Hillsdale Collegian 3.27
Hillsdale Collegian 3.27
Hillsdale Collegian 3.27
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Students crowded outside the Grewcock Student Union at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon after a pipe broke in the college bookstore. I got a call about an alarm going off, Director of Student Activities Amanda Bigney said. A pipe broke in the ceiling and water started going down into the bookstore. Senior Martha Ekdahl was working in the bookstore when the flooding started. Black water started gushing out of the break room in the back, Ekdahl said. We closed the door and started putting cardboard boxes down and a few blankets to stop the water. Fortunately, only some merchandise was damaged. Cindy Willing, College Bookstore director, tried to save merchandise in the break room when water came pouring down from the ceiling. I was trying to get as much merchandise off the shelf as I could before it got wet, Willing said. The water was coming down so fast. It looked like a
To prepare for summer renovations occurring on West Street, a garage was torn down in order to clear a lot for construction equipment. Work will commence at the end of the spring semester. (Anders Kiledal/Collegian) pitched roof. Columns will stand near the entrance of the building in an effort to match the facade of the planned Searle Center. The renovations of Simpson also include demolition of the first four rooms on the ground floor. In their place will stand a common area that includes a kitchen and a common space. The idea, eventually, is to have a patio in the courtyard, Pw said. The common areas would lead into the proposed patio. The rooms will also look completely different. Many changes are planned, including the replacement of old carpeting with vinyl wood floors, new sinks and vanities, and tiled showers. The hallways will also receive an update. New lighting will illuminate corridors and rooms following an upgrade of Simpsons electrical system. The halls will also have new carpeting. The rooms will be great for freshmen and sophomores, Pw said.
See Flood A3
More than 200 students attended a wrestling match Saturday that was hosted by the Student Activities Board in the Roche Sports Complex. Pro wrestlers entertained the crowd for two and a half hours. (Anders Kiledal/Collegian)
On March 22, students dropped their studies for a few hours and headed to the Roche Sports Complex to watch wrestlers drop their opponents. The Student Activities Board hosted a National Wrestling Alliance Championship International Wrestling competition, an event that attracted more than 200 students, as well as many people from the town. Wrestlerama was basically the fulfillment of everyones childhood dreams. It was the most fun I have ever had here at Hillsdale, freshman Ben
See Manno A3
INSIDE
Q&A Richard Vedder talks about the problems of obtaining higher education. A2 Life after Hillsdale Career Services offers a course on how to deal with the basics of post-graduate living. A3
(Courtesy of External Affairs)
Chi Omega house history The Chi Omega house has survived the test of time and fire. B4
In the princess business Sophomore holds auditions for Disney princess look-alike to visit childrens birthday parties and local hospitals. B2
(Courtesy of Mossey Library)
All-American Junior basketball player Megan The harsh winter expedited the Fogt tops off a stellar season. A8 formation of Hillsdales potholes, especially its largest, Lake Lovinger. A6
City reacts to pothole problem
News........................................A1 Opinions..................................A4 City News................................A6 Sports......................................A7 Arts..........................................B1 Features....................................B3
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Richard Vedder is an American economist, historian, author, columnist, and currently distinguished professor of economics emeritus at Ohio University. He is an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of Going Broke by Degree: Why College Costs Too Much. He spoke last Friday on campus in an event hosted by Praxis called Creative Destruction in Higher Education: Why Tuition Costs are on the Rise. Compiled by Sally Nelson.
NEWS
A2
27 March 2014
The Ohio University Professor Richard Vedder spoke on Friday on the topic of Creative Destruction in Higher Education: Why Tuition Costs are on the Rise. (Anders
Kiledal/Collegian)
Can you explain the deteriorating benefits of having a college degree? What I mean by that is that benefits of having a college degree have declined in two ways from a financial point of view. The earning gains after college are not quite as big as they were years ago, adjusting for inflation. The differential between high school and college graduates has narrowed. The bang for your buck, in terms of a better job, is not there quite as much. At the same time, the cost of getting a degree has increased. The benefits have fallen and the cost has gone up. Its not as good of a deal, say, as it was in 2006. Has underemployment increased? Will you explain a
more. Students could graduate in three years if we had a closer to year-round system. That doesnt mean this is the coolest thing for everyone. But it does mean there are ways we could address this problem. Do you think that part of the problem is that kids often go to school to have fun and spend less time studying? Evidence is clear that students in American schools arent working very hard. Some students are working very hard, but most are having a lot of fun and partying a lot. They have lots of recreational activities. There is nothing wrong with kids having fun. Im all for it. But are these things worth public subsidies? I would say not. If parents want to pay for their kids to spend ten years in college and party a lot and go out drinking every night and have sex three times a day or whatever their thing is, thats their right, as long as the federal government doesnt subsidize it. Right now, the federal government is aiding and abetting this activity through their loan program. A lot of kids are barely able to afford four years at college and live beyond their means with nice housing and nice spring break trips because they borrow money, some through taxpayer subsidies. Is that justified? I would say no.
Claire Freier Collegian Freelancer The American Red Cross is coming to collect blood donations on March 28 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. I love giving blood, freshman Erica Haimbaugh said. Its so selfless, but also so easy. It doesnt take that much time out of the day, Im not really negatively affected by it, and Im helping three people. According to the Red Cross, one pint of blood can save the lives of three people. The Pre-Professional Society and the Hillsdale Emergency Action and Response Team are working with the American Red Cross for this particular blood drive. The Pre-Professional Society has a lot of health-oriented people, said junior Markie Zimmer, treasurer of the PreProfessional Society and treasurer and secretary of HEART. Although the American Red Cross has set an 84-pint donation goal for Hillsdale this spring, HEART and the Pre-Professional Society have a more ambitious goal of 100 pints of blood from at least 100 donors. This could be a daunting task, considering that Hillsdale has struggled in past
which streamed a debate between creationist Ken Ham and scientist Bill Nye. Rather than portraying the question of evoluThe history department tion and Christianity as a debate, hosted a lecture on March 24 Gundlach showed how promiby Trinity International Univernent conservatives at the time sity Professor Bradley Gundlach of Darwin were able to see the called Darwin and Creation at place of evolution in a positive Princeton: American Christian theological sense. Responses to Evolution. The evolution question is The lecture, which was atmuch bigger and much more tended by roughly 100 students complicated than I thought, of different classes, majors, and Gundlach said. How did a religions, was held in Dow A & Christian place like Princeton, B. a conservative Gundlach place that is is a professor the guardian of history at of orthodoxy, the Evangelicome to be the cal Protestant earliest place in College TrinAmerican reliity International gious history to University in Ilembrace some linois. His lecversion of the ture revolved doctrine of evoaround his lution? recently pubGundlach lished book, also said this Process and question was an Providence: important one The Evolufor students to About 100 students attended the history department talk tion Question study, especialat Princeton Darwin and Creation at Princeton: American Christian Rely those who 1 8 4 5 1 9 2 9 , sponses to Evolution. (Anders Kiledal/Collegian) wish to reconwhich explores cile science and how the thinkers at Princeton at Freshman Shelby Ripley at- faith. the time grappled with the new tended the talk at the encourageIts a question of origins. Darwinian principles, and how ment of Kalthoff. Dont we base our understandthey reconciled providence and I thought it was fascinating, ings of ourselves, our purpose, in the evolutionary process. Ripley said. It took us back to an God and the world? Gundlach It seemed like a good time to intellectual tradition in American said. I think the Princetonians in invite him, Professor of History colleges that we couldnt possi- general are helpful to study beMark Kalthoff said. We have bly imagine conceiving, and then cause they are very thorough in had lectures on war and peace worked our way through it in an their explorations of these quesand politics and religion and sciunfolding of itself. tions, and they tried to be utterly ence. We look for opportunities Gundlachs lecture follows fair to their opposition, which is here and there. the student-hosted creation de- something we could see more of Kalthoff said history is the bate which took place last month, these days. Emma Vinton Collegian Reporter
years with adequate donation numbers. I think one year there were as few as 20 pints donated, HEART Team Leader senior Kelly Tillotson said. We would like to both meet their goal and pass it. If this drive does not go as well as hoped, Tillotson said the partnership between the American Red Cross and Hillsdale College could dissolve. It takes a lot of money to bring down all their supplies, and if they cant meet their resources theyll have to take their partnership somewhere else, Tillotson said. If they dont meet these quotas, theyll opt to work with more successful drive coordinators who meet and surpass the quotas. According to Associate Dean of Men Jeffery Rogers, weather and location have a large impact on donations. Cold or wet days lead to fewer donors, and a location like the Curtiss Dining Room has more space for equipment. The smaller Grewcock Student Union, on the other hand, has more students passing through it on any given day and was selected as the location for this springs blood drive. There is nothing that can replace human blood, Rogers said. Life is in the blood.
