Summer Sessions Summer: A Slower Pace Harding students find a variety of ways to spend their summers, including working, going on campaigns, or just taking it easy. But an increasingly popular choice is to attend summer school. Why7 There are lots of reasons, but probably the most common one is finishing a degree early. "I like the more casual atmosphere and the slower pace, " said senior Jeff Smith of Greenwood, Miss. "You can concentrate on one or two classes and still have time for other things." Whatever the reasons, 1983 saw a record number of students enrolled for summer school at Harding. According to Registrar Virgil Beckett, 945 different students attended classes. The total number of students enrolled per session was Intersession, 510; First Session 601, and Second Session, 704. An additional 101 were enrolled in one of the five Elder-hostel sessions offered at Harding June 12-July 23.This was the second year Harding participated in the program for those 60 and older. The 27th Annual Youth Citizenship Seminar was held June 5-10, with approximately 400 high schoolers attending from the Southeastern United States. Sponsored by the Har118 Summer Session ding American Studies program and Civitan International, the Seminar sought to bring students to a deeper awareness and understanding of the underlying principles that have made America great - democracy , free enterprise and Christianity. Tne featured speaker for the Seminar was Elridge Cleaver, a former Minister of Information for the militant Black Panther Party, which was formed in the 1960's in Oakland, Calif. Cleaver told his experiences while in Cuba, North Korea and other Communist countries, where he fled to escape prosecution for attempted murder. Cleaver claimed that Jesus Christ had changed him and that he now believed America to be the "last hope for the world." A summer "first" at Harding was recorded with the inaugural season of the Searcy Dinner Theatre (SSDT), under the direction of Robin Miller and Morris Ellis of the Speech Department. Four plays were produced (two per session) in the Hammon Student Center, with seating limited to 75 per performance and meals catered by Heritage Cafeteria. Each show ran for three nights, and the turnout (750 total ) was excellent for the first time offering. Plays included "Bell, Book Candle," June - {),JIldll'[llli 23-25; "Star Spangled Girl," June 3D-July 2; "Story Theatre," July 28-30 and 'The Apple Tree," August 4-6. A cast and crew of 24 persons were involved in the four productions, with three hours of credit available per session. Live dinner music further enhanced the intimate environment. Summer sports camps also kept Harding coaches busy for several weeks, as hundreds of high school athletes spent a week on the Harding campus. Two camps were offered - July 10-15 and 17-22 - including basketball , cross coun try and distance running. Early orientation was a big success, as more than 500 freshmen registered June 16-18 and July 17-19, a new record for attendance. Entertainment posibilities were numerous . A group float trip down the Buffalo River in Northern Ar.kansas, hilarious campus movies, and waterm'elon feasts were all part of the summer. And of course, Heber Springs was always there for those who liked to swim or ski or scuba dive. The tennis courts were usually crowded, and all available bicycles were in use, so not everyone was in the library. Graduation finally rolled around on August 12, and 123 happy students were on their way into the working world, at last. There were several end-of-summer weddings in August, as usual, but then old familiar faces began to appear, first in a trickle and then a steady stream as campaigners carne back to campus, roommates returned and the unpacking begain again. And the summer was over, faster than we had thought possible. ~ 1. Spending a warm afternoon on the lawn during early orientation are Emilie Ric},mond , Michal Caudle and Manna Miller. 2. Students sit on the rock ledge eating barbeque at the "barbeque on the lawn. " J. Sue Shankle serves Dr. Carr at the summer "Barbeque on the Lawn."
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