Rest in peace, Paul Zwier
The most life-changing course I ever had at Calvin was the “Non-Euclidean Geometry” course from Dr. Paul Zwier in 1963. R.I.P.
Ronald Dirkse ’64
Hidaka, Japan
Calvin’s Dixieland band
After reading Spark, I couldn’t resist sending this short article from the 1958 Chimes relative to the “performing arts” at Calvin.
The Huisman brothers of G.R. (drums and bass), Ed Lindsey of Wisconsin (clarinet), Pete Sherman of Chicago (trombone), yours truly from California (piano), plus a trumpet player I can’t recall formed a Dixieland band that was appropriately named “The Society for the Preservation and Furtherance of American Folk Music” so that we could rightfully exist on campus.
And would you believe that only seven years later there was a full-blown jazz band playing at the home basketball games?
Chimes excerpt:
According to a recent decision by one of the many committees of the faculty, as released by the office of Dean Lucasse, opportunity has been given to a group of young men on campus to organize themselves into a club. Although no official title has been decided upon, rumor has it that this club will be the Calvin Historical Society for the Preservation and Furtherance of American Folk Music. This club will be considered as a wing of the music department, but as Dean Lucasse said in an exclusive interview, “Only a broken wing.” At the latest report, no faculty mentor has been found for this club.
Ken Bootsma ’59
West Lafayette, Ind.
A more prominent Rose
I was disgusted that the page about Rose Ibiama winning an Academy Award for a major part in the animation of Frozen was placed almost at the end of the magazine. Blurbs about past class reunions and twins on the swim team are placed before this amazing accomplishment. It is not even listed as a feature article. I wonder how many Calvin alumni have won an Academy Award. I am guessing not many. She has made a great accomplishment that deserves much more than being put in the back of the magazine.
Carolyn Gaulden ’92
Chicago, Ill.
Note: The Director’s Desk piece about the Calvin alma mater in the last issue drew a wave of commentary from all over Calvin Nation. Here is a sampling of the responses.
The alma mater strikes a chord
I was at Calvin between 2001–2005 and played the alma mater at Commencement with the Calvin Band. I love it! I still have it memorized. I like both verses! My vote is to keep it, resurrect it, sing it loud and proud.
Amy Netz ’05
Hudsonville, Mich.
I just read your letter in the spring 2015 Spark about the alma mater and it brought tears to my eyes.
I had no idea that the alma mater was no longer sung at Calvin functions and was very disappointed to realize that such an important memory of Calvin is being lost!
I may be one of only a relatively small number of Calvin alumni who have very strong childhood memories of Calvin along with my college year memories. I always knew I would attend Calvin when I “grew up” so it was with many wonderful memories and a familiarity that I came back to the Knollcrest campus in the early ’70s for my Blodgett nursing program. Now our daughter is also a graduate of Calvin and we are so proud of having had three generations at Calvin!
I hope your letter “sparks” others to write and encourages the Calvin family to rethink the importance of the alma mater and the traditions that are so important to us, and I hope to read more about this in the coming issues.
Cyndi Dieleman De Young ’75
Franklin, Tenn.
Being a traditionalist and believing that traditions tie generations together, I was sorry to read in the latest version of Spark that singing of the alma mater has ceased at Calvin. Amazingly enough, more than 40 years later, I can still remember the words and the tune—and that’s saying a lot, given that there’s not too much else I remember in that detail after so many years!
So, what do I think? I think Calvin should bring it back! Introduce it as a way to tie the current student body to student bodies going back decades. And the only real way to do that is to bring it back in its original version, both words and music.
Otherwise, it really won’t serve the purpose of being a common point across all of the generations of Calvin students. Just think: four lines and a tune could really accomplish that!
Nancy Eardley ’74
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Thanks for the article regarding our alma mater.
I would most emphatically respond with a resounding YES, a song can most definitely connect us. Our alma mater does that with those of us who know it well.
What a testimony of generational unity would take place, if for instance, at the end of a Calvin Scholarship Dinner, we would conclude with the singing of the alma mater! A choir of hundreds, an orchestra on stage! Think of the impact on the student recipients when their named scholarship donors begin singing and lifting up their voices, acknowledging their love for and unity in the Christ-centered education they received at Calvin!
As for the changing of the words and music, I would ask why? I feel the text and music are perfectly suited to each other. Print the music in the program so we can sing both verses and the harmony.
Your obsession with the loss of the alma mater is not silly. Keeping the Calvin tradition alive is what we do, and this song more than any other helps us do it well.
Can a song connect us? I would dare say many reading this article are humming and singing it right now.
John R. Swierenga Jr. ’67
Holland, Mich.
I was part of Campus Choir with Anton Armstrong during my four years at Calvin from 1985–1989. Whenever we would go on tour we would always finish our concerts with the alma mater. The alumni in the audiences would join in and it was a special part of the evening. I may be biased as a former choir member who loves music and chorale arrangements, but I think the alma mater is beautiful the way it is! (The fact that you can sing it alongside “Puff the Magic Dragon” just makes it that much more unique.) An alma mater is supposed to be more like a hymn and less like a fight song. I think the second verse is equally important to learn since it shifts the focus on God. And isn’t that the point of a Calvin education?
I vote we leave it the way it is and bring it back to our events! Both verses.
Joy Holtrop ’89
Grand Rapids, Mich.
