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red en ting ,Met m tier \ In this issue of the MERCIAD, we, the students, welcomevou to Mercyhurst College. We shall take you on a tour of ourcampus where you will see us studying- in the classrooms andlaboratories, relaxing in the "dorm," browsing about the library, or playing on the tennis courts. You will be given apreview of the cou rses offered in our college curriculum andof the campus activities which afford opportunity for thedevelopment of literary, dramatic, athletic, and musical talent.But more than this, we hope to take you behind the scenesof college life, to the real Mercyhurst spirit which is the life-giving principle of all our school activity. This spirit, centeredin our beautiful C hapel of Chr ist th e King, exten ds to ennobleour learning with C hristian philosophy an d to form the Ch ristian basis of our social life. \

We have not come ito Mercyhurst merely for social accomplishment, or intellectual advancement, or just "a goodtime." Rather do we aim a t an effective blending of all thre ethe perfect education of spirit, mind, and body. For th is re ason, we do not leave the sp irit of M ercyh urst behind us in theChapel, bu t carryfit with usito the history lecture, the LittleTheatre, the bridge game, the EnglishlClub meeting, the JuneProm. ? H I IWe speak sincerely as studen ts who have felt this spiritof Mercyhurst grow within us during the ye ars spen t underher gracious influence. It is a spirit expressed most adequately,not in Class Day speeches and traditional ceremonies, but inthe miinds and hearts of those who live that spirit daily. '%Finally, Mercyhurst teaches us to be culturedto beeducated not merely with a jumble of facts, but with a coordinated volume of interrelated knowledge. She urges us ,therefore, to work not merely for high marks which leadinally to a degree, but rather for a definite plan of life whicheads tojour ultim ate End of life. | |istory Of MercyhurstTo ProgressSeptember 8, 1924 marked the ceremony of the ground-breaking

ars later, on Se ptember 20, 1926, twenty-five girls, braving th e mudnd planks of construction, crossed fthe threshold to become Mercy-ook place on Nov. 10, 1926, with B ishop J oh n Mark Gan non officiating,college I was opened to public inspection during the foUowingo week ends.The spring of 1932 saw another ground-breaking ceremony attime for the construction of the Chapel and Tower.is memorial to the late Ja mes O'Neil, of P rance, w as given by hisMrs. James O'Neil of Pran ce commissioned the building in mem y of her husband , who professed a hig h r egard for thefSisters of

s blessed by the first cha plain ,v. William L. Sullivan , P h. D .,s offered in t he Chap el of\ ' | | \ 'gj

Our Lady's Grotto was alsolt by Fath er Sulliv an fromgathered on the campus.the weather permitted, Massuld be celebrated on the altarOur Lady's feet. I I 1

ft was always felt th at a suit-entrance should grace theso in f1949 Mercy* K. Thaw estate, Pi t tsburgh.in style,were designed in Englandd nandwrought in Prance. The

1950.

The spring of 1952 marked another era in the progress of Mercyhurst , for i t was then thatground was broken both for thenew library? building and for theconvent wing. These were completed the following year, and thelibrary building, which^houses th eLittle Theatre, was formally opened with the production of "Briga-doon." Furnishings for the theatrewere donated by the CollegeAlumnae.I With the opening ofthese two buildings, provision wasmade for several additional classrooms in the main building aswell as for laboratories and supplementary elementary education,home economics, and ar t facilities.Thus Mercyhurst continues herphysical as well as educational advancement! and maintains herplace in the ranks of Catholiccolleges in America.MAIN READING ROOM OF NEW LIBRARY

Mercynurst College Ubrar)Erie, PenrvryUxmia

% M E R C I A DVol. XXV, No. 9 MERCYHURST COLLEGE, ERIE, PA. Freshman Edition

@cvifre *Dle*K , i \The motto of Mercyhurst is aline from Horace which is translated, "Seize the opportunity anddo not trust the morrow." To* us,it means "Seize the opportunityfor lasting happiness attainedthrough Christian education."

