the hillsdale forum

november

2011

November 2011

democracy destroying distinctions p. 7 + WoW! 275 uses for a potted plant p. JKlol + greeKs & independents go Head to Head p. 15 + Hearty n Homey fall food p. 18

Contents
Volume xii, Issue ii, November 2011

Conservative Features

Staff

3 Vladimir Putins Return to the Kremlin by Mike Giles 5 Nullification: The Only Way Back by Spencer Amaral

Editor-in-Chief Rachael Wierenga Associate Editor Corrie Beth Hendon Editors Alex Guerra Rebekah Lindstrom Chelsey Schmid Staff Writers Spencer Amaral Mike Giles Casey Harper Nikki Harris Corrie Beth Hendon Nate McBride Samantha Scorzo Hayden Smith Savannah Tibbetts Copy Editor Chelsey Schmid Photographers Sheridan Markatos Laurie Barnes Design and Layout Maria Diodati Bailey Pritchett Olivia Tilly Lauren Wierenga Business Manager Joey Viviano Communications Manager Rebekah Lindstrom Director of Advertising Chelsey Schmid November 2011

Striking corrupt deals, jailing opposition, and firing pro-Western officials: looks like Putins promise to work for a more liberal Russia is false too. The states rights doctrine that a state can refuse to recognize or to enforce a federal law passed by the United States Congress ... the definition says it all.

7 Keep it Simple, Stupid: Why Conservatives Should Continue

The pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps approach applied to economics, education and affirmative action.

to Promote Personal Responsibility by Nate McBride

9 Standardized Identity Theft by Nikki Harris

Democracy may have some equalizing aspects in modern society, but the end were trending towards is almost unimaginably frightening.

11 Reasoning and Reason by Corrie Beth Hendon & Rachael

The pros and cons of a liberal arts education, considered.

Wierenga

13 Alumni: Where Are They Now? by Casey Harper

Swoon, ye agrarians: for his job with the Henry Ford Museum, 2005grad Ryan Spencer spends his time re-creating and running an 1800s farm.

Campus Features

15 Campus Smackdown by Samantha Scorzo

Yes, we did dare to go there; sue us. Nothing says smackdown quite like the words Greek vs. Independent.

17 Wit & Whatnot by Lauren Wierenga and Joey Viviano 18 Cooking & Baking by Sarah Ross 19 Movie Review by Hayden Smith

A lighthearted jab directed toward a certain academician who was hatin on the Forum. Finally, the answer to your eternal question...what can I do with this sour milk? Surprise! We published a very un-Conservative article. If you dont like it, put your money where your mouth is and write something in response.

21 Hillsdale Hunk and Hottie by Savannah Tibbetts 22 Student Spotlight by Nate McBride

Fear not, the feature youve all been waiting for is back and hotter than ever. Representatives for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Private and Charter School Volunteering, and Demesne on the importance of volunteering.

Letter From the Editor

Rachael WieRenga
editoR-in-chief
Are a bunch of busy, sleepdeprived Hillsdale students ever going to be able to put out a thoughtful publication that will interest and impact other sleepdeprived, busy Hillsdale students? Since everyone at Hillsdale is a Conservative, isnt having a Conservative magazine, and trying to get students to write for it, pointless? I can imagine what encouraging and salient words the page 17 academician would employ to answer these questions. But as for me, after an honest analysis of the whole thing, I firmly believe that the Forum is a good publication thats worth keeping around and writing for. Heres why, in three main points. One. The Forum is worth having around and writing for because it gives you the opportunity to articulate the things you have learned in class, so that someday youll be prepared to reach others beyond Hillsdale who havent received an education about the permanent things. We are all seekers of truth, thats why were at Hillsdale College. We are all defenders of the old order of things; we find truth and stick to it. We all hold dear the common goal of going out into the world and turning souls from dark to light, of educating through discussion, of bringing people to know our great heritage so they too can fight to preserve it. Writing an article makes you come up with an argument and pinpoint why you think the way you do. Wrestling with ideas makes you put them into your own words, remember them, and be able to draw from them in the future. You should write for the Forum because it gives you the chance to test out your ideas on a friendly audience before you go out and try to talk to a hostile one later in life. Two. The Forum is worth having around and writing for because its line with Hillsdales liberal arts atmosphere. We talk about awesome things at Hillsdale, and there is not enough time for anyone to take all the classes offered at Hillsdale and learn all there is to know. I think writing articles from a politics perspective can benefit students in English or history classes, and vice versa; starting thought and discussion across the various disciplines is something that ties in well with the liberal-arts atmosphere Hillsdale promotes. Having a magazine that publishes articles about what students are learning and discussing in class encourages an interdisciplinary discussion of truth that is worth contributing to. Three. The Forum lets you stand up for liberty. We live in a society where virtue is defined by niceness, politeness, openness, and political correctness, where ideas and honest discussion and debate about truth are suppressed. Youre called a racist or a terrorist or a Nazi or a mossback for speaking in defense of our first principles. People are depending on the government more and more and thinking for themselves less and less. We have to restore Conservative thinking to society and spread an open atmosphere where people can speak honestly and freely. The Forum can help this endeavor and further this end by providing a medium for students to write about Conservative issues as they learn about them, and someday move that discussion of truth beyond Hillsdales campus so that more can engage in it. At the end of the day, I am passionate about and supportive of the Forum because it is a publication that promotes and stands up for Conservatism. America must return to limited government as outlined in the Declaration and Constitution, or she will cease to be a city on a hill or an example of freedom to the rest of the world. It might be a stretch to argue that writing for the Forum lets you contribute to the struggle for our countrys freedom. But any little publication that is in line with Hillsdales mission statement is somewhat worthwhile. Tocqueville said the free press and a variety of competing publications are essential to keeping a free country free. The Forum is a small and not extremely important publication, but I am convinced of the justice of my cause to keep it alive so it can promote Conservatism. Hopefully you are now a little more convinced that its worth having on campus, and will consider writing an article for it.

The Hillsdale Forum is an independent, student-run Conservative magazine at Hillsdale College. The Forum, in support of the mission statement of Hillsdale College, exists to promote a return to limited government as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. We publish Conservative opinion, editorials, and campus news. The Forum is a vehicle to bring the discussion and thought of the intelligent students and professors at the heart of the Conservative movement beyond the classroom and beyond Hillsdales campus.

Mission Statement

Call for Submissions

Students interested in writing an article or submitting photographs: Email hillsdaleforum@gmail.com or rwierenga@ hillsdale.edu for more information. Students and subscribers: we welcome letters-to-theeditor. They should be 300 words or less and submitted by the 20th of each month.

