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Volume CXXI, No. 11
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Friday, March 1 2019
March 1, 2019
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What Do We Learn from This?
Campus conversation probes path forward after Garthwait photo B y B enjamin P ontz E ditor -I n -C hief
"I think the further we go, the more layers of complexity emerge, and the more we're learning about our campus today." T h i s w a s President Janet Morgan Riggs' preliminary takeaway from an hourlong conversation in which numerous students shared raw, impassioned statements about their experiences as members of the Gettysburg College community. In an interview directly following the event, Riggs said that she needed time for further reflection before she could determine what the college's next step would be. More than 300 students, faculty, and staff members answered Riggs' invitation to join in dialogue, and they filled Mara Auditorium well beyond its seated capacity Thursday morning. About 20 more watched a live stream in an adjacent room as members of the campus community discussed moving forward after a photo of Bob Garthwait in the 1980 edition of the college's yearbook came to light, leading to his
swift resignation from the Board of Trustees. Riggs opened the conversation by stating that she had received more than 300 messages about the issue, many of which were personally disparaging or rested on misconceptions about what had happened, but that the most thoughtful conversations in which she had participated came on campus, which gave her confidence that the ensuing discourse would be fruitful. The event began with reflections from a panel of three faculty members: Dr. Steven Gimbel, Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Scott Hancock, Chair of the History Department and S t u d e n t s , f a c u l t y , a n d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n g a t h e r e d i n M a r a A u d i t o r i u m Associate Professor of to discuss the recent yearbook photo of Bob Garthwait (Photo Mary Frasier/The Gettysburgian) History and Africana S t u d i e s , a n d D r . D i n a like Nazis as part of a G i m b e l q u e s t i o n e d s o a f t e r a d o n o r c a m e and it is from this place L o w y , A s s o c i a t e legitimate joke. In the what the joke from the forward to fund it, and o f a l i e n a t i o n t h a t w e scene, dancers dressed Hogan's Heroes fraternity there have not been any m a k e m e a n i n g o f t h i s Professor of History. G i m b e l , w h o a s N a z i o f f i c e r s a n d party in 1979 meant and J e w i s h a d m i n i s t r a t o r s photograph." More important teaches a course on the marched in the shape of offered that answering in the academic division p h i l o s o p h y o f h u m o r , a swastika. He described t h a t q u e s t i o n r e q u i r e s i n h i s 2 5 y e a r s a t t h e t h a n B o b G a r t h w a i t , Gimbel argued, is the b e g a n h i s r e m a r k s i t a s " u p r o a r i o u s l y ascertaining the context college. "I'm not saying c o m m u n i t y ' s p o s t u r e w i t h a c a u t i o n a g a i n s t f u n n y " a n d a s s e r t e d i t of who made the joke, s u p p r e s s i n g o n e ' s w a s " o n e o f t h e m o s t to whom they made it, our community is overtly towards Judaism. "This is not about feelings to join a false i m p o r t a n t s c e n e s i n a n d w h a t t h e y m e a n t anti-Semitic, but these consensus for the sake Jewish cinematic history" b y i t . B y w a y o f t h a t e x a m p l e s - - a n d t h e r e a yearbook. This is not of community, and then b e c a u s e o f " w h a t t h a t c o n t e x t , h e a s s e r t e d a r e o t h e r s - - s p e a k t o about Bob Garthwait," he proceeded to discuss j o k e m e a n t … t o l o o k that, at Gettysburg, the the erasure of Judaism," he said. "This is about a scene from Mel Brooks' Hitler right in the eye and H e b r e w l a n g u a g e i s h e s a i d . " I t s p e a k s t o our community, and the m u s i c a l c o m e d y T h e say, 'You tried to kill us. not offered, the faculty w h y s o m a n y J e w s a t choice it's made about the P r o d u c e r s a s e v i d e n c e We're still here. We're rejected adding a Judaic G e t t y s b u r g k n o w t h a t place of Jewish members s t u d i e s p r o g r a m t h r e e they are not fully part t h a t i t i s p o s s i b l e , i n mocking you.'" -Continued on page 4 F r o m t h e r e , times before finally doing o f t h e c o m m u n i t y … his view, to dress up
Four Decades a Gettysburgian: JMR As a Student B y C ameron D’A mica and
P hoebe D oscher B e f o r e becoming the president of Gettysburg College, Janet Morgan Riggs was simply a first-year student in 1973 who had no idea what the future would hold and where her Gettysburg College education would take her. Reflecting on her very first moments as a student on the Gettysburg campus with clarity, Riggs explained, “I can still picture that moment. I moved into Huber Hall. It was a super hot day, and I was on the third floor, where it was even hotter. I remember standing on the steps watching my parents drive away.” Riggs vividly remembers feeling nervous to begin college, especially facing separation from home
Blasts from the past These archived “blasts from the past” were compiled by copyeditor Shannon Zeltmann utilizing Special Collections in Musselman Library.
for the first time. She quickly warmed up to campus after getting to know friends on her floor and developing a close relationship with her roommate. Her apprehensions quickly faded away, and she recalled, “Within days, I had felt like I’d been here forever.” The comfort she experienced on campus within a short time stemmed from her initial inclination to attend Gettysburg College. Coming from a large high school just outside of Philadelphia, Riggs was drawn to the small size of Gettysburg. A recommendation from a family friend, coupled with an extraordinary visit on a rainy October day solidified her choice to apply early decision. An integral part of Riggs’s extracurricular experience at Gettysburg
was her participation in the marching band. As a color guard captain during high school, Riggs continued her extracurricular leadership even further at Gettysburg, serving as co-captain during her sophomore and junior years and captain her senior year. She spoke fondly of the experience spent “twirling flags... rifles, and the whole deal.” She had a special bond with members of the band and recalls traveling on buses to perform at away games. In fact, Riggs was given a particularly special leadership position her senior year. Although we know her as our fearless leader at Gettysburg, Riggs remembers an early, poignant moment of responsibility when the band director asked her to write field shows for
the color guard. “That was a big responsibility to just hand to a student, and I was really into it. So, talk about nice leadership experience, that’s pretty big!” she exclaimed. Starting in the fall of her sophomore year, Riggs joined Chi Omega, and she fondly remembered her time in the sorority. “I really enjoyed it. It was a great way to make some friends, and we had a lot of good times together,” she said. At the time, a larger proportion of College President Janet Morgan Riggs Gettysburg students (Photo Mary Frasier/The Gettysburgian) participated in Greek life. Riggs personally b e n e f i t e d f r o m t h e This is the first article in a four-part connections made through series, recounting President Janet the organization but did Morgan Riggs’ ‘77 time as a student, not feel like it defined her professor, administrator, and president college identity. R i g g s a l s o in commemoration of her retirement at
-Continued on page 8-
the end of the academic year.
This week in 1924, the Gettysburg staff had their first ever banquet. It took place at the Battlefield Hotel. New staff were elected that night and there were several who were asked to be speakers for the evening. Also asked to attend were a member of the Harrisburg telegraph and several editors of local papers. They hoped this banquet would become a tradition for Gettysburg staff. This week in 1939, the place for the
annual planting of the ivy for Ivy Day was chosen to be the southeastern corner of Science Hall. Have you ever noticed the plaques throughout the campus about a class’s ivy day? Well, this is one of those events. Many graduating classes have planted ivy somewhere on campus, and a whole week is dedicated to the ivy. A marble brick was planned to be put by the ivy, with the inscription, “Ivy Day, Class of 1938.” Should we bring back ivy week to the campus?
This week in 1954, a popularity pole was taken by students and one person came on top—the postman! Mr. Deitch was the “most sought after, fought after man on campus.” The Gettysburgian interviewed him, to see what the daily life of a mailman was. He stated he enjoys delivering checks and love letters, because they are always alike, “except for the signatures” and “the most interesting ones are sealed.” Deitch stated that there were about 2000 mail
pieces for the area, with the college having the most mail. He said he was also a battlefield guide. Hopefully, everyone gets a letter every once in a blue moon to their Gettysburg Address! This week in 1989, two new art clubs were formed on campus—the comic art and graphic design club. They just started, but they already had big plans. They wanted to do several animated movie nights and have guest speakers in the field of graphic art. They were also planning
a possible comic strip by students to put in the Gettysburg Times, as well as editorial comics for The Gettysburgian. There also was the creation of the Art Society by art majors, but was open to anyone with an interest in art. They were planning to take a few trips to go to art museums in DC and have guest speakers. They also were given an area on the third floor of Schmucker to use as a gallery space.
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Garthwait Resigns from Board of Trustees After Yearbook Photo Surfaces B y B enjamin P ontz A nd G auri M angala
Bob Garthwait ’82 has resigned from the Gettysburg College Board of Trustees after a photo of him wearing a Nazi uniform at what appears to be a fraternity party was found in the 1980 edition of Spectrum, the college yearbook. Garthwait, who has donated more than $1 million to the college over the years, most notably for the development of his namesake Garthwait Leadership Center (GLC), was a member of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity as a student. The photo was discovered in midFebruary by Cameron Sauers ’21, a history major, while he was conducting research in the college archives. He showed the photo to Hannah Labovitz ’21, a member of Gettysburg College Hillel, who identified Garthwait as the individual on the right of the photo with an armband that depicts a large swastika. Labovitz then presented the photo to Dr. Stephen Stern, Chair of the College’s Judaic Studies Program, on Feb. 14. Upon learning of the photo, college officials reached out to Sauers and Labovitz to discuss the finding. The pair met with President Janet Morgan
Riggs ’77 and Dean of Students Julie Ramsey Monday afternoon. “We are very appreciative for their willingness to hear our concerns and listen to our frustrations,” Sauers said in a statement on behalf of himself and Labovitz. “However, we do not consider this matter settled. We do not think a swastika armband has ever been acceptable attire. Mr. Garthwait’s decision to resign from the Board of Trustees is an appropriate first step but larger strides to combat anti-Semitism at Gettysburg College are still needed. Hannah and I would like to hear from other students and welcome any and all opinions about this. Hannah and I will continue to be in contact with Dean Ramsey, President Riggs, and the Board of Trustees regarding this matter.” In an email, Stern said he has called a meeting of the Judaic Studies program for later this week. “My opinion is the College ought to return the money,” he added, referring to Garthwait’s donations to the college. The Yearbook Photo Garthwait said in a statement released this morning by Riggs in a campus-wide email that the photo depicted a “Hogan’s Heroes”-
themed fraternity party his sophomore year of college. “I understand how disturbing this image is to members of the Gettysburg College community, and especially those who are Jewish,” he said. “As a sophomore in 1980, I was not fully aware of the significance of those s y m b o l s . Wh i l e t h i s i s no excuse, I am deeply embarrassed and regret participating in this event where Nazi symbols were used.” Reached by phone, Marguerite Klein Mumford ’81, the editor of the 1980 edition of Spectrum, said that her job, as editor, was to document what happened at the college and that the only behavior that would be omitted from the yearbook was behavior that was illegal. “It wasn’t my job to edit anything that happened at the college. It was my job to report what happened at the college,” she said. She added that she does not remember the specific photo in question, but it would not surprise her if a fraternity had held a “Hogans Heroes”themed party and if someone attending that party wore a Nazi uniform. “It was a beloved, well-loved TV show,” she said. For his part,
Garthwait apologized and asked for the campus community’s forgiveness. “My sincere hope is that our current students will learn from my poor judgement [sic] 38 years ago and be more thoughtful than I was about the impact of their actions on others,” he said. “I extend my sincere apologies to the entire Gettysburg College community, and I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”
Alpha Chi Rho The current president of Alpha Chi Rho, Thomas Juelke ’20, called the photo “disturbing and offensive” and said it “in no way reflects our fraternity or its values.” Notably, a member of Alpha Chi Rho was found responsible for hazing last spring through the college’s judicial processes when he tried to compel a new member to write an Anti-Semitic essay. Asked whether the incidents in tandem reflect a systemic issue of AntiSemitism in the fraternity, Juelke said that the chapter self-reported last spring’s hazing incident. “Our fraternity was founded in the idea of respect for all individuals, regardless of race, creed or nationality,” he said. “We do not tolerate discriminatory behavior
of any kind, and we selfreported this incident to uphold our commitment to this principle and holding all members accountable for their actions.”
He added that this picture does not represent the Bob Garthwait he has come to know, but that it is inappropriate. “I am deeply disappointed to see this photo, particularly since the image does not represent who I know Bob to be. This act is never appropriate, no matter the context,” he said. “Our organization believes deeply that respecting and engaging difference is imperative to effective leadership. For the past eight years, we have worked hard to challenge the myth that leadership is simply about power, prestige, or authority.” Jamie Yates, the college’s spokesperson, said that the Board of Trustees would continue to deliberate on appropriate next steps but would not reach a decision in haste. “The board needs time to absorb the news and to deliberate on next steps,” she said. “I hope the community will understand that a deliberative approach is far superior to an immediate reaction, and we believe it will be important for students , faculty and trustees to be heard on any further actions to be taken.”
College Response Riggs said that Anti-Semitism is against the core values of the college today just as it was in 1980, when this photo was taken. “My hope is that all of us in the College community will learn from this—that it will inspire compassion for one another and a rededication among all of us to creating a climate in which all feel welcome,” she said. The Student Senate Opinions Committee met Tuesday afternoon and approved a draft opinion condemning Anti-Semitism and religious bigotry that the full Senate will consider next Monday. Andy Hughes, Director of the Garthwait Leadership Center, said that the potential renaming of the GLC is out of his hands. “As far as I understand that decision is up to the Board of Trustees,” he said. “I personally will want to learn more about the input and responses of students and alumni to help inform Nicole DeJacimo, Maddie my thinking on the matter. Neiman, and Lizzie Hobbs I don’t want to leap to contributed to this report. judgment on that matter.”
