27Oct2011 by The Montage

October 27, 2011

Volume 47 Issue 5

PAGE 6-7 Looking into the historic St. Louis mansion.

Meramec student volunteers in Africa.

Students and faculty lend a hand around Kirkwood.

PAGES 8-9

PAGE 10

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Disruptive behavior continues; student suspended

Campus documents 130 complaints regarding student behavior this semester KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR STLCC-Meramec Campus Police responded to a call near Communications South after a student was struck by another student on campus between 10:30 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12. The suspect was suspended, according to Campus President George Wasson.

Banta said the students congregate under the shelter of the communications south building to smoke.

“If we have to suspend somebody to serve the greater good at Meramec, that’s what we have to do,” Wasson said. “Anyone should be able to traverse the campus without intimidation – without fear of being accosted by anyone, any place.”

All campuses were designated as tobaccofree, effective January 2011. A fine of $15 for violation of the tobacco ban has been proposed and submitted to the Meramec campus councils for approval. The Board of Trustees could approve the fine as soon as January 2012, according to Wasson’s recent memorandum.

Banta said complaints are most frequent between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Banta said the fine could remedy some of the congregating and in effect the disruptive behavior.

Student Melina Lindscog said one of her professors was asked to escort another faculty member through the area outside communications south.

At press time, a police report was not immediately available and the case is still under investigation, Police Chief Paul Banta said. The victim positively identified the suspect with a photo, Banta said, and the suspect was detained and released by Kirkwood Police. “We’re not going to stand for that kind of behavior,” Banta said. According to Banta, 130 complaints have been documented regarding disruptive behavior this semester. He said the complaints include violations of the campus tobacco ban. “We haven’t had that problem where we have repeat complaints,” Banta said. “And I’ve been here for four years.”

“I think smoking is secondary to disruptive behavior,” Banta said.

On Oct. 21, a memorandum from Wasson, Vice President of Student Affairs Lin Crawford and Banta was sent to Meramec faculty and staff addressing disruptive behavior: “The Meramec campus leadership is aware of recent problems involving smoking violations, disruptive and disrespectful behavior, the use of offensive and profane language and possible sexual harassment by students congregating between communications south and the business administration building and between communications south and communications north.”

Student ambassadors host tourney Dodgeball tournament raises money for breast cancer research

Furthermore, the memorandum disclosed that uniformed police personnel and plain-clothed personnel will be designated to the areas during the targeted days and times, and “disciplinary action will be taken by the vice president of student affairs.”

“It’s a sad state of affairs that people don’t do the right thing,” Banta said. “It’s the kind of thing you might see in a sophomore setting.”

“I try to avoid that area,” Lindscog said. “It’s annoying because you’re a college student, and you’re paying to go to school here.” Students, faculty and staff are urged to notify campus police of any disturbances throughout the campus. “We’re all here together. We’re all here for the same purpose. We’re all here for the same end,” Wasson said. “Most students want to protect our campus [and] we need help.”

Hands on Kirkwood KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR Hundreds of people, including Meramec students and faculty, took to the streets of Kirkwood Saturday, Oct. 22 for the fifth annual Hands on Kirkwood day of service. More than 550 people from local churches, hockey teams and students from Meramec’s Service Learning Department participated in projects ranging from Service Learning has participated in Make a Difference Day, a national day of community service held in October, for more than 10 years. Yellow t-shirts sporting the words “A missionALL community project. Making a difference,” could be seen behind steering wheels, on the sidewalks and outside Kirkwood’s churches and businesses throughout the morning and early afternoon. “It was always the goal to make it a citywide day,” Hands on Kirkwood co-chair Jason Norton said.

PHOTO BY: Mike Ziegler A member of the International Club team attempts to dodge the ball during the fall 2011 Dodgeball tournament in the Meramec Gym on Oct. 20. Money raised from team dues and consession sales went toward supporting breast cancer research.

Story on page 12

This year was Service Learning’s first time working with Kirkwood’s day of service. Service Learning Office Manager Debbie Corson said Service Learning joined Hands on Kirkwood to broaden the “scope of projects” and allow students to get involved by giving back to the community.