WashingtonHillsdale Internship Program students were treated to a tour of Mount Vernon by one of Hillsdales very own: Dean of Educational Programs Matthew Spalding. Rather than listening to a regular tour guide, the students toured the house and the grounds before listening to Spaldings speech, which junior Ashley Wright called an insightful exploration. Spaldings lecture highlighted the four most significant historical events that took place at George Washingtons estate. The planning of the battle of Yorktown and the Mount Vernon Conference, which spawned the idea of the first Constitutional Convention, both took place there. It was also the place where Washington was informed of his election to the presidency and the place of his death in 1799. The most surprising event that he included was Washingtons peaceful death at home, Wright said. It symbolized the American Revolutions success and the ability to transition from one administration to another without violence. Unbeknownst to most Hillsdale students, they were not the only ones, nor will they be the last, to hear Spaldings lecture at the estate. In fact, the Hillsdale dean is on the Board of Academ-
Juniors Korbin Kiblinger, Elena Sakelaris, senior Victoria McCaffery, and junior Kelsey Drapkin on the shore of the Potomac River by Mount Vernon. (Courtesy of Elena Sakeleris) ic Advisors for the estate and has spoken to groups of all ages and educational backgrounds. Spaldings involvement with the estate traces back to the early 2000s when it was simply an estate without the extensive learning center, museum, food court, and interactive tours it has now. Spalding even has preliminary drawings of the additions in his office. Spaldings extensive study of Washington, having written his dissertation on the man and having published several books as well as his residence in the Washington, D.C., area, qualified him for the project, he said. All the other graduate students wanted to write about Jefferson and Madison because they had a lot more materials and writings to use for their papers, but I wanted to do something different, Spalding said. I was interested in Washington because he was so different from the other guys. As a chosen member of the Board of Academic Advisors for the estate, Spalding recommended information that needed to be included, checked the accuracy of the information, and advised on how to make the estate a more interactive place. The grand opening of the new addition was in 2006, and after the ceremony concluded with an address by keynote speaker historian David McCullough, Spaldings son ended up putting his mark on the estate by being the first person to walk into it. I went with my son to the ceremony, who, at the time, mustve been about seven or eight, Spalding said. He was thrilled by the whole thing, and because we were one of the first groups of people, once the doors opened, he ran right through and almost knocked David McCullough down. He knew there were horses and animals back there and he wanted to see them. He didnt care much for McCullough, he said, laughing. Recently, Spalding helped with the compilation of Washingtons library, which opened in 2013. Spalding is a frequent visitor to the estate, and said he lives nearby and takes his kids there often. Its important to see the estates because they tell you something about the individual, Spalding said. With Mount Vernon, it is eclectic, and clearly the place of a very active person; a man of action.
While the presentations were in English, they explored aspects of German culture and heritage only accessible through knowledge of the language. Once you know a language, you can bring your interests from other disciplines in and see what you can do with that in a German context, Naumann said. During the conference, the three undergraduates had a chance to interact with graduate students in the field of German, and meet Hillsdale alumni currently enrolled in the German graduate program at Ohio State. I think that the opportunity was great for all the students to have a chance to see what a graduate program looks like, Naumann said. On the way back, we talked for the first two or three hours just about graduate school: what is graduate school like, what is your day like, what is it like financially. The graduate students and faculty at Ohio State were impressed with the presentations by Goodling and Clark, and according to Naumann, the Hillsdale German department received several compliments over the course of the conference. I hope the German department will continue to encourage students to do this in the future, Goodling said. It gives students a chance to check out the field of German and network with others in the field.
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NEWS
RUSSIAN CLUB hOLDS fIRST EVENT
A3 27 March 2014
Mike Parney, owner of Parneys Car Care, demonstrates the basics of auto maintenance as part of the Life After Hillsdale Explained seminars. (Anders Kiledal/Collegian)
The Russian Language and Culture Club hosted its first event on March 26 in Lane 124 about preBolshevik Russia. The talk by Professor of History Tom Conner contained many elements of a class lecture. Conner wriote his main points on the black board and used a map of pre-WWI Russia to more clearly display his topic. He talked about the many factors that led up to Russias Bolshevik Revolution in November 1917. Some of those factors included the rule of Czar Nicholas II, widespread political dissatisfaction with the inequality of Russian society, and Russias military failings in WWI. Conner then explained how these factors led to the overthrow of the czar and opened the door for Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks to take power in November 1917. Its definitely history Im not familiar with, sophomore Hannah Wolff said. It definitely clarified some things. The club started last semester under sophomore Will Gage and freshman Benjamin Jiles in order to expose students at Hillsdale to the Russian culture and language. Theres a lot more to Russian culture than Mother Russia and Communism, Gage said, We wanted to look at aspects of Russian culture and dispel some of the beliefs that Russia is all about Communism. The club will have a meeting next Tuesday at 8:30 pm in Lane 123. Evan Carter
Students recently saw a shift from book smarts to street smarts in the form of a weekend seminar, Life after Hillsdale Explained. The March 22 event targeted juniors and seniors thinking about graduation with sessions on finances, workplace preparation, and car maintenance. Students heard talks all day, beginning at 10 a.m. with a budgeting and finance talk, followed by a presentation on leadership, a lunchtime dining etiquette session, and a talk about proper attire and wardrobe. In the afternoon, Mike Parney, owner of Parneys Car Care shop, walked students through basic car maintenance. Career Services and Student Affairs Mentors, led by senior Brianna Walden, the events general manager, organized the event. I conceived of it last semester, and put a little organizational work into it over break Walden said, I really assembled my team, delegated jobs, and kicked into high gear at the beginning of this semester. Waldens team was made up of junior Leah Bernhardson, who acted as the events emcee; junior Morgan Delp, hospitality manager; and sophomore Macaela Ben-
lifestyle in retirement, McLeod said. She appreciated the event as an opportunity not normally part of the Hillsdale environment. I think that its really valuable for Hillsdale students especially because we are all such academic-y people to gain some practical knowledge, she said. It was good. President Larry Arnn introduced Walden to Branach last semester. Branach has supported the college for more than 20 years and financed a number of students scholarships. He considered the event a good idea and was happy to be a part of it. His talk Saturday morning complements a lecture series he is giving over the next few weeks on personal finances. He hopes his session will attract more students to further talks. Branach found the students to be a receptive audience and said he hopes students learned to live within their means, employing their talents and capabilities. He hoped the biggest lesson learned is the need to have the self discipline to live a virtuous life. I thought they were serious and paid attention, he said. Hopefully, it will be able to provide a little bit of a good influence. Thats all one can hope for.