I was amazed to learn that Calvin’s alma mater is no longer sung. Yes, a song can connect us—especially an “alma mater” or “fostering mother.” Its text is particularly appropriate. Of course it is somewhat maudlin, but it is meant to be; it is like a “forever” stamp, always good. A college student or college graduate should be able to handle an occasional “thee,” thy” or “fidelity.”
Let’s look at the music. When I was conducting the orchestra and choruses at Marywood University for 32 years, I was kept “honest” by having to teach a “music appreciation” course. Our national anthem, we decided, is very difficult to sing, not people-friendly, and a textbook example of how not to write a good melody for the people. On the other hand, I would use Calvin’s alma mater and similar tunes to illustrate how people-friendly it is and how easy it is to sing: with a range of only an octave; with easy to sing intervals; and with a logical flow.
Finally, an alma mater is not a fight song such as “Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame” or “Hail to the Victors.” Calvin has a great alma mater, a wonderful song of endearment to our school and a pledge of faithfulness to our God. I suggest bringing Calvin’s alma mater back to life and birthing a new and fitting fight song that can co-exist.
Bob Herrema ’64
Naples, Fla.
Yes, indeed, a song can connect us. Thank you for the memories of the Calvin alma mater song. It’s been a long time since I heard that tune, and as soon as I saw the music in the spring Spark, I went to my piano. Playing the melody did bring fond memories of Calvin. I have warm memories of Calvin, singing in the Oratorio Society choir for four years, hearing Peter, Paul and Mary perform in the gym, working for Dr. De Koster in the Hekman Library and friends.
However, as I played the song as written on your editorial page, it did seem a bit “dead.” On the other hand (laugh here, please) when I replayed it, I added numerous bass notes, and it sounded fantastic to me. Bring the alma mater back, just add a few notes. Thanks for the music and the memories.
Carol Lindsay ’66
Carlsbad, Calif.
A resounding “Yes!”—we must bring back our alma mater with no changes to words or music. It is a beautiful and meaningful song. I’m sure if the effort was made to again have the song sung at functions and events, it would once again become meaningful to all. If Notre Dame, Yale, Harvard and Michigan remain true to their alma maters, who are we to think we can’t?
Sid ’59 and Virginia Voskuil Bouma ’62
Visalia, Calif.
I was surprised—but not shocked—that the Calvin alma mater isn’t sung any more. I think it is a beautiful hymn, and I can still sing both stanzas as can most of our friends who were at Calvin in the ’50s. Perhaps this is because we were in choirs that sang it often, so the song became deeply embedded in our memories and hearts. By contrast, I seem to remember that there was a Calvin fight song, too, but I couldn’t begin to dredge up that tune or those words, if it did even exist. Times change.
Marjorie Kramer Huiner ’60
Lynchburg, Va.
Can a song connect us? Absolutely!
Many years ago when I was the 4-H Youth Development Agent in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, one of my jobs was to oversee a 60-acre youth camp called Camp Riverside in the little town of Hingham, Wisconsin. One spring day I decided I should check out the nature trail (and, just maybe, get out of the office) and make sure everything was up to snuff for the upcoming season.
About halfway along my three-mile hike I ran into this guy wandering the trail. (This is in the middle of nowhere.) We struck up a small-talk conversation and towards the end of it, somehow, we discovered we were both Calvin grads. Immediately we broke into song.
“Calvin, Calvin, sing we all to thee.”
We finished the song with great gusto and even a bit of harmony at the end. Mind you, this is in the middle of the woods. I said, “Wow, you really remembered that well.” He said, “Of course I do. I wrote it!”
The guy was Dale Grotenhuis, the composer of the music.
Does a song connect us? Are you kidding me! Have you ever heard Badger fans sing “Varsity” before a UW-Madison football game? It’s nothing less than awe-inspiring. My vote: The alma mater should not be touched. It should be sung at every event. And it will continue to connect people from now until, well, eternity.
Tim Talen ’74
Randolph, Wis.
I attended Calvin 2003 through 2008 and I am very familiar with the alma mater. I played the trumpet in the band, the pep band and the orchestra. Being a musician, I played it at many functions—I think we still played it at opening Convocations and at Commencements while I was there and I love it. I like the words, especially the second verse.
We even used to play it in pep band at all of the basketball games. When we got a new band director, she dug up an actual fight song and the alma mater stopped being played by the pep band. I missed it. I think it still has value and should be used more.
Chara Karsten ’08
Wahaiwa, Hawaii
I just read your editorial in the latest Spark, and I vote “Yes!” Bring back the alma mater at the important ceremonies of Calvin’s community. There were times when the song was used back when I was a student at Calvin, and it brings back good memories to me. More importantly, as you wrote in your editorial, it sums up the community’s values and serves as a unifying song. At the University of Southern California, where I’ve been working for almost 10 years, the school song is sung at milestone events. The words are even painted in the escalator in the bookstore!
David Van Dyke ’84
Riverside, Calif.
I’m an oldie, and love the Calvin alma mater. Maybe the current student body and younger grads don’t care for it (maybe never heard it), but I say bring it back and keep it. I think that if it were played and sung again at various events it would regain popularity.
Maurice Veenstra ’56
Lynden, Wash.
The second verse is awesome. That one can stand alone. “Calvin, Calvin, God has been thy guide.”
Ginny Krediet Westcott ’63
Lakewood, Calif.