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President's Assistant Recalls Mars Hill's Age of Innocence
by Nicole Robinson
President's Assistant and Director of Alumni Relations Ophelia DeGroot
Ophelia Hildreth, Class of '58
Circulation Manager of The Hilltop (2nd from right)
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No TV. No cell phones. No computers. "Housemothers" and "housefathers" in the dorms. Those are just a few of the things that made Mars Hill College in the 1950s different.
Ophelia "Fifi" DeGroot knows exactly how life on the Mars Hill campus was during the 1950s. DeGroot graduated from Mars Hill College, which was a junior college at the time, in 1958. She got an associate's degree in English. DeGroot stated that "students today are more global; they learn differently because of the technology."
Technology is a big difference between Mars Hill now and Mars Hill in the 1950s. Then, the most technological class was a typing class using typewriters. Many students brought typewriters from home, but not all of them.
Today most everybody has a cellular phone with them at all times, and probably every room in every dormitory has a television. Computers are available for everybody to use through numerous computer labs.
Housemothers and housefathers lived in the dorms with the students. Most of the "housemothers" were older women, and some were widows. "Faculty members were friends to the students, like a family," said DeGroot. At that time, the President of the college was called "Daddy" Blackwell. Most of the faculty at Mars Hill College during the 1950s lived in the Mars Hill community. DeGroot said.
Students could not dance on campus during the 1950s. Sporting events and club activities were primary sources of entertainment. There were also movies one could attend in the auditorium or at the theatre in Mars Hill. DeGroot said, "You made your own fun, innocent fun."
There were many clubs available to students on campus. There was the student government, and numerous sports- related clubs. A lot of clubs had religious affiliations, like some of today's Mars Hill College clubs. During the 50s there were the Baptist Student Union (BSU) and the Volunteers for Christ. It "seemed to be more prestigious to be in the BSU than the Student Government," said DeGroot.
There were no sororities or fraternities on campus during the 1950s. There were debating "societies", two for men and two for women. They were called "Nonpareil-Euthalian" and "Clio-Philamathian." The society halls were in the Wall Science Building; one on each end of the hall. The societies were the big social event on campus. They debated a certain topic during these meetings. It was a social event as well as a teaching tool. For DeGroot, it was "a wonderful learning experience." One big debating issue at the time was if there should be federal aid for education. There was not any at the time; and it became a huge educational issue at that time.
After those society meetings, which were held one night a week, the girls would return to their dorms, and then the boys would come to the dorm windows and sing to the girls. The girls would in return write notes to the boys, and the housemothers would give the boys the notes. "It was sweet", said DeGroot when reminiscing about her college years. The dating back then consisted of hikes, movies, and visits to the dorms. DeGroot commented on the numerous marriages that have came out of Mars Hill College.
The major difference between the structure of the campus now and the campus structure in the '50s is the buildings. Moore Auditorium had not been built yet, and Blackwell was not here either. Treat dormitory was where Blackwell is today. Chambers Gym was not built yet either; the gym was located in McConnell then. The dining hall was where Renfro Library is today, and the student center was located below the cafeteria. Marshbanks was known as Moore Hall then; and Nash was called Memorial Library.
The rules and regulations are also a major difference between then and now. The girls had to have chaperones to go to Asheville and most places. The Dean of Women or one of the housemothers were usually the chaperones. There was a specific time that the students had to have 'lights out.' Students would be called down if their lights were on past the lights-out time.
There was one campus police officer, called "Pop", who had a flashlight. He would walk around outside the dorms and tell the housemothers and fathers, which lights were on after the time for lights out. DeGroot and her roommate always wanted to read after lights out, and they were clever enough to have light clip-ons, which they clipped to their books so they could read.
Inside the dorms, the students could not have any appliances. There were no Residential Advisors, and there was no Residential Director either. Visitation did not exist; boys did not visit the girls' dorms, and the girls did not visit the boys' dorms. There was also a rule called the "six inch rule," where males and females should remain at least six inches away from each other at all times.
There were strict dress codes for the girls on campus during DeGroot's time. Girls did not wear shorts; if she did she would "have to wear a rain coat." Students were "more dressy" than they are today according to DeGroot.
Crossroads was then called "Chapel" and it was required for all students. Each student had his or her assigned seats in the chapel. There were monitors there to report on any absences.
The biggest complaint for students during that time was about the restrictions and the rules. Students also complained about the lack of good sports equipment. But most students "didn't complain too much [because] students weren't vocal." DeGroot said that the students during the 1950s "weren't rebels". "There wasn't a lot of disruption. There were no major wars in the late 50s. It was an innocent, peaceful time."
It was also a time when black students were not admitted to the college. But there were a lot of international students. Some of those international students came from various places like Japan, China, and even Africa. The international students came here after various missionaries visited their home country.
While the student body differed in backgrounds and country of origin, one thing "a large majority" of students had in common was that they became associated with Mars Hill through some sort of church affiliation or through a pastor. "Religion was important in [our] lives", said DeGroot.
She said that students from her generation came to college "to learn [because] they were serious about education." Many critics today would say that the studiousness of students has slowly declined in recent years, but DeGroot would disagree. "Every generation has its studious students." Even in the 1950s, Mars Hill was "highly regarded academically." Mars Hill graduates have gone on to become "doctors, lawyers, college presidents, and CEOs of major corporations."
Originally from Wadesboro, North Carolina, DeGroot found Mars Hill College when her pastor and a missionary from her county brought her and three other senior high school girls to Mars Hill to look at the college. DeGroot was the only one of the four who returned. Once she stepped foot on the campus, DeGroot knew she "belonged here."
DeGroot lived on campus both years she attended college here at Mars Hill. Students would never guess that she lived in Spilman. During the time DeGroot attended Mars Hill, Spilman was a women's dormitory. All the current dormitories were up at that time, except for Fox and Gibson.
Today DeGroot is the Special Assistant to the President and the Director of Alumni Relations. She "had no plans on coming to work here"; she was going to retire. But she knows that this is where she is supposed to be. "I never dreamed I'd be back at Mars Hill. This is the icing on the cake." Mars Hill is now Ophelia DeGroot's home.
When she left Florida State University to come to Mars Hill College, one of her family friends gave her a plaque framed in Mars Hill blue. The plague reads "God will never lead you where His grace cannot keep you. This is DeGroot's daily reminder to her of being in God's care.
Reader Comment:
Ophelia DeGroot, 3/23/2006, 9:05 p.m.
Thank you, Nicole, for allowing me to think of my very special place and time. You did a beautiful job helping me tell my story. Best wishes to you.
Jason Dickert, MHC '96, 3/31/2006, 7:31 p.m.
Thank you Mrs. DeGroot for allowing us to hear of a time that was true and noble. I so wish that we could bring back many of the morals, standards and ethics of those days into or corrupt society. We so need those kind of standards. I miss Mars Hill and it's innocence yet I fear that it is spiraling further into the degredation of our present society.
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