Dr. Jennifer Peszka, associate professor of psychology at Hendrix, comments on her study of the effects of sleeping habits on grades. The study has drawn state and national attention, including being featured in a June 2009 edition of Time magazine.

Dr. Peszka discusses initial results of a study on the effects of playing console and computer games on the sleep habits of young adults.

Video of Dr. Chappell's Last Lecture during Alumni Weekend 2010 is now streaming online. You can watch it here.

(You will need to install Microsoft Silverlight to view the video)

By Charles Chappell '64
Professor of English

Editor’s note: This article grew out of Professor Chappell’s talk delivered on April 19, 1999, as a part of the “Legends of Hendrix” program, a series of lectures sponsored by the Hendrix Student Senate. It was originally published in the Summer/Fall 1999 edition of Hendrix Magazine.

Whenever alumni who attended Hendrix during the early 1960s encounter one another by chance or get together on social occasions, almost invariably the conversation eventually centers on one or more of the following questions:  “Were you there the night of the train derailment?”  “Did you help steal the beer from the smashed boxcar?”  ”How much beer was taken, and what happened to it after that night?”  “Did anyone from Millar Hall get arrested or find himself in big trouble with Dean Meriwether?”  During the 36 years since the occurrence of the most famous railroad wreck in Hendrix history, countless stories, fables, prevarications, myths, legends, hyperbolic excursions into memory, and other assorted narratives have been passed back and forth among alumni and kept alive for future generations of Hendrix students. Perhaps the time has arrived to attempt to reconstruct what actually occurred on April 26, 1963, on the railroad tracks running from northwest to southeast directly in front of Millar Hall on the western edge of the Hendrix campus.

Not one word in print or a single photograph of this train wreck appears in any 1963 issue of The Profile or in the 1963 edition of The Troubadour. However, Dr. James Lester includes the following two tantalizing sentences in his 1984 definitive volume Hendrix College: A Centennial History :  “Legend also surrounded the derailing of a freight train that included a carload of beer in front of Millar Hall in April, 1963. Despite repeated assurances from railroad and college officials that Hendrix students did not remove any intoxicants from the wreck, campus mythology always contended otherwise” (225). Fortunately for posterity, The Log Cabin Democrat, Conway’s hometown newspaper, covered the derailment extensively in several editions and also supplied information that was picked up and included on their front pages by Arkansas’s two statewide dailies, The Arkansas Gazette and The Arkansas Democrat.  In addition to these valuable sources, several eyewitnesses and participants also provided crucial facts used in the preparation of this article, and the help of these members of the Hendrix family is gratefully acknowledged: Robert W. Meriwether '49, Emeritus Professor of Education, Political Science, and American History, and the original Hendrix Dean of Students; Albert M. Raymond, Pittman Professor of Biology Emeritus, former Associate Dean of the College, and Hendrix’s foremost authority on railroads; and several anonymous former residents of Millar Hall who are not certain that the statute of limitations on theft from interstate commerce has expired. Mac Murphy ’97, reporter and photographer for The Log Cabin Democrat, graciously searched his newspaper’s archives and then expertly created the photographs of the Log Cabin’s pages that accompany this article.

Late on Thursday night, April 25, 1963, Hendrix students in residence on campus or in nearby apartments were busily studying or preparing assignments for the next day’s classes, staring at television sets, talking on the telephone, participating in bull sessions, or engaging in other nocturnal pursuits. A few people blessed with 7:40-a.m. courses or with early-morning jobs (such as working in the dining hall) had already gone to bed. In those benighted days of gender inequality, all of the residents of Galloway and Raney Halls had already signed in and were locked into their cozy dormitories for the night. As Thursday ended and Friday began, a few chronic insomniacs wandered the two floors of Millar Hall looking for a card game, a conversation, or another excuse to stay up longer and justify to themselves the sweet temptation of sleeping until lunchtime the next day.

At 12:55 a.m. a Missouri Pacific freight train consisting of 141 cars and pulled by a four-unit locomotive engine banged and clanged along the tracks approximately 200 feet from the front door of Millar on its journey from Coffeyville, Kansas, to Little Rock. On a car near the middle of the train a journal burned off (a journal is that portion of the rotating axle which turns in a bearing), and a wheel dropped from the car, causing the car to leave the tracks, with other cars also being wrenched left and right at odd angles, some of them smashing into other cars.

The derailed cars, tossed to both the east and the west sides of the track, tore up more than 300 feet of track between the Independence Street and the Mill Street crossings, closing both of these crossings for more than seven hours. A few of the cars left the tracks farther north and closer to Millar Hall, blocking the Clifton Street crossing and forcing residents of Millar the next day to crawl over the couplings between stalled cars in order to walk across Washington Avenue to the main Hendrix campus. A total of 23 cars derailed, with 20 of them carrying cargo of some sort: plywood, steel pipe, flour, animal feed, and cases containing 12-ounce bottles of Miller High Life Beer.

Some of the derailed cars turned over, while others landed on their sides and twisted into grotesque shapes. Some cars came to rest parallel to the tracks, but others wound up horizontal to them. Two stationary cars (not ones connected to the train) that were sitting on a siding at the Conway Grain Company near the Mill Street crossing were ripped open by hurtling derailed cars. Both of the stationary cars spilled their loads of soybeans onto the surrounding terrain. The engineers in the lead locomotive managed to bring the train to a stop near Saint Joseph Catholic Church at the southern edge of the downtown Conway business district. Railroad officials estimated that before the wreck the Missouri Pacific train measured approximately one-and-a-half miles in length.

The tremendous cacophony of the derailment immediately attracted to the tracks those residents of Millar who were still awake, as well as assorted night owls from Martin and Couch Halls on the main campus. Various denizens of Millar who by nearly 1 a.m. snored raspily while happily dreaming of the liberal arts and sciences were abruptly jolted from their beds by the sounds of clashing metals, screeching brakes, incessant warning bells, and persistent sirens. One alumnus of Delta Alpha Millar Nu ( the mock fraternity invented and populated exclusively by proud residents of Millar Hall) reports that the ceaseless honkings of several stuck automobile horns on a freight carrier awakened him. A milling group of male students from all of the dormitories and from apartments within close proximity to the campus soon was excitedly examining the derailed cars and conversing in wonderment about the most exciting event to occur near Millar Hall since the spring of 1962, when Mansour Beheshti, an international student from Iran, had slaughtered a goat in a bathtub on the north end of the second floor of Millar, cooked the goat’s carcass slowly through the night over an open pit in the Hall’s backyard, presided at a Saturday afternoon picnic attended by residents of Millar and other members of the Hendrix community, and thus initiated the hallowed Hendrix springtime tradition of the Goat Roast.

As the students strained their eyes in the dim light of a few streetlamps, trying to make sense of the chaotic scene spread before them, one enterprising sophomore clambered onto a boxcar tilted partially on its side, pulled vigorously upward on an ajar door, and shouted, “Look here, guys! BEER! FREE BEER!” Within a few seconds the sophomore was handing contraband cases of brew out through the small space afforded by the twisted doorway to a hastily formed line of eager fellow Hendrix students, many of them stalwart residents of Millar Hall who were aided by delegates from other sectors of the campus community. One participant calls this impromptu social organization a “bucket brigade,” and its energetic crew managed hurriedly to relieve the boxcar of the burden of several cases of beer--no one seems to remember exactly how many, with most estimates ranging between six and twelve. Welcome to Miller (Millar) time!

Fear of the imminent arrival at the tracks of the Conway police or Missouri Pacific railroad detectives, apprehension that College officials would soon appear, and a realization--”Ah ha!”--by the man at the end of the line that he held in his arms a FREE collection of twenty-four bottles of intoxicating amber malt beverage all combined to cause each owner of a load of beer booty to beat a hasty retreat in the darkened direction of Millar Hall. The looting sophomore at the boxcar’s door turned with a case in hand and found to his surprise that he no longer enjoyed the convivial companionship of his erstwhile accomplices in spontaneous crime. Feeling quite conspicuous in his new solitude, this principal perpetrator leaped down from his perch and also disappeared northward into the night.

Women and men who attended Hendrix before the liberalization of the social rules that took place starting in the late 1960’s will clearly recall the strict rule dictating the absolute prohibition of the consumption of alcoholic beverages by Hendrix students--with the penalty usually being suspension from school for a prescribed period of time or even expulsion. Certainly a select few brave or foolhardy Hendrix males and females would sneak a drink or two on occasion, but anyone who sipped the nectar from the fruit of the vine, chugalugged the finest product of the brewer’s art, or succumbed to the temptations of the demon rum did so in full knowledge that he or she was taking a serious risk regarding continued official connection to Hendrix College. While the temptation to pilfer the displayed cases of beer from the wrecked train was too powerful for many prowlers to resist, all of the beer buccaneers had enough good sense to avoid quaffing any of their loot on the spot. Instead they hauled the cases to the backyard of Millar Hall and hid them deeply in the thick hedges lining the western border of the dormitory’s property.

At approximately 1:30 a.m. the telephone rang at the Conway home of Robert Meriwether, Dean of Students at Hendrix. After Mr. Meriwether answered with a groggy “Hello?”, the following conversation ensued:

 “Dean Meriwether, this is Officer [Blank] of the Conway Police Department. There has been a train wreck in front of Millar Hall, and you’d better come on over here.”

“Have any Hendrix students been injured?”

“No.”

“Were Hendrix students responsible for the wreck?”

“No.”

“Has any Hendrix property been damaged?”

“No.”

“Is there any danger of fire or explosion?”

“Well, no.”

“May I then ask why you are calling me, please?”

“Because some of your boys from Millar Hall have broken into a boxcar and stolen some beer.”

As Dean Meriwether dressed before driving the short distance to the site of the derailment, he thought to himself, “I certainly don’t want to have to expel 53 Millar men.” Arriving at the tracks, he met the Hendrix night watchman and several lingering students, but of course no beer was in sight. Meriwether told the students that he and the night watchman would be going to a nearby all-night cafe for a cup of coffee and that they would return to Millar in about an hour’s time to make certain that all was quiet on the western front of the Hendrix campus. Their eventual patrol of the halls of the dormitory revealed only total peace and stability and no displays of Miller High Life, so the Dean returned home reassured that no beer-soaked bacchanalian blowout would transpire in Millar Hall during what remained of that late-April night.

Early on Friday morning, April 26, the merry band of Hendrix brigands loaded the purloined cases of beer into automobile trunks and drove to the remote northern shores of Beaverfork Lake, the Conway city reservoir that also served as a popular nocturnal romantic destination for Hendrix couples in those wistful days preceding visitation hours in the residence halls by members of the opposite gender. Shielded by thick stands of trees clumped close to the water’s edge, the brew bandits either dug deep holes and buried their contraband or tied thick ropes to wooden crates and lowered bottles of beer into the water, by the latter strategy employing an ecologically sound method of chilling their beverages. Meanwhile, back at the tracks, a railroad crew that eventually grew to 40 laborers busily worked at the massive job of clearing the area of wrecked cars and tracks, using cranes, bulldozers, and all kinds of heavy trucks as well as muscle power. The crew built a detour around the destroyed sections of track, and the first train used the alternative route at 6 p.m. on Friday.

The time has arrived for a true confession. If gentle readers will indulge the author of this article as he shifts into the first person, self-consciousness will become a theme for only a brief few sentences. In April, 1963, I was pleased to exist as a junior English major at Hendrix and to be completing my third year of residence among the membership of Delta Alpha Millar Nu. The two windows of the room that Simon Bookout and I shared on the second floor of Millar faced eastward across the front yard and toward the railroad tracks. During the tumult, clamor, and moiling frenzy of the Great Train Wreck of ’63, both Simon and I--SLEPT SOUNDLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EPISODE! And to this very day we are both EMBARRASSED TO THE POINT OF MORTIFICATION!

