November 15, 2018 Vol. 63, Issue 3
IBlade@Ferrum.edu
Ferrum College
215 Ferrum Mountain Rd., Ferrum, VA 24088
Ferrum Inaugurates 12th President, Dr. David L. Johns Pledging to fulfill the duties of his office, Dr. David L. Johns was formally installed as the 12th President of Ferrum College on October 19th, 2018.
Photo credit: Charlotte Hazard
By AnnGardner Eubank
President Dr. David L. Johns makes remarks after recieving the Ferrum College Medallion during his inauguration ceremony.
in nursing. Johns also said that furthering the health science and nursing programs will include emphasis areas in rural health care and solving the growing opioid crisis this generation is facing. Altogether, Johns said he wants Ferrum to become “the premier institution in this area where every student’s education is impacted by the natural world.” Johns isn’t the only one that is enthusiastic about his new title as President of the college. Faculty, staff, students, members of the Board of Trustees, and other guests from around the country also expressed their admiration for him. “Faculty and staff have
referred to Dr. Johns as inspirational, fair-minded, energetic, and always approachable,” said Aimé Sposato, the provost for Ferrum. “David will never know a stranger. He’s a friend for all seasons.” Lawrence Baranski, the President of Student Government Association, shared the students’ appreciation for Johns. “In your short time on campus, we’ve seen and felt the energy you bring to our campus,” Baranski said. The morning celebration also included words of encouragement and welcoming from keynote speaker, Dr. Beth Rushing. Rushing is the President of the Appalachian College Association (ACA),
a collection of 35 higher education institutions in the Appalachian region that Ferrum is a part of. Rushing discussed serious challenges small liberal arts schools are facing today. From the problem that tuition is rising at a faster speed than family income, to the fact that private college discount rates continue to increase, Rushing recognized the difficult job of keeping small schools sustained. She also acknowledged that under Johns’ leadership and the collaborative teamwork of the association, Ferrum has the potential and promise of not only staying afloat, but also to continue to grow during what she called a “restorative cel-
ebration” for the college. “Like The Avengers, we are powerful as individual campuses; but when we band together, we are a much stronger force to be reckoned with,” Rushing said. She was optimistic that the network of the schools provides one another with a wider range of resources
Photo credit: Charlotte Hazard
Dr. Johns with provost Aimé Sposato.
Photo from Ferrum Webpage
More Than Just a President
Tri-area Groundbreaking
Homecoming
Sports
Folklife Festival
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Dr. Johns with his wife Susan Johns.
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By Destinee Nelson David Johns grew up in northeast Ohio. He is a first Kentucky from 2013 to fall 2017. generation college graduate. From 1991-1997, he worked Over the years, Dr. Johns has spent time in Honduras as a Reference Librarian in conjunction to also being and Mexico leading cross cultural study groups in his an Adjunct Professor of Religion at Malone University spare time. He has also been involved with the Quaker in Canton, Ohio. Throughout the years, he served as a Theological Discussion Group as an editor of the journal, Campus Minister and Assistant Professor of Religion Quaker Religious Thought and was active in the Ameri& Philosophy at Wilmington College located in Wilmcan Academy of religion. He has also published widely ington, Ohio. In 2001, he became Assistant Professor in the area of theological studies. Some of his work of Theology and later became Associate Professor of includes: Quakering Theology (2013), The Collected Theology in 2004 at Earlham School of Religion in Rich- Writings of Maurice Creasey (2011) and Mysticism and mond, Indiana. Before his position at Ferrum College, Ethics in Friedrich von Hügel (2004) to name a few. Dr. Johns worked at Union College as the Vice President of Johns has a way with words and is committed to helping Academic Affairs & Dean of the College in Barbourville, students as well as the community on campus.
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Dr. David L. Johns, who officially became the 12th president of Ferrum College on January 1 of this year, celebrated his inauguration on the 19th of October, 2018. Johns launched his inaugural address in Vaughn Chapel, saying the college will overcome its financial challenges to bring in more opportunities. “We want to teach all of our students to be entrepreneurs, whether they are studying art or something altogether different. We want our students to graduate with the tools they need to be successful in today’s economy,” Johns said. Johns shared his ambitions, visions, and plans for the school’s future. He discussed the launch of the first graduate programs the college will have. This plan will begin by focusing on further development of natural and environmental sciences, including the expansion of the agriculture program, along with the addition of an ecotourism major. Additionally, plans for furthering more programs within health sciences are in the works, including the addition of offering a B.A. degree
such as journals and other reading and research materials. This not only helps cut down expenses on such items but also strengthens bonds between schools sharing a similar mission. Other speakers included Yvonne Walker of the registrar’s office, who talked about the loyal team that Johns will have behind him. She said that one third of the 224 staff members have more than ten years of service towards Ferrum College, and that their loyalty and diligence will pair well with Johns’ determination and ambition. Johns’ son and step daughter were also present. Both spoke words of admiration and love for their father, who they said has encouraged them through every step in their lifetime. The ceremony was a kick-off to the college’s homecoming weekend, which preceded with an inaugural parade, fireworks, meet and greets, alumni meetings, and other homecoming festivities.
