Copy editor for the Austin American-Statesman, Amy Zerba, speaks to communications class about multiplatform journalism

By Daniel Temple

Nov. 16, 2008- Amy Zerba, a copy editor, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Texas-Austin and journalism researcher was in town Friday to talk with communication students about the public interest in multiplatform journalism. 

Amy Zerba speaks to communication students about multiplatform journalism

 

            Prior to Friday’s discussion, Zerba administered a survey to the class in which she asked students why they think multiplatform journalism is so popular.  The most common student response she said was interest. 

 

Public Interest in multimedia journalism

           

“That’s the word that appeared the most in your responses,” she said.  “I wrote my thesis on why people click on multimedia links and the biggest contributing factor had to be that people found these links more interesting than your traditional news sources.”

            Zerba attributed this public interest to a number of reasons, including the basic desire to learn and curiosity.  Zerba believes that multimedia news is a fairly new and exciting component of today’s media.  Many people, who are unfamiliar with multimedia features, are intrigued by the possibilities, and thus are extremely willing to click and learn more.

            “I think that main thing is people are still learning, and they’re willing to explore the process and continue to learn,” Zerba said.  “People are curious because it’s cool right now, but what’s the next cool factor going to be?”

            Zerba also explored possible reasons as to why people don’t click on multimedia links, citing technological difficulties as the usual explanation. 

            “Usually you’ll find people avoid multimedia links because of plug-ins or loading troubles,” Zerba stated.  “You’ll also see some people that avoid them because of bad past experiences when dealing with multimedia links.” 

 

Business and financial reporting

 

            Going back to the survey, Zerba reported that the most popular news subjects students were interested in were weather (93%) and entertainment (83%).  On the flip side of things, 82% of students said that business and finance was the least interesting subject in the news. 

            Zerba then began a class discussion on why students believe business and financial reporting is the least interesting of news topics.  In response, students said that the stories were “too dense” and “contained too many numbers”. 

            “Business and finance certainly takes a little more effort than other genres,” Zerba said.  “You have to really try and make it more comprehensible and definitely more interesting.” 

            Students were then asked to visit the New York Times online site to read and respond to a business article discussing the bail out plans for the U.S automotive industry.  Zerba asked each student to write down questions they had concerning the article as well as improvements or changes they would have

made. 

Zerba leads a class discussion on business and financial reporting

 

            Many students said that the article failed to inform the reader as to why the automotive industry was failing.  Others were confused with undefined terms such as “lame duck” and “the Big 3 of the automotive industry”. 

            The class also had a number of ideas as to how the article could be improved.  These ranged from implementing a more human side to the story, to creating visual graphics that would entertain and inform the reader about the issue. 

            “The question you have to ask yourself is how do you tell this story differently?” said Zerba.  “How would you present this so that it’s more appealing visually?”

            Zerba concluded her discussion with some advice for the students.  She said reporters must always try and think like the reader, so as to write in a way that the average, every day citizen would want to read it.  Zerba also said that a good reporter must answer the big questions, and always try and use the best medium possible to explain their story.

            “Good public reporting takes effort,” Zerba said.  “You have to know your readers and stories and figure out a way to bring them together.  That’s the beauty of the Internet.  You get these multiplatform sites that allow you to grab the reader’s interest and bring them into stories they wouldn’t normally look at. 

Investigative reporter Matt Belanger speaks to a communications class about life as a broadcast journalist

By Daniel Temple

Nov. 11, 2008- Matt Belanger, an investigative reporter for WGAL in Lancaster, Pennsylvania spoke to communication students on Monday about the investigative work he has done over the years, as well as some key advice for students interested in pursuing his line of work.

“You have to really love your craft as well as your job,” Belanger said. “”Because believe me, the excitement of being on TV or seeing your byline in the paper wears off pretty quickly.”

Matt Belenger talks about his work as an investigative reporter

Belanger, who graduated from Elon several years ago, said that he got his start while at school, when he worked for both print news and television organizations. Belanger commented that a good communications student should be able to work in both fields, and be able to relate the skills and techniques required by each.

“You can’t be a good broadcast writer until you understand the basic, fundamental aspect of print writing,” he said. “Broadcast is its own monster, but you’re not going to be successful unless you have some sort of background with basic print media.”

