Established October 26, 1948, as tne official publication for the
student body of Pennsylvania State College, Behrend Center,
Erie, Pennsylvania.
Published by the Breeze Publishing Co., North East.
Pa.
Editor in Chief
Associate Editors
Assistant Editor
Feature Editor
Business Manager
Assistant Business Manager Mary Jane Brown
Photo Consultants Jack Tupitza, Mr. Norman Patterson
Staff Writers Diane Fagan, Sonya Weidner,
Bob Detisch, Charlotte Flack, Nancy Hendershot, Bob
Gomall, Pat Ingersoll, Rodney Beals, Bill Loell, Jane
Eisenberg.
Put Your Guns Away 'Cause ...
“Nobody shoots at Santa Claus . . No, nobody shoots
at Santa Claus. He’s famous: the finest and most unselfish
individual the world over. Everybody works for him: the
United Nations (when they utilize his natural friendliness
for “Peace on earth, Good will to men”) ; the Salvation Army;
the police force in our home town; the fire department, G.I.
Joe, the soldier, sailor, or marine; Mother and Dad; little
Susie and Johnny; Mr. Schultz, the butcher; Mr. Johnson,
the baker; Mr| Smith, the insurance salesman; Colonel Brown,
the army chaplain, and many others. Yes_, we all work for him.
Sometimes, though, we believe he is mythical and non
existent, but sooner or later we discover that he lives in
the hearts of all who have love and faith; for love and faith
are the most precious things on earth. Without love and faith
most of everything- we know is mythical and non-exSstent.
It. is then that we live in a world of our own imagery where
we receive all the benefits of our own generous ego; and
since our values have become self-centered, gifts and giver
become mythical and non-existent, too. Yes, the lack of love
and faith is a tragedy, and battlefields are painted with it;
so are broken homes, orphanages, and mental hospitals.
But when we believe, we convert the bitter side of life
into a happy, well-balanced way of living. We create Santa
Claus not for Christmas only, but for other times of the
year. He may be the careful driver; the person who sits be
side us in church every Sunday; the friend we haven’t seen
for a long time; the teacher who understands our problems;
the guy who gives us a job when we need one; the neighbor
who lends us a hand -when we want help; the younger sister
who does the after-dinner dishes so we can get ready for a
date; the older brother who lets us borrow his ties and shirts;
the father who gives good advice when we ask him for it;
the mother who loves us when no one else cares; so you see,
really Santa Claus is around us all the time, and with us
everywhere we go.
He is impartial and just, cheerful and generous, and
has love and faith in all of us. No, nobody shoots at Santa
Claus. He has one of the hardest jobs in the “world—believing
in us, the people who need him all the time.
Unsung Heroes
It is seldom that the people behind the scenes get much
credit for things that are done. This particular situation is
true everywhere, and Behrend Center is no exception.
Our school is fortunate in having a very excellent Dra
matics Club. Some of the students, in plays produced, have
proved to be very apt and capable actors, but it Is not these
people with whom we are concerned. We are concerned with
the students who worked long and tiresome hours to ready
the props and sets, and making arrangements for the pro
duction of such fine plays. These are the people who deserve
a word of praise, however small it may be.
There are others on our campus equally deserving of
praise.
To our outstanding custodian staff, Hugh Gallagher,
Joe Wardell, and Ed Petruseh, should go praise for keeping
our buildings and grounds in condition and making Behrend
Center one of the most beautiful campuses in this section
of the country.
No article of this type could be complete without men
tioning the clerical staff, whieh puts up with all manner of
requests. No matter how busy they may be, each one is
smiling and cooperative.
It would be impossible, in such a limited space to name
each “unsung hero” on our campus, but what can be said,
and appropriately enough at this time, “Thank you, one and
all;-for helping to make Behrend Center the wonderful place
-that 'it is.” •
NITTANY CUB
Jack Rimp, Jody Borkowski
Dorothy Kaliszewski
Natalie Kobasa
Jan Jackson
Robert Heater
THE NITTANY CUB
AROUND THE
FIREPLUG ....
By Chenne
This is your life!
Yes, Behrend C ententes, this is
your life'as seen through the eyes
of a dog. And what a dog, eh?
I was sitting in -my ranch-style
coop the other night when the
call came in by way of Dragnet
Jack Murray thait some of the
students (Yipe!) had l stolen the
school’s skis and toboggans. My
jjob — find them. I guess they
figure I can sniff out most things.
I started 1 by asking Fran Vidil
if she knew anything of the rob
bery, but she was too busy ad
miring her new haircut in the
mirror to answer. Next I asked
•Joyce Gouger if she knew any
j thing —just anything. But she
I merely kept mumbling some
thing about Frank, Frank, Frank.
|She was frank about it anyhow.
Disgusted with these two in
competent females, I decided to
do a little scrutinizing of my own.
In the cafeteria I found Jody
(Bohemian) Borkowski with that
dreadful hat on industriously read
ying a book entitled “How To Be
I Happy After 15.”
Leaving the cafeteria as I saw
chow hounds (not Chenne’s breed)
Carlton Bates, Jason Eades, Dave
Hawkins, Bom Cipriani, and Tom
Hagen approaching, I journeyed
to Erie Hall in search of the miss
ing winter sports equipment. But
I only found Bob Brandt, Marge
Elliot, Joe Schmitt and Nancy
(You too can be on the Dean’s
List) Johnston in “evening” mu
sic class. Such scholars, Mr. Hov
er!