Hocus Pocus
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The Iron Blade
November 15, 2018
Spooky Season Photo courtesy of Ferrum College
Letter from the Editors By Mary Stoudt and AnnGardner Eubank
Photo credit: Mary Stoudt
Hallowthanksmas: the morph of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in America, has become a familiar term throughout the country. This special edition paper is dedicated to Homelifeween: the morph of Homecoming, The Folklife Festival, and Halloween. During the month of October, Ferrum College celebrated Homecoming, along with the inauguration of Ferrum’s 12th President, Dr. David L. Johns. Also celebrated was the 45th annual Folklife Festival, and of course Halloween. The campus was transformed practically overnight for each event. With Homecoming and the Inauguration packed into one eventful weekend, a stage was erected for live music performances in the Hart International Plaza, inflatables were seen throughout campus, and rows of cars lined Basset Field to tailgate. Parades, firework shows, and also the groundbreaking of the new Tri-Area Health Clinic were all a part of the exciting weekend. For the Folklife Festival, fences, ticket booths, and three stages were all erected within a week for students, faculty, and many guests near and far to enjoy later in the month. When Halloween arrived on campus, some students, faculty, and staff participated in the festivities by wearing costumes or dressing in other Halloween apparel. The doors in some residence halls were decorated with skeletons and other Halloween decorations. The holiday was celebrated with the annual trunk-or-treat event, the haunted forest behind Bassett Hall, and pumpkin carving contests. The last major celebratory year at Ferrum College was 2013 when Ferrum celebrated a century of serving students. Even then the festivities did not all occur in one busy yet exciting month like they did this year. In keeping up with the busyness of October, the editors and staff of The Iron Blade decided to create a special edition paper to highlight all the festivities, groundbreakings, and traditions taking place. The Iron Blade hopes you enjoy this special edition just as much as we enjoyed creating it and partaking in all our school has celebrated.
Photo credit: Qazir Harnett Upper Left, Homecoming Queen Alexis Hatcher and Homecoming King Carl Schwabenton. Middle, antique car at 45th annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. Bottom left, Tristan Sumner, Trevor Saunders, Isaiah Lucas, Chris Holmes, Ray Parker, Kyle John volunteer at Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. Above, President Dr. David Johns points into the crowd at the Homecoming parade. Photo credit: Destinee Nelson
November 15, 2018 Vol. 63, Issue 3
Ferrum College
Ferrum College 215Mountain FerrumRd.Mountain 215 Ferrum Ferrum, VA 24088 VA 24088 Ferrum, IBlade@Ferrum.edu IBlade@Ferrum.edu
Co-Editors: AnnGardner Eubank Mary Stoudt Sports Editor: Qazir Harnett
Staff: Ametria Booker Charlotte Hazard Diamond Hudson Marie Mance
Mary Stoudt Diamond Hudson
Page Designers: Qazir Harnett Destinee Nelson
Rd.
Destinee Nelson Caleb Repass Advisor: Dr. Mingxiao Sui
AnnGardner Eubank Ametria Booker
The Ferrum College Iron Blade Newspaper is a student-written, student-managed, and studentproduced newspaper. Opinions do not necessarily express the views of all students or the staff. Letters may be emailed to IBlade@ferrum.edu. Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
November 15, 2018
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Ground Breaking Moment Tri Area Health Clinic Breaks Ground By Diamond Hudson October 19, 2018, a groundbreaking ceremony took place for the new Tri-Area Health Clinic. It is very fortunate that the campus is receiving what is planned to be a beautiful facility. It is expected to be a one-story facility across the street from Ferrum’s main campus, not too far away from its original starting point. The Tri-Area Health Clinic provides affordable health care to the students and faculty of Ferrum College, as well as the local community. Located in the basement of the Vaughan Chapel on Ferrum College’s campus, the physicians who provide care are qualified to treat acute and chronic medical problems of all ages. This care extends from pediatrics to adults, x-ray capabilities, routine lab work, family planning, and so on. “We have such a wonderful staff, the pharmacy, the clinic, the entire organiza-
tion has been wonderful. It’s just great to get this started,” said TriArea Community Health Board of Directors, Larry Meadors. Meadors isn’t the only one eager to get the new addition off the ground. President Dr. David Johns has expressed his excitement and readiness for the relocation and development of the building. “Since I arrived in January, I have been spending a lot of time looking across the street at this property and waiting for things to happen,” said Johns. Johns was only inaugurated for two and a half hours prior to the Tri-Area Health Clinic groundbreaking ceremony. Speaking at this event was one of his first official orders of business. “This is one the first few things I get to officiate, I’m pretty excited,” said Johns. It was also announced that the expansion of the
Health Science programs will hopefully incorporate real world training and experience by hopefully collaborating with the clinic in the future. “One of the things we look forward to at Ferrum College, with all of you at Tri-Area, is to explore what might be possible as Brenda Hopkins, Larry Meadors, Martha Puckett, Dr. Davod Johns, Robert Wilson, Tim Tatum, Ryan Sunshine, Ron Yount we expand our break ground for the new Tri Area Health Clinc. programs of Health and Gamez came to watch Gamez. only literally groundbreakScience,” said Johns. the historic ceremony take “We’re very excited. We ing but also metaphorical. The expansion project place. The sign for the new think it’s going to bring The expansion of the clinic has many excited, includTri-Area building being more services and benefits is the symbol for the future ing not only the President built has been up for some not only for the community of its health care services himself but the clinical time now so Gomez saw but the students, which is and benefits with a larger staff, Office Manager, Mar- the sign daily. very exciting since I have faculty, as well as what it tha Puckett and alumni of “I have never been a part two that graduated from means for the students of the class of 2017, Melissa of the experience before. Ferrum,” said Puckett. Ferrum. and the entire FerGamez. It’s nice, It’s new,” said The ceremony was not rum community.