Student Council ActiveIn Promoting Leadership

There lis no course entitled "Leadership" offered a t ,Mercyhurst,yet that is one of the things we learn here. Perhaps this is becausethere are so many student movements and organizations to which wenot only belong but also plan and direct.For instance, there is the Student Council composed of representatives from the various classes, clubs, and organizations in the college.These girls, who are genuinely interested in Mercyhurst as a whole,plan and carry out activitiesSpirit of MercyhurstIt is the warmth of "hellos" from everyone you meet on your firstday at Mercyhurst.l it is the excitement of your first night in your new "home awayfrom home."It is the exuberance of your initial letter home and the anticipationof a weekend at your roommate's.It is the dizzy whirl of your first week and the serious business ofchoosing a color scheme for your room.It is the thrill of that first letter or package from home and thecareful composing tof your first prom invitation.|It is the teamwork of a class project and the fun of getting toknow the day-hops.It is the satisfaction of passing room inspection and the dejectionof your first campus.It is the solemnity of chapel services and the peace found therefor a moment or two in a busy day.It is the companionship of the Sisters of Mercy and the steadyinginfluence of your own "Big Sister."It is the freedom of a weekend and the serious concentration of aschool day.It is the sociability of an afternoon trip to Art's and the solitudeof evening study.It is the suspense of meeting upperclassmen and the reassurancesof their friendliness.It is the nostalgia of {the "Alma Mater" and the gaiety of songfests in the lounge. JIt is the gratitude you show to God for His gifts and the confi-Jdences you take to Him in the chapel.It is the dignity of traditions and the spontaneity of "after-lights"parties. |It is the serenity of a Sunday and the bustle of a Saturday.It is the busy weeks of preparation for a prom and the mysteryof "who will be Prom Queen." $It is the light-hearted singing in the dining room and the solemn^beauty of Gregorian chant at Mass.It is the relief of coming through your first exam with "flyingcolors" and the realization that you do belong.It is the loyalty you feel toward your school and the appreciationyou can never express to your teachers.These things, then, are the SPIRIT OF MERCYHURST,

which aidl the students and thecollege, as well as integrate theprograms of the extra-curriculargroups and regulate social and educational projects with other areacolleges.A few years ago, at the suggestion of the Student? Council, aJ Student Discipline Board was setup to handle areas of disciplinegiven over to tl e students toy theadministration. The program hasbeen fulfilling its purpose, thanksj to cooperation between upper andlower classmen ana zae faculty.Each year new activities givemore opportunities for leadership.The YCS (Young Christian Students) works indirectly, in smallgroups, for the betterment of theacademic community while theSodality stresses spiritual leadership. Clubs in each major department, dramatic productions, andclassy projectsall give the girlsa chance to organize, plan, andcarry out programs. Faculty mem-bers remain in the backgroundto guide andjadvise, leaving the

leadership! to us.Here at Mercyhurst we learn to

lead by leading. The opportunitiesare here, the leadership is up toyou.

WelcomeFreshmen

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Par* Two T H E M E R C I A D Freshman Edition4 Liberal Arts

Th e Liberal Arts curriculum isdesigned to give a broad foundation of knowledge. It aims to develop competence in one field oflearning and a sense of correlation among all fields.All Mercyhurst students arethoroughly grounded in the mechanics of English and are *givena survey course in English literatu re . English majors continuewith such specialized courses asthe short story* advanced composition, poetry, and literary cri-tioism.Th e heritage;of th e classics isbrought to the liberal arts studentdirectly through the ancient andmodern language departments.The former includes Latin andGreek, the latter, Spanish, French,German, and Ital ian.

Social! Studies!The Social Studies departmentincludes history, sociology, political science, and economics. A student may choose any one of theseas a major field, or she may havea general social studies minor.

