The Bible and the Liberal Arts P3 - Women with beards P7

Conservatives and Autocracy p9 - Larry P. Arnn goes to outer space! p9

the
hillsdale
forum
December 2012

h o
ting t r ugh t
r
o
h
s
e

rb
ga

ag
e s
ince 2003

CONTENTS
VOLUME XIII, ISSUE III, DECEMBER 2012

Conservative Features
3 A Biblical Critique of the Liberal Arts by Rachael Wierenga

STAFF

As her time at Hillsdale comes to a close, a former editor-in-chief reflects on

faith, philosophy, and the liberal arts.

Editor-in-Chief
Wes Wright

The written word was once highly prized and expensive. The printing press
made literature easier to come by, but Al Gores invention of the internet
degraded the quality of written discourse. Eatough writes about our virtual
travails and how we might be able to solve them.

STAFF WRITERS
Spencer Amaral
Mike Giles
Sam Ryskamp
Corrie Beth Hendon
James Inwood
Savannah Tibbetts

5 Medium and Message by Caleb Eatough

7 Point/Counterpoint: Women & No-Shave November

Wright weighs in on why women should be allowed to seek knowledge
of Truth and Beauty by participating in No-Shave November, while
McCaffery contends that the month is a manly ritual and, as such, women
should not be involved.
8 Hillsdale: Were The People by Sam Ryskamp
Students often disparage Hillsdale, Michigan, but the community is vital
to Hillsdale College. Ryskamp reminds us that we need to descend from
our ivory tower and treat townies as people.
9 Autocracy Now by James Inwood

ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Corrie Beth Hendon

11 The Final Frontier: Science Fiction by Devin Creed

EDITORS
Mike Giles
Matt OSullivan
Chelsey Schmid

Campus Features

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Laurie Barnes
Shaun Lichti
Caroline Green

Inwood argues that the true conservative government is autocratic, not

democratic.

America has not sent a man to the moon since 1972. Creed argues that the
space race was just a Cold War gimmick and tells us why lessened enthusiasm
for space exploration is a good thing.

13 Professors iPod by Anna Shoffner

All your quintessential college moments, set to music. Professor Cole shares his
Hillsdale soundtrack.

HEAD DESIGNER
Lauren Wierenga

If you think Hillsdale is awesome now, soon it will be out of this world.
15 Campus Smackdown: Public School vs. Homeschool by Sam Ryskamp
Hillsdale students explain why they either (a) know absolutely nothing or (b) have
no social skills.

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Nathan Wilson
Dan Mowgli Mummau

McClatchey discusses Benh Zeitlins short film about post-Katrina New Orleans.
It is a raw, emotional, and rather damp film.

BUSINESS MANAGER
Ryne Bessemer

14 The Kirby Center Mk II by Charles Fry

17 Glory at Sea: A Review by Forester McClatchey

21 Alumni.... Where are they now? by Corrie Beth Hendon

Diana Higbee 96 lives in France and sings opera around the world.

22 Spotlight on Dancers by Wes Wright

Hillsdale College is full of dancers. Three of the best a swing doll, a Tower
star, and a ballroom gentleman discuss dance and the liberal arts.

ADVERTISEMENT
MANAGER
Nate McBride

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

When SkyBlu of party-rocking duo LMFAO sings, I
feel like Ive just seen the sun for the first time / You
make my life bright cause you shine, he is trying to
describe the way a girl makes him feel, not make an
argument about rhetoric in the modern world. Though
his lyrics are not intended to inspire philosophical
discussion, his use of the phrase I feel like brings
up an interesting point about how the use of words
changes over time.
SkyBlu uses I feel like in the proper manner,
describing his emotion through the use of simile.
Unfortunately, people misuse this phrase all too often,
sheltering shallow thought behind unclear dialogue. It
is frequently used before opinions or guesses, when
I think or I have a hunch would be more accurate.
Now, this isnt just Wes Wright the Grammar Nazi
kicking down doors and knocking people commatose;
misuse of I feel like has major societal implications.
When I feel like is used to describe thought, it
indicates that the speaker has visceral reactions to
everything, instead of using coherent logic to come to
conclusions. The problem with this phraseology is that
though such gut feelings are less argumentatively
sound than reasoned claims, feelings are deeply
personal. To disagree with someone who feels like
something is unjust is as difficult as telling someone
that they are not angry. As abuse of the phrase
spreads throughout society, reasoned discussion will
meet an untimely end: two men with different feelings
can assume that both are right, but two men with
different opinions will debate and discuss, seeking
the Truth of the matter. Relying on visceral feeling
to come to ethical conclusions is one cause of the
moral subjectivism bemoaned by conservatives.
Indeed, proper use of I think or I believe forces
one to examine ones opinions and learn to explain

them to others. The marked difference between the

effects of I feel like and its more accurate relatives
indicates the existence of a hierarchy of knowledge.
At its base is apathy, not caring about the issue.
Visceral reaction falls into the next category,
dependence. When one has faith that some source
of authority or feeling is correct, one can act on
the issue, but not effectively discuss it. The highest
tier is understanding, in which one can make the
arguments for or against the issue, both for oneself
or others. Reasoned discussion and pursuit of Truth
can only occur once this stage is attained.
The ability to explain ones beliefs to others is
crucial to achieving understanding. Rhetoric and
argumentation are major aspects of this ability; part
of The Forums mission is to provide a welcoming
environment in which students can develop these
talents and move to higher levels of knowledge. This
magazine is a place to test out ideas, to discuss, and
to learn. James Inwoods piece defending autocracy
is a prime example. It is also a place to share
Knowledge that one has gained: Sam Ryskamps
article contains his insight into how Hillsdale students
should interact with the town.
Reading this magazine should help move one
to higher orders of knowledge, but writing for it is
still more effective. The Forum is always looking for
people to write, as well as photographers and layout
designers to make the pursuit of Truth somewhat
enjoyable. I feel like no, I think that it is a great
opportunity to gain practical experience and boost
ones rsum. We hope to publish two more issues
next semester. Please join us.
We The Forum thats the crew that Im reppin /
On the rise to the top, no lead in our zeppelin. Hey!

WES WRIGHT

MISSION STATEMENT

CORRECTIONS

The Hillsdale Forum is an independent, student-run

Conservative magazine at Hillsdale College. The Forum,
in support of the mission statement of Hillsdale College, exists to promote a return to limited government
as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution. We publish Conservative opinion, editorials,
and campus news. The Forum is a vehicle to bring the
discussion and thought of the intelligent students and
professors at the heart of the Conservative movement
beyond the classroom and beyond Hillsdales campus.

We at The Hillsdale Forum would like to

apologize for neglecting to mention our
generous sponsor, The Collegiate Network, in
our last issue.
We offer double the thanks this time.

A biblical Critique
of the Liberal Arts

any Christians on Hillsdales campus

say that their studies here have deepened
their faith and their understanding of God.
Such a statement implies that a liberal
arts education and the Christian faith fit together neatly
and work together for common ends. Unfortunately, this
complimentary relationship between the liberal arts and
Christianity is too readily assumed.