November 2011

Vladimir Putins Return to the Kremlin

Mike giles On September 24, Vladimir Putin announced to his party congress that he would, once again, become president of Russia. Though the pronouncement was widely expected, it apparently took a few Russians by surprise. We were totally unprepared for what was announced, said Putins own spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. They didnt alert anyone about it. Mr. Putins return as the Russian head of state further complicates the public image of an enigmatic personality. As a former president from 2000 to 2008, Putin promises experience and stability at the Kremlins top job. Yet his selfappointment also gives rise to fears that Russia could stagnate under his rule. After all, if Putin completes another two terms, he will become the longest-serving Russian ruler since Josef Stalin. In 2008, Putin stepped down from the Presidency under a constitutional term limit. In that transition, Dmitry Medvedev became the president, while Putin appeared to play second fiddle as prime minister. Yet many Western observers suspected that Mr. Putin still pulled the strings while Medvedev was a mere puppet. Recent events seem to confirm those suspicions. At the September convention of United Russia Russias ruling partyPutin told a rather shocked audience that he had, four years earlier, struck a deal with Medvedev: Medvedev would step down in 2011 national & WoRld neWs 3 as Putin resumed his old post as president. In one swift stroke, Putin uncloaked his own elaborate scheme to present Russia as a growing liberal democracy. Western hopes for Russian liberalization under the reshuffled regime received another shattering blow when Medvedev dismissed finance minister Alexei Kudrin after Kudrin protested the new power arrangement. For years, western nations held Mr. Kudrin in high esteem because of his staunch free-market views and his fiscally conservative policies. Even after the calamitous economic events of 2008, Kudrin opposed higher spending for social welfare programs. Putin is now acutely aware that the lingering financial crisis presents a clear danger to his dominance over Russian politics. In the mid-2000s, Putin rode the coattails of a booming oil market to 70% approval ratings. Now, in the face of growing hunger and widespread unemployment (and a 40% approval rating), the pressure is on Putin to work miracles. In a recent television interview, Putin acknowledged the growing angst. They say, he reported, that the stagnation of the Brezhnev times will be back soon. But he swiftly parried these concerns by touting himself as a most hardworking leader who can stave off economic collapse. On October 17, Putin advertised Russia before a global audience of CEOs in November 2011

time.com

the hope of attracting new foreign investment. On the other hand, Putins move also heightened fears that Russia could sink into a prolonged economic malaise because of his tendency to dictate economic outcomes in a command-and-control style so reminiscent of the Soviet era. If Putin tightens the economic screws in an attempt to hold onto power, he might find that much-needed capital flees the country. But Putin may encounter an even greater challenge in the pervasive corruption within the ranks of state bureaucrats and the courts. Such a problem hardly began with Putin; indeed, the rampant corruption of public officials is really a Russian habit stretching back to the days of the Tsars. These days, the corruption undermines the rule of law to the extent that the justice system barely functions. With each outrage, it becomes more hateful to the public. The 2006 murder of writer and Kremlin critic Anna Polikovskaya in broad daylight aroused international concern over Putins system of justice; five years passed before the police even arrested the primary suspects. The case still has not been closed. The recent trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky put the injustice of the Russian courts on full

display. Khodorkovsky, a former oil magnate, was arrested and held for two years before being formally sentenced in 2005. Last year, on similar charges, the court sentenced him to 14 additional years in prison. Thousands of other cases lie unresolved because the courts lack the ability to protect legal rights. Thus, political, economic, and civil reforms areto ordinary Russians both tantalizingly close and achingly distant. Putins return to the presidency promises only more of the same. With both the communists and the far-right nationalists gaining steam, Vladimir Putin will have to dance carefully around the economy and the festering issue of civil rights to keep his political coalition together. Even so, the fact that Putin has won the 2011 election before the polls even open shows that little in Russia has changed over the years. The return to power of Vladimir Putin is a negative turn of events, lamented Dmitry Muratov, the editor of the Novaya Gazeta and a former associate of Anna Polikovskaya. I think the unchangeability of power leads to these people being unable to reform themselves. For better or worse, Putin promises stability. But Russians may have to wait before a modernized, just, and liberal Russia can emerge.

Mike Giles is a senior studying political economics.

November 2011

Nullification: The Only Way Back

spenceR aMaRal
Imagine an America in which the Federal government has exploded beyond the bounds of the Constitution and is daily violating it, infringing on the life, liberty, and property of its citizens, rather than fulfilling its proper role and upholding justice... Oh, never mind. The daily news serves as a constant reminder of the disrespect, or outright mockery, with which our politicians treat our Constitution, and the very concept of limited government. America is increasingly coming to the realization that we need to take swift action in order to stem the illegitimate growth of the federal government and return to the rule of law. Given the incredible distortion of the role of government and the growing injustices the federal government commits against citizens, there is little debate that special measures must be taken, to not only attempt to stop the growth of Washington, but to push it back. But what can we do to make a difference now that has not already been tried with little or no effect? The best and most realistic alternative that remains is nullification, the quintessentially American mode of resistance again federal tyranny that Thomas Jefferson prescribed as an integral part of our political system. State nullification entered American political philosophy in 1798 with the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which restricted Americans right to free speech and due process for aliens. In response to these bills, Thomas Jeffersons Kentucky Resolution and James Madisons Virginia Resolution were passed, condemning the new laws as unconstitutional. Thus, having no Constitutional basis, both the Alien and Sedition Acts were declared null and void in Virginia and Kentucky. The actual language used by Madison and Jefferson shows how highly they valued the states in ensuring constitutional government: Madison writes in the Virginia Resolution that the states are duly bound to resist federal usurpation of power, and Jefferson writes that nullification...is the rightful remedy in such cases. A primary reason that Americans do not automatically resort to nullification today is because of the mistaken idea that the Supreme Court is the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution, and therefore a state has Heritage & First Principles no place to nullify federal law. This reasoning is largely responsible for the state of big-government we find ourselves in today. If we grant the federal government a monopoly on determining its own powers, then we should not be surprised when it keeps discovering new ones. In an 1820 letter to William Jarvis, Thomas Jefferson wrote: To consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions [is] a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy. Madison wholly agreed, stating in support of the Virginia Resolution the need of a remedy for when even the courts betray the Constitution. Jefferson followed this in 1823, writing: The ultimate arbiter [of the Constitution] is the people of the Union, assembled by their deputies in convention, at the call of Congress or of two-thirds of the States. Americans must come away from these seminal ideas with the realization that we have a personal responsibility to remain active in our government and not entrust the sole interpretation of the Constitution to the federal government. We cannot sit back and watch the checks and balances within Washington do the work for us; it has never worked out that way, and it never will. Expecting the federal government to regulate itself is as practical as creating a monster and then handing it an instructional booklet on moral living before setting it loose on society. If the only checks on a body of power come from within, they are not true or effective checks at all. If states would be willing to stand up to federal tyranny and hold the federal government accountable to the social compact agreed to by the states, we would not have a problem with federal overreach today. The instances in which nullification has actually been used in American history simply glow with the essence of what it means to be a free society. Madison and Jefferson gave it their ringing endorsement in the middle of a fight against federal infringement on 1st Amendment rights; Wisconsin also used nullification to fight against coercive and unconstitutional portions of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, preceding the Civil War. Most recently, in response to the passage of the REAL ID Act of 2005, which imposed federal 5 November 2011

