The Bison - Vol. 86, No. 17

HU hosts talk on homosexuality

by LAUREN BUCHER features editor

The College of Bible and Religion hosted a presentation on homosexuality April 11-12 in the Administration Auditorium.

On April 11, a panel of four professors from the College of Bible and Religion explored the topic of what the Bible says about homosexuality.

“Dr. [David] Burks felt that we were being presented with a great opportunity, a time when people were asking important questions and were looking for some help in dealing with a very complex and controversial topic,” said Bruce McLarty, vice president of spiritual life, who moderated the panel. “Knowing that it is always right to return to the Bible for direction and that

Lights, glitter, action

it is always right to ‘speak the truth in love,’ the idea of having such a panel seemed to make perfect sense.”

A team of professors from the College of Bible and Relgion — Drs. Scott Adair Monte Cox, Kevin Youngblood, and Ken Neller— formed the panel. Each presenter discussed topics in their respective areas of expertise: the Old Testament, Jesus, Paul and the application in ministry.

Youngblood focused on the initial narrative of the Bible, the creation narrative, setting a context for the rest of the Old Testament scriptures about homosexuality. Youngblood said the order of creation — the distinct differences between males and females — was created by God and was an intentional design to open the door to communion with God.

-SEE PANEL PG. 2A

DEADLY STORM SWEEPS SOUTH

Eight reported dead in Arkansas, including Bald Knob 6-year-old

by KYLIE AKINS news editor

A powerful weather system spawned more than 240 tornadoes across 13 states as it traversed the U.S. April 14-16, according to a NASA report. With more than 40 dead in six states, a state of emergency has been declared by recovering counties across the South.

The storm, originating in the Pacific Ocean, gained power over land from last week’s warm weather and took its first casualty in Missouri and two more in Oklahoma Thursday, April 14. By the time the storm passed through Arkansas late Thursday night, it had produced seven tornadoes across the state and created powerful straightline winds in excess of 70 miles per hour. Seven deaths were reported in Arkansas, with straight-line winds sending large trees onto the homes of five victims, and tornadoes responsible for the death of a mother and son in Little Rock.

After reaching the Atlantic Ocean Saturday, April 17, the storm had taken seven more lives in Alabama, at least seven in Virginia and more than 20 in North Carolina. The significant loss of life in North Carolina might be at-

There are some people from Bald Knob who go to church with us, and they were talking about how sad it was and what a good kid that little kid was. I know God will take care of everything.

-Danny DeRamus director of Physical Resources

tributed to the unpreparedness of the state’s severe weather warning system, as the state sees on average 17 tornadoes a year compared to the more than 60 tornadoes that were spawned within the state April 16, according to the blog of severe weather expert Mike Smith.

Among the Arkansas deaths was 6-year-old Devon Adams, nephew of Aramark staff member Melba Schmidt, who was killed when a large tree fell on the family’s house in Bald Knob.

Danny DeRamus, director of Harding’s physical resource department, where Schmidt works, said he expressed his sympathy upon hearing of her nephew’s death.

“There are some people from Bald Knob who go to church with us, and they were talking about how sad it was and what a good kid that little

kid was,” DeRamus said. “I know God will take care of everything.”

Funeral services for Adams were held Wednesday afternoon in Bald Knob.

The system left a wide path of destruction, but Smith said in his weather blog it could have been much worse. With tornado watches issued more than 12 hours before the system moved through, weather services and social media played a critical role in severe weather safety, Smith said.

“There is no doubt that the effective forecasts and warnings likely saved hundreds of lives,” Smith said.

Harding’s campus did not emerge from the weather system untouched, with several large trees downed, blackouts in several buildings and debris scattered across campus.

-SEE STORMS PG. 2A

Pi Sigma Alpha commemorates world’s 9/11 victims

Flag fundraiser, embassies to provide flags for 10th anniversary

by SARAH KYLE editor in chief

Sept. 11, 2011, will mark the 10th anniversary of the day America stood still. To more than 50 countries, Sept. 11 will mark the 10th anniversary of the day they lost their countrymen and women on American soil.

Pi Sigma Alpha began a fundraiser yesterday to help commemorate the victims of every country affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

“It wasn’t just an attack against the United States but an attack against the world,” political science professor Mark Elrod said. “I think we need to be careful about approaching events like this as an exercise in patriotism. Obviously America took the brunt of the attack, but … I

-Mark

think by calling attention to the fact that this is a war against the civilized world, then anything we can do as Americans [to restore unity] is good and proper.”

The political science honor society plans to add 381 flags to this fall’s 9/11 flag memorial on the front lawn, an event organized by the American Studies Institute. -SEE FLAGS PG. 2A

photo by JON YODER | The Bison Hosts and hostesses Tori Wisely (freshman), Sam Barker (senior), Cameron Frazier and Caroline Snell (juniors) sing “When You’re an Addams” at dress rehearsal Tuesday night. For full coverage of Spring Sing and the weekend’s activities, see pages 2B, 3B and the Spring Sing edition insert.

photo by KYLIE AKINS | The Bison Storms and high winds last week blew down several trees across campus, including this one at the Harding House that fell on a resident’s car. Students and faculty spent Tuesday afternoon cleaning up branches and debris.

It wasn’t just an attack on the United States but an attack against the world.

Elrod political science professor

Business expert addresses future election, debt

MANA founder, CEO to speak at Midnight Oil

by KYLIE AKINS news editor by MALLORY DAVIS student writer

Midnight Oil is being transformed again Tuesday, April 26, into a discussion room when Mark Moore comes to offer his third “Stimulating Conversation.”

Moore, a 1990 alumnus, will discuss his role as a co-founder of Kibo Group International and also as co-founder and CEO of the young nonprofit Mother Administered Nutritive Aid.

The discussion will be from 3 to 5 p.m., and there will also be a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. for those wanting to learn more about Kibo Group and its projects.

Students present NASA research

by HEIDI TABOR student writer

Seven students from Harding presented oral reports of their NASA research at the 18th annual Arkansas Undergraduate Research Conference at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia April 1-2.

According to Dr. Ed Wilson, professor of chemistry, the conference featured presentations by undergraduate students from different fields of education and included religious presentations, as well as sociology and psychology studies. Other topics included poetry, history and mathematics.

Though the presentation topics for the conference were diverse, the students from Harding were mainly interested in the science and engineering talks. They had worked on their NASA research projects all school year and were well prepared to present the information, said senior presenter Matthew Irvine.

“The research process has been a yearlong project,” Irvine said. “After spending so much time with the material, it only took about a week to put together a presentation.”

Irvine, a member of the Harding Rocket Team, presented the group’s

research titled “Hybrid Rocket to Measure the Irradiance of the Sun.”

“The presentation covered the details of the Harding Rocket Team’s work with the testing of atmospheric properties at varying elevations,” Irvine said.

Presentations of this kind give students experience in their future profession and give the opportunity to practice presenting their research to a group.

“It helps them develop communication skills, and it informs other scientists and students in the state what their project was and its significance,” Wilson said. “It also helps them to get better fellowships if they go to graduate school or better jobs if they enter the workforce.”