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pus. In addition to being a varsity athlete, Manno is active in CrossFit, is an avid healthy eater, and is leading the work-
FLOOD
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outs for some of the womens teams this spring. As the sports complex is fully-renovated, I will have more ideas, Manno said. For health and wellness, why dont we teach kids how to cook? We would host a seminar once and maintenance employees vacuumed and moved merchandise and furniture back to their original positions. Some water flooded into Saga, but not near food production, Bigney said. Maintenance cleaned up the water in the book-
a week, bring a chef on campus or off campus, and teach students how to cook with what they have, whether that be with a microwave or one burner. Its an opportunity to learn a new skill, a valuable skill, that can be used the rest of their lives. store and the hallways within two hours. Weve got certified maintenance getting it cleaned up, Bigney said. Weve had it happen so many times this year, so were on it.
Bigney helped maintenance mop up the water in the bookstore while bookstore employees
A.J.
Specials
March 21 - 27
OPINION
27 March 2014 A4
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Last weekend, hulking men clad in tights and covered in tattoos stormed Hillsdales campus. The NWA National Heavyweight Championship match, held in the Roche sports complex, featured dramatic fights and a whole lot of trash talk. Not a mention of classical liberal political theory, nor a hint of papist vs. protestant doctrinal hairsplitting, was to be found at the smack down. And it
Dr. Kalthoffs trim brown beard (their height analogies vary). Yet Hillsdale students are, at times, as guilty of ivory tower iniquity as the most rabid check your privilege neo-feminist. Wackily fun spectacles like WrestleRama provide campus with a nice dose of unpretentious fun. We, therefore, encourage Student Activities Board to bring on the comedians, popular musi-
cians, and magicians. We also, more earnestly, entreat our fellow Hillsdale students to take study breaks and patronize these events. The unexamined life may not be worth living, yet the ceaselessly examined life is boorish. Take Aristotles advice: embrace the mean, take a study break, and, next time a group of pro-wrestlers come to town, make sure you get an admittance ticket.
Both fake and not: A night with the National Wrestling Alliance
Its been five days since the National Wrestling Alliance stretched its tights across Hillsdales campus, and the streak of the Crayola marker confirming my attendance has begun to fade from my right hand. For one night only, the Roche Sports Complex housed the sort of indiscretions so fitting of its namesake. Children loped around the arena in camouflage and neon, rushing rinkside with the introduction of each new wrestler, ready to test phrases like Josh Andrew you suck while arguing with enormous adults Student Columnist wrapped in compression diapers and elbow pads. The wrestlers wandered to and from the rink with a hypnotic ease, entranced by the small-scale rapture and ecstasy that only Bruce Springsteens Born to Run can inspire. They paraded chairs, chain-link necklaces, and loincloths around the ring like Baptists with their Bibles at a fifth Sunday fellowship. And while nearly every wrestler had a cross plastered somewhere on his glistening body, a kind of heroic and pagan haze flickered over the stadium with the introduction of each new champion. All the while, their ethnic outfits were a glowing testament to the brand of flamboyant racism that keeps whole departments employed at Ivy League institutions. Of course, the beauty of this whole thing is that it is a perfect joke. When I first entered the arena, a smiley guy wearing the 1994 edition of Jeff Gordons DuPont Jacket told me to enjoy the show, buddy. No winks, no sarcasm, only an absolute confirmation that everything I was about to see was a farce. From the announcer who fumbled with his two microphones while struggling to wrap his Italian suit around his body, to the referees ponytail that curled and bounced off his back like a greased playground slide for miniature children, we were invited over and again to remember that none of this is real. In general, the college students seemed less aware of how this whole thing worked. Groups came and went over the course of the night, their movements as calculated as the fighters but with a different type of religiosity. Each seemed weirdly preoccupied with an apologetic irony that begged to be dissociated from anyone who might actually find this activity enjoyable. The prevailing fear was that any comment might be taken seriously, and this gave way to the sort of multi-layered irony that invites us to lean our heads back and dreamily whisper, Dawg, thats Kafkaesque. So as the snarling children with glowing torsos and invisible legs crowded ringside and their proud parents sat placidly in the stands above them, Hillsdale students were suspended in that bizarre space occupied by the critically aware and woefully self-conscious. All the while, the wrestlers engaged each other in a sort of primitive mating dance, swinging their heavy arms, embracing for three-second intervals, and releasing to survey the partner.There was a certain fluidity to their movements, ,and as the night wore on, the delineation between the rehearsed and the natural became less important. At one point, when Malice and Sebastian Rose refused to leave the ring, a frail security guard rushed to the scene, only to be launched toward the glowing light fixtures of the George C. Roche arena. As his body floated in a space known only by the likes of Jackie Chan and Evel Knievel, Classics professors and snot-nosed kids rose in unison to their feet. Yes, they had surely performed this move to the delight of aspiring gladiators across the Midwest, and still none of us cared. This was the show and we loved it. In this perfect moment of acrobatic violence, disbelief was suspended with the feeble body of a security guard. We were believers. The evening rose to its inevitable climax with the final bout of the night, the NWA National Heavyweight Championship Match between Lou Marconi and Hillsdales own Phil Nitro Monahan. The blend of Italian Stallion and nitroglycerin made for a respectable brawl, a thick blaze of purple and black singlets slow dancing around the ring. Yet things got real when their collective 525 pounds tumbled into the stands. The comfortable 50 foot separation between our seats and the fighters gave way to inches as the two began to bloody each other at our feet. And I mean that they literally bloodied each other as they were surrounded by gawking professors, raging eight-year-olds, and conflicted students. Each wrestler took a turn as the sacrificial lamb, lying motionless on the floor as the other slammed his head with a chair. Those around me fell strangely silent. If this was a show, we were all in it. Later that night, I approached the victorious Nitro for a picture. I was close enough to see the gnarly bits of chest hair that escaped the scrape of his razor. His forehead was bleeding and he sat with his meaty knuckles curled against his thighs. Are you okay? My head hurts. And I believed him.
The problem as I see it is that the source of hope that Percy attempts to shout in silence cannot help those of us who have become so entrenched in unbelief that any religious version of God or holiness will never again be helpful. Binx feels the weight of this, which he calls the strangest fact of all, that although Abraham saw signs of God and believed, now the only sign is that all the signs in the world make no difference. By the time the malaise has set in, God and Truth and a strong sense of personal identity have already been dealt out of the game irrevocably. But Binx, I think, finds a way to move forward. After an out of town fling with the emotionally unstable Kate, his recently suicidal friend-turned-love-interest, Binx realizes that his actions were not in her best interest, and ends up marrying her and genuinely caring for her. The answer that Binx seems to have found lies in his choice to live for himself rather than ignoring the effects of his actions on others. By the end of the book, Binx Bowling, as Lewis Lawson phrases it, has come out of the movies, to chance acting himself. Our New Orleans seeker continues to look for unity, to find some pattern in the chaos that will allow him to live as more than a ghost. And while he doesnt come to an answer about God or his own existence, what he ends up finding, I hold, is that in the midst of everydayness and of unanswered questions, one can continue to wonder at the mystery of life and of the self and to do good rather than ill to others.