‘Completely Out of Context’: Alumni Recall Party Where Garthwait Photo Was Taken B y B enjamin P ontz E ditor - in -C hief
The now ubiquitous photo of former college trustee Bob Garthwait ’82 wearing a Nazi uniform was taken at a 1979 party held at the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, an alumnus who provided a photo of the party’s official t-shirt said last Thursday. Dr. Albert Fedalei ’80, who was a member of Alpha Chi Rho, said that the photo was taken at his fraternity’s sixth annual “Four in One” party, in which each floor of the house hosted a simultaneous party with a different theme. That year, the themes were “Lord of the Rings,” “guardians of the dead,” punk rock, and the now well-known Stalag 13 “Hogan’s Heroes” theme in which Garthwait participated. Fedalei said that the fraternity had Jewish brothers who were “fully supportive” and that “Hogan’s Heroes” was recognized as being “actually very anti-Nazi.” “This whole affair is disgusting to me,” he said. “[This had] nothing to do with religious or racial prejudice.” Dr. Steve Evans ’79, who estimates that he was among at least six or seven Jewish brothers living in the house at the time, said, “There were plenty of practicing Jews at the house that signed off on this.” “If there was any thought back then that was would be viewed as antiSemitic 40 years later, we wouldn’t have done it,” he added. “This hullabaloo is so incredibly out of context and unfair to this guy who is a champion of Gettysburg
College.” David Naser ’83 agreed that there was no anti-Semitic intent among those pictured in the photo. “I truly cannot believe that he dressed in that costume to make an anti-Semitic statement, and I certainly cannot see him associating in any way with Neo-Nazi groups either at that time or today,” Naser said. Evans said that Garthwait intended to depict the “bumbling” character from “Hogan’s Heroes,” Sergeant Schultz, whose most famous phrase from the show is “I see nothing! I know nothing!” He also said that, in 1979, the swastika was not a symbol of white supremacy, but “was a symbol of defeated Germany, of this horrible thing that happened that was crushed.” Evans added that Alpha Chi Rho was a “real cross-section of campus” in terms of diversity, had brothers who were black, gay, and Jewish, and had a reputation for treating women with respect at house functions. Patricia Steele Nielsen ’80 said that Alpha Chi Rho was among her favorite places to attend parties and that she was probably there at this particular party. In general, she said that Alpha Chi Rho was a popular house and that its parties tended to be fairly crowded. “CROW had a reputation for having nice guys in it,” she said. Nielsen does remember seeing the photo in the yearbook. She said it stuck with her, but she does not believe there was
Garthwait is on the right of this photo from the 1980 edition of Spectrum, the college yearbook “any kind of hate speech or anything like that.” “Like every other party, the drinking was pretty much the whole focus,” she said. “And, then everybody’s ‘focus’ got a little blurry.” She said she has a limited recollection of Garthwait, but she recalls him as being “affable.” Fedalei concurred with that recollection of Garthwait. “Bob is a very generous, gracious, and tolerant person with no religious or racial prejudice whatsoever,” he said. “Unfortunately this photo was taken completely out of context.” Evans said that he does not blame Hillel or the Judaic Studies faculty for its visceral reaction to seeing the photo, but that he blames the college for depriving Garthwait of any due process. He said that he is sure Garthwait decided
to resign because he did not want to draw negative attention to the college and thought this would be how best to avoid it. In an email sent to the campus community Thursday afternoon, President Janet Morgan Riggs ’77 quoted Garthwait, who said, “Resigning reflects how seriously I understand this situation to be and it is important to me that our community see that through my action to resign.” Evans said that Garthwait has been treated unfairly throughout the process. “My biggest gripe is that here’s a guy who has gone out of his way to make the Gettysburg student experience better … and whose presence on the Board [of Trustees] is an amazingly positive influence,” Evans said. “He has been a champion that seeks to make Gettysburg College a better place.”
Moving forward, Evans said the college needs to turn this into a teaching moment by sponsoring a conversation about Garthwait’s legacy and impact on the campus. “People’s lives can be devastated by artifacts of the past that do not reflect who they are in the present,” he said. “We need some communal acknowledgement of who he is … this photo does not reflect any Anti-Semitism or bigotry from his past.” Naser added that Garthwait’s contributions to Gettysburg College in the years since the photo should speak louder than “an illjudged photo.” “The Garthwait Leadership Center was established to provide the opportunity for students of all races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds to improve their leadership skills in order to be more prepared in their careers and
to make our country a better place in which to live,” he said. “By failing to judge a person’s actions within the context of the time when they lived, we are attempting to rewrite history just for sensationalism.” In Thursday afternoon’s email, Riggs said that the Board of Trustees would form an advisory group in the near future to facilitate ongoing conversation about this issue and develop recommendations for how to handle it and any similar situations in the future. “On a personal note, I have known Bob Garthwait for 11 years,” she added. “I have found him to be one of the College’s most avid supporters, one whose primary goal is to enhance the student experience. I want to thank him for the gracious manner in which he has handled what we all recognize is a very difficult situation.”
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The Cultural Context of Hogan’s Heroes
Cast
members
of
B y P hoebe D oscher S taff W riter Former Board of Trustees Member Bob Garthwait resigned after a photo of him wearing a Nazi uniform at a college fraternity party in the 1980 Gettysburg College yearbook resurfaced. In an email to the college community, Garthwait
Hogan’s
Heroes
in
clarified that he wore the costume to a Hogan’s Heroes Stalag 13-themed party, an American sitcom. Here is a background on the TV show that the fraternity party Garthwait attended was modeled after, with insight from Cinema and Media Studies Professor James Udden.
Time Period:
1965
(Photo
via
Wikimedia
Hogan’s Heroes premiered in 1965 and ran its primetime stint until 1971. Following its initial s uccess , the s how w as syndicated during the ‘70s and ‘80s. Udden recalls seeing the show on the television every afternoon during his childhood, around 3:00 p.m. At times, Hogan’s Heroes would be in succession to
Commons)
Gilligan’s Island, another ‘60s sitcom.
Synopsis: The six-season sitcom was a satirical military history show, following a fictional prisoner of war camp, Luft Stalag 13, during World War II. Hogan’s Heroes follows the POW
Campus Responds to Garthwait Photo B y M ary F rasier S taff W riter On Feb. 19, it came to the attention of the Gettysburg campus community that one of its alumni and Board of Trustees members, Robert Garthwait ’82, was photographed in a Nazi uniform costume in the college’s 1980 Spectrum yearbook. Pictured to the far right of the photo, the namesake of the college’s Garthwait Leadership Center is seen in a German soldier uniform with the bright red swastika band on the left sleeve. Gettysburg College President Janet Morgan Riggs emailed the entire campus the news that morning, announcing both the situation and Garthwait’s apology and decision to resign from his position on the Board of Trustees. Garthwait offered some context of the picture, explaining it was a “Hogan’s Heroes” themed fraternity party. The late 1960s- early 1970s TV comedy show depicted a German Prisoner of War camp during WWII. Response across campus to the unearthing of the photo has ranged from outrage at the discovery to sympathy for Garthwait. “As a member of the Jewish community, I do not believe Robert Garthwait should have resigned. While I agree some form of action had to be taken, I believe that his resignation was hasty and unnecessary. Mr. Garthwait has been a major part of the Gettysburg community for decades and I think that his resignation, and the
potential removal of his name from the Garthwait Leadership Center, is an extreme punishment,” offered Michael Dampf ’21. “This obviously unacceptable incident happened almost 40 years ago and, from my reading of Mr. Garthwait’s apology, I think he understands that his actions were wrong. Therefore, I do not believe the extreme actions that are being taken are warranted. I am not calling for the Board of Trustees to reject his resignation, but I do hope that this man, who has devoted his life to Gettysburg College, will not be permanently disgraced in the eyes of our community.” Cameron Sauers ’21, who first discovered the photo, believed Garthwait’s resignation was an appropriate first step. “Hannah Labovitz and I met with Dean Ramsey and President Riggs yesterday afternoon to discuss the photo of Bob Garthwait that has recently come to light. We are very appreciative for their willingness to hear our concerns and listen to our frustrations,” he said. “However, we do not consider this matter settled. We do not think a swastika armband has ever been acceptable attire. Mr. Garthwait’s decision to resign from the Board of Trustees is an appropriate first step but larger strides to combat anti-Semitism at Gettysburg College are still needed. Hannah and I would like to hear from other students and welcome any and all opinions about this. Hannah and I will continue to be in contact with Dean
Ramsey, President Riggs, and the Board of Trustees regarding this matter.” Ben Lowenberg ’20, a student on Hillel Executive Board, recalled, “When I first found out on Sunday night my first reaction was complete shock. I could not believe that Gettysburg College had allowed this in the first place and that it remained in the library for the past 40 years without someone noticing or doing anything about it.” Lowenberg explained that he feels that the steps that have been taken have been rushed, allowing both the school and Garthwait to save their reputation. “I hope that the entire Hillel executive board has an opportunity to discuss and voice our opinions on the matter with the board of trustees and President Riggs, instead of just a representative,” he said. Ricardo Hernandez ’21 offered a contrary opinion, responding, “My first reaction was shocked but disturbed at the same time. Disturbed because the college allowed the photo within the yearbook and shocked because we are really going to invalidate someone’s passion for this school over a mistake they made when times were drastically different. It happens way too often in this day and age, such as with Kevin Hart. People change and to hold someone to the standards of today is a little misleading. I can understand the college’s decision. I hope the best of luck for Garthwait and hope that a mistake doesn’t define who he is a person.”
Hillel Director David Bass added, “I think the College has handled this situation very well at this point. Mr. Garthwait’s resignation from the Board of Trustees was prompt, and this shows the seriousness with which the College takes this situation. I hope that this situation will cause us both to look back and to look forward.” Bass feels it is important study the photo in the context of the past and to question why the wearing of the swastika was trivial. “Going forward, I anticipate this situation will be an impetus for more dialogue and coalition building among our students,” he said. “Student leaders across the campus have an opportunity to work together with renewed purpose in continuing to create an inclusive and supportive community.”
officer, Colonel Hogan, as he leads the prisoners in outsmarting the Nazi commanders at the camp. In every episode, the prisoners ultimately lampoon the Nazis, Colonel Klink and Sergeant Schultz, via underground tunnels and clever sabotage. Udden recalled a couple of episodes that particularly stand out in his memory; one of which consists of prisoners of war redirecting bombers by lining up in the shape of an arrow. He also remembers one episode where the Nazis are fooled and misdirected by a prisoner dressed up as Adolf Hitler. The Nazis on the show are led to believe that their prisoner camp has a perfect escapee track record; yet, without fail, they are always comically defeated.
portray Nazis in a satirical fashion. The Producers, a 1976 film written and directed by Mel Brooks, who is Jewish, is about producers who oversell shares to earn money on a flop Broadway show about Adolf Hitler. The film became a Broadway show and won twelve Tony Awards. In 1943, Ernst Lubitsch, another Jewish director, directed and produced To Be or Not To Be, a comedy film about an acting troupe that disguises and outsmarts Nazis at a camp. One of the characters, Udden mentioned, passes as Hitler and uses his deception to his advantage in outsmarting the Nazis, similar to Hogan’s Heroes.
Cast:
Hogan’s Heroes, The Producers, and To Be or Not To Be all have the genre of satirical film or television in common. The films and TV show also have Jewish cast, creatives, or both. They were all not intended to be AntiSemitic and vowed to cast Nazis in a negative light. Media, in the past and today, contains subjects that can be received negatively or positively from a mass audience. Udden contends that media can be a double edge sword with mixed messages and oftentimes receives multiple interpretations from audiences.
The actors who portrayed the leading roles of German Nazis, John Banner (Sergeant Schultz) and Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink) were both Jewish, as well as two of their other principal counterparts, Leon Askin and Howard Caine. Banner was also a former US Army Sergeant in World War II. Klemperer agreed to take on the role under the condition that the Nazis were never portrayed as heroes.
Nazis in Visual Media: Udden cited two similar films, from the ‘60s and the ‘40s, that similarly
American Culture and Nazi-Related Media
Arbaugh Speaks to Student Senate Concerning Garthwait B y N icole D e J acimo S taff W riter
The Monday, February 26, Student Senate meeting heard remarks from President Nick Arbaugh ’20 regarding the recent Bob Garthwait situation. He wanted the student body to continue to voice their concerns and questions but asks that everyone makes their statements well thought out. He reminded the room to be kind to one another in times like these, that it is our duty as Gettysburgians to ourselves and to our community. In closing, he said, “We can’t control the past but we can decide how we react
and how we change our ways.” It was announced that ROTC is on fiscal probation for spending their base budget without prior approval. The Senate continued to discuss the proposal of “menstrual care products” in all campus bathrooms. The Senate decided to unanimously endorse this proposal. Colleges Against Cancer was allotted $3,360.57 for Paint the Campus Purple and Relay for Life. The Pre-Health Club was re-recognized after de-recognition last semester when their leadership went abroad last semester.
Bob Garthwait ’82 with Director of the Garthwait Leadership Center Andy Hughes (to the left of Garthwait) and several former Garthwait Leadership Center Leadership Mentors at Commencement (Photo courtesy of Gettysburg College)
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WGS Lecture Series: Elizabeth Richardson V iti D is cusses Simone de Beauvoir B y K aley M ichael S taff W riter Emerita French Professor Elizabeth Richardson Viti, a retiree in 2015, graced Gettysburg with a presentation on Simone de Beauvoir for this week’s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies series. A professor for thirty-one years at Gettysburg, Viti served as the Coordinator of Women’s studies from the fall of 2005 until the spring of 2009, Director of the Johnson Center for Creative Teaching, and received the Edwin T. Johnson and Cynthia Shearer Johnson Distinguished Teaching scholarship, and as a College Marshall. Professor Viti spoke on French feminist Simone de Beauvoir, an inspiration for the second wave of the women’s movement and author of The Second Sex (1949), which eventually led her to win a Prix Goncourt. Born in 1908, the French activist, author, memoirist and teacher who led a very different life from her conservative family until her death in 1986. With
a family complacent in their Catholic faith, Simone found herself straying from the strict religion that inundated her life. She vowed at fourteen to never marry nor have a child. De Beauvoir consistently left her house to read novels by authors she was prohibited from reading and defied gender roles as a young teen. De Beauvoir studied philosophy with Existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, and with him began a sexual and intellectual relationship. They spoke about choosing one’s own choices in order to make one’s identity and decided that identity is defined by the choices you make in life. They had a very open relationship and would converse openly about their other romantic entanglements, sometimes investing in a third person to enhance their relationship. At one point, Sartre proposed to Simone, yet she declined, knowing that he was only asking because he felt an obligation. Eventually, Jean-Paul adopted a young woman because he wanted someone to inherit the rights to his publication. Beauvoir
died almost six years to the day after Sartre. Simone De Beauvoir published the Second Sex in 1949, three years after French women finally gained the right to vote. The book was excerpted in France in a magazine, which sold very well in Paris and other French bookstores. However, when released in 2011, the English translation that was released in the United States was reviewed very negatively. From the title of the book, Professor Viti was able to deduce that ‘Le Deuxiéme Sexe’ uses a word that is used when there are more than two options: ‘Deuxiéme’ instead of ‘seconde’. Leaving the options open showed that the author thought gender to be a more complicated term. Simone de Beauvoir is famous from her quote in The Second Sex, “When isn’t born a woman, one becomes one.” The conversation closed with a discussion about gender roles today and how women are consistently subjugated, despite efforts to improve gender inequality around the world.
thrives on the creativity and commitment of a staff much bigger than what is captured in these awards. Frankly, I cannot recall working on a team that I find more energizing and fun than this one.”
music reviews. This year, he won second place for his review of Surfbort’s new album, Friendship Music. Sternberg, who also serves as Program Director and a DJ on WZBT campus radio, writes music reviews weekly for the Arts & Entertainment section. He maintains a repository of past reviews on his personal website.
