The Front Street Journal - Reading Area Community College

The Fr ont Str eet Jour nal
Reading Ar ea Community College
Reading, PA
FRONT
STREET
News in and around RACC n http://www.racc.edu/stu_activities/FSJ.html n March/April 2005 n Vol. X n No. 4 n Free
Mark Mathabane speaks at RACC
By Ryan Hoy
Staff Writer
On February 22, Mark Mathabane gifted
the entire Reading area with his presence.
Mathabane held a lecture by in Berks Hall,
where people from all over the area
attended. Mathabane is a native of
Alexandra, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mathabane was the eldest of seven children
that lived in a one-square-mile area that was
home to more than 200,000 Africans. He
tells us many of his childhood stories in the
sensational autobiography that touched
millions of hearts, “Kaffir Boy.”
Tennis was Mathabane's passport to
freedom. In 1978, he left South Africa to
attend an American university on a
scholarship. In 1983, he graduated from
Dowling College on Long Island with a B.A.
in Economics. In 1986, “Kaffir Boy” was
published and won the Christopher Award.
Within three years, “Kaffir Boy” was
published in America and became a best
seller.
Throughout his years of success,
Mathabane has appeared on numerous TV
shows including “The Oprah Winfrey Show,”
“Today Show,” “CNN,” “The Charlie Rose
Show” and “Larry King” as well as radio
programs across the country. He has
featured in The New York Times, Newsday
and U.S. News & World Report. A sought
after lecturer, he was nominated for Speaker
of the Year by the National Association for
Campus Activities.
The presence of Mark Mathabane is an
unexplainable feeling. Mathabane lectured
on how in America, people can turn on a
switch and get light, how bedrooms are
bigger than his entire home was and how
people can have so much food in their
refrigerator and have trouble deciding what
to eat. Every night before he went to bed, he
only prayed to live another day, nothing
more. He had no books to read or TV to
watch - all he had were the stories that his
mother would tell him, and those stories
saved his soul. One memorable thing that
Mathabane said was, “People who want food
fill their plates and nibble, people who need
food eat everything on their plates.”
As he spoke to us about “Kaffir Boy,” he
said some things that really made people
think about what they have. He recounted
one night in Alexandra when rats burrowed
into his shack looking for food. Well of
course there was no food to be found, so the
“It seems like I have
accomplished a lot, and I
might have, but it feels like
there is always more to do”
rats ate the bottom of his feet. He explained
to us how his mother ripped off a part of her
dress, soaked it in salt water and wrapped it
around the sores to prevent infection. They
could not afford to go to a doctor because his
father was arrested the week before when the
police caught him living in the same house as
his wife. Any man caught with or around his
family would be thrown in jail and tortured.
Police would break into his home and
demand that they tell him where his father
was. It’s difficult to believe some of the things
that were happening. “Policemen are
supposed to protect, not prosecute,”
Mathabane said.
Mathabane has been coast to coast, and
Americans still astound him. He is amazed by
what this nation is blessed with, and how
oblivious Americans are to the rest of the
world. Behind fast food restaurants, food
continued on page 5
John Cerbone entertains students
By Betty Reyes
Associate Editor
On February 23rd, hypnotist
John Cerbone visited RACC.
John Cerbone is one of the
fastest hypnotists in the world;
he is known to have hypnotized
over 30,000 people, some in less
than a second. He has made
many trips across America,
showing people his talents and
entertaining them along the
way.
Cerbone explained that we
are all hypnotized many times
during the day; like when we
drive a car to a familiar
destination, or when we get to
one of our classes and have no
idea how we got there. Or when
we feel like eating a Big Mac
after we wake up from having
slept with the television on.
He started the presentation
by telling us about himself and
actually hypnotizing the entire
audience by making everyone
touch their chins. Not only that,
but he proceeded to hypnotize
a number of audience members
who volunteered to sit in the
front of the room.
The audience held on tightly
to every one of his words as he
put the people in front of the
room to sleep. We all watched,
amazed as each one of them slept
and held one another while
Cerbone repeatedly said, “you
whole body is relaxed, every
bone, every muscle is relaxed.
You’ve had seven hours of
massage therapy, nine hours of
sleep.”
Once he made sure each and
every one of them was sound
asleep, he continued to entertain
us by making the group imagine
that they were all eight years old
and that they felt the urge to
hysterically laugh at everything
he said. Later, he made them all
fan themselves, do the stadium
wave, kiss or pet an imaginary
bird he held on his finger, act
like kangaroos, stomp imaginary
bugs, milk cows and make
celebrity impersonations.
As they slept, he told them
that their bellybuttons had been
stolen, and also told them that
when he asked them, they must
point at the member in the
audience who had stolen it.
When each one of them opened
their eyes, they immediately
pointed at someone in the
audience. “Why are you pointing
at her?” Cerbone asked one the
hypnotized girls. “Because she
stole my belly button,” she
replied. “Why did she steal your
belly button?” he asked her
again. “Because she wants to sell
it,” she responded, and the
entire room burst out laughing.
One of the most entertaining
parts was the imitations. He had
both men and women impersonate Eminem, Aerosmith,
Britney Spears, Madonna and
even Barbie.
It was amazing to watch big
tough guys walk up and down the
rows wearing a blonde wig and
crown, posing as Miss America
continued on page 2
Look inside . . .
NEWS
pp. 1 - 4
OPINIONS
pp. 5 - 6
New Century Scholar
page 4
Advanced Reading
page 5
ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT
pp. 7-9
Incredibles Review
page 8
FEATURES
pp. 10-12
New Electrical
Power Systems Program
page 16
2 n FRONT STREET JOURNAL
The Front
Street Journal
The Student Newspaper of
Reading Area
Community College
E-mail: front-street-journal-@racc.edu
The Student Union Building
10 South Second Street
Reading, PA 19603
610-372-4721, Ext. 5262
2004-2005
EDITORIAL BOARD:
Editor-in-chief
Lydia Steiner
Associate Editor
Betty Reyes
Staff Writers
Heidi Bauder
Ben Dalton
Samantha Dix
Megan Domanski
Ryan Hoy
Jenna Jones
Elizabeth Shepley
Trevor Stewart
Jessica Walsh
Adviser
Melissa Kushner
Layout & Design
Reading Area Community
College Graphics Department
Printed by
The Windsor Press
The opinions expressed in this
newspaper are the opinions of
the writers and do not reflect
the views of the college
administration, faculty, or
staff.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Front Street
Journal is to provide a forum of
the free exchange of ideas and
information
among
all
members of the college
community.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
All letters must be signed.