Greg Stokes, a senior, defined [senioritis] as burnout and the inability to care anymore. Senior Cody Ewers said he has a recipe for survival: I try and drink a good amount of scotch every week and by Forester play online poker in class. McClatchtey March 6, 2008
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Darren Aronofskys latest opus takes four chapters of Genesis and gives them a blockbuster makeover. The result: Noah, which promises a brooding Russell Crowe as the eponymous lead, apocalyptic special effects on par with disaster films such as The Day After Tomorrow, and a manyarmed fallen angel wielding a fiery sword. In short, Aronofskys story of Noah is not the one you learned in Sunday school. For that reason alone, moviegoers of all faith backgrounds should look forward to seeing Aronofskys Noah when its released on March 28. Hollywood has always had an uncertain relationship with the Bible, even when it works with directors less provocative than Aronofsky. Studios face a demographic problem when they make Bible films: Whom do they aim to please? Stick too dogmatically to the text and you risk alienating the secularists; stray from it too far and you get a host of pastors comparing your movie to The Da Vinci Code; strike the wrong balance and, in the case of Noah, a $125-million investment flops. If Noah is to err one way, it will be secular. The movie adds enough to the biblical account that Rob Moore, vice chair of Paramount, told the Hollywood Reporter it is probably more accurate to say the film is inspired by the story of Noah. That was inevitable, however, as Noah has no recorded dialogue in the Bible and his story takes up all of a few pages. Noah the movie clocks in at 2 hours and 12 minutes an impressive stretch of the source material, even by Hollywood standards. By comparison, DeMilles The Ten Commandments reached almost four hours on roughly 25 chapters. Aronofsky will fill in the gaps with his imagination. His other films pit conflicted characters against the broken and the bizarre. This may explain Aronofskys decision to title the film after its lead. The movie looks to be a character study of the man God chose to save the human race. Aronofsky has also said he plans on mythologizing. For me, the pre-diluvian world has many fantastical elements, Aronofsky told Rolling Stone. It was a very magical, spiritual world as different as, say, Middle-earth. We created this Biblical fantasy world and we wanted to make it like no world wed seen be-
Noah is going to be just another superhero movie. Hollywood has been churning out superhero movies like Krispy Kreme makes doughnuts. Paramount Pictures is financing Noah, starring Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, and Odin, Thors father. Although Noah had no special powers in the Biblical narrative and Aronofsky did not give him any in the movie, the director told The Hollywood Reporter that Youre going to see Russell Crowe as a superhero, a guy who has this incredibly difficult challenge put in front of him and has to overcome it. Mr. Incredible of The Incredibles once complained in an interview that the world never stayed saved: He had to re-save it continually. Superhero movies are in a similar rut. Theyre constantly being made and re-made with new characters, but the same plots. The entire world is usually doomed, but the protagonist and his sidekicks swoop in just in time. In Noah, the flood is the enemy, but the patriarch rescues the elect few by
building a gigantic ark. Aronofsky has make some excellent films, but his earlier works are not superhero-esque, nor has he worked with a major studio. His first major film, Requiem for a Dream, is about Coney Island drug addicts. The Fountain is a philosophical and spiritual journey across a thousand years. The Wrestler is a drama and The Black Swan a dark thriller. Enter Noah, the superhero protagonist of his current project. The trailer doesnt give the impression that the movie will be fresh or new. When the local king warns Noah about his supposed insubordination, the brooding Noah responds Im not alone, referring to his divine aid. The quick sequences and intense music of the trailer make it exciting, but recall Transformers or The Avengers. Posters feature moody main characters superimposed over a dramatic lightning storm. To be fair, the events that occurred in Noahs lifetime were monumental. But there was not so much human drama. The Bible does not mention the reaction of Noahs neighbors. Sure, torrential rain fell from the sky and geysers exploded, but did the timing of the geyser explosions happen to coincide with the exact moment an angry pagan horde charged the ark? Well, there were no angry pagan hordes in the Biblical account, so no. Aronofskys audiences will be wide awake the entire time, but will leave scratching their heads. Why was there an angry pagan horde? Where did the fire-sword come from? Why didnt Noah use the fire-sword on the angry pagan horde? Early screenings of the film have received mixed reviews, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Viewers at test screenings have not responded completely favorably, and Paramount and Aronofsky have been in conflict over which version of the movie to release. Its an ill omen when there are multiple versions of the movie and that the director and the production company dont completely agree. Movies, while creative endeavors, are still business enterprises and cohesion between the CEO (Aronofsky) and the board (Paramount) is important. It may not be completely fair to judge an entire two-hour movie by a two-minute trailer. But trailers are supposed to convince viewers to come watch the movie. If that is the grading rubric, then the Noah trailer has failed. The music, the cinematography, the writing, the characters, and the acting all fail to excite and dont provide anything viewers havent already seen a dozen times. We can only hope that Aronofskys ark will not be his Exxon Valdez.
A5 27 March 2014
Every few years, Americans take up arms of activism because of a viral video that exposes human rights abuses. They join the crowd, wear the ribbons, share videos on Facebook, and do whatever it is activists do. Think Kony 2012. And then it dies down. The videos stop assaulting news feeds. The hashtags on Twitter end. Yet the problems still exist. Problems like 27 million people in modern slavery. Based on the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, the United States can enact sanctions against Tier 3 nations, those with the worst human rights abuses that are doing little to nothing to solve the problems that plague their population. This year, two of the countries that have recently held the Olympics Russia and China were reduced to Tier 3, the same category as North Korea, Iran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba. Based on the fact that the U.S. didnt enact sanctions on Russia until it took over part of another country, the likelihood of the U.S. actually doing anything similar over human rights is pretty slim. Superpower against superpower, the chances of bitterness and strained relations are more likely than accepted assistance and change. Yet the rest of the free world desperately needs to announce that oppression will not be supported. It needs a platform that promotes and encourages peace, that allows representatives of the world to come together, where countries wont be up in arms literally and figuratively. Every two years, the entire world comes together to play games. Its like a family reunion. Theres always the crazy uncle too. But every host country has a point to prove that its capable of hosting such a large event. The Olympics are prestigious. And if used properly, the Olympics could be a platform to promote peace among the nations, as well as peace and freedom within the nations. The International Olympic Committee should introduce new requirements for host countries. Any country that refuses to work seriously to improve human rights conditions and to combat human trafficking within its own borders should not be eligible as an Olympic host. Seven countries filed candidacy to host the 2014 winter Olympics, and the International Olympic Committee chose three for voting: Pyeongchang, South Korea, Salzburg, Austria, and the winner, Sochi, Russia. Both South Korea and Austria are Tier 1 nations, while Russia has maintained a spot on the Tier 2 Watchlist until this year. Under new requirements, both South Korea and Austria would be viable options for a host country. They could actively work against any possibility of human rights violations or human trafficking during the Olympics as well. During the London 2012 Olympics, police actively worked against human trafficking because the government of the United Kingdom understood that it was a problem. At large events like the Super Bowl and the Olympics, there is a significant influx of human trafficking to meet the demands of an increased population. To prevent the violation of the rights of thousands of people, its important to host the Olympics in countries that will actively work to prevent human trafficking, and not to support it. Although this alone may not end modern slavery, its a valuable step to show the nations of the world that the free world will not stand for oppressive regimes.
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CITY NEWS
A6 27 March 2014
major streets, and local streets. The trunk line includes state routes like M99, and is maintained by the state. Major streets are also maintained by the state, but local streets must be paid for by the city. State grants are only eligible for major streets, and of course, the trunk line is paid 100 percent by the state of Michigan, Richard said. The City of Hillsdale is going to have to create their own funding among the taxpayers to reconstruct the local streets. This means that local streets, like Fayette, must be paid for by Hillsdale residents. Well be awarded in 2015 a small, urban grant of $350,000 that has to be used on a small urban route that is a connecter to the city limits, Richard said. I dont know of one grant that could be used on a local street. The people of Hillsdale have to fund local streets on their own. Despite the many obstacles facing Hillsdale, residents believe that city council will find funding. Im hopeful that you can find some type of solution, Lovinger said.
