Macalester College DigitalCommons@Macalester College Macalester Today Communications and Public Relations 8-1-1990 Macalester Today August 1990 Macalester College Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/macalestertoday Recommended Citation Macalester College, "Macalester Today August 1990" (1990). Macalester Today. Paper 22. http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/macalestertoday/22 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Communications and Public Relations at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in Macalester Today by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MACALESTERTODAY August 1990 CANON FODDER: THE GREAT BOOKS AND ALL THAT LETTERS We welcome readers' opinions of recent 18, at which time he or she should not be uable lesson, and that, I submit, is what articles. Please semi letters intended for killed in war. In other words, an absolu- education is all about. I would hope that publication to Letters to the Editor, Mac- tist position on abortion requires an Mr. Baker would not punish the college alester Today, Public Relations and Pub- absolutist position against the taking of by withholding annual giving support. lications Department, Macalester College, life at any time (pacifism, against capital Rather, I would suggest that he consider 1600 GrandAve., St. Paul, MN punishment, etc.). Without this consis- working constructively with the student 55105-1899. We reserve the right to edit tency, there is no validity to their government and others to tell his side of letters for conciseness and clarify. position. the story. Perhaps he could write to the Edwin L. Stickney '50, M.D. Mac Weekly and convert a student or Jessica Page Stickney '51 two. Miles City, Mont. Finally, I suspect that he would not Message to gay alumni have felt nearly the "shame" had the stu- To all those Macalester alumni who are dent government supported a right-to-life not strictly heterosexual: Macalester's A college's responsibility rally. gay/lesbian student organization—Gays, I was interested in reading the letter James C. Steeg '55 Lesbians, and Bisexuals United (GLBU) from Ray L. Baker '49 [February's Mac- Philadelphia —would like to establish ties with inter- alester Today] commenting on the student ested alumni in order to: government paying for the cost of Mac- Proud of students (1) improve communication between alester students to attend a pro-choice students, alumni, and administration con- rally in Washington, D.C. As one of the pro-choice organizers at cerning gay and lesbian issues; Is it the responsibility of the college to Macalester, I would like to publicly state (2) establish a history of gay life at lead the students to the "right" conclu- how proud I am of the work many stu- Macalester from the experiences of sion? I don't think it is. Certainly this dents here have done in support of abor- former students; issue has been well-aired for years, and I tion rights. (3) serve as a resource to the GLBU don't think it is the obligation of the col- The Women's Collective, in coalition for advice about life after graduation. lege to educate students about the pros with several Minnesota pro-choice organ- We would be excited to hear from you and cons of abortion. There is information izations, has trained over 100 students in and would keep all letters or postcards available to all now. the last year in clinic defense, marshaling, strictly within the GLBU files. We are Secondly, the student governing body and patient escorting when women's also wondering if lesbian, bisexual, and is elected by the student body. If stu- health clinics and public hospitals have gay alumni would be interested in forming dents let their representatives run away been illegally closed by anti-choice fac- a separate group for contact, support, with their funds, they have learned a val- tions. Often, Macalester students are the and/or social activities. majority of the participants at rallies and Please send all letters or postcards to: clinics, and I believe that this speaks well GLBU, Macalester College, 1600 Grand LETTERS continued on page 33 Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105-1899. Being consistent Two letters in the February issue caused us to affirm our feelings regarding our alma mater. When we attended the col- Macalester students lege, we rejoiced in the freedom of gathered on campus expression which was nurtured—yea, in 1951 to give a cheering sendoff to a encouraged. We rejoice that this freedom convoy carrying of expression is still allowed. wheat to Washington, We feel that two things need to be said D.C., from where it regarding the issue of abortion: would be delivered to India. The wheat (1) To be pro-choice is not necessarily was donated by to be pro-abortion. A person can be several Twin Cities personally pro-life, yet feel that it is not colleges. an area for the government to be involved in. (2) The primary issue is that of consis- tency. If a person takes an absolutist posi- tion regarding the sacredness of life in utero, this same absolutism should be manifested for that individual at the age of MACALESTER TODAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE 2 At Macalester Survey of students' eating attitudes; Fulbright winners; two other major awards. 