AGym-Dandy
PRESIDENT JOHN W. OSWALD
By Kathy Kern
A procession of special guests and guest speakers, the National Anthem, and
an invocation by The Rev. Dean T. Stevenson, and the Convocation of Capitol
Campus' fifteenth anniversary was underway.
The Convocation, which was held on Wednesday, Nov. 11, was arranged as an
invitation-only affair held in the gym of the Multi-Purpose Building, and was
attended by over 500 faculty members, students, and staff of the campus, as well
as friends of Capitol.
"Fifteen years ago, Capitol Campus
had only 18 students enrolled," said
Provost and Dean Dr. Theodore Gross in
the opening speech of the night.
The provost's comment was made in
contrast to the more than 2,500 full-time
students now attending Capitol. Capi
tol's full-time faculty has grown from
eight in 1966 to 130 today. The school
also boasts 8,000 graduates, with 60 % of
them working and living in south-central
Pennsylvania.
Dr. John W. Oswald, President of
Penn State, addressed the audience
after Dr. Gross, saying, "In 15 years, we
have seen a major university presence
here (in south-central Pennsylvania)."
Oswald continued his speech by com
menting on the uniqueness of Capitol as
part of the Penn State system.
Penn State's President also rebealed
plans to construct a science/lab building
at Capitol, adding that it will be "another
great community resource." Oswald
closed his speech by remarking, "Capitol
Campus is a vital community resource
which can only grow in the future."
Quentin E. Wood, President of the
Board of Trustees of Penn State, also
spoke, remarking, "We trustees are
focused on the future," and he continued
by referring to the future of the campus.
The Chairman of Capitol's Board of
Advisors, Ralph E. Peters, introduced
by Gross as a "loyal friend of Penn
State," spoke on behalf of the Board of
Advisors and thanked all those who
made Capitol Campus possible.
Dr. Eric A. Walker, President Emer
itus of the University, added humorous
notes to his remarks, one being that the
Board of Trustees of the Farmer's High
School "failed" when donating their land
to PSU, putting the college in Centre
County, "to make it easily inaccessible
from all directions."
He continued his speech by stressing
the importance of education, saying that
education "is to teach one to earn a living
as well as to live a life."
Oswald introduced the keynote
speaker of the evening, the Honorable
William W. Scranton, as being "a great
Pennsylvanian," and admitted that he
assigned himself the task of the intro
duction. He also honored Scranton as
taking "the first administrative step in
gaining the land from the Air Base which
once occupied this site."
Scranton, who was received with a
standing ovation, held the position of
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
under President Ford (1976-77) and was
governor of Pennsylvania from 1963-67.
The former governor also held the
prestigious positions of special assistant
to the secretary of state in the Eisen-
He also added incidents from his
,governorship days to his speech, recal
ling the day when representatives from
Hershey's Chocolate Co. visited him to
ask if it "would be all right for them to
donate $5O million to establish a medical
school in Hershey." "I must admit I kind
of smiled at them," the former comsult
ant (1974-76), cabinet member (1976-77),
and. transition team member under
President Ford joked.
Scranton, who under President Car
ter was a member of the President's
Commission on a National Agenda for
the Eighties (1977-81), member of the
President's Advisory Board on Ambas
sadorial Appointments (1977-80), and
member of the President's Intelligence
Oversight Board (1977-81), spoke on the
higher education system of the state.
Provost and Dean Dr. Theodore
Gross leads the procession at the open
ing of the program (right), and Quentin
Wood, President of the Board of Trus
tees, makes his remarks (left).
Convocation photos courtesy of
Ken Clauser.
bower administration and representa
tive of the State Department on the
president's minicabinet.
He also served under President
Johnson as vice-chairman of the Presi
dent's Commission on Insurance in Riot-
Torn Areas.
Scranton, who was perhaps the per
son most responsible for the institution
of this campus, acknowledged others
who were instrumental in Capitol's start.
The former - U.S. Ambassador and
Chairman of the U.S. delegation to
INTELSAT under President Nixon
humorously noted throughout his ad
dress that he had nothing to do with
Capitol's beginnings.
"We have not the best education
system in the world.. .we will," com
mented the former governor. He added
that in this commonwealth, "anyone who
really wants a good education can get
one, as costly as it may be at some
places." He ended his speech by
commenting on the good of the state's
pluralistic education system.
After Gross' closing remarks honor
ing Scranton, Dr. George D. Wolf,
Capitol's first appointed faculty member,
presented Scranton with a copy of his
biography on the former ambassador,
entitled William Warren Scranton:
Pennsylvania Statesman. Scranton
accepted Wolf's presentation, made on
behalf of PSU, humorously by saying,
"Anything good George has said about
me in this book is true, and if there are
any criticisms the author obviously did
not research his work." The keynote
speaker was also presented an award by
Peters in honor of Capitol's fifteenth
birthday.
The affair, which lasted
approximately 1. 1 / 2 hours, closed with
remarks by Dr. Gross and a prayer by
The Rev. Stevenson. Refreshments were
served afterwards.