TRWP program discontinued

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Vol.66 No.10
THE
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
LOCAL FARM BENEFITS FROM PRINCIPIA INTERNS: Three Rivers Community Farm, located in Elsah, has been helping Principia stu-
dents better understand organic farming, while interns spend time with one of the farm’s owner, Amy Cloud. (L-R) Senior Janet Irvine getting ready
to eat a freshly picked radish. / The group of interns tour the farm’s greenhouse. / Sophomore Lulu Mosman fertilizes field greens with organic fish
emulsion. GREEN feature continued on Page 11
photos // Benjamin Chernivsky
TRWP program discontinued
Christina Schaule
Staff writer
A
t the end of this academic
year, Principia’s Tuition
Reduction Work Program
(TRWP), a grant that
matches student earnings
up to $500 a quarter, will be discontinued. The money will instead go toward
regular student grant programs.
The purpose of this change is to give
students the freedom to make contributions to their education according
to their individual schedules and preferences rather than being required to
work seven and a half hours a quarter,
as well as to provide greater equity in
the employment process for all students.
Dean of Enrollment Management
Brian McCauley and Director of Financial Aid Tami Gavaletz, along
with Director of Administration and
Budget Karen Grimmer and Student
Employment Coordinator Laura Williams-Saucedo have been working on
this change since fall quarter in order
to “meet each family’s need in a more
efficient way,” said McCauley.
Some students cannot fit enough
work hours into a busy quarter or find
jobs that fit their schedule. Therefore,
these students do not receive the full
$500 grant from Principia, but only
a matching of the sum they earned.
“You took a hit if you had a really
busy quarter and couldn’t work enough
hours,” McCauley said.
Also, many students find employment during the breaks so that they do
not need to work during the quarter.
“This way, we’re looking at a 52-week
time,” said McCauley. “If they can earn
a lot over the summer instead, they can
do that. … It’s a free market solution,
each individual can decide what works
TRWP continued on Page 4
Institutes created, faculty not consulted
New initiatives tackle leadership, Middle East
Zack Buttolph
O
Staff writer
n April 20, College President Jonathan Palmer
officially announced the
launch of two new programs: the Principia
College Leadership Institute and the
Euphrates Center for Middle East Understanding.
The Leadership Institute’s main
purpose, as described by Palmer in his
formal announcement e-mail, is “to
identify and develop student leaders
through specialized training and expe-
riential learning that will give them the
skills to lead on campus and throughout their lives.” The Euphrates Center,
as Palmer wrote, “is dedicated to improving relations between the Middle
East and the West by expanding individual awareness, inspiring action, and
promoting peace,” and “will create a
forum through which Principians can
address Middle East questions from a
Christian Science perspective.”
These programs have raised concern
among some faculty members. The
most significant concern seems to be an
apparent lack of communication be-
tween Palmer and the faculty regarding the programs’ launch, among other
decisions. Religion professor Mike
Hamilton, the Faculty Senate President, noted, “The faculty would have
felt better if conversations between
themselves and Dr. Palmer could have
taken place prior to this announcement
being made as fact.”
Some faculty expressed doubt that
even the deans were aware of the details of the announcement until it was
made public. Writing Center Director
Lynn Horth explained, “Because there
is no faculty input on these programs,
this means that Dr. Palmer and his
cabinet are clearly discussing ideas for
Principia as a whole without any kind
of faculty representation.”
When asked whose approval was
necessary before green-lighting these
new programs, Palmer indicated that
he didn’t need any and went ahead
with the plans on his own accord,
though he was advised by several consultants. Janessa Gans, former visiting
professor and founder of the Euphrates
Institute, will provide oversight for the
Principia Euphrates Center for Middle
Leadership continued on Page 4
02NEWS
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Web Editor
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Senior Copy Editor
Maija Baldauf
Ad Manager
Faculty Advisers
Staff Writers
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Janet Irvine
Kayleigh Kavanagh
Ron Meyer
Hillary Moser
Eric Odanga
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Oliver Simpson
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Sudoku solution
(from pg. 18)
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Benjamin Chernivsky
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Photo Editor
Steve Bailey
Warren Curkendall
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Design Editors
David Miller
Katie Ward
domestic than international friends.
Since taking the class, he said, “I’ve
gotten to know and be friends with
more international students.” But
still, he feels it can be difficult to
branch out during the hectic quarters: “It’s a sprint – to branch out
takes time and energy. If you’re up
against deadlines you’re more likely
to stick with what you know.”
Senior Emily Kabura from Kenya explained that African students can also feel shy about getting to know domestic students,
especially because American social
life is so different. She said of her
Principia experience: “Education—
good. Christian Science—good. My
social life—questionable. I’m not
saying it’s Prin’s fault. I mean, have
I interacted enough with domestic
students?”
There is a noticeable and vibrant
“African subculture” at Principia
because of the number of students
interacting with shared African languages and cultures. Kabura said
it is important for them not to forget where they
come
from.
“Not thinking
you’re inferior
as an African
student is so
important,”
said Kabura.
“You need to
be confident
and ready to
share your culture.”
This quarter, Miller is
teaching
a
class
called
Peace and Conflict. The stuCurrent and former students catch up in the Pub on April 28 dents recently
photo // David Miller chose the topic
of relations between domesstep. They bring new perspectives.”
tic
and
international
students at
However, students from abroad
Principia
as
their
class
project.
One
sometimes feel that their perspectives are not understood. Sociol- of the suggestions under discussion
ogy and Anthropology depart- is a “cultural competence seminar”
ment chair Billy Miller described for incoming freshmen, in which
a disconnect at Prin between Af- they would learn more about nonrican and domestic students, who American worldviews and cultures.
Junior Christina Schaule, who is
may have media-based stereotypes
taking
the class, said she appreciabout what it means to come from
ates
thinking
about the commonaliAfrica. “Principia’s domestic stuties
between
all
Principia students:
dents … may say things that come
“Firstly,
of
course,
Christian Sciacross as racist and ethnocentric,”
said Miller, “implying that America ence, but also friends and families.
is the best. Even though it’s not Often we focus too much on the differences between us.”
purposeful, it hurts a lot.”
“Some, maybe the
majority, are aware
that they don’t know
about another culture, and are afraid
of saying the wrong
thing, of sounding insensitive, and
worry about not
understanding the
accent,” Miller continued. “They may
want to go over and
be included with the
Africans. But they
gravitate
towards
the familiar – towards people that
look and sound like
them.”
Junior
Colin
Clark from Seattle
took Miller’s Race
and Ethnicity class
and realized that he
probably had more
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Editors in Chief
alking
around
the campus between morning
classes, it’s easy
to see that Principia College is a truly international
institution. Latin-American, African, European, and Asian students
talk and laugh with students from
all over the United States as they
stroll down the paths.
But many Principians have identified a disconnect between domestic and international students here,
and are acting to promote a more
unified community.
Principia’s 105 international
students represent 24 countries,
and make up around 20 percent of
the student body. According to the
2010 U.S. World and News Report
College Rankings, Principia College
is one of two schools with the highest percentage of international students in the nation.
Coming up this week are two
events aimed at bringing the Principia community together and
celebrating its diversity: the Whole World
Festival, and “Prinstock.”
The Whole World
Festival will already
have begun by the
time you read this,
with languages professor Duncan Charters’s
Quiet Time talk on
the festival’s theme:
“Crossing
Cultures:
Are You Ready?” The
festival runs through
the whole week until Saturday, May 8,
with events including
inspirational poetry
from Ghanain former student Chris
O’riordan-Adjah, a Languages Bazaar in the Dining Room, a World
Cup soccer tournament on W6, and
a talent show to close.
The annual festival is being put
together by Friendship Around the
World (FAW), the international
student organization on campus.
Junior Brian Kamusinga, president
of FAW, said the main goal of the
festival is to appreciate and learn
about diversity on campus “by
providing as many opportunities
as we can for community members
to interact.” When the festival is
over, Kamusinga plans for FAW to
encourage international students
to apply to become Resident Assistants in freshman housing, and will
begin a mentoring program for incoming international students.
Principia’s first ever “Prinstock”
is taking place tomorrow on the
Chapel Green. It evolved from both
Earth Day and Global Oneness
Day, said event organizer and AllCampus Eco Head, junior Amelia
Heron, who initially found it hard
to put a name to an event to which
so many people are contributing.
She stressed that the main aim of
the event is “to reawaken a sense of
community … to share ideas, let go
of false limits, do what you love to
do, and make this place home.”
Prinstock will see the Chapel
Green divided into spaces in which
people can share things they love
in order to get people to appreciate
both each other and the earth. “The
idea is to create areas of space, and
have people bring their passion to
these ‘environments,’” Heron said.
“We are the environment. It’s not
‘out there.’”
A small selection of activities for
these areas of space include: a “poetry tree” reading area, a massive
canvas to which anyone may add
artwork, music to make and hear,
a “petting zoo” with Principia’s
goats, NGOs from the area including the Sierra Club, slack lines, and
in-progress photography by the
Principia Camera Club. Dining Services will provide dinner from the
top of the Green. Sociology professor Billy Miller will also be a featured speaker.
“A multicultural student body
with a wide variety of interests
brings many benefits to Principia,”
said International Student Coordinator Bente Morse. “So often you
can read about other cultures, but
to room with someone from another
country or sit in a classroom with
them every day is something else …
They bring the world to our door-
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Global admissions mission
Reintroducing beehives
PIR radio show breakdown
Politics: Tea Party youth
Letters to the editors
Running: stories and trails
Prin interns at organic farm
Profiles: non-trad students
Tennis team season recap
CS on ostracism, judgment
British election breakdown
Profile: musician Alex Cook
Vegetarian manifesto
Kick-Ass movie review
Hip-hop and community
Campus snapshots
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Contents
NEWS03
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Inspirational study beyond Quiet Time
by Hillary Moser
S
Staff writer
tudents across campus are
finding ways to deepen their
understanding of Christian
Science by forming discussion-based study groups.
These efforts include a Christian
Science Church Manual study group,
which meets weekly with facilitator
Louise Kingsbery, Resident Counselor
of Brooks House, as well as a student
group that studies Education at The
Principia (EAP) and has group discussions at lunch twice a week.
Kingsbery said she was pleased at
the level of student interest and participation in the Manual study group.
“I’ve had a few people say to me, ‘I
can’t believe you have close to fifteen
students giving up an hour on Sunday
to talk about the Manual of all things,’
so that’s pretty amazing,” said Kingsbery.
Junior Jodie Maurer, president of the
CSO, is one of the weekly participants
in the Manual study group. Maurer
said of the group, “I’ve really enjoyed
it. I think listening to the different
perspectives has given me a lot to think
about each week.” Maurer highlighted
the importance of studying and abiding by the bylaws as a Mother Church
member: “I wouldn’t want someone on
my soccer team who doesn’t care to follow the rules of soccer.”
Kingsbery said of the Manual study
group, “I don’t think you can … do the
study we’re doing and not have a better
grasp of what Christian Science is all
about, and of how what we think of as
restrictions are really freedoms.”
Senior Chris Sheasley initiated the
EAP study group. Although the group
has a few drop-in participants, it has a
core of four students. Sheasley said,
“Reading EAP in the spring of my senior year has been valuable to me because it’s helping me to reflect on all of
those experiences that I’ve had over the
past … four years.”
Senior Chelsea Kendrick, a member
of the EAP study group, said she was
surprised when she first read parts of
the book during Resident Assistant
training two years ago. Kendrick had
expected “more of a dry, boring textbook,” but found EAP to be “inspir-
group.” Kendrick thought it would be
“really cool if [EAP] was incorporated” in the character education program
at Principia and said, “a lot of people
would be surprised” by how interesting
the book is.
Both the Manual and EAP study
groups encourage their participants to
read a section of the book before each
meeting so that they will be able to discuss the book in its entirety over the
course of the quarter.
Maurer said, “Hearing from the
Junior Jenny Ferch, Dean of Students Dorsie Glen, and junior Nate Hey
discuss the Church Manual at a study group on Sunday, April 25
photo // Ken Baughman
ing, relevant, and applicable.” Kendrick said she “wanted to read the whole
thing.”
This quarter, Kendrick said she was
“excited about making reading Education at The Principia a priority with the
group has helped me think through
things going on in our movement and
things in the Manual bylaws.” For
Maurer, these conversations can be
“humbling because you can think about
these ideas on your own, but when you
hear the deep thinking of others, it can
move your own thought in a new direction.”
For Sheasley, the EAP study group
got him thinking about “how we can
strive to uphold the highest standard
of community.” Sheasley said, “We’re
working together to uplift each other”
at Principia.
Sheasley got the idea for the group
during the road trip back to Principia
after spring break. Sheasley said, “The
idea came to read EAP to familiarize
myself with Mrs. Morgan’s vision of
The Principia … So when I got back to
campus, it seemed pretty practical to
me to just read the book, but I wanted
to share it with other friends who wanted to read it as well, and the idea [for
the group] just blossomed.”
For Kingsbery, the idea of a Manual
discussion group developed over a longer period of time. Kingsbery heard
last year about a friend’s experience
with a Manual study group, the last
meeting of which was followed by an
inspirational talk.
Kingsbery said, “My first thought
was that I wanted to do a Manual
study group with anyone in the Elsah
church that would like to do it,” but
once Kingsbery returned from the Hawaii Field Program, she wasn’t sure
how to move forward. Kingsbery and
Maurer discussed Kingsbery’s idea, and
Maurer encouraged her to include students.