When my alarm clock chirped at its customary 6:30 on Friday morning, I stumbled to the window (wondering why I was still hearing bells even though I knew that I had pounded the alarm button on my clock), raised the windowshade, and stared in open-mouthed awe at railroad cars stacked atop one another while strewn all over the landscape, as emergency personnel, railroad workers, and gaggles of gawkers swarmed the scene like agitated bees. My shouts awakened my roomie from one of his legendary bouts of sound slumber, and together we ran out into the hallway and grabbed the first Millarite whom we encountered, babbling pleas for an explanation. One of our next-door neighbors responded, “You idiots! Did you really sleep through the wreck? And didn’t you get any of the beer?” Our humiliated answers, which persist to this day, were these: “Yes, we never woke up”; and “Did you say BEER?”

During the next several days, as the railroad crew cleared the tracks and hauled away the ruined cars, Simon and I had plenty of opportunities to survey the damage and to talk with the preening Millar pirates who carried out the Great Beer Heist, but because we snoozed away throughout the night we missed out forever on the chance to participate in this sterling chapter of Hendrix history. On most mornings Simon worked, as he liked to say, “on the scrap line in the chow hall,” and I, simpleton extraordinaire, had blithely volunteered for the thrill of attending a first-period class six days per week.  As a result, my roomie and I usually hit the sack around midnight, and we always locked our door because we did not want to endure any of the typical Millar night-stalker pranks, such as having dead rats tossed onto our beds while we slept; being inundated by wastebaskets full of used Kleenex, cigarette butts, orange peels, and rancid water; or suffering a bombardment of tennis balls soaked in lighter fluid and set afire. Also, we had become accustomed to the nightly din in the hallways, including the occasional roar of a motorcycle that one particular classmate enjoyed steering down the second floor corridor at his customary 2 a.m. In retrospect, I am not surprised that Simon and I could sleep through the Armageddon of a massive railroad derailment. However, even after the passage of more than three and one-half decades, whenever I realize what fun I missed, I shake my head ruefully and sigh.

As best I can determine, this article represents the first attempt since 1963 to piece together a narrative of the major events of that epochal post-midnight event. And by now every reader must acknowledge that I, one-half of the Millar Hall winning team in the Rip Van Winkle contest, may legitimately serve at best as a tangential witness to the Great Train Wreck. Fortunately, contemporary electronic technology makes possible the gathering of information from alumni who may have served as members of the infamous bucket brigade or who may have walked along the tracks that fabled night and observed memorable actions, legal or otherwise. Still more alumni may have talked to some of the beery bandits and be able to flesh out the story with colorful anecdotes. Anyone who would be kind enough to furnish further information about the Great Train Wreck of 1963 may post a comment by clicking on the comment box at the end of this story. You will then have an opportunity to post your memories on the web site for the world to see.

Others with stories to tell may want to write via the postal system to me here at Hendrix (please check this magazine’s masthead for the mailing address). Warning: any communication may find its way into print in a future edition of Hendrix. Whether anyone chooses to add to the historical record by e-mail or by regular letter, I promise that anonymity will be preserved, if the writer so desires. (Do some of you members of the Hendrix Bar Association know the period of time that must elapse before a spontaneous beer burglar may stop feeling like a fugitive?)

I will especially appreciate assistance with these questions:

1. A major party occurred inside and outside Millar Hall sometime in the few days following the derailment. The requisitioned Miller High Life served as the festival’s principal liquid refreshment. I remember the party clearly, mostly because my good friend the Rat led one of his legendary faith-healing revivals, a religious rite that was sonorously accompanied by the terrific guitar picking and singing of the immortal Benjamine M. Everyone who attended had a grand old time until some local Conway neighbors complained about the level of noise, and the gathering eventually broke up. Did this full-tilt boogie occur on Saturday night, April 27, or the next weekend? Logic would suggest that the new owners of the Miller beer would not want to wait seven or eight days to enjoy the pleasures of their bounty, but a squiggle of memory tells me that the later date may be correct. Can anyone recall?
2. Several people who were at the scene report the presence of a boxcar loaded with cases of bourbon, with the wrecked car already being protected by policemen while the beer car was bereft of security forces. Can anyone fill in details on this part of the event? Did anyone from Millar Hall attempt to boost any of this much more expensive and potent booze?

Railroads have always been a fact of life at Hendrix. The tracks at the western boundary of the campus have existed longer than has the College, and all alumni will remember the sounds of the train whistles and crossing bells that drowned out a few moments of a concert in Reves Recital Hall, a poetry reading in Staples Auditorium, or a performance of a play in CabeTheatre. During the first hours of April 26, 1963, the tracks in front of Millar Hall became the epicenter of collegiate activity, and the Great Train Wreck has become an indelible part of this academy’s collective consciousness. For many years to come ’60’s alumni will likely continue to ask “Were you there when the train derailed? Did you get away with any of the beer?”

Responses clear up some mysteries

Publication of this article drew numerous responses, some of which were published in the Winter 2000 edition of Hendrix Magazine. The date of the party was confirmed as Saturday, April 27, 1963. Photos supplied by Bob Holden '65 showed a boxcar not quite full of Schiltz beer, not Miller High Life. Several other people admitted to sleeping through the train wreck. No one could (or would) verify the existence of a boxcar full of bottles of bourbon.

By Mark Scott
Staff Writer

When you attended Hendrix College were you a Lark or an Owl?

Chances are your grades were affected by your sleeping habits, according to research presented by Jennifer Peszka, an associate professor of psychology at Hendrix, during last year's annual Associated Professional Sleep Societies meeting. Peszka is becoming one of the nation's foremost experts on sleep study research, especially research associated with college students and young adults. Her research has recently been featured by Time magazine and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, along with numerous newspapers and magazines throughout the world.

Peszka earned her bachelor's degree from Washington and Lee University in 1994 and her master's and doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has been at Hendrix since 1999.

In her research, Peszka refers to early-to-bed and early-to-rise students as larks, while those late-night studiers are owls. The new data she presented last year suggest a student's sleep schedule had a lot to do with his or her grade point average – specifically, night-owls have lower GPAs than fellow students who prefer to go to bed earlier. While that isn't a huge surprise, Peszka's new research goes further, quantifying the impact of erratic or inadequate sleep on grades.

According to Time, Peszka asked a group of 89 incoming Hendrix College freshmen ages 17 to 20 to fill out a questionnaire about their sleep preferences prior to arriving on campus. Regardless of how much they actually slept, Peszka asked them whether they considered themselves owls, larks or, in the case of those who were neither very late or very early sleepers, robins. Students also answered questions about their sleep "hygiene" — factors that contribute to quality of sleep, such as adhering to a regular bedtime, waking up at the same time every day, or exercising or drinking caffeine before trying to sleep. One year, Peszka asked the same students to fill out another similar questionnaire to determine whether their sleep schedules were associated with GPA.

The ultimate conclusions were clear. The owls averaged a 2.84 GPA at the end of their freshman year, while larks and robins both averaged 3.18. Peszka also compared the students' high school GPAs with their college scores, and found that owls had lost an entire GPA point once entering college — larks and robins also saw their grades drop (a common occurrence as students transition from high school to university), but not as much.

The study did not delve into the details of why owls may perform worse in school, but Peszka told Time it may boil down to "an owl living a lark's schedule." Students with late bedtimes still end up taking early morning classes, which means they often end up feeling sleepier and less alert during the day. In Peszka's study, night owls slept 41 minutes less each night than the other students, but were still attending early classes, during which they reported sleepiness and inability to concentrate, which led to lower scores at exam time.

Peszka and two other researchers, including her husband, David Mastin, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, are continuing their research, with the study expected to be finalized later this year. Additionally, she also recently presented a study related to the effect of console and computer game play on sleep hygiene.

Almost 1,000 alumni responded to a Hendrix Magazine readership survey in late October and early November 2009. You told us what you liked about Hendrix Magazine – and what you didn’t. Thank you!

The redesigned magazine you hold in your hand is a direct result of your input.

You told us you were most interested in alumni activities and accomplishments, profiles of alumni and faculty, and historical features. You said that life in the residence halls was an important part of your Hendrix experience and that you wanted to know what it was like for today’s students. You mentioned that you would like to read articles written by other alumni with diverse viewpoints and unique voices.

You also told us that your time at Hendrix was fun and that the magazine didn’t capture that feeling of fun and excitement you remembered.

More than 150 of you shared specific suggestions for stories or new recurring features. All of your ideas and suggestions were reviewed and a number of them are reflected in this edition.

Among the ideas you suggested that you’ll find in this edition:

• An old photo of a spot on campus, paired with a photo of the same spot today.
• Stories about residence hall life and traditions
• A look back at the 1984 basketball team
• Stories written by Hendrix alumni
• A student-taken photo that captures a little of the fun of campus life

We shared the survey results with the Alumni Board of Governors, and the board’s Communications Committee provided helpful feedback on our redesign plans.

The most obvious changes are a fresh new design, new typography and a new size. This edition of the magazine is slightly wider than previous issues and has more pages. The typeface used throughout the publication is FF Meta, which has both a serif and a sans-serif version, along with numerous other variations. Photos are larger and stories are a bit shorter. We’ve included more alumni profiles and tried, as we select our stories, to be more conscious of the varying interests of Hendrix alumni, who are some of the most diverse and eclectic people on the globe.

Expect to find more of your ideas and suggestions in future editions. The magazine will continue to be a work in progress, evolving with each edition. We hope we can count on your continued feedback to help us create the kind of magazine that you want to read and share with others.

Please respond to future surveys with your thoughts and e-mail or call with your comments on this edition.

In future editions, we hope to fill this space with alumni-written essays that either reflect on your time at Hendrix or discuss how the Hendrix experience influenced the course of your life. Submissions (electronic preferred) for the Fall edition should be received by the editor no later than Sept. 1, 2010. We look forward to sharing your writing with your fellow alumni.

We also encourage you to check out Hendrix Magazine on the Web at www.hendrix.edu/hendrixmagazine. You’ll find "Web extras," including longer versions of some magazine stories and other materials that enhance what you’ve seen in the print version. We intend to make further enhancements and upgrades to the Web version as we move forward.

Thank you for your involvement in Hendrix and for the time you spend reading Hendrix Magazine. Keep talking to us about what you want. We’re listening!

Helen S. Plotkin, Editor
plotkin@hendrix.edu

As a professor of English, Dr. Walter Moffatt ’32 created a lasting legacy at Hendrix College during his lifetime. During his 29 years as a member of the Hendrix faculty, Dr. Moffatt had a strong presence in the Hendrix community. When he died on Christmas Day 2007 at the age of 96, he added to that legacy through a generous donation to the college in his will. With this gift to the new Student Life and Technology Center, the impact of his long and well-lived life will be felt by generations of Hendrix students who did not have the privilege of calling him "Professor."

Hendrix College often hears from alumni, staff, friends, and faculty, such as Dr. Moffatt, who have named Hendrix College as a beneficiary in their estate. These commitments play a vital role in the mission of the college. If you would like to have an impact on the college today and make a designation in your estate through an IRA, insurance policy or bequest, please provide the language below for your attorney:

"I hereby give, devise, and bequeath to Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, (the sum of $___) or (____% of my estate) or (specific items or property) or (the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate). This gift may be used to further the educational objectives of Hendrix College in such a manner as the Trustees of the College direct."

In addition to your attorney, please notify the Hendrix College Advancement Office of your intentions so that we might be able to honor you and your commitment to Hendrix. Thank you for your interest in leaving a legacy that will support the experience of generations of students at Hendrix.

You may also wish to further designate your gift for a particular purpose or program. We invite you to contact us to learn more about the benefits as an estate gift donor. Please contact the Advancement Office at 501.450.1223 if you would like further information.

By Rob O’Connor ’95
Director of Foundation Relations

Hendrix is in the homestretch of the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of the college. With the support of alumni and friends, we have received more than $97 million in gifts and pledges (as of April 25, 2010) toward our $100 million campaign goal.

Two priorities remaining in our campaign are increasing support for the Annual Fund and meeting a prestigious challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation of Troy, Mich., to complete the Student Life and Technology Center (SLTC).

The Hendrix Annual Fund (which includes the Alumni Loyalty Fund and Parent Fund) provides much-needed student scholarship and financial assistance, as well as critical academic and student life resources. With 1,463 students on campus this year, the Hendrix Annual Fund has never been more important.