Lake Lovinger, which is located at the bottom of John Lovingers driveway on North Wolcott Street. The broken road stretches 30 feet wide and holds half a foot of water at its center. Lovinger attended the Hillsdale City Council meeting to encourage council members to find roadfunding solutions. (Macaela Bennett/Collegian)
about this particular drug, its processes, and other crimes that sort of spin off from the drug. The most unexpected aspect of being a prosecuting attorney is helping a defendant with a specific need. I am able to understand and tailor a disposition that requires them to be accountable yet heal themselves, Brady said. So sometimes its not the victims we are helping, its those who are being charged. They are not all bad people. Some of them need help. They cant always get it through a court appointed defense attorney. They need the help of a concerned prosecutor.
(Elizabeth Brady/Collegian)
LifeWays where activities and daily tasks are run entirely by volunteers. Volunteer Amber Nowlin explained that the new facility has given the team more space to work with. We had an old building across from the Finish Line for quite a while but we needed more space. We had limited capacity with the two levels because it wasnt handicap accessible, Nowlin said. Now we have that accessibility giving us offices, meeting rooms, and activity space. The center offers free laundry, internet, television, activities, crafts, field trips, and weekly meals throughout the year. We are hoping that this facility will get us more members. We are now out in the open where people can see us, Nowlin said. The majority of activities are funded through LifeWays. However, funding for specific projects have been made available through multiple grants. On May 17, The Hillsdale Drop-In Center will host an open house to connect with the community and gain volunteer support. We are trying to work on partnerships with local business in the communities, Nowlin said. We hope to get some community support. We are looking for volunteers or people who are interested in helping us out for summer.
Vanished Hillsdale
One summer afternoon, Colonel Fowler said to Chief Baw Beese as they looked out over the water, No longer shall this lake be called by its Indian name. Henceforth, it shall be known as Baw Beese Lake, in honor of the chief who has been a true and loyal friend to the white man in your honor and your memory shall be kept alive forever by all citizens of Hillsdale County. The tribe of the Pottawatomies was friendly and fierce though known by the settlers to be more of the former trait than the latter. They roamed through the valleys of the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, and other streams that flowed into Lake Michigan, camping near Somerset and Lake Baw Beese. Tribes would often travel along the Sauk Trail, which is the U.S. Route 12 today and carries traffic across the state. Formerly, it was a rough, worn trail used by tribes, trappers and traders, and explorers such as Frenchman Robert LaSalle. In 1827, Hillsdale Countys first settlers arrived, lead by Captain Moses Allen, a veteran of the War of 1812 and one who helped survey Chicago Road another name for U.S. Route 12. A year later, Benaiah Jones settled five miles from the Allens. Chief Baw Beese and the Pottawatomies helped the settlers gather supplies and food, especially to survive for the harsh winter. Also, once the settlers opened the first county school, Chief Baw Beese sent his son to be one of the pupils. The settlers and Indians received the 1837 federal mandate that required the Pottawatomies to move west. It wasnt until troops enforced the law in 1840 that the tribe left school was dismissed for the day so they could said goodbye. A diary entry written years later by Moses Allens granddaughter says that members of the Pottawatomies bore the body of Chief Baw Beese back to bury him with his ancestors near the lake that was later renamed after him. -Compiled by Emily Shelton
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SPORTS
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Softball 4-6 overall Findlay: 4 Hillsdale: 3 Findlay: 9 Hillsdale: 1 Season Leaders: Hits: Bekah Kastning: 11 Ainsley Ellison: 7 Kristi Gordon: 5 Jessica Knepper: 5 Home runs: Kestning: 1 Sarah Grunert: 1 Courtney Day: 1 RBIs: Kastning: 7 Gordon: 4 Day: 2 Danielle Graceau: 2 ERA: Grunert: 2.74 Kate Ardrey: 3.36 Sarah Klopfer: 4.29 Tennis Davenport: 7 Hillsdale: 2 Baseball 5-15 overall Grand Valley St: 4 Hillsdale: 0 Hillsdale: 7 Walsh: 0 Hillsdale: 1 Walsh: 0 Hillsdale: 5 Walsh: 4 Davenport: 12 HIllsdale: 1 Davenport: 13 Hillsdale: 8 Season Leaders Hits: Luke Ortel: 28 Tad Sobieszczanski: 22 Nolan Breymaier: 20 Connor Bartlett: 20 Home runs: Lincoln Reed: 1 RBIs: Bartlett: 11 Chris McDonald: 11 Ethan Wiskur: 10 Ortel: 10 ERA: Dan Pochmara: 0.00 Joe Chasen: 3.18 Jake Lee: 3.54
A7 27 March 2014
Garceau said the earliest they predict to be outside for practice or games is mid-April. I dont want to make excuses for the team, but at the same time, these girls are facing very difficult conditions, Abraham said. Abraham said he expects good pitching from Tiffin, the alma mater of Hillsdales new pitching coach, Amber Young. They are always solid at a minimum, Abraham said. He said Ohio Dominican struggled in the preseason, but has already played about 25 games, making them better than their record indicates. Hillsdale will then play at Wayne State University on Tuesday. I hope we can show up this weekend and play the way we had been in Florida, Felkey said.
Looking for warmer weather, the men and womens track team headed south to Raleigh, North Carolina to compete through the weekend in the first meet of the outdoor season. Im excited to get down to a big-time meet this early in the year, said head mens coach Jeff Forino. The team is coming off an indoor track season that boasted 13 national qualifiers. For previously redshirted athletes, the new outdoor season offers a chance to compete again.
steeplechase, 10K and the 1500 instead of the mile. Forino said the strength for the mens team is that they do well in all event areas. We are very well rounded, he said. We have guys in every area that could make nationals, so that is very exciting. The men who competed at nationals will not skip this meet but may compete in fewer events. Kearney said the womens team is young and gained a lot of experience from the indoor season that will help them in the outdoor season. Ive been talking to a lot of the team, and theyre hungry to compete, she said.
