ALUMNI NEWS
Learning, Living and Serving
Until the Final Curtain is Drawn
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DIANA KOPPEN WRITTEN BY PAM DOOCY-CURRY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF DIANA KOPPEN
B
oth my aunt Marion Helland '46 and my mother Gladys (Helland) Doocy '56 walked those halls of Waldorf University for the first time in 1944 and 1954 respectively, in search of knowledge and direction on how they could make their imprints on society. Born to Norwegian immigrants, Marion and Gladys learned how to celebrate people’s differences and advocate for those who were seen as outsiders. Moreover, each woman headed to Waldorf, possessing the thirst for knowledge and the desire to spread this knowledge to future generations. Both wore the same Waldorf letters, brought out the best in those around them, and went on to lead admirable lives; however, their paths were quite different. In 1944, in the midst of World War II, Marion entered her college years with more questions than answers. She was desperately seeking direction in a world inundated with warped perspectives, which she so adequately described in her high school valedictorian speech just months
prior: “As a twisted twig sometimes develops into the bent tree spoiling the symmetry of the forest, so sometimes a twisted idea finds root in the mind of man and develops a personality which spoils the beauty of man’s dreams.” No human could have all the answers for Marion’s worldly concerns, but Waldorf equipped her with the tools for discovery as well as a forum for discussion. During Marion’s years at Waldorf, enrollment was low due to WWII, and the student body consisted primarily of women since most men were serving in the armed forces. While the Waldorf students of today faced empty toilet paper shelves and on-line instruction during the global COVID-19 pandemic, Marion’s college years were plagued by a world war and rationing of food, shoes, tires, and gasoline, and the cars around town were tagged with the stickers “Is this trip necessary?” Waldorf is no stranger to hard times, and the students grow all the more resilient and equipped for the world because of it.
Marion attributed her desire to serve as an activist in the Civil Rights Movement to her years at Waldorf: "My most vivid memory of Waldorf was Dr. Jacob Tanner, a dynamic teacher of religion and a vigorous presence on campus. With his unique teaching style of religion and the Bible, he also offered helpful hints about keeping healthy. I don’t remember if Waldorf had the “Learn, Live, & Serve” motto back then, but I do know that was the message I received from Dr. Tanner. He insisted that we underline passages in our Bibles as he presented his lessons. The underlining has faded a bit but is still clear enough to follow what Dr. Tanner was emphasizing. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) That was a meaningful underlining for life and certainly for the civil rights/human rights journey, which was a spiritual as well as a political movement." By becoming an elementary school teacher, Marion found her avenue for pursuing
PHOTOS pg. 18 (L to R): Roommates Ilah (Brumm) Johnson and Marion wearing the Waldorf letter in 1944, Gladys proudly wearing the Waldorf College logo in 1954
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WALDORF MAGAZINE // SPRING 2022
waldorf.edu