Armed with a seemingly endless supply of energy, Belanger entertained students with a collection of a few of his news stories he’s completed over the years. These clips showed students the range of topics reporters sometimes have to cover, as well as the depth of reporting that is required by news organizations.

“I’m literally working at all hours of the day, if I’m not writing on my computer, I’m writing in my head,” said Belanger. “At the same time though, I’m blessed because I have the opportunity to work on special stories from weeks to months at a time.”

Belenger energetically teaches students about professional journalism

Belanger said that for a lot of his work, he uses government online records from public information Web sites. He said that this information would not be attainable without a competent understanding of the Internet.

“A key aspect of working in today’s media is to have knowledge and a powerful command of the Internet,” Belanger said. “But it’s important at all times to take into account the validity and reliability of the information you’re getting.

On the same topic, Belanger cited YouTube as an example of information that can sometimes be skewed or inaccurate. He expressed his disgust at the amount of people who take in this information as perceive it as factual and unbiased.

“I hate, hate, hate YouTube,” Belanger insisted. “Much of the information is just completely wrong or opinionated, and people just believe it because it’s out there.”

Belanger then delved into what he believes is one of the most important parts of working in a journalism field; an established trust basis with the people you work with and interview. He outlined his personal approach to build trust, in order to maximize interviews and subsequently the amount of information that can be obtained.

“You have to maintain an air of professionalism, but still be human and act like one” he said. “Don’t be a hard ass or over the top, just be a real person. If you’re nice, chances are they’re going to be nice as well.”

Belanger said that he sometimes likes to poke fun at himself, in order to put the interview subject at ease. Above all else though he stated that you need to find a way to be memorable, and then take the information they give you and present it fairly and unbiased.

Belanger finished his talk with what he calls “the Holy Trinity” of today’s reporting; video, sounds and words. Each one he said, plays a key role in grabbing the audience’s attention, and then conveying the necessary information.

“You can’t just focus on one of them and expect to be effective in you’re reporting,” he said. “When I first started out, my biggest flaw was that I was too caught up in the statistics. I didn’t concentrate enough on the story as a whole.”

As for the future of media, Belanger reiterated that today’s journalists must be able to write, as well as work with video and pictures.

“Everything today is merging and coming together,” he said. “The tectonic plates of media are coming together. You have to be able to do it all.”

 

Tolerance Level

A look at the recent alcohol related policies and how they’re affecting the Elon community

By Daniel Temple

For many, college is a time of new opportunities and experiences. Often times, many of these experiences will inevitably be coupled with the use and abuse of alcohol.

In January of 2007, Elon President Leo Lambert appointed a task force to address the issue of student drinking. As a result, a number of policies were implemented in order to reflect Elon’s updated stance on the issue alcohol.

While school officials maintain that the student’s best interests were in mind with the recent policies, a number of students can’t help but feel frustrated. They claim that Elon’s new position on alcohol is overly aggressive, and that the school is making serious encroachments into their social life.

The school on the other hand feels that it is imperative that they take a sincere approach to the issue, in order to ensure the safety of the students, as well as to maintain a certain level of academic and social integrity.

Still however, the debate rages on…

The student’s response

One of the biggest complaints from students is that the school has become too involved in the private lives of its students.

“These new policies are ridiculous,” said Ryan Davis, a junior at Elon. “The school is basically trying to control how we party, which they shouldn’t have the power to do.”

Drinking has always been a visible part of the Elon community. In fact, the most recent CORE data (2007) shows that Elon students drink almost twice the amount of alcohol per week as students nationally (10.4 vs. 5.4 drinks).

“It’s kind of hard not to drink here at Elon,” said Lindsay Collins, a freshman from Boston, Massachusetts. “It seems like nearly everyone is drinking at the bar, parties or tail gate events.”

It’s this kind of atmosphere that Elon is trying to cut down on. However, the increased sanctions for alcohol violations, along with a greater enforcement presence have certainly caught the attention of the student body.

“Elon has just taken this whole alcohol thing and gone over-the-top,” said Davis. “They’ve really gotten out of control.”

Many students come to Elon and hear stories about how the school used to turn a blind eye to such behavior. A few graduates recalled the social atmosphere when they came to Elon as freshman.

“When I first came to school, you didn’t see as many people being written up like you do now,” said Justin Ellis, a 2007 graduate. “Alcohol had a much bigger presence back then, and the school was definitely a lot more lenient.”