Many fields of opportunity are offered to the student of social studies, such as teaching, research,Ilibrary science. The sociology student is prepared for various fieldsof social I work, such as juveniledelinquency, social psychiatry,foster care and adoptions, departments! of public assistance.Science

The departments of biology,chemistry, medical technology,physics, and mathematics compose the science curriculum. Laboratory work in the various sciences is carried on in modern,well-equipped^ laboratories. Medical technology students receivelaboratory training in the collegelabs, and also get much practicalexperience in St. Vincent's Hospital laboratory during their senioryear of internship. Science holdsthe key fto innumerable professions or fields of advanced study,such as medicine, research, engineering. Fine Arts

The fine arts department offersa major in art and in music anda minor in dramatics and speech.The art student may specialize inth e field of fashion illustration,Int er io r dec orat ion , p a i n t i n g ,teaching, or commercial art. Inthe music field, the student mayconcentrate on voice, piano, ororgan. The speech and dramaticscourses provide the student withan opportunity for creative expression! and p repare her for active participation in Little Theatreprojects and in the management(Continued in Column 5)

Were urd OIL, ElementaryMercyhurst offers you four principal courses:Liberal Arts, Commercial Education, Elementary Education, and Home Economics. From these curriculayou select your major field. Naturally, your generaltrend of interest and what you wish to do with yourlife will determine what this choice will be.While studying for your degree at Mercyhurst,there are several subjects which you will be requiredto take, regardless of what field you have chosen.

These subjects are philosophy, English, speech, science, and, for the Catholic student, religion. In eachmajor field, there are also required subjects and inmost semestersfthere is time to slip in a few unrelated courses, just for your personal enjoyment.

Most of the classes are small so that there is afr F H l l p a f | / \ | |opportunity for discussion and questions. Even in ; L / U U ^ a i I U l lthe larger classes, there is time from lectures and,note-taking for student participation. Of course,there are assignments (you did expect them! > .bu tthey become just one more part of a well-balancedcollege life. " #The fourfold curricula which Mercyhurst offerswill prepare you for earning a living or finding enjoyment in life, but it does more than thatit givesyou the real meaning of life as found through theapplication of Christian principles. You learn morethan facts from books, more than technical p r o - |cesses; you learn how to live a full, rich life basedon Christian charity.

H om e Econom ics B u siness Edu cation

[v. Because of the increasing demand for grade school teachers"Mercyhurst introduced a curriculum in elementary education \few years ago, one that is becoming more and more popular.! Cer tain personality traits andan inter est in children are necessary for those who plan toteach in the grades, in additionto the professional courses set UDto m eet the requirements of thevarious states in which the studen t may wish to teach, thewou ld-be teacher must have anadequate background in speech,music, and art techniques and appreciation.But preparation ! for teachingextends beyond classroom lecturesand exam ination s, and here thecity gra de schoo ls cooperate withMercyhurst. Education * studentsspen d a portio n of their time asjuniors observing the technique ofexperienced grade school teach,ers. Then these students, applyingwhat they have learned, assumeth e role of tea che r for a periodof twelve weeks, getting experience in teach ing in the variousgrades.For a career of service in showing others the truths that havebeen given to us, the elementaryedu cation depar tmen t offers enduring values and great personalsatisfaction.

Mercyhurst would notjbe complete without thehome economics students whom we affectionatelycall "home ~ wreckers." These are the girls who fillthe kitchens with tantalizing odors and make everyone envious of their smart clothes.The courses these students, take at- Mercyhurstare many and vary from child study to tailoring. Awell-equipped foods lab, a clothing lab with cuttingtables, forms, and sewing machines, an arts andcrafts room, the college kitchen-and foods lab, together with the kitchens of several Erie restaurantsavailable for experience in qu anti ty! cookery, provide the stage upon which the home "ecers" perform.In the senior year,ftheir six-weeks' residence inthe H ome Man agement Houses provides a splendidopportunity for application I of the p rinciples of efficient home management. The girls plan, prepare,and serve all meals for the group, care for the houseandjtfor a baby, and learn to&ive together, sharingth e responsibilitiesjand work of homemaking.The Home Economics Club, to which all home ecmajors belong, and Kappa Omicron Phi, an honorary national fraternity, offer an annual programwhich includesldemonstrations and discussions byguests experienced in the!various phases of homeeconomics, including teaching, business, and research.For girls who elect this course of study thereare many opportunities for positions, flimited onlyto the degree of the student's interest. The youngwoman with this training may become a teacher,food service director, dietitian, food demonstrationworker, nutritionist, or best of allhappy, efficienthomemaker.