Recognition for their hard work and connections with future education and job contacts were not the only benefits of presenting their research at a conference like the AURC. They also used the time to celebrate their academic achievement.

“As a senior, presenting the work felt like a major academic milestone before moving on into the industry,” Irvine said. “It gave me confidence about my abilities to compete with engineers from other major universities.”

The presentations were successful

PANEL: Harding leaders address homosexuality

CONTINUED FROM

PG. 1A

“The whole created order is organized around God’s desire to be near us and to be in that kind of relationship with us,” Youngblood said.

Adair said that while Jesus is silent about the issue of homosexuality, he concluded that there are only two options: either to be in a heterosexual marriage relationship or to be single. Churches have a tendency to react to this issue in two ways, according to Adair.

“Way over on the left, churches tend to increase the number of lifestyles they endorse,” Adair said. “Way over on the right, churches reduce the number of people that they love because they refuse to change their moral standards, and what both of these churches have in common is the assumption that we are only able to love those whose lifestyles we endorse. Jesus, I believe, shows us a third way. Jesus is able to love beyond his boundaries, and we need to be able to love beyond our boundaries.”

Neller discussed Paul’s teaching on human sexuality, how it is to be limited to the marriage relationship and any sexual relationship outside of marriage — heterosexual or homosexual — is not in line with God’s will. Cox stressed the importance of understanding the differing worldviews within which people operate,

that not everyone shares the same fundamental assumptions about the world and Scripture.

During the second night’s panel, Suzanne Casey of the Harding Counseling Center, Ken Cameron, Ph.D., and professor of psychology, and Robert Channing, a graduate of Harding’s marriage and family therapy program, joined the first night’s panel on stage and spoke about Christians’ response to homosexuality.

Approximately 600 to 700 people attended the panel the first night, and 500 people attended the second night, according to McLarty.

“There was a wide variety of people who attended: students for whom this is an intensely personal issue, students who care deeply for a roommate, a sibling or friend for whom this is a personal issue, parents, elders and an impressive number of Harding faculty and staff members,” McLarty said.

The student response to the panel has been positive, according to McLarty. Currently, there are no plans for future presentations on this issue for this semester.

DVD recordings of the two panel presentations on homosexuality last week can be ordered from Video Services by contacting Mark Prior (mprior@harding.edu). The cost is $10. These presentations will also be available on iTunesU by Monday.

and served as a good representation of the potential of students at Harding, Wilson said.

“I was very proud of our students and the way they conducted themselves and the quality of their presentations,” Wilson said. “These experiences will help them as they develop into successful young scientists and engineers.”

Wilson has organized and advised students in working with NASA research for more than 20 years. He has also been instrumental in bringing the NASA Space Grant Program to Arkansas.

“I was one of the original committee members from the state of Arkansas that wrote the initial proposal to get a NASA Space Grant Program started here in the state,” Wilson said. “We were successful, and this provided funds for about nine colleges and universities in the state to carry out undergraduate research.”

Wilson accompanied students from the Harding Rocket Team while they traveled to present the same research April 16-17 in Huntsville, Ala., at the NASA USLI competition and will present again at the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium April 22. The space grant is a major contributor of support for many of the research projects at Harding University.

STORMS: Severe weather brings destruction to South

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1A

DeRamus described the damage as most likely caused by straight-line winds, with the larger trees, including an estimated 60-year-old white oak by Kendall dorm, falling primarily because of damaged or diseased roots, an estimated $3,000 in damages to campus roofs and two student cars crushed by large tree limbs.

“I feel like we were pretty lucky,” DeRamus said. “The grounds crew and Buddy Weeks have worked really hard trying to prepare for the big group of kids coming at the end of the week. It’s a big deal for Harding and for all of us. We just want to put it back as normal as possible. It’s just a lot of ground to cover in a short period of time after such a traumatic experience.”

About 40 Harding students, faculty and staff participated Tuesday in helping the physical resource staff clean up the smaller limbs and debris across campus before another line of storms hit the area later that evening.

Those who would like to organize efforts for those affected by the storms can contact Kylie Akins at kakins@harding.edu.

Advanced Video Production course projects in progress

Student participates in “Campus Leaders Today, Community Leaders Tomorrow”

Pi Sigma Alpha earns honorable mention at Model Arab League Bison cheerleaders selected for 2011-2012 athletic season

Champion’s Corner: Jeremy Bohnett gets back in the game

“HOP” plot cute but not lasting

As well as having a hand in Kibo’s creation in 1998, Moore served in eastern Uganda as a developmental missionary for nearly 10 years.

He has also worked as Legislative Fellow and Africa Specialist in the U.S. Senate for Senator Mary Landrieu; Africa analyst for the Science Applications International Corporation; and policy director for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

Moore visited Harding’s campus March 17, 2010, to speak in chapel about

the launch of MANA, a nonprofit dedicated to malnutrition solutions, and challenged students to participate in a 24-hour fast to raise awareness of worldwide hunger.

“Last year when Mark Moore came to speak on campus, I left feeling really inspired,” senior dietetics major Andrea Archer said.

“The creativity and passion he brings to help the poor people in Africa is amazing. He has touched so many lives; it makes me believe one person can make an impact on the world. The message of Kibo Group is strong and brings hope.”

Less than a year later, MANA began distribution of its staple peanut-butter-like Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food in Rwanda to mothers of malnourished children, with future plans of creating sustainable RUTF production centers in Rwanda and the U.S.

Kibo Group works specifically with the people of East Africa as the head of several developmental projects in poverty-stricken areas. The development organization funds innovative solutions to poverty and injustice, such as microloan banks, farm development, health education, resource centers, clean water solutions and women empowerment projects.

FLAGS: Front lawn to host world flags for 9/11 victims

CONTINUED FROM

PG. 1A

“Last year, the ASI put out a memorial of 3,000 flags, and one of the things that I, and some of my students, took note of was that they were all American flags,” Elrod said. “I suggested to Pi Sigma Alpha … that we complete that memorial next year for the 10th anniversary by acquiring the flags of those countries to honor all the victims of 9/11 as accurately as we can.”

Pi Sigma Alpha President Andrew English said the memorial is not intended to lessen America’s loss but rather to respect and honor the losses of other countries as well.

“Displaying non-American flags on the front lawn shows respect for the lives lost on 9/11, regardless of nationality, which is how I think Jesus would prefer us to represent him,” English said. “Nationality doesn’t matter to God. We don’t mean to detract from the Americans lost; we simply want to include the non-Americans with their respective flags displayed.”

With the blessing of Bob Reely, associate executive director of ASI, Elrod and his students began planning this weekend’s fundraiser and next fall’s international

flag memorial.

To raise money for the 381 additional flags, Pi Sigma Alpha will return to the student center today with eight flags — France, Australia, Chile, Italy, Zambia, Great Britain, People’s Republic of China and Greece — for students to “vote” for by donating spare change and bills to a jar by each flag.

Elrod said that the students who donated to each flag will be eligible to win that flag in a raffle should their flag win.

Each flag costs $3.94 to purchase, but Elrod said Arkansas Flag and Banner has volunteered to help the cause by giving the group a discount on 200 or more flags.

