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SIGNAL
11.10.17
Vol. 126, Issue 10
A FAMILY AFFAIR Ben, Thomas and Noah Worley reflect on guarding the tiger statue their great-grandfather carved
www.obusignal.com Ouachita to present “Speed Dating Tonight”
Guarding through the night
By ANNI WILLIAMS Staff writer
Caden Flint z Photo Lab SENIOR BETHANY LONG (from left), senior Hannah Bunch, junior Tyler Mann and junior Jack Novak watch movies and try to keep warm while guarding the tiger on Monday night. Students stayed out each night this week to guard the statue from Henderson students in anticipation of tomorrow’s Battle of the Ravine football game at Cliff Harris Stadium.
“Operation Thank You” allows students to give back to donors By CAMRYN REEVES Copy editor
Operation Thank You is an important event that certain Ouachita students have the privilege of participating in each year. The project’s focus is to allow and encourage students who have received endowed scholarships in order to help them attend OBU to personally thank their donors for the scholarships that they chose to give to students here at Ouachita. During Operation Thank You, students who receive endowed scholarships are given the opportunity to hand write thank you notes to the donors who provide funds for the specific scholarships they receive. Located on the Evans Student Center Bridge and in the Hampton Board Room, students are given note cards on which they’re instructed to write a little bit about their Ouachita experience as well as their appreciation for their donor’s gift. The event has been organized by Jo Beth Compton for a few years in the past, but Brant Matros, Development Officer for Ouachita, is also beginning to work toward heading up the project in the upcoming years. According to Compton, the job is threefold. “Normally I have been taking care of it for the last several years; just getting everything together, getting all the students together and (finding) who has what endowments and contact and plan to write thank you notes,” Compton said. Compton explains that the project is a relatively long process to organize. She said, “I start working on it in September.” “There are a lot of people
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involved, (Compton) is coordinating it, but Communications creates the print stuff, but it’s coordinated through Financial Aid and Development,” Matros said. Matros and Compton both agree that the organization, execution and completion of Operation Thank You is a community effort, and what better place to have a community-fueled project than Ouachita Baptist University? With the inclusion of the ofices of Financial Aid, Development and Communications, it is clear that Operation Thank You is a group effort. The goal of Operation Thank You is to communicate immense appreciation to the various donors who generously give financially so that students may attend Ouachita without the stress of financial burdens. Matros further explains the goals of Operation Thank You as multifaceted. “Ouachita has endowed scholarships and each year, students get endowed scholarships, so the idea is twofold: number one, we want our donors who have provided those endowed scholarships to be thanked, but we also wants students to understand that money does come from donors, people that love Ouachita. “Ouachita does not receive any state aid or scholarships or anything like that, all of our scholarships are privately funded, so we want students to recognize that someone, a Ouachita friend or alumni, is providing the money for scholarships,” Matros said. The importance of donors is something that Matros emphasized. “Students for many generations benefit from those scholarships; it’s not just a one-time, one-year see Thank You z 2
Ouachita’s department of Fine Arts will present its fall opera, “Speed Dating Tonight,“ November 16-19 in Jones Performing Arts Center. This modern opera, focused on speed daters in a coffee shop, will feature a variety of music and entertainment styles aimed to entertain any student. According to senior musical theatre major Jacob Hemsath, “It’s about all these people who come to this coffee shop and every character is another speed dater, and they all get in pairs and everyone has solos and duets about what they want out of the date.” Hemsath is both the assistant director and dater 15 in the production. “There are even some sad songs; I have a song in there about my girlfriend dying and I’m see Opera z 2
Candace Payne makes authorial debut Zondervan z Courtesy
By MORGAN HOWARD Staff writer Candace Payne released her first book, “Laugh It Up,” on November 7. Payne, better known as Chewbacca Mom, is a former Ouachita student. She left OBU in 2001 after studying musical theatre. In May 2016, a video of her laughing inside a Chewbacca mask went viral. The internet dubbed Payne “Chewbacca Mom,” and she has traveled around the country speaking on television and in person. “Laugh It Up” is a way for Payne to spread her message and her story all over the world. “I had a lot of people asking me where they could find joy and how I have such a positive attitude. It’s a quick way to get a quick answer to a lot of people. It was something I was happy to do,” she said. It has been a year and half since Payne’s Facebook Live video exploded and brought her internet fame, and she began thinking of writing a book not long after that. “I began working on it just a year ago, actually,” she said. “In January I signed a two-book deal with Zondervan. This is kind of unheard of, it usually takes years! It really is phenomenal. It’s not your normal book launch.” Writing “Laugh It Up” helped Payne grow in her personal life. “It’s challenged me to deal with many issues that maybe I didn’t see as positive, and it’s really changed my perception of myself—I’m really stronger than I think,” she said. “Being fun isn’t something to be ashamed of. Maybe there’s a reason you want to have fun, and be who you were created to be. I need to give myself a little more credit.”
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CANDACE PAYNE’S debut book, “Laugh It Up,” hit shelves on Tuesday. Payne, a former Ouachitonian, gained notoriety after her “Chewbacca Mom” video went viral in May 2016.
