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The sharp bite of an approaching Kiowa County winter couldn’t keep the estimated 150 -175 area residents, students and faculty members from attending Monday night’s Campus of Light on the Barclay College campus.
“The Campus of Lights is, for us, the official lighting of the Christmas season,” said Barclay President Royce Frasier following the celebration.
Performances by the Barclay Singers, the College Choir, the Ladies Quartet and a pair of soloists were sandwiched between the lighting of the Christmas lights that decorated all of the campus buildings.
Opening the event was the Haviland Middle School band, led by Director Tim Rodgers, who guided the ensemble in a pair of numbers, including a rousing rendition of the 1934 Christmas classic, “Winter Wonderland.”
Barclay Assist. Music Director Jared Ross conducted all of the Barclay student performances including “Twelve Days of Christmas,” followed by the lighting of Lewis Hall, “Angels We Have Heard on High,” followed by the lighting of Broadhurst/Lemmons Hall, “Carol of the Bells” followed by the lighting of the Library building and “Silent Night,” which was followed by the lighting of Phillips Hall.
“We’ve been preparing for a while for tonight as well as the pageant this weekend,” said Ross. “We’ve had a great time getting ready for the Campus of Light. We were looking forward to turning the lights on, on campus and they’ll stay lit now until after Christmas. It’s fun, the students enjoy getting outside and singing in the cold and getting a cup of hot chocolate when they are done.”
Ross had his work cut out for him as during the performance of “Twelve Days of Christmas,” an almost forgotten cue nearly turned the entire performance into a non-stop giggle-fest. But performances aside, Ross sees a strong parallel with the lighting of the campus lights and his faith. A parallel he shares with other faculty members, the student body and Campus of Light creator and retired Barclay President Herb Frasier
“I agree with Herb, the lights on the buildings represent Christ’s light in our life and to remind us of his coming,” said Ross. “We’re in advent season now getting ready for the celebration of Christ’s birth. It’s symbolic to Christ being a light to the world.”
The Campus of Light is not the only Christmas event the college has planned for the week. The Bi-Annual Christmas Pageant takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Hockett Auditorium, and will feature live animals and musical numbers.
“That’s an every other year event and this is a year for the pageant,” said Frasier. “It’s quite a big thing for the college music department. It’s a wonderful thing, a college-wide thing, a Haviland thing and a community thing.”
editor@kiowacountysignal.com
The sharp bite of an approaching Kiowa County winter couldn’t keep the estimated 150 -175 area residents, students and faculty members from attending Monday night’s Campus of Light on the Barclay College campus.
“The Campus of Lights is, for us, the official lighting of the Christmas season,” said Barclay President Royce Frasier following the celebration.
Performances by the Barclay Singers, the College Choir, the Ladies Quartet and a pair of soloists were sandwiched between the lighting of the Christmas lights that decorated all of the campus buildings.
Opening the event was the Haviland Middle School band, led by Director Tim Rodgers, who guided the ensemble in a pair of numbers, including a rousing rendition of the 1934 Christmas classic, “Winter Wonderland.”
Barclay Assist. Music Director Jared Ross conducted all of the Barclay student performances including “Twelve Days of Christmas,” followed by the lighting of Lewis Hall, “Angels We Have Heard on High,” followed by the lighting of Broadhurst/Lemmons Hall, “Carol of the Bells” followed by the lighting of the Library building and “Silent Night,” which was followed by the lighting of Phillips Hall.
“We’ve been preparing for a while for tonight as well as the pageant this weekend,” said Ross. “We’ve had a great time getting ready for the Campus of Light. We were looking forward to turning the lights on, on campus and they’ll stay lit now until after Christmas. It’s fun, the students enjoy getting outside and singing in the cold and getting a cup of hot chocolate when they are done.”
Ross had his work cut out for him as during the performance of “Twelve Days of Christmas,” an almost forgotten cue nearly turned the entire performance into a non-stop giggle-fest. But performances aside, Ross sees a strong parallel with the lighting of the campus lights and his faith. A parallel he shares with other faculty members, the student body and Campus of Light creator and retired Barclay President Herb Frasier
“I agree with Herb, the lights on the buildings represent Christ’s light in our life and to remind us of his coming,” said Ross. “We’re in advent season now getting ready for the celebration of Christ’s birth. It’s symbolic to Christ being a light to the world.”
The Campus of Light is not the only Christmas event the college has planned for the week. The Bi-Annual Christmas Pageant takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Hockett Auditorium, and will feature live animals and musical numbers.
“That’s an every other year event and this is a year for the pageant,” said Frasier. “It’s quite a big thing for the college music department. It’s a wonderful thing, a college-wide thing, a Haviland thing and a community thing.”
editor@kiowacountysignal.com