The 2009-2010 Annual Fund goal is $1.9 million. Currently, we have raised $1.36 million. To meet our Annual Fund goal by May 31, 2010, we must do two important things:

• We need 20 new President’s Club members and 25 Young President’s Club members to meet our goal by May 31. The college is looking for a total of 70 new President’s Club members ($1,000/year) and 50 new Young President’s Club members ($500/year for alumni who graduated in the past 15 years).  
• We need to increase overall alumni participation, regardless of the dollar amount. While Hendrix competes with some of the country’s leading liberal arts colleges, the percentage of our alumni who give annually falls far short of our peers (e.g. 30 percent for Hendrix versus approximately 40 percent at Rhodes College, etc.). Currently, alumni participation in the Annual Fund is at 25 percent toward our goal of 32 percent for this fiscal year. 

The Kresge Challenge provides an extraordinary opportunity to complete the fundraising for the SLTC. Hendrix has raised more than $25 million toward the $26 million goal. To successfully meet the challenge, we must secure the remaining $995,000 in gifts and pledges for the SLTC by June 2010. Naming opportunities still exist for gifts and pledges at the $25,000+ level.

Thank you for helping to make a difference in the lives of our students and faculty with your gift.

Hendrix Alumni Loyalty Fund
Leigh Lassiter-Counts ’01
501.450.1357
annualfund@hendrix.edu
www.hendrix.edu/giving

Hendrix Kresge Challenge
Michael V. Hutchison
877.208.8777
501.450.4574
Hutchison@hendrix.edu

By James M. Walton '60

Both my sister and I remember the trip, but neither of us can remember just when it occurred.  The date is not really important--it was sometime around 1950.  My father and mother, and my sister and I were on a family summer vacation.  Wherever else we went on that trip, the place which is relevant was our stop in Calico Rock.  At that time, Dad was the pastor of the First Methodist Church in Little Rock.  He and my mother were returning to the place where Dad had served his first “charge.”  They still knew some of the people in the town and took the opportunity of our trip to stop for a visit–the first since they left some twenty years before.

Calico Rock is a small town in north central Arkansas, south of Mountain Home and northwest of Batesville.  Before we arrived, my father told my sister and me that the people in this town and in the surrounding areas had a special characteristic.  They did not ask anything about another person’s personal life.  They would not ask us where we had been or where we were going, what we had done or what we were going to do.  My sister and I were cautioned that we ourselves were not to ask any personal questions of anyone in town during our stay.  And, indeed, other than one question asked by the teenage daughter of one of the families with whom we stayed, no one in Calico Rock asked us anything about our personal activities.

After we left Calico Rock for wherever else we were headed, Dad told the story of his and my mother’s arrival in this town in November of 1931, and this story provided an illustration as no other of the practice of the locals to mind their own business and not to meddle in the affairs of others.

My father had grown up on a farm in eastern Arkansas for which his father was the “manager.”  Dad’s mother died when he was fourteen, and he chose to leave home when he was sixteen without completing school.  He lived a meager and rough life for a number of years–riding the rails to work in the wheat fields of Kansas, then returning to work as a janitor in a bank in Helena.  Thereafter, he became a cotton buyer for a firm in Helena run by two wealthy men who were partners in the business in the town.  It was then, and under those circumstances, that he, very much alone in life, attended a revival at a camp meeting and got “The Call,” deciding that he wanted to become a preacher. 

My father was fortunate to receive the patronage of these two men who took an interest in him and his goals.  Dad was able to enroll in the Academy affiliated with Hendrix College in Conway.  He finished his high school in one and a half years and college in three and a half years, going on to earn his B.D. degree from the Divinity School of Duke University.  During his time in graduate school, he met and married my mother, who lived in Helena.  After divinity school, Dad was accepted into the North Arkansas Conference of the Methodist Church “on trial.”  He was appointed to serve his first pastorate at the Methodist Church in Calico Rock.

When it came time for my father and mother to travel to his new post, Dad went to the train station in Helena to purchase tickets for the trip to Calico Rock.  The station-master in Helena was a man who knew my father from his days as a cotton buyer for the firm in town.  This man explained to my father that he and my mother would travel from Helena, changing trains once or twice until reaching Newport, where they would board the White River Division of the Missouri Pacific for the onward journey to Calico Rock.  The man went on to explain that the train from Newport did not stop in Calico Rock, so they would have to go past that town, to Cotter, where they would have to spend the night and take the “local” out the next day back down to Calico Rock.  Having said that, the man thought for a moment and then said to my father, “Oh, there’s no need for that.  You’ve given this railroad a lot of business over the years.  I’ll just wire St. Louis and have them stop the train for you in Calico Rock.”

My father accepted this offer as a professional courtesy and thought nothing of it.  Dad wired the church officials in Calico Rock giving then the date and time of his arrival.  After he and my mother boarded the train in Newport, the conductor, when he came to them, looked at their tickets and repeated the original comments–the train did not stop in Calico Rock; they would have to go on to Cotter, spend the night, and take the local out the next day.  My father said nothing, knowing that the conductor would get his instructions later during the trip.  And, after a while, as he had predicted, the conductor returned, verifying that they were the folks for Calico Rock.  He then said that he had received orders to stop the train in Calico Rock and told them when the train would arrive there.

When my parents got off the train in Calico Rock, they noted that perhaps a hundred or more people were sitting and standing around the station, and up the sides of the surrounding hills.  My mother remarked, “They sure turn out to meet the new preacher.”  Members of the church were on hand to greet them and walk with them to the parsonage.  And thus went my parents’ arrival in Calico Rock.  Or so it seemed!

A good many weeks after this day, my father was sitting on the porch of the parsonage, as was his practice after supper.  A member of the church walked by and accepted my father’s invitation to come up, sit, and talk.  After some rather general conversation about nothing in particular, the man became silent for a while.  He seemed to be struggling with a major decision.  After a moment, he queried if he could ask my father “a personal question.”  My father, having no idea what was on the man’s mind, responded that he would answer the question if he could.  The man still hemmed and hawed, struggling to get the question out.  Finally, having found the needed resolve, he blurted out, “How in the Hell d’you stop that train?!”

As it turned out, in the history of the town the train on which my parents were traveling had never stopped in Calico Rock.  When my father’s telegram arrived, and its contents became known, the town divided into two camps–those who believed that the train would stop and those who believed that it would not.  Wagers were made.  And thus it was that, at the appointed time, the town-folk did indeed turn out, not so much to greet the new pastor as rather to see what power he held over the Missouri Pacific Railroad!  Later, my mother remembered that, as they were walking from the station into town, she had overheard one of the men say to another, “Well, that’s a Coke you owe me.”

© 2009 James M. Walton

Aubrey G. Walton (Hendrix Class of 1928) served pastorates in Calico Rock, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs, Searcy, Texarkana (Arkansas), and, for sixteen years, was the senior pastor of the First Methodist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.  In 1960, he was elected a Bishop and thereafter served the Louisiana Area of the Methodist Church until he retired in 1972.

James M. Walton (Hendrix Class of 1960) is a retired attorney living in Illinois.

By William T. Utley '34

Chicago, the summer of 1940 and the Democrat's National Convention was in town. The big question: With President Franklin Roosevelt finishing his second term who would replace him as the party's standard bearer? Under his leadership the country was just emerging from the devastating depression and drought of the '30s. Add to this our growing concern for Europe reeling under Adolph Hitler's rampaging Nazi troops and the selection of a candidate was truly no small matter.

As a graduate student in political science at the University of Chicago, and final exams but a few days away, I resisted the agonizing urge to attend the Convention's opening activities. The nominating session was, however, a must – whatever the cost.

My registered address was Arkansas and the state's delegation was headquartered at the Stevens Hotel. It was my hope that this would be my key to the Convention. The day of the nomination I took an early train into the city. The hotel floor assigned to the delegation was packed and a whirl of activity. A receptionist gave me the name of the delegation's Secretary who was handling arrangements and indicated the crowded corridor leading to his office. With this mob the likelihood of getting to him was minimal, but I was determined.

The door to the Secretary's suite was barricaded by a most formidable person who challenged everyone seeking entrance, and virtually no one was making it past him. This called for a desperate strategy. By now I had worked my way forward and there was but one person ahead of me and he was trying to convince the "keeper of the portal" that his business warranted admission. It was now or never. Taking a deep breath I stepped forward and, in the most official and commanding voice I could muster, said, "Gentlemen, I have a most pressing appointment with the Secretary. Will you please let me by?" "Oh, excuse me," was his reply as he stepped aside, moving the frustrated person with him and, in the same motion, opened the door. As it closed behind me I took a moment to get my breath, collect my thoughts and compose myself.

The Secretary was now readily accessible and most gracious when I explained my situation. He gave me a note to a Mr. Andy Frain whose firm was handling internal traffic at the Coliseum, the Convention site. Suffice it to say, I lost no time getting to him. The note did the trick for he gave me a badge and credentials for an Assistant Sergeant at Arms, and assigned me to a VIP section, up a broad staircase and just above the main floor. Frain also said I would be assisted by two uniformed Chicago police, and that I should be on station by 5:30 p.m. This struck me as a bit heavy on control, and early too, for as I recalled, the "call to order" was 8:00 p.m. But, who was I to question a professional? I was in and that was the important thing.

By 7 p.m. the section was filled which again I thought strange inasmuch as it was a reserved area, with admission by special passes. Even more strange, ticket holders continued to come, in numbers well beyond the reserve capacity. One individual, with no credentials at all, tried to talk his way in. Finally, in frustration, he exploded, "Do you know who I am?" When I told him I had not the foggiest idea, he announced, "I am One-eye Connoly." This rang a bell for One- eye was a notorious international gate-crasher whose antics were covered by the media. He didn't make it into my little reserve, although I later saw him on the main floor. Subsequently it was learned that the flood of VIP ticket holders was due to the Kelly-Nash machine (the Democrat organization that ran Chicago) having gotten the printers' plates for the tickets, ran off duplicates which were given to local favorites and told to "be there early," ahead of the legitimate holders who, understandably, came later. Needless to say, there were quite a number of irate VIPs, more than a few of whom were a bit vocal in their displeasure. But it was a situation that could not be unraveled and I was glad the "men in blue" were there.

Ultimately things quieted and, as my real objective was to be in the arena for the nominations, my "companions at arms" suggested that since there was nothing further to be done at that position, I might as well go down to the floor. Thanking the two of "Chicago's finest," I joined the milling mob on the ground level. Checking the area I was immediately convinced my beribboned Assistant Sergeant at Arms badge would not get me through those tightly monitored doors.

Even though the preliminaries had already begun, there was a stream of people going in and coming from the main hall. The Stevens Hotel ruse came to mind as the only alternative – be aggressively creative. The oppressive heat of the summer night in Chicago was intensified by the huge crowd inside the Coliseum, giving me an idea. At a nearby refreshment stand I bought two large iced drinks and made my way to the nearest arena entrance where sweating monitors were busily checking for correct credentials. As I approached the door I raised the large cups to about shoulder height somewhat, but not totally, obscuring my badge and pushed by the checker, exclaiming, "I've got to get these to the Arkansas delegation." He nodded and I was in.

About twenty five feet inside I stopped to figure where I might have a good position from which to watch the proceedings. I was sipping one of the drinks when a young man beside me asked, "What are you doing with that other one?" I replied, "It has served its purpose and you may have it." Declining his offer to pay for it, I moved to the center of the front row, directly in front of the stage and podium. I positioned myself, half sitting and half leaning on the front of the box of Indiana Senator Frederick Van Nuys and his family (with his permission, of course). I had a ring-side seat for all the action.

When the time finally came for the nomination of Presidential candidates, the place erupted as the loudspeakers boomed over and over, "We want Roosevelt." The chant, coupled with stamping feet, was taken up by the packed galleries. It was no contest and F.D.R. was on his way to a third term -the first President to break the two term tradition set by George Washington, one hundred and forty three years earlier. It was later revealed that the pandemonium was triggered by the "machine" having taken over the Coliseum's sound system. Since the system's control center was located deep in the Coliseum's basement and the voice identified as that of Thomas Garry, Superintendent of Sewers, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, a not particularly Democrat oriented local paper, termed the incident "the voice from the sewer," a phrase still used when referring to the convention. The demonstration went on and on and on.

