The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 36, Ed. 1, Friday, February 14, 2003 Page: 8 of 10
ten pages : illus. ; page 13 x 8 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Views Friday
Tht Optimist
Page 8
February 14 2003
Displeasure up
with Chapel
absences
In Wr Words
Daniel Barcroft
VVOO GWS WANNA KHOCtC
ITOFFAWMILE? rWLE KCf
RUNNING INTO rbO FLOAT?
SMEftRTSt ANtTHEVE POiMTVj
v i
IT -n- La w
iit4MhAj?AW&&!t$.:mmMMMM w
jw&v&mmMassmwmwwmm w
OUR VOICE
Students are
M expressing their
F displeasure with
kLj Chapel in more
mJ ways than through
f Students' Association
' meetings or letters to
the editor. They're
expressing It through their
Chapel attendance or lack of
It.
Among the flood of data
presented at Tuesday's all-faculty
meeting and Wednesday's
Students' Association meeting
Brad Carter and
Wayne Barnard
presented a
telling chart of
attendance sta-
tistics. In fall 2001
447 students ex-
ceeded 15 ab-
sences. Last
semester only
164 did.
From the
Campus Life
side the drastic
drop of excess
absences means
fewer students
are skipping Chapel as often.
That's only half true.
It's true that students are
watching their absence totals
more often. But .the rest of the
statistics show that the student
body Is avoiding Chapel more
and attending less.
Mid- and high-level ab-
sences sharply increased. The
number of students with 8-11
absences jumped from 889 to
1107. Those with 12-15
absences jumped even high-
er 742 to 1015.
Students with 10 absences
or higher presumably find
more reasons not to go to
Chapel. They may take a nap
It's not that
more students
are going to
Chapel it's that
more students
are being
conscientious
while skipping
Chapel
eat an early lunch or begin
vacation early. Some stockpile
their absences and skip the
final week or two of the year.
These students usually care
little for Chapel or like Chapel
but get sick of going every day.
And the number of students
like this increased sharply last
semester.
Yes the strict penalties of
probation and suspension
served to deter many students
from going over 15 absences
So instead they skipped 13
times 14 times
15 times. Its not
that more stu-
dents arc going
to Chapel it's
that more stu-
dents arc being
conscientious
while missing
Chapel.
And many
are skipping
Chapel more of-
ten. Four hun-
dred and ninety
one students
used better than
half their ab
sences last semester.
As many as 207 students
who did not exceed their ab-
sence limit the year before
missed Chapel more often last
semester although some of
this is explained through slow-
er excuse-granting processes.
No situation since block tu-
ition has been unpopular
enough to fill an SA meeting
No set of circumstances in
recent memory has pushed
students to the thought of
protest
And no group of data can
deny the fact that students arc
going to Chapel less now that
it's changed direction.
Chapd Abamtct
Fall '01
Students Absent
265
750
889
742
447
Total:
3093
No. of AbMIKM
0-3
4-7
8-11
12-15
16
Fall '02
Students AbMirt
195
678
1107
1015
163
3188
CJ
P YOUR VOICE
"Portraits of Color"
deserves much praise
There Is nothing but praise
to be given to the "Portraits of
Color" production presented
by Essence of Ebony last week-
end. The show featured different
aspects of the African culture
and its journey toward equality
among the American people.
Aspects that are so often cast
Into the shadows of our busy
lives and negligence of other
cultures and time periods.
With light-hearted mo-
ments and a few moments of a
more serious nature the show
captivated the audience and
brought them back Into a time
when things weren't so easy for
African-Americans. The pro-
duction centered around a
group of people touring a
museum with interactive
exhibits ranging from gospel
choirs to the nursing of a beat-
en slave to African-Americans
dealing with their own Identity.
Students performed contri-
butions from blues artists like
B.B. King Etta James.and Billie
Holiday as the audience
watched the stage of Cullen
Auditorium transform into a
showcase of talents and trib-
utes to some of the most influ
ential people in the history of
the African culture.
