the
Signal
www.obusignal.com
10.30.14 Volume 123 Issue 7
Ouachita Baptist University
IN THIS ISSUE:
Sing, sing Ouachita Singers and Women’s Chorus present concert, p.2 #vote2014 Overview of what’s up for election next Tuesday, p.4
Hallow-rules Guidelines for doing Halloween right, p.4
The Norm Weird Halloween traditions you probably haven’t heard of, p.5
That’s Life These places don’t have to decorate for Halloween - they’re always haunted, p.5
Undefeated Tigers 7-0 for first time since 1914, p.6
Tyler Rosenthal z The Signal THE PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE directed by Dr. Ryan Lewis, assistant professor of music, will perform in concert on Monday, Nov. 3 in McBeth Recital Hall. The concert will mix classical and contemporary pieces of contrasting styles, as well as music from different cultures to take listeners on a journey through time and around the world.
Percussion Ensemble presents “global journey” Nov. 3 By DELANEY THOMAS News Bureau
Ouachita Baptist University’s School of Fine Arts will present the OBU Percussion Ensemble in concert Monday, Nov. 3. The recital, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 7:30 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus. “We try to always include a standard composition as well as potential earturning compositions,” said Dr. Ryan Lewis, director of the ensemble and assistant professor of music. “This year our pieces should hopefully reach out to everyone in the audience.” This semester’s concert mixes classic and contemporary pieces and contrasting styles from around the world to take listeners on a global journey. The concert will open with American
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xylophone jazz piece. China will be represented by the composition “Terra-Cotta Warriors,” and a world fusion piece, “Warthog Number 3,” will be performed using drums from all over the world. The program will close with the Japanese taiko drumming piece, “Hoo-Daiko.” “The most enjoyable part is when students come off the stage and a piece has gone better than it ever has before,” Lewis noted. “Joy is found in exposing the audience to the many things percussion can do.” Members of the Percussion Ensemble include: Aaron Breeding, a junior instrumental music education major from Springdale, Ark.; Judd Cochran, a freshman instrumental music education major from Texarkana, Texas; Chris Crutchfield, a sophomore Christian see PERCUSSION z 2
American Red Cross on campus today By WILL LECHNER Staff Writer
S News 1 n S Opinions 4 n S Features 5 n S Sports 6 n
composer Christopher Rouse’s “KuKa-Ilimoku.” Composed in the 1980s, this piece is based on the Hawaiian god of war. Lewis described this piece as “exhilarating” due to its lack of pitched instruments and its use of drum hits. The Hawaiian inspiration will be conveyed through the use of wood blocks and small drums. From Hawaii, the program will transition to Sweden with the piece “Norrsken” by Anders Astrand. Astrand drew his inspiration for this piece from the aurora borealis and sought to depict the many colors he saw. Lewis expects this piece to be atmospheric as the sounds will mimic the rhythms of the lights in that they never repeat, increase in intensity and die down as the lights would. As the program continues, a suite of Mexican marimba street pieces will be featured as well as an American ragtime
The American Red Cross Blood Association will be on campus today for a blood drive for the students, faculty and staff of Ouachita. The blood drive will take place at the Tiger Den and all OBU students, faculty and staff are welcomed to come and donate blood. The event, which is sponsored by the American Red Cross, will be cosponsored by the Women of Chi Delta Social Club. “The Red Cross serves around 40% of the United States’ blood needs,” said William Stribling, an official for the Red Cross said. “The drives are initiated to serve the needs of blood to hospitals that the Red Cross serves in Arkansas.” The process is simple, Stribling said. After a few health-related questions for the drive, a Red Cross nurse will take the donor’s vital signs and test for good blood. After the tests, the donor will either be declared eligible to donate blood or deemed ineligible. The full process of tests and donating blood takes approximately 45 minutes. “The side effects are few,” Stribling said. “For those
that eat properly and drink plenty of fluids, side effects are very rare.” Stribling said that if side effects do occur, they are light and non-serious. “Some side effects are light headedness or dizziness, maybe a bruise at the collection site or sometimes a donor might pass out for a few minutes,” Stribling said. “The effects are mostly short lived and have few or no long term complications.” The collection of blood that the Red Cross accumulates during a specific drive is specially processed and examined to make sure that it is acceptable and good quality blood. “It goes to Tulsa, Okla.,” Stribling said. “It is processed there and then sent back to Arkansas hospitals.” The current system of blood donations dates back to 1941 when the American Red Cross began a National Blood Donor Service to receive blood for the United States military during World War II. Following the end of World War II, the American Red Cross had collected more than 13 million units of blood. In 1948, the Red Cross began its first nationwide blood drive and by 1949, the U.S. blood system had over
Jason Pullano z The Signal ANDREW MARTIN waits and watches while giving blood during an on-campus Red Cross Blood Drive. The organization will be on campus today for students and faculty to donate blood until 6 p.m. in the Tiger Den.
1,500 hospital blood banks, 46 community blood centers, and 31 regional centers. “After World War II, the American Red Cross was asked by Congress to set up the first civilian national
blood collection program,” Stribling said. “Prior to that, it was mostly done by each individual hospital.” To donate, visit the Tiger Den today until 6 p.m. No appointment is necessary. n
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Thursday, October 30, 2014
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TOP
this weekzCALENDAR RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE is taking place today in the Tiger Den from until 6 p.m. For more information contact Randy Stribling, senior donor recruiter for the Red Cross.
