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(04/30/09 12:00am)
Author: Ted Silberman John Illig's love of the mountains blossomed out of his childhood summers at camp in the Adirondacks. Coaching collegiate squash gave him free summers to pursue this love and complete the hiker's "Triple Crown." During three summers spaced six years apart, Illig hiked America's three premier mountain-range distance paths - the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails. The trilogy of books he wrote tells the stories of these hikes and the personal valleys and peaks that he encountered along the way.As "Trail Ways, Path Wise" begins, the first in the series, begins, "The hardest thing about through-hiking the Appalachian Trail is getting to the start." Walking a 2,146-mile trail is a serious undertaking and requires months of free time to trek through the woods, forgoing a paycheck.Illig's three books, "Trail Ways, Path Wise," "Pacific Dream" and "Man in the Middle" take the reader along on his northbound journeys across the country. The introspective narratives describe such tribulations as seeing a man killed by a car in Virginia and the strains on his relationship with his new wife, who accompanied him for the beginning of his trek up the Pacific Crest. Of course, there were many high points to his travels and the books also recount the joys he experienced along the way."The Appalachian Trail is hilarious because there are so many people of different ages and walks of life," said Illig. "Everyone has his or her own 'trail name' - a pseudonym that largely determines your trail ego.""Sneakers" - the moniker Illig got from his unusual choice of hiking footwear - encountered many people on his hikes. When asked if he made any friendships that lasted beyond the trail, he said, "I made many lifelong friends, but they only exist in my memory.""The hardest part is getting there," said Illig. "At times, there is some discomfort, but when it comes down to it, this is just walking. Coaching squash during the winters meant I had no firm commitments during the summer. At six-year intervals, I asked the director of athletics for special permission to take a mini-sabbatical and hike the trails."After earning his degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Rochester, Illig moved to Maine and coached squash at Colby College for five years before moving on to Bates College for the next 11. While he loved the outdoorsy feel of the Maine schools, he jumped at the chance to come to Middlebury."Bates and Colby are great, but they aren't actually close to the mountains," said Illig. "When this position at Middlebury opened up I was eager to make the switch. This is my dream job - to be able to look out any window and see the mountains," said Illig.Through-hiking the three trails was a great way for Illig to surround himself with the wilderness he so enjoys. "I love mountains," said Illig. "It's a great feeling to reach the top and have the views. I like walking more now that I'm older. The hikes were a great opportunity to be out in nature."For Illig, being out in the wilderness was always the most exciting part. "I spent my whole life in New England, so it was pretty thrilling to be out West. The landscapes out there are otherworldly beautiful."Illig is currently promoting his books at various college outdoors clubs and marketing them on TripleCrownTrilogy.com, where the first two chapters of each book are available online. When not promoting or coaching he is working on a new novel - his first professional foray into fiction.When asked if there is another trail to conquer or if he plans to go back and rehike the first three, he laughed and quipped, "No, that's it. It's just potato chips and TV for me now!"Of course, he spends much of his time in the great outdoors, but now he focuses more on his writing. Stop by the Vermont Book Shop in town or check out Amazon.com to get your own copy and experience the writing and the mountains that Illig loves.
(04/30/09 12:00am)
Author: Elizabeth Scarinci David Weinstock is not afraid to ask people tough questions, if poetry is what comes out of it.On April 23, more than 20 community members gathered in the basement conference room of the Ilsley Public Library, as they do every Thursday, for the Otter Creek Poetry Society meeting. This Thursday, the group celebrated poetry month by holding a 3 1/2 hour writing workshop that Weinstock, the founder of the group, called the National Poetry Month Writing Marathon. Over the course of the afternoon, the group - which ranged in age from nine to 89 - wrote prose and poetry to answer prompts proposed by Weinstock, such as "Who are you and what do you do in the world?" and "Write a story that you tell so well but have never written down."After writing for 20 minutes about the prompt, "Ask your body, one part at a time, to tell you some stories," one man responded, "I had a long car ride with my arteries."Another member offered positive thoughts about living with diabetes: "I try to be friends with every part of my body. Diabetes keeps me straight. It tells me that I have to work hard to keep the number down." Weinstock, an alum of the College's Breadloaf School of English, started the Thursday workshop 12 years ago when he moved to Middlebury. He holds weekly meetings for Otter Creek Poets and bi-monthly meetings for the Spring Street Poets, a group of six members that discuss their poetry in more depth. Weinstock partially created the group to give poets a deadline."Poets never get deadlines," he said. "It's good for someone to say, 'Write a poem now.'"More than creating a deadline, Weinstock emphasized the virtue of the critiques."Poetry is a very solitary art," he said. "You do it by yourself in your own room. Sometimes, you need an ear from somewhere else. Mostly it's a matter of having someone to talk to about what you're writing."The group has attracted poets from the inexperienced to the award-winning, and has even included professors from the College. On a typical Thursday afternoon, the group meets to critique poetry that the members have written. One member, Peter Szymkowicz, who has attended meetings off-and-on for the past few years, discussed how he has benefited from the open and inspirational group."You learn to defend the meaning in your words and the strength in your writing," he said. "They inspire you to become more experimental and courageous."Another group member, Niel Worden, joined the club two months ago to transition from a 25-year creative writing hiatus since graduating from Colorado College. He commented on the constructive and open energy of the group. "I have had some people say cutting things about my writing, but it's coming from a constructive place," he said.During one of the discussions, the two nine-year-olds, Kiely and Orlando, whispered, "Can I read yours while you read mine?" After the meeting, Kiely said, "I thought it was fun. One of the writings we did was hard for me to think about because I'm more of an artist."Orlando showed concerns about the time limits during the workshop, "I have so much that I wanted to do, but I couldn't really fit everything in," he said.While two nine-year-olds attended the workshop on Thursday, usually the group consists of older, retired community members. "It mostly tends to be older people, because that's who is free on a Thursday afternoon," Weinstock said.Although he does not publicize the poetry group on campus, Weinstock encouraged any interested College students to come."Middlebury students are very welcome," he said. "The group is open and it's free."Weinstock ended on a proud note, praising the accomplishments of the writers in the group and all Vermont writers. "We make poetry happen in Vermont," he said.
(04/23/09 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] In the recent article by Madison Kahn entitled "Homelessness issue hits home in Midd dorm," the descriptions of the homeless couple as they left the dorm were particularly insensitive. In reference to the two leaving, the phrases "He quickly scurried away" and "scampered away as quickly as possible" are used. People do not scurry. People do not scamper. I am uncertain why such a term would be used to describe a homeless couple. If you were to describe a student or robber in a dorm would you use the term scurry or scamper? I doubt it. The use of such terms implies a sort of sub-human quality to such actions. It almost conveys a sense of superiority, as if these individuals are lesser people or have less value. Such terms immediately bring to mind and are often used in conjunction with rodents and insects. To further illustrate this point: without referencing the article, I asked a high school senior English class to tell me the first thing that came to mind when they heard the word "scurry." Here are a few of their responses: rats, cockroaches, running through dirt, creatures, bugs. These students are the type of demographic that a newspaper should be able to convey a clear message to, and if those are the sorts of connotations a quote like that implies, there is a problem. There are a myriad of other terms that more aptly (and often) apply to humans first that could have been used in these cases: left, rushed, departed, fled, ran away. The use of the given terms is baffling and offensive. I hope that future articles will be more mindful of semantics.- Michael Stefanik '09
(04/23/09 12:00am)
Author: Thomas Mayell Student employees working at the College this summer will be living in Battell Hall, considered by some students the worst housing on campus, though championed by loyal Battell alums. Administrators chose Battell for summer 2009 because all other dorms will be used by the Language School or designated off-limits due to maintenance. Student employees face a $50 weekly charge for a mandatory meal plan that does not include breakfast, in addition to the $20 weekly charge for rent. In the past, student employees had the option of a $100 meal plan consisting of three meals per day during the week and brunch and dinner on the weekends. Housing for summer employees varies from year to year, but typical housing often included academic and social houses like Weybridge House and the Mill.Student employees reacted to these changes with much disappointment, though they understood the impetus for the decisions made. J.P. Allen '11, who worked as an intern at the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs last summer, noted that Battell has a reputation as "not the nicest dorm." His opinion of Stewart, where he lived as an employee last summer, was mixed. Allen said that although the humidity was an issue until a de-humidifier was installed, "I felt like I gained a little of the bond that first-year 'Stew kids' get during the year." Other students were more forceful in their disapproval of the changes. Betty Dembicer '11, a summer research assistant to Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Rick Bunt, plans to live off campus in a four-person apartment. "It's ridiculous that we have to pay $70 a week to live in a double in Battell," she said.Dembicer will instead pay a similar price to live in an apartment with a kitchen, living room and patio off-campus.Maddie Niemi '11, a research assistant in economics, also plans to live away from the College. While she is excited to pursue academic research this summer, Niemi, was unhappy to hear that students would be relegated to Battell. "They normally put research assistants in Palmer or some really nice house," Niemi said. Both Niemi and Dembicer estimated they would be willing to pay no more than about $40 per week to live in Battell, almost 50 percent lower than the $70 required to do so this summer.Administrators considered offering an optional meal plan and implementing a card swiping system to deter unauthorized diners, but a mandatory meal plan was selected instead, said Student Employment Coordinator Deanna Gilbert. Many students in years past were unsatisfied with the meal plan's substantial cost and limited hours, the latter of which is partly due to the Language Schools' restrictions on contact with English-speakers because of the language pledge. Some student employees may be allowed to eat during language school hours if they demonstrate competence in a foreign language. In past summers, student employees often bypassed breakfast at the dining halls, ultimately making the meal plan more costly per meal. Survey results from the summer of 2008 highlighted these issues, and the administration responded. "The only way that the cost of the meal plan could be reduced," said Gilbert, "was to have the plan be mandatory." The mandatory plan also gives Dining Services an idea of how much they will need to prepare for each meal. Livingston Burgess '10 would rather not have a mandatory meal plan, but he understands the rationale behind it. "They can't afford to have people freeloading the system constantly, so they make it mandatory," Burgess said.
