Bridgewater Review, Vol. 23, No. 1, June 2004
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Bridgewater Review Volume 23 | Issue 1 Article 1 Jun-2004 Bridgewater Review, Vol. 23, No. 1, June 2004 Recommended Citation Bridgewater State College. (2004). Bridgewater Review. 23(1). Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol23/iss1/1 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. VOLUME 23 NUMBER 1 JUNE 2004 Bridgewater Review BRIDGEWATER STATE COLLEGE Oxygen I open Merriam Webster’s, tenth edition, turn to I for inspiration, find the connection; what inspires me to pick up my steno book, my favorite pen, is what pulls air into my chest, pushes it out, allows for the rise and fall, the even exchange. Inhaled words, exhaled flow of ink, are elements of respiration, another way to breathe, survival itself. Poetry by Margie Howe Wisp In spring I take laundered sheets Warm from the sun To the back porch Shake hard the billowing fabric Over the rail and if a thread From an edge or seam Tries to loosen and let go If I tug and pull it free The wisp will float Carried in sweeping circles On the morning breeze And land in a patch of grass or wrap itself round a pine branch Or cling to the embryonic Pink-lobed leaves of an oak; I like to think a sparrow Or darting cardinal will find it Make off with the single strand in its beak SjdlejelgKklftj ljKko Use the artifact of human comfort To strengthen the walls Or soften the lining of its nest Fly away with the offered bit of my life EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK And weave it for a season into its own. Margie Howe is an English major at Bridgewater State College VOLUME 23 NUMBER 1 JUNE 2004 CONTENTS Bridgewater Review ON THE COVER INSIDE FRONT AND BACK COVERS Window, Olson House, by John Droege, Poetry Margie Howe Professor of Art. The Olson House in 2 Editor’s Notebook Cushing, Maine is widely known due to its impor- Knocking Those Old Walls Down tance in the Andrew Wyeth Michael Kryzanek painting, Christina’s World. Christina in the painting 3 Teaching and Learning in Cold Places was Anna Christina Olson. Ice Hockey at Bridgewater State College Andrew Holman 7 What’s Shakin’? EDITOR Earthquake Research at Bridgewater Michael Kryzanek Robert Cicerone Political Science 11 Boston Baseball Dynasties ASSOCIATE EDITORS Peter DeRosa Barbara Apstein English 15 Photography William Levin John Droege Sociology DESIGN 19 Discord of the Devil Donna Stanton The Pueblo Revolt, the Salem Witchcraft Trials and How the Spirit World helped Make America FACULTY PHOTOGRAPHS John J. Kucich Gary Stanton 23 News from CART ADVISORY BOARD (Center for the Advancement of Research and Teaching) Charles Angell Deborah Nemko English Stephen Levine 25 Book Review Theatre Arts Lascivious Grace: The Mechanics of Submission Mercedes Nuñez Art Charles Angell Thomas Moore Mathematics 26 Research Note: and Computer Science Musical Traditions in India Thomas Turner Salil Sachev History __________________________ 28 Cultural Commentary: The Bridgewater Review is pub- lished twice a year by the faculty The Art of Persuasion of Bridgewater State College. Barbara Apstein Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not 30 Cultural Commentary: necessarily reflect the policies of When More is Better, and Then It’s Not the Bridgewater Review or Bridgewater State College. Letters William C. Levin to the Editor should be sent to: Bridgewater Review, c⁄o Editor, Department of Political Science, Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater MA 02325 __________________________ Articles may be reprinted with permission of the Editor ©2004, Bridgewater State College ISBN 0892-7634 Editor’s Notebook Knocking Those Old Walls Down by Michael Kryzanek In 1802 Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury We as a nation have come to a critical crossroads as we Baptist Association in response to the Association’s grapple with the issue of how much influence religion inquiry as to why as President he had not named and religious beliefs should be granted in the formation national days of fasting and thanksgiving as had been of public policy? Conservative commentators lament the case with his two predecessors, Washington and the secularization of American society and call for a Adams. In his response Jefferson talked about the rebirth of religion in American life. They see America importance of a “wall of separation” between church slowly slipping into a void without any values or belief and state. Jefferson was very conscious system. Liberals fear that by breaking that he was creating the basis for antag- down Jefferson’s wall America will onism and political opposition by tak- slide into a kind of religious confor- ing his position in support of the walls mity that will limit personal free- of separation, but he was also convinced dom. Such conformity will lead to that the framers of the Constitution laws