Hillsdale Collegian 12.5.19 by The Hillsdale Collegian

Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

Vol. 143 Issue 13 - December 5, 2019

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Michigan to reduce car insurance premiums By | Elizabeth Bachmann Assistant Editor After years of mandatory and expensive personal injury protection, Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association reduced its claim fee from $220 to $100 for motorists who choose unlimited medical benefits. For motorists who do not choose unlimited medical care, the fee is completely waived. Changes will take effect July 2020. Michigan legislatures have fulfilled their January 2019 promise to provide better insurance options and reduce fraud and costs for Michigan motorists. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release that

she is proud to have garnered bipartisan support “to solve a problem that has been hurting Michigan families for far too long.” “We still have more important work ahead of us, and I have no doubt that we can seize on this momentum to pass a strong, bipartisan budget that fixes the damn roads,” Whitmer said. This claim fee, which previously made Michigan the only state in the country to require PIP, dropped in response to changes in the January 2019 bill, according to Rep. Eric Leutheuser. “The main takeaway from this last announcement is it is a validation of the fact that the reforms we put in

place will bring down costs,” Leutheuser said. “The reduction isn’t something we specified in law, but it is something totally independent in the MCCA. This is what their actuaries determined would be the new fee starting when the law is implemented.” The catastrophic claims fee is regulated by the MCCA, an independent, non-profit organization created by state legislature. The fee covers PIP medical claims that exceeds $580,000. That means, for every PIP claim, an individual’s insurance company pays up to $580,000, but the MCCA covers any expenses beyond that. When the law takes effect in July, Michigan will no

longer be the only state in which motorists are required to purchase PIP. Hillsdale State Farm insurance agent Jason Adcock, though he doesn’t speak on behalf of State Farm, raised fears that cuts to the claim fee will ultimately be offset by increased Medicaid tax coverage. Leutheuser allayed those fears. “I think one of the arguments against the reform is that ultimately all taxpayers would end up footing the bill for all those underinsured. Right now we have the best coverage in the world, if you take that away, the people who need help will eventually exhaust their savings and fall into the Medicaid system,”

Leutheuser said. “The answer to that Catastrophic Claims Fund only takes over after someone has had over half a million dollars worth of care. The vast majority of claims don’t hit that level.” One of the most impactful parts of the bill is that it will fund a new department, purely dedicated to discovering fraud. “Once you reduce fraud, the amount in claims decreases, which means premiums can come down,” Adock said. The bill will also normalize medical rates for insurance companies. Currently, companies pay approximately two to two and a half times more than Medicaid for the same medical procedures.

“Once you bring down the amount insurance companies are paying, then all insurance can come down,” Adock said. “From an insurance standpoint, if we can bring this down, then all insurance will come down naturally in the state of Michigan.” Lawmakers anticipate that this demanditorzation of PIP, coupled with a variety of new options for levels of coverage, will attract big name insurance companies back to Michigan that currently don’t offer plans in the state because of its complicated insurance laws.

Christ Chapel architect speaks on design process By | Lily McHale Collegian Reporter Behind the two-and-ahalf-year project of building Christ Chapel lay a countless number of creative decisions, from where to place it on campus to what it should look like inside and out, said architect Duncan Stroik, who gave a talk on the project on Nov. 25 in Plaster Auditorium. The first question, before thinking about design, was the location of the chapel. Two possibilities included beside Howard Music Hall and in what is now the large parking lot next to Simpson

Residence. “We made the radical proposal to put the chapel at the center of campus on the main axis behind Central Hall in the hopes that this project would lead to the creation of a new quadrangle,” said Stroik, a nationally-renowned architect whose firm is in South Bend, Ind. Stroik said his architectural inspiration came from Christ Church in Philadelphia and St. Martin in the Fields in London. Stroik drew from Christ Church’s classical architecture with its balconies and big windows. St. Martin in the Fields, designed by architect James

Gibbs, combined the portico from antiquity and early Christian churches, with the medieval spire. The architecture aimed to be classical as well as symbolic. He called Hillsdale’s Christ Chapel “much more simple than England but as substantial as Philadelphia. Christ Church was where the founding fathers met when they had the Continental Congress. We’re connecting two buildings and two

See Stroik A2

Professor of German Eberhard Geyer in his office. Bryna Destefani | Collegian

Lab director leaves legacy Geyer to retire after 35 of fun lab environment years with German dept. By | Alexis Daniels Web Content Editor When Ted Miller, director of Hillsdale College’s science labs, started at Hillsdale almost 15 years ago, College President Larry Arnn charged Miller with his biggest takeaway from his career at Hillsdale College,“to not blow up the building.” Miller, mostly known as “Mr. T,” retired from his position at the college almost two weeks ago. Miller has enjoyed a lengthy career in Hillsdale’s chemistry department. Before coming to work for the College in 2005, he worked for Dow Chemical Company for 30 years and created more than 20 patents, six of which were commercialized.

“It’s really hard to do,” he said. “It’s a weird statistic, only one of 1000 scientists ever gets one patent. But in the industry, there’s a lot of pressure for you to produce.” Miller’s background at Dow was fitting for his “combined role” of “teaching, lab management, and overseeing student employees in the lab.” “The job was not organized at all when I got here,” he said. “Nobody’s fault, it’s just the way it was. But I’m extremely organized, and my mantra in the beginning was if I organize smart, I’ll never have to do anything.” Director of Biology Frank Steiner said Miller “added a real sense of professionalism to the job.” “He raised the level of his

responsibilities considerably from the previous lab director,” Steiner said in an email. “He also was willing to work with everyone—students, as well as professors—and he was very willing to step outside (when needed) of his job description.” Miller’s replacement will be Doug Brozsci, of whom he could not speak more highly. “The reassuring thing is how great he is,” Miller said. “He’s in his young 60s, and is very athletic.We’re in close contact, and he’s going to be a super replacement.”

See Mr. T A2

Public Services Librarian Linda Moore, who also handled the archives, is set to retire in January after 44 years of working at Hillsdale College. See A2 for coverage.

Nolan Ryan | Collegian Follow @HDaleCollegian

By | Bryna Destefani Collegian Freelancer When senior German major Emma Eisenman visited Hillsdale as a prospective student, she already had her heart set on attending a different college. Her meeting with the head of the German department during that visit, however, changed her mind. “Dr. Geyer is the reason I am here, and I am so thankful for it. I didn’t know I wanted to come here until I met with him,” Eisenman said. Eberhard Geyer, current chairman and professor of German, and director of German Study Abroad Programs, has taught at Hillsdale for almost 35 years. This semester will be his last, as he retires in December. During his time on campus, Geyer has built the German department from the ground up. “When I started here in 1985, I inherited a German department which was in decline and had some 35 to 40 students total,” Geyer said. Now, the German department is thriving. “This semester, we have 30 students in just one course, the upper level literature class, all of whom are either minors or majors,” he said. “That’s phenomenal.” “The fact that we have three full-time faculty is unusual for even a good college of the size of Hillsdale,” Geyer said. “At many other colleges, unfortunately, German has disappeared. Languages are a bit in trouble, but I think we are doing really well here because of the institutional support, the department’s dedication, and

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the willing and very dedicated liberal arts students we have here at Hillsdale. Hillsdale students can be exposed to such wonderfully crazy works as Faust to be read and discussed in German.” The German department has reached beyond the classroom as well. Assistant Professor of German Stephen Naumann describes how the students carry what they learn in class into their day-to-day lives through conversations in German over lunch and greeting each other in the hallways. Hillsdale’s German department begins the study of literature quite early. Starting at the 201 level, students are already reading a full novel. Upon completion of 202, all students can begin taking the literature courses. Geyer has taught these literature courses, which cover canonical literature from the classical era of Goethe and Schiller, the 19th century and its romanticism, realism, and naturalism, up through the 20th century, reading works by Kafka, Mann, and Zweig. “To my very last teaching day, I will walk into a literature class with a good sense of ‘creative’ panic,” Geyer said. “I have certain key items in mind that need to be discussed, and then I just start talking. Teaching for me is having a conversation with an interested and caring partner.” Junior Kathleen Hess said Geyer’s approach encouraged her to speak more in class. “I fell in love with his class on the first day of freshman year,” Hess said. “He encourages you to talk and has a fun dynamic in class.

For a language setting, that really helps.” Throughout his time at Hillsdale, Geyer has greatly influenced students and faculty alike. Politics professor Mickey Craig described Geyer as “a good man, an outstanding teacher and scholar, and a great friend.” “He instills into his students his own love for literature,” said Naumann. “He has a gift for reaching students with the types of questions and ideas that are in a specific work. We owe an awful lot to him for his hard work and vision in building the program into what it is today.” Many related how much laughter and joy Geyer creates. Despite heavy topics in the literature read in the German department, students say they are able to laugh in class because Geyer brings the stories to life. “There was a scene in the book we were reading that the class just didn’t understand,” said sophomore Tricia Becker. “So Dr. Geyer acted it out. At one point, he acted out a lamp. Afterwards, we all understood the scene so much better. It was really funny, and made it really easy to understand.” French professor Anne Theobald has had an office on the same floor as Geyer for four and a half years. “I think what I will miss most when he retires is his infectious laugh,” she said. “During the two periods of the semester when he

See Geyer A2

News Founding Fest to celebrate 175 years of Hillsdale tradition

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December 5, 2019

By | Julia Mullins City News Editor

After the dedication of Christ Chapel and the subsequent celebration of Hillsdale’s 175th anniversary gala, students and faculty will now have the opportunity to commemorate the college themselves through Founding Fest on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 5 to 10 p.m. on the quad. The anniversary celebration occurs three days after the college’s founding date which is Dec. 4, 1844. This winter carnival will give students and faculty the chance to reflect on Hillsdale’s tradition and the past semes-

ter, according to Director of Student Activities Alexandra Whitford ’18. “Our goal is to bring students, staff and faculty, and their families together to have some fun in the winter weather, while also getting to experience some new activities on campus and enjoy the commemoration of our heritage,” Whitford said. Director of Student Programs Ashlyn Neveau ’16 said the evening will begin with caroling in the Chapel at 5 p.m., followed by the Christmas tree lighting in the center of the quad at 5:30 p.m. Neveau added that there will be an ice skating rink in front

of the Chapel and hayrides throughout campus. After brainstorming various ideas, Neveau said she and Whitford found inspiration for the Fest from Christkindlesmarkt in Germany, which is similar to an outdoor market. “They’ll be dueling pianos playing music for two hours and some DJ music bookending both ends of the event,” Whitford said. “We’ll have some really cool food options like a chili and bread bar, some fun desserts, hot cocoa, and mulled wine. We’ll also have our historical tent and a craft tent, where we can make our own ornaments and

Christmas cards.” Director of Residence Life Rosemary Pynes said she is excited for all of the activities at Founding Fest and is also looking forward to celebrating Hillsdale’s history. “It’s so cool because we’ve been doing the same thing for so long,” Pynes said. “And it’s cool we get to celebrate what is good.” Neveau said this event is unique because it’s not solely a student-based event. “That’s part of what pulls in the history of the college is that there’s a lot of people other than students that take part in it,” Neveau sid. “And we wanted the whole community

to be able to come together and celebrate.” As former students, Neveau and Whitford said that they are blessed to be part of Hillsdale’s tradition and hope this event brings students together in a meaningful way. Whitford said Hillsdale has developed very strong practices in academics but thinks the college has room to grow in its social traditions. “I think we’re in a period where our culture on campus is starting to blossom, and we’re really coming together as a community to build what is the future of the college,” Whitford said. “I’m really proud to be part of this

generation that is developing an on-campus life that is worth sticking around for and investing in.” Neveau and Whitford both said they hope the weather cooperates for the event and encourage students to come celebrate the college’s 175 years of tradition. “As you approach finals week, it’s nice to be able to take a step back and put life in perspective with your community,” Whitford said. “It’s just a few hours on Saturday to be able to rest and relax and have your bucket filled up before you pour it all out into finals week.”