HALLOWEEN CAMPOUT at the Eubanks’ will start at 5 p.m. on Friday for students who signed up. For more information contact Jason Bean at beanj@OBU.EDU
REFUGE is tonight at 9 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. For more information, contact: James Taylor at taylorja@obu.edu.
FOOTBALL VS. SOUTHERN ARKANSAS kicks off Saturday at 1 p.m. at Cliff Harris Stadium. Tailgating begins at 11a.m. outside of the stadium. For more information contact Todd Knight at knighttf@OBU.EDU
WOMEN’S CHORUS AND OUACHITA SINGERS will perform tonight from 7:30-9 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall. Admission is free. For more information, contact Scott Holsclaw at holsclaws@obu.edu.
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VERITAS will take place Monday at 9 p.m. in Berry Chapel. For more information contact Kendall Calvert at calvertk@obu.edu.
Meet the Editors: the people behind the paper.
Halloween costumes to avoid this year by Faith Sinele
Presidential masks “Flo” from the Progressive commercials Dr. Horne Your Tiger Tunes costume Another organization’s Tiger Tunes costume
Scary movie or haunted house?
Emily Terry Editor-in-Chief @emilymterry
Anna Kumpuris News Editor @anniebananie14
Noah Hutchinson Opinions Editor @hutch15
“Neither. I draw the line at a Halloween episode of one of my favorite tv shows. Bring on Thanksgiving.”
“Haunted house. They’re never actually scary and you can go with friends. I don’t do scary movies. they take away from my beauty sleep.”
“Scary movie. I’m too jumpy to go through a live haunted house without scaring all the actors. ”
Dixon Land Sports Editor @dixoncland
Caroline Poole Copy Editor @sweet_cpoole
“I like Halloween movies, “Scary movie. And by scary I not necessarily scary mov- mean ‘Monster’s Inc.’ ” ies. Scary movies bore me because they typically are all the same. Bring on Christmas.”
Ouachita Singers and Women’s Chorus to present concert tonight By BROOKE ZIMNY News Bureau
News Bureau z Courtesy THE WIND ENSEMBLE, directed by Dr. Craig Hamilton, will perform “A Suite Concert” on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in JPAC. The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Ouachita Wind Ensemble to perform “A Suite Concert” Tuesday, Nov. 4 By MCKENZIE CRANFORD News Bureau
Ouachita’s Wind Ensemble will perform “A Suite Concert” on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public, and a live webcast of the performance will be available at www.obu. edu/band. This semester, the Wind Ensemble includes 34 students from various majors directed by Dr. Craig Hamilton, OBU’s Lena Goodwin Trimble Profes-
PERCUSSION z Continued from Page 1
studies major from Bauxite, Ark.; Drew Ervin, a senior music major from Springdale, Ark.; Nick Gibson, a freshman instrumental music education major from Teague, Texas; Carter Harlan, a junior
sor of Music, director of bands and coordinator of instrumental studies. “We work diligently preparing the music for the concerts and develop a musical bond that goes beyond words,” Hamilton said. “Conducting the Wind Ensemble is one of the highlights of my week, and I appreciate our students’ commitment to making music.” The title of this fall’s concert derives from the selection of music that will be featured in the performance, including: Gustav Holst’s “A Moorside Suite,” Brant Karrick’s “A Sa-
cred Suite,” Claude T. Smith’s “Incidental Suite,” David Maslanka’s “Heart Songs” and two tunes by Percy Aldridge Grainger. “I always look forward to Monday and Wednesday afternoons when we have practice,” added Elizabeth Baker, a senior instrumental performance major from Grapevine, Texas. “I have such respect for Dr. Hamilton as a leader because he has the ability to use rehearsal time efficiently and diligently, yet also encourage and make it an enjoyable experience for everyone.” n
instrumental music education major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; Chris Hogan, a senior instrumental music education major from Bartlesville, Okla.; Van O’Rorke, a sophomore instrumental music major from Hot Springs, Ark.; Abby Tipps, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Sulphur Springs, Texas; Zack Wil-
lis, a sophomore performance major from Redfield, Ark.; and Weston Wills, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Norphlet, Ark. For more information on the percussion ensemble, visit www.obu.edu/percussion or contact Dr. Ryan Lewis at lewisr@obu.edu or (870) 2455421. n
Ouachita Singers and Women’s Chorus, will present their fall concert tonight at 7:30 p.m. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus. Both groups’ directors noted the broad scope of music the choral students will learn and present throughout their careers at Ouachita. This concert will feature folk and hymn tunes as well as a few new arrangements of familiar musical theatre tunes. “Each year I try to emphasize a particular genre of choral music so the students, in their four years of singing, have the opportunity to hear and sing a variety of styles and from a wide range of musical periods,” said Ouachita Singers Director Dr. Gary Gerber, chair of Ouachita’s Division of Music. “This year’s focus is on folk tunes and old hymn tunes.” “This fall the Women’s Chorus concert offers an eclectic combination of choral literature,” added Women’s Chorus Director Dr. Becky Morrison, chair of Ouachita’s Department of Music Education. “From time-honored arrangements of hymns to new pieces utilizing percussion and synthesizer, there will be a song for everyone at this concert.” Morrison also noted that due to many Women’s Chorus members pursuing degrees in musical theatre, arrangements
