Language aids businessmen and missionaries; Williams crusades for author's appreciation Foreign Language As part of the nationwide trend toward language learning, the foreign language department continued its growth spurt of the past years - and with a unique emphasis. "Americans are realizing the importance ofknowing a foreign language to compete in business and simply to keep up with the world," accordingtodepartment chair Winfred Wright. Reflecting this trend is the university's relatively new international business degree, which, due to its language requirements, has drawn students from the School of Business into the foreign language program. The several bilingual professors in the business department were catalysts for the movement, challenging student participation," Wright said. AlthoughWright attributed the expansion ofthe department to external factors, he and his wife Dorothy, who teaches French and English, have also had significant influence on its development. "I attended Harding and loved it, but I felt 162 Foreign Language/ English that the one weakness in its academic program was the lack of consistency in the foreign language program. I wanted to develop it into a more effective department," Wright said. The couple have spent 31 years at Harding trying to fulfill this 'dream. Aside from the practical benefits of foreign language education, Wright emphasized his desire to prepare missionaries. Former missionaries themselves, the Wrights lead a missions trip to Frenchspeaking countries every two years. So Wright and other foreign language teachers view language as a key for fulfilling God's plan, and thereby give true weight to their profession. "Teaching provides me opportunities for further involvement in missions," Wright said. - Karin Springer English A long-time fascination has led to the publication of Fiction As a False Document: The Reception ofE.L. Doctrow in the Postmodern Age by Dr. John Dr. Winfred Wright reveals the intricacies of French grammar. Wright pointed his classes toward the dual interest of career and missions. Photo by Aaron Gillihan. Williams, professor of English. Williams did some master's study on Doctrow, a historical novelist. His fictional stories are set in a "very sobering" American past, Williams said ofthe author. It took Williams more than four summers to research and write the book. "The summer of 1995, I wrote my first very rough draft," Williams said. After completing the first draft, the book was twice edited "with a fine tooth comb," then published in the summer of 1996. "I wrote the book as an indepth study of the reception and interpretation ofDoctrow's novels." His book is designed to guide those who want to study Doctrow, and it is sold almost exclusively to libraries. Williams said that he does not know if another book is in his future. "I don't have any deals on the table or anyone knocking at my door," he said. However, he said his next book would be fiction. Until then, Williams said, "I feel proud to be a voice in the academic world." - Rebecca West
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