The Gettysburgian Wins Three Keystone Press Awards The Gettysburgian earned recognition in three separate categories as part of the 2019 Student Keystone Press Awards competition, which is sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. The awards were: -First Place for Editorials -Second Place for Reviews -Second Place for Feature Photography
This recognition builds and improves upon success in the 2018 iteration of the contest, in which the newspaper earned first place for ongoing news coverage, second place in sports photography, and h on o r ab le mentio n f o r reviews. The Keystone Press Awards are awarded annually to recognize “college journalism that provides relevance, integrity and initiative in serving readers.” Entries are submitted annually based on work in the previous calendar year. “It is always nice to receive external recognition for our team’s tireless efforts,” said Benjamin Pontz, Editor-inChief of The Gettysburgian. “What brings me the most satisfaction, though, is the impact of our work that I see almost every day on campus. Whether it is the news reporter who tracks down the story of a college committee that no one had heard about, the opinion columnist who shines light on a problem people seem inclined to ignore, or the features writer who brings a smile to readers’ faces with a fresh perspective on the day-to-day student experience at Gettysburg College, this publication
Editorials The Gettysburgian won recognition for a series of three staff editorials: -“In Support of the Freedom of Expression Philosophy” (Feb. 8, 2018) -“In Opposition to Student Senate Funding James O’Keefe’s Visit to Gettysburg College” (Mar. 26, 2018) -“A Call to Create the Janet Morgan Riggs Center for Global Citizenship” (Oct. 6, 2018) Staff editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Gettysburgian‘s editorial board and are discussed and developed at weekly editors meetings. These particular editorials were written primarily by Managing Opinions Editor Joshua Wagner ’19 and Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Pontz ’20. “I am particularly satisfied that a collection of our staff editorials won accolades from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association,” Wagner said. “Although, as the opinions editor, I led the drafting process for staff editorials, our entire editorial board should be proud of expressing well articulated and important opinions.”
Review For the second consecutive year, Charlie Sternberg ’19 earned recognition for one of his
Feature Photo Staff Photographer Amanda Fowler ’22 earned second place in the feature photo category for a picture (included at the top of this article) she took on a wet day at the Gettysburg Farmers Market that accompanied an article by Features Reporter Thea Toocheck ’21. Fowler is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. “While I only led the photography team for a portion of the year, I am so proud of the work we are doing,” said Mary Frasier, The Gettysburgian‘s Director of Photography. “Most people do not realize the skill needed for photo journalism and our team members being recognized for their hard work and talent is very rewarding.”
A b o u t T h e Gettysburgian The Gettysburgian has been the official student newspaper of Gettysburg College since 1897. Publishing biweekly in print and continuously online and via social media, the organization’s staff includes more than 50 regular writers and contributors representing a variety of academic disciplines across campus.
College Continues Conversation R e g a r d i n g Garthwait Photo -Continued from front page-
Hancock then asserted his belief, which he discussed before the event with members of the Black Student Union, that this photo represents only one piece of a history that includes several photos of students wearing blackface in other editions of the yearbook as well as numerous parties and events that have not been documented in such official ways. Taken in tandem, these elements suggest to Hancock that the college has been complicit in propagating systemic racism and bigotry for decades before and in the decades since the photo. He proceeded to juxtapose the consequences when Garthwait -- a wealthy white man -- and people with less societal power -- particularly people of color -- "act a fool," noting that the consequences for Garthwait are reputational, whereas many people of color land in jail and have permanent criminal records. H a n c o c k closed by asserting the need for what he called "restorative justice," suggesting that individuals like Garthwait should donate their time and money towards work that is "explicitly anti-racist." "Instead of worrying about the possible harm to Gettysburg's reputation," he said, "let's see this as an opportunity. Let's see the Garthwait Center -- or whatever it may be called in the future -- develop and implement an explicitly anti-racist campaign that is not just about heightening awareness but also figures out how to make a material difference in dismantling whiteness and creating real opportunities for equity." He suggested that fully funding an institute for peace and justice studies might be one step in that direction. Lowy, the final panelist, shared her reactions to the past week's events, specifically towards the initial announcement of the photo and Garthwait's resignation. "I felt the resignation was quick and possibly unnecessary. I felt that I was being told, as a Jew, that I should be outraged by the photo. Instead, I felt uncomfortable judging a person I did not know by one 39-year old photo taken at a fraternity party. I felt that I wanted more information," she said. "As a Jew, I worried that this attempt to address anti-Semitism would instead backfire, that Jews would be blamed for overreacting, for being too sensitive, for bringing down a good
man. And, sadly, I was right to worry." She asked that people react to the circumstances at hand with intelligence and compassion and to lean into conversations that make them uncomfortable. D e a n o f Students Julie Ramsey, who moderated the conversation, then invited participation from those gathered. In all, nine students and one professor spoke, and comments probed both how the campus should respond to this particular situation as well as, more broadly, the daily experience of minority groups on campus. Anna Perry '21, a transgender student, said that people from marginalized groups are tired of expending free labor educating other people about how to acknowledge their humanity. "We're all so tired of accommodating white men, and I have had to do that since the very first day I came here," Perry said. "The expectation is that I learn how to deal with them rather than they learn how to be human beings. I'm just sick of that, and I know a lot of people in this room are." A n g e l i q u e Acevedo '19 asked that the college consider how to better integrate peace and justice studies across the college curriculum. "Gettysburg College claims that they want to make a diverse and inclusive environment," she said, "and I believe that it would be best done through studying peace and justice." Responding both to Hancock and Acevedo, Riggs said after the event she is interested in hearing more about either expanding peace and justice studies as a program or better integrating it across the college, but she noted that the curriculum is ultimately in the hands of the faculty such that efforts would need to start there. The next several minutes of dialogue centered on how the college should approach the Garthwait photo in particular and how the conversation likely would have been different if it had not been a prominent alumnus and donor in the photo. Hassan Williams ‘22 described the incident as “a pause” for himself. “What are the things that I’m doing in my life currently that are obviously not okay? I want to check that for myself. What are the things that could follow me in my life? I want to check that as well,” he said. The final student to speak was Jordan Knox '21, who noted that her parents taught her from a
young age that what she did reflected not only on her, but on her family and on black people as a whole. "Something that is really frustrating me about this situation is that this person gets to be seen as an individual who has made an individual mistake, but, as a person of color in this country, anything that I do, no matter how small, could change -- ruin -- my entire life. I don't get to be an individual. I have to represent all the other black people who look like me and who live on this planet and live on this campus," she said. "I think it's frustrating that he gets to be an individual and he gets to make mistakes, and we have to feel bad for him. I'm so sorry that maybe his life is going to change now and people are going to view him negatively." She went on to discuss how, as an African-American woman at a majoritywhite college, she is always aware of the way she presents and conducts herself. "I think that you need to think about what you do. For some people on this campus, that reality is just so much more real. If you're a person of color, you're very aware of what you do," she said. "The first step you need to take is to realize that what you do affects people, it hurts people, it touches people. You don't just represent yourself; you represent everybody." College chaplain and Associate Dean of Religious & Spiritual Life Dr. Kristin Largen closed the event by encouraging everyone to continue to engage in challenging conversations and to intentionally listen to others. She drew on the writing of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor in Nazi Germany who was hanged after participating in a plot to kill Adolf Hitler, who argued that attending to the inclusion of the marginalized and vulnerable members of a community can be an antidote the selfabsorption that can come from being in a majority. "The beginning of showing love for others is listening to them," Largen quoted Bonhoeffer as saying. As a final benediction, Largen implored those present to continue the conversation. "Today and in the days to come, may we be support for one another when the load is heavy," she said. "May we be light for one another when the way is dim. And may we be loyal companions to one another as we walk into tomorrow."
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Friday, March 1 2019
Gettysburg College Hosts The Gettysburgian Hosts Talk S t u d e n t s f r o m J i a l i a n by New York Times’ Reporter High School in China Elizabeth Williamson B y G auri M angala N ews E ditor
Over the last two years, Gettysburg College has developed a partnership with the Jialian High School in Beijing, China that has manifested into a program of education and understanding for the professors of Gettysburg and the students of Jialian. A few years ago, on a Fulbright scholarship, professors from Gettysburg College traveled to the Jialian school to get a grasp for the education system in place in China. In tandem, last winter, the college hosted a group of 15 and 16 year olds from the high school for two weeks, specifically students that were aiming
at studying abroad in an English speaking country for their undergrad. The program, which just completed its second run in January, is aimed to “give them a really good idea of what [liberal arts] really means,” explained program coordinator, Brenda Clark ’12. The students spend two weeks studying psychology, health sciences, economics, and other mostly STEMbased classes. Gettysburg College students that work in the study abroad office, some who know Mandarin, work with the students in tutoring sessions after class. “The Jialian kids were fantastic to work with not only to practice Chinese with but to learn some valuable insights into what their lives
were like in Beijing,” explained Pete Brainard ’20. Brainard recently returned to campus from studying abroad in China for the fall 2018 semester. “I felt a genuine connection to them through our meals together, study sessions, and conversations.” After leaving Gettysburg, Jialian students have a better understanding of Gettysburg College but, more broadly, the programs in place at liberal arts colleges to support international students. “This is a really unique opportunity for high schoolers to have an immersive experience in college,” said Clark. “I think it’s a really important and valuable opportunity for them.”
oversee which is money and behavior. More specifically, how the government employees are using the money, meaning that it is being used for its intentions and not wasted, fraud, etc. Behavior is watched to make sure there are no abuses of power, advantages taken, or any other behavioral misconduct. However, Bruner made sure to clarify that the information and violations simply get passed up to the Department of Justice (DoJ), meaning they have no say in the punishment or consequence. To make sense of this, Bruner provided examples of violations found and the process after the discovery. In 2016, the Grand Canyon’s river district went under fire after allegations of sexual hostility and harassment were found. The IG’s investigated the allegations through interviews, report detailing, and more. They found the information to be correct and after passing it up to the DoJ, the river district was abolished. Bruner believes it is important to enforce the Constitution and promote trust simply because of the reputational damage that ensues and the negative impact on the community around violators. Dr. Bruner was asked about the frustrations behind her
job, her response was when the “tops” feel that they can re-write the laws just because they are in charge of making them. However, she finds her duties and office to be rather stable, even throughout changing administrations. The IG’s consistently consider areas of improvement, for example when they were called out for their minimal information release. A newspaper article was titled, “Investigated a lot, shares little.” They later changed their processes and started releasing more, adhering to criticism and becoming more transparent; a quality she admires about her agency. Overall, Bruner believes that the IG’s Office is beneficial in not just finding violations, but building trust, better community, and preventing further mistrust. Furthermore, she discussed the mentalities behind cheating through a TED talk, showing the in-group versus out-group difference on cheating behavior. The research showed that more cheating will arise after witnessing successful cheating behavior from a member of an in-group. Bruner further made the connection that IG’s set the tone to stop a chain of “cheating” or violations and for the credibility of the government.