Mossey librarian to retire after 44 years By | Nolan Ryan Editor-in-Chief Linda Moore has seen many changes at Hillsdale College’s library in 44 years of working there. But now she’s ready to move on and let someone else take a crack at her job so she can travel the world. Moore, public services librarian at Mossey Library, will be officially retiring from her position in January. She has worked in several departments of the library over the years, primarily in circulation, reference, and archives. Hillsdale has been her first and only professional career, and she applied after hearing about the college through her friend from graduate school. One of the reasons she’s stayed for so long, she said, is because she loves the unique aspects of working at a smaller library. “The thing about working at a small academic

Geyer from A1 conducts oral exams in his office, I frequently hear him laughing with his students. It’s the same hearty laugh that he shares on a daily basis with colleagues.” Geyer’s classes have impacted many students’ lives. Junior German and music double major Zsanna Bodor fondly remembers Geyer’s literature course she took last year. “We listened to Schubert and Schumann arrangements of beautiful poems by Goethe,” Bodor said. “When we studied Schiller’s “Wil-

Mr. T from A1

With his position filled, Miller’s next move is to leave Michigan for Georgia to focus on restoring cars and his family. Miller said he leads a “wonderful” life with a happy marriage and two sons who are now chemical engineers. “One boy’s in Minneapolis, the other’s in Atlanta, both successful,” he said. “It’s a storybook life, you know. And so they pulled at us for the last 10 years:

Stroik from A1

events.” The size of the chapel was an issue. “The College wanted a chapel that would seat 1400 but should feel comfortable for 600.” Stroik fulfilled this request by making it possible to fit 600 people in the nave — the central part of the building, between the pillars—and more elsewhere. “The big columns separate the nave from the aisles and balconies, and the back balcony. You don’t have to use the balconies or the side aisles. But when you need them, we can pack people in.” Christ Chapel’s chancel, the area surrounding the altar, is also unique. “The college wanted a full symphony to be able to fit in the chancel, and 100 voices. The chancel is probably

library is that every day is different. If you work at a big library, maybe you just do one thing,” Moore said. “I’ve always liked that mixture of roles you have at a small academic library.” With retired life ahead of her, Moore said she wants to travel more, something that she already does as a hobby. “I do a fair amount of travel, people say, but not enough as far as I’m concerned,” she said. “I’ve traveled someplace every summer. But there are places I want to go that the academic calendar prohibits.” In the past, Moore has visited Antarctica, as well as Egypt in 2010 and China in 1983. She’s also been on several African safaris. In the future, though, she’s planning a trip to Brazil in February. “To make sure people knew I was serious about retiring, on Feb. 12, I’m headed to South America. I’m going to Brazil, Argentina, Chile,

helm Tell,” Dr. Geyer brought in a yodeling CD. I can still remember that feeling of pure delight, sitting in class on a warm autumn afternoon, sunshine shimmering through the golden trees into our classroom, listening to the sweet strains of Inntaler Sänger.” Among the many opportunities the German department provides, one of the most loved by students is its study abroad programs, both pioneered by Geyer. Running since 1986, the Würzburg Intensive Summer program offers students the opportunity to study and live in south‘Dad, you’re going to be 70: game over kind of thing. It’s time to relax and enjoy retirement.’ So I fought it for 10 years, and my wife said, ‘Please let’s do it.’” In June, the Millers built a house on a golf course in a younger neighborhood in Georgia, where his wife and son currently wait for him. “Cathie’s already down there, sipping a mint julep, while I’m up here shoveling snow and suffering in the land,” Miller said. “This

bigger than most cathedral chancels in America,” Stroik said. Unlike St. Martin of the Fields, Christ Chapel does not have a tower, because Stroik and others didn’t want it to compete with Central Hall. “Symmetry is great, but you also want dialogue, you want difference, you want interconnectedness,” said Stroik. Stroik expressed his eagerness to work with the college again, possibly on a new library. “All great college campuses have great library buildings. Someday hopefully Hillsdale will build a beautiful library,” Stroik said. Sophomore Francis Lucchetti said he enjoyed Stroik’s talk about his vision. “The thoughtfulness behind his design makes me hope that the administration

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and Easter Island.” Moore also will have a chance to delve more into historical research with her hometown of Buchanan, Michigan. As an archivist for the library, Moore said she’s learned a lot over the years, often from people coming to her with research questions. “If people ask you enough questions, you do the research and pass it along,” Moore said. Moore is one of the go-to people for local Hillsdale and college history, Library Director Maurine McCourry said. In terms of a workplace, Moore and McCourry both said the library is an excellent workplace. The staff is kind of like a family, McCourry said, adding that Moore has been a big part of that atmosphere. McCourry said one of the qualities Moore brings to the library is her intelligence. “She’s one of the smartest

people I know,” McCourry said. “And she’s very generous with her time and herself. I can text her at 10 o’clock at night, and if she’s awake, she’ll respond.” Moore said her duties will be split into two full-time positions: public services librarian and archivist. Lori Curtis will take over archives and special collections digitization, Moore said, while George Allen will take over the public services side of things. McCourry said Curtis and Allen began working with Moore on Monday. “Part of why they started so early is so that they can absorb what Linda knows,” McCourry said. “There’s so much that is just in her head.” During her time at Hillsdale, Moore says the collegiate atmosphere has stayed the same. But Moore certainly has seen campus change over the course of 44

ern Germany for a month. The semester-long Saarland University Exchange Program has been in operation for the last 22 years, enabling students to study immersively at an international university. “I think the addition of the two overseas programs has been a catalyst to the success of the German program,” said Geyer. “I think it is a proud achievement that, at a small school such as ours, the German department has its own bona fide exchange with a German university in addition to a very popular summer study program in beautiful Würzburg.”

Hess completed the Würzburg program the summer after her freshman year. “It changed my life,” she said. Eisenman just returned from the Würzburg program this past summer. Without Geyer’s encouragement, however, she may not have gone. “He really pushed me when I was trying to be too pragmatic about college. I think I needed that push,” Eisenman said. “I needed someone to say, don’t go into it with any expectations. It’s your own adventure, go live it. The Würzburg program felt like the capstone to my German study

weekend I’ll be driving down, forever leaving Michigan and becoming a resident of Georgia.” But with all this said, leaving Hillsdale, especially the people, will be hard for Miller. “The different universe of student quality in terms of personality and honor and character, it’s a special island in the world,” Miller said. “I hate to leave it.”

years. Aside from an increase in the number of students, faculty, and staff members, Moore said one of the biggest changes she’s witnessed is the digitization of the library. Everything was done by hand when she first arrived. “The final overdue notice would take the entire library staff all day long in order to produce the fine list for the business office,” Moore said. “It takes five minutes now.” The library has also changed in what it offers students. Moore — who helps students with research and putting together bibliographies — said it used to be that students only had access to materials located in the library, or else go to another university. For that reason, students wouldn’t have done as much work with primary sources. Now, faculty can ask students to do more rigorous research. “Students can decide if that’s a good thing,” Moore

in a sense, but it also made me realize that my study in German is just beginning.” Associate professor Fred Yaniga has taken over the role as head of the German department. “It is a daunting task,” he said. “I have even more respect for him every day. It is a lot of work that requires vision, and Dr. Geyer certainly had that vision. He is a consummate professional. He has demonstrated how to work collegially both with his coworkers and with his students. He has wonderful rapport with students. He is incredibly caring and profes-

said. Moore has also trained student employees. In the past, she usually had about 12 students. Now, she trains and oversees more than 30. Senior Elyssa Warren has worked with Moore since she came on as a library employee her freshman year. Warren said she admires Moore for being so orderly, something which helps “when running a library largely staffed by college students.” “She is crazy patient. She deals with a lot of students who have never done serious research before,” Warren said. Warren, who is interested in studying library sciences in the future, said that if she was ever to be a librarian, she looks to Moore as a model. “I’ve realized how varied what she does is,” Warren said. “She’s specialized, but she also can do a whole bunch of things.”

sional with them. He often maintains relationships with them. He does all of this from behind the scenes.” Geyer’s work has left a wide-reaching mark on Hillsdale and its students. “I am reminded of the scope of this program among our alumni,” said Yaniga. “There are people working in Central Hall, Moss Hall, the library who are all his students. The legacy that he leaves behind him is a legacy of people whose lives he has touched through his classes, his ideas, his words. That won’t be forgotten.”

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puts him in charge of redoing the hotel and library, in addition to whatever else the college is planning on doing construction-wise,” Lucchetti said. David Whalen, former provost of the college and English professor as well as associate vice president for curriculum, attended the talk and said in an email that he found it interesting. “The lecture made clear, without boasting, how exacting and rigorous the project was in its thinking and execution,” Whalen said. “Mine certainly was a minor role, with Dr. Arnn and Rich Péwé being much more involved. I consulted where I thought I could be helpful, both as regards design and the potential use of the Chapel. It was probably more fun than is strictly proper for so noble and grand a project.”

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December 5, 2019 A3

The Weekly: Celebrate Hillsdale’s heritage (517) 607-2415

The opinion of The Collegian editorial staff

Hillsdale College officially turned 175 years old yesterday, and members of its community will have an opportunity to celebrate the college’s heritage through Founding Fest this weekend. This is an important time of celebration for students of the past, present, and future to reflect on the college’s tradition in the pursuit of virtue throughout its history. Founded in 1844, Hillsdale College was the first American college to prohibit in its charter any discrimination based on race, religion, or sex. It was the second college in the nation to grant fouryear liberal-arts degrees to

women. During the Civil War, a higher percentage of Hillsdale students enlisted compared to other colleges. As a prominent force in the abolition of slavery, the college welcomed Frederick Douglass and Edward Everett to speak in the 1860s. In the 1970s, the college began its defense against “encroachments on its independence” and refused to accept federal taxpayer money. Today, the college shares its values with more than 4.3 million Americans through its monthly speech digest, “Imprimis.” Hillsdale professors and students embrace the tradition of cultivating

and preserving moral and intellectual virtues because they know that “strength rejoices in the challenge.” Few colleges in the country give their students the opportunity to examine America’s founding documents and engage with the principles that turned 13 colonies into one nation under God. Even fewer colleges ask their students to think about the unchanging truths of human existence and what these truths mean for self-government. This year, in particular, the college has many reasons to celebrate its tradition following the dedication of Christ

Chapel — a sacred space for the college’s community to gather and recognize shared beliefs. Hillsdale College continues to be one of the only institutions of higher education that remains true to its founding principles, and it is both an honor and a duty of its community to preserve its tradition throughout the future. Let this be a time for the community of Hillsdale College to celebrate 175 years of laboring for freedom and embrace the ongoing mission to defend liberty.

Love for residence Conservatives: Reject Nick Fuentes is love for college By | Caleb Lambrecht Students swarm the student section at a sporting event in crazy-looking costumes. They proudly brandish the titles of “Simpsonite” or “Olds Girl.” They purchase their residences’ respective shirts in droves, and they passionately shout their dorm chants during Homecoming. These scenes depict Hillsdale’s avid dorm tribalism, a phenomenon that is unique to our school. Many Hillsdale students find a lot of identity in the dorm in which they reside. This is a good thing. The dorms strengthen students’ attachment to their college, increasing their love for our school and its mission. Similarly, the most avidly patriotic citizen holds an affection for his nation rooted first in an affection for his closest communities. He loves his country because he loves his state, he loves his state because he loves his local community, and he loves his local community because he loves his family. Describing this phenomenon, Conservative thinker Edmund Burke says, “To be attached to the subdivision, to love the little platoon we belong to in society, is the first principle of public affections. It is the first link in the series by which we proceed towards a love to our country, and to mankind.” In the same way, the student’s love for his most immediate community in Hillsdale, that of the dorm, strengthens the affection he hold towards the larger community: the College. The dorm’s close proximity increases the student’s appreciation for his residence, which in turn increases his appreciation for the school and its values of civil and religious liberty, self-government, scholarship, and intellectual curiosity. The incredible school spirit displayed by the dorms makes that appreciation evident. During my time in Simpson, I have seen this spirit manifest in our dorm. Simpson’s support for the college at football or volleyball games is unmatched. Simpson residents volunteer in droves to serve the local community during Homecoming. We support other campus communities by joining in on their chants or by displaying some healthy competition by quipping with them or battling them on the Quad. All these activities serve to increase pride in our dorm and the consequent pride in our college that follows.

There are plenty of other things that students find strengthen their attachment to Hillsdale and its values as well. For most students, their “little platoon” is found not in the dorm, but through a club, a Greek house, or the off-campus community. All these things can help students achieve a greater love of Hillsdale and all that it stands for. Dorms also accomplish this mission in a unique way. As the largest student residence on campus, Simpson hosts the most freshmen each year. The newcomers who want to be active in Hillsdale’s community can first be active in the dorm. They express their enthusiasm for the college through the opportunities the dorm provides. Simpson’s community is formed by those who choose to stay. This is how our dorm’s culture has been built and sustained class after class. A dorm’s culture does not simply fluctuate from year to year as residents move in and out. It’s kept consistent by those who identified the things they enjoy about it, decided to participate in it, and will later sustain it for their dorm’s future residents. Tales of the Simpson of old are passed down from alumni to current students, and then from those students to new freshmen who will go on to add to the tales with their own hysterical antics. This type of dorm culture may seem strange and out of place to someone familiar with a dorm’s more conventional function at other schools. They consequently contest a dorm’s ability to have character and culture and question why a student would get so attached to it. This perspective discounts the importance of building community with those you happen to live with. We are all attending a school that values good things — the higher things. We should advocate for those things to everyone we associate with, including those who we live around. In my dorm, I find a culture characterized by people who do just that. There, my love for my college is increased. There, I am best able to act on that love. To love the little dorm we belong to in Hillsdale is to love our college and our campus community in our own special way.

“In the same way, the student’s love for their most immediate community in Hillsdale, that of the dorm, strengthens the affection they hold towards the larger community: the college.”

Caleb Lambrecht is a junior studying politics.

