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, October 21, 1999
Volume 4, Number 24
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Halloween party an issue once again
2) SQU flag, signs taken down
3) World news roundup
4) Campus events
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Women’s soccer falls
2) World sports roundup
3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Kinda sunny. Highs in the upper 50s.
It’s kinda frustrating how there’s nowhere around here to get a gift for
someone…
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 45.
Not to mention how there’s never any time…
Tomorrow: Partly sunny. Highs in the low 60s.
In any case, I’m working on it. Happy Birthday, Mommy.
NEWS REPORT
1) Halloween party an issue once again
For the second straight year, there is confusion and dissension among
campus groups as to the location of the annual Halloween party.
Traditionally, Mary Lyons Dormitory has hosted the event, one of the more
popular parties every year. But last year, a number of factors led the RAs
to decide not to host the party. First, there was the issue of safety, and
the “threat” of police; being off campus, ML is an easy target for police
to catch underage drinkers combing the streets, as well as being a general
distraction to the neighborhood. Second, the newly renovated Dead Dog Cafe
was not a place the RAs wanted to see destroyed by eager partygoers. As a
result, DU and Phi Psi combined their efforts to throw the party last year.
This fall, when first discussing the party, SAC considered asking ML if
they wanted to throw the party. SAC member Tim Gray ’01 said, “We didn’t
ask them because they didn’t want to do it last year, and the fact that
they hadn’t come to us told us that they didn’t want to do it this year
either.” So when the time came to start making plans, SAC took it upon
itself to host the party.
The idea, says Gray, is to transform Sharples for the party, and get a
number of campus groups to pull together and pool their resources to make
it happen. “By getting more than one group to work on the same party, it
can be bigger and better than anything that any one group could do by
itself,” explained Gray. Sharples also offers a much more ideal location
for an event where underage drinking will likely occur, being centrally
located on campus, and being a college building and not a dormitory.
All seemed to be going according to plan, but now the ML RAs want to throw
the party after all — and they are calling on SAC to think of tradition
and fund them. The RAs have thought of ways to deal with all of the issues
that detractors say make ML a bad place for a this party. ML RAs Christine
Lattin and Sean Brennan have outlined a plan, that includes the following
safety measures: having three shuttles that evening, that would run every
eight to ten minutes to and from campus; having a Party Associate at every
door, to remind people to take the shuttle if they are underage and have
been drinking; and distributing fliers to nearby residents explaining the
party and including phone numbers to call in the event of a disturbance.
The ML RAs plan to go to SAC’s meeting next Tuesday with a proposal. SAC
will try and talk with them before then if possible. But all indications
are that unless some kind of agreement is reached, both parties will take
place. Lattin and Brennan say they have already hired DJs, and even have an
ML Halloween theme for the weekend, with open trick-or-treating Sunday
night. Lattin also said, “There has been a huge amount of support from non
ML residents, especially seniors and juniors. We announced we were having
it at the RA meeting today, and there were cheers!” On the other hand, the
Sharples party seems to be well in the works, and it doesn’t seem as if SAC
is about to throw their support (and money) to ML with all the risks
associated with it.
*****
2) SQU flag, signs taken down
Sometime late Tuesday night, a large rainbow “pride” flag hanging from the
Tarble balcony was removed. Marks on the flag indicate that the culprit
took the flag down with scissors or a knife. The flag belongs to the
Swarthmore Queer Union, which had displayed it as part of this week’s
Coming Out Week celebration, jointly sponsored by SQU and QSA. Students
found the flag on the ground outside Tarble early Wednesday morning. “While
this is not unusual,” said SQU co-coordinator Somayyah Siddiqi ’02, “it’s
still very upsetting.”
In addition, SQU members said, many of the signs announcing Coming Out Week
events have been taken down, prompting a last-minute effort to replace
them. SQU banners have been removed from the Tarble balcony repeatedly in
recent years, including during spec weekend each of the last three years. A
SQU member also found anti-gay graffiti on the Intercultural Center sign in
Clothier in early October.
*****
3) World news roundup
Elizabeth Dole dropped out of the Presidential race Wednesday, citing an
inability to raise enough money to compete with George W. Bush. In the last
nine months, she had raised $4.7 million, compared with $56 million raised
by Bush. At a press conference, a teary-eyed Dole admitted, “It would be
futile to continue.” …Microsoft released a better profit report than was
expected, causing technology stocks such as Intel and Dell to skyrocket,
and leaving both the Nasdaq and Dow Jones averages at extreme highs. …ABC
News’ 1992 hidden-camera investigation into Food Lion stores is back in the
news. A federal appeals court overturned a guilty verdict, saying the
network did not commit fraud while uncovering unsanitary meat-handling
practices at the stores.
*****
4) Campus events
“Where Are the Waves? The Stilling of Women’s Movements Throughout the World”
Scheuer Room, 4:30 p.m.
Teach-In to Close the School of the Americas
Scheuer Room, 7:00 p.m.
Swarthbucklers Fencing Practice
Upper Tarble, 7:30 p.m.
Lecture by Portrait Photographer Judith Harold-Steinhauser
Kirby Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m.
International Club Movie Night
Kohlberg 228, 8:00 p.m.
Russian Movie Series
Kohlberg 116, 9:00 p.m.
Dialogues
Mertz Lounge, 9:00 p.m.
Latin Dancing
Upper Tarble, 9:30 p.m.
Diversity Coalition Meeting
Trotter 303, 9:30 p.m.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Women’s soccer falls
The women’s soccer team travelled to Allentown, PA to take on Centennial
Conference rival Muhlenberg, but were defeted 3-0. The loss drops the
team’s record to 6-10 (1-6).
*****
2) World sports roundup
The NBA will resume testing all players for marijuana and steroids after a
six-day hiatus during which the names of two players who tested positive
were leaked to the press. …The University of Tennessee has created a
committee to investigate the long standing controversy revolving around
professors granting grade changes to athletes enrolled in their classes.
…The Colorado Rockies hired former Tigers manager Buddy Bell.
*****
3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
Field Hockey hosts Rowan, 3:30 p.m.
TOMORROW
*****
Quote of the day: “The streets are safe in Philadelphia. It’s only the
people who make them unsafe.” — Frank Rizzo, ex-police chief and mayor of
Philadelphia
*****
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette?
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E-mail gazette-news@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Editorial Board
Jeff Heckelman
Melanie Hirsch
Claire Phillips-Thoryn
Staff Writers
Ilya Leskov
Alma Ortiz
Jeremy Schifeling
Kai Xu
Online Editor
Lorrin Nelson
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This concludes today’s report.