Continued on page 3

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2 News | October 27, 2011

Community service in Kirkwood: Clubs get involved Continued from page 1 “It’s fun and it’s active and it’s getting out there,” Corson said. “It makes you feel good.”

“[Meramec] joined early and strong; they were at every meeting,” Norton said.

Kids were invited to Kiddo-Palooza, another event held at the Kirkwood YMCA, where kids could do things like grab a snack and watch an entertainer juggle blades on top of a ball.

The Meramec Math Club worked in the Dog Park held outside the Kirkwood Baptist Church.

Adam Otzenberger, Service Learning student intern, filled popcorn bags outside of the YMCA. “I talk to many people I go to school with that I’ve never talked to,” Otzenberger said. Otzenberger said he is getting involved through groups like the Math Club and the Outdoors Club.

“Students like community service; they like to be involved. They can publish it on their resumes and promote unity and comradery.” - Lisa Harden, Mathematics Instructor

The club also recently joined Habitat for Humanity in constructing housing in north St. Louis. “Students like community service; they like to be involved,” Lisa Harden, mathematics instructor, said. “They can publish it on their resumes and promote unity and comradery.” Service Learning Coordinator Donna Halsband was the project lead for two projects: honeysuckle removal and storm drain labeling. Also, Meramec hosted electronics recycling, where people could drop off old computer equipment, batteries and small appliances. Norton said two semi-tractor trailers hauled off the collection of electronics. He said he thinks next year will bring even more organizations out to give back to the community. The project receved support from 40 different organizations, according to Norton. A donor challenged The Hands On Kirkwood Facebook page to reach 1,000 likes, and the page reached its goal before Oct. 22. “A lot of new partners will now know what it’s like and talk to others,” Norton said.

Submitted photo Math Club members Mike Roman, left, and Weichao Zhang install fence posts outside the Kirkwood Baptist Church as part of Hands On Kirkwood on October 22. The fence posts went toward temporarily installling a dog park in the area.

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News October 27, 2011 |

Five billion for facilities face lift, expansion Obama proposes to update community colleges nationwide, could impact Meramec CLINTON BORROR STAFF WRITER If passed, the American Jobs Act bill, presented to Congress earlier this year, could result in $5 billion in funding for community college modernization.

facilities that we’ve kind of patched together over the years would be open to that type of renovation.”

“A lot of the community colleges that are in the country were founded in or around the 1960s,” STLCC-Meramec President George Wasson said. “We’re all sitting here with 50-year-old facilities. This is the idea that’s behind the proposal.”

Occupational therapy assistant teaching classrooms could be updated through expanded classroom size.

New construction would be used for modernization and expansion. Improvements to the Meramec campus could include increased classroom size and the modernization. According to the latest Delta Cost Project report on college spending trends, community colleges “bore the brunt” of state and local cuts to support higher education. “Over in our science building, we’ve renovated half of our labs. The other half, we desperately need to. That’s the type of initiative we’d have if it came,” Wasson said. “We’ve already got things on the books that we’ve prepared in case this goes through.” Some facilities have been renovated through funding from the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative. “I will say that the labs we’ve redone, we’ve done a very good job on. We have better facilities than some of the four year colleges,” Wasson said. “We’re very proud of that and want to maintain those standards – and even upgrade a bit if allowed.” However, other areas of campus could be updated with increased funding as well. “We have our physical therapy assistant and our occupational therapy assistant where those facilities are in desperate need of renovation. We have our horticulture programs,” Wasson said. “All these different types of

“We have 47 to 48 students right now between two levels of classes. When I have 24 students in a classroom, the space is tight,” said Meramec Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director Cynthia Ballentine. Students use occupational therapy assistant classrooms to begin learning skills, and later practice them on one another. “With larger space we might be able to have clients come in so we could practice on them before they go out to do fieldwork or clinical experiences,” Ballentine said. “We know how to teach students, but as class size grows we need to make sure students have as many opportunities to practice their skills as possible.” The engineering physics lab in Science West could use expansion. The room contains a single line of sinks running along the length of the classroom and heavy wooden tables for students to work at. “There are nice and sturdy wooden tables, but one of the problems we have is this line of water which makes it difficult to do a kinetic experiment,” said Professor of Chemistry and Chair of Physical and Engineering Sciences Nancy C. Collier. Some labs and classrooms could use “more elbow room,” according to Collier. “The college physics room has large sturdy tables but they are not conducive for moving out of the way to do a larger experiment,” Collier said. “We do an amazing job of teaching physics here. Just think what we could do if we had renovated labs.”