By | Alex Nester Here’s what Nick Fuentes says about Jim Crow laws and racial segregation: “It was better for them. It was better for us. It was better in general.” The 21-year-old creator and host of the “America First” show on YouTube later claimed that he was only joking. But if you believe that, then the joke’s on you. For Fuentes, everything is “us” versus “them”: white versus black, native versus immigrant, Gentile versus Jew, straight versus gay, and man versus woman. Conservatives must reject this noxious huckster, who has no idea what authentic American conservatism rooted in constitutional principles is all about. He is, in fact, a gift to the Left because he allows Progressives to smear Conservatives as seething, backward troglodytes. Disavowing Fuentes means avoiding his videos and refusing to retweet his comments on social media — and also speaking out against him when we have the opportunity. Chicago-based Fuentes gained a following after he attended the Unite the Right rally, a gathering of white nationalists in Charlottesville in 2017. In a 2018 video with Richard Spencer, a prominent speaker at the Unite the

Right event, Fuentes obsessed over racial demographics in the United States: “Even if we stopped all immigration tomorrow, because the country is, in terms of births, less than 50 percent white already, things are destined to be very different already to say the least,” Fuentes said. “It’s a very simple task for how to change that… we could very easily identify which variables have to change to reverse that situation. You have the native-born population or the white population, and you have the foreign-born population. You have to get one of these numbers to increase and one of these numbers to go down.” It doesn’t take a woke radical to see the problem with this way of thinking. Ronald Reagan had a better sense of what made America great. He liked to quote from a letter he once received: “You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to Germany or Turkey, and you won’t become a German or a Turk. … Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American.” Rather than buying into the demographic determinism of Fuentes, Conservatives should embrace the optimism of Reagan. Fuentes also traffics in

Holocaust denial. Earlier this year, he compared the Nazis’ murder of Jews in gas chambers to cookies baking in an oven. As he giggled, he claimed that the Nazis had the capacity to kill only 200,000 to 300,000 people. The late historian Sir Martin Gilbert, however, wrote that the Nazis killed 6 million European Jews — and that they would have killed more but for their defeat by the Allies in World War II. Fuentes consistently uses slurs for Jews and gay men on his show — terms that would get most Americans fired from their jobs or removed from public office. And he’s openly against women participating in politics. “I will continue my crusade against women in politics,” Fuentes said this summer. “Have you ever stopped and considered that maybe if you get offended, and there is such a strong and emotional reaction to political opinions you disagree with across the board, maybe that’s one of the reasons why you shouldn’t be making political decisions?” What would Margaret Thatcher have thought of that? Maybe it’s not such a mystery. As the Iron Lady once quipped, “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” Fuentes went on to claim

that he wasn’t attacking all women, but instead “whores,” “sluts,” and “stupid, dirty bitches.” And in a video from earlier this year, called “Advice to Female Content Creators,” Fuentes said women interested in politics would be better off getting their brothers, fathers, or husbands to do the work while they cook in the kitchen. And then there was the time when he said that because sex is always enjoyable for both parties, rape is “just so not a big deal.” Fuentes may call himself a Conservative, but he’s not. Conservatism is grounded the laws of nature and nature’s God. Only within this framework can people accept the rights and responsibilities of citizens within a polity, including the establishment and defense a government that protects the rights and freedoms of individuals to think and speak for themselves. Race and sex have nothing to do with it. We’re all created equal. Conservatives shouldn’t just distance themselves from Fuentes. We should fight against his perverse vision. It’s us against him. Alex Nester is a senior studying economics and is the opinions editor for The Collegian.

The Schiff charade continues

By | Ryan Young The fear of President Donald Trump’s re-election is too much for the Democrats to handle. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and his party are clinging to their last-ditch effort with this impeachment hearing, despite any direct evidence of a high crime or misdemeanor. Schiff’s star witnesses proved to have no firsthand knowledge of collusion, and instead spent their time speculating and complaining about the Trump administration. The impeachment hearings began on Nov. 13, with Schiff’s first two witnesses: William Taylor, the acting ambassador to Ukraine, and George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state. Both discussed what they heard between the chatter of other diplomats and officials, yet neither were present for the July 25 phone call. The testimonies sounded a lot like a child’s game of telephone. The Washington Post ran an article that said, “Kent didn’t hear this directly from Trump, but rather from other officials who talked to people who talked to Trump.” On the second day of the hearing, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, spent her time discussing how she was fired by Trump. When asked if she had any knowledge of criminal activity committed by the Trump administration, however, she replied no. During Yovanovitch’s opening statement, she admitted that she had no knowledge about the phone call between Trump and Ukranian President Volo-

dymyr Zelensky and no knowledge about the withholding of military funds from Ukraine. Even Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said he didn’t understand why Yovanovitch was called to testify. On day two, Yovanovitch’s testimony was a desperate appeal to pathos. The former ambassador was given the national platform to share her emotional story about being fired after 33 years at the U.S. State Department. The press, once again, couldn’t resist the opportunity to further divide and distract. NBC News published an Op-Ed by Mimi Rocah and Karen Schwartz drawing comparisons to Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, claiming that “Yovanovitch seems to symbolize any woman who’s ever had a man try to undermine her, demote her or push her out.” The liberal news media served up their testimonies on a silver platter. CNN said they were “damning,” and NBC called them “chilling.” What’s truly chilling, however, is that neither Kent nor Taylor had ever even met or spoken to Trump, yet they are to be considered credible and key witnesses in the process to impeach the president. Schiff has tried numerous tactics in an effort to mislead and distract the American people from the reality of the situation. When asked if he had spoken or heard from the whistleblower on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Schiff lied saying, “We have not spoken directly with the whis-

tleblower.” Before the start of the impeachment hearing Schiff mischaracterized the phone call transcript before the House Intelligence Committee claiming Trump said, “I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand. Lots of it.” Now Schiff is continuing his charade by introducing opinion witnesses that offer nothing more than speculation built on hearsay. Trump released the transcript of his conversation with Zelensky long before the start of this impeachment sham. During his phone call, Trump did not engage in a quid pro quo. The legal definition of a quid pro quo is “an item or a service that has been traded in return for something of value.” The Oxford Dictionary defines a quid pro quo as “a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something.” While President Trump did ask for Zelensky “to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine,” no favor was granted, no service was traded, and no transaction took place. Zelensky himself explained that the phone call was “normal,” adding that if “you read it, that nobody pushed me.” On day four of the impeachment hearing, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland testified that “President Trump never told me directly that the aid was conditioned on the investigation.” Sondland said that he “never heard those words from the president.” In fact,

what Trump told Sondland was quite the opposite; “No Quid Pro Quo. I want nothing. I want nothing. I want President Zelensky to do the right thing. Do what he ran on.” Americans can choose to believe Schiff and his opinion witnesses who are caught up in a game of telephone. Americans can fall for the emotional distractions perpetrated by the media that has no direct relationship to the impeachment hearing. Or, Americans can read the transcript for themselves and listen to those who were actually a part of the conversation. Even if many choose not to believe that Trump’s phone call was “perfect” or “normal” as both leaders claim, then it’s important to examine what has happened since the phone call. First, Ukraine received its military aid from the United States. Second, Ukraine never opened an investigation into Joe Biden and his corrupt business dealings that landed his son, Hunter Biden, on the board of a major oil production company. And third, Trump met with Zelensky in September at the United Nations and there was no announcement of any investigation. It seems rather hard to prove that Trump engaged in a quid pro quo when the “quo” is non-existent. Zelensky got his military aid, and Trump received more malicious attacks by Congressional Democrats and the media. Ryan Young is a freshman studying rhetoric and public address.

No. 1 on Princeton Review’s Best College Satire

Vol. 143 Issue 13 - December 5, 2019

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Chapel construction to continue until rapture By | Nolan “Not the Baseball Player” Ryan Collision Pope As the finishing touches on Hillsdale College’s new Christ Chapel near completion, the school announced Monday that it would be extending the construction schedule indefinitely. Chief Operating Officer Poor Kiwi told The Collision that, while the chapel itself is completed, there will always be projects to add onto the structure. He said a tentative final completion date has

been set for October 2025, but he noted no one should bet on that. Some of the remaining projects include extending the front of the chapel into what’s left of the little Quad, as well as building a new Liberty Walk statue of Aristotle in the plaza. Other projects pertaining to the chapel, though, remain a mystery, according to Pewe. “No one really knew what was left to be finished,” Pewe said. “Since the whole spot has been a torn-up Quad for several years, we figured we might as well keep going with

some more projects here and there. It just felt right.” Hillsdale College President Parry Larnn thought he and other administrators made the right call to extend chapel construction, “perhaps even until the Lord returns.” “When you think about it, is a work of art ever truly finished?” Larnn said. “The chapel is a work of art for the purposes of the college, so why would we ever try to complete it?” Most students and faculty have applauded the decision for never-ending chapel con-

struction. “I’ve become so used to hearing drills and beeps from that side of campus that I was worried I would go insane from the silence,” Professor of History Lark Mevine said. “Besides, now I can tell my students that we should keep building better versions of ourselves, just like we will keep building better versions of the chapel.” Freshman Hannah Hillsdalian loves the idea of continuing construction. When asked about the potential downsides of having a smaller Quad, she

said, “Quad? What’s a Quad?” Hillsdalian said having a perpetually-unfinished chapel will keep up interest in the project nationwide. “Who cares about a finished project? We only need to raise money for unfinished buildings,” she said, adding that she knows this after having taken the core economics class. The administration has meanwhile asked students to condense any activities they plan to host on the Quad. Pewe said about half of that space will need to be put

behind a fence again. Many student groups have been eager to comply. The Ultimate Frisbee Club, however, spoke out against the construction plans. The team captains said their members were looking forward to competing on the Quad after years of construction. But considering the fact that the club has never received full funding from the Student Federation, the college decided to have the ultimate frisbee games held in Joseph Haydn Park.

Power outage interrupts final Capstone lecture

Seniors left in the dark as Arnn prepared to reveal ‘the good’

Graphic by Snathaniel

Student Federation, Tower Lit battle on Quad over funding cious fighting,” Richards said. “I’d also never seen a bronze breastplate with a built-in baby Two Student Federation bump, but that was a strangely members, the Collision’s effective weapon.” Editor-in-Chief, and a number As fighting intensity inof other Hillsdale community creased, male members of the members were rushed to the Federation couldn’t fend off the hospital after Thursday night’s hoards of angry poets. They Federation meeting. called in backup from their The meeting was held to respective residence halls. discuss funding for the college’s “We ended up with the literary magazine, the Tower whole of Galloway, Whitley, Lit. But, what began as Niedfelt, and hotly-contested debate Simpson at each soon escalated into a other’s throats,” full-blown physical fight. Simpson residence “It was honestly advisor Chad Brad land-battle 2.0,” Fedsaid. “Most of these eration president and kids don’t care Simpson resident Nixon about the Tower Richards said. “I had my Lit. Heck, most of boys at the ready to prothem can’t even vide weapons, water, and read. They were emotional support.” definitely there for More than 70 the violence and students and faculty not the principle of members crowded into the thing.” the formal lounge to Galloway resivoice their opinions on dent Macho Miller the issue. It soon spilled said that he didn’t out onto the quad, even know the colhowever, after a particulege has a literary larly brazen remark from magazine. Tower Lit editor, AC “I just saw my Doyle. Doyle said that brothers rushing to her argument was one the quad with their she had for a while and weapons and knew she wanted a chance for I had to help, ” it to be heard. Miller said. “Come “I had this epiphany to think of it, we while thinking about use this small little why they should give us Funding Cuts Forced Tower Lite to Publish on booklet with crappy Printer Paper. Lexi Nest | The Collision funding. It was a really poetry in it to light unique argument, so I had to “At first, I thought it was the Galloway fireplace. Is that say it. I just looked him square just those stupid Simpson and what you’re talking about?” in the eye and said, ‘So you Niedfelt boys causing a scene,” As of press time, the don’t respect the arts?!’ It was Rensejiewski said. “But, when administration had not yet a rush.” I got a little closer, I saw a very determined the exact course of According to Assistant pregnant woman punch a events that night and conseProfessor of English Lit Rature, young man in the face. He just quences are still up in the air. things escalated after the sat down and cried. ” “Honestly, I don’t know if remark but didn’t come to Richards was surprised by anyone will be disciplined,” physical blows until a Tower Lit the ferocity of the student pubDean of Men Sharon Meterson supporter suggested that the lications and their supporters. said. “Nobody cares about StuStudent Fed was merely cutting “In all my dorm raids and dent Fed and nobody reads the funding to practice for their land battles, I’ve never seen Tower Lit. Might be best to just careers as political cronies. such passionate and feroforget it ever happened.”

By | RJ Meijer Big Chaotic Energy

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“A particular young man took offense at that suggestion and said, ‘If I was concerned about my political career, would I do this!?’ He then proceeded to give the Collision’s Editor-in-Chief a swift roundhouse kick to the gut. It fell apart from there,” Rature said. Sophomore Geagan Rensejiewski said she saw the fight as she was leaving the library that night.

By | Lexi Nest PDA Police Officer At the senior class’ last Capstone lecture of the semester, Hillsdale College President Parry Larnn was about to bestow the college’s ultimate secret upon the gathered group: the answer to his question, “What is the Good?” Then, the lights in Drywall Auditorium went out. The seniors gasped and screamed. Larnn instructed the students to calmly work their way toward the exit signs. They began to shuffle out of the pitch-black auditorium and into the lobby. Senior Hannah Dow remembers her first thoughts while standing outside of Drywall, blinded by the light streaming through the windows. “I just remember thinking to myself, ‘but...but… how will we ever know what the Good is?’” she said. The City of Hillsdale electrical services’ weekly power outages are scheduled randomly throughout the week to save money and electricity. This time, however, the college forgot to plan around the

outage and instead scheduled programming as normal. “We’re normally pretty good about checking the power outage schedules,” event planner Gracey Taron said. “We try to plan all college activities around the outages so student and faculty life is only minimally interrupted.” The Capstone is the final course seniors must take — and pass — before graduating from Hillsdale College. It included a short portion within the students’ own majors, and more importantly, a threehour long Sunday lecture series with the college president. Only upon successful completion of the Capstone can students truly call themselves “Hillsdalians.” Larnn said Sunday evenings were the best day for the lectures because no student would ever wait until then to do their weekend homework. Each of the Sunday lectures addressed the tenets of Hillsdale’s educational philosophy: Aristotle’s theory of biology, Machiavelli’s “L’asino d’oro,” and “The Basic Writings of Nietzsche.” These lead up to the final lecture, in which Larnn planned to reveal to

the seniors what “the Good” means. But because of the power outage, students never learned the Good. “I feel like I’m in a cave,” senior Lenny Jessnau said. “It’s like, there must be some light on the outside, and there’s gotta be a way out. But for now, I’m stuck in the darkness.” Jessnau said the power outage was rather frightening and unexpected, but she’s more frustrated that, after being promised for four years that she would learn what “the Good” means, she’s still in the dark. “Yeah, the power outage was bad at the time because it was inconvenient,” Jessnau said. “But Hillsdale promised they would tell me what ‘the Good’ means, and I still don’t know.” Larnn said he might eventually reveal the ultimate secret of the college. “It’s important these kids leave knowing what the Good is,” Larnn said. “And I might tell them, eventually.” For now, seniors have been left in the dark, still uncertain of what the Good means.