The streetcar got me to the station just in time to catch the last hourly train to the University and a long walk to my room. It was about 2:30 a.m. with a final exam but a few hours away. I can't say what my performance was, but following the exam I told the professor what I had done, He must have been truly understanding, and in view of what had happened at the Convention, maybe a bit envious for whatever my performance, he gave me an acceptable grade and the event was a great conversation piece.

Addendum

The 1940 convention was notable because FDR's successful election in the fall to a third term provided the seed for the subsequent movement for and the adoption of the 22nd amendment to the Constitution, barring any further three- term presidents.

Passage of the amendment was delayed until 1951 for, in addition to the normally slow amending process, the nation had become deeply involved in the war to crush Hitler. With Roosevelt's major role in the conduct of that conflict, the country opted to follow Abraham Lincoln who, in 1864, finding himself involved in a similar wartime situation observed, "I may not be the best man, but it is not best to change horses while crossing a stream."

In 1944 with the war very much a reality, FDR was given a fourth term.. He died but a few months after inauguration, passing his mantle to Vice-President Harry S. Truman.

In retrospect, on that hot July evening in 1940 I had truly "rubbed elbows with history."

By Mark Scott
Staff Writer

Joe White’s desk is a well-used round kitchen table, a stark difference from the polished furniture in other suites of his downtown Little Rock high-rise building. On this particular day, three take-out coffee cups sit on top of his desk in varying states of empty, and one unmistakably empty beer can lays on its side.

A 2004 Hendrix College graduate with a degree in biology, Joe is the top – and only – sales and marketing agent for Capsearch, an innovative company developed by fellow Hendrix alumni Katie Bodenhamer ’01 and Matt Price ’03. Three of Capsearch’s four-person team, the Hendrix trio incidentally weren’t close friends while at Hendrix, but they have now invested their time, money and energy in a company that started small but shows significant signs of prospering into a profitable nationwide political search corporation.

Their office is undoubtedly Hendrixesque – their conference table is of the foosball variety, and Joe is able to locate his dusty framed diploma with relative ease – leaning atop a built-in bookcase in his office. Gathering together in one office, Matt brings in an old metal lawn chair more fitting for a front porch, similar to the ones outside Martin Hall.

Specifically, Capsearch is a Web-based research utility providing lobbyists, legislators, educational institutions, businesses, and associations with real-time information and analysis on changes in state legislative and governmental activities. According to its Web site, Capsearch uses innovative technologies combined with an experienced staff to provide the most comprehensive service in the market. "Our analysts have the detailed knowledge that gives you the competitive edge," the site advertises. "Our technology provides you the most options to disseminate your message wherever it needs to go."

Pressed for a layman’s description of their business, however, Matt describes Capsearch as "Bloomberg for legislative data." Katie’s description is even clearer for members of their Millennial generation: "If Google and Facebook had a baby, and that baby had a knack for government data, that baby would be Capsearch."

Their service is much like Katie describes – a search engine of specific legislative bills, committee reports and agendas, along with a social media element that allows users to comment on posts, create personal coalition groups, and share information electronically. Each member of the Arkansas General Assembly receives a complimentary account, and users can interact directly within the service through a mechanism called "Chatter." It is especially useful to political observers when multiple meetings are occurring at the capitol – users can attend a committee hearing in one room while tracking a bill’s progress from a meeting across the hall through their computer, iPhone, or PDA device. Users can also create lists of topic-specific bills to utilize in more formal reports. Most lobbyists in Arkansas are clients; fitting, since Capsearch is the first step toward full-fledged digital lobbying.

A jump off the cliff moment

Matt and Katie’s resumes both traverse from Hendrix College to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and back to the Capitol in Little Rock, where both were working for Gov. Mike Beebe in 2008. Somewhere along that path, Matt envisioned Capsearch, noticing there was no real-time provider for legislators, lobbyists, and others interested in the fast-paced political world to track legislative activities. Information at the Capitol would sometimes take days to be reported, and businesses interested in legislative developments and outcomes were hiring two or three extra employees to simply track bills and activity throughout the legislative session. There are often more than 2,500 bills introduced into a three-month session of the legislature.

The two ultimately had a jump off the cliff moment, left the governor’s office to create Capsearch in September of 2008, and worked to have their product up and running for the Arkansas General Assembly’s regular session in 2009. What prompted the change from a steady paycheck to a risky self-started business?

"I guess you can call me a contrarian," Matt said. "Even since my Hendrix days, I’ve always wanted to have my own company like this, and to ultimately make lots of money. But I thought about owning my own company about like winning the lottery – it was nice to think about, but I never saw it as a reality. Starting this company was a measured risk that has really been a lot of fun."

"It really took a lot for us to do it," Katie added. "We really had good gigs at the time. But it came down to the fact that I wanted a challenge. This is probably something that Matt has always wanted to do, but I never really saw myself doing something like this.

"I don’t know why I did it some days," she continued. "I’m glad I did it, and at the time I saw it as an exciting opportunity. It was definitely a risk that paid off."

They worked to sell their new product, as their first clients, including lobbyists, the University of Arkansas System, the Municipal League, and the Association of Arkansas Counties grew from 50 initially to 100 throughout the first session. Now more than 250 people utilize Capsearch’s services. They added Karl Hills, a technical officer who has worked to make the product more user-friendly.

Following the legislative session, Matt and Katie regrouped and analyzed their business, from their client growth to the services provided. They decided to hire another employee, and Joe came on board to direct marketing and client growth efforts, leaving a job in financial services. Matt and Joe were old acquaintances from their high school football playing days at Little Rock Catholic High School, and remained acquaintances through college.

Joe’s decision to join this alumni entrepreneurial crusade was perhaps a little more personal.

"There’s no way I could live with myself if Matt went off and did something great and I wasn’t a part of it," he said. "Nothing would piss me off more."

Katie and Matt credit Joe’s enthusiasm for the growth of Capsearch throughout the U.S., relying on him to attract new users as the system develops in other states. Using the Arkansas model, Capsearch has developed similar programs that are being used in California, Alabama and Illinois. The company plans to expand to all 50 states by next year.

Ultimately, they say their Hendrix backgrounds give their business a base to work from: common friends, shared experiences, unique perspectives on government and the world. They are business professionals who didn’t take business courses while in college, but yet credit their college experiences for preparing themselves to be successful.

"I think it gives us a base to work from," Matt said. "We’ve hired Hendrix students as part-time workers – we know what to expect from Hendrix graduates. It’s kind of weird how these things just happened, but we owe a lot to Hendrix."

They insist their company’s growth and success won’t change them – Joe doesn’t plan on trading in his eclectic desk, blue jeans will remain the typical office dress code, and the occasional beer can isn’t frowned upon by the bosses. But they do anticipate one major change – "Perhaps we’ll get a better foosball table," Joe said.

Learn more about CapSearch at www.capsearch.com.

By David McCollum

What those 1984-85 Hendrix Warriors accomplished is obscured by a different culture, a different basketball era,
a modest record, a first-round exit and conferences, affiliations and facilities long past.

During one of the heydays of the late Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference, Hendrix was the dominant team of the late 1970s-1980s. The 1984-85 Warriors won the school’s fourth AIC championship in six years.

But that team was the only team in Hendrix history to qualify for the NAIA national tournament in Kansas City, a popular, hotly contested tournament in those days because many of the teams now in NCAA Division II were still in the NAIA at the time.

The recurring wrench in the Hendrix machine had been the NAIA District 17 tournament, which brought together all the AIC teams plus the independents for a single-elimination tournament (at Little Rock’s Barton Coliseum in those days) to determine the NAIA representative.

The AIC was extremely balanced in those days. Most of the time, the teams would beat up on each other during the regular season so much, it was difficult for any team to achieve a national ranking that would lead to a favorable seed in the national tournament. Very, very few teams won both the regular-season title and the District 17 title, which usually required three victories during a long weekend. The AIC was so competitive from top to bottom that come tournament time, the re-energized teams formed a many-pronged gauntlet that could rip the regular-season champion (and major target) apart. The AIC championship was an albatross for most teams going into the district tourney.

Those 1984-85 Warriors were not a talent team, but they were a balanced team inside and out, had a collection of outstanding athletes and played ferocious defense. They played together nicely, helping define synergy, a popular word in the era to define chemistry and togetherness.

The Warriors defeated Arkansas Tech in a tightly contested title game to finally earn the NAIA spot denied their predecessors, many of whom had more marquee players.

They went to Kansas City, played like they had stage fright and lost to a pretty good Georgia Southwestern team in the first game.

Those NAIA days are now a distant memory to the Warriors, who are in a different world in NCAA Division III. The AIC, characterized by intense, in-state rivalries, is no more. Barton Coliseum is basically a rodeo arena, little used except around State Fair time. The NAIA tournament is far out of the national spotlight. Grove Gymnasium, the cracker box the Warriors played in, is long gone. From its rubble grew the ultra-modern $26 million Student Life and Technology Center, the newest building on a growing campus. The 1984-85 Warriors assembled in the new Grove, which is contained in the modern Wellness and Athletics Center.

During a halftime ceremony Friday (Jan. 16), the former players walked onto Cliff Garrison Court, named in honor of their coach, who received a rousing ovation.

The smiles, the handshakes and the hugs indicated the team still has a special bond. You could hear it in the conversation Friday night around food and scrapbooks at a reception.

It’s also interesting and insightful the wide variety of professions the Warriors have settled into now.

Conway’s Nick Lasker is a middle school principal in Lantana, Texas. Terry Bradshaw is in management at Wurth Industries in Conway. Dr. Bill Rollefson is a physician at Arkansas Heart Hospital. Mark Cothren works at Acxiom. Anthony Greene is a vice president for a claims consulting company in Kansas City. Dwayne Gardner works in management for Walmart in Palestine, Texas, and also pastors a church. Wyndell Hunt works in management at an insurance company in Mission City, Texas. Tony Petty works in pharmaceutical sales in McKinney, Texas. Rodney Reese works in the trucking industry in Beebe. Lloyd Jackson works for Conway Public Schools. Robert Wright is director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Faulkner County. Mark Hamby, a former Central Baptist College star and athletic director, coaches at Magnet Cove. Jeff Johnson is in business in northeast Arkansas.

Albert Ussery, a manager on the team, manages a Pizza Hut in Little Rock. Statistician Larry Graddy, who developed the first computerized stat program in Arkansas, is an attorney in Conway and president of the Warrior Booster Club. Assistant coach Randy Deaton is athletic director in Stuttgart. Assistant coach Jim Holland coaches seventh-grade basketball and teaches physical education at Bob Courtway Middle School. Garrison is retired but still teaches a coaching course at Hendrix.

But here’s what’s really impressive about this group. The Hendrix roster that year contained 15 players. Twelve of them returned for Friday’s ceremony. Hamby couldn’t attend because of a medical situation with his mother but came to Conway on Saturday for the second day of the reunion. Johnson had a business commitment Friday but also joined his former teammates Saturday. One player, David Hertberg, had no current address and did not attend.

That’s 14 of 15 players, a manager and all coaches who returned for the reunion.

The Warriors were 21-11 in 1984-85.

But 25 years later, it probably recorded its greatest, and most cherished, statistic.

---

David McCollum is a sports columnist for the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, Ark. This article was published in the January 18, 2010 edition of the Log Cabin Democrat and is reprinted by permission.

It’s a living room. It’s a game room. No! It’s a technology center. It’s a learning space. But, that’s not all. It’s a dining hall, a post office, a gathering space, and a performance hall. It’s where Hendrix Odyssey experiences begin, where weekly Religious Life fellowship dinners occur, and where you go for a video conference with your study partner in China. It’s the new Student Life and Technology Center and it has quickly become the center of life on the Hendrix campus.

The $26 million building, the biggest capital project in the history of the College, opened in January when the students returned for the start of the spring semester.

A series of events were planned to introduce the Student Life and Technology Center (SLTC) to the campus and community. Events included an open house for the campus and another for the Conway community, plus a special meal prepared and served by Dining Services to celebrate the new kitchen and dining hall.

During the first week of classes, the Nannie Worsham Student Performance Hall was christened with four nights of performances and activities that drew more than 400 students to each event.