surveillance and bureaucratic regulations on state-issued drivers licenses, 25 states passed resolutions or binding legislation pledging to defy the law. This is exactly what is necessary today to roll back the growth of the federal government. With the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, the federal government was created to act as an agent of the states, who were the principals, in contractual terms. The federal government, by definition, has specific authority granted to it to fulfill a specific role in the collective interests of the states. The founding fathers designed the federal government to legislate on issues that affected all the states and their respective citizens equally; this is the specific meaning of the Defense and General Welfare Clause in Article I, Sec. 8. It was repeatedly stated throughout the Constitutional Convention that any fear of the federal government claiming powers unauthorized by the constitution would be unjustified, due to the nature of enumerated powers, or the idea that the federal government would only have the authority to exercise the power specifically granted to it within the Constitution, and nothing more. But even so, to further assuage such concerns, the 10th Amendment was written as the final passage

of the Bill of Rights, officially declaring that the powers not specifically granted to the federal government were thereby reserved to the states and to the people. And yet, our national government today is vastly different from the republic of the founding, in both structure and purpose. Washington, D.C. has engaged in the practice of legal plunder with such alarming regularity and scope that most Americans no longer recognize the injustice taking place when Congress provides subsidies to special interests out of the taxpayers pockets or frolics in pork-barrel spending, corporate welfare, and crony-capitalism. How much mindless insanity must we suffer before we can conclude that this is not the way government is supposed to work? Now is the time to stand up and implement every possible constitutional restraint available to us. The theory of nullification is not only squarely in line with the principles and framework of the founding, it is also becoming more necessary with every passing day and with every additional unconstitutional power-grab in Washington, D.C. This is a battle we can win. We must make Congress accountable to the states and the people therein if we hope to make Washington respect the Constitution and resume its proper role as laid out by the founders.

Spencer Amaral is a sophomore studying politics.

6 November 2011

Standardized Identity Theft

jama.org

In the UK, amniocentesis is the most common invasive prenatal diagnostic procedure. This procedure can be unsafe for the fetus and result in miscarriage.

Standardization has crept into nearly every aspect of life. Americans live increasingly by standardized education, standardized tests, standardized policy and protocol, standardized healthcare, and so on. The level of power from which these required quotas originate has broadened from the local to the state, national, and even international scale. Many of these usurpations have been implemented in the name of equality, or equal opportunity: the notion that rigid standards equal higher results. This bureaucratic system of standardization ignores individual variation and fails to address anything on a case-by-case basis. Standardization is particularly prevalent in modern education. Schools push students along a painfully boring line of memorizing meaningless material because the government mandates standardized curricula and standardized tests. Children are required to study the same material at the same age at the same rate in the same way. Acclaimed creativity and education expert Sir Ken Robinson describes in his lecture Changing Education Paradigms that this educational method alienates kids who, justifiably, cannot perceive its purpose. Any child who struggles in this system is either stigmatized as academically deficient, or medicated as a way to force him into the mold of success. What Robinson 7

calls the fictitious epidemic of ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder, has been used to explain why By Nikki Harris the education system is not working. Thousands of children are diagnosed with ADD and given anesthetics to fix their wandering minds on the whiteboard of formulas in front of them. The oftendangerous drugs employed perpetuate their mediocrity by institutional mandate, deadening students aesthetic potential. Many of these medicated kids actually possess spectacular artistic genius, but since art and creativity are outside of the standard, it never comes to fruition. Standardization in the health field is a lesserknown but more extreme attack on personal identity taking root in American culture today. Contemporary eugenicists have found a new niche in modern medicine. Substandard health conditions, like ADD, run in the family; eugenics seeks to fix these problems at their origin. Even after Nazi Germany revealed the wickedness of this science, the American eugenics movement remained, with new euphemisms such as population control and genetic health. Using a new avenue to achieve the same end, the American Eugenics Society changed its name to the Society for the Study of Social Biology immediately following Roe v. Wade in 1972. Frederick Osborne, director at the time of the change, stated with unfortunate accuracy: Birth control and abortion are turning out to be the great eugenic advances of our time. Prenatal screening for genetic conditions encourages higher abortion rates. Down Syndrome abortions are a horrifyingly evident example of this: America aborts 80% of unborn babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome; Europe aborts 92%. Keeping a Downs baby is often looked on as unethical, what a Down Syndrome Association patron called parents inflicting burdens on their child and the community. As screening technology improves, doctors treat more inherited handicaps in the same manner as they do Down Syndrome. Moreover, couples can now be genetically analyzed to rate the probability that their offspring may have serious genetic disabilities. High-risk couples are typically prescribed contraceptives or sterilization. This is the cusp of genetic standardization, which seeks to November 2011

Controversial Issues

eliminate humans who do not fit in the acceptable range. A number of interconnected liberal trends attempting to combat standardization effectually contribute to it. Diversity initiatives, reasoning that our different backgrounds dont matter and that we are all the same, ironically squash natural diversity. The feminist and GLBT movements have similarly broken down the distinctions between men and women, destroying any sexual identity. Androgyny has become increasingly commonplace and acceptable. The infamous story of the Canadian baby Storm, whose parents decided (in their words) not to share Storms sex for now -- a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a standup to what the world could become in Storms lifetime advances this androgynous culture. Many liberal psychologists celebrate this progress toward a genderless society as a Utopian vision of equality and liberty. As many of their children are quickly realizing, someone without direction is not free, but lost. Modernity has blurred not only gender lines but also other areas of identity. The natural sense of place has ebbed with the ease of relocation and travel, telecommunication, national consolidation, and globalization. Fewer Americans every year live, work, and die in the same state as that of their birth. The modern American no longer feels a sense of belonging to a specific community, but in its place an abstract idea of Americanness.

