Honors Day Spotlights 150 Students

Joyce, Kaplan Win Hopper Award

Over 150 VSC students were honored during the annual Honors Day Convocation held yesterday in Whitehead Auditorium. Rufus C. Harris, president of Mercer University, was the featured speaker. Dr. Harris discussed the role of the college in channeling youth protests into "an effective stream of national action," noting, "This is possible only if the college is permitted to function without distortion."

He outlined ways the college endeavor is distorted. One is relevance: "A college must give its priority to those who comprehend that the worth and dignity of knowledge does not depend solely upon its current usefulness — a college must take the long view." Another distortion is expecting a college to retreat from the day-to-day business of life: "Perhaps there may have been a day when a college could have been for both faculty and students a secure and serene retreat from the world. There is no such day now."

"The college," Dr. Harris said, "must be a part of the society which gives it birth, which nourishes it — Neither its faculty nor its students can be insulated from the concerns, imperfections, struggles and requirements of that society." The earmarks of an educated person in this generation, he said, "besides sheer intelligence, must be respect for reason, conjoined to courage and abiding compassion." He concluded that these qualities "must be employed in the great amalgamation of youth's contemporary protest with the dominant ethic of American social life," asserting that the chief concern should be not the American standard of living but the quality of American life.

For the first time, two VSC seniors tied for the coveted Annie Powe Hopper Award. They are Elissa Kaplan and Joyce A. Joyce, both of Valdosta. Given annually by the VSC Alumni Association in memory of the college's former dean of women, the award goes to the senior who stands high academically and best exemplifies the traditions of the institution. As co-winners, Miss Joyce and Mrs. Kaplan become the ninth recipients.

Miss Joyce, 20, was valedictorian of her graduating class at Pinevale High School. She has been named a 1969–70 winner of a Three-Year Master's Scholarship at the University of Georgia beginning this fall.

Dean of the College Ward Pafford presided at the convocation. The invocation and benediction were presented by the Reverend Thomas H. Payne, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Music was furnished by the College Band, under the direction of Sanford Campbell, and the Concert Choir, directed by Dr. Joe Haas. SGA president Charles Howell also participated in the program.

Continued on page 4.

Source: The Campus Canopy, Thursday, May 7, 1970.