Heather Lantis is a junior thrower on the track team, a history major, and the vice president of Student Federation. When did you start focusing on track? My junior year in high school. I got hurt playing basketball and needed to rehab to get back and all that hard work instilled my love for track. I was frustrated that I couldnt throw with my right hand so I threw with my left instead and made it work. What is your personal record for throwing? I achieved my PR for shot put of 12.5 meters my sophomore year at the conference tune-up meet at Grand Valley State University. For discus my best throw
Charger Sports
Her 22 double-doubles were second in the nation. I think my biggest accomplishment was developing consistency throughout the year, Fogt said. Being someone my team Junior Megan Fogt was named Firstcould count on was a really big deal for me. Team All-American by both the Womens Fogt led the GLIAC in points per game, Basketball Coaches Association and Dakwith 20.3. tronics. She earned seven GLIAC She was one of only 10 women South Division Player of the Week in NCAA Division II to receive this awards, and was named GLIAC honor given by the WBCA, and the Player of the Year. only player in the GLIAC. She is very humble, Charney She is one of five women in Divisaid. sion II to be on the Daktronics AllCharney said it can be a negaAmerican First Team. She qualified tive at times because she can lack for this after being named First Team confidence. All-Region. Last year I was never conThis was the first year in Hillsdale fident in my ability, Fogt said. College history that players from both This year I developed a sense of basketball teams were named to Allself-confidence and it has taken me American teams in the same season, places. after senior Tim Dezelski was named Outside of basketball, Fogt Third Team All-American, First Team takes her academics seriously, All-Region, and First Team All-Conwith a 3.84 overall grade point avference. He was also named Second erage, and volunteers at the HillsTeam All-Region by the National Asdale Community Health Center. sociation of Basketball coaches. He Academics always come first, is only the second Hillsdale mens and they always have, Fogt said. basketball player to be named AllEarlier in the year, Fogt was American. also named Second Team AcaFogt was also named Daktronics demic All-American by the ColMidwest Region Player of the Year, lege Sports Information Directors the second womens basketball playof America, which Fogt said was er in Hillsdale history to do so after important to her because it comKatie Cezat during her senior year in bined her athletic and academic 2009. performances. We always talk about Katie CezFogts goal for next season at, head coach Claudette Charney Junior Megan Fogt recently added All-American honors is to win the GLIAC, make it said. Megan is very comparable. to an already impressive season. (Collegian File Photo) to the NCAA tournament, and Cezat holds many of Hillsdales have a winning record. game, season, and career records. The best part of our team This season, Fogt was second to Cezats 15 from the field, making her final 14 con- is that there are so many capable players, 521 season rebounds with 435, and second secutive shots. Fogt said. Any one could step up on any to Cezats 100 season blocks with 67. Fogt led the nation in rebounding this given night. Its going to take all of us, and With one season left to play, Fogt is al- season, averaging 16.1 rebounds per game. we can do some damage. ready fourth in school history with 756 caMonica Brandt Collegian Reporter
27 March 2014
Nathanael Meadowcroft Collegian Reporter For a sports fan, it doesnt get much better than enjoying Americas pastime -- and getting paid to do so. Hillsdale junior Matt Melchior is about to spend a whole summer doing exactly that. Melchior has been named the broadcasting director for the High Desert Mavericks, the Seattle Mariners Class A advanced affiliate, located in sunny Adelanto, Calif., which is a 90-minute drive northeast of Los Angeles. Melchior will be busy working for the Mavericks. Ill be simulcasting all of their games, for both television and radio, and then Ill also be hiring a PA announcer, Melchior said. Ill deal with all the media relations, press releases, all of that. Over spring break, Melchior travelled down to Peoria, Ariz. to interview with Chris Gwynn, the director of player development for the Mariners, along with members of the Mavericks staff, including manager Eddie Menchaca, pitching coach Andrew Lorraine, and hitting coach Max Venable. Melchior also had the privilege of interviewing with current Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon. Melchior then headed to Adelanto to prepare scripts and handle human resources in preparation for opening day on April 3. Melchior, a week after returning to Hillsdale at the conclusion of spring break, headed west again this past Monday, this time for the remainder of the summer. Melchior took 19 credits this semester, a large workload for any student, but was still able to complete all his coursework before leaving for Adelanto.
My teachers have been very flexible and very willing to work with me, so Ive been completing all my course work ahead of time, Melchior said. Ill have it all done and all my requirements done on the home front before I take this job. Melchior will be just as busy, if not more so, after the season begins. [The Mavericks] have 72 home games, and between travelling and home games, we have five off days, Melchior said. For a season that lasts from the beginning of April to the beginning of September, Melchior will average just one day off a month. After an incredibly busy summer, Melchior will return to Hillsdale. Ill miss the first two weeks of school, and then Ill come back and graduate in the fall, Melchior said. Melchior will be missed by many at Hillsdale during his absence, including Brad Monastiere, Hillsdales Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations and Event Management. Matt came to me actually very early his freshman year two years ago and expressed interest in working in some capacity in the department, but particularly looking at an announcing scenario, Monastiere said. Hes someone who has a lot of initiative, who has a lot of drive, has a lot of ambition, but also has a lot of talent, and this opportunity hes got in California is the end result of the combination of all those things coming together. On campus, Melchior is involved with PA announcing and football game management in addition to broadcasting baseball and softball games, so Monastiere will have to try and make do without him. Well just have to get by with what we have, but his contributions during the time he was here were extremely valuable, Monastiere said. The nice thing is that hell be back next fall after hes done with the team out there so well put him to work again. The next five months will be a marathon for Melchior, but one he will undoubtedly enjoy. Becoming the High Desert Mavericks broadcast director is one of the first big steps that Melchior will take towards fulfilling his dream of becoming a broadcaster for a Major League Baseball team.
or three times but filmed it in under an hour, Booms said. For winning the contest, the Chargers head coach Chris Gravel will receive the book Thinking Volleyball, written by AVCA Hall of Famer Mike Hebert. The team is excited that something done as a thank you to their coach has gained so much attention. I think it was weird enough and different enough to win, Booms said.
The baseball team played six games in the last week. They won three and lost three. After losing to Grand Valley State University (6-0) on March 20, the Chargers (3-3) swept Walsh University (1-3) over the weekend. The team then dropped two more games to GVSU on March 26. Grand Valley, currently 18th in national rankings, topped Hillsdale 12-1 and 13-8 in yesterdays games. In the first games second inning, junior Shane Armstrong got
your bullpen thats huge. Breymaier batted in the second Walsh games only run. Two outs into the bottom of the fourth, Breymaier took two strikes before smacking a single into center field. Sophomore Tad Sobieszczanski scored the run. Sometimes all you need to do is come up with one clutch hit, Theisen said. He said the whole weekend exemplified good team baseball. Point in case: the Hillsdale offenses collaboration to score the final run of the series third game. Going into the bottom of the sixth, the game tied at four, sophomore Connor Bartlett singled. He then advanced to second as Reed grounded out. Junior Vinny Delicata got on base after taking a hit. A single from Ortel put Bartlett onto third. Ladzinski then forced a fielders choice and Bartlett crossed home. Hillsdale held on and won, 5-4. It truly was a great team weekend, Theisen said. Hillsdale next plays this weekend in a three-game series at Sophomore Lincoln Reed at bat during a game over spring break. (Photo Courtesy of Dominic Restuccia) Malone University.
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B1 27 March. 2014
Hannah Ahern
Tower Dancers will perform their annual concert this weekend, March 28 to 30. modern dance. She is choreographing a piece called Reconciliation, which will involve only three dancers. Its very lyrical, Holt explained. Its modern, but the technique is a little more balletic. Im using three dancers, which is a little small for a Tower Dancers piece. Ive been working on it since last semester, so I was coached through it as I was de-
(Anders Kiledal/Collegian)
veloping it. Holt will also be in Posts piece called Encircling Air. Because it is a piece about friendship, the dance will have many lifts. Every dancer is lifted
at least once, Holt said. While some Tower Dancers, like Holt, have been in dance most of their lives, Denton didnt take any dance classes until college. After taking Ballet I, she
Top: Sophomore Valerie Oresko, dressed as the Disney princess Belle, connects with a girl in her visit to the childrens hospital, Right: Oresko posing in her Wonder Woman costume. Far right: Oresko (middle, as Aurora) with fellow princess actors in California.
(Courtesy of Valerie Oresco)
On Sunday, March 30, a student Woodwind Quintet will perform at 3 p.m. in Howard Music Halls Conrad Recital Hall. The performance, a little under an hour long, will feature senior Jacob Martin on oboe, senior Kayla Cash and freshman Kaitlyn Johns on clarinet, junior Anna Schumacher on flute, junior Mitchell Irmer on French horn, and junior Lydia Ekin on piano. Martin, Cash, and junior Kirsten Hall, who is studying abroad this semester, organized the quintet three years ago. We started because we wanted to do chamber music, but there wasnt an outlet for that, Cash said. The students requested Cynthia Duda, lecturer in music, to coach and play bassoon in the group, which she has continued to do for three years. Unlike past student wind quintets, this one has lasted for several years by having different members play different pieces. This way, not all members must make a full time commitment to
the group and can avoid scheduling conflicts. We try to have multiples of each instrument, Duda said. We have two clarinets right now, and thats whats helping. The more people that are participating the more we can keep this thing going. Because of this strategy, the group will not have to disband once Martin and Cash graduate in May. Duda also doesnt require members to make the typical commitment for a chamber group. I have some people that take it for credit and play more pieces, Duda said. And the ones that cant just fill in for one piece here, one piece there. Since all the members dont have to come to all rehearsals, this prevents students from having to leave the group due to packed schedules. Cash has loved participating in the group and noticing how they have all improved. Weve grown to be good friends and better musicians. Im happy that the group will continue once half of us graduate in May, she said. I will be sad to leave it.