District email change; Windows Live to Outlook Students: expect email service transition in November DANIEL REYNOLDS STAFF WRITER An email was sent en masse to students alerting them to a change in the email service provider at STLCC on Oct. 6.

“The student email is moving to an Exchange system which can be configured very easily on mobile devices such as iPhone and Androids,” Hawasli said.

Student email service will transition from Windows Live to Outlook Live, and students will start logging in to the new service Nov. 11. Between then and Nov. 28, students will be asked to take a few steps to manage the new system, said Khoulous Hawasli, project manager and STLCC manager for technology and educational support systems.

An Exchange system is an email-based collaborative communications system for businesses, according to Microsoft Office website http://office.microsoft. com.

“The Outlook sign on experience looks slightly different but remains essentially the same,” Hawasli said. These steps include, but are not limited to, verifying the content of their mailboxes on both the new and old system and compare them, set up any distribution lists and email forwarding, connect Outlook Client to Outlook Live, if they use it, and transfer any data from their Hotmail calendar to their new Outlook Live calendar if students choose to. Hawasli said students must monitor their email and look for an email titled “Welcome to Outlook Live! ACTION NEEDED” on Nov. 10. The project is being handled by Cosand Center TESS staff. According to Hawasli, the new service will provide students with anywhere access and up to 10GB mailboxes. Ten gigabytes is equal to 2,500 fiveminute songs, or 12,500 minutes worth of music, or more than eight and a half days of music. Along with 10GB mailboxes and ability to access, share, and collaborate through SkyDrive, there are also productivity services which allow students to create, view, edit, and share Microsoft Word, Excel PowerPoint, and OneNote files online with SkyDrive.

Though not much will change in regards to the navigation of the new email system, the new Outlook Live should prove easier for students to navigate, according to Hawasli. If any student should find the transition confusing, Hawasli said the email website will provide additional information. Students’ email websites will also be updated. Hawasli said there will be no email delays and student should be able to manage their mail as usual. “Students and professors will continue communicating using the existing services throughout the project,” Hawasli said.

“The student email is moving to an Exchange system which can be configured very easily on mobile devices such as iPhone and Androids.” - Khoulous Hawasli, Project Manager

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4 Opinions | October 27, 2011

Living the dream Off the eaten path Crazy Bowls and Wraps JESSE HOFFORD OPINIONS EDITOR Students who are looking for food not heavily processed and bathed in fat will surely find refuge at Crazy Bowls and Wraps. Priding themselves on their healthy food choices, they offer good food fast at a reasonable price.

more meat. What is more, a flavor bar is located near the soda fountain so diners can add even more to their bowl or wrap. Although having soda in a restaurant that aims to provide healthy food seems a bit out of place.

Walking in, CBW’s bright green and orange paint job invokes a feeling of freshness not found in a Taco Bell or Wendy’s. Considering fresh and healthy food is exactly what is on the menu, the interior does quite nicely. Seating is made up of standard tables and chairs with a few tables set up outside on nice days.

CBW’s claim to freshness is rightfully justified. The meal in question was their teriyaki beef super bowl with white rice and veggies. It was delicous and all the vegetables were fresh, although a bit crunchy but that is only a minor complaint. The flank steak was tender and juicy, just as a steak should be.

Hungry patrons place their order at the front counter and can order it to go or they can eat in. CBW’s menu boasts a variety of healthy options. Customers start out by picking a grain such as rice or noodles. Then they can choose what kind of meat they want. CBW offers white and dark meat chicken, crunchy chicken, flank steak and wild Alaskan salmon, as far as sources of protein. After that customers can pick from a plethora of other toppings like veggies, sauces or even

Other than bowls and wraps, CBW offers quesadillas in their “starters” section, smoothies and kids’ meals. Crazy Bowls and Wraps offers fresh and tasty food with a semi-Asian flair in their rice bowls. Prices are good for the quality of the products and there are many combinations one can put together when ordering. They have locations in Missouri, Illinois and California. Hours can be found on their website and they even offer catering services.