Pi Sigma Alpha has also contacted the embassies of each country for flag donations. As of Wednesday, Elrod said, Brazil, Canada, Haiti, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland have provided the total number of flags for their country.

International Programs also donated the 10 Italian flags needed for the memorial. Elrod said those unable to participate in today’s fundraiser can contact him about making a personal monetary or flag donation. He may be contacted at elrod@harding.edu.

Associated Women for Harding & Classic Fare Catering invite you to

April 30, 1-4 p.m.

Admission: $5 Vendor

photo by JON YODER | The Bison Forbes Media CEO and Chairman Steve Forbes speaks in the Benson Auditorium April 7 on the topic, “Is the American Nation in Decline? Why the 2012 Election is so Important.” During Forbes’ third visit to Harding, he addressed the U.S. financial crisis and the upcoming presidential election.

OPINIONS

STAFF LIST

sarah kyle editor in chief

elumba ebenja

business manager

carly kester head copy editor

kylie akins news editor

j.m. adkison sports editor

lauren bucher features editor

jess ardrey opinions editor

tiffany p. jones web editor

caleb rummel jon yoder photographers

henrique ruiz graphic designer aerial whiting

asst. copy editor

zach decker editorial assistant

savannah lee

web assistant

katie ramirez faculty adviser

GUEST WRITERS

michael claxton

alan elrod

brandon higgins

monique jacques

heidi tabor

gabrielle pruitt

katie swann

whitney dixon

mallory davis

blake muncy

kristi soto stacy hall

laura chambers

hannah robison

At the Bison, it is our goal to serve the Harding University student body with integrity, truth and open ears. However, we believe that meeting that goal is a two-way street between our staff and the public it serves.

We pledge to keep our eyes and ears open to what our community has to say and hope that, in return, that community will be an interactive audience, sharing its stories with us. We also pledge to do the basics: report accurate and relevant information, check our facts, and share them in a professional, integrable manner.

If you have any story ideas, questions, comments or concerns for the Bison staff, please e-mail Sarah Kyle, the editor in chief, at skyle@harding.edu .

“The Bison (USPS 577-660) is published weekly (except vacations, exams and summer sessions), 18 issues per year, by Harding University. Periodicals postage paid at Searcy, Arkansas 72143.

POSTMASTER:

staff editorial

It may be difficult for those of you in Spring Sing shows, but the weeks leading up to Spring Sing are pretty crazy in the Bison office as well. Are we dancing … er, I mean, choreographing?

Actually, some us are, but the majority of us are not. Our task is a little different: We have to make sure everything you are doing gets covered in this issue, the pinnacle of the spring semester.

For the past two weeks (actually, the entire semester if you count brainstorming), we have been working tirelessly to make this issue one of our best. This week, don’t consider us the Bison.

Consider us the “Spring Sing Field Guide.” You’ve probably already noticed the map insert, so go ahead and give that to a lost visitor so he or she can attend all the fun. We have tons of information about each club show, the hosts and hostesses, and the “behind-the-scenes” guys in our Spring Sing spread on pages 2B and 3B. Want to know how the Harding student body feels about Spring Sing? Turn the page and check out our poll.

However, while this issue is focused on Spring Sing, there’s still a lot of campus and worldrelated news to find. So much, in fact, that we had an overflow. Don’t miss any of the news — if it isn’t in the paper, it will be on our website, the Link. For a full list of Link-only stories, check out the box on page 2A.

We hope you enjoy this special edition of the Bison. If you see any blood, sweat or tears, just know that we made this issue with everything we had.

With Love,

The 2010-2011 Bison Staff

Bisons for Christ: Plagued With Good Intention

Idon’t believe it is a coincidence that Harding University, a school mostly composed of privileged 20-somethings with passion for life and vigor for the message and person of Jesus Christ, has been placed at the center of a wonderful community, but one that does not lack major struggles and needs, including a widespread drug problem.

Even the people of White County who have no connection to Harding know that it is a university based on Christian principles; they must, considering chapel on TV16, the surge of people for our annual Bible lectureship and the signs reading “Faith, Learning, Living” on Race Street and Beebe Capps.

Four years ago, Bisons for Christ was formed as a result of the Student Association’s seeking an avenue to actively display the love of Jesus to that very community, but today I believe the message has been muddied.

I do not want to discredit a specific day dedicated to the Lord. I am supportive of this, especially because Israel had days each year devoted to certain activities or meanings for the glory of the Lord. I am, however, hesitant to call an entire day “devoted” when it is merely three hours at the end of an otherwise ordinary day. To me, this seems more like an item on a to-do list that we are rushing to mark off.

Bisons for Christ strives to be the manifestation of what we learn daily in our Bible classes, and in a way, it is. But for some reason, in my eyes, it doesn’t add up. Are we not called to bring the first fruits? If we are setting this day up as an offering, should it not be the whole tithe? It sends a mixed message: “Yes, we are devoted to service and want to prove it to the world by planning, for months in advance, a consecrated day to serving the needy of the community, but it is only going to last for about three hours, and then we are going to get together to feed and honor all of

Guest Space

I am, however, hesitant to call an entire day “devoted” when it is a mere three hours at the end of an otherwise ordinary day. To me, this seems more like an item on a to-do list that we are rushing to mark off.

the servers for their hard work.”

I participated in a few of the planning committee meetings this year, and when I asked why the day of service was not a full day, I was told it was because it would get in the way of academics. We sit and learn every day, but if we are not able to place more value on the application of the lessons learned, especially concerning love in action, than the lessons themselves, perhaps we should readjust our focus.

I propose that instead of having a few hours a year dubbed as our special outreach time, we promote service as an ongoing and integrated part of everyday life. That is the original foundation of Bisons for Christ, and it is a great one, but I believe the walls are cracked and the roof is leaky. Instead of

walls made of straw (three hours of outreach) we could use bricks — a weekly, biweekly or monthly project.

If a committee compiled a list of ongoing projects available at the beginning of the school year, groups could form in the same way as Bisons for Christ and students could sign up for a project that would be their responsibility throughout the year. This would allow us to share more than just one day of service. Group members could form ongoing relationships that make way for opportunities to share the intricacies of a personal faith.

Spring break missions provide students the means to reach people by giving them something they need, which often leads to filling spiritual needs. Imagine if our community’s needs became a student’s four-year mission.

With a setup like this, it would make sense for the spring semester to culminate in a campuswide day of service involving all students in their regular group outreach. At the end of a full day, perhaps a Saturday or Sunday so as to not interfere with academics, those who have been touched through this new Bisons for Christ yearlong program would be invited to receive a meal and participate in a devotional focused on Christ’s life of servitude.

So, you want to send a message of love with the names Jesus and Harding University stamped across it? Then go ahead, be over the top and make them take notice, but be sure it doesn’t seem like an afterthought. Let us take advantage of the rich blessings we are surrounded by people of like mind and spirit, to better the world around us.

