The Collegían Grove City College Newspaper February 13, 1998 Vol. 58 No. 14 INSIDE GCC humanities under fire A QUICK LOOK AT THIS WEEK'S EDITION Huckleberry Finn Target of Campaign by Pa. NAACP OF THE COLLEGIAN By Lesley Spencer He went on to say that, "It's part of Ameri- Dixon sees that The Adventures of Huckle- Collegian News Editor can folklore and history. You're not going berry Finn holds a great moral lesson, "to see to learn anything by closing your eyes and people not as a particular race, but as fellow The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has not reading." human beings. He (Huck) is supposed to been getting a lot of attention lately, not be- The American Center for Law and Justice, treat Jim like a slave but he treats him like a cause of its literary merit, but because a a conservative civil liberties union, does not friend, or mentor, and then almost like a fa- Pennsylvania civil rights group has been support the NAACP request either. Jim ther figure." fighting to have it banned from classrooms. Coster, a Pittsburgh attorney and member of English professor, Dr. Peter Fraser, agrees This book, according to the Pennsylvania the center, said the center supports the ban- that the book should not be banned from the National Association for the Advancement ning of books with "cultic, satanic or explicit curriculum. "The problem with censorship of Colored People, contains excessive racist nature, but it is difficult to extrapolate that is that the censors usually ban the wrong language and should be removed from the opposition to Huck Finn." books. This is the wrong book." classroom curriculum. The group contends The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is used Dixon realizes that the book brings up a that the book belongs in the library, but not in the humanities core curriculum at GCC in CONGRATS very sensitive issue because of our country's in the classroom. the Civilization Literature classes. Accord- tainted past. "I think it is a very sensitive Dr. Stephanie S. Throne, assistant The use of the word nigger in the book ac- ing to English Department Chairman, Dr. book. I don't see how it fosters racism, but I professor of Spanish and German, cording to the Pennsylvania NAACP is "well James Dixon, the book can be taught as a see how some members of the African recently earned her Ph.D. degree in documented" to have a "psychologically strong argument against racism. He teaches American community could. We are called romance languages and literature damaging effect" on African American chil- it with other literature that preaches the evils (Spanish) from the University of to put ourselves in other people's shoes." dren's self-esteem, especially when the book of slavery, such as Frederick Douglass's nar- Michigan. Her doctoral work at the "We can't forget it (slavery). We can't ig. is read aloud in class. rative. University of Michigan focused on nore it. It's a horrible scar in our past, but to Not all members of the Pennsylvania "The main thing that makes this book a pos- rip this book out of the curriculum would be the analysis of Spanish dramas NAACP agree with the request. Philadelphia itive commentary is Huck's growing moral written by both male and female a disservice to literature and to history." NAACP president, J. Whyatt Mondesire consciousness that slavery is evil even playwrights during the period called it an "absurdity." though his society supports it." 1903-36. Her dissertation is enti- tled, "Tainted Genders: Discourses of Power and Parenthood in Span- ish Drama (1908-1936)." She spe- cializes in 20th century Spanish literature, particularly drama writ- Put a little Love ten in the 1920s and 1930s. BE MY VALENTINE? Is "roses are red, violets are blue" getting a little old this year? Even in your heart Hallmark can't win the hearts of everyone. And for some GCC stu- dents, the charm of chocolate and Senior Kristin Love was voted May roses is wearing off. Turn to Life and see how GCC students who are Queen on February 5 out of a possible not "looking to their left or their right" are spending this holiday. nine candidates. She will be officially See Life, page 6 crowned during the Spring Queen F.Y.I. Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial crowning ceremonies of the upcoming Scholarship applications are now available from Rotary District 7280 Parent's Weekend. of which the Grove City Rotary Club is a a part. One scholarship for one academic year abroad will be awarded. Up to $23,000 for round- trip transportation, tuition and fees, Brenner elected president of NAAS room, board, educational supplies and language training will be COV- ered. Upon completion of the year abroad, scholars will speak to Ro- tary clubs, schools, civic organiza- Dr. Fred. J. Brenner, professor of biology, dent of the Pennsylvania chapter of the tions and other groups. Application was recently elected president-elect of the Wildlife Society. He currently serves as a deadline is June 1. Applicants will National Association of Academies of Sci-. regional vice president of the Beta Beta Beta be interviewed in September. For ence (NAAS). His new position will be an- National Biology Honorary and as a delegate applications, write to Nick Binder, nounced at the NAAS annual meeting this to the general education section for science 2923 Old Plank Road, New Castle Saturday, February 14, in Philadelphia. and engineering of the American Associa- 16105. NAAS consists of 44 member academies of tion for the Advancement of Science. Science in the United States with a total A member of the Grove City faculty since membership of over 45,000 scientists. Dr. 1969, Dr., Brenner has authored over 200 COLLEGIAN CONTACTS editor of the proceedings for three years sional journals, including Environmental prior to being elected as president-elect. Management and Society and Natural Re- Got a story idea? 458-2567 Dr. Brenner will serve as president of sources. Dr. Brenner also serves as a grant Want to advertise? 458-2704 NAAS in 1999 succeeding Dr. Judith Parker reviewer for National Resources. Dr. Bren- Or e-mail us at of 3M Corporation. He previously served as ner also serves as a grant reviewer for the stu950419@gcc.edu newsletter editor and president of the Penn- National Science Foundation and the Office sylvania Academy of Science and as presi- of Water Resources in the US Geological dent of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Survey. Dr. Fred J. Brenner