(04/16/09 12:00am)
Author: Madison Kahn To borrow one of the slogans from a leading Vermont brand, "life is good" at Middlebury College. We have three free hot meals a day, dorms that are cleaned multiple times a week, great people with whom to converse, unparalleled facilities, excellent professors, spectacular sunsets... and the list goes on forever. At some point or another over the four years we stay at Club Midd, we all find ourselves getting caught up in Middlebury's own utopic "bubble," but rarely do we see the reality of life for many others in Vermont whose stay is not nearly as "good." Several new Febs saw these disparities firsthand on one of their very first nights at Middlebury.Arriving home from Feb orientation one chilling night over February break, new student James Gold '12.5, walked into his Gifford basement suite to find the bathroom door closed and locked. Thinking it was one of his fellow suitemates, James carried on with his business, waiting until his friend emerged. When no one had emerged 20 minutes later, James and the rest of his suite knew something was fishy. Before they had time to react, out came a large bearded man who identified himself as an English professor. He quickly scurried away, leaving Gold and his suitemates baffled by such a bizarre event. "It didn't make much sense why a professor would be in our bathroom, so we came to the conclusion that he must be homeless," said Gold when asked about his initial reaction. Yet, the confusion did not end there. Several minutes later, the man was back, this time saying that he had forgotten his pregnant wife in the bathroom. Sure enough, the woman was hiding behind the shower curtain, and together the pair reunited and scampered away as quickly as possible. The students contacted the office at Public Safety immediately, who later found the couple relaxing at the Juice Bar. The Middlebury police were notified and escorted the couple off campus. Nothing had been taken from the unlocked rooms nor was any damage done to the suite - all that remained was a particularly bizarre memory for some pretty astounded first-year Febs.Although this story sounds outlandish and pretty extreme for a typical Middlebury night, this sort of event is not as uncommon as one may think. Because of the Middlebury bubble we often find ourselves within, we as students rarely see the true face of homelessness in Vermont. Most students would admit that homelessness does not often cross their minds as they mostly attribute homelessness to larger cities rather than rural areas. Even Gold himself, who had the initial contact with the homeless couple, "had never really considered the fact that there could be homeless people in a small town in Vermont." Yet, much to the student body's surprise, there is a lot more going on off campus than we may think.Homelessness is a major issue in Vermont, and particularly in Addison County. In fact, Vermont had the highest rate per capita of homelessness in New England just last year. There are an estimated 4,000 homeless individuals and families living in Vermont each year, and unfortunately this number has continued to grow by 20 percent over the past seven years. Why Vermont? According to Elizabeth Ready, former state senator and current director of the John Graham Shelter in Vergennes, "It is a combination of issues. People in low -wage jobs can't afford housing in the area. We have, sometimes, people working two jobs and together they might make 14 dollars an hour. It's very hard to find a place, with that kind of income. Then there are a number of folks that might be either suffering from a mental illness or a physical disability, and quite frankly, there just aren't places for them to be, and so they're coming to the shelter." The John Graham Shelter in Vergennes is just one of the 21 government-funded homeless shelters in Vermont that is working to combat this issue. Run by Elizabeth Ready and Diana Rule, the shelter provides a clean, safe place for up to 17 residents at any one time, and offers about 5,000 beds to 180 individuals each year. The shelter provides food, laundry vouchers, transportation, counseling and medical care, and often assists residents in finding affordable housing and jobs. Brent Allen '11 has been volunteering at the shelter since his first semester at Middlebury. He and some friends cook dinner once a week and look after the young children on Monday nights while their parents are in a house meeting. "Whatever we do while we are there, we do to give the people at the shelter a break from the monotony that can go on at a shelter, and to have a chance to get to know people and create some really cool friendships," said Allen. "We want the people at the shelter to know they are loved." Unlike a huge city shelter, the John Graham shelter provides stable housing and the closest thing to a home environment that one can find in a homeless shelter. Allen urged students to "recognize the fact of its existence, and to question why homelessness is happening and what can be done about it.""Homelessness is something that can be invisible, but then just completely smack you in the face." Admittedly, James Gold and his suitemates were "smacked in the face," It is one thing to be passionate about poverty, but as Allen has learned, "whenever we are talking about the poor and the marginalized, we are talking about real people. These words aren't abstractions, but people with histories, faces, and hopes."
(04/09/09 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Some students love Middlebury College for its lack of Greek life; some hate it. The five social houses currently on campus - KDR, Omega Alpha (Tavern), the Mill, ADP and Xenia - are reminders of what the College once boasted: a huge fraternity scene. In 1967, there were 11 fraternities at the College. Being in a fraternity was simply a part of the culture. Everyone was doing it. In the 1980s, however, student involvement in frat life had fallen to only 15%. Outrage ensued after members of Middlebury College's Delta Upsilon fraternity displayed a battered and bloodied female mannequin from their balcony in 1988. Students were disgusted at the scene, especially the slogan written across the back of the dummy: "Random Hole." The College experienced what Lecturer in English and American Literatures David Bain, in his book "The College on the Hill" described as a "crisis of conscience" because even though some students were opposed to this image of violence, it was not until a dean insisted that the mannequin be removed that any action was taken. Though the president of Delta Upsilon issued a public apology, students remained upset over the fact that no one had questioned the unsettling incident, and the fraternity system was placed under a more skeptical eye. Eventually, the College decided to abolish the fraternities altogether, and in 1991, "social houses" emerged from the ashes of what was the College's Greek life system. These social houses are very diverse and cater to many different populations and hold distinct histories.Some "unaffiliated" students on campus may dislike the social house system, holding certain beliefs or misconceptions about particular houses, but what follows is a glimpse into their histories and the inside scoop on their current situation ... - Rachael Jennings, Features EditorALPHA DELTA PHIThough it has only been around since 1996, Delta house is notorious among upperclassmen who remember the series of events during the 2005-06 academic year that prompted President of the College Ronald D.Liebowitz to temporarily disband it. In November of that year, the house was placed on probation for a party held during a pledge lock-in. Even worse, a party in April 2006 chalked up numerous violations of the College's party rules, everything from unregistered alcohol to intoxicated hosts. In addition to the violations, dorm damages that year exceeded $1,300, which resulted in the suspension of pledge, party and residential privileges.But Delta members are not accustomed to giving up easily. Even without a building to call their own or the ability to hold pledge, the group was determined to show that they deserved to be welcomed back. During the 2006-07 academic year, members washed cars to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation, hosted tailgate parties at home football games and fielded a Relay for Life team. In spring 2007, President of the College Emeritus John M. McCardell, Jr. became Delta's new faculty adviser. Under former president Christopher Angelini '08, Delta successfully applied to be reinstated, and the College agreed to welcome it back to the Middlebury social scene for the current academic year. The house, which was formerly affiliated with the national Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, is now known simply as Delta, and has made an effort this year to distance itself from its turbulent past."The current leadership is mostly juniors," said Delta member Claire Williams '10, "and they've done a good job of transitioning from the problems in the past."Located in Prescott, one of the four Ridgeline houses on the southwestern edge of campus, Delta now counts 29 members, according to President Steve Hardin '10.Hardin, a linebacker on the football team, counts several teammates among his fellow Delta members. He explained that team camaraderie helps focus some of the house's current community service projects."There are a lot of football players who do Relay for Life," Hardin said. "We also help out with football teams at local high schools."But football players aren't the only students you'll find at Delta on a Friday night. Williams said she appreciates the gender balance - this semester, there are 14 women and 14 men - which makes the house a more enjoyable place to live. "I also like the location," Williams said. "Being close to Palmer and the other Ridgeline houses is great."For Nell Leshner '10, Delta provided a welcoming environment after coming back from a fall semester abroad. "I thought it was great to come back and live with some people that I knew well and others that I got to know," Leshner said. For some, the major draw of social houses is the parties, and in that respect, Delta does not disappoint. Besides informal get-togethers, the house has hosted several major parties this semester, including an America-themed "Red, White and Blues" party and a Catalina wine mixer modeled after the movie "Step Brothers."