麻豆影院

Readers Respond

 
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Stacy (Fisher) MacGregor, BBA 鈥�90

And the winner is...

Congratulations to co-winners Stacy (Fisher) MacGregor, BBA 鈥�90, Dublin, Ohio, and her son, Lachland, who is 9 years old and in the fourth grade. The two teamed up for the squirrel search and were 鈥渢otally stoked鈥� when their names were selected in the random drawing of correct submissions.

鈥淲e loved reading the book and all of the other black squirrel goodies,鈥� says Stacy MacGregor, pictured at right with Lachland and squirrel-themed swag from McKay Bricker Framing & Black Squirrel Gifts in downtown 麻豆影院. The book pictured, And Now You Know Too! The story of how the black squirrel came to 麻豆影院, is by Kathy Frazier, BA 鈥�70, MA 鈥�75, EdS 鈥�81, and Deborah Walker, MA 鈥�78.

The three black squirrels hidden in the fall/winter 2019-20 issue are found on page 7 (on the stand in the glass blowing photo), page 25 (in the dark curly hair near the headset band on Oden Oraelosi鈥檚 head) and page 34 (in the top right photo, between the curb and the 1969 Oldsmobile).

Thanks to all who entered!


via Email

Reflecting on May 4, 1970
President Diacon鈥檚 comments on the 50th anniversary of May 4, 1970 are reflective and somber [fall/winter 2019-20, 鈥淎 Dialogue with President Diacon,鈥� page 12]. As a 1969 graduate of the 麻豆影院 State School of Business [now the College of Business Administration], I remember well hearing for the first time of the May 4th shootings. As a young US Naval Ensign, I was aboard my ship undergoing training at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, naval station, preparing to deploy overseas. The news came via newspapers and magazines; there were no computers, no cell phones, thus no social media.

There had been a few sit-ins, by nonstudents, and a few demonstrations by the 麻豆影院 Committee to End the War in Vietnam, but nothing of great magnitude, as very few of the [almost] 22,000 students participated. 麻豆影院 State had a fairly conservative student population by today鈥檚 standards, with many of the students coming from the suburbs of Ohio; they simply wanted a solid education to prepare themselves for their life ahead.

My heart was saddened; such a quiet and wonderful institution deserved better, much better.

John Mensch, BBA 鈥�69
President, 1st Security Insurance
Bloomfield, Ind.


Dink Date Debate
Over the weekend, I was with a group of KSU alumni, and we used the KSU trivia quiz [fall/winter 2019-20, 鈥淪o You Think You Know 麻豆影院 State?鈥� page 15] as a group game. Question 6, about the dinks, is why I鈥檓 writing. The answer says the last incoming freshman class to receive dinks was in 1968. I was in the 1969 cohort, and we most definitely received dinks. In fact, I still have mine!

I was not able to attend a summer orientation session, so my orientation took place in the days just before students moved in for fall term. We must have been told the 鈥渞ules,鈥� i.e., if an upperclassman caught you without your dink on, that upperclassman could make you do something, most likely humiliating, like scrub the metal seal [of the university] in the pavers at the front campus gate, on your knees, with a toothbrush.

The dink 鈥渢hreat鈥� caused me to take several hours to walk all over campus, map in hand, to learn my way around. I remember the sandals I was wearing, and I remember the blisters I had! My thinking was that if I knew my way around, I would be less likely to be identified as a freshman. Which means, of course, that I refused to actually wear the dink! (I鈥檝e always been a bit of a rebel.)

Jude Rule, BA 鈥�73, MEd 鈥�01, EdS 鈥�03
麻豆影院, Ohio

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Dink

I enjoy reading 麻豆影院 Sate Magazine and, as a graphic design major, I think it has great design and content. But, your current fall/winter issue included a quiz answer that said the last year the freshman dink beanie was issued was 1968. I was 鈥渓ucky鈥� to still get mine in 1969 and still have it! [See photo]
Go Flashes!

Mike Cothren, BFA 鈥�73
Westerville, Ohio

 

 

 

We believe the correct answer is not 1968. My freshman roommate and I were housed in Manchester Hall, which was a men鈥檚 freshman dorm in 1970. On a Friday in September, freshmen were encouraged to attend a rally between Clark and Allyn. At that rally, we were all presented with our freshman dinks and told of the traditions. That is not to say we honored the tradition of wearing them around campus, but my freshman roommate from 1970 still has his and mine is still in my memory. So, we are either two years older than we think or your records are in error.

Chris Ewald, BArch 鈥�75
Phoenix, Ariz.