MONIQUE JACQUES is a guest contributor for the Bison. She may be contacted at mjacques@harding.edu

Spring Sing in the Sports World

If you’re like me, you can readily pop off sports analogies pertaining to everyday life; it’s kind of how life and the sports world mesh together. If a student enters a final exam with an A and fails the final to lower his grade to a B you might say he fumbled at the goal line. Or, if you know exactly what you want at a restaurant until you change your mind when the waitress tells you the specials, you read the coverage and audibled at the line of scrimmage.

I work in the admissions office at Harding, so I was recently getting some stuff together for Spring Sing weekend when it dawned on me: Spring Sing is almost exactly like the sports world. The characters are the same, the storylines are the same; it’s really uncanny if you think about it. Here is a list of how Spring Sing translates to the sports world.

1. Dynasties: The recent accomplishments of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team have helped an old dynasty resurface. Recently, the UConn women broke the record for consecutive college basketball wins set by John Wooden’s UCLA men’s teams in the early-to-mid ’70s. Those UCLA teams dominated parts of two decades, winning 88 consecutive games in the midst of compiling seven consecutive NCAA titles.

I never thought I’d say this, but UCLA and Ju Go Ju/Ko Jo Kai

The Cutie

brandon higgins

Guest Space

Pie/Ladybug connection dominated the early 2000s in Spring Sing just like UCLA slaughtered teams in its time. UCLA was able to get superstars like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton, while JGJ/KJK recruited all the best cheerleaders and dance squad members from the southeastern part of the United States to fuel their championship fire. The rafters of the Benson Auditorium are riddled with the retired costumes of all the girls who were named Spring Sing National Directors of the Year. That takes dedication, as well as the propensity to take Spring Sing way too seriously. And here is a shout-out to the 2009 TNT and Zeta Rho squad that ended their streak of consecutive titles with a recordsetting performance, which just goes to show that if you flirt with each other enough during practice for four months, you’ll eventually win Spring Sing.

2. The lingering athlete: We all know when an athlete sticks around too long. They still have respect, but you’re left wondering why in the world they are still out there

I’m looking at you, Pi Theta Phi, Iota Chi, Gamma Sigs and friends. In an upset story for the ages, their 2010 performance shocked the world as they defeated Spring Sing’s most storied programs to hoist whatever trophy it is that they hoist to the tune of “United We Stand.” Sure beats cutting down the nets.

trying to play. Shaquille O’Neal is a prime example. The big guy needs to give it up, and so do certain Spring Sing Hall of Famers who have been in ensemble for the last decade. You know the type; they were superstars in their prime, but now you see them on the court or on the stage and think, “What is there left to prove?” Sometimes you just have to know when to let the young stars shine and after more than a decade in the limelight, it’s time to hang up the colored Keds.

3. The underdog: March Madness

always thrives with underdog stories like Butler, Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason, but one of the top underdog stories of all time is the 1985 Villanova Wildcats. The Wildcats entered the NCAA basketball tournament as an 8-seed and trudged their way to a national title, surprising the nation.

I’m looking at you, Pi Theta Phi, Iota Chi, Gamma Sigs, Delta Nu and friends. In an upset story for the ages, their 2010 performance shocked the world as they defeated Spring Sing’s most storied programs to hoist whatever trophy it is that they hoist to the tune of “United We Stand.” Sure beats cutting down the nets.

The comparisons are endless. You have the four-year starters like Tyler Hansbrough compared to four-time hostesses like Jillian Shackleford. You have legacy families like Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning compared to Spring Sing siblings like Travis and Victoria Wisely, all of whom had siblings who settled for endeavors outside the family business.

Hop on board, sports fans. Spring Sing is here, and it’s just as thrilling and drama-filled as our beloved sports.

But not really.

BRANDON HIGGINS is a guest contributor for the Bison. He may be contacted at bhiggins@harding.edu

monique jacques

Spring Sing

Abustling stage. White-hot lights. Costumes in colors you’ve never seen before. Elaborate hairstyles. Glitter covering every single orifice.

No, you haven’t walked into a Vegas venue. Cher isn’t about to prance onto the scene. This is much bigger.

This. Is Spring Sing.

Oh, yes. It’s that magical time of year when the birds are singing, the bees are buzzing and social clubs (and friends) are busting a collective move.

You always know when Spring Sing is on its way. The weather changes, the pollen descends and people start to get crazy.

Flu shot. Check. Allergy meds.

Got ’em. Asthma steroids. Every day. My box of medications overfloweth. The one thing it lacks, however, is the vaccine for Spring Fever.

Students flock to the front lawn to read, play Ultimate Frisbee and lie out in the sunshine, despite the wicked tan lines one gets from tanning in Harding-appropriate attire.

That is, until 7 o’clock. Bros, grab your now-sleeveless function tees. Bettys, pull on your leggings and shorts, and don’t forget to sport your ponytails and headbands. It’s business time. It’s Spring Sing practice.

It started in January, for the lucky ones. Since then, you’ve become a well-oiled machine, much to the painstaking work of the directors.

(Seriously, you couldn’t pay me to …

Oh, what’s that you say? You’ve got a chicken biscuit with my name on it? You drive a hard bargain, sir …)

You never thought you’d sing lyrics about cowboys and Indians to a Bon Jovi song, much less accidentally sing them instead of the real words two years later. You’ve timed your go-point in the ripple with precise science. You’ve perfected the step-ball-change. You know what a step-ball-change is.

You’re a new animal. But be forewarned, once a song is used in your Spring Sing show, it’s ruined. Well, maybe not ruined, per se, but I can assure you that I can no longer hear “Chain Hang Low” without thinking about gangster elephants. Gangster elephants. That’s just ridiculous.

It also means that literally five years from now, a song in this year’s show will come on the radio and you will turn to the nearest person, excitedly tell them about the song, and then proceed to explain the minute details of the whole production, including the time Lisa totally started that ripple a whole measure early, how embarrassing.

And that’s probably the best part of Spring Sing, the memories. Of course those routines to Britney Spears numbers won’t come in handy in the real world. You knew that coming in. It will definitely help with your people skills, however. Nothing could be worse than putting on a happy face to that kid in front of you during the final number who you’re certain hasn’t showered since spring break.

That’s what makes coming back special. Alumni have been there. They’ve had the called-at-the-lastminute practices. They’ve worn the atrocious costumes. They’ve walked down the sidewalk preceded by a wave of hairspray to make that bouffant stay perfectly cemented in place. However, that may have just been because it was the 1970s.

Now it might be the fumes, but with my flair for the clairvoyant, I foresee Harding in a legal battle. The cause of the conflict? The long string of lawsuits brought against HU because of glitter-induced blindness.

Seriously. That stuff is no joke. My freshman year, I lived on a hall that also housed some girls in the Zeta Rho show. The girls’ shoes were covered with the red stuff. For days, weeks even, I found myself inexplicably dotted with red glitter.

But all sparkles aside, love it or hate it, Spring Sing is a good time. So go ahead. Put on your Keds. Tie up your hair. Slather on that bright red lipstick.

But for the love of all things holy, keep that glitter away from me.