Three years of reflection on my Hillsdale
experience has convinced me that the biblical account
should ground, counterbalance, inform, and correct
the habits of thinking acquire during their education at
Hillsdale. Students should temper their studies with the
Bibles account of the differences between human wisdom
and that of God. Indeed, human wisdom can be hostile to,
inferior to, or dangerously heretical to Gods wisdom.

First Corinthians suggests that human wisdom
is hostile to or opposes Gods wisdom. In the first three
chapters, Paul says that Christ is Gods wisdom and
righteousness, and the message of the cross is the wisdom
and power of God. Yet the world crucified Christ when
He came; the world rejected the message of the cross.
The antagonistic relationship between divine and human
wisdom is clear. Christ, the wisdom and power of God,
was rejected and crucified by men, and the message of
the cross, the power and wisdom of God, is rejected by
men.

Corinthians 1-3 shows the hostile relationship
between divine and human wisdom in many ways. For
example, Paul argues that society calls wise are not truly
so, nor are the things the world esteems truly wise. He
makes a shocking statement: Let no one deceive himself.
If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him
become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom
of this world is foolishness with Godtherefore let no
one boast in men (3:18-23).

These chapters also reveal that God does not like
the pride and glory of human wisdom: he intentionally
chose a way for man to reconcile with him that brings
wise, mighty men to nothing and despised, foolish men
to glory. Paul clearly emphasizes the irrational nature
of belief in the word of the cross: For it pleased God
through the foolishness of the message preached to save

By: Rachael
Wierenga

those who believe (1:21). God wants belief, not rational,

prudent acceptance; the foolish message will save those
who believe.
Liberal arts education develops a habit of
reverence for human wisdom and the things of the world.
The habit of weighing good and evil, seeking the good
life, and examining moral principles creates a life of
reason, not faith. Veneration of the mind over the Word
of God is problematic in light of Corinthians depiction
of the incompatible relationship between divine and
human wisdom. A liberal arts education is the study of
things of the world, seeking wisdom from the record of
human thought and history. 1 John 2:15 and James 4:4
suggest that there is a fundamental difference between
the things of the world and the things of God, so one
cannot simultaneously love them both. Is it not possible
that seeking the worlds wisdom could make one more
likely to reject God? If God dislikes the pride in human
wisdom and chooses things that man does not so no one
glories in men, should that not inform the study of human
wisdom and societys opinion thereof?

While Corinthians portrayed a relationship of
hostility, the book of Colossians describes the inferiority
of human wisdom. In his epistle to the Colossians, Paul
calls all philosophies and human doctrines that do not
center on Christ empty deceit, and persuasive words
that are of no value, inferior to all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge that alone are found in
knowing God and Christ. He does not argue that human
philosophies are wicked or hostile to truth; Rather, he says
that they are imperfect in that they are less than Christ.
They cannot yield the same understanding as Christ and
the gospel.
Colossians 2:2-10 is a critical. Paul writes,
Beware lest anyone take you captive through philosophy
and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men,
according to the basic principles of the world, and not
according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him,
who is the head of all principality and power (2:8-10).
Paul rejects any doctrine and knowledge that does not
center on Christ. Persuasive words, philosophy, and
empty deceit are not according to Christ; rather, they

are according to the tradition of men, according to the

basic principles of the world.

Pauls critique of human wisdom elucidates the
difference between the lesser and the greater. Accordingly,
he exposes two main types of human wisdom as less
and imperfect. Because power and principality, rule
and authority, life and death are all beneath Christ, any
philosophy founded on the worlds basic principles is less,
is weak. In his death and resurrection, Christ triumphed
over all worldly power, so study of anything less than
Christ is inessential. Paul also rejects philosophy based
on the tradition of men. This type of study only produces
regulations [that] have an appearance of wisdom in
self-imposed religion, false humility, and asceticism, but
are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh (2:2023). The regulations have no value; they can only limit
or contain the indulgence of the flesh. Christ puts such
indulgence to death.

Paul then contrasts these lesser, imperfect species
of human wisdom with the wisdom is knowledge of Christ.
He preaches Christ and teaches every man in all wisdom
that every man can be presented perfect in Christ Jesus
(1:28). Perfect accords with the other words Paul uses
to describe Christ and the message of the gospel: full,
complete, and all. When he contrasts the gospel with
philosophy, it is a comparison of shadow to body, abstract
imaginings within the mind to physical Head, appearance
to reality. Everything that Christ is, philosophy is not.
Philosophies based upon commandments of men or the
basic principles of the world are not full, all, or complete.
They are, in fact, the exact opposite: empty deceit and
of no value.
The liberal arts centers on the study of the
same philosophies and human doctrines that Colossians
describes as inferior. Paul does not revere the philosophic
enterprise: philosophy puffs up ones fleshly mind with
supposedly profound imaginings that are, in reality,
centered on rudimentary, immature principles that Christ
has triumphed over and put to shame. Philosophy produces
ascetic regulations limiting the indulgence of the flesh
that are actually ineffective and useless. Much principles
studied at Hillsdale fit this description: rule, authority, and
ascetic-regulations doctrines designed to promote virtue
and limit vice.

This is not to say that there is no value to studying
human wisdom. However, the knowledge that all human
wisdom and philosophy is imperfect and that something
greater, higher, better, and more perfect exists ought to
ground the studies of Hillsdale students. Believers should
seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting
at the right hand of God.

If Colossians merely calls human wisdom

inferior to Christ, many other passages in the New
Testament warn that it is outright dangerous to
believers. First, John 5:19 claims that Satan has charge
of the whole world and non-believers are under his
sway. Ephesians 2:2-3 and 6:12 remind believers that
the prince of the power of the air and the spirit who
works in the sons of disobedience rules the course of
this world: For we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual
hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. The New
Testament abounds with warnings about false teachers
and their secret, destructive heresies. Many of Pauls
letters are written to churches that had adopted the
heresies of false teachers.

A liberal arts education does not consider the
danger of false doctrines and philosophy; rather, it calls
deep study of these subjects good. Can we really assume
that it is not problematic or dangerous to read the words
of unregenerate pagans who, according to 1 John, are
under the sway of the devil? Heresies are doctrines that
contain half-truths. They may be perversions of truth,
not obvious lies. Indeed, most untruths are subtle: Satan
himself is a beautiful angel of light. Spiritual forces and
the false teachers they manipulate often pull men away
from belief in God by offering a subtly wrong idea of
Him. Study of human ideas of justice, goodness, and
truth can result in mistaken acceptance and perpetuation
of clever untruths. Heretical human notions of justice
may well cause one to reject Gods justice and choose
Hell, Gods ultimate mercy.

Hillsdale is devoted to the liberal arts; critiques
of the liberal arts are almost entirely absent. Most
students implicitly accept that there are no serious
downsides to a liberal arts education. If students are not
aware that human wisdom can be less than, heretical
to, or in contradiction with Gods wisdom, they may
not realize the need for the higher and more perfect
truth that exists in the Bibles account of the person
and work of Jesus Christ. They might mistake the good
for the best. While we should not completely discount
the study of human wisdom, it is only the good, not the
best.