Feeling the need of fresh air, I
had just stepped out of Erie Hall
when I heard shrieks coming
from behind the dorm. Sure
enough, there were the missing
items plus the culprits, Val Meals,
Bob Heater, and Peggy Duff. This
was their first job since “Murder,
Incorporated,” if you know what
I mean. I finally dragged them
before Chief Justice B. E. Agle,
who sentenced them to six months
of hard work in Mr. Balmer’s lab
period.
“I’ve got a secret!” So say
some of the gang at B. C. How
ever, everyone knows that:
Don Krista has one eye out for
his mother-in-law.
The only reason Pat Metzger
would consider transfer to State
is because Herb Hanson must go
as a fourth-semester engineer.
Denny Polatas is chasing Nat
Kobasa around, or is it vice
versa?
■Diane Fagan hasn’t gotten over
those tender embraces Jack Ramp
gave her during the play and er..
uh . . . during the play. Poor Lil
iboomde-a-da!
Question of the issue: What
■will Ellie say -when she finds out
that her doll, Ron (Receding)
Cionco has a secret crush on Jet
'Turner?
Wiith New Year’s right around'
the corner, I predict the follow
ing resolutions. Esther Olgin is
going to start studying psychology-
Wally' O’Neal is going to
join /the Alcanon Club. Ron Thom
as and Dick Russell are still/ go
ing to smile at the girls. Bonnie
Ghampney and Diane Harris are
still not going to smile at the boys.,
Ray Metz will at least give one
■dorm girl a break, eh, Roberta?
And I resolve to stop being so
dog-gone soft on you children.
It’s time you ate.your Ken-l-ration
ahd grew un, you know.
Continued on page <5 .
MEET YOUR FACULTY
As the faculty personality of the
Christmas issue, the Nittany Cub
chose Mrs. Nyla Falkenhagen of
3914 East Lake Road, Lawrence
Park, Pa. Mrs. Falkenhagen, who
is a part-time instructor at Beh
rend Center, teaches public speak
ing and English Composition O.
Besides this, she has time to fulfill
her duties as a housewife.
This year marks the first se
mester since she came to the Cen
ter in 1951 that she is holding
classes during the fall term. Pre
viously, she only taught spring
semester courses. She enjoys the
type of work that she is doing
very much, which is the first step
toward success in any undertak
ing.
Mrs. Falkenhagen obtained tooth
her bachelor’s and her master’s
degree in speech and dramatics
at the Pennsylvania (State Unii
veraity. A native of Westford, Pa.,
she came to Lawrence Park in 19-
43. "While teaching at the North
East High School, she was intro
duced to her husband, Arthur, by
one of her students. The student
had been going with Mr. Falken
hagen’s younger brother when the
introductions were made. Her hus
band is working at the Erie Me
ter Systems, and has built the
home that they now live in. Just a
few finishing touches have to be
made before their dwelling is
completed.
. A pleasant and' friendly woman,
Mrs. Falkenhagen could* think of
nothing that she considers a pet
•peeve. She is fond of steaks and
loves to cook. Sewing is another
pastime that pleases her, al
though she has little time to de-
BEHREND CENTER PRESENTS...
Curly black hair, a cute dimple
in bis chin, and big brown eyes
with the longest eyelashes you
ever saw; that’s our own Sam
Wallwork of Palls. Creek, Pa., Sam,
a two-year drafting tech, manages
to keep up with his studies, and
still have time for sports, his hob
by, by the way. His record in high
school shows his sportsman’s abil
ity; football for three years, and
basketball for four years, for
which he managed to gain a berth
on ithe All State Team. Since he
was contacted by two major league
ball clubs, it comes as no surprise
that baseball is his favorite sport.
After graduating from Falls
Creek High School, Sam entered
the U. S. Army, serving in the
Second Armored Division. His
overseas duty consisted off eighteen
months in Germany. The fall of
‘53 saw ISam entering .Behrend
Center. Asked for an opinion of B.
C. recently, he smiled and in a
deep voice said, “I like it, good
(school!” A pleasing personality
himself, his pet peeve is the
■grownups who act like adoles
cents!
In (his free moments, he can be
seen dn the cafeteria with other
ex-service personnel, enjoying his
usual cup of coffee, and. shooting
the' breeze. His
activities include technical work
for the dramatics club, and serv
ing on the committee for the
forthcoming Sno-BalL
Hunting, one of the main topics
, ' , ' ' ' ' \ ' „
v .• • • .v / ■ : '■y-'-• ■ ■ ■ •••:•• i •_ ,
Mrs. Nyla Falkenhagen
vote to it because of her busy
schedule. She likes to read and
gives book reviews to many organ
izations around Erie. Presently,
she is reviewing “Love Is Eternal,”
a 'book written by Irving Stone,
which centers about the lives of
Mary and Abraham Lincoln'.
■Mrs. Falkenhagen has had
charge of the program for the
Easter service each year since
she has been at Behrend Center.
This year she arranged for some
of the students from her speech
classes to handle the Christmas
program for the tea given by the
faculty wives for the women stu
dents of the Center.
I She rarely misses saying “hello"
to anyone that she passes on the
campus, and this friendliness on
the part of Mrs. Falkenhagen,
faculty personality of the issue,
has made her well liked by every
one.
Sam Wallwork
of conversation at this time, holds
its thrills for Sam. He managed
to be one of the select few to bag
a deer this season.-
A happily married man for one
and one half, years, he manages
to drive home each weekend to
see his pretty wife, Joyce. He has
a varied preference in the food
line, but his favorite seems to be
shrimp, which his wife cooks to
perfection. Sam came up with a
husband’s typical remark when he
said, “Joyce is the best cook ever!”
A much heard .statement around
the campus, “Sam says - -” brings
to. mind that it isn’t Unde Sam
we’re speaking of, but our own
Sam. Wallwork, the guy with the
dreamy voice.