- Christopher Thompson There is nothing more refreshing to one's mind than sitting way up on a hill or mountain and looking out over valleys of tree tops for as far as the eye can see. Year-round there was nothing quite as spectacular. In the spring. there was just a hint of green coming over the land, and the air was fresh and crisp. The birds were beginning to arrive for the summer, and you could feel the warmth of the sun as it reached down to the earth. The summer began in full swing with greenery bringing energy to life. The birds built their nests and the squirrels prepared for the winter to come. When fall arrived, the leaves turned to the richest shades of gold, red, and brown, and then fell to make a colorful carpet for the ground. Snow lighted the trees and earth to leave everything in a white blanket. The rain came and washed it as if it were cleaning it up to start all over again. The Harding campus was fortunate to have such beautiful landscape surrounding it. Such places as Heber Springs, Bluff Hole, Wild Mountain, B-Rock, Wyldewood, Sugarloaf, and Pinnacle Mountain were favorite places that served as escapes for Harding students. Max Garnett, a frequent visitor of these areas said, " In the past four years I've spent a lot of time getting to know myself, my fiancee, and my friends at those places. Whether hunting. hiking or just playing my guitar, I have benefited greatly from time spent there." Many club activities and organizational functions took students out to these scenic areas also. Sub-T 16 and Ko Jo Kai social clubs had a hamburger cookout at Heber Springs. Galaxy retreated to Pinnacle Mountain on a Sunday afternoon for a picnic lunch, a game of football in the pa~k, a climb up the _ Christopher Thompson mountain and a devotional. The cast of "Oklahoma!" had a sunrise breakfast and devotional at B-Rock. Members of Sigma Phi Mu and their dates enjoyed an evening at B-Rock; what started out to be an evening of snacks and ghosts stories turned into a large marshmallow war. Russ White, a member of Knights, explained a tradition his club has every year involving B-Rock. "We go out there every fall before we get our new members and have a ceremony called 'Passing the Stick: When a person has the stick in his hand he has a chance to share his personal thoughts about the club and also the goals he wants the club to reach within the coming year." Wyldewood was another favorite spot to retreat to for a few hours of relaxation in the afternoon. Jimmy Starrett said, "I enjoy the time to get away from the pressures of school and to spend some time getting to know friends better." Just about everyone spent some time at one of these peaceful, fun areas near the campus. Harding was fortunate to live in an area so blessed with an abundance of nature. Oftentimes, the world took these fun spots for granted, but while living on campus one occasionally remembered there was such a thing as life off campus too. When the pressures had built up and the campus was hectiC, it was to these places that students escaped to forget everyday worries. The only regret was that there was not more time to lean back and relax under a tall shade tree at Wyldewood, to go for a swim at Heber Springs, to climb Pinnacle Mountain for the beautiful scenery, or even to gather around a fire at B-Rock to talk with a few friends. '-«; - Ma rk Hu tson and Suzanne John ston Pl aces/47
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