Rachael Wierenga is a
Senior studying English.
4

Medium And Message

by:

Caleb Eatough

Separated and alone. The only company, the

whisper of ones thoughts. No images flashing before
the eyes, no music dancing inside the brain. The only
source of knowledge contained in words on the dusty
pages of an old, battered book. The rustle and sway
of the habit as the scribe copied word by painstaking
word. Such was the beginning of widespread
rational discourse on the nature of God and man.
There is a gap between the
kind of reading one does today
and the reading in centuries past.
Information, once so hard to come
by, has become instantly accessible.
Once so precious, it now overwhelms,
cascading where it once trickled.
The change in medium from books
to the Internet has changed the way
one receives the information, and
culture has changed as a result.
Why does one read Plato, instead
of listening to him aloud or watching him on C-SPAN?
There is no interactive content in a book, just
the reader and author. The internet, on the other
hand, is full of pictures, videos, words, and games.
Thousands of distractionsFacebook, Wikipedia,
YouTubebeg for the last vestiges of the modern
attention span. If something doesnt catch the
consumers attention within a few seconds, he moves
on to something that will. This is the sound-byte
phenomenon. The internet condenses everything
into an easily digestible piecesshallow thoughts
at best. Where St. Augustine plumbed deep waters,
the internet rests on the surface and then flits away.
These shallow statements often take the form of
memes, humorous snap statements with minimal
thought content. Consider Godwins Law: As an online
discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison
involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 100%. Not exactly
the kind of environment that encourages deep discussion.
Wikipedia is another good example. It is an
encyclopedia, but any page is editable, be it by expert
or Scumbag Steve. Subject to public opinions and
biases, it is more a reflection of what the world thinks

about a topic than what experts do. While its makers

strive to keep the website as informative as possible,
Wikipedia is subject to the very culture it contributes
to. Unfortunately, The Free Encyclopedia has
replaced primary sources as the basis of knowledge,
populating the internet with pseudo-intellectuals
who think they know everything about a subject.
The internet is both anonymous and public. The way
a person presents himself on the Internet
is malleable, meant for entertainment
rather
than
strictly
accurate
representation. A Facebook status is
for others; a diary is for oneself. Some
dishonesty is involved, both of others
and of self. The internet: Where men are
men, women are men, and little girls are
FBI agents. Why would one want to break
the carefully crafted faade of vanity
and pride to debate the deep questions?
On Facebook, the sole motive for
posting something is for others to see it, changing ones
public face even while away from the computer. Coupled
with the sound-byte phenomenon, ones identity shrinks
down into what one can say in a sentence. It is a constant
thirst for attention rather than genuine personality.
Facebook is a public diary. Those who do not want their
self-image tarnished edit what they post; embarrassing
photos will haunt the less discriminating for decades.
Good and bad consequences abound. Facebook is
the greatest source of public personal information
ever compiled, and it is accessible to everyone.
The internet is harmless taken in small doses. No

one can deny it has been a boon to civilization. Like

another great invention, the wheel, it has greatly changed
human culture and environment. But a wheel is a wheel.
No one spends hours looking at a wheel. Why do people
dedicate their lives to the latest Kardashian scandal
with Aristotles Nichomachean Ethics a fingertip away?
The Internet is a tool, but it is a tool that shapes
the user in its use. When one immerses oneself in this
culture, it changes the way one thinks, just as books

poor, foolish masses. Their arguments end with either a

meme or Godwins Law, not a rational synthesis of ideas.
Hope remains, despite this massacre of thought. The
solutions are simple, but difficult to implement. When
dependence on the internet becomes mere convenience,
half the battle has been won. Abstinence brings rationality;
the antithesis of instant gratification. Weaning oneself
from the magic box yields perspective. White noise
becomes silence, which gives way to the music of thought.

The Internet is a tool, but

it is a tool that shapes
the user in its use.
have done for centuries. The medium affects the
message. Reading a book, be it Plato or Seuss, one
must engage meaningfully with the text. The author
encourages the reader to ruminate about what is written.
The Internet is an endless cascade of information
that can only be sampled with indiscriminate sweeps.
Readers can stop and think, seeking beauty in nuance.
The Internet is no vessel of beauty. It is mere
argument, not debate. People, instead of enlightening
themselves, lord their pseudo-intellectualism over the

Educating children away from dependence is the

other half. Children must read, play, and think without
distraction; learning the beauty of nature and solitude
so they can be their own people, instead of what others
want them to be. When they can think for themselves,
then they will be ready to combat Godwins Law.
The internet is an expedienttruth is truth, no matter
the mediumbut medium affects message, and the web
will never replace the book. If people treat it as they ought,
it may someday become as beautiful as the printed word.

Caleb Eatough is a Freshman struggling valiantly to finish the core.

counterPoint- Chris McCaffery

Illustration by Greg Carlson

No Shave November- an analysis

Point- Wes Wright

The growing of magnificent facial hair is an art. Men have sought hirsute glory for millennia,
both as a sign of manliness and to win the hearts of ladies. Unfortunately, what was once a
rite of passage has fallen out of favor, replaced by urbane, clean-shaven men with Photoshop
abs. One month out of the year, college men reject this trend in that fabled event: No-Shave
November. This tradition should not be limited to men, however; women should also be allowed to pursue knowledge of Truth and Beauty.
Plato and his beard discussed the difference between art and the noble art. An art or craft
can be anything from taco-making to music; what makes an art noble is that it is done with
intent to pursue knowledge of Form. Sculpting facial hair into manly sideburns, gravity-defying
moustaches, and billowing beards can be a noble art if it is pursued with intent to better
understand Beauty. The goal of No-Shave November cannot be the pursuit of knowledge of
Beauty, however, for it culminates in wild tangles of rather gross hair instead of stylish mustachios. Though it has this defect, No-Shave November can be a noble art if it pursues modesty
and through that, Beauty.
One is modest when one minimizes individual success, talent, or beauty. Modesty is chivalric;
it is the realization that though circumstance may temporarily distinguish individuals, all men
are created equal and should be treated as such. Further, it is the understanding that beauty
of character is greater than evanescent reputation or appearance. Rampant facial or leg hair
conceals ones physical beauty in the same manner as modesty of dress, forcing society to
look beyond external appearance to focus on qualities of the soul.
The modern media lambastes society with its conception of bodily perfection. No-Shave
November is a noble pursuit because it allows one to seek knowledge of deeper Beauty. Because both genders are equally capable of not shaving, the tradition should not be limited to
men alone. To restrict women from pursuing knowledge of the Form of Beauty in this manner
is to reject the basis of the endeavor, for it implies that they are not worthy of noble, philosophical enquiry. That women must be allowed to participate is clear. Whether they should actually
do so is another question entirely.
Winter lasts most of the year at Hillsdale, so physical beauty is regularly concealed by
bulky coats and lumpy snow gear. Ladies, while you can participate in No-Shave November,
you do not need to be as furry as a hare to join in its celebration of modesty dressing warmly
will suffice. Ultimately, neither gender should be harried for not shaving during the eleventh
month, but you need not feel gross for others to look at your personality. Just wear sweatpants
once in a while.