-Tom BrantKAPPA DELTA RHOOn May 17, 1905, a group of 10 men met in a room in Old Painter Hall to form what would eventually become a well-known American college fraternity with 36 chapters across the United States, Kappa Delta Rho. These 10 founders were George Edwin Kimball, Irving Thurston Coates, John Beecher, Pierce Wordsworth Darrow, Thomas Howard Bartley, Benjamin Edward Farr, Gideon Russell Norton, Gino Arturo Ratti, Chester Monroe Walch and Roy Dyer Wood. At the time, only three fraternities and a large neutral group called the Commons Club existed on campus. KDR formed out of the Commons Club. After much discussion, the founders decided they would give their fraternity the Greek letters, Kappa Delta Rho, Delta Tau Delta, a preexisting fraternity, sent a representative to the College to speak with the group of founders about simply becoming a part of their fraternity, but the men politely refused. According to Kimball, they decided that they "preferred to paddle [their] own canoe." They chose the motto "honor super omnia," meaning, "honor above all things."In David Bain's "The College on the Hill," there is an excerpt written by a 1921 Delta Rho member named Lawrence J. Pierce: "The Kappa Delta Rho fraternity house was about a half mile from the main college campus, right near the athletic field. It was a large, former presidential home, with lots of land around it. When I returned for my sophomore year I moved into the fraternity house. We had a housemother, Mrs. Holbrook, who kept the fraternity in perfect condition. She enforced strict rules and no drinking. I can't remember much smoking either."The KDR house students inhabit today is the same one used in the 1920s, and is still filled with memory and traditions that members feel are very important. The College has asked KDR to move down to Ridgeline and join the other social houses, but current brothers and alumni are very opposed to this idea. Each room has a name, and alumni often return to the house to tell stories and chat with current members about their time in the house during their undergraduate years. Members take great pride in the house and the lawn that surrounds it, which is not owned by the College. KDR's famous tradition, The Pig Roast, has taken place on that lawn for decades.The fraternity existed for many years as an all-male institution, excluding women who worked in the house. Pierce mentions Mrs. Holbrook, but there were many female figures that came to be very much a part of the fraternity even when it was still technically all male. A small apartment in the house existed for chef Diane Ambo, who many referred to as "house mom." In the 1990s, when Middlebury forced its fraternities to become co-ed social institutions, Kappa Delta Rho National disallowed Middlebury's chapter from continuing to be a national chapter. However, Middlebury's role in the original formation of the organization and the pleas of Middlebury alumni led National to reconsider their decision and make a special exception for Middlebury's KDR. Instead of being considered an Alpha Chapter, they are considered an Alpha Society, something unique and only accepted at Middlebury.Kappa Delta Rho has always taken pride in their pledge as a means of bringing their pledge class together. In Pierce also explained parts of his pledge experience."I remember my initiation into the fraternity," he wrote. "It was an all-night affair that involved going to the cemetery and scrambling in an open grave with another neophyte. After that, we went on a long hike into the country, blindfolded. Left alone, I had difficulty orienting myself. I remember knocking on a door where there was a light. A man came with a big dog and was ready to chase me. It was frightening but I finally got back home."Although current KDR member Alex Glaser '09 could not comment extensively on the secrets behind KDR's notoriously difficult and fun pledge, he did say it remains a very important tradition that truly does bond pledges and brothers and aids making the house into the great place it is today.Tucked away in their beautiful house filled with memories, Kappa Delta Rho, despite many generations passed, still holds on to the spirit of its founding over 100 years ago.-Logan BrownTHE MILLWeekends at The Mill will always be just a little bit different. The unique nature of The Mill as a social house and as a specific group of people can be traced back to its beginnings. In 1991, a group of friends decided to create a new, alternative social house where they could foster their quirkiness in peace. "The Mill is the disordered social house
(03/19/09 12:00am)
Author: Simran Bhalla Despite the flailing job market, the Career Services Office (CSO) has been working hard to make sure opportunities exist for the Class of 2009, venturing away from the previously advocated financial careers to offer options more lucrative in an economy where the current unemployment rate is 8.1 percent. Whereas in recent years, Middlebury graduates - especially economics majors - could rely on firms like Lehman Brothers (whose ex-CEO, Richard Fuld, is a College trustee) to recruit from the College, this route is no longer an option for most students. Several investment banks and financial firms such as Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank are not hiring undergraduates any more, and certainly not at the high starting salaries they once offered. Others, such as Lehman itself, have gone under. "Certain sectors like finance and consulting, which were popular Midd destinations, have fallen off dramatically," said Senior Associate Director of Career Services Don Kjelleren. Nonetheless, certain students have still been able to find lucrative jobs. Akshay Khanna '09 will be working as a financial analyst for the firm Audax Group after graduation. It is one of very few equity firms that hire recent graduates. "I was really surprised at how well they pay, especially for an undergraduate," said Khanna. Like many students, he decided to try to get a job right after graduation because "I'm broke and didn't want to go to grad school right after college ... and I was rejected from the [Commons Residential Advisor] CRA job." Jobs outside the finance market are easier to come by, and in some sectors - specifically non-profits and government - demand has risen. "Law, government, healthcare, education and energy jobs have all been holding their own or actually on the rise, said Kjelleren. Teach for America may have its biggest recruiting year ever at Middlebury." Several students are opting to take the path that Mairead Harris '09 has taken. The dual Spanish-Chinese major is planning to go to China and teach English, or work for an NGO and "use all the money I save from living off fried rice to pay back some loans." CSO has made a huge effort to increase recruiting on campus and bring more job options to students in anticipation of a tougher market. In addition to Senior Spotlight - a newsletter that supplies career advice - the CSO regularly conducts job fairs, seminars and workshops. There are two coming up on April 1: a "Life Skills For After Graduation" alumni panel and a "How To Get Into Graduate School" workshop. The College also has a student ambassador from the Partnership for Public Service on campus, Matt Joseph '09, to promote jobs and internships in the federal government. CSO has also managed to expand MOJO, the College's online job and internship listing. "We have 21 brand new employers this spring accepting applications through our online recruiting system," said Kjelleren. These include training track positions at companies like PepsiCo and Proctor & Gamble that usually go to MBA graduates, as well as new openings with The Brookings Institution, Radio Free Asia, American University and DC Prep, and in the public sector, Vermont Public Power Supply and the Internal Revenue Service. Kjelleren also mentioned the "hidden job market," in which he says 60 percent to 80 percent of job opportunities for recent college graduates are. These are jobs that do not get posted and are filled mostly through referrals. He emphasized the importance of "personalizing outreach" when applying for jobs or internships. Kjelleren's advice for students looking to get these "hidden" jobs is to build personal networks by using contacts. In addition to the plethora of opportunities offered by CSO, students can search for jobs and internships through Web sites such as Idealist, which was founded by the non-profit Action Without Borders, where various NGOs, non-profits and organizations in fields such as journalism and education can post listings for students and recent college graduates. However, while non-profit and public service work can be lucrative career-wise and appeal to the idealist streak in liberal arts graduates, it is not an option for many students hoping to pay off student loans or pay for graduate school. There may be other options soon: President Barack Obama plans to create a Teacher Service Scholarships program that will cover a four-year undergraduate or two-year graduate program in education for students who teach in high-need areas for at least four years.