Christina Bruner Speaks at EI Women and Leadership Lecture Series B y T aylor -J o R usso S taff W riter
On Friday, Feb. 15, Director of the Strategy Management Office at the Office of Inspector General in the U.S. Department of the Interior, Christina Bruner gave a lecture on “Government Watchdogs and Why They Matter to Democracy,” as part of the first installment in the Eisenhower Institute’s Women and Leadership program lecture series. Dr. Bruner, a Gettysburg College alumnus, detailed the tasks and purpose of the Inspector General’s (IG) Office and why she believes it is crucial to democracy. Bruner started off explaining the relationship between ‘honesty,’ ‘integrity,’ and ‘trust.’ Honest being the values, integrity being the behavior, and trust being the outcome. This very model that the government uses, as she pointed out, can be seen in our college Honor Code. The purpose of IG’s is to provide oversight to violations of the “honor code” of the government: that being the Constitution. She put it best that IG’s are similar to the Honor Commission here at the college, enforcing integrity and honor, all in all promoting trust. Bruner then detailed the specifics of what the IG’s
February 14, 2019 (Thursday) - Larceny- Theft from Buildings at Schmucker Hall; Closed - No suspects or Witnesses - Other Assault/Simple Assault - Student Pushed into Tiber at Monument Alley; Closed, referred to GPD February 15, 2019 (Friday) - Liquor Laws - Underage Consumption, Liquor Laws at Huber Hall; Closed - Referred to SRR - Theft: Bicycle at 310 Carlisle Street; Closed - No Suspects or Witnesses February 19, 2019 (Tuesday) - All Other Offenses: Telephone, Disorderly Conduct: Dissemination of Sexually Explicit Photo at Breidenbaugh Hall; Open - Under investigation by DPS - Drug Abuse Violation: Possession: Marijuana/ Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Closed - Referred
Journalist Elizabeth Williamson speaks to students about her career (Photo Sam Hann/The Gettysburgian) o f h e r c a r e e r t o t h e that damage people as a B y C am D’A mica a u d i e n c e , a n d s h e result. S taff W riter explained, “I really just Williamson also E l i z a b e t h loved to write. I was described the current Williamson, a journalist a l w a y s c u r i o u s . ” T h i s i s s u e s i n m o d e r n c u r r e n t l y w o r k i n g f o r c u r i o s i t y f u e l e d h e r journalism, specifically The New York Times, c a r e e r i n j o u r n a l i s m , w i t h i n t h e c u r r e n t v i s i t e d t h e G e t t y s b u r g and she shared the way political climate. In her C o l l e g e c a m p u s o n t h a t h e r e x p e r i e n c e a s opinion, the idea of “fake F r i d a y , F e b r u a r y 1 5 t h a f r e e l a n c e w r i t e r i n news” is the hardest part and hosted a Q&A style Eastern Europe, where o f b e i n g a j o u r n a l i s t information session in the she faced unfamiliarity t o d a y . S h e e x p l a i n e d Penn Hall Lyceum. The with a new environment, that criticism in the field event was co-sponsored s h o w e d h e r t h a t t h e should be welcomed and b y T h e G e t t y s b u r g i a n b e s t w a y t o g e t t o taken into account, but a n d t h e P r o v o s t ’ s k n o w p e o p l e o r t o p i c s a demonization of news office. The journalist’s is to write about them. s o u r c e s m a k e s t h e j o b s o n a n d s p o r t s e d i t o r Similarly, her research very difficult, especially o f T h e G e t t y s b u r g i a n , into stories, such as the when a journalist works Charlie Williamson ‘19, p a r e n t s o f v i c t i m s o f extremely hard to share introduced his mother to the Sandy Hook tragedy truth and accuracy. She pertaining to Infowars told the audience that the attending audience. E l i z a b e t h host, Alex Jones, created m a k i n g m i s t a k e s a n d Williamson began her rewarding experiences receiving criticism is c a r e e r i n j o u r n a l i s m for Williamson to assist something that a lot of i n 1 9 9 4 , w o r k i n g a s a others through sharing j o u r n a l i s t s , i n c l u d i n g foreign correspondent in their stories. Williamson h e r s e l f , c a n r e l a t e t o . Eastern Europe, where explained that she tries She expressed her deep s h e w a s a f r e e l a n c e t o p o r t r a y s t o r i e s s o concern for her work by w r i t e r . I n 2 0 0 3 , s h e that they fit into larger telling the audience that b e g a n w o r k i n g f o r c a t e g o r i e s i n o r d e r these mistakes “keep T h e W a s h i n g t o n P o s t i n f o r m t h e r e a d e r t o [her] up at night.” During the a s a m e t r o r e p o r t e r i n think critically about the presentation, Williamson M a r y l a n d . F o l l o w i n g information they read. her career at the The W i l l i a m s o n w a s a s k e d w h o h e r W a s h i n g t o n P o s t , covered various aspects i n s p i r a t i o n s w e r e , a n d Williamson reported for o f j o u r n a l i s m i n h e r stated that the detailed, The Wall Street Journal, answers, and explained clear reporting found in s t a r t i n g i n 2 0 0 8 , o n a the way that the internet Truman Capote’s novel, s p e c i a l p r o j e c t s t e a m , h a s c h a n g e d t h e f i e l d : In Cold Blood, which she where she wrote features “ T h e i n t e r n e t h a s is currently re-reading, on the politics and culture revolutionized the way serves as inspiration for o f W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . we do our job.” Along h e r o w n c a r e e r , a l o n g Currently, Williamson w i t h t h e b e n e f i t s o f w i t h n u m e r o u s o t h e r is a feature writer for the readily available online detail-oriented writers. Near the end of Washington D.C. Bureau research and the speed of of The New York Times. typing, she acknowledges t h e e v e n t , W i l l i a m s o n A f t e r a b r i e f the difficulties posed by p r o v i d e d i n s i g h t i n t o synopsis of her career in the internet. Williamson h e r p a r t i c u l a r m e t h o d journalism, Williamson c o m m e n t e d o n t h e of writing, which, to the o p e n e d t h e f l o o r t o w a y s i n w h i c h s o c i a l audience’s surprise, is q u e s t i o n s f r o m t h e media creates numerous t o p r o c r a s t i n a t e . F r o m students and faculty in c h a l l e n g e s t h a t a l l o w there, she advises that attendance. Audience f o r h a r a s s m e n t a n d making a really basic m e m b e r s a s k e d h e r the need to constantly o u t l i n e w i t h s h o r t about several facets of g u a r d y o u r s e l f . S h e s e n t e n c e s a n d d i r e c t h e r c a r e e r t h a t r a n g e d also acknowledged the a c t i o n v e r b s c a n b e from her experiences in d i f f i c u l t i e s c r e a t e d b y e x t r e m e l y h e l p f u l t o foreign countries and the rise of alternative organize thoughts and career path to her literary n e w s . W i l l i a m s o n focus writing. She urged inspirations and her e x p l a i n e d t h a t s h e student journalists to m o s t c u r r e n t c o v e r a g e “actually thinks it’s good “write as much as you o f V i r g i n i a G o v e r n o r to mix things up,” but can” and said that there also acknowledged her i s “ n o s u b s t i t u t e f o r Ralph Northam. W i l l i a m s o n c o n c e r n w i t h s h a r i n g writing of any kind.” described the beginning p r o v a b l e f a l s e h o o d s
DPS Crime Log
February 24, 2019 (Sunday) - Drug Abuse Violation: Possession: Marijuana: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia at Carlisle House; February 22, 2019 (Friday) - Liquor Laws - Underage Consumption, Liquor Laws- Closed - Referred to SRR False Identification at 223 Carlisle Street; Closed - GPD - Drug Abuse Violation: Possession: Marijuana: cited Justin Contri of Gettysburg College for Underage Possession of Drug Paraphernalia at Musselman Hall; Closed - Referred to SRR Consumption of Alcohol Referred to SRR - Liquor Laws: Underage Consumption at Paul Hall; February 25, 2019 (Monday) Closed - Referred to SRR - Liquor Law Violation: Underage Consumption at Huber Hall; Closed - Referred to SRR, RA/RC Report February 23, 2019 (Saturday) - Drug Abuse Violation: Possession: Marijuana at February 26, 2019 (Tuesday) Glatfelter Hall; Closed - Referred to SRR - Liquor Laws: Underage Consumption at Constitution Larceny-Theft of Pool Lane Cover at Campus Exterior Outside Jaeger Center Pool Area; Closed - No Suspects Apartments; Closed - Referred to SRR - All Other Offenses at Stevens Hall; Closed - No or Witnesses Identifiable Suspect to SRR
Compiled by Kaley Michael, Staff Writer
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Friday, March 1 2019
Engaging in Digital Scholarship
From L: Caoilainn McKenna ‘21, Mariam Martinez ‘21, and Marion McKenzie ‘19 co-directed the final production of The Vagina Monologues and the first production of Our Voices (Photo Merlyn Maldonado/The Gettysburgian)
The V Speaks: “The Vagina Monologues and Our Voices 2019” B y J ulia C hin S taff W riter “If your vagina could speak, what would it say?” This past weekend, this was the question that The Vagina Monologues asked of Gettysburg College. The episodic play was written by social activist Eve Ensler in 1994 and has endured as a quintessentially collegeage production ever since. The work is a collection of monologues that reflect the experiences of over 200 women of diverse backgrounds whom Ensler interviewed during the playwriting process. Many discussions in these interviews focused on the women’s sexuality, abuse, and gender discrimination. Performances of The Vagina Monologues gained immense popularity and encouraged women across the globe to share their stories. Once Ensler realized the impact her work had on the fabric of social culture, she established V-Day on February 14, 1998. This 501(c)(3) organization is dedicated to the termination of global violence against women and girls, using the profits from art forms like Ensler’s to spread awareness of gender-based violence and donate money to victim service agencies. Only in the month of February, National Dating Violence Awareness Month, does Ensler allow her play to be performed across the globe, donating the profits to charitable organizations for survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. On Friday, February 22, over forty Gettysburg College students strode into the CUB ballroom, cloaked in confidence and a variety of red attire. A quartet of fruit slices with the caption “If this fruit could talk...” was featured on white shirts worn by some audience members, sold alongside tickets for the night’s showing of The Vagina Monologues & Our Voices 2019. All proceeds generated by this Women’s Center production would soon be on their way to Survivors, Inc. of Gettysburg. The first half of the production, The Vagina Monologues, opened with an introduction by Marion McKenzie ‘19, one of the show’s three
co-directors alongside Mariam Martinez ‘21 and Caoilainn McKenna ‘21. Now a senior, McKenzie has been involved with The Vagina Monologues since she was a first-year. She says that back in 2016, she felt inspired to go beyond her comfort zone and participate due to the monologues’ support of Survivors, Inc. in Adams County. T h i r t e e n monologues followed, ranging from the comedic anecdote of “The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy” to the tragic story of graphic rape in “My Vagina Was My Village.” Overall, the short, spoken segments took on a very feminist voice that provided an outlet for both resistance in “My Angry Vagina” and reclamation in “Reclaiming Cunt.” Each episode was a reflection of the women’s experiences that Ensler gathered twenty-five years ago, and each was welcomed by a round of enthusiastic cheers from the packed audience. However, the performance did not end with The Vagina Monologues but continued to include a brand new section titled Our Voices. On the last page of the pamphlets handed out at the show, there was a brief note regarding The Women’s Center addendum, describing Our Voices as the “homegrown” half of the production. It stated that this platform “was created in hopes of providing the opportunity to amplify less heard voices of other self-identifying underrepresented women groups, including women of color and transwomen, as well as individuals who identify as gender nonconforming.” Previously, Leigh Richard ‘19 had added a note before “The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy,” letting the audience know that not all women have vaginas nor are all people with vaginas women. For context, the monologue opened with the line “I love vaginas. I love women. I do not see them as separate things." In response now, Richard has argued, “This is incorrect. As Marion said in the opening, vaginas do not mark womanhood. I chose to keep these opening lines in
the monologue to keep the integrity of her experience as it was written around 30 years ago. We are now several steps ahead in our understanding and study of gender but that was what she knew, and kind of like Looney Toons putting up an acknowledgement of problematic content before some of their older cartoons to show that they are aware of its presence rather than trying to pretend that it did not happen by removing it, I thought it worthwhile to keep and address that segment upfront.” Thus, they express the need for Our Voices. Richard further remarked that The Vagina Monologues alone “does not give a space for AFAB [assigned female at birth] trans folx. I wanted to write my own for the Our Voices section, but I got nervous because my own experience is not the same as others. I cannot be ‘the’ representative for the trans community, especially since my being genderfluid gives me a different perspective of myself and my own body.” However, their favorite part was listening to stories shared by peers. “I feel like I got to know a sacred part of their lives,” they reflected. M c K e n z i e expressed similar views, saying, “Watching Our
Voices come to life and see such powerful women share a piece of themselves and their experiences with the audience— that was something I felt honored to have been a witness to.” She added, “I believe Our Voices was a creation originally thought of by one of the other directors, Mariam Martinez, but the three of us together, in conjunction with Valentina Cucuzza, were able to breathe life into this new portion of the show.” Each of the stories shared in Our Voices was intimately personal and inspiring; however, Melanie Pangol ‘21 nearly brought the house down in applause. Entitled “To My Weightlifting ‘Oppressors’ Fellows,” Pangol’s fierce, spoken-word speech followed her undertaking of weightlifting for the past two years and the microaggression she had experienced mostly from white, cisgender male athletes at the campus gym. “Our Voices had absolutely gave me a space where I have been able to express my identities,” Pangol later said. “Due to my first year experience in the monologues I felt extremely conflicted because I realized that it only centered around -Continued on next page-
Keira Koch ‘19 joined other students lending their voices to help raise money for Survivors, Inc. (Photo Merlyn Maldonado/The Gettysburgian)
B y P hoebe D oscher S taff W riter On February 13, the Digital Scholarship Summer Fellows and students participating in courses under a Digital Literacy grant presented their digital research in Musselman Library. S t u d e n t s presented on a wide variety of topics, from historical events to digital culture in our society. Each student shared their research topic and allowed viewers digital access to their research using their digital public interfaces. Gauri Mangala ‘21, one of the Digital Scholarship Summer Fellows, presented “ R e m e m b e r i n g Gettysburg: From Memorial to Stage.” In her research, Mangala discovered the history of storytelling in Gettysburg and tracked the town’s history from the Battle of Gettysburg through the current attractions, including reenactments and ghost tours. Mangala learned that Gettysburg is a place for storytelling, where residents of the town, students at the college, and tourists all share folklore of the war and ghosts. She added that the town is not only for history buffs, and the entertaining stories make the history accessible to any visitor. Ivana LopezEspinosa ‘19 focused on the history of Gettysburg College, rather than the town as a whole, in her presentation: “Gettysburg College: A Diversity Story.” Lopez-Espinosa conducted research on the history of diverse enrollment at Gettysburg College, including black, female, and deaf
students, for instance. She created a timeline of the milestones regarding the first students to be enrolled and to graduate. Lopez-Espinosa uncovered that some minorities were listed as “international” students, regardless of their birthplace in America. She also learned that the history of minority enrollment, and lack of documentation are not unique to Gettysburg and are common among other liberal arts colleges. She compiled estimates that she hopes will spark further conversations about the issue, potentially at other institutions. A u g u s t a Pendergast ‘19 also researched Gettysburg College in her project called, “How Do We Fit In?: A Look at Gettysburg College Culture Through the Modern and Postmodern Eras.” Pendergast studied sources such as The Mercury, the school’s literary magazine, to see how themes of self and belief, for example, are expressed in Gettysburg’s history, throughout the modern, post-modern, and contemporary periods. Pendergast rooted her research in philosophy, with the aim to discover how these eras impact the presentday understanding of ourselves. Christina Noto ‘19 studied “The Boys are Marching: A Digital Analysis of Civil War Sheet Music.” Noto analyzed aspects of the civil war song “Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!” including its cover and lyrics. She also studied -Continued on next page-
F i g h t i n g Hunger with C h a l l a h B y S am S hourds S taff W riter Every semester, the Hillel House holds a series of events promoting their fresh-baked challah bread and offering opportunities for students to assist in the making of the delicacy. These events are in full swing throughout the rest of February, March, and April, but supplies and manpower are limited so it’s important to get the word out and take part in this fun cultural experience. If you don’t already know, challah bread is the Jewish Sabbath and holiday bread, and it comes with many flavors and traditions. The flavors offered so far this semester have ranged from traditional challah to double chocolate and apple cinnamon challah, and there are more flavors to come! Proceeds go towards the Gettysburg Campus Kitchens and MAZON, “two organizations dedicated
to fighting hunger and food insecurity domestically and internationally,” as explained by Rebekah Hurwitz ‘19, the Challah for Hunger Chair. I f y o u ’ r e wondering how you can get involved in this Gettysburg College tradition, check your Gettysburg email often and consider signing up to volunteer an hour of your time to bake challah bread with Hillel House on March 4 or March 18. If you’re more of a Guy Fieri than a Gordon Ramsey, keep an eye out for opportunities to purchase the bread and interact with members of the Hillel House and the Gettysburg community in general. Several social events will be held in the future. Hillel will be selling fresh challah bread at these events and allowing the chance to pre-order bread in multiple delicious flavors. There will be plenty of challah bread to come, but make sure to get your share before the end!