The writing process also brought challenges for Payne. “I don’t really take a lot of time to revisit some darker areas of my life. People will discover I’m not just a lady who laughed in her car for four minutes. It was difficult to go back to some of those memories I had,” she said. Overall, Payne hopes her book will bring joy and hope to those who read it. “I really want people to do what the subtitle says—to embrace freedom and experience defiant joy,” she said. “I want people to know that they have a life that’s a lot more than just living.” Payne’s time as a Ouachita student also helped influence the writing and content of
“Laugh It Up.” “My years at Ouachita were ones that were filled with self-discipline, deep relationships and a lot of questions about my personal faith,” she said. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without my years there. I think it had a pretty big influence.” In addition to the book, a DVD guide is also available. “I’d love for people who are bored in their dorms and looking for something to do to check out the DVD,” Payne said. “If people want to go to the next level, they should check it out.” For more information on Payne’s story and speaking schedule, visit her website at candacepayne.me. n
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thisTweets weekzCALENDAR of the Week Danny Hays @Haysdanny 15 Apr I love my job. I get to study God’s word & then teach it to eager college students who love the Lord. It’s a great job. Even on Mondays.
BATTLE OF THE RAVINE football game will take place tomorrow, November 11, at 1 p.m. in Cliff Harris Stadium.
RUSH INTEREST MEETING will be take place Monday, November 13 at 7 p.m. in Walker Conference Center. For more information, contact OBU @Ouachita 15 Apr Tim Harrell THESo90S BY MORE will take at harrellt@obu.edu. how do you use social media -- to affirm and encourage place tomorrow night, November or to attack and tear doen? “Be ye kind to one another.” 11, at 9:30 p.m. in the Tiger Den. CAB COFFEEHOUSE will take (Eph. 4:32). Hmmm... Admission is $1 and students place Wednesday, November are encouraged to come in their 15 at 8 p.m. in Dr. Jack’s. bestJustin 90s attire. Young @JustinYoung072 16 Apr The Harley Davidson leather vest must be the key to A GUEST LECTURE by Dr. REFUGE will be Thursday, memorizing the entire Bible. Noelle Trent will take place November 9 at 9 p.m. at Second Monday, November 13 at 7:30 Baptist Church. p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall. For more information, contact Dr. Myra Houser at houserm@obu. edu.
The Signal @obusignal 10 November Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for up-to-the-minute updates on everything going on around Ouachita Baptist. Twitter: @obusignal Facebook: facebook.com/obusignal Instagram: @obusignal
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Better mascots than a Reddie
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Chapel bats Snowball Chicken minis Demogorgans Boll Weevils
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Camryn Reeves Copy editor
Caleb Byrd Sports editor
Will Blase Features editor
Katherine Carter Opinions editor
Katie Kemp Editor-in-chief
“You’ve Got Mail.”
“Stuck in the Suburbs.”
“Interstellar.”
“The Empire Strikes Back.”
“Love, Actually.”
Guarding the Tiger, come rain or shine
Caden Flint z Photo Lab
Caden Flint z Photo Lab
Opera
z Continued from Page 1 trying to find love again. It’s heartbreaking at some points and hilarious at some points and every character has their own little story.” “There’s a little bit of everything in it. If you’re not particularly fond of one song, you’re going to find a song that you like and that you connect with, or a story you think is funny. There are funny moments, sad moments. There’s a country solo. There’s a jazz solo. There’s operatic solos. We have something of every style, so I think the best thing is coming in knowing that you’ll find something that you like about it,” Hemsath said. “People typically think of opera as these old classic shows,” Hemsath continued, “But… it feels very musical theatre and that aspect of it when it comes to acting, but the style of the singing is more operatic and that’s what we’re focused on more
specifically: the music aspect of it.” Senior Amy Lytle, a music and theatre arts double major, said, “The show is so challenging because there are certain pieces that need to go together and be in certain spots in the show… just putting the puzzle together was definitely a struggle.” About the opera’s modern subject, Lytle also added, “You wouldn’t think of such a modern thing, like speed dating, being an opera but somehow it really does work. It functions kind of like a musical.” Lytle, who plays Dater 7, goes on to comment, “You find out all of these little quirks about each character; it’s really fun.” “The audience has 2, 4, 5 minutes each with these lives as they see what they deal with, what their backgrounds are, and what they deal with going into the future,” said Scotty Scott, who plays the barista in the coffee shop. “It’s one of those shows that really has no main character… everyone works together to
create this together,” Scott said. “With this show, since everyone has their moment, you have to rely on everyone, you have to trust everyone to work together… And that’s the biggest challenge: trusting a large number of people with something that’s so small and so independent, and having that come together as a group.” Scott goes on to comment, “It creates this dynamic that is one that has to be built off of patience, one that has to be built off of respect for each other and respect for the show in and of itself… and we’ve really been getting that.” The waitress in the show, senior musical theatre major Esther Atkinson, called the show “Interesting… people don’t usually associate opera with modern times, which makes it unique.” Addressing the audience, Atkinson said, “Get ready to be taken on a roller coaster of different kinds of people. Come in with an open mind: it’s very different than what you’d expect an opera to be.” n
LEFT: SENIOR Jessica McCauley camps out in front of the tiger statue on Monday night as part of annual Battle of the Ravine festivities. ABOVE: junior Jack Novak keeps warm inside Rho Sigma’s tent by the tiger statue.
