Realty duo re'sound'ing hit - Hoover Library

CAMPUS NEWS
Dr. Theron Thompson
Dies
DorothyElderdice
Dorothy Elderdice:
A Long-time Friend
Dorothy Elderdice, class of 1911 and 1974 alumna of the year, died Monday, Oct. 1 following a
serious illness. A costumer since 1937, Miss Bderd'ce had assembled 5,000 costumes that crammed
the basement, attic and spare rooms in her home. She turned over this priceless collection last
summer to the local theater group, the Carroll Players
In earlier years she taught speech at Idaho Tech and at the Westminster Theological Seminary
where her father. the late Dr. Hugh Latimer Elderdlce, was president. She was also the author and
di~ector of nuo:nerOUS pl""Y" and page ..nts slaged over ......y ye ...... In Carron Coun,y .. nd In N ........
rn
Cestte, Del., besides others in Baltimore and in The Hague
Her Western Maryland classmates had long benefitted from her leadership. Dorothy was always a
host at reunion time and her class had the only round-robin letter circulating for years among all
WMC classes. She wrote a history of her life on the Hill illustrated with personal photographs. A
copy rests in the College Archives located in Hoover library.
Miss Elderdice's soft-spoken mild manner was a cloak for an energetic, determined woman of
strong convictions. She was, for example, a lifelong Methodist who attended a number of religious
retreats. And she was a feminist who advocated equal rights for women long before the national
movement of recent years.
She was also an active proponent of civil rights who participated in the great march on
Washington (200,000 people) on Aug. 28, 1963, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I
have a dream " speech. In the 1960's she crusaded for open theaters and restaurants. As
recently as 1977 she led a group of 25 men and women on a five-mile march in Westminster in
support of the Equal Rights Amendment
D.Uring her lifetime Dorothy sponsored and opened her home on West Green Street to many
foreign students who attended Western Maryland College. Dr. Rolf Eduard Helmut Muuss, a
professor of psychology at Goucher College, Baltimore, was one of those students. Dr. Muuss first
met Dorothy in 1949 at the Women's International Peace for Freedom Conference held in Sweden
He expressed an interest at the time to come and study in the U.S. and with Dorothy's help, his
dream became a reality. Later Dorothy also helped Dr. Muuss immigrate to the U.S. "It was
through her support that I was able to get my undergraduate education recognized and was
accepted into a master's program at Western Maryland." said Dr. Muuss, M.Ed. '54.
"In spite of age Miss Elderdice was a young person in her mind, always open to ideas and new
things." She will be missed by many
In memory of Dorothy's support of foreign students a scholarship fund is being established at
WMC. The scholarship will be named the Dorothy Elderdice Scholarship for Foreign Students and
an annual award will be made to a needy and deserving foreign student at Western Maryland.
Donations toward the scholarship fund may be mailed to Western Maryland College.
"How glad 1am I lived to see the dawn of our
ecumenical age, with its spirit of goodwill
and gospel of love toward all men. Let's
dream together, you and I. for a Westminster
with windows wide open to the world and let's
dare to dream of a world without walls,
without want, and without war. And still
being a Methodist, as well as an ecumenical, I
do have to end with a shout-Amenl
Hallelujahl"
Associate professor emeritus Dr. Theron Barker Thompson
died June 27 at his summer home in Belgrade Lakes, Maine,
after a long illness. Born Jan. 19, 1909 in Somerville, Mess..
Dr. Thompson joined the WMC faculty in 1961 and taught in
the education department until his retirement in 1974.
He held bachelor of civil engineering and bachelor of
science degrees from Northeastern University; a master of
education degree from Boston University: and his doctorate
from Calvin College also in Boston.
His extensive professional career in the field of education
spanned many years and several fields. He was school
principal in Shapleigh and Brooks. Me., and Greensboro, VI.
He was assistant superintendent of schools in Keene. N.H.,
and superintendent in Walpole, and Pittsfield. N.H .. and
North Brookfield and Mansfield, Mass.
Dr. Thompson was also well known for his active servtce in
church and community organizations. He served as president
of the local PTA, and was deacon, head usher and president
of the Consistory at the United Church of Christ. He received
the Silver Beaver award in recognition of his years of
dedicated service as a Boy Scout troop leader and
commissioner. He and his wife, Esther Carr Thompson of
Westminster, traveled extensively throughout the U.S.,
Canada, Europe, and Asia and always maintained an interest
in the careers of their children
Seven new faculty members are teaching at Western
Maryland College this year in the departments of dramatic art,
biology, psychology, and military science.
Ken Gargaro, assistant professor of dramatic art and
department chairman, received his Ph.D. from the University of
Pittsburgh. He recently served as a theatre instructor at the
Community College of Allegheny College and as an instructor
and director with the Musical Theatre Workshop of
Pittsburgh.
Also joining the dramatic art d..parlment is Richard Norgard
""ho Is a vlsJUng asslst ..nt professor for the 1979-80 academlc
year. He earned his M.FA in design and technical direction
from the University of Georgia and is currently doing
postgraduate work in graphic design and illustration at the
Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Fla. He recently served as an
instructor with the Virginia Museum Theatre.
Esther iglich, who received her Ph.D. in botany at the
University of Georgia, has joined the biology department as
assistant professor. Her areas 01 specialization include plant
population ecology, ecological genetics and botany.
Catherine Whitehouse has joined the psychology department
as a visiting assistant professor for the academic year 1979-80.
She holds a Ph.D. in human experimental psychology from
Johns Hopkins University and recently served as a guest
lecturer at Johns Hopkins Summer school. Her undergraduate
work was done at Western Maryland College where she was
also an instructor in 1978
New to the military science department this year is Lieutenant
Colonel Medley M. (Jack) Davis, professor of military science
and head of the department. Davis holds a master's degree in
history from the University of Kansas. Also joining the military
science faculty are Captain Donald Schenk and Sergeant Gary
Beura. Schenk received h'is undergraduate degree at Western
Maryland and is doing graduate work at the University of
Maryland. Baura is currently involved in undergraduate work
"We will publish a magazine that maintains certain standards
of taste and quality," says Rick Roecker, '80. and Anne
Hackman, '80, editors of Contrast, adding, "We believe this can
be accomplished primarily through campus and alumni
submissions." Persons interesting in submitting works to the
campus literary magazine should send poems, short stories and
essays, art work or photography to Contrast. Western Maryland
College Westminster, Md. 21157. All submissions should
include a return address as all unused material will be returned
to the sender
When Dr. Isabel Royer, professor of biology. retired last May,
a number of alumni donated to a special retirement fund for her
use. She has now donated a sizeable portion of that fund for
biology books for the WMC library. A collection of other books
purchased by Dr. Royer will also become a part of the library. all
bearing a nameplate reading: "Given from funds raised by
biology alumni as a retirement gift to Dr. lsabellsanogle Royer."