3 Commencement One Adult Scholar spent 11 years working on her BA 4 Reunion Weekend A photo album of people and events at June's grand affair, which attracted a record turnout 8 Canon Fodder: The Great Books and All That What is literature? What books should college students read? Assistant English professor Diane Glancy Macalestefs English department is opening up the curriculum— teaches a class. She is both the first and the faculty itself is changing—to welcome new voices. permanent addition to the English faculty since 1971 and the first minority member by Jon Halvorsen of the department. Photograph by Greg Helgeson. See page 8. 14 Gender, Race, Ethnicity: First-year Students Take a New Look at Literature MACALESTER TODAY A course taught by a minority scholar introduced students to kinds Executive Editor Nancy A. Peterson of literature that few had read before. Managing Editor Jon Halvorsen 16 Literary Lights: The Small Art Director Elizabeth Edwards Presses Come of Age Class Notes Editor America has 300 to 400 literary small Kevin Brooks '89 presses. Thefounderofoneofthe MACALESTER COLLEGE oldest, who is also a former Macalester Chair, Board of Trustees professor, describes their role and Mary Lee Dayton impact, President by C.W. Truesdale Robert M. Gavin, Jr. Acting Vice President for Development David Griffith 20 Giving Back: T\vo Hearts for Macalester Alumni Director Milan Novak '29 and Dorothy Flint Novak 32 have spent a lifetime Karen McConkey making good use of values and goals that they developed in college. Associate Alumni Director Mary Winston Smail Macalester has benefited, too. President, Macalester Alumni Association Janet Rajala Nelson 72 22 Alumni News Alumni Director Emeritus Three Distinguished Citizens reflected on their Macalester A. Phillips Beedon '28 experiences in a panel discussion during Reunion Weekmd. Macalester Today (Volume 78, Number 4) is pub- lished by Macalester College. It is mailed free of 24 Class Notes charge to alumni and friends of the College four times a year. Circulation is 24,000. Reports about "a happy camper," For change of address, please write: Alumni Office, a prolific playwright, a marriage Macalester College, 1600 Grand Avenue, Saint in Sweden. All the news from your Paul, Minnesota 55105-1899. classmates and friends. To submit information for class notes section, please write: Class Notes Editor, Alumni Office, Macales- by Kevin Brooks ter College, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55105-1899. To submit comments or ideas concerning other sec- 26 Alumni Profiles tions of Macalester Today, please write: Macalester Hollywood actor Peter Berg '84 and stamp artist Today Editor, Public Relations and Publications Department, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave- J. Thomas Nelson 70 nue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55105-1899. AUGUST 1990 AT MACALESTER had treatment or counseling for alco- year. Of those, 76 percent were Survey of eating attitudes hol, drug use, eating disorders, female. depression, obesity, or other emotional D 6 percent had purged once a week or shows gender differences problems. Of those 364, 72 percent more during the year. Of those, 78 were women. "Good grades, slimness, being physically percent were female. The most com- attractive, and having a successful career mon forms of purging were excessive are significantly more important to D 226 students (or 24 percent) said they had unusual eating habits. Of those, 80 exercise, vomiting, laxatives, and women students" than to men students at diuretics. Macalester, according to a survey by percent were women. Jeanne Henjum, the college's director of • The average weight for men is 161 health services. "The purpose of the study was to iden- pounds, while their "ideal" weight is tify and compare several types of factors About 945 students — or nearly 60 per- 162. The average weight for women is that could contribute to disordered eating cent of the student population— 136, while their "ideal" is 125. among college students," Henjum wrote. completed a 14-page "Eating Attitudes • Men viewed themselves as more The survey considered such factors as and Practices Survey" during the spring attractive, slim, and physically fit than gender, personality, family history, and semester. Of the respondents, 60 per- women viewed themselves. Being environment. cent were female and 40 percent were attractive, slim, and physically fit is Henjum planned to make an extensive male. The survey was conducted as part more important to women. analysis this summer of the relationship of a larger program on eating behavior between all of the factors and disordered awareness sponsored by Health Services D 11 percent had significantly high scores eating.