ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

Psychology of Religion Class

In the 1970s, President Harris taught a Seniors Honors Course, Psychology of Religion.

Anyone who took the class knows exactly what this is.  

The class was by invitation only, consisted of extensive reading and research, and required verbal participation in class sessions.  

The verbal participation could be daunting. While you were giving your comments, it was not unusual for Dr. Harris to write something on the blackboard.  Often it was a single word. You didn't know if you had said something that interested him, or if he was directing you to re-phrase before your comment went completely off track. While the blackboard notes could be nerve-wracking for the student, they resulted in one of Dr. Harris's favorite stories from this class. 

One of the class sessions was a discussion of writings by a Dr. Belgum.  In their comments on the subject, students were incorrectly pronouncing the name Belgium.  Without interrupting the comments, Dr. Harris turned to the blackboard and wrote Gum.  When he turned around, he saw Steve Rhoades attempting to quickly swallow his gum.

Dr. Harris re-told this story more than once and always with grin, remembering the look on Steve's face.

(For Psychology of Religion alums, we have the course work from 1978 at the website -- Syllabus, Lesson Notes, Mid-Semester Exam, Final Exam Bluebook.  Go to the Education page.)

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Missions Class

Missions class was in the classroom on the main floor near the stairs to chapel.  Greg and his friend were sitting together where they always sat, near the window. For some reason the topic came up of being called on to pray at the start of class. Greg commented that he never closed his eyes during prayer.  He liked to see what everyone was doing when they were supposed to be praying.  His friend said that at least he must close his eyes when he was the one praying, but Greg said nope, he just prayed aloud, looking around.  His friend asked, didn’t he get distracted?  Greg confidently said he could keep his train of thought no matter what.

A week later Greg and his friend were again sitting near the window. It was winter, and the radiators below the windows put out so much heat, the windows were left open a crack to allow a drift of cold air in. That day, Greg was called on to pray.

He stood and began his prayer.  His friend, watching, saw that Greg was indeed looking all around the room, leaning forward and backwards for better views while he prayed.  His friend then picked up Greg's rather expensive pen and tossed it out the window.

An irate holler, “Hey, my pen!” was how Greg's prayer abruptly concluded, all eyes then on him as he mumbled amen and slumped down into his seat.

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It could only happen to a freshman

A lot of campus stories happened in the lower hallway of the Administration Building. Dr. Harris told this story that happened to him in part, but more significantly happened to a freshman in his first week of college.

This story happened at the beginning of the school year, in the busy lower hall of the Administration Building.  It was just a couple minutes before time for chapel to start.  Dr. Harris was about to leave the men's room, but the door was blocked.  He pushed at the door again, and then decided to wait.  He had heard the voices of Ray Adams and a freshman young man.  Knowing Ray, Dr. Harris was certain he knew what was happening.

He suspected Ray had told the boy they were holding the door to keep one of their friends from getting out.  He also suspected that Ray was going to make a getaway, leaving the freshman holding the door by himself.  Dr. Harris was right on both counts.

In a few seconds he heard the boy calling out as Ray ran off.  And then complete silence, as the young man started to wonder who exactly was on the other side of the door.  

Very hesitantly, the door opened.  Dr. Harris described a look of terror on the freshman's face when he saw the President step out.  All Dr. Harris said was, "don't you think you need to get to chapel?"  The student raced away at full speed.

When he recounted this story, Dr. Harris did have to admit that it was a good joke on the freshman, and that in truth it was exactly the kind of stunt he would have pulled as a student.

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Spotted by a yearbook photographer 

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Pink Slip Summons

Tom Thurman shared this account of being summoned to President Harris's office;

In the '70s, college enrollment was full. Chapel was the one time during the day when all students could be located. So the start of chapel was the time that notices, usually unpleasant, were delivered. A staff member would hand folded notes to the person seated at the end or the row, and the note would be passed down to the unlucky recipient.

Tom Thurman had received notes on occasion, so was not particularly worried when a note was passed to him - until he saw the message. He was to report to the president's office at his first opportunity. Tom recalls spending the entire chapel hour racking his brain trying to think what could have caused this. 

During those years classes filled up quickly, and you could not always sign up for the classes you needed. Tom was particularly adept at getting the academic department to substitute one class requirement for another. So he thought one of his class substitutions might have gone a step too far. But he could not think why it would be so bad that he was bypassing the academic office and going straight to the president. 

Not only did he have to worry about this all through chapel, but also through classes. Eventually, with great trepidation, he made his way to the president's office suite, and was ushered into President Harris's office. He took his chair and waited nervously while Dr. Harris concluded the business in front of him. 

Finally Dr. Harris set aside his papers and sat back in his chair. He studied Tom for a moment, and then asked, "What do you think of the Yankees chances for winning it all this year?"

When Tom told this story he said he wasn't immediately relieved. While they talked baseball, he was waiting for the real reason he had been summoned.  But after a few minutes, Dr. Harris told him thanks, and he could go.

30 years later, Tom said it still makes his heart stop a little.  Dr. Harris had known Tom would worry all morning about being called in and would expect the worst.  Tom said he still couldn't quite believe it.  But we can.