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8-1991 Gumbo Magazine, August 1991 Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College

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• Abortions To 20 Weeks • Abortion Assistance Counseling Available • Birth Control & Routine Pregnancy Testing & Counseling GYN Services (Urine & Blood Test Available • Social Service Referrals 10 Days After Conception) • Confidentiality Assured • Reasonable Fees... Low Cost • Ultrasound Available Whole Bean Coffee Roasted in Our Shop Come by for Mocha, Cafe Au Lait, GUMBO HIGHLAND Espresso, Cappuccino a sample m a g a z i n e Gourmet Pastries of COFFEES Fifteen Varieties of Loose Tea our NEW Iced Col I cos Publisher Frozen Office of Student Media Coffee Drink. Editor Sheri Blackwood

Managing Editor Optimum Martin Johnson music Design Editor at Dave Curley Minimum Design Assistant prices. Virginia Hearin

Copy Editors Ronlyn A. Domingue, Tina Thompson, Robert Wolf

Illustrators Keith Douglas, Virginia Hearin

Photographers Dave Curley, Douglas McConnell

Advertising Representatives Jennifer Beyt, John Paul Funes

Adviser Pat Parish Come in and enjoy our Mississippi Contributors Jennifer Brabetz, John K. Carpenter, Andre Maillho, Home Cooking Jody Miller, Garilyn Ourso, Mike Ritter, Larry Sumerford, Robert Wolf, Steve Zaffuto Hours: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Friday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday The Gumbo Magazine is written, edited and designed by stu­ dents of Louisiana State University. The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily rep­ resent the views of the editor, Gumbo Magazine, the Office of Student Media or the University. No articles, photographs or il­ lustrations in this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the Office of Student Media.

Volume 3, Issue 1 August 1991 Copyright Gumbo Magazine G u m b o C o ntributors' Profile

Martin Johnson, SWM 21, likes media, politics and frogs. If Martin had an extra hour to work each day, he still wouldn't get anything done.

John K. Carpenter is a news-editorial journalism major. A native of Baton Rouge, he thinks Louisi­ ana's progressive politics, clean environment and honest government can serve as examples of how states should be.

Andre Maillho is the sports editor for the Daily Reveille. His heart belongs to a girl named Michele (but she doesn't know it yet). His primary goals are to be world famous and to be gored during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. His last wish is for a winning football season before he graduates.

Jody Miller is a senior in news-editorial journalism. She enjoys writing about ethical issues, and doesn't want to tell people what to think, but what to think about.

Jennifer Brabetz is a journalism major and a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. She has a great tan, and loves to sip drinks while gazing at the moonlight from the side of a cruise ship.

Mike Ritter is a 22-year-old English major. He wanted to be a sportwriter in the vain of Curry Kirkpatrick and Frank Deford. But his research in in Tigerland's drinking district for a short story called proved to be a numbing experience.

Garilyn Ourso is very hard to get in touch with. She has written for the Gumbo a number of times, but this is by far the hardest thiung she's done. She has discovered a new love for personality writing and jazz music.

Larry Sumerfoid is a non-traditional journalism student. He tutors math for fun and would someday like to write a thorough history of Baton Rouge and the Great University he now attends.

Steve Zaffuto finally graduated this summer. Many people didn't think it would ever happen. He has been in the basement of Hodges Hall and at the Sigma Pi house so long it's had strange effects on his behavior.

Robert W olf is a senior from Covington, La. majoring in journalism with a minor in history. He spends most of his time hunched over a computer in Hodges hall and can’t remember what it was like to have friends. Robert secretly aspires to be a writer for Harlequin Romances under a woman’s pen nam e.

Douglas McConnell is a morbid, quiet loner who recently inherited several long-range, high-pow­ ered rifles. He likes to hang out in cemeteries and at the top of tall buildings.

R e a c h o u t to help the hungry

GREATER BATON ROUGE

F o o d B a n k GUMBO

m a g a z i n e A ugust 1991

F e a t u r e s

Tabby Thom as: Cover story Losing my religion. A man and his blues. A woman recounts her tale of growing up in a religion that represses, fears knowledge The story of a and promotes ignorance. blues artist. His By Jody Miller page 34 past, his music and his family have made him the man and the LSU: Yesterday and today. legend he is to­ While the campus has undergone many day. changes since its move in 1925, the actions ByGarilyn Ourso LSU's unsung heroes. and altitudes of those around campus have page 4 All-guts, no-glory is the lifestyle of a remained much the same. football walk-on, but Mike Blanchard By Larry Sumerford page 38 wouldn't trade it for anything. By Andre Maillho page 14 The politics of being young. F i c t i o n What it takes fora college student to become involved in Louisiana's political agenda from Saturday night's all right. the viewpoints of various members of the A fistful of teachers. local and state governments, professors and An unscientific look at some of the popular The story of two political experts. and feared teachers on campus. guys and their By Martin Johnson page 8 By Jennifer Brabetz page 20 quest for booze and babes in a world of school There goes the neighborhood. Behind barbed wire. and sports. Living near campus may be convenient and An LSU instructor starts a literacy program By Mike Ritter inexpensive, but there are drawbacks for that gives women in Louisiana Correctional page 42 both the renters and the owners. Institute a chance to make something out of By Robert Wolf page 10 themselves. By John K. Carpenter page 22

Photo essay

Radio days. Gardens of stone. A humorous history of radio and study of the An artistic look at the history and mystery of Baton Rouge market give some insight into several nearby cemeteries in downtown recent radio trends as well as the author's Baton Rouge, college town and St. Francis- opinion of stations in this area. ville. By Steve Zaffuto page 26 By Douglas McConnell page 30 4 Gumbo Magazine Tabby Thomas A Man and His Blues. The veteran musician pours back into his seat, crosses his legs and mops a hankerchief across his face, trying to erase the effects of Louisiana's evening heat. He is casual but enthusiastic. His eyes are shadowed with age and expe rience but still sparkle. Local blues legend Tabby Thomas started singing the blues decades ago. His career has taken him all over the world. Thomas has met and performed with big-name mu­ sicians all over the world - Fats Domino, Johnny Mathis, James Brown, Otis Redding, B. B. King. He has recorded six albums and has his own recording label, Blue Beat Records. The artist has been in movies and documentaries about blues shown all over the United States and Europe. And for the past 11 years, Thomas has owned Tabby’s Blues Box in Baton Rouge, where he regularly performs with his band, The Mighty House Rockers. Thomas has many memories waiting behind those twinkling eyes.

story by garilyn ourso photos by dave curley

August 1991 5 e nods his head and starts to tell When asked about his musical begin­ those stories, waving his arms, nings, Thomas' face lights up. "conducting" his speech, like any­ Fresh out of the Air Forceat21, he de­ H one with his natural rhythm would. cided to stay with his godfather in San Thomas says that, as a black child in Francisco rather than immediately return the South, he saw, heard and felt a great to his family in Baton Rouge. deal of the racism of the day. One day while he was hanging out at “Back then it was ‘nigger this’ and a bowling alley with some of his friends, ‘nigger that’ That was the way people Thomas heard of a talent show and decided talked. They not only talked like that, they to audition. When they asked him what thought like that” key he wanted to sing in, he admitted that From his high school days, Thomas he knew nothing about keys, he just wanted remembers one story about a young black to sing a song he was familiar with. man from Illinois visiting the South. Thomas was scheduled to perform last "They had a boy who just whistled at in that talent contest, following some pretty a white girl. He was from Chicago and he’d tough acts, he says. come here for summer vacation. He went He tells the story in measured tones, into this store and saw this beautiful white milking it for all he ca while building to a girl." climax, just as any great story-teller would. The young man whistled at the girl "Me and another guy tied for first and later that night, some of her relatives place. Back then they used applause me­ attacked him. ters and we done already broke that, sent it "They hung him and killed him. I’ll over the mark. So they went up to the other never forget that. And when they fished guy and put their hands over his head and him out of the river, he had chains around the theater was shaking. Then they came his neck. He wasn’t but fourteen years and put their hand over my head." Thomas old,” Thomas says. pauses. "At night they come to your house and "And the house came down\” bum a cross, grap you and hang you in a Some time later, he heard through an­ tree," Thomas says. "Ain't no love in the other musician that a band, already in a re­ world worth that. But it happened" cording studio and ready to make a record, The bluesman remembers a time when was looking for singers. the music typically labeled as black was Thomas forfeited one of his his lunch scorned by white society. Discrimination breaks to attend a session with the hopes of against blacks was the socially accepted geeting lucky or at least learning a little standard and young blacks were alienated about making a record. from their heritage. An agent who had been at the talent "The blues used to be thought of as show happened to be at the studio that day devil music, and musicians had to live with and pointed Thomas out to a Hollywood that label," Thomas says. "After intergra- record producer. The producer stopped the tion, the young blacks wanted disco, rock session to meet Thomas. and roll, anything to get away from precon­ They handed him a piece of paper with ceived labels. But they didn't realize that just the words on it and asked him to sing. the blues was their culture, their heritage." "Midnigghht is calllllling," he croons, He says the educational system helped reliving that afternoon. Thomas' gravelly distance black people from their roots. speaking voice smooths to silk under the "In history class, the books all talked weight of the blues. For a moment he is a about all the champs being white, George poet. Washington, Ponce de Leon. I really didn't The recording agents must have been care about no Ponce de Leon," Thomas inspired. By the time he had finished the says. "I wanted to hear about somebody lyrics, they were pushing him into the black. The history books brainwashed black sound studio. people." And so Thomas cut his first record on He says today, young black people his lunch hour. have better idols like Michael Jordan. For the longest time, he made use Thomas left the South after high school only of his vocal talents. Thomas never for a tour in the military. When he returned saw a need to expand his show, until he got to the South years later, his musical career married and had seven children. was well under way. He decided that if he wanted to work,

6 Gumbo Magazine feed his children 21 meals a day and do good old pair of shoes that people appreci­ somebody in the community who wanted music on the side, he had better learn to ate but never really show off. to try out for the Bessie Smith play. Well, play an instrument. “I’ve been all over the world and I’ve that struck a chord right there because she Thomas didn't have enough money never had an agent or a big record com­ was a fantastic blues singer and I’ve been for an actual piano, so he bought a card­ pany, but everywhere I’ve played, I can into blues all my musical life.” board piano keyboard and taught himself always go back and play," Thomas says. "I There are big differences, however, the notes .Eventually he got a piano, which had opportunities to leave Baton Rouge, between acting and musical performing. he la ta traded for an organ. some of my friends made it big, got to be “Sometimes if I’m singing a lyric, I Just a few years ago, Thomas invested stars - they wanted me to go out there but can go always ad lib a lyric, sing a chorus, in his first guitar, because he didn't think I didn’t want to go depending on somebody come back and play the guitar when I any blues club would be complete without else’s prosperity. I figured I’d just sail my choose. But if I’m on stage acting, I’ve one. Now he enjoys playing the guitar most little boat along, take care of my family and always got to cue another actor and an­ of all because of the many different effects myself," Thomas says. "Like I told my other actor’s got to cue me. It’s a partner­ the instrument can create. wife, I always figured what’s for me, I’m ship thing.” Throughout the years he's written about gonna get it.” Some problems did befall him on the ninety songs. "I write about my things," He is obviously satisfied with his mu­ way to opening night In order to get Tho­ Thomas says. "Things I know about that sical career and where it has taken him. mas to remember his lines, director Tom go on in everyday life; people in love who And while he has enjoyed this level of suc­ Kelso had him “record “ his lines as lyrics, aren't loved back; guys out there trying to cess in music, some aspects of the industry basically learning his monologues as songs. make it, not to give up; someone having still give him the blues. Thomas comments in that trademark gravel fun, enjoying himself with the good old “I would love the opportunity to get voice, “I’ve got six albums out and I’ve boys again. People's real life blues because with a record company who’ll let me get studied more on these lines than I’ve ever the blues is really the truth." into a studio and not rush to try to cut an studied on anything in my life. If I put that These many years since his modest album in eight hours, to have an access to much energy and time in my music, I know beginning, Thomas says his favorite aspect a studio for a month and have the liberty to I’ll have a million selling records.” of the business is traveling and meeting go in and record or if I didn't feel like it that Although he is devoted to his musical people all over the world. day, not to worry, just come back the next" passion, Thomas' family always comes first He sees foreign promoters as the sal­ Thomas has been flexible over the He speaks highly of his relationship with vation of the blues business. A European years, changing his style to keep in touch his children and praises his wife who helped tour takes a fraction of the time it would with his audiences. raise their seven children. take to cover the American circuit, allow­ He attributes his musical success to Also of great importance to him is to ing him to visit cities while his music is still simple honesty. “It’s a spiritual thing that’s keeping the Blues Box going for young peaking in popularity. involved in singing and entertaining. Some musicians to learn the craft It makes him Thomas' reputation quadruples when have it, some don’t. Some need false adda- proud to know that the young musicians he goes overseas. He hears that he is espe­ tives like smoking or drinking for it to he's nurturing can hold their own whenever cially popular in Germany. come out..If I’m up on stage and I don’t they play. He feels as the young guys “They had this thing that came up feel it, the people don’t feel it” involve themselves and expand, so do the called “The Blues of New Orleans,” and it He knows many musicians who are blues. was a German television company produc­ great with the mechanics and techniques His hobbies include fishing, watching ing it. They called me," Thomas says. but waste their ability to really put some­ TV westerns or just kicking back with a "After they sent the tests to Germany. They thing of themselves into the music. To him, gin and tonic, listening to his vast album called back and said they wanted me to one note soulfully performed carries more collection - simple things. He's an ob­ play the part. One reason the director said weight than twenty well-orchestrated ones. server and enjoys soaking in all the life he he wanted me was because I had a lot of This past summer Thomas appeared sees around him, storing it for future use, fans in Germany who had heard and bought in an LSU theater production, "The Death perhaps in his music. my records.” of Bessie Smith," about the legendary blues Thomas' blues have made him a Thomas also talks about a trip he took singer who died after a private “whites worldly man - he has a lot of stories to tell. to the United Kingdom. Before one show only" hospital refused to treat her. The bluesman ponders what he's learned in Wales, Thomas says the auditorium was With all his previous stage experi­ from a long career doing what he loves shaking because of the noise his fans were ence, Thomas says he easily adapted to act­ best His brow wrinkles and his eyes cloud making. No blues singer had played in the ing. Although his only thespian experience over with seriousness as he comes to two country in twenty years. dated back to a high school production, he conclusions. "There's no feeling in the world like never felt apprehensive about his debute. "You only live one time so do what that," he chimes. "When one man can make “I’ve been singing and playing and satisfies you. If riding on a garbage truck is thousands feel good, it's magic." have been on stage before thousands of your thing, do it" He says people must Having enjoyed warm receptions in people, I’ve been doing that all my life so satisfy themselves, regardless of what foreign countries, he notes, “the home­ it’s no problem getting in front of people, others think. town is the hardest place for an artist to you know. I was reading the paper one day "Secondly, your human. Live til you survive.” He thinks of local musicians as a and saw where they were interested in gotta die and try to have a good life."