JESS ARDREY serves as the opinions editor for the 2010-2011 Bison. She may be contacted at jardrey@harding.edu

I Never Went On Crusade

erusalem: It’s one of the most storied and coveted cities in the world. Considering that Harding has an overseas program that sends students there three times a year, it’s also one of the most visited. Since it’s a Christian school, most people who have yet to go seem to count themselves like someone from New Jersey who’s never seen Bruce Springsteen in concert. However, this need was something that eluded me for a long time. That seems like a weird thing for a Christian to say, but let me explain. Partly, I’ve never thought it looked attractive. You can disagree; it’s fine. Paint your entire neighborhood various shades of beige and white if you want. I’m sure a tumbleweed will make itself at home there. Still, there’s more to it than that.

When I think about Jerusalem, I think about dust. In my mind it’s lying over everything like a thin layer of history, the dead skin of an ancient place. I imagine walking through it, the grainy particles adhering to my sweaty legs and feet, and realize what it meant when Christ commanded his apostles to shake off the dust of any town that rejected them. Each individual grain bears the nature and substance of all who have tread on it. The soil connects you to a place, to a people, and binds

alan elrod

Guest Space

you to them. Walk where Jesus walked? To wander about, letting that same dust cling to my skin, convicting my unconviction, fails to register the expected response. I picture the footsteps of Jesus preserved like fossilized dinosaur tracks. You could put your foot inside and compare shoe sizes. But there aren’t any, not even those black shoeprints that cartoon detectives always peel off the ground to inspect with a magnifying glass.

I’m aware of how much of this is self-contradiction. I’ve spent four years here studying history. I’ve always imagined that, when brushing against brick walls or trailing my hand along banisters, I was touching fingertips with the past through some lingering, well-aged particle. Man was brought from dust and back to dust goes. In Jerusalem, my mind turns to questions of nature and Chalcedon and I push my hands deep into my pockets.

Mark Strand has a poem in

The soil connects you to a place, to a people, and binds you to them.

Walk where Jesus walked? To wander about, letting the same dust cling to my skin, convicting my unconviction, fails to register the expected response.

I picture the footsteps of Jesus preserved like fossilized dinosaur tracks.

which he says, “In a field, I am the absence of field … Wherever I am, I am what is missing. When I walk I part the air and always the air moves in to fill the spaces where I have been.” Imagining myself there in that city, I bend space around me but do not join it. This is holy land, holy ground, and I’m not lion-hearted. I would

James Robert Claxton

There used to be a humor columnist for the Atlanta Journal and Constitution named Lewis Grizzard. He was a hardened Southerner, seldom politically correct, and almost never a model of good behavior. He once spent an entire column listing the various levels of intoxication. The lowest level was what he called “cryin’-about-your-daddy drunk.”

While the strongest thing I’ve ever sipped was some iced tea that sat too long in the sun, I have been crying about my daddy.

My father was born during the Great Depression, but he never seemed to let that word set the tone for his life. His father owned a printing company in Atlanta, and his mother was a homemaker and full-time saint. From his father, my dad learned a head for business, a heart for God and a pocket for friends and strangers in need. From his mother, he learned the gentleness and compassionate spirit that would define him always. He and his sister would grow up to share so many things in common, including a love for antiques and a talent for teaching Sunday school.

As a young man he was handsome and athletic, a basketball player at Roosevelt High School in Atlanta. He transferred to David Lipscomb High School in Nashville to play ball, and it didn’t take long for him to fall in love with a beautiful cheerleader. They were so attached that when Dad’s sister got engaged, he sent a postcard home to his parents saying he couldn’t make it to the wedding because he had a date. One firm phone call straightened that out, but from then on, Barbara Louise would be his highest earthly priority. He was only kidding later, on their 20th anniversary, when he told his mother-in-law, “Bea, you had her for 20 years. Now I’ve had her for 20 years. I think it’s your turn again.” Mom knew how he truly felt, and that cheerleader is still his biggest fan.

Dad worked as a printer for five decades,

He had his faults. He bought stuff at the flea market and then hid it in the garage. He was hooked on ice cream and could often be found in a recliner, with a towel over his chest and a gallon of vanilla halfempty. He yelled too loud at basketball games. He ate potted meat sandwiches.

building a reputation for integrity and quality work, in that order. He labored tirelessly and used his profession to serve God at every turn. He printed free materials for churches and missionaries, often working late into the night in order to beat a deadline before the plane left for New Zealand or Europe. He had a head for numbers but a heart for people, and he was loved by customers, sales reps and clients alike. He ran vintage equipment in the plant, and when the company bought a new digital paper cutter, he took that as his cue to retire.

Dad supervised the building of the Hillcrest

lie down with England and Judah, myself barely a sheep in wolves’ clothing: a sheep comforted by too many shepherds’ staffs to follow any.

Staring at a photograph, looking at that baked brown landscape and sizzling sunlight rippling and rebounding off of a golden dome and a thousand cars, I remember how much I hate summer and all its dust-speckled heat. I realize why lost people wander in deserts; it is because the lukewarm don’t get found. It stirs my dispassion and rouses my disinterest. Holy ground, holy land, but what about Holy Spirit? That’s the turn. Wherever something is not, the Holy Spirit is. In my absence of faith and flame, God can enter. Here, where Jerusalem is not, I am it. My friends are the torn and divided history of man, the parched deserts, the expansive heavens and the love of God. The temple that some would rebuild already stands inside of you. Here’s to pilgrims’ progress.

ALAN ELROD is a guest contributor for the Bison. He may be contacted at aelrod@harding.edu

Church of Christ in Atlanta, directed its Bible School and later served other congregations as a deacon and Bible teacher. His wisdom and light touch gained him the respect and affection of anyone who knew him. I don’t know how many people he has helped in his lifetime with money. He never kept a very good record of debts, which sounds a lot like Paul’s famous definition of love.

He had his faults. He bought stuff at the flea market and then hid it in the garage. He was hooked on ice cream and could often be found in a recliner, with a towel over his chest and a gallon of vanilla half-empty. He yelled too loud at basketball games. He ate potted meat sandwiches. If this seems like a pretty harmless list of faults, you’ve never smelled a potted meat sandwich.

Dad had the most delightful sense of humor. I last visited him in the nursing home in Georgia during spring break. One afternoon when I was feeding him, he took my hand and pulled it close to his face. I thought, “Oh how sweet. He’s going to kiss my hand.” Instead, he wiped his mouth on my wrist. And then he laughed and laughed.

We were so blessed by his devotion to us. In his final weeks, when he was not always coherent, he had moments of clarity. In one of them, he said this to my mother, “You’re my treasure. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I want you to be happy.” It was the tender way he had treated her for 55 years. To his children, he was our model, our hero, our supporter and occasionally, our partner in crime. I’d say more, but I’m out of Kleenex.

So I’ll simply tell God, “We had him for 75 years. I think it’s your turn again.”

My favorite part is the actual Spring Sing show. It’s cool to see my friends up there, and the visual effects are always good.

john shrable [junior]

Mighty Morphin' Me

I would like to take you back into my past, all the way back to 2002, when I was but a young, feisty and awkward 12-year-old who thought it would be great to follow in the footsteps of his favorite action heroes, the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, by taking up tae kwon do. I know, I know, the Power Rangers were all about karate and Mixed Martial Arts with their zords, but tae kwon do was cheaper at the YMCA.