Soul Food: How Reverend Anna Woofenden is Serving Others
President Dr. David Johns intdocuces Reverend Anna Woofenden, the founder of the Garden Church.
By Mary Stoudt Two men passed each other on the street. One was homeless and one was a Los Angeles lawyer. Both men had their friends with them when they preceded to say hello to one another. The friends were confused, and rightfully so, because in today’s world a homeless man and a city lawyer would typically have little to no interaction with each other. These two men were brought together through the Garden Church started by Reverend Anna Woofenden located in Los Angeles, California.
Reverend Anna Woofenden spoke at Ferrum College on Thursday October, 18 2018 as a part of Homecoming weekend. Woofenden’s message was Food and Faith: Conversations from the Soil and Around the Table. Woofenden met the President of Ferrum College Dr. David Johns while she was studying at Earlham School of Religion. Woofenden was sitting in a coffee shop across from Johns, where her core idea of the Garden Church came to her. The idea of having a church centered
around soil and gardening would be what brought people together. May 1, 2015 was the beginning of the groundbreaking work for the Garden Church. The church is a piece of land between two buildings in the middle of Los Angeles, California, where there is usually little to no open space. “Feed and be fed” is the motto of the Garden Church. The church sees numerous people come through for food and worship weekly on Sunday afternoons. The Garden Church is
not the only food and faith establishment in America. There are other churches located throughout the country, including the Dinner Church in Southampton, MA, Black Church Food Security Network in Baltimore, MD, The Keep and Till in Lineboro, MD, and the Church in the Woods in Canterbury, NH. Ferrum College students don’t have to travel all the way to California or New Hampshire for a food and faith experience. On Sundays throughout the school year, Ferrum College Spiritual Life comes together to worship and often offer free meals for students. This has become more of a tradition over time and has allowed more students to come together and talk to one another in a religious setting. Reverend Dr. Jan Nicholson Angle explained why Ferrum began offering meals to students before the worship service on Sunday evenings. “We share a fellowship meal prior to our Sunday evening services because we understand that community is formed at a common table. Throughout the Christian scriptures we encounter Jesus sharing meals with others. The common table is
placed at the center of the Christian sacrament commonly called “Eucharist,” “Communion,” or “The Lord’s Supper” (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:1225; Luke 22:7-20). The Lord’s Supper is based on the Jewish Passover meal as found in the Old Testament (Exodus 12),” Angle said. The idea of food and faith coming together is spreading across America. Woofenden expressed that coming into a new community had its positives and negatives but at the end of the day it has brought more people together from all walks of life. “We all have something we need,” Woofenden said. The Garden Church is much more than just food. The church allows people to help with gardening, participate in art nights and enjoy live music, along with volunteer with a farmer’s market that takes place in front of the property on Fridays. Even with funding from community organizations and individual donors, not all LA residents are happy that the Garden Church is in the community. The church attracts a number of homeless people from
nearby to have a meal. However, a lot of the homeless people that come to the church also help maintain the property and help garden throughout the year. “We’re not going anywhere, we’re going to keep showing up and feeding people,” Woofenden said. At the end of Woofenden’s talk, she mentioned a young lady who approached her after one of her previous messages. After listening to Woofenden, the young lady came up with the idea of a gas station church. Previously in Appalachia, gas stations were central hubs for lots of people. The young lady wanted to remodel an old gas station and bring it back to the community as a safe meeting space. Woofenden reached out to the audience and then challenged them to think about their communities and the problems that might be occurring. “What are the needs happening in your community,” asked Woofenden. Woofenden continues to overlook the Garden Church and it’s still a safe space for people to come together. Today about 4570 people actively participate in eating and worshiping together.
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November 15, 2018
Homecoming Happenings
“Ferrum Freaks got the chance to ride around campus on a golf cart screaming the Ferrum fight song at the top of our lungs. I’ve never loved this school more. I felt at home.” -- Zavion Thompson, Sophomore
“The football game was definitely the best part.” -- Dustin Swaine, Junior
“My favorite part about Homecoming was the game” -- Daeshawn Barrett, Freshman
“Seeing all the alumni and talking to them was an experience and inspiration for what the future could look like.” -- Nasir Mitchell, Junior
In Case You Missed It By Mary Stoudt
Homecoming 2018 was an extremely busy weekend at Ferrum College. This year homecoming was also celebrated with the inauguration of Dr. David Johns. To kick off homecoming festivities Reverand Ann Woofenden from Los Angeles, California came and spoke to students, faculty, staff, and the public about the garden church she started. Following Woofenden was Johns inauguration, and throughout the day students were able to read fun facts about Johns on campus and take pictures with his cardboard cutout which was located in the cafe. At night there was a family funfest that had inflatables for children, food vendors from local areas, and live music. At the end of the evening, there was a fireworks display and free s’mores for those in attendance. On Saturday it was the big homecoming football game between Ferrum College and Washington and Lee University. This was the first time Washington and Lee University played at Ferrum College. The game was high intensity and Washington and Lee came out on top after kicking a field goal in the last two seconds of the game. On Sunday there was a chapel service hosted at Saint James United Methodist Church in Ferrum, VA giving alumni a chance to gather and worship together. Homecoming weekend was a busy one this year no doubt and alumni and current students were able to partake in the festivities and enjoy one another’s company. Homecoming 2018 surely makes it spot in the history books.