Kingsbery said, “I knew that it was
valuable, that it would be exciting, that
I had a lot to share, but that I’m just
a facilitator and not an expert.” The
Manual study group will end with a
talk about the Manual to which the
rest of the campus will be invited.
New phone system under way
by Amanda Stephenson
T
Staff writer
en years ago when Director of Telecommunications Paulette Blass began
working for Telecom, she
was told that a new phone
system would be installed in the next
three to five years. “We are just now
taking the first steps,” she said. This includes hiring a consultant to work with
the many options available, as well as
working with other colleges to develop
a system that will meet the needs of
students, faculty and staff. She said
that references from consultants will be
gathered within the next several weeks.
“I always think [it will be] in the next
few days, but I’ve thought that since
last Thanksgiving,” said Blass.
In the past six months, Blass, Chief
Technology Officer Richard Booth,
and CIS Infrastructure Project Manager Phil Siegling have been working
to design a new phone system for Principia. They plan to conduct student,
faculty and staff surveys in the future
to understand what type of system is
desired for the campus. Blass said she
expects that presentations will be given
in the next six to nine months to provide technological and financial models
for comparison. She suggested that the
new phone system could be in place “as
early as fall quarter.”
The current phone system was installed in 1989, and is in desperate need
of repair, according to both Blass and
Siegling. “Can you imagine a computer
system being that old?” asked Blass.
Although she said that the current
The main companies the team is
phone system is an amazing system, looking into include Avaya and Cisco,
she said that parts for it haven’t been and some smaller companies include
manufactured for the past ten years. NEX, UX, and Shoretell. One thing
Broken phones are repaired with parts Blass knows for sure is that the phones
recycled from other phones, which will will have more room for voicemail stornot always be available. In addition, age. They are looking to find the best
the copper cables that run underground use at the lowest cost, and one option
connecting the phones throughout for the new system includes blending
campus are corroding. As they are lo- phonemail and email systems so that
cated underground, they
voicemails can be
are not as easy to repair.
translated into text.
“It’s been put off,” said
Another option to
Blass. “We’d rather not
consider is the dual
do this now in the midst
mode phone, which
of this economic situawould function as a
tion, but we may be in
normal cell phone but
a worse situation if we
with an additional
don’t change it soon.”
student line. Blass
So what will the new
said that these phones
phones look like? That
are chunky and not
is still largely to be devery fashionable, and
termined, but one posdoubts whether the
sibility is that they will
students will want to
feature small computer
use such phones. She
screens which would be
said that other colable to indicate missed
leges are moving tocalls as more modern The imfamous ROLM phone wards cell phones and
photo // Teddye Schaffer portable phones, parphones do. Blass said
that any new phone systicularly the iPhone.
tem would be much flimsier than the University of Maryland, Oklahoma
phones Principia currently have, but Christian University, Abilene Christian
emphasized that they will be similar University, and Freed-Hardeman Unito computers, with more space to save versity have all implemented a phone
data. She also mentioned IP telepho- system based on free iPhone giveaways.
ny as a possible option for enhancing The phones are seen as the most practicommunication on campus. This data- cal way to facilitate communication on
based technology could be merged with campus while also improving teaching
“soft phone” technology to create a tools in the classroom.
system similar to Skype, which would
It is unlikely that a new phone
be installed on computers.
system at Principia will include the
iPhone. Still, Blass emphasized the importance of feedback on this change,
stating, “We need feedback to make
this a seamless transition. Everyone
will be touched by this.” Both she and
Siegling also indicated that for those
who enjoy the current phone system,
there may be an option available. Siegling said he expects the new phone system will be integrated with Principia’s
network and compatible with the current system. He said, “We’ll be able to
build what people want us to build.”
Ultimately, the design of the new
phone will be based on what is most
practical for students, faculty and staff.
Are the students concerned with having a phone in their rooms? Do students
want to carry another cell phone? If so,
do they want to have their number on
the phone directory? What function
would room phones serve in the future,
and what are students looking for in a
new phone system?
Freshman Kate Mensing said, “I
think the D-I-A-L option is really useful, and we should definitely keep that
around when we update the phone system.” She also indicated a preference
for larger inboxes, and suggested that
emailing updates would be more helpful than sending out campus-wide or
even house phone messages. “I have
found that students tend to star-six
messages,” Mensing said, “whereas
emails can be kept to look up information later.”
Students, staff and faculty alike
should anticipate the opportunity to
give their feedback in upcoming surveys.
04NEWS
TRWP continued from Page 1
best for them.”
According to McCauley, Principia
will not give out less money, but rather
put those funds toward the continuing
grant program.
Equity in student employment was
another aspect that Gavaletz and McCauley took into consideration. Due
to their requirement to work to receive
the grant, students on TRWP were given a headstart to sign up for jobs at the
end of the quarter. In addition, TRWP
students were given an extra day at
the beginning of every quarter to find
a job. Under the new system, “nobody
gets priority on jobs, it’s a level playing
field for all students,” said McCauley.
“Students will have to be more on
the ball,” Williams-Saucedo said, “[to]
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
come when they’re supposed to come,
be ready, have the skills, interview well,
and have good work performances in
previous jobs.”
McCauley said this system was designed decades ago when Principia
was less generous with its financial aid.
Now, “it is burdensome in many ways
and is no longer the best way to help
today’s families,” he said: Principia’s
increased generosity with its financial
aid awards is one significant element
that has changed since this program
was initiated.
Currently, 140 out of approximately
300 to 350 student workers on campus
are on TRWP. Student reactions to the
change are mainly positive. “Discontinuing TRWP allows more people who
want to work, to work,” junior Rigel
Valentine pointed out. “TRWP forces
people who don’t want to work.”
After asking all TRWP students
if they would continue working even
without the grant, every reply Williams-Saucedo received was affirmative. She said she encountered many
non-TRWP students who are glad because they feel they will have a better
chance of getting a job or getting the
job that they want.
Senior Kateland Oakes said it is
harder to find a job if you’re not on
TRWP. “This first-come, first-serve
just makes sense,” she said. “Also, people will be more appreciative of their
jobs.”
Williams-Saucedo’s only concern
from her side is that “the process of
hiring is going to be more intense be-
cause before we had a staggered hiring
system.”
Student Body Vice President Esteban Xifre also points out that international students as a whole were disadvantaged and couldn’t get enough
hours or the job they wanted because
they couldn’t be on TRWP due to visa
restrictions. However, almost all international students do work, according to
Williams-Saucedo.
Due to this change, the hiring process for fall quarter 2010 will begin
during weeks 9 and 10 of this quarter.
Since a lot of seniors will be graduating, there will be many job opportunities for new workers.
Principia’s first live video webcast
On Sunday April 25th, Principia sent out its first ever live web video-cast,
a reproduction of the Coast to Coast presentation that has been toured
over the past year. In pictures clockwise from top right: Mark Dearborn
eats Raman in the control room inpreparation for the grueling production;
Media Services employees Stephanie Young and Larry Charlston, and junior Rob Terrell control audio and video streams during the broadcast;
Graduate intern Erica Popp, and senior Anne Goodrich-Stuart enter copy
into a telepromter ahead of broadcast; Media Services Technical Director
Eddie Cox sets up the web-link for the broadcast; Senior Anne GoodrichStuart gets comfortable on camera before introducing the broadcast.
Spring 2011 Abroad
David Miller / photos
Leadership continued from Page 1
East Understanding. David Wold, who
is Palmer’s cousin, has been selected to
help launch the Leadership Institute.
He possesses a Master’s degree in Management and Leadership and has more
than twenty years of business-management experience. Palmer added that
he informed the Trustees of his decision prior to its announcement but that
even their approval wasn’t necessary.
As for the faculty, he explained that
there was no reason to involve them
in this process because these two programs, while admittedly still only in
their developmental phases, are being
considered “largely co-curricular” – related to, but separate from, the main
curriculum. Some faculty expressed
doubt that these new programs could
realistically remain outside the scope
of curriculum and disagreed with
Palmer’s decision to exclude them from
the planning process.
Among these faculty members was
Political Science professor Julie Blase,
the Chair of College Curriculum Committee. “Knowing the kinds of activities that students want credit for, I’d
like to know more about what these
programs will offer in terms of academics,” said Blase. She added, “If there
is absolutely no curricular impact, I’m
curious how these institutes are expected to contribute to Prin’s goal of academic excellence.”
Another concern among faculty is
the source of the programs’ funding,
especially in the face of campus-wide
budget cuts. The faculty feel they do
not know the answer to this and many
other questions.
Horth remarked,
“Because the Curriculum Committee
wasn’t involved, we’re feeling very in
the dark.” Palmer said that both the
Leadership Institute and the Euphrates Center are likely to be self-funded
once well-established. He continued
that initial startup costs within the
first year and a half would come directly from the Chief Executive Innovation Fund. The Chief Executive Innovation Fund is a discretionary fund
established for just these types of ventures, and is not allocated for campus
departments.
Most faculty seem confident that
these programs will do what they intend and will bless all involved. Their
concerns, then, are the process by
which the programs were created and
the question of how they fit into Principia’s educational mission. As Blase
conveyed, “The goal of the College
Curriculum Committee these past two
years has been to create transparent
processes and standards and the levels
of collaboration between faculty has
been a beautiful thing to see. To not be
consulted on such big-picture ideas for
Prin seems contradictory to what the
faculty and academic staff are working
to accomplish.”
Info Meetings
Prague and the
Czech Republic
Led by Professor Dinah Ryan
Tuesday of Week 6
7:00 - 8:00 PM
GDR1
China and the
Silk Road
Led by Professor John Williams
Thursday of Week 6
7:00 - 8:00 PM
GDR1
NEWS05
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
The global admissions mission
Kenny D’Evelyn
P
Staff writer
rincipia continues its effort
to maintain and increase
a global presence, both by
admitting a diverse student body and by exploring the prospect of a satellite campus.
At the start of the quarter, representatives from the Admissions Office were
simultaneously recruiting on four different continents. These trips demonstrate Principia’s “strong commitment
to maintaining a diverse international
campus and expanding it,” according
to Dean of Enrollment Management
Brian McCauley. McCauley himself
just returned from a two week trip to
Africa, where he visited Kenya, South
Africa and Ghana. Vitalis Otieno, the
men’s soccer coach and a native Kenyan, joined McCauley for the Kenya
portion of the trip.
The purpose of the trip was primarily admissions-based. McCauley and
Otieno conducted over 30 interviews
with prospective students, all of which
were at least an hour long. According
to McCauley, the interviews “really got
into depth about [the students’] academic preparedness, their commitment
to Christian Science, and their language
abilities.” The in-depth interviews provided the International Admissions
Committee with information that facilitated a thoughtful and improved
evaluation of candidates. McCauley
emphasized that these interviews were
conducted because the Admissions Office wants to “make sure that any student, domestic or international, who
comes to Principia is positioned to be
successful here across the board.”
The usefulness of the trip this year
led McCauley to expect he will be making the same visit next year. He also expects recruiting trips to eventually expand to Latin America. While the trip
fulfilled its admissions-oriented objectives, McCauley and Otieno also used
the opportunity to further explore the
possibility of opening a satellite campus in Africa, an effort which is being
headed by Dean of Academics Scott
Schneberger, who requested this trip
serve as a preliminary examination.
College President Jonathan Palmer
explained that the underlying drive to
pursue a satellite campus “is very mission-based,” and is rooted in the ques-
tions: “How do we serve the Cause of
Christian Science? How do we provide
Principia educational opportunities for
as many students as we can?” Schneberger echoed this sentiment, saying
Principia is “really interested in serving the Cause and investing in those
areas where there seems to be a growing interest in Christian Science and in
meeting their educational needs.”
McCauley says that during his time
on the African continent, he “brought
up the concept [of a satellite campus]
The process for exploring the possibility of another campus is complex
and will undoubtedly be lengthy. The
administration first submitted the idea
for approval by the Trustees in the
college’s strategic plan for 2020. The
Trustees approved the idea under the
heading of “Global Educational Opportunities” and charged that the Academic Dean’s office take the steps to
“investigate one or more satellite campuses, physical or virtual.” Schneberger then hired former Principia professor
model for the campus is still very much
undecided.
Schneberger confirmed the wide array of possible models, from an entirely
virtual experience to a two-year associate degree program. What the administration is trying to do, remarked
Palmer, “is to look at what has worked
for other institutions and see if there
is a model that really makes sense for
us.” In evaluating the differing models, one particular concern about the
online model is its ability—or inabil-
Dean of Enrollment Management Brian McCauley and men’s Soccer Coach Vitalis Otieno hold an interview during their time in Kenya.
They interviewed over 30 prpspective students.
The Principia jerseys in the photo below were donated to the school. // photos courtesy of Brian McCauley
with over 300 hundred people. The
response from everybody was overwhelmingly positive.” He noted there
were varying reasons for the support.
Some individuals found the prospect of
lower costs exciting. Others believed a
local campus would encourage students
to return home after graduation as opposed to staying in the United States.
All agreed, though, that Principia could
serve many more Christian Scientists
in this region than it does now. These
sentiments supported Palmer’s projections that “there are literally hundreds
of students out there who would take
advantage of [a satellite campus] who
can’t at this point.”
Charles Heck as a consultant and asked
that he provide an in-depth examination of the possibilities for a satellite
campus. According to Heck, he was to
“provide a big picture and independent
thinking.”