My first tae kwon do lesson went a little something like this: I was in my little, loose dobok (the white uniform students wear) with my beginner’s white belt tied around my waist (which looked more like an albino Ju Go Ju bow than the uniform knot) standing in the second row of the class, self-conscious about my smelly, bare feet.

The lesson naturally started off with stretching. Except this sort of stretching was not like soccer practice, where you pull your heel up to your bottom or try to touch your toes. Rather, I ended up on my back with legs caught in a pretzel and my left arm somehow locked between my left knee and right heel. Fortunately, the 40-yearold dad next to me was in the same predicament.

Lesson One: Learn to be flexible.

The lessons were overseen by the Sensei, of course. However, if you are imagining a Mr. Miyagi, you are dead wrong. I was taught by none other than Sensei Deborah, a frumpy, middle-aged mom with a short temper and zero tolerance for kids who joined tae kwon do because they were inspired by the Power Rangers.

Lesson Two: Do not get on your Sensei’s bad side.

Most of the lesson was committed to practicing your kicks and blocking with a partner. I would always team up with my friend, Raven. Of course, being 12, I was somewhere around 4 feet 5 inches, while she was nearing 5 feet 5 inches and was all legs at this time. When we began practicing the round-house kick, I was in for a bit of surprise, to the face.

Lesson Three: Do not fight a girl who has longer legs than you. She will win. While I still can’t even touch my toes and I only got to yellow belt, which is the belt above the white belt, I did learn a worthwhile lesson.

Lesson Four: It’s always good to get out there and try something new.

Lesson Four is the only lesson I have really abided by, but I feel like that is how every sport begins. You start out nervous, self-conscious and feeling like the least talented person on the team. But then you start training, get into the routine, and then before you know it, you have morphed into an athlete with self-confidence, skill and some sick moves.

J.M. ADKISON serves as the sports editor for the 20102011 Bison. He may be contacted at jadkiso1@harding.edu

| Vol. 86 No. 17 | April 22, 2011 | thelink.harding.edu |

Men's soccer hires new coach

by J.M. ADKISON sports editor

Jeremy Bishop, alumnus of Harding’s December 1997 class, was hired Wednesday, April 13, as the new head coach for the men’s soccer team. After 10 years of coaching both men’s and women’s soccer teams, head coach Greg Harris will now be coaching only the women’s soccer team.

“I have known Jeremy since 1994. I’d already played four years of college soccer at Queen’s College in Charlotte, N.C., and I joined the Harding club team when I arrived here,” Harris said. “Jeremy was playing on that team at the time and I have played with and coached against him since. I recommended a handful of coaches that I thought fit what we were looking for at Harding. Jeremy fit everything in [Harding’s] criteria.”

Bishop said he usually played both center midfield and center forward when he played soccer for Harding. After graduating, he became assistant coach for the University of Central Arkansas. In 2002, he began the men’s soccer program at Lyon College in

Batesville, working there until 2008 as the men’s head coach and women’s assistant coach.

Bishop said he was excited to be joining Harding’s coaching staff and was looking forward to getting to know his players over the rest of the spring and at summer camps. He said his coaching style focuses on simply making sure the whole team understands what each player’s purpose is.

“I make sure the guys know what we are trying to do as a team, that they know what our philosophy is,” Bishop said. “It is important to know what the defenders are doing and why they do it, just as it is important for the team to know what the midfielders are doing and why they need to do it. If everyone knows what he needs to do and what his teammates need to do, then they can work together much better and strive for cohesiveness.”

Harding Athletic Director Greg Harnden said Harding could now afford to hire another soccer coach, especially now that the soccer program has grown so much.

“It is not unusual in many sports for both men’s and women’s teams to have one

head coach, such as the track and tennis team,” Harnden said. “But the sport has evolved from what it was 12 or 14 years ago. It is much more competitive and much more serious.”

Harris said he is looking forward to working with Bishop and not having to juggle both teams at once.

“My strategy [for coaching] won’t change much, but I will be able to pay a lot closer attention to detail,” Harris said. “I’m looking forward to being able to do my job more thoroughly with one team. I look forward to watching Jeremy help our men’s program grow. More time with my wife and kids is a huge benefit of this move.” Harnden said he knew Harris and Bishop would work well as a team, comparing them to basketball coaches Jeff Morgan and Tim Kirby.

“Coach Kirby and Coach Morgan share a gym, they support each other, they get along and they have confidence in each other,”Harnden said.“And that relationship carries over into [their] teams, which is a real positive influence. I think [Bishop] will continue to do what Coach Harris has done and add his own strengths.”

Lady Bisons 'Fight Like A Girl' for teammate

by LAURA CHAMBERS guest writer

Tomorrow, April 23, the women’s basketball team will host the 4Kendra 4K Race at Harding Academy at 8 a.m. to support a former Lady Bison who was diagnosed with cancer. Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach David Walker, Head Athletic Trainer Ronnie Harlow and his wife Angie Harlow decided to organize the event in honor of Kendra Bailey, who played for the Lady Bisons from 2002 to 2004.

Although Walker and the Lady Bisons hope to give financial help to Bailey and her husband, they said their main goal is to show her that she is not alone.

“The Lady Bison family encompasses more than just what we do on the floor and extends past a player’s eligibility,” Walker said. “If

we can’t be here for Kendra, we aren’t doing our job.”

Walker, who met Bailey for the first time at a basketball game this year, said he was motivated to create a fundraiser for her after hearing the Rascal Flatts song “I Won’t Let Go.” He and Harlow borrowed the idea for the 4K from the Women’s Basketball Association that started a 4K in memory of Coach Kay Yow (North Carolina State University), who died of breast cancer in 2009. They wanted to schedule the race during Spring Sing weekend so the alumni and other visitors who come to campus will be able to participate.

When Harlow told her about the 4K, Bailey said she felt overwhelmed by the news.

“At first I was in disbelief at the fact that someone would organize an entire event for my family and

me, but knowing the hearts of Ronnie, Angie and my Lady Bison basketball team, this didn’t come as too big of a surprise,” Bailey said. “I am excited to come back to Harding and see some old teammates and friends and to be able to put faces with the names of people who are praying for me.”

As soon as Bailey finished talking to Harlow, she ran 2.5 miles, the equivalent of a 4K, on a treadmill in 25.2 minutes to prove to herself that she could do it.

Bailey said she is thankful for the support she has received from her family, friends and the Harding community, but her faith is what has sustained her throughout her struggle.

“God is the one getting me through this,” she said. “He has given me everything I need at the exact moment I need it.”

After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Oc-

Volleyball returns to court

The Lady Bisons participate in scrimmage games

by J.M. ADKISON sports editor

Within the past two weeks, Harding’s volleyball team has participated in four “play days” as a part of what the NCAA calls the Non-Championship Segment. These play days are opportunities for college volleyball players to get time on the court and play other teams within and outside of their division. The matches are purely scrimmages and timed at 50 minutes.

NCAA volleyball teams are allowed only four play days and Harding hosted two of them, the first on Tuesday, April 5, and the next one on Tuesday, April 12. They participated in the University of Central Arkansas’ play days on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 16.