America kicks ass

Camouflage: Hiding in plain sight KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF

Found on hats, hoodies, flags, cars, airplanes and anything else imaginable, camouflage has taken America by storm. Even though no one could visibly see it happening, camouflage snuck past America’s eyesight into stardom while under a pile of leaves. Such a fashionable trend could only hide itself for so long until it was caught. Camouflage is American in every sense of the word. It is sneaky, while being eye-catching, demands respect from fellow wearers and allows people to easily hunt prey, in urban or wooded environments. So what is not to like about it –it gives people what plaid and solid colors could never do. Camouflage says so much without saying anything at all and that is what America is all about. Being an American means you can walk into a cafe in Paris and people will automatically know you are the big boss of something. Being American means you can have a sweet flag in front of your house, on top of a cellphone tower and anywhere else

you see fit and not have to explain to anyone as to why. In a lot of ways camouflage is for true American spirits… pioneers and captains of industry. First used by the British in 1857, camouflage has been used as a fantastic way to trick enemies and deceive the opposing armies. Now, as enemies blindly walk into battles, awesome American soldiers hide in awesome camouflage waiting to jump out of the terrain. So as you can see, camouflage not only has fashion uses, but also in a tactical manner. Prior to reading, I hope readers go out and buy something camouflage, not just because they feel like they need to go hunting, hide in the trees from enemies or pose as a talking pile of leaves but so they can feel what it is like to be outrageously American. While they are at it, they might as well head down to the local Buchheit store pick up some John Deere attire, I hear that this fall’s line is so totally in.

Occupation Explanation

KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR Occupy St. Louis. Occupy the Hood. Occupy the Cardinals Game. Some may find happiness in just occupying their home. But this is a numbers game and numbers don’t lie. Over a month in, the movement is still growing in numbers: 951 cities and 82 countries have an occupy movement since Sept. 17. Cities throughout the country – and even the world – were empowered by the movement that started as 1,000 fed up Americans taking to the streets of New York. Sure, we can sit and watch from the “well-informed” vantage point of our TV or computer screens. Or we can participate in the most primitive form of learning: expressing ideas, listening and asking questions with other humans. In spite of the portrayal of the Occupy movement, there are different levels of economically, politically or socially awareness throughout the movement, including scholars. As they say, ignorance is bliss, but ignorance is also twodimensional. Whether or not corporations or the U.S. financial sector will learn anything is up in the air, but I think we, as college students, can all learn something. If you have something to offer or even a dissenting opinion, why not meet someone new and exchange ideas? It could be a great learning experience for the both of you. At Occupy St. Louis I can tell you there are dogs, tents and passionate people. It’s something that should be experienced whether you agree with the cause or not. Everyone may not be as intelligent as some STLCC students, but they all want to see change. So before we scoff at their ignorance from a distance, take a trip to a protest and put a face with a protester. And the fact is their representation – maybe your representation as well – means more than anything. If the movement doesn’t impact any financial institutions or economic policy, at least we’ll have connections and knowledge. I spontaneously went to the St. Louis Occupy movement to meet people and learn something. I have not become as actively involved as others, but I am not ashamed and I do not regret checking it out. The movement’s agenda will not work out for all of the ubiquitous 99 percent, but talking with others and agreeing to disagree or compromising is never a bad thing – maybe politicians could take a hint. Some are critical of the movement – they say the mission is undefined. Just a rag tag group of ungrateful anarchists, hopeless socialists and empowered bums but there is strength in numbers and knowledge is definitly power.