For men at Hillsdale, November is a sacred time. They stride about campus, chins covered in
stubble and necks partly cloudy with patchy beards. Some even manage to grow respectable
moustaches or beards. No-shave November is a tradition beloved by young men. It gives
them a common goal and a chance to grow out their facial hair in a socially-acceptable
manner. It is also a distinctly male tradition: what do girls derive from participating?
When men participate in No-Shave November or any of the other months of virile virtue
(Augustache or Manuary, for example) they bond through common activity with their peers. For a whole month,
they and their friends go around looking slightly ridiculous and uncouth, bucking social norms to emulate their
bearded role-models. According to Victoria Sherrows Encyclopedia of Hair, the Ancient Greeks venerated facial
hair, offering up the first growth on a young man to the gods. The Romans of the Republic continued this tradition, growing elaborate beards and linking shaving with femininity. In his Life of Antony, Plutarch praised Mark
Antory because his beard was well growngiving him altogether a bold, masculine look. The Encyclopedia
notes that after 1900 shaving companies drove beards out of vogue. But fickle fashion should not keep men
from their masculinity.
Should girls be allowed to participate in No-shave November? When a woman decides not to shave, its not a
public event; no one will look at a would-be female participant and think of her femininity. As Anthony Esolen
noted in his lecture about education, boys and girls have different characters. When guys forgo shaving they
invite social judgment, sacrificing a well-groomed appearance to participate in some harmless, masculine fun
with their peers. This yearly ritual leaves an external mark that identifies them as participants; they can gladly
say they are a part of No-shave November. Which of these benefits would a female participant gain? With
women there is no social element and no corresponding feminine bonding, so the event cannot achieve its goal.
No-Shave November would lose something if girls were allowed to participate. For them to be included, the
very definition of the month would need to change. Without celebration of masculinity, what is left? Neglect of
grooming is all that remains, and that is not worth celebrating. No, girls that want to take part in this peculiarly
male celebration would be better served with something uniquely feminine, far be it from me to propose what
7
they might do.

ts time for us Hillsdale College students to stop

apologizing for our college town. We love to boast about
Hillsdale Colleges first-rate academics, excellent job
placement, and award-winning conservative magazines,
but we consider the town to have little value beyond being
the punch line of our jokes. In fact, Hillsdale College
students surveyed by the Princeton Review recently ranked
our college town as one of the worst in America. Our
displeasure with the town can border upon arrogance toward
the townspeople, as evinced by the condescending moniker
townies. We view ourselves apart from the townspeople,
as if the town of Hillsdale is divided into two distinct
parts: the College and the community. But a successful
college requires a strong relationship with its hometown.
If we want Hillsdale College to be the best it can be, we
need to stop viewing the community of Hillsdale as an
amusing assortment of backward country folk and view it
as a genuine community, of which the College is but a part.
A strong relationship with the community has been
indispensable for the college since its establishment. In
1853, when Michigan Central College decided to leave
Spring Arbor and look for a new home, it settled upon the
growing settlement of Hillsdale, mostly because of the
generosity of its citizens. The townies donated $15,000
dollars for the establishment of the college, without which it
never would have survived. Then to bring in further funds,
Ransom Dunnthe Grand Old Man of Hillsdale College
and one of its first presidentsrode 6,000 miles across the
frontier, raising donations from small-town farmers and
villagers who believed in the mission of the college. The
college owes its existence to the generosity of a community
of low-income, rural people, just like the one we live in today.
Hillsdale College has not outgrown the need for a
supportive community. By nature, a college is a bubble. Its
an assemblage of like-minded 18-22-year-olds who study
the same subjects, live in the same buildings, eat the same
food, and enjoy the same recreational activities. Theres
really only one place students can go to catch a glimpse of
the world beyond the safely-crafted, picture-perfect bubble,

and thats the town. Interaction with the community

serves as a safeguard against the trap that has ensnared
so many universities throughout the west: becoming
so engrossed in the academic world that they lose their
grip on reality. The town of Hillsdale is the window
that lets us look out from our ivory towers and see the
We think that being a part of a small community narrows
our world, but in reality, it broadens it. A small town
increases our opportunities to build lasting connections with
people from the community and make a discernible impact
personally. As Chesterton wrote, The man who lives in a
small community lives in a much larger world. We pursue
a world-class education not only for its own intrinsic worth
but also to gain skills necessary to go out and enrich the
world. A detached and aloof attitude will set us on the
wrong track for our future lives as leaders of our respective
communities. Do you want to be a doctor? Take a stroll
downtown to meet some of your future patients. Do you
want to be a politician? Next time you go to Wal-Mart, dont
look at the young man restocking shelves as a townie. Think
of him as a constituent. Better still, think of him as a person.
Townies are not empty characters whose telos is to be the
object of our jokes. They are humans, rational creatures with
eternal souls. They have jobs, families, taxes, bills, friends,
struggles, dreams, and regrets. They are real people we
can learn from, or, better yet, we can serve. We cant allow
ourselves to become so immersed in our quest to change
the world that we forget about those living right next door.
If Hillsdale College is a tree that bears the fruits of
profitable study and service, then the town of Hillsdale
is the soil that gives the college necessary direction and
inspiration. Unfortunately, its so easy for us college
students to treat the town as nothing more just dirt. But one
time, 159 years ago, our tree was just a seed planted in that
same dirt. The taller the tree grows, the more roots it must
send down into the dirt. Let us be those roots; the study of
the human condition should not be so introspective as to
neglect the conditions of the humans in our own community.

Sam Ryskamp is a sophomore

studying the liberal Arts

Autocracy
Autocracy Now
Now
BY: JAMES INWOOD
of the Founders, the idea runs contrary to the
millennia of politics before the Declaration.
What good is an invented axiom? Indeed, this
assertion conflicts with more than tradition: it
contradicts the government of the very cosmos.
God rules the universe as its king; rule among
men is justified by something other than popular
consent. There are three possible theses for the
justification of such government: the What,
How, and Who questions of the Lords universal
government (Where and When are inapplicable
to deities). The What argument notes that God
rules perfectly. The How
argument contends that God
respects human freedom in His
rule, and so requires no consent.
The Who argument is that of
Christian scripture: the Creator
is sovereign. For government
by imperfect man, authority
is reduced to competence by
the first argument, respect of
liberty by the second, and the
earthly extension of Gods
work justice by the third.
Conveniently, each of these
options is satisfied under the
name of ruling well. This
principle relies on the regimes
members, for the wise and virtuous rule better
than fools and fiends. A governments composition
depends on its number. As officials accumulate,
the state adheres more to the citizenry, just as
larger samples better represent a population.
While narrower states like oligarchy or autocracy
may vary from the whole, democracy must draw
from the common. The average man is corrupt
and foolish, so democracies feature the same
attributes and officialdom must be narrowed.
Republicans seek to solve this problem
by refining the errant popular will through

