The College News 1989-9-20 Vol.11 No. 1 (Bryn Mawr, PA: Bryn Mawr College, 1989)
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Bryn Mawr College Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College Publications, Special Bryn Mawr College News Collections, Digitized Books 1989 The olC lege News 1989-9-20 Vol.11 No. 1 Students of Bryn Mawr College Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.brynmawr.edu/bmc_collegenews Custom Citation Students of Bryn Mawr College, The College News 1989-9-20 Vol.11 No. 1 (Bryn Mawr, PA: Bryn Mawr College, 1989). This paper is posted at Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College. http://repository.brynmawr.edu/bmc_collegenews/1418 For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE NEWS VOLUME XI NUMBER 1 FOUNDED BRYN MAWR COLLEGE SEPTEMBER 20,1989 Realizing the dream: Perry House library opens BY CHERYL LEE KIM Choir performed the Black National and during her term began the task of approximately 500 volumes. Anthem, and President McPherson then collectingand cataloguing thebooks. The Ongiri noted," A lot of books which are Thursday, September 28, the.Perry ceremonially cut the ribbon to the library. separate position of Perry House Library considered 'classics' are not in the library House Library was officially opened. Kira Watson and Daniela Ballard, as Coordinator was begun the next year, [Canaday] - for example, Wretched of Amy Ongiri, Co-President of Sisterhood Coordinators of Perry House, were and was held by Jennifer Woodfin. The the Earth by Frantz Sanon which is a opened the ceremonies by quoting instrumental in arranging the opening. work has been continued by the current classic in African-American literature." Marcus Garvey: "A people without a Efforts for the library began two years Library Coord ina tor, Tamara Beauboeuf. The books are catalogued using knowledge of their history is like a tree ago. Denise Tuggle (BMC '89), initiated The library has been compiled through Library of Congress numbers. The without roots." The absence of a library the position of Perry House Coordinator, donations, and currently contains Library Coordinators had to generate which connects Black students with their their own cataloging system. Beth Mann, history has been glaring. a staff member at Canaday generously Ongiri continued/Today is a solemn donated her time and knowledge. moment for Sisterhood members. We The Perry House Library is open to all are here to realize a dream. We didn't get members of the Bryn Mawr community. here on our own. Many of our sisters The check-out period for books is two before us envisioned this dream, and we weeks. Because the books are not readily stand here today with pride to say available at other locations, it is vital that 'Welcome.' The history of African- the circulation be rotated frequently. For American students at Bryn Mawr has the same reason, fines will be levied for been as a tree without roots. Today we late and lost books. are planting those roots." The expansion of the library is Approximately 150 students attended dependent on continued donations from the opening. Mary Patterson McPherson, the community. If you have any books, the deans, and faculty members were you'd like to donate, please contact also present. The Bryn Mawr Gospel Many Mawrters gather for Perry House library opening. Photo by Gretchen Jude. Tamara Beauboeuf (Box C-18)! Women's Studies experience major difficulties BY LAURA VAN STRAATEN AND Yet despite the obvious enthusiasm stairwell of the English House, each underclasswomen: they can't get in GRETCHEN JUDE for Women's Studies on the part of the waiting for the brief interview which because they don't have the prerequisites, students, there are only seven upper- would determine who would be one of and they don't have the prerequisites The beginning of the autumn semester level classes in the bi-college community the fifteen chosen. because they can't get in. In addition, is often filled with the excitement and this semester which are explicitly devoted Even classes without limited people who seek challenging classes anticipation which accompanies the to gender issues: four 300-level (three of enrollment are often open only to seniors focusing on gender issues as electives, return to study of subjects truly loved. which have limited enrollment) and three and juniors with the concentration or are often disappointed or are forced to For a number of eager Bryn Mawr 200-level. Three of these seven classes major. This creates a vicious cycle for continued on page 7 students, however, the beginning of the are at Haverford. One course, semester held only frustration, "Contemporary Women Writers," was competition, and disappointment. closed to Women's Studies majors, and Choice March in Harrisburg It has been several years since Bryn only available for English majors. BY LISA ANN ARELLANO "building bridges" rather than creating Mawr became officially committed to Another 300-level