After extensive research, including
interviews with faculty, staff, and students, Heck concluded in his report
that “the case for a satellite campus
opening by 2020 is strongest in SubSaharan Africa.” He continued to note
the prospect is still a “dream” and that
Principia must first work to strengthen
ties in the region. While the administration agrees with Heck’s assessment
that the best potential is in Africa, the
ity—to deliver the “full Principia experience.” Schneberger reiterated, “The
most important thing we are looking
at is character education. How do we
do character education online?” He
seemed convinced that this purpose
could be met, concluding: “We are very
confident that we can do that—that
there are ways of instilling, teaching,
and promoting character development
online.”
The next step, according to Schneberger, is to create a Tiger Team to
further investigate the prospect of a
satellite campus and to create a plan to
move forward. He expects that process
to begin this summer.
06NEWS
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Beehives reintroduced to campus
by Justin Sinichko
W
Staff writer
hile the gnats stake
their claim to the
Chapel Green and
every other grassy
patch on campus,
senior Hannah Richards is formally reintroducing a new hive of honeybees to
Eliestoun and its unclaimed wildflowers. The project, Richards said, is an
opportunity to explore the loveliness of
bees while simultaneously supplementing her quarter’s Biochemistry research
paper with dirt-under-the-fingernails
experience.
Four years ago, the Biology department purchased the hive Richards
has since refurbished. At the time Ellie
Stevens, then a freshman and now Operations manager in the department,
developed an independent bee-keeping
course. This was a project she would
continue for two consecutive years,
eventually abandoning it in 2008 when
her bees “swarmed” and left the hive.
Richards has brought the bees
back. She commented on the harmony
the opportunity has allowed her to
witness. “Bees are all for the greatest
good ... all focused on providing the
energy to make the hive survive,” she
said. “There’s the honey, and the males
which give their sperm - only to die ...
each bee has a role in the hive, each is
going through phases of work ... They
couldn’t live without one another; it
seems other animals are out for themselves.” It was with giddy emotion that
Richards sat down and shared her bee
story, focusing just as enthusiastically
on the logistics of keeping Apis millefera, or the western honeybee, as on
the inspiration the colony offers. “No
greater harmony exists in nature,” she
concluded, a keen comment from one
of three graduating Bachelor of Science majors.
Recently Richards, Stevens, and I
visited the then-empty hive to inoculate
its chambers with hundreds of buzzing
females, a handful of male drones, and
the separated lone queen bee, cleverly
dubbed Elizabeth. Over the next couple of days, the separate container in
which the queen was shipped will be
licked clean away (there is a sugar door
between her and the worker bees.) At
this point – fingers crossed – Elizabeth
will be satisfied with the conditions of
her own Eliestoun mansion and choose
to stay.
During this tornado-esque process
of opening the bee-shipping container
and sweeping them into the hive, Richards and I were engulfed in a cloud of
aimless bees. Though we each wore a
beekeeper hat, gloves, and shorts, and
though we operated a smoker, the precautions were moot. Bees crawled all
over us, but neither of us was stung.
During the procedure, it became clear
that Richards had worked to eliminate all fear from the occasion, resolving to enjoy the energy-packed moment for the opportunity that it was.
Throughout the next couple of
weeks, the hive will continue to grow
and produce that sweet royal amber
sustenance. While Richards hopes to
collect honey, the department currently lacks the tools she will need to clean
it. Pure honey, she said, will be a gift
she will share unrefined: honeycomb,
bits of bees’ wings, everything left in it.
Later this quarter, Richards
will present her project to each of the
Field and Natural History course sections. She also invites anyone curious to
join her for a ranger ride up to the hive,
and to share in the experience every
Sunday.
Senior Hannah Richards shows the Eliestoun honeybees to senior Kenji
Yoshinobu and photographer Benjamin Chernivsky on Sunday, April
25. The bees were mailed to the Biology department this spring.
photo // Ken Baughman
PIR shows expand audience, scope
by Jessica Gealy
P
Staff writer
work, or PSPN. Russell has been involved with a variety of shows on PIR,
including “Reggae Vibes” and “Beyond
Borders,” the former of which hosted
Dynamq as a guest. The purpose of
shows such as these is to “break down
segregation,” said Russell.
said that her involvement with PIR
“started out as a joke,” but her passion and love for radio are what really
pushed her into it. “I think if you’re
determined to do it, nothing can stop
you,” she said. She now co-hosts a callin radio show called “Starlight” with
rincipia Internet Radio
(PIR) has a variety of
radio shows, all with the
purpose of informing and
entertaining the Principia
community while providing a learning
experience for students.
Since its introduction in October
2007, PIR has evolved into the thriving station it is today. Its shows cover
a vast range of topics, including sports
updates, a call-in political show, and
international music. These shows are
available to the world via the Internet.
This means that anyone with Internet
access can stay connected with Principia by tuning in to hear what students
have to offer.
Senior Ricky Seaman said his involvement with PIR started when the
time came for him to fill the Mass Communication majors’ practicum requirement. Why did he choose to fill this
requirement with a radio show? There
are actually a few reasons. “I love cultures,” he said. “I had the music and I
was inspired by international friends.”
Seaman’s show, “A Trip Around the Senior DJ Ricky Seaman sets up for his weekly world music radio
World,” which “promote[s] global show, A Trip Around the World, in the PIR studio. “I love cultures,” he said, “I had
awareness.”
the music and I was inspired by international friends.” photo // Brittany Jenks
Other students involved with PIR
are freshman Zach Becker and sophoHowever different the shows may freshman Eric Odanga, a show meant
more Max Russell. Becker said that he seem, the students behind the mics all to represent the community and bring
got into radio because his older brother, have something in common: passion. it together.
junior Rob Terrell, was on the board. Each student heard on the radio is
Although anyone can get involved
Due to his passion for sports, he started there because they truly love what they with PIR, it takes a great deal of coma show called Principia’s Sports Net- are doing. Freshman Ratia Tekenet mitment. According to Rick Dearborn,
the Director of Digital Media, everyone
who wants to host a show is required
to train under someone with experience
before they go on the air. Students are
also required to sign an agreement that
says they will uphold Principia’s standards and will not air anything that
would misrepresent the community. For
example, if someone were to request
“Lil’ Freak,” it probably wouldn’t be
played on the air. As much as they may
love Usher, someone else may not think
his lyrics are appropriate for a medium
that exists to advance Principia.
Whether it is due to increased awareness of the station or a response to the
great shows available, the number of
PIR listeners is growing. “During the
last year we had over 23,000 listeners
to our live program. So far, the number of listeners is up about 50 percent
from last year,” said Dearborn. However, numbers are still not where they
could be. “The campus needs to appreciate what we have,” said Tekenet.
More than anything, Tekenet would
like feedback from the community. “I
wish there was a way to know what to
improve, what to change, how to make
the show better for them,” she said.
POLITICS07
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
to-fail” systems including bundled subprime mortgages, which
Liberal columnist
abounded because banks took adPRINCIPIAPILOT vantage of the ambiguous legal
structure. The subprime mortgage
fiasco demonstrates the need for
n a cold night in Degovernmental restraint when corcember 1773, colonists porations have so much control that
in Boston burst into the they can aversely affect the global
harbor dressed as Na- economy.
tive Americans, boardThough individuals behind the Tea
ed British ships, and dumped boxes Party movement vehemently deny alof tea into the harbor. This reckless legations of astroturfing, some of the
act of defiance demonstrated their deepest conservative pockets are in
discontent with Britain’s “tyranni- fact funding this Populist Party. Decal” policy of taxation without rep- spite the party’s moneyed origin, reresentation. Over two centuries later cent criticism of the party has come
in response to the 2008 government from political pundits on Fox News,
bailout and 2009 stimulus package, denigrating the party for its ineffectuthe Tea Party movement has adopted al leadership and not giving the party
their revolutionary moniker. Does a high survival forecast. There may
this new party have the political clout also be an inherent difficulty in instito become the new dominant conservative party, or is it simply a group of
Republicans repackaging their angst
over the 2008 election? The Tea Party
movement has straightforward goals:
limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a free market. Is this a truly
new political movement, or more of
the same from the beleaguered political right?
The Tea Party movement is a populist protest movement that emerged
in 2009 as a result of various “tea
party protests” around the U.S. An
incredible 18 percent, nearly onefifth of respondents to an NY Times/
CBS poll, identify themselves as Tea
Party supporters. The majority of
these supporters are white, married,
and older than 45, according to the
poll. They also tend to be more educated and wealthier than the general
public, with predominantly conservative views. Given its makeup, the
movement’s call for smaller government and large tax cuts seems old hat.
There were even accusations of “astroturfing” in the movement’s birth.
“Astroturfing” denotes planned political campaigning under the guise of
“grassroots” behavior. As the people
involved are political, this seems disingenuous. The Tea Party movement tuting a new party within the U.S.’s
is orchestrated and, in part, funded two-party system.
It may seem that the Tea Party is a
by FreedomWorks, an immense conservative NGO that supports political new, vibrant political revolution that
activism in many forms and has been is reinvigorating conservative vota part of many previous “astroturf- ers in America. Its ideals, however,
are not anything new or revolutioning” projects.
The disingenuous haze over the ary: they are traditional conservative
movement contributes largely to the views repackaged and recycled by the
misleading nature of its spontaneity. conservative elites, reusing incendiary
The fact that large moneyed conserva- speech and fear-politicking to prevent
tive institutions control a movement positive change and limit government
that promotes smaller government, power and regulatory ability.
This “new” political movement,
less oversight, and freer trade should
come as no surprise. Greedy private although initially viewed as provocacorporations would happily shed bur- tive, has failed to incite a majority foldensome
governmentally-enforced lowing due to the elitist, laissez faire
environmental regulations and lower attitude of Tea Party promoters and
taxes while promoting free trade poli- funders. While this “revolution” has
cies to expand their markets overseas. inspired some, the engrained two-parThis is the same line of thinking ty system naturally resists the emerthat prompted the global financial gence of a third party. It seems uncrisis. Ineffectual constraints on the likely that enthusiasm for Tea Party
banking system promoted “built- politics will continue.
THE
Ezra Ranz
O
Tea party in the U.S.A.
I
f you read The New York
Times opinion section, you
probably believe the Tea
Party movement is made
up of a bunch of racist
old white men. On the contrary,
we are a diverse group; people of all
walks of life are upset about the path
down which Washington is taking us.
I’m 20 years old, and if anyone
has the right to be angry about the
Obama agenda, it’s young people.
This administration has made a commitment to bankrupting my generation. Obama is turning us from Generation “Y” to Generation “Why Us?”.
By year’s end, our national debt will
reach a record $14 trillion; that’s over
$45,000 per person in America. Our future looks even dimmer. In ten years,
the interest on the debt alone will be
$770 billion, and by 2025 the debt will
surpass the GDP.
These numbers are tough to grasp,
but in real terms this means a monstrosity of future taxes.
Logistically, the government has
had to sell treasury bonds to pay for
our debt, and many of these bonds are
short-term bonds with reasonably low
interest. Unless we figure out how to
miraculously pay for these bonds in the
next couple of years, this debt will have
to be rolled over into higher-interest
(more expensive) bonds.
The pivotal moment will come when
we can no longer roll over our debt because we have so much that no one will
want to buy our worthless bonds. Then,
my generation will have the privilege of
paying off this debt with our taxes.
When this time comes, it may be impossible for America to remain the land
of opportunity. The government will
face two equally repugnant choices: significantly raise taxes on everyone, or fi-
Ron Meyer
Conservative columnist
PRINCIPIAPILOT
THE
The new conservative party?
nance the debt by printing more money.
Either way, our economy will tank because of an excessive tax burden or runaway inflation.
The youth can no longer afford to
stand idly by and be robbed by the
Baby Boomers’ debt. This apathy is unacceptable: the only way we can fix it is
to be heard. We cannot let people with
“more life experience” tell us to sit down
and be quiet. These “wise” individuals
have spent us into oblivion.
I don’t think my generation gets it
yet. Those of us who do are attending
Tea Parties and standing up to this assault on our generation’s future financial freedom.
As the Obama zombification wears
off, don’t be surprised when you start
seeing even more young people at these
rallies. The youth are beginning to realize that we must act now to save our
liberty and curb our government’s
spending, deficits, and debt. It’s our
duty to our children and grandchildren.
Saving American freedom for the next
generation won’t be easy. The biggest
uphill battle will be changing the spending culture in Washington.
Our country’s leaders have been politically afraid to do what is necessary
to fix the largest chunk of our government’s spending: entitlements. Rep.
Paul Ryan (R-WI) is the lone voice with
a plan to make Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid sustainable. Most everyone else is scared of special interests
like the AARP.
The youth of this nation must send
a louder message to our country’s leaders. The Tea Parties continue to serve as
the best opportunity for us to demand
Washington to stand up against the status quo. November is the time to begin
the real change our country so desperately needs.
It’s time for us Millennials to drop
our apathetic ways and get in the game.
08CORRESPONDENCE
PRINCIPIAPILOT
Letters to the editors
04.30.10
The letters from Jervis DiCicco and Louise Kingsbery have been condensed due to the space constraints of print. To read them in full, visit principiapilot.org
Dear Pilot Editor and Principia
Community,
I was not just saddened but horrified to read in the Pilot about the deaccession/sale of the beautiful Pierre
Soulages painting (“So Long Soulages”
by Kayleigh Kavanagh, April 16). For
three years, whilst teaching art history at Principia College, this painting
was in my office,
and later it found
its way to the library. I served for
a couple of years
on the Cultural
Properties Committee and cannot
imagine what rationale or debate
might have taken
place which could
have allowed for
this painting to be
let go.