of popular selections from West Side Story, The Lion King and Frozen also will be included in the concert. Women’s Chorus will present the following: “Festival Gloria” by Craig Courtney, “Yes, My Jesus Loves Me” by Mary McDonald, William Stickles’ arrangement of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s “America” from West Side Story, “Eatnemen Vuelie” by Frode Fjellheim (made popular by Frozen), Huff’s arrangement of John and Rice’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from The Lion King, Roger Emerson’s arrangement of A.P. Carter and Luisa Gerstein’s “Cups” (made popular by Pitch Perfect) and Dan Forrest’s arrangement of “How Great Thou Art.” Ouachita Singers will present the following: “Ave verum corpus” by William Byrd, “Ubi caritas” by Ola Gjeilo, Craig Courtney’s arrangement of “Alaz! And Did My Savior Bleed,” “And Can It Be?” and “I Know that My Redeemer Lives” by Dan Forrest, “O vos omnes” and “Under Your Feet” by Blake Henson, Michael Engelhardt’s arrangement of “Wayfaring Stranger” and Rollo Dilworth’s arrangement of “Roll, Jordan, Roll.” Gerber expressed his appreciation for the hard work of the young students in Ouachita Singers, saying, “The last two years has seen a large number of graduates from Ouachita Singers. There are a good number of underclassmen who have stepped in and are doing a great job.” n
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opinions
Thursday, October 30, 2014
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Defense against the dark arts By NOAH HUTCHINSON Opinions Editor @Hutch15 “Jaaaaack...” an etherial wail called through the empty halls of the abandoned meat packing plant. “Come to the deboning dock, Jack...we can’t package your tasty leg quarters while you’re still filled with all those pesky booooones...” Needless to say, Jack did not frolic on over to the deboning dock. But he was trapped. The butcher’s ghost would find him at any moment if he didn’t act fast. What ever was he to do? The bloody wraith finally rounded the corner at the end of the hall. Meat hook in hand, gore dripping from it’s apron, the ghoul floated closer and closer with every racing beat of Jack’s heart. “Boooones, Jack!” it moaned. “We have to take out all your booooones!” In a desperate plea for survival, Jack flung his white knuckles into the ghosts translucent face. Through clenched eyelids, he dared to take a peek at the damage he had caused, knowing his primal instinct had surely saved him. It was at about that time that Jack was dragged away to the deboning dock by a pair of cold, dead hands and buried with no headstone as a large case of offbrand hot dogs on the bottom shelf at the grocery store. Jack literally couldn’t throw a punch to save his life. Most people will probably never have to defend themselves with their bare hands, however, the ability to throw jaw breaking hay makers is still an admirable thing to have. It can give you peace of mind in times of danger, confidence when you’re feeling weak and a
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shameful sense of pride when you knock your bros shoulder into a different time-zone after he tries to steal one of your french fries. While punching a heavy-bag or a set of mitts will certainly make you a more competent puncher, I have a different, if not predictable solution for raw hurtin’ power. Lifting weights. The first thing you need to throw into your workouts if you want gut busting punches is the kettlebell clean and press. The kettlebell is the preferred implement for building hooks that can put somebody into a deeper sleep than Christina Hendricks reading “Goodnight, Moon” at their bedside, because it puts the weight almost directly below the palm of your hand. However, if you work out in one of the gyms around campus and don’t have any kettlebells of your own, dumbells will work. Simply start with the weight on the floor, explode off the ground, lifting it to your shoulder, then dip at the knees and throw your entire body into pressing the weight overhead. This is pretty much the only weighted movement that allows you to put your entire body behind a single fist, making it the best movement for building punching power. This works, unlike throwing punches in the cable cross machine or throwing hooks with dumbells in your hands, because it keeps in mind that punching power comes from the lower body and doesn’t put excessive strain on your rotator cuffs. You should do these for five sets of five reps so that you can be as explosive as possible through the entire set. Once you’ve got the power and explosiveness to give somebody some unscheduled dental work, you’ll need your wrists to actually be able to withstand the forces you’re generating. For this, I’m going to prescribe the bottoms-up kettlebell press. You’ll actually need a light kettlebell for this one, as holding the weight over the handle is the only thing that makes the movement special. Holding the bell by the handle at shoulder height, point its bottom straight up towards the ceiling. Then, without using your legs, press it over head. To do this, you’ll have to keep your wrist incredibly stiff and
ELECTION 2014
straight, building its strength and thickness while simultaneously teaching yourself to keep your wrist locked when you punch. This will not only save you a lot of pain if you ever actually had to punch something, but also make your punches stiffer, giving your hits more stopping power. I usually do these for five sets of 15 reps to make sure they thicken up my wrists and forearms. After you’ve turned your arms into free black-eye dispensaries, all that’s left to do is throw in a little extra power. For this, all you need is box jumps. Box jumps are the ultimate power building exercise for the common man. They don’t require the speed or skill of power cleans, you can do them anywhere with a sturdy, waist high surface to jump on and they pretty much make you better at everything. Jumping a few times a week will give you that snap in your step that you need to move quickly and decisively. This will make you better at anything from throwing a punch to sprinting to racking a pump action shotgun. On top of making you more powerful, it’ll teach you to move with authority. For these, five sets of five reps is recommended, making sure to jump as high as you possibly can. You’re doing these to build power, not to burn fat. These three exercises alone, while outstanding for turning butterfly-kisses into broken noses, can’t really be combined into a full workout. If you want to use these movements to build a better punch, I’d recommend starting a program like Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1(google it) and adding them in as assistance work. After you bench or shoulder press, do your kettlebell clean and presses. Before you hit your volume work on your upper body days, do your bottoms-up kettlebell presses. After you squat or deadlift, do a few sets of box jumps. In 12 weeks or less, you’ll be throwing bombs. With that knowledge tucked away in the back of your mind, you’ll be able to sleep soundly knowing that you’ll be wearing an honorary “I punched a ghost in the face” t-shirt instead of a sausage skin in the event that the spirit of a crazed butcher tries to debone you in the night. n