Many students and graduates agree that the school has changed, not just in its policies, but in the way students are partying. They feel as if the policies have taken away some of the fun at Elon, as current students are hesitant to engage in drinking and risk possible sanctions.

“These new policies have certainly detracted from the overall social atmosphere at Elon,” said Bill Campbell, a 2004 graduate. “Everyone is just too wound up over an issue that really isn’t that big of a deal.”

The school’s officials speak out

While many students feel as if the school is intruding on their personal freedoms, Elon officials assert that the revised policies and position was done to protect the students, rather than limit their social activities.

“The ultimate goal for the new policies here at Elon is to clarify our position on alcohol, as well as to educate students on the dangers of high risk drinking,” said Jeff Clark, a math professor and faculty co-chair on the task force on alcohol. “We want students to know that this sort of behavior is detrimental to themselves and to the university, and must be dealt with accordingly.”

Clark said that he believes the changes that have been made are good ones. He wants students to excel, and doesn’t want to see students handicap themselves by participating in dangerous, high risk drinking.

“We really tried to approach this issue from all angles,” said Clark. “We certainly didn’t want to lead a witch hunt, but it was imperative that we got the message across to the students.”

Interestingly enough, since the inception of the new policies, although the number of judicial reports concerning alcohol violations have increased, the number of violations has actually gone down.

From June 2006 to June 2007 there were a total of 1118 reported incidents with 623 violations. From June 2007 to June 2008 there were 1204 reported incidents with only 554 violations.

Essentially this means that the school is taking a more aggressive approach by reporting every incident, but is still exercising discretion in how the situation is dealt with.

“I think that our whole attitude reflects a nationwide sentiment,” said Assistant Director of Judicial Affairs, Whitney Pack-Gregory. “We can no longer just turn away, we must respond, but at the same time we’re going to look at every incident carefully with a certain level of sensitivity.”

Both Jeff Clark and Whitney Pack-Gregory believe that Elon is more or less on the same level as other schools regarding its policies toward alcohol and drinking. Each said that a number of other schools were looked at when revisions were being made, particularly those that share similarities with Elon as an institution.

“We spent a lot of time looking at how other schools such as Duke, handled their own issues with student drinking,” said Clark.

“We feel that our policies are essentially the same as other schools,” said Pack-Gregory. “The differences come from how much enforcement is being utilized.”

Working together for the future

Although the initial period following the policies was met with a bit of friction, it appears that students are slowly beginning to accept the new environment.

“I think that right now we’re still in kind of in an awkward adolescence stage with these policies,” said Pack-Gregory. “But with time, we’ll be able to see what works and what doesn’t, and in the mean time students will become used to way things are.”

“It’s still too early to tell how effective these policies are,” said Clark. “But initial results indicate that the system is working, and of course we’re always open to student input regarding the situation.”

The school demonstrated this willingness to cooperate with students after they acquired Lighthouse Bar earlier this year. Officials decided to maintain the building as a bar, in order to provide a university run place where students of legal age can drink responsibly.

“I mean it’s not perfect,” said Collins. “But it shows the school is willing to work with students on the issue, and that they’re not completely against drinking.”

Students and residents of Elon who didn’t vote in the 2008 Presidential Election talk about their decision

By Daniel Temple

Nov. 4, 2008- In this 2008 election, voters have turned out in record numbers. Major news organizations such as CNN and MSNBC.com are reporting that voters are turning out in numbers unprecedented since women were given the right to vote in 1920.

At Elon, measures were taken to ensure that as many students possible voted. For weeks, flyers and signs were made visible to encourage students to get out and vote. On Election Day, free shuttles were provided to take students to and from the polls.

However there are still some who opted not to vote in this election, citing a number of reasons, ranging from lack of interest, to the inclement weather.

“I’m registered in Massachusetts which is predominantly pro-Obama,” said Sarah Tucker, a sophomore at Elon. “They’re more than likely going to vote for him so what does it matter if I send in my absentee ballot?”

Knowledge of Candidates

Unfortunately, another reason why many students at Elon kept themselves from voting was that they felt they didn’t know enough about the candidates to make a decision. Although they weren’t opposed to voting in general, it felt wrong in a sense to cast a ballot on people and issues they really knew very little about.

“My main reason for not voting was that I knew nothing about where each candidate stood on certain issues,” said Mark Taylor, a freshman at Elon. “I know it’s my fault for not doing any research but I just don’t want to vote for the sake of voting.”