The oeuvre of Soulages is found in
many fine university and college collections (UC Berkeley, Harvard, Vassar) as well as major museums (Georges
Pompidou, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Chicago Art Institute). What an enviable teaching tool
those institutions have who can claim a
Soulages! It is the cultural properties
which can contribute to a prospective
student’s choice of college and enrich
one’s environment. Consider Mrs. Eddy’s comment on the kinds of models
we keep before thought.
Principia has never much articulated its artistic holdings besides Maybeck’s drawings, pastels, and other renderings. Even so, it’s sad that when I
was on the faculty, numerous Principia-related Maybeck records (from his
daughter Jacomena) were, rather, entrusted to the University of California,
Berkeley instead of Principia because
of the perception that Principia might
community at large, into jettisoning a
significant part of what could make an
undergraduate education excellent instead of merely good. The sale of this
work of art may simply be an issue of
a business-oriented rather than humanities-oriented executive, but I think it is
a symptom of a larger trend. Principia’s true support of art education is being undermined with the closure of the
museum and the
“need to downsize
its art collection.”
The author of “So
Long
Soulages”
was intuiting what
a real bombshell
this
announcement really is for
Principia, not to
mention what a
real impediment it
creates for future
donors of art to
Principia.
As the recent film documentary on the famous Barnes Collection,
“The Art of the Steal,” has shown,
art is big business. The justification
that this sale was “for the painting’s
own good” is implausible at best, and
it behooves the Principia community
to have the details of this transaction
(“to a private collector who had been
interested in acquiring the painting for
several years”) fully disclosed. When a
late work by Soulages fetched over $1.3
million in Paris recently (by Sotheby’s
auction house), if the Principia Cor-
The sale of this work of art may simply
be an issue of a business-oriented rather
than humanities-oriented executive, but
I think it is a symptom of a larger trend.
Principia’s true support of art education is
being undermined…
Dear Editors,
The article “Healthcare reform at
Principia” published in the April 16,
2010 edition of the Pilot raised some
very important subjects to any Christian Scientist. The author, as I understood the article, discussed two separate
issues that often seem to collide: judgment of the choices made by Christian
Scientists and the validity of medical
treatment. I believe it is a mistake to
combine these two issues. Mary Baker
Eddy, the discoverer and founder of
Christian Science,
was very clear on
how both of these
topics ought to
be handled, and
as Christian Scientists, it makes
sense that we
should follow the
advice of scripture
and her counsel if
we seek to advance in our understanding of Truth.
On the first subject — that of personal judgment — I agree in principle
with the article’s assertion that personal judgment is an erroneous practice. Mrs. Eddy is clear on this point
in “A Rule for Motives and Acts” and
throughout her writings, and there is
ample scriptural support for her demand that we watch and pray against
erroneous judgment. Paul’s command
to “work out your own salvation”
is quoted three times in Science and
Health with Key to the Scriptures.
Jesus was equally unambiguous in
his views of personal judgment. In
Luke 6:37, he says, “Judge not, and ye
shall not be judged: condemn not, and
ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and
not be a safe repository.
Principia
has many other pedigree pieces of art:
Calder, de Chirico, Toby, Fuller, maybe
still the Benton, Stella, and others.
If you wish to understand what is
really a national trend with a significant ethical debate, read the article
“When Masterpieces are Moneymakers” (Inside Higher Ed 2/16/07). The
population of Christian Scientists, and
consequently the Principia community,
are demographically under stress, but
that doesn’t mean one should allow
philistinism or simply short-sighted
stewardship to blind executives, or the
ye shall be forgiven.” And in the familiar story of the adulteress in John
8:7, he disperses the mob with the same
concept when he admonishes, “He that
is without sin among you, let him first
cast a stone at her.”
I have in my own experience encountered some ugly examples of judgment
from Christian Scientists. I have been
attacked for choices as small as where
I sat during a Sunday service, and witnessed guests and members be turned
off to our religion (the law of which is
er does not stand up to logic.
Before I go any further, let me say
that I have made choices that fall outside the realm of Christian Science, including the use of medicine. I do not
believe that gives anyone the right to
condemn me for those choices, and I am
sure that neither Christ nor our Leader
would approve of personal judgment.
However, it is essential that we recognize these choices are not part of Christian Science and are not God-directed.
Jesus never instructed one of his patients to use medicine, nor did Mrs.
Eddy. In fact, the
practice of Christian Science is antagonistic towards
the uses and practices of modern
medicine, and it
is only a trick of
error that would
try to confuse this
point. The belief
in the power of medicine to heal breaks
the first commandment and is contrary
to scripture. In Psalms 103:3, we read
that God “healeth all thy diseases,”
and in Luke, Jesus explains that we
are endowed with power “over all the
power of the enemy: and nothing shall
by any means hurt you.”
Ask yourself: Would the omnipotent
direct us to another power? Would
Christ send you to the hospital? Would
Mrs. Eddy prescribe medical treatment?
I have made choices that fall outside the
realm of Christian Science, including the
use of medicine. I do not believe that
gives anyone the right to condemn me
for those choices…
Love) during rancorous debates about
church by-laws and individual choices.
I am quite certain that both Jesus and
Mrs. Eddy would not have approved,
and it is vital that we recognize that
this sense of personal judgment is more
pernicious to the advancement of our
individual and collective growth than
is the belief of disease. It is indeed a
belief in human will and many minds,
and can only lead to a divided and broken kingdom.
The second issue raised in the article
is that of the validity of medical treatment within the practice of Christian
Science. The article posits that if God
directs us to medical treatment, we
should obey. There is a deeply flawed
premise in this idea. To believe that
God — whom we know to be omnipotent — would direct us to another pow-
Jervis DiCicco
Principia College 2001
poration were to sell such a precious
asset, the only legitimate and viable
way would be to realize its full market
worth at auction. The Principia piece
was an early-ish one and very valuable.
The more I think about this private sale
with an undisclosed price tag, the more
truly astonished I am at what smacks
of bad business and possibly more.
What’s next, the Mistake House? I’m
sure it’s worth at least a few million.
Very truly yours,
David Riffert
Graduate Academic Studies
The Academy of Art University in
San Francisco
US‘82 C‘86 College Faculty ‘93-’96
Dear Editor,
I want to express my appreciation
for Michael Booth’s article in the last
issue of the Pilot. I feel that the issues
addressed in this article reflect the feelings of many individuals of the community. For me, the greatest learning occurs when I encounter different
thoughts. I feel that a forced homogenization of thought is created through
limiting our community. Personally, I
feel that this school can potentially produce copious amounts of healing. By
claiming that our personal beliefs are
the only accurate ones, we are restricting the natural progression of thought.
This barricade makes us feel safe, but it
is holding us back. I am not suggesting
that we allow non-Christian Scientists
into our community, but merely think
twice before barring fellow Christian
Scientists from it.
Thank you,
Rigel Valentine
Junior
Dear Editors,
The article “Health Care Issues at
Prin” recommends that Christian Scientists pray to God for guidance, listen
for “the still small voice,” and then be
obedient to God’s direction when faced
with a claim of disease that does not
respond to C.S. treatment. The article
is at odds with the widespread belief
in the C.S. movement that if one just
sticks with C.S., one will eventually get
a healing.
There is a tendency for human beings to establish pre-determined human rules for dealing with a situation
so that they don’t have to go through
the perhaps time-consuming and agonizing process of praying to God, listening for God’s answer, and then being
obedient to God, no matter what their
human will is. It is so much easier to
leave God out of one’s decision-making
process and just follow the “traditions
of our fathers” in the C.S. movement,
traditions which did not come to us
from Mary Baker Eddy or God, but
which we humans came up with in the
approximately 100 years since the passing of Mrs. Eddy.
Jon Larson
Adult Summer Sessioner for 13 years
PRINCIPIAPILOT
CORRESPONDENCE09
04.30.10
The Pilot’s Perspective
Dear community: You are wonderful
Many thanks to those of you who wrote to us to
challenge our scant reporting of the circumstances
that led to Craig Savoye’s departure from Principia.
The Pilot is bound by legal contracts signed by the
Principia Corporation. We could have done a better job of making this legal restriction clear. In the
case of this story, such a legal agreement limited
us to the few words we printed on the matter. We
apologize to those of you for whom this coverage is
unsatisfactory. We continue to do our best to bring
you balanced and comprehensive coverage of significant events at Principia. I encourage those of you
who are interested to seek answers for yourselves
and fact-check as best you can.
I would also like to extend thanks to all of you
who have written to the paper regarding topics we
have covered in the paper over the past year. One
of the meanings of Pilot is “leading or guiding.”
In the case of issues such as medical use by Christian Scientists, this has meant leading us headlong
into the murky waters of debate. It is a delight to
see the community weighing in on that debate in
such force. This correspondence page is a testament
to the intensity of thought and the willingness to
engage in discourse that are present in this community.
In the spirit of such debate, I would like to extend an invitation to all our readers to a Pilot Dinner, inspired by The Christian Science Monitor’s
Monitor Breakfasts. We will be eating in a glassedin dining room next Thursday evening between five
and seven. The dinner is an opportunity to discuss
issues that have appeared in previous editions of
the Pilot, or topics that are ongoing. We will report
on these conversations in the following issue of the
Pilot.
Sincerely,
David Miller, Co-Editor In Chief
Charlie Master / Editorial cartoon
Dear Editors,
Responding to the recent article
regarding the practice of Christian Science and how it relates to
the use of material medicine, one
is reminded that the principles and
practices outlined in Education at
the Principia charge Principia with
holding to the purest standard of
Christian Science healing practice.
With that charge in mind, let us ask
those same questions implied or articulated in the aforementioned article, with the goal of eliminating
any confusion regarding Christian
Science and healthcare:
Does God ever turn us to matter?
Our textbook says, “God being
All-in-all, He made medicine; but
that medicine was Mind. It could
not have been matter, which departs from the nature and character of Mind, God” (142). As we
study and grow in our understanding of Christian Science, we discover God is All and matter is nothing. How then, could God possibly
turn us to matter as a solution?
He could not. Taking one’s child
or one’s self to the hospital is certainly not to be condemned. But,
just as we must be clear that taking vitamins or “the pill” or using
medicated cleansers is the use of
medicine, “one need only examine the attitude of Jesus and that
of materia medica regarding the
cause of disease and suffering, to
discover that no similarity whatever exists between them. In his
treatment of sickness Jesus rested
his case entirely with God; while
materia medica ignores God altogether . . .” (1906).
Is using medicine a failure to
practice Christian Science?
We read, “He [Christ Jesus] prescribed no drugs, urged no obedience to material laws, but acted in
direct disobedience to them” (148).
It becomes clear that practicing
Christian Science does not include
the use of medicine. Failure is a
strong word. We could consider
that using medicine is a choice
to not practice Christian Science
rather than a failure.
Is there a material outcome to
prayer?
It can certainly seem that matter changes as the result of prayer.
But, we soon discover that prayer
never changes reality – it reveals
reality. What appears as a material outcome is the proof and demonstration of reality.
What does it mean to listen and
be obedient?
“To be ‘with the Lord’ is to
be in obedience to the law of
God, to be absolutely governed
by divine Love, — by Spirit, not
by matter” (14). The chapter on
Prayer instructs how to listen and
be obedient. This can only improve how we treat one another.
Isn’t that the real issue?
Is there a time when it’s necessary to depend on drugs at Principia?
Mrs. Eddy tells us, “Certainly
we should not be error’s advocate.”
If we believe healing is a revealing
of Truth and not a changing of
something material, then depending on drugs would deceive us into
trusting something that has no
foundation. Try to think of any
time it’s “necessary” to depend on
drugs. We may believe we have no
choice, we may believe that without drugs matter may win the
war, but it’s always a choice. The
question then becomes whether
depending on drugs at Principia
holds to the purest standard of
Christian Science healing.
The questions addressed in the
body of this response haven’t quite
gotten to the heart of the issue regarding what it means to be loving,
compassionate, true, and obedient.
Is it loving to portray Christian
Science as being something it is
not? Is it compassionate to teach
a child that 2 x 2 = 5? Are we being obedient to deviate from pure
metaphysics? Mrs. Eddy told her
household: “You must rise to the
point where you can destroy the
belief in mesmerism, or you will
have no Cause. It tried to overcome me for forty years and I
withstood it all. Now it has gotten to the point where the students
must take up this work and meet
animal magnetism. You must do
it for yourselves, and unless it is
done, the Cause will perish. You
have all the power of God with you
to conquer this lie of mesmerism”
(Dickey 128).
Louise Kingsbery
Brooks Resident Counselor
Hello Principians!
We hope that everyone has had a great
first half of the quarter!
Student Government has been busy recently. We have lots of exciting things to
report.
As you may have seen, there are six
new Go Bikes around campus, thanks
to the hard work of the Principia Bike
Shop. We’re excited to have purchased
new bikes and have those out and working, so feel free to grab one and take it
for a spin. If you see a broken Go Bike,
please take it to the Bike Shop to be fixed.
This week was our first in a series of
Current Events lunches, which are informal discussions led by a faculty member
about the biggest headlines from the past
week. This will happen every Wednesday
at 12:30 in one of the GDRs, so please
stop by with your lunch.
