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May Tangen Christmas Letters, 1961-1974
Tangen Christmas Tribute, 1968 Page 2
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mer school and the big week that Lake Junaluska had prepared me for -- the Upper Mississippi School of Missions -- at which I was chairman of the dialogue on John, a beautiful session of talking with others the meaning of Jesus as expressed by John. AUGUST came at last, Mr. Jackson returned and I could be myself again. Vacation came and I joined the Tangen family at reunion, this year held at my brother Alvin's home on a rainy Sunday. I spent the rest of the week with other members of the family, mostly with Clara and Gladys and their families. SEPTEMBER - "The Library is their textbook", they said of Rust's huge Freshman class, and the librarians had it, with tripled work load, tables filled, circulation astonishing. I did take time to enjoy seeing the O'Connors from Duluth begin making a park out of the rubbled site of old Merritt Hall next door. Also took two of the Walker children to the zoo in Memphis one Saturday. OCTOBER - September work was child's play compared with October, as we worked nights and weekends preparing for the inspection which we hope will lead to accreditation. Also festive Upward Thrust Convocation brought, among others, Leontyne Price to help break ground for the NEW LIBRARY. One Sunday I went out to Calvin Chapel (Negro) near Holly Springs and gave a talk on "I have a Dream of Racial Solidarity", speaking mainly on the quality of our membership in the family of God. The news of my brother-in-law's grave illness has affected deeply the remainder of the year for our family. NOVEMBER - In spite of the Mississippi regulations that one must register six months before voting, the Federal Registrar made it possible for me to vote. I was relieved to see Negro friends of mine officiating at the polls, relieved also to see how well HHH ran against Wallace in our county. It was a scary election. I helped with the School of Mission in the local Negro churches, so that the Lake Junaluska experience had a chance to shine through. During Thanksgiving vacation, on a wet, windy day, the rest of our beautiful colored leaves fell. DECEMBER - With the leaves gone I could again visit the clumps of mistletoe on the campus trees. The ordeal of heavy work at semester-end almost walled off the anticipation of Christmas. The shiny beacon of the month was meeting at last Iowa's Bishop Thomas, here to speak at the Founder's Day celebration. He looked me up in the crowd and thanked me for coming to Rust. I felt as he spoke to me that God was sending me a blessing through him. Funds were assured for the NEW LIBRARY by the 15th, so we did not lose the federal funds that we had to match. The semester over, vacation finally came, and I set off to New Orleans to stay at the YWCA Hotel; which is almost like home now. IF THE ABOVE ACCOUNT OF MY YEAR HERE seems cold, it is because I haven't had space to warm it by telling more about the people who have made my year here so memorable. Come and meet them! THE PROSPECT FOR 1969, for those who have asked: I will be here until I retire, if they will have me. May God, who lives among us wherever we are, giving meaning to our being and doing, richly bless you and yours in the New Year! May (over)
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mer school and the big week that Lake Junaluska had prepared me for -- the Upper Mississippi School of Missions -- at which I was chairman of the dialogue on John, a beautiful session of talking with others the meaning of Jesus as expressed by John. AUGUST came at last, Mr. Jackson returned and I could be myself again. Vacation came and I joined the Tangen family at reunion, this year held at my brother Alvin's home on a rainy Sunday. I spent the rest of the week with other members of the family, mostly with Clara and Gladys and their families. SEPTEMBER - "The Library is their textbook", they said of Rust's huge Freshman class, and the librarians had it, with tripled work load, tables filled, circulation astonishing. I did take time to enjoy seeing the O'Connors from Duluth begin making a park out of the rubbled site of old Merritt Hall next door. Also took two of the Walker children to the zoo in Memphis one Saturday. OCTOBER - September work was child's play compared with October, as we worked nights and weekends preparing for the inspection which we hope will lead to accreditation. Also festive Upward Thrust Convocation brought, among others, Leontyne Price to help break ground for the NEW LIBRARY. One Sunday I went out to Calvin Chapel (Negro) near Holly Springs and gave a talk on "I have a Dream of Racial Solidarity", speaking mainly on the quality of our membership in the family of God. The news of my brother-in-law's grave illness has affected deeply the remainder of the year for our family. NOVEMBER - In spite of the Mississippi regulations that one must register six months before voting, the Federal Registrar made it possible for me to vote. I was relieved to see Negro friends of mine officiating at the polls, relieved also to see how well HHH ran against Wallace in our county. It was a scary election. I helped with the School of Mission in the local Negro churches, so that the Lake Junaluska experience had a chance to shine through. During Thanksgiving vacation, on a wet, windy day, the rest of our beautiful colored leaves fell. DECEMBER - With the leaves gone I could again visit the clumps of mistletoe on the campus trees. The ordeal of heavy work at semester-end almost walled off the anticipation of Christmas. The shiny beacon of the month was meeting at last Iowa's Bishop Thomas, here to speak at the Founder's Day celebration. He looked me up in the crowd and thanked me for coming to Rust. I felt as he spoke to me that God was sending me a blessing through him. Funds were assured for the NEW LIBRARY by the 15th, so we did not lose the federal funds that we had to match. The semester over, vacation finally came, and I set off to New Orleans to stay at the YWCA Hotel; which is almost like home now. IF THE ABOVE ACCOUNT OF MY YEAR HERE seems cold, it is because I haven't had space to warm it by telling more about the people who have made my year here so memorable. Come and meet them! THE PROSPECT FOR 1969, for those who have asked: I will be here until I retire, if they will have me. May God, who lives among us wherever we are, giving meaning to our being and doing, richly bless you and yours in the New Year! May (over)
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