Editor鈥檚 Note: According to the quiz, the 鈥渃orrect鈥� answer to question 6 (鈥淲hat year marked the first time a freshman class was not issued dinks?) was D: 1969, and the answer stated, 鈥淭he dinks tradition ended in 1968.鈥� At least, that鈥檚 what we thought! That year appears in the caption of a photo on 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Digital Archives, titled , which includes this description: 鈥淎ccording to A Book of Memories, 鈥楽mall blue-and-gold skullcaps called 鈥渄inks鈥� were part of 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 tradition of freshman hazing until 1968.鈥欌€�

We reached out to Special Collections and Archives staff, who did more digging. Page 20 of A History of 麻豆影院: Nearing a Century of 麻豆影院 Pride by William H. Hildebrand, Professor Emeritus of English, states, 鈥淎nother tradition ended, in 1967, when freshman wore dinks for the last time.鈥� 

An article, 鈥淢any Old 麻豆影院 State Traditions Now Defunct,鈥� in The Daily 麻豆影院 Stater, May 9, 1969, states, 鈥淚ncluded with Freshman Week is the wearing of the Freshman Dink. Wearers of these 鈥榗aps鈥� must dink for all upperclassmen. But this idea seems to be falling by the wayside. It was originally intended to last until the Golden Flashes won their first game, but Freshmen only wear the dinks for one week now.鈥�

鈥淚t does seem that many traditions slowly peter out and thus the end is up for debate,鈥� says Katie Clements, adjunct public services librarian at Special Collections and Archives.

Thanks to alumni firsthand accounts, though, a clarification has been added to the digital archives photo description, as follows: 鈥淗owever, alumni report of the tradition continuing in 1969 and in 1970 (without enforcement of dink 鈥榩rotocols鈥�).鈥�


Don鈥檛 Forget Trumbull!
I was enjoying the 鈥淐heck It Off鈥� list in the recent issue of 麻豆影院 State Magazine [fall/winter 2019-20, page 28], but I was sad to see that the Trumbull Campus was not included in the Regional Campus section. I used to attend Trumbull when I first started my undergraduate degree here at 麻豆影院 State, and I was looking forward to seeing what fun items you had listed for my old campus. I couldn鈥檛 help but notice the question at the end stating, 鈥淲hat did we forget?鈥� and I figured I鈥檇 let you know that you forgot the Trumbull Campus!

B. Nicole Perry, AAS 鈥�13, BS 鈥�14, MEd 鈥�18   
麻豆影院, Ohio

Editor鈥檚 Note:  So sorry about that! Last year we had students reach out to all the 麻豆影院 State campuses, but we never received an answer from 麻豆影院 State Trumbull. Since the story didn鈥檛 run until many months later, in the rush of deadlines I forgot that we hadn鈥檛 heard back from Trumbull, and no one noticed the omission on the proofs.

When I asked B. Nicole Perry to share what fun items she would list, she responded: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a little while since I鈥檝e been to the Trumbull Campus, so I apologize if any of these things are outdated: Read a copy of Trumbull鈥檚 art and poetry magazine, ICON. Play a game of pool in the Student Union lounge. Visit the Link Art Gallery. Attend a free theatre workshop at the Trumbull Theatre.鈥�

We added her items to the online bucket list, and if other 麻豆影院 State Trumbull students or alumni would like to submit suggestions, we鈥檇 be happy to add them to the list.


Long-time Reader
Terrific issue!!! As a long-time alumnus, and with a similarly long history of leafing through each and every issue of 麻豆影院 State Magazine, I just wish to say that I think the fall/winter issue featuring President Diacon to be especially well balanced and engaging. Way to go.

Jim Walker, BS 鈥�73, MEd 鈥�79
Massillon, Ohio


Making Travel Plans
Thank you for your repeatedly excellent magazine. I look forward to every issue and enjoy reading about the diverse activities and areas of research. I am a 1970 graduate and would like to travel to 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 2020 homecoming. Since it will probably draw a large number of graduates, I鈥檇 like to make my hotel reservation soon. However, I am having a problem finding the date for homecoming. Would you be able to tell me which weekend it will be? Thanks for your help!

Deborah Fox Leverett, BS 鈥�70 
Montclair, NJ
 
Editor鈥檚 Note: Turns out, settling on a date for Homecoming is a little complicated. First, the final home schedule has to be confirmed with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the  Mid-American Conference. Once dates are solidified, multiple parties at the university鈥攊ncluding institutional advancement, athletics, student affairs and government and community relations鈥攎eet together to determine a date for Homecoming that works best for the university, in coordination with the city of 麻豆影院. As of press time, because of the pandemic, the date of Homecoming is now on hold.


via Instagram

Categorical Acclaim
I found myself recognized in the 麻豆影院 State Magazine, which is pretty cool [fall/winter 2019-20, 鈥淐lass Notes,鈥� page 40]. Those who know me well know that my years going to school at 麻豆影院 and living in the city of 麻豆影院 were the best times of my life.

There aren鈥檛 many places or things that I鈥檓 attached to, but walking on that campus is something that I鈥檒l always cherish. The friendships I made, the things I learned鈥攎ore so life lessons than classroom education鈥攁re everlasting.

Sometimes I wish I lived back there, but I wanted to expand my horizons and grow, and I guess cat rescue is the latest extension of my growth. As an @ksualumni, I will give back whenever I can.


Paul Santell, BBA 鈥�97 
Astoria, NY
@paulthecatguy

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麻豆影院, Ohio 44242-0001
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POSTED: Wednesday, April 29, 2020 11:47 AM
UPDATED: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 06:00 PM
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