Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
The Daily Gazette
Swarthmore College
Thursday, April 3, 1997
Volume 1, Number 44
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Pranks amuse campus; cleanup isn’t cheap
2) Spruce tree falls, smashes cars
3) Weekend party plans
4) World news roundup
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Women’s lacrosse nationally ranked
2) Yesterday’s results: men’s lacrosse, baseball, men’s volleyball,
women’s rugby
3) Tonight’s and tomorrow’s contests
CORRECTION
An article March 31 on Student Council’s decision to change the hiring
schedule for some of its employees incorrectly stated that the terms of BC
Treasurer Vincent Jones ’98 and Student Publications Coordinator Sam
Schulhofer-Wohl ’98 have been extended until the fall. In fact, their terms
have been extended through the end of next school year. The article also
incorrectly stated that the hiring date for the SC Van Coordinator was
changed to April; the Van Coordinator has always been hired in April.
NEWS REPORT
1) Pranks amuse campus; cleanup isn’t cheap
It cost nearly $1000 to clean up just one of Tuesday’s many April Fools
pranks, a College administrator said Wednesday.
The DuPont lecture hall was largely devoid of seats Tuesday morning;
pranksters had unbolted most of the room’s chairs from the floor and hidden
them in a back hallway. Students with classes in the room may have enjoyed
the trick, but College officials probably didn’t. Putting the chairs back
in place cost about $900, said Larry Schall, associate vice president for
facilities and services.
Other pranks apparently caused much less damage. Students stole over a
thousand utensils from Sharples Dining Hall and put them in mailboxes at
the College mailroom, but “the post office gentlemen were kind enough to
return them,” said Linda McDougal, director of dining services.
Perhaps the most impressive April Fools trick was a seeming takeover of the
College by the Canadian government: a Canadian flag flew atop Parrish Hall,
signs at the edge of campus declared the school was “Under New Management,”
and fliers and posters celebrated Canada’s merits.
Jokers also sent several all-campus e-mail messages purporting to be from
various Swarthmore administrators. Some of the e-mails included homophobic,
sexist and other offensive remarks; Schall later sent an all-campus e-mail
objecting to the content of a forged e-mail message sent under his name.
“While I appreciate the spirit of this holiday as much as the next person,
I think the tone of the note was offensive to particular members of our
community and thus to our community as a whole,” he wrote.
*****
2) Spruce tree falls, smashes cars
Snow and wind brought down a tall Norway spruce in Clothier Circle Tuesday
morning. The falling tree knocked over a nearby cedar and smashed two cars;
no one was injured in the incident.
The spruce was at least 67 years old, said Claire Sawyers, director of the
Scott Arboretum.
Sawyers said that while neither the spruce nor the cedar was considered a
particularly important part of the arboretum’s collection, they would still
be missed. “These trees helped provide screening for the amphitheater,
screening it visually from Clothier and helping to soften traffic noise and
visibility, so I am sorry we’ve lost them,” she said.
According to Sawyers, the spruce tree’s roots were likely damaged Monday
night by heavy winds and the weight of snow sitting on the branches. With
the ground wet from melting snow on Tuesday morning, nothing was holding
the tree in place and the wind probably blew it over.
The falling trees struck two cars parked nearby, said Owen Redgrave,
director of public safety. The windshield, roof and doors of one car were
smashed; the other car sustained damage to its doors and rear fender.
*****
3) Weekend party plans
The Social Affairs Committee is funding two parties this weekend, said
Joseph Armah ’98, SAC co-director. The events are:
*SOCA Swat Splash 1997, organized by Students of Caribbean Ancestry and
featuring West Indian food, Friday night in Tarble-in-Clothier; and
*a party Saturday night in Paces, organized by the cast of The Real
Inspector Hound, a play that will be performed Friday and Saturday nights
in the Lang Performing Arts Center.
All SAC-funded events are free and open to the entire student body.
*****
4) World news roundup
TENSIONS RISE ON WEST BANK
Violence escalated on the West Bank Wednesday. Thirteen Israeli soldiers
were injured when a firebomb hit their truck, and one Palestinian was
beaten by Israeli motorists who accused the man of stoning their car. The
crisis started last month when Israel announced it would build housing for
Jews in western Jerusalem, an area Palestinians claim as their own.
President Clinton responded by increasing efforts to mediate in the
situation; he has offered to organize a summit on the Middle East peace
process.
DEPUTIES FIND GUNS BELONGING TO CULT
Acting on an anonymous tip, San Diego sheriff’s deputies found guns,
ammunition and computer equipment in a storage facility a few miles from
the mansion where 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult committed suicide
last week. Along with weaponry, the deputies also found what appeared to be
a manual for the cult, and lists of approved movies and telvision shows. In
related news, the founder of a foundation advocating painless suicide for
the dying said the cult’s suicide method probably came from his book,
“Final Exit.” Derek Humphrey, founder of the Hemlock Society, strongly
decried the mass suicide, saying he and the society want to help the
terminally ill take their own lives, not to facilitate ritual suicide.
The world news roundup is produced by Swarthmore Radio News, which airs
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and midnight on WSRN 91.5 FM.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Women’s lacrosse nationally ranked
In the March 31 IWLCA/Brine Coaches’ Poll, Swarthmore women’s lacrosse was
ranked ninth in the country, the only Centennial Conference team to break
into the top ten. The Garnet are 5-1 on the season so far — unbeaten
within the conference — with their only loss coming at the hands of
Wellesley in the finals of the Seven Sisters Tournament last weekend.
The Centennial Conference is well-represented in the poll, with Johns
Hopkins (3-2), Gettysburg (4-1) and Ursinus (2-2) ranked 11th, 14th and
15th respectively. The Garnet will next be in action next Tuesday in a home
conference match against Ursinus.
*****
2) Yesterday’s results: men’s lacrosse, baseball, men’s volleyball,
women’s rugby
MEN’S LACROSSE
Western Maryland 18, Swarthmore 1
Pat Donaghy ’98 scored the lone goal for the Garnet in the team’s
conference opener. Swarthmore falls to 0-6 on the season.
BASEBALL
Montgomery County 17, Swarthmore 4
Pat Straub ’97 had a two-run triple, while Joe Aleffi ’00 had two hits on
the day.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Eastern d. Swarthmore 15-4, 15-10, 15-12
Kevin Koo ’97 turned in a solid performance at off-side hitter, and
freshman Charles Ellis played well in his first game at middle hitter.
WOMEN’S RUGBY
Swarthmore 15, Lafayette 10
Sarah Cross ’99 and Alexa Miller ’00 each scored a try. Swarthmore moves to
3-0 on the season.
*****
3) Tonight’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
There are no contests scheduled for today.
FRIDAY (4 April)
Baseball plays at home against Washington in a 3:30 game.
Golf takes on Muhlenberg and Philadelphia Pharmacy at Widener; match starts
at 1 p.m.
*****
***Write for The Daily Gazette! If you are interested in reporting or
writing, please reply to this email or contact a member of the Board of
Editors.***
The Daily Gazette
Board of Editors
Fred Bush
Kate Doty
Jennifer Klein
David Lischer
Eric Pakurar
Sam Schulhofer-Wohl
Sylvia Weedman
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1997 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.