For those who are looking forward to a careerin business, Mercyhurst's business educationldepart-ment offers the necessary courses and the trainingin technical skills to prepare her students for a widevariety of positions.The curriculum is- varied, with special commercialcourses such as business management and organization, accounting, and business law being given eachyear. Yet the schedule is light enough to enable thebusiness student to take a minor in another fieldsuch as social studies, language, or psychology. Theseelectives help to varyltheir program and to give abroad background!for their specialized \work.In this department, students may elect the medical secretary curriculum. This field gives a major inbiology as well as in business. It offers a wide varietyof opportunities in doctors' offices, hospitals, healthinsurance companies, medical publishing houses. !Commercial students have their own particularterritorythe typing and accounting rooms, as wellas the office ^practice room. In the O. P. R. theygain the actual experience of working in an office;they apply facts learned in lectures to situationssimilar to thos^ found in the business world. Newmachines currently used in the business world makepossible the offering of courses in modern practice.The O. G. A. sorority is the co-curricular clubwhich acquaints them with the opportunit ies andrequirements of various fields of work open to womenin the business world.Election of secondaryleducation minors preparesmany business majors for teaching positions in highschools and provides them with valuable experiencein dealing with the public. >

Liberal Arts (continued)of dramatics sin grades land highschools.Regardless" of w hich of the aboveliberal arts fields the studentchooses to follow as her major,she may supplement it with cour-ses in secondary -education andpre par e herself for a career ofteaching.Me rcyh urst also offers a minorin psychology which provides anund ersta ndi ng of the principlesinvo lved in th e development ofthe whole iman.P h i l os op h y

I Ch ristia n philosophy is thebin din g elem ent of the collegecurric ulum . T herefore, all students are thoroughly instructed tologic, ethics, and history of philosop hy.! Elective courses'l are offered in the philosophy of Plato,Aristotle, and Aquinas.And thu s the Mercyhurst collegian becomes] competent andthoro ugh ly informed in one fieldof le arnin g and also develops asoundJ integrated knowledge coordinated by Christian philosophyand enriched by a love of beauty.

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T H E E R CI A )M er

Page Three

the old slogan goes, there'sa dull moment" arounditacor favorites, as th e* f

a summer of re laxat ion ,muscles quickly lim ber up asand^protective

long a rousing game hasadd^to the excitement,

Water-loversan all-year sport,

anearby pool\ interested merof Mercy hu rst. -Specialfor beginnersis extended toto take an in

Indoorsare impossible,to th e gymffor

ofwinter, basketball usupeti tion? provide

a dded *3*, #gfill \ ^Jf j ^Jrciclitie min utes.! Golfing practice \'Vlf AUTUMN :, . : ti Xyf-^ Orientation Week$M Freshman Investiture*8 Hallowe'en Party

onaput!to good use

the nearby > Glenwood GolfI I P ^ ^ ^ I H R H S K !

ofall sports atthe co l-is the At hletic Association,

participations in

to and readilyall sports-lovers.

Day-hopsiKeep Busty AcademicallyA Socially

toward?Mercyhurst a groupthem. * Perhaps the jj unusualBishop's Day"Big-Little Sister"NFCCS Harvest Moon BallPar ty

WINTER ; - '? ' :. ->;ft Nativity Pageant, :-\.r May Day ^ : ^ : ;- / i ^ : ; - - ,: '- : '' v ; :^Senior Party M%?s*.- . -'^-K'Senior Ball ^ i \ !;'%**:;?&Class Day ^g;}'.-'i^&f^H, Garden Par ty ^Wd:$&Mm Lantern NightyB^**.*