Finally, you should have received in
your e-mail a survey about plagiarism
and writing habits. Please take a few
minutes to fill this out; it’s a valuable tool
for the Writing Center to be able to help
all students become better writers and
avoid plagiarism.
As always, we’re continuing to represent you in all of our meetings and projects, and we would love to hear what you
have to say. Feel free to contact either
one of us if you have suggestions about
how we can better help you!
Thanks,
Laura Buchanan and Esteban Xifre
Student Body Presidents
10FEATURE
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Just keep running, running, running…
by Kayleigh Kavanagh
Y
Staff wrtier
ou may have heard
the phrase, “My
sport is your team’s
punishment.” Every
now and then, your
conscience gets the best of you, and
you decide to run a few miles on the
treadmill in Hay Field House. It’s
no wonder that you dread it with
every fiber of your being: it is exhausting and boring as could be!
Newsflash: you attend Principia
College, a beautiful campus with
some of the most ideal running terrain in the Midwest.
Whether you are looking to get
in shape, have great talks with
friends, have alone time with God,
or simply go on exciting nature
hikes, you will enjoy the adventures, calm, and beauty that these
trails will open up to you.
Several cross-country runners
shared adventures that happened
on their favorite runs.
Sophomore Austin Kingsbery
said that one of the best feelings is
when you take the bluff trail on a (L-R) Senior Justin Sinichko, Assistant Cross-Country Coach Sarah Jarvis, and sophomore Drew Clark run in Wasson
sunny morning. He said that you ravine on Monday, April 26. There are many trails scattered within the woods and along the bluffs of the campus.
get an amazing sensation as you
photos // Benjamin Chernivsky w/asst. David Miller
come out of the canopy of trees
and run up the hill to the first meadow. der-webbing stick, which was success- take you up a rather large incline. really fun downhill single-track.”
Principians have also found a myrKingsbery said, “It just opens up and ful for him because he was holding it Make a left when you get to Highway
out
in
front
of
him,
but
not
so
much
for
3.
Travel
along
Highway
3
and
turn
left
iad
of places off-campus to run. Most
it is so quiet; you really get to listen to
me
–
I
think
I
was
eating
spiderwebs
on
Cemetery
Road
to
return
to
Elsah
notably,
several Principians trained
nature.”
for
a
week.”
and
the
gatehouse
hill.
and
ran
in
the St. Louis half and full
Senior Justin Sinichko said, “It’s
Senior
Kateland
Oakes
said,
“One
Sinichko
mentioned
several
of
his
faGo!
marathon
on Sunday, April 11. A
hard to beat the bluff trail just before
time
when
I
was
running
[the]
bluff
vorite
runs:
“A
20-minute
Eliestoun
on
few
of
these
people
include senior Kate
sunset, which is a great 50-minute run
trail,
there
was
a
giant
rattlesnake
a
rainy
day
with
friends
is
incredible.”
Wells,
junior
Jeff
Strickland, sophoon a trail.”
coiled
up
with
its
rattle
tail
rattling
Senior
Jeff
added
that
he
loves
the
mores
Ana
Liuzzi
and Drew Clark,
To get to the bluff trail, run to Eliaway.
I
was
a
freshman
and
pretty
eight-mile
web
of
trails
to
Chautauqua
Admissions
Counselor
Julia Frank, Sylestoun, and take the gravel road to the
freaked
out.
But
my
favorite
reaction
from
Elsah.
vester
Resident
Counselor
Connie Cranleft right before you get to the stone pilwas
the
guys
running
in
front
of
me.
Sinichko
continued,
“For
a
morning
dell,
and
coaches
Mary
Ann
Sprague
lars. Follow this road around to where
One
guy
screamed
and
leaped
to
the
run,
doing
a
BV
loop
that
peaks
Suiand
Sarah
Jarvis,
who
took
5th
place.
a dirt path veers off to the right, and
side
of
the
trail.
I
saw
them
freak
out
cide
Hill
is
a
rarely
appreciated
splenOn
Saturday,
May
29
at
8
a.m. –
continue on this path as it veers left.
and
then
skirted
the
snake
by
a
large
dor.
From
up
there,
when
the
fog
moves
rain
or
shine
–
students,
faculty,
and
For a six-mile run, follow the path as
margin.
Later,
the
guys
turned
around
in,
and
the
‘cloud-esque’
features
roll
people
from
off
campus
will
comit loops around after the second meadow and brings you back to the original to see if us girls in the back needed around the taller trees like water around pete in the Principia “Escape to the
help. So funny!”
islands, it’s hard to remember why get- Bluffs” triathlon. This fun and beaupath.
Senior
Nathan
Sharp
said
his
favorting out of bed was so hard in the first tiful challenge will have both sprints
Junior Heather Libbe told a bluff
ite
run
is
the
Fessler
Loop.
Sharp
said
place.” Sinichko added that following (400M/28K/5K) and Olympic distances
trail story: “[Senior] Jon Nacewicz and
it
takes
you
out
the
front
gate
and
to
the Wasson trail at the far end of the (400M/40K/10K) that will take parI ran it once and, because of the spiderthe
right.
Turn
left
at
Fessler
and
bear
new parking lot behind the Science ticipants around the campus and surwebs, he insisted on carrying a de-spiright when the road forks, and it will Center down into Elsah provides “some rounding areas.
Triathlon Director PatMany hidden trails around the college campus offer a softer running ground, scenic views, and a variety of hills. rick McCreary said, “This
triathlon is part of the
administration’s commitment to open the campus
to the public.” Rumor
has it that the prizes are
hand-crafted by local artisans, so you will have
to see for yourself on race
day. For registration and
further information about
the Principia triathlon,
visit the Principia website
under “Athletics” and go
to “Multisport,” which
will link you to the triathlon page.
FEATURE11
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Turning Principian thumbs green
by Ginny Tonkin
T
Staff writer
has a lot of personality,” said Lowenberg.
Mosman said she has loved her internship and has learned much about
sustainable agriculture. “It’s a lot of
work, but we’re making it more productive for [Amy and Segue],” said
and I felt out of place.”
After meeting a farmer in Kentucky
who was using sustainable methods,
and after interning on an organic farm,
Cloud knew right away that she had
found her passion. After first leasing
land from Principia in 2006, Cloud
come in all different colors, varieties,
flavors. They’re better for the soil, because they use different nutrients than
conventional varieties do.”
Hayes is exploring how a farmer
could actually start and establish
their own organic farm. After graduation, Hayes is thinking about starting
her own farm back home in Montana.
“People have lost that connection to
supply for themselves,” said Hayes.
“To be given those tools and know how
to use them in the future is a unique
opportunity.”
Mosman agreed, and said she appreciates this understanding. “They’re
teaching us to be self-sufficient, because we’re not shipping things from
a long way away,” Mosman said. “It’s
a responsibility, but not a weighty responsibility.”
The Principia interns work parttime alongside two full-time interns,
Liberty Hunter and Leslie Touzeau,
who previously interned at another
organic farm in Kansas City. Touzeau
said people need to change their perception about farming. “People think
farming is an uneducated, blue-collar
job, but that’s a misconception. Actually, a lot of strategy and planning
goes into farming,” said Touzeau. “Education doesn’t matter. All it takes is
awareness and appreciation.”
Hunter agreed, saying that understanding that vegetables actually come
from nature and not the supermarket
is a big first step. “People need to know
real vegetables are not perfect,” she
said.
These internships provide an opportunity to learn as well as volunteer, and
Cloud gladly takes volunteers who want
to help at the farm. Cloud loves the student involvement, and said she hopes
that by participating at the farm, students come away knowing how to care
for their own garden. “Our internship is
a hands-on learning experience,” Cloud
said. “Best way to learn is just to get
your hands dirty and do it.”
wice a week, senior Molly
Hayes, junior Jenn Odell,
sophomore Lulu Mosman, and freshman Emma
Lowenberg venture into
Elsah, where they learn about organic agriculture as interns on the Three
Rivers Community Farm. Dirty knees
and dusty pants are hallmarks of their
work.
On any given farm day, these students can be seen weeding, mowing,
planting seedlings or seeds, or doing
anything else that the farm needs that
day.
Farmer Amy Cloud runs the Three
Rivers Community Farm with her
husband Segue Lara. Started in 2006,
this organic operation rests uphill from
Elsah proper, just off of Chautauqua
Road. Cloud and Lara live with their
eight-month-old son Diego on this
small-scale, chemical-free operation,
which is a form of community-supported agriculture (CSA) that is located
just a couple minutes from the Principia campus.
Lowenberg loved the opportunity to
jump right into work. “Amy started us Mosman, “I love the idea of fresh found a way to make her passion profitout right away, and we were weeding on food without pesticides, fresh from the able in the village of Elsah. “I love the
the first day,” she said.
earth. I love supporting small business- direct relationship with the communiMosman applied for the internship, es. I mean, this is their passion.”
ty,” Cloud said. “I love the small scale.”
inspired by author Barbara KingsolvIn addition to biweekly visits to the
Cloud said she thinks internships are
er’s book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, great opportunities that provide per- farm, the internships contain academic
which records the Kingsolver family’s sonal knowledge about a particular line components. The intern group meets
year of eating only locally or home- of work. After all, internships helped weekly with Biology professor Mike
grown food. “I love the local aspect steer her away from a Windy City desk Rechlin over lunch to discuss readings
of organic farming,” said Mosman. job back to life on the farm.
from Michael Pollan’s book Omnivore’s
“Farming and gardening takes skill
As a senior in college, organic farm- Dilemma, which examines the Ameriand a little bit of knowledge, but once er Amy Cloud completed a publishing can food industry. “Reading the book
you figure it out, it’s easy, fun, and ac- internship in Chicago as a Literature goes hand-in-hand with what we’re
tive.” As for weeding, Mosman does not major. “After high school, I didn’t want doing,” said Hayes. “Being out on the
see the task as a chore. “I look at it as anything to do with farming,” Cloud farm, seeing how everything grows,
‘eradicating evil from the soil,’” she said. Having grown up on a corn, soy- and how we have an impact.”
said.
Interns will also complete an indibean, and dairy farm in Michigan, she
Tractor training is an essential skill had witnessed first-hand the struggle to vidual project which allows them to
that interns need to acquire. The ma- make ends meet. But the noisy, crowd- examine in depth a particular facet of
chine is an intern favorite; the dated ed, big city environment of Chicago organic farming. Mosman brightened
tractor from ’73 sports a bright orange did not suit her. “It was not my cup of as she explained her topic of choice:
mower, which jostles as its blades whir tea,” she said. “I was living downtown, heirloom vegetable varieties: “They
over the pasture. “It’s crotchety and
Top: Amy Cloud works with Principia interns at the Three Rivers Community Farm in Elsah, which she runs with her husband, Segue. Bottom: Junior
Jenn Odell examines the greens within the farm’s green house. Interns spend time working on the farm. photos // Ben Chernivsky
12FEATURE
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Non-traditional life on campus
Non-traditional students can often seem invisible or decentralized. Most live in housing on the outskirts of campus or by Maija Baldauf
in spare rooms in dorms; two of the students interviewed here live in the basement of Joe McNabb. Yet they are still
Staff writer
a crucial element of life at Principia with amazing perspectives and ideas to share. Their ability to reenter college life
after years spent either in the professional world or at other schools, sets an inspiring example of flexibility, ambition, photos by Katie Duntley
and perseverance. The Pilot interviewed five domestic and international students who don’t fit the typical Principia
student mold, but are working to find their niche.
Jeremiah
Chiteri
It is rare for students to have work
experience in their fields of study before ever setting foot on campus, but
freshman Jeremiah Chiteri of Kenya
has already worked as a teacher for
years.
Chiteri taught Swahili and Social
Studies to children aged eight to 13
at a private school in Kenya before he
was accepted to Principia. He received
his teaching certificate in Uganda, but
decided that earning a degree would
improve his job opportunities.
Chiteri first heard about Principia
from his church in Korowe. He learned
more about the institution from his
brother, who graduated from Principia
in 2006. Chiteri applied to Principia
for the first time in 2003 and again in
2006 but was missing test scores or required paperwork both times. He was
Catherine
Faust
Junior Catherine Faust said she
thought she was done with Principia
when she left campus in 1996.
After two years in Elsah, Faust
moved back to her home in Charleston
to work and attend school, but said
she soon found that it wasn’t working
for her. “My focus wasn’t on school [at
the time],” she said.
Faust said the decision to complete her Education and Sociology
majors evolved over a few years. She
ultimately decided she wanted to finish where she started. “I know I can
go anywhere to get a college degree
but I felt that I needed to come back
[here],” she said.
Faust was originally drawn to Principia because her sister attended the
Upper School and College. Faust said
that Principia does not seem to have
changed much in the last 14 years.
ultimately accepted in 2009.
Chiteri said that he navigated the
application process with some help
from his brother. He added, “Most of
my family members knew that I was
coming here when everything was already set.”
Chiteri said he feels as though his
fellow students connect with one another through classes, work or housing. However, “unless there is something tying you together,” he added.
”Then you will [not] know each other.”
Consequently, Chiteri said there are
still many students on campus with
whom he hasn’t developed a particularly strong bond. “I am very willing
to know more about people, but I still
don’t know how to get [to] them because everyone seems so closed,” said
Chiteri.
Although life in Elsah could hardly
be more different from life in Kenya,
Chiteri said he thinks his Principia
education is “a good experience” so far.