How to do Halloween right: scares, candy and costumes
KEY STATE RACES TO WATCH
U.S. SENATE Senator Mark Pryor – D Nathan Lafrance – L Tom Cotton – R Mark H. Swaney – G
GOVERNOR Mike Ross – D J. Joshua Drake – G Frank Gilbert – L Asa Hutchinson – R
U.S. CONGRESS DISTRICT 4 Representative Bruce Westerman – R James Lee Witt – D Ken Hamilton – L
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR John Burkhalter – D Congressman Tim Griffin –R Christopher Olson - L
By CAROLINE POOLE Copy Editor
@sweet_cpoole
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS For Ballot Names, see http://www.votepulaski.net/Elections/2014/11042014General_Election/ Issue No. 1 Popular Name : AN AMENDMENT EMPOWERING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PROVIDE FOR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF STATE AGENCIES’ ADMINISTRATIVE RULES Issue No. 2 Popular Name : AN AMENDMENT ALLOWING MORE TIME TO GATHER SIGNATURES ON A STATE-WIDE INITIATIVE OR REFERENDUM PETITION ONLY IF THE PETITION AS ORIGINALLY FILED CONTAINED AT LEAST 75% OF THE VALID SIGNATURES REQUIRED. Issue No. 3 Popular Name: AN AMENDMENT REGULATING CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR STATE OR LOCAL OFFICE, BARRING GIFTS FROM LOBBYISTS TO CERTAIN STATE OFFICIALS, PROVIDING FOR SETTING SALARIES OF CERTAIN STATE OFFICIALS, AND SETTING TERM LIMITS FOR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY Issue No. 4 Popular Name: THE ARKANSAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE AMENDMENT (Would allow sale of alcohol statewide instead of a county-by-county decision)
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alloween. It’s the devil’s holiday. OK, just kidding. But I have heard of Sunday school teachers who tell young children that trick or treating is a sure-fire way to burn alive (sad, right?). There are so many great childhood memories (actually I shamelessly trick or treated until I was well past childhood) that come from Halloween. Every year we looked forward to dressing up, running around outside and asking for candy from strangers. It’s so sad to see people “outgrow” celebrating any holiday, including Halloween. So, to bring out your inner child, here are a few tips of how to bring back the Halloween glory days. 1.The scarier the better. Personally, I hate scary things. I think the scariest movie I’ve seen is Halloweentown on Disney Channel and the one time I went to a haunted house I accidentally kicked a girl who was pretending to grab my feet (she had it coming). But still, scary can be good. Break out your favorite scary movie (or non-scary, no shame) and try to convince your roommate that your room is haunted. As Mike Wazowski would say, “We scare because we care.” 2.Trick or treating is still cool. Sure, people might be surprised to see a 20-something year old asking for free candy, but chances are you won’t be rejected. And isn’t a plastic pumpkin full of candy worth a few seconds of awkward stares? 3.Don’t count calories. Candy just tastes better when it’s dyed bright orange or in the shape of a pumpkin. Indulge in the sugar cookies with pictures of black cats and witch’s hats that always seem to melt in your mouth. Sometimes you can even happen upon a house that’s giving away popcorn balls and caramel apples instead of candy. 4.Costumes are fun. The only thing more fun than a really awesome storebought Batman suit is a last-minute, randomly thrown together homemade costume. We used to plan our costumes months in advance. We all wanted to be the coolest superhero or the cutest cowgirl, but the best costumes were always those we just happened to make from a couple of Coke cans, some face paint and our dad’s old baseball hat (OK, I have no idea what you could make with those things, but I’m sure it would be really awesome). 5.Carving pumpkins is a must. There’s something about being elbow-deep in a pumpkin that just feels like serendipity. The feeling of holding a large knife in one hand and roasted pumpkin seeds in the other must be how Michelangelo felt when he carved David. Tomorrow night is the big night. Channel your inner Marnie Piper and don’t feel embarrassed if you need to sleep with the closet light on. Grab your Iron Man mask or your ruby-red slippers and avoid any black cats. If you start feeling shaky don’t worry, the sugar will wear off by the morning.n
Issue No. 5 Popular Name : AN ACT TO INCREASE THE ARKANSAS MINIMUM WAGE (Would gradually raise the minimum wage from $6.25 to $8.50 by January 1, 2017) EARLY VOTING DEADLINE FOR CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Nov. 3, 5 p.m. POLLS OPEN TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. facebook.com/obusignal twitter.com/obusignal instagram.com/obusignal
Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center E-Mail: signal@obu.edu Phone: 870.245.5210
Emily Terry
Noah Hutchinson
Caroline Poole
Dr. Jeff Root
Sam Cushman
Dixon Land
Tyler Rosenthal
Dr. Deborah Root
Anna Kumpuris
Tyler Davis
Ali Robinson
Ms. Tiffany Eurich
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The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Thursday during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Hope Star.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via e-mail to signal@obu.edu.