Keep it short, simple and to the
point. Character assassination
will not be allowed. Letters
should be typed or neatly
printed with the writer’s name,
address and phone number
clearly visible. The Front Street
Journal reserves the right to
reject
any
letter
for
publication. No reason must
be given.
News
Hello A letter from the Editor
By Lydia Steiner
Editor-in-Chief
Hello and welcome back to all
students, staff and faculty. I hope
everyone enjoyed their break
(however short and long ago it
was). I hope this new term has
been kind to everyone so far. I
would also like to welcome any
and all new students that are
here this term.
I’m sure many of you have
noticed upon opening this issue
of the Front Street Journal that I am
not Ben Dalton. As many of you
may recall from our last issue,
Ben has left us, moving on to
other things. Everyone at the
Front Street Journal wishes him the
best of luck for the future.
But while we wish Ben good
luck, many of us –including
myself– wish that Ben would have
stayed at RACC for a little while
longer. I am not afraid to admit
that I am very apprehensive
about running the Front Street
Journal. Since Ben is now gone,
and since I did volunteer for the
position, I have no way out of
being the Editor-in-Chief. Of
course, it didn’t help my anxiety
with Ben telling me horror
stories of sequential commas and
scaring me to death while talking
about problems with QuarkXpress. And then there is the fact
that I will have to call complete
strangers (quite frequently!) in
order to solicit advertisements
from local businesses and other
local colleges for the FSJ. And I
will have to take a leadership
position during meetings… Let’s
just say I don’t really like being
the center of attention. Also, Ben
was very adept at keeping the FSJ
running very smoothly. Now that
I hold ultimate power within the
FSJ, I keep getting this feeling
that I will drop it, and like a child
dropping an egg, it will crack
into a million pieces, run all over
the floor and somebody else will
have to clean it up for me. Oh
well… I suppose I’ll just have to
take a few deep breaths, jump
right in and get used to things.
While I am nervous about this
undertaking, I am still quite
excited about it. It is fairly
thrilling to think that I will be
running a newspaper. Not to
mention that it will look great on
my résumé. And I wouldn’t have
had the opportunity at all if it
weren’t for a few people
encouraging me. So I must
wholeheartedly and gratefully
thank David Leight for telling me
about the FSJ back in my second
term at RACC in the first place,
Ben Dalton for inviting me to
actually join the FSJ back in
August of ’04, Melissa Kushner
for helping allay my fears of this
being the hardest thing I’ve ever
done in my life, and the entire
FSJ staff – all of whom make
meetings rather enjoyable.
Without these people, and
others, I would either be a
terrified Editor-in-Chief (instead
of just nervous) or not involved
with the FSJ at all. So again, a
heaping helping of thanks to all.
And of course, another thank
you goes out to you – our
readers. Whether you are a
student, faculty member or staff
member, the paper is written for
you. So read on and enjoy. While
I may hesitant about this
responsibility, and not as
eloquent or as incredibly focused
as Ben was, I will do my best. And
I’ll leave you to decide how well
this issue turns out.
v
Celebrate Children
News Release
The Student Education Association is a nonprofit student group that advocates for children in
the community and also creates rapport among
future teachers and early childhood professionals
here at RACC. “Celebrate Children” is our annual
advocacy event held each year in May. The goals of
this event are:
1) To provide inexpensive, age appropriate
activities for young children and their
families
2) To provide an avenue to communicate the
uniqueness of the early childhood years to
parents and other community members
3) To promote Early Care and Education
Programs
Last year we were very fortunate to have almost
500 families attend “Celebrate Children 2004” at
Reading Area Community College! We are hoping
Bringing the World to Berks County
Drawing by Matthew and Emily Steiner
to make this year’s event an even bigger success!
Our event this year will be held at RACC, Saturday,
May 7th, 10am-3pm.
We have a variety of children's entertainmentclowns, the Reading Public Library, children's DJ,
puppet show, the Philly Zoo on Wheels, Screwball,
children's activities and much, much more! Plus,
local agencies will be there to provide information
about their programs to parents. Plus great food!
Cost: $2 per child.
v
John Cerbone
READING AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ILLUSTRATED LECTURE SERIES
“Slovenia & Croatia:
From the Alps to the Sea”
by Frank Klicar
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE
NEXT ISSUE IS MAY 12, 2005.
MARCH/APRIL 2005
Friday, May 6, 2005
1:00 p.m. - Berks County Senior Citizens Center, 40 N. 9th St.
7:30 p.m. - Reading Senior High School
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
(610) 372-4721, EXT. 5181.
Sponsored by
continued from page 1
and saying that what they want most in the whole
universe is world peace.
Mr. Cerbone is very talented and very
entertaining to watch. Should Mr. Cerbone return
to RACC any time soon, do yourself a favor and
attend. It would be more than worth it.
v
MARCH/APRIL 2005
FRONT STREET JOURNAL n 3
News
Valentine’s Dance-a-Thon to benefit the Relay For Life
By Betty Reyes
Associate Editor
In the spirit of the holiday, RACC held
a Valentine’s Day Dance-A-Thon on Friday,
February 11. The event was organized by
the Student Activities Board members to
raise funds for The American Cancer
Society Relay for Life.
The dance was a great opportunity for
students and other members of our
community to wind down, enjoy a fun
night with their dates and friends, and to
certainly help out a great cause. Thanks to
the ninety plus people who came to the
dance, over $1,000.00 were raised between
ticket sales and raffle tickets.
On the night of the dance, our cafeteria
was romantically fashioned for the
occasion with colored balloons, heartshaped lollipops, stuffed teddy bears,
dimmed lighting and of course, chocolate.
The night first opened with dinner
accompanied with light music (provided by
DJs, “The Party People”). Later, winning
“Thanks to the ninety plus people
who came to the dance, over
$1,000.00 were raised between
ticket sales and raffle tickets.”
raffle tickets which one could buy at the door
when one first entered the dance were called
out. Prizes included gift certificates for a two
night stay at a local Days Inn, a gift certificate
to Applebee’s, a musical jewelry box donated
by Hallmark and many more. Also, stuffed
teddy bears were given out as door prizes.
Throughout the night, requests and shout
outs were made and the party picked up when
the DJ started playing tunes that were more
movable. Little by little, groups of students got
up to the dance floor to show off their moves.
Soon enough, even professors found
themselves dancing the Cha-Cha Slide, the
Hokie Pokie and doing the YMCA. Even some
of the security personnel took a couple of
RACC students dance ‘til they drop. Photo by Jessica
Walsh
minutes off to teach the students some pretty
cool dance moves.
Around 9:30, most of the older age group
left. That’s when the DJ started playing
everything from hip hop, techno and rock to
reggae. Someone even started break
dancing. The Dance-A-Thon stayed true to
its name because everyone there was dancing
until the very end of the night.
v
READING
BEAUTIFICATION,
INC.