She added that the school’s special focus on serving the Cause of Christian
Science has remained the same.
Even with support from professors
and her family, Faust said, “It’s not
an easy transition.”
Faust said she greets and talks with
her housemates in Joe McNabb, but
still spends much of her free time outside of classes and work at the Guest
House on her own. She also said that
she feels cut off from other nontraditional students, most of whom live in
Beeman. Faust added, “If somebody
were to ask me, ‘Who are the other
non-trads?’ I would say, ‘I have no
clue.’”
She added that it seems expected
for non-traditional students to take
the initiative in asking for help. “[As
an adult,] you learn that it’s your responsibility. Nobody else is going to
do it for you.”
Despite the challenges, Faust said
she wouldn’t change her decision to
return to Principia. She added, “This
is where I’d rather be.”
FEATURE13
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Stephen
Calkins-Keyes
As a husband, father of five, scuba diving enthusiast, and successful
businessman, it seems safe to say that
Stephen Calkins-Keyes has more real
life experience than his fellow college
sophomores.
Still, Calkins-Keyes has faced certain challenges returning to school in
pursuit of a Chemistry degree. “Animal magnetism can really try to convince you that you can’t come back to
school when you’re 51,” he said.
Calkins-Keyes grew up attending
Christian Science Sunday School, but
did not fully commit to the religion
until later in life. He said the fact that
he was saved from suicide 19 years
ago taught him that God doesn’t see
the flaws we often think we see in ourselves.
He attended Principia College once
before as a non-traditional student in
1993, but left school when he fell in
love with and later married his wife
in 1994. The couple lived in Shanghai
for over three months before settling
in San Antonio, working in the real
estate business and starting a family.
Calkins-Keyes considered returning to Principia when his mortgage
business collapsed: “I really loved
my experience at Prin,” he said. “I
had never finished college when I was
younger [and] I was very interested in
getting a degree.”
After applying to Principia in July
2009, Calkins-Keyes was accepted,
and he was living in Elsah with his
wife and their five children by September. At that point the family had
no permanent living situation and
stayed with his in-laws, Chrissy and
Jeff Steele, until they were able to
find a home on campus.
The Calkins-Keyes children, who
were home schooled by their mother
until this year, now attend the Prin-
cipia Lower and Middle Schools.
Calkins-Keyes said: “They’re really
proud of me. They tell me that every
day.”
Although keeping up with academics and family can be difficult,
Calkins-Keyes knows the value of
education. He said he has advised
some of his peers to consider graduate
school before entering the work force
because “it’s so hard to come back [to
school].”
specifically for non-traditional students. She said a study skills workshop would most likely help students
regain an understanding of what it
means to work in an academic setting.
According to Marroquin-Phillips,
life as a non-traditional student is
not without financial challenges. She
added, “I’m not sure if I’m going to
be able to come back next quarter because I have to work.”
Marroquin-Phillips said she does
not have a job on campus because she
is afraid work might get in the way of
her studies, which are already fairly
time-consuming.
Whatever the future may bring,
Marroquin-Phillips said she is pleased
with Principia so far, especially compared to her experience with the faculty at her previous school.
Marroquin-Phillips said of Principia: “It’s beautiful. I really love it.”
Ochieng has had the opportunity to
try new things as a one-year enrichment student at Principia.
Ochieng has taken Business, Physics, Computer Science, and language
courses over the last year. He also said
quarter and is enjoying his work as
the meta-head in Beeman.
Throughout his experience at Principia, Ochieng said he has appreciated
the fact that professors are always
willing to help their students. Unlike
he is currently enrolled in a Theater
practicum with Patrick McCreary this
classes at larger colleges and universities, Ochieng said, “[Here] you get
real attention.”
Perhaps the most important lesson
Ochieng has learned is of the commonality between students. Ochieng
said he has observed that a shared
faith is the most important aspect of
a Principia education. Despite background, age and nationality, “We are
all Scientists,” said Ochieng.
Brenda
MarroquinPhillips
Sophomore Brenda MarroquinPhillips might never have heard of
Principia if it weren’t for her husband.
She became a Christian Scientist
five years ago after her husband introduced her to the religion, and she
visited Principia for the first time last
year. “When I came to visit, I loved
the environment, and that’s why I
decided to come,” said MarroquinPhillips.
Marroquin-Phillips is originally
from Honduras, but now lives in Palm
Beach, Florida. Before coming to
Principia, she was enrolled as a parttime student at a community college
in the area, studying to be a paralegal.
Like many other non-traditional
students, Marroquin-Phillips has
found the transition to full-time student life a bit challenging. “It’s hard
being out of college for a while,” she
said.
She added that it might be helpful to have an orientation designed
Luke Ochieng
Although Luke Ochieng first heard
of Principia in 2006 from a friend, he
didn’t initially consider filling out an
application.
Ochieng had already received a
bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition in 2005. He said that in Kenya,
the government subsidizes education
for certain students and consequently
determines which classes and schools
these young men and women will attend.
Ochieng researched Principia on
his own before ultimately deciding
to apply. Around the time he was accepted, he also had the opportunity
to volunteer with an NGO in Nigeria.
He relied on prayer throughout the
decision-making process. “God has always been my partner,” said Ochieng.
He said he ultimately chose to attend
Principia because he wanted to grow
spiritually and be exposed to diverse
cultures. Ochieng said, “The entire
world is represented here.”
Although his primary field of study
in Kenya was not his first choice,
“[Here] you get real attention.”
14SPORTS
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Principia tennis finishes season
She has a powerful forehand and
is quite agile on the court. To comSports columnist
plete these qualities, Corbitt is a
fighter for every point. Corbitt’s
PRINCIPIAPILOT achievements are examples of the
performance by the tennis team’s
he men’s and women’s tenresilience.
Junior Jasmine Carcieri, who
nis teams of the 2010 seahas
just
returned
from the Hawaii field
son are a group of energetprogram
with
sophomore
Courtney
ic, motivated athletes with
Banko,
acknowledges
Corbitt’s
mena passion for the game. As
tal
hardness.
“She
is
just
amazing
and
their season concludes, meet some of
very
focused
whenever
on
court,”
Carthe players and learn about their tricieri admits.
umphs.
Carcieri’s biggest assets are her
Awards are a culmination of hard
strong
serves and top spins. She chases
work and they do not come easily.
every
point
and although ranked fifth
Freshman Sarah Corbitt came from the
and
sixth
in
the league, Carcieri often
basketball court to the tennis court,
plays
in
the
upper
rungs.
and was named Player of the Year at
One
player
who
has steadily climbed
the St Louis Intercollegiate Athletics
up
the
ladder
is
Heather
Libbe, a junior
Conference (SLIAC) women’s tennis
who
is
a
great
inspiration
to the team
individual tournament, held at Dwight
on
and
off
the
courts.
She
is a natural
Tennis Center in Forest Park.
leader
and
also
has
a
passion
for crossAs if this was not enough, Corbitt
country.
Carcieri
rates
Libbe
as one
also took the award for the SLIAC
who
has
limitless
potential.
Newcomer of the Year as voted by
Senior Katie Sydness returned to the
the league coaches. To complete a hat
team
this season after taking a two-year
trick, Corbitt and her partner, sophobreak
to play and captain the women’s
more Marianna Hronek were named
lacrosse
team. “It is refreshing to play
the top doubles team in the conferwith
such
an amazing team,” she says.
ence. Principia also received the 2010
In
some
of this season’s memorable
SLIAC Women’s Tennis Sportsmanship
matches,
Principia
overwhelmed EureAward.
ka
9-0
and
edged
out
Greenville College
Corbitt believes that a good envi5-4.
Greenville
College
posted the same
ronment has made it possible to excel.
results
against
Westminster
College.
“This season has been great and we
The
men’s
team
has
had
mixed rehave had very good results because of
sults.
Junior
Christian
Hagenlocher,
working very hard at practice,” she
said. Besides having a strong tennis who plays alongside his younger brothbackground, Corbitt, who has played er Kevin, a freshman, summarized the
in many United States Tennis Associ- mood as vibrant. “This season has gone
ation-sanctioned tournaments, believes on well and there is a good blend of
teamwork and individual brilliance,”
that there is more to come.
T
THE
Eric Odanga
Dan Bogen
he said. Kevin plays at number two in
the singles, with junior Clayton Delaney at the top. According to Christian, the confidence level has been good
which has resulted in some big wins,
especially against Fontbonne, another
9-0.
The men’s team shared the podium
with Greenville College for the 2010
SLIAC Men’s Tennis Sportsmanship
Award as the tennis season ended. Junior Cameron Huber and sophomore
Ben Black finished as the third-ranked
doubles team in the SLIAC. Christian
Hagenlocher attributes this to the high
discipline and individual leadership
roles among the players. “It is the other coaches who vote for the best team
and this shows the amount of respect
the coaches accord Principia,” Hagenlocher added.
The men’s tennis team has more fluidity this year than in the past. Just before finishing the season SLIAC Team
Championship at Forest Park, which
was later moved to Principia because
of rain, Principia defeated Concordia Seminary 8-1, losing only at the
number one doubles position. Another
spirited performance came from number one singles player DeLaney, who
pushed Tony Stevenson from Westminster to three sets at the Dwight Davis
Tennis Center in Forest Park on April
16 and 17. Stevenson had not lost a set
in the conference matches for the 2010
season.
Junior Ben Black is a fighter who relishes stiff competition and gets satisfaction from hitting a perfect shot. Black
is a doubles specialist from California,
where he and his high school partner
won the California Interscholastic Federation high school championships in
Los Angeles in 2007. He has a natural
attacking style with a strong forehand
and excellent net game. Sophomore
Brian Wold combines good humor with
good work ethic on the courts. His
quick reaction allows him to pick up
balls that most people couldn’t return.
Another of his strengths is his net-play.
The teams have been supportive of
one another, and Carcieri puts into perspective the reason behind this: “This
season, the men’s and women’s teams
are much closer. We support one another and it is a great family atmosphere,”
she observes. This is the kind of atmosphere the team will need to break into
the next level of competitiveness.
The two coaches, Casey Reynolds
and Jessica Campbell, have the final
word. They believe that dedication to
training by the individual players and
team discipline have attributed to Principia’s resilience against much stronger
teams. “The only way is up,” they conclude.
Women’s Team: sophomore Courtney Banko, junior Jasmine Carcieri,
freshman Sarah Corbitt, sophomore
Marianna Hronek, sophomore Caroline
Korthals, junior Heather Libbe and senior Katie Sydness.
Men’s Team: sophomore Ben Black,
junior Clayton DeLaney, junior Christian Hagenlocher, freshman Kevin
Hagenlocher, junior Cameron Huber,
sophomore Brian Wold, senior Todd
Zimmerman.
There’s nowhere else
I’d rather be
professor of English at
“Sometimes I find myself brought to tears
the University of Cincinnati
or smiling broadly from the way Love and
and award-winning poet with
Truth change me so deeply in Sunday
4 published books
School. In addition, it is very heart-warming
will be at Prin to give
to be a part of the communal hymn sing-
a reading of his poetry
ing at the beginning and end of class. For
me, Sunday School is one of the highlights
of Principia. (And the best part is you’re not
graded in class.)”
- College Sunday School pupil,
Fall Quarter
Sunday School for College Classes
Join us in the Village or in the College
Dining Hall at 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, May 5th
(Week 6)
Holt Gallery 7 PM
refreshments will follow
Sponsored by First Church of
Christ, Scientist , Elsah
(Don't miss out on these last weeks of Sunday School!)
OPINION15
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Britain poised to vote in new PM
Oliver Simpson
World columnist
THE
PRINCIPIAPILOT
I
n Britain, the upcoming May
6 election has already brought
great attention and excitement
to the landscape of British
politics. This sort of excitement has not been seen for some time
in British politics, as, in the last few
decades, the popularity of politics has
gone down. Live televised debates have
garnered enthusiasm for this year’s
election.
For the first time in British political
history, televised debates have enabled
the British public to see the politicians
describe their policies in front of a live
studio audience. In contrast, televised
debates in the U.S. have been influential
for presidential elections from Kenedy
vs. Nixon to Obama vs. McCain.
Britain’s three main parties are represented in the debates, although the
country essentially has a two-and-ahalf party system. The Labour party
has a center-left ideology,
and is represented by its
leader and the current
prime minister, Gordon
Brown. The Conservative
party is center-right, represented by their leader
David Cameron. The Liberal Democrats represented
by leader Nick Clegg, fall
nearest to center.
The Liberal Democrats
are the third or “half ”
party, and they have not
had much media coverage
in the past. These debates have been
an opportunity for the party to get
its point across, which The Daily Tele-
graph (aBritish newspaper) reported as
very effective in the first debate, writing that Clegg “emerged as the winner.”
The newfound popularity of the
Liberal Democrats is surprising. Before
at 56.8 percent, followed by a possible
Conservative victory at 37.8 percent.
The new limelight for the Liberal
Democrats may be favorable for the
party and its supporters, but it means
that they come under increased scrutiny. Just before
the second debate, questions
arose over whether Clegg
should have claimed for upkeep of his second house in
London.
The Labour party has supported Clegg in light of the
increased media scrutiny, ostensibly in an attempt to gain
favor with Liberal Democrats
in the event of a hung parliament. Senior Labour politician and Business Secretary
Lord Mandelson said that the Conservatives had been attempting to “smear”
Nick Clegg through the negative coverage of right-wing newspapers, adding
that the coverage was “quite frankly
disgusting.”