However for others, it was after they looked into each candidate that they decided not to vote. After reviewing each candidates plans and listening to what each person wanted to accomplish, some students felt it was better to keep their vote to themselves, rather than pick a candidate they didn’t even want.

“To be honest I just was not that enthusiastic about John McCain,” said Currie Bell, a junior at Elon. “On the other hand I really detest Barack Obama and so I wasn’t about to vote for him either.”

The Voting Process- Confusion and Time Consuming

For some, it wasn’t the candidates or the election, but the voting process that kept them participating. Some students said they were confused at how to approach the process of registration and submitting absentee ballots.

“The reason I didn’t vote was I because I was unfamiliar with the process of absentee ballots,” said Thomas Daddio, a junior at Elon. “By the time I became aware of the situation and the steps I needed to take, it was too late.”

Due to the record number of voter turn outs, unusually long lines formed outside polling stations across the United States. News of these lines and delays certainly played a part in keeping people from voting.

“I understand how important it is to vote, I really do,” said Kathy Duvall, a local Elon resident. “But I also know I’m going to have to stand in line for at least half an hour, and between my kids and errands, there just isn’t enough time.”

In the Future…

Many however, feel that even though they didn’t participate in this election, it doesn’t mean they won’t vote in future elections. In fact many students, after seeing how the election process is such a major event, are excited about getting the chance to vote in future elections.

“I mean with the rain and the amount of work I have today, it just feels like too much to go down and cast a single vote,” said Taylor. “But after seeing how important it is to so many people, I will definitely make more of an effort and certainly be a part of the 2012 election.”

“Being new to voting, I really thought that the process was confusing,” said Daddio. “Voting is important though and I’m disappointed I didn’t take part in this historical event.”

 

 

Math Tools for Journalists

By Daniel Temple

Nov. 3, 2008

 

Chapter 2 Summary- Percentages

 

            This chapter basically goes into percentage and the kinds of applications of percentages that a journalist might need to know.  It goes into specifically: Percentage increase, percentage decrease, and percentage of the whole and percentage points.

            In order to calculate a percentage increase or decrease, you simply take the original figure and subtract it from the new figure.  You then divide this number by the old figure.  You then convert this number to a percentage by moving the decimal point two places to the right.   This will give you the percentage increase or decrease.

Often times, journalists will have to know certain percentage applications in regards to salaries.    These are a couple useful formulas. 

* Original salary x percentage increase= dollar amount of salary increase for the first year

* Original salary + salary increase= salary for the first year of the contract

* First year salary x percentage increase= dollar amount of salary increase for second year

*First year salary+ salary increase= salary for the second year

Percentages of the whole are useful because they can often put large numbers into perspective.  In order to calculate the percentage of a whole you simply divide the subgroup by the whole group and then move the decimal point two places to the right.

When working with numbers that are already percentages, says Wickham, it’s important to distinguish between percent and percentage point. 

The chapter also went into a couple of baseball statistics that are important to know if you’re covering baseball.  It gave the methods for calculating batting average, slugging percentage an earned run average.

Wickham also talks about the importance of simple interest and the formula for calculating it.  In order to calculate interest, one simply multiplies the principal (amount of money borrowed) by the rate (as a decimal) by the time (in years). 

“Compounding”, according to Wickham, means the interest is added to the original principal and subsequent compoundings. 

Compounds are used primarily for figuring out loans and how much is owed after interest.  Often times consumers will make monthly payments on their car or home.  The formula for calculating this monthly compounded interest is as follows.

A= monthly payment

P= original loan amount

R= interest rate, expressed as a decimal and divided by 12

N= total number of months

 

A= (P x (1+R) (to the Nth power) x R) / (1+R) (to the Nth power) -1)\

 

            Wickham closes by talking about savings account and how to calculate savings deposits after a certain amount of time.

 

B= balance after one year

P= principal

R= interest rate

T= number of times per year the interest is compounded

 

B= P (1+ (R/T)) (to the power of T)

 

 

 

 

4 Practice Questions

 

1.     The Madison City Council budgeted $5,283 for snow removal this year.  Last year, Madison budgeted $14,700 for snow removal.  What is the percentage decrease?

-       64% decrease

 

2.     The mayor of Oakville announces today that 4/5 of the village’s streets were cleared within a day of a major snowstorm.  What percentage of the streets was cleared?

