The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Friday, January 19, 1990 Page: 3 of 10
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Friday, January 19, 1990/THE J-TAC/Page 3
How I spent my summer vacation
Pmanuel Alvear
It was the summer of 1988. I
had just graduated from high
school and was just drifting
around. I got a job at the local
Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Shop.
It was a temporary job. They
were having a Grand Opening,
and my friend Laura got us jobs
as clowns. We were supposed to
spend two evenings by the street
waving at cars and handing out
balloons.
As if that wasn't bad enough,
we were supposed to be called
Rocky and Rhoda, and we were
not supposed to speak.
The first day was Hell. We had
to get dressed in a dank bathroom
with a hanging lightbulb and a
strong gas station smell. I had to
wear a used clown costume with
a big hoop and an old wig that
felt like an old lady's hairnet.
We waved at everything the
roads had to offer. We faced
everything from screaming teens
shouting offers and suggestions
for some truly strange physical
activities, and cattle trucks per-
fuming the night air, to attemp-
ted water balloonings.
I was convinced that this was
the worst possible job and the
low point of my existence, until
my second night.
It was getting late and I was
enduring the same problems as
the first night when a van pulled
up.
It was an old beat up van with
a rainbow drawing on the side.
I recognized it as one of the vans
used by The Rainbow Project, a
local foster care organization.
The side door slid open, and out
tumbled a number of children of
various ages and sizes.
They went inside and began
their evening's enjoyment.
The Rainbow Project houses,
counsels, and raises under-
priviledged youths who are left
in their care for various reasons
ranging from abuse and neglect
to emotional disorders.They do
their best, but are generally in-
sufficiently funded and in need
of help.
After they came out, and
before their sponsor herded them
into the van, they all gathered
around Laura and me. They
began asking for balloons and
running around laughing. They
admired my huge shoes which
suddenly didn't seem so
• unbearably hot on my feet, and
my purple wig which suddenly
didn't feel so tacky.
They stayed with us for ten
minutes. We all waved at cars.
They waved so frantically that
some of the smaller children
almost lost their balance.
Soon, they had to leave. As
iJiey walked back to the van wav-
ing and calling to us, one girl,
came back to me.
She could not have been more
than eight years old. She ran up
to me and looked at me. She had
straight dirty blond hair,
smudges on her face, and ice
cream on the corners of what
must have been the most
beautiful smile I have ever seen.
When she looked at me, I
could almost believe she was see-
ing through my make-up, and she
said; "I love you, Rocky."
She gave me an awkward hug
around my hoop and ran back to
the van.
As the van drove away, my
eyes misted and we waved to
each other through the window,
and I waved until the van was just
a far away speck on the road.
As I stood there, I realized that
I had been so stricken that I had
not had a chance to tell her that
I loved her too, and I know I did.
I didn't even learn her name. But
I learned that sometimes our Jives
weigh us down, and we don't
realize how much of a difference
we can make.
I made that girl happy for a
moment, and she touched me,
and taught me a valuable lesson.
The All Church Home for
Children and The Foster Home
for Children, both of Stephen-
ville, are in the phone book. If
you have anything, especially
yourself, to give, contact them or
another organization near you.
There are some lessons you
don't need a lifetime to learn.
Change: Part of the growing up process
Julie Grider
So, did everyone have a good
Christmas vaction? I think that is
the most often asked question the
first week of school. I know a
whole lot of people are glad to
be back at TSU. Home just isn't
as fun as it used to be.
At the end of last semester I
was all packed up and ready to
go by noon the day after my last
final. I even got my first speeding
ticket of my life before I got to
Bluff Dale in my haste to return
home. But there wasn't a whole
lot going on when I got back to
the big town of Quitman.
I was so excited to see all my
high school buddies again and to
go on our wild excursions like we
used too. But,I hardly ever saw
anybody except at the basketball
games. Even then I wasn't sure
whether to sit with my parents
and grandparents in the adult sec-
tion, or go play high schooler in
the student section. I ended up
sitting in the student section and
then when I started seeing peo-
ple I knew, I didn't have much
to say to them.
What really bothered me the
most was that things even chang-
ed among my group of close
friends from my senior year.
tk J-7AQ
■
Assistant to the Editors: Gayden Hays
Advertising Coordinator; Glory Nt-eper
Staff Writers: Metanie Fowler, Barbara Martin,
■ € fem Miller, Terry D Barhorst, Vance Runnels
THE J-TACit published each Thursday during the regular semesters, with
the exception of Unlveratty holidays and examination perlods. Th* printer
l The Stephenville Empire Tribune.
WBJ-TAC It a non-profit organization. Th« U.S. postage ts paid permit
number 133, StephonviB*, Texas, 76402.
Only articles under the EPtTORIAI. section of this page express the opi-
nion ot THE J'TAC. Aft other column* <lo not represent the opinion of the
University or this newspaper.
Deadlines are noon, Monday, (or advertising, and noon* Tueecfoy, for
article# and letter* to the Managing Editor, Inquiries may be made by
telephone to: Pmanuel Alvenr, Editor In Chief, 968-9056; Amle Campbell,
Managing Editor, 968-9057; Gharie* Reynolds, Faculty Advisor, 938-90W.