halloween
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Thursday, October 30, 2014
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A history of Halloween By KATHERINE CARTER Staff Writer
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alloween is a holiday that is celebrated throughout the world, but primarily in North America, where people dress up in costumes, children go trick-or-treating and haunted houses are created with the purpose of scaring those who dare to enter. It is a holiday that has become one of America’s favorites, and generates a large profit for those working the business. The history of the holiday itself is quite unknown to many. However, it has been celebrated for centuries. Halloween originated with the Celts around 2,000 years ago with their festival of Samhain. This festival was a celebration of the end of a harvest and the coming of winter. The Celtic new year was celebrated on Nov. 1 for this reason. The Celts believed that on the night before the new year, Oct. 31, the boundary between the living world and the dead world would become hazy, meaning that the spirits of the dead would come back and cause trouble to both the people and their crops. The Druids, or Celtic priests, thought that it would
be easier to predict the future with the presence of these spirits, so they would create huge bonfires. People would then gather around burning crops and animals to appease the Celtic gods. They often wore costumes made of animal skins to trick the spirits, and they would tell each other’s fortunes. They re-lit their hearth fires with fire from the sacred bonfire after the end of the celebration to protect themselves from the approaching winter. Later on in the mid-sixth century, long after the Celts were taken over by the Roman Empire, Pope Gregory III expanded the festival of All Martyrs Day that was established in the Western church by Pope Boniface IV to include all the saints as well. This moved May 13, the original date of the festival, to Nov. 1, now known as All Saints Day. In 1000 AD, after Christian influence had spread widely into the Celtic land, the church made Nov. 2 All Souls’ Day to commemorate the dead. With the blending of Celtic and Christian ideas, it is believed that this day was created to replace Samhain, which was why it was celebrated very similarly. The All Saints Day, also known as All-Hallows or All-Hallowsmas, was celebrated
Unusual Traditions
By ROBERT DESOTO Staff Writer
Intricate costumes, ghoulish parties, monster movies and sticky treats: Halloween is more than just a celebration of the macabre. The holiday, rooted not just in the colonial traditions of America, even dates back to the time of the Ancient Romans. Despite ancient origins, modern Halloween has seen rise to many unique means of celebration. To those foreign to the idea of Halloween, many common elements of the holiday may seem unusual. However, within the United States, there continue to be more and more unconventional traditions that now characterize both Halloween and the fall season for many Americans. In addition to the typical trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and scary movie watching, haunted zoos are also a favorite, family-oriented activity. Many zoos offer these carnival-style events, notably the Little Rock Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo.” Booing is also a trend that is taking off during the Halloween season. This activity involves secretly giving gifts to friends or family. The gifts include instructions for the person being booed to boo another person, keeping the game going. Homemade treats are usually the preferred gift item, unlike Ed Gein lamps or other products made from human flesh. A classic staple of Halloween and Samhain, the Celtic festival of the dead, is the barmbrack. The barmbrack is a bread representative of Halloween’s Celtic roots, in the same way that the Celts created jack-o-lanterns and trick-or-treating. The sweet bread includes objects like a ring, a stick, a pea, a coin and a piece of cloth with dried fruit in a fortune-telling game. The perfect addition to barmbrack and other sweets is none other than homemade root beer. Many recipes for the beverage can be found in cookbooks and online. The dark, earthy taste of root beer also conjurers images of caked-earth, undead creatures walking the streets. Most of the zombies walking the streets of Denver, Colo., however, aren’t as dead as they appear. The annual Denver Zombie Crawl is the largest zombie event in the nation. Each fall, participants dress in their best zombie costumes and drench themselves in fake blood to zombie-shuffle down a five-kilometer course. The town of Manitou Springs, Colo., has its own macabre fall celebration. The annual Emma Crawford Coffin Races pit coffin against coffin, commemorating Emma Crawford whose coffin washed out of the ground during a flood. A team member lies in a decorated coffin while other costumed members race that coffin down the street for the coveted prize of a gift certificate to local shops. According to lore from the Middle Ages, wearing ones clothes backwards is a sure way to attract a witch. To find a (practicing) witch on Halloween, look no further than the famed Salem, Mass. Practicing witches gather in the Salem Common each Halloween in a celebration of Samhain and the supernatural. Wiccan and practitioners of magic unite in a witches’ circle on the candle-lit site made famous for the 1692 Salem witch trials. Festive fauna are not just for display at haunted zoos. Nicknamed “Bark City” for its animal-friendly atmosphere, Park City, Utah hosts an annual canine costume contest. Dogs parade around the towns, and winners are judged based on dog size and costume. All proceeds help local animal shelters. Unfortunately, some would rather protect animals from far more sinister fates that would otherwise await them on All Hallows’ Eve. Shelters such as Morganton, North Carolina’s The Cats’ Cradle refuse to adopt out black cats during the month of October for fear that they would be used in occult rituals or sacrificed. ASPCA leaders, however, have contested this ban from shelters across the nation, saying that people do not scour pet adoption centers for animals to sacrifice. These leaders believe that black cats are part of the overall celebration of the season. Some shelters even offer discounts on black cats around Halloween. Other Halloween traditions center on celebrating the deceased, rather than death or the occult. Residents of Tuscon, Ariz., partake in festivities mirroring el Día de Los Muertos. Those involved disregard slashers like Jason and Freddy, wearing colorful masks and costumes and surrounding themselves with art and music. Partakers in Tucson march in a parade than ends with the burning of a large urn containing flowers and mementos of deceased loved ones. Another tradition that connects individuals with the dead in a honorific fashion is tombstone rubbing. Cemetery visitors can trace the headstone names onto paper. This activity, like el Día de los Muertos, brings together the living and the dead in a less macabre, respectful act. Since ancient times, many generations have held close the traditional festivities of what is today known as Halloween. These customs, although some may seem strange, delight in the dark, indulge in the delicious, recognize the supernatural and honor the dead in what has become our modern-day celebration of Halloween. n
