Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 64, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 8, 1988 Page: 1 of 2
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Art exhibit pulled
from Auditorium
for fear of offense
by Raggle Woods
An art exhibit of drawing and
paintings of nudes was taken
down in the Fine Arts Building
on Monday, Nov. 21 by request
of President Jerry Bawcom The
request was made because there
was an opera ensemble presnted
that night.
This action caused anger in
some students who considered it
to be censorship. The students
felt that the decision was con-
trary to the college's purpose as
stated on page 10 of the general
catalog, 1988-1990. In essence the
statement of the college's purpose
reads:
"Texas Wesleyan College . .
believes that the primary goal
of education is the development
of students to their full potential
as individuals and . . . strives to
give students the opportunity to
grow intellectually and spiritual-
ly in a friendly, democratic en-
vironment. . . . Texas Wesleyan
Is commited to the principle that
each student deserves personal
attention and that all members
of the academic community must
have the freedom to pursue in-
dependent thought and to exer-
cise intellectual curiosity.''
Art student Aron Head said
that if Bawcom closed the art
show, it is censorship. “Censor-
ship," he said, “even at a Chris-
tian college, is an infringement
on democracy."
Bawcom said, “I did not close
the show. I understood that the
exhibit could be temporarily
taken down if an event was
scheduled in the building."
He said the opera was sched-
uled for Monday and Tuesday
nights, and visitors might be of-
fended by the drawings. He asked
for the drawings to be taken
down for the opera, but he did
not know they were not put back
up
Bawcom said that, personally,
he didn't like the exhibit being
in the Fine Arts Building, and
that Gallery 13 would be a more
appropriate place. He said, “How-
ever, I have tried to be careful
not to force my personal beliefs
on others."
Bawcom said he respects the
beliefs of all the members of
the Wesleyan community. He
feels that the exhibit being
placed in the Fine Arts Building
infringed on the rights of per-
sons who didn’t appreciate the
nude drawings
Bawcom said, "The Fine Arts
Building is similar to a public
building. It's a place where peo-
ple have to go to attend the
school's Fine Arts productions."
He said that Gallery 13, in the
Art complex, is where the draw-
ings should have been exhibited.
"People who wish to see the
drawings could choose to go to
Gallery 13,” he said.
Bawcom said that Texas Wes-
leyan is a private, church related
institution, and that he does be-
lieve it offers a democratic en-
vironment. He said there are cer-
tain values expressed by the mis-
sion of the college, but he doesn’t
wish to force those values on
anyone.
"I’m not offended that some
students disagree with me con-
cerning those values," he said.
“We are not always going to
agree on every issue. Also, as
I've said before, the door to my
office is always open to students,
and I wish that students would
come to me when they have a
complaint or a question concern-
ing an action or policy of the
college.”
LIBRARY WORKERS Doug Spollman (bottom) and Davo Vagash in-
stall lights on tho West Library's Christmas Tros. Tha tras Is now
on display In tho north window on tho first floor of tha library.
Photo by Bill Day
HARVEY JACKSON (laft) and Becka Bill anjoy tha music at tha alghth annual SGA Christmas Danes,
hold last Friday, Dac. 2 at tha Holiday Inn North In Fort Worth. Tha Coldan Shaars was also awardad
at tha danca. Plaasa saa that story at tha bottom of this paga. Photo by Soon M. Wood
Wesleyan may buy Poly Baptist
by Ray C. Brooks
Texas Wesleyan has been given
the opportunity to purchase the
Polytechnic Baptist Church, the
property located behind Dan
Waggoner Hall which includes
the three parking lots located
near Dan Waggoner.
East Meadows Baptist Church,
which owns the property, offer-
ed to sell the property to Wes-
leyan before putting it up for
public sale.
Wesleyan is still discussing a
price on the property, which
could be used for a future music
rehearsal hall. Currently, Wes-
leyan does not have adequate re-
hearsal facilities because the pre-
vious rehearsal hall was destroy-
ed to build the West Library.