August 1991 7 THE POLITICS of being YOUNG LSU political science professor Wil- liam Arp III says political activity starts at home for most people, Students with active parents tend to be the oneis who get involved One of Arp’s earliest memories is sit­ ting on the floor of a local campaign head­ quarters. "I was surrounded by all of this cam­ paign paraphernalia and there was this bid gas stove in the comer," he recalls. Many elected officials agree that the j best place to start in politic^, no matter what age, is on the street level a£ a campaign vol- u n t e e r . “You should start at that local level, the grass roots level,” Arp says. “Don’t shy away from that drudgery of the campaign - making the telephone calls, making cam­ paign signs, serving coffee, the door-to-door work, the car washes to raise money.” At this level, he suggests volunteers work for specific candidates. “We support someone because we think they are the best person we’ve ever met and they are going to actually be the answer to all of the problems that face the world.” ‘ State Rep. Sean Reilly, D-Baton Rouge, has worked in several campaigns over the story by martin johnson years, supporting candidates he believed in. The work, however, also helped him in pur­ suing public office. Reilly worked in the "Bubba Henry for Governor" campaign when he was still in THE GOOD and the HAD college, silk-screening yard signs and put­ Most students will talk about politics if they are asked for an opinion. ting them up all over the state. They will cheer, or curse, the governor and love, or hate, David Duke and "I learned an awful lot about organiz­ Cleo Fields. More often than not, however, students don’t vote and really ing the workers in a campaign,” Reilly says. don’t care. State Commissioner of Elections Jerry Less than 30 percent of all eligible voters in the 18-25 age bracket went Fowler says that while young people can still find a way into politics by working in to the polls during the last statewide election. And on the national level, only campaigns, much of modem politics is way 16.6 percent of Americans aged 18-29 participate in the process at all f| beyond the professor’s gas stove and Reilly’s That’s the bad news about young voter apathy. yard signs. It is, however, incredibly easy for college students to become politically “Campaigning has turned from a flesh- active. Candidates are constantly in need of help and their political organi­ to-flesh operation to a computer-to-com- puter system,” Fowler says. “Candidates zations are more than willing to teach anyone who’s willing to lear n . spend more time with media, polls and All it takes is a desire to participate in the process. images. It's more impersonal.” Contrary to popular opinion, politics is not always about who you know. 'f Fowler says, however, .that in spite of More often, it’s about who you get to know. Students can find plenty of jobs advanced campaign technology, 1991 is still in politics, government and community organizations. And for many, this is a good year for students to get involved in polities: Louisiana will elect its governor, a stepping stone toward an eventual career in politics. state legislators, sheriffs,police jurors, clerics The problem people often have is that they just don’t know how to get in of courts, tax assessor, and the treasurer the game. along with all other state offices. 8 Gumbo Magazine He says young people need to get in­ need funds and friends. The first step is community. volved more often because politics are so getting on the ballot. That requires either Jenkins also emphasized this level of important in American society. “Politics, money, for election fees, or several hundred experience: “The main thing for people who whether you like it or not, makes this country names on a nominating petition. want to get involved in politics is to first go,” Fowler says." “And the government it­ Guidry has paid about $300 in qualify­ have their head screwed on straight and have self has more of an effect than anything else ing fees, so far. The other option, the peti­ read broadly, have experience." in this country.” tion, requires more than 1,000 names for a Not all politicians agree that someone nomination. FLIP of the SWITCH with an interest in the political process should Next a candidate needs cash for a cam­ People who don’t want to run for office, start working in campaigns. State Sen. Cleo paign and votes for a victory. The only way work in governments, give money to cam­ Fields, D-Baton Rouge, says he thinks po­ to get those is to inspire the public’s confi­ paigns or volunteer time can, and should, at litical involvement should start with com­ dence and look like a winner. Sometimes, least register and vote. Students and young munity service. young candidates find this difficult because people can express them selves politically by “Campaigns are good, but even before of their age. just flipping a few switches. that, young people ought to get involved in ' Fields, who ran for his Senate seat at 22, “I don’t see that there is any significant their schools and take leadership in clubs on says that his youth was a liability when he trend toward greater voter registration by school campuses,” says Fields. ran for the State Senate seat he now holds. “It young college students or greater participa­ Fields says he has never been interested was an obstacle. I had to convince people tion,” Arp says. “I don’t want to say there is in political groups, 'I 've never been a member that it wasn’t age, but attitude that is impor­ apathy, but all I see is a continuing disen­ of one, and I do not have one,” he says. tant” chantment with government.” Reilly says that regardless of where a He says he was able to bridge the gen­ Fowler says only 29 percent of regis­ person starts, every citizen should be in­ eration gap because he succeeded in getting tered voters 18 - 25 actually went to the polls volved to make government work better. his message to the people of his community: on the last election day in Louisiana. In con­ “It's important for citizens, whether they are “Leadership has no age. Dedication has no trast, 80 percent of people aged 55-70 voted. going to run for office or not, to be involved age. Commitment has no age.” “Young people have other things to do, and see how the process works because a State Rep. Quentin Dastugue, R- evidently. The people who vote in this state democracy is only as good as the people who Metairie, was elected to his seat in the House evidently are old people. participate.” when he was 23. The representative says he “The newspapers are so negative to­ Actually working in government in an was able to overcome age-oriented preju­ ward politicians. The tendency is to turn unelected position is another way to become dice^ easily. people off. We’ve got to start saying what politically involved. Professor Arp says this “You overcome that by your grasp of good things are going on.” helps mature young political minds. the issues and your enthusiasm,” Dastugue While the media is partially to blame, “They lose that naivete,” he says. says. “People are looking for creative inno­ most education scholars focus on the role of “They’re really becoming politically wise, vators in their elected officials. They ’re get­ America’s public schools in encouraging, or learning the lesson that politics is the art of ting turned off by those same old political or­ discouraging, the young vote. compromise.”' ganizations.” Curtis Gans, a person who has studied Guidry started as a House page, then Controversial State Rep. Louis the problems of young voters,points out that became a legislative assistant to Rep. Joe “Woody” Jenkins, D-Baton Rouge, who was young people are the first group of Ameri­ Delpit, D-Baton Rouge, then a committee elected while he was still a junior in law cans to be given the right to vote who didn’t clerk and eventually the assistant clerk of the school, says he found his age an asset when immediately begin voting in large numbers. House. he ran. “I find people very open and appre­ Gans, die director for the Committee for "A person who is interested in politics ciative of young people getting involved in the Study of the American Electorate in ought to be willing to start at the bottom and politics.” Washington, D.C., calls voting a sort of work their way up,” Guidry says. ‘That’s the The attitudes of voters are always chang­ religious action. “Participation occurs de­ American way: You pay your dues. You ing, however, and Arp says young candi­ spite the fact that we know most elections learn.” dates may have less and less success in the are not decided by our one vote,” Gans next few election cycles. ‘The electorate is writes. “The critical problem is that the reli­ MONEY, VOTES and the ORGANIZATION getting older; they may feel it is difficult if gion is gone; the will is gone.” Every successful political campaign not impossible, for a younger candidate to Fowler urges all Louisianians, particu­ must start with three elements: a candidate, relate. Plus younger people tend to be more larly young people, to develop an interest in money and an organization. “It’s easy to say liberally-minded, and in that sense, they politics, and at least take the time to register you’re going to run, but you’ve got to have may not fare well with older, more conserva­ and go out and vote. “Please get involved. money and people to help you,” Elections tive voters.” Getting involved in the governor's race, or a leg­ Commissioner Fowler says, “That’s what Still, Arp says younger candidates like islative race. Look at the candidates and vote it’s all about” Guidry will do well because of their famili­ because this affects you more than anything Young people who want to get involved arity with the issues and experience in the else ” ■ August 1991 9

story b y robert wolf illustrations by keith douglas

A drive down East State Street, at the north gates of LSU, reveals a bleak sight. Dilapidated buildings shrouded in weeds and vines line the street. The neighborhood c rowded with LSU students is littered with old furniture, broken mirrors and discarded vehicles. Stray cats scam- | per everywhere. Patches of weeds, some as high as four feet, landscape the neighborhood. And overturned dumpsters still attract boxes and bags of trash. The Azalea Street area on the north side of LSU along Nicholson Drive is also a haven for college stu­ dents. Here a large concentration of apartments and old houses are offered for low rent, which is all many students can afford. The conditions in this neighbor­ hood are no better. For years, students have lived in the apartments and houses around campus for the cheap rent and the great location. The grocery store, laundromat and fast food restaurants are within walking distance. A campus bus runs through the neighborhood, and most classes are only minutes away. Many of the buildings, built in the 1920s and 30s, have a charm not found in most modem apart­ ment complexes. They have hardwood floors, large plate glass windows and old fashioned fixtures, but the years of neglect have taken their toll. Some of these buildings need only slight cos­ metic work, such as a paint job. But many are in great disrepair, damaged also by the constant flow of sometimes careless tenants in and out.

