Dorlll 'Mother' Enjoys Watching Girls Gro-w and Develop Adventures in the student dorms during the year have been memorable. From water-gun fights to room check, the dorms were filled with constant activity. However, the dorm experiences would not have been the same if it were not for the many dorm parents. Doris Dalton, the "dorm mother" of Stephens, has been a dorm director at Harding longer than anyone else. "I started working as a dorm mother in the fall of 1976," Dalton said. Her first four years were spent in Cathcart, the next nine in Sears, and the last five in Stephens. "All the dorms have favorable characteristics," she said. "There is so much enthusiasm in the freshmen dorms , but in the upperclass dorms, the girls are already established in their majors and with friends. This makes working in those dorms exciting," Dalton said. "I became a dorm mother when Mrs . Idell Ables, a substitute director, called to tell me about the opportunity to meet and serve the girls. I applied and was lucky enough to be chosen," Dalton said. "At first, I was afraid of not being on top of things - girls slipping out at night and that sort of thing. However, I was lucky and didn't encounter any of that. "Being a dorm mother has had its disadvantages, " Dalton said, but the enforcement of rules is not really one of them. Over the years, the dress code has evolved from Doris Dalton gives some "motherly advice" to students living in Stephens Hall. During pledge week, Dalton tried to lend encouragement to her residents. Photo by Michael Bass. skirts to dress pants to jeans and finally to shorts. "Eighty-five to 90 percent of the girls abide by the rules, " she said. "I believe rules are for a good purpose, and I have no problem upholding them. " The rules are just a fraction of Dalton's job as a dorm mother. Her most challenging task is dealing with students who don't really want to be at Harding. "These students are here because their parents want them here. They don't want to be here. It's a struggle for them and their parents. Plus, it's a challenge to try to make them feel comfortable in a situation they don't like," Dalton said. "For the most part, being a dorm mother is fun, " Dalton said. "I love pledge week. I like to encourage the girls to make the most of pledge week. I really hate that some girls don't loosen up and enjoy it. " She believed that it was during pledge week that the most enduring friendships were made. The most interesting experience she had with pledge week Lynda Goldman, assistant director of student financial services, assists a Angelica Santi/la with grants and loans for the semester. Photo by Michael Bass. was when she was a dorm mother in Cathcart. "When the pledges first came into Cathcart after rough night , I met them at the door. We would strip them down as much as possible because their clothes would be covered with eggs, mud and whatever else you could think of. Many girls went out and purchased an outfit from Goodwill just for rough night so they could throw the clothes away. The dorm would smell for weeks afterward. " Dalton has really enjoyed being a dorm mother. "I love just being with the girls. I wait up every night until they are all home safe. I also enjoy getting up in the morning and seeing them start their day. " Doris Dalton has been a dorm mother for more than 17 years. "As long as my health stays good and I enjoy my job as much as I do, I plan on being a dorm mother. It's indefinite,'' she said. - Julie Anderson Wayne Vickery trims bushes infront ~f the Ganus Building as part of the ongoing beaut!{ication program on campus. Photo by Michael Bass. Staff A~ca_d_e_m_i_c_s~~~~-z==- l57
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