FOR MAtt SUBSCRIPTlQMS
Send 14.00 to? Austin Sweeney, c/o J-TAC subscription. Box
Tflrteton Station, Stephenvllle, Texas, 76402.
TSU
TEXANS FOR A SAFE UNIVERSITY
CRIME STOPPERS PROGRAM
CRIME OF THE WEEK
For Week 1/15 — 1/20/90
ASSAULT — TSU Police are investigating an incident in
which a student was assaulted while walking back to the
Hunewell dorm from the TSU/McMurray football game
10/14/89.
The student was walking to the Hunewell dorm on a route
beside the Humanities Building, between the building and the
brick wall. A white male was hidden in the shadows by the
Humanities air-conditioning units. As the student walked by,
the assailant grabbed the student by the arm. She tried to
pull away. The assailant hit her in the face. The student
screamed and the attacker fled in a Southerly direction when
he heard some other people talking.
The assailant is described as a white male, 18 to 23 yoa
5'10" 170 lb. wearing a dark windbreaker, denim shorts and
tight colored baseball cap with a round Insignia on it.
If you were in the area during the time this crime occured
you may have sen something that may; be of importance in
the Investigation of this case.
If you have Information that could help solve the
above crime, Crime Stoppers wants to reward you for
your help.
Felony cases — The offender must be arrested and
Qrand Jury Indictment for same.
Misdemeanor cases — The offender must be ar-
rested and complaint and Information filed by the Coun-
ty Attorney or referral to the dean of students at
Tarleton State University for administrative discipline.
Crime Stoppers will pay you up to $1,000 on felony
crimes and up to $100 on Misdemeanor crimes.
You do not have to give your name and you may col-
lect your reward without personal contact with any
person.
Every one of us went our
seperate ways. Jen is playing
basketball for Texas, Ash went
to A&M, Chrystal is a twirler at
Stephen F, Austin, Kim got mar-
ried and started working, and
Leigh is now a senior in high
school.
None of our conversations
lasted over fifteen minutes
because you can only talk for so
long about how great each of our
schools are, boys, and old times.
We don't have that much in com-
mon any more. We didn't even
all get together for New Year's
Eve. Leigh and I went to eat piz-
za, shot firecrackers with my 13
year old brother in my pasture,
and went home and watched the
Dick Clark's Rock'n Countdown
to 1990.1 tell you what, that was
just too much fun for a freshman
in college and a senior in high
school to handle.
From talking to all my friends
here at Tarleton, most of them
had the same experiences when
they went home. We all sat on
our rears and watched TV and
slept!
As I was moving back in the
dorms last week I noticed many
people aren't coming back, in-
cluding one of my best running
buddies. Her whole town was
changing too, but she couldn't
stand for things to change
without her. So she moved back
home.
When you get right down to it,
change is inevitable. You can't
stop it. So what do you do? Just
go with the flow as some say.
Personally I love this college so
much my home town can change
all it wants to. I'm doing fine
here with all my new friends.
While I was home I talked to
some older ladies and my
friends' mothers. Most of them
agreed that although high school
was good, college was great. All
their most memorable ex-
periences were in college, and
there best friendships were made
at college.
After hearing that, I wasn't so
sad that things had changed at
home. Many of the juniors and
seniors here had good
Christmas',so I guess things get
better. So people who are wor-
ried that things are changing too
much while they are away from
home, don't worry. Just concen-
trate on being a part of the great
school of Tarleton State
University!
not exactly
* When a kid starts getting ready
to go off to college, there are
always grown-ups around to give
friendly advice because''they've
been there and they know how it
is."
Having just graduated from
high school last May, I heard
those same speeches over and
over again. And as graduation
night got closer, the speeches got
more frequent. At the actual
ceremony, I finally quit counting
how many times I heard,' 'Now,
Amie, college is a lot different
than high school is. I know. I've
been there..."
And I was stuck listening to
how my mom and dad wouldn't
be there to make sure I went to
class or didn't stay out too late
at nights or make sure my
homework was finished.
Or make sure I didn't wait till
the last possible moment to write
that 1000 word essay because
everyone does it.
Well, I knew all of those things
already. I faced those problems
in high school. No one had to tell
me any of that.
I was ready for college life. I'd
lived with Mom and Dad for
eighteen years and I was ready
to experience the real world.
So Icame to Stephen ville and
enrolled in Tarleton State
University. •r,T ■
June 1. I had to get up at
5:00am, get dressed and get
ready to move into my new
apartment. I was still in my
hometown because the girls who
occupied the apartment in which
I was to move didn't move out
until May 31.
I had to call my boyfriend and
tell him I was leaving. No one
told me how hard that was go-
ing to be when everyone was giv-
ing me all that wonderful advice.
Then I had to call my best
friend and tell her. Years of
laughter and great times rolled ,
through my mind and made leav-
ing the hardest thing I'd ever had
to do.
The trip to Stephenville was
long. I made it in the company
of a good friend of mine who had
a few days to spare and
volunteered to help me move in,
and my wonderM mother. I
guess helping me move out was
her way of accepting the fact that
I was growing up and leaving the
nest.