The sun sets on Simpson

Civil War breaks out on campus among Homecoming factions

By | Shoes Greek Freak Hillsdale College’s campus was officially declared a warzone the Sunday after Homecoming, due to student riots that broke out immediately following Mock Rock. In the midst of student attempts to welcome home alumni for the friendly competition as in years past, several teams declared official war on each other and began burning sacrifices to the Homecoming gods and dorm saints, in lieu of their loss. Led by Simpson, Off Campus Coalition, and with a retaliation effort by winning team Whit Wat Way, the teams carried the warrior spirit over into the weeks following Homecoming. Former Simpson Head RA Bae Jaley said that his residents were ready to fight for the trophy, even if it meant they had to “kill, kill, kill — blood makes the grass grow.” Freshman Virginia Vault said the girls of Olds have noticed an uptick in strange behavior on North West street since the conclusion of Homecoming. “From our lookout in Olds, where we can see Simpson at all times, we’ve seen boys taking mind-altering drugs and dancing the Haka to prepare themselves for battle,” Vault said. While Simpson relies on numbers and chastity to win, their competitors have gained on them by leveraging alternate gifts. OCC writes 98% of poetry published on campus,

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and what Mauck and Koon lack in masculinity, Neidfeldt makes up for in Tolkien trivia knowledge. “Did you know that the Elvish word ‘hakka’ means buttocks?” freshman Ronald Reuld said. Junior and Simpsonite Lisaac Lirshner said the Simpson boys often chant passages from the Western Heritage reader in the mornings, while painting over the same banner from the last five years.

so that means the Mock Rock dance too,” shirtless Niedfeldt sophomore BigMac said. According to Director of Campus Security Stefan Kleinhenz, rates of campus violence and tribal chanting increased by an astounding 117% during Homecoming week 2018, compared to other weeks of that semester. “I have to increase staff the week of Homecoming and the few weeks after,” Kleinhenz said. “Campus is just so tense and we get a lot of noise complaints because of all the chanting and psuedo-religious activities. Turns out it’s not easy to burn incense to the Homecoming gods without burning other things.” Freshman football player Luke Walker tore a ligament in his left leg during Mock Rock practice this year, but after losing Homecoming week, he rallied for an even bigger fight. “The motto ‘Seal Team Simpson’ comes at a cost,” Walker said. “Semper castae!” Whit Wat Way has said they didn’t intend to go abroad seeking monsters, but thought the retaliation was called for, given the provocation. Kleinhenz said since Whit Wat Way’s victory, security office employees have now seen “one-peat” written in random places across campus, including inside on banners at swing dances and discreetly on the walls in the Old Snack Bar. Campus Security is still employing a task force to determine the suspect behind the vandalism and have yet to find a lead.

“Turns out it’s not easy to burn incense to the Homecoming gods without burning other things.” Simpson wasn’t the only team to take Homecoming to the extreme. Over the last three years, other teams have adopted the warrior mentality, pushing their physical and mental limits. The recently-created Off Campus Coalition, normally the most scholarly of the competitors, has begun encouraging students to renounce their studies and fight for the tribe they have named “We are not a dorm.” There have been rumors of students quitting their summer job to choreograph the Mock Rock dances and moving to campus four weeks early to begin practices. “Hillsdale teaches us to pursue excellence in all things,

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A5 December 5, 2019

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Local businesses experience surge in shoppers during holiday season By | Madeleine Miller Collegian Reporter Across Michigan, the holiday shopping season proves profitable for local retailers, and Hillsdale businesses follow this trend. Womply, a software firm that provides business intelligence and other services to small businesses throughout the country, published a report on Nov. 11, revealing retail shopping trends in Michigan. The study found that five of the top 15 consumer spending days for local retailers fall between Black Friday and Christmas Eve. From Nov. 22 to Dec. 25, 2018, Hillsdale retailers’ average daily revenue was $1,567. Consumer spending during that period accounted for 13.5% of their annual revenue. Retailers completed roughly 12 transactions per day, and customers spent an average of $130.08 per transaction.

Of the 35 rural and urban towns surveyed, Hillsdale had the second-highest average daily revenue during the holidays. It far outperformed the two towns closest geographically: Adrian, in which retailers had an average daily revenue of $817, and Marshall, where retailers reported an average daily revenue of $620. Wombly’s report is consistent with Hillsdale retailers’ experience. Maggie Anne Shoppe, Hillsdale Jewelers, Gelzer’s Hardware, Small Town Sweet Boutique, Maribeth’s, and Hillsdale Craft Supply agree that the period between Black Friday and Christmas is their busiest and most profitable. Local businesses must adjust their operations to respond to the increased demand. Patty Bailey, owner of Maggie Anne Shoppe, said she often doubles or triples the boutique staff during the holidays.

“Everybody knows they’re going to be working more hours and earning more money,” she said. Hillsdale Jewelers manager Jessica Nealy said the holidays are “very hectic.” To prepare for the rush, the jeweler said she brings in extra inventory and maintains a sufficient supply of jewelry boxes. “We try to stay a step ahead,” Nealy said. The holidays are lucrative for Gelzer’s Hardware, but Andrew Gelzer said he doesn’t hire additional help, as the store is busy yearround. “For us, the holiday season is just the change in merchandise going out the door,” he said. During the holidays, Gelzer’s promotes popular gift items such as power tools and accessories, pocket knives, and hard-to-find tools during the holidays. Small Town Sweet Boutique’s confections are in high demand before every

holiday, but manager Alexandra Brock agrees that the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is exceptionally busy. The shop takes on additional labor to increase production of its best-selling products. “We need more manpower to help with the added volume of candy bouquets and stocking stuffers,” Brock said. Many of Hillsdale’s retailers can pinpoint their most profitable days. The Womply study did not find that Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Black Friday, was among the top consumer spending days for local retailers, but Bailey and Hillsdale Craft Supply owner Shelley Mangus named it as one of their most lucrative. “My profit margin is highest on Small Business Saturday because of the quantity sold,” said Mangus. Maggie Anne Shoppe offers gift wrapping on Black Friday, and Bailey said it’s also a big consumer-spending day

for the boutique. For Small Town Sweet Boutique, the three Saturdays before Christmas are busiest, and at Hillsdale Jewelers, the week preceding Christmas is most hectic. Carol Gier, a clerk at Maribeth’s said the Friday before Christmas is generally the busiest day, but that shopping patterns vary. “You just never know. Usually it stays pretty steady,” she said. “Some customers even come in on Christmas Eve.” Maribeth’s typically brings in extra staff during December. Wompy reported that local retailers prove more popular than online retailers for last-minute shopping during the holidays. Hillsdale retailers concurred. Gelzer said customers are straightforward about their last-minute needs, and Nealy said most of Hillsdale Jeweler’s procrastinatory customers are men. Mangus said Hillsdale Craft Supply gets extra

last-minute shoppers during the holidays, but local craft suppliers have an advantage over their online counterparts year-round. “When you’re a creative person, and you need something for a project you’re in the middle of, you don’t have time to order it on Amazon and wait two days for it to arrive,” she said. Bailey also said local retailers offer many advantages. “We give customer service that you just can’t get online,” she said. “We know most of our customers, so we can suggest items they might not have thought of.” She explained that local retailers’ follow-up services are more accessible, as it’s quicker and easier to exchange or return a product locally than it is to do so online. “It’s just amazing how much people shop, and it’s wonderful that they shop locally,” Bailey said.

Hillsdale will celebrate Light Up Parade in downtown this Saturday By | Sofia Krusmark Assistant Editor Unlike last year, there shouldn’t be any rain on this year’s light-up parade. The seventh annual Hillsdale Light Up Parade will happen in downtown Hillsdale on Dec. 7 at 6:15 p.m. The light up parade will feature more than 50 entries, including old-fashioned tractors, a choo-choo train, a walking carrot, and walking corn on the cob. Ken Joswiak, owner of Hillsdale’s Buick GMC, has been involved in the parade throughout the years, and said the parade will feature “a little bit from everywhere.” “It’s a great community event, it draws a lot of people, the kids have a blast out there whether it’s cold or snowing,” Joswiak said. “Seeing all the

different ways people decorate, whether it’s their cars or tractors, or commercial vehicles, every year it’s something a little bit different.” Denise Baker, the administrator of the Hillsdale County Medical Facility, will be the grand marshall of the event. This year, the facility was ranked as the top nursing home in all of Michigan, and the parade organizers hope to honor Baker for the accomplishment. “With that as a ranking, we wanted to ride that wave out,” said Mary Bertakis, parade coordinator. “For us to have that community in our neighborhood and for our loved ones, it’s an amazing accomplishment that they got that, and sometimes it’s thankless. We thought this would be a great way to thank them.”

By | Rachel Kookogey Assistant Editor

to get some good deals on Christmas gifts,” Deb Russell said. Outside at the fairgrounds, there will be the usual small animal and hay and feeder pig auctions during the morning. Inside the building, there will be about 23 free-market vendors during the auction and the large animal sale afterward. Guy and Deb Russell have owned the Hillsdale Auction for the past four years. For the three and a half years before that, they had managed the auction for the previous owner, Ken Frecker. Guy Russell has been in the auction business since he was a little boy. He started out at the Hillsdale Auction, close to 50 years ago, he said. “We run an honest auction, no back or side bidding,” Guy Russell said. “There’s not a lot of hooping and hollering, except if people get excited while bidding. We don’t get too crazy, we just try to sell it and give people an honest dollar.”

Hillsdale Auction to hold first Christmas event this Saturday The Hillsdale Auction will host its first annual Christmas Auction on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. Hillsdale Auction co-owners Guy and Deb Russell said they hope to make the special auction an annual event for the public. “It’s a tough time of year for auctions, but I’ve gotten so many good responses already that we’re hoping it blows the doors off,” Guy Russell said. The auction will take place from 10 a.m. to about 12 p.m. in the new horse barn at the southside of the Hillsdale County Fairgrounds. Attendees can pay with cash, check, or can use most credit cards with a 4% swipe fee. Deb Russell said there are five different consigners committed to providing brand new items from toys to breadmakers, tools, vacuums, comforter sets, and everything in between. “It’s a new way for people

Bertakis encourages everyone to come and celebrate “our little corner of the world.” “I was really inspired by this woman when she said, ‘You can’t save the world but you can keep your corner clean.’ And this parade really shows that we are trying to be a part of this world,” Bertakis said. “It’s just a nostalgic, wonderful thing.” Those submitting an entry must arrive to the MidTown parking lot between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. The parade will move down Howell Street from McCollum Street. to Berry Street. “I would hope that as many people can come out and be a light in our community, that’s what the parade is about,” Bertakis said.

The light up choo-choo train from a previous parade. Courtesy | Mary Bertakis

‘Vanished Hillsdale’ creates nostalgic products to fundraise for historical organizations By | Gladys Oster Collegian Reporter The Vanished Hillsdale Facebook group has come out with a line of products to sell, including t-shirts, mugs, ornaments, clocks, and wall prints. All proceeds will be donated to the Friends of the Mitchell and Hillsdale County Historical Society. The Vanished Hillsdale page shares historical photos and stories with its followers. The group was founded by Greg McLogan, a Hillsdale native who graduated from Hillsdale College in 1988. McLogan created the group in appreciation of all of the historical landmarks and stories of Hillsdale. The group has grown from a few high school and college friends to over 10,000 members since 2011. “I’ve actually learned more about Hillsdale in the past eight years than the 22 I spent

growing up there,” McLogan said. Brian Watkins, a Hillsdale native, would often use his skills in graphic design to produce logos of old businesses to post on the page. Many members of the group expressed interest in buying products with the logos, but Watkins was hesitant to make money off of businesses that no longer exist. After talking with McLogan and members of the Mitchell Research Center, Watkins realized the products could be a good fundraiser. Watkins and McLogan saw the needs of the Mitchell Research Center and the Hillsdale Historical Society. The funding of both organizations has decreased over the past few years, according to McLogan. “The ideal goal for this project is to raise as much money as possible for two incredible organizations,” Watkins said. “Both work to preserve and share the history

of Hillsdale, and ultimately that is the mission of Vanished Hillsdale.” The Hillsdale Historical Society was created “to preserve, advance, and disseminate knowledge of the history of Hillsdale County” according to Kathy Fowler, a board member. “Hopefully the fundraiser will help us financially, as our organization operates solely on donations so we need all the help we can get to keep the organization going,” Fowler said. “We are very thankful for Vanished Hillsdale’s desire to help us out.” The Mitchell Research Center provides free information on Hillsdale research materials that cover genealogy, military, newspapers, businesses, and much more. With the help of volunteers and donors, the Mitchell Research Center seeks to preserve the county’s heritage. “The fundraising will give us the ability to enhance and

is pursuing her doctorate in musical arts at Michigan State University. “Charpentier’s piece is actually a mass that was originally meant to be performed in a space like Christ Chapel,” Chapin said. “This concert will be a wonderful opportunity to see both Hillsdale as a college providing this

new performance space to the community and also see all the gifts the Hillsdale Arts Chorale has to offer.” Bailey said the chorale welcomes members from the Hillsdale community and surrounding counties. “The quality of this group in the town of the size of Hillsdale is just wild,” Chapin

expand our patrons experience and meet our future needs,” said Linda Sutton, the president of the Mitchell Research Center. Besides collecting historical records, the society puts on various events throughout the year. This Christmas season they will have an open house on Dec. 14. One of the most recent products designed by Watkins was t-shirts and mugs of The Palace Cafe. Watkins made these logos of old businesses by looking at old newspaper advertisements and trying his best to match the design of the business. This often proved difficult, however, because businesses from the ’50s to the ’80s did not have continuity in their branding. The online shop is planning to close on Dec. 10 with the potential to reopen on a different platform sometime in the future, according to McLogan.