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white cis gender feminism, especially in seeing that most of the participants were white sorority girls. This was seen as that the program coordinator did not made an effort to include marginalized voices, and that to me was extremely problematic since white cis gender women need to realize that they need to stop occupying spaces (spaces that historically have prioritize their voices) and instead use their privilege to give access to marginalized voices. Therefore, white feminists not only need to address that womxn have live and gain various forms of organic knowledge but also actually start to practice what it means to be an ally and stop undermining us through lip service.” “Nevertheless,” Pangol clarified, “I am also aware that my piece has also some problematic aspects in regards to prioritizing a muscular body over others types of bodies. What I mean is that I have a privilege of not having problems with body image disorder, I am full body, I have no experience with eating disorders, and I have access
to a healthy tool such as the gym. Therefore my struggle within the gym is a struggle that has become the dominant perspective which invalidates other types of body struggles. It is necessarily for me to address this problem with my piece because if not I will be doing the same thing that white cis gender sorority girls did with my experience in the last year Vagina Monologues.” “I want all womxn that have felt voiceless to realize their own power,” Pangol concluded. “Being a transnational queer woman of color on campus is extremely overwhelming because I feel like I have to pick my fights, but this does not mean that I have no power because at the end of the day knowing who you are and where you stand not only in this campus but in society is an act of resistance.” With all this emphasis on inclusion and diversity, McKenzie noted that this will be the last year that the college’s Women’s Center will perform The Vagina Monologues. “Although I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of The Vagina Monologues for the past four years, and I am so thankful for the ways it has made me
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grow, I am excited to see the campus move on from its message, because it is problematic in its lack of representation of intersectionality,” she said after the final performance on Saturday. “I am sad it took us this long to raise these questions, but I know Mariam [Martinez] and Caoilainn [McKenna] are going to do amazing things with this show in the future to move away from the problematic and exclusive nature The Vagina Monologues has showcased in the past.” “Providing platforms and support to marginalized groups is incredibly important,” she additionally declared. “All of us brings a unique and different perspective to share, and it is up to all of us to listen and learn from one another in order to make progress and build each other up in the face of discrimination and violence.” T h o u g h Gettysburg College is saying goodbye to The Vagina Monologues, McKenzie promises that in future years, Our Voices, or some variation of it, will continue to be performed, proving the Women Center’s final statement that “our future is bright, fiercely feminist, and INTERSECTIONAL.”
Civil War Sheet Music and Other Digital Research Projects
The gazebo, once found on Stine Lake, has now been relegated to the outskirts of campus (Photo Mary Frasier/The Gettysburgian)
The Legend of the Stine Lake Gazebo B y C ameron D’A mica S taff W riter Many sophomore and first-year students at Gettysburg College have heard only faint whispers of the legendary gazebo that once overlooked Stine Lake. Many new students are completely unaware of the disappearance of the gazebo that occurred shortly before the fall 2017 semester. Now is the time to close the case of the missing gazebo once and for all. The gazebo was added to the Gettysburg campus in 2008, located on the sidewalk between Pennsylvania Hall and Glatfelter Lodge, to be used by the political science department as a site for student voter registration. After nine years, the gazebo, used as a meeting place for students and a popular area for photos, disappeared from campus without a trace. Gillian Marini ‘19 fondly reminisces the days
of the gazebo: “I remember hanging out there a couple times in the warm weather on the Adirondack chairs inside of it. It was always a cool place to do homework or just hang out there. And it was in a really great place on campus because of the view. You could see all of the buildings and Stine Lake. I know a lot of people say they miss it.” The reason for this mysterious disappearance of the beloved gazebo in the fall of 2017 was due to the renovation of the College Union Building that began in the summer of 2017. The sidewalk needed to remain clear of obstructions so that vehicles could pass through until the following summer when all renovation and construction had been completed. The CUB has been completed for months now, but there is still no gazebo present on the sidewalks of Gettysburg’s campus. A c c o r d i n g to James Biesecker,
Director of Facilities at Gettysburg College, “When construction began on the CUB in May 2017 it was removed to allow for construction and service vehicle traffic for the project. During the move, some damage occurred to the gazebo. At this time, it has not been decided whether repairs will be made and whether it will be returned to its previous location.” At the time of initial construction, the gazebo was said to be held in storage. After some research and clues from students on campus, a gazebo has been located on campus near the ropes course adjacent to Quarry; although it is not confirmed whether this is the original gazebo. Only time and patience will tell whether the gazebo will be returned to its position of prominence on the sidewalk overlooking Stine Lake.
Glance Teaches English in Madrid while Abroad
Daniel Reeves ’19 presented on Digital Cultures and Online Behavior for his SOC 250 course under the Digital Literacy grant (Photo courtesy of Musselman Library) digital annotation of the research on a variety of -Continued from previous pagepainting, an interactive topics, from surveillance t h e c o m p o s e r a n d timeline, and a series of to technological power. p u b l i s h i n g c o m p a n y essays detailing specific Although Reeves spoke t o l e a r n t h e h i s t o r i c a l aspects of the piece. Shea for his peers, his research significance of the song. and Sauers emphasized t o p i c w a s c o n f l i c t , Derived from an essay the importance of digital which covered areas of she wrote for the course history throughout their cyberbullying and other Gender in the American p r e s e n t a t i o n , s i n c e technological violence. Civil War, Noto compiled t h e i r r e s e a r c h i s i n a n The site ultimately raises her findings in a digital accessible site with the awareness of the impact s i t e , a n d a s k s f o r ability to reach a wide of online behaviors. feedback from viewers audience. Students’ digital D r . A l e c e a research projects in to continue to refine her Standlee’s Sociology conjunction with the research. T h r o u g h t h e 2 5 0 c o u r s e D i g i t a l HIS 301 and SOC 250 H i s t o r y 3 0 1 c o u r s e , C u l t u r e s a n d O n l i n e courses are supported I n t r o d u c t i o n t o P u b l i c Behavior was the focus b y a D i g i t a l L i t e r a c y H i s t o r y w i t h D r . J i l l of Daniel Reeves’s ‘19 grant from the Johnson T i t u s , L i l l i a n S h e a presentation of the same C e n t e r f o r C r e a t i v e ‘ 2 1 a n d C a m e r o n name. Reeves presented T e a c h i n g & L e a r n i n g . S a u e r s ‘ 2 1 c o n d u c t e d on the research conducted The Musselman Library research on “Gettysburg b y a l l t h e s t u d e n t s i n D i g i t a l S c h o l a r s h i p C y c l o r a m a : A D i g i t a l this class regarding the S u m m e r F e l l o w s a r e A n n o t a t i o n . ” T h e p a i r ramifications of digital supported by the Andrew p r e s e n t e d t h e i r d i g i t a l media. The class created W. Mellon Foundation. interface that includes a a site that compiles their
B y L izzie H obbs S taff W riter Caitie Glance ’20 spent the 2018 fall semester participating in an International Education of Students (IES) study abroad program in Madrid, Spain. Glance studied at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and lived with a host family in a homestay residence. Glance explained that the homes tay was located about half an hour away from campus, but that was not the only long commute she became accustomed to during her time in Spain. While in Madrid, she took the opportunity to complete an internship through the education department, teaching English at a public school an hour away from her house. “The internship meant that I really got to improve my Spanish, because I was forced to use it on a more regular, conversational basis,” Glance said. Throughout her internship, Glance spent over 100 hours teaching English to more than 100 students. Although she was incredibly grateful for the field work experience, Glance confessed that the opportunity was “exhausting and a lot of work.” Glance’s busy
academic schedule meant she had little time for extensive travel; however, she did get the opportunity to visit Barcelona, San Sebastian, and Amsterdam. She described her weekend trip to San Sebastian as her “favorite day abroad,” which she spent exploring the city and enjoying the beach. Glance caught the travel bug while abroad and now plans to visit Lisbon and other parts of Portugal this summer. She described her time abroad as
“wonderfully stressful.” Despite wanting to explore and become acquainted with the culture, Glance said that she went into her semester abroad “with motives and objectives. I had work there I knew I wanted to get done.” All in all, Glance said she grew to love her city, explaining that she felt she “didn’t have enough time there” and “definitely needs to go back” to explore some more.
Caitie Glance studied abroad in Madrid, Spain during the fall semester of 2018 (Photo courtesy of Caitie Glance)
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fostered connections in academic departments at Gettysburg. She worked as a research assistant in the psychology department during her sophomore and junior years. She continued her undergraduate research with an independent study program in her senior year. Although Riggs was heavily involved in the psychology department, her original intent was to major solely in mathematics. After a terrible experience in a high school psychology class, she was not excited to see ‘Psychology 101’ on her first-year schedule. Ultimately, however, Riggs loved the course, and she continued to pursue psychology, a subject that she was passionate about. A major source of guidance during her time at Gettysburg was the psychology professor, Thane Pittman, who encouraged Riggs to take on research and apply to graduate school. Degrees in both psychology and mathematics from Gettysburg, where she graduated summa cum laude, were vital to her success as a psychology
graduate student at Princeton University. Riggs reflected on her smooth transition to graduate school: “I have to say that I felt better prepared than almost anyone else in the program, and I think the reason for that was the approach in our Psychology Department. It was so research-oriented.” The combination of acquired skills from direct research in her undergraduate studies and a background in statistics made her well-equipped for the challenges of the program. Along with challenging academics and extracurricular activities, Riggs devoted time to developing f r ie n d s h ip s d u r in g h er years at Gettysburg. She formed an especially close bond with her firstyear floor: “We had an awesome time on the third floor of Huber. We had a great group up there, and we did so much hanging out in the hallway together.” One of her favorite spots on campus was the old Bullet Hole, which was located adjacent to the CUB Ballroom. She explains
how she spent a lot of time socializing and talking over sodas at night with friends. She had the self-discipline to complete assignments but also valued the social aspect of college and the importance having fun. Over the years, Riggs maintained relationships with friends from college, one of which is her husband, Ed. They met during their first-year orientation, where they just happened to run into one another. “ W e j u s t connected early on and stayed connected,” she said. They had their own interests, and Ed was a cross country and track athlete. They married a year after they graduated. Riggs reflects on the numerous changes to campus and the Gettysburg student experience. Housing, in particular, was not comprised of campus apartments or college theme houses. The extent of co-ed housing was a shared lobby. Riggs explains how Apple Hall, where she lived her sophomore and junior year, was divided into separate male-
and female-designated corridors. She lived offcampus her senior year, which was a common occurrence at the time. Riggs notes that students were less busy and less scheduled in the 1970s, and opportunities for studying abroad were especially rare. She also observes a substantial difference in faculty demographics. Out of the 35 courses Riggs took at Gettysburg, she only had two female instructors. P r e s i d e n t Riggs benefitted from the guidance and experiences of a closeknit college environment. The development of a dialogue between faculty and students that supports research, career opportunities, and encouragement is continually valued in the Gettysburg College community. Riggs emphasized, “That’s really what made a difference for me at Gettysburg. It was those relationships with the faculty. I felt like people knew who I was, and I received advice, support, and learned a lot. I am really grateful for that. I felt like I got an excellent education.”
Come stop by Musselman Library for an evening of research and citation help, courtesy of the Peer Research Mentors (Image courtesy of Musselman Library)
Research and Citation Help Event B y M usselman L ibrary On Monday, March 4 from 7:309:30 p.m., Musselman Library’s Peer Research Mentors will be hosting Cite Night on the main floor of the library. This drop-in event will have Peer Research Mentors standing by ready to answer any of your research questions or help you formulate that
Problem of the Week: Vacation B y D epartment of M athematics Editor’s Note: The Department of Mathematics at Gettysburg College hosts a problem of the week challenge to determine each semester’s Paul Mugabi problem-solving award recipient(s). Each week’s entries are scored by a panel of faculty judges, and winner(s) from each week will receive a Problem Of the Week (P.O.W.) button. The Gettysburgian is not involved in or responsible for accepting or evaluating students’ submissions to this contest.
A page from the college’s yearbook featuring then student Janet Morgan (Photo courtesy of Spectrum)
humdinger of a citation. Snacks and a raffle will also be available to all students who attend. Students are welcome to stop by at any point during the twohour event. No citation is too big, no question is too small! Peer Research Mentors are happy to assist with it all!
THE RULES: The contest is open to all Gettysburg College students. Up to three people may work together on a submission. Make sure your name is on your submission and that any sources
are properly cited! Send solutions to bkennedy@ gettysburg.edu or put solutions in the marked envelope in the hallway outside Glatfelter 215. This problem was posted on Friday, February 22 and solutions are due on Friday, March 1 by 5:00 p.m. THE PROBLEM: There are five cities that I would like to visit. I have decided, starting this year, to plan my vacations in the following way: every year I will choose one of the five cities at random, and vacation there. In any particular year, I will be equally likely to choose any of the five cities, regardless of which cities I have visited in previous years. After how many years will it be more likely than not that I have visited all five cities? Can you generalize to n cities?