Thank You
z Continued from Page 1 scholarship, so these funds are pretty significant in that they’ve invested a lot in Ouachita and ultimately, they are investing in students; they are setting scholarships up for other students to experience what they did in most cases,” Matros said. Compton explains that Operation Thank You provides an important perspective not just for students receiving scholarships, but also for the donors providing them. “I think they like to see who is getting their scholarships and that their money is being used to help other students.” Matros believes that it is important for students to know and realize that “the Ouachita family extends way beyond Arkadelphia” and that Ouachita connections can be made almost anywhere one may go. Many of the donors students will write to do not even live in
the state of Arkansas–they give to Ouachita from neighboring states and even further, showing just how far the Ouachita family extends. Students who receive these endowed scholarships are required to write thank you notes to their donors in order to retain their scholarships. The event will take place Monday through Friday of next week, November 13-17, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the Evans Student Center Bridge. Reminders will be sent out to students who are required to participate via postcards in their mailboxes, emails and signage around campus. To conclude, Matros leaves an encouragement to students who are granted the honor of receiving scholarships and thanking their donors, “Yes, you’re required, but what a gift this time of year to be thankful for these generous donors who have left a legacy for Ouachita.” For more information about Operation Thank You, contact Jo Beth Compton at comptonj@obu.edu. n
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Grace Finley z Photo Lab THE TIGER STATUE stands guard in the center of Ouachita’s campus as students walk past it during WOW week festivities. The statue was carved by B.F. Worley during the Great Depression in lieu of tuition payments, and today three of Worley’s great-grandsons, Ben, Thomas and Noah, are students at Ouachita.
A legacy carved into stone: The Worley brothers By KATIE KEMP Editor-in-chief
All this week, Ouachita students have camped out in the center of campus to guard the famous tiger statue from harm at the hands of Henderson students. It’s a tradition nearly as old as the statue itself, but for the Worley brothers, it’s more than just a campus ritual—it’s a family affair. Ask any Ouachitonian about “The Tiger” and they’ll know instantly what you’re referring to—the statue was famously carved by a student during the midst of the Great Depression in lieu of tuition payments, and it has proudly stood as the centerpiece of the campus since 1935. It has also notoriously come under attack every year during the week leading up to the Battle of the Ravine football game against Henderson. The student who carved the statue? B.F. Worley—Ben, Thomas and Noah Worley’s paternal great-grandfather. Senior accounting and finance major Ben, sophomore accounting major Thomas and freshman biology major Noah’s personal connection to the statue and, in turn, Ouachita’s history is something they’ve known of from the time they were young. “We’ve heard about it our whole life,” Ben said. “There’s pictures out there floating around of us when we were little, riding the tiger like a horse,” Thomas added. In the years since the statue’s construction, several more members of the family have come to make their mark on campus—Noah marks the 14th Worley to attend Ouachita. “It would probably be easier to list our relatives who did not go here,” Ben said. When it came time to choose where to go for college, the choice was not as easy for the three brothers as one might think. But each of them felt something pulling them towards Ouachita. “It got to the point where no matter where we went, Ouachita was going to feel like home,” Thomas said. “There was always the familiarity with Ouachita that we would have to develop other places, but we already had it here because of the history.” Each of the three brothers made the decision to come to Ouachita, following in the footsteps of many relatives before them, and have been active in preserving the legacy of their great-grandfather. One of the reasons the statue is so well known is be-
cause of the threat of vandalism it faces each year during Battle of the Ravine Week. In the week leading up to the football game, Henderson students will try to play pranks involving the statue, such as spray-painting it or, like in years past, even stealing the tail off of it. “It makes my dad so mad,” Ben laughed. “Any time we tell him about Henderson people doing anything to it, he just gets so frustrated. Every time he’s here, he walks around and inspects it.” Four years after deciding to come to Ouachita, Ben guarded the tiger for the fourth and final time as a senior Monday night. Thomas guarded for the second time on Wednesday night, and Noah took part in his first night of tiger-guarding as a
student last night. While the idea of standing watch over an object that isn’t going anywhere may seem comical to onlookers, Ouachita students take it very seriously. For the Worleys, it carries a completely different weight that other students will never know. “To everyone else, it is just a statue. It’s an important statue, but it doesn’t really hold that significance or a personal tie to it for anyone else,” Ben said. “In a way, (the statue) is all we’ve got of our great-grandpa. He died before we were born, but it’s not just like a picture of him. It’s something that he actually made. It’s a tangible representation of him, in a way.” While other Ouachita students may not be able to find the history of the tiger
statue interlaced with their family’s history, the Worleys still appreciate the importance the tradition holds to students across campus. The annual guarding of the tiger has become known as a time of bonding, community and Ouachita pride, and is one of the year’s most highly anticipated traditions. “I think it’s cool to see everybody come together just to protect this piece of Ouachita history,” Thomas said. While it’s tough to live up to the legacy of something that has almost become synonymous with Ouachita itself, the Worleys are doing pretty well for themselves in terms of leaving their own mark on Ouachita’s campus. Senior Ben, an avid supporter of Ouachita sports, will graduate in May and has already
accepted a job offer, and sophomore Thomas is active in the business school. For freshman Noah, his Ouachita experience is just getting started. “As long as it’s still standing when I graduate,” Noah joked. In his first Battle of the Ravine as a student, Noah says he’s looking forward to cheering on the tigers at the game tomorrow and to experiencing the atmosphere of the week as a student. So while students are guarding a piece of Ouachita history that’s important, they’re also preserving a tradition that’s personal for not just one, but three of their fellow classmates. B.F. Worley left a legacy to be proud of on Ouachita’s campus, and his great-grandsons are following suit. n
Ben Worley z Courtesy
Michael Richardson z Photo Lab TOP: BEN (from left), Thomas and Noah Worley sit on the tiger statue as toddlers. The statue was carved by the Worleys’ great-grandfather in 1935, and the brothers grew up hearing of the statue’s significance. BOTTOM: Noah (from left), Ben and Thomas Worley in Ouachita’s main plaza, where the gate protecting the tiger statue can be seen in the distance. Freshman Noah marks the 14th member of the Worley family to attend Ouachita over the course of more than 80 years.