“The purpose of spring games is to keep our team’s

chemistry strong and to keep our volleyball skills in shape because we won’t play again until August,” junior volleyball player Bailee Graham said.

“We will spend all summer conditioning and staying in shape for preseason. It is nice to play some volleyball in the spring to see how other teams are looking, to get a feel for what it is like to play without that fall’s seniors, to see what needs to be worked on in the fall, and to keep us in volleyball shape.”

Volleyball Head Coach

Keith Giboney said the NCAA allows the volleyball team to work out only five days a week before spring break, during which time the players swim, lift and run on the track, and are allowed 24 days on the court.

“It was great playing as a team again; after our initial spring games we picked it up and were playing very well together,” Graham said. “Our offense was executing and

our defense was digging up balls consistently. Our team has great chemistry on the court because we get along so well off the court.”

The team has already recruited a few new players, such as Kayln Helton, who was originally committing to the University of Tennessee but had a change of heart and decided to sign with Harding on Wednesday, April 13.

“To have a good opportunity to go to a [Southeastern Conference] school and then come to Harding — that is a quality gift for us, and [Helton will] make us better right away; she’s a strong player,” Giboney said. “[The incoming class] is a really good class, but I feel like we are returning as strong a group as we’ve ever had.”

Giboney said he was looking forward to next season, especially since it will be the Harding athletic program’s first step into the new Great

tober, Bailey underwent a surgery and chemotherapy, but her results showed that the cancer had come back. The night that she received the results was also the night that the men’s basketball team beat Arkansas Tech 80-61 to win the Gulf South Conference tournament.

When the game was over, Bailey’s husband B.J. Bailey texted Harlow to tell him that watching the Bisons win the conference championship was the only thing that was able to comfort her.

“The boys’ playing did much more than just win a conference tournament,” B.J. wrote.

As a Lady Bison, Harlow said Bailey was a physical, determined player who battled through every game despite knee issues that ended her basketball career after the first eight games of her sophomore year.

“She gave everything

she had every day,” Harlow said. “She scratched and clawed her way through the pain. She was just a warrior.”

After her knee injury, Bailey still maintained an active lifestyle and remained involved with the women’s basketball program. Her tenacity on the court inspired the slogan for the 4K, “Fight Like A Girl.”

The 4K has received sponsorships from several local businesses, and donations helped purchase the “Fight Like A Girl” T-shirts that are turquoise for ovarian cancer awareness. Everyone who registers gets a shirt. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. in front of Harding Academy. The cost will be $20 for Harding students and $25 for the public. Those who would like to further donate to Bailey can mail a check to Angie Harlow at HU Box 10815, Searcy, AR, 72149.

“We’d love to be the first ones to win in this new conference’s inaugural year,” Giboney said. “The conference regular season champion

gets to host the conference tournament; that is always the goal, and I know we have a legitimate chance to win the conference our first year, and from there who knows?”

American Conference.

adkison

Check out the Link for this week's Champion's Corner on outfielder Jeremy Bohnett and how he came to join the Bison baseball team.

photo courtesy of Harding Sports Information Jeremy Bishop speaks with his University of Central Arkansas players at a game. Bishop is leaving UCA to coach the Harding men's soccer team this fall. Bishop graduated from Harding in December 1997.

photo by JON YODER | The Bison Junior setter Amber Schinzing shakes hands with an opponent at a Harding hosted "play day," or off-season scrimmage. Harding hosted two of four NCAA play days.

Men behind the music: Track mixing makes the show

by GABRIELLE PRUITT student writer

Spring Sing celebrates

talent. The obvious talent is onstage — the performers, the directors — but talent is not limited to the stage. Without technical talent, the show could not exist.

Are those the actual lyrics for that Justin Bieber song or are they changing the words?

It is true; students re-create the songs by singing their own words to the music during performances. However, the technical talent demonstrated from behind the curtains or the music is often overlooked. Meet the men behind the music.

The tracks of music with the students’ voices singing their own rendition of the original songs are arranged and recorded by David Robison, audio/event specialist in Harding’s theatre department. He is assisted by former Harding student Travis Kaye, an adjunct guitar instructor, and Jordan Dollins, a music education major.

As audio director for Spring Sing, Robison refers to himself as “the sound guy”; he is the one sitting between rows of seats in the Benson, mixing sound and punching buttons during the performances to keep audio flowing through the sound system. Robison also serves the university as audio recording engineer in charge of recording lectureships, conferences and the final club tracks for Spring Sing. This is his third year to arrange tracks for the clubs, but being part of the preparation of music for

actual production is nothing new for Robison. He first worked on Spring Sing music as a student during the 1980s assisting with arrangements and playing in the live bands that were used then. According to Robison, what he does now “easily fits into being part of that process.”

For Dollins, this is his second year to help arrange club tracks. He began in high school, doing arrangements for several pop choir and show choir performances for other high schools and intermediate schools. Since then, his involvement in college through Spring Sing has increased as a member of the production team for the 2008 King’s Men/Shantih/ Chi Kappa Rho/Kappa Gamma Epsilon club show and a club director the same year. For the past two years, Dollins also has been on run crew and build crew for Spring Sing. He described his favorite part as being able to meet and work with people he might not meet otherwise.

“It’s also great to be part of a process that thousands of people will see,” Dollins said.

Kaye said it was hard to remember when he started this process; he has been involved for four or five years since making his first Spring Sing track as a sophomore at Harding. In his case, the opportunity presented itself unexpectedly when he offered to help a friend with the music one year. While he has never participated in Spring Sing in any other way, Kaye is comfortable helping from this position, saying he likes this role far more than he would enjoy being on the stage.

Likewise, Robinson said he enjoys his behind-thescenes work.

“The whole Spring Sing production team is so creative and amazing to work with, it makes my job extremely enjoyable,” Robison said.

Each arranger has his own technique, but each starts the same: with the cut tracks, original songs, as early as November. From that point, he begins developing and editing the final tracks up to mid-March.

“The more thought that the directors put into the overall flow ahead of time,

the easier my job is,” Kaye explained. “But I welcome the challenge of making a hip-hop song transition into a ‘Little Mermaid’ song.”

Whether using equipment as complex and advanced as Musical Instrument Digital Interface, Robison’s choice, tools as simple and efficient as Apple’s Garageband, Kaye’s “best friend,” or another special music software program for Dollins, these men put in countless hours breaking down the layers of instruments in the music and weave together an arrangement of songs for students to perform.The results

sound like real instruments, and all the work that goes into tempo setting, key changes and transitions end up telling the club’s story that they want to share. Robison described the entire process as “very rewarding” and enjoyed getting to know the club directors and helping them realize “their vision for their shows.”

“The show is all about them — the students — who pour themselves into the production, letting their talents shine and keeping the audience entertained,” Robison said.

“It’s a lot of fun to break

down and learn parts to songs in order to re-create them in a new context,” Kaye said. “It’s also kind of fun to know that nobody really knows where these Spring Sing tracks come from, at least until now.”

When one hears the music and lyrics during Spring Sing productions this year, audience members will know who helped make that possible, even if it is not about receiving credit as far as these men behind the music are concerned.