Editorial Staff The Gettysburgian Editor-in-Chief, Benjamin Pontz ‘20
News Editor, Gauri Mangala ‘21
Managing Opinions Editor, Josh Wagner ‘19
Sports Editor, Charlie Williamson ‘19
Arts & Entertainment Editor, Katherine Lentz ‘20
Lead Copyeditor, Lauren Hand ‘20
Features Editor, Maddie Neiman ‘21
Director of Photography, Mary Frasier ‘21
Copyeditors, Jessica Greenman ‘20 Phoebe Doscher ‘22 Joseph Maguschak ‘22 Emma Love ‘22 Cameron D’Amica ‘22 Advisor, Tom Barstow
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Listen to The Gettysburgian’s weekly podcast, featuring news and exclusive interviews with a variety of figures from across the campus community! Recent Interviews: Dr. Marta Robertson (Conservatory) Faith Biesecker (DPS) Hannah Dalzell ‘20 (Senate Diversity Chair) Upcoming Interviews: Dr. Bill O’Hara (Hybrid Courses) On Air: 91.1 WZBT-FM Tuesday 11:00 a.m. Wednesday 2:00 p.m. Thursday 4:00 p.m. Online: gettysburgian.com/podcast On iTunes, TuneIn and Stitcher: Search “On Target”
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Review: ‘Antlia Pneumatica’ R e v i e w : ‘ E v e r y d a y ’ by Weyes Blood
B y K athy S cott C ontributing W riter
‘ A n t l i a Pneumatica’ is a newer play written by Anne Washburn about a group of friends that are brought together again after years apart, for the funeral of one of their friends they had all fallen out of touch with. The play was confusing and slow in the beginning. Although it did pick up pace, it did not get any clearer as to what exactly was going on. However, the acting was lovely, especially by the kids of the character Nina (Daphne Ellis ’19): Casey (Katie Cona ’21) and Wally (Brian Buechele ’22). The preshow bit where the two are fighting and playing was really amusing to watch. Although it was hard at times to believe Buechele was playing a seven-yearold because of his height, I found it very entertaining and he played the part very convincingly. There were some scenes that were a bit dry and did not feel natural, but that’s to be expected with an awkward script. However, considering the circumstances in the actual play itself, the awkwardness does come off as more natural than anything. But just being natural doesn’t always mean it’s captivating. What really stood out was the design. The
costumes and set blended perfectly together; the characters’ color pallet standing out enough as to not be lost in the scene, but still making them look like they belong in their surroundings. One character’s wardrobe, Len (Zach de Besche ’22), gave so much insight to the character’s personality just by looking at him in his cowboy boots and button-up with the metal collar clips. An interesting part of the set was director Lana Russell’s instruction to have working appliances on stage. So, as the actors were cooking onions, the audience could smell them cooking in a pan. This really gave an interesting and immersive atmosphere to the production. With this said, the best part of the entire show was the use of light. Lighting designer, Jon Stiles, created a stunningly starry, dream-like environment for Nina and Adrian (Patrick Lopez ’21) to go out stargazing. This part of the play was rather disappointing dialoguewise, and yet it was the most memorable part because of the picture it painted around the entirety of Kline Theatre. There were even some lights shining through cutouts in the natural architecture of the theatre adding to the number of uncountable stars that enveloped the audience.
But, with every production, there were some downsides. The biggest problem for me was the dropping of pecans from each of the large pecan trees on both sides of the stage. Not only was the effect lost because the pecans are so small and most of the time the audience couldn’t even see the effect, they used real pecans. This is a big health concern to not only the audience, but the cast and crew. Another unfortunate thing about this play was the fact that the metaphors used could have been beautiful, but they were too subtle for a lot of the audience to catch unless they have really studied the play beforehand, worked on the production intensely, or watched it more than once. Overall, ‘Antlia Pneumatica’ was another wonderful production put on by the theatre department and the Owl & Nightingale Players. Although the script was lacking and dry, the actors did an incredible job of creating a natural and awkward atmosphere which fitted the reunion of friends who haven’t seen each other in quite some time. This production’s design was reason enough to come see it more than once and I can’t wait for more interesting shows in the future!
The Department of Theatre Arts at Gettysburg College presents The Owl and Nightingale Players in
B y C harles S ternberg S taff W riter T h e l u s h orchestration of baroque pop is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of scoring an eighties slasher film, but it’s a welcome surprise in the music video for Weyes (pronounced “wise”) Blood’s new song, “Everyday.” The track, which is from Natalie Mering’s upcoming album, ‘Titanic Rising,’ was produced by Jonathan Rado, who has worked on albums with some of the biggest indie rock musicians, including Father John Misty, the Lemon Twigs, and Alex Cameron; and it shows. The arrangements are dense and beautiful, filled with layers of strings, keyboard, and vocal harmonies. The song begins with piano and keyboard before the wonderful other-worldly singing of Natalie Mering begins. The refrains escalate the complexity of the arrangement slightly, but it is the chorus that really showcases the whole range of instruments. A joyful declaration of love and desire, the chorus is punctuated with sunny back-up vocals (provided by the D’Addario brothers aka the Lemon Twigs) and the full orchestra. The whole song goes off the rails during the outro, where the strings relentlessly repeat the same rhythm over and over again and the dissonances become unyielding,
creating an atmosphere of confusion and excitement. By the end, I felt as if I had been picked up and whirled around until dizzy. The music video, which is directed by Mering herself, showcases an awareness of the genre conventions of the slasher. Stop me if this sounds familiar: a group of careless young people travel to a remote cabin where they proceed to drink and smoke and make out. Then a killer picks them off one by one. The video is a clear homage to the classic ‘Friday the 13th’ films, especially the first movie. This is evidenced by manner in which the characters are taken out by a mysterious figure wielding an axe and the end in which a shot of the full moon is interrupted by a glass-shattering effect as red text appears. It may be derivative, but the atmosphere captured in the video feels just right and very authentic to the original slashers; and most importantly it’s fun. In a way, it boils the slasher down to its bare essentials, eschewing the bad dialogue and cheesy character development, so that we can get to the heart of the slasher movie: the kills. Most plot points in a slasher movie exist only to propel the audience from one thrill to the next like a rollercoaster, and this music video gets that right with its barebones narrative. Still, there is a lo t o f s ty le h ere. I n particular, the use of
color is excellent. The costuming of the characters is bright and vibrant, and colored lighting is used to a great effect. From the eerie green light that the characters pass through at the entrance of the cabin to the bright red lipstick that matches the blood on one victim’s face, the video avoids the drab grays and blues that plague modern horror movies. The use of a handheld camera at the end compliments the hectic conclusion of the song very nicely, and the sudden slow motion at the end as the medium-close up of Mering’s face fades to the moon in the sky feels like a fittingly creepy conclusion to the video. What is significant about this music video? It’s an undisguised love letter to the eighties slasher, which in itself does not make it special or unique. What makes it so enjoyable for me, is that it succeeds in capturing the charm of what made those movies so fun. They were silly and cheap and made with a teenage audience in mind. ‘Friday the 13th’ has had countless sequels and been remade multiple times with large budgets, but none of the recent attempts to recapture the spirit of the originals has ever come as close as this music video. This, in combination with the creative choice to match the video with a seemingly incongruent style of music, makes this a music video that I can watch over and over again without getting bored.
F e a t u r e d f i l m s i n G e t t y s b u r g Majestic Theater
AntliA PneumAticA ‘Green Book’ - Best Picture by Anne Washburn Winner Guest Causes Backlash Director Lana Russell
However, I do not agree thought ‘Green Book’ had a B y E than C annistra with this argument because very good chance of wining S taff W riter T h e m o s t the story of ‘Green Book’ because the film has won is about much several awards throughout prestigious award that is February 21, 22, 23, more & 25 atthan 7:30 PM given out in Hollywood racism. The film tells the the past year. For example, February 24 (Sunday matinee) at 2:00 PM every year is the Academy story of two men from it won the Producer’s Guild Kline Theatre worlds who o f A m e r i c a A w a r d f o r Award for Best Picture. two different friends over the Best Picture, the National This honor has been given become Free Admission span of for a few Byperformances Board of only. Review Award for to some of the best moviesare necessary Reservations Fridaymonths. and Saturday thecall end theoffice film,atboth of Best Picture, the Toronto theof ticket 717-337-6060. over the last decade suchPlease as ‘Argo,’ ‘The Shape of the main characters realize International Film Festival Water,’ and most recently, that while they come from People’s Choice Awards, ‘Green Book.’ However, very different walks of and has a 79% percent p e o p l e a r e n o t h a p p y life, they can both learn critic rating on Rotten that ‘Green Book’ beat from each other. This is the Tomatoes. Clearly, ‘Green out the best picture front most important message to Book’ has been a favorite runner, ‘Roma,’ at the take away from the film at festivals and awards Academy Awards this and why I believe this film shows throughout the year, year. People all over the won best picture. In a time so it makes sense that the internet are claiming that when people with different m o v i e w o n t h e O s c a r . The backlash over ‘Green Book’ is one of the opinions and ideals can worst movies to ever win never seem to get along, it ‘ G r e e n B o o k ’ w i n n i n g Best Picture at the Oscars, is refreshing to see a film Best Picture is also bizarre and that the film does where the main characters t o m e b e c a u s e n o o n e not deserve Hollywood’s are so different from each expressed a lot of negative highest h o n o r . other, yet they are able to feelings toward the movie One of the main build a healthy friendship. w h e n i t w a s w i n n i n g People watching other major film awards. reasons people all over Ultimately, while the United States believe the Oscars at home and that ‘Green Book’ is not live at the Dolby Theatre I can definitely understand worthy of the title of Best seemed shocked to hear p e o p l e b e l i e v i n g t h a t Picture is the way that the name ‘Green Book’ ‘Green Book’ does not the film depicts racism. announced as the winner d e s e r v e t o b e a B e s t A c o m m o n v i e w p o i n t o f B e s t P i c t u r e . I w a s Picture winner, I think is that the film did not s u r p r i s e d t o s e e t h i s the backlash is unjustified successfully show what reaction because, while a n d p e o p l e a r e b e i n g racism in the 1950s was I thought ‘Roma’ would overly critical of the film. really like in America. take home the award, I still
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OPINIONS Page 12
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Friday, March 1 2019
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the opinions published in this section are those of the individual writers and are in no way representative of the views of The Gettysburgian staff, The Gettysburgian or Gettysburg College.
Alumni Respond to Garthwait Resignation No Nazism to be Found Here By Janet Himmelreich. Class of 1976 I have not even read the Gettysburgian since I graduated in 1976. However, I am appalled by what has happened in the past few days and feel I need to respond to the student, Cameron Sauers who “found” the yearbook photo from 1980 and decided to take it upon himself to cause a “teachable” moment. It would be most helpful to understand the circumstances that caused him to be looking through a yearbook from 1980 in the first place. The coincidence of it being the same year as the yearbook picture from Gov. Ralph Northman’s medical school yearbook is not lost on me – was he setting out to see what he could uncover about someone of significance at Gettysburg at the same time that he could embarrass? I don’t buy that a yearbook photo, intended as a farce at a fraternity party is all a “display [of a] symbol linked to hatred, oppression or genocide.” That is just absurd and a disingenuous interpretation of the picture from someone who admits to watching and enjoying
Hogan’s Heroes himself. Perhaps Mr. Sauers did not anticipate such a firestorm; however, I think the real teachable moment is for the whole of the campus community to realize that it is a community bigger than just the students currently matriculating and that it is not appropriate to take something out of the context of the time it was written, drawn, or photographed and apply a standard applicable to the current time. We were of the Vietnam War era – when I came to the campus in 1972, the first thing that was asked of any guy was “what’s your number?” And, that would be their draft number. Many students felt we were fighting an illegitimate war that was gunning down our brothers, friends and uncles. Not all that different than the student’s concerns about school violence and the like. However, I fail to see how a yearbook picture based on a TV show of the time (and still available online as he noted) is fostering to the Gettysburg community a symbol of hatred, oppression and genocide. Rather it reminds us of a time when
TV shows were used to express opinions through humor. Most people would agree that that program was expressly anti-Nazi! To answer the question he posed – didn’t anyone think Nazism was wrong in 1980? Yes, Nazism was seen as wrong, but this picture wasn’t about Nazism in 1980, it was about a themed fraternity party. As noted, the era we are talking about was much more caught up in the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon’s resignation, and the period of mass inflation that took place after it. As history majors, we were taught to ensure we were evaluating what we read, discovered and analyzed through the lens of the time we were studying, not through the current age. Perhaps all the students of the college should take historical methods. Things will not return to normal in a few weeks – there will be fallout from this experience – some good and some bad. One of the things that should be clear however, is that there is fierce loyalty to the College – no one wants to see the reputation of the College or its graduates sullied in a manner like this. I wish Bob Garthwait all the best in the future and thank him for what he has done for my alma mater.
Situation Well Handled As a member of the Gettysburg Class of 1982, and a transplanted New Jerseyian who has lived most of his life in Virginia, I applaud the college, and Mr. Garthwait, for understanding why a picture in a dusty yearbook matters, and what this revelation means for those on campus then and now. The response to what some would dismiss as youthful indiscretion was timely, thoughtful, and in keeping with what I’ve always regarded as the best of Gettysburg’s values—truth, integrity, and accountability principal
among them—and why I am proud to be an alumnus. There are other more highly placed people who might learn from Mr. Garthwait’s generosity and leadership, not merely in his financial support of the college, but also in his response to this admittedly painful admission for all involved. This is not a moment of political correctness run amok, as some would suggest. These revelations are occurring in what is a more enlightened time, and call for an appropriate response: the realization that much of what we took for granted, and gave us a sense of our place in the world, came at the expense
of the admitted worth—self and social—of other people. To my mind, the most telling part of the picture is not just the Nazi armband— which some might hold pays homage to a sitcom and not the toxic time that it symbolizes—but the barbed wire fence flanking the partygoers, and the prisoner climbing it. What that communicates—the clear distinction of us versus them, with them outside—is at the heart of what this means, and what we, as rational, imperfect people, must address, not just from the vantage point of forty years distant, but in how we treat each other here, now, and hereafter.