Shortly after the building opened, the Hendrix Board of Trustees and the Hendrix Alumni Association Board of Governors met in the SLTC and saw first-hand how students are enjoying the new space. The first off-campus group to use the facility was the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board which conducted its quarterly meeting in the SLTC at the end of January.

Students, faculty and staff were eager to check out the new building as the spring semester began. Now, it has become part of the daily routine and a convenient place for students to take advantage of services and programs on their way to the dining room for a meal or the post office to pick up their mail. That’s exactly what the building planners hoped would happen, according to Dr. Karla Carney-Hall, vice president for Student Affairs.

"The SLTC combines campus resources like Residence Life, Career Services, Academic Advising, Disability Services, Tutoring, and Multicultural and International Student Services to create a one-stop student service area for our growing student body," Dr. Carney-Hall said. "The SLTC represents our commitment to strong community, student-centeredness, engaged learning, and the future."

What's Inside

The SLTC includes the Oathout Technology Center designed for interactive group work, offices and work space for student organizations, programming areas for the Hendrix community, a café, game room, and post office on the first floor of the building. The second floor houses the new dining hall, kitchen, servery, and small dining rooms.

The Oathout Technology Center (OTC) is a vibrant, open computer center for both work and play. It includes computer workstations with space for several individuals to work together. The stations are configured in various ways from soft, comfortable seating with large flat panel displays mounted on the wall to more traditional computer-type desks with widescreen monitors. The software available includes creative suites for making presentations and videos. The workstations can also be used for electronic gaming.

The OTC also contains a small seminar-type classroom that houses the latest technology available in the Hendrix College classroom so students can practice presentations. The final component to the OTC is a video conference room, which can be used for multiple purposes, but is equipped with technology primarily for video conferences.

The college’s radio station, student newspaper offices, yearbook, and other student-related organizations are adjacent to the OTC. The area includes dedicated space for the Student Senate and for the Social Committee, including a work area and meeting space. In addition, conference rooms, seminar rooms and offices are scattered throughout the building.

The blend of high-tech with the warmth and character of a traditional campus center is a hit with students, according to Chance McDermott ’10, outgoing president of the Student Senate. Integrating technology into a public space is one way to keep social media from replacing face-to-face interaction, he said.

"I like being here, and everyone I’ve talked to does, too. The game room is packed with folks playing pool, air-hockey, and, my favorite, table tennis," McDermott said. "There are always students occupying the lounge and hanging out in the chairs in the back hallways."

Gathering student organizations together in the SLTC is also improving communication and collaboration, he said.

"The student organizations have spacious, yet integrated offices that allow us to communicate like neighbors," McDermott said. "I can’t tell you how important this will be for the smooth functioning of the major groups like Social and Media committees."

Many alumni have fond memories of good friends and fun times in Hulen Hall. McDermott believes today’s students are forming similar memories.

"I can already tell that the SLTC will be creating new friendships and strengthening old ones for a long time to come," he said.

Ubiquitous Technology

The SLTC is a different kind of student life center because of the level of technology that is distributed throughout the building. Hendrix President J. Timothy Cloyd said this integration of technology with activities of daily life reflects a cultural shift that has occurred over the past decade.

"We have a new generation of students for whom technology is ubiquitous. It has become part of the culture. It is how they play; it is part of their social network; part of their hobbies, their church and spiritual life. Technology is where connections are made," President Cloyd said.

"When Starbucks introduced WiFi it really hit me," President Cloyd continued. "What people really wanted was to take their laptop to the coffee shop and play games, drink their coffee and talk with friends. It was a place to see and be seen and the technology was just always there."

President Cloyd said that the need for a new student center was evident when he first joined the Hendrix staff in the mid-1990s as Vice President for Development. If, as planned at one time, a new student center had been built in the last decade, it would have been a radically different building, he said.

"Since 1996, there has been a revolution in technology," he said. "In 1996, the average cell phone weighed six pounds. We had bag phones and those huge ones with the battery in the trunk."

"The whole digital revolution created a democratization of technology. We used to have ‘keepers’ of technology. You had to check it out, take special care with it because it was so precious," President Cloyd continued. "We had people who knew how to use technology and those who didn’t. We still have people who really know how to use the technology, but almost everyone can at some level. My parents, who are in their eighties, have their laptop and send e-mail."

"Access to technology is access to knowledge. So, the digital revolution has democratized knowledge as well as technology. If knowledge is power and knowledge is democratized, then power is distributed everywhere," President Cloyd said. "People can create things today with a computer that only a few people with special equipment and experience could create a decade ago. That’s why I wanted the digital editing suite in the Oathout Technology Center. I wanted our students to have the power to create their own video projects – and post them on YouTube."

origin of the idea

Hendrix is the only institution in Arkansas to combine a student center with a technology center and one of the few in the nation. As planning for the building began, representatives of the College sought out other institutions where cutting-edge technology centers were housed in informal spaces.

"A group of Trustees went with me and others to visit Emory and Georgia Tech and Rollins College where they have technology centers. We hired the people who worked on the Cox Center at Emory to help us think through how to set up the Student Life and Technology Center," President Cloyd said. "We couldn’t select the new technology until right at the last minute because things are changing so fast. So, we built the infrastructure and planned the types of things we wanted, waiting until the very last minute to purchase the hardware and software … and I’m sure that some of the things we purchased a few months ago are already out of date."

More than a Living Room

"The SLTC is not just a living room. It is comfortable like a living room, but it is also a globalized space because of the technology," President Cloyd said.

He envisions a future where Hendrix students in the SLTC could participate in classes taught by professors at Heilongjiang University, our sister campus in China, using the video conference center.

• Or, students in Dr. Jay McDaniel’s World Religions course could talk with a "virtual" classroom visitor about the practice of Buddhism in China.
• Or, business students could connect through technology to work on joint projects with students in other countries, learning to work across cultural, distance, and language barriers in the same ways that business professionals do every day.

President Cloyd is talking with other presidents in the Associated Colleges of the South (a consortium of 16 of the best liberal arts colleges in the South, including Hendrix) about ways to use technology to collaborate to provide courses that wouldn’t be economically feasible for one institution to offer alone.

"We can do so much by combining resources … even hiring faculty together and cross-listing courses," President Cloyd said. "The technology offers the opportunity of connecting face-to-face with another human being and learning from them – no matter where they are."

A Commitment to the Future

Like most of the buildings at Hendrix, the Student Life and Technology Center has been funded by donations from alumni, parents and friends of the College, along with support from foundations and corporations. Funding the SLTC is one of the priorities of A Commitment to National Leadership: The Hendrix Campaign, the College’s $100 million fund-raising drive. The $26 million building is the largest component of the campaign, which ends in December 2010. Hendrix is currently working to raise the remaining funding for the SLTC by June 2010 to qualify for the $750,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation of Troy, Mich.

For more information about the campaign and the Kresge Challenge, turn to Page 47 or contact the Office of Advancement at 501.450.1223.

Hulen traditions live on in new cafeteria

The shiny surfaces and open layout of the new cafeteria have brought a modern flare to mealtimes at Hendrix. In addition to the Homestyle line and the grill, a "World’s Fare" station now offers traditional cuisine from around the world, and a fiery brick oven cooks up six varieties of pizza each day. But below the bells and whistles of the new cafeteria, the traditions from Hulen live on.

• The cafeteria ladies still sing and clap as they present each student with a cake on his or her birthday. And the acoustics of the new dining room make the traditional birthday song ("Happy happy birthday, we’re really glad you came...") sound even louder.
• Students rush to alert one another if a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies is ready at the dessert station.
• The cafeteria continues to celebrate traditional theme lunches like Robert Burns Day, Rock & Roll Day and Outback Day.
• Diners can choose from six flavors of ice cream and a table full of toppings every Thursday at the sundae bar.
• Long lines form at the Homestyle station on Fridays at lunchtime, as folks wait anxiously for their chicken strips and macaroni and cheese.
• Students, professors and community members gather for roast beef and breaded shrimp at Sunday brunch.
• The staff is proud of how it responds to student requests. They continue to invite new recipes in the "Recipes from Home" box, and old suggestions like Ritzy Chicken have become Hendrix classics.
• Students still celebrate if they find one of the rare, glitter-covered Disco Trays, which are said to bring good luck.

First ‘green’ building

The Student Life and Technology Center was constructed with environmentally friendly features with the goal of becoming the College’s first LEED-certified building. At press time, Hendrix had completed the documentation and application process and was expecting notification at any time of its LEED status.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the recognizable industry standard for sustainability. The U.S. Green Building Council program offers several levels of certification ranging from basic-level certification to platinum-level which represents the ultimate in environmental sustainability.

The College accrued points in five green design categories: sustainable site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

Constructing the new SLTC as the College’s first green building is a natural outgrowth of the Hendrix community’s deep commitment to sustainability and respect for the environment. Much of the College’s building in recent years has been undertaken with respect for the impact of the construction on the environment, although this is the first time that Hendrix has applied for LEED certification.

A sustainable Odyssey

As an Odyssey project in the Special Project category, four Hendrix students designed and implemented an educational project to help the Hendrix community understand sustainability and the "green" aspects of the Student Life and Technology Center. The students prepared educational material that was used to create a Web site, video and brochure about the building’s green aspects.

Dr. Karla Carney-Hall, vice president for Student Affairs, and Dr. Joyce Hardin, professor of biology, were advisers for the student team, which included Taylor Kidd, Catherine Lilly, Lauren Ricci, and Alex Schroeller.

Designing and building a LEED-certified building requires careful planning, balancing philosophical commitment with the need to contain costs. Green features of the SLTC include:

• Efficient fixtures such as sensor faucets, dual-flush toilets, and more sanitary waterless urinals will reduce Hendrix’s water consumption by more than 140,000 gallons, a reduction of almost 60 percent.
• Drought-tolerant vegetation planted around the SLTC and a highly efficient drip irrigation system for watering and landscape maintenance.
• A high efficiency filtration system and individual thermal and lighting controls to improve the health and well-being of occupants and visitors.
• Using roofing material with a high solar reflectance index, a measure of the roof’s ability to reflect the light of the sun off the building, instead of absorbing it.
• Diverting more than 75 percent of the total construction waste from landfills, including being the first in Arkansas to reuse ground gypsum wallboard (drywall) waste. The SLTC’s drywall waste became topsoil fill in the landscaping of The Village at Hendrix.
• Building on an already developed site to reduce the building’s impact on the local environment.
• Promoting use of alternative transportation by including easy access to bike racks and showering and changing facilities in the building and by designating specific parking spaces near the building for alternatively fueled cars.

For more information about the green features of the SLTC visit www.hendrix.edu/LEED.

By Susan Robbins ’86

What does a group of aging baby boomer alumni do when they want to pay tribute to one of their beloved professors who is about to retire? Why they set up a Facebook group and start messaging like crazy!

When we heard that Dr. Chappell would be delivering his "last lecture" at Alumni Weekend 2010, two fellow English majors and I, from the class of 1986, decided that we would share our memories of Dr. Chappell. This was not that unusual because, on occasion, we e-mail each other short essays on some topic or another for no other reason than we enjoy reminiscing about our college days and also still enjoy crafting a piece of writing. We exchanged our memories and then it hit us. What if we gave these tributes to Dr. Chappell? What if we encouraged some of our fellow alumni to do the same? We would find a way to compile notes of congratulations and appreciation and present them to Dr. Chappell on Alumni Weekend.

And just like that, the Facebook group "Cheers to Chuck Chappell" was born. In a short time, the group grew to more than 150 members. But we still wanted to contact all the former English majors. With help from Pamela Owen ’82 in the Alumni and Constituent Relations office, that task was accomplished. Then the notes, e-mails, Facebook postings, and pictures started pouring in.

The tributes came from former Hendrix students of the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and ’00s. They came from many different states, from Canada and New Zealand. They came from numerous alumni-turned-professors, teachers, executives, stay-at-home moms, editors, and even a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Dr. Chappell’s students had done well in the years since Hendrix, and they wanted to thank him for his inspiration. They also wanted to thank him for his devotion to his students, his scholarship and his friendship.

Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Blackmon ’86 said of Dr. Chappell’s devotion to literature, "I came to share in and be inspired by that awe, and it helped me see that there was a value and viability in a life of letters." And Lindsey Smith ’94, now an English professor at Oklahoma State University, wrote: "To this day, I use notes from your class as I prepare my own lecture notes! I so much appreciate all you have done for me as I have made my own way in academia."

 Mel White ’74 credits Dr. Chappell with a great deal as well. "Chuck is responsible in a big way for getting me started on my writing career. When I applied for my first journalism job at the Arkansas Democrat in 1974 I had nothing to show the managing editor, Jerry McConnell, except a paper (on Moby Dick) that I had written at Hendrix. Chuck had given me an A+ for it and had written some nicely encouraging comments. Jerry gave me the job, and I’ve always thought that the paper had a lot to do with it. Chuck’s comments gave me a boost in confidence, as well, and the discussions about literature in his classes helped me understand what I did and didn’t like about writing."

Of course, no student of Dr. Chappell’s could ever forget his quick wit. "I cannot imagine English literature or Hendrix College without your constant jokes and puns and your infectious laugh," wrote Charter Morris ’00.

While his humor is unforgettable to his former students, his kindness is what defines him for most of us. Nearly every letter, e-mail or posting contained some remembrance of Dr. Chappell, the gentleman. "You were always the trusted, level-headed man we all knew would do the right thing, in your kind and gentle way," Ann Laux Turney ’75 noted.

Elizabeth Farris Bumpers ’97 wrote, "Long after I graduated from Hendrix, Dr. C and I voted at the same place for the 2004 presidential election. I was pregnant and very sick, and he found a chair for me to sit in during the wait, and moved it for me whenever the line moved! What a gentleman!!!"

Jenny Noble Anderson ’02 called Dr. Chappell, "unfailingly enthusiastic and so wonderfully approachable... People like you made freshmen like me feel less homesick." Could there be any higher compliment paid to a professor? Cory Ledoux ’00 echoed the sentiment, "He was always extremely generous with his time and energy, not to mention the unfailing kindness of his disposition. In fact, in my own teaching experience, I have tried to model interactions with my students as much as possible on memories of working with Dr. Chappell."

Certainly, when any of us think of Dr. Chappell, we instantly think of William Faulkner, too. Leave it to Werner Trieschmann ’86 to find a certain irony there. "Dr. Chappell always struck me as the most genial and genuinely nice professors on campus, which was odd considering how much he loved the degenerate, drunken yet admittedly genius writing of William Faulkner," Trieschmann noted. Many alumni had fond memories of the trips to Oxford, Miss. Andrea Edwards, ’86 wrote, "What a privilege to journey with you to Yoknapatawpha County--you and Mr. Faulkner made quite a pair. And how could I forget the really important things you taught me, like where to find the best catfish in Oxford..."

Another favorite memory often mentioned was Dr. Chappell’s legendary postcard collecton from former students with the words, "This is where were honeymonning at. Your friend, ( Mrs.) Vernon Waldrip." Waldrip was a character in Faulkner’s story, "Old Man." Binky Martin ’86 wrote, "I’m not sure how large his collection of postcards has gotten. But I do know that my postcard is one of his favorites: a postcard from the Arkansas School for the Blind with the line written in Braille. He mentions it every time I see him, and that makes me happy."

Putting a scrapbook together and reminiscing via Facebook has given many of us the chance to thank our beloved professor. I feel especially privileged to have been the person to collect these notes, memories and good wishes. I got to see the common theme running throughout and it is this: You inspired us Dr. Chappell! You inspired us with your outstanding teaching, your devotion to your students, and your uncommon kindness.

And so we toast to Dr. Chappell, in the words of Melissa High Simpson ’94, "May you revel in your retirement, knowing that you have taught well, mentored well, and befriended well."

Your friends,
The many (Mrs.) Vernon Waldrips out there,
(your former students and forever fans).

By Helen S. Plotkin
Editor

"Teaching is a calling, I believe. Teaching Hendrix students is a privilege."

That is how Dr. Charles M. Chappell ’64, Professor of English, describes his 41-year career at Hendrix. Since word spread that Dr. Chappell is retiring when the academic year ends in May, students have been packing his classes for the privilege of saying they studied with a true Hendrix legend.

When Dr. Chappell carries the Hendrix mace for the last time at commencement on May 15 and changes his title to Professor Emeritus, he’ll be taking with him a treasure trove of institutional memories, the best wishes of his colleagues and the hearts of hundreds of Hendrix students who have learned from him over the past four decades.

So, how is Dr. Chappell getting ready for the transition from full-time professor to professor emeritus? What are his retirement plans? How did he wind up at Hendrix in the first place? Dr. Chappell answered these questions and more in an interview with Hendrix Magazine. As you might expect in any discussion with a master teacher, we learned a few things. For example:

Chuck Chappell was born at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where his father was stationed during World War II. His dad was a psychiatrist, who was a resident at the famed Menniger Clinic in Topeka, Kan., after the war. His mother was a mathematician who worked at the Smithsonian Institution and was a teacher. His dad, one of Arkansas’ first board-certified psychiatrists, practiced at Fort Roots in North Little Rock and helped develop the program in psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He grew up in Little Rock and attended First United Methodist Church where Winston Faulkner ’48 was his youth director.

After graduating from Hendrix with honors in English, he earned a master’s degree and then a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. He was a teaching assistant at Emory and an instructor in English at Virginia Polytechnic Institute before joining the Hendrix faculty in 1969. He is married to Carol Weygandt Chappell ’70 and is the father of Christopher Paul Chappell, Timothy Brooks Chappell ’98, and Michael Charles Chappell ’03. His book, Detective Dupin Reads
William Faulkner: Solutions to Six Yoknapatawpha Mysteries, was published in 1997.

Question: You have been part of the Hendrix family since your freshman year in 1960. So why did you pick Hendrix? What drew you to Hendrix as a student?

Answer: I grew up knowing about Hendrix because of my Methodist connections. Many of the wonderful people at First Methodist had come to Hendrix.

I was at Central High as a sophomore in 1957. I mostly didn’t know what was going on. The schools closed in ’58-’59, so I did correspondence work in the 11th grade and my parents moved to Memphis where I finished high school.

My older brother missed his senior year because of the schools closing. Hendrix accepted him – and several other students in the same situation – without him having graduated from high school. I came to visit my brother and the people were so friendly here that I decided this is where I wanted to be.

My parents were disillusioned with what was happening in Arkansas. When I told them that I wanted to go to Hendrix, they didn’t say I couldn’t, but they asked "Do you really want to go back to Arkansas?" So, my dad came and talked with (President) Marshall Steel and with (Dean of Students) Bob Meriwether. I couldn’t believe he did that, but as a parent now I understand why. When he got home, he told me I could come to Hendrix. He said ‘they have the right values and the right approach to academics.’ "

I came to Hendrix in 1960 and roomed with John Roberts, a friend of mine. Then I roomed with Bill Tidmore. Simon Bookout and I roomed together for close to three years. We were living in Millar during the Great Train Wreck. (Read the Great Train Wreck story) I lived in Martin Room 316 with Simon and Greg Williams. It was in Dead End. My son Tim lived in the same room in Martin for a time.

Q. What’s a favorite memory from your student days?

A. I went to all the ballgames when I was a student here; many of us did. Of course, basketball was all there was after football was dropped in my first year. I went to the last game in Axley Gymnasium and the first game in Grove Gym as a student. So did Larry and Hilda Hancock Malpica, both ’64, and Maribeth Woodfin Garrison ’64. So, I made a point of going to the last Grove game and the first game in the Wellness and Athletics Center, as did the others. Of course, Maribeth was there since (Coach) Cliff (Garrison) was being honored.

Q. What’s your favorite spot on campus?

A. My office! I have this great view. I can look out over the central part of campus. It’s beautiful in the spring and fall. I walk around campus all the time. I love the fish pond, the gazebo, the Pecan Court. That’s the essence of Hendrix to me.

Q. When did you first decide to become a teacher?

A. As a student, I was very fortunate to take a course with Helon (Sanders Smith) Yates. She was an excellent teacher and took a personal interest in her students.

My professors suggested I might be a teacher during my freshman year. I took courses with Walter Moffatt ’32 and Paul Faris and Helen Hughes. I decided to become an English major in my freshman year. I didn’t know I’d get a chance to teach at Hendrix.

Q. How did that happen – your coming back to Hendrix to teach English?

A. I’d finished the classwork for my Ph.D. at Emory and was teaching at Virginia Tech, when I got a letter from Walter Moffatt saying they would have a position in English and asking if I’d like to apply. Boy, did I!

The school had changed when I came back as a teacher. It had grown to about 1,000 students and changed to the 3-3 system.

I joined my mentors. I had studied with them and now they became my colleagues. Then they retired and we replaced them with dedicated, talented people like the ones they replaced.

Q. Many alumni memories were created on the Faulkner pilgrimages you led to Oxford, Miss. Tell me a little about how that all started.

A. The first one was in 1983, the first year I taught the Faulkner course. I’ve taken 14 student groups and one alumni group to visit Rowan Oak, Faulkner’s home. The Hendrix-Murphy Programs in Literature and Language have sponsored the trips.

Col. James M. Faulkner (William Faulkner’s nephew) was our host at Rowan Oak. He also visited Hendrix several times to talk about his uncle and share a slide show. He made his first visit in 1977 and his last trip in 2001. We developed a friendship and in 1997, for Faulkner’s 100th birthday, he came here, when he had a choice of places to visit.

On Faulkner’s actual 100th birthday we read aloud The Sound and the Fury. It was an all-day event. We started at 8 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m. Students, faculty, staff took turns reading. It was exhilarating.

Q. Tell me about the postcards

A. I got married on June 21, 1969, in Ohio, where Carol is from, and we drove to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, for our honeymoon. I was to start teaching at Hendrix that fall.

William Faulkner wrote a book called The Wild Palms. It’s a counterpoint – one of Faulkner’s experiments. There are two separate stories that don’t intertwine except for a coincidental place. One called Old Man is set during the flood of 1927. The Tall Convict – we don’t know his name – is sent in a rowboat to rescue some people. All he wants to do is get back to prison where there are no women. Near the end of the story, you find out why. He was arrested for robbing a train to impress a woman. When she gets married, she sends him a postcard from a Birmingham hotel. It’s a picture of the hotel with an X marked over one of the rooms. The message says

"This is where were honeymonning at. – (Mrs.) Vernon Waldrip."

I’d taught that work and knew the story. So, on our honeymoon I sent postcards to the people here in the English Department and others. I wrote the same message on the back and signed them Mrs. Vernon Waldrip.

Years later, I told a class here in Southern Literature course about it and I started to get postcards. I’ve gotten hundreds of them over the years. Some of them are creative variations. Some of them were quite funny. It’s a way of keeping contact with students so I’ve kept doing it.

Q. What are your retirement plans?

A. For more than a dozen years, I’ve taught at Life Quest for older adults. I teach a literature course for four Wednesdays in July, two hours at a time. They also have fall, spring and winter classes. I’ll be doing that this summer and will also teach some other time during the year. So, I’ll still do some teaching … but I won’t have papers to grade. I do love to teach, but I won’t mind not grading papers.

Carol and I will travel more. Two of our three sons live in the San Francisco area. So, I’ll go see them – and the grandchildren. I’ll do some reading; I might do some writing.

We have a house in Heber Springs that Carol has planned. She just loves it there, and so do I. So, we’ll spend more time there. It is powered by solar energy. One of our sons works in that field and helped us get it all set up. I plan to stay busy and active, but to set my own schedule. I asked Bob Meriwether ’49 when he retired what the best part of retirement was and he said being able to set his own schedule. I’m looking forward to that.

Q. Why are you retiring now?

A. We have outstanding young faculty in our department who are experienced teachers. I feel good about the department. I feel it is as strong as it has ever been. It is a modern and future-looking department.

I feel good about retiring now because I think the department is in a good place and that I’m leaving what was entrusted to me in good hands.

I feel so blessed and so lucky. I’ve been fortunate to be able to be here all this time and to have these opportunities. Not many people get to work in their ideal job as long as I have.

Odyssey Endowment honors Chappell

Chuck Chappell’s Last Lecture during Alumni Weekend ’10 ended with a surprise announcement.