Above, Ferrum College playing against Washington and Lee University during the homecoming football game. Top right, fireworks from homecoming. Middle, Ferrum College Color Guard. Bottom Right, freshman Jetta Huffman.
Photo credit Feruum College Facebook
Photo credit Ferrum College Marching Band Instagram
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SPORTS Panthers Reunite to Celebrate Their Legacy By Qazir Harnett Ferrum College gave a warm welcome home to a number of Golden Panther Alumni with the annual tailgate held on Bassett Field. Former football player for the Panthers, Bradley King, who was on the national championship team in 1965, loves reconnecting with his teammates and celebrating their legacy year after year.
“We (1965 Football team) love to come back. The comradery we have with our teammates is unbelievable,” King said. The football classes of 1965 and 1968 have been reuniting with each other for over ten years now since their graduations. “All of us are nearly 70. It’s gotten to the point now where getting together a few times a year means the world
Lady Panthers Make Ferrum History With First ODAC Postseason Win By AnnGardner Eubank Lady Panthers made history on Oct. 29 with the women’s soccer team being the first team for Ferrum to secure an ODAC postseason victory. The competition between the Lady Panthers and the visiting Randolph College Wildcats went into overtime with each team putting up fierce and nail-biting competition. Spectators filled the bleachers and lined the walls next to the sideline at Penn-Roediger Field to cheer on the Lady Panthers in their first-round match against the #9 seed in the conference. The air was not only cold, but electric as the players on the field and on the sidelines, along with the coaches and spectators, were focused and loud as the Panthers were fighting for a history-making victory. Sophomore Victoria Wagner got the game started by scoring the first goal in the ninth minute of competition. From then on, Ferrum continued to pounce at the net, shooting 16 shots, 8 being on goal. Randolph struggled against Ferrum’s defense, shooting only five attempts. Each team put up a feisty and aggressive fight, with Randolph getting called on 11 fouls and Ferrum having 14. With 11 minutes left in the game, Marisa Santacroce of Randolph scored the sole goal for the Wildcats on Junior goalie, Taylor Dodson. Each team continued to fight and ultimately went into overtime with the next round of the conference tournament on the line. Junior midfielder, Kayla Lentini, scored the game-winning shot just 25 seconds into overtime to secure the game for the Panthers. The goal was assisted by Casey Raggett. “We went absolutely ballistic once Kayla made that shot. Everyone at the game was cheering. It was so hype even though we were all so cold,” said Greg White, a spectator at the game. The Lady Panthers were proud of their efforts and successes. Their efforts ultimately lead them to be the first team in Ferrum athletic history to advance in an ODAC playoff tournament. “Winning that game means a lot to us. Not only was it the first postseason win for our program, but it was the first postseason ODAC win in (Ferrum) history. We came in with the mindset that we wanted to make history, and we wanted our hard work and passion to be our legacy,” said sophomore midfielder Alex Mattson.
Sports Recap of The Month Compiled by Diamond Hudson
Field Hockey Thurs., Oct. 20 East. Mennonite L, 5-2 Wed., Oct. 24 Washington and Lee L, 6-1 Sun., Oct. 26 Randolph-Macon L, 1-0 Football Thurs., Oct. 20 Washington and Lee L, 38-35 Mon., Oct. 27 Hampden-Sydney W, 32-19 Sat., Nov. 3 Randolph-Macon W, 28-23
Men’s Soccer Fri., Oct. 19 Hampden-Sydney L, 2-1 Wed., Oct 24 Randolph L, 3-1 Sun., Oct. 28 Bridgewater (Va.) L, 2-0 Women’s Soccer Thurs., Oct. 20 East Mennonite L, 2-1 Wed., Oct. 24 Washington and Lee L, 2-0 Mon., Oct. 27 Lynchburg L, 4-0 Mon., Oct 29, Randolph W, 2-1 Wed., Oct. 31, Brigdewater (Va.) L, 2-0
to us,” King said. The Golden Panthers shared stories and memories from their days of being student athletes, along with the legacy they left behind. “We walked into the field house and the coaches came out and introduced themselves. Their thoughts were that we had paved the way for them,” says David Lindsay, 1968 National Champion. Tommy England, another former black hat, has witnessed the growth and change within the football program and the athletic department as a whole. “The game field was where the baseball field is now, and it went down hill. It was four feet higher on one end than the other, and we had to walk the whole field picking up rocks off the field each day before practice so we wouldn’t be playing on rocks,” England said. Ferrum College and the athletic departments are full of traditions that build a strong sense of community for many. “When we played, there was only one section of bleachers. It was a wire round, and we had quite a few people show up because back in ‘64 and ‘65, all there was to do was go play football, or go watch football,”King said. Players return year after year not only to reconnect with former peers and teammates, but to also celebrate the new connections and relationships that are formed between the newer generations of Ferrum Football. “How gracious they are introducing players! It’s really nice as an old alumni to come back here. This is just a great great place to be remembered,” said Lindsay. Panther pride filled the air as students and graduates tailgated the grounds of Bassett Field and beside The Hank Norton Center before Coach Grande’s team faced the Washington and Lee Generals. Homecoming serves as an opportunity for long time friends to reconnect, reminisce, and make new connections as well. “Something that always keeps me coming back to Ferrum is the friendship,” said King. Ferrum’s strong sense of community proves to be a long lasting sentiment that stretches from generation to generation.