|^3|Come September, we'll findjtrekingof hometown girls"day-hops" we call 1-^^^amtBi.name was acquired because they always seem to}be hoppingl busesduring J the day, to land from the Alma Mater. Anyway they are thegirls who try to get as much college atmosphere as possible and stilllive withitheir families. WE!^,''---'i''':-'wr'^' -s^Althoughlthey ar e not S residingin the dormitory, theyjare still a|very integral part of the academicandl social^ life! of the college.Friendshipslformed between resident* ^ and non-residents carryover into post-college life.Statistics made of the life ol anlaverager day-hop shows! tha t she?rises at approximately 7 09 ea ch-school^ da y! morning. Then 80% "\of them hop into a carjl5%^into0ay bus, and the other 5%j star t 'walking; to school Car pools ac-Jcount for the great number who us e |the first type ofgtransportation. 9&Once \ at school, t h e ! day-hop |follows thef same routine as t h e |resident, with courses and subjects |varying with the individual. Class-%es beginfeach day fa t 8:25fand|there areivery few scheduled after ft$[|30. Lunch isservedgforf al l inthe cafeteria atnoon,*but if th ediy-hop prefers to carry hers, she

can buy milk, ice cream, and othersnacks inthe college store, fM&\Th e day-hop has found that itis wise tomake {careful use oftime when she has no classesscheduled,; because responsibilitiesat home often hinder her studyingthere. So she makes good*use ofth e new ;S library building J or, ifshe '/prefers, JonS^of .the collegelounges \ or a \ free \ classroom, j f e^Included in th e fday-hop's so -cial lifeiare a great many collegefunctions k. . club meetings, presentations of the College Concertan d fLecture Series, class parties.c Many aday-hop is able to gainpersonal satisfaction | by learn ingher own tuition or spending money.! Sh ells advised, however, notto overburden}herself tothe ex -tentrthat sh e neglects|her studies.g Yes, she's!a well-known personality, the college day-hop! K K S I I

Clothes are animpor tant par tof your college life, after classesand academic activities, of course.Made apart of your over-all preparation for college, they canprove an adventure in themselves.*. At Mercy hurst you will findclassroom dress casual; skirts,blouses, sweaters, wool jerseys withjackets or blazers, and socks beingthe usual attire. The green-)andwhite Merc yhurst blazer, I whichmay be purchased sometime during your freshman year, is popular on all informal occasions. Forsemi-formal affairs dinner dressesare in vogue, and for that specialdate or | a lday | i n town youfwillneed suits or dresses in wool, faille,ta ffeta, or I cotton. Formals I ar ea necessity for college dances andfor several collegiate activitiesduringfthe year. Long formals arerequired inthe May Day procession and inGlee Club appearances, these inpastel colors,

'%' FlashnghtfSf *WK& '*Pressing cloth 3 B f f l L ; >Clock gS ra .^ ^K^^.-"'/''.Can opener :. iK^ ^ P ^ ^Soap chips i ; ^ ^ KDrinking glass j p ^ ^ . v ' ;Thumb tacks ^ H K - ^Clothes brush IB^KWIDresser scarf l * ^ B rCalendar f-JPf *''-'W'7' *Scotch tape W -i Dust cloth ^ :"..Extension cord f;$&ttikdti^M4 Mending supplies ^ iS tpW

7 Safety pins W "-- "T vDress hangersskirt hangerst Paper for lining drawers -r-.Shoe ba g' ii d .-;. ^*',- fc ;j.1;Address.:book d , ^wr^|p:esk lamp W >1 w ..JI Your wardrobe should also include coats or toppers, (Erie isa cold city in th e winter) f hats ,gloves, purses,# high heels andflats,,;a smock'for cleaning day,slacks,,.blue jeans, ' o r shor ts forpicnics, and, ifyou swim, a b a th ing suit for those final relaxingdays atthe Peninsula toward theend of the year. ^fe/^S^-"-.