IS
SEEKING
VOLUNTEERS & SPONSORS FOR 12TH ANNUAL GREAT
AMERICAN CLEANUP™ IN READING
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jill H. Mahon, Great American Cleanup™ Coordinator
(610) 655-6277
jhmahon@fast.net
Reading Beautification, Inc is seeking volunteers and sponsors for a citywide litter cleanup on Saturday, April 23, 1005 from 8 am
until noon.
Individuals, scout groups, neighborhood councils & groups, environmental clubs, church members and downtown workers are all
invited to be part of this effort. Gloves & trash bags will be praovided. A free broom will be given to the first 1,000 city residents
that register for the cleanup. Reading Beautification, Inc. is also looking for local businesses to help sponsor the cleanup by
providing money to help us procure the necessary supplies and to provide refreshments for the volunteers.
The cleanup kickoff will be held at the Yocum Library on the campus of Reading Area Community College. There will also be a
celebration at this site following the cleanup.
There is a renewed spirit in the City of Reading that is bringing together neighborhoods and community members. This spirit will
buoy Reading’s economic prosperity and increase the level of pride in our city that it deserves. Programs like the Great American
Cleanup™ will further add to this resurgence of community cohesiveness. People who work, live, worship or enjoy cultural and
social events in the city will be coming together to make Reading a cleaner and more enjoyable place.
Join your neighbors and Reading Beautification, Inc. in the revitalization of Reading. Please contact Jill H. Mahon at (610) 6556277 or by email at jhmahon@fast.net for information and to register.
v
4 n FRONT STREET JOURNAL
News
MARCH/APRIL 2005
RACC student selected as New Century Scholar
By Lydia Steiner
Editor-in-Chief
Once again, it is proven that RACC
students are among the best. Judie Ogin Senay,
a member of Phi Theta Kappa, was recently
selected as a member of the All-USA Academic
Team. “The All-USA Academic Team program
annually recognizes 60 outstanding two-year
college students. First, Second and Third
Teams, each consisting of 20 members, are
selected,” Phi Theta Kappa’s website said
(www.ptk.org). “All 60 members of the AllUSA Academic Team and their colleges receive
extensive national recognition through
coverage in USA TODAY.”
In order for a student to become a member
of the All-USA Academic Team, they must be
nominated by community college presidents
or campus CEOs. A college is allowed to
nominate a maximum of two students. The
student must also have at least a 3.5 GPA and
be eligible to graduate with an associate
degree. Judges then view nominations, and
select the applicants who will become Team
members.
Judie Ogin Senay was one of these
outstanding students to become a Team
member, on the second team.
In addition to becoming a member of the
All-USA Academic Team, Judie was also
selected as a New Century Scholar. “The
student receiving the highest All-USA
Academic Team application score in each state
RACCSpring05 1/25/05 10:33 AM Page 1
will be named a New Century Scholar,” PTK’s
website said. Judie received a 2,000 dollar
scholarship and special recognition at a
ceremony for the American Association of
Community Colleges.
This accomplishment is a very notable
achievement for Judie. She is the first student
from RACC to become a member of the AllUSA Academic Team. The judges for All-USA
Academic Team were very focused on
leadership and community service. Judie was
very involved at RACC and Alpha Sigma Rho,
RACC’s local chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.
Judie served as the Public Relation Secretary,
Vice President and Pennsylvania State
President with Alpha Sigma Rho, helping
organize
meetings,
keeping
records,
coordinating committees and planning
activities. Judie was also a member of the
Student Activities Board and helped plan for
speakers to come to RACC, community service
projects and fundraisers.
And while Judie was involved in all of these
activities, she also received awards, like the
Outstanding Service Award (given to a student
who displayed outstanding volunteer service to
the college), a Distinguished Chapter Member
award (by presented by the Phi Theta Kappa
Middle States Region) and Alpha Sigma Rho’s
Advisor Award (presented to member(s) who
demonstrated an outstanding commitment to
the Chapter).
One of Judie’s most exciting achievements,
though, was starting the Relay for Life of
Reading. Judie played a very influential role in
bringing the Relay to Reading. “That’s dear to
my heart,” Judie said. And this was also a very
considerable factor in Judie’s selection as both
an All-USA team member and a New Century
Scholar.
In addition to Judie’s accomplishments,
many people at RACC assisted and supported
Judie. Judie was very thankful for Dr. Kratz,
who the person who nominated Judie for the
All-USA Academic Team, and Dr. Singleton,
who was Judie’s advisor and often helped
Judie. Others like Dr. Zogas, Dean Adams, Sue
Gelsinger and members of Phi Theta Kappa
were also very supportive and encouraging
through the whole process.
And this whole process, while nervewracking for students involved, is an
accomplishment not many can take pride in.
Jude Ogin Senay is one person who can be
thrilled with such an achievement. She
encourages students to take interest in the AllUSA Academic Team as well as the New
Century Scholarship. “It’s just been a very great
experience,” Judie said. “I wish more students
would apply.”
So, regardless of who applies to what, Judie
Ogin Senay has done something spectacular.
Best wishes go out to her for the future.
If you are interested in the All-USA
Academic Team or the New Century
Scholarship, Judie Ogin Senay urges you to
contact Dr. Donna Singleton for more
information.
v
Upcoming Information Sessions
Management and Accounting
Thursday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Call today!
1-800-360-1222
Center for Lifelong Learning
100 College Drive
Allentown, PA 18104-6196
e-mail: lifelong@cedarcrest.edu
www.cedarcrest.edu
Phone: 610-740-3770
Fax: 610-740-3786
Offering flexible degree programs for men and women.
Nursing
Wednesday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m.
Education
Thursday, March 17 at 6:00 p.m.
Social Work
Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m.
Master’s Degree in Education
Tuesday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Call today! May and Summer course schedules available.
To reserve your space, contact the Center for Lifelong Learning at 610-740-3770.
MARCH/APRIL 2005
FRONT STREET JOURNAL n 5
Opinions
In defense of secularism The Advantages of a
Community College
By Ben Dalton
Staff Writer
During my half hour lunch
break, I like to sit in the break
room and page through the
newspapers lying on the table,
often turning to the religion
section and perusing the articles.
There, in the February 12 edition
of the Reading Eagle, I found the
following quote from Robert
Wenz, a member of the National
Association of Evangelicals:
“‘We
acknowledge
as
evangelicals that we’re in a
culture war,’ Wenz said,
‘but the war is against a
movement that seeks to
impose a totally secular
worldview.’”