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October 27, 2011 |

You Paid For It: Elliott is the Elephant in the Room MIKE ZIEGLER PHOTO EDITOR

There is a laundry list of skills required for today’s journalists, but only a handful are really needed to get the job done. Storytelling skills, of course, are a must. Interviewing and accurately portraying your subject’s responses while telling the story fairly is another. It should go without saying that having a professional demeanor while on assignment lies near the top of the list, but you would not know it if you attended the last STLCC Board of Trustees meeting. A reporter, known for his hit-and-run style reporting, was also covering the meeting and that presence was felt from the moment you walked in the room. Recognized for his coverage on the spending of taxpayer money and being on the receiving end of a slamming door, the reporter also in attendance was Elliott Davis of Fox 2 News. Typically, at least during every previous meeting attended by this reporter and other Montage reporters, attendees get their choice of seating. This meeting, however, press were assigned seating in the very back of the room. Could this be because of Davis’s attendance? Upon entering the room, Davis was seated, reading the newspaper in the first of the two rows allotted for press — his cameraman seated next to him. After shooting b-roll of trustees entering the room, the meeting started. Davis continued reading the newspaper, oblivious to items being discussed, while occasionally blocking the view of a presentation in the front of the room and distracting others around him. Breaking the unwritten rule of meetings, Davis’s phone went off not once, but three times with a ringtone similar to something played during evacuation scenes in

Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessaritly the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration. The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. (314) 984-7655. One copy of The Montage is free of charge. Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager. Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.

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All this occurred while student journalists, including myself, tweeted interesting bits of the meeting and responded to replies on Twitter, took notes and followed the agenda. Based on an “Achieving the Dream” initiative article from the Chronicle of Education on the floor next to Davis, one could assume that is what attracted his attendance. However, footage from the meeting has yet to make an on-air appearance. After the meeting concluded, the ambush was on, something undoubtedly anticipated by everyone in the room. Notable administration avoided any direct contact with Davis, some unable to escape the camera spotlight. Chairwoman Melissa Hattman dashed into a back room after the final gavel, limiting access not just to Davis, but any other reporters or public in attendance. The cause behind Davis’s visit I am sure is one worthy of coverage, but the means of collecting material for the three-minute segment were the most unprofessional I have seen from any reporter. Investigative reporting of taxpayer money is something we need as a community and is the duty of a journalist, but let us stick to reporting and not show-tactics that make for good TV while putting any others also digging for the truth at a disadvantage as a result. Stereotypically, this behavior may be expected from college journalists in attendance, but it was easy to pinpoint who the actual professionals were.

Letters to the Editor

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films. After he quietly commented about falling asleep due to the dryness of the meeting, I was asked on at least four occasions throughout the meeting where we were in the agenda.

Student Behavior on Campus a Problem AARON SMITH, Student The past two days have just enlightened me on a new problem in the school. The area between the communications building has become a gathering place for people who believe harrasment is an academic activity. This apparently has gone on for weeks and is just now being handled. In my opinion this should have been nipped in the bud before it got this bad. It is people like this that give junior colleges a poor view to the

public. People who act this way are a cancer on public institutions. Unfortunately, we are only treating the symptoms when we should just be cutting out the tumor. Now I’m not implying violence is the answer, merely that we should take more action. The students who are there to learn should be a force to oust these delinquents. They should become the shining light to cast out this darkness that is infecting our school.

Two Reasons Why Math is a National Issue JIM CHLEBOUN, Student Today I read the two Letters to the Editor on “Math Success: A National Issue (Oct. 13, 2011). I would like to comment on that article. I agree that mathematics education is a national issue for two reasons. 1. Many textbooks are written in passive voice. They use the ubiquitous pronoun “we,” and there are some confusing terms and windy sentences. For example on passive voice: = 2(x2 - 10x + 25 - 25) + 3 = 2(x2 - 10x + 25) - 50 + 3 = 2(x-5)2 - 47 (textbook version) Textbook version with passive voice (from College Algebra by Dugopolski on p. 257): “Because of the 2 preceding parentheses, the second 25 was doubled when it was removed from the parentheses.” My version with active voice: “Because of the ‘2’ outside of the parentheses, you must multiply 25 by 2.” = 2(x2 - 10x + 25 -25(2)) +3 = 2(x2 - 10x + 25 - 50 + 3 = 2(x2-5)2 - 47 (my version) So which version do you prefer for comprehension? The textbook version has confounding words, “preceding,” “second,” “doubled,” and “removed.” Such words sidetracked me for a while before I finally figured out what they meant in the context. The sequence of steps of algebraic problem-solving is not clear to me.