(03/12/09 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Perched atop fireplaces and dusty mantels, gazing placidly from the dusty naves that overlook bustling hallways and animated dinner conversations, the busts of some of Middlebury's most distinguished men often fall unnoticed to the passerby. Fixed immobile for eternity, their names hover above the buzzing campus with little-understood historical meaning. With the help of The Campus, let us know their faces and their histories.EGBERT AND CHARLES J. STARRHung above the fireplaces of Starr Library, the portraits of Egbert and Charles J. Starr illustrate the busts of two distinguished men to whom Middlebury College owes much of its early patronage. Sons of powerful trustee and Middlebury attorney Peter Starr, Charles and Egbert Starr are in part responsible for the survival of Middlebury College in the 19th century. Born in Middlebury, the brothers grew up in Vermont until their young adulthood when they moved to New York to pursue entrepreneurial passions. Both were successful businessmen; Charles established a profitable wholesale clothing company, while Egbert entered the industry of wholesaling and importing dry goods. The Starr family played an important role in Middlebury's history because their assistance was critical during challenging times in the College's past. In the mid 19th century, Middlebury's dwindling admissions and staff, as well as its increased costs and inadequate funding, predicted a dismal future for the College. Through the donations of the Starr family, Middlebury was able to proceed with certain projects to better the College and move it from depression into recovery. In 1857, former President of the College Benjamin Labaree, with donations from Charles Starr, purchased over 3,000 volumes, doubling the College's library. The family also enabled the erection of another dormitory, Starr Hall - an essential addition because of the College's insufficient dormitory facilities. Through such improvements, Middlebury's administration hoped to attract more students, the most attainable solution to their problems. The Starrs continued to help the College in the 1880s by funding the construction of the first "commons" project - a building that included a dining hall and recreation area - which aimed to reduce overall costs. During Ezra Brainerd's term as president, the Starr brothers bestowed substantial funds to Middlebury upon their deaths. Egbert's $50,000 donation was to be used for the construction of a library, hence the name Starr Library. Charles' $150,000 donation reached even farther. It enabled much-needed improvements to the College's living conditions, including centralized heating and a sewage system for Starr Hall. Charles' legacy extended to faculty expansion as well - he facilitated the hiring of the first strictly modern language professor, allowing the specialization of the classics and modern language departments. When the enrollment of female students began to increase in the 1890s, the Starr's contributions went toward the renovations of the first women's dorm, a vital feature of future growth. It was fortunate that the Starr brothers' assistance happened when it did: because of their generosity, Middlebury was able to expand its physical and student bodies and mature for more than 100 years into the educational institution that it is today. - Corinne Beaugard, Staff WriterWILFRED DAVISONWilfred Davison's portrait by Pierre Zwick, circa 1931, hangs in the Ross Fireplace Lounge. Davison is known to the Middlebury community today as Professor Davison - a graduate of the College in 1913 and the first dean of the Bread Loaf School of English from 1921 to 1929. Born in South Walden, Vt. in 1887, Davison prepared for college at the Montpelier Seminary before enrolling at Middlebury. After Middlebury, he studied German in Berlin and Marburg, Germany, attended the Curry School of Expression in Boston and pursued graduate work at Harvard and Columbia. Davison also became an instructor and assistant professor of German at Middlebury in 1913, but he later transferred to the English Department in 1918 and the American Literature department in 1921. Through his early work at Bread Loaf, Davison recruited a strong nationally-known faculty including George Whicher of Amherst, Kenneth Murdock of Harvard, Katherine Lee Bates of Wellesley, Edith Mirrielees of Stanford, James Southall Wilson of Virginia and Fred Lewis Pattee of Pennsylvania State University. Davison also invited visiting writers, such as Robert Frost, Willa Cather, Dorothy Canfield Fisher and Louis Untermeyer to read and converse with students. This set the stage for what would later become the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, which was founded in 1926. After Davidson's unexpected death in 1929, just five days before his 42nd birthday, the Davison Memorial Library was constructed in his honor at Bread Loaf, where it remains to this day.- Liya Gao, Staff WriterJULIAN W. ABERNETHYJulian W. Abernethy was a native of New Haven, Vt. He graduated from Middlebury in 1876. He was a fellow at Johns Hopkins University and worked as a principal at the Berkeley Institute in Brooklyn, NY. He served as a Middlebury trustee for 22 years, from 1901 until his death in 1923. In his will, Abernethy generously left the College a collection of books and manuscripts. The collection originally consisted of around 6,000 volumes, but since 1923 the collection has grown considerably and now contains over 20,000 volumes. Many of the books are rare first editions. The transcendentalist movement as embodied by authors, like Emerson and Thoreau, particularly fascinated Abernethy. He, too, was an author and editor of many literary works, as well as an educator and passionate collector of first- edition literary works.- Logan Brown, Staff WriterFRANK D. ABERNETHYJulian's brother Frank D. Abernethy, one of the four Abernethy brothers, helped with the funding for additional equipment in the Abernethy wing of the Starr library. After World War I, Middlebury College was in desperate need of more library space. Imagine the Library during finals week
(03/12/09 12:00am)
Author: Dana Walters On March 6, 2009, C.A. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Economics David Colander printed an article in the The Chronicle of Higher Education that called attention to the large concentration of economics majors at Middlebury. While he originally attributed the popularity of his department to students' desire to make economics the "liberal-arts-equivalent" of the business major, he then dismissed it by citing a survey conducted by his class, in which "only 19 percent of the respondents said that the job-training aspect of the economics curriculum had been very important to their choice of major" and "only 36 percent said they were planning to work in business."Colander posits that economics majors are not all drawn to the study as a way to make money, which begs the question, why do people choose to major in particular subjects? The liberal arts education, as recently explored in the New York Times article, "In tough times, the humanities must justify their worth," might not specifically translate into a job in the real world. Instead, as author of the article Patricia Cohen writes, it turns out that "[the] civic and historical knowledge and ethical reasoning that the humanities develop have a different purpose: They are prerequisites for personal growth and participation in a free democracy, regardless of career choice." If students are not thinking about careers when they choose to major in a subject, then what are they thinking about? Colander believes that students choose economics because "[it] provides the appropriate middle ground of skill preparation, analytic rigor and intellectual excitement that students look for in a major, and that employers look for when hiring students." Associate Professor of History William Hart explained why he believed people are drawn to majoring in history."Studying the past illuminates the present," he said, "which in troubled times is particularly important." While the history major might not appear to be as useful in the future as an economics major does, Hart contended that this is simply not the case. "The study of history equips students with a number of indispensable skills," he insisted, "including critical reading and thinking, research, and writing. History trains students to ask good questions, to conduct research in answer of those questions, and to write up their findings and interpretations. These skills are critically important, whether one enters the field of education, law, government, business, or medicine."Hart's comments are in line with what Michael Crittell '11 had to say about why he chose to be an English major, stressing that job training was not specifically a matter of concern. Instead, other worries were at the forefront of his mind. He explained that the joy he receives from his English classes gives him a far greater happiness than the security of knowing his major might directly translate into a job. "I wholly believe that if you do things you enjoy, then you will be happy in life," Crittell said. "I feel that English majors can directly apply their communication skills anywhere in the real world because that's what life's about-talking to other people, getting your point across, and expressing yourself."One interesting aspect of major selection at Middlebury is the option of choosing intriguing interdepartmental options, like international or environmental studies. In addition to these majors that integrate many different academic areas, students have the option to create their own union of two interests in the joint major. Tiffany Orlowski '09, a joint sociology-psychology major, explained her choice, saying, "I think that they suggest against the joint major because you can't really get as deep into one field or the other, but I liked having both of them to compare and work with. However, others' concerns and a concern for real- world application did not affect her. "I didn't really think at all about what I was going to do with this major after college," she said. "I just liked it."All of these comments appear to align with what Colander stated in his article about math and science majors from colleges like Middlebury easily finding jobs because of the "liberal arts" component of their education. Many people seem to feel that the liberal arts education and the majors that go along with it are vital pieces of thinking critically in today's world. Hart summed up their feelings neatly. "Too often, we question the value of a liberal arts education, wondering if pre-professional training isn't better," he said. "Anxiety over the world and the market place, I argue, prompt us to ask this question. Hands down, a liberal arts education better prepares students for life, for confronting the vicissitudes of life, for understanding the world from multiple perspectives and for solving the world's challenges, whether these challenges are local or global."
