude with a degree in English. He dabbled tor in establishing campus organizations. He not only in English as an undergrad, but also instituted the literary honor society, Lambda in philosophy, French and German, and was Iota Tau, worked with WMC's blood bank, a member of the Gamma Beta Chi fraternity. and helped Dr. Sam Case, professor of physi- Describing himself as a "serious student," cal education and exercise science, establish Dr. Stevens sits ill his office in Hill Hal! where his door has always been open /0 students for Stevens was involved with the French Club, the Circle K club. In 1975 he was awarded his 31 years of teaching English Future Teachers of America, Argonauts, and the Distinguished Teaching Award, and has WMC's college band as a trombone player. also received Faculty Creativity and Book Stevens has certainly been more than a British Literature survey course as well as As an athlete, he played intramural football Awards. teacher; he could be called an expert travel Irish Literary Renaissance with which he said In the classroom, Stevens is well known guide. He estimates having traveled with at he's "having a ball." by his students for the classical music he least 500 students on Jan Term trips over the "What I teach is new every time I come plays as they file in before class, Ruth Ann's years to places that have included New Or- back to it," Stevens said. fudge that is passed around before an exam, leans, Ireland, Scotland, and England. He prefers the great wealth of British lit- and for annual invitations to his home, six "The best traveling I've done has been erarure from 1800 to the 1950's, specifically miles from WMC, for tea. with students," he said. "There's no greater Victorian Romantic poets, over other litera- On occasion, Stevens will stand on a table joy than watching students discover." ture because of the centuries of tradition that in the classroom while lecturing, or digress For a month this summer Stevens plans I! encompasses. from the topic of British Literature with our- to venture to Germany, Poland, and the "He really loves what he teaches," no- rageous stories from his experiences as a stu- Czech and Slovak republics with Ruth Ann. ticed junior Dan Shattuck, a history major, dent at WMC or from his personal life. He After retirement, Stevens will stay active while taking a semester of the British Lit- often recounts his dormitory days in WMC's with research and writing in addition to trav- erature survey course. "He definitely knows former Old Main building where there was eling. British Literature ... and Iliked his energy one light cord and outlet for each room. Stu- "There's so much that Idon't know that I in the class." dents would run extension cords from them want to learn," he said. Dr. Ray Phillips, professor ofEngJish and for such things as radios and at least two or He will continue working on a volume chair of the department, has taught at WMC three fuses were blown a night as a result. of the Cambridge University Press Critical since 1963. Having attended graduate school Or there is the story of the time he was Edition of the Works of Joseph Conrad en- with Stevens at the University of Pennsyl- changing a light bulb at his house and found titled Last Essays. vania, Phillips informed Stevens of the teach- a can of Schaefer beer in the ceiling tile that The Conrad scholar has spent more than ing position opening in 1966. his teenage son had stashed away. The a decade traveling all over the U.S. and "He's been one of our best teachers for a punchline lies in Stevens' confrontation of throughout Europe, as far as Zurich and long, long time," Phillips said. "I've always his son years later on the kind of beer he was Zakopane, to find Conrad's original manu- been impressed by his dedication and hard attempting to hide when he asked him 'Is scripts to work with. Stevens has written work. He's a very informed man and good this all I taught you?' countless essays on Conrad and other liter- writer." "Iwouldn't say I rant and rave, but I do ary topics that have appeared in periodicals After he stops teaching, Stevens said jok- sometimes bellow," said Stevens humorously including, Conradiana, 10urnal of Modern ingly that he will "Slay out of Ruth Ann's As a student at WMC. Dr. Ray Stevens was of his attempts to bring "comic relief' to the Literature, and the Baltimore Sun newspa- way," while he is busy writing and research- active in honor societies. intramural sports, classroom. "I've always tried to be some- per. ing and paying visits to the WMC campus and was a member of the Gamma Beta Chi thing more than a teacher of English." This semester, Stevens is teaching the for an occasional hello. fraternity. CAPBoard: more than movies and meetings College Activities Director explains history and purpose of one of the college's most influential organizations The group sponsored weekend parties in Coffeehouse. By MITCH AUXANDER Coliege Acuvities Direcror Winslow Center, weekday speakers in The fourth director, Kathy Dawkins, McDaniel Lounge, and Friday night movies changed the names and function of the com- When new students arrive at WMC they in Decker Auditorium. Nixon began the Sru- mittees to put them in line with the National either ask, 'What is CAPBoard?' or they are dent Center concept. The student chair per- Association of College Activities guidelines, Genuine Help and Understanding told that it sponsors the movies, hypnotist, son with a student committee voted and instituted a leadership retreat for the group and a concert. When students do articles on staffed every event. while creating an assistant director's posi- IVlSleep Sedation CAPBoard they begin by asking, 'How much The second director, Terry Rippon, was tion, and removed the faculty and staff from Firat &: Mid-Trimester Abortion Services money does CAPBoard get?' not as task oriented as his predecessor so the the committee. Free Pregnancy Testing Well, I would like 10 answer that ques- students demanded that the Social Commit- NACA is a professional organization for onograms tion with a unique response. CAPBoard is a tee include three faculty and three staff per- activities directors. Dawkins' new commit- ommunity Education & Guest Speaking leadership building organization that uses sons. tees were Publicity, Performing Arts, Mov- Services students programming and volunteers to help The committee created five focus areas ies, Mainstage, Second Stage, and Concerts. 24-Hour Emergency Call create and supplement the social atmosphere which were Lectures, Movies, Concerts & The fifth director, Mitchell Alexander, on campus. Many would read that and ask Coffeehouse, Cultural Arts, and Dances. fine tuned the committee names to Public- FOR APPOINTMENTS CALL: how is that possible and what does that mean. The third director, Yvette Carney, con- ity, Cultural Art, Films, Mainstage, and Sec- 410-788-4400 Let's back up to its conception to see what I verted the focus areas into subcommittees ond Stage. Suburbia Building mean by that. and labeled the group the College Activities His legacy is strongly encouraging group 5802 Baltimore National Pike., SuiLe 600 CAPBoard began as an off-shoot of the Programming Board. She began to wean the co-sponsorships, non-mainstream program- Baltimore. Maryland 21228 Social Committee ofSGA. Initially, the first faculty and staff off the committee. Yvette ming, increasing student involvement in the Convemem to BaltiJil.ore Beltway (695) director of college activities, Joan Nixon, created five committees which were Mov- planning and implementing of campus ac- (Out of Area) 14800-427-2813 advised the Social Committee part of SGA. ies, Concert, Dances & Parties, Lectures, and Continued on page 13