Hillsdale Arts Chorale will perform in Hillsdale College’s Christ Chapel Dec. 14 By | Gladys Oster Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale Arts Chorale, accompanied by musicians from Michigan State University, will perform in Hillsdale College’s Christ Chapel at 7 p.m. on Dec. 14. Their concert, entitled “Celebrate the Light,” will

feature Charpentier’s “Messe de Minuit” and a variety of carols. The concert costs $10 per person and those under the age of 18 are given free admittance with an adult present. Greg Bailey ’89, the executive director of the chorale and a singer in the bass section, said the chapel will

provide a unique experience for the concert. “The sound of that enormous space and the way it will bounce off the walls will be like the way it was years ago in large cathedrals,” Bailey said. “It’s going to be a wonderful experience for us.” The concert will be conducted by Clelyn Chapin who

said. “The amount of musicianship and experience is very special here.” Founded in 1973, the Hillsdale Arts Chorale is in its 47th season and performs four concerts every year, typically, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

SPORTS

A6 December 5, 2019

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

Swimming

Women's Basketball

Chargers stumble Chargers take second place toward beginning at Chicago of G-MAC schedule By | Rachel Kookogey assistant editor

By | S. Nathaniel Grime sports editor

The Hillsdale College Chargers wrapped up their non-conference portion of their season with three tough road losses between Nov. 22 and 26. The Chargers enter G-MAC play 2-5 against non-conference opponents. The Chargers were picked to finish fifth in the conference according to a preseason coaches poll. Against what could be their toughest opponent of the entire season, the Chargers fell to No. 3 Grand Valley State University on Friday, Nov. 22, 74-25. After getting out to an early 9-2 lead and trailing only 18-13 after the first 10 minutes, the Chargers were outscored 56-12 in the final three quarters. Hillsdale shot just 17% (9 for 53) from the field in the loss, and 13% (3 for 23) from beyond the three-point arc. Grand Valley outrebounded the Chargers, 49-27, and caused 20 Hillsdale turnovers. The Chargers nearly bounced back on Sunday, Nov. 24 against Davenport University, but two last-second free throws gave the Panthers the edge, and they squeaked out a 77-75 win. The Chargers were trailing by as many as six in the fourth quarter before tying

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22

| allendale charter township, mi

Hillsdale (2-3) 3 G rand V alley S tate (4-0) SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24

25 74

| grand rapids, mi

final

Hillsdale (2-4) Davenport (3-3) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26

final

75 77

| evansville, in

final

Hillsdale (2-5) Southern Indiana (2-0)

41 63

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5

| philippi, wv

5:30 P.M.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7

| vienna, wv

1:00 P.M.

Hillsdale (2-5) at Alderson Broaddus (1-4) Hillsdale (2-5) at Ohio Valley (0-0) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14

| hillsdale, mi Findlay (3-4) vs. Hillsdale (2-5)

1:00 P.M.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16

| hillsdale, mi Mercyhurst (2-5) vs. Hillsdale (2-5)

1:00 P.M.

| ashland, oh Hillsdale (2-5) at 6 Ashland (5-0)

5:30 P.M.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20

the game at 75 with four seconds left in the game. Freshman forward Sydney Mills, who came off the bench for 25 minutes, made the game-tying layup, and recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12

rebounds total, both career-highs. Seven of her rebounds came off the offensive glass. Sophomore guard Lauren Daffenberg scored 18 points in the loss, and junior guard Jaycie Burger added 16. They

also combined for six of the team’s eight three-pointers. Senior guard Sydney Anderson scored 10 points, and senior center Julia Wacker scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds. The Chargers continued their long road trip on Tuesday, Nov. 26, when they traveled to Southern Indiana University. Hillsdale again struggled offensively, and fell 63-41. The Chargers shot just 24% (12 for 51) from field goal range, and turned the ball over 22 times. Mills was again a bright spot in a sluggish offensive attack, scoring 11 points while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from field goal range and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Hillsdale now turns to its conference portion of the schedule. First, the Chargers travel to West Virginia to play Alderson Broaddus University tonight at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Chargers play Ohio Valley University at 1 p.m. The Chargers return home for the first time in a month on Dec. 14 when they host the University of Findlay. After hosting the Oilers, the Chargers will play two more non-conference games before Christmas, and will then have a gap in their schedule until the new year.

The Hillsdale College Chargers took second place at the University of Chicago invitational Nov. 22-24 and currently hold multiple top10 placements in the conference standings for each event. Several chargers made season or lifetime best times as they finished second out of 10 teams with a score of 694. The hosts, the University of Chicago, won the meet with 1667 points and Lewis University took third with 683.5 points. “It went as I expected. They got the opportunity to showcase what they’ve been working for and had some really great times,” head coach Kurt Kirner said. “But we can still be faster.” Several distance swimmers got lifetime bests in the 1650 freestyle Friday evening. Freshman Sarah Clark took seventh place and made a lifetime best by 13 seconds with a time of 18:15.23. “It was very encouraging to see that all the work that we’ve done so far is paying off,” Clark said. “And we’ll only get faster and stronger.” The Chargers all scored in the top 20 in the 500 freestyle on Saturday, and freshman Leah Tunney made her first NCAA B-cut with a third-place finish of 5:03.42, which means she’s nearing the qualifying times for the national meet. On Sunday, four Chargers finished the 400 IM in

the top 10: Junior Katherine Heeres finished fourth, senior Danielle Snell finished fifth, senior Allie Matti finished eighth, and senior Catherine Voisin finished 10th. Matti and Voisin both earned lifetime-best times in the finals. “These midseason meets are a really good test for conference finals,” Snell said. “This is the first meet that we are somewhat rested for and that we wear our championship suits. It’s a very different environment than the dual meets.” Kirner called the Chicago invitational “an important dress rehearsal” for the conference finals next semester, as the times from this meet will determine heat placement for the championship. The standings, however, will not be announced until after some of the conference teams compete in their invitational this coming weekend. Kirner said the invitational is also a good way to decide how the relay teams will train together in the next two months before the championship season. Several Chargers will travel to Calvin College for the Calvin Winter Invite, seeking to earn new best times to qualify for the national meet. They will compete on Friday through Sunday. For those who aren’t racing this weekend, they’ll rest up and practice for their next meet, which is a dual race on Jan. 11 at Depauw University.

Swimmers prepare to dive into the pool during a home meet on Oct. 5. rachel kookogey | collegian

Track and Field

Chargers set to begin indoor season By | Kate Pipher Collegian Freelancer The Hillsdale College Track and Field teams will kick off their 2019-2020 indoor track season with the Holiday Opener at Grand Valley State University this Friday, Dec. 6. Andrew Towne will be returning this season for his fifth year as head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams. He said they are prepared and motivated for the first meet of the season. “The first meet is really a chance for all the kids to have their first opportunity to show us what they can do,” he said “They’ve been

training all summer and fall for this.” The Chargers have experienced incredible success over the past few seasons, and look to build upon that success and have the young members of the team play a larger role. “Last year was a good year in a lot of ways, especially in terms of re-establishing a culture,” Towne said. “I think the freshman class can really add to that.” The women’s team will return senior sprinter Abbie Porter who competed at the NCAA Division II Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships last season, as well as junior Kajsa

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6

| allendale, mi

Holiday Opener at Grand Valley State Johansson who holds the school record in both the 100m and 200m dash, and joined Porter at the Outdoor Nationals last year. In the field, sophomore Nakita Maines returns this season as the school record holder in the shot put. She’s accompanied by sophomore thrower Micheala Burkhauser, senior pole vaulter Kathryn Bassette, and many other running, throwing, and jumping powerhouses. “I am really excited about this year as we have a lot of talent on the team returning

2:45 P.M.

from last year as well as a great freshman class,” Porter said. On the women’s side, the Chargers gained a talented class of 10 freshmen. For the men, they added nine freshmen to the program. The men will return big point scorers like senior sprinter/hurdler Ian Brown, sophomore pole vaulter Ben Raffin, and multi-event athlete, John Baldwin. “The attitude and mental strength of the team is much improved from previous years,” Brown said. “We are

looking forward to a very promising season after after a strong off-season of conditioning.” Towne said he hopes to carry the momentum from the recent cross country season over to the indoor track. “Coming off of cross country, our women’s distance crew is really strong. Our women’s sprint and hurdles crew is also very strong, but young,” Towne said. “And for the men, I would say there’s not one group that particularly sticks out from another. They are all balanced and pretty similar.” Towne said the team will vote on team captains for both the men’s and women’s

teams following Friday’s meet. “I am looking forward to our first meet as it is the first time we can show how hard our team has been working this fall,” Porter said, it can be tough to stay focused in September when the meet is months away, but this has been the motivated team I have been on at Hillsdale.” This weekend the team will focus mainly on sprints and field events as the distance runners recover from their recent cross country season. The meet begins with field events at 2:45 p.m.

Sports

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Scoreboard WOMEN'S BASKETBALL november 22 Hillsdale 3 Grand Valley State

Grace Touchette Lauren Daffenberg Jaycie Burger Julia Wacker Sydney Anderson Courtney Krol Sydney Mills Anna LoMonaco Maverick Delp Sophia Pierce Amaka Chikwe Macy Berglund Arianna Sysum

november 24 Hillsdale Davenport

Lauren Daffenberg Jaycie Burger Sydney Mills Sydney Anderson Julia Wacker Amaka Chikwe Courtney Krol Macy Berglund Grace Touchette Anna LoMonaco Maverick Delp Sophia Pierce

november 26 Hillsdale Southern Indiana

Sydney Mills Lauren Daffenberg Sydney Anderson Courtney Krol Julia Wacker Macy Berglund Jaycie Burger Anna LoMonaco Maverick Delp Sophia Pierce Amaka Chikwe Arianna Sysum

1 2 3 4 FINAL

13 2 6 4 25 18 17 19 20 74

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

2/6 1/3 1/2 6 5 2 1/9 1/5 1/2 4 1 0 1/4 1/2 0/0 3 2 1 1/5 0/3 0/0 2 7 0 1/6 0/2 0/0 2 4 0 1/15 0/8 0/0 2 1 0 1/2 0/0 0/1 2 5 0 1/3 0/0 0/0 2 0 1 0/1 0/0 1/2 1 1 0 0/0 0/0 1/2 1 0 0 0/2 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 1 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

1 2 3 4 FINAL

17 15 25 18 75 20 18 21 18 77

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

7/16 4/11 0/0 18 3 2 5/6 2/2 4/4 16 4 4 5/9 1/4 1/1 12 12 3 2/7 0/0 6/6 10 4 2 4/8 0/0 0/0 8 8 0 2/2 0/0 0/2 4 1 0 1/10 1/7 0/0 3 1 0 1/2 0/0 0/0 2 3 2 0/2 0/1 2/2 2 0 2 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 2 0 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 1 1 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

1 2 3 4 FINAL

13 5 12 11 41 12 17 10 24 63

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

2/2 1/1 6/6 11 3 0 3/9 2/6 0/0 8 4 0 2/8 2/5 1/2 7 1 0 2/17 1/10 0/0 5 6 2 2/2 1/1 0/0 5 11 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 4 2 1 0/10 0/6 1/2 1 6 2 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 3 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

December 5, 2019 A7

Volleyball

Three-time conference champs head to Illinois for regional tournament By | Liam Bredberg assistant editor The Hillsdale College Chargers won the G-MAC Championship for the third year in a row after a win versus Tiffin in the final conference game of the season. The Chargers finished the season with a record of 27-3 and haven’t lost a game in the conference since 2017. Hillsdale earned an automatic berth in the NCAA DII Midwest Regional with the win. The Chargers moved up a spot in the national ranking now holding the number 10 position and breaking the top 10 for the first time this season. Chris Gravel was awarded Coach of the Year honors at the G-MAC conference awards presentation for his outstanding leadership of a Chargers team that proved to be a contender for national competition. Junior Allyssa Van Wienen was named G-MAC Player of the Year after an extremely impressive season in which she helped lead her team to its third straight conference championship. Van Wienen, Lindsey Mertz,