(03/12/09 12:00am)
Author: Kate Lupo Professor of American Studies Kit Wilson, most amazing teacher of the American studies course "American Landscape," shared a wonderful story with his students this week. On vacation in Florence some years ago, Wilson and his wife visited Michelangelo's "David" in the Galleria Dell'Accademia. After viewing "David" from the front, Wilson and his wife chose to sit down on a vacant bench behind the majestic statue. Seated on the bench, Professor Wilson had a full view of "David"'s "impressive buns" (the AMST class erupts in laugher). Later on, two elderly English women sat down next to Wilson. One of the doddering old ladies looked at the statue's backside and exclaimed "What a tush!" "What a tush!" is a phrase I say to myself almost every day at Middlebury College. In the library, in the dining halls and in the dorms, women at Middlebury just love wearing tights - those wonderfully comfortable spandex pants that hug every curve and ripple of the female form. I am simply fascinated by the "tights phenomenon" and how it fits into the physical and sexual health of the student body. Here are the different ways tights are worn during the harrowing months of a Middlebury winter. 1. "I didn't have time to change after the gym" spandex tights. Girls often glide into the dining halls after successful sessions in the gym. Their faces slightly pink, these women either truly don't have time to change into normal clothes after workouts, or they are secretly thrilled that boys can see their perfectly toned quads through the tight-fitting spandex they choose to wear. From the sidelines, the male species can lazily observe these beautifully sculpted female specimens on display and choose potential mates. 2. "I am cutely dressed in spandex and cuddly sweatshirt, please hug me" tights. The intense spandex-gym girls often transform into the library cuddly-spandex girls who wear their tights beneath oversized sweatshirts. Some sweatshirts completely cover the female derri
(03/12/09 12:00am)
Author: Michael Nevadomski This past weekend saw the amateur performance of Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, "Wit" (alternately spelled "W:t"). Based on the author's own hospital experiences, "Wit" explores the isolating effects of academia through the last months of the main character, Dr. Vivian Bearing (Lizzie Gordon '09), an English professor specializing in the so-called "Holy Sonnets" of John Donne. Diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic ovarian cancer, Vivian undergoes experimental chemotherapy treatments that render her mere "research" to her attending physicians, which in turn cause her to reflect on her experiences with students and the way that her own research (though metaphysical in nature and powerful in subject) has isolated her from humanity. "Edson offers no cautionary morals, and no carpe diem speeches," wrote Heather Zimmerman, a theatrical reviewer for Metroactive, an entertainment newspaper based in San Jose, Calif. "At its most basic, 'Wit' is a slice of life and death, and doesn't pretend to offer meaning beyond the human experience it portrays." Touching on the grand themes of life and death and literature - why we live and what we live for - "Wit" should touch us as subtly as the difference between the semicolon and the comma in "Holy Sonnet X" that it preoccupies itself with through much of the poem. Much of that subtlety, however, is lost in Andy Gustafson's '09 production. Though Gustafson and Gordon boasted a sophisticated understanding of the play itself in their insightful remarks in an otherwise flippant program, they struggled to convey this onstage. "Wit" relies on a conscious removal of the proverbial "fourth wall," through which Vivian builds a rapport with the audience in a series of long, conversational monologues. But a rattling hospital gurney and a rolling IV prop obscure Gordon's already weak projection, and result in large chunks of the script going unheard. Regrettable also were numerous pauses that led some audience members to whisper, suspecting forgotten or misremembered lines. Though Vivian calls for an actor that represents the soul of cold and awkward academia, Gordon's portrayal is hardly two-dimensional. She fails to project the redeeming qualities that render Vivian interesting and sympathetic, stressing Vivian's self-obsession and belief that being smart "would take care of it." Consequently, the final proclamation that "I'm a teacher"- a statement that Gordon and Gustafson suggest reflects "She is meant to be a teacher to us all"- falls flat, and her final exit "toward a little light" seems less the redemptive peace of a final passing, and more the exit of a petulant child sent to bed.Kevin Thorsen '11, who portrays Vivian's former student-turned-doctor Jason Posner, manages to give us well-timed comic action that, for all its cartoonishness, relieves us of some of the play's more awkward moments. Yet Thorsen's boyish portrayal of Jason backfires often, and leaves us less certain of his character's dedication and passion for research, and more convinced of his inherent solipsism and inner toolishness. Ana Guerrero Ramos '09 manages to convey Vivian's demanding mentor, E.M. Ashford, with an ease and command that belies her first stage outing; her scene with "The Runaway Bunny" and its "little allegory of the soul" was comic, heartfelt and commendable in its tenderness. But it was the nurse, Susie (Jessica Spar '11), that managed to humanize the play and save it from pontificating on the coldness of the medical establishment. Spar gives a sympathetic and understanding performance of the healthcare professionals closest to the patients.I will be the first to recognize and commend the enthusiasm, labor and initiative that went into staging an independent production. But clattering sets, lost lines - even the unnecessary references to "Furby collections" in the program - point to an overall lack of seriousness that does injustice not only to Edson's play, but belies the labor-intensive craft of acting.
(03/05/09 12:00am)
Author: Emma Stanford In her senior theater project, Sheyenne Brown '09 is confronting the issue of race at Middlebury College. Brown, a theater major from New York City, has attended Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga., as well as Middlebury. This weekend, she takes on the ultimate challenge of theater: performing her own one-woman show.The Middlebury Campus: So tell me about this project.Sheyenne Brown: This project is my senior work for theater. It's called "A Colored Girl's College Tour." It's a one-woman show that I've written and will be acting in next week. It's a show that's semi-autobiographical and it's about my journey as an African-American woman at Middlebury College and at Spelman College, trying to find my voice in terms of what that means being at each of these institutions. Middlebury is a top-tier school that's predominantly white, while Spelman College is a historically black college. It's about how both affected me when I got back home to NYC. I'm a changed person, and that has sort of created who I am right now.TC: When you were planning this show, did you have a specific idea of what it would be like? Did that idea change as you went on?SB: This show has changed so much. When I proposed it last March it was supposed to be a show based on interviews that I conducted with other women of color and I was going to be completely removed from it. I conducted so many interviews and for some reason it wasn't clicking. I talked to my advisor and we couldn't figure out how to make it work. Towards the end of last semester we decided, what if you make it about your experience and include these other women along the way? So it became a hybrid. I have some interviews included in the show, but it's sort of from my perspective. The writing has been extremely hard because of the person I am as a writer. You know, you write very beautifully and all these descriptive sentences and then when it's time to perform it, that doesn't work. This has sort of been a growing-up process as an artist.TC: Did doing this project help you deal with your own experiences?SB: It did. It helped me to process. This is not just my senior project; it's like closure for me. It wasn't necessarily an easy four years, and I've included a lot of incidents that have happened at schools that are specifically pertinent to race and how I've never really processed it. I thought back then, when I was dealing with it, that I was doing something about it. But in reflection it's like, wow, I was really avoiding this.TC: Do you think your show will help other Middlebury students deal with race? SB: I do, you know. I feel like if people don't receive it well at least they'll be more educated about it. There are a lot of times when people just don't know what's going on. It's not that they're turning a blind eye or indifferent, they just have no idea. I feel like the way my show is performed is not an attack, it's like, "Look what I went through and I want you to hear about it, and if it changes you in any way, that's for the better."TC: How well do you think Middlebury handles issues of race and minorities?SB: That is a very good question. I would say it needs improvement. I'm not sure what else to say because a lot of times the burden is on the student body or the cultural organizations to try to educate other people or to figure out why something is happening, and I'm not sure how the institution can step in and intervene without seeming like too authoritative of a figure. It's been something that I've been trying to figure out. It's a really tough question given that Middlebury's sort of small but spread-out, and things never seem as big as they should be. There are things I've come across as isolated incidents but it's really happening fairly frequently. Every semester there's some sort of racial incident, and I guess that's to be expected, but it's treated as if it's not a big deal and I feel like sometimes it should be.TC: So, you're a theater major. Where are you planning to take that in life?SB: I have not quite decided yet. I hope to perform later on in life, but I know immediately after graduation I'll be teaching English in middle schools in Newark, N.J., through Teach For America. Maybe after that I may want to start performing and start getting into acting. If my show is so relevant, somehow, maybe I'll just do it again outside of Middlebury College.TC: Do you think the current economy makes it hard to find work in theater?SB: I wouldn't say that, necessarily. Just in my experience with theater majors or being at a liberal arts college in general, we have all these majors and not too many are preparing us for a specific track. Theater majors are sort of prepared for anything because we have that experience performing. But this economy's terrible for anyone right now.TC: Do you have a message that you would like for people to take away from your performance?SB: Don't be afraid to speak out when you're uncomfortable, or speak out on someone else's behalf if you're uncomfortable for them. Explore what it is that keeps you from doing it, figure it out for yourself and act on how you feel you should proceed. Saying something is always better than not opening your mouth at all. If you don't talk, how will people know?A Colored Girl's College Tour will run Thursday, March 5, through Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m. at 51 Main on the Bridge.