The other side of this scrutiny is a
closer look at Liberal Democrat policies, which according to many Labour
and Conservative politicians are extreme and therefore not viable. These
policies include getting rid of Britain’s
nuclear program “Trident” and eventually assuming the euro as British currency in place of the pound.
The final debate before the election
was last night, and at press time for
this paper no definite outcome could be
forecast. The final debate will certainly
have helped make the picture clearer of
who will win. It could be the Labour
Party, which promises a “future fair
for all,” or the Conservatives, who argue that this is the “year for change,”
or the Liberal Democrats who say they
represent “change that works for you,
building a fairer Britain.” The election
promises to be a fascinating contest.
For the first time in British political history, televised debates
have enabled the British public
to see the politicians personally
describe their policies in front
of a live studio audience.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg takes part in a Q&A with members
at the party’s spring conference.
photo // Alex Folkes for Fishnik Photography
the debates, the party was ranked third
after Labour with a 15 percent lower
popularity rating. The Conservative
party (about 15 percent) had a much
larger lead in January, but this fell
gradually over the last few months and
plummeted during the debates. Now
the party holds a lead of only four percent, according to ComRes, a British
polling consultancy.
The second debate did not leave
Clegg in such a favorable position, as
polls suggest that both the Liberal
Democrats and the Conservatives won.
According to Yahoo! News, Britain’s
electoral race “tightened” after the
second televised debate “failed to produce a runaway winner, increasing the
chances of a hung parliament.” Many
in Britain now see this ambiguous outcome as a likely end to the election instead of producing an outright winner.
A “hung parliament” is a political
scenario in which there is no majority party and the leading parties must
work together. No one party’s agenda
can lead the way or make much progress. Betfair, a British online betting
exchange, has predicted that the most
probable outcome is a hung parliament
Ostracism, judgment denounced
Erik Siegling
CS columnist
THE
A
Recently, I started asking the question,
“What about how we receive judgment?”
I suppose that there are two ways
in which I could receive judgment. I
could take offense at being judged and
even decide to judge myself harshly.
Or, I could have a more gracious reaction.
One example of a more gracious
reaction stems from the “Sticks and
stones may break my bones but words
will never hurt me” playground mentality. There is no need to take offense.
Let others think what they will. If they
are having thoughts that are unkind,
they’ll grow out of it when they’re
ready. The long and the short of it is
that at the end of the day, we are all
perfect re�lections of God. No matter how badly we mess up, no matter
how monstrous someone else thinks
we are, no matter what: our spiritual
identity is never tarnished. NEVER!
Imagine the good that could come
from starting the day by reminding
ourselves that we are all perfect, to
go through our day working to know
what it really means not to be affected by discord, sin, or suffering – and
acting in accord with this truth. Man
is God’s child, and man is perfect!
Enough said, right?
This is the closest thing I’ve found to
a silver bullet against
ostracism.
By not
taking offense when
it seems like you are
being judged, and by
constantly reminding
yourself about what
it means to be perfect
now, you can beat
away judgment with
full assurance.
I’ve found that after opening up my
mind to how irrelevant judgment is to
my spiritual being, I
have been freer than
ever from worrying
about how my actions
would be viewed or
how I might disapprove of myself. This
freedom of thought
has given me a new
level of grace and joy.
And it all started with
a spiritual interpretation of the aforementioned
playground
chant, “… but [personal judgment] will
never hurt me!”
CS Perspective
PRINCIPIAPILOT
while back, I had a conversation with a few peers
about problems we were
seeing within both the
Principia College community and the greater Christian Science
community. The leading topic of conversation was judgment. We were all in
agreement that we had felt judged or
were at the risk of being judged harshly by our close community.
It is no secret that within human
institutions, judgment always seems
to happen. Especially in a community
with a good-sized rulebook on how
to conduct our lives publically and
privately, it seems that the possibility of judging or being judged lies just
around every corner.
For a long time, I’ve been wondering what I could do about this. What
could I do to stop judging others?
What could I do to stop others from
being judgmental? How could I support the guidelines of an institution
while simultaneously supporting the
personal choices that certain friends
make? I really wanted to �ind a silver
bullet that I could use and then share
with others to stop the evil that is
judgment.
What I realized was that I had been
focusing too much on the attack part
of judgment, the dishing-out part of it.
16FEATURE
PRINCIPIAPILOT
Cooking up inspiration
to know that I’ll be painting again
some day, but it all comes from the
Staff writer
same place. I’m companioning with
ideas.”
PRINCIPIAPILOT
Asked why he paints murals, he
answered,
“It’s a silly but a simple
uitarist Alex Cook is the
and
profound
reason.” He had always
sort of artist whose life
feared
showing
paintings and being
moves with the tides of
judged
at
galleries,
where a very small
ideas and inspiration.
percentage
of
the
population
sees the
Last week he graced Prinart
that
Cook
feels
is
meant
for
everycipia with music in the Pub, prayerful
thoughts on creativity during a Quiet body. He said, “It occurred to me that
Time talk in Sylvester, and wisdom for the way to completely circumvent that
artists of any kind. Although based in was to paint murals, because if I can
G
THE
Amber Dahlin
After a Quiet Time talk in Sylvester, Junior Jodie Maurer and guitarist Alex
Cook discuss music and its effect on their lives. photo // Amber Dahlin
Boston, he tours with his paintbrush
and guitar. Most recently, Cook has
been writing what he calls “God songs”
and performing at churches and house
concerts on both coasts.
Cook’s first love was visual art, and
when he was eight or ten years old he
loved to draw and wanted to design
shopping malls so that he could create
“really awesome escalators.” While attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, he painted his first
mural in Northampton, MA. The mural still stands today.
Cook began playing guitar and writing songs as a young teenager, and in
the last couple of years songwriting
has become the focus of his work. After
making six albums of his own songs, he
began writing “God songs” exclusively
in 2008. He said, “[I]t all became much
more compelling and important to me
when I [had] songs that would actually
really help people and really be inspiring.”
This new phase of Cook’s life began
in the fall of 2007, when his prayers led
him to spend the first four hours of every weekday “doing nothing but being
creative.” He said that, being a painter, he assumed this would mean making new paintings, but on the first day
what came out was a song. Over the
next five months, Cook wrote twentyfive songs about God. He said he had
never been able to write about God in
an honest way so he just hadn’t done
it, but it suddenly became very natural.
Cook said, “More and more, I don’t
really draw hard line distinctions between [different forms of art] ... I see
huge connections between the idea
I’m expressing in a particular mural
and the idea I’m expressing in a song.”
When asked if he has missed painting since beginning his recent focus on
music, he said, “I don’t, because I’m
with the ideas that I love. I’m happy
contrive a way to get my painting up
on a wall, then there’s nothing that can
stand in the way of everybody seeing
it.” He also said it felt like shooting
himself in the foot to show in galleries
where so few people would see his art.
When painting that first mural in
Northampton, Cook was about to start
with the roller on the wall when he was
overcome by a paralyzing fear of displaying
the creative process in
public, which he had
only ever done within what he called the
“sanctity of a studio.”
After praying for a few
moments, he realized
that it wasn’t about
him, but rather about
giving a gift, and the
fear was replaced with
excitement and ease. He
said, “I learned so much
from that mural about
community, and that
became the next ten
years of my life, figuring out how art actually
does feed communities.”
His website, www.
stonebalancer.com, and
the murals themselves
are Cook’s only form of
advertising, so he makes
sure to put the web address on his murals.
His murals come about
through a mixture of
asking the owners of
walls he likes and being commissioned to
paint a mural. He said
that when he’s working
under a commission, he
talks with the commissioner about what the
mural should look like,
04.30.10
but when he is not
getting paid, he demands complete freedom.
The first job Cook
turned down was a
commission to paint
a mural of Disney
characters at a gym.
He said it just wasn’t
his thing, and that it
came down to where
his priorities lay.
In 2004, Cook
started a muralpainting program for
teenagers called Art
Builds Community,
and a lot of his work
consists of designing murals and then
facilitating their execution with a group
of people.
While
painting
a mural in Boston,
Cook had set out a
bucket for donations.
At one point, a man
walked by with a
baker’s cart and offered him a pie because he didn’t have
any money on him.
Cook said, “[In] what
other job do you get
paid with lemon me- A sample of Alex Cook’s work from his website,
ringue pies?”
stonebalancer.com photo // Stonebalancer.com
This past fall,
Cook toured with The
In his answer, he shared the concept of
Blessing Tree, a trio of Christian Scien- voice with a capital “V.” He said, “It’s
tists based at Camp Bow-Isle in Brit- not just the voice that keeps you safe
ish Columbia. The new quartet met at and happy but the voice that says ‘this
a Christian Science summit in Victoria is what you are about, this is what your
and then played thirty shows between job is, this is what you need to do to
Vancouver and San Diego, followed by play your part in saving other people’s
twelve shows on the East Coast, begin- lives.’ ... The concept that such a Voice
ning Cook’s current tour.
exists just nailed me right in the heart
Junior Jodie Maurer, an art major - and that it was talking to me! And of
and the president of Principia’s Chris- course, if it’s talking to me, that means
tian Science Organization, asked Cook it’s talking to everybody.”
about how he keeps his thought receptive to making art in a given location.
OPINION17
04.30.10
No more Mr. Nice Guy
D
uring an average dinner
outing in high school, I
was laughing and enjoying my friends’ company
while munching on a delicious cheeseburger when one of my
friends looked at me square-in-the-face
and said, “That cow was probably tortured in some way.” Uh … rude much?
Even though I wasn’t a vegetarian,
I understood and supported my veggie friends. Vegetarianism had always
seemed a valiant effort to me. That’s
not why I was offended. I was offended
because it was my own freakin’ business whether or not I was going to eat
that cheeseburger.
When I was 18, I maintained my
position that vegetarianism wasn’t for
everyone, but I did decide it was for
me. I made a commitment to stop eating meat in 2006, and I made a simultaneous commitment to never become
one of those “annoying vegetarians.” I
never wanted anyone to be uncomfortable or dislike me because of my diet.
As a result of this type of thinking, I
cringe when anyone asks me why I am a
vegetarian. I give short answers. I don’t
want to draw attention to the morality
of what my meal partners are eating.
In fact, I go above and beyond to make
sure people around me are comfortable.
Sometimes I purposely tell others how
good their meat looks, how delightful it
smells.
The subtext of all these comments
is, “Please don’t think I think eating
meat is wrong!” But, the truth is I do
think eating factory-farmed meat is
wrong. Actually, I am so sure of my
opinion that I have permanently augmented my life’s diet. Actually, I am so
sure of my opinion that I will augment
my opinion from saying “I think eating meat is wrong” to saying “Eating
factory-farmed meat is wrong.”
Here’s the deal: eating meat is wrong
on a few levels. It is understandable
if you don’t care about one or two of
those levels, but unless you are a total nihilist, you probably care about
at least one of these things: cruelty,
environmental collapse, governmental corruption, or the deterioration of
people’s general health. The U.S. meat
industry is hugely guilty when it comes
to all of these issues. Every single piece
of factory-farmed meat we buy was treated inhumanely in some way, caused
some pollution, contributed to corruption, and is by no standard natural or
healthy for us to eat.
There is not a single animal on a factory farm that lives a humane life, and
a huge majority of them die treacherous deaths. Environmentally speaking, it is a proven fact that meat farms
produce just as much carbon monoxide
(if not more) than all the transportation worldwide. The meat industry also
perpetuates insane amounts of waste
with its products — concerned only
with profit, meat factories use the absolute shoddiest measures of disposing
of their carcasses and manure —inherently leaking into the ecosystem and
directly into neighboring towns’ water
and air.
Why does this happen? Because we
give the meat industry so much money,
and the industry uses part of that giant income to support the government.
Thus, federal regulation for farms is
nearly impossible, and the media is cornered into promoting meat.
As far as physical health goes, factory-farmed meat is stuffed with drugs
and feces. And then we eat it. And if
you care about the mental health of
others, consider the scarring experience
of being forced to work at a slaughterhouse because the factory has taken
over your entire town, and your family
needs food to eat. Imagine waking up
and slitting chickens’ necks for a full
work day. Would you ever ask anyone
to do that for you? Chances are, you
already have. Eating factory-farmed
meat IS wrong.
So, clearly, I know eating meat is
wrong, and yet, I have been too cowardly to stick up for myself. If I saw
one of my friends, or anyone for that
matter, chucking their garbage out
their window, bribing a senator, putting
steroids in a child’s food, or cutting a
dog’s face open, I would scream, “JUST
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE
DOING?” And yet, at dinner I smile
and say, “Your chicken smells so good.”
So, here’s my resolution after four years
of polite vegetarianism: No more Mr.
Nice Guy. But, you say, we need protein! Well, there are lots of ways to get
protein. Even for a powerful athlete,
protein can be easily gathered through
nuts, beans, and vegetables. It is scientifically proven. Look it up. But, you
say, it’s hard for some people to give
up the ease of meat! Yeah, and slavery
made fieldwork a picnic, but we thank
God for those brave folks who learned
to live without it! We thank God for
those who told others to think about
their actions.
With this new resolution under
my belt, I am in a tight space. Of course
I always hate the sin and not the sinner.
