Howard W. Hewitt – Chapel Talk is one of those wonderful Wabash traditions perhaps a bit difficult to explain to the outside world.
Some Chapel talks are quite serious, academic, and even sobering at times. Other Chapel talks are often entertaining, inspiring, or even a bit “cheerleading.”
David Blix seems to find a way each time he takes a spot behind the Pioneer Chapel podium of combining all those qualities into a 20-30 minute speech.
Blix, an Associate Professor of religion who is on sabbatical, filled in at the last minute as Thursday’s speaker at request of the Sphinx Club. He began by noting he was a last-minute substitute and hoped the Club would realize the cost would be steep. He muttered something about his supply of a certain 35-year-old beverage being “alarmingly low.”
He talked about “thymos’ – the Greek word for spiritedness. He wove the Socrates’ writings about community while discussing Wabash traditions Chapel Sing and freshman pots.
Blix noted his love of Chapel Sing and the spirit it represents. How the singing of “Old Wabash” builds a bond and best illustrates a Wabash man’s spirit. He warned the students gathered to avoid people who suppress thymos.
“Feel sorry for them for they have no passion, no soul, no life,” he admonished.
No doubt the highlight was his instructional period with freshmen in attendance. Blix praised the Senior Council for bringing back the green and red freshman pots. But he lamented the lack of decorum and proper tipping of the pot across campus.
Then in full instructional mode he brought five freshmen to the stage and illustrated all of the wrong ways to properly tip a pot. Using his own pot he illustrated the extend arm tip and appropriate greeting. He had the freshman give it a try by bringing members of the Sphinx Club to the stage.
Business was good at the Bookstore after Blix’s Thursday Chapel talk. The green and red pots were back in stock.
Listen to a podcast of Blix’s full speech.
In photos: Above right: Blix wearing his pot. Lower right: Freshman show the wrong ways to tip a pot. On homepage: Blix illustrates the correct way to greet one deserving a freshman’s respect.