The media bombards children with the hopeful message that they can choose who they are; they are no longer defined by their family, circumstances, sex, race, or any of their surroundings. Teenagers enduring formative years feel the confusion of these messages the most. With nothing permanent in which to ground themselves, they hope that this sense of identity will come later as evinced by the now-clich concepts find yourself, find where I belong, and find my destiny, as if it is something necessary, yet mysteriously unknown. Even peoples appearances are not permanent. Cosmetic surgery frees its patients from even the mirror, but, like all the other ways to strip away limitations, it actually destroys variation, creating one Barbie doll ideal. These two trends of standardization and misguided liberation, while superficially opposite, are really two sides of the same coin. Both break down a persons identity, crush their uniqueness, sense of belonging, and purpose. Traditionally, the question, who are you? was answered with ones first name, chosen by his parents, and ones last name, chosen by his heritage. Now, the question beckons a generic I dont know yet.

Nikki Harris is a senior studying mathematics.

November 2011

Keep it Simple, Stupid:

nate McBRide Conservatives advocate policies that empower Personal responsibility also characterizes the people to solve their own problems. They advocate Conservative approach to education. Liberals natupolicies that let people make their own decisions rally turn to government for an answer. They believe based on their personal values and beliefs rather public education is the best way to teach students. than the governments. Common sense dictates that In their view, the government, with little guidance when people are in control of their actions, they feel from parents and educators, should determine what a sense of accomplishment and self-reliance, which children must know to succeed in the world. Conserengenders productive action. Machiavelli pointed to vatives, conversely, tend to advocate reform polithis truth about human nature when he argued that cies like school voucher programs, which increase a prince will gain the peoples support if he leaves competition between educational institutions. This them alone and does not interfere with their private increase in competition, just as in the economic lives. People naturally want to be left alone to solve realm, leads to the development of more efficient their problems independently; they do not want systems of educating and encourages schools to impoliticians hundreds of miles away making laws prove performance, ideally leading to smarter, more and regulations that interfere with their lives. capable citizens who can compete and succeed in the A discussion of how personal responsibility and global economy. individual action are the proper response to solvIt is a logical outgrowth that anyone who stands ing problems like economics, education, and afbehind personal responsibility would oppose affirfirmative action would benefit Americas political mative action. It should be clear to rational minds climate. Much of the fervent debate in the current that when a business or institution of higher learning presidential debates seems rather superfluous: some accepts the best-qualified individual, both parties truths are, well, self-evident, and rational people benefit. Conversely, institutions that give preference should be able to agree on basic issues like the debt to minorities, regardless of ability or qualifications, crisis by using a little thought and common sense demean true minority achievement and encour(stop spending so much money, perhaps?). age reverse-discrimination. Reverse-discrimination Take for example, economics. The simple, is not a solution for racism. While there still are evident truth here is that those economic systems certainly racist individuals in society, they cannot be which encourage individual action and innovacountered by directing the same hateful sentiment in tion are the ones that increase national prosperity. the opposite direction.. While Liberals stress that government intervention Our founding documents provide excellent direcis needed to protect the individual from the big, bad tion for the preservation of common sense policies corporations, Conservatives see that private enterwhich rest on the principles of personal liberty and prise and free market capitalism create the greatest responsibility. Conservatives must actively engage opportunity for growth and lead to innovation and in current debates over issues which would undercompetition. Economic systems that reward and mine these principles, and offer practical solutions incentivize individual action pave the way for pros- to move American domestic policies back under the perity and freedom. Comparing the United States or umbrella of our founding principles. England with countries like Cuba or Russia eviNate McBride is a freshman dences the fact that countries which endorse these economic policies have a higher GDP, more jobs, studying politics. and an all-around higher standard of living. talking points 9 November 2011

Why Conservatives Should Continue to Promote Personal Responsibility

November 2011

Reasoning about Reason

for those of you who have grown weary of the oft-endured harassment and disdain which meet your declared ambition to study the liberal arts, for the senior desperately wondering if ramen noodles and your parents basement await you after graduation, for all you freshmen desperately wondering if you will learn anything of practical worth at Hillsdale, and for anyone who has had their nose buried in their own particular department so long that they have forgotten the richness and complexity of the world, here are some pertinent words from sir philip sydneys the defense of poesy. first, sydney claims that, this purifying of wit, this enriching of memory, enabling of judgment, and enlarging of conceit, which commonly we call learning the final end is to lead and draw us to as high a perfection as our degenerate souls, made worse by their clay lodgings, can be capable of. Sydneys definition of learning and his explanation of the end of learning are compelling. The true student studies not for the sake of enlarging a collection of facts, or for the sake of affirmation from his professors, or even for the sake of graduation. He studies for the sake of his soul. sydney goes on to say that many men carry out their belief that knowledge paves the best way to the souls perfection by studying a particular academic discipline. at the outset of ones quest to improve his soul, the world of truth and knowledge seems both wonderfully bright and overwhelmingly broad. many men feel a

coRRie Beth hendon & Rachael WieRenga

welcome comfort once their window to the world narrows to the more manageable sizes of astronomyphilosophy music or mathematics. most Hillsdale students heave a sigh of relief when they can provide a definitive answer to the question of their major. sydney, however, warns against getting too comfortable in a certain field of knowledge, saying: Proof, the overruler of opinions, [made] manifest that all these are but serving sciences, which, as they have a private end in themselves, so yet are they all directed to the highest end of the mistressknowledgewhich stands, as I think, in the knowledge of a mans self, in the ethic and politic consideration, with the end of well-doing, and not of well-knowing only. A major is not an end in itself. a man must set his eyes on the true end, the virtuous soul. He must strive towards this summit with justice, courage, prudence, and temperateness, or he will be blinded by the winding paths which lead to it. as sydney puts it, the ending end of all earthly learning [is] virtuous action. four years at Hillsdale will be full of enlightenments, but unless we learn, with Shakespeares Benedick, that success lies not only in the souls enlightenment but in its mending, we will have fallen short of the goal. virtus tentamine gaudet.

Corrie Beth Hendon is a junior studying politics.

third-milleniumlibrary.com Sir Philip Sidney was a 16th-century court-

ier and poet most famous for Astrophel and Stella and The Defense of Poetry.

Drawing: Rachael Wierenga

...was a pretty cool dude.

Voices past & pResent

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November 2011

Two perspectives on liberal arts education.