We made it here without los-
ing any furniture off pf the truck
and my brother and his friend
were there to unload everything.
It took us all morning and part
of the afternoon to do it, but we
finally got everything situated.
Then came the fun part,
I went to the Fine Arts
Building to register for my
classes. Since I was a freshman,
I got stuck at the end of the lines
- and none of them were short
either. I went back and forth
from my advisor to the computer
what seemed like hundreds of
times because all of the classes
I tried to get into were full.
And if I got into one class, I
couldn't find another one that
didn't have a time conflict. And
this was just in the summer, I
was beginning to dread register-
ing for the Fall semester. No one
ever mentioned this part of col-
lege life.
Finally I found an English
class and a Theatre class that
worked out. I was all set.
I turned the corner only to find
out that I had to have my picture
taken for my student I.D. Love-
ly. I'd been moving and unpack-
ing all day long and looked- like
I'd been raised in a barn,.
"Do I have to take it today?"
I asked the woman.
"Yes, I'm afraid so," she
said. "But you can always pay
to have another I.D, made later!"
Thanks a lot. I couldn't wait
to see how it turned out.
Now why didn't all those
helpful people tell me about this?
Surely it hadn't been so long ago
that they didn't remember.
And what about
homesickness? And budgeting
money? What about those aspects
of college life? Those are the
ones I'm having a rough time
dealing with. Not the ones they
warned me about - staying out
too late, not doing my
homework. Hell, I've been here
since June and I still get lost driv-
ing in this town.
I may not be perfect, but I do
know one thing.. When I get older
and see someone who's about to
graduate from high school, I'll be
darn sure I tell them things that
they'll need to know. It's hard
enough leaving the security of
home without having to deal with
a bunch of pesky things that
come up along the way.
<(| Amie Campbell
Jocker has high hopes for Texans
Jeremiah
Jock
Sports
Enthusiast
The boys of summer are back.
Yet it's the dead of winter, Who
in their right mind would be
thinking of baseball at this time
of year?
Just a few weeks ago we had
record setting freezing
temperatures and these guys are
out playing ball! Huh, not this
fruit cake.
With all this rain we've had the
past few days it's going to take
a boat to play the game anyway.
Someone has got to be kidding
me. How are these guys going to
get in shape. Jumping rope, run-
ning on rain soaked tracks, lif-
ting weights. Are you sure this
is the same ol baseball, my gran-
daddy played.
It takes this type of dedication
to produce a championship
baseball team? The season starts
in just three short weeks and the
Texans should be more than
ready.
I don't think a snow storm could
keep them from getting ready. I
could be wrong. Naa, not me.
The Texans under first year
coach Jack Allan will be fueled
with strength and endurance.. If
this is not enough they will also
be well aged arid, experienced.
Most of the players on this team
have played together for the past
two seasons and in their mind this
should be the year.
The Jocker believes they are
right. They have all the right
tools and a smart mechanic.
Coach Jack Allan has been
around the game of baseall since
he Was born and he may have
started before that. Who knows!
The former coach of Ranger
Junior college compiled nine
conference championships, four
state championships and two Na-
tional titles in his 33 years at the
school. Along with this, he car-
ries the intensity to spark a cham-
pionship team.
He_will be by far the best coach
this baseball program will ever
see. He gives this team deter-
mination and desire. Idaho's the
olace and 5« *
there. My mistake, Idaho is the
place where the NAIA college
World Series is being held for
those of you that didn't know.
The past two seasons for the
Texans have been seasons to
remember. The Texans in their
first season finished with a 37
and 22 record, making their first
play-off appearance and finishing
third in the district.
This past year the Texans won
their first conference shampion-
ship and finished 31 and 22,
The conference foes think they
have a chance, but old Jeramiah
believes the Texans will win the
conference for the second con-
secutive year.
The district championship has
been a large stepping stone for
the team, yet this year, the Jocker
believes they have the right size
step ladder.
Sul Ross was definitely howl-
ing after losing the conference
championship to the Texans in
Alpine last year. I even heard a
rumor that they added to the big
SR. For those of you that have'nt
bean to Alpine their is a big SR
they added TSU to the middle of
that SR. Howard Payne believes,
they have a chance at winning
just one game from the Texans;
Austin College...well, I'll forget
we even brought up that topic.
February 6 marks the season
and home opener. The old Jocker
plans to be there and so should
y ou.
This team despite the nasty
weather has bean getting in shape
for the past two weeks. If all goes
as planned it will take a mighty
powerful team to knock the Tex-
ans from stride. It's the Jocker's
opinion, there is'nt a team out
their that can do it.
The combination of powerful
bats, blazing speed, strong
defense and knockout pitching
will spark the Texans to a Na-
tional title.
This team has got me so excited,
I think it's time to leave the com-
puter and dig up my mit and get
the ol bat in the backyard to play
some catch. You know I mean
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The J-TAC (Stephenville, Tex.), Ed. 1 Friday, January 19, 1990, newspaper, January 19, 1990; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth141720/m1/3/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.