Field Hocky Falls at Homecoming
Photo taken by Ateyona Morris
Reagan Aldridge scored Ferrum’s first goal. By Qazir Harnett, Diamond Hudson The Ferrum Field Hockey Team fell short to the Royals of Eastern Mennonite on Homecoming. Freshman forward, Reagan Aldridge, came out strong as she scored the opening goal for the Panthers within the first ten minutes of the game. The Royals answered back and gained a 2-1 lead near the 20-minute mark. Another freshman midfielder, Emily Campbell, also scored for the Panthers to tie up the game. The game leaders for the match were Reagan Aldridge, Emily Campbell, Brianna Sawyer (Player 23, Freshman) with 1 assist, Sierra Magdaleno (Player 2, Senior) with 5 shots, and Mia Holmes (Player 38, Sophomore) with 4 saves. Ferrum’s offense ultimately shut down and couldn’t find the back of the net, leaving the Panthers scoreless for the remainder of the game. The Royals secured their first ODAC win of the season after scoring two more goals, finishing the contest with a score of 5-2.
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November 15, 2018
Folklife Festival 45th Anniversary of Annual FolkLife Festival at Ferrum College By Mary Stoudt and Ametria Booker The Blue Ridge Folklife Festival celebrated its 45th annual celebration at Ferrum College on October 27, 2018. The festival is the largest celebration of folklife in Virgina and is organized by the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum. The Blue Ridge Institute and Museum is a “major venue on The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail” (ferrum.edu). “It is a celebration of tradition and folk heritage. Of course, the food was also amazing,” said junior, Layura Henley. The different exhibits at the festival covered
made casket maker who made his first ever appearance at the festival. Popular crowd favorites include the coon dog UKC open water race, as well as the team horse and mule log skidding contest. There were a variety of activities going on all day, many different local food vendors, along with traditional farming equipment and antique cars on display. “I absolutely loved it and would recommend this event to anyone,” said Kintwon Pettiford, a
a wide variety of music and traditional skills. All three stages (Bowl Stage, Farm Stage, and Chapel Stage) at the festival played different types of traditional folk music, including the popular Jerry Steinberg and His Dixie Bluegrass Boys, Trish Fore and the Dixie Wildcats, and for the first time, a Ferrum College student group: The Fresh Wind Gospel Choir. This year the festival had multiple craft vendors, including a hand-
freshman. The event brought students, faculty, and staff together for a fun filled day celebrating heritage and simplicity. Festival goers traveled from all over the region (some even came from out of state) to enjoy a day surrounded by traditional folklife. The Blue Ridge Folklife Festival has been going strong for 45 years and has succeeded in keeping traditional skills alive. As technology continues to evolve, the traditional skills and music presented at the folklife festival will never change.
Coon Dogs Make Big Splash By Caleb Repass For 45 years Ferrum College has hosted the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, and for those 45 years, they have held the “Open Water Coon Dog Race”. When most people hear the term Coon Dog, they tend to be wary due to the history of that term. Despite the negative and racial connotation that comes with the term of coon, it is actually a shortened form of Raccoon. So a Coon Dog, or Coonhound as it’s known officially, is a breed of dog that is used to track and hunt game, specifically raccoons. “At first I didn’t know
what to think when I heard the name of the race,” says Laura Crawford, a spectator of the race, “But it was a very interesting race and my new favorite event.” The race goes across Adams Lake. A zip line is set up across the lake with a stuffed raccoon that is pulled across. The dogs chase the raccoon and the first to make it up on land on the other side is the winner. The race began at 1:30 p.m. and quickly drew a crowd on the banks of the lake, eager to see which competitor would
be named top dog. Three races were held with two dogs racing each round, followed by a final race with the three winners to see which pup would reign victorious. “All-in-all, the race was not what I was expecting at first, but since seeing it, I thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Evan Reed, Folklife attendee. With every race there is always a winner, and the winner of the Coon Dog Water Race was the dog Gypsy, who swiftly out swam other dogs in the race becoming the clear winner.
A still set up at the 45th annual Blue Ridge Institue Folklife Festival.
Coon dog swimming to the bank of Adams Lake during the Open Water Coon Dog Race.