LIFESTYLE
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Newsroom reading list: Evaluating “The Great Gatsby” what the Signal staff is reading right now By CATHERINE LYP
Staff writer
To be a good writer, you’ve got to be a good reader, too. In the midst of assigned readings for class, it makes for a nice breather to read something for fun every now and then. If you’re looking for suggestions on what to pick up next, here’s what some of the Signal staff recommends. Michael Richardson— “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis Lately I’ve been reading “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis. It is a great story that puts spiritual warfare into perspective. It is written from the perspective of an older, wiser demon, Screwtape, giving advice to a younger, newer demon, Wormwood. In it, each demon is assigned a human to keep from coming to know “The Enemy” (God) in service to their “Father Below” (Satan). These demonic versions of guardian angels help manipulate people’s desires, whispering ideas into their hearts and minds to help coerce their sinful nature to indulge in sin. It is a fascinating look into humanity’s struggle to obey God in a story that explains in many ways how humans struggle with temptation and life. It is metaphorical and written more so to explain the pitfalls of human life that can cause one’s faith to stumble and struggle, than to explain how demons actually operate. It walks through the struggles of lust and ways that such behavior can be an easy stumbling block to humanity. It covers struggles of pride, gluttony and even discusses the evils of war. Each chapter covers the ongoing transformation and spiritual growth of an unnamed man referred to by the demons as “the patient.” All around, this is one of the best written Christian novels out there, offering knowledge and understanding into the pitfalls of human nature, all the while being an entertaining and easy read. Julia Williams—“Emma” by Jane Austen To graduate as a part of the Carl Goodson Honors Program, students are required to take two one-hour Honors seminars. One of the seminars that I chose was Jane Austen with Dr. Johnny Wink and Dr. Jennifer Fayard. In this one-hour, semester long course, we read three of Austen’s works. We most recently finished “Emma.” This story, one of Austen’s longest, follows the titular character, Miss Emma Woodhouse, as she tries, sometimes succeeds, but mostly fails to match make every unmarried individual in her immediate circle of acquaintance. After one successful match near the beginning of the story, Emma believes it her duty to remain unmarried herself, keeping with her promise to be near her ailing older father, but takes it upon herself to engineer the happiness of her most beloved of friends. Wonderfully witty and beautifully Jane, any fan of “Pride and Prejudice” style writing and scenery should be charmed by every word of this novel. As usually goes with Austen’s 19th century comedy of manners, there are always hopelessly flawed characters, but after you read a little, they just might become “faultless in spite of all of their faults.” (Read the book, and you’ll
get my meaning.) Hannah Walker—“Half Truths: God Helps Those who Help Themselves and Other Things the Bible Doesn’t Say” by Adam Hamilton “Everything happens for a reason.” “Hate the sin, love the sinner.” These are pretty common phrases, especially on the campus of a Christian university like Ouachita. Adam Hamilton’s “Half Truths: God Helps Those who Help Themselves and Other Things the Bible Doesn’t Say” takes several phrases that are oft repeated in the church and points out their biblical incorrectness. This book can be used as a Bible study or read independently, and each chapter is autonomous, perfect if you don’t have time to commit to reading an odyssey (or, like me, if you don’t really even have time to read the instructions on your Easy Mac). Although it definitely should not be taken as the end-all, be-all of theology, this book does provide thought-provoking evidence as to why many of the cliché phrases we throw around are promises of man rather than of God. This is a book that I have gone back to time and time again, and it has made me rethink my verbal responses to different situations. 10/10 would recommend, just remember that the Bible is the ultimate authority on, well, biblical truth. Will Blase–“A Game of Thrones” by George R.R. Martin We’ve all heard of Game of Thrones. It’s arguably the most popular current television show. The book, however, is a fun adventure into the land of Westeros and some of the characters and events that the show is not able to give the viewers. The novel features a different character’s perspective each chapter, similar to the TV show’s emphasis on certain adventures within the broader story. It’s fun to relive some favorite moments from the first season of the show in the book (which preceded the show) and see how different or similar the adaptations are. For those in the dark, “A Game of Thrones” focuses on the major family houses within Westeros, a fantasy land comprised of household alliances and vendettas. The main family within the series is the Stark family of the North, comprised of Ned Stark, Catelyn Stark and their children Rob, Sansa, Bran, Arya and Rickon. No, I didn’t forget about Jon Snow, but I’ll let you figure out his story for yourself. There are plenty of power struggles, diaboloical plots and action to savor one’s fancy. There’s a decent amount of romance as well, for all you saps out there. Whether you’re a fan of the series or a newcomer, I would reccomend this book to anyone. Personally, I like to sit down with a cup of coffee and plug away at it in the afternoons when I have free time. Warning: this is a commitment. AGoT is the first installment of a seven book series, so before diving in, make a mental note of how much time you’ll spend reading the novels and bingewatching the show. It truly is worth the time. Start reading, comrades. It’s time to find out what everyone is talking about. n