(02/26/09 12:00am)
Author: Martin Breu Despite a solid effort across the board by the Panther ski team, Dartmouth and UVM stole the show last weekend at the 86th annual Middlebury Carnival. Dartmouth extended its winning streak to five straight victories but the UVM Catamounts weren't far behind in second. Middlebury had numerous strong performances but lacked the consistency to place higher than third. On Friday morning, Middlebury woke up to six inches of new snow that caused both the alpine and nordic events to be delayed to allow for more grooming. The UVM alpine skiers must have liked the new snow, as David Donaldson and Megan Ryley won the men's and women's races, respectively. Co-captain Andrew Wagner '09 led the Panthers at the Snow Bowl with a solid third place finish in the slalom race, while Jake Lund '11 placed tenth. On the women's side, Mattie Ford '09 and Natasha Woodworth '11 shared the top Middlebury finish, as they tied for sixth place. The women's alpine team finished the day in third, while the men placed in fourth. Over at the Rikert Ski Touring Center where the nordic races were held, the skiers raced a 10k classic mass-start race. Just behind the yellow buildings of the Bread Loaf School of English campus, the races unfolded as the skiers tore up the course. The UVM men were dominant, taking the top two spots - Franz Berstein broke away from fellow German skier Juergen Uhl in the final home stretch to take the individual win. Patrick Johnson '11 had a solid race to finish ninth and lead the Panthers; Simi Hamilton '09 started the race strong but faded to finish tenth. In the women's nordic race, Dartmouth dominated, placing four skiers in the top 10, with Rosie Brennan and Sophie Caldwell taking the top two spots. Robyn Anderson '10 was the lone Panther finisher in the top 10, as she came in seventh place. The Middlebury men's and women's nordic teams started the carnival in third and fifth places, respectively. Saturday morning dawned bright and clear for the second day of racing. At the Snow Bowl, the Panther alpine women had an excellent race in the giant slalom - Leah McLaughry '10 took top honors while Ford was third and Nicole Dvorak '11 was fifth. Just after the women's competition concluded for the day, McLaughry, a Vermont native, watched as her brother Luke finished 14th for Dartmouth in the men's giant slalom race.The men's giant slalom saw some stiff competition as well as standout performances. Eric Mann of Williams scored his first individual win of the season, while Middlebury's Bobby Poehling '11 had a great race to finish fifth. Wagner proved his consistency, placing eighth. The stellar Panther women's results placed them first, while the men also improved to third place. Back at Bread Loaf, the nordic events continued with a three-person 5 km freestyle relay race. The Panther men's team of Johnson, Hamilton and Tim Reynolds '09 displayed an impressive performance to upset Dartmouth and take the victory. Middlebury's second team of Graham Egan '11, Michael Mommsen '10 and rookie Chase Marston '12 also raced well, finishing ninth. On the women, it was the Dartmouth team that skiied to victory, with Rosie Brennan, Ida Sargent and Sophie Caldwell comprising one of the toughest women's alpine teams in the country. The Panther women - Kate Barton '09, Cassidy Edwards '09 and Robyn Anderson '10 - raced well, but ultimately finished in fourth. The team scores were based on the first relay team from each school, so the men placed first and the women were fourth. Next weekend, the racing continues with the EISA (Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association) championships hosted by Colby College. Dartmouth will try to remain undefeated, as the alpine teams race a slalom race on Saturday and a GS on Sunday. The nordic teams will be back in action with a 5/10km classic on Saturday.
(02/26/09 12:00am)
Author: Alyssa O'Gallagher If the name Peter Shaffer sounds at all familiar to you, you are probably one of three distinct types of people: an English major, a theater major or a rabid Harry Potter fan. Unfortunately for all of you Harry Potheads out there, a scantily-clad equiphilian Daniel Radcliffe did not grace the Town Hall Theater with his presence this weekend. While perhaps Shaffer is best known, of late, for casting everyone's favorite wizard in the most recent run of "Equus", the Middlebury Community Players (MCP) chose this past weekend to perform one of Shaffer's more comedic plays, "Lettice and Lovage," originally written for another Potter alum, Dame Maggie Smith.If you've never heard of this thoroughly British comedy, you may be wondering, as I was, how such a blatant typo made its way into the title. It turns out that Lettice does not refer at all to the vegetable, but to the title character, Lettice Douffet (played by the College's own Director of Health and Wellness Education Jyoti Daniere). While Daniere is probably best known around campus for organizing various health workshops, including everyone's favorite "Let's Talk About Sex Week," she also has some thespian blood running in her veins. Her character, Lettice, is a tour guide in the Fustian House, an old English hall which, while boring, apparently has historic significance. She begins regaling visitors with her own "improved" version of history and gets away with it for quite some time, as apparently many college tour guides do. Did you know that McCardell Bicentennial Hall actually is not the biggest building in Vermont? That is until Lotte Schoen, a Fustian house employee (played by a very convincingly British Elizabeth Christensen), apprehends and promptly fires her. A strange turn of events finds the women reunited 10 weeks later in Lettice's apartment, bonding over - what else - alcohol and dead historical figures. While the scene certainly had its merits (Daniere and Christensen really did play quite convincing drunkards), the novelty of two grown women stumbling drunk faded quickly for me. I mean, who hasn't seen their parents on New Year's? While I wasn't dazzled by the story Shaffer builds in the second act, my mild disinterest in the plot did give me time to really focus on the acting. I was genuinely impressed by the sheer quantity of lines Daniere was able to memorize and flawlessly deliver. In my last foray into acting, circa fifth grade, I had enough trouble memorizing three lines, while Daniere tackled close to three hours of dialogue with seeming effortlessness. But what I really found myself most hung up on was Christensen's nearly flawless British accent, something which I, after years of trying to imitate Harry Potter, still have not mastered. While the act itself was a little underwhelming, Schaffer deserves commendations for introducing me to the nearly forgotten 16th century term "quaff," which I interpreted to mean "knock it back." And I do concede that my relative age and more frequent exposure to quaffing may have left me a little desensitized to the true hilarity of the drunken revelry, which really seemed to strike a chord with the rest of the audience. Theatergoer Heidi Huestis, whose sister Robin Huestis was the production's costume designer, found the drunken revelry to be one of the most hilarious spectacles in the show. If Act II left me in a little bit of a daze, Act III, undoubtedly the comedic high of the play, remedied the situation and left me ultimately with a good taste in my mouth. We learn that Lettice and Lotte have developed an interesting relationship where each week, they reenact an important historical figure's execution complete with real guillotines, axes and execution blocks. Act III is delivered in the form of one particularly catastrophic reenactment that leaves Lotte with an axe lodged in her neck and Lettice charged with attempted murder. The interaction between a distraught Lettice and her court-appointed lawyer, Mr. Bardolph (played by Thomas Jackson), and the altogether unbelievable nature of her terribly true story, reaffirm Shaffer's comic genius.If its true that all's well that ends well, then I'd have to say that MCP's production of "Lettice and Lovage" was a success. As for Shaffer, I think he may have relied a little too heavily on Dame Maggie Smith's comedic genius to obscure his own shortcomings, particularly in the second act.
(02/26/09 12:00am)
Author: Catherine Ahearn This past weekend marked Middlebury College's 86th annual Winter Carnival, the College's oldest tradition. The three-day event did not disappoint students with its usual salad bar of events aimed at widespread student participation and engagement. In light of the current financial crisis, however, the time away from classes and sizeable spending did not go by without heavy criticism from faculty and students alike.Each year, Winter Carnival is looked upon as a weekend when students are apt to feel a deeper connection to the College by attending and participating in events that have existed through numerous generations of Middlebury graduates. The events began on Thursday evening with the beginning of the snow sculpture contest, followed by an acoustic performance by Chris Myers at The Grille, a bonfire and fireworks on Ross Hill and a performance by Orange Crush in the McCullough Social Space.After two full days of races on Friday and Saturday, the Middlebury Ski Team came in third place, just behind Dartmouth and UVM, with 834 points. Students gathered at the Snow Bowl and Rikert Ski Touring Center at the Bread Loaf School of English to watch their classmates and enjoy the sunny winter weather.Unlike other programs on campus, it appeared that nothing about Winter Carnival was scaled back to account for the recent drastic budget cuts. Center for Campus Activities and Leadership Director Doug Adams explained that Winter Carnival is funded by sources set aside for students' social events."[Winter Carnival] is completely student run," said Adams. "It's funded through a combination of sources like the student activities fee and events fees. One of the reasons why they charge for the activities is that that's what's paying for them."Taking account of students' possibly pre-carious financial situation, tickets for Winter Carnival events were reduced to nearly half of what they were last year. "I don't think we'll see Winter Carnival go away because of budget cuts, we'll just see it change to adjust for the times," Adams said.Despite these precautions, both students and faculty members on campus still have very strong opinions for and against the status of Winter Carnival. "I think students themselves are going to have to face the question of perception here in the community - the moral burden that they might have," said Professor of Russian Thomas Beyer. "In spite of the economic crisis, we are not going to stop celebrating the fun things in our lives. But this financial crisis does touch people, and students, as members of the community, should be sensitive and aware of that."One member of the faculty who appears more concerned with this question of perception is C.A. Johnson Fellow in Political Philosophy Kateri Carmola."We're in an economic situation with the College where we are trying to cut every little bit of our budget and it's affecting faculty who can't hire students over the summer," she said. "I just don't see the bigger benefit of things like fireworks." Beyer, on the other hand, defended Winter Carnival, saying, "I think it's an important aspect of student life here. It's certainly a long-standing tradition and so I think it's something that through participation and memory really connects classes of Middlebury generations."According to Adams, Winter Carnival was better attended in past years, but many students still feel a connection toward the event, even if it's just because of the long weekend. "I like that the College has its own independent tradition to celebrate even if everyone celebrates it in their own way - even if they do nothing," Lark Nierenberg '11 said. Matthew Vukitch '11 agreed."The day off is really nice, but just the fact that Winter Carnival is steeped in tradition makes it very important," he said.The annual Friday off from classes is something that has been under scrutiny in recent years as well. Last year when buzz concerning the possible elimination of the three-day weekend spread around campus, administrators were faced with a sizable outcry of displeasure from the student body. However, due to steady decreases in student attendance at the races, this novelty may very well become a thing of the past.Beyer attributed the possible decline of student attendance to changes in student disposition. "We do know that the students at the College of this generation seem to be working harder, and so for many people, I'm sure it's a one-day sort of break that is used for studies," he said."Maybe just reminding the student body that Winter Carnival exists because of the skiing carnival would help," Vuckith added. "It's not advertised as a ski race and more like just a day off."To some, however, the extended weekend is an issue of academic irresponsibility. "I didn't understand the need for a break from academics two weeks into the semester," Carmola said. Only two weeks after February break, the day off from classes may appear disruptive to the academic calendar and would be better suited to a time when it might be more appreciated by students. "It's more about seeing it in the context of the whole semester and the academic mission of the College which has got to be its primary mission," she said.It stands that qualms concerning the time off have more to do with the day's placement than its purpose. "Perhaps the second week of classes may not be the ideal time to do it