August 1991 11 Most of these properties are inexpen­ morning at 7 o’clock to make sure every­ said Leach. sive compared to apartments on the other thing was fixed.” Eversberg replied, “This young lady side of campus. A one-bedroom apartment The tenants of J.T. Doiron, who rents to was afraid to flip the circuit breaker. If it was on State Street usually rents for between students on State Street and Carlotta Street, so terrible, why does she still live there?” $150 and $175 a month. The same-sized also had only good things to say about their Landlords have plenty of their own apartment on the south side of campus or in manager. complaints and allegations to make. Tigerland rents for between $225 and $250 The stucco-covered apartments arc the Garland, who rents 63 properties on a month. cleanest and neatest in the area. Azalea Street, said the cost of repairs is often Carsten Hansen, one of his residents, astronomical. Even though he does his own said he is pleased. “They have worked well repairs, Garland said replacement equip­ with me,” said Hansen, an art history major. ment can cost thousands of dollars. “I have been late with the rent a few times “Maintenance costs can vary greatly,” and they did not give me any trouble.” said Garland. “Awindow unit can cost $500, But problems for Kevin Rizzo and Jay a door can cost $300 and a roof can cost Drovish started last June as soon as they thousands of dollars.” moved into their new apartment, which they rented from Wallace Eversbcrg. When they moved in, Rizzo and Drovish discovered old food, dirty floors, broken windows and fleas The older buildings require an ever- from the previous tenants. increasing amount of maintenance and re­ “We had to clean the place up ourselves pair. Boards rot, plaster peels, roofs leak, when we moved in,” said Rizzo. “They told and wiring becomes outdated. us that the place would be cleaned up before Some students blame landlords for the we moved in but they never did it. Eversbcrg dilapidated conditions. They say landlords showed us the apartment and that was the have taken advantage of them by ignoring last we have seen of him.” their needs and neglecting the properties to Phaedra Leach, who rents an apartment save a dollar. from Eversbcrg on Chimes Street, said one Garland said it is hard to keep an eye on Landlords and management companies night while she was asleep her air condi­ everything that could require repair. “We try say some students have no regard for their tioner caught on fire. She said she turned off to keep an apartment up when a tenant properly and cause many of the problems. the air conditioner and tried to unplug it, but leaves,” said Garland. “But the buildings They say tenants throw trash, break win­ the plug and the wall socket were too hot to that I rent are about 40 years old and much of dows and deface the property. touch. She said she put out the fire, but it the original equipment needs to be replaced.” A survey of more than 50 current and flared up twice during the night. While Leach Eversberg said his maintenance crews past tenants in those areas, taken by knock­ was upset with the fire, Eversberg’s han­ spend much of their time picking up trash. ing on doors, reflects the attitudes towards dling of the situation angered her more. “It’s amazing how many college stu­ their rental property and management. “First Eversberg tried to blame it on dents delight in throwing trash,” said A phone survey of landlords who rented me,” said Leach. ‘Then when they did come Eversberg. “It’s a nuisance because the re­ to these tenants offers the other side of the to fix the problem, they just cut out the cycling bins become trash bins. The recy­ story. burned parts and taped the wires back to­ cling trucks leave the trash in the bins and Tenants in the Azalea Street area, some gether.” before you know it, the trash finds its way of whom rent from Doug Garland, had no P K flfiS S E : tw c ------onto the streets.” complaints about the management of or the Collecting rent is one of the hardest maintenance on their apartments. parts of managing property, according to the Many of Garland’s apartments have landlords. kitchens with rusty appliances and rotting “People just don’t understand that the floors. In one of the apartments, dead roaches, landlord has to pay bills and property notes flies and beetles were in most of the cracks as well,” said Garland. ‘The people who and crevices of the kitchen floor. And the don’t pay are asked to leave but they usually plaster walls in several apartments are buck­ skip out in the middle of the night.” Garland ling from the humidity. said 10 percent of his tenants are excep­ Doug Beriden, who rents from Garland, tional, 10 percent do not care, and the other had no complaints, however. He said the 80 percent fall somewhere in the middle. management is good about repairing and Leach said the rug on her floor caught Eversbcrg said he usually does not have replacing broken fixtures. on fire. She has been plagued with other trouble with his tenants but there are excep­ “My bathroom sink fell off of the wall problems such as water running down the tions. And after years of dealing with stu­ about 2 o’clock one morning and water was inside wall when it rains, the burners on her dents Eversberg uses a business-like ap­ shooting all over the bathroom,” said Beriden. stove not working, and her toilet often breaks. proach in his dealings. “I called them and they told me how to turn “I’ve asked many times to have these “We try to rent to people we would off the water. They were out here the next things fixed but nothing has ever been done,” have in our house,” said Eversberg. “We 12 Gumbo Magazine have shocked a few people by turning them “Many of our places have ‘apartment originally $125 per month, is now $185. The down, but I won’t rent to dirty people.” animals’ that live in the neighborhood,” said rent has been raised twice—once to $165 a Eversbcrg does, however, have a way Doiron. ‘Tenants feed the stray animals and month because the apartment was painted of dealing with what he calls “undesirable the animals hang around the properly. The and again to $185 because of an increase in tenants.” fleas from the animals find their way into the gas prices. “About once a year, usually in July, we apartments.” John C. Doiron said his secretary, who ‘clean house’ of all the bad apples,” said was out of town, handled all rental manage­ Eversberg. “People who cause trouble or ment and would answer any questions. Later don’t pay rent are asked to leave.” the secretary said Doiron told her not to Eversberg, who rents about 90 units, answer any questions. does not use the standard lease. Instead, he Dcspi tc the complaints, Doiron said they uses a rental agreement to protect himself have no apartments for rent in the campus from troublesome tenants. area for the beginning of the fall semester. “The beauty of a rental agreement is Steve Hudson, an LSU student who that only thirty days’ notice is required to lives at another of Eversbcrg’s properties on vacate the premise,” said Eversberg. “That East State Street, said he is moving out way either I or the student can part ways if because water leaks from an upstairs apart­ things arc not working out.” Phil Harris, an apartment mana^r on ment and the unit floods. Mold and mildew Other problems can be just as taxing for State Street for eight years, said some, ten­ arc growing on the walls of his apartment. the property owner. Through neglect and ants do not care about the property. “The plaster in my apartment is peeling apathy tenants can cost property owners a “The ones that complain the place isn’t off of the walls,” said Hudson. “Water from lot of money. Eversberg said that because of clean are the same ones that do the most outside and the second floor leaks through the risk of fire, he will not let the utility littering,” said Harris. “The kids barbecue, the walls and the cciling. It’s caused the company turn on the power to an apartment they leave the chicken bones and trash around walls to mildew and crumble.” unless the tenant is home. the barbecue pit, and Ihcn they complain Tiffany Carr, Hudson’s neighbor, is also “I had an apartment bum down once about all of the cats and roaches.” moving. She said she is tired of the flooding because the people moving in set a box of Chanin McCall, an apparel design stu­ and has been trying to get her stove fixed for shoes on a stove. The burner was on and dent who rents a one-bedroom apartment months. when the power was connected, the box of justoff of East State Street from J. C. Doiron, “When we moved in, one of the burners shoes caught on fire. The whole place burned Realtor (not to be confused with J. T. Doiron), was pushed into the stove,” Carr said. “Now down.” said she stays out of her kitchen because of that we arc moving out, they say it’s our Pets are one of the biggest headaches the mess. fault ” for landlords. They dirty carpels, shred drapes “I’ve got these huge brown roaches that and scratch doors. But apartment managers are all over my kitchen,” said McCall. “I cite fleas as the main argument against ani­ called and asked them to spray for roaches mals. but they told me they don’t do that. They said Garland said the problem with fleas is it was a personal hygiene problem.” they get vicious when there is nothing in the McCall said, “I’ve cleaned the counter apartment to eat. and walls with everything I could think of, “When the tenants move out of an apart­ but the dirt won’t come off. There is old ment, and the eggs hatch, the fleas are left grease baked onto the top of the stove that with nothing to eat,” said Garland. “The next won’t come off cither.” person to go into the apartment is swarmed McCall complained about two broken by hungry fleas.” window panes that she asked to have re­ paired a long time ago. Also, the hot water Paula Triebes rented a one-bedroom knob in her kitchen sink has been broken for apartment from Eversberg in the only one of several weeks and she has been unable to get his buildings on State Street not raised off it repaired. the ground. She returned from her parents’ Outside of McCall’s front door is a fuse house after a torrential rain storm to find her box without a cover. The fuses and wires are apartment flooded. exposed. In front of McCall’s apartment are “When we pulled up to my apartment old tires, a broken exercise bike, old bricks we saw there was two feet of water in the and other assorted household trash. house,” said Triebes. “When my father got The dumpsters in the parking lot, over­ into the house he saw a wall clock that was turned because they are no longer slated for plugged in underwater, and it was still keep­ pickup, continue to collect trash anyway. ing time.” Michael Doiron of J.T. Doiron Real Even an old mattress sits there waiting for a Triebes said the circuit breaker had not Estate said fleas are his main problem. Doiron pickup that will not come. tripped yet. The house still had electric cur­ blames the flea problem on the number of McCall also said her rent has been rent running through the wires. Her father stray animals in the neighborhood. raised $60 in less than a year. The rent, (continued on page 46)

August 1991 13 LSUs U nsung H eroes Saturday nights are what LSU foot­ ball dreams are made of. Finally all of the practices and meetings will bind the team together as the players work on the field and the sidelines toward a Tiger victory. The cheerleaders chant, the band strikes up a Tiger tune and the crowd creates a low rumble in the stadium waiting impatiently for the team to take the field. When the team finally breaks out of the chute, the fans jump to their feet, frantically waving their poin-pons and cheering cultishly for the Tigers to bring home another victory. "It's an incredible feeling," says one player of running out into a stadium full of people. "The... whole atmosphere is incredible." That player runs out of the chute, down the field and takes his seat on the bench. He will probably occupy that spot for the entire game. His dream to play Tiger football will proba­ bly remain only a dream. But this LSU walk-on would like to think he does his part anyway.

story by andre maillho photos by dave curley

14 Gumbo Magazine

t’s another Saturday night in Baton Rouge. Nothing special about this particular Saturday -nothing out of the ordinary is going on. Except in a large soup bowl situated a mile east of the Mississippi River, Close to 80,000 people are jammed into that bowl, whooping and hol­ lering for 22 men on the grassy field below Ito rip each other apart. In the stands, men show off their chests, bare save for painted purple and gold letters. Other spectators are a fashion nightmare, adorned in purple and gold from their hats to their shoes. Tonight’s football soup consists of a roux, cleverly disguised as the LSU faithful. Added to that is a flavorful spice emanating from the parties strewn across the parking lots outside the stadium. The meat comes courtesy of the visiting team, and the ladle that stirs the mixture is the LSU Tiger foot­ ball team, the pride and joy of Baton Rouge and the great state of Louisiana. Those same Tigers lie in wait beneath the stands at the south end of the stadium in a passageway too small for seventy battle- clad behemoths. Occasionally, when the door opens for some official to slip out, the bone- chilling, spine-tingling roars can be heard loud and clear: “L-S-U-TIGERS!!! ” The opponents, both awed and intimi­ dated by the spectacle of this event, take the field to the chants of “Tiger-Bait! Tiger- Bait!” And when everything has fallen into place, the Golden Band from Tigerland marches onto the field, their instruments used to im agine that I w as poised in anticipation. Finally, everything climaxes in an un­ one of the guys com ing out equaled madness, an expression of loyalty and pride that surrounds the players as they take the field to add yet another night to LSU of the chute onto the field. football lore. For some of the players, all of their IIt has alw ays been a dream of dreams will come true tonight They will show the courage and they will get the glory. m ine to play here. But to others, the most cherished dream of all- to play football- will have to wait. No repeat of Billy Cannon’s Halloween run, no game-winning touchdowns,no game-

16 Gumbo Magazine saving tackles and no cheers. May. Spring football fulfills two purposes at for dinner.” Tonight these players won’t even get to LSU: allowing the coach to see what kind of On Fridays, his schedule changes.”If it run, except to and from the locker room. shape his team is in, and whetting the appe­ was a home game,” Blanchard says, “we had They won’t feel the grass beneath their feet, tite of the fans for the real thing in Septem­ just a light practice in shorts. If it was a road or lose their breath after being on the field for ber. game, we didn’t practice at all because we seven minutes straight or relish the grunts The fifteen days of drills serve as a had to leave Friday afternoon.” and groans as their enemies are pounded prelude to August, setting the depth charts at On Saturday nights, all the practices repeatedly into the Tiger Stadium turf. each position for fall practice and psyching and all the meetings come together to form a For them, this game is more guts than the players up for what’s to come. football team, a cohesive unit on the field glory. It’s more work than play. Players take part in a variety of maneu­ and on the sidelines working for a victory. They are not the next class of LSU vers, ranging from simple scrimmages in “It’s an incredible feeling,” Blanchard legends. They are just another group of LSU shorts to full-body contact in pads and says of running out into Tiger Stadium. ‘The walk-ons. uniforms as well as anything else the coaches band and the whole atmosphere is incred­ want them to do. ible. In the summer off-season, a daily work- “While we’re in the chute waiting to walk-on is someone who is out regimen is necessary in order to maintain come out, people get real quiet. Then the willing to practice for hours the gains made in the spring. In between band kicks up and people start getting rest­ upon hours in sweltering pourings of strawberry and bubble gum syrup less and they’re all ready to go.” temperatures in full pads at his grandparent's sno-ball stand, Blan­ But while Blanchard occupied his spot against men weighing chard runs and lifts weights on Mondays, on the sidelines, the Tigers ran up wins in 275 pounds with no Wednesdays and Fridays, and runs on Tues­ three of those four games. Blanchard would A guarantee of playing days and Thursdays in preparation for fall like to think he did his part. time, the sweetest reward for a football practice. “There was no pressure on me to get in player’s efforts. During football season, the physical the game, so I tried to relax and enjoy the Some people wonder why anyone in and mental demands are even more fre­ game,” he says. “It was just fun being out their right mind would want to do this. quent, and rest is hard to come by. there, seeing all the people in the stands Michael Blanchard, a red-shirted LSU Last season, as a member of the scout enjoying what was going on. freshman, has a simple answer. team, Blanchard’s main role was to practice But most of the weekends weren’t that “When I was younger, my family used with starters as the center on that week’s pleasant for LSU in 1990. For Blanchard, it to go to at least two or three games a year,” opposing team. A270-pound defensive line­ was back to the grind, giving his all for his says Blanchard. “I used to imagine I was one man beat him silly for no visible reason. But goal. of the guys coming out of the chute onto the Blanchard didn’t mind. field. It’s always been a dream of mine to “It was the same thing every day,” play here.” Blanchard says. “From Monday to Thurs­ haron Patton, the principal’s Besides a love for LSU, walk-ons must day I would get up and go to class, have secretary at Catholic High have a willingness to work hard and make lunch afterwards and then I would have a School, didn’t hesitate with sacrifices. “Work” is one word Blanchard is little time to myself. her answer. “Mike is a fine familiar with. “Then I would head over to the stadium young man,” Patton says. “I know what my position is right now. and get dressed for practice. From there I S “He is kind, caring - he’s just I’ve just got to keep working hard until I get would attend meetings with my coach and a wonderful young man.” my chance. All I can do is work hard and do then we would head over to the field by the “You could talk to anyone from the my best.” Vet School and start practice.” janitor to the principal and they would all say But loving LSU and working hard won’t With temperatures reaching upwards of nothing but good things about Michael Blan­ help without a stellar attitude. Again, Blan­ 95 degrees during late summer and into fall, chard.” chard fits the bill. practice can be a misnomer for what a foot­ Catholic High head football coach Dale “I know the odds are against me playing ball player goes through. Ten extra pounds Weiner says he agrees completely. right now,” he says. “I’ve got to do my best of equipment turn an already difficult ses­ “He is a standout football player. You and let everything happen as it does.” sion into “oven therapy” under the penetrat­ wouldn’t leave the game saying he’s the best The demands associated with playing ing rays of the sun. player out there. He doesn’t stand out be­ major college football are enormous. It all “After practice, I would go back and cause of what he does in the game. begins with a three-week training period in shower, then head straight to Broussard Hall “However, he epitomizes what you look