With Hollywood acting as the machine it is, there are several movies being produced each year, giving the public several thousand to choose from. Some are profound and tug at our heartstrings, some make the audience laugh to the point of being out of breath, yet there are a few that exhibit none of these equalities. One movie that has both good and bad elements is 2013’s “The Great Gatsby.” “The Great Gatsby,” directed by Baz Luhrmann, is based on the book of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film is about a humble writer turned bond businessman named Nick Carraway as he moves from Chicago to West Egg, a fictional portion of New York City. As he settles into his small home, Nick is invited to one of the several parties thrown by his rich neighbor, Jay Gatsby. In moving to New York, Nick is closer to his loving and kind hearted cousin, Daisy Buchanan, along with her husband Tom. Never having seen the mysterious Jay Gatsby, Nick goes to the party with a friend of Daisy’s named Jordan Baker. Once at the party, Nick becomes friends with Gatsby, unaware he is a middleman to rekindle the romance between Daisy and Gatsby. The story continues as Jay Gatsby’s mysterious past is revealed and the secrets of the others come to light, creating a drama fueled by love and hate. Compared to the book, the movie is, for the most part, incredibly similar to the source material; however, there are a few details regarding the time period and continuity that the filmmakers missed. For example, the events of The Great Gatsby are meant to take place in
the 1920s, but the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, which are shown under construction in an establishing shot, were not built until the 1930s. There are also several inconsistent shots in the film, such as one moment in the movie when Gatsby takes his hat off to wave at someone, but in the following shot, it is back on his head. While these details do not hinder the overall enjoyment of the film, they are worth noting. The production, directing and acting within the film are all done extremely well. The movie begins in black and white with an old film effect, accompanied by music of the time, but then it slowly turns to color; thus acting as a way to take the audience back to a time of the past to see an old story brought to light. This technique is mesmerizing and allows the audience to be taken from the worldviews of today and fully immersed into the story. Unlike the book, the story continues from the viewpoint of Nick Carraway from his new home at The Perkins Sanitarium, yet this did not lessen my enjoyment the film. The movie is filmed in the most beautiful manner. Each shot is framed perfectly, portraying the events of the story with such elegance and style. As for the setting and design of the movie, with several of the outdoor portions of scenes being composed of CGI, the juxtaposition of the sprawling mansions with their green grounds compared to the ash filled skies of the less-wealthy side of New York City was portrayed just as it was in the book. The film also combines the story and look of the past with the music of the present. This combination of modern music against the background of New York in the 1920s creates an interest-
ing mix of eras that provides a sort of whimsical nature among the ensuing drama. This mixture of new music with the setting of the 1920s also shows the audience with the feeling of actually being at a Gatsby party. That is to say, just as this music is popular today and provides today's audiences with an energetic feeling, the same was done with the music of the 1920s, but by playing today's music, the audience is better able to feel how energetic and captivating the parties Gatsby threw would have been. The actors, including Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, among others, were successful in portraying their characters as close to the book as possible. For instance, Maguire's portrayal of Nick Carraway as the naive and hopeful newcomer is almost exactly as the character was written by Fitzgerald. While Nick's later admittance into the Perkins Sanitarium is not in the book, Maguire does a great job of showing the character’s evolution to a slightly broken version of himself, as shown in the narration scenes. Also, DiCaprio's depiction of Jay Gatsby, with his mysterious, yet personal, friendly nature is fantastic and completely captures the character as shown in the book. Mulligan perfectly played the part of Daisy with her immense elegance and sweet personality, while also portraying her hidden pain. As a whole, the actors were well-prepared and played each of their characters according to the source material. While there were definitely parts of the film that were different than the book or details that were inaccurately shown, overall, “The Great Gatsby” is a beautiful cinematic experience that most everyone can enjoy. n
Los Agaves: Vibrant and Inviting By WILL JOHNSON
Staff writer
The center of Arkadelphia vibrantly displays a convenient little Mexican restaurant called Los Agaves. This lively eatery, located on Pine Street, showcases bright colors while welcoming all guests through its cozy atmosphere. Los Agaves opened four months ago, just in time for students to experience the restaurant once the fall semester began. Not far from Ouachita’s campus, Los Agaves provides a traditional Mexican restaurant atmosphere only minutes away. The stand-alone restaurant, though small, comfortably seats groups of all sizes. Each booth has an attractive, colorful design on the tables and seats. The interior design takes a symmetrical approach from the entrance to back wall, evenly organizing the booth location in the middle of the restaurant while accounting for available remaining space to fit extra tables. Los Agaves has a relaxing, private environment due to each booth being separated at a comfortable distance. Although first impressions are always essential, and Los Agaves accomplished that by using eye-catching art dispersed throughout the restaurant, guest service is also important. After swiftly being gestured to a booth
once entering the restaurant, a waiter arrived to take drink orders almost immediately. The salsa arrived quickly, followed by the drinks, cheese dip and entrée within 15 minutes of opening the doors to the restaurant. Whether a customer wants to sit and converse or is in a hurry and wants to eat quickly, Los Agaves runs a well-organized restaurant to meet any visitor needs. A waiter seemed to always be available, providing refills, silverware or to-go boxes at a moment’s notice. Workers were frequently cleaning the tables and floors to seat new guests efficiently. Although Los Agaves was not overly congested on a Sunday afternoon, there were still plenty of workers to welcome and serve visitors as they arrived. Appearance, convenience and service all carry significant value in the success of a restaurant, but nothing is more important than a delicious meal. For appetizers, Los Agaves offers free salsa. The sweet, yet slightly peppery salsa compliments the much spicier suggested white cheese dip. Nachos can similarly be bought as an appetizer for those who enjoy dip with beans or chicken. A guacamole dip is also available as a starter as well as a few different soups: the chicken broth soup or shrimp soup, both served with rice. For other personal appetizers, guests may order one of four different salads. The tossed