-       80%

 

3.     Jack Garfield is a patrolman for the Henderson Police Department.  He scored a within the 60^th percentile on the sergeant’s exam.  He knows that 116 patrolmen took the test.  Only the top 30 scorers will be promoted to sergeant.  Did he make it?

-       No he did not, you have to score within the 75^th percentile in order to be promoted

 

4.     The CPI in July 1990 was 130.4.  It increased to 131. 6 by August 1990.  What was the percentage increase in CPI for that month?

-  .9%

Five Things Younger Than John McCain, 5 People with more Political Experience than Barack Obama

By Daniel Temple

Oct 28, 2008-

As the presidential election edges closer, we find ourselves being constantly bombarded with campaign ads that often attempt to tear down the opposing candidate.

            This election’s candidates are not exceptions to this practice. 

            Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain is often attacked for his age, while his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, is scrutinized for his lack of political experience. 

            But do these claims really hold any truth?  Or are they simply attacks with no factual basis?  You decide for yourself.

 

 Presidential Candidate, Sen. John McCain

 

Top 5 Things Younger Than John McCain- Born Aug 29, 1936

 

1.      Zip codes- Non-mandatory zip codes are announced for the first time in U.S history July 1, 1963.

2.      91% of America- According to Census Department estimates for July 1st, 2007, there are 301,621,157 people currently living in the United States.  274,485,639 (or 91%) of them are younger than 70.

3.      Use of Penicillin- Although Alexander Fleming is attributed for the discovery in 1928, it wasn’t until 1942 when John Bumstead and Orvan Hess became the first people in the world to successfully treat a patient using penicillin. 

4.      Photocopy machines- the process of photocopying was first accomplished in 1937 by Bulgarian physicist Georgi Nadjakov.  The first plain paper copier was introduced later in 1959. 

5.      Cheerios- the popular cereal by General Mills was created June 19, 1941.  It was marketed as the first oat-based, read-to-eat cold cereal. 

 

 Presidential Candidate, Sen. Barack Obama

 

 

 

 

Top 5 People that have had more political experience than Barack Obama- Began his political career on the Illinois Senate, January 8, 1997

 

1.      Bill Bradley- known in the sports world as the captain of the gold-medal-winning basketball team in 1964 and later a member of the New York Knicks.  Bradley was elected to Senate for New Jersey in 1978 and held the position until 1996, giving him 18 total years in the Senate. 

2.      John Glenn- widely known as the first man to orbit the earth, Glenn also served as a Democratic Senator from 1974 to 1997.

3.      Jim Bunning- a hall of fame pitcher primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Bunning was elected to the U.S House of Representatives from Kentucky’s 4^th District in 1987 and held it until 1998, when he challenged and won a position on the U.S Senate.

4.      Wilbert Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel- a popular radio personality in the 1920’s and 1930’s, he also formed a western swing band called Pappy O’Daniel and his Hillbilly Boys.  He served as the 34^th Governor of Texas from 1939 to 1941, and later as a Senator from 1941 to 1949. 

5.      Shirley Jane Temple- widely considered the most popular child star of all time, Temple was appointed as a delegate to the United Nations in 1969.  She served as the U.S Ambassador to Ghana from 1974 to 1976 and later as the U.S Ambassador to Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992.  She was also named the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States in 1976. 

Journalist and Sculptor Ahmed Fadaam talks to Elon students about his life, Iraq and the media

By Daniel Temple

Oct. 22, 2008- Ahmed Fadaam, journalist, sculptor and professor, came to talk to Elon students about his life and his role in media depictions of his home country, Iraq.

Fadaam, who was originally an artist and professor, said that his first love was not journalism but sculpting.

“I just wanted to wanted to lock myself in my own paradise of my own imagination,” he mused.

However due to the current war in Iraq, his job as a professor disappeared, and so Fadaam was forced to seek work translating English.  In 2003, Fadaam began working as an interpreter and fixer for NPR’s The Connection ,  thus spawning his journalism career.

“At the time art was my life,” said Fadaam, “I couldn’t imagine that I would chase stories and become involved with policy and war.”

Ahmed Fadaam lecturing to students

Fadaam quickly adapted and progressed as a journalist. He even won 5 major awards in 2007 while working for The New York Times for “Ahmed’s Diary” of which he was the primary author.

Still though, one of his main objectives was to depict his native Iraq in a way that most people in America are unaccustomed to seeing.