Mr. Wenz’s word choice,
particularly his use of “impose,” is
very telling. Among conservative
Christians such as Wenz and the
evangelicals he represents, one
often finds a strong persecution
complex.
They believe an
overbearing secularism has seized
control of our government and
institutions,
suppressing the Christian morality
on which they maintain America
was founded. Their duty as
Christians is to fight back by
supporting initiatives such as
school prayer, the display of the
ten commandments in public
buildings and the preservation of
“under God” in the Pledge of
Allegiance.
A good example of this
sentiment is David Limbaugh’s
Persecution, a best-selling polemic
that echoes Sean Hannity, Ann
Coulter and other popular
conservative pundits. Persecution
documents the war liberal
secularism
has
supposedly
declared on American Christianity.
This hostility toward secularism
influences many aspects of a
conservative Christian’s life. It
played a large part in the reelection of George Bush, who
regularly identifies with the
fundamentalist movement.
In fundamentalist church
services, the struggle against
secularism is frequently portrayed
as a good-versus-evil battle for the
soul of America, with God (of
course) behind the Christians and
Satan
behind
the
liberal
secularists. Needless to say, this
extremist rhetoric, sometimes
coupled with warnings of the
forthcoming rapture, is deeply
unsettling.
The opposition to secularism
arises
from
a
simple
misunderstanding, but it is
exploited to advance an invasive,
theocratic agenda. When working
properly, secularism is a protective
vacuum, allowing the expression
of all belief systems while
hindering none. Secularism acts
only to prevent one belief system
from imposing its values on
another. Otherwise, it is invisible.
Unfortunately, secularism has
been abused, and such instances
fuel much of the antagonism
toward it. Under the Stalinist
system, any form of religious
expression is outlawed, replaced
by a state-backed atheism. Even in
France, a country more progressive than the United States,
religious symbols such as Islamic
headscarves have been frowned
upon by the national government.
In these two examples,
however, it is important to note
that true secularism has been
compromised.
In each case,
secularism has become a belief
system itself, becoming almost a
religion of its own. Acting as a
belief system, it has imposed its
values on others, taking an
aggressive rather than a protective
stance.
But the Christianity of
America’s fundamentalists is just as
invasive. Not content with the
freedom to practice their faith on
a voluntary and private basis,
fundamentalists seek to impose
(that word again) their values on
the public domain. Placing
Christian iconography like the Ten
Commandments in courtrooms,
schools and municipal buildings
forces
non-Christians
to
contemplate Christian theology
when they might wish not to.
When 20 percent of the American
population identify themselves as
non-Christians, according to a
2003 Gallup poll, such behavior
denies the incredible diversity of
the nation. It is un-American.
Even the simple act of
repeating “under God” in the
Pledge of Allegiance, as millions of
schoolchildren do on a daily basis,
violates the students’ freedom
from
state-sponsored
faith.
(Although students are not
required to recite the Pledge,
many are pressured to do so out of
a desire to conform, to avoid
standing out.)
In a country where over
identify 42 percent of the
population
call
themselves
evangelicals or “born again,”
according to a 2004 Gallup poll,
Christianity
is
conservative
anything but marginalized. The
persecution complex, used to
advance a fundamentalist agenda,
is not justified.
American secularism permits
all citizens to practice their
respective beliefs, so long as that
practice does not infringe on
another’s rights. It guarantees
equality regardless of beliefs.
v
By Ryan Hoy
Staff Writer
“Your Future Awaits,
Make the Right Choice”
College. This couldn't have
worked out any better because in
just a short time I would move to
my in home in Reading. After
looking into the college more, I
was positive this was the school
for me. Not only was the tuition
on the lower end (the lowest I
came across), but the academic
requirements
weren't
outrageously hard to achieve. For
me and many other people who
had something to prove, this was
the “open door” we needed.
Although scared, anxious and
nervous, I knew this was the best
choice for my future. With
smaller classes, you get one-onone lessons that are much easier
to understand. Also students can
get more involved with class
projects and discussions. Some
people think that since it's a
community college, that it's two
years and then.....what?
Many community colleges are
affiliated with universities and
other colleges to obtain a four
year degree.
From my experience, I found
that a community college is the
best choice for me. If you are
undecided about what you want
in your future, consider setting
an academic foundation with a
community college. Everybody's
got to start somewhere. Make the
right choice. People want to be
able to enjoy life after college,
not paying off student loans!
I started here at RACC in the
winter term of 2004/05. I moved
here from a little town in
Schuylkill County, Pine Grove.
Two years ago I was a senior at
Pine Grove Area High School,
and undecided about my future.
I thought of going to college, but
after hearing all the stories about
how people are still paying off
student loans while they have
been out of school for many
years, I was slightly hesitant. I
have also been out of school for a
couple of years and the fear of
falling behind lingered in my
head. To tell you the truth, I
didn't see myself ever going to
college.
I had my share of jobs after
high school, and like anyone
else, I didn't like my job. But
sometimes you have to deal with
life and take what you can get. I
finally decided it was time for a
change, and I would begin my
college search.
Since I wasn't sure what I was
going to do after high school, I
didn't focus on all of my
academics. This made things a
little bit more difficult for me.
Throughout my search for the
“perfect” school I came across
Reading
Area
Community v
Mark Mathabane
continued from page 1
thrown is away into dumpsters; food that could be saving lives. He
compared the ghetto and reservations of America to South Africa you get one chance, and if you screw that up, then God be with you.
America has the highest rate of teenagers in jail. Congress took away
any form of education because jail was supposed to be time for
punishment. Teenagers are not getting educated, most of them
realizing what they did wrong and should be exposed to some form
of education. Mathabane used to visit jails to gospel to them, but
then Congress put an end to that saying that they shall not be
educated.
If you attended this lecture you may have thought about some of
the things Mark Mathabane said. Maybe you might even consider
putting your needs ahead of your wants. This man has been through
all the horror that we can only imagine. Life isn't about having the
biggest houses or the nicest cars. It’s about helping others and being
happy and healthy. People that want more and more take from
others, leaving people in poverty. “When life is over what do you
remember, money or relationships you made?”
“You should leave this earth with what you came with, your heart
and soul.”
MAY ACADEMIC CALENDAR
*
5
9-20
28-30
Last Day to Withdraw with a “W” (Check with the Records Office)
Faculty Workday (No Classes)
Early Registration (Summer/Fall for currently enrolled students)
Memorial Day Recess (College Closed)
6 n FRONT STREET JOURNAL
Opinion
MARCH/APRIL 2005
Advanced Reading class is important to take
By Trevor Stewart
Staff Writer
Before I started here at RACC, I did very
little reading and never thought of
increasing my reading skills. Although I was
always a good reader and enjoyed literature
in its many shapes and forms, I just never
thought of increasing my knowledge of
reading and improving my reading skills.