August 1991 17 for in a player as a football coach. He’s the academically, but he decided to stay at home made some great contributions.” kind of guy that works a lot harder than because he loves LSU so much. “On the average, we have about 20-25 most. He’s very goal-oriented and always “He grew up as a Tiger fan and wanted walk-ons each year,” Nader says. “We have keeps those goals in mind.” the chance to play football for LSU. He a responsibility as a state university to give His ability to stay focused and achieve turned down other academic offers from the young men of this state the opportunity his goals leaves an impression on everyone schools like Columbia University to attend to play football as long as they can compete who knows him. school here in Baton Rouge.” physically and are academically eligible. “He is a very determined young man,” His main goal is to get his degree in pre- “There’s no such thing as a tryout for Buddy King, LSU’s offensive-line coach med and then go on to medical school. And these guys,” Nader adds. “They must be says. “He takes a lot of pride in what he does if a 4.0 GPA in his first year at LSU is any full-time students and they must pass the and he wants to be the best at everything. indication, he’ll accomplish that goal. preliminary physical tests. Blanchard’s work ethic and attitude “Pretty much since my junior year in “But'most of all,” Nader says, “these come in large part from his parents, Gordon high school, I’ve thought I would want to go young men have a desire to play football at and Laura Blanchard of Baton Rouge. to medical school,” Blanchard says. ‘The LSU, and they work very hard to fulfill that “My parents have never put a lot of first thing I thought of was sports medicine, goal.” pressure on me to excel at athletics,” Blan­ because I was into sports as well. “Some just love being around foot­ chard says. “They have always told me to “Now I’m thinking about orthopedics ball,” says King. “They just love competing just do my best That’s all they’ve asked of as well. I’ve always excelled in science so on an everyday basis, just like in the real me. whatever I finally decide will probably world. “The men in my family have all played involve science.” “It’s a lot like a fraternity for some of football, but none have ever played college “Hell, I’ve been coaching for 17 or 18 them. They just can’t seem to get it out of ball, so they know that football isn’t the years,” King says, “and I can’t remember their blood.” most important thing there is. having a guy as academically gifted as “We’ve had some players stay four “My mom and dad and my little brother Mike.” years as a walk-on,” Nader says, “just be­ (eight-year old Drew) have always been cause they want to be a part of the LSU there for me, supporting me all the way. football team.” Even when I had some injuries they stood lanchard’s academic rec­ Things started out slowly for Blan­ behind me.” ord is typical among the chard. In his freshman year of college, he Blanchard’s road to the LSU football LSU football walk-ons. found himself behind centers Blake Miller, Held was hard. Injuries during his senior B His track record with the Frank Godfrey and Steve Reading. That’s a season limited his playing time, making him team is also similar to that tough mountain to climb. work that much harder. of many of his colleagues. Miller was an All-SEC selection by “I hurt my ankle in the pre-season,” Blanchard was not some football publications and proved Blanchard says, “and I didn’t come back among the 95 players awarded football schol­ himself in his senior year as one of the best until the fifth game of the season. arships from LSU, but head coach Mike centers at LSU in recent years. The New “Thai the very next week I hurt my Archer like most coaches, encouraged walk- England Patriots selected Miller in the NFL other leg and missed some playing time. All ons. Blanchard took his chances. but thus far draft, reuniting him with ex-LSU quarter­ total, I only played in about four or five has failed to break into the regular rotation. back Tommy Hodson. games during my senior season.” Sam Nader, LSU’s recruiting coordi­ Godfrey was injured much of the time, On the football field, Mike Blanchard nator, is entering his 16th year and has been but neither he nor the number-three center did not stand out as an imposing football a part of six different coaching staffs. He’s Reading could find much playing time with player. Blanchard, at 6’ 1" and 250 pounds, also seen his share of walk-ons. the durable Miller over the football. So was outweighed by some of his teammates “Mike is a great kid and a great stu­ Blanchard was forced to bide his time. and opponents, but he might have been one dent,” says Nader. “He’s also a very good Many of the walk-ons never get to of the biggest men in the classroom. football player. He’s the type of guy you spend those few moments on the field, At Catholic High, Blanchard gradu­ want on your football team.” though. Rarely does an LSU walk-on get to ated as class valedictorian and received an “He wasn’t highly recruited (to play play during a football game. academic scholarship to LSU. football) because of his size limitations,” Despite Blanchard’s lack of playing “Mike is the epitome of the student- Nader adds. “But he has that desire to opportunities, Blanchard did find himself athlete,” Weiner says. “He’s the kind of guy compete and play and he gives it everything dressing out for several games, including that could have gone to a lot of other places he’s got. We’re glad he’s here with us- he’s one road contest He suited up for home

18 Gumbo Magazine games against Miami of Ohio, Texas A&M, Alabama and Tulane. “I just tried to be optimistic and I tried to encourage the guys that were in the game at the time. I wanted to tell them to just do their best.”

or 1991, centers Miller and Reading departed after us­ ing up their eligibility, but Blanchard still faces an uphill climb with Godfrey, a junior, and sophomore Craig Johnston in his way. F“A lot depends on his improvement over the summer and fall,” King says. “If Mike keeps progressing - and I really hope he gets to play -he’ll be playing real soon. “Mike takes a lot of pride in what he does in the classroom, and that carries over onto the football field. If he applies himself in the same manner, he’ll be playing foot­ ball real soon.” “I improved in the spring and finished at number three center,” Blanchard says. “There’s a good chance I could get into some games. It’s very possible. I’ve just got to keep working hard until I get my chance and then I can prove that I can play.” In addition to being optimistic about his chances to play this year, Blanchard is also hopeful about the Tigers’ chances of being competitive in the SEC this year. “I like Coach Hallman a lot,” Blan­ chard says. “He’s a real good coach and he can do a lot for the team. He knows how to get you to do your best. “Coach King is a good coach as well. I like his philosophy. The attitude of the whole know the odds are against team is great and the coaches prepare you for the game, where you shouldn’t let up. m e playing right now . I've “This year working is even more im­ portant for the whole football team,” Blan­ got to do m y best and let chard adds. “We have a new coaching staff and we’re all starting from scratch. Ieverything happen as it does. “There’s a lot of us working hard and it becomes contagious. We have the opportu­ nity to start over and make something out of ourselves - and to make something out of this football team.” ■

August 1991 19 Harry Robson, chemistry A F istfu l o f Many freshmen find Harry Robson's chemistry classes difficult But after 29 years as a chemical engineer at Exxon, Robson says he thinks he is doing his T e a c h e r s students a favor by being hard on them. "I don't think it's any favor to grant students easy marks on an easy class," Robson says. He says students should mature into higher levels of work as they get older. "I think we could be accused of academic dishonesty if we continued the same standards they had in high school." Robson teaches the Chemistry 1212 lab and the Chemistry 1001 survey course for non-science majors. Maria McGuire, a recent general stud­ ies graduate, says she has had bad experi­ ences with the chemistry professor. "I went to Robson to get a faculty ref­ erence for medical school. He was so mean to me when I asked for the reference that he made me cry," McGuire says. "I know so many people who have horror stories to tell about him." Robson says he likes to see students grow in their ability to understand higher- level work and admits his class is difficult "It's no disgrace to fail chemistry," Robson says.

Wayne Parent, political science Wayne Parent has a reputation on Every teacher has an im age, a reputation. And students campus as a funny guy and a laid back talk— especially about which teachers to avoid. Gumbo teacher. He says he likes to keep his classes M agazine decided to tap into the grapevine to find some of humorous because that was the teaching LSU's best and worst teachers. style he liked when he was a student at LSU. O ur m ethods w eren't very scientific. W e didn't use a so­ "I really loved college," Parent says. phisticated Cray com puter system filled with public opin­ "Since I'm back here (at LSU) it reminds me of when I was a student, so I enjoy the ion data. But who can trust science anyway? hell out of teaching." Instead, we talked with students inform ally and got the Parent teaches Louisiana politics, public opinion and a graduate seminar. He scoop on six teachers whose reputations precede them.... says he enjoys teaching about state government because of Louisiana's particular flavor. story by Jennifer brabetz "My Louisiana history class is easy to illustrations by keith douglas teach, easy to have fun with," Parent says.

20 Gumbo Magazine "I'd be a fool not to enjoy that class. It's make it more interesting," Apostolue says. not like teaching Nebraska politics.” "I try to relate it to the real world." David Fawley, a recent political He is a former stockbroker who science graduate, says Parent was one of decided to teach after spending seven his favorite teachers and that his sense of years in the business world. He says he humor made the difference. really likes LSU. "He mixed knowledge of the subject "We are fortunate to have a beautiful with a good dose of humor," Fawley says. campus," Apostolue says. "Louisiana has "He doesn't take himself too seriously, un­ such a distinctive character." like some teachers." He says accounting is the basic tool for a businessperson. "If you want to go Jeff Moore, economics into business, accounting is the best single Jeff Moore seems comfortable with subject you can learn." the dread students have about his classes. Apostolue's wife, Barbara Apostolue, "I don't mind a reputation as being a is also an accounting teacher with a good tough teacher," Moore says. T m trying to reputation. She recently won the ous- prepare people for the real world, not tanding teacher award from the College of maximize their GPA." Business. Moore says LSU is the first place he has taught where students have found him Louis Day, journalism extremely difficult Louis Day knows many students ^ "LSU students are not as well pre­ avoid his classes and he enjoys his pared and don't try as hard," he says. reputation as a challenging professor. Moore says students at LSU have "It doesn't matter if they think I'm two problems because of other teachers - tough as long as they think I'm effective," grade inflation and the "publish or perish" Day says. "Every semester, students tell philosophy. me they've learned more in my class than "There are rewards for publishing, for in any course at LSU." researching, so you make your classes Journalism major Dawn Gottschalk easy and your students leave you alone," says, "My Mend and I discussed printing he says. T-shirts that said 'I survived Lou Day's class and says Roider is attentive to his He considers himself a difficult media law class.' It was tough." student's interests. "He was so concerned teacher compared to his colleagues. Day says that teachers shouldn't strive that his students understand." "The more students learn here, the to be liked or feared because education is Roider is the chair of the history de­ better," he says. "If they choose not to more important than personality. partment His special area of study is East­ study, they’ll have problems, not me." Day came to LSU in 1981 and now ern Europe. teaches graduate and undergraduate He has visited the area several times Nicholas Apostolue, accounting courses in media law, as well as a course and is concerned about the higher cancer Accounting major Cherie Hidalgo called "Problems in Contemporary rates, shorter life expectancies and lower says the most outstanding element of Journalism." nutrition standards common in Eastern Eu­ Nicholas Apostolue's teaching is his rope. thoroughness. Karl Roider, history Roider also says many of the cities "He didn't just talk to you, but got stu­ Many of his students say Karl Roider there are probably beyond repair because dents involved in what he was discussing," has an infectious laugh and a real love of of environmental damage and poor archi­ Hidalgo said. "He taught me the things I teaching. tecture in many of the buildings. needed most to become a better account­ Political science major Earl Peavy "People there are scared," Roider ant." says Roider was one of the best teachers says. "They have a real fear of what is Apostolue admits he works hard to he ever had. "Dr. Roider was an outstand­ going to happen to them." make accounting more interesting. ing teacher because of his love of the Roider teaches classes in western "I realize accounting is a very dry subject." civilization, Balkan history and an 18th subject matter, but I continually try to Peavy took Roider's Balkan history century readings course. ■