Taylor Wiese, Karoline Shelton, and Hannah Gates were all named first-team all-conference for their performances this season. Maggie DePorre received second-team all-conference honors for her contributions to the team this season. Van Wienen was awarded G-MAC Player of the Week honors for the seventh time on the season while senior Taylor Wiese was awarded G-MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the fourth time this season. Van Wienen’s seven OPOW awards is the most in school history for any Charger volleyball player. The Chargers beat the eighth-seed Malone University in the first round of the Championship with set scores of 28-26, 25-19, 2325, and 25-21, respectively. The Chargers led Malone in almost all statistical categories with a .190 hitting percentage, 11 blocks, and 10 service aces. They tied Malone in digs with 90. In the Conference semifinals, the Chargers faced Kentucky Wesleyan, the fourth seed in the conference. Hillsdale swept Wes-

leyan, winning the match in three sets. The Chargers won with set scores of 25-14, 25-21, and 25-9 respectively. The Chargers led in all statistical categories with a .243 hitting percentage, nine blocks, 60 digs, and six aces. The Chargers entered the final round of the G-MAC Conference Championship with a hefty number of wins under their belt and the goal of winning the championship for the third season in a row. The Chargers fell in a tough first set to Tiffin losing 26-28, but bounced back to win the next three sets with scores of 25-19, 25-13, and 25-20, respectively. The Chargers led Tiffin in hitting percentage with .243, blocks with 12, and digs with 92. In the match versus Kentucky Wesleyan, the Charger defence stepped up and delivered a solid performance. Taylor Wiese finished the game with 19 digs, setting the all-time school record for digs with 2,141 in her career. She beat the previous record of 2,134 held by Megan Howard. Karoline Shelton also put together an impressive match with 11 kills, 12 digs,

and two block assists. Lindsay Mertz finished the match with 36 assists, two aces, and five digs. In the match versus Tiffin, Junior setter Lindsey Mertz had 53 assists, 11 digs and two kills. Audrey Riley had 16 digs in the match while Madie Schider had 11. On the offense, Allyssa Van Wienen finished with 19 kills and a .471 hitting percentage, and three total blocks. Shelton finished the game 18 kills and 13 digs and a .314 hitting percentage, while senior Dani Jones had 10 kills. The Chargers, having been ranked 10th in the country for a number of weeks and winning the G-MAC Championship, were seeded second for the Midwest Regional Tournament. The Tournament will begin on Dec. 5 and will take place at Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. The Chargers will face the 23-9 University of Indianapolis in the first round. Earlier in the season, the Chargers beat the University of Indianapolis in three sets.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

november 23 1 2 FINAL Davenport 23 39 62 Hillsdale 41 42 83

Dylan Lowry Pat Cartier Davis Larson Tavon Brown Austen Yarian Connor Hill Cole Nau Trenton Richardson Mike Travlos Jack Gohlke Kyle Goessler Peter Kalthoff Jacob Ngobi Noah Kalthoff Matthew Fisher

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

7/9 2/3 5/7 21 9 3 9/13 0/0 1/2 19 4 1 7/12 2/3 0/0 16 7 4 6/6 0/0 1/2 13 7 1 4/9 0/1 0/0 8 3 2 1/3 0/0 0/0 2 3 1 1/2 0/0 0/0 2 0 2 1/2 0/1 0/0 2 0 1 0/4 0/2 0/0 0 3 1 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/1 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

november 27 1 2 FINAL Wayne State 32 33 65 Hillsdale 27 33 60

Davis Larson Pat Cartier Dylan Lowry Connor Hill Austen Yarian Tavon Brown Cole Nau Trenton Richardson Mike Travlos Peter Kalthoff Jack Gohlke

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

9/19 2/6 0/0 20 4 0 5/8 0/1 4/6 14 6 0 5/12 2/4 1/1 13 6 3 3/6 1/3 0/0 7 2 2 1/9 0/3 1/2 3 5 2 1/3 0/1 1/2 3 2 0 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 1 0 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 4 1 0/2 0/2 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

Men's Basketball

Chargers to start conference play on the road after pair of home games By | Calli Townsend assistant editor Before heading into Thanksgiving break, the Hillsdale College Chargers played a pair of home games: Davenport University on Saturday, and Wayne State University on Wednesday. On Nov. 23, Hillsdale beat the Davenport Panthers, the defending GLIAC Champions, 83-62. Head coach John Tharp credits the team’s energy on the offensive end with the win. With a 23-5 scoring run to end the first half, the stats support his claim. “We played well on Saturday. I think we played with tremendous energy. We had a ton of assists and really guarded well,” Tharp said. “I liked our pace up the floor offensively. We just had a lot of different guys contribute.” The teams were tied at 18 with just over nine minutes remaining in the half. A layup by junior guard Connor Hill sparked the Chargers’ momentum, leading into their scoring run to end

the half, 41-23. This was the second-highest scoring game the Chargers have had all season, as they shot 59% from the floor and had 16 assists. Hillsdale’s bench added in 17 points as well, proving the team’s well-rounded effort. Senior guard Dylan Lowry led the team in both scoring and rebounds, with 21 points and nine rebounds. Freshman forward Pat Cartier is adjusting to the college game, as he scored 19 points and snagged four rebounds. “Our defense has been firing on all cylinders. We’ve been playing tremendous team defense,” Lowry said. “Our offense was also clicking, so it was a combination of tremendous defense and scoring at a high percentage. Seven games in, I’m happy with where we’re at and we’ll just keep growing the chemistry on a daily basis.” The Chargers returned to the gym on Wednesday evening to take on the Wayne State University Warriors, but saw a much different result, losing 65-60.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23

| hillsdale, mi

final

Davenport (5-2) Hillsdale (3-3) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27

62 83

| hillsdale, mi

final

65 60

Wayne State (3-1) Hillsdale (3-4) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5

| philippi, wv

7:30 P.M.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7

| vienna, wv

3:00 P.M.

Hillsdale (3-4) at Alderson Broaddus (1-4) Hillsdale (3-4) at Ohio Valley (2-5) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14

| hillsdale, mi Findlay (2-4) vs. Hillsdale (3-4)

3:00 P.M.

| romeoville, il Hillsdale (3-4) at Lewis (2-3)

8:00 P.M.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19

| marquette, mi

5:30 P.M.

Hillsdale (3-4) at Northern Michigan (3-3) “There were three things that happened to us,” Tharp said. “We gave up a ton of second-chance points. We

missed a bunch of things around the rim. And we didn’t shoot particularly well from the free throw line.”

The team decreased to a shooting percentage of 39, while going 7-11 from the freethrow line. The Chargers’ defense, however, managed to force 11 Wayne State turnovers and convert them for 18 points. “The 59% on Saturday was great, absolutely tremendous. But we haven’t shot it from consistently from the three-point line as well as I think we’re capable of, and we haven’t gotten as many three-point shots as we probably need to. We’ve been scoring more in the paint this year than we ever have.” In the two games combined, Hillsdale scored 94 of its 143 points in the paint while shooting 30.1% from beyond the arc. Junior forward Davis Larson led the team in scoring with 20 points, while Cartier and Lowry both added in six rebounds. The Chargers begin conference play this week with a road trip to West Virginia. They’ll take on Alderson Broadus on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Ohio Valley at 3

p.m. The Chargers haven’t won at Alderson Broadus in the last two years, which Lowry says is a hard place to play at. “On long road trips it’s just about being road warriors and winning away games. It’s always a tremendous challenge, this road trip especially. We’re going to foreign lands out in West Virginia,” Lowry said. “It’s just going to take great efforts from everybody. It’s gonna start with our defense and rebounding the ball because that sets the tone for the whole game.” Tharp said the team’s non-conference schedule gives the Chargers confidence to start conference play strong. “You’re always worried with it being the last week of the semester and being on the road, but we’ve got to get them upright, we’ve got to get them focused, and we’ve got to get them hungry, and ready to compete,” Tharp said. “We’ve played three top-25 teams and a few other very good teams.”

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

December 5, 2019

Student band Penny and the Mandimes won Phi Mu Alpha’s Battle of the Bands. Carmel Kookogey | Collegian

Penny and the Mandimes wins the night Students played The Beatles, VeggieTales at Phi Mu Alpha’s Battle of the Bands

By | Ashley Kaitz Collegian Freelancer Penny and the Mandimes emerged victorious from music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha’s annual fundraiser “Battle of the Bands” last week. The event, which took place at 55 Below on Nov. 23, also featured student bands Cat Stevens Conversion, Johnny Cole Murdock, The 72, Rodger Scotch and the Highballs, and Great White North. Claire Calvert, frontwoman of Penny and the Mandimes, and her bandmates seniors Patrick Votel, Adam Buchmann, Zane Mabry and juniors Dominic Bulger and Jacob Gieselman have been playing together for two years. “As the years have gone on, I’ve become really good friends with the guys,” Calvert said. “I’m so comfortable being onstage with them now, and we know that we have each others’ backs.” Calvert said that being comfortable onstage allowed her to focus on entertaining the audience. “People want to be entertained and they want to be involved in the performance,” Calvert said. “Because I’m not playing an instrument, the people in the audience are my focus. I want them to have the

same joyful and fun experience that I’m having onstage.” According to Calvert, classic rock is her band’s favorite genre. “The boys love it because it has a lot of prominent guitar and the instrumentals are great,” she said. “But we try to integrate pop into our dynam-

Beatles. “The beginning of that solo is like three notes, but if everyone’s hyped, it’s like those are the coolest three notes,’” he said. “Rock is all theatre. It’s stage presence and energy.” Like Penny and the Mandimes, Freimuth said Rodger Scotch and the Highballs

“The people in the audience are my focus,” Calvert said I want them to have the same joyful and fun experience that I’m having onstage.” ic as well because it’s really fun, and sometimes we’ll throw in a weird song, too.” This performance’s weird song was the punk version of “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” from VeggieTales, which inspired Votel to don a pirate hat during the performance. Rodger Scotch and the Highballs also stood out at Battle of the Bands, thanks in part to senior Brian Freimuth’s guitar solos. According to Freimuth, his favorite song to play was “Come Together” by The

gravitates towards certain genres of music. “We like to play late ’60s and early ’70s rock, and modern music that kind of sounds like it,” Freimuth said. “We do boomer rock like Led Zeppelin, because the boomers had better music than we do. I think it’s because they had better parties.” Freimuth said that he appreciates Hillsdale’s music scene because there is little division between different kinds of musicians. “The best part about the off-campus music scene is

that there aren’t any barriers between classically trained musicians, rock people, jazz people, people who like to play acoustic — everyone likes to come together and share their skills,” he said. However, he added that he’d like to see more people getting involved. “The one area of improvement that we need is more house shows, more concerts, more people forming bands,” he said. “There are a lot of people who are fantastic musicians who are like ‘Oh, I don’t have time, I need to study for my test.’” Ethan Greb ’19 said Battle of the Bands is one of his favorite events of the year. “You see so much raw talent from the students,” he said. “As a graduate, it’s always great to see new bands form and play music. The last two years, I was a drummer for the band The Village Idiots, and I miss the adrenaline rush of playing in front of a crowd. The energy at this event is always so high.” According to Greb, the music scene at Hillsdale is alive and well. For the sake of floors everywhere, Battle of the Bands should probably stick to underground venues in the future.

Orchestra, choirs perform ‘Battle of the Bells’ By | Ashley Kaitz Collegian Freelancer On Nov. 24, Hillsdale College’s Symphony Orchestra, College Choir, and Chamber Choir performed together for the first time to a packed audience at Christ Chapel. According to Music Director James Holleman, this performance was the first time that all 192 musicians could fit together on one stage. “Music is alive and well in the liberal arts at Hillsdale College,” he said. The program featured Francis Poulenc’s “Gloria”, performed in six parts by the College Choir and Symphony Orchestra. Sopranos Rebecca Henreckson and Christa Green, seniors, and Julia Salloum, junior, were highlighted throughout the piece. The Chamber Choir continued the theme with

pieces such as “Psalm 42” and “Ave Maria.” The College Choir returned with more contemporary pieces: “Christ the Appletree” and “What Wondrous Love.” The program concluded with Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Christmas Carols,” performed by the College Choir and Symphony Orchestra. Tenors Josiah Leinbach, senior, and Gabriel Kramer and Jonathan Meckel, juniors, performed solos during the piece as well. Soprano Jolene Estruth, junior, said that performing in the Chapel was both exciting and challenging. “This concert was the choir’s first time singing with the full orchestra, and the acoustics are much grander in Christ Chapel — the sound is much larger and fuller,” she said. “Adjusting to the difference in the reverber-

ation to get our timing clean took some work. We’ve been practicing these pieces for over a month.” Estruth said that her favorite song to perform was Robert Scholz’s “What Wondrous Love is This?” “I think it was the most beautiful piece that we performed,” she said. “It’s truly reflective of the Savior’s heart.” The students rounded off the performance with an encore consisting of a “Battle of the Bells” between the choir and orchestra. The orchestra performed a rendition of “Carol of the Bells,” and the choir followed suit with its own version of the classic Christmas piece. Sophomore Victoria Nuñez, a violinist in the Symphony Orchestra, said she thought the orchestra was victorious, but barely.

“I think the orchestra won the ‘Battle of the Bells’ by sheer noise and enthusiasm, but the choir’s rendition was definitely more iconic,” she said. Nuñez said the musicians brought festive energy to their performance. “It was fun to play sacred Christmas music in the chapel with a whole body of voices, and I came away feeling ready for Christmas break,” she said. “My favorite piece was Poulenc’s ‘Gloria.’ It’s a little bit modern and a little bit traditional, which made it rewarding to explore musically.” Christmas music and Christ Chapel is a winning combination. This concert may have been the first time Hillsdale’s musicians performed together on one stage, but it certainly won’t be the last.

Tower Dancers replace mini Nutcracker with showcase By | Hannah Cote Collegian Freelancer Rather than performing their annual mini Nutcracker, the Tower Dancers have put together a showcase concert this December featuring themes of fantasy, nostalgia, and human connection, and a decorative holiday dance. On Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. the Towers Dancers will perform their first annual showcase concert with special guests from Jodie Randolph Dance and guest artist Sean Hoskins, highlighting student choreographers, student performers, as well as faculty and guest performances. Admission is free and requires no tickets. Holly Hobbs, assistant professor of dance, has directed a new outline for the fall show. “Our program is growing and the students are seeking more opportunities to perform,” Hobbs said. “We want to provide that to the

students, and are also excited about the dancers performing on the same stage as a professional dance company, just to give them more exposure and experience.” Sophomore and dance minor Chloe Kersey said in an email that she is excited about the change in programming. “This change will push the dancers of our company to interact with more pieces and choreographers with a quicker turnaround,” Kersey said. “We are inviting the audience to grow with us and experience more dance than in years past.” The show will feature one ballet piece, one modern piece, two solos choreographed and performed by faculty, three student works, and one Jodie Randolph Dance performance. “There is diversity in programming that we are all excited to bring to campus,” Kersey said. “It’s novelty in a different way.”

