www.thevistaonline.com
Nation observes Constitution Day by Lyndsay Gillum Copy Editor
On Sept. 17, 1787, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention held their first meeting. Only one of item of business resided on the agenda, and that was to sign the Constitution of the United States of America. Before the final signing, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention gathered almost everyday since May 14, 1787, in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, according to About.com . By the middle of June, it was clear to the delegates that to solely amend the Articles would not be enough. Instead, they would write an entirely new document designed to clearly define and separate the powers of the central government, the powers of the states, the rights of the people and how representatives of the people should be elected. After being signed on Sept. 17, 1787, Congress sent printed copies to the state legislatures for ratification. By June 21, 1788, nine states had approved the Constitution, finally forming a "more perfect Union," according to About.com . To celebrate Constitution Day, Monday, Sept. 17, UCO will welcome New York Times assistant managing editor Richard Berke to campus. During his visit, he will first discuss the principles of teamwork and civic engagement during the "Lessons in Leadership" course from 9 to 9:50 a.m., in Constitution Hall. Following at 11 a.m., Berke will then present "An Inside Look at How the New York Times Decides on Front Page News," in Pegasus Theater. Former Edmond mayor Saundra Naifeh also will address the "Lessons in Leadership" course. Besides Berke's extensive history as a news correspondent, he also served as the editor of the Washington bureau
September 13, 2007
The Student Voice of the University of Central Oklahoma Since 1903
'UCO REMEMBERS 9-11'
of the Times, where he was in charge of overseeing the day-to-day work of 40 reporters, as well as coordinating campaign coverage, according to a UCO press release. "Lessons in Leadership" is a weekly lecture series created by UCO President Roger Webb, and is the start ofa newly formed Collegiate Leadership Network. Leaders are invited to address classes on a variety of subjects, such as ethics, courage and building relationships, among many others. The signing of the Constitution is one of the most important and influential events in American history. Many of the freedom and rights we as Americans enjoy everyday were established, and it signifies the greatest expression of statesmanship and compromise. In just four hand-written pages, the Constitution gives us a manual to the greatest form of government the world has ever known. "Constitution. Day offers all of us a remarkable opportunity - an opportunity to take a moment to think about our Constitution and the impact it has had on our lives as individuals and as a country," Joseph M. Torsella, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, said in a statement. The presentations on Monday, Sept. 17, are open to the public and are followed by a dialogue with the speakers and members of the audience. For more information on Berke, contact Meredith Scott at mscottl9@ ucok.edu , or for additional information on "Lessons in Leadership," call Leadership Central at (405) 974-5560. To read more about Constitution Day, visit the National Constitution Center's Web site at www. constitutioncenter.org .
Lyndsay Gillum can be reached at Igillum@thevistaonline.com.
by Vista photographer Chris Albers
Volunteers planted over 2,000 American flags near Broncho Lake in remembrance of the victims of September 11, 2001.
FIREFIGHTERS FED FORA JOB WELL DONE by Hannah Jackson Staff Writer
The Volunteer and Service Learning Center (VSLC) fed 164 firefighters Tuesday in remembrance of September 11 "It's a positive way to show appreciation and remember what happened," said Josh Krawczyk, Director of the VSLC. One hundred forty students volunteered to help with the 9/11-service project. The volunteers were divided into 20 groups ranging from four to 25 members. The number of students within each group was dependant on the number of personnel at each fire station. Lyndsay Holder, the Volunteer Coordinator for VSLC, said there was a waiting list of volunteers, just in case those already
by Vista photographer Chris Albers
Firefighters from Edmond's Fire Station 1 enjoy a hearty helping of spaghetti and meat sauce, prepared by UCO volunteers to honor the fallen firefighters of Sept. 11.
News Central Channel 6
"There is nothing that war has ever achieved that we could not
"The rise in prescription drug deaths." Tonight at 5 p.m.
better achieve without it. "
—Henry Ellis
i
assigned to groups had to back out for whatever reason. Students met on campus at 3:30 p.m. to join with their groups and pick up food. Then teams car-pooled to predesignated fire stations. All five Edmond fire stations and an additional 15 Oklahoma City stations were visited. The volunteers were supplied with ingredients for spaghetti and recipes for cooking it. All fire stations are equipped with fully operational kitchens and students personally cooked the meal at the station. The firefighters also had garlic bread, salad, cookies and lemonade. Twenty new members of the President's Leadership Class were the team leaders for each volunteer group. Jennifer Burris, a freshman elementary education major, was the team leader for the
first group, which served at Edmond Fire Station One. "They busted out their own meat!" Burris said when the team came into the kitchen
"IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION TO YOUR COMMUNITY"
Kaitlyn Mares
after a tour around the fire engines. Joe Voss, an Edmond firefighter for 25 years, had started thawing some
see Firefighters, page 3
MOVIES THAT BLOW SEE A & E ON PAGE 6