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27 March. 2014 B2
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Richard Austin is an internationally acclaimed performer of Gerard Manley Hopkins poetry. Austin has dedicated his life to performing the 19th-century Jesuit priests work. He has performed the verses for more than 15 years, self-described as Hopkins Golden Echo to the unique and often difficult poetry of Hopkins. He aims to fulfill Hopkins own wish for the verses to be performed and to help audiences everywhere understand the deeper meaning behind the words. Compiled by Meg Prom What prompted you to start reading Hopkins poetry? It came down to the fact that I was presented with this almost impenetrable poetry everybody acknowledges that Hopkins is difficult. I had to start reading him when I was 16. At the same time, because I was somebody who was known to have a good speaking voice, they liked to hear me read things. So, they gave me the Windhover and Gods Grandeur to read in school assembly. We used to have religious assembly every morning in school, and I got to read them out loud with a microphone. I became enchanted with the sound of it. I had no idea, particularly with the Windhover, what it was about. In a way, Gods Grandeur has more that I fell in love with probably because I did slightly understand it. But some of those images are just so fabulous. He is the poet of the little humble things, things that poets wouldnt normally think to glorify. Because hes a nature poet, and because he puts his thinking and his feelings into terms that are accessible and into such beautiful imagery you cant help but love Hopkins. Is Hopkins Poetry still applicable to this day and age? Absolutely, I think he said actually, as Solomon says, there is a time for everything, and perhaps the day may come for my verses. He was not published until almost 30 years after his death. Once the first edition [of his poetry] came out, the world was still not quite ready for it it. For the 750 copies that they made of the first edition, it took over 10 years for them to sell and for a second edition to be required. So in 1930 a second edition appeared, and, from then on he has been a massive influence on everybody writing in English poetry. Sylvia Plath said, read Hopkins for solace, Ted Hughes loved him; Seamus Heaney said that he might as well have signed his early poems Hopkins thats how strongly influenced he was. I think poetry would not be where it is today if not for him. He went back in time to take poetry forward. He reconnected it to two major taproots: the Anglo-Saxon poetry of the past and the out loud component. Now we have young people doing poetry slams which are terribly popular and we have rap. Hopkins poetry is extremely relevant and valuable today because of where he took poetry. What is your favorite poem by Hopkins? I have several, but As Kingfishers Catch Fire, Dragonflies Draw Flame is how I usually answer because that sonnet seems to me to
Q&A
Richard Austin
be so important. Its not just beautiful to listen to, beautiful to read, and full of wonderful imagery as all of his work is, but more importantly I think it sums up what Gerard Hopkins believes is the key, a quintessence of his philosophy, really, of what he believed was important. He was very immersed in Dun Scotus philosophy and that idea of thisness: the idea that each thing is unique. But there are moments in all of [his poems]. They are all great friends. As to other poets, Bob Dylan is big for me. He entered my life just a little before Hopkins. Hes a considerable force I think. You have to be into him pretty thoroughly before you dig up some of these treasures. But his religious work too, some of his Christian albums, are full of wonderful stuff. I love Ted Hughes, but he makes me never want to write again, hes so good. I love Emily Dickinson, I think her work performs really well too. Oh, Shakespeare of course. Sonnets, plays, everything. Hes just absolutely amazing. How do you memorize so many large poems? I have a mind that is a bit like a magpies nest. Its full of stuff. It remembers things whether I want it to or not. It loves words. My mind is extremely attracted to ideas, words, rhythms, and phrases. And poetry is by definition heightened speech. Its partly that I do have a predisposition to it. Also I work hard. I repeat it over and over and over, longer and longer sections, gradually putting it together. Reading it over and over again aloud. Always aloud. I always work with a microphone, even at home, and in headphones. As a vocal performer, you have to overcome that experience that we all have, and I dont care how beautiful somebody thinks anybodys voice is, your spoken voice does not sound to yourself the way it sounds to others. And we like what it sounds like to ourselves. I like what I hear in my head. But thats not my product. What is your favorite audience reaction? I really like when someone says that they didnt think they were going to enjoy it as much they did. A lot of times with poetry people dont appreciate it. People think they wont like it, that it will be boring, that they wont understand it which maybe they wont but it can still be pleasurable even if you dont understand it. I also really like it when people say that theyve tried and tried with Hopkins and they really havent been able to get it. Then they get the CD and go, ahh, now I see. Thats what Hopkins wanted.
(Ben Block/Collegian)
Do you have any advice to collegiate poets or performers? Hydrate. It sounds ridiculous or a humble thing to think of, but if you are a person who suffers with nerves and youre faced with this auditorium full of people and in my case they are often the top Hopkins scholars in the world you get extremely nervous. My mouth gets really dry. The only way to get around that is to anticipate it, to know that its going to happen, and drink, drink, drink. Because by the time you get there, its performance time, and youve got a dry mouth, its too late, however much water you drink then is not going to affect it. You need to prepare. Learning it by heart is also absolutely crucial. You cannot do what I do if youre working with paper. A lot of people like to have the paper there, its like their security blanket. But its also creating a barrier between you and [the audience]. I cant maintain eye contact with you if Im doing that. Youre not going to have the same impact as you will without notes. What would you say the purpose of poetry is according to Hopkins? He said to his brother in a letter, I am sweetly soothed by your saying that you could make anyone understand my poem by reciting it well. That is what I always hoped, thought, and said, this is my precise aim. I think he would say that he would want his poetry to fulfill that purpose if it could. To express that beauty that he experienced in the world. He was very touched and moved by beauty in all its forms. It could be the formation of ice crystals in the outdoors or urinals. [Hopkins wants] to express the beauty in a form of words of the formation of a bird, a tree, wet sand, in such a way that it draws the listener or the reader to God and reveals beauty to their mind. Fills them with beauty, nourishes them.
Studio Ghibli
Peter Kistler Special-to-the-Collegian The Wind Rises is the last production of its kind. Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the film marks the end of a long career for this living legend of animated cinema. In his final work, Miyazaki applies his trademark imaginative, thoughtful aesthetic to the story of real-life engineer Jiro Horikoshi, who designed airplanes in a Japan swiftly militarizing in anticipation of World War II. The film follows Jiro, an idealistic young man, as he pursues his
childhood dream: to design and build beautiful airplanes. As the 1930s wear on, however, Japan and Germany begin to court one anothers affections, and Jiros aircraft firm must replace its quaint wooden designs with sleek fighters and bombers. Jiro must decide, time and again, how best to use his talents in a world bent on turning them toward destructive ends. Though this question forms the crux of the plot, the film moves at a deliberate pace, examining multiple aspects of Jiros life. In a series of lush dream sequences, Jiro discusses his problem with his idol, Italian engineer Giovanni Caproni, who faced a similar dilemma with his own aircraft in World War I. A second subplot involves Jiros childhood sweetheart Nahoko, who contracts tuberculosis be-
fore their wedding so must decide how to spend the remainder of her days. The film treats Nahokos illness, as well as the other harsh realities of the WWII era, from a respectful distance, making the truth of things plain without indulging in unnecessary detail. Miyazakis screenplay has drawn criticism from some who claim The Wind Rises downplays the atrocities to which Japan and its wartime allies were complicit. Over the course of the film, however, we see that Jiro is aware of Hitlers rise to power, his terrible regime, and its implications for the free world. Jiro is mainly interested in doing his job and discovers only too late, by the time the German secret police become involved, that he has no choice but to continue doing it. The Wind Rises stands out among Miyazakis body of work in that it takes place in an entirely realistic world. In the absence of the usual spirits, demons, and wizards, the studio instead focuses its signature attention to visual detail on highlighting the beauty of everyday life. As a Miyazaki veteran, I found the change of pace refreshing and marveled at the intricate puffs of hand-drawn cigarette smoke and the steady flow of a forest stream. Newcomers to Miyazaki and his style, never fear: This is one of his studios most readily-accessible films for Western audiences. As has been the case with all Miyazakis films for the past 15 years, a talented team at the Walt Disney Company has provided a seamless English translation, brought to life by an all-star cast. Jiro is voiced by Joseph-Gordon Levitt, earnest, as always, yet polite and unassuming. Emily Blunt voices Nahoko, and supporting roles are filled by the likes of Martin Short, Stanley Tucci, and Werner Herzog, among others. The film derives its title from a piece of poetry of which Jiro is fond, The wind riseswe must try to live! Through Jiros eyes, we see the truth of the poem: there is darkness, fear, and hardship in the world; sometimes it is inescapable, even unopposable. And yet, we must do our best and most beautiful work we must strive to be the best human beings we can possibly be. At this particular juncture in our lives, as college students about to cast ourselves off into a world that promises us very little, I believe this is some of the best advice we could hope to receive.