W&en you buy clothes for college, remember the |general ^ruleof good lines, colors to enhanceyour own ^individual persoiaUty,an d theVstyles that best suit you.Th e keylword is simplicity. Simpleclothes offer endless opportunitiesfor change | by varying fjewejry,flowers, or scarves snd belts. Remember, it's your wardrobe, andhere is one place where your goodtaste | and ingenuity j have free

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Pace Four T H E E R C I A D Freshman Editionn little Theatre Cent r

College! EncouragesAppreciation of Art

You have only to look about to know that art holds sway at Mercy-hurst .Exteriorly, the English Gothic architecture reflects a quiet refinement, while interiorly the Little Theatre and Library shows masterlyartistic thought. Within the main building, too, are paintings, bothreproductions of famous masters and murals painted by student-artistsof past years, all carefully selected for the places they are to occupythe foyer, antique room, parlors, college lounge, social?rooms.!fArt as a formal part of the curriculum endeavors to aid the studentto develop technical skill, facility in the use of all media, and to giveprofessional 5 help to the prospective teacher. Courses in history andappreciation of art are offered to

U&ICMusic holds a prominent placein the cultural curriculum of Mercyhurst, and every student hasmany opportunities to develop herknowledge and appreciation ofthis fart.One of the most active organi

zations in the college is the GleeClub, which includes in its repertoire a variety of popular andclassical songs. The focal pointsof the Glee Club schedule are thetwo annual joint concerts giveneach spring with the Canisius College Glee Clubone at Mercy-hurs t andlthe other in Buffalo.Th e choir is made up of theentire student body which is givenweekly trainin g injliturgical musicand which sings the g High Massand Benediction as well as well-

Of Dramatic Activitieswill

Attention, ye Thespians! If you have a flair for dramatics, youderive much pleasure and satisfaction from membership in thCollege Dram atic Society. To gain admission, one earns points byperform ing a ny activ ity in conn ection with th eatri cal production. Notonly will you experience that great exuberance as the lights are dimmedand you are "on stage," but you will also gain much practical experience in the construction oi scenery, stage lighting, costuming, andmake-up" technique.Each year the Society sponsorsone large production in the spring."Brigadoon" and "Stage Door"recently highlighted our presentations of ftalent. You will enjoyworking in the gracious splendorand beauty of our new LittleTheatre, which isfthe center ofdramatic activity.. In addit ion to this main pro-duction, several one-act plays anda Christmas pageant are giventhroughout the year. In the spring,

all students interested in culturalimprovement.Each spring an exhibition ofstudent work is displayed at theErie Public Museum. The studentsare encouraged, too. to participatein the manyicompetitive exhibitsheld throughout the year by active art clubs in the city and theyhave consistently been presentedawards of merit for their entries.Yes, Mercyhurst instills in her

students, through daily associationwith fine examples of art, a lovefor all that is truly beautiful andgenuinely cultural. S I w HWANTED M y r f j fWriters -to-be

Did you contribute to your highschool I newspaper lor I edit youryearbook, or do you have aspirations to become another Marguer-ltelfliggins? % In I any case, $bringyour talent to Mercyhurst and penyour way to ; fame in onejof he rjournalistic organizations. & S |Th e IjViERCIAD, college newspaper, welcomes timely editorials,feature stories, and news articlesfrom any student. Interest and acertain amount of writing abilityare the chief requirements for admission to the staff. >P If you have a fnose for news,the Press Club is the group foryou to join. The reporters poundtheir beats and scan the sidelinesin search of news. "Scoops" arepublished in the college columnsof the local papers, and hometownpapers are kept informed of anyhonors bestowed upon their absent citizens.

at daily Mass and thebenefits of Holy Hour, May devotions, I Benediction, and Lentenservices. They are encouraged, tomak e freq uent visits to the Cha- 1pe) wherein dwells| their source? |of wisdom! an d peace. Non-Catho- 1lie stu den ts ar e invited to visit 1the Chapel as|often as they wish. | |It is a place of prayer and restfulmeditation for a 11.1 \

a

74Jec6*ne,College life is new and excitingand just a little frightening afirst. So we have planned a speciapr og ram | for your first days a

Mercyhurst . 'iIt will begin even before yuarrive/when you receive your firstletter from your "Big Sister,! Junior who will help you througthose first days at Mercyhurst.These Juniors and the iStude^Council have arranged an oritation program by which you wmeet! Mercyhurst-the traditions-the building, the spirit, the tenuity and students, the tasklies ahead. ^The fear of college will van^like magic when your "Big Sisextends her welcoming t handyou first enter your newfhoine.