If a land is rebellious, its princes will be many;

but with a prudent man it knows security.
Proverbs 28:2
A nation once elected a new, revolutionary
government. Its promises were as extraordinary as
its incompetence, and country descended into chaos.
A military coup overthrew the republic and replaced
it with a dictatorship. The new leader implemented
a program of economic reform and refused to let
revolutionaries threaten the peace. The nation grew
more prosperous and free than any other in the
region, but the people still hated the dictator for
usurping the republic, eventually
forcing him from office. Who
was right? The despot who
rejected populism, or the
people who rejected despotism?
This, by the way, is the story
of Augusto Pinochet, dictator
of Chile from 1974-1990 and a
key U.S. ally in the Cold War.
American conservatives are
uncomfortable with autocracy.
Our traditional government is
a constitutional republic, and
history has taught us to distrust
kings and dictators. But is this
fair? Parliament passed the
Photo by Mary Harrsch
infamous
Intolerable Acts,
not King George. Most of Americas foes have
been popularly instituted or constitutional states.
Further, the Western Tradition is one of monarchy,
not American-style republicanism; the few classical
experiments in popular rule ended terribly. The
ages agree with Homer: A multitude of rulers is
not a good thing. Let there be one ruler, one king.
The traditional is not necessarily just, however.
Americans have held this axiom since the Revolution:
Governments are instituted among men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed.
A self-evident truth only to contemporaries
9

representation and constitutional restrictions.

But this offers only modest improvement; the
people choose the lawmakers and the constitution
depends on the good will of those it is supposed
to bind. Still dominated by the masses, these
governments necessarily fall into all the problems
of democracy. This process can only be delayed
when the republic is as undemocratic as possible.
Autocracy, on the other hand, liberates the state
from the masses and other impediments to good
rule. An autocrat may be the best among men;
democrats and republicans must be common. He may
implement justice without the approval of interested
parties. Institutions do not stall him when he pursues
policy, so neither legislatures, courts, nor factions
can prevent the autocrat from doing good. His firm
hand not a legion of committees is the best
guide to a well-regulated administration of the law.
This same latitude can produce the worst regimes as
well as the best, but history contains many possible
solutions. For example, the dictator could impress
an ideologically republican society into universal
acclamation and utilize adoptive succession, like
Augustus and the Five Good Emperors. A thoroughly
indoctrinated guard, unlike the intrigue-prone
Praetorians, may provide the answer to checking a
fallen despotsince tyrannicide is sometimes virtuous.
History lends credence to this theory; most
renowned leaders were somewhat autocratic.
Great kings, emperors, or even presidents, are
typically men who bent the state to their will,
imposing necessary reform or standing firm against
encroachment. Though nominally president,
they doubtless did more than preside, playing the
autocrat despite their supposed republicanism.
More concretely, Four Tigers of the Pacific
demonstrate this principle. South Korea, Taiwan,
Hong Kong, and Singapore saw tremendous
growth and modernization in the aftermath of the
Second World War because their rulers imposed
liberal taxation and free trade against the wishes
of the people. Each saw massive and sustained

progress, the British governors even exceeding the

prosperity of their proudly republican fatherland.
In the Middle East, many Persian Gulf despots
have encouraged free trade and virtually abolished
taxation. As a result, their average incomes are
often far greater than republican Israel, despite the
latters educated workforce, tourism, and American
aid. Although oil is
indeed the key driver
of
their
growth,
the same is true of
poverty-stricken
Venezuela,
whose
left-wing republic has
planned the nation
out of prosperity.
Even communists
like Josip Broz Tito of
Yugoslavia can make
good dictators. After
he seized power,
experience convinced
him that Bolshevism
was deeply flawed,
so he broke ties with
the Soviet Union and
launched a program of domestic reform. He granted
greater civil and economic liberties than any other
socialist government and opened Yugoslavia to
international trade and migration. He only retained
Marxs internationalism to keep the bickering Balkans
together. His death in 1980 left Yugoslavia to inept
men who led the nation into internecine warfare.
These examples and others demonstrate a classic
truth of the Western tradition: autocracy works.
While democracy and its republican cousin make the
state a reflection of the passions and prejudices of
the masses, autocracy permits great men to do justice
and secure peace without having to appease the
common man. Many of these examples are imperfect
avoiding tyranny remains the paramount concern
but such imperfections should not deter men from
embracing the rule of the one, the best of governments.

James Inwood is a Junior studying the liberal arts

10

The Final Frontier:

Science Fiction
BY: DEVIN CREED
Space has been hailed by many as mankinds
final frontier. The phrase was popularized by the
hit sci-fi television series Star Trek, in which a
band of space travelers rove the galaxy looking
for adventure. Years ago, our own planet was not
completely discovered and adventurers would seek
their fortunes by setting out into the unknown. In his
essay The Significance of the American Frontier
in American History, Frederick Jackson Turner
explains how the western frontier was seminal in the
development of American virtues like democracy and
individualism. But does outer space play the role of
the rugged frontier that Turner thought the West did?
Turner argued that the frontier shaped the pioneers
and forged an American identity distinct from the
European ideal. The frontier required settlers to
be enterprising. If they were not, they would not
survive. It promoted fierce individualism that spit in
the face of hierarchical social structures. This fierce
individualism gave way to belief in the institution
of democracy. Turner, alarmed by the closing of
the frontier in 1890, thought that American culture
would dry up without the source of its inspiration.
Thankfully, Turner was wrong and American society
continues to flourish, but there is no doubt that the
frontier had a great impact on the American identity.
Does outer space, the final frontier, have the same
effect on the modern American identity? Far from it.
In the 1960s, the space race occupied the attention of

leaders and citizens around the globe. Many saw it

as an answer to possible overpopulation and resource
scarcity problems. The fervor died, however, when
the Soviet Union fell, proving that the space race
was a proxy war, not a solution to a problem.
The United States developed space exploration
technology to appear superior to the Soviet Union.
Space did not shape the United States during the
space race, instead the American government fitted
the space exploration story into its larger narrative
of the Cold War. The final frontier was a means
to an end, not a source of the distinctly American.
The United States has not landed a man on
the moon since 1972. Waning interest in space
exploration and decreasing NASA budgets (as
a percentage of total government expenditures)
have removed the final frontier from the minds of
Americans. The US government, the former catalyst
for space exploration fervor, has chosen NASA as
one of the first agencies to cut when fiscal times are
tough. Mars expeditions are continually pushed to
the distant future. Terrorism and the global financial
crisis have captured the attention of Americans.
Is this decreased interest in outer space a bad thing?
Perhaps not. Space exploration inevitably leads to
space colonization. Colonization is the reason many
scientists and governments consider outer space
programs. Much theorizing and experimenting has
been done to determine which planets or moons could

11

be inhabitable with the right blend of natural resources

and imported infrastructure. Scientists have hosts of
ideas about specific colonization enterprises.
Is space colonization a good end? In C.S. Lewis
space trilogy, the physicist Weston has grand ideas for
space colonization. He invents a space ship and journeys
to Mars and Venus to see if they are inhabitable. He
wishes to wipe out any indigenous populations so that
mankind can spread across the universe. Once earth

runs out of resources, mankind will need new planets

to perpetuate the race. Weston conceives of Man as a
whole and not as individual. He does not give a wit for
persons, only caring for the race. When questioned
about this inconsistency, he can only bluster on
unintelligibly about the importance of humanity.
Ultimately, any argument for colonization is
fundamentally dehumanizing. Putting humanity
above individual humans creates a situation in which
individuals are not valued. When persons are not
valued, society devolves into a selfish state. People no
longer care for one another because they themselves
do not matter. Government feels free to make
draconian regulations if they will benefit humanity
as a whole. There is no remorse when individuals are
sacrificed for the greater good. Weston admits that he
does not care if individual humans die in his mission
to perpetuate the human race. In fact, he brings a
hostage to Mars with him because he thinks he needs
a sacrificial victim. When colonists are viewed as
numbers in a calculation to determine the efficacy
of long-term survival, dehumanization is clear.
Outer space does is not the West of the future.
There are no space cowboys.
Space is less a
frontier than a giant science experiment. Westward
expansion must stop at the Pacific (okay, well say
Guam counts). If it turns into colonization of other
planets for the preservation of the race, it loses
its American basis and becomes dehumanizing.
While outer space may be fascinating, it is not a
wonderous final frontier for American settlers.