Plus, being out of school for a certain
amount of time will make anyone slack off
on their reading a little bit.
Once I learned about the required
Advanced Reading course, I must admit I was
a little terrified. I was afraid that speed
reading would be a difficult and frustrating
task to accomplish, especially since I haven’t
really been consistently doing any reading
for a while. I thought that the concept of
speed reading would be hard to learn
because it would take an amazingly large
amount of concentration. But speed reading
isn’t as scary as it seems. Thanks to the
guidance and good teachings of Professor
Leslie Leinbach, I was able to gain the
knowledge I needed in order to succeed in
Advanced Reading.
Advanced Reading is an essential tool
needed in order to learn how to read
proficiently and accurately. It is basically
speed reading, which allows the reader to
absorb information a lot quicker than just
reading normally. "So how is it helpful to
me?" Simple. Advanced Reading not only
helps readers to read more rapidly and
proficiently, but it also improves study habits,
test taking and note taking skills. For
example, if you ever feel like there is too
much to read in text books when studying
for a test, it is most likely because you are
probably studying way more than you
should.
Advanced Reading allows you to learn
how to skim through to the most important
details in whatever you may happen to be
reading (unless it is a work of literature such
as a novel, short story, etc.).
I also found the assigned activities given
in the technology lab (Berks Hall Room 209)
helpful because they teach you how to speed
requires that you find not only what is
read. They give you several exercises that
said, but why and how it is said in order to
teach your eyes to focus more closely on
accept or reject information and ideas,
words going across a screen rapidly and still
and to know the material sufficiently well
have the ability to understand the main idea
to use it instantly, or in the future --of a passage clearly. I was scared outta’ my
including
to
demonstrate
your
sneakers when Prof. Leinbach first
understanding of it in class or on a test.
mentioned it. Once I experienced it myself,
RACC's Advanced Reading class directs
however, I had a different outlook on it. I not
you toward proficiency.
only increased my rapid reading skills, but I
increased my understanding of point of Q. How can this class help the students to
views in many different stories and passages.
decide to take it in the long run?
Professor Leslie Leinbach is my A. This class will put you to sleep – in a good
Advanced Reading teacher here at RACC.
way! Students who take a course like
I recently had the chance to interview her
RACC's Advanced Reading will get more
about the course; why she was interested in
sleep because they know how to read
teaching this class and how it is beneficial to
efficiently and effectively.
the college experience.
Q. Is this class important to be a
Q. Mrs. Leinbach, define Advanced Reading
prerequisite?
please.
A. Every college student faces a great deal of
A. “Advanced Reading” reflects the ability to
reading and students need the
read with as much speed and
opportunity to be "brought up to speed,"
comprehension as possible --- that is not
(forgive the proficiency pun).
to say to learn to read everything real fast,
but rather to read at an optimal speed for Q. Any final thoughts, suggestions, or
each different type of text and purpose in
comments to students who may decide to
order to get the most information and
take this class?
understanding from the material.
A. Every student benefits from increased
reading proficiency and it makes sense to
Q. Mrs. Leinbach, what inspired you to
learn strategies and develop skills that
teach this class?
improve proficiency.
A. I have always been grateful for the
experience of reading and how
I am glad to have had the opportunity to
remarkable it is to look at scratch marks participate
in
Professor
Leinbach’s
on a surface and from that, to know how Advanced Reading class in the winter. I
to make a waffle or why there is faith and personally feel that taking this course is
hope and electrons and quarks or the something that many of the students here at
true stories of humanity and those that RACC should pursue. It isn’t the type of
we imagine. It is a pleasure to help other course where you just need it as a
people understand reading processes.
prerequisite, or just three easy credits. It’s
more about strengthening your mind and
Q. Why is this class important for everyone knowledge of reading proficiency, which will
who takes it?
benefit you in the long run. Good luck this
A. College reading is not sitting on the spring, and consider the long-term goals of
beach with a book. The breadth and participating in this class - Advanced
depth of reading required in college Reading.
courses demands that a student read with v
some speed, and at the same time, read
with understanding. Academic reading
Look forward to the next Concert Choir recital
The concert was located in the multipurpose room in Berks Hall,
and I was surprised to see a good number of people there, between
75 and 100, at my estimate. It was nice to see the good attendance,
and there were indeed other members of the community present,
not just people connected to the college.
Such is the case of Rev. Robert D. Zook. Though his daughter
attended RACC, he said that he had found out about the event in the
RACC Cultural Events Brochure. When asked what he thought of
the concert, Zook replied with “I enjoyed it, I certainly did.” His
wife, Lois, expressed similar sentiments. I agree with both of them.
The concert had an enjoyable mix of traditional and modern
RACC’s Concert Choir at December Graduation.
Photo by Phil Stein
Christmas music, and some of the songs were just plain fun. Ray
Rhoades directed the choir, with Linda Ebersole accompanying on
By Megan Domanski
the piano. My favorite song was The Carol of the Bells. Overall, it was a
Staff Writer
lovely two hours or so of music, with an intermission at the halfway
point. Afterwards, there was a reception with cookies bought by
What better to get into the holiday spirit than a pleasant bit of choir members. I’m looking forward to attending the next RACC
Christmas music? On December 3rd, the RACC concert choir concert choir event. Hopefully I’ll see you there.
provided a holiday concert, which served that purpose well.
v
Arts & Entertainment
MARCH/APRIL 2005
FRONT STREET JOURNAL n 7
Waistin’ Away
By Trevor Stewart
Staff Writer
I sit here, wasting away.
A pity of a man who has little to show for My existence.
I lay here, tearing apart inside.
The Pride and the joy in my life, limited.
I stand here, thinking of my fate today
And if there is another way.
I can see a thousand pictures of a love
That never ends.
Sometimes when I'm mad at myself,
I say things I don't mean to her.
I sink, here, drowning.
Drowning in a water deep and nightmares
When I lay to sleep.
But redemption isn't far away and maybe I Will find today.
Instead of sitting in the Saddest spot.... waisting away.
Photo by Ben Dalton
New-ness
By Lydia Steiner
Editor-in-Chief
A birth. Spring cleaning.
New wallpaper on your bedroom wall.
Little strands of green seen under the snow.
(Or poking their way up and out of it, at any rate)
A new bathing suit.
(Can’t you wait to get rid of the old one?)
You can finally hear children playing down the street
With no more sweaters on.
You can finally hear animals again, like
When you drive down the road with your windows finally rolled all
the way down.
(Did you realize that birds are never out of tune?)
Everything seems so new.
That’s the best part of spring.
New-ness.