To say the production was
an overwhelming success Is
not coming close to saying
enough to thank the people
who worked so hard to make
the show what it was last week-
end. This celebration of the
African culture not only kept
the audience laughing singing
and cheering it touched the
hearts of everyone who attended.
EmMutm
huhmm biology major from Kity
'mMmmMwWt1MmmMmmmwmmmmMhr
Wm JmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMWW Hl
;iiRHHa
99RjBmJBMmWmBBWBnBWmWRnMw''r V "
UhtxripCV
( WC
1hiMr "3g
Men you'll never understand women
B
Week's Wbrid
Joel Wccktrly
Happy Val-
entine's Day!
Well for some
anyway. A lot of
guys around campus seem to
think this day encompasses the
'very downfall of society. And
with good reason I suppose.
Guys think about girls enough
as it is and most of them don't
need a special day reserved for
the frustrations of trying to fig-
ure out the female gender.
The only comforting
thought for males is that we're
not the only ones battling these
frustrations.
There's this story I've been
told about a man who was
walking deep in prayer along a
California beach. All of a sud-
den he said out loud "Lord
grant me one wish."
The sky clouded above his
head and a booming voice
from above said "Because you
have tried to be faithful to me
in all ways I will grant ou one
wish."
The surprised man replied
"Build a bridge to Hawaii so I
can drive over any time I want."
"Your request is very materi-
alistic" the Lord said. "1 liink of
the enormous challenges for
that kind of un-
dcrtaking. Ihc
supports requir-
ed to reach the
bottom of the
Pacific! The con
crete and steel it
If you're
frustrated
fellas don't
would take! I can blame VOUrSclf
do it but It is . . ' . . '
inside what they arc thinking
when they give me the silent
treatment why they cry what
they mean when they say
'nothing' and how I can make a
woman truly happy."
1 he Lord replied "You want
two lanes or four on that
bridge?"
But Gods in-
teraction with
man regarding
woman goes
much further
back in the
realm of time.
i.-..ii ir..1
"" uu .i.iuit uu
hard lor mc to UOH 1 even uiauie will the days in
justify our dc
sire for worldly
things lake a lit-
tle ' more time
and think of
another wish a wish ou think
would honor and glorify me."
'I he man nodded then fur-
rowed his brow in deep
thought. I inally lie looked up
and said "Lord I wish that I
could understand women. I
want to know how they feel
girls. Blame
Adam.
the Garden of
L'dcn when God
had gi en Adam
all the compan
ions He thought
he needed but they just
ucrent enough for the lonely
man.
"Lord all these animals arc
great hut there's just some-
thing that's missing" he plead-
ed. God replied "What do ou
need my son?"
"I need a woman" said
Adam. "She will be a compan-
ion who will go with me wher-
ever I go who will love me until
the day we die who will be
loyal trustworthy and under-
standing. I need her to support
me through all the decisions
that I make always be on my
side even if her friends arc not.
She will be forgiving and never
hold a grudge. She will be an
amazing servant while at the
same time an amazing com-
panion." God said to Adam "I will
give you this woman that you
request but not without a
price. This gift to you will cost
you your right arm your left leg
and one of your eyes."
Adam considered the deal
and said "Gee Lord that sure
is a lot to ask. What can you
give me for a rib?"
There you have it. So if
you're frustrated this Val-
entine's Day fellas don't blame
yourself don't even blame girls.
Blame Adam.
It might be a bad restaurant if
Jen's Pen
Jennifer
McMkhacl
We had 17
restaurants to
choose from.
Cotton Patch. Wendy's. Red
Lobster. Arby's. Even Burger
King.
Somehow my friend and I
missed all the warning signs
and decided to eat dinner at a
chicken restaurant in Clovis
after our Wal-Mart trip
Saturday night.
One warning sign should
have been enough but we
kept thinking things would
get better.