August 1991 22 Gumbo Magazine BARBED

WIRE

W om en H elping W om en Fight Illiteracy

story byJohn k. carpenter

L SU instructor Mary Duchein says some of the finest people teach the prisoners how to read or write. Though there were many she knows are convicted murderers, robbers and drug pushers. vocational education classes, the prison offered only one to prepare These friends are inmates at Louisiana Correctional Institute for the General Educational Development (GED) test. And that for Women and Duchein says they have changed her life. class, which had a waiting list of almost 200 inmates, was difficult LCIW, located about 20 miles from Baton Rouge in St to get into for those who could not read or write. Gabriel, is surrounded by rolling lawns, not barbed wire. There are "Our timing was perfect," Duchein said. "The prison had just no guard towers or ominous gates, but instead there are flower beds come under fire for not providing education to the women when we and meticulously maintained shrubbery. showed up with all of these ideas for a literacy program." The prisoners move freely within their environment mowing And so the program "Each One Reach One: Women Helping the grass and watering the plants. Women" was bom. Duchein began making regular visits to the prison more than a The literacy program at LCIW consists of about ten inmate year ago with two of her colleagues. The purpose of these visits was tutors who have high school diplomas, GED certificates or some to determine the availability of educational programs in Louisiana college experience. Each tutor works with a group of about ten prisons as well as to organize literacy programs that involved inmate students who, on the average, read at or below the fifth-grade inmates teaching inmates. level. What she found inside the prison was in stark contrast to the The women tackle their illiteracy with unbridled enthusiasm. original appearance. While the women weren't physically bound by They gather in small groups inside a cavernous gymnasium on chains and cuffs, they were bound by their lack of education. the premises scouring through old workbooks and textbooks and At the time of Duchein's first visit, LCIW had no classes to occasionally breaking to ask each other questions.

illustrations by Virginia hearin August 1991 23 Participation in the program is voluntary, and those who outsider to find her niche in prison society. choose to attend the classes are serious about their work. She said the administration at LCIW was originally more than Duchein said the women are examples of how resilient the a little wary about the literacy program. human spirit can be. "The stories of many of these women are tragic. "I think they saw me as a rabble rouser, someone who was going Many have been abused all their lives and many committed their around demanding educational rights for women," Duchein said. crimes in desperation," Duchein said. She often found herself literally locked out of the prison gates Some had to sell drugs because that was the only way they could when she showed up for scheduled classes. afford to feed their children. Some committed murder because that Facing the prison bureaucracy that seemed both hostile and was their only escape from a life of constant emotional, verbal and apathetic, Duchein returned to LCIW for the sake of those students physical abuse. who had a genuine desire to learn. "But within this scary, horrible place there is love, joy and Another problem for the program was a lack of instructional nurturing,” Duchein said. "It's amazing." materials. While some textbooks and workbooks have been do­ The special relationship she has with some of the women at nated, many of them are old and already have the answers written LCIW goes far beyond the boundaries of teacher and student. "Quite inside. simply, the women have become my friends," she said. "We just erase the answers and start working," said tutor Ruby But Duchein also gives plenty to the program. Barnes, who graduated from Southern University. She thinks that by helping these women become literate she will Duchein is constantly looking for alternative materials in good help them better understand themselves. condition to bring to the prison. And she never walks through the Duchein is a firm believer in what she called the "transforma­ gates without an armful of reading materials. tive power of autobiography," meaning that by writing about the im­ "My neighbors give me bodes and magazines to bring to the portant events and people in their lives the women will better prison," Duchein said. understand who they are and how they ended up in prison. Barnes, who is a self-proclaimed "voracious reader,” loves the Laura Higgins, one of the students in the literacy class, wrote western tales of Louis L'Amour, but most of the other inmates like a poem discouraging children from using drugs. The poem, entitled those of Stephen King. "Children, Don't Do Drugs!" was simple in form and in message. "Those give me the creeps," Barnes said. She urged children to avoid the temptation of drugs, to resist peer Just when the tutor has curled up with a good book before pressure and to "just be themselves." dosing off, one of her students will have her paged so they can ask As she read the poem to Duchein on her last visit, her voice a question or get a new assignment cracked. She then confided that expressing her feelings on paper is Barnes claims that she enjoys helping other people, but a great a great challenge. Higgins said she had so much to say, but that it is motivating factor in her work is self-improvement. a struggle to transfer those thoughts onto paper. "I learn a lot every day. I do this because I love helping people," Like many of the others, Higgins has made great strides since she said. the program began. "It’s one step at a time," Duchein told Higgins. She and the rest of the tutors are the highest paid workers at "Just a few months ago, you couldn't write anything so personal." LCIW, earning 40 cents per hour. And that money is extremely "I know. It's just so hard it hurts," Higgins replied." important in prison society because the women must buy for them- ' In the beginning, the literacy classes were scheduled during the selves many of the items civilians take for granted. Chewing gum, women's only free time, but they kept coming. Now that's dedica­ toilet paper, tampons and other toiletries are among the items the tion," Duchein said. women depend on their salaries to purchase. She faced other problems from the onset of the project, but she But getting some sort of education so that they don't make the and the prisoners have managed to overcome them. same mistakes again is another important aspect of these women's The prison environment breeds a mistrust for outsiders, Duchein lives, Duchein said. said, often making it difficult for the inmates to interact with outside Some of the inmates expressed their desire to make something groups. out of themselves when they are released from prison. They said the Early on, Duchein found out how difficult it could be for an literacy program will give them that opportunity.

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24 Gumbo Magazine Celain Mercadel said the classes have helped her feel good about herself- good enough that she can "go places in life (she) never dreamed of." Jo Anne Rue, another student in the program, said the instruc­ IN HER OW N W ORDS... tion has given her hope that she will have a new life after she gets out of prison. The inmates participating in "Each One Reach "In many ways, going to prison is the best tiling that ever One” have helped each other as well as helping happened to me," said Lana Cantrell, an inmate and participant in themselves. The working relationships they have are the program. "I now have my GED and I have discovered how much tinged with love and concern. I love to learn. I just can't get enough. My whole life has changed," Billie Wright, a 53-year-old inmate, has spent she said. the last nine years at LCIW. During that time, she had Cantrell smiled as she said of her future: "I want to go to college, no educational opportunities - until the literacy pro­ maybe Tulane." gram came along. Duchein said many of the women join the literacy program in Since she started working with her tutor, she has an effort to be better examples for their children. Separation from mastered the language and the art of communication. their families is, for most of them, the most difficult part of prison And she has developed a strong desire to learn. life. These are her words: "They regret that they will miss seeing their children grow up," Once not too long ago, I could barely she said. "I took the class so that I could read to my grandchildren," said write my own name or spell the simplest student Leeaudrey Holt. words. I felt too old to learn and too embar­ Duchein said she is encouraged by the amount of headway that rassed and ashamed to ask someone to help has been made toward providing basic education for the women me because I didn’t want them to know the who want it "The literacy class used to meet once a week. Now it truth. meets three times a week," she said. Then I learned that others like me were So far, over 100 women have participated in the program since its creation, and many have found themselves flowing back into the willing to learn and more than that, there mainstream of society. were other ladies willing to help teach me. Duchein and her colleagues presented the results of the pro­ Through swallowing my pride, I reached gram at the National Conference last December, ending their out. I found that every step I took, my tutor, official woik. Ms. Shiela Ernest, took two to help me. She But Duchein kept returning. opened the door to knowledge for me. With Now "Each One Reach One” has expanded and taken on a life her help and others, I have learned a lot. I of its own. "The literacy program now has its own momentum. That’s the can read, spell and do math problems. More way I always wanted it to be," Duchein said. than this, she has taught me not to fear not Today, the program is run entirely by the students. knowing something and has placed the thirst Duchein said she can’t return as often as she would like to for knowledge in me to learn more. I plan to because her family, work and education take up a great deal of time. continue my education because of special But she still returns. people like her that have made me realize, I As her last visit drew to an end, the women asked when she would be back. Probably not for a couple more months, she said. can do it. ■ "I have to come back," she said, though. "These women have become a part of my life." ■

August 1991 25 Almost every century of human development has been characterized by some sort of intellectual or mechanical innovation. The ancient years were usually presaged by some sort of destructive weapon, such as the cata­ pult. The later middle ages saw the manifestation of the logic of the refor­ mation in the advent of the printing press. Our own era, ironically enough, was privileged enough to witness the amalgamation of both of these con­ cepts in the arrival of our voyeuristic friend, the television.

Despite its absolute influence on modern human behavior, there are still those few precious moments in our lives where we find ourselves free from the boob tube’s spastic gaze. Ripping down the interstate at 80-plus miles per hour, recreational exercise and groping lustily at an equally stoked member of the opposite sex are among those activities that are best enjoyed without the presence of a 24-inch remote and a handy cable feed.

That brings us to its predecessor and sometime companion - the radio.

story by Steve zaffuto with television’s in­ oped the process of transmitting sound sistent and pervasive intrusion into the daily through the atmosphere, radio stations sprung life of humans, most Americans still really up across the nation and introduced the pub­ dig listening to the radio. It’s more subtle. It lic to the magic of airborne noise. These doesn’t require the absolute attention of the venerable times are often considered the consumer but yet can often have as much in­ Golden Age of Radio, when many news­ fluence as its visual cousin. Just as it was men, actors and other opportunistic types used as a minor character in films such as took advantage Of the medium and made it American Grafitti and Do the Right Thing, the foremost channel of mass communica­ radio often turns out acting as a soundtrack tion in the world. Amos ‘n’Andy, The for society, playing unnoticed in the back­ Shadow, fireside chats and the like domi­ ground until a major climactic interlude sends nated the airwaves. It was great...just ask it leaping to the forefront, becoming an inte- your grandpa. eral cart of the action. 'Later with the almost simultaneous advents of television and rock ‘n roll, radio became mostly a musical medium, rockin’ around the dockland making stars out of wild white boys. That trend lasted until, along with the new decade in 1970,- came an era of hi-fi FM radio that gave dope-smokin’ teenagers something to listen to in their huge, globelike Koss headphones. This soon gave rise to terms like rat­ ings, areas of dominant influence, formats and other keen stuff. In other words, things soon stabilized and radio became an indus- try. In Baton Rouge, what we now think of as radio has always had a pretty solid citi- zenship. There has always been at least (me country station, “rock” station, weenie-ve- gatable-elevator music station, and of course, the one huge pop-variety, adult contempo­ rary station that is usilally several jillion watts strong, part of a citywide media con­ glomerate and the cultural exchange of many teenage girls. Those were the simple With the£ enduring social and cultural years indeed. The pubescent nubiles had importance of radio now firmly established their station, the local dopeheads had their by my rampant rhetoric, it is interesting to , station and your parents, God bless their note how the entire radio broadcasting sce­ middle-o’-the-road hearts, had their station. nario is structured and just how rapidly it is However, both the listening habits of . changing to accommodate our increasingly the public and the broadcasting habits of the quirky, politically-correct, pasta-eating,lite- ' radio world seem to have changed drasti­ beer-guzzling society. cally in the past half,of a decade or so. Most Before the radio days, communication of this is due, sickeningly enough, to those was simple. Radio hadn’t been invented yet ■ wily baby boomers. Staying true to their and people had to engage in all sorts of tendency to coerce, and some may even say strange behavi6r like reading and. actually force, the rest of the nation into reminiscing talking to one another in order to obtain in- - a la The Wonder Years- right along with formation. Later, when clever Italians con­ ’ them, the 35 to 55 demographic segment has spired with other equally cheeky types like rearranged radio formats and appeal as we Marconi and Tesla and eventually devel­ formerly knew them.