Photo by Ben Dalton
To Infinity and Beyond
By Trevor Stewart
Staff Writer
Sunset; My love for life is deeper
Than the oceans.
Nightfall; The energy flows inside me
Like slow motion.
Daybreak; The dawn of a new day has
Arrived.Time to shine in a world where
The darkness takes over.
Do you ever look into the sky and wonder
Where we came from?
Do you ever look up at the stars and
Wondered if you'll reach them?
Have you ever dreamed of being with the
One that you love, or a life where
You are happy without tears from
Above.
This is a life less ordinary, we're at
The end of this psalm. These are the
Times I wish I could fly to infinity...
..and beyond.
8 n FRONT STREET JOURNAL
Arts & Entertainment
MARCH/APRIL 2005
Incredibles review
By Jessica Walsh
Staff Writer
The Incredibles is an enjoyable
movie for all ages. It is a Pixar
Studios film and has the same
standards as their other movies.
If you like Monsters Inc. and
Finding Nemo, this movie is no
different. It keeps you entertained throughout the whole 115
minutes.
The movie starts out with
three
superheroes
being
interviewed about their jobs.
The main character is Mr.
Incredible, (Craig T. Nelson)
who is basically a Superman-type
hero. The two other superheroes
are Elastigirl, (Holly Hunter)
who becomes Mrs. Incredible
early in the movie and Frozone
(Samuel L. Jackson).
Mr. Incredible helps people
with everyday things, and also
assists the cops in robberies, as
well as with many other tasks. In
the process he creates some
problems though, like wrecking a
train bridge - which causes
people to complain. As a result
of abundant law suits against
superheroes by citizens, Mr.
Incredible and all the other
superheroes must quit their jobs
and hide their super powers to
become normal citizens.
After going underground as
Bob Parr, Mr. Incredible works at
an
insurance
company.
Obviously, he does not like his
job. He and his wife Helen
(formerly Elastigirl) have three
kids, Violet, Dash and a baby,
Jack-Jack, who doesn’t have any
powers yet. Violet can become
invisible and Dash can run
extremely quickly. None of them
are allowed to use their powers in
public, but at home, the whole
family uses their powers.
Mr. Incredible’s personality is
very caring. All he wants to do is
help people. At work, he helps
customers who are having
financial problems – which
makes his boss very angry. One
day Mr. Incredible is called into
his boss’s office, and he notices a
man being mugged outside the
window. His boss wouldn’t let
Mr. Incredible leave the room to
help - “Or you’re fired!” Finally
losing his cool after the mugger
got away, Mr. Incredible threw his
boss through the wall. You can
assume what happened to Mr.
Incredible and his job at that
point. Mr. Incredible didn’t tell
his family that he was fired
though.
In the meantime, Mr.
Incredible and Frozone would go
out at night and listen to police
scanners, looking for problems
that they could help people with.
They just couldn’t stop doing
what they loved to do. Mrs.
Incredible did not know that her
husband
was
using
his
superpowers to help people,
because she believed that their
superhero times were over.
Mr. Incredible though, got a
digital note from a mysterious
woman named Mirage one night,
saying that said ‘they’ needed his
help on a mission to disarm a
robot gone awry.
Mirage
informed Mr. Incredible that he
would be paid greatly.
Mr.
Incredible accepted the mission,
went to the island and proceeded
to defeat the robot after figuring
out its weakness. The family then
starts to get more and more
money, and Mr. Incredible is
happier than ever.
But things go wrong when Mr.
Incredible finds out why he was
asked to defeat the robot. He
becomes trapped on the island
when he is unable to beat
another, stronger robot. With
the help of a friend, Mrs.
Incredible finds out what
happened to her husband. It is
now up to her (and Violet and
Dash, who sneak along for the
ride) to save Mr. Incredible.
Dash and Violet are now thrilled
that they can use their
superpowers, and help their
parents out a lot.
This movie is packed with
action that is entertaining for
kids and adults. It has lots of
laughs, and it has a very good
plot with funny twists here and
there. It teaches a good lesson
for anyone, and has a great
ending. I would wholeheartedly
recommend seeing this movie
with your family.
v
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MARCH/APRIL 2005
FRONT STREET JOURNAL n 9
Arts & Entertainment
Dictionary of Slang
By Betty Reyes
Associate Editor
All up in my biznezz- when someone is
meddling in your affairs or dealings.
Baby daddy- (n.); a male, often a boyfriend
or an ex-boyfriend. Most often means the
father of, or someone who provides for, a
female's child.
Badunkadunk- (n.); a large rear end.
Baller- (n.); someone who flaunts money
The supreme "hottie." 2. An easy female; a Punked- (v.); embarrassed by someone else.
little more desirable than a “hootchie.”
R Kellying- (v.); trying to date under aged
Game- 1. (n.); a man’s conversation, girls/girls younger than you.
specifically his attempts at wooing females. 2.
(n); A male’s whole presence, his Shorti- (n.); girl friend.
conversation, and how he presents himself,
especially when trying to earn rapport with 'Sup?!- “Hello, what is new?” (Usually said
females.
with a slight nod of the head)
Gangsta- 1. (n.); A gangster. One who acts, Tight- very nice looking, something that is to
dresses and talks like a gang member. 2. be admired or cool.
(adj.); for something to be nice or cool. See
“tight.”
Whip- Car
Beast- (n.); someone who dominates on the Glazing- (v.); sleeping at school or at work Word/Werd- all is well & I agree/I support
basketball court
with your eyes open.
that
Benjamins- (n.); money. Usually hundred Hit me up on the celly/pager- call me on my Y'all- (n.); you people, you all
dollar bills, hence the reference to Benjamin cell phone, or page me.
Franklin on the U.S. 100 dollar bill.
Yo!- hello there!
v
Holla- (v.); say hello.
Blazin- 1. (v.); lighting up Marijuana 2. (n.);
very attractive, more than "hot."
Homey- (n.); close friend.
Bling Bling – (n.); flashy jewelry.
Hook Up- 1. (v.); referring to anything
physical from serious kissing to the dirty
deed. 2. (v.); to meet with someone at a preBlow- (v.); leave, get out of this place.
designated place. 3. (n); a connection a
person has that enables them to receive
Boo- (n.); boyfriend or girlfriend.
movie tickets, concert tickets or other such
Bootleg- (adj.); newer term to replace things at drastically discounted prices or for
"ghetto." Something that is an imitation, free.
cheap or of bad quality.
Hoodrat- (n.); a derogatory term for
Bootylicious- 1. (adj.); sexually attractive. 2. someone "ghetto." Usually referring to a
(adj.); voluptuous. Not too skinny-- looking, nasty female. See "hoochie.
very attractive with plenty of "booty."