the night before All Souls Day and the night before that. It then was called AllHallows Eve, which would eventually be called Halloween. The idea of Halloween was brought to America in the early days of colonization. It was celebrated differently depending on the different European groups that colonized each part of the country. These ideas were limited due to the different sects of Protestantism, but the holiday soon came together. The European ideas and those of the Native Americans blended together to create an entirely unique idea of Halloween specifically for America. Colonial Halloween festivals included “play parties,” which were public events where neighbors shared ghost stories to celebrate the harvest, and also featured fortune-telling, dancing and singing. Although autumn festivals were common, not everyone in the country celebrated Halloween. After the flood of immigrants into America in the second half of the nineteenth century, especially the Irish, Halloween was popularized nationally. This was about the time when people would dress up in costumes and go to people’s homes asking for food or mon-
ey, which would later be called “trickor-treating.” This idea most likely evolved from the late medieval practice of “souling,” when the poor would go door to door on All-Hallows Eve and receive food and prayers for the dead for the next day, All Souls Day. Halloween would then become a more secularized holiday focusing on community instead of witchcraft and spirits. By the beginning of the 20th century, the superstitions had been taken away from the holiday entirely. By the 1920s, Halloween was an entirely community-based holiday with parties created for people’s enjoyment. By the 1950s, Halloween had become a holiday geared for a younger crowd, where trick-or-treating was revived. People started the custom of buying sweets to avoid tricks by costumed kids, and this created a long-lasting tradition that has flourishes even today. According to Forbes, Halloween is the fourth most popular holiday for spending, behind Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. Halloween is a very popular holiday, and, according to the $6.9 billion spent annually, will remain a popular holiday for many years to come. n
Nearby haunted hot spots good for year-round thrills By HANNA DEAN Staff Writer
When I was 4-years-old, my Memaw started one of her favorite Halloween traditions. Each year, my mom would call her and let her know when we were on the way to trick-or-treat at her house. Memaw would grab two stainless steel pots from her kitchen and throw a white sheet over her tall, skinny frame. She would hide around the side of her house and prepare to greet me. Mom’s black Sequoia would pull up next to the curb, and that was her cue. Mom would walk around and let me out of the car, since the door was too heavy for my scrawny, baby arms. My stubby leg would slowly reach for the ground, while holding on to her hand. As soon as my feet hit the sidewalk, I would race to Memaw’s door, excited to receive my $5 that she promised me each day. To my surprise, my sweet, toothless smile was soon wiped off my face. My slow, aging Memaw somehow managed each year to gather enough energy to turn into Usain Bolt and race up behind me before I reached the door. She rounded the corner banging the two pots together and making her best impression of a ghost noise. I ran back to my mommy, throwing my head into her tummy, closing my eyes and hoping to disappear. Thanks to these memories, I have now grown to love the horror of Halloween. When the end of October draws near, my depression starts to kick in. But who says the spooking has to stop? For some places in Arkansas, some people claim that the haunting never ceases. One of the most popular hauntings of Arkansas, The Crescent Hotel, awaits your visit in Eureka Springs. The haunting began in 1885 during the initial construction. Michael, a stonemason, fell to his death from the roof of the hotel. His body landed on the second floor balcony of Room 218. Later on, in 1937, Norman Baker bought the building and remodeled it to be the Baker Cancer Hospital. The hospital only lasted about three years until Baker’s arrest. Several visitors say that they have seen the ghosts of Michael and Doctor Baker lurking in the hallways and hotel rooms, along with many other patients. Many say that the apparitions are known to flicker the lights, control the televisions and make peculiar noises throughout the night. Some guests even claim that they were grabbed and shaken during their sleep in the middle of the night but woke up to an empty
room. Not good enough? Still looking for a thrill? The Allen House is sure to fulfill the adrenaline rush you are looking for and is located only two hours outside of Arkadelphia in Monticello. Built in 1906, the Allen House was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Allen and their three children, Ladell, Lonnie and Lewie. When Mr. Allen passed away in 1917, his funeral was held in the comfort of the Allen home. Just before his death, Ladell married Boyd Bonnor and delivered her first son, Elliot. Elliot also passed away after contracting a severe case of pneumonia. To make matters worse, Ladell poisoned and took her own life in response to the death of her husband, Boyd, only four years after the death of her son. The Allen House was leased as apartments in 1956, and it didn’t take long for the haunting to commence. Those who have rented the apartment claimed to have witnessed paranormal activity. There have been sightings of Ladell’s ghost in mirrors of the home, and some have heard very loud, disturbing noises throughout the home. The current owners have opened the Allen House up on Halloween, and visitors may also reserve a time for a guided tour. If that’s not scary enough for you, the Old Malco Theatre in Hot Springs is a spooky, close alternative. A well-known and impressive illusionist in Hot Springs, Maxwell Blade, performed his magic shows in the ancient Malco Theatre. Prior to Blade purchasing the venue, a German magician had previously performed his magic shows at the same location. Based on legends, the German magician was preparing for his final trick of the night and asked a woman from the audience to help him. He covered her body with a sheet of silk and wished her away. When he carefully whisked the sheet away, she was gone. The only problem was he was never able to make her reappear. Since the disappearance of the woman, many of those who have access to the Malco Theater have witnessed strange happenings. In the basement of the theater, there have been several apparition sightings of a woman who is believed to be the woman in the illusion. Loud screams have echoed through the theater from time to time as well with no explanation. So, take advantage of some good scares this Halloween. As L. Frank Baum says, “There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid.” n
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sports
Thursday, October 30, 2014
www.obusignal.com
Why the Royals should be proud of postseason success By DIXON LAND Sports Editor
@dixoncland
T Dr. Wesley Kluck y Courtesy The Ouachita offensive line, along with tight end, Jonathan Powell, look to the sideline for the next play call from the coach. The offensive line of the Tigers has looked good this season and is anchored by senior center Aaron Sprinkle.