Better
Dialog
Needed
identifying hate symbols and his recognition of the hatred that those images represent. Sure, President Riggs sent an email promising to “form an advisory group that will be chaired by a trustee and will include representatives from our College community who can bring a variety of perspectives to bear.” Sure, op-eds just like this one have filled The Gettysburgian’s Facebook feed. But are we actually going to talk about it? Is campus (everyone on campus, not just students) going to engage in a dialogue about the historical prevalence of hate symbols on our campus and in our town? This seems like a great opportunity to dissect some uncomfortable parts of our collective past, and we should strike while the iron is hot. President Riggs wrote in an email last week that, “The College has taken no action regarding this situation except to communicate about it.” If true, that’s inexcusable. I am concerned that, given an empty vacuum of dialogue, easy scapegoats will pop up; that campus will seize upon this incident’s connection to Greek Life and in doing so blame that section of our community for the behavior of some of its members emeriti. Rather, we must seize upon this opportunity
to engage in a constructive (and likely uncomfortable) conversation of our roots as a college. We owe that much to ourselves and those that come after us. I agree with Jay Hauser, who wrote in the Gettysburgian on February 20: “From this incident, we, as a campus, should consider how, without intent to harm, our actions can make othered students feel uncomfortable and unsafe.” Granted, I say we need to go a step further (or a step larger, if you will). We need to take stock of ourselves as an institution, and work proactively and unapologetically to ensure that our collective Burgian history is something we’ve all reckoned with. In doing so, we will not only leave campus a better place for all, but we will hopefully begin on a path of reconciliation with the uglier parts of our College’s past. We mustn’t be blind to our larger collective history. We must use it as a tool to shape our future as a college, and I hope that the campus community uses this unfortunate incident to do so. The Gettysburg College of the last few weeks is not the Gettysburg College I know and love. We can always be better, and let us utilize this ugly moment to examine and critique our past, but also to inform our future. Go Bullets!
By E. Mark Mones. Class of 1982
By Luke Frigon Class of 2018 When I first read the news of the nowinfamous “Hogan’s Heroes” photo, I was astounded. It shook me up to think that a friend I admire and trust as much as Mr. Garthwait could be associated with such seemingly-evil imagery. Reactions to the photo poured in, and we heard and read the words of a campus community struggling to grasp its own history and identity, and the choices that one of its most prominent alumni made in his adolescence. Many have dismissed the photo as indicative of fraternity theme party nonsense, taken out of context and blown out of proportion. Others have asserted that a swastika is an obvious symbol of Nazi hate and should have never had a place on our campus, regardless of its relevance to popular culture at the time. Still others called for further investigation and scrutiny of our campus yearbooks from days gone by, so that we may ‘get out in front of this’ next time it happens. To me, though, one topic remained relatively untouched; what are we as a community to do about this? Sure, Garthwait stepped down from the board of trustees, citing his own youthful inadequacies in
Context for Hogan’s Heroes By Harry Buzzerd, Jr. Class of 1964 A S u n d a y afternoon to a Tuesday afternoon ended a process by which President Riggs broadly notified the resignation of Mr. Garthwait from the Board of Trustees. National media coverage quickly followed, creating smear to what is Gettysburg College, past and present. A decades loyal and generous Alum openly acknowledged that 38 years ago at a fraternity party he role-played the iconic WWII German soldier, Schultz, in the extraordinarily popular TV series, Hogan’s Heroes. Is our College Administration/Board committed to imposition of current sociological and political norms of today— ideologically arguable— against standards from 1930s to 2020? How far back is the College tracking inquisition and retribution? Who or what College event is next? Deep and just context examination is required, likely to reveal some remarkable facts, inverse to national media coverage implications and content of the Riggs notifications. D o e s M r . Garthwait’s yearbook photo prove anti-Semitism of him or the College, or in part, does it simply continue the messages of series creators, writers and actors? Those messages were not antiSemite, and in fact, they exposed German military as buffoons, offering respite to the horrors of Nazi Germany. The TV series was created, written and acted by a preponderance of Jews; of five main characters, four were born in Austria or Germany. Gettysburg College’s current brand of justice displays process speed that defies fairness, and it thwarted Board of Trustees deliberation, all 39 of them. Was Mr. Garthwait strong armed/guilt ridden/
bullied to resign? Was there in play an irrational crisis-management hysteria preventing context research, objective examination, and due process? Given context of iconic Hogan’s Heroes TV series, 1965-1971, wildly publicly accepted and critically acclaimed, why was Gettysburg College duped into undeserved national scandal suggesting antithesis to its tradition of Judeo-Christian values and tolerances? Is Gettysburg College now opening doors of challenge to its past standards of inclusion and welcome, given its history? Or, will context of decades serve conveniently to move forward? John Banner, who portrayed Sargent Schultz, in 1967 said: “Schultz is not a Nazi. I see Schultz as the representative of some kind of goodness in my generation.” The character, Schultz, was played by Mr. Garthwait in 1980. John Banner lost most of his Jewish family in WWII death camps. His extraordinary life in accurate historical context reveals the remarkable recuperative and forgiving powers of the human mind and spirit. Haaretz, an Israelí newspaper, founded 1918, examined Hogan’s Heroes through a retrospective after the death of Werner Klemperer (1920 -2000) who played the fool German Col. Klink. Klemperer, born in Cologne, Germany, immigrated to the U.S. to escape atrocities. Despite misgivings, he took the Klink role conditional to “If they ever wrote a segment whereby Colonel Klink would come out a hero, I would leave the show.” He stayed and was a primary reason the show stockpiled award after award. The Haaretz article states that “the Nazis were depicted as so incompetent” and all American servicemen “were to a man so resourceful, courageous, loyal and debonair… there wasn’t much one could object to.” Again, context of the decades is critical
to circumspect, wise, factbased judgement, absent momentary arrogance. Robert Clary lost 13 of his family in death camps. He survived three years in concentration camps. As he progressed in show business, he played blackface, another snapshot of the contradictions of the decades. At least four other Jewish actors portrayed German soldiers and delegitimized them as bumbling fools. Clary: “Every week we made fools of our captors” in Stalag 13. In the context of the 1930’s to this decade, in the case of Mr. Garthwait and Gettysburg College, hindsight judgement absurd and arrogant. Gettysburg College rushed to an illconsidered condition, creating a situation which requires long view, deep examination and sensitive deliberation: the results might balance ideologies throughout the broad base of the institution. During this transition the Board should: reject Mr. Garthwait’s resignation; require the Administration to organize an extended all-campus consortium focusing on the TV series in context of the decades and the lives and principles of those many Jewish talents who popularized it; exert active leadership, prudence and voice during this time of multiple transitions; direct the distribution of The Gettysburgian and Administration announcements of content to all Bullet Point recipients. Over and over— and over—Schultz said: “I hear nothing, I see nothing, I know nothing.” Would the creators and cast of Hogan’s Heroes tolerate— NOTHING—following this dreadful Gettysburg episode? No—they would do SOMETHING— and a reasonable start would be to eradicate on campus the penchant for abrupt judgement and denouncement.
Changes in Societal Norms By Chris Roemer Class of 1982 It is impossible to know how many lives Bob Garthwait has impacted for the good because of his generosity and leadership in the forty years s ince graduating from Gettysburg College. There are probably very few alumni who have benefitted students to the degree achieved by Mr. Garthwait. Yet now, because someone recently discovered a picture in his sophomore yearbook, Mr. Garthwait is likely to be remembered not for his altruism, but for a costume he donned for a fraternity party when still a teenager. I attended Gettysburg College during the same years Mr. Garthwait was there as a student. As a History Major, I was taught the dangers of judging historical figures through the prism of current standards and mores. Societal norms change over time, and what was accepted in years past is often considered wrong to subsequent generations. The rate at which norms are changing today should give all of us paus e. Wh at do
we believe today that will be condemned ten years from now? Twenty years? Forty years? By today’s standards, Mr. Garthwait’s choice of costume was clearly offensive. The fact that it was in the school’s yearbook at all in 1980 suggests it wasn’t considered terribly offensive then. Should the school be judged today for the choices its students made in 1980? Should the years of service and financial support provided by Mr. Garthwait be erased by a decision he made four decades ago? Judging by the attention this matter has raised in recent days it appears many believe the answer to those questions is, yes. Mr. Garthwait has apologized for a juvenile decision he made a long time ago. The fact that he has resigned from the college’s Board of Trustees is evidence of his continued concern for the school. But that’s not enough for some. It is my understanding there are faculty members pressuring the school to return the donations Mr. Garthwait has made over the years. For some it seems the kind of person
Mr. Garthwait is today is irrelevant. All that matters is who he was while a student forty years ago. Even then, Mr. Garthwait was not racist or anti-Semitic, but simply ignorant of why some might find his choice of costume offensive, if not then, forty years after the fact. This is a teachable moment. It’s a time for courageous discussion, not retribution. If Mr. Garthwait is still in the habit of attending costume parties wearing a Nazi uniform, then by all means his name should be dragged through the mud. If not, we should accept his apology and use his past mistake to educate today’s students. It seems to me, losing his proven leadership skills by accepting his resignation from Board of Trustees, and draining college resources by returning the significant donations made by Mr. Garthwait over the years will have the opposite effect. It will feel good to s ome, though. Revenge often does. What are the lessons we want the current generation of students to derive from all of this?
THE GETTYSBURGIAN
OPINIONS Page 13
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Friday, March 1 2019
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the opinions published in this section are those of the individual writers and are in no way representative of the views of The Gettysburgian staff, The Gettysburgian or Gettysburg College.
Finder of the Garthwait Photo Speaks Out By Cameron Sauers Guest Columnist I did not think that my casual browsing through old college yearbooks would result in this. I thought it best to explain the situation through my eyes so others may understand my intentions. I would first like to acknowledge Mr. Garthwait’s apology and his genuine remorse. I have nothing but the utmost respect for his contributions to improving this college. I am among the many students who benefited from the Garthwait Leadership Center. I participated in the Certificate program my freshman year and felt I made remarkable personal strides with the program, culminating in presenting at the Leadership showcase. In the fall semester, I spoke twice more at GLC events, including a 30-minute presentation on leadership at the Battle
of Gettysburg. I firmly believe in the GLC’s mission and have nothing but admiration and respect for its employees and participants. I share Mr. Garthwait’s hopes that current students will “be more thoughtful than I was about the impact of their actions on others.” That shared sentiment is why I have done what I have done. When I found the photo in question, I could have just kept turning the page and ignored it. Many feel I should have done exactly that. I’ve watched “Hogan’s Heroes” and do share the same affection for the show that many have expressed online. I acknowledge that my decision has not been universally popular and have read many of the things people have had to say about my actions. William Lloyd Garrison once wrote, “[A]re right and wrong convertible terms, dependent on public opinion?” To me,
right and wrong are not convertible terms. I acted in accordance with what I thought was the right thing. I fully share Chris Roemer’s ’82 opinion: “This is a teachable moment. It’s a time for courageous discussion, not retribution.” The rest of this article focuses on the need for courageous discussion and here at Gettysburg. It is on us as students to combat antiSemitism and all forms of bigotry on this campus. In a line from his most famous speech, delivered after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy said, “In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it’s perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in.” In a difficult time for us as a school, the time is now to look at ourselves and ask who we
are and what direction do we want to move in? The challenge is now on myself and my fellow students to create a campus culture and community that welcomes students of all backgrounds and does not display symbols linked to hatred, oppression and genocide. We can do better as a student body – we must do better. While incredible strides have been made on campus to increase diversity, we must remember that complacency is the enemy of progress. As we move forward, let us renew our commitment to the unfinished work of making Gettysburg College a place for everyone. Some may argue that it was not my place to make this decision to share the photo and I recognize the legitimacy of their concerns. Those who only know me from this decision may consider me overzealous, oversensitive and some
sort of Robespierreesque voice on campus. I hope you may now see that it is not the case. I did this because I thought about the world that my generation is on the cusp of inheriting. I have watched my peers be shot down at school, those who could be my younger siblings locked in cages, while the older generations in political power remained silent and inactive. I was born in the days following the massacre at Columbine High School and the news events of my life have been dominated by hatred and violence committed in the name of Nazism and other hateful ideologies. I recognize that times and values have changed, but was Nazism not considered evil in 1980? I shudder at the thought and wish to never return to a time when white supremacist symbols are acceptable. I could not bear to be silent any longer. I had
been silent for too long. I love Gettysburg College deeply and it was my love for this school and the people here that made me pursue this decision because I firmly believe we must be relentless in our pursuit of bettering this campus. Soon the dust will fade, national media attention will dissipate, and normal life will resume. I challenge my peers on Campus to join me in the fight against hatred on this campus. John F. Kennedy remarked in his inaugural address: “All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days . . . nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.” Gettysburgians, this will not be completed this semester, nor next semester, nor in our time as students. Let us not be dissuaded by the great task before us. Let us begin.
Let’s Stop this Madness A T e a c h a b l e M o m e n t By Garrett Glaeser Columnist It has been a sad week for this school because of the mishandling of a situation revolving around a fortyyear-old yearbook photo. It has been a week of emotion, of conversation, of questions and many responses. Some have said that is a teachable moment for our campus community, a moment for us to grow from a mistake made forty years ago. I’d agree that it is, but not in the way it has been suggested. The implication that anti-Semitism was on our campus forty years ago, and still exists today, from one yearbook photo captured at a party is illogical. This has gotten so far out of hand that a man whom President Janet Morgan Riggs has heralded as one of the school’s most avid supporters over the years has felt the need to resign. This behavior is not what I expected to find at Gettysburg College and today is a day that I am not proud to be a Bullet. As college students, if we can’t handle seeing an image of a man in a costume bearing a swastika without feeling deeply disturbed, then I don’t think we belong in college. Furthermore to assume because he wore this costume, Mr. Garthwait is anti-Semitic is ignoring the many comments his classmates have shared about his character. Yesterday, an article in The Gettysburgian by Ben Pontz quoted many of the people present at the
function. Pontz quotes Dr. Steve Evans ’79, who said that in 1979 the swastika was “was a symbol of defeated Germany, of this horrible thing that happened that was crushed.” If the people at the time did not have any concern about the costume or the theme of the party then we shouldn’t be looking back and trying to create a problem where there isn’t one. In the original email we received Tuesday morning, we were told that we’d all find the image to be “deeply disturbing.” What I find to be disturbing is how the leadership of our college could have contextualized the photo but chose not to do so. It seems to me that we should emphasize the testimony of people who were there at the time over speculation by students and administrators 40 years later. Mr. Garthwait’s offer to resign from the Board was a gracious effort to minimize the impact of the release of the photo, but it should have been immediately rejected. The call to still do more after his departure is absurd. If Mr. Garthwait truly held anti-Semitic views, we would have heard about it by now. It appears Mr. Garthwait has been found guilty of being a college student at a party wearing a costume. Do our fraternities today not do the same thing? Are themed parties not a common occurrence nearly every weekend on our campus? Do the themes not reflect pop culture and TV shows just the same as it did in Mr.