A meal later and several
points wiser 1 now have five
indicators that esses
you're at the
ask for potato wedges.. .same
t hi ng ... co rn -on -1 hc-
cob. ..they're out. So you end
sees up with a plate
full of mashed
wrong place to Green bean P0''oes
eat dinner. ... 3: The
1: You're lUlCe lUSt ISn t cashier hands
standing in line rnmnslt jUl- wj.U you the receipt
ordering the COmpaUDie Willi (0 sign then
chicken strip mashed notatoes realises you
I trmi nnnH n tinii Clin
dinner and you
hear the word
"cross-contamination"
waft from the kitchen
2: You order macaroni and
cheese but they're out So you
order an extra biscuit but
they're out of that too. You
es retreats into the
kitchen from
which disgruntled sounds are
coming Right as you sign the
receipt you hear the cook
holler "I hate this job!"
4: You sit down a safe dis
tance from the mortar zone in
a booth near the back bless
the food then realize every-
thing is soggy with green bean
juice. This food is going to
need all the blessing it can
get.
5- During your meal one
in four people who walk by
your table slip on the grease.
Our meal on Saturday may
not have been the best dining
experience we've ever had
but maybe next time we're at
the wrong restaurant we'll
know when to leave.
Because green bean juice
just isn't compatible with
mashed potatoes.
In Your Words
What was your most memorable Valentine's Day experience?
Ill I 1
"When I got tome candy
and a hug from my mom.
Yes thars right I don t have
a girlfriend "
Dmty Cooper
Junior jouth and amity
ministry major
rum the Woodlands
"In first grade no one gave
me a Valentine except this
one cute girl end it made
my day"
rtndanVoM
sophomore lnanrial
management major
rum Sugar Land
"In grade five I gave the boy that
I liked a picture of me and he told
me he framed it and had it by his
bed but then he told everyone
ette he used it as a dart board "
AniMHotchklu
Junior interdisciplinary rlutronlc
ntrJia and Biblical rcxt major
from Dishoro Onraiio Canada
"I went to CiCi I one day and got a
stuffed cow from the machine and
gave it to this girl Then the school
paper came out with a top 10 list of
things not to get your data lor
Valentine a day . a stuffed cow
wesNo four"
vvewt) Notifies
sophomore marketing manage-
ment major from Ellington
"We fixed our own four course meal
end on of the girls didn't show up So
fellas that's why we're saying you've
got to trust these females and let them
come up to you"
llat
itsstiy nari
sophomore physical education and
ranching major ram Houston
sophomore exercise science major
from Houston
PsseWfsJ ' Istttftsw
BitivsWiiPi teasel atpsvy
Unsigned editorials art the opinions of
tht Optimitt end may not necessarily
reflect the view of the university or its
administration
Signed columns cartoons and letters
art tht opinions of their creator and may
not necessarily reflect tht viewpoints of
the Optimitt or the university
Tha Optimitt encourages reader
response through letters to tht editor but
reserves the right to hurt frequent contrib-
utors or to refuse to print letters containing
personal attacks obscenity defamation
arronaoua information or Invasion of
privacy
Pitas limit letters to 350 words or
less. A name and phone number must bt
includtd for vtrificition purposes Phone
numbtrt will not ba published
Address letters to
ACU Box 27892
Abilene TX 79699
E-mail lattara to
spbWsfrnc tcutdu
The Optimist
Published by the Department of
Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
The OpOmht Editorial Board and cMof adftors
MKor In Chief Opinion Editor Chief Photographer Faculty Adviser
Paul A Anthony Molanle J Knox Rafael Aguilere Dr Cheryl Bacon
fenagifig Editor Copy Editor Sport Editor MMatwftf
Jennifer McMichael Steve Holt JoelWeckerly Cassandra Lopas
Optimist contact information
Newsroom
(9151 674 2439
Sports desk
(9151674 2684
Photo department
(9151674 2499
Advertising offict
(9151674 2463
Subscriptions (S45academic year I
(9151674 2296
Online
imrwicuoptimiitcom
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 91, No. 36, Ed. 1, Friday, February 14, 2003, newspaper, February 14, 2003; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101810/m1/8/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.