Tigers 7-0 for first time since 1914, still long road to undefeated season By DIXON LAND Sports Editor
The Tigers defeated the Arkansas Tech Wonderboys 14-9 on Saturday afternoon at Cliff Harris Stadium in Arkadelphia, Ark. After the game, the Tigers became 7-0 for the first time in 100 years. The last time the Tigers were 7-0 in a season was in 1914 with a team that beat the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Ole Miss Rebels. The 1914 Tigers ended up going 8-0 until their final game of the season. They would tie Henderson St. and finish 8-0-1 on the season. The Tigers have a chance to go 9-0 for the first time in Tiger history. By doing so, they
would gaurantee a selection into the NCAA Division 2 playoffs which would start the week after the Battle of the Ravine. Sitting between the Tigers and an undefeated regular season is the Southern Arkansas Muleriders who are 4-3 on the season with losses to Harding, East Central Univ. and Southwestern Okla. St., teams that Ouachita has already defeated. Also important to note is that the Tigers are undefeated at Cliff Harris Stadium and the Mulriders are 0-3 in away games this season. The Tigers will also have to defeat the Arkansas-Monticello Bullweevils who are 2-5 this season. Playing in Monticello on Nov. 8, the Tigers will face a tough road test.
UAM has also lost to Harding, as well as NW Okla. St., SE Okla. St., and Arkansas Tech. These are all teams that the Tigers have defeated. Finally, the Tigers will need to defeat the Henderson St. Reddies who have lost one game this season – a heartbreaker to the Harding Bison. The Reddies will challenge Ouachita’s defensive secondary, as the Reddies have put up as many points as anyone in Division 2 this season. If the Tigers can overcome these three tests, with two of them coming on the road including against rival Henderson St., the Tigers will finish the season undefeated. The Tigers play SAU on Saturday at Cliff Harris Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. n
could not close within more than two points of the Tigers lead. Kori Bullard finished off the second set with three kills, giving the Tigers the win. After trailing 6-2 in the third set, Ouachita would go on a small run and would tie it at 10-10. Jayme Shell’s three consecutive kills put the Tigers up 13-10 and forced a Henderson State timeout. Middles Kori Bullard and senior Kelley Ballard paced the attack for the remainder of the set each getting four kills a piece, Senior Chelsey Hess also contributed to the Tiger 25-19 win set three with a kill., Down 2-1, the Lady Reddies broke a 5-5 tie with a 15-6 run against Ouachita. Henderson State had 17 kills in set four to the Tigers 10 and swung at a .342 percentage in the set. The 25-17 win would tie the match at 2-2. The fifth set was a battle between both squads that featured 10 ties and five lead changes. Neither team could gain an advantage or build a
lead bigger than one point until late in the set. Consecutive kills by Jayme Shell gave the Tigers a brief two-point lead at 6-4, but HSU would storm right back to tie it at 6-6. The teams would switch side with the Tigers leading 8-7. With the deciding match tied at 12-12, senior Chelsey Hess would set senior Tara Wait for the kill. An attack error on the next serve by the Lady Reddies would give Ouachita a 14-12 lead. After a HSU point cut the lead to one, senior Kelley Ballard would put the match away with a kill and give the Tigers the series sweep. Senior Tara Wait finished with 52 assists, 24 digs and three service aces. Senior Kelley Ballard finished with eight kills, three digs and three blocks. Senior Keely Howk finished with nine digs, one assist and one service ace. Senior Chelsey Hess finished with 13 digs, two assists and one kill., Ouachita improves to 15-8 overall and 6-6 in the GAC. n
Volleyball beats Henderson in Battle of the Ravine game By KYLE PARRIS
Sports Information Director In another five-set classic, the Ouachita Tigers battled to a 3-2 win (22-25, 25-21, 25-19, 17-25, 15-13) over arch-rival Henderson State. Jayme Shell had a season-high 15 kills and senior Tara Wait finished with a season-high double-double of 52 assists and 24 digs., The Lady Reddies jumped out to a 7-1 lead in set one, forcing Ouachita to take a timeout. The Tigers clawed their back and gradually cut the HSU lead to one on backto-back kills by Abby Pickett, trailing 21-20. The Lady Reddies would hold their lead and win the first set. The second set began with a a flurry of attacks by Ouachita as they took an 8-3 lead. Consecutive service aces by Tara Wait forced a HSU timeout. The Tigers would hold the lead throughout the second set, despite several small runs by HSU. However, the Lady Reddies