By | Liam Bredburg Assistant Editor The theatre department will perform a rendition of the classic Christmas operetta, “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” for their 26th annual Opera Workshop this weekend. Voice professor Melissa Osmand and piano instructor Debra Wyse are directing. “‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ is very historically significant,” junior cast member Gabriel Kramer said. “It was originally written for a TV broadcast and has a cult following which has helped it stand the test of time.” The operetta was originally performed live on NBC in 1951 after the studio commissioned Italian-born Gian Carlo Menotti to write a Christmas-themed operetta for the station. It was the first opera written specifically for television in the United States. “The performance is Christmas themed this year so people can get into the Christmas season,” sophomore cast member Harvey

Peters said. ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ tells the story of a disabled boy and his mother, who are visited by the three Wise Men on their way to and from visiting the baby Jesus. “The whole performance will be very short at only around 45 minutes,” Kramer said. “I feel like this will bring a crowd because people don’t want to sit through a full length opera right before finals.” Each performance will be put on by a different cast of students, allowing for different takes on the classic operetta. As a result, the cast is larger than it has been in previous years. “We’ve put in a lot of work and it will be an opportunity for students to witness a 20th century operetta,” Peters said. “That opportunity doesn’t show up much in rural Michigan.” The performance will be held on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in McNamara Recital Hall.

Multiple casts for Op Shop’s ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’

‘The Crown’ season three: ‘We all have a role to play’ By | Nolan Ryan Editor-In-Chief A staple of modernity in the United States is an unwillingness to take on responsibilities and recognize our roles in the broader picture. As it turns out, Netflix’s new season of “The Crown,” like the previous ones, gives us a model to follow. In the third season of the hit drama, Claire Foy passes on the role of Queen Elizabeth II to Olivia Coleman. Initially, I was worried about the shift — not because Coleman lacks anything as an actress but because Foy’s portrayal of the queen set a tone of strength despite her becoming the head of state at 25 years old. The way Foy portrayed the queen’s sense of duty to country and church amidst dangerous

situations made the first two seasons great. Coleman, playing an older, more steadfast Queen Elizabeth, carries this same sense of duty with aplomb. It’s something we can learn from in our modern world. While the queen refers to herself as an “old bat,” this transition into middle-age means she is no longer unsure of herself. She knows when and where to break the rulebook if she’s going to keep the nation and the monarchy thriving. The theme of duty continues to run strong through “The Crown” in season three. Elizabeth does her duty, even when it conflicts with her emotions and her love for family. The second episode, “Margaretology,” illustrates this by contrast. While Elizabeth becomes

a bedrock for the nation, a necessary compass for her people, Margaret (played by the fantastic Helena Bonham Carter) flaunts about, wining and dining American elites. In a flashback, Sir Alan “Tommy” Lascelles (Pip Torrens), private secretary to the monarch, tells a young Elizabeth that the crown is more than “an ornament to be worn.” “It is a privilege and a burden which comes with formidable expectations and responsibilities,” he tells Elizabeth, who does not want the throne when she grows up. Meanwhile, Lascelles instructs young Margaret — who desperately wants the crown one day — to “accept your position in life,” adding that “we all have a role to play.” As “The Crown” takes

a Miltonic turn, it shows that when it comes to our duties to things higher than ourselves, we all must know where we fit in the larger picture. With Elizabeth, the audience has an antidote to the hyper-individuality of the West. As a leader, she cannot afford to let her individuality creep in too much into her role as sovereign over church and state. What “The Crown” presents is really a human issue. The show has always upheld the British monarchy as an ideal, a moral model for Britons to follow as good and virtuous citizens. Because of the human tendency toward vice, we all need people higher than ourselves — culturally, politically, spiritually — to demonstrate for us how we should live. But sometimes

those above us struggle, too. “The Crown” handles this tension remarkably. One of the highlights of the third season is the queen’s oddly calm yet stiff meetings with Prime Minister Harold Wilson (Jason Watkins). In episode three, “Aberfan,” the queen wrestles with her inability to show emotion after an industrial accident tragically kills more than 100 children. Wilson points out that the average working man sees him as an ideal socialist, though he is “a privileged Oxford don, not a worker.” Even if leaders are not actually ideals themselves, they must work to seem so, in order to inspire their people. In the same way, Wilson says the people don’t want the royal family to be normal. They want them to be ideal (to

which Elizabeth retorts that “only God is ideal”). “We can’t be everything to everyone and still be true to ourselves. We do what we have to do as leaders. That’s our job,” Wilson says. Here lies the central struggle which “The Crown” examines. We can’t entirely sacrifice our individuality for the sake of doing our duty. As much as leaders need to strive to represent ideals, they will fall short. But when it comes to serving our country at large or just our local community, we should be willing to set aside our own wants and desires for the sake of others. It’s this reality which ensures that “The Crown” remains not only entertaining but edifying.

Features

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December 5, 2019 A9

Unsung Heroes of Hillsdale: Walmart’s Jeff Quainton

Jeff Quainton dressed for the spirit of Christmas, ready to welcome customers to Walmart. Reagan Gensiejewski | Collegian

By | Reagan Gensiejewski Collegian Reporter A giant grin lights Jeff Quainton’s face as he throws his hands into the air. His voice booms as a customer walks in the door. “Welcome to Walmart!” Quainton exclaims and the smile of the customer instantly matches his. This is just an average day on the job for Quainton. Quainton is Walmart’s customer host, and, according to some customers, his job is the most memorable part of their shopping experience. Over the past three years, Quainton made a name for himself at the door of the Jonesville Walmart. With an everlasting smile on his face, he welcomes customers into the shopping center day and night. His job, which he describes as a “blessing,” goes much further than checking receipts and aiding in customer returns. To Quainton, his position is all about making someone’s day. “The way I see it is to try to make everybody’s day a little bit better than yesterday. If you walk in the door, if I can put a smile on your heart, I

woke up this morning with a reason,” Quainton said as he handed a little girl a yellow smiley face sticker. Her face instantly brightened. “That right there is what my day is all about,” Quainton said. The community shows how much impact Quainton has had on it by caring for him. When he fell last January, he needed surgery for his four broken ribs and punctured lung, and the community rallied behind him to help cover expenses. Quainton’s wife, Marie Quainton, started a GofundMe page which raised $850 from 22 donors. A little while later, Jeff and Marie Quainton received a knock at their door. “A neighbor who lived right down the road that we knew only by sight, came down, knocked on the door, and said to my wife, ‘my parents sold a farm. I got a check from my parents. Can I cash it and give you the money?’” Quainton said with tears in his eyes. “We did not know these people and they came and gave my wife $500 cash.” Stories like this became normal for the couple as peo-

ple continued to offer help, many of whom they didn’t even know. The support of the community speaks for itself when it comes to Quainton’s impact on Walmart shoppers. Comments on his GoFundMe page read: “This man brightens my day every time I see him,” “Your husband is a joy to see every time I walk into Walmart. He makes the shopping experience a bit sweeter,” and “We need to have your smiling face back at Walmart.” Amber Leigh, a customer of the Jonesville Walmart, can attest to these comments and Quainton’s impact on the community. “Jeff brings a smile to your face as soon as you walk in the store. He has an amazing personality,” Leigh said. “I could be down about something and as soon as he saw me down he was trying to put a smile on my face.” In addition to his recent injuries, Quainton also suffers from short term memory loss and other neurological disorders. But if any of this has taken a toll on Quainton, he doesn’t show it. “I joke about stuff, that is

how I handle stress,” he said. “I do not do stress at all, I have zero tolerance for it.” His neurological disorders have left Quainton with the unique ability to spell any word backward. Given the word pharmacy, without hesitation, he spelled it backward, perfectly. Fellow customer host Mary Huff-Phillips spoke positively of her co-worker. “He is funny. He really makes the children happy,” Huff-Phillips said. “A lot of people really enjoy seeing him, he does make a lot of people smile.” Making people’s day is not in Walmart’s job description, but Quainton said he believes it’s his purpose. He loves his job and there is nothing else he would rather do. As another customer walks in, another booming “Welcome to Walmart!” Another smile. Another day made. “If you aren’t having fun you aren’t doing it right. If you don’t love your job, you are doing something wrong.”

QUICK HITS: Bradley Birzer A weekly rapid-fire interview

Collegian takes on Christmas By | Callie Shinkle Columnist Hillsdale students have had various reactions to the Christmas season throughout the years, some taking a more Grinch-like view than I would like to see in this academic institution. In the Dec. 19, 1933 edition of The Collegian, a concerned student wrote, “In this enchanting world of ours — enchanting because it is such a dear higgedly-piggedly mass of contradictions — nothing is so silly as to deride Christmas.” If I’m being honest, I don’t know what that quote means. I don’t think I understand more than three words of that sentence. The student clarified, “To deride Christmas is to commit an unforgivable social sin — the sin of humorless, unimaginative solemnity.” After this definition, the author finally pointed out his real enemy: people who refuse to find Christ is Christmas. He wrote, “They grieve our very souls, these literal-minded, contentious little persons who gravely draw us aside to say: ‘Christmas is not the birthday of Jesus. We have no legal proof that he even existed. Christmas is a trademan’s holiday, devised to unload upon us all the worthless merchandise that they couldn’t get rid of by legitimate means.’” How does this concerned student ameliorate the transgressions of the “contentious, little persons?” Of course only by writing a full article correcting their mistakes. He writes, “There are times when a deliberate absurdity — an intellectual monkeyshine, as it were — becomes the only fitting conduct to civilized and gentle people. These monkeyshines are certainly in place at Christmas — not to speak of the Fourth of July, Labor Day, New Year’s and Thanksgiving.” When’s the last time you’ve heard someone use the word ‘monkeyshine?’ It’s been a minute for me I must admit.

Sherman from A10 Elwell is a particular favorite of Lucy’s because she often brings Lucy her favorite snack: cheese. “I love the grape and cheese package from the grab and go station in Kendall, but I hate spicy cheese. So I asked the class if anyone wanted it, and Dr. Sherman said, ‘Lucy loves cheese!’” Elwell said. “Now every time I get cheese, I give it to Lucy. And when I

The author justifies the ‘monkeyshine’ with this logic: “Christmas merchandising has a certain grace and joy that everyday barter usually lacks.” As far as I know, ‘everyday barter’ lacks a lot more than grace and joy. The author continues, “Christmas trading is for profit, we grant you. It is hard, however, to imagine anything we do that is not for profit. If you are in the habit of reducing things to their lowest common denominator, it is easy enough to see that the loftiest, most disinterested and charitable action is really for profit — profit to your immortal soul.” It is at this point that for the sake of saving the Christmas spirit, I stopped reading the article. In order to lighten my mood, I turned to the Dec. 16, 1920 issue of The Collegian, where the paper published an article entitled “Christmas in Old Russia”. Yes, this was an entire article describing Christmas celebrations in Russia prior to World War I. Without a single source cited or a point made about its connection to Hillsdale, the author of this article began, “Before the war, Russian customs at Yule-tide were many and varied.” The author described these traditions: “One was the singing of their ancient Kolyada songs, composed centuries ago by writers whose names have not come down with their songs.” He continued, “On Christmas Eve the people fasted until the first service in church. Then they always hastened home and got to bed early in order that they might have the pleasant Christmas Eve dream, which was sure to come true.” It’s not that this information is not interesting; I am just confused why it was published in The Collegian. On the list of issues relevant to Hillsdale students, this has

to be close to the bottom. The downward spiral of a Collegian Christmas continued with an article printed on Dec. 25, 1913. And before I continue with the content, I am going to pause to say that I am thoroughly impressed with the dedication of early 1900s Collegian journalists. Not only did they work through the holiday break, they even published on Christmas Day. However, the article entitled ‘The Twentieth Century Christmas’ was not quite as joyous. The article begins, “Since the first Christmas Day, when the spirit of Christmas was born, through the long line of ages there has come down to society of today, that soul of Christmas which is the essence of the joy that floods the world at the holiday season.” What an eloquent way of saying “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” The author took a dark turn as he continued, “But how dim and flickering may this spirit grow when clouded by a veil of superficialities.” I asked for snow this Christmas, not a dark rain cloud. The article reads, “The soul of beauty, and joy and love which for centuries has lent a glow to the season is smothered into shadow by the hurry and bustle of formal procedure.” The author concludes with this warning: “Let us not tarnish the beauty of Christmas by a coating of the rush and bustle of the live-long year.” I hate to point out the obvious, but this author needs to learn to lead by example: if you want to slow down during Christmas, why are you publishing the student newspaper on Dec. 25th? Despite this, I must recommend to follow the author’s warning and advise that all Hillsdale students focus on the Christmas spirit instead of studying for finals in the upcoming week.

don’t, she sits next to me in the hopes I will have some.” Sophomore Hannah Stinnett said Lucy has quickly grown comfortable with the students and the classroom environment. “Lucy’s always very calm, and when class starts, her momma’s gotta do her thing,” Stinnett said. Lots of students who are not in Sherman’s classes also stop by the hallway or even come into the classroom to play with Lucy as well.

“I think she was born to be a therapy dog,” Sherman said. “She’s the most hugged and kissed dog ever because all the students miss the pets they had at home. Sherman said Lucy spreads happiness to students, cheering up those who look particularly worn down this time of year. “Anybody who needs a dog fix knows where to come,” Sherman added. “And Lucy soaks it all in.”