(02/26/09 12:00am)
Author: Melissa Marshall A German major with an Italian minor, it is no surprise that Adreana Gustafson '09 decided to put on a play about the power of words. The senior from Fargo, N.D. - whose previous credits include Assistant Director for both "Cabaret" and "Baltimore Waltz" - moves into the director's chair for her production of the 1999 Pulitzer-Prize winning "Wit."The Middlebury Campus: Why did you decide to put on "Wit" - a screenplay with comparatively expensive rights? Andreana Gustafson: With every show the rights run about $75. "Wit" was introduced to me by Lizzie Gordon '09 a couple years ago, and I sat down to read it because I was looking for an audition monologue with a very strong female role. I was actually incredibly moved just by reading it, and I usually need a visual to register that sort of emotional impact. It's incredibly interesting the way it combines art and science. People use the term "ivory tower" usually when talking humanities, but it's the same for science. It's very strange to hear what scientists say about the humanities and vice versa. They're both in ivory towers that are just constructed differently. TC: Was this choice influenced by the increased popularity of playwright Tom Stoppard's more deductive works, or even the recent Middlebury production, "Leap"?AG: No, not at all. I think this play is very different from Tom Stoppard, and I actually didn't see "Jumpers" when it went up last year. I find it a very singular play. The art and science tension is not even the main theme. The essential theme, I find, is life and death, seen both philosophically and realistically. It deals with some pretty heavy things, but it's also very amusing at times. She has a very dry sense of humor. TC: Sorry to bring it back to finances, but the economy is a hot topic right now. Are you getting any help from the theatre department or outside sources? AG: Since it's an independent project, we're funded by The Zoo itself. The theatre department, of course, has been very helpful in lending props. The reason there are no complimentary tickets is because budgets are tightening everywhere; it's not a like or dislike thing.TC: The play's subject matter is a bit complex - Donne is not the easiest material to swallow, even for English majors. What aspects of the play do you think will resonate with audiences, especially those without a literary background?AG: I think it will resonate with a lot of people. The protagonist is a professor and she has no qualms about discussing the relevance of 17th century poems and what they mean to our contemporary lives. And he's not the only one quoted - Shakespeare makes appearances cited and not. But speaking of difficulty, "Wit" does not solely make poetic references. There's the scientific terminology that is difficult at first sight for those of a literary tradition. The play is a bit of an ode to words from all disciplines.TC: So, an "ode to words." Do you have a favorite line from the play, then? AG: It would be impossible to say. There are many great monologues, especially one where she knew that words would be her life's work. The thing about English is that we can have these scientific words that are heavily Greek and heavily Latin mixed in with these complex poetic words, like "coruscation" (which means a striking display of brilliance). Words have definite power over people in the play. "Wit" will go up in The Hepburn Zoo on March 6 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. and March 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $3.
(02/19/09 12:00am)
Author: Michael Nevadomski Science Theater. No longer the domain of B-list movies, 'Leap' follows the recent theatrical fashion of attempting to bridge the gap between the sciences and humanities. Taking after such works as 'Copenhagen' and 'The Five Hysterical Girls Theorem,' Lauren Gunderson re-imagines the "plague years" of mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton, when he was forced to retreat to his childhood home from an outbreak of the bubonic plague at Cambridge. Originally premiered in February of 2004 at Theater Emory in Atlanta, Gunderson takes liberties with history and biography and poses a "modern mythology" of two ageless, mysterious "muses" (Maria and Brightman) that visit Newton (and every other historical genius) to aid the creative process. "Many of my plays are biographical, so I have that person's life to go on as well as the time period they're in," explained Gunderson in the Los Angeles Times. "But it's not like a documentary. As the dramatist, I can say who the story is really about and how we are going to tell it." That author's presence seems to be the play's only flaw: "A lot of my pieces are science- or history-based," said Ms. Gunderson. "So, most of my creative development starts with research." Long tracts of theory collide with attempts at an occasionally irrelevant, almost Stoppardian metatheatricality, and the play devolves into clever moments of showing off. Some of the best moments are ruined by musical chimes or onslaughts of needless heroic couplets that twist the audience's willing suspension of disbelief into dramatic tackiness. Much, regrettably, is left unexplained. Who, for example, actually are Maria and Brightman? Muses? Angels? Much like the general theme of the play (that not everything may be discovered by one man, even Newton), we are left tantalizingly and annoyingly in the lurch. Script issues aside, this was a phenomenal production. Ross Bell '10, who hitherto has worked principally with lighting design, makes his first outing as a director with this production, and quite a fortuitous start. The actors' chemistry was (if I may indulge a pun) explosive. The sisters, Maria (Lucy Faust '09) and Brightman (Steph Spencer '09), play off one another perfectly, and the relatively minor roles of Lucas (Ken Grinde '11) and Hannah (Lauren Fondren '09), strengthen and humanize an otherwise heady play.Charmingly preoccupied with her own thoughts, Faust as Maria nevertheless exudes a tempering energy present in the long exchanges between her sister and Newton. Faust has impeccable delivery, managing somehow to convey the extraordinary complexity of being immortal and perpetually twelve years old. This says nothing of her comedic timing, which is flawless: in the discussion on irony, she interjects, "Have you ever seen an ostrich?" in such a way that charms, humors and illuminates much of the heavy-handedness of the script. Foiled against Maria is Spencer as Brightman, who sent the audience rollicking through fits of passion and almost reckless abandon. One can't help but admire such sprezzatura: she flings out theories, technical terms and languages (Greek, Hebrew, French, but not Latin) like familiar things she found in her pockets - easily and casually. Seeing her convincingly and intelligently tell off Will Damron '09 in multiple languages, one would think she could do it to anyone on the street.Yet it was Damron that impressed most. Last seen as Pale in Burn This, one initially might expect him a little too hunky to portray a young Isaac Newton. Using his build to his advantage, he projects a powerful body language that plays into the character's development, showing us frustration, alienation and the sheer social ineptitude of his character by roaring the muses out of his room, or declaring, "I am a genius!" to his pushy, parasitic mother. But he never neglects Newton's delicate handling of a prism or the quiet moments of silent work that ground the character's sense of high moral purpose. These moments in character work mark not only fine direction, but complex consideration of a potentially flat personality. In short, Damron humanizes an enigmatic and aloof historical figure, even if his hair wasn't gray in the final scene. Don't worry, though: despite the success of this and other science-based plays - i.e., 2007's 'Five Hysterical Girls Theorem' - the English and Theater Departments aren't moving into McCardell Bicentennial Hall. Yet.
(02/19/09 12:00am)
Author: Tom Brant PARIS - In September, standing with a friend on a pedestrian bridge in Paris called the Pont des Arts, I was almost persuaded to jump into the River Seine. As we were admiring the night view of the City of Lights, a group of about five French guys our own age sauntered up to us. Seeing our decidedly non-Parisian garb, one of them asked, "Where are you from from?""The United States," I replied in French. Then one of them asked, "Are you going to take off your clothes and jump in the river? Everyone does it at midnight."We both looked at him blankly."Yes, it's true!" he said in English. "The water, I hear she is a-nice this time of year.""Okay, maybe. I don't know," I mumbled. It's times like these when my gullible side shows its true colors.We parted ways, and around midnight, I casually glanced at my watch and half expected to see people actually jumping into the frigid water. Of course, no one did. Neither did we.After living in Paris for several months, I gradually realized that the guys on the bridge weren't really messing with us to be mean. They probably just held a stereotype common among French people: Americans are stupid. Of course, like all stereotypes, not everyone in France actually believes that. I have been keeping an eye and an ear out all semester long for French opinions of Americans. Many of the stereotypes I've come across have been at my volunteer job helping kids with homework at an after-school center. Here are some of the most striking:There are two kinds of Americans: either they are obese, unintelligent and full of faults, or they are rich, beautiful movie stars with all the right qualities.The staples of American food (in addition to hamburgers and fries) are corn flakes, mayonnaise and coffee.American society is artificial, violent and primarily based on making money. America's chief exports are political ideas, eating disorders, the media and McDonald's. Once American students obtain their A-levels (an obvious confusion with the British school system) they immediately attend a university as far away as possible from their parents. But perhaps the most amusing stereotype I've encountered was on a tenth-grader's English assignment. The question asked her to read a short passage on American universities and summarize it in her own words. This is, more or less, what she came up with: "To me, the typical American male student always goes to class with a can of Coke, wearing a sweatshirt personalized with the name of his university. During class, he slouches in the seat and thinks about American football and pom-pom girls."Are the stereotypes true? I'm not sure. I'm busy obsessing over the Philadelphia Eagles loss to the Cardinals the other night, and pretty soon I'm going to need to go get another can of Coke to replace the empty one on my desk.