My version uses active voice in the sentence. I use the pronoun that is directed to the reader - that is, the student - “you.” The sentence has five words less than the textbook sentence. I use quotation marks for the number ‘2’ for the purpose of alerting the reader what it does for the parentheses. I could use the bold face for it. Or, I could re-write in a different way: “Because the left outside number ‘2’ covers all the terms, including ‘-25,’ inside the parentheses, you must multiply that last term by 2.” The algebraic problem-solving procedure is clearer because I put the relevant numbers “25(2)” (25 multiplied by 2), and the number “50” in the second line. 2. Some teachers abbreviate too much on the blackboards. I recall my first algebra course last fall. Many students complained that the steps were not clear on the blackboard. Makes sense to me. In view of that, the famous American cultural anthropologist who spent a year with the natives in the South Pacific islands in 1925, Margaret Mead (1901-1978) stressed, “People are visual.” Visual information is non-verbal that goes with the verbal in oral communication. I always believe that any student can learn from the textbook with minimal help from the tutors and teachers as long as the active voice is used throughout. The writers ought to re-write the sentences in active voice in an instructive manner. They ought to be market-wise to students’ great need to understand math better.

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6 In-Depth | October 27, 2011

did you KNOW

halloween

BLUES? Trying to find something to do this Halloween can be a pain. Take a look at this list of things to do around St. Louis during this time of year. Events

BOO AT THE ZOO @ St. Louis Zoo HALLOWEEN BASH @ Lemp Mansion GREAT PUMPKIN CARVING @ Moonrise Hotel

HALLOWEEN @ 360 HALLOWEEN @ Webster’s Winfred-Moore Auditorium TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE @ Way Out Club ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW @ Tivoli

• The smell of lavender is often associated with the paranormal activity inside the home. William Lemp Jr.’s wife wore lavender perfume and she was regularly seen wearing her favorite lavender color.

GHOSTBUSTERS @ Ronnies 20 Cine

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA @ Powell Symphony Hall

DEAD OF NIGHT

1945

An architect senses impending doom as his halfremembered recurring dream turns into reality.

THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS

1953

A ferocious dinosaur awakened by an Arctic atomic test terrorizes the North Atlantic and ultimately New York City.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

1968

A group of people hide from bloodthirsty zombies in a rural farmhouse in Pennsylvania.

PSYCHO

1960

• You can spend the night in one of five “suites” and roam the house freely in search of paranormal activity.

• William Lemp Jr. had an illegitimate son with down syndrome that they kept locked away in the attic, hidden away from public view.

Films

1931

• The Lemps accessed the caves under the house to create more entertaining space, including a pool and a stage.

• Charles Lemp was the only one to leave a suicide note stating that his death was no one’s fault but his own.

MATES OF STATE (BAND) @ Firebird

The ancient vampire Count Dracula arrives in England and begins to prey upon the virtuous young Mina.

• There is an underground tunnel that connects the house and the brewery.

• The Lemp family was America’s first Lager Beer Brewers. In 1840, John Adam Lemp abandoned his grocery business to build the brewery.

HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY CRUISE @ Gateway Arch

DRACULA

Quick fun facts about the Lemp Mansion

A young female embezzeler arrives at the Bates Motel which has terrible secrets of its own.

THE EXORCIST

1973

When a child is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her.

HALLOWEEN

1978

A psychotic murderer escapes and stalks a high school girl and her friends while his doctor chases him through the streets.

POLTERGEIST

1982

A young family is terrorized by mysterious beings that take a liking to their youngest daughter.

In-Depth October 27, 2011 |

JOURNEY INTO ST. LOUIS’ PARANORMAL

KELLY GLUECK MANAGING EDITOR

PHOTO BY: Kelly Glueck

uilt over 140 years ago, the Lemp Mansion has had its fair share of residents, both living and dead. Its legacy began when William Lemp Sr.’s inherited his father’s booming brewery in 1862. In its time, the mansion has seen two suicides and several ghost-hunting fans. Including the current paranormal team offering guided tours throughout the historic home.

Next stop is the second floor. This floor includes Charles Lemp’s bedroom; where he shot his dog and then himself. Charles had a son named Edwin who worked in the brewery, until he retired and moved to Kirkwood.

