One freshman hit upon a sore point when she said "the only thing that's missing is a city to go into." But the college recognizes this problem and, as President Gettell noted, "We bring the city here." Not only series, but also a concert series and a is there a Wednesday night lecture chamber music series. In addition, there is a Friends of Art Association which brings exhibits to the campus for as long as two weeks.
'Non-Sectarian Institution'
As at Harvard, religion has in recent years caused some disturbance at Mount Holyoke. A good deal of student opposition to the former church and chapel requirements brought a change in policy by the Board of Trustees. A statement released by the Board this fall stated that "Mount Holyoke College is a private institution, unaffiliated with any church. It is non-denominational in its admission policy and in selecting its faculty. It welcomes students and teachers of all faiths. But it follows a long tradition, based on New England Protestantism, of counting exposure to the spiritual and ethical values of religion as an integral part of the college experience."
Last year the girls were required to attend five of the Sunday morning services each semester, but this brought complaints, especially from Jewish students. Roman Catholics and those of foreign faiths such as Islam may be given exemptions, since visiting clergymen of those religions are never represented at the Sunday services. Occasionally a rabbi presides, however, and the Jewish students had to attend.
Protestant' Worship
The new statement of the Board of Trustees, however, countered the complaints of some that because of the Sunday morning requirement, they were sometimes unable to attend the churches of their own choice, by changing the Sunday services from morning to evening.
According to the trustees' release, "The College conducts its own Sunday services. Held in a beautiful Chapel and accompanied by inspiring music chosen from many liturgies, they bring to the College a procession of distinguished visiting preachers of different faiths and denominations. The order of service is generally in the Protestant tradition, but rabbis and others occasionally officiate."
Yet rabbis rarely appear more than once or twice a semester--and when they do, it is not a Jewish service which they conduct but rather a "Protestant order" of worship with a sermon from the Jewish point of view. This policy change does not, however, alleviate the perfectly justified complaint of one Jewish girl that "it is morally wrong to require anyone to go to church." If Mount Holyoke intends to continue admitting students of all faiths on a non-sectarian basis, it would seem fitting that the college alter its church requirement, so that no girl would be compelled to worship in a place not of her own choosing.
College Holds Assemblies
"In addition to the Sunday church services," the trustees' statement continues, "the College conducts a number of assemblies. Generally they consist of: The Gathering of the College, a secular student assembly held on Tuesday mornings, conducted by the President of the College; College lectures, on Wednesday evening, with addresses by visiting speakers; (and) College chapel services, religious in character, on Thursday mornings, arranged by the Dean of the College Chapel and the Fellowship of Faiths.
"Students are free to choose which of these assemblies they will attend but they are required to attend at least half of the aggregate number each semester." This means an average attendance of three assemblies every two weeks, and although most of the girls accept this requirement unbegrudgingly, to some it represents an inconvenience. Thus, with its latest change in religious requirements. Mount Holyoke shows signs of joining several other colleges in the move to a more liberal chapel-attendance policy.
Four-College Plan
The school, however, is making more rapid advances along other lines, the most striking of which concerns formation of a four-college plan with Amherst, Smith, and the rapidly growing University of Massachusetts. The group already shares cultural programs, and, as President Gettell remarked, offers "some very exciting possibilities as we look forward." All within 10 miles of one another, the four also have already joined together to set up an educational radio station in conjunction with the technical high school in Springfield. The station's programming includes an exchange with WGBH, its counterpart in Boston.
Beautiful Campus
A real step toward co-education has been taken with the creation of a joint political studies center by Amherst and Mount Holyoke, a step which may soothe the unhappy girl who stated that "one thing that any woman's college misses in trying to make the whole woman is men." At present the group swaps faculties, Gettell noted, and may at some time move toward joint departments.
But for a lack of adequate auditorium space to accommodate the many performers and lecturers that visit the college throughout the academic year, Mount Holyoke's campus is perfect: beautiful, spacious, and well-populated. There is little or no room for improvement here.
Sprawling over 661 acres in the foothills of the Berkshires, the campus is certainly inviting. The town supported by the college, South Hadley, is quaint, and largely inhabited by at least fourth generation New Englanders. Mount Holyoke is not plagued by friction between itself and the community; in fact, it allows the townspeople to use the library, swimming pool, and observatory. Said one local youngster about the college, "It keeps us in trouble"; and one middle-aged citizen commented, "The girls make lovely scenery; they're 1300 more good reasons to live in town."
'Big Sister'
Why the girls are good reasons to live in town presents something of an enigma. Friendly, often a little too much so, they are nevertheless not very much better looking on the average than their Radcliffe counter-parts although the change of scene does something to a man's outlook.
On her arrival, the Freshman is immediately indoctrinated with propaganda about school traditions and regulations. She is introduced to her "big sister," who is her guide through the first hectic weeks of orientation and organization. The freshman almost unanimously praised the big sister system. All four classes are housed in the dormitories and the girls approve of this idea, as it gives the freshmen a chance to "learn all about the school." As one student put it, "It gives more of an overall