Just because someone I love continues
to eat meat does not mean I will hate
them or constantly guilt them. It just
means I will make sure he or she knows
exactly what they are doing with their
money, knowledge, and support. I still
remain non-judgmental of meat-eaters, but I refuse to let information go
unsaid anymore. I hope whatever you
find passion in, dear reader, you fight
for it — maybe you already do. Society
commends you for that courage. That
said, when others are passionate about
something, like my passion for winning
power away from the U.S. factory farm,
think about changing your ways!
My sister is a veggie, but my
parents are not. I know they love me,
and they want to value what I value,
but vegetarianism just isn’t for them.
This year for my birthday, I told them
all I wanted was a promise that they
would be meat-free for a month. They
are in the middle of the process and
finding that maybe veggie-life isn’t as
hard as it had once looked. I have come
to realize that people might not care
about your causes (because everyone
has his or her own worries), but they
might care about you, and through
that you can promote change that our
world so needs.
If you have just read this article, and you want to lessen the meat
in your diet, do I have a treat for you!
Over the years, I have created a menu
of my very own veggie meal creations
all made quickly and easily in the
Scramble Room. I now share my ten
favorites with you:
Alice’s Alternate Scramble Room
Veggie Menu
-Veggie Cheesy Pasta: get plain pasta
and add cheese, broccoli, and fake bacon bits from the salad bar. For vegans:
trade cheese with lemon juice.
-Fruit Torte Quesadilla: spread
strawberry cream cheese on a tortilla
and add chopped fruit (banana, orange,
kiwi — whatever is available). Put another tortilla on top and Panini to perfection. For vegans: substitute cream
cheese with honey.
-Banana Burrito: spread peanut butter on a tortilla. Place sliced banana
and chocolate chips on top. Drizzle on
honey and wrap it up.
-Pita Pizza: grab some mozzarella
from the salad bar, meatless sauce from
the pasta bar, and spread on a warm
pita.
-Protein-Packed Potato: when sweet
potatoes are served, mash one up with
black beans and cinnamon sugar. If desired, enjoy with sour cream.
-Ants on a Log: travel back to kindergarten with peanut butter spread on
celery and raisins on top.
-Stir-Fry: get rice from the pasta bar
and gather up any veggies from the
salad bar. Microwave veggies and add
Alice Stanley
Columnist
PRINCIPIAPILOT
THE
PRINCIPIAPILOT
to rice with soy sauce (always available
near the check-out line).
-Bean Burrito: tortilla, black or pinto beans, cheese, and salsa.
-Tea-Time Sandwich: bagel with
cream cheese and cucumber, tomato,
and lettuce.
-Go-Pita: when you’re on-the-go,
grab a pita, cut in half, pour in yogurt
and a soft cereal like Special K. Munch
and walk.
Bon appétit!
*All general facts about the meat
industry can be found from hundreds
of sources, but I got mine in particular
from Jonathan Safron Foer’s book Eating Animals.
18ENTERTAINMENT
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Kick-Ass kicks it into high gear ... almost
jacked by Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage)
and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz). This
Film columnist
father-daughter team of costumed
killers wages a personal war against
PRINCIPIAPILOT the mafia. The relationship between
this father and his 11-year-old
h, how I wish this film
daughter is both sweet and disturbhad been called Hit Girl ing at the same time. Once Kick-Ass
so I could have given it an crosses paths with these professionals,
A+. Unfortunately, the he is quickly dragged into the mob war.
plot of Kick-Ass barely At this point the plot creeps to a crawl,
holds together the fantastic scenes of introducing another superhero, Red
choreographed vigilante action. Scat- Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) in ortershot plot aside, Kick-Ass has plenty der to add unnecessary intrigue.
to offer in almost every cinematic deFortunately, the climax almost
partment.
makes up for the previous hour of
Let’s get the bad out of the way, so bum-numbing shenanigans. Including
I can tell you what was good. The plot high stakes, overwhelming odds, and
revolves around Dave Lizewski (Aaron fresh action gimmicks, this sequence is
Johnson), a high school nerd who de- guaranteed to elicit whoops of joy from
cides to become a superhero. He doesn’t the audience.
have superpowers, but he can kick your
Hit Girl steals the show. I suspectass. In the first real fight scene of the ed that I might have problems with a
movie, Kick-Ass rescues a man from foul-mouthed 11-year-old girl killing
being beaten to death by gang mem- a bunch of mobsters … oh, who am I
bers, and ends up inspiring more cos- kidding? That sounds fantastic! Roger
tumed vigilantes. This also happens to Ebert found Hit Girl grounds for giving
be the last time Kick-Ass fights for an- the film a one-star rating, but I found
other hour of the film.
her character delightful. There’s nothInstead, the plot is quickly hi- ing more empowering than a female
O
THE
Matt Donatelli
character rejecting the stereotypical
victim role and kicking ass.
The cinematography in the movie
is surprisingly good for the low budget
of the film. Most scenes were shot in a
way that will remind viewers of other
superhero movies. Familiar shots include running along rooftops, jumping
from building to building, and fighting
off groups of bad guys. Each of these
sequences looks as well put together
as the movies from which they are inspired.
Kick-Ass also experiments with
new cinematic ideas during the fight
sequences. In the first fight scene, the
editing cuts between live footage and
cell-phone camera footage that is being taken by onlookers. This footage is
what makes Kick-Ass an internet sensation, and sparks the creation of other
superhero wannabes
The film’s fantastic soundtrack complements its strong visuals. The frenetic
energy of the fights are complemented
by pulsating electronica tunes from artists like Prodigy. The combat sequence
where Hit Girl slaughters a room full of
grown men is complemented by freakishly playful music like “Bad Reputa-
Aaron Johnson stars as the vigilante title character, “Kick-ass.”
photo // Dan Smith for kickass-themovie.com
Matt’s Verdict
PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR
SCORE
Kick- Ass
Matthew Vaughn
B-
tion.” The soundtrack is triumphantly
in tune with the feel of the movie.
A superhero film is generally limited
in the themes that it raises, but KickAss does a good job bringing new questions to the forefront. The morally dubious actions of the protagonists of the
film are overshadowed by a greater and
more urgent morality. Vigilante justice
might make many uneasy, but as KickAss puts it: “With no power comes no
responsibility; but that’s not true.”
When Kick-Ass rescues a victim
from a group of gang members, they
ask; “The **** is wrong with you,
man? You rather die for some piece
of **** that you don’t even ****ing
know?” To which he valiantly replies:
“Three assholes, laying it in one guy
while everyone else watches? And you
wanna know what’s wrong with me?
Yeah, I’d rather die ... so bring it on!”
This sums up the quixotic morality of
the movie.
Kick-Ass is a very culturally hip
film. It incorporates the YouTube phenomenon, nerdy high school kids, and
a libertarian brand of justice. Its plot
barely holds together, but if you want
to see some of the best choreographed
action in theaters, you can’t miss this
film. It’s regrettable that Kick-Ass
is overshadowed by Hit Girl, but you
won’t really complain.
Sudoku Maze
(solved on pg. 3)
2
4 1
6 3 8
2 8
5
3
8
6 7
Finish
5 4
9 3 7
6 5
5
9
Start
6
7
9
(solved when you finish it)
MUSIC19
PRINCIPIAPILOT
04.30.10
Kenjams: Hip-hop and community
Kenji Yoshinobu
Music columnist
THE
L
PRINCIPIAPILOT
ast year over winter break,
a friend invited me to attend a break-dance competition for which he was
playing live music. My
friend, a distinguished jazz musician
where I live on the Monterey Peninsula had joined a hip-hop group for
which he played keyboards. At first I
was hesitant – I had been to see him
play gigs before – and they were always
expensive. I also had doubts about a
break-dance competition really being
something worth my time. True, I have
been impressed with shows on TV like
America’s Best Dance Crew, but when
he informed me that the competition
would be held at the community center
in my small suburb town of Monterey
– Marina – I couldn’t help but think of
a handful of spiky-haired teens doing
flimsy cartwheels to the Black Eyed
Peas. I told my friend of my concerns,
but he urged me to reconsider. Since I
lived less than a mile away I figured if
I wasn’t satisfied I could be back home
in a jiffy, plus the event was free. When
I arrived at the event the opposite of
what I expected happened.
My friend’s band served as the house
band for the evening, and while on their
breaks a DJ spun classic hip-hop songs
from Eric B & Rakim, Kurtis Blow,
and Grandmaster Flash. There were
also MCs who performed their rhymes,
poetry, and monologues, while graffiti artists painted on canvases to the
music. There were booths of people
selling clothing, jewelry, mix tapes,
and food during the competition.
There were dozens of break-dancers
that were there to compete, ages five
to forty-five. Everyone gathered in a
circle while each age group competed.
The MC from my friend’s band, e. Sik,
yelled with excitement as the dancers
expressed themselves through amazing
levels of flexibility, style, and grace. e.
Sik urged the spectators to give their
support to everyone who participated
and the competition left me astonished
that people living in my community
were able to put on an event like this.
I left the competition feeling inspired.
For the 18 years that I had lived in
photo // Paralingua on commons.wikimedia.org
Marina I had never seen a community
event quite like this one. It made me
think about the origins of hip-hop and
how block parties, similar to the event
my friend had helped to put on, were
frequent in the communities of New
York City in the 70s.
These days, with commercialized
rap that exploits the materialistic aspects of what was once a sub-genre of
hip-hop, “Gangsta Rap,” it is hard to
remember that the art form of hip-hop
was cultivated not through sex, violence, or drugs, but through communities. Jon Getzschman, a hip-hop artist
(Jonathan Toth From Hoth) and Prin
alum, who did his history capstone on
the history of hip-hop, feels that the
record industry is partly to blame for
the confusion.
“‘Commercialized radio rap,’” says
Getzschman, “is the negative stereotype of how the larger record companies have systematically sought out
only hip-hop which will make them
money.”
Unfortunately, this mainstream
projection of hip-hop has led many to
make stereotypes about the art form
itself. Although hip-hop emerged from
certain areas in New York’s five boroughs where crime was pervasive, hiphop was a solid foundation for building
a sense of community in many neighborhoods. People would gather to listen
to DJs spin their favorite songs and the
MCs hosting the events began to create
their own personalities, delivering limericks, monologues, and onomatopoetic
words, similar to scatting in jazz. The
development of ego in hip-hop came
out of friendly competition and the desire to provide the audience with a quality experience – one that was packed
with lyrical wit and dramatics. Despite
the strong animosity and disregard for
community in a song by 50 Cent – a
commercial artist -, Getzschman sees
the Internet as a solution to bring back
the essence of hip-hop, and further sees
it as a means to promote unity among
listeners.
“The Internet is curbing the negative traits of the bigger record companies,” says Getzschman. “When
the World Wide Web can get (artists)
everywhere, it leads to a new breed of
fans who sniff out commercialism – the
chaff – to seek and find sustenance in
heartfelt art – the grain.”
He continues: “I don’t see it so much
as a ‘hip-hop verses rap’ thing. It’s
more like ‘pop music verses the underground.’”
Besides contributing to the public
community, hip-hop has served as a
sort of focal point, or a community of
musical genres. Through sampling, or
borrowing sounds, rhythms, or melodies from older records, hip-hop has
brilliantly appropriated many different
musical styles into one art form. Sampling has allowed some artists, popular
and there is less of a divide between
the expectations we might have of a
white artist or a black artist in the pop
music realm. From Debbie Harry rapping in Blondie’s “Rapture” to Run
DMC collaborating with Aerosmith on
the remake of “Walk This Way” to the
Beastie Boys to Eminem to Damon Alburn’s whimsical cartoon pop pastiche,
Gorillaz – hip-hop has been crucial to
the creation of an artistic community
where there aren’t racial boundaries.
Most importantly when one looks
at any form of musical expression –
hip-hop aside – it takes a community
Hip-hop MC e. Sik. photo // myspace.com
or not, new
life. For example, Eric B. and Rakim’s 1988 clas- of people to create something really
sic song, “Microphone Fiend,” is driven inspiring. It takes a songwriter to arby a rhythm sampled from the 1975 range the notes, vocals, and harmonies.
hit, “School Boy Crush,” by the Scot- It takes at least one person to vocaltish Funk group, Average White Band. ize and/or play these musical notes.
This sampling aspect of hip-hop has It takes a producer and/or engineer to
preserved and celebrated many styles make sure the sound levels are correct
of music, and has spawned a sub-cul- in order for the piece to be pleasant for
ture of record collecting, or “digging,” the listener. And it takes an audience
which is another whole community it- to receive and interpret the melodies
and message from the performance. If
self.
Hip-hop has also helped develop a I learned anything from my experience
bridge between music style and genre with hip-hop and attending that breakthat was traditionally divided into dance competition last winter break,
“white” and “black” music categories. it’s that an individual always has someThese categories have become more thing to give for a greater good. All muunified over the past three decades, sic is a community of expression.
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1 The Thunder Chickens play against Wash U on Saturday, April 24.
Teddye Shaffer
2
Bio Blockers take
photos and enjoy the swamp during their Cache River field trip during Week 4. Amber Dahlin
3 Soph-
more Kyle Katz prepares for the filming of a caveman documentary on campus, Saturday, April 17. Ken
4 Senior Anne Goodrich-Stuart prepares to introduce Principia’s first-ever live web videocast,
a special edition of the recently toured Coast to Coast David Miller 5 A group of students watch Glee
together in Christy Ellington’s apartment in Howard Brittany Jenks 6 The Biology department goats
Baughman
snack on a tree near Sylvester. David Miller
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CAMPUSSNAPSH TS
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