The tours include infrared cameras to help visitors capture orbs and shadows through the pitch-black corridors.

William “Billy” Lemp Jr, is the eldest of the Lemp kin. He lived in Kirkwood until the prohibition. The brewing business was hurting. Not long after the company was sold, Billy shot himself in his office, currently the dining room on the main floor, left of the front door.

First, the guide will take you to the third floor. This level has a children’s corridor and a few bedrooms, including Esla Lemp’s room. Lemp Mansion staff and guides agree that this is the most active room. Esla, William Lemp, Sr.’s daughter, committed suicide in her home weeks after remarrying her husband.

From the Industrial Revolution to the Great Depression, this mansion has seen both joy and sorrow, and has its fair share of stories. Why not explore the history of St. Louis and have a potential encounter with the paranormal?

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

1984

In the dreams of his victims, a spectral child murderer stalks the children of the members of the lynch mob that killed him.

SAW

2004

Victims of an estranged man must follow various rules and objectives if they wish to survive and win the deadly game set for them.

SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

1991

An FBI cadet must confide in an incarcerated killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.

If you can’t go out for a scare this Halloween, then bring the fun home to you. Check out these classic horror films. You may want to leave the light on.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3

2011

The third installment of the Paranormal Activity follows sisters Katie and Kristi in the 80s during their first encounter with the evil kind.

HORROR

FILM TIMELINE

GRAPHICS AND LAYOUT BY: Tomi Storey

.com

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8 Art & Life | October 27, 2011

Finding inspiration in Africa Student discovers creative passion while volunteering as teacher in Africa KURT OBERREITHER NEWS EDITOR The Global Justice Project’s president Vanessa Redensek, sips hot chocolate in the mid-afternoon October sun, revealing the dried, red acrylic paint mirrored on her forearms. She sets her mug down, brushes her blonde dreadlocks to her left, twists her right shoulder counter-clockwise with her left arm and then blindly points to her right shoulder blade. In ink is the outline of Africa with several countries colored in red. “Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Eritrea. All four of the places that are very close to me,” Redensek said with a smile and a giggle. Nine years ago, Redensek picked the African country of Zimbabwe to research for a social studies class; she discovered human trafficking and other injustices in Kenya. Five years later, she was in Africa teaching orphaned children math, English and art. Redensek’s research paper has taken her throughout the country and abroad. Now she is at STLCC Meramec studying art education to further her fight for social justice. In the summer after high school, Redensek met an African native at church who had family in Kenya. His family offered her transportation from the airport in Kenya if she could find a plane ticket. “When I found my plane ticket, I had 11 days to raise $2,000 and I hadn’t raised a single penny,” Redensek said. Redensek said through several acts of charity she found her way to Africa “I raised $2,000 in 11 days by going around to all my friends and was like, ‘Do you want to give me $20 to go to Africa?’ Everyone was like, ‘Go to Africa. Go, go, go.’ People are awesome,” Redensek said.

PHOTO BY: Kimberly Morice Vanessa Redensek discusses the Global Justice Project outside of the Student Center on Oct. 6 on the Meramec campus. Redensek is president of the Global Justice Project.

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10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Student Center Commons 9:00 am—12:00 pm Room 105

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Art & Life October 27, 2011 | Redensek ended up at King’s Kids Village (KKV), an orphanage that created homes and a family environment for children who lost their parents to AIDs, for five months. There she tutored children in math and English. Four and a half weeks in, the KKV set Redensek and her friend Bridget Doerr up with missionaries in Uganda to work at a school for poor children. She and Doerr spent two weeks in Uganda before returning to Kenya. “[We were] two white girls that hopped on a bus and drove from Kenya to Uganda,” Redensek said. When the missionary workers at the orphanage discovered Redensek’s spark for art, they encouraged her to teach extracurricular art classes. “I took two art classes in high school, and that was it,” Redensek said. “I mean I always just doodled in my notebook and kind of did my own drawings, but I never even thought of being an artist until I went there.”

to grow and flourish as their own community, really bring up each culture, each city, each village, so they can really help themselves.” In the summer of 2010, Redensek asked off of work and returned to the orphanage in Kenya for another month. Redensek joined the Global Justice Project in the spring of 2011 and said, at first she did not want to hold a position but wanted to be a “very active member” but during a “dwindling down” phase, only two members were actively involved.