(02/19/09 12:00am)
Author: Sarah Harris In an ailing economy, pinching pennies seems a natural impulse. One of the best ways to save: hair care. Instead of marching into town for the usual $10, $15, even $30 butchery, students can turn to their peers for a thrifty haircut. (Besides, in keeping with our penchant for flannel and Bean boots, there's something distinctly woodsy and bohemian about rockin' the home-do.) Here, The Campus inquires as to the training and expertise of Middlebury's aspiring young barbers.Taryn Tilton '11"Once, when I was five, I cut all my hair off with paper scissors in an attempt to copy my mom's bob. Huge success." Tilton's distinct childhood foray into the world of haircutting has served her well in college, as have the elementary school values of sharing and teamwork - twice, Tilton has cut hair with the help of Lara Andrade '11, each taking half of the client's head. "It sounds like the worst idea ever - because it's so easy for it to become asymmetrical - but it works out great," said Tilton. "She has a better technique than I do, but I get more business, so tell me who you think is winning." Tilton gave an off-the-cuff description of her unusual technique: "Usually, I'm either really tired, possibly inebriated or using really dull scissors - it always turns out pretty good, though." Tilton has even taken to cutting hair in exotic locales, recently trimming Will Mackey's '11 locks on a MAlt Trip to El Salvador. "The ears are very cold. I don't have to worry about bed head," said Mackey of his new do. And on the atmosphere: "I was in a Ciudad Romayo under a bare light bulb outdoors where the bugs were going nuts. It was under a fence and the scissors were dull. My hair is still in El Salvador."Edwin Mitchell '10Mitchell's haircutting skills sprung from necessity. "I learned to cut hair when I was a senior in high school," he said. My mother graduated from Middlebury back in the day and she warned me that there would not be anyone to keep my hair looking clean when I got up here because there were not any barber shops that had much experience cutting black men's hair. So I began cutting my own hair." Mitchell's friends and family noticed his haircuts and allowed him to cut their hair as well. When he finally arrived at Middlebury, Mitchell's haircuts continued to catch people's eyes. "James Stepney '09 noticed how my hair was constantly lined up and cut and he asked where I got my hair cut," said Mitchell. "I told him that I did it myself and I told him that I would cut his hair. I cut his hair for free on the condition that he would be my walking advertisement and would tell guys to get their hair cut by me." The rest is history: Mitchell holds a monopoly on a niche market and a few years ago even cut a lightning bolt/mohawk into ReNard Roger's '07 then-green hair for a Riddim show. Brandon Hawkins '11 attested to Mitchell's ability. "Edwin is a phenomenal barber who attends to the needs of those with ethnic hair on campus," said Hawkins. He gives me a shape up, which means lining up my edges and cutting my beard down. I leave Edwin's chair feeling like a man ready to rule and looking good doing it."Lingji Hon '11Cutting hair, said Hon, "fills me with an inexplicable happiness." At age 13, after a lifetime of haircuts from her mother, Hon took her hair into her own hands. For two years, she performed a series of ad-hoc trims until ("I'm embarrassed to admit it") a photo shoot for Cosmogirl taught Hon a novel technique: layering. "The hairstylist was outraged and astonished that I didn't have 'layers,' and set to work straight away," she recounted. "As he casually cut away at my hair, talking to his Brazilian boyfriend on the phone the whole time, I scrutinized his movements and the effects they were having on my poor layer-less hair. So, between imitating him and my mother, I had a fairly good idea of how to cut hair." Her next client: an ex-boyfriend, who bore "an astonishing resemblance to Meg Ryan" that Hon deemed unacceptable. She took shears to the boy's head and, lo and behold, that's when she "transformed Meg Ryan into James Dean, and everyone was astonished with what I had done." At Middlebury, Hon has parlayed her skills into a small business - lucrative, because, "like any college student, I seem to miraculously never have any money at all." Hon, a studio art major, likens cutting hair to sculpture, claiming it to be another "creative medium" resultant in "tactile satisfaction." And satisfaction generally: "along with painting, and black footed marmosets, it is among one of the few things that still fills me with utter happiness and contentment." Joe Stern '11, a returning client, noted that "the average person seems to be able to cut hair at least as well if not better than any 'professional' hairdresser I've ever had. Oh, and one time Lingji kept my hair and used it in an art project. Maybe you shouldn't print that."Ishaq Shadaqah '11"I do not like the barbers in town," said Sadaqah. "I think I can do a better job than most of them." Sadaqah's clipped (no pun intended) remark is likely accurate, and his haircutting skills proved the result of United World College's (UWC) mission to "unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future." It was while attending Leaster B. Pearson UWC in British Columbia that Sadaqah, a Jordanian, and a Palestinian friend decided that it should be easy to cut hair. The two honed their craft on each other, although not without a few mishaps. "I am convinced now that when you learn cutting hair you have to make a big goof," said Sadaqah. "My biggest goof was cutting a big chunk of hair from my (I don't know the word in English but it is the hair that extends to the beard, it's both sides of the face next to ears, maybe it is called sideburns, but not sure?) and then I had to shave my head because otherwise I would look ridiculous. Since then I have not done any goofs." Sadaqah's varied and international clientele have included the likes of Hamza Usmani '10, Amro Shurrab '09 and Kent Diep '11. The talented coiffeur is interested to venturing into more unusual territory. "I've never done crazy cuts," he admitted. "I would like to try some crazy cuts, but have never been asked to and I would not do it to myself."
(02/12/09 12:00am)
On Saturday, Jan. 31, the 123 members of the Class of 2008.5 celebrated the conclusion of their college careers at Mid-year graduation. After attending the celebratory ceremony in Mead Chapel, parents and friends headed over to the Snow Bowl, where the graduating Febs skied, snowboarded and snowshoed down Allen Slope.
The Ceremony commenced at Mead Chapel where Senior Class Speaker Jack Lysohir discussed the uniqueness of being a Feb as well as the challenges the graduating class must face in the future.
Lysohir discussed how the class of 2008.5's decision to wait a semester before pursuing their academic endeavors at Middlebury helped them become successful, well-rounded students.
"Doing something a little bit different before we went off to college is surely not responsible for all of our class' successes, but I would wager that it definitely helped," said Lysohir.
Lysohir also joked about the uncertainty of life after college and the challenges students must face to make a life for themselves.
"[We will ski] down the Allen Slope and back into the loving embrace of our families ... and, for many of us, continue to descend back into our parents' basements," said Lysohir.
Afterwards, Augustus A. Jordan, acting dean of the College, presented the Jason B. Fleishman Award to two graduating Febs, Jeff Stern and Carrie Bryant. This award is given in recognition of Jason Fleishman '03.5, a Feb who tragically passed away a day after his graduation.
According to Jordan, the recipients of the award exemplify the characteristics of Jason Fleishman who, according to Jordan exhibited "Feb and college pride, academic passion and determination, excellence in leadership and involvement, a confident attitude and care for others."
President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz then gave the President's Address, where he emphasized that learning is a lifelong process and does not simply end after graduation.
"As you put your intelligence, creativity and goodwill to work for the common good, remember to exercise humility," said Liebowitz. "Leave space for the reality that you have lots to learn and can and will learn a great amount from others."
Liebowitz also encouraged students to cherish the friendships they have made and to utilize all of the skills they learned at Middlebury throughout their lives.
"May all that you learned and experienced here serve you well throughout your life," said Liebowitz.
Family and friends then headed over to the Snow Bowl where they excitedly waited for the graduating Febs, all of whom were dressed in black robes and proudly wearing mortarboards, to come down the mountain.
Many students skied or snowboarded down Allen Slope, while others snowshoed or were even pulled in sleds by their classmates. At the bottom of the slope several celebrated with a bottle of champagne and posed for pictures with classmates and family members.
In addition to the February Celebration, Febs are invited to take part in Middlebury's formal commencement in May, where the College officially commemorates the graduation of all students who have completed their studies in the 2008-2009 academic year.
Out of the 123 students that graduated this February, 92 of them were initially admitted as Febs and 31 either accelerated their studies or took some time off to become Febs. English was the most popular major of the Class of 2008.5 and more graduates call Massachusetts home than any other state.
Written by TIM O'GRADY