Hootchie- (n.); a female who is promiscuous
Came at Me- Offended me.
by nature. A female who grants sexual favors
readily.
Cheddar- (n.); money.
Hottie- (n.); an attractive person.
Chilling- (v.); to simply "hang out" with no
Kickin' it- (v.); to relax, usually with one’s
purpose or reason.
friends. To merely exist, usually with no work
Chillaxin- (v.); chilling and relaxing involved.
simultaneously.
Metrosexual- (n.); an urban male with a
Crib- (n.); house, home, place of residence. strong sense of style who spends a great deal
of time and money on his appearance and
Crunked up (Krunk)- (adj.); get/are hyped lifestyle, but who is not homosexual.
up, inebriated.
Milkshake- A woman's jiggle
Da hood- (n.); the "neighborhood" or
referring to a certain side of town.
My Bad- My mistake
Dawg- (n.); a friend, close or distant, but a Off the hizzle- see "off the hook"
well-liked pal.
Off the hook- Exceptionally good.
Diss (Dis)- (v.); to show disrespect, verbally
or physically.
Peeps(n.);
people
who
are
associates/friends
Cop- (v.); to purchase or take something.
Pimpin'- (v.); a male trying to make advances
toward females.
Dude- (n.); young man.
Dudette- (n.); young lady.
Player- (n.); (pronounced "playa") someone,
usually, but not always, a male, who dates
Fo' shizzle- (often used with “Fo’ shizzle my numerous individuals of the opposite gender
at the same time. Or someone who has a
nizzle”); For sure.
different girlfriend or boyfriend every week
Freak- 1. (n.); a very good looking female. or so.
JUNE ACADEMIC CALENDAR
11
12
13
13
13-14
15
CLASSES END
Health Professions Reception - 2:00 p.m.
Graduation Rehearsal - 12:30 p.m.
Graduation – 6:30 p.m.
Faculty and Staff Development Days
(No Classes)
Final Grades Due
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$45
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610-921-1288
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610-898-2252
10 n FRONT STREET JOURNAL
Features
MARCH/APRIL 2005
New electric power systems technology degree
offered at RACC
By Ben Dalton
Staff Writer
Reading Area Community College
(RACC) and Power Systems Institute (PSI), a
two-year training program developed by
FirstEnergy Corp., have partnered to offer an
Associate of Applied Science in electric
utility technology. The program is open to
both current and new RACC students and
will begin in the fall term of 2005-06.
The 67-credit degree requires both nontechnical classes, taken at RACC, and
technical classes, taken at a local FirstEnergy
facility. After satisfactorily completing the
degree, students will be qualified for a broad
range of career options, but the degree
concentrates heavily on line worker training.
Following graduation, “employment
opportunities may exist with FirstEnergy,”
with an opening salary of $18 to $21 per
hour, according to the degree literature.
An orientation session will be held for
interested students from 5 to 8 p.m. on April
20. The orientation, hosted by FirstEnergy,
will be held in Berks Hall.
“Anyone who is interested in the
program is strongly encouraged to attend,”
said David Adams, the director of admissions
at RACC.
A skills orientation will also be held for
prospective students to test their physical
stamina. The testing will insure that a
student can endure the rigors of overhead
line work. Interested students should call 1800-829-6801 to reserve a spot in the skills
orientation, as enrollment is limited.
Prior to fall enrollment, students will be
required to take RACC’s placement tests.
Additionally, the program demands the
successful completion of an 80-hour course
in basic pole climbing. During the course,
FirstEnergy instructors will evaluate students.
Students and FirstEnergy Instructors will
determine the final enrollment for the fall
term.
No more than 12 students will be
accepted into the electric utility
technology training program each year.
Among the non-technical courses
required for the degree are English
Composition, Algebra II and The
Environment.
“If a student has already earned a credit
in…English Composition in another degree
program here at the college…of course
those credits would count toward the
degree,” said David Adams.
As part of the technical training offered
by FirstEnergy, students will participate in
a10-week field training. Although this
training will be evaluated as other
coursework, students will be paid at a rate of
$14 per hour.
During the course of study, students will
be certified in CPR and first-aid and will
receive a Class “A” Commercial Driver’s
License (CDL).
Cathy Deka, of Power Systems Institute
says that “The program has won several
awards for excellence in corporate training.
A Line Worker is responsible for
maintaining, repairing, and building
distribution lines -- both overhead and
underground. They work with both
energized and de-energized equipment. A
Line Worker works from either a wood pole
or a bucket truck. It is not always possible to
situate a truck close to the wires -- in those
situations -- a Line Worker would climb the
pole to get to his work. Because they are
working with heavy tools and equipment,
upper body strength is a must. They do
develop some of that strength during the
PSI lineman.
Photo courtesy of FirstEnergy Corp.
program, but they have to want to do that
type of "bull" work. Also, the Line Workers
are the company's first line of customer
service for many customers -- they are visible
to the public. A Line Worker must act as an
ambassador for the organization and,
therefore, posses positive customer service
skills. The degree is really intended for an
electrical Line Worker. Someone could use
this degree for Cable TV or telephone work,
but they would be over qualified since a great
deal of the program deals with electrical
concepts and theory. I am trying to get away
from using the verbiage "employment in a
variety of electrical fields".”
FirstEnergy is a public electrical utility,
servicing the Middle Atlantic States. It is the
fifth largest electric system in the nation,
with 4.4 million customers, according to a
press release announcing the new program.
FirstEnergy’s PSI has been successfully
introduced to five colleges prior to RACC.
To find out more, call the Power Systems
Institute at 440-604-9803.
v
Danish students attend RACC
By Jessica Walsh
Staff Writer
This year, two students from Demark
came to RACC to take classes in the fall term.
Their names are Gitte Kristensen, 28, and
Mathilda Leegaard, 23. They are both
marketing majors. During their time in
Reading, they stayed with Dianne Adams, the
director of Admissions at RACC.
After their stay in Pennsylvania, Mathilda
traveled to Canada and Gitte proceeded to
Phoenix, Arizona. From Phoenix, Gitte
would like to travel to New Mexico, Texas,
Nevada and Montana. She will be out west
for four months, and at some point she
would like to visit the Bahamas.
Gitte started traveling when she was 14
years old and has been to many countries,
including Fiji, New Zealand, Singapore,
Canada, Turkey, France, Germany, Sweden,
England and the United States. Both
Mathilda and Gitte would recommend going
to Fiji, because they both enjoyed swimming
on the beaches there.
Gitte has an eight-year-old son who lives
with Gitte’s mother back in Denmark while
she travels. She is considering moving to the
United States if there are any job
opportunities.