“The payoff is not in being recognized,” Dollins said, “It’s hearing your work presented on stage.”

Prize for first place to double to $2,000 for charity

by WHITNEY DIXON student writer

Amid all the glitz and glam that is Spring Sing, it can be easy to forget that behind the singing and choreography lies a deeper purpose: The charities clubs perform for are the ones who receive the prize money. This year, the prize money received by the winner has been doubled from $1,000 to $2,000.

“The more we thought about helping charities, we felt like $1,000 is a nice gift for first place, but $200 for fifth and

sixth place is not enough help for these organizations,” said Steve Frye, director of Spring Sing. “So we talked about it as a staff, and then we took it to Dr. [David] Burks.”

Aside from the sweepstakes winner, all other awards have been doubled as well. First runner-up will receive $1,000, second runner-up will receive $800, third runner-up will receive $600, and all consecutive placements will receive $400.

Frye said the new prize money totals will be a permanent change.

However, Spring Sing has not always been a service-driven production. Prize money has

always been given to the winners, but it was not until 2006 that the money went to charities: At first, though the prize money was only $100$500 at the time, the money went to the clubs to do with as they pleased. “We had been doing the show for years, but we felt that there was something missing, and that something was the idea of Christian service,” Frye said. “We believed that we ought to reflect that in everything we do. So what can we do in Spring Sing that will allow that? The answer was to contribute to those who labor, not in the spotlight, but out of

the spotlight. It’s our chance to hold them up and say, ‘We think you’re worthy, and we want to support you.’”

Frye said that even though the money used to go to the clubs themselves, they were in favor of change to a more charitable focus. Once the prize money started going to charities instead of clubs, the prize amount increased.

“Let’s be honest: You get bragging rights if you win,” Frye said. “And you get bragging rights if you do well. It just made sense to do something positive for somebody else.”

Clubs choose the charity they wish to perform for each

year from a list maintained by the Spring Sing production staff of local charities.

This year three new charities were added to the list and are being represented by the club shows. Zeta Rho and TNT are representing Easter Seals, an organization that provides a wide array of services to children and adults with various disabilities and special needs.

Gamma Sigma Phi, Pi Theta Phi, Iota Chi and Delta Nu will be performing for Habitat for Humanity, a charity that is new to the Searcy community.

Ju Go Ju and Ko Jo Kai will be performing for ALS Association in the name of Nancy Chandler,

who has Lou Gehrig’s disease and is the mother of Harding student and Ko Jo Kai member Anna Grace Chandler.

The Sunshine School, will be represented this year by Delta Gamma Rho, Chi Omega Pi and Zeta Pi Zeta. The school is on the verge of being able to pay for its new building, and prize money will go toward that expense.

Other returning charities are Searcy’s Children’s Home, represented this year by Chi Sigma Alpha, Regina and OEGE, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation,represented by Shantih, Alpha Tau Epsilon, Chi Kappa Rho and GATA.

photo by CALEB RUMMEL

Travis Kaye, an alumnus and adjunct guitar instructor, David Robison, audio/event specialist in the theatre department, and Jordan Dollins, are the masterminds of Spring Sing’s soundtrack.

JERSEY NIGHT BECOMES EXCLUSIVE EVENT

by KRISTI SOTO guest writer

For jersey night this year, only people who are participating in Spring Sing were allowed to attend Monday night’s first rehearsal.

Spring Sing Producer Cindee Stockstill sent out an e-mail beforehand to the directors stating the changes for the first two rehearsals of Spring Sing week this year and all of the people who were allowed in. The Benson House Management Team, known as ushers, checked names at the front door during jersey night. Only those who actively worked on the show alongside the club directors were allowed entrance.

“We have tried several paradigms for jersey night and dress rehearsal over the years, trying to make as many people happy as possible,”

Stockstill said. “But it has always bothered us that so many people come to these two very rough rehearsals and never come back to see the finished product on the weekend.

Different clubs held an alternative jersey night during which club members were allowed to attend a practice and cheer on their group. Chi Omega Pi, Delta Gamma Rho, Zeta Pi Zeta and friends had a devotional before their performance, and senior club director Molly Brooks said she found the practice encouraging for all who came to support the show.

“It helps to have members of your own club rooting for you,” Brooks said. “Even though the other clubs were giving us positive feedback during our performance Monday night, it’s still a competition. So I feel like the response we received wasn’t as enthusiastic as it could

have been with more support from our club members.”

In past years, members of the participating shows would wear their jersey Monday night and watch the performance from the balcony, cheering on their clubs.

But according to Spring Sing’s Director, Dr. Steve Frye, it is not a popularity contest to see who can get the most club members to come watch the rehearsal.

“The idea is that club members who are participating in the show are cheering each other on, and you are taking pride in the clubs

that are being represented there,” Frye said.

So on Monday night, all of the participants of Spring Sing were welcomed in to the Benson to start their first rehearsal. At the end of the night, junior Daniel Burnett said he still found the rehearsal to be eventful without the club members cheering from the balcony.

“It was awesome and I loved it,” Burnett said. “I don’t think we lost a lot in not having the other club members there because everyone was still cheering really loud.”

Alongside the different rep -

-Steve Frye Spring Sing director

resented clubs were the host and hostesses, ensemble, jazz band, video production and tech crew all working together for the first time. Host and hostesses and ensemble director Dottie Frye said she is excited for all of the effort that is being put in from the students for this year’s Spring Sing theme, “Welcome Home.”

“It’s a good show,” Frye said. “I have had great people to work with. They have good attitudes and work ethic, very cooperative and positive with each other. We have really good students here.”

The idea is that club members who are participating in the show are cheering each other on, and you are taking pride in the clubs that are represented there.

Dear Fast and Furious,

Please recall from any driver’s education class that you may have had that the red octagon sign, on which is written the word “stop,” does indeed mean stop.

Yours truly, Law-abiding Citizen

CONTEST: Win a free Sudoku book by being the first person to bring the completed puzzle to the Bison office TODAY (Friday)

Dear Dark Room,

Something has come over me. I am not sure how to explain it. All of my movements seem to be greatly exaggerated. When I waved to a friend across campus, I am fairly certain it was with jazz hands. Plus, I always seem to be smiling, but not happy smiling. Just ... smiling. All the time.

What is wrong with me?

Sincerely, Suspiciously Sparkly

Dear “Sparkly,”

One possibility is that you have been bitten by a “Twilight” vampire. It explains your being sparkly and everything you do being overly dramatic.

Another theory is that you’re possessed by the spirit of Richard Simmons. This explains most of your symptoms, except that if you were possessed by Richard Simmons you wouldn’t have been able to stay still long enough to write anything.

The most likely explanation is that you’ve caught the Spring Sing Bug. If you don’t get rid of it fast enough, you may find yourself putting out a schedule of “family friendly” events and doing some last-minute gardening. You will know it’s about to take you when you have the urge to turn this paper into confetti.

Sadly, I don’t think there is a cure. Try to take some time off from the Benson, or (if all else fails) stab yourself with a wooden stake.

Sincerely,