By | Virginia Aabrams Collegian Reporter Where did you attend college? Notre Dame for undergrad. Indiana University for graduate school. How did you propose to your wife? I wrote out 95 reasons why she should marry me and posted them on the cathedral door in Helena, Montana because she was Lutheran. I took her there at about 20 minutes to midnight on February 12th of 1998. She said yes. If you were on a desert island, what three books would you bring? “The Lord of the Rings,” the Bible, and “City of God.” You’re on a desert island and get access to one website. What do you choose? The Imaginative Conservative. Would you rather climb Mount Everest or go to the bottom of the ocean in a submarine? Everest. Do you have any superstitions? I believe in ghosts. What is a widespread historical “fact” that is actually false? That Madison is the father

Church from A10

According to Lindsey, staying in Hillsdale has allowed her to get to know the community on a different level, and she likes the familiarity. “It was actually really great that first year to have the team and to have Hillsdale. We got to come back to the place that we knew well and to the group of people that we knew well,” Lindsey said. “It was almost like a family environment. That was actually very meaningful to me. Getting to know the community of Hillsdale as a town more fully has been a blessing.” Lindsey said seniors can

of the constitution when he really just took notes on the proceedings. Who is your favorite saint? St. Maximillian Kolbe. Is there anyone who is not canonized who you think is actually a saint? J.R.R. Tolkein and maybe Russell Kirk. If you had to kick one state out of the union, which would you pick? At one point it would have been Massachusetts because they’re so incredibly left wing, but now I’d say California because they’re so messed up. Which European country would you pick to replace that state? Liechtenstein. It’s one of the great old medieval principalities. If you lived in Middle Earth, what would your race be? I’d probably end up an orc. That would be my luck in life, but I’d rather be an elf. Would Tolkien approve of Peter Jackson’s LOTR movies? Absolutely not. They’re too violent and have too much action with not enough focus on the philosophical elements of the books. Do you? I’m mixed. I’ve become

more accepting of them as I’ve gotten older, mostly through conversations with my son Nathaniel. What is your favorite story about C.S. Lewis and Tolkien as friends? That they would go to parties dressed up as bears. Who has a greater influence on the western canon, Lewis or Tolkien? In the short run, Lewis, but in the long run, Tolkien. If you could give Twitter to one historical figure, who would you pick? Cicero, because I’d love to know what he thinks about everything going on in the world. If you had to pick a founding father to duel, who would you fight? I’d love to fight Thomas Jefferson, only because I’d really like to meet him first. Even if he won the duel, at least I would have met him. If 50% of the NYPD is cut, what superhero do you pick to make up the difference? Batman could take care of all of it.

take the spirit of the Hillsdale community with them and create it wherever they go, even if they’re not staying in Hillsdale post-graduation. “Obviously not everyone who goes to Hillsdale can come back, necessarily,” Lindsey said. “I think a big thing is just taking what you learned at Hillsdale, not just the knowledge that you learned but how you interact with people and treat people, and creating that sphere wherever you end up.” Junior Sophia Klomparens, a Mock Trial competitor, said the Churches are “like adopted family.” She can go to them with questions about life and count on them to help her

grow. “I can honestly say I am a more mature person because I know the Churches,” Klomparens said in an email. She said she remembers talking to the Churches on long van rides to tournaments, having conversations about her family, goals, and interests. “I remember being really surprised that they didn’t just care about me as a Mock Trial competitor, but they wanted to know who I was as a person. That’s a huge part of why I keep doing Mock Trial year after year — because of the caring environment the Churches foster in the program.”

Bradley Birzer is a professor of history.

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

December 5, 2019 A10

Bob and Kathy Norton raised The Kempton Residence to add a basement under the main house. Courtesy | Bob Norton

Hillsdale couple renovates historic homes By | Sofia Krusmark Assistant Editor From transforming a garage into a living space to installing heated toilet seats, the Nortons are the Chip and Joanna Gaines of Hillsdale. Their current project is a new home on Hillsdale Street called The Kempton Residence. “The owner approached us and asked if we’d have any interest in buying the house,” Bob Norton said. “So after a series of back and forths, we eventually arrived at an agreement to buy the house.” Historic home renovations. That’s what Bob Norton, general counsel of Hillsdale College, and his wife, Kathy Norton, do. After their daughter graduated from Hillsdale in 2015, they knew they wanted to spend the rest of their working lives promoting the mission of the college. For them, that meant providing spaces for students to live. “We always ask, ‘would I want to stay here if I was in college?’” Bob Norton said. “That is the goal. If we are going to do this work, we want people to enjoy it, like living there, get along with each other, and get plugged into the Hillsdale community. And that makes it worthwhile. We aren’t always trying to use the most economical means, we

are trying to make it nice.” But their passion for renovations goes back to their days as high school sweethearts. After his mom upscaled an old, ugly cabinet into a new, beautiful one, Bob Norton said he was inspired to renovate antiques. “She stripped it in the side yard, and all the neighbors kind of made fun of her, but when it got done, it turned out really nice,” Bob Norton said. “I saw this ugly cabinet become a nice looking one, and when the neighbors saw that, they saw it had value and it was better than a lot of newer things.” Kathy Norton shared his love for antiques, so flea markets and antique shops became ideal date spots for the Nortons. Now, after completing two other renovations in Hillsdale, the Nortons are turning The Kempton Residence into a new residence for college students. It’s been elevated in order to put a new basement underneath, which will accommodate five bedrooms and a common space. There will be 11 bedrooms and a kitchen above ground. The home was owned by Bertha Kempton, a female graduate of Hillsdale College in 1898. Female graduates were rare at the time, Kathy said. Since she was a mem-

ber of sorority Pi Beta Phi during her time at the college, Kempton used her home to host teas and parties for all her sorority sisters. She was also a member of the Women’s Commissioners and fundraised money for student scholarships. “Her husband was a real estate agent, but she was really connected in the town and really all her life was about promoting Hillsdale,” Kathy Norton said. “She was much more prominent with the community than he was. Just the fact that she was a college graduate in 1898 was pretty amazing.” Kathy Norton assumed the role of researcher for the house projects, and as a part of the Hillsdale Heritage Foundation, she said she and her husband focus on Hillsdale’s history. They try to bring it to the “forefront of people’s minds.” “It’s so important to realize that this house wasn’t just created in a vacuum, but is one that is a piece of history,” she said. The house structure, the Nortons said, will promote communal living for students and their friends while also creating space where students can live more privately and “self-sufficiently,” if they choose to do so. “If you’re a grad student

and you’re like, ‘I don’t really want to hang out with the college students all that much,’ then you can have your own room, have your own bathroom, and have an area to prepare food.” The house will be finished in the summer of 2020 in time for the next school year. It’s been a joint effort. Bob Norton and Kathy Norton work together on each renovation, and neither could succeed without the help of the other, Kathy Norton said. She compared herself to a plate spinner at the circus. Bob Norton, she said, puts on all the plates. “He’s always setting them and putting more in the line. I’m like, ‘let’s just slow this down, and take this at a slower pace. He’s the energetic one, and full of ideas,” Kathy Norton said. “He’s amazing really. I just stand in awe sometimes, like, who thinks of making a garage a living space? Not me, but it’s like, ‘OK, he’s really going to do this thing. Time to pick out design ideas.’” They did just that. After renovating the Chase Residence in the summer of 2018, the Nortons transformed the house’s two-car garage into a five-bedroom house modeled after a 20th century carriage home. They modeled the exterior as “Mr. Chase would have a carriage home,” or a barn

converted into a house. “But the interior, you just can’t get around that it’s a garage,” Kathy Norton said. “It’s a square thing, with a concrete floor so we went with it. We got boatloads of pallet wood and loaded it all on the wall. We used the pipes in the garage as the shelves.” These were Kathy Norton’s designs and ideas. After living in 14 houses in 36 years, Bob Norton said she’s had a lot of practice with designing and restyling homes. “My wife is in a 12-step HGTV program,” he said, smiling at his wife. The current residents of the home signed the lease six months prior, not knowing what the finished product would look like. “They came and I looked at it, and I got a picture of them standing in the garage,” Bob Norton said. “They put a security deposit on a garage, and they said ‘OK? You promise it’ll be done?’ And it was.” He added a few surprises, too. “What better way to say ‘I love you’ to these guys than a light up staircase and lighted and heated toilet seats?” Bob said, laughing. Carriage House resident, junior Freddy Heegan, recalled his first moment walking into the house. “I was pretty amazed when

I first saw it,” Heegan said. “I’ve lived off campus for the past two years, and the houses I lived in then were nothing compared to this place in terms of this really feeling like a home. He really did an excellent job on the renovation.” Similar to their past renovations, the Nortons hope to preserve the Kempton Residence’s “history, uniqueness, and character.” Most houses back then weren’t the “cookie cutter” residences you see today, Kathy Norton added. “A lot of the moldings are saved. We saved the brick fireplace mantel. We had to take out the chimneys in order to raise the house,” Kathy Norton said. “There’s some knotty pine paneling in one of the rooms that we’ve saved. The staircase has the original banister. Through its life, some of the original things that the Kempton’s put in have been taken out, but the hardwood floors, we plan to bring those back and have those refinished.” This won’t be the last home the Nortons restore, though. Since then, two other historical property owners have approached the Nortons requesting renovations. “More to follow,” Bob Norton said. “Don’t be surprised if the Nortons are doing something else in the years to come.”

Jon, Lindsay Church join Hillsdale faculty

Katia Sherman with her golden retriever Lucy. Courtesy | Katia Sherman

Spanish class with Lucy

By | Rachael Kookogey Assistant Editor When I walked into the office of Assistant Professor of Spanish Katia Sherman, her dog Lucy sat peacefully in the corner, unfazed by the entrance of a stranger. That’s always how Lucy is, whether she’s on the quad, in Sherman’s office in Delp, or in the classroom. Almost every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lucy sits in her corner in “momma’s” classroom while Sherman teaches. Sherman’s sister adopted Lucy from a shelter in Maine last year, but when they moved to Hillsdale this summer, Lucy did not adjust well

to the new environment. Lucy seemed to prefer Sherman’s home, so Sherman took her in. Sherman said it was perfect timing, for Lucy “filled a huge hole” left by her dog, Gypsy, who recently died of cancer. According to Sherman, Lucy has adjusted to home life just fine and “adores” Sherman’s 27 cats. “Just recently I took in a new litter of kittens, and they love Lucy. When she wags her tail, they think it is a game,” Sherman said. “Especially when they were small, Lucy would walk around with two or three kittens hanging from her tail.” Lucy has severe separation anxiety, so Sherman decided

to bring Lucy with her to class as long as none of her students were allergic. Now Lucy walks to campus with Sherman almost every day. And when it rains or snows, Lucy just wears a little raincoat. The Spanish students are very receptive to having Lucy in class, and some say that her presence has a calming effect. “Having a dog in the classroom sucks out all the intimidation of Spanish 201,” freshman Abbee Elwell said. “It soothes everyone and makes it a more enjoyable environment. Whenever Lucy groans during a test, it cracks the silence and eases everyone up.”

See Sherman A9

By | Alexis Daniels Web Content Editor Remaining at Hillsdale College did not fit into Jonathan and Lindsey Churches’ ’17 original plans of teaching, getting master’s degrees, and going to law school. However, the couple have stayed on staff to help run the Mock Trial team at Hillsdale College ever since graduating three years ago. “In a way, I never left,” Jonathan said. “I was not expecting to stick around here. I did not anticipate that happening.” Like many students who come to Hillsdale, Lindsey and Jonathan were interested in different fields, but changed their minds. Both found that they wanted to be involved in the classical side of things. Lindsey said she originally wanted to pair math and economics, but fell in love with classical education. “I realized that I just loved math for itself and I was also kind of simultaneously getting interested in liberal arts education and classical education,” Lindsey said. “So I decided that I wanted to teach math instead.” Jonathan said he started out wanting to study politics and was looking into law school, but once he started taking classics, he changed his mind. “I saw a need for people to teach, for people to teach well,” Jonathan said. “I got really excited about digging into important questions rather than reading textbooks.”

The Churches have been involved in Mock Trial from the beginning. While Lindsey was pursuing a math major and Jonathan a classics and philosophy major, they competed in Mock Trial as students all four years. By his junior year, Jonathan was helping to manage the team as well as competing, working under Mock Trial coach and Hillsdale County’s Prosecuting Attorney Neal Brady. The original plan was for both of them to teach at a classical education K-12 school and for Jonathan to go to grad school, but their paths took a turn in their last semester of senior year when Brady didn’t have anyone else to float the program. “It’s an opportunity for Hillsdale students to go out and test themselves in a public speaking environment that pits them against the best undergrads in the nation,” Jonathan said. “I looked at that and I said, ‘That’s something worthwhile. That’s good, and I don’t want to let this die. I don’t want to see the team suffer because nobody’s willing to lead it.’” For the first two years, the Churches drove two hours to Detroit to teach, and for every Wednesday and many weekends, they would drive back to the college to coach after a full day of teaching, often spending late nights finishing work, helping team members, and studying. “Coaching public speaking teams, you’re always on

call,” Jonathan said. “And we practice late in the evening because there’s no way we’re going to practice during the day.” Though the Churches had a great experience in Mock Trial as student, the team didn’t often compete on national levels. Over the past three years, however, the team has become more focused and competitive; it now competes with high-level colleges and universities. “What I think really offers a lot of good to students is the competition is quite high,” Jonathan said. “We don’t compete against little schools in Mock Trial. In the last couple tournaments, we were in competition with Penn State and Michigan and Columbia, Yale, and Brown.” After two years of coaching, the rhetoric and public address department started advertising a lecturer for rhetoric and public address as well as a full-time Mock Trial coach. Jonathan applied while working on his master’s and got the position earlier this fall. Lindsey teaches for homeschool co-op Hillsdale Classical and works in admissions for the college. “I’ve loved it so much,” Lindsey said. “I got the chance to teach younger grades. I didn’t peg myself as someone who would find that really awesome. I was intimidated to teach younger grades, but it’s

See Church A9