One of the major reasons that Gitte
travels is because it expands her résumé,
which makes it easier to get jobs in Denmark.
Her country pays for all of her traveling
expenses because she was in a car accident,
and traveling is part of her education.
But though Gitte is considering moving
to the United States, she doesn’t like that
people are always talking on cell phones in
the United States. This is very uncommon in
Denmark. She told me of a time, while in
Reading, that she got very frustrated with
someone who was waiting on her. This
person was talking on his cell phone while
trying to help her.
Gitte says that when traveling it is most
important to be aware of what kind of
culture you are immersing yourself into. She
said that when going to other countries it
also teaches you about yourself and how you
would react to different situations. For
example, in Denmark, people buy whole
pork roasts with the skin on it to eat for
Christmas dinner. You’re probably used to
ham or turkey.
Mathilda has been to Germany, France,
Greece, Italy, Sweden, England, Fiji,
Australia, New Zealand and Achellers, which
is in Northern Africa. She started traveling at
age 12, and so far has been to New York,
Washington and Los Angeles in the United
States. Mathilda pays for her own traveling
and will work for six months, then backpack
worldwide for six months after returning to
Denmark. Mathilda explained that she had
to work before coming to the US, and that
her hours would change weekly, having a 50
to 60 hour work week. She finishes school
this June.
Mathilda explained that people working
Denmark get a paid, six-month vacation.
Children in school get eight weeks of
summer vacation every year. The school
continued on page 11
FRONT STREET JOURNAL n 11
Features
MARCH/APRIL 2005
April is Community College Month
By Lydia Steiner
Editor-in-Chief
to hear people speaking favorably about RACC. Mr. Morgan said
that hearing those kinds of sentiments “makes all the troubles
worthwhile.”
One thing that is certain, students and teachers at RACC today
will never experience the kinds of problems that existed in the
beginning. Many people complain about parking now, but early on,
RACC held classes in different buildings over town. This means that
people attending classes would have to walk much more than the 45 minutes from the Yocum Library to Berks Hall. Mr. Morgan said
that people were often late for classes because they had to walk long
distances.
RACC’s original buildings were old school buildings that were
not used anymore by the school district. Many of these buildings
were in bad shape – often too hot in the spring and summer, and too
cold in the winter. In 1977, RACC moved from old school buildings
into an old Holiday Inn that went out of business. This is now Berks
Hall. In addition to that, RACC also bought an old office building
(the East Shore Office Building) next to Berks Hall in 1989. This
building is now Penn Hall. And then, RACC opened the Yocum
Library in 1996. These three buildings will soon be joined by the
Training and Technology Center, which is under construction now.
Another thing that is certain, RACC has changed much since its
establishment. A drastic difference from the 265 students enrolled
in the first term, there are more than 4,000 students currently
attending RACC, with more than triple the number of faculty
members. Students can now attend classes in comfortable settings
with conveniences that would have been unimaginable at the
beginning.
RACC is, and has always been dedicated to giving a low-cost
education and job training to local people. From the very beginning,
RACC has done that. As the years go on, more and more people
realize that and take advantage of the opportunity open to them.
So for Community College Month, think a little bit about what
RACC and its teachers have done for you. These people are the
reason you are where you are.
If you are interested in learning more about RACC and its
history, you can find information in the Yocum Library.
April is Community College Month. This month is April, and
RACC is a community college. Shocking correlation, isn’t it? In lieu
of April and community colleges, I pose a question. How much do
you know about the history of RACC?
RACC was founded in 1971, with a bit of a bumpy road to actually
get its foot in the door. Before that, there was no college – just an
idea to have a low-cost education for lower-income locals. Originally,
there was a bit of conflict. There was a large belief that Penn State
would be able to suit the needs of college students.
This would have been alright, but there are people, now and
back then, that simply cannot and could not afford to get their
education at Penn State. After a bit of a struggle, the plan to
establish RACC was accepted.
RACC had its first classes on the 13th of October in 1971. With a
drastic difference from today, there were only 265 students, 8 fulltime professors and 8 adjunct professors. Two of these 16 professors
were Helen Peemoeller and John Morgan. Professor Peemoeller
taught English classes at RACC after seeing a very small ad in the
New York Times. Mr. Morgan taught the first Philosophy class and
was also the assistant to RACC’s first president.
Professor Peemoeller is still teaching at RACC, and Mr. Morgan
works closely with Albright and their newspaper. Both Professor
Peemoeller and Mr. Morgan had some very intriguing stories of the
early days at RACC.
One thing that Professor Peemoeller remembered very vividly
was the thrill of starting a new college. “Everything had to be created
from nothing,” Professor Peemoeller said. Another thing that
Professor Peemoeller stated was that people originally debated
coming to RACC. At that time, there were two options – work or
school. Work often won out because people needed to make a living.
Now though, many people don’t even consider other options; they
want to attend RACC immediately after high school.
Mr. Morgan also had some interesting stories to tell. Notably, Mr.
Morgan said that the public’s view on RACC was initially not very
kind. Many people in positions of power did not think that the v
college was a very good idea. But now, Mr. Morgan is often surprised
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Danish Students
continued from page 10
system in Denmark is set up from
August to May, with finals for
college students in June.
Matilda says that in Denmark,
they have service employees in
clothing stores that are paid to
help the customers find what
they are looking for. In the
United States, it was difficult to
find people to help you. She also
said that in Denmark, they have
very small restaurants that seat 30
to 50 people, not like the “huge”
restaurants in this country.
Mathilda’s mother is a
dentist, and she owns her own
practice. Mathilda said that
traveling helps “…to discover
who I really love and adore back
home.”
There are about 5.2 million
people in Denmark. Gitte and
Mathilda talked about the major
difference of having a baby when
you work in their country, versus
ours. In Denmark the mother
has one year off, and the father
has the first 14 days off after the
baby is born. Until the child is
seven, the mother or father can
have another half a year of paid
leave. In Denmark, it is illegal to
fire a pregnant woman on leave.
There are also many families
where the father stays home to
take care of the children and the
mother works.
In school, students start
learning English in the third
grade. By fifth grade they start
learning German, and then in
eighth grade, students are given
the option to switch over to
French instead of German. If
someone from Denmark wanted
to immigrate to the United
States, Mathilda and Gitte said
that they would have to learn to
speak Spanish, which is not
taught in Danish schools.
Mathilda and Gitte have
traveled many places and will
continue to travel for a long time
to come. It is always a great
learning experience to meet and
talk to people from different
countries, so if you ever see any
exchange
students
around
RACC, you might want to say hi.
v
12 n FRONT STREET JOURNAL
Features
MARCH/APRIL 2005