salad, taco salad, fiesta salad and fajita taco salad are all offered at Los Agaves. Los Agaves is known for its specialty entrées. A variety of choices are accessible, starting with the taquitos mexicanos. This meal comprises of three tortillas packed with the choice of beef or chicken to combine with the lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole. The chimichanga, a personal suggestion, consists of beef, chicken or shrimp rolled in a tortilla and topped with cheese dip. Another specialty, the alambre, includes the option to mix a variety of meat into one serving for those with a larger appetite. Los Agaves provides 13 specialty meals for guests. Although the specialties are a popular option, there are many other meals to choose from. Los Agaves prepares burritos, seafood, chicken, fajitas and even steak on the menu. Meals can be ordered a la carte or as a combination, depending on the guest’s preference. Side orders of rice, beans, jalapeños, french fries and many more may be added to an entrée. If the customer wants something sweet after the meal, the restaurant provides fried ice cream, sopapillas or Dippin’ Dots. Los Agaves’ charming environment and variety of menu selections, along with efficient service from friendly workers, certainly deserves multiple revisits. n
OPINIONS
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Zero waste: no trash, no problem By KACY SPEARS Staff writer
Imagine living your life with no trash can, creating no waste and still feeling like you’re not missing out on life. Ouachita alumna Kathryn Kellogg has built her personal brand around creating near zero waste. Kellogg, originally from Little Rock, Ark., now lives in California. After graduating from Ouachita in 2012 with a double major in musical theatre and mass communications, Kellogg moved around the country doing theatre but landed in California. Zero Waste, a term popularized by online communities of eco-conscious consumers, has created a wave of environmental action. Creating absolutely no waste goes against most of what we’re raised to believe – that instant gratification comes wrapped in a convenient plastic package. Most zero wasters find the lifestyle mentioned online and start making gradual changes in their lifestyle and choices. “I approached things kind of backward,” said Kellogg. “I started trying to reduce my exposure to endocrine disruptors after a breast cancer scare in 2011. A lot of everyday items can throw your hormones out of whack. For example, receipts aren’t really paper. They’re lined with bisphenol A (BPA). Within five seconds of contact, the BPA is already in your bloodstream…It wasn’t until I moved to California I heard the buzz word zero waste which defined my voluntary abstention from plastic, specifically disposable plastic.” The term “zero waste” actually means near zero waste. It’s almost impossible to cre-
ate absolutely no waste, so most zero wasters, while they don’t have a trash can, do create a small amount of trash. For example, Lauren Singer, known for her blog Trash is For Tossers and owner of Package Free Shop, can fit all her trash from the past five years into a 16 ounce mason jar. In order to divert trash from the landfill, they make small changes in their routine. “It’s really just taking two seconds to shift your habits into a responsible consumer mindset,” said Kellogg. “I find it’s really helpful to ask yourself, ‘What am I doing today?’ When you know what you’re doing and where you’re going, it makes preparing a lot easier. ‘Will I be thirsty when I leave my house or dorm? Yeah, most likely. I should probably bring a full reusable water bottle with me.’ Once you’ve done that a couple of times, you get in the habit. It’s really that easy! “Start small and completely and totally commit to it. I suggest starting with the big four: plastic straws, plastic bags, coffee cups and plastic water bottles,” said Kellogg. “Swap all of these disposable things with a reusable. Say no to straws or bring a reusable one like stainless steel or glass. Keep a small reusable bag on you. They make them that clip onto your keychain so you’re always prepared! I suggest getting in the habit of carrying a double wall insulated stainless water bottle. This will keep cool drinks cool and hot drinks hot. You can knock out the coffee cup and water bottle with one handy item. Paper coffee cups are lined with plastic! They’re impossible to recycle.” It doesn’t and shouldn’t happen all at once. Switching to zero waste is better for
your wallet and the environment in the long run, but if you decide to build Rome in a day and purchase a bunch of zero waste gear, that’s actually more harmful for the environment (and your wallet) than evaluating what you already have and using what you believe fits into your new journey. As most of us know, Ouachita has some room for environmental improve-
to do that could make this situation better. Many of you must feel the same way. Sin is a cancer, and we live in a sick, cruel, unforgiving world that’s festering with it. Every day we pick up our newspapers or our phones and see nothing but negativity. It permeates our entire lives until we ourselves feel nothing but hopelessness. But we are not hopeless. We who are believers in Christ know that this world is bad, but it will soon be done away with in favor of a new, perfect world. We believers know that sickness, violence and pain will be done away with in favor of goodness, peace and joy. We know there will be a day when Christ will return and put death to death. Oh what a day that will be. Those who experienced this horrible tragedy in Sutherland Springs will forever be affected by that one man’s choices, as every victim and their loved ones are. The only comforting factor in this situation is knowing that the victims affected are believers in Christ. While we mourn with our fellow brothers and sisters, we can remain hopeful in our Savior in the midst of calamity. Even though we have to deal with a sinful world today, we need not mope and wallow in pessimism. We don’t need to ignore reality, but neither do we need to succumb to it. So what should we, followers of Jesus, do during times of crises?