Former classmates, family and friends worked behind the scenes to establish the Dr. Charles M. Chappell Odyssey Endowment in honor of the retiring English professor and member of the Class of ’64. The group collected more than 50 gifts totaling $54,235. The Chappell Odyssey Endowment will provide financial support for students and faculty members to pursue Odyssey experiences related to the study of English. The funds generated by the endowment will be awarded competitively through the Odyssey Program, with preference being given to English majors.

Simon D. Bookout ’64 (right) and Robert D. Cabe ’63 co-chaired the Chappell Odyssey Endowment Committee. Other members include W. Christopher Barrier ’64, Jack L. Blackshear ’64, W. Dent Gitchel ’63, Cyril Hollingsworth, Diane Haynie Lyons ’65, Ark Monroe ’64, Hilda Hancock Malpica ’64, and Michael V. Hutchison, associate vice president for Development at Hendrix.

To learn more about how you can contribute to the Chappell Endowment, please contact the Office of Advancement at 501.450.1223 or malpica@hendrix.edu.

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View the video of Chuck Chappell's Last Lecture from Alumni Weekend 2010.

By Katie Rice '10
Staff Writer

For students living in Hendrix’s six traditional residence halls, each spring brings up a difficult question: Should I stay or should I go? Incoming freshmen are required to live in one of the res halls, but upperclassmen can choose from a cornucopia of other housing options, including theme houses and a variety of apartment complexes.

After a year or two of dorm life, many students can’t wait to have their own bathrooms and kitchens. But leaving the effortless camaraderie of group living isn’t easy. Particularly in the apartments, it takes some effort to strike a balance between independence and isolation.

"I like Raney a lot because it’s just one hallway and so you get to know everyone really easily," said Michaelene Miller, a freshman from Little Rock. "There aren’t a lot of places to hide in Raney, and it’s the smallest dorm, so everyone gets to know each other."

Miller and her roommate, freshman Mauren Kennedy of Bentonville, live together on the third floor of Raney. Located next door to the library, Raney has the reputation of being a cloister for the studious "Raney nuns." But what Miller appreciates most is the hall’s central location, which keeps her engaged in campus life.

For next year they have their eyes on the presidential suite – the largest room in Raney, which is annually bestowed upon the new Raney Hall president. Kennedy is about to begin campaigning, but even if she isn’t elected the roommates plan to stay in one of the residence halls.

"As a freshman and sophomore I feel like I should be in the center of campus so I can grab all the opportunities that are available. It’s easier to do that living on campus," she said. "We’ll move into an apartment junior or senior year for sure, because by that time you have your friends and you know what you want to do and you have your basic schedule down."

Few sophomores live in Hendrix apartments, since that space is in high demand by upperclassmen.

"We got lucky," explained Jen Baker '12, who lives in The Corner apartments with her roommate Olivia Harrington '12. The two became best friends when they lived down the hall from each other in Couch Hall last year. They relish the privacy of having their own bedrooms and bathrooms, and they say it’s actually easier to be social in an apartment.

"In an apartment you can have a couple of friends over and it’s not a big deal," Baker said. "You don’t have to worry about your neighbors."

She and Harrington make an effort to invite friends over. They host weekly "family dinners" with their friends, and they have a guestbook and a bathroom guestbook that they ask visitors to sign. They’ve even transformed one of their closets into a teensy third bedroom for friends who want to stay overnight.

Both Baker and Harrington make an effort to hang out on campus, so they still feel like part of the Hendrix community.

"When it’s nice outside we’ll hang out in the pecan court or in the Murphy house after classes, and we study in the library and hang out in the student life center a decent amount of time," Baker recounted. "I don’t feel distant from campus or anything; I still feel like I’m involved."

The only downside of their move to The Corner at the intersection of Mill and Front streets was trying to furnish the apartment. Baker and Harrington had to bring furniture from their homes in St. Louis and New Orleans, respectively.

"It’s going to be a big hassle to move out at the end of the year, since both of us are studying abroad next semester," Baker said. "But we both think it’s worth it. With being abroad, we’re not sure where we’ll live when we come back. But we’d like to keep living in [The Hendrix Corner]. We like it a lot."

By Natalie Atkins
Staff Writer

J.J. is originally from Bentonville, Ark., and attended Hendrix, graduating in 1996 with a B.A. in Spanish. After leaving Hendrix, she attended Boston University School of Theology where she received a Master of Divinity degree. She began her professional work at Hendrix in 2002. She currently serves as Associate Director of the Miller Center for Vocation, Ethics, and Calling and as the Assistant Chaplain for the College.

When J.J. is not working, she enjoys Jazzercise and watching "Lost." She also enjoys going on dates with her husband, Kaleb Barrett, to Mike’s Place in Conway or Lily’s Dim Sum in Little Rock, and playing Star Wars with her 4-year-old son, Jack.

Life as a Student

As a student, J.J. participated in the choir and served as secretary during her junior year. The Candlelight Carol service and spring choir tours are some of her fondest memories. One moment that is frozen in her memory is being thrown into the fountain on her 21st birthday — in January!

During the first two trimesters of her senior year, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. In addition to building proficiency in the Spanish language, J.J. believes that her experience abroad positively affected her life. She says of the experience, "Living in another country taught me about my own culture, honed self-discipline, self-reliance, and independence in traveling, and gave me insight into what it means to be ‘different.’ Without my study abroad experience, I would not have been prepared to take on the duties in my current vocation."

Life as an Employee

J.J. was originally hired by the college as the Program Coordinator for the Hendrix-Lilly Vocations Initiative. Although she performed chaplaincy functions in this job, it was not until 2004 that she was given the Assistant Chaplain title. Then in 2008, with the generous gift of Bob & Nadine Miller, the Hendrix-Lilly program became the Miller Center for Vocation, Ethics, and Calling and J.J. was named Associate Director.

In addition to many other job duties, J.J preaches at chapel and co-administers the sacrament of Holy Communion during weekly services. She also leads other religious programs on campus, mentors students who are interested in ministry, leads vocation workshops for interns in non-profit and religious organizations, and leads at least one mission trip per year. Outside of the duties her job demands of her, she has also taken on teaching the first-year Explorations seminar for the past four years.

Although she is a fairly recent graduate, J.J. has seen many changes at the college since her time as a student. The college is no longer on a trimester system, and she has personally enjoyed watching the Odyssey program take shape. "It has been exciting to see what ignites student passions and how they are given the chance to ‘try out’ these passions in the world," she says.

J.J. says, "I think the Hendrix community truly wants to make a difference in the world and I find that kind of energy contagious." Perhaps that is why she has chosen to make her home at Hendrix.

Fred Ablondi, associate professor of philosophy, served as Vice-President of the North American Spinoza Society. He also published "Epistemic Vagueness?" in Think 8, "Millar on Slavery" in the Journal of Scottish Philosophy, and "What We Talk About When We Talk About Lowe" in The Red Sox and Philosophy (Open Court Press).

David Bailin, adjunct instructor of art, exhibited work in the West Coast Drawings: Drawings VIII exhibit at the Davidson Galleries in Seattle, Wash., and exhibited work in the Ten Year Celebration: Solo Exhibition Artists Retrospective exhibit at The Visual Arts Center of the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Jay Barth, M.E. & Ima Graves Peace Professor of Politics, published "Arkansas: Still Swingin’ in 2004," which appeared in the American Review of Politics and was reprinted in Readings in Arkansas Politics and Government; "Arkansas: More Signs of Momentum for Republicanism in Post-`Big Three’ Arkansas" in the American Review of Political Science and was reprinted in Readings in Arkansas Politics and Government; "The Media, the Medium, and Malaise: Assessing the Effects of Campaign Media Exposure with Panel Data" Mass Communication and Society (with L. Marvin Overby); and "Arkansas: He’s Not One of (Most of Us") in A Paler Shade of Red: The 2008 Presidential Election in the South (with Janine Parry and Todd Shields).

Carl Burch, associate professor of computer science, served as Nifty Assignments Chair at the Conference of the Consortium for Computing Sciences, Mid-South Region, 2010.

Chris Campolo, associate professor of philosophy, presented "Deep disagreement in a multicultural world," at the Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario.

Stella M. Capek, professor of sociology, presented "Caught Up In The Mix" at the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE) meetings in Victoria, British Columbia; and co-organized and presided for a Thematic Session on the New Politics of Community titled "Environmental Justice and Immigrant/Refugee Communities" at the American Sociological Association annual meetings in San Francisco, Calif. Additionally, she served as advisor to the Endometriosis Association.

Andres Caro, assistant professor of chemistry, received the Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award ($44,869 for January 2009-January 2011) for his research on reactive oxygen species and CYP2E1-dependent oxidation of mitochondrial DNA in liver cells. He also served as Assistant Professor of Research Service at the Little Rock Campus of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Andrea Duina, assistant professor of biology, received additional funding for his research "Analysis of the role of histone H3 in transcription elongation." He previously received funding from the NSF RUI program for 2006-2010, which has now been extended for 2011-2013, for $473,089.

Karen Fannin, assistant professor of music, served as Music Director of the Little Rock Wind Symphony. She also published "The Battle Pavane by Tielman Susato" in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band (GIA Publications).

Peter Gess, adjunct instructor of politics, presented "Presidential Scholars Program: International Educational Initiatives from Rwanda’s Vision 2020," with Gilbert Ndayambaje at the NAFSA Region III Conference in Dallas, Texas.

Tom Goodwin, Elbert L. Fausett Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Julia Mobley Odyssey Professor, published "Male and female developmental differences in chemosensory investigations by African elephants (Loxodonta africana) approaching waterholes" in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (with Christen Merte and Bruce Schulte); "The elephants of Addo: An undergraduate research adventure" in Journal of the Elepant Managers Association (Broederdorf, L.J., Meyer, J.M., Freeman, E.W., &Bruce Schulte); "Monitoring African elephant chemical communication and hormone activity in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa" in the Journal of the Elephant Managers Association (with Jordana Meyer, Elizabeth Freeman, and Bruce Schulte); "The Garden of Green Organic Chemistry at Hendrix College" in Changing the Course of Chemistry: Green Chemistry Education (American Chemical Society); "Prospecting for mammalian chemical signals via solventless extraction techniques: an elephantine task" in ChemoSense (with Bruce Schulte); "Greener Solutions for the Organic Chemistry Teaching Lab: Exploring the Advantages of Alternative Reaction Media" in the Journal of Chemical Education (with Lallie McKenzie, Lauren Huffman, James Hutchison, Courtney Rogers & Gary Spessard); and "Sexual dimorphism in the performance of chemosensory investigatory behaviours by African elephants (Loxodonta africana)" in Behaviour (with Helen Loizi., L.E.L. Rasmussen, Anna Whitehouse & Bruce Schulte).

Karen Griebling, professor of music, served as President of ARVIOLAS (Arkansas Chapter of the Viola Society).

Joyce Hardin, Judy and Randy Wilbourn Odyssey Assistant Professor of Biology, served as President of the Arkansas Academy of Science and as a member of the Tree Board for the City of Conway.

Courtney Hatch, assistant professor of chemistry, received the Corporation for Science Advancement, Cottrell College Science Award for her research "Heterogeneous processing of mineral aerosol by reactive gases in the Earth’s atmosphere." The award is for $45,000, 2010-2012. She also attended Atmospheric Science Collaborations and Enriching Networks (ASCENT) in Steamboat Springs, Colo., and published "Water uptake on humic and fulvic acids: Aerosol and thin film measurements" in Atmospheric Environment (with Kelly Gierlus, James Zahardis, Jennifer Schuttlefield, and Vicki Grassian).

J. Brett Hill, assistant professor of anthropology, published "What Difference Does Environmental Degradation Make? Change and its Significance in Transjordan" in The Archaeology of Environmental Change: Socionatural Legacies of Degradation and Resilience (University of Arizona Press, Tucson). He also co-edited (with Christopher T. Fisher and Gary M. Feinman) The Archaeology of Environmental Change: Socionatural Legacies of Degradation and Resilience (University of Arizona Press).

Jeff Kosiorek, visiting assistant professor of history, reviewed The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Environment, which appeared in Environmental History.