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157 Hillsdale St. Southeast corner of Hillsdale Street and Fayette Street across from the ATO house.
Bird estimated that the final cast will include around 40 people. This year, Hillsdale Community Theater has been making a concerted effort to increase the number of people who regularly attend shows at the Sauk. The February production of Lost in Yonkers, a coming-of-age play by Neil Simon, was particularly successful. It was the most highly attended non-musical and non-Christmas production that weve put on in ten years, Bird said. This desire to reach new audiences, especially young people in the community and at Hillsdale College, was a large part of the decision to produce Les Miserables. Once people see our shows, they start to appreciate what were doing, and theyll want to come back, Bird said. We are a community theater, but that doesnt mean we cant strive for something more professional.
Singles and doubles $300-$400 monthly (utlities included) Washer and dryer, parking, and dumpster available Air-conditionted
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SPOTLIGHT
B3 27 March 2014
f o s e o r He
Hundreds of Hillsdale College students left in 1861 to fight in the American Civil War. Many came home wounded. Some never came home at all. This series chronicles the experiences of several of those students who left their families and their college to fight. Special thanks to Linda Moore, Arlan Gilbert, and Kraig McNutt for their knowledge and assistance.
Hillsdale
more than 45 years later. After one of the fearful onslaughts at Petersburg, the wounded came pouring into my tent, which was nearest to the firing line, so that a drummer-lad had named it the halfway house, she wrote. As she watched the wagons roll past carrying the Union wounded, one soldier slumped off and fell into the dirt. He laid there motionless. Stop! she cried out. The driver, looking back, coolly replied, He is dead. What does it matter? Blackmar knelt beside the soldier, feeling for a pulse. She found a faint heartbeat, and called a surgeon over. The surgeon looked at the young Rebel and declared it a hopeless cause. We must go on, he said. Blackmar refused to leave his side. With my knowledge that he was so young and had the force of youth, moreover, the hardships of the Confederates had toughened him, I remained on the ground at his side, not daring to leave him, she later wrote. She used her fingers to plug the young soldiers wound and remained on the ground at his side for 24 hours before surgeons finally moved the boy inside. At the close of the siege of Petersburg, City Point saw the departure of the Union Army. Blackmar traveled with the army to Richmond, Va., where she stayed until the end of the war. At the close of hostilities, I, with many others, went with the army to Washington, and there saw the final parade of 60,000 troops before the White House, she wrote. Blackmar left her job as an army nurse and traveled to Philadelphia. She attended the Womens Medical College, the first medical school for women in the country. After graduating in 1867, she moved to Rhonerville, Fla., where she attempted to establish a medical practice. She was forced to leave after two months because local residents would not allow a woman to set up a medical practice in their town. In 1870, she moved to Jacksonville, Fla., where she practiced medicine for the rest of her life.
Sponsored by Hillsdale College Enactus in association with Sam's Club Step Up for Small Business Project
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Macaela Bennett Assistant Editor Japanese anime and traveling to Narnia seldom show up on college midterms. But this fall, students will study these subjects in honors seminars. Honors seminars are there to provide a way to learn what we dont have time to study otherwise, said Professor of Theater and Speech James Brandon. Some of these one-credit seminars include courses like Return to Narnia, Intro to Japanese Anime Films, Drowning in Information, and Researching Family History. Several of these have been offered before, but Associate Professor of Education Daniel Couplands Return to Narnia is a more recent development. Coupland said he decided to offer the course after his frustration that he could not devote enough time to the Chronicles of Narnia in his Classic Childrens Literature class. The Chronicles of Narnia is a rich series, and I have always wanted to take a little time and look carefully at these wonderful stories, Coupland said. The seminar description says students will revisit Lewis Chronicles of Narnia as adult readers and explore the theological, philosophical, and literary threads that Lewis used in his supposal. Coupland intends to show how even Narnias critics concede its great influence on childrens literature. The stories continue to resonate with generation after generation of readers, Coupland said. Lewis is also communicating some amazing truths to young people in the Narnia series that he communicates to adults in his oth-
er writing. When adult readers revisit Narnia, they are often able to recognize that Lewis had packaged these same important truths within an engaging story for children. Brandon decided to offer his seminar, Intro to Japanese Anime Films after teaching the topic in another course. Approximately 15 years ago during a foreign films class, Brandon realized there was enough interest in the Japanese anime film to teach an entire course on the topic. He now teaches the seminar every four years. In this class, students study anime from the 1960s to present day and watch about 20 films throughout the semester. Japanese anime helps you get a different angle on things, Brandon said. A lot of Japanese cinema reflects World War II and post-WWII themes from the the Japanese perspective, which students find really interesting. Brandon plans to teach students about Japanese culture, language, and film, but he will also show how Western film and culture influenced Japanese animators. You dont have to be a science geek to appreciate anime, Brandon said. There are a lot of foreign films out there, and this is just a slice of that pie, but I think it opens up peoples eyes. Drowning in Information by Technical Service Librarian Brenna Wade is another repeat seminar available this fall. This will function as a brief information studies course. Wade will use current articles about topics like the National Security Agency and Edward Snowden to foster a discussion-based class about how to handle the masses of information and technology that affect our lives. Because everyone uses the Internet
SEMINARS of past
GREGORIAN CHANT FOR DUMMIES FRENCH CUISINE DEMYSTIFIED THERES NO HOME LIKE PLACE H.P LOVECRAFT AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HORROR NOVELS OF CORMAC MCCARTHY INTRO TO LIFE CALLING BEER: SCIENCE, STYLES, AND SAMPLING ONLY ROCK AND ROLL
and present
JAPANESE ANIME FILMS RETURN TO NARNIA INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL RESEARCHING FAMILY HISTORY
Courtship as Ritual the most. As a senior, Wonders wishes she could have taken more of Finns classes. Sarcasm, dry humor, and the random bits of trivia she puts in her lectures make them interesting and easy to pay attention to, Wonders said. Rather than wanting us to sit silently and mindlessly take notes, she encourages constant discussion and makes us comfortable to voice our opinions. The flexibility of the sociology program has allowed her to teach classes that interest her and that she and Blum feel may interest and benefit students. Ive always admired Shannons willingness to forthrightly challenge taken-for-granted assumptions, Blum said. Part of her strength as a teacher is her ability to challenge herself. Finn would love to earn her doctorate within the fields of criminal populations and the social sciences, but for now, she is happy to teach and work as a legal consultant. A lot of students mistakenly refer to me as Dr. Finn and I dont bother correcting them!