Devin Creed is a sophomore studying Economics and History.

12

Professors

iPod
By: Anna Shoffner

Professor Lee Cole is so hip his wife had to make him buy a dinosaur cell phone to
keep with the times. But when Professor Cole isnt discussing Aristotle or Kant he is
listening to a fantastic assortment of so-off-the-mainstream-it-isnt-even-funny rock
music (like songs containing references to Kant). So Prof. Cole and The Forum got
together and made a soundtrack for all the quintessentially Hillsdalian moments in
every students life at the Dale. This should help you get through these last few weeks
of the semester. Enjoy.

For Monday: Phase Dance, Pat Metheny Group (from Pat Metheny Group)
For Wednesday: Running up that Hill, Kate Bush (Hounds of Love)
For Friday: Red Sails, David Bowie (Lodger)
For Sunday (better known as Semi-Formal Homework Day): Psalm, Roxy Music (Stranded)
Rhetoric and the Great Books: Suppers Ready, Genesis (Foxtrot)
Math Class: Pi, Kate Bush (Aerial)
Art: Michelangelo, Slapp Happy (Casablanca Moon)
Intro to Economics: The Money Song, Monty Python
Speech Class: Elephant Talk, King Crimson (Discipline)
Intro to Philosophy: Seriously Deep, Eberhard Weber Colours (Silent Feet) or Philosophy Now,
Scritti Politti (Provision)
For Greek Mythology: Orpheus, David Sylvian (Secrets from the Beehive)
For Science: Natural Science, Rush (Permanent Waves)
Exam cramming: I Dont Remember, Peter Gabriel (Peter Gabriel IIIMelt)
Understand Hillsdating: The Word Girl, Scritti Politti (Cupid and Psyche 85)
Surviving Hillsdale in the Winter: Topplue, Votter & Skerf, Terje Rypdal (To Be Continued) and
Someone, Somewhere (in Summertime), Simple Minds (New Gold Dream)
That moment when youre on your knees in front of Central Hall screaming, WHY is it so
HARD?!: Sat in your Lap, Kate Bush (The Dreaming ) or Tinseltown in the Rain, The Blue
Nile (A Walk Across the Rooftops)

e
C
nt e
y
b
r
i
r
K
: C h a r l e s fr y
y
B

e
h
T

II

Most Hillsdale students realize

that while the first election of Barack Obama
was survivable, his reelection spells absolute doom to
freedom, liberty, and morality. But rather than wallow in despair,
they now have the opportunity to make a difference in the world by
leaving it. In a space ship.
Due to the detrimental outcome of Americas presidential election, Hillsdale College has decided to use its endowment funds to convert its clock tower into a rocket
ship that will take a select group of students to a newly constructed moon colony. The
ship will launch in early January after the 2012 apocalypse, and will establish a government
similar to what the Founders intendeda free-market, Christian republic isolated from other
countries. When asked for details on the voyage, Hillsdale President Dr. Arnn stated that The
colony will be like the Kirby Center, but on the moon. It will be a bastion of the liberal arts; a pure
polis of conservatism.
The project began at the behest of several major donors who wanted students to have a reasonable means of living despite this horrendous, irreparable damage to America. One donor commented,
Look, if the Israelites had a rocket ship to save them from Egypt, they wouldnt have needed Moses to
lead them around in the desert. Now that we have the technology and foresight to allow our children to
avoid certain slavery to the Progressives, we should use it.
Demand for seats on the voyage has surged; the line of students applying stretches around the block. As
one student pointed out, The Founders realized that England kinda sucked, so they left it. Why shouldnt
we do the same with America? I mean, it was salvageable before, but now that Obamas back were
gonna have **** like government healthcare and debt. Its better just to start over on the moon.
And start over they will. Sources reveal that the new government will be a return to the principles of
Americas forefathersdispelling the rumor that Dr. Arnn would declare himself King of the Moon. The
capitol city of the new republic will be called Aristotle D.C., since Aristotle practically wrote the American
Constitution. In fact, the Constitution of this new nation will be virtually identical to Americas, but with
a few small changes. Some of the more notable of these amendments include banning Progressivism,
making Old Crow Medicine Shows Wagon Wheel the national anthem, and installing an AJs Caf in
the lunar White House.

But not all Hillsdale students agree with the new lunar governments policies. A group of hardy
young rebels are holding a bake(d) sale to fund a spaceship mission to Mars: The Ron Paul. This
colony will differ from the moons in several distinct ways. It will take non-interventionism to its
appropriate measure by moving 225 million kilometers away from Earth. It plans to legalize
and carry marijuana on its voyage, making it, as one student puts it, one giant hotbox in
space. These libertarianauts are so committed to their principles that they will not bring
any food on their mission, ending the Fed for good.
While the arguments these groups make are compelling, The Forum has decided to stay here on Earth. The truth is, acting like America is doomed based
on a single election seems almost overdramatic to us, and if we didnt
know any better we might even say that this sort of mentality
is alarmist. But even if Obama succeeds in his nefarious
mission to burn America to the ground, The
Forum is staying right here.

