laying out time. Another highlight for Wooden and Company occurred in the spring of 1984 when Choralition a smaller, twenty-four member vocal jazz ensemble participated in Webers new London Travel Studies Program. Although Weber students had previously studied in Mexico under the Language Department, this was the first time classroom credit had been earned overseas since the Vienna Symposium. Developed under Rons direction, the program involved frequent performances throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland. The London Travel Study Tour also involved other student groups in English literature, history, and sociology under the direction of Professors Thomas Burton, Lee Sather, and Michael Toth respectively. The sixty members of the study tour were delighted with the cultural experiences that were coordinated with classroom instruction, and the entire venture was viewed as a great success by all who participated. DR. EARL ERICKSEN ACCELERATED GROWTH Dr. Earl Ericksen launched his career at Weber in 1961 and served as Chairman of The Music Department for six years. He had come to Weber State somewhat reluctantly because, in his words, My life was so great at Olympus High. Earl found the shift a bit traumatic, relinquishing a well-developed high school program including an eighty-three-piece concert band and a seventy-piece orchestra for a nineteen-member band and orchestra of only four at Weber. Initially, he says, it was necessary to combine forces with the community for special performances. Despite such unpromising beginnings, however, Earl insists that he has never regretted the move and within two years had built the Weber State Band from nineteen to ninety. The orchestra evolved more slowly but now contains about sixty members. During Earls years at Weber it has gained national recognition in a number of areas including that of its well-known trumpet quartet under the late Fay Hanson. As a member of that group, her student Frank Ellis was cited by Rafael Mendez, world-famed trumpet soloist, as the only person he knew capable of reaching his own level of accomplishment. Earl lists voice specialist Evelyn Harris as one of the Departments outstanding members, a soloist good enough to have been offered contracts with both the San Francisco and Seattle Operas. She has also performed a leading role with Utah Opera. Other accomplished members of the Department include long-time faculty Lyneer C. Smith, an expert in large vocal performances, and Dr.s Julia Quick, Mike Polumbo, and Paul Joines violinist, violist, and cellist respectively who perform widely as a trio throughout the state. Don Threlkeld, a specialist in double reeds, is also an important mainstay in the Department and now heads an ambitious music appreciation program fielding up to three-hundred students. In that connection, Earl states, we are making a real push not only to bring in live performers but also the finest soloists and other musicians through great stereophonic playback. Former Californian Thomas Root now directs the band. Were very excited about him, Earl adds. He is also a fine composer with nine published works which have been performed throughout the nation. The Music Department currently putson some two-hundred concerts and appearances yearly with audiences totalling from 300,000 to 500,000. This would include athletic events along with performances for clubs and state gatherings, Earl explains. As a department we are really coming into our own and compare very favorably with other universities. We may even surpass them in some areas. The Department is accredited by the National Association for Schools of Music along with such major institutions as Jul-liard and Eastman. As Department Chairman, Earl bore the main responsibility of preparing his organization to qualify for that honor, and as he puts it I worked my tail off. STATE OF THE ART FARRELL R. COLLETT OF THE MIND AND HEART Professor Farrell R. Collett arrived at Weber Jr. College in 1939 where for some time he functioned as a one-man art department. There he remained except for two notable interludes: the first as a lieutenant commander with the navy during World War II, the second in 1954 when he accepted employment as an illustrator with Caru Studies in New York City. At Caru, however, life became too mechanized and, despite the excellent pay, he decided to return home to Weber. Upon learning of this decision, a distraught Caru employer phoned Farrels wife Martie. Mrs. Collett, he said, I havent met you, but why in the world does that crazy husband of yours want to go back to some obscure western college for 5,200 when he ll be able to make 75,000 a year if he stays in New York? Farrell, however, had found himself becoming a clock watcher, creatively restricted, rather than the developing artist and person he wished to be. That, he stresses, is something that money wont buy. Once again at Weber, Farrell resumed his role as Chairman of the Art Department, stepping down from that position shortly after a year-long tour of Europe in 1968 and 1969. During that tour he travelled widely making hundreds of sketches, numerous water colors, and taking 3,500 slides. By 1965 the Art Department had acquired seven faculty members, some nine-hundred students, and the classes were scattered throughout the campus. Later they were partially gathered in the Technical Education Building and finally found a permanent home in the present Art Building. Unfortunately, even that facility was not entirely adequate. It was too small the day we moved into it, Farrell says, but he takes understandable pride in the fact that the Art Building has now been named in his honor. He hopes, also that the expanded section envisioned in the initial design will eventually be acquired. Throughout his long, demanding career as teacher and department chairman, Farrell rarely ceased painting. A lot of it had to be done after midnight, Martie says, but he did it, and today is ranked among the finest artists in his field. He has marketed enough paintings to have lost count long ago, and some of his top works now command as much as eight thousand dollars. Among his standout artistic creations are two limited editions of prints for Sunset Magazine, a series for Browning Arms, and a commissioned work by the Franklin Mint. He is also the illustrator of more than twenty books.