Paul talks about how we should react in these times in Romans 12:9-21. We should love our brothers and sisters, clinging to love and hating what is evil. We should be joyful in hope, faithful in affliction and faithful in prayer. We should bless those who persecute us, rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. We need to mourn with our fellow believers over those who have been lost. We need to lift them up in prayer. We should not be vengeful but instead be filled with a forgiving spirit. We need to remain hopeful and confident in the fact that, even in the aftermath of such a tragic event, God is still on his throne. None of this is easy, and nothing about this situation should be taken lightly. And perhaps the worst thing we can do as believers is remain apathetic. Violence is a reality that we will have to live with until Christ’s return. Be that as it may, we should remain positive and hopeful in tomorrow, for God works for good in all situations. Sin has its grip on the world, including those in it, and it has the power to turn anyone into a monster. Fortunately, we have a God who has already conquered sin and death. We need to remain hopeful in the midst of tragedies. There will be a day where this will all go away; right now, we just need to hold on to Jesus. n
Kathryn Kellogg z Courtesy
Kathryn Kellogg z Courtesy
ment and becoming more conscious of how linear our trash cycle really is. “I would love to see Ouachita start composting. That would be my number one goal for Ouachita. Almost 50 percent of all household waste can be composted, and it’s one of the easiest ways to make a positive impact on the environment,” said Kellogg. “Organics can’t break down in a landfill, and 16 percent of all
Kathryn Kellogg z Courtesy
methane emissions (20x more powerful than your average greenhouse gas) come from organics in landfills. As for individual action, start with the big four. Go to Starbucks with your reusable cup, and ask for your Chick-Fil-A to go in your own container. I’d love to see a reusable friendly campus! Ditch disposables.” For more information, visit Kathryn’s website, www.goingzerowaste.com. n
Hope in the midst of tragedy Campus Cat By KATHERINE CARTER
Opinions editor There’s a Jeremy Camp song titled “There Will Be a Day” that’s been on the back of my mind the past few weeks. “There will be a day, with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears There will be a day, when the burdens of this place Will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face-to-face But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always.” Yet again, we are met with tragedy. This past Sunday, there was another shooting in a little Texas town at a little Baptist church. In Sutherland Springs, Texas, the gunman, identified as Devin P. Kelley, opened fire into First Baptist Church from outside of the church before making his way inside. There are at least 26 confirmed deaths with 20 more wounded; the dead ranging from ages 1-77. Kelley died from a fatal gunshot wound after fleeing the scene. It seems stories like this are more common than ever, as though mass shootings are becoming mainstream in American culture. We’re still reeling after the shooting that occurred in Las Vegas earlier last month. If I’m being honest with myself, I don’t know how to react in these situations. I’m obviously sick, horrified and saddened, but I always find myself searching helplessly for something
Chronicles
By Katherine Carter
We’re coming for you, Reddies...
SPORTS
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Friday, November 10, 2017 u page 6
OBU legend Bill Vining recalls BOTR mischief By CALEB BYRD Sports editor
If you are related to Ouachita in any way, you are probably familiar with the name Bill Vining. Whether you are an alumnus and remember watching Coach Vining lead the Tiger basketball team or you are a student who attends Ouachita basketball games in Bill Vining Arena, chances are you know the name. Coach Vining, however, is much more than a legendary Ouachita basketball coach –one who actually coached Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on Team USA in the 1970’s. Coach Vining is a man whose name is entrenched in Battle of the Ravine folklore. Vining was actually a twosport athlete for the Tigers when he was a student from 1947 to 1950. He started out playing football his freshman year, but then quit the team as basketball rolled around –he was the star post player for the Tigers all four years of his college career. During his sophomore year, the football coach strongly encouraged (you could even say forced) Vining to dress out for a football game halfway through the season. Vining played a strong game with no practice under his belt and earned the starting defensive end job for the next three seasons. Ouachita was a much different place when Vining was a student. As an 18-year-old, Vining rode to the school from Eudora, Ark. in the bed of a friend’s pick-up truck. When he arrived, he realized he had not applied to
Molly Wallace z Courtesy BILL VINING poses in his football uniform during his time as a Ouachita student. Vining attended Ouachita from 1947 to 1950.
the school and therefore did not have a dorm room, so he went to the president’s house in the middle of campus and begged for a room. The president was able to secure him one, and so Vining became a Ouachita student. During Vining’s time at Ouachita, the Battle of the Ravine was a big deal–an even bigger deal than it is today. The rivalry caused a pseudo-war in Arkadelphia during the weeks leading up to the football game. The vandalism which was performed two years ago, when seven Henderson students were arrested, is nothing compared to the chaos which occurred more than 50 years ago.
Men’s Soccer wins GAC Championship By JORDAN ARGO Sports Information
The Ouachita Baptist men’s soccer team defeated regular season Great American Conference (GAC) champions Harding 3-1 Sunday afternoon to win the GAC Tournament. The Tigers came from behind for the second time in the tournament, giving up another early goal. The Bisons jump in front 1-0 during the eighth minute of play before Ouachita answered with an equalizer less than two minutes later. Michiru Forbess hit in his first of two goals to tie the championship match at one. Forbess’ first goal came off a free kick, which struck off the crossbar before deflecting off the Bisons’ keeper and into the back of the net. Blake Beshirs came away
with the winning goal for Ouachita before the end of the first half. Beshirs hit in his first goal of the season off a penalty kick. Forbess added to Ouachita’s lead during the 60th minute with his fourth goal of the season. Forbess again scored off a free kick, this time 25-yards out from goal. As a team, the Tigers were outshot by the Bisons 20-8 and 8-4 with shots on goal. Ouachita keeper Edward Pacheco, however, saved seven of Harding’s eight shots on goal, including six saves in the second half, to help the Tigers take the championship match. The GAC Tournament championship is the second for the Tigers since the conference’s inaugural season in 2015. Ouachita defeated Oklahoma Baptist in 2015 for the teams’ first GAC Tournament title. n
Volleyball seniors go out with win over SAU By JORDAN ARGO Sports Information