Hillsdale highly emphasizes lifelong learning and encourages students to seek after and determine the good throughout their lives. a life of reason is worthwhile only if it leads to a knowledge of the limitations of reason and the subsequent need for revelation, or faith. Human reason can only lead to imperfect, limited, and arbitrary ideas of justice, whereas gods standard is perfect, complete, and absolute. mans reason must lead him to submit to gods justice or he will be confusing the means with the end. any time man employs reason that is divorced from an idea of Gods standard of justice, he can potentially make good arguments to justify bad things. for instance, man can use reason to determine the value of human beings. John c. calhoun, ralph Waldo emerson, albert J. beveridge, and adolf Hitler are only a few of many names that evidence this claim. The Biblical character Saul makes the list too. In 1st Samuel, God tells the newly-anointed King Saul to kill all the Amalekites, including men, women, children, and animals. Saul disobeys and chooses to let the king and the best of the animals and all that [is] good live. For this one mistake, God harshly rebukes Saul and anoints David in his place. King David, in explicit contrast to saul, does not use his reason to determine which of his victims should live and which should die. david takes pieces of string, forces his victims to the ground, and measures one long length to live and two short lengths to die. saul employed his reason to analyze gods command based on his own reason, determined it would be better to let the best of the animals and people live, and acted on his own standard of justice instead of obeying gods. He put himself in the place of god and determined the value of life based on his own arbitrary opinion. We can imagine that sauls was a rational opinion, weighed on the evidence of superior and inferior physical and moral traits. However, his reason led him to the wrong conclusion, as evidenced by Gods reaction: Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. for rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. because you have rejected the word of the lord, he has also rejected you from being king. the moral of this story is not that god desires the death of seemingly-innocent women, children, and animals (in leviticus, God orders that those who practice child sacrifice be stoned). the moral is that gods justice is higher than mans. mans limited and imperfect reason cannot determine right and wrong: he cannot determine what is fit to live and die, for example. Therefore mans task is to obey Gods standard, which is the only non-arbitrary standard, while having faith that gods goodness and omniscience inform this standard. mans exercise of reason divorced from the absolute standard of gods justice ends in arbitrary justice that lets one justify eugenics, genocide, or slavery. When a human mind, that is by nature limited and below gods mind, tries to comprehend all the reasons of gods justice, there are terrible repercussions. this is how evolution replaced creationism and gender equality replaced gender hierarchy in the victorian era. in the victorian era, man began to evaluate new radical claims based on his reason. He had only a weak faith inherited from the past that he did not value or understand much. this led him to evaluate gods justice based on his own reason. perhaps there is no justice or reason to claiming god created us; maybe darwin is right and we are all bundles of cells who evolved from lower life forms. maybe there is no just reason that women should subject themselves to men. One could make the argument that the Victorians should have had a reason for their faith. this would have let them stand firm against the Darwinism and feminisms attack on tradition. a life of reason is therefore necessary to developing reason and using it throughout ones life. ultimately though, knowledge and a liberal arts education, a Hillsdalian training to think about the causes of things and how to live justly, should train one to know the limitations of human reason and the subsequent need for faith. if a liberal arts education emphasizes knowledge and reason for their own sake, free from any limits, it is useless. man can live politely and rationally, but he cannot live well or happily if he does not know his Creator; he will flounder in the abyss of uncertainty and meaningless that comes from using reason to determine relative justice. Hillsdales emphasis on using reason to understand the first causes can lead one to thinking about God as the first cause, but it then leads one to analyzing gods principles and justice, which man was not created to do. indeed original temptation in genesis stemmed from mans desire to transcend his limited station and know as God knows. Satan told Eve she could know as God knows and could determine good and evil for herself instead of obeying and depending on gods standard of good and evil. god punished man for disobeying and rebelling against his (gods) standard of absolute justice in favor of knowing for and depending upon himself. there are limits to reason, philosophy is opposed to faith, and Hillsdale students should stay grounded in limitations instead of try to transcend them. no amount of education can train us to know unlimitedly and omnisciently, as God knows. therefore to live well, we must submit to a higher authority; reason must lead us to a knowledge of our limitations and our need for an absolute standard to obey. this absolute standard can only come from god. unless there is a nonarbitrary standard of justice to guide, ground, and limit our reasoning, lifelong learning will be partially useful, but will never lead to happiness and living well.

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Rachael Wierenga is a senior studying English.

November 2011

Alumni... Where Are They Now?

coMpiled By casey haRpeR

2005 graduate Ryan Spencer has a living history job with the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI.
When did you graduate from Hillsdale and with what kind of degree? I graduated from Hillsdale in 2005 with a BA in History, a minor in English, and a Michigan Secondary Teaching Certificate in History and English. Does what youre currently doing match up with your under-grad plans for life after Hillsdale? Absolutely; I had hoped to share my interest in American history with others after Hillsdale. I had an opportunity to do that in a traditional classroom setting immediately after Hillsdale. More recently, I have been able to do this as an employee at The Henry Ford, which is a five-venue museum in Dearborn, Michigan that attracts 1.5 million visitors a year. Was it easy to find a job after graduating? Yes; I was extremely fortunate that I was offered employment by Will Carleton Academy where I completed my student teaching. At the same time, I commenced working weekends and holidays at The Henry Ford.

Working with Henry Ford Academy Students on a museum project at The Henry Ford, May 2009.

What does your job entail? I am the Manager of Firestone Farm, one of the historic districts within Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford [Greenfield Village is an 80-acre subdivision of the Henry Ford: it replicates 1800s life, with historic buildings and activities]. At Firestone Farm, my staff and I try to recreate a working farm from 1885 as accurately possible. I am responsible for the staff, livestock, historic buildings, artifacts, and crops involved in historic agricultural programs at The Henry Ford. What is the best and worst thing about your job? Honestly, I cannot say that there is anything about my job that I do not enjoy. I love the great Americans represented in our collections such as Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, Harvey Firestone, and Henry Ford. Each of these individuals came from humble beginnings, yet did extraordinary things. I enjoy sharing these stories with visitors from all over the world. My colleagues at The Henry Ford are terrific. They all carry with them an immense amount of knowledge that they are willing to share. November 2011