hree times in five years. Cardinals, who? Move over Red Sox, there’s a new Giant in town. And giant they are. Even with battling injuries all season long and a schedule that seemed to be a true crapshoot, the Giants continued to work their butts off to win the World Series this year. Bumgarner was obviously the clear stand-out in the season, going 2-0 and a 0.56 ERA through 16 innings pitched. He also threw 13 strikeouts over his two games. In the postseason combined, Bumgarner was 4-1 with a 1.13 ERA on 47.2 Innings and had 41 strikeouts. One final note on the pitching for the Giants – Yusmerio Petit had 3 wins this postseason and a 1.42 ERA in 12 innings pitched. Without his solid pitching, the Giants certainly would not be holding the trophy. The pitching was a major difference in the Giants’ success. Bumgarner can only win so many games. And while Bumgarner did pitch 16 innings and rack up a lot of pitches in both of his outings, the rest of the staff deserves a pat on the back as well. On the other end of the Giants’ large success in the World Series were the 68 times that Pablo Sandavall stepped up to the plate. He had 23 hits. Ten of those turned into runs. He also racked five RBI’s up on the score chart. Even with Sandavall being as impressive as he was, the Giants hitting was as good as it has been all season. Hunter Pense had 20 hits on 62 at-bats. He had 11 runs and eight RBI’s But what makes this World Series so unique is the fact that both the Giants and the Royals were both Wild Card game participants. Usually, that game is reserved for the last few teams to make the playoffs and to use up their Ace to put them back a game in the rotation on the divisonal series. Interestingly enough, that didn’t seem to bother either team as they won their games in impressive fashion. The Giants won like they usually do – with impressive batting, good defense and pitching and solid all-around team play. What makes the Giants so hard to beat is their discipline and execution. While it is certainly harder to see to the blind eye in baseball than in other sports, the Giants are an extremely disciplined baseball club, with more than one future hall-of-famer on the team and a coach that will certainly make it there as well. The Royals didn’t lose a game until they got to the World Series, which says a lot about momentum in the baseball playoffs. Maybe that Wild Card win was more important than anyone thinks. But, for them to sweep the Orioles in the way they did showed how much they deserved a birth in the World Series. This is an interesting tidbit: A team that is in a mid-major market is making it to the World Series. The Cardinals, with a little bit smaller city, are a consistent team, but a much larger and broader fan base for sure. But, the Kansas City Royals are a great example of these mid-major city teams that can become just as successful as a New York Yankees ball club or even a Miami or Atlanta team, that frankly, isn’t playing nearly as well. Or, the fact that Baltimore, another team similar to the Royals, played them in the ALCS. Two teams with fan bases that aren’t nearly as big, playing in cities that aren’t nearly as big, and winning with teams that traditionally aren’t nearly as good. It’s as if money doesn’t drive everything (yes I’m speaking to you, New York). These teams don’t have the biggest budget or chance to land major talent. I predict more success from the Royals soon. With a team that is sure to surge from this year’s success, the Royals have a chance to win the AL pennant once again. The Orioles do as well. It will be interesting to see if they can repeat their success again or if another big, bad team from the north can come surging back. Will Boston be back in the running? Can the Yankees come back from their slumber? On the Giants’ end, no one should call them anything other than a dynasty, and with major league baseball, teams always play against tradition. Why do you think teams such as the Red Sox, Cardinals and yes, even the Yankees (as much as I hate to admit it), have consistent success and are always making runs for the pennate even on off years? The Giants have tradition and experience on their side. So the question is: Four in six years? n
Women’s soccer clinches trip to GAC Tournament with 2-1 win By BRANDON SMITH Sports Information
First-half goals from Bryson Rial and Haley Hatcher led the Ouachita Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs on Saturday. The win gave Ouachita a berth in the GAC Tournament. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute, when Rial netted a ball on a free kick from Alisa Trejo. The goal was Rial’s third of the season, and Trejo recorded her first assist of the year. Just over three minutes left in the first half, Hatcher scored her GAC-leading 15th goal of the season on a shot from 20 yards out. The half later came to a close with Ouachita leading 2-0. The Tigers entered defensive mode in the second half, as the teams were both scoreless
through the first 44 minutes. The Bulldogs attempted 10 shots before the 90th minute but did not register a single goal. In the 90th minute with 17 seconds to play, Southwestern’s Cori Kelly scored on a pass from Eva Rule to bring the Bulldogs within one. The score was not enough for a comeback, however, and the Tigers escaped with the win. Hatcher took four shots on the day, with three being on target. Rial led all players with five shots. Lauren Llanes recorded two saves in the 90-minute match, as she brought her record to 4-2. The Tigers (5-9-1, 4-3 GAC) have clinched a spot in the GAC Tournament. They will travel to Bethany, Okla. today, for a match against Southern Nazarene. The match is scheduled for 5 p.m. n
Dr. Wesley Kluck y Courtesy Haley Hatcher narrows in on the ball she’s about to kick. Hatcher scored against the Bulldogs on Saturday in a 2-1 win.