that contradict the values and were correct not to see Congress or the the beliefs of those who are not reli- President as taking any action that gious or whose religion is not in the might be seen as favoring the establish- current “mainstream.” ment of religion in this country. If there is an answer to this quandary It is now over two hundred years since over what place religion should play Jefferson’s “walls of separation” letter in national life and national gover- and it is obvious that segments of nance, it is in the wisdom of Thomas American society are working feverishly Jefferson. Jefferson and the framers to bring those walls down and establish of the Constitution were very careful religious principles as the guiding foun- about linking religion and the gov- dation of government policy and ernment. If you notice, nowhere in national life. While there is no effort to the Constitution does the word foster a national religion, as in the case “God” appear, and the First of some Middle Eastern countries, there Amendment cannot express any are, however, numerous religious more clearly the founding fathers’ denominations, interest groups and concerns about religion dominating YZANEK faith-based movements that have orga- national life. Yes, religion is impor- nized campaigns to pressure the Congress and the tant to the Founders, and yes religion was viewed as a Executive to embrace religious values, principles and vital part of American life. But no, religion was never doctrines in ways that would transform this country intended to be the primary guidepost used to make pub- into one that is less secular and more God-centered. lic policy decisions or define public values. The list of public policy issues that have been touched Americans, of course, should be free to follow their reli- MICHAEL KR by these campaigns to establish a religious foundation gious belief in whatever manner they so choose, but the within the government and within the country is now advice of Jefferson on the wall of separation between quite familiar Legislation to limit or end abortion and government and religion still remains worthy of respect partial birth abortion has begun to chip away at and allegiance. Religion has always been a private mat- women’s reproductive rights. Judicial permission to ter, a matter of the heart and the soul and the spirit. As allow vouchers for religious schools has created pockets the Founders saw religion it should be practiced private- of support for church-directed education. Government ly and lived privately. America is a nation that prides initiatives to ensure that faith-based organizations itself on its diversity, its respect for differences and its receive financial support to conduct charitable work protections of minorities and minority opinions. When remain in the forefront of the policy agenda. National government begins to form its laws, regulations, values efforts to stop same-sex marriages have been elevated and priorities on the basis of one religious view or one EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK to a constitutional amendment process. And seasonal religious denomination, then this country no longer can challenges to court ordered removal of religious lay claim to be a beacon of freedom and democracy. displays or pre-game prayers continue to galvanize —Michael Kryzanek is Editor of the Bridgewater Review the religious faithful. Teaching and Learning in Cold Places Ice Hockey at Bridgewater State College by Andrew C. Holman In the splendor of their royal blue, gold and white uni- participating in intercollegiate sport. Importantly, club forms, the fourteen members of the Connecticut sport also offers them an alternative site to engage in College team took the ice at Bridgewater Ice Arena in the real work of the university: teaching and learning. January 2004 to play a Northeast Collegiate Hockey I have been a part of this culture for the past six years as Association (NECHA) game against the local the coach of the Bridgewater State College Hockey Bridgewater State side. Their uniforms were taken from Club. It has been the best six years of my life. It has the design of the Charlestown Chiefs, the notorious fic- been so because coaching has taught me much more tionalized minor-pro hockey team in the classic movie about sport than playing ever did; because administer- “Slapshot,” the best parody of hockey culture ever pro- ing and fundraising for a fledgling (and often losing) duced. The humor of the likeness was not lost on the team has challenged my resolve and pushed me out into Bridgewater fans or players; happily, that was as far as parts of the community I would never have gone. And it the likeness went (there were no Hanson Brothers on has taught me more about teaching and learning than the Connecticut College team, and none dared to assert hours of lecture preparation, grading, pedagogical work- fistic prowess).