The Ouachita Baptist volleyball team (19-10, 9-6 GAC) defeated Southern Arkansas (8-22, 1-14 GAC) in four sets – 25-18, 25-23, 22-25, 30-28 – as the team honored its seniors on Tuesday night. As a team, the Tigers closed out the match with 50 kills on a .174 hitting percentage and accumulated 54 digs, 47 assists, eight blocks and six aces. Southern Arkansas was held to a .134 hitting percentage in the match while tallying 52 kills. Kori Bullard and Cait-
lin Cantrell led the way for Ouachita. Bullard closed out the conference match with a team high 12 kills along with three blocks and an ace. Cantrell led all players with five blocks while coming away with 11 kills. Anna Lee Drennan finished with a match high three aces and collected 10 kills on the night. Teammate Stormi Leonard picked up 40 assists while Nikki Clay amassed 15 digs. The Tigers will finish their season next weekend in the GAC tournament in Hot Springs. Games will be played from Thursday to Saturday. n
Vining recalled one year when over 100 Henderson students marched through the ravine in an attempt to paint the tiger and a brawl ensued on Ouachita’s campus. “That year, Henderson marched their whole group,” Vining said. “I mean, they were in a line that was a quarter of a mile long, and they marched through the line to get to the tiger and paint it. All of our students were in chapel except those who were guarding the tiger. They hollered, ‘We need help!’ People took off and we had our group. The other group was marching up from Henderson, and they were about four
abreast. And here they come, oh dear. We said, ‘They’re going to kill our kids.’ But they grabbed the first two or three people from the Henderson line and whipped the dog out of them. The others began to push back, and they never did get anything on that tiger that day.” Those fights and vandalism attempts were normal. They happened every year. One year, Vining went with some other Ouachita students and painted the arch in the middle of Henderson’s campus purple. No one expected any different. During Vining’s senior year, however, the Battle of the Ravine pranks took a turn for the worse. At the beginning of his senior year, Vining began to date Ann Strickland, one of the more popular girls on campus. Strickland was named the Ouachita homecoming queen and had a good deal of notoriety around town as she was also an Arkadelphia native. Two days before the Battle of the Ravine, three of Strickland’s friends who attended Henderson picked her up and took her to a house in Hot Springs. Word quickly spread around Ouachita’s campus that their queen had been ‘kidnapped.’ “They picked her up and took her away about two days before the game,” Vining said. “That’s when the fighting started. I got in a car with somebody after football practice, and we drove all over. If somebody from Henderson pulled up beside us, we were all out just fighting in the highway. That’s what it turned into when we heard
she was picked up by the Henderson people.” Vining and his friends were livid. They searched Arkadelphia and the surrounding area for any trace of Strickland. They searched a hotel and a radio station, scaring the daylight out of anyone that crossed them. Vining’s friend, Ike Sharp, who is the father of current Ouachita athletic director David Sharp, even carried a shotgun in his overalls as they searched. “This was the day before the game,” Vining said. “You talk about fighting – you just walk downtown and run into someone from Henderson or Ouachita, and you just start fighting. It was a bad situation. The fellow who took her realized it and took her back home. They said sorry and let her out and scrambled. She told me who the boy was, and I looked for that guy for a long time. I was ready for him. I never found him, though, which was probably fortunate.” The next day, Ouachita lost the football game by a final score of 7-0. A few years after graduation, Vining would return to Ouachita to coach basketball and football and would play a further play a role in the Battle of the Ravine. Nothing, however, would compare to the role he played in searching for the kidnapped homecoming queen back in 1950. The rivalry, the game and the story itself are interlaced in the history of the two schools and the community of Arkadelphia. On Saturday, we will write the next chapter in this great rivalry. n
Battle of the Ravine win will clinch GAC crown for Tigers By JOSH SALIM Staff writer
The 8–2 Tigers defeated Southern Arkansas University in a fourth quarter thriller 45–42 last weekend to maintain a tie for first place with Arkansas Tech University. Ouachita beat ATU earlier this season and owns the tiebreaker over the Wonderboys. The Tigers have put themselves in the perfect position to win the Great American Conference with a win against Henderson State tomorrow. After a big week of practice, Coach Knight knows that his team will be ready to face off against the Reddies in the Battle of the Ravine rival game. “It’s the biggest game that we will play all season. The most important game of the year. This is the game where I expect a fight to the finish,” Knight said. “Everything comes down to this game. We have a balanced team, meaning we are great on offense and defense. We are also coming off two really big wins. Right now, we are playing really good football. I am so proud of our boys, they have fought hard all season.” Coach Knight has had one mindset for the entire season, and that mindset holds true for the game on Saturday. “We are going to treat everything the same. Keep the same routine,” Knight said. “Our guys play with a lot of emotion. I want us to be finishers. We need to finish what we started. It is a lot of fun. We just need to go out and give it all we got on the field, represent the school well, and finish strong.” The Battle of the Ravine is not like any other game,
Andy Henderson z Photo Lab OUACHITA FACES off with HSU in the Battle of the Ravine last season. This year’s game is extremely important and has a conference title on the line.
though. This year, the game is played at Cliff Harris Stadium, which means that the Henderson State Reddies will be walking across the road to the stadium. That’s right, walking. The two teams rotate each year who walks across the street to play the other. Not only do the players and coaches walk, but the fans also follow behind the team in support. For those who know about the Battle of the Ravine, it is known as one of the closest and most intense football rivalries in the nation because the schools are across the street from each other. The star quarterback for Ouachita, Austin Warford, is excited to compete on Saturday. “I cannot wait to play. I am grateful that our team has the opportunity to play for a conference championship and end the regular season on a big win,” said Warford. “Our mindset going into the
game is that it is going to be a dog fight. They are going to try to knock us off and keep their road game winningstreak going.” Warford also understands the mindset that Henderson is coming into the game with. “As much as any coach or player wants to say that it is just another game, we know it is not. We know what we are playing for and they are going to try to take it from us. The atmosphere is always awesome at the Battle of the Ravine. I am excited to get to play it on our home turf in front of the best fans in the GAC,” said Warford. “You are going to see a highly motivated team that is excited to finish this thing out for the seniors.” The Ouachita Tigers face off against the Henderson Reddies in the Battle of the Ravine game tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Ouachita's Cliff Harris Stadium. n