August 1991 27 ▲

of the,once sedate- the advertising firm Backer Spielvogel Bates and regimented radio dial have suddenly said. “There are simply fewer 18 to 34-year- Inc., which handles several local radio sta­ sprung scores of classic rock and oldies sta­ olds this year than last year. The demo- tion such as WTGE 100.7, and WCKW tions. Where once a Chuck Berry song . ,graphic we sought was the 25 to 54-year- 92.3, watches the radio ratings. would elicit glazed, vaguely pleased looks- olds, which has been the fastest growing He said that, in spite of their initial v from older folks, his offerings are now demographic segment in the nation.” success, “novelty” formats such as oldies heard almost as often as Tom Bodett’s Motel Apparently Oldies 98’s strategy has radio tend to have a high burnout ratio. “You 6 ads. Early ’70s washouts like Bachmap Been successful, posting them third in Ba­ would think that with all of the music in the Turner. Overdrive have in/recent years ton Rouge among 25 to 54-year-olds. past 30 years you would never run out of seemed to achieve more airplay than even With “niche” stations like this one, stuff to play. That simply isn’t true,” Galle perrenial FM elder Phil Collins. What, asks' mass entertainment and not cultural aware­ said. I guess there is only so much Herman’s the casual evening time cruiser, is the deal? ness is usually the goal, especially since Hermits one can tolerate in a single lifetime. Has Lionel Richie met with “an untimely changing formats is about as easy as calling The slightly more progressive “classic death? Are we all, every time we switch on up some company in Tennessee and telling rock” stations also have their problems, the FM receiver, entering an eerie,insistent them your station is, going all-Lambada next mostly concerning station income and ad­ print of .“Night of the Living Dead Rock week. The new compact disc library usually vertising dollars. “The biggest targets for Stars?" arrives within a few days. radio advertising are women,” Galle said. The answer, at least according to local One characteristic that Oldies 98 does The classic rock format, however, appeals deejay and program director Jack Flash, ac­ retain from its previous format is an exclu­ to about a 90-percent male audience.” With- tually does seem to have more to do with, sively all-hits play list Unlike the weird a nod to the scores of well-meaning teenage mortality than you might think. Flash, whose little AM stations that started the oldies hippie chicks who smoke pot with their boy- : station Somewhat inexplicably metamor­ trend same years back, a request for The friends and fantasize about Jim Morrison, I phosed from competing teenybopper pow­ Chocolate Watch Band at a newer oldies, Galle said that “aside from beer and cars erhouse Z-98 into the new Oldies 98, said station is likely to be met with an enthusias­ there isn’t a whole lot you can sell guys that the reason for the switch had more to do tic “huh?” and a polite suggestion having age over the radio.” Because of recent lack­ with the lack of teenyboppers than anything something to do with Elvis or Bobby Darin. luster ratings for WTGE, Galle Hinted that else. Despite the apparent viability of a sta-,“classic rock” could be one format that is “The younger age segments have been tion such as Oldies 98, nostalgia isn’t al­ - proving to be a big disappointment to radio - declining rapidly in recent years, “ Flash ways the path to high broadcast ratings. EX. programmers. ' “Rusty” Galle, senior account executive with

28 Gumbo Magazine ▼ Another significant change in. the lay­ in the turbulent radio markets across the whiny female lead singer, which they do out of the radio dial is the death of the nation. AM radio, once known solely as the seem to have an odd predilection for lately, traditional pop-rock “adult contemporary” haunt of semi-literate radio preachers and simply call the deejay up and ask for some­ station. With the mutation of musical styles countless minority groups, now seems to be thing you do like. Even if you don’t have a that has occurred during this MTV decade, - on the cutting edge of broadcasting thought • phone, you go down to Hodges Hall and tell it has become evident that the club-hopping; and reasoning. Rejuvenated by the talk radio him in person. Exstacy-popping Pet Shop kid and the local format popularized by the antics of Rush Even with the “weird stuff,” listening Camaro god aren’t going to tolerate listen- Limbaugh and Larry King, AM seems set to to KLSU is not always be a pleasant expe- ing to the same radio station anymore. “Top- become the “cable/of radio” offering a field rience, but it’s bound to do you some good. 40 basically came upon a product problem of news, ethnic and spiritual broadcasting Now that this incredibly interesting and began programming "more and more' opportunities to anyone with enough cash information has been Organized in a rea­ black and dancerorientedmusic,” said Galle, to buy their own transmitter and lucky sonably legible fashion, one can only pon­ explaining the state of most so-called top-40 enough to get a frequency. This sort of spe­ der as to its ultimate consequence. In other stations: cialization lias already carried over into the words, what difference does it make? With the demise of hit radio alto comes FM arena, spawning many stations that cater To the average college listener, it all the reemergence of country as a viable radio to only certain audiences, like the black- basically means three things: format. Once the sole domain of rifle-toting oriented FM 106.5, and Z-ROCK 99.5, the, 1) money is, above all, the bottom line pickup drivers, the' immense popularity of wondrously loud station in New Orleans 2) any present or future artists who relatively progressive country artists such that caters to teenagers rarin’ to cause some aren’t either dead or old and don’t really fit - as Garth Brooks and Dwight Yokum has trouble. Into any gimmicky category can pretty much borne the strains of Nashville through many And, last but not least, what about' forget about getting play time; and, of course a Blaupunkt automotive speaker as well. KLSU 91.1, our o wn little unpredictable , 3) the baby boomers, damn ’em, have Not surprisingly, country has always been a PM thing theoretically owned and realisti­ once again bamboozled us into thinking hot ticket in the Baton Rouge market. Even cally operated by LSU students? Often si­ that the Greatful Dead is a decent band. several years ago when country wasn’t much multaneously accused of being “boring” Although the last point is debatable of a hit elsewhere, local station WYNK101, and “real weird”, KLSU is still the most < and history may hopefully prove the second as Galle put it, was able to “fry eggs in Baton user-friendly Station around. If the deejay wrong, the first assumption is probably a Rouge.” happens to be playing a song you don't like safe bet. Such is capitalism and so is the way There is still a lot of unresolved static by one Of those “college” bands with a of the world- love it or listen to KLSU. ■

August 1991 29 Mount Olive Cemetery, Baton Rouge

Magnolia cemetery, National Cemetery, Baton Rouge

photo s by d o u glas mcconnell

Eerie lighting, bold tones and sharp contrasts drew Douglas McConnell and his camera to South Louisiana cemeteries for t h e f i r s t t i m e two years ago. Some of the pictures he shot on his first Sunday af­ ternoon at the Grace Church in St. Franci sville, along | | with others taken more recently , are printed on the fol- lo w ing pages. Since that Sunday in 1989, McConnell has taken hundreds ofpictures in dozens of cemeteries across the state.

Highland Cemetery, Baton Rouge August 1991 31 National Cemetery, Baton Rouge

Grace Church,St.Francisville Magnolia Cemetery, Baton Rouge

McConnell recently visited several graveyards in Baton Rouge: •Highland Cemetery, near campus but tucked away Mount Olive Cemetery, Baton Rouge front campus traffic in College Town, became a burial site for many of the founders of the city in 1815. Dozen of Kleinpeters are buried there along with Pierre Joseph Bavrot (1749-1824) who served under Galvez and went on to be the commandant of the garrison at Baton Rouge during War of 1812. • National Cemetery, also called Memorial Ceme­ tery, is at the comer of 19th Street and Florida Boule­ vard. It was the site of the Civil War Battle of Baton .Rouge in l B62 and became a federal cemetery in 1867. The rows o f white headstones honor thousands of sol- diers who gave their lives for America B a to n Rouge bo u g h t the land for Magnolia Cemetery, also at 19th Street and Florida Boulevard, in 1852. The cemetery is flow on the Department of Inte- rior's National Register of Historic Places. / Mount Olive Cemetery, at die comer of Neath boulevard and 22ndStreet, is a depressing place known as a traditionally black cemetery for many years. Many • ‘ of the graves are in disrepair, victims of knotted and crawling tree roots. Cracked cement mausoleums reveal the partial remains of the departed. ■ Highland Cemetery; Baton Rouge August 1991 33 34 Gumbo Magazine L osing MY R eligion

M y mother was a Jehovah's Witness. My father had a Catholic background, but he worshipped the boob tube. My brother Dirk and I would have preferred to worship with our dad, but we weren't given that choice. "Please, Mama, let's not go tonight," we would beg our mother. But she religiously attended all the meet­ ings. And so did we. The church services dragged on for hours, or so it seemed to a child's judgment of time. Dirk and I would fight over who got to put their elbow on the armrest we shared - pushing and knocking each other's arms off the chair. Mother would give us that cold, threatening stare. Instead of seeing God in her eyes, I saw some­ thing that looked more like the devil. Before the serv­ ice ended, she was sitting between us and we were promised the whipping of our lives. But God returned to her eyes after church, and she conveniently forgot that promise.

story by jody miller photos by dave curley

August 1991 35 B eing a member of the Jehovah's Wit­ where my mother was sitting and gave her mother, no longer believe in God? nesses meant I would be seen as different in an appreciative hug. She gave me a quizzi­ Months turned into years. My mother school. I felt like I had a disease my mother cal look in return and went back to her still did not dress for church. I would hear had to explain to the teacher. paperwork. my grandmother ask her for an explanation, "We're Jehovah's Witnesses," Mama Now it was Thursday night and my but I never heard a reply. It had to be my would tell my teacher on the first day of mother still wasn't getting dressed for church. fault. She was tired of my brother and me school. "My daughter is not allowed to par­ "What should I wear tonight?" I asked fighting not to go. ticipate in the holiday celebrations or salut­ her, hoping that she would be proud I had re­ "Oh, Jehovah," I prayed,"please for­ ing of the flag." membered. give me. Please let my mother go back to The teacher was aware of people like "Wear for what?" she asked. church again." us, and she just nodded. I found out later "To go to the Kingdom Hall." Kingdom My prayers were unanswered. She never that another Jehovah's Witness child was in Hall was the name given to the building of went back. I think my grandmother blamed my class - Johnny Souza. What a relief! I Jehovah's Witnesses. me, too. wouldn't be the only child sitting when the "Oh, we're not going," she said. "You "You need to be good and not fight with class stood to say the Pledge of Allegiance. can keep those clothes on and go play." your brother anymore," she would tell me. During those times, Johnny and I looked to We weren't going again. I wondered if "If you start going to church regularly and each other for support. But that support only my mother was sick. she sees a change, then maybe she will go lasted in class. "Are you feeling okay?" I asked. back. Your mother and father are good, but Johnny tattled to his mother that I was "Yes, I'm okay," she said, walking into they will never make it to the new world standing for the Pledge of Allegiance one the utility room to put the wet clothes in the without the Truth." day. I was standing to sharpen my pencil. dryer. The Truth. That was the alias followers What a rat! I never liked him after that. Our church attendance did not resume gave to the religion. I did feel sorry for Johnny, though. during the next few months. At first it was So at nine years old, I took on the task Both his parents were Jehovah's Witnesses, fun, but then it became strange. My cousins of saving my mother and father. In the so he didn't get to celebrate Christmas at all. continued to go. My grandmother, aunts, beginning I had my brother's help. For the At least I had my father's family to make up and uncles all went. My mother never said first time, we united to bring our parents to for the world of which I thought I was de­ anything about it. She just stopped going. the Truth. Dirk and I started attending the prived. Our late-night Bible stories ended. Did my meetings on our own. Mama never tried to "You mean you don't get any Christ­ stop us, but she never seemed interested in mas presents?" my friends at school would returning either. ask. As / slid my back along the Dirk was five years older than me, so he "Yes, I do,” I quickly responded in fear wall and fell to the floor, I had became more active in the religion - attend­ of being different. "My Daddy's side cele­ ing personal Bible studies, giving talks and brates Christmas. They give me lots." my first spark o f doubt. going door-to-door in the ministry. My But Johnny didn't have brother learned every­ any presents to talk about thing he possibly could after Christmas break. about the Truth. He learned more than the Je- M y mother said we hovah's Witnesses weren't going to church. wanted him to know, in­ Was she sick? We always cluding the history of the went to church - three days organization. a week. However, being seven years old, I wasn't D ir k moved out of going to demand an expla­ the house to go to college nation. I decided to take ad­ against the advice of the vantage of this rare occa­ Witnesses. He would be sion. I switched the chan­ corrupted there with nels on the television look­ drugs and sex, they said. ing for something to watch. But it wasn't these things It was Tuesday night - they feared most about that meant Happy Days, Dirk going to college. Laverne and Shirley and Knowledge was the Three's Company. It was root of all evil to them. going to be a great night, I And knowledge is what thought. I went over to led Dirk away from the 36 Gumbo Magazine Witnesses and into Catholicism. philosophy class. I learned "Dirk is thinking about be­ about Plato's cave and it was coming a priest," my mother said then that my spark began to one night at supper. grow. I learned the answer to "He is getting baptized next my long-standing childhood Sunday and he wants us to be question: Why was I lucky there." enough to be bom into the "I'm not going, " I hollered Truth? I realized that I had in protest. "How can he do this? been tied to a chair and the He knows the Truth." religious leaders of my church "Well, he doesn't believe it's had cast shadows and images the truth anymore, I gugss," she for me all of my life. My said. "I don't understand your brother had tried to wake me brother. I thought he wanted to on several occasions with his be a doctor." nudges of reality, but I was too "Well, I'm not going to sup­ stubborn to listen to him. I port this decision," I said in pro­ thought I was the only one who test as I slammed the chair against had the Truth. I carried the the under side of the table and ran cross to save my family all of crying from the room. those years. And now came Dirk was baptized and con­ the difficult part — putting it firmed at the Catholic church on down. Where do I go from LSU's campus. I was there, but I here, I thought. The light is wasn't supportive. As I wiped blinding and I have no where my teary eyes, my elbow acci­ to go. dentally knocked my mother's Many years have passed arm. She looked at me with that since that first semester. At stare again. But this time, instead first I just became like my of separatingmy brother and me, mother. I stopped getting she just sat there watching my dressed for church. But that brother destroy his hope for eter­ was just another method of fol­ nal life, I thought. lowing someone else's lead. I Dirk introduced my parents knew that wasn't enough. I had to the priest after the service. He to find my own Truth. And that attempted to shake my hand, but I just walked "Oh, Jehovah, please forgive brings me to the present. I am still searching away. I hope he doesn't expect me to call for those answers to my questions. me. Please let my m other go him "Father," I thought. I could only feel re­ Some say that it is really sad I had to be sentment for this man who had stolen the back to church again.” subjected to such abuse. I say that I have Truth from my brother. become a better person because of it. Know­ As we walked out of the church, I had ing the harm of being closed-minded has only spiteful words to say to my brother. meetings. only made me realize the importance of "If you believe in Hell so much, I hope "I don't need you to tell me what I can being open-minded. I now know that I wasn't you bum there," I screamed at him in tears. and cannot do," she told them. "I haven't bom into the Truth. The real truth is some­ Hell was some place that Jehovah's Wit­ been to the Kingdom Hall in about eight thing that we all have to search for. I don't nesses believed didn't exist. years and you come to my house now won­ even know if having a Truth is that impor­ Dirk just gave me a cocky grin. I could dering why I went to my son's baptism. I tant. I believe God will judge us by our have punched him right there, but my mother give my children choices. They have to live genuine yearning to know the truth. God is told me to go sit in the car. their own lives. I am not Catholic, but if my the truth in religion, not doctrine. Elders of the Jehovah's Witnesses heard son chooses to be, then I will be there to I have come a long way since that time about my brother's baptism and questioned support him. And neither you nor your reli­ I wished Hell on my brother. I can learn my mother about her attendance. She was gion can dictate my life any more." from his experiences. I am thankful for still considered a baptized Witness and could It was at that moment, as I slid my back those unanswered prayers for my mother’s be held accountable for her actions. I lis­ along the wall and fell to the floor, that I had return to the Kingdom Hall. And I would tened in On the conversation behind a wall, my first spark of doubt. like to tell Johnny Souza that I know all of and for the first time I heard my mother the words to the Pledge of Allegiance and I explain why she had stopped going to the M y first semester in college I had a stand every time. ■ August 1991 37 YESTERDAY