“The media tends to show the ali-babas of Iraq,” Fadaam pointed out, “They don’t show the good side and the good people and someone needs to do it.”

Fadaam also talked about the perception of Americans in the eye of the Iraqi people. He discussed in particular how when Saddam Hussein was first overthrown, the people held mixed opinions of Americans.

“At that time some people would say “yes we’re happy we got rid of Saddam,” said Fadaam, “And others would say “no, this occupation is wrong, our country is being destroyed.”

Fadaam also talked about how children in Iraq are told that the U.S occupation is the result of the war and tragedy, and that prior to their arrival, the country was in a state of peace. As a result, the children grow up resenting America and its citizens.

“The problem is that there is no direct contact between the Iraqis and the Americans,” said Fadaam, “Iraq needs to know there is a difference between U.S administration and the American people.”

Fadaam went on to discuss his concern over the media’s desire for violence. He stated that it was “scary” how bored people become with death, and that it will often take a significant amount of casualties and destruction before the media takes notice.

Ahmed Fadaam working on a sculpture (photo courtesy of Tom Arcaro)

Fadaam also talked about what America needed to do in order to try and improve the current situation in Iraq. He mentioned that there needed to be a greater push for true structure and order by the American administration.

“Once, we used to have a state of law, but now we don’t,” said Fadaam. “The political process that was started by the Americans, started on the wrong basis.”

Fadaam then told an extremely poignant story about an attempted democratic process in Iraq, established by Americans. In the story, the Iraqis were told to vote for whom they thought would be competent leaders. However the Americans then told the Iraqis they had to split up into their specific ethnic groups and then decide on leaders from their respective groups.

“Basically you have divided society into groups,” said Fadaam. “You are telling them that they are not one, you are different groups, true you are living in the same city, but you are not united.”

Fadaam then closed with some advice and some final speculation as to the future of his career.

“If you are a journalist and you believe in something, then do it,” he said.

“As for my future, I can’t imagine giving up my art or journalism,” Fadaam remarked. “Clay is like a disease, and journalism is like the same sickness. Once you get that curiosity, you simply can’t let go of it.”

 

Author and Historian David McCullough speaks at Elon University Fall Convocation

By Daniel Temple

Oct. 23, 2008- Author and Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough was in town to lecture at the Elon Fall Convocation Ceremony. McCullough, who is widely considered one of the premier story tellers of our time, spoke about teaching and scholarship, citing certain individuals and events that embodied these ideals.

“I think it’s fitting,” said McCullough. “To be a part of a ceremony that endorses scholarship and teaching.”

Elon 2008 Fall Convocation

McCullough talked about 3 teachers in particular, individuals he called “teachers of consequence”. These men and women, according to McCullough, helped progress the art of teaching, and subsequently, the art of learning.

 

Margaret Phelps

Margaret Phelps, as McCullough described, was a high school history teacher at Independence High School in Missouri, around the turn of the century.

“She was enthralling,” stated McCullough. “The amount of passion and energy she put into teaching history was simply unparalleled.”

Her most famous pupil, former President Harry Truman, claimed that Phelps was the best teacher he had ever had.

“Harry Truman loved reading and history,” said McCullough. “He was an educated man who never stopped learning, largely in part to Margaret Phelps.”

 

Louis Agassi

The second teacher of consequence McCullough talked about was Harvard professor and scholar, Louis Agassi. Agassi was, according to McCullough, “a wave of fresh air for Harvard University.”

“Agassi perceived that the upper latitudes of Europe had been shaped by glaciers,” said McCullough. “This changed the perception of the entire world.”

McCullough told one story in particular about Agassi that he felt personified the scholar, and the essence of learning in general.

The “ordeal of the fish”, as McCullough described it, was a process in which Agassi forced his new students to examine a dead, pickled fish for a period of time, using only their hands and eyes.

“This was one of the finest examples of learning and scholarship that I’ve ever heard of,” said McCullough. “I still keep a plaque above my desk that reads, “Look at the fish,” which reminds me to always keep learning and find out new things.”

 

Thornton Wilder

The third teacher McCullough talked about was one that he knew personally while he was a student at Yale. Thornton Wilder was one of the major influences in McCullough’s life.

“You could always see him around, in the library or around campus,” said McCullough. “It was one of the luckiest breaks I’ve ever had to have studied under Thornton Wilder.”