14

VS
PUBLIC SCHOOL
Why do you think Public schooling is preferable to homeschooling?
Homeschooling is great because it is typically accompanied by a high level of parental involvement.
Anyone with a high level of parental involvement will have an excellent education, be it homeschool
or otherwise, because parents will instill the value of hard work and education in their children. But
people are social animals, and public school is the sort of social environment that children need to
form relationships with peers.
Did you find yourself adequately prepared for the perils of freshman year at Hillsdale College?
I would say I found myself about as prepared as the next freshman. Somewhere between I know how
to read and I can write a Jackson English paper.
What do you think are the dangers of homeschooling?
Sometimes, parents who homeschool lack time or ability, so their children are only halfway educated.
But most of the time, homeschool parents are probably better equipped than the average public
school parent. The problem is homeschool communities, which do tend to be dedicated and closeknit, are artificial communities that can lead to a cloistered environment in which kids views of society
are narrow and lopsided.
How were you able to find the truth despite the overwhelming left-wing indoctrination?
Most of what you learn in public school is merely normal education. I still learned math, grammar,
physics, American History, economics, etc., and if I picked up any left-wing tendencies, I am sure they
were hammered out by my parents and Hillsdale. My parents took care of the political and social liberalism, and Hillsdale has taught me what tradition there is to conserve. Or maybe I am a closet liberal.
Shhh.
Would you send your children to public schooling?
Yes, especially if I end up living in my hometown. I graduated from the same high school from which
my father and my grandfather and grandmother graduatedin fact, that is where my grandparents
met. I love the Grandville Public School system because it is such a community focal point and because I had such good teachers and friends.
Human Interest

15
15

VS
HOMESCHOOL
Why did you prefer your homeschool education over public schooling?
My public high school was not conducive to learning because of its pervasive drug culture. Homeschooling allowed me to interact with others who were passionate about the liberal arts. I had access
to any AP course I wanted to take, as well as the resources of the local community college.
Heres a tough question: are there any drawbacks to todays public school system?
All public schools are not created equal. If you happen to live in a district with a terrible public school,
you are stuck unless you want to pay through the nose for a private school. Additionally, the public
school system is a product of mass culture and seeks to inculcate a certain set of values and attitudes
in its students. This agenda quashes creativity and promotes an atmosphere at odds with individuality.
Do you believe you were adequately prepared for the rigors of freshman year at Hillsdale?
Yes. Homeschooling allowed me to adjust to the rigors of college by taking multiple college classes
during highschool. I was also able to take rigorous AP classes, which prepared me well for Hillsdale.
Was it difficult to go through high school without learning any social skills?
Ha! Contrary to popular belief, not all homeschoolers live primarily in their basements. I took classes
with other students in a pseudo school setting, and I also interacted with hundreds of other homeschoolers across the country through speech and debate. Nearly all my social skills were developed
after I stopped going to private school and started homeschooling.
Which would you chose for your children: a world-class public school or homeschooling?
The main reason I see for homeschooling is as an alternative to poor conventional alternatives. I would
not have a problem sending my children to a rigorous public school rooted in the liberal arts,
but those are few and hard to come by. I would have to
evaluate on a case by case basis, but a public school
would have to be stellar if I were to send my children to it.

16
16

GLORY AT SEA
a review of A short film
By Forester McClatchey
I try and think about how the storm and all
of these people dyin was part of Gods plan. But
mostly I just stare up to the water hopin I can have
one last look at them.
Writer-director Benh Zeitlins 2008 short film
Glory at Sea opens with an underwater view of
a rain-dimpled ocean surface, an eerily beautiful
image that sets the tone for the movie. Zeitlin and
New Orleans art collective Court 13 have created
something grounded, moving, and utterly unique.
The
ragged
figures in Glory
at Sea seem to
merge with the
post-apocalyptic
wasteland
of
New
Orleans
after Hurricane
Katrina.
They
clamber through
the
debris,
cobbling together
survivalist lives,
scrabbling
for
joy
and
comprehension in the wake of such extreme loss. They
struggle with the words of their preacher, Reverend
Carlton, who tells them that the storm was part of
Gods plan. Unable to accept this reassurance, they
long to sail across the sea to reunite with their loved
ones. When a seaweed-caked survivor named Jake
washes ashore, they have their guide. The village
bands together with moving spirituality to build a
raft out of wreckage and things with luck on em
like rusted cars, beds, and even a bathtub. They cast

humor

17

off jubilantly, but not before Carlton pleads Dont

you let them sail this! to an unresponsive sky.
The narrator is a little girl at the bottom of the
ocean, drifting in a forest of lost souls. In the villagers
voyage to the underworld Zeitlin masterfully draws
from myths like the story of Orpheus and Euridyce.
The film is full of beautiful paradoxes: it is at once
gritty and whimsical, real and fantastic, mythical
and original, lighthearted and cathartic.
Zeitlin, the indie film up-and-comer who directed
the 2012 success
Beasts of the
Southern Wild,
is renowned for
his mastery of the
Southern Gothic.
Glory at Sea
in many ways
the
prologue
and
genesis
of
Beasts
e x p l o r e s
themes of loss,
unconditional
love,
apostasy,
recklessness, and redemption. Its jagged, hodgepodge feel and deftly-controlled scenes give Glory
human credibility while retaining its dreamlike
nature, allowing it to effectively examine weighty
subjects in a fantastic environment.
The villagers, burst with spirituality but struggle
with religion. The storm washed away the rational
and modern; all that remains is illogical love and a
broken landscape. The church burns down during a
party the night before they cast off, embodying the
17

villages religious confusion. The fragile stoicism

in the preachers face as he watches his church
burn speaks louder than any soliloquy. While the
villagers pile liquor into the raft, he defiantly affixes
a driftwood cross to the stern. Zeitlin questions
religions role in such miserable living conditions,
but does so with Apollonian grace. The film suggests
but does not preach, and this delicate orchestration
builds an emotional crescendo remarkable for such
a short project.
At 25 minutes, the film surges forward at a
frenzied pace that matches the fever-pitch love and
craziness of the villagers. The brevity of the film is a
result of its productionZeitlin and his team spent
five months and a thinly stretched $100,000 building
rafts, sinking bathtubs, burning buildings, and
rooting through New Orleans rubble to reveal the
haunting beauty of the post-storm Louisiana coast.
Like so much else in Glory, the script is sparse
but lyrical. The lines are distilled and forceful, the
most obvious example of the films poeticism. Most
of the emotional cues come from the earthy score
composed by Zeitlin himself. It swells, ripples, and
crashes like the sea. The instrumentation is distinctly
Cajun; the brass, fiddles, and steel guitars playing in
raw, fractured harmony. Though he is not from New
Orleans, Zeitlin does a remarkable job of creating
a nuanced sense of place and culture. The script,
direction, and score compliment each other to form

18

a well-textured film.
The characters and landscapes converge: a man
sleeps easily in a bed wedged in the arms of a live
oak; kelp and human hair wave in unison beneath
the surf. The cinematography makes such unlikely
visions seem natural.
Ultimately, the short film owes its appeal to
compelling characters and the narrative momentum
of a fairy tale. It has an inexorable drive; the odd
events are what must happen, are fated to occur. A
moral lesson must be imparted.
The film suffers from a few moments of ambiguity
and occasionally shaky camerawork, but overall
Benh Zeitlins art succeeds. The images a man
pining for his drowned lover, a despairing priest
watching his congregation sail to their doom are
difficult to forget. When the film ends, one feels one
has witnessed a genuinely special story of eerie
beauty and catharsis.

Forester McClatchey is a Freshman

studying the liberal arts, sometimes.

Garret holt

Hunk

Hillsdales

Year: Junior
Major: History MAjor
Home Economics Minor

If you could be dictator of any country, which would you rule and why?

Africa, because I love Chinese food and I could daily ski in the Alps and I
could ride my fleet of llamas to my palace.

Does Hillsdating do more good than harm to Hillsdalian social life?