LSUTODAY In 1925, when LSU moved from downtown Baton Rouge to its new campus, times were different. Or were they? Stu dents, staff and faculty confronted many of the same issues then that they face today. Even in the midst of a major transition, the cadets and co-eds of yesteryear carried out their roles amidst a background of violence, feminism, and racism just as they do today, story by larry sumerford

Full page photo: View looking north through the south gates of the University's downtown campus, 1925. Photo from 1925 Gumbo yearbook. Photo inset: This 1991 photo of the same location was taken from a spot just north of the Riverside Mall-North Street intersection

By 1925 Baton Rouge had a lot to be proud of. The town college. Its 2,150 acres located three miles south of Baton Rouge boasted 25,000 people, 17 miles of paved streets, 28 miles of seemed to be the perfect place for the “Greater University” they sewer lines and it was growing. Smokestacks at the Standard Oil wanted to build. Refinery were belching forth plumes of poison. The port and Construction on the new site started in 1922. By then, it chemical town was working its way toward modernity. seemed clear the new campus0 would be much more than just an Louisiana State University’s campus, which had been at the agricultural college. north end of Third Street for 37 years, was surrounded by the By 1925, crews had finished building Hill Memorial Li­ Mississippi River on the west, the University Lake on the north, brary as well as Coates, Atkinson, Dodson and Boyd Halls. Classes were scheduled to start on the new campus that fall. Laborers worked that summer to finish new campus build­ ings in time for the coming semester while University officials wrestled with two major problems. It was obvious that the pen­ tagon-shaped dormitory complex and the cafeteria would not be completed on time, and the construction delay meant the Uni­ versity could not house all its students on the new campus. The other problem was what to do with the old campus. A provision in the congressional act under which the original campus had been donated to the University stipulated that the land could only be used for educational purposes. If the University at any time ceased to use the site, the land would revert to the federal government,.. To solve the problems, LSU President Thomas D. Boyd proposed to the University board that the military students, all men, should stay on the old campus and that the female co-eds should be moved to the new LSU. Later, he went on, the men would move to the new campus and the women would be returned' to the original campus. The proposal startled many people, who knew Boyd’s his­ tory of strong support for co-education. Boyd had appeared Top: Peabody Hall, part of LSU’s old campus. before the legislative budget committees many times pleading Photo from 1916 Gumbo yearbook..Bottom: On for money , to improve the women’s facilities in order to attract more female students to the university. the same spot now stands the new State Capitol. But now Boyd was changing his tune. “I have not lost faith in co-education, but I have grown skeptical,” Boyd told the board. While many people thought Boyd’s proposal was a practical solution for the problem of what to do with the old campus, some observers said Boyd’s real concern was the number of pregnancies that had occurred among the student body. The University board modified Boyd’s proposal. The board said all the male students and the junior and senior women stu­ dents would attend classes at the new campus, and freshman and sophomore women students would stay on the old campus. It was a compromise, but many of the women students still were not pleased. Another controversy involved Tiger Stadium, which was built in 14 separate sections—seven sections on each side, each section seating about 900 fans. Construction bids were let sepa­ rately for each of the 14 sections. When the contracts were awarded, a black-owned construction firm, Bryant, Connor and Bell, received contracts for three sections and some of the sidewalk. photo by dave curley White contractors were infuriated and refused to bid on any more campus contracts. When the University tried to let con­ and the city on the south and east. Decades before, at the turn of tracts on the stadium dormitories and the Greek theatre, it the century, school officials had realized the existing campus received an insufficient number of bids and the projects had to was too small -there was no room to grow. be postponed. In 1920, LSU officials began to consider the Gartness Plan­ Eventually, however, the contractors were persuaded that tation as a site for a larger campus. The Legislature had bought the University was legally required to award contracts to the the land two years earlier, planning to build an agricultural lowest bidder, regardless of the bidder’s race. The white con­

40 Gumbo Magazine tractors agreed to submit bids, and construction continued. the first official day of school to the new campus. Pentagon dormitories, Peabody Hall and the Greek The- That fall, as almost every fall, problems surfaced. At cam­ atre were among the other buildings that would eventually make pus election time, campaign posters were everywhere, but there up the frame of the “new campus.” were no female candidates. Sommer, who was the president of the co-eds, was particu­ THE STORIES larly upset. She drafted a petition complaining about the lack of cooperation between male and female students and requested On a humid Saturday afternoon in May 1925, agronomy representation for women in student government The univer­ professor Oscar B. Turner sat in his cluttered office on the old sity’s women students rallied behind Sommer and unanimously campus preparing what was to be the last examination he would approved the petition. give. Sommer then marched into Boyd’s office, presented the Some people at the University thought Turner was almost document and asked him to appoint three women to the student a recluse. One person called him “the quietest, most inoffensive council. Her reasoning was that 25 percent of the 1,600 students man on campus.” were women and, therefore, women were entitled to a fourth of Turner hadn’t quite finished making out the test when he the 12 seats on the council - in other words, a quota system. decided to take a supper break. He walked across the dusty The council, however, ruled that since the right to vote was street to Foster Cafeteria, located on what is now the southwest not restricted, the elections were open elections without dis­ corner of the parking lot in front of the State Capitol. After crimination. If the women wanted women on the council, they eating, he returned to his office to discover his test papers miss­ would have to nominate and elect them through normal chan­ ing. nels. Distressed, Turner returned to his sparsely furnished room Race became an issue in student affairs even though no at Mrs. Lee’s Boarding House on College Street, now called blacks attended the University. Boyd Avenue. Early the next morning the professor went back During that school year, Roland Kizer was LSU’s delegate to his office, perhaps to reexamine his office for clues. to the Princeton World Court Council at Princeton University Someone else had also gone to Turner’s office that morning. in New Jersey. The event was designed to gather the brightest The intruder grabbed a blunt kindling ax lying from the agron­ minds from 250 colleges and universities together to work omy building’s fireplace and with one vicious strike almost de­ toward improving higher education. capitated Turner. The first stroke of the blade sliced through his When the World Court Council met to elect committees, throat, shearing his windpipe and sinking a quarter-inch into Kizer was surprised to see that a black woman from Howard his backbone. University in Washington, D.C., had been elected to represent Turner’s violent death cast suspicion on the entire Agron­ the Southern delegation. omy 33 class. Some people thought Turner had surprised a stu­ Kizer jumped to his feet and protested. Washington was not dent returning the stolen exam and that the student, fearing ex­ in the South, he said, and therefore the woman was not represen­ pulsion, killed him. tative of her constituency. Other Southern universities joined Each member of the class was fingerprinted and interro­ Kizer’s protest. gated. None could be implicated in the crime. The killer was The executive committee, however, ruled that Washington never found. A make-up exam was administered and all of the was in the South and let the selection stand. students passed. Kizer and the University of Georgia delegate then walked Summer came and went as preparations were made for that out defiantly, throwing the conference into an uproar. Delegates great change from the Old War Skule to the Greater University. yelled and threw their paper programs in the air as the chair­ The students and faculty had also made their preparations for man futilely beat his gavel. Kizer went directly to the train a new era. station and headed back to Baton Rouge. Education senior Ray Sommer, like 393 of the 418 co-eds He arrived in Baton Rouge a hero. President Boyd com­ that year, had changed her hairstyle to the new “bob." Most of mended his conduct in representing the university and the them thought it was rebellious. The cut started in chic hair Chamber of Commerce applauded his actions. The Gumbo salons in France, but had moved to America in time for the yearbook dedicated a section to the story, and the student body Roaring ’20s. Early in the morning on the first day of classes, elected Kizer president of the student council. Sommer scurried around her parents house, located at 1225 Main Street. Sommer tried on the new dresses she had pur­ T H E F I N A L E chased from her father’s clothing store and admired her stylish hairdo. Roland Kizer became a successful attorney. In 1935, he and A few blocks away, Roland Kizer’s feet hit the wooden floor seven other prominent Baton Rougeans were involved in a plot of the Lambda Chi house on College Street. Kizer was a three- to assassinate Huey Long. Kizer died in 1971. sport letterman, second-year law student and member of the Ray Sommer, now 85, still lives in Baton Rouge. She worked debate team. He was also quite a success with the ladies who at LSU for 45 years and recalled seeing many changes. attended parties at his fraternity’s house. Most of the faces from that time are remembered only from President Boyd had risen early that morning and walked to faded photographs. Most of the buildings from the old campus the elevated platform just north of the pentagon barracks. From have been torn down-or the brick has been replaced with cement time to time, he checked his watch and gazed southward down and steel. But the situations people face haven't changed all that the tracks in search of the shuttle train that would carry him for much. ■

August 1991 41 n hour before the start of the first September foot­ ball game, the most un-august caste of LSU's busi­ ness school sat in the back of a red pickup truck with a perhaps lesser caste of uncontracted dates.

"Would you do her?" asked Russ Smith, a 5-11, 180- pound senior from Metairie, holding his Coors in a way that reflected the light and long shadows of a late after­ noon along with a backlog of cars on River Road.

"Would I stop doing her," answered Brett "Roon" Bor­ delon, another senior from Metairie, glancing toward her ripped cutoffs and bronzed thighs that stood above him in the bed of the truck. She was busy yelling "Bama,

42 Gumbo Magazine Bama, won't you bite my ass?" at passersby, even though Everything was the color of straw and faded green like that game wasn't until November. the plains of Africa and everyone half expected Marlon Perkins to be out filming a pride of lions pouncing on wil- From the top of the levee, the line of cars along River debeasts. But there were only the cows and Brahmin Road appeared small and unimportant like a strand of bulls resting near discarded wood and tin shacks. They Mardi Gras beads tossed on a median and and forgotten hardly mooed or ate. An occasional trip to the salt lick for days after the parades had passed. The line, with all was their life, or possibly a stare back at the red truck of its hom-honking and pom pons attached to antennas, where Roon recounted the story of Smith's Thursday was soundless and hidden once past the vistas of land night fumble. that stretched from the river across barbed-wire fences to the Vet School and all the way beyond the Kleinpeter's Smith, acutely aware of the optional nature of Friday classes at cows. The yellow grass blazed beneath the white oaks, the university, had invested some drinks and his best creativ­ dense with clusters of leafy branches that hid trunks ity in persuing a sophomore who manned the Candy Shoppe at unlit by the gold of everything else. the student union on Tuesdays and Thursdays at his favorite

August 1991 43 bar, appropriately known as the Swiss and tanned friends that headed out in a game shook them from what might Colony. Such a large perponderance of the white Honda Accord. The Tri-Delt insig­ normally be a mild alcohol-induced student body considered the bar nia, centered so perfectly in the rear win­ coma. They both could feel the sticky "cheesy"that Roon and Smith had given it dow that it was perfect example of Euclid's adhesive places on their thighs where that name. He bought Screwdrivers and geometry , meant, in this case, Fabulous they had taped little plastic bags of Tom Collinses for a contingent of her friends Babes on Board Headed for Closing Time Jack Daniels to mix with the Coke once when the afternoon festivities were just to at McDonald's or Taco Hell. they were in the stadium. At the time it extinguish the heat. The pace had not slack­ seemed like fun pretending they were ened, but the circle of influence whose inso­ He had waved goodbye to the taillights in Crockett and Tubbs being wired for an briety he was now in charge of had grown a lamenting gesture but it didn’t take him undercover job. But now the recording to include her roommate's brother and a re­ too long to forget his sorrow and head back equipment had left a gooey feeling that volving gaggle of his fraternity pledges. to the Colony. There he quickly recovered would haunt them every time it was and latched onto a rounder, larger, but not necessary to rub up against someone at entirely homely spandex-clad treasure. a bar later that night.