The property includes four
buildings: the Church building
with a sanctuary that could seat
from 750 to possibly a1 many as
1000 and a basement which could
be made into a music rehearsal
hall, a four-story building which
would have to be destroyed, and
two other buildings that could be
used but would eventually be
removed.
"Only the sanctuary would be
used long term," said Dr. Jerry
Bawcom, "the rest would be
cleared off.”
East Meadows' pastor contacted
Wesleyan to offer it the property
first.
"It is their preference really
to sell the property to the col-
lege," said John Ratliff, the vice
president of finances for Wes-
leyan. “At the present time, we
have not made an offer, and they
have not set a price."
North Fort Worth Baptist
Church, which is comparable to
the Polytechnic Baptist property,
was recently sold for approxi-
mately $400,000, even though it
was appraised at $1.2 million.
Ratliff said the price would have
to be closer to that of North
Fort Worth Baptist than what it
has been appraised at. He said
Wesleyan could build a new re-
hearsal hall for $1.2 million. It
would take about $500,000 to
renovate the Polytechnic Baptist
Church, so Wesleyan could not
reasonably spend much more
than that to purchase it.
Whether Wesleyan buys the
property or not is dependant up-
on a donor. “If we can’t raise
the money to buy it," said Baw-
com, "we won’t buy it." Though
the purchase may look like a
good opportunity for Wesleyan
to expand, Wesleyan has higher
priorities. Bawcom said the top
priority is raising the $500,000
needed to renovate the old Arm-
strong Library, so it can be used
by the school of business for
office and class spaces. Second
is a new humanities center to
replace Ann Waggoner Hall,
which is now in very poor condi-
tion. and third is $2.5 million in
staff and faculty endowments.
Thus, the purchase of the Poly-
technic Baptist property is low
in priority, but if Wesleyan has
a donor, or donors, it will buy it.
Bawcom and Ratliff refused to
give any names, but said there
are interested donors.
East Meadows also owns the
three parking lots located next
to Dan Waggoner Hall. Wesleyan
is allowed to use the lots free of
charge due to a current agree-
ment with the church, but a fu-
ture owner of the property may
not be as cooperative with Wes-
leyan as the church has been.
There are three missions that
are now using the office space
of the church. If Wesleyan bought
the property, Bawcom said, for a
period, those missions could pos-
sibly continue to use the prop-
erty, but eventually they would
have to leave so the church
could be renovated for school
use.
Casey and Rainwater given award
by Stan M. Wood
Two Golden Shears were award-
ed last week. Sophomore Dallas
Rainwater received the first dur-
ing halftime of the women's
basketball game.
"I had no idea what was going
on,” Rainwater said. "Guy
(Church) told me we were going
to meet some girls from Dallas
at halftime."
Rainwater is an accounting and
finance major. He is a member of
Sigma Phi Epsilon and holds the
offices of Assistant Controller
and Senior Marshal. Rainwater is
a Gamma Phi Beta Big Brother,
he works at the information desk
at the SUB and is a tutor. In his
spare time he enjoys wrestling
and body building.
Rainwater wants to become i
certified public accountant. He
hopes to own his own firm.
Senior John Casey received the
Golden Shears at the Christmas
Dance.
"I was surprised," Casey said.
“All it is is student government,
and the committees that come
with it."
The pre-lam political science
major is president of Student
Government Association, a mem-
ber of the Academic Council, a
Gamma Sigma Sigma Big Broth-
er, an ex-officio member of the
Board of Trustees and a member
of the Student Publications Com-
mittee.
"When I graduate I hope to
attend Hastings or Santa Clara
(law school)," Casey said. He
wants to go into insurance law
and own his own firm.
Rammer
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VOL. 64 — No 10
TEXAS WESLEYAN COLLEGE,
WORTH, TEXAS
Thursday, December 8, 1988
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Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 64, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 8, 1988, newspaper, December 8, 1988; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth643529/m1/1/: accessed June 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.