Garthwait’s time here? We are told that whatever we post on social media will always be there, so let us be warned that it can be used for this kind of defamation in the future. Let us not forget that there are other individuals in that now infamous photo. Why was there no effort to reveal their identities? I believe the answer is very simple. Once Mr. Garthwait’s identity was uncovered, the individuals responsible saw an opportunity to topple a man in a position of influence. I do not know Mr. Garthwait, but I am a participant in the Leadership Certificate program that bears his name. To suggest that the Garthwait Leadership Center should no longer be named for its founding donor is appalling. Is leadership not based on redemption, on second chances, on one’s ability to understand a mistake, accept ownership of it, and move on for the better? What kind of message does that send to the students and faculty that work so hard to make the GLC as great as it is? For me this is an issue that doesn’t need to be an issue. It is a fabricated problem blown up by media attention and gossip. The suggestion that things need to change on campus to accommodate groups that feel marginalized because of this is unwarranted. Gettysburg College, has, is, and will continue to be a great place. Let us not allow this slandering of an alumnus to further damage our current experience and the legacy we leave behind.
By Jay Hauser Columnist Absolutely, Bob Garthwait should have resigned. As a Trustee, he represents the values of the college. Regardless of the time of his actions, he should not hold such a public position. Moreover, his qualification for his apology, a claim that in 1980, as a college sophomore, he “was not fully aware of the significance of those symbols,” is a highly unbelievable attempt to soften his wrongdoing. B u t M r . Garthwait’s situation is more interesting than the Virginia yearbook scandal. Unlike with Ralph Northam’s medical school photo, we have more information about the situation. His fraternity, Alpha Chi Rho, was throwing a Hogan’s Heroes-themed party. Hogan’s Heroes, a television sitcom on the air from 1965-1971, told the story of American soldiers stationed in a German POW camp, from which they sabotage the Nazis. Notably, many of the show’s cast members were Jews and veterans and the show never let the Nazi characters be seen in a positive light. In fact, Werner Klemperer, the German refugee and veteran who played Colonel Klink, explicitly stated, “If they ever wrote a segment whereby Colonel Klink would come out the hero, I would leave the show.” As to whether Hogan’s Heroes dealt with an appropriate situation for parody, the linked article has this to say: “Back when the cone of silence
still squelched much conversation about the genocide of the Jews, when it took three years to sell the first 3,000 copies of Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night—which has now sold over 10 million copies— no reasonable person believed that Hogan’s Heroes exonerated the Nazis. But laughing made the once unspeakable more discussable.” With this in mind, we can get to the real teachable moment of this situation. Is the fact that Mr. Garthwait was donning a Nazi uniform (including a Swastika) mitigated by the fact that he was doing so as part of a Hogan’s Heroesthemed party? I would say no. At best, this party was a celebration of a popular television show that went off the air nine years previous. But, unlike with the cast of Hogan’s Heroes, the party was presumably not made up of many Jewish individuals or veterans of World War II. After all, Gettysburg College stuck significantly more to its Lutheran roots back in 1980. Jewish students were less prominent on campus, but they still existed. A party involving presumablyChristian students dressing up as Nazis a mere 35 years after the Holocaust is incredibly insensitive, regardless of intention. Just as it is to this very day (and even more likely then), it is possible that Jewish students might know or be related to survivors of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. They didn’t need to be on a campus where swastikas are present outside of a
purely academic setting. As a Jewish student, I do not need this kind of reminder about the suffering of my people. B u t , l i k e with the other recent incidents regarding 1980s yearbooks, Mr. Garthwait did not act alone. There are others in the offending photograph. The party was hosted by a formal organization. Students attended. Dominant society as a whole, not just Mr. Garthwait, holds blame here. From this incident, we, as a campus, should consider how, without intent to harm, our actions can make othered students feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Moreover, we, like the rest of the country, should learn how to appropriately apologize for and help heal the injuries we have caused. Simply referring to changing times does not cut it as an excuse. Times change because people learn and grow, and such growth warrants good apologies for past actions that one now knows are wrong. T a k e M r . Garthwait. While his resignation is necessary and his apology was subpar, I do not doubt that he regrets his actions. He still can, and still should, take affirmative steps to turn his folly into a teachable moment that reflects on the complicated relationship between institutional decisions and our own individual culpability. Moreover, if he stays connected to the campus in less public ways, he can find ways to support minority students.
Request for Civility and Mutual Respect By Jessica Greenman Columnist Seeing just how much has already been said on the matter, I almost did not write this piece. The last thing I want to do is add more noise to our ever-louder world. However, I hope my fellow Gettysburgians will hear me out. I do not want to speak directly about the photograph in question. Some people have been shocked and offended by it,
some outraged that anyone would have such a reaction. Many fall somewhere in between. For the moment, I am not concerned with which reaction any individual has, not even myself. No matter what you believe about the photograph, one thing is certain: our community has been wounded by the discovery of this image. Whether it should have been or not is moot; the damage has been done. This is not the fault of Mr.
Sauers, nor Mr. Garthwait. Plenty of questions remain, chief among them, “what now?” I am troubled by the rift this image has pulled between members of the community, students and alumni alike. I am disappointed to read the vitriol that has appeared in response to folks voicing their opinions on the matter, including in response to this very publication. I care very deeply about this institution and the people who have made it
what it is today, and I am embarrassed to say that I expected better. If someone is offended by the Garthwait photo, even in context, I have no quarrel with them. The Nazi uniform and swastika are inseparable from a uniquely painful chapter in human history, and no amount of rationalizing can stop people from feeling affected by it. If someone is not offended by the Garthwait photo, despite its connotations, I have
no quarrel with them either. I have not met Mr. Garthwait, but after reading his message to the community I am convinced that he does not, in fact, support any part of Nazi ideology. For some, this is sufficient to justify his actions as a student, and no amount of explaining will make people feel affected by something they find benign. What I find unacceptable is our demonstrated willingness to rake our fellow
Gettysburgians over the coals for their reactions. If you have questioned the intelligence or character of any person based on their reaction to this photograph, I would urge you to reconsider—better yet, reach out in a more productive manner. S c h o l a r l y communities thrive on open, respectful discourse. The discovery of the Garthwait photo tested our ability engage in such conversations. How would you grade our response?
THE GETTYSBURGIAN
SPORTS Page 14
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Friday, March 1 2019
Women’s Lacrosse Looks to Three-peat, Bullet R a n k e d F i r s t i n P r e s e a s o n P o l l shot:
Steph Colson ‘19 (Photo courtesy of Gettysburg College) B y C andace M eans S taff W riter D u r i n g the 2017-2018 Women’s Lacrosse season, Steph Coulson was named All-Centennial Conference First Team and All-Metro Region First Team. She surpassed Gettysburg’s and the entire conference’s record for draw controls with 140. She was named the NCAA Division III Championship Most Outstanding Performer after leading the Bullets to their second consecutive national title. Going into her senior season, Coulson has picked up from where she left off. She tallied 10 draw controls, an assist, two ground balls, and caused two turnovers against Messiah College on February 21. A g a i n s t Stevenson on February 23, Coulson added another ground control, one goal, five assists, three ground balls, and caused two turnovers. I n a preseason video with Corey Jewart, Coulson gave the credit of her draw controls to junior, Courtney Patterson. “She’s so good at what she does, and sophomore Kerry McKeever on the other side of the circle always knows what she is doing. We really have to be working together, because it is a huge group effort, and we just pride ourselves on that everyone will be backing each other up,” said Coulson. Although the Bullets have lost a lot of key players from last year, Coulson is optimistic about this season. This season’s team hashtag is #battleready. To Coulson, this means that “everyone must be taking every practice and every play [seriously], and putting all of our effort into it, while never taking a day off.” The Bullets will continue their season at home on March 3 against Denison.
B y G arrett G laeser S taff W riter Entering the 2019 season, the Women’s Lacrosse team has arguably the highest expectations placed upon it, more than any other Gettysburg team this year. Having won back-to-back national championships in 2017 and 2018, the Bullets were ranked #1 in the DIII Preseason Poll and are the heavy favorites to repeat for a third straight year. “Obviously we’d love to do it again, but our goal is to just be better than yesterday and put out the best version of ourselves,” said Head Coach Carol Cantele who is now in her 27th year at the helm of the program. Echoing her coach, goaltender Bailey Pilder ’19 said, “I would love nothing more than graduating Gettysburg with a third National Championship, but I don’t like to think that far ahead…We need to make sure we are taking each day step-by-step and not taking any day for granted with these targets and expectations on our back.” In the past two seasons, the Bullets have been 42-5 with roughly a .89 win percentage, having won the Centennial Conference championship last year but losing it the year
Kerry McKeever ‘21 tallied three goals and six draw-controls against Stevenson. (Photo courtesy of David Sinclair)
prior. Entering the short preseason period, from coming back after break to the first scrimmages on February 16, Coach Cantele felt that it seemed faster than normal and that “we didn’t feel like we had established real chemistry yet.” “Preseason is always tough, and the mornings are always hard when you hear your alarm clock going off at a time you would not like, but it is always worth it in the end,” Pilder said. Kerry McKeever ’21 continued that sentiment, explaining
how the team was starting to show signs of how they were playing last year and getting a better sense of knowing where one another was on the field. So far this year the Bullets are 2-0, having beaten No. 16 Messiah 17-7 on February 21 and then pummeling Stevenson the following Saturday 17-3. Despite their early successes, the Bullets have plenty of tough competition left on their schedule, notably this weekend’s matchup with Denison, a mid-season test against Washington & Lee, and
a home game against perennial Final-Four contender TCNJ. “I think our players look to the Denison game as a good barometer for the season,” said Coach Cantele. Denison, currently 1-1 for the year, was champion of the NCAC conference last year and reached the NCAA tournament regional semifinals where the team fell to Salisbury 16-4. Last year, the Bullets defeated them 17-4. Also of note this year is the Bullets’ spring break game against Ithaca taking
place at the US Lacrosse national headquarters in Sparks, MD. “Having the chance to play at that facility and see the mus eu m w ill b e r eally special,” said McKeever. “We haven’t played Ithaca in a while so it will be interesting to play a team we don’t see a lot.” Arguably the two most important games will be the opportunity to avenge the team’s two losses last year against York and conference rival Franklin & Marshall. In looking the external pressure o f w i n n i n g a third consecutive championship, both the players and coaches expressed a thankfulness to be back on the field and the chance to spend another season together. “Being a part of the women’s lacrosse team is an amazing opportunity and a huge family,” said Pilder, “Everyone truly loves and respects one another,” said McKeever. The team will continue to rely on that family mentality throughout the year as they attempt to be the s econ d pr og ram in Division III history to be national champions for three consecutive years and would be the first to do it since TCNJ had a four-peat from 1993-6.
Manny Machado Signs with Padres
Machado’s deal is worth $300 million over 10 years. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons) By Hank Hahne Staff Writer 20, ESPN reported that Manny Machado signed the second-largest free agent contract in American sports history, behind Giancarlo Stanton’s $325 extension he signed with the Marlins during the 2014-2015 offseason. Machado’s contract with the Padres
is worth a guaranteed $300 million over the next ten years. The deal is unprecedented, and the situation leading up to it has been just as unique. The MLB free ag en t m ar k et h as b een booming this offseason, with several notable young superstars choosing not to renew contracts with their current teams. Along with Machado, who is 26, some
of the most talked about names this offseason are Bryce Harper, also 26, and Craig Kimbrel, who is 30 and will still have much of his career ahead of him. All the top names have had an abundance of speculation surrounding their futures, with Harper linked with the San Francisco Giants and Kimbrel with the Atlanta Braves. ESPN
reported that Machado had received other big money offers from many teams, most notably the Phillies, White Sox, and Yankees. However, Machado turned down an overall larger offer from the White Sox, and the opportunity to partner with big names like Giancarlo Stanton with the Yankees, in order to take more guaranteed money from the Padres, a move which has raised some eyebrows and drawn some criticism. Machado has been no stranger to criticism regarding his dedication to the game during his career. He was vilified during last year’s postseason with the Dodgers for his appeared lack of work ethic and comments that hustling is “not my cup of tea.” Machado could become a franchise legend if he brings success to the Padres, no matter how long he stays with the team. According to ESPN, the Padres, who have never won a World Series and haven’t even made the playoffs in the past 12 seasons are a challenge all their own. Rather than chasing championships, which is a move that would’ve seen its share of criticism as well (think Kevin Durant when he joined the Warriors), Machado is investing his talents in the long-term success of the Padres. If he brings that success, the glory will be much greater.
The move has other implications for the competitiveness of the MLB over the coming years. Recently, sports fans have seen super teams take over and wreak havoc on both the NFL and NBA in the form of the New England Patriots and Golden State Warriors, respectively. For fans other than those of these teams, their dominance has certainly diminished the entertainment of each season, with the same team reaching the championship (and often winning) year-after-year. Machado joining (and certainly improving) the Padres, rather than joining forces with another massive name like the Yankees, evens out the playing field to an extent and keeps things unpredictable. M a c h a d o ’ s decision could have an impact on the decisions of the aforementioned star free agents, as well as the teams making offers for them. We may see Harper and Kimbrel follow suit and offer to invest their talents in a developing project at what may be a less successful team within the league if the money can convince them. For those who might be getting tired of the continuing trend of dynasty teams in American sports recently, such moves will be very welcome.
This weekend in Gettysburg College Sports Saturday, March 1 Women’s Basketball vs. TBA - 5:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Christopher Newport - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 2 Men’s Lacrosse vs. Stevenson - 1:00 p.m. Women’s and Men’s Track & Field at Last Chance Meet
To get the full spring 2019 Athletic Calendar Visit gettysburgsports.com