Moonshine Stories By Mary Stoudt Illegal moonshine is a kind of alcohol that is made in secret to avoid taxes or because there is a ban on the grain alcohol. Today, however, illegal moonshine is slowly fading and legal moonshine is making its’ way to the shelves of liquor and grocery stores. Over the last 20 years, a group of moonshiners have gathered to tell their stories at the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. The men explained how making moonshine in Franklin County, Virginia was a large business. Franklin County is considered to be the “Moonshine Capital of the World.” This name was given to
Franklin County by the locals during Prohibition in the 20th century. Moonshine brought in a significant amount of money for the county. The moonshine made in Franklin County was crafted in large amounts and then sold in large amounts as well. The money made from the moonshine then typically returned back to Franklin County. Today most people are not illegally making moonshine in the woods with their stills, (equipment used to make moonshine) they are instead creating it on an even larger scale and selling it across America.
The original art of creating moonshine was extremely dangerous and the men touched on that as well, expressing they were surprised they have not seen more people injured over the years. Creating moonshine in Franklin County was a way of survival and typically a family business. Recipes were passed down from generation to generation and little was done to change the recipes over time. The Blue Ridge Folklife Festival allows people who created moonshine to share their stories and what they encountered over the years while they were creating moonshine.
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Best In Show By Mary Stoudt
Coon dogs were heard barking beside Adams Lake throughout the 45th annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. The Coon Dog United Kennel Club (UKC) and Grade Bench show was held beside Adams Lake at 10 a.m. During the bench show, a judge will evaluate the dog’s structure and movement and compare it to the dog’s ideal (also known as the breed’s standard). The Coonhound is an American hunting dog, specifically used for raccoon hunting. There are six breeds of coonhound. The Black and Tan Coonhound was the first registered coonhound in the UKC. Following was the Redbone Coonhound, English Coonhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Tree-
ing Walker Coonhound, and the Plott Hound. Later the American Leopard Hound was recognized as a scent hound. This year multiple dogs placed in different categories throughout the show. The dog handlers ranged in experience. For some this was their first show while others were well accustomed to showing their coonhound. The Coon Dog UKC and Grade Bench show allows owners to show that their dogs are more than just working hunting dogs and that they actually have personality and pose. The dog show is also a way for festival goers to get a closer look at the dogs that also compete in the treeing contest and UKC Open Water Race.
Coonhounds being judged on their muscle structure and movement.
Need A Casket? By Mary Stoudt Jady Street was busy at work making a pet coffin at the 45th annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. This year was the first-time casket and urn makers came to the festival. The caskets and urns are made entirely out of wood and show off Street’s traditional craftsmanship. Jady Street creates caskets and urns with help from his family. Rita Faye also helps with the creation of the caskets by doing the interior work. These caskets and urns are not merely for display. At this year’s festival Street was selling caskets for $2,500.00 and urns for $250.00. According to everplans, caskets are one of the most expensive purchases of a funeral, with an average cost between $2000.00 and $5000.00. The cost is especially high for a very stylistic casket. The caskets at the festival were adorned with crosses on the outside, had wooden handles to lift the casket, and had a split lid. Today most caskets are manufactured in a factory and are metal. The art of casket making is not as popular as it was years ago. Street is reviving this art by creating caskets for families.
Praises Sung at Folklife Festival By Charlotte Hazard
Shawna Smith, Lechelle Smith, and Mia Brower are all members of the Freshwind Gospel Choir. The choir performed at the 45th annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival.
On Saturday, October 27, Ferrum College hosted the 45th annual Folklife Festival. For the very first time, a student group known as the Freshwind Gospel Choir was able to perform. The choir held their performance at the Chapel Stage and performed from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Some songs that were sung during the performance included “I’m a Believer” and “Here I am to Worship.” Choir director Antoine Morris said, “Our best song to sing is “Good Good Father” because it doesn’t matter how many
times life shuts you down. God is always there to protect you.” Drummer Rashad McCann got a lot of applause while performing. It was his first time performing at this festival. “It was amazing,” McCann said. “We’ve grown so much. Antoine had a vision for us to grow and had a strong faith that would happen. I was glad to find spiritual life and we have become a big family. I’m thankful to God.” The choir has been preparing for this performance for a while now. They rehearse every
Tuesday evening and perform Sunday evenings for evening worship in the chapel. They are lead by choir director Antoine Morris. Freshman LaShawna Scott believed their first performance went incredibly well. “We all came together and ministered to this year’s folklife festival. We came here to do what we had to do which was to give praise to God,” said Scott. The Freshwind Gospel Choir was the first student group to perform at the Folklife Festival and will most likely be performing next year.
