The Bertha May Bell Andrews Lectureship was established in 1975 by Dr. Carl Andrews, class of 1940, to honor his mother, who established the physical education program for women at Bates. The annual lectures are intended to emphasize Mrs. Andrews’ conviction that education without morality is useless. Mrs. Andrews embodied this commitment not only in her teaching at Bates, but in her creative and independent life, which included service as Quaker missionary in Argentina.
This year our lecturers are: Rev. David Norse Thomas and his husband, R. Eric Thomas.
Rev. David Norse Thomas serves as the Associate Pastor for Christian Formation at Swarthmore Presbyterian Church outside Philadelphia. He holds a Bachelor's in Religious Studies from Lewis & Clark College, a Master of Divinity from Princeton University, and a Master in Couples and Family Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University. His husband, R. Eric Thomas, is a national bestselling author, playwright, and screenwriter. His books pay special attention to locating hope in darkness and forming community as a means of combating otherness. On screen he wrote for the Peabody-winning series Dickinson (AppleTV+) and Better Things (FX) and is currently developing multiple projects. David and Eric reside in South Philadelphia.