VOL. 61 NO. 2 2 MERCYHURST COLLEGE. GLENWOOD HILLS. ERIE APRIL 21.1988 • Mercyhurst profs oppose bayfront development By Matthew J. Clark As a result, the project which we now because they're only looking at this from an "The idea of development is good Merciad Editor know as the bayfront development plan was individual point o f view, in other words one : that planning was either poorly dor born. development, then another one next t o it, then planned well enough," he said, i '\£ In the late 1970's, with the future of Erie's There are many who are very excited another. economy looking less certain than it had been about the development project, such as the They haven t taken into consideration *to**b#0&&- in recent memory, the Erie Port Authority port authority. But, there are many, especially what kind of impact all of t h o s e developments began searching for ways to revitalize the environmentalists, who oppose die develop- together will have on the environment area, <% f $ \ ment f o r o n e r e a s on or another. Many o f them "The best example of that is that no one The plan which the organizers devised, don't oppose the plan entirely but would like has ever considered what the carrying capac- known as the Erie Bayfront Redevelopment to see some aspects of it done differently. ity of the harbor is in terms of the number of project, has been met with its fair share of * ' M o s t p e o p l e would like to see some sort boats." j j£& 'I criticism. Two Mercyhurst professors, his- of proper development," Kubiak said. "But | Kubiak noted that there could be 3,000 tory instructor Richard Kubiak and geologist what is proper development? | new boat spaces on the bayfront Dr. David Thomas, both oppose the plan in its According to Kubiak, the bulk of the "If we have that many more boats, there * 'status quo*' form. j will be a big problem with congestion in the development is going to be marina areas and 9 ^85J75 living accommodations, i.e. condos. There boat channel, * he said. * 'If there were a very are some proposed hotel and restaurant s p a c e s sudden storm, wh i c h L a k e E r i e is famous for, and there are also plans for a big historical the c h a n n e l would never b e a b l e to accommo- facility centered around the b r i g s h i p Niagara. date the enormous number of boats trying to Dave Thomas: "The whole bayfront devel- * "Taken individually, none of these pro- come off the lake. opment idea is wild, nutsy planning." posals seem too bad," he said. "The p r o b l e m "It would be an unbelievable mess." Thomas also feels that proper planning .SsS is Erie hasn't planned for the development Thomas noted that the boat situation can has been lacking in the development project There is no good, comprehensive p l a n for the actually have a reverse effect o n recreation in ' 'There are things being planned and built total development of the bayfront the area. without the application of impact state- "They (development coordinators)j be- i"You can cause a degradation of the ments," he said. "What effect will these lieve they have a comprehensive plan, but recreational segment of your population by things have in the future?" they don't No one really knows what that overpopulating with motorcraft, which is "The w h o l e bayfront d e v e l o p m e n t idea is bayfront is going to look like." what these increased number of boats could wild, nutsy planning,'' be a d d e d . ' 'Where are MA* Kubiak stressed that the reason for t h i s is mean/' he said. • 'They are n o w experiencing the tourists going to go? Presque Isle already because those who devised the plan were not this problem in the Detroit area.*' has die population of Yellowstone National qualified. f K u b i a k feels that the boat example epito- fctfk." f " f •'• ff | Richard Kubiak: "This bay is not the prior- I "It w a s done b y planners of limited capa- mizes the lade of planning for die project see 'Bayfront,* Pg • 3 ess of private people, it b the public's re- bility who have absolutely no conception of source" i • i the environmental needs of the area or the The organizers felt that Erie's days as a ecosystem needs of the area," he said. "To 9 thriving water port for industry were over and them, the environment is there for them to Hurst to offer Writers'^Institute that a new approach had to be taken in order develop." * to put Erie "back on the map" in the north- counselor. eastern United States. Erie still had Presque Kubiak feels that the developers aren't By Kelley Moore looking at the whole picture, and this could Merciad staff reporter For further information, please cor Isle State Park; a tourist trap. They viewed it cause problems. Dr. Kenneth Schiff, Mercyhurst College, as the keystone to reviving Erie. "The key: flaw in this is the master plan Mercyhurst i s offering a W r i t e r ' s Institute E. 38th St, Erie, PA 16546. Or call hii for high school students once again this 825-0401. ! | summer. \g The Writer's Institute is a creative writ- For a profile on Ken Schiff, ing workshop in short fiction. see page 2 Students will be able to cultivate skills in the reading and crafting of short stories. While attending these workshops, stu- dents will live on the Mercyhurst campus for MSG election results three weeks, interacting with three profes- sional writers and other students participating President* Chris Mohr in the program. * Vice President* Beverly Tuck Dr. Kenneth Schiff, Assistant Professor Treasurer: Lorin Bowman of Creative Writing and English Literature at Secretary: Lynn Sheffler < Mercyhurst, is the director of the Writer's SAC Chairperson: Janet Holzhaeusser Institute. He said he is very enthusiastic about the program which hasn't been implemented the last two summers. f "This is a good opportunity for high school students,'' Schiff said. Tuition for each three-week course is $ 1 SO, i n which students receive three deferred college credits. c Students live on the campus free. How- ever, there is a charge if a student chooses to eat in the cafeteria. r tfS&x&m Students will cover elements of fiction . from the points of v i e w of both the reader and r~> Pippin provides laughs the writer. They will also learn about plot Rich Tryzbiak, who is the leading player in the Mercyhurst College Utile Theater character and many other principles of fiction. production of "Pippin ". The musical comedy will be staged Fridays and Saturdays, April High school students are invited to apply Ikv_ 22,23,29, and 30 at 8 p.m. There will also be a matinee on Sun. Apr. 24 at 2:30 p.m. for the workshop. Students must send a Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for senior citizens. Mercyhurst students with ID will be completed application, a writing sample and a admitted free. i ] recommendation from a teacher or guidance .V • . GO PAGE 2 The Merciad APR 19 •:• Student teaching challenges education majors By Lillian Dressier 44 I like it, they make you work the the message that they have re- are full-time students plus student evening courses. Splitting up a term Merciad staff reporter and there is a lotof practicum expe- sponsibilities to meet,** Gallagher teaching, and; that is hard. Plus, at Christmas doesn't seem to fit the rience which is good.' * In elemen- said. many of our students have to do lifestyles of students,'* Sister Tracy Wasson, a Mercyhurst tary teaching, Mercyhurst has an- The biggest problem with the some part-time work to meet finan- Whalen said, t . ) 's sen i o r , says a l l j u v e n i l e delinquents other Pre-In tern Program called Student Teaching Program is the cial obligations,* * Sister Cribbins Sister Cribbins said that in the should have to student teach be- 4 4 Pipping'* by the students. "Stu- calendar system, according to Sister said. I last couple of years many adult cause sitting on the teacher's side of dents go out and work as a teacher* s Cribbins. "We had no input for the "When you're student!teach- students are coming back for certi- the desk would cure them. aide three mornings a week," Dr. change in the calendar- they didn't ing, the last thing you want to worry fication. Of 46 fall students ap- *4 It made me write a letter to my Barbara Weigert, director of ele- ask us,** she said. about is taking test, when you have proximate! y five p e r c e n t w e r e older high school teachers apologizing mentary education said. It is a Sister Cribbins added that stu- to be making tests,'* Wasson said. adults. The older adults may have 4 4 for how I behaved there,'' she said. sophisticated program** because dents must have everything done 4 * I t ' s not a good calendar for the gone through college from a liberal Wasson, an English Education students are gradually main- before they do student teaching.