150 President A responsibility to prepare for service With several hundred guests and students watching , President Clifton L. Ganus Jr. declared Harding College as Harding University with the signing of a proclamation on the front lawn of the campus on August 27, 1979. Following the signing Dr. Ganus told of plans to bury a time capsule of Harding memorabilia to be opened in 2024 on Harding's centennial anniversary . "1 plan to be there - at least in spirit ," he quipped. Months later Dr. Ganus explained his view of Harding University in relation to the students. He said he believed Harding has a great responsibility and opportunity to help the students PRESIDENT Clifton Ganus includes Q copy of the 1979 Petit Jean and the 1979 Student Handbook in the ti;ne capsule which will be opened in 2024, Harding's centennial. mature into the type of Christian adults they would like to become. "It's an institution that takes people out of the world and sends ·them back into the world, we hope, much better prepared to serve," he commented. "1 believe education is a tool that can be utilized to help us all be better prepared for service. And I feel that serving the Lord and serving others is the real reason f9r our existence." The responsibility of Dr. Ganus in administration and fund raising for the institution involved an incredible amount of traveling, speaking and attendance at dinners and meetings. A sampling included the Dr. Gary Bartholomew presidential inauguration at York, Nebraska, the mortgage burning for the Manhattan church of Christ in New York City and comSHADOWED by the Administration Building bearing the inscription Harding College, President Clifton L. Ganus Jr. declares Harding a University on August 27, 1979. mencement addresses at Memphis, New Orleans and Augusta. Dr . Ganus stated that , including administration and fund raising, no one area of responsibility required a disproportionate amount of his attention. He mentioned, however, that every area of concern involved public relations. 'That's, I guess, one of the major aspects of the life of a college president - relating to the public: · he said. "That takes an awful lot of time. Sometimes it's speaking; sometimes it's development or fund raiSing; but almost everything you do is public relations. " Travels of the president did not always involve fund raising. Dr. Ganus and his wife Louise accompanied the Harding chorus for two and a half weeks in Poland during the summer of 1979. The trip was one of many such excursion which Dr. and Mrs. Ganus have made over the years during the summer months. With the resignation of Dr. Billy Ray Cox in the summer, Dr. Ganus acquired the position of directing the American Studies Program. The program remained essentially the same under his direction. In addition, Dr. Ganus preached at many congregations over the
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