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The Iron Blade
Hocus Pocus
November 15, 2018
“I chose this costume because in college we’re all told to act our age but it’s nice to act like a child sometimes.” -- Nasir (Nas) Mitchell, junior
“I chose to wear this costume because I just felt like dressing up for Halloween.” -- Charles Tisby, freshman
“Just wantedto dress up for Halloween as a princess.” -- Nina Young, freshman
“I didn’t want to be hot in my other costume.” -- Dr. Angie Dahl
“I only chose it because my son wanted to be Avengers.” -- Kendall Ware Sr., senior
40 Years Later... The Return of Michael By Destinee Nelson
“You failed Michael. Want to know why? Because I’m not afraid of you. But, what about you? Are you afraid of me? Are you afraid to die Michael?” -- Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie Strode)
It’s been forty years since John Carpenter’s iconic horror film, Halloween, first hit theaters. The film recently returned to the box office bringing in $123 million opening weekend. The new 2018 version of the famous franchise is special to fans because this Halloween is a direct sequel to Carpenter’s original that came out in 1978. Carpenter gave the sequal’s director, David Gordon Green, permission to make a new Halloween movie. The revived film was aimed to be scarier with the same killer that has a reputation for being immortal. In the latest
installment of the franchise, Jamie Lee Curtis returns to the big screen as the main character, Laurie Strode. Laurie, who is still traumatized from the 1978 murders of five of her close friends and an attack that she went through realizes that the anniversary of the incidents that occurred, are creeping up on her. When Laurie hears that her attacker and infamous murderer, Michael Myers, has escaped his imprisonment during a bus crash, she becomes fearless and ready for her first encounter with him forty years later. Out of all of the
franchise, this Halloween is my favorite because not only is it a direct sequel to the 1978 original, but David Gordon Green filmed a few scenes the exact same way as in the first film. My favorite part of the movie was the introduction because it reintroduces Michael Myers as a person with only showing the back of his head. The beginning of the movie takes place in an eerie mental health facility. Not only is the music creepy, but the different scenes of the facilities patients are as well. Although there were numerous patients within the facility, the introduction makes it known which one is Michael Myers. Overall, this movie
had its jump scares, dramatic moments, and humor. This 2018 version is proof that horror icons never die and how much of a legacy Michael Myers has created throughout the years in the film industry. The movie’s release date,
Ghoulish Fashion by Diamond Hudson
which was the day before Halloween, so horror fans could celebrate the holiday a little early. Halloween definitely beat expectations, and left audiences on the edge of their seats, living up to the hype.
November 15, 2018
The Iron Blade
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Haunted Forest By Diamond Hudson, Marie Mance The Ferrum Residence Hall Association (RHA) embodied all things spooky, within the Haunted Forest. The location was moved near the tennis court this year. The event required a liability waiver to be signed prior to entry. It appeared to have had a good turnout. “There’s been a lot of people out here, most of them come and wait for their friends to go through and couple people have gone through like three or four times so that’s good,” said Zavion Thompson, Chapman Hall resident assistant. Clusters of students entered the forest
one after another. “There were some pretty scary moments in there, and it was dark, and I couldn’t see.” “I thought my friend was behind me, but when I turned it was one of the actors, it was scary,” said Dominick Philpot, Freshman. But you don’t have to be a phantom of the night or partake in the undead to enjoy this event. “I don’t like scary things but, we figured we should give it a try,” said Nya Moore, Ferrum Freshman, who was accompanied by her friend, Anaisha Larry, who is also a Freshman to the college.
Photo Credit: Marie Mance
Freshmen, Nya Moore and Anaisha Larry before entering the Haunted Forest.
Photo Credit: Sarah Patton
Ferrum Hauntings
Trunk-Or-Treat By AnnGardner Eubank Clubs, organizations, and committees banded together Tuesday night to put on Ferrum’s annual Trunk-Or-Treat Halloween tradition. The celebration was set up in the field by the tennis courts behind Bassett Hall. Faculty children along with kids from the Ferrum area arrived that evening adorned in their costumes and enjoyed games, activities, and of course helped themselves to Halloween candy. Along with the Trunk-Or-Treat fun, a haunted forrest set up throughout the woods behind Bassett Hall was also in full effect, putting all of the spooky vibes in motion.
By Mary Stoudt
Killer Purge Bunny, Rachel Hancock, Senior.
Photo credit: Mary Stoudt
International students’ memorial. (Left) Lazaro Ravelo, (Right) Edmunds Cers.
Over the years Ferrum College students have passed down the legends of the hauntings of Ferrum College. Some of the most famous stories are the theatre being haunted and the residence hall Susannah Wesley (Sue Wes). The theatre at Ferrum College is known to the theater arts students and many non theatre arts students to be haunted. The ghost that haunts the theatre is known as Edmund. Edmund is known to open and close the elevator and to also hangout in the basement of the theatre. By tradition when entering the elevator students also say hello and
thank Edmund for opening the door to the elevator. Outside of the theatre there are also two grave markers. Edmunds Cres from Lativa was born September 28, 1927 and died July 4, 1950. Lazaro Ravelo died in June 1938 and was from Cuba. Legend has it that the two men were Ferrum students who were apart of study abroad and passed away while at Ferrum. The students were then buried on the campus because as legend has it the college could not get in contact with their families. Currently the student’s head markers are besides the theatre but the students remains
have been lost on campus according to legend. Senior, Guy Ramsey who is not involved in the theatre department said, “I heard the theatre had ghost. Knowing there are graves besides the theatre makes those claims more plausible and understandable.” Outside of the theatre a ghost is also said to haunt the basement of the residence hall Sue Wes. Junior, Destinee Nelson lived across the hall from the supposed haunted room in Sue Wes. For the purpose of this story the exact location of this room will not be identified. Nelson described hearing noises-
throughout the night from the empty room. Nelson also believes that the ghost travels throughout Sue Wes to the bathroom and plays tricks on the residents while they are in the restroom. Ferrum College was originally founded in 1913 as a junior college and has plenty of history. Over the year’s ghost stories have passed around throughout the student body and they have been passed down generation to generation. The hauntings of Ferrum College will continue for years to come.