“I want to be able to teach them to grow and flourish as their own community, really bring up each culture, each city, each village, so they can really help themselves.”

They suggested Redensek look into the field of art therapy. She said she did not even know the career path existed.

“When I realized the club wasn’t going to exist without stepping up, I said okay,” Redensek said with an exhale and a grin. Furthermore, Redensek is involved with organizations like LiNK, a non-profit group that tells the stories of North Korean refugees. She also tutors at a St. Louis school that serves refugee children, where she met two brothers from Eritrea.

“They’re like my little brothers. It started out as tutoring but my sister and I started picking them up. We were taking them to the movies, we were taking them to afternoons just out. [We] would spend our entire Saturday with them,” Redensek said.

- Vanessa Redensek, Global Justice Project President

Art therapists use art as a medium to communicate with children, adults or the elderly. “My goal - what I’m going to do, what I will do – is I want to do art therapy,” Redensek said. “I want to work with kids from traumatic backgrounds and things that they’ve seen – [help them] express themselves.

Redensek tutored one of the brothers for three years. “That was the most rewarding time because I saw them learn, I saw them grow,” Redensek said.

Redensek said after she earns her master’s degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, she wants to set up traveling clinics where she can share her knowledge of art therapy and “teach them to teach kids.”

Redensek said she would like to see other club members step up, and she would support those who are passionate for other causes like animal rights or environmental sustainability.

“I don’t want to live here the rest of my life,” Redensek said. “What I would love to do is I want to teach other people to do art therapy with the kids so when me and my group leave or whatever we don’t leave them, and they’re able to continue this. I want to be able to teach them

“While I’m here, I want to be involved here. I’m not going to waste my time here and always think about the future – and always think one day I’ll be in Africa, then I’ll help people.”

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10 Art & Life October 27, 2011

Rebuilding a ‘dying town’

Student witnesses compassion from volunteers and neighbors KELLY GLUECK MANAGING EDITOR

On May 22, a 24 minute, milewide tornado ripped through the southwestern town of Joplin, Mo., population approximately 50,000, taking with it an estimated 6,954 homes and 162 lives. Relief efforts are still working to clean up the approximately $2 billion worth of damage. STLCC-Meramec student Michael Holderman lived in one of the 6,954 homes destroyed with his roommates just a few miles north of the deadliest single-strike tornado since modern record-keeping in 1950. “The house that we were renting, which was owned by my friend, was completely destroyed and there was only the foundation that was left,” Holderman said. “There was nothing. It went from houses to nothing.” Holderman was visiting St. Louis that evening. The city was sealed off for nearly two weeks before he could go back, Holderman said. “Joplin’s a dying town to begin with

so [the tornado] literally went through the only thing it had going for that town,” Holderman said. When he returned, he helped other residents dig through the debris for missing possessions and lost pets. Holderman was not able to find anything he owned; however, he was able to help recover his roommate’s cat, found a mile away. Holderman was not the only one helping out. He said that when he came back, he was most impressed with the compassion that visitors showed toward victims and residents. “People came from Springfield, from Branson and everywhere else,” Holderman said. “There’s a big thing going around with schools, like the Architecture School at Drury and a couple others; they are going down there and rebuilding and raising money.” One of those groups included eight students and one faculty member from

Meramec. The group teamed up with 19 Kansas University architecture students earlier this month to disassemble the remains of a damaged, two-story house. “By hand, we were busting [the house] up with an axe, splitting it into parts and carrying those sections to the street. The entire house was moved to the street,” said Joe Chesla, sculpture and design professor and faculty sponsor. “My kids really kicked into action. It was beautiful; everyone was working with everybody.” Meramec student Brent Barrett was one of the students that volunteered alongside Chesla. He said he was inspired by the hope instilled in those in the community despite what they lost. “It was very humbling to see these people that have literally nothing that are still so happy,” Barrett said. “They know exactly what life is about. They know it’s not about the material wealth, it’s about your family, your friends, your loved ones.”

MEDIA LITERACY WEEK Nov. 6—12, 2011