They bolted for Domino's next door, and After they took a brief time-out to ex­ less than a half an hour later, they ascended change the smell of beer, cigarettes and the stairs in the apartment Roon and nachos that had accumulated on them Smith rented mainly because of its prime for the more palatable waft of Obses­ location smack in the middle of Tigerland. sion, they they were back in the game I Upon their arrival, Roon turned down the stronger than ever. The Colony pul­ volume on ESPN's Sport center and waited sated with classics like, "She's a Super in anticipation. freak, she's superfreaky, ooowwwww.." "So I hear this shriek from the bed­ room," Roon told the pickup truck The room moved in a rhythm beneath audience. "She comes running down a cloud of smoke as lights danced off He had needed a change of scenery, so he the stairs with pizza sauce on her shirt the bottles behind the bar. Everything whisked her to the bar next door where his and a Seagram's in her hand, yelling, shined and glistened with the colors of other Visa was phoned in. They perched 'You asshole!' " Roon prepared him­ Ambercrombie shirts in a sea of end­ themselves on the porch with a view of the self for the punchline: "I guess he tried less perspiring, yet smiling, faces. oil derek. He felt more at ease there to beg to wine her, dine her and sixty-nine the bartender for more vodka in his orange her." juice. Through much of the conversation with this Queen of Confection he had Roon, who had scammed drinks all amazingly told the truth, but this was not night, laughed longer than Rob or Matt intentional as the subject had been current or Russ or the three tawny girls who events. did not laugh at all. It was an eerie, self- righteous laugh. The Roonster was 0- He vowed his dislike for that other bar, the 17 on that night and would have aver­ "cheesier" of the two. Saying that you aged O-for-Ba ton Rouge had i t no t been didn't like it was the one lie that every guy for the charity of the girl who worked could remember to tell because the chicks at the golf course driving range every were likely to agree. Tuesday and Thursday morning. Russ, on the other hand, was a respectable 1 - They had not stopped talking and floating 2 on that night and a gaudy .317on the in a wave of drinks until their eyes became season so far. But he also knew that it At times like this, Roon was especially wet and buzz-heavy. Then they huddled had been mostly luck. He didn't laugh happy. It reminded him of the week­ with their faces close and he had offered his in hopes that one of the tawny girls end they had gone to the Kentucky obligatory whispered innuendo. She said, might be interested later. Derby. The connection was obvious, "You're so bad," in a mock reproachful and they made their appraisal that night way that meant she agreed. Someone no­ They had moved toward game time much like they had at the horse race. ticed him, approached and asked him what fervently anticipating the battle, and An unblemished prospect who sported was the spread of theAir Force-BYU game. come away from it with an even greater a dress revealing an altogether healthy Because he was drunk, he took entirely too momentum and a confident swagger. appearance got the call, "That's Tits 'n long to think of it and suddenly she was The noise in the stadium and the ex­ Ass in front by nine," and at the other gone, hurried away by a group of blonded citement in the final moments of the end of the spectrum they warned each

44 Gumbo Magazine other, "As they near the clubhouse Fat An Aryan-looking, steer-checkboned, them on the hood of Roon's battered Chick With Mole is in the trailer..." squinty-eyed young man introduced 1985 Toyota. Smith to his fist, sending both his face It was not long before Roon called, and his beer bottle reeling into the It was almost dayligh t when Roon lifted "Out of the gate, Candy Shoppe Fatale wall. The bottle broke and splintered himself off his date, stood upright and is the early leader." Smith looked and near his face, the end result being a let out a Tarzan yell toward the river. was had in the gag. But the self-pro­ bloody cut that ran from his cheek to The downward slope of the levee, com­ claimed man of a thousand do-me faces his car. bined with both his weight and had already scoped out another possi­ drunken state, sent Roon tumbling end bility, a thick-lipped,brown-eyed, long- over end about 20 times before he fi­ legged filly in a UT sweatshirt sipping nally landed in the soft mud near the a Long Island Iced Tea. He quit his edge. The girl scrawled into thecar and panting and then noticed went to sleep. something--she had a friend whose sexual value was about equal to Roon's. Roon and Smith stopped laughing in To be a scorer was one thing. But to time to have one last beer. Smith could play in the league with the superstars, hardly believe this was happening to he would have to be a team player, him again, and tha t i t had happened in make those around him better. Could some form or fashion nearly every he pull it off? weekend of hiscollegecarcerand then some. He had to go see his Chinese In less time than it takes the 49er's to QBA professor Monday to beg for for­ march downfield in the final minutes giveness. He would have to study his to beat the Saints, he had sequestered That's a Texas-leaguer," the guy said. ass off Monday, Tuesday and Wednes­ both of them in his end zone and had day just to be within grovelling dis­ them lined up to shoot Penetrators. He Another burnt orange blur jumped in tance of a passing grade. But then introduced himself as the captain of and slammed him against the piss wall, Thursday night everything would start the LSU regatta team and Roon as the where no one had stopped going about over again. owner of the team's yacht. their business. An unpleasant mixture of urine and disinfectant dampened He looked out at the river and the Yu­ "I've been on a catamaran but never a his cheek. Roon was able to slip in and goslavian ship coming in with an ar­ yacht," said Roon's evolutionary equal drag Smith to the lone stall opposite row of purple martins gliding over it. in a smiling warm way, as if to dismiss the trough. He sat him up on the com­ He thought of John Law and the first his unmanagable hair and everything mode and began to bandage his head band of fortune seekers who settled else repulsive about him as only the with toilet paper. the Louisiana Territory, bringing both aristocratic penalty of loving the sea. It Ursuline nuns and Parisian prostitutes was going so well that Smith seemed Bouncers came in to quell the fight. to tame the rogues. He remembered destined to join the ranks of Joe Mon­ When they tried to remove the Austin reading about how those pirates would tana and Michael Jordan. When Roon faction some of them pointed and yelled drink rum and mash until steam es­ started mugging with Melissa Effron at the stall in protest. Roon stuck his caped from their bodies like an insect from Conrow, Texas, in the middle of head out and said, "Hey, I was just in repellent fog. The ones who couldn't something by 2-Live Crew, it was like here taking a piss." He was an over­ do this died of malaria, so that natural a triple double. The girls agreed to go weight oaf with no future, but Roon selection had created a thriving class of back to their apartment to play quar­ was born in Metry' of good Y'at ances­ impenetrable alcoholics of which he ters. Smith had the urge, in the fashion try and he knew how to tell a lie when was a direct descendant. of the great quarterbacks, to raise his called upon. They left satisfied. arms and quiet the crowd as they do Now that he had framed his existence when they are at the edge of greatness. "Man, we're screwed now. What kind in its proper historical perspective, he As they were leaving he called time­ of chicks can we get when you're sit­ looked forward to next week and the out to use the can. ting there looking like King Tut?" life he had chosen once again. Roon said. They licked their wounds It was almost as if the surge of the and went across the street to the teeny- Roon nodded his beer at the river under crowd magically carried him into the bopper's bar where they picked up a pink-yellow dawn. restroom. But when he looked behind two high school girls from Brusly. From him it had actually been four guys in there they drove them to the levee burnt orange UT baseball caps shov­ behind Catfish Town, took their clothes he said. ing him toward the Men's sign. off and made love or something to

August 1991 4 5 (continued from page 13) All electrical appliances, including “Someone ripped off the bottom waded through knee-deep water and the lights, draw power from that cord. step,” said Eversberg. “We were plan­ used a plastic comb to flip the circuits There are several similar wiring jobs ning to pour concrete this summer for off. in the apartment. The bathroom does the bottom step.” “Somebody could have been not have an electrical outlet The landing at the top of the stairs shocked to death,” she said. Another tenant, who asked that is also in bad shape. The wood is A photograph of her flooded his name be withheld, said last winter rotten and spongy. One of the pillars apartment appeared in the June 27, he was without water for two days holding up the canopy on the plat­ 1989 edition of the Daily Reveille after the pipes froze. form is not nailed in and the canopy and in a story on weather conditions “The pipes burst right before itself, which hangs over the landing, in the 1989 fall issue of Gumbo Christmas and it took several days to is rotten and leaky. The light socket Magazine. In the picture, all of get fixed,” he said. “Enough water under the canopy, which works, is Triebes’ belongings are stacked on poured out of our building to fill the missing some insulation and the wires top of beds and chairs to keep them ditch in front of my place for several are exposed. The support posts on the out of the water. days.” handrail are rotting at the base. Michelle Files, who currently In his first interview Eversberg Ray and Sander’s apartment has lives in that apartment, said she was said that happens every winter be­ several other problems that they said not told about the flood. While she cause the students are away for Christ­ Eversberg promised to fix: three did say that water came in the apart­ mas vacation when the weather is the broken window panes, peeling exte­ ment once from under the door, she coldest. Pipes on the older buildings rior paint, several tom screens, and said it was not much. are exposed and will freeze quickly if low water pressure. Files said she was pleased with the tenants do not run the water. Eversberg, who said he has been Eversberg’s management. “What I spend on repairs in a renting to students for 22 years, re­ “I called him at home late one year can run into six-digit figures,” fused to comment on any of these night and he was very understand­ Eversberg said. “Last winter when allegations. ing,” said Files. “The first thing the we had the big freeze, I spent over Although the first interview was next morning he sent over the main­ $10,000 on plumbing alone.” cordial, when Eversberg was asked tenance man and took care of every­ David Ray and Jason Sanders in a second interview to respond to thing.” rent another apartment from students’ allegations, he refused to Many of the older houses in the Eversberg on State Street. While the discuss the matter further. State Street area have the two-pronged inside of the apartment is in good “I refuse to allow you to print wall sockets which are useless with condition, the outside and the stairs anything I have told,” said Eversberg. electrical equipment that has three- leading to the apartment are not. “I rescind all information you have pronged plugs. Wooden stairs lead up to the sec­ gotten from me—I don’t plan to get Jeff Bordelon, another one of ond-floor apartment Three wobbly into a kangaroo court with you.” Eversberg’s tenants on State Street, cement cinder blocks lying side by The low rent is one of the main said the wiring in his apartment was side replace the originally wooden attractions of these apartments. In a bad enough to prompt him and his first step. The rest of the steps are way students are getting only what father to write Eversberg a letter. weak. they pay for. The landlords, however, “We wrote a letter explaining “The stairs are so bad that have a responsibility to provide at that we suspected the place had faulty Eversberg almost tripped on the cin­ least decent living conditions to their wiring,” said Bordelon. der blocks when he showed us the tenants. The only source of power in Bor­ place,” said Ray. There are two sides to every story. delon’s kitchen is a three-outlet ex­ Eversberg said there were plans There are both good and bad tenants tension cord spliced to a wall socket. to fix the step. and good and bad landlords.

46 Gumbo Magazine Being away at school doesn’t mean you lose your power to vote. Call the Louisiana Secretary of State at (504) 342-7319. Find out how easy it is to vote by absentee FEELTHE ballot. POWER OTE AMERICA AMERICA'S FUTURE DEPENDS ON AMERICA’S VOTERS A non-partisan project of the Vote America Foundation.

August 1991 47 This space contributed as a public service.

LUMP BETWEEN LOWER TWITCHY, WIRED LOOK LIP AND GUM CAUSED BY NICOTINE. A high nicotine content makes smokeless tobacco just as addicting as cigarettes.

BAD BREATH.

STUBBORN ATTITUDE. WONT LISTEN TO STAINED FINGERS. SOUND MEDICAL ADVICE.

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TIN BULGES AND RING.

NO FRIENDS. WHITE PATCHES AND SORES. Leukoplakia. In time, could lead to oral cancer. TOBACCO JUICE. RECEDING GUMS

HOW TO SPOT A DIP. DIPPING IS FOR DIPS. DON’T USE SNUFF OR CHEWING TOBACCO

48 Gumbo Magazine BUILD

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