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The Iron Blade
November 15, 2018
Panther Briefs
Pancho Villa By Diamond Hudson The English Club presented the reading of fellow, Ferrum College Professor, Dr. Cameron Mackenzie on Tuesday September 25th. Mackenzie discussed the creation of his first published novel, The Beginning of His Excellent and Eventful Career. According to Dr. John Kitterman, the English Club leader and sponsor, thought it was a great turn out. “We had a good turnout for the reading Tuesday,” said Kitterman. The event consisted of Mackenzie presenting how he became inspired to write his novel, as well as his tactics, and the history of his main character, Pancho Villa. “I was really inspired by Sun Kil Moon’s song ‘Pancho Villa,’ but there were many more reasons I ended up writing about Villa, some of the chief ones being that I was reading a lot of philosophy about revolutionary violence, about when violence against the state is not only acceptable but necessary,” said Mackenzie. It took roughly six years for the novel to be written. The 290-page novel was published last spring, on March 5th, by MadHat, Inc. For Mackenzie finishing the manuscript was trial and error for him. “I had a draft of about 250 pages after about three years, and I thought I was done, but after a few months of looking hard at that draft I realized it was a mess,” said Mackenzie. He had gone back and reinvented characters and reconstructed the narrative completely. The narrative was at one point written in third person. He had to scrap the bad ideas from the draft after he applied the good. “I was exhausted, and I tried everything I knew to try,” said Mackenzie. “I pulled myself together and went back into the text one more time and applied all the good ideas I had and cut out all the bad ideas. Once I started to do that, the text really began to take shape,” Mackenzie added. The Beginning of His Excellent and Eventful Career, conveys a duel message for the readers. “It’s a novel about violence—about how it can be seductive, and even necessary, but always and ultimately degrades into something inhuman. Second, it’s about power: as I’ve written Villa, he chooses to betray everything important to him in order to achieve power, but in those sacrifices he ultimately makes himself immortal,” said Mackenzie. “I want to emphasize that last point because I think a good novel’s got to really hold a duality at once,” Mackenzie adds. Mackenzie is so proud of the sacrifices he has made to make get his work to the publishers. His time could have been better spent. But the outcome was worth it. “Its enormous validation. Writers sacrifice a great deal to write. It takes a lot of time to do this sort of thing, time that could have been better spent doing something else,” Mackenzie said.
“To come out on the other end of it all with a novel I’m proud of — which is a result I had really abandoned, even as I kept writing — feels almost like waking up from a dream with something on your bedside table that wasn’t there when you went to sleep,” said Mackenzie. Villa’s adventures will not be the last of Mackenzie’s work. He does plan to write more novels. He is unsure if it will be another historical fiction. “I told myself I’d never write another novel of historical fiction, because of all the research involved, but as I try to write another novel I realized that all the research I did for the Villa novel really helped inspired a lot of fresh ideas I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Never say never,” said Mackenzie. The Temple University Alumni, does have another book forthcoming to be published by Palgrave Press, Badiou and American Modernist Poetics. To buy his current historical fiction about the Hispanic gangster, the best places to get the book are Amazon, Barnes and Noble, the MadHat Inc. website, or the local bookstore in downtown Roanoke, Book No Further.
rd a o B n i t e l l u B r e Panth
E-Term By Mary Stoudt Some students go on vacation while others go on E-Term. Each student at Ferrum is required to take an ETerm class to graduate. E-Terms are typically three week long classes that students take over the summer and receive credit for the class. Senior Guy Ramsey completed his E-Term in 2016 with the Department of Social Services in Rocky Mount, Virginia. “I enjoyed getting to work with all the families. Though I stayed local I liked knowing I made an impact on the people in the area,” said Ramsey. This year there are numerous E-Terms available for students to choose from. Some E-Terms stay local while other travel abroad. Junior Kathryn Bonner traveled to Europe and went on the pilgrimage to Canterbury which coincided with the British Literature class. “The trip was a lot fun and I learned so much. Getting to see the Globe Theatre was a dream come true, and visiting all of the old cathedrals meant so much to me spiritually,” said Bonner. One of the traveling E-Terms is with the history department which is teaming up with the art department this year to take a cross country ETerm to San Francisco. Another E-Term option for this year is with the agriculture department. This E-Term is Introduction to Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) and it offers 120 hours towards multiple certifications. Each year there are different E-Terms available that range from intensive research, travel, resume building, and service learning projects. The cost for E-Terms also depends on the course and travel requirements. There are also multiple course levels available, some classes do require prerequisites. This year as always there is a deadline to register for E-Term classes. Registration for E-Term will be available when registering for spring classes. There will also be a time period to drop E-Term classes as well. The list of E-Terms available for this summer can be found on the Ferrum College main website. Any questions can be directed to Dr. Sagasti Suppes at psuppes@ferrum.edu.