John Krebs, professor of music and humanities area chair, (with Karen Griebling, Hendrix and Jackie Lamar, UCA) performed at the World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok, Thailand.

Lisa Leitz, assistant professor of sociology, co-organized and presided, "The Effects of the Iraq War on the U.S. Military and Peace-Making," Peace, War, & Social Conflict Paper Session, American Sociological Association annual meetings in San Francisco, Calif.

Matthew Lopas, associate professor of art, exhibited his work "Panoramic Interiors" at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary in Dallas, Texas.

Tim Maxwell, professor of psychology, served as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Annual Editions: Psychology (McGraw-Hill/Dushkin).

J. J. Mayo, associate professor of kinesiology, served on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Undergraduate Kinesiology Research.

Jay McDaniel, Willis T. Holmes Distinguished Professor of Religion and Nancy and Craig Wood Odyssey Professor, was invited to teach a five-day course on Buddhism and Christianity at the Vancouver School of Theology.

Kristi McKim, assistant professor of film studies, presented "Cinephilia as Sensual Film History in The Dreamers" at the Southern Illinois University Department of Cinema and Photography and "Ephemeral Style: Intimate Scale and Subjectivity in Doris Dörrie’s Cherry Blossoms" at the 2009 World Picture Conference at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. She also reviewed Ingmar Bergman’s The Magic Lantern, which appeared in Film International.

Rod Miller, associate professor or art, presented "Perelandra: The Synoptic Lewis." at the Perelandra Project Colloquium, St. Stephen’s house in Oxford, England.

Jenn Penner, assistant professor of psychology, presented "The Effects of Site Provisioning on Cache Pilfering Rates in Eastern Gray Squirrels" at the Animal Behavior Society Annual Meeting in Pirenópolis, Brazil.

Jennifer Peszka, associate professor of psychology, had research referenced in Time magazine, December 2009 edition. She also co- presented "The Effect of Console/Computer Game Play on Sleepiness and Sleep Hygiene" at the 23^rd Annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (SLEEP) in Seattle, Wash.; and co- presented "Chronotype, Sleep Hygiene, and Academic Performance in High School and College" at the 23^rd Annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (SLEEP) in Seattle, Wash., and published "Online Academic Integrity" in Teaching of Psychology (with David Mastin & Deborah Lilly).

Sasha Pfau, assistant professor of history, presented "Distinguishing Physiological Illness from Supernatural Phenomena in Late Medieval France," at the Texas Medieval Association Conference at the University of Texas in Austin.

Rebecca Resinski, associate professor of classics, published "Revising Pandora (and Rewriting Eve) in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Wonder Book," in Asterisks and Obelisks: Classical Receptions in Children’s Literature.

Brigitte Rogers, visiting assistant professor of dance, served as Assistant Choreographer for The Producers with the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre.

John Sanders, professor of religion, published "Theological Muscle-Flexing: How Human Embodiment Shapes Discourse About God" in Creation Made Free: Open Theology Engaging Science (Pickwick Publications). He also presented "Can Classical Theism Support Creativity, Adventure, and non Conformity? A Reply to Process Theists." and "Divine Relationality and Theodicy in The Shack." to the American Academy of Religion in Montreal; and "Something Old, Something New: Reflections on Evangelical Scholarship in Light of the Open Theism Controversy," to the Society of Evangelical Scholars in Montreal. And, he lectured at the Theta Phi Fall Forum at Asbury Seminary.

Lawrence Schmidt, professor of philosophy, was invited to lecture at Heilongjiang University in Harbin, China.

Andrew Scott, assistant professor of classics, selected to participate in the 2009 American Numismatic Society’s Eric P. Newman Graduate Seminar in Numismatics in New York.

Allison Shutt, associate professor of history, chaired the first African Studies Association conference in New Orleans, La., where she co-organized a series of panels titled "Theatres of Class and Conflict in Zimbabwe." and presented "Insult Laws and Contentious Authority in Zimbabwe."

J. Aaron Simmons, assistant professor of philosophy, published "Teaching Plato with Emoticons" in the APA Newsletter on Teaching Philosophy (with Scott F. Aikin); "Revisiting Gender Inclusive God-Talk: A New, Wesleyan Argument" in Philosophy and Theology (with Mason Marshall); "Vision Without Image: A Levinasian Topology" in Southwest Philosophy Review; "Moments of Intense Presence: An Interview with David Wood" in the Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory (with David Wood); "From Necessity to Hope: A Continental Perspective on Eschatology Without Telos" in Heythrop Journal (with Nathan R. Kerr); and "Continuing to Look for God in France: On the Relationship Between Phenomenology and Theology," in Words of Life: New Theological Turns in French Phenomenology (Fordham University Press). He also presented the lecture "Heavenly Minded and Earthly Good: Evangelical Christianity and Environmental Ethics" at Central Methodist University.

Damon Spayde, assistant professor of physics, published "Strange Quark Contributions to Parity-Violating Asymmetries in the Backward Angle G0 Electron Scattering Experiment" in Physical Review Letters.

Tom Stanley, Bill and Connie Bowen Odyssey Professor of Economics and Business, published "Publication Selection Bias in Minimum-Wage Research? A Meta-Regression Analysis" in the British Journal of Industrial Relations (with Hristos Doucouliagos) and "Efficiency Wages, Productivity and Simultaneity: A Meta-Regression Analysis" in the Journal of Labor Research (with Eric Krassoi-Peach). He also presented "Are Recreation Values Systematically Underestimated? Getting Beyond Publication Selection Bias." at a DARE Seminar at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.

David Sutherland, professor of biology, lectured and presided over the induction of new members at the Pi Mu Epsilon chapter at North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., and Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. He also presided over student undergraduate research presentations, Pi Mu Epsilon awards ceremony and lectured at the Mathematical Association of America’s MathFest 2009 in Portland, Ore., part of his duties as president of the national council of Pi Mu Epsilon honorary mathematics society.

Alex Vernon, associate professor of English, published "Spirit of Summer" in Soirée. He also reviewed The Gun and the Pen: Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner and the Fiction of Mobilization by Keith Gandal., which was featured in The Hemingway Review.

Carol West, professor of English, received the Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad, funded by a $87,805 grant from the U.S. Department of Education and supplemented by $3,500 from the Africa Network’s Luce Foundation grant, to support five weeks of curricular development activities in Senegal and The Gambia for fifteen participants.

Daniel Whelan, assistant professor of politics and international relations, published "The Reality of Western Support for Economic and Social Rights: A Reply to Susan Kang" in Human Rights Quarterly (with Jack Donnelly).

Ann Wright, associate professor of physics, attended "Women in Robotics & Engineering" workshop at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Fla.
See http://www2.hendrix.edu/astronomy/ksc/ksctrip.html for photos

By Helen Plotkin
Editor

Dr. Thomas E. Goodwin will add another national award to his long list of honors this summer. In June, Dr. Goodwin will receive the CUR Fellows Award, which recognizes excellence in undergraduate research. The Award will be presented at the 2010 Biennial Conference of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Dr. Goodwin is the Elbert L. Fausett Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Julia Mobley Odyssey Professor at Hendrix, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1978.

The CUR Fellows Awards are presented to CUR members who have developed nationally respected research programs involving undergraduate students. Two CUR Fellows were selected this year. Dr. Gilles Einstein, Professor of Psychology at Furman University, is the other honoree.

Dr. Goodwin said he is most pleased that, as a CUR Fellow, he will receive a CUR Student Research Fellowship to support continued involvement in undergraduate research for a deserving Hendrix student.

Nancy Hensel, Executive Officer of CUR, said, "CUR Fellows is an award that recognizes significant contributions to student development and learning as well as the quest for new knowledge through research. CUR is pleased to honor Dr. Einstein and Dr. Goodwin with our highest award. They are both examples of the commitment and dedication of CUR members to excellent teaching and scholarship."

Dr. Goodwin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Ouachita Baptist University in 1969 and a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville in 1974. After postdoctoral appointments at Rice and Texas A&M, and a short stint in chemical industry, he came to Hendrix with a strong belief in the value of involving undergraduate students in meaningful research projects.

Dr. Goodwin sums up his philosophy this way: "Science is taught by doing science; the scientific method is inculcated by practicing it in the laboratory and the field."

His hands-on approach to teaching science has brought recognition to Dr. Goodwin and Hendrix, but most importantly, has created a climate where students learn and excel. A former undergraduate student wrote: "To put it succinctly, excluding my parents, Dr. Goodwin has been the most important influence in my career."

Dr. Goodwin’s area of expertise is synthetic organic chemistry, and for many years that was his primary research focus at Hendrix. In 1993, he was the Chair of the Gordon Research Conference on Heterocyclic Compounds.

He later developed a specific research interest in chemical communication among elephants which led to a National Science Foundation-funded collaboration with a behavioral biologist and a biochemist. This research has expanded to include collaborations with biologists to study chemical communication by other mammals, including maned wolves and several lemur species.

Undergraduate students have benefited enormously from these collaborations. Because his research on chemical communication in endangered species occurs at the interface between chemistry and biology, Dr. Goodwin’s students learn to think about chemistry as part of their natural world in a truly interdisciplinary manner.

In addition to a continuing interest in mammalian chemical signaling and synthetic organic chemistry, Dr. Goodwin and his students have been involved for several years in the development of environmentally benign ("green") experiments for the introductory organic chemistry laboratory

Dr. Goodwin has mentored the research work of approximately 120 undergraduate students over the course of 32 years. During his career, he has been recognized for his exceptional teaching practices, including being named the Carnegie/CASE U.S. Professor of the Year for Baccalaureate Colleges in 2003, the only national award recognizing excellence in teaching at the college level.

"Dr. Goodwin is one of Hendrix’s most distinguished faculty members," said Hendrix Provost Robert L. Entzminger. "Not only is his teaching and mentoring legendary among Hendrix students, he was a national pioneer in demonstrating the value of undergraduate research programs, and his leadership and example were crucial in developing Hendrix’s Odyssey Program, which emphasizes hands-on learning experiences as a central component of undergraduate education."

The academic year is coming to an end, with much-anticipated graduation just days away for the Class of 2010. In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of our students and faculty (Read about our latest Watson Fellow and Dr. Tom Goodwin’s latest national honor), it is also time to reflect on the past year and what Hendrix has accomplished as an institution.

For one thing, we’ve kept our focus through the worst economy since the Great Depression. Our attention has not wavered from our students and the quality of their educational experience. We felt the impact of the stock market plummet in our operating budget and called on our faculty and staff to work smarter, harder and more creatively to stretch our budget to meet our needs – and they have. We called on our alumni and friends to support Hendrix with their gifts, even as they, too, felt the impact of the bad economy – and they did.

We committed the institution to moving forward even in tough times. We knew we could not hunker down and wait for things to get better before pressing on toward our goal of establishing Hendrix as a national leader in engaged liberal arts and sciences education – and we haven’t. We are moving steadily toward our goal in our $100 million campaign, which is set to end in December 2010. (See Calling Hendrix Alumni: We're in the Homestretch!). We opened the new Student Life and Technology Center in January, the last major capital project in our campaign. We hope to complete raising the $26 million needed to pay for the building by the end of the current fiscal year on May 31, 2010 – and with your help we will.

The new SLTC has already become what we envisioned: the vibrant center of student life on the Hendrix campus and a catalyst for creativity and innovation for students and faculty. One example of creative use of the technology available in this new building is the College’s first Red Brick Film Festival. Using inexpensive Flip cameras checked out from the SLTC, Hendrix students produced 3-minute films and submitted them for review. The award-winners debuted during the film festival at the end of April. Visit our Web site for the list of winners and more information. This year’s festival was a pilot for what we hope will be an annual event and just one of many ways the SLTC supports the dynamic learning environment at Hendrix. (For more information about the SLTC, see Technology and Student Life Tied Together in New Center.)

Hendrix is becoming known nationally for its innovative approach to higher education. Last fall, U.S. News & World Report listed us as the No. 1 “Up-and-Coming” liberal arts college in America based on our record of innovation in the classroom and in our buildings and facilities. We count that recognition as proof that our efforts to cultivate a spirit of innovation on campus are having an impact. We promise to do more. Stay tuned.

J. Timothy Cloyd, Ph.D.
President