Well, college is about obtaining flowhair flow. And Hillsdating can often get
in the way of flow. Take Scott Lantis, for example: he has fantastic flow and he
is not Hillsdating. On the other hand, Anthony Manno had illustrious flow,
then he started dating and he lost his flow. Ergo, Hillsdating is a no flow.
Briefly describe a day in the life of Garrett.
Well, I wake up in the morning feeling like P-Diddy and then all the other
boys try to chase meheres my number, so call me maybe: 867-5309.

Whats your favorite part about finals week?

Having absurd amounts of free time which I dont use to study. I can just have
a dance party to the Village People in my room, I can run around Simpson in
a sumo suit making sure everyone gets bad grades like I do, the amount of joy
about going home that pervades the campus is great, and, most importantly,
not seeing Patrick Timmis for a month.

If you could date any historical figure, who would the lucky woman be?
Easy. Bella from Twilight. I mean who doesnt want an extremely needy,
super awkward girl who double-crossed a vampire for a werewolf?

Whats your favorite part about finals week?

Having absurd amounts of free time which I dont use to study. I can just have
a dance party to the Village People in my room, I can run around Simpson in
a sumo suit making sure everyone gets bad grades like I do, the amount of joy
about going home that pervades the campus is great, and, most importantly,
not seeing Patrick Timmis for a month.

Describe your dream wedding.

Well it would be at Monticello because, in fact, Thomas Jefferson is my great
great, great, great, great uncle so I could get married there. Except it would
cost an arm and a leg. Saga Steve would read my guest list, and I would ride a
tandem bike off into the sunset.
19

Hottie

and

Compiled by
Savanah Tibbetts

t
Mary Crail

of the month

Year: Sophomore Major: Political

Economics, Business Minor

If you could be dictator of any country, which would you rule and why?
Djibouti. Because its fun to say and its in Africa so I wouldnt have to deal
with the cold weather all the time.
Does Hillsdating do more good than harm to Hillsdalian social life?

100% false. All you Hillsdaters out there: dont be afraid of your feelings.

Briefly describe a day in the life of Mary Crail.

Well, I wake up to the sound of that construction for sports complexyou all
better enjoy that stinkin facility. Then I go on to be amazed by all the Hillsdale
social wonderssuch as capes and incessant inappropriate PDA in the union.

If your love life were a movie, how would Family Video categorize it?
The Video Game sectionbecause Im a player.

If you could date any historical figure, who would the lucky man be?
Heath Ledger too soon? And do I have to give a why? its Heath Ledger.

On a scale of one to 24, one being a day in a canoe on the lake and 24
being a 24-hour cross-fit workout, how exhausting is it to deal with all of
the men begging to be with you?
Well, when theyre begging appropriately its not stressful at all, because
of all the presents.

Whats your opinion of boy bandsparticularly One Direction?

They can be entertaining. However, their artistic value is lacking.

Sum up your love life in a Haiku poem .

Ka ji ga bol ka / Op oppan Gangnam Style / Ehhhhhh sexy lady

Describe your dream wedding .

My dream wedding will involve Tom Hardy and thats as far as Ive gotten.

Alumni...Where Are They Now?

Diana Higbee

Compiled by Corrie beth hendon

When did you graduate? I graduated in 1996 with a Major in Music.
What have you been doing since
graduation?
I am the mother of a two year old and an
operatic soprano. My husband and I reside
in Versailles, France. I sing in opera houses
around the world, mostly in Europe, a little
in Asia, North America and New Zealand.
My repertoire is Mozart and French
composers such as Debussy, Massenet,
Bizet, Poulenc and Rameau.

What have you missed

most about Hillsdale since
graduation?
The friendliness of my fellow students
and teachers also some of the desserts
from the cafeteria which were sometimes
dangerously good.
Whats one thing you learned at
Hillsdale that you think youll
remember for the rest of your
life? Hard work; until I came to Hillsdale I
just glided by, but I needed to step up once
I got to Hillsdale. I also learned that I could
be anything I wanted to be as long as I
worked like a maniac to get there.

How has your education from

Hillsdale been helpful or hurtful
in life after graduation?
Hillsdale has only been helpful in my life
after graduation. It taught me rigor, to go
through and work hard in everything I do,
discipline and stickability. It also taught
me to confront myself to different politcal
ideas and come up with something I truly
believed in.

21

Spotlight on...

Dancers
Compiled by Wes Wright

Photography by Laurie Barnes

Hillsdale has a thriving dance community. From Tower Dancers to Jazz Afterglows, Garden Parties to Regency Balls,
students are dancing all the time. Here are a few stars to watch next time you hit the dance floor.

Haley Pelissier
What styles of dance do you do?
Swing and Ballroom. I have been since I came
to Hillsdale, so for two years. I also go to a club
back home in Seattle. I am the Vice President and
DJ of the Hepcats Swing Dancing Club.
What is the Swing Dancing Club like?
We get 50-100 people at the beginning of the
year, which drops to thirty regulars the rest of the
year. We play big band music, primarily, but also
classic rock like Elvis and the Beach Boys. And
some medium-tempo modern songs like Tik
Tok by Ke$sha.
What would you say those hesitant to dance?
Swing is very Hillsdalian; it teaches courteousness and proper interaction between the genders.
Its classy, a lot of fun, and something you can
use throughout your life.
How does dance fit into the liberal arts?
The liberal arts are supposed to be uplifting and
improve character. Dance does this by teaching
the proper way to interact while training both
mind and body.

Gabe Duttlinger
What styles of dance do you do?
I do American-style Ballroom, which includes
Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Rumba, Cha-Cha, and
Swing, among others. My favorite is Cha-Cha.
When did you start dancing?
I started dancing in 2003, when I was in tenth
grade. Everyone did ballroom lessons before Winter Formal. When I came back from Iraq I joined
the Ballroom Dancing Club at Hillsdale and took
Social Dance every semester. A year and a half
later I was running the club. I also taught professionally over the summer.
What would you say those hesitant to dance?
Guys: It is scary, and requires vulnerability. Guys
arent comfortable exposing their vulnerabilities,
but the girl-guy ratio (usually 3:2) speaks for
itself. Girls love to dance.
Also, ballroom isnt just for old people. I try to
play modern dance music you would hear in a
club, so people will say Oh yeah, we can ballroom dance to this! Some good ones are Low
by T-Pain featuring Flo Rida thats a great chacha song and Enrique Iglesias. Ring My Bells
is good for rumba.
How does dance fit into the liberal arts?
Dance strengthens the body by movement, the
heart by discipline, the mind by improvisation,
and character by wholesome social interaction. It
complements our scientific, historical, and literary
education and strengthens our fraternal bonds.

Dan Thelen
What styles of dance do you do?
Ive been dancing for seven years. I do ballet,
modern, jazz, and Scottish Highland. I also teach
hip hop and musical theatre at Studio 55 down
town. No matter what kind of dance I am doing,
Im happy. I am a Tower Dancer considering
Hillsdales minor in Dance.
What is the minor in Dance like?
The Dance minor requires dance technique classes
like ballet and modern, movement-based theatre
classes, history of dance, pilates, et cetera. You
have to do Tower Dancers we have a concert on
the first weekend in February, by the way. It will
be Greek-themed, like all of this years theatre. I
am doing some choreography for the show. Tower