Harvesting corn at Firestone Farm, 2011 huMan inteRest

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Where are you originally from and where do you live now? I am from South Lyon, Michigan (about an hour from Detroit) and still reside in Metro Detroit. This region is very familiar to me, and I feel very blessed have a job that enables me to continue living here. How did Hillsdale prepare you for all areas of life? The classical education and lessons I learned in Hillsdale have influenced the way I look at everything. My extra-curricular experiences taught me Bringing in a load of wheat using horses at Firestone Farm, 2011 to work closely with and care for people possessing a wide array of temperaments, talents, and convictions. I believe that Hillsdale made me a fuller person who is better prepared to experience Besides work, what are some of the most a changing world. exciting things you have done since Do you have any real-world graduating? advice or tips for current I am very blessed that my career path has enabled me to network with Hillsdale students? professionals from around the United States and beyond. I was able Life after Hillsdale will not always be easy, espeto complete a Master of Letters in Museum Studies at The University cially in the current economic climate. The world of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2008. While there, I was given the opaway from the Dale is not always full of people portunity to do work with the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and research many other cultural institutions throughout the UK willing to discuss Bacon, Keats, Thomas More, Cicero, or Jonathan Edwards. Nevertheless, I and Europe. I have been able to give presentations at a few conferbelieve the Hillsdale graduate to be flexible in ences for museum professionals in the Midwest and beyond. all circumstances and able to carry the Higher Things wherever he goes. Remember the friends and lessons from Hillsdale. Harvesting wheat at Firestone Farm, 2011

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November 2011

Derek Fields

Lauren Wierenga

Sophomore from Dade City FL ,

V
Greek
Why are you part of the greek system?

S.

Sophomore from Grand Rapids, MI

Samantha Scorzo Independent Compiled by by Laurie Barnes Photography

Because I think the Greek system is superficial, forces people to be false with each other in order to maintain appearances, compromises individual morality, and also Im a bit of an introvert and would pretty much die being around people all of the time. What are the major differences between Greeks and independents? What bothers you most about the other side? My beef with the Greek system (not the Greeksthe system) is the apparent falsity. After you are accepted into the Greek system (which I think is wrong in and of itself: accepting someone based on quick, superficial judgments on their appearance and how they react in a large group setting does not allow you to truly understand another persons character) you now call the people in your house brothers and sisters. You just met these people! Your relationship to them cannot possibly deserve the terms brother or sister on such a shaky foundation. What part of being an independent is most often misunderstood? That independents hate Greek people, or think they are bad people. I personally am friends with both Greeks and independents, and certainly being a part of the Greek system does not deem anyone a false or immoral person. I just feel like the Greek system nurtures this attitude. Independents get a lot of rap for being judgmental about the Greek system, and thats also not true. Tons of independents just dont have the time to be in the Greek system, or dont feel strongly enough to become a part of it. Do you think theres a way independents and Greeks can overcome their differences and get along, or will this always be an issue that divides the campus? I dont think this has to be an issue that divides the campus, but I do think that it will always exist simply based on human nature...I think the whole Greek pride! and Go Greek! attitude is fine up to a point, but after awhile, this drives a schism between Greeks and Independents so that we cant see each other for people anymore, but only as members (or not) of a certain organization... Having the word GREEK on your back only furthers the divide between both parties by causing people to judge you first by your affiliation to a group, and secondly by the actual person that you are. I think Greeks should make sure to not let the Greek system define who they are as people. But also, Independents need to make sure that theyre not just stereotyping someone wearing a Greek t-shirt, before getting to know them. Both sides definitely have things they could work on.
Why are you an independent?

The Greek system, at least here on Hillsdales campus, really just supplements every aspect of college life and helps students better fulfill their purpose here. Were here to develop and mature morally, mentally, spiritually, physically, socially, etc. Its definitely possible to do this outside of the Greek system, but swearing an oath before God and your brothers or sisters makes that commitment more concrete and forces you to hold yourself to it. Once Greek, you hold yourself accountable in all these areas because you no longer represent just yourself, but also group of people that you have bound yourself to. What are the major differences between Greeks and independents? What bothers you most about the other side? So I would say the main difference is that Im in a frat, while Independents arent. Being in a frat means we drink our weight in protein every day, we get all the girls, and were just awesome. I mean, look at me, Im yoked. None of these statements apply to Independents. I feed off hate. And uncrustables. Independents feed off Saga. Thats what makes us different. (Dom Mazzetti and Frat Life sum us up perfectly.) In all seriousness though, I really dont think there are that many fundamental differences. We all started out as Independents, were all students here, and you can find virtually every type of person both inside and outside the Greek system. Independents dont bother me at all, unless they argue that Greeks are inherently inferior to Independents. What part of the Greek system is most often misunderstood? Sadly, people think that the Greek system is purely social. That stereotype is definitely true on a lot of other college campuses, but here the Greek system focuses on a lot more than just parties. Theres definitely a social aspect to the Greek system; social development, and learning how to interact with people is vital to pretty much every area of life, both at college and in the working world. But people are mistaken if they think that Greeks only spend their time partying. Do you think theres a way independents and Greeks can overcome their differences and get along, or will this always be an issue that divides the campus? There is at least a partial division, but I think it can easily be overcome by talking about this more often. Greeks brush off Independents concerns about the system as illegitimate, and Independents misunderstand the Greek system. Both sides need to learn more, gather information, and listen to what the other side is saying.

student deBate

15

November 2011

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November 2011

Real Hillsdalians of Genius

By Joey Viviano
HERES TO yOU, MR. HILLSDATER. You met the girl of your dreams. She is smart, nice, and beautiful. Most importantly, she is single, but wont be for long if you have your way. She has no idea that you love her because women are just not that observant, but you have a carefully-planned year long strategy to win over your future Mrs. Right. That plan begins with studying together in the library and builds up to a romantic movie in the dorm common room with ten of your closest mutual friends. You have to be careful of appearing too interested in her because that might lead to a rejection. Playing it safe and not revealing your true feelings will pay off for you in the long run because the constant attention you give her will definitely lead her to fall head over heels for you. You also learned that continuous flirtation is most effective after three months because girls read more into such things as time goes on. The best part of your plan is that you receive all the benefits of a relationship and none of the expensive costs of dating. She will appreciate your frugality after youre married. After a year or more, you have her exactly where you want her: completely comfortable around you as a friend. The time is right for you to suddenly blurt out your feelings for her, and a fairy tale relationship will blossom. That is why Im saluting you, oh master of seduction, because only you know that the best way to take advantage of the senior womans ring by spring mentality is through a multi-year campaign.

A Short StoryBy Lauren Wierenga with a moral

Joey is a senior studying accounting.