McCullough stated that out of everything he took away from Yale, it was the teaching that he remembered most.

“It was the teaching from people such as Thornton Wilder,” said McCullough, “that gave me the tools to better myself as a scholar.”

 

The Johnston Flood

McCullough went on to talk about the first book he ever wrote, about the tragic Johnston flood of 1889.

“The first book I ever read about the flood was simply terrible,” said McCullough. “And the second one I read was even worse.”

It was at this point McCullough decided to write a book on the subject and it was then he said he remembered what Thornton Wilder had taught him, which was to “write the book in a way that he would want to read it.”

Although at the time he did not consider himself a historian, McCullough immersed himself in the research for the book, using his own personal history with the Pennsylvania area to aid in his explorations.

The theme of the Johnston flood McCullough said, was “just because people are in positions of responsibility, doesn’t mean that they are necessarily responsible.”

 

 

The Brooklyn Bridge

Following his success with the Johnston flood book, McCullough says that he tried to avoid being typecast as a “disaster writer”. He said that he believed humanity isn’t always evil and bad natured, and that he wanted to do a book on a subject that showed creation and art rather than destruction.

So after discussing it with some friends, he decided to write about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Although he knew nothing of the structural architecture and mathematics of the bridge, he said that he was “eager to learn all about it”.

McCullough said that part of the reason he felt so drawn to the building of the bridge was “that it came during a time known for corruption and scandal.”

“The Brooklyn Bridge was built during a politically unstable era of history,” said McCullough. “Yet here was this structure, built by imperfect men, made to last forever. Not just a great work of civil engineering but a work of art.”

McCullough added that we today can achieve something like the Brooklyn Bridge, but that it wouldn’t happen without educated, young people. He closed with some final words of advice for the students in the audience.

“Read, read, read,” McCullough said. “No matter how little television you watch, watch less. Today’s world with the information super highway is amazing but it’s not learning. History isn’t about dates and figures, it’s about ideas.”

Early voters come to May Memorial Library to vote for the upcoming general election

 

 

By Daniel Temple

Oct 22, 2008- Dozens of people were lined up outside of May Memorial Library in Burlington to cast their early ballots for the upcoming election.

 

The crowd, which was primarily composed of elderly citizens, waited anxiously to vote in what will likely be a very exciting election. Tom Briar, an mechanic in Burlington, was thrilled to be able to take part in this particular voting process.

 

“This is definitely one of the biggest elections that I can remember,”  Briar said. “This line may be long but it’s certainly worth it.”

 

 

Voters line up out the May Memorial Library

 

 

The line wrapped around the library and down S. Spring Street, leading to about a half-hour wait. However the voters stood patiently as they read magazines, checked their phones, and listened to local candidates trying to give last minute endorsements.

The one-stop early voting in Burlington, which began Thursday, Oct. 16, has already seen tremendous voter turnout.

“I’m actually fairly surprised at the number of people that have been in attendance,” said Voting Official Ruth Bergman. “It’s been like this now for about a week straight.”

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots

“I understand that it’s sometimes a pain to come and wait and vote,” said Briar. “But it’s this process right here that really makes us Americans.”

Early voters are eligible to vote from now until Nov. 1. The May Memorial Library will continue to serve as a voting center with operating hours on Monday-Friday from 9:00 am- 6:00 pm.

 

The May Memorial Polls are open Mon-Fri, from 9 am-6pm

Sarah Palin Visits Elon University

By Daniel Temple

Oct 17, 2008-

There was an air of excitement as students, faculty and citizens of Elon streamed into Latham Park to attend the campaign stop by Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.

 Despite the heat and increased security, the general attitude was enthusiastic, as the crowd clapped and sang along with the Wells Family Band and country music star Hank Williams Jr. 

When Palin finally entered on stage, the crowd let out a thunderous cheer that could be heard from all around the campus.  Palin talked about a number of issues including health care, the falling economy, and the American need for clean coal technology. 

Palin also pitched support for her running mate, Sen. John McCain, whom she called “the right man for the job.”

“Everyone knows that John McCain is going to put the country back on track,” she said, “He is ‘The Maverick.’”

                The Palin event marks the second time in the past year that a campaign stop has reached Elon.  Last year, former President Bill Clinton came to Elon to garner support for his wife and former Presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton. 

 

For full coverage of the event visit the Elon University Site.