course, "Topics in offering significant course-work in Socialand Political Philosophy," hasbeen more hostility. On Tuesday, September 26, The Bryn Women's Studies. The first independent complained about because of The newly introduced "Reproductive Ma wr chapter of NOW and the Bi-College Freedom and Health Package" was the Women'sStudies major wasawarded by overcrowding, and because the alleged Coalition for Choice bussed and vanned central focus for the lobbying efforts. The Bryn Mawr College in 1985; a Women's gender focus in theclass has been slighted nearly 130 Mawrters and Fords to package is a set of nine bills ranging from Studies minor has been offered at Bryn for more focus on issues of religious Mawr since 1987. Each year more exclusion. In addition, two of the 300- Harrisburg for a statewide lobby day for the Reproductive Privacy Act Choice. The day began with a rally on the (prohibiting government interference students apply for the minor and each level courses meet simultaneously. Capitol steps. Speakers included Molly with a woman's choice of contraception, year more students pursue an Having so few courses for Women's Yard, national coordinator of NOW, and abortion, or delivery) to Day Care and independent major in Women's Studies. Studies students means fierce Representative Karen Ritter, House WIC Nutritional Funds. Although a co- The Committee on Feminism and Gender competition to get into classes. One sponsor of the Reproductive Freedom sponsorship of the package in its entirety Studies expects many more majors and example is English 358, "Women of and Health Package. Contrary to threats is preferable, adamantly anti-Choice minors in Women's Studies when the Talents," a literature course taught by of rain, the sun was shining and the steps officials are lobbied to sponsor some of current sophomores declare their Professor Katrin Burlin. At the first class, and sidewalks were well populated (an the bills. academic plans. approximately seventy students lined the estimated 5500). Many Choice advocates The Bi-College choicers concentrated carried balloons, signifying the support their efforts on the Representatives and of individuals who were unable to be in Senators for the Bryn Mawr and Harrisburg. * Haverford voting districts, most notable After the morning event, the time came among them being House Republican to organize and approach the legislators; Stephen Freind. When the budding the Supreme Court decision in Webster activists arrived in Freind's office, there vs. the State of Missouri left decisions was already an energetic crowd gathered regarding reproductive rights in the in his office, his reception area, and the hands of elected state officials. Before hall. Wjth a bit of luck, they were the last turning the would-be lobbyists loose, group to get an audience with Freind in members of the ACLU (American Civil his of fice, as opposed to becoming part of Liberties Union) and the full-timeChoice the mass questioning group in the hall. lobbyist in Harrisburg held a briefing Led by the outstanding section. Explaining the finer points of sp>okeswomanship of Jessica Bass, the current legislative activity around the group ran through the Package, and issue and how lobbying works as a discovered that Freind was, indeed, anti- process of political change, they stressed choice, but that he was, liberally above all the importance of being non- supportive of childcare, WIC nutrition confrontational when speaking with funds, and family planning (providing Mawrters march at Harrisburg. Photo by Elizabeth Schubert representatives or senators, and continued on page 1 URRICULUM: Institutional commitment to diversity and feminism see centerspread, pages . 6 & 1 Page! The College News October 4,1989 Pill a pre-conception It is important to corporations such as these to maintain influence over public birth control device opinion. In order to fight reform that To the Editors: threatens their profit- motivated interests, For the most part, I was extremely they must be assured of an uninformed pleased with the extensive coverage of and uninterested public. If Waste Self-government is a byword in the Bryn Mawr community. reproductive rights and reproductive Management, Inc. can convince people, SGA was the first autonomous student governing body in the options in the September 25th edition of as Bob Ely of their Community Relations TheCollege News. I was, however, rather branch attempted to do, that landfills are country. Our Honor System is a model of its kind. dismayed to see the Pill classified among harmless and incinerators ("trash-to- SGA and the Honor Board are the mechanisms through which "methods of contraception that function energy plants", as Bob Ely described the principles of self-governance are implemented; they are the after conception" in the article "Webster them) are safe, they can continue their v. Missouri- What does it bode for virtual monopoly over these disposal tools by which we maintain our autonomy.