A sea gull flew over the ocean. He had been flying for quite some time, and after his large meal of fried butter, had become quite tired. Luckily, this sea gull spotted a small ship struggling in the waves. The kindhearted sailors saw the sea gull struggling to stay in the air and asked him if he would like to rest onboard until he felt strong enough to fly again. The sea gull sneered at the sailors, No, I wouldnt dare rest on a boat like that. I liked it far better before you attempted to fix it. The sailors knew that their boat was certainly not the biggest on the sea, but were proud of her because they had fixed her many leaks and put her in working order. But she couldnt float at all before we fixed her, the sailors called back. You liked the boat better before she could even sail? The sea gull huffed up his feathers and decided to find the fair ship Collegian out on the water. Unfortunately, as he flew on, a storm arose. He found no other boats and ended up drowning in the sea. The end. humor 17 November 2011

Fall Forum recipes

By Sarah Ross

Stinkin Delicious Chili

Fill your dorm with the spicy aroma of this vibrant chili. Particularly as the cool Michgan weather creeps upon us, there is no better way to feed your friends and warm your insides as you labor over that Cicero reading.

Ingredients
1 Tbsp of oil 1 cup of chopped onion (approx. 1 large) 3 cloves of garlic 1 lb of ground beef 2-3 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 16 oz. can whole tomatoes 16 oz. tomato sauce 2 Tbsp honey or sugar 2 cans kidney beans 1 can pinto beans 1 can black beans (opt.) 4 oz can green chilli peppers (opt.)

Directions
1. Place oil in large soup pan. Saute onion and garlic until transparent 2. Pour into a separate dish. 3. Brown ground beef in pan. Drain if needed. 4. Pour cooked garlic & onion into meat. 5. Add rest of ingredients. Add the green chilies and extra chili powder if you want it spicy. 6. Add salt and pepper to taste. 7. Bring water to boil 8. Simmer for about 2 hours. The longer you simmer, the more flavor it will have.

Serve and Enjoy!

Got a bottle of milk in your fridge that you were supposed to drink but havent? It is still of use! Before it turns green, make this moist Southern staple.

Buttermilk Cornbread
1/2 cup butter or oil 2/3 cup white sugar (or 1/3 c. honey) 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk (or slightly* sour milk) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Preheat oven to 375 F Grease an 8 square pan. Mix wet ingredients Add dry ingredients Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Directions

*emphasis on slightly

November 2011

scott lantis

Hunk &
y e a r : Junior H o m e t o w n : Hillsdale, Mi if you Had to cHooSe one Song to deScribe your life, wHat Meant to Live by Switchfoot would tHat Song be and wHy?
because my faith is something very important in my life, and I think we should be living for something more than this earth. We are meant to live to glorify our Creator.

HillSdaleS

wHere do you See yourSelf in ten yearS?

In ten years, I will be living in CO Springs, single, with a black lab and a yellow lab enjoying life.

wHat waS tHe Pivotal MoMent in your life tHat Made you realized your HunkneSSlevel waS Significantly HigHer tHan tHe average guy? When. I got chosen to be the hunk of the month. This is a big realization in my life. Im going to
have to start brushing my hair and, uh, shaving.

wHat are your tHougHtS on tHe Saying oPPoSiteS attract?

Honestly, I dont really buy into that. If youre going to start a relationship, youre going to have to have common beliefs, aspirations, etc. If youre going to date to marry, you have to have common purpose.

if you could go on a date witH one celebrity, wHo would tHe lucky Star be and wHy?
This might be going too far, but it would be Tim Tebow. I have a huge man crush on him.

Sc ot t La nt is (R ) wi th hi s

BF F Sc ot t Rh od es

obviouSly youre ridiculouSly Hot, but wHat MakeS you a diaMond-in-tHe-rougH aMongSt otHer brad PittS?
I take a lot of pride in my flowI spend a lot of time on growin out the hair.

SHould tHe guy alwayS Pay for tHe date?

Absolutely, without question, every time. 19

Photo: Sheridan Markatos

November 2011

Hottie
compiled by Savannah tibbets

Vern Wende

of tHe MontH

y e a r : Sophomore H o m e t o w n : cridersville, oH if you Had to cHooSe one Song to deScribe your life, wHat Dream Big from Pure Country would tHat Song be and wHy?

2: The Giftthis song just has the perfect meaning to it. I feel like it sums up how I live my life every day: Dream big/Reach high/Dont ever be afraid to spread your wings and fly/With a heart full of faith/A whole lotta luck and some love to see you through/Dream big and it just might come true.

wHere do you See yourSelf in ten yearS?

Ill be knee deep in the water somewhere, with the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my haironly worry in the world will be if the tide is gonna reach my chair

wHat waS tHe Pivotal MoMent in your life tHat Made you realized your HotneSSlevel waS Significantly HigHer tHan tHe average girl?
Well, I guess I have always known. You asking me only confirms that fact

wHat are your tHougHtS on tHe Saying oPPoSiteS attract?

Opposites attract doesnt apply to me because everyone is attracted to me.

if you could go on a date witH one celebrity, wHo would tHe lucky Star be and wHy?
Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory because he is nerdy like me, and we would get along wonderfully bazinga!

obviouSly youre ridiculouSly Hot, but wHat MakeS you a diaMond-in-tHe-rougH aMongSt otHer angelina JolieS?
Angelina is the rough onelook at me.

SHould tHe guy alwayS Pay for tHe date?

If the guy asks me out on the date, he should pay. He should pay extra for having such a hot date. 20 November 2011

s: ependent The Ind e olden Ag A New G d Hollywoo in

by Hayden Smith

Though there are many who dismiss modern movies as inferior to the films of the past, if we take the time to look, we can see a new golden age in filmmaking developing before our eyes. Although great artistic works often come concealed amongst a plethora of the mediocre, the people of any period must sift through their own popular culture and identify the pieces that stand out. Independentsnew films produced by independent studios and directors rather than mainstream studios are creating a stir in Hollywood and deserve a closer look by the public. Great independent films of the last two decades have several defining characteristics: First, they often break with normal movie conventions in their storytelling. For example, The Tree of Life is full of dialogue but only contain one or two full conversations; Pulp Fiction was among the first films to tell its plot out of order; and Richard Linklaters Slacker doesnt contain any plot at all. Second, they are fully integrated with pop culture. References to bands, books, or even other films are now the norm in movie making. Third, though violence and sex are still prominent in these films, there is one crucial difference: many independent filmmakers now use graphic violence to achieve a comedic effect, rather than a terrorizing one. Usually,

as in the case of Fargo (1996), it serves to create a tone of dark humor. Film historians usually identify two American movie golden ages, the Classic Hollywood and the New Hollywood, yet fail to identify the current golden age of filmmaking. The first golden age, Classic Hollywood, was in the 1930s and 40s. During the Depression and World War II, Hollywood produced perhaps the greatest number of excellent leading actors and actresses. The films of this era were built around the towering personalities of the stars. The 1967 landmark film Bonnie and Clyde launched the New Hollywood era, classified as the second and latest golden age, which gave rise to the integration of graphic violence and sexuality in movies. New Hollywood died at the feet of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg in the late 70s and early 80s. These men are largely responsible for ushering in the age of the spectacle-driven blockbuster. Columnist Roger Ebert and several other film critics have lamented Hollywoods adoption of the blockbuster formula. The last two decades, however, have seen the rise of a parallel movement. Once thought to be limited to art-house productions, independent films have become popular enough to achieve mainstream acceptance. It is the age of the Independents that I think qualifies as the third American film golden age. Fifty years from now film historians will not be citing Fast and Furious or the Bourne Identity as our eras peak artistic creations. Instead, they will be discussing The Life Aquatic, Requiem for a Dream, Pulp Fiction, Fargo, and Magnolia. The previous eras have produced a number of great films, but lets not forget to appreciate the talent in our own time.

If your life was a movie, what would the title be? Who would costar?

KasieMarie Cash Freshman The Switch. My sister, Kayla, would co-star becaue people think were twins. Id like to switch places with her and really throw people off.

Jordan Adams Senior Papist: The Boring Tales of a Hillsdale Catholic. Starring Eric DeMeuse so it would win an Oscar for best-looking actor.

Elaine Hanson Sophomore Psychotic Roommate. The co-star would be Kate Scheithauer, because were roommates and friends.

November 2011

Spotlight on...

Volunteers
Compiled by Nate McBride, Photography by Laurie Barnes

The G.O.A.L. program was established in 1988, and, since then, Hillsdale College students have given an average of 19,000 documented hours of volunteer service annually to the local community. The Forum thanks the volunteers represented below and all Hillsdale student volunteers.

ElizabEth MathEson DEMEsnE: in sErvicE of thE Manor

What are the main tasks youre responsible for doing with this organization? We serve kids with emotional, behavioral and mental disabilities and teach them character traits and life skills through our programs. We visit The Manor every Sunday for an hour. During the week I work on administrative details and plan the program for the following Sunday with a leadership team. I also do the shopping for craft supplies for the program. Is your organization doing any special events this year? If so, how can students help? Anyone can come any week with us, just email me if youre interested. We will be celebrating Halloween and Christmas this semester with the kids. Dorm philanthropy projects may want to take advantage of this great opportunity. Why do you think that its important to volunteer? I have learned at the Manor and serving through Demesne that there is nothing more meaningful and powerful than serving the least of these. Bringing the light of Christ to these kids whose lives have been so messed up due to abuse and disability brings me so much joy, and I would just love for more people at Hillsdale to be able to experience that. We feel like we give a lot of ourselves to these kids, but it doesnt seem possible that they could be blessed as much as we are when we leave every week.

Kyle Forti Big Brothers Big sisters (BBBs)

What are the main tasks youre responsible for doing with this organization? As the student leader for BBBS, the day-today is composed of correspondence: either email or telephone version. I keep the BBBS regional organization plugged into Hillsdale students and Hillsdale student volunteers plugged into their littles at the local schools. Of course, there are large events, bowling fundraisers, and other activities interspersed throughout. Is your organization doing any special events this year? If so, how can students help? Every Spring, Hillsdale BBBS does a Bowl For Kids Sake event. Teams are formed throughout the campus, and we compete against each other not only in bowling scores, but also in money raised for the program. Anyone interested can contact me and believe me, they will hear from me then. Why do you think that its important to volunteer? Men need to volunteer. Its the right thing to do. To whom much is given, much is expected, and the guys on this campus have been blessed abundantly. I do not say that lightly. Understanding that giving one or two hours out of your week can show a little kid that youre interested in his life, his problems, his excitement makes all the difference in the world to the both of you. I guarantee it; and thats why I do this.

ElizabEth annE OdEll PrivatE & ChartEr SChOOl PrOgram

What are the main tasks youre responsible for doing with this organization? The program includes the three private or charter schools in the area, helping and enriching their work of education. One school really welcomes volunteers to offer things to the students that the teachers and staff cant provide with their packed schedules. The volunteers get to do what they really love, and there are many different opportunities, from being a classroom aide, to tutoring a struggling reader, helping with PE, or tutoring a high-school student in physics or geometry. Is your organization doing any special events this year? If so, how can students help? The biggest thing for this program is weekly commitment. School happens every day, and volunteers need to be there every day. Why do you think that its important to volunteer? Im reminded of Romans 15:1-2: let the strong use their strength to help the weak. Students at Hillsdale need to understand that they must exercise their incredible talents not to be the best but to serve the least. Thats what community is all about. Whats the best experience youve had volunteering with your organization this year? The best experience is hearing back from a volunteer after their first day and how they remembered how much they love working with kids. November 2011

its all well and good when youre wandering in the forest with the maenads, but when you have your sons head in your hand, you have to rethink your life choices. dr. brandon Barium and sulfate are like a young couple in a wide open field. Nothing getting in the way. but then you put them in potassium nitrate and they cant find each other, yknow? Where are you my love? dr. nussbaum i was impressed. those people did more stupid things in half an hour than i thought possible in a lifetime. dr. Jones, after watching an episode of Jersey Shore for the first time

you all need to be more perverted and manipulative. Dr. Jackson, instructing his class on how to better understand chaucer then Jesus came along and he was bearded, and everything changed. professor siegel

Horror movies are highly moralistic. they show that if you go off to a cabin in the woods to drink or have sex or do drugs, Jason, Freddy, or michael is going to come and stab you to death. dr. tzao

im not trying to bash the handicaps here, thats not my point. dr. grant, talking of fdrs wheelchair statue

heard around

so, you end up with doggie roundworms in your brain. Which is incompatible with human existence. dr. Houghton, in parasitology

Im currently firing myself up for some grading days of glory this afternoon and tomorrow. if you see me flying around campus on a chariot, youll know whats what! dr. smith

hillsdale

be vewy, vewy quiet.... weah hunting beethoven. professor Holleman, instructing the orchestra

if you want to sound smart, use incomprehensible words. if you want to sound really smart, use incomprehensible german words. dr. gamble When the tsarist government fell, lenin was living the good life in Zurich, loading up on swiss chocolate. dr. conner

there is so much love for aristotle in this room, i can feel it seeping out of your pores. dr. brandon

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November 2011