Davidson Resolutions

Happy New Year from Around the D!

In case you are having trouble coming up with appropriate resolutions for 2015, here’s a look at some resolutions from New Years past:

In 1922, students were encouraged to attend the YMCA Sunday evening meetings. Noting that these meetings were “the only religious meeting at Davidson which the student body can claim as distinctively its own,” the Davidsonian editors rued that “attendance is not what it should be.” For those editors, it was not enough that half to two-thirds of the student body was now attending. They asked that every student (all 512 enrolled in 1922) to “resolve to become a regular attender.”

Being a better student has been a popular them – appearing in editorials in 1927, 1955, 1960, and 2011. Taking a very serious tone, the 1927 editors declared, ” To everyone the New Year holds out a challenge, but this challenge is particularly directed at college students, the men and women who are preparing themselves for the great job of making the world fit during the next generation.” They encouraged students to consider the question, “Why are you in college?” and how well their time is being used.

Gilbert Gragg took a satirical approach in 1955 creating a list of resolutions that included:

I resolve to continue taking every cut allowed me.

I resolve never to been on campus after noon on Saturday and before seven on Sunday.

I resolve to not participate in UCM or attend any of the Artist Series, as I may be stimulated and challenged.

I resolve to be as critical as possible of every aspect of Davidson life to show my maturity and independence.

The writer of the 1960 editorial focused on organizations more than individuals finding that student organizations needed to be more focused, the Interfraternity Council was making “little effort to integrate their work with the educational aims of the college,” the YMCA leadership lacked a clear vision, the Student Council and Davidsonian were deemed below par, and the campus had “little basic criticism and debate, and even less encouragement of them.” He did have kinder words for the International Relations Club for their promotion of African issues and the denominational fellowships for deepening their activities.

One question remains -who is the Robinson offering this critique?

January 8, 1960 New Year’s resolutions editorialIn 2011 the focus shifted from campus life to wellness, with writer Jaqui Logan offering gentle tips for healthy resolutions.

On a few occasions, the sports page writers claimed the resolution making. In 1930, P. R. Alderman sought to improve Davidson athletic future by having students join in recruiting efforts. While acknowledging that “No one can truthfully say that Davidson is a losing college as far as athletics are concerned,” he also argued that “at the same time it is fighting against great odds, just as other comparatively small schools are.” His New Year’s suggestion was for students to “write or speak to a friend who has made good in athletics in high school” and encourage them to come to Davidson.

Will Bryan and Suzy Eckl took a wider approach in 2007 encouraging their fellow students to: get interactive, spend time with friends, save money, be kind to your neighbor, get in shape, honor thy elders and learn something new – all with a sports twist. Spending time with friends meant waiting in line together to pick up basketball tickets, saving money happened by attending more sports events (since they are free to students), and honor thy elders meant celebrating Bob McKillop’s 300th win and pushing for the basketball court to named for him (finally happened in 2014!)

And finally, what would resolutions be without at least one humor column? in 1963, Dave Pusey reported statements submitted to the fictional Faculty Committee on New Year’s and Hannukah Resolutions. These included competing demands from benefactors Charles Dana and the Belk Family with Dana demanding Belk dorm be renamed for him and the Belks demanding that the (then) new science building be renamed for them.

English professor Henry Lilly announced that he was “sick of being a kindly old gent type, and will revert to my secret desire of being a professional gambler, complete with snarl, eyeshades, and brocaded vest.

Dorm mother Mrs. J. B. Moore declared her intention of selling all the  pin-ups she’s confiscated for a college fund and music professor and choir director Don Plott announced his ambition to get the Male Chorus on TV by including “in its repertoire for the coming year numerous Ferlin Huskey songs and a trained chimp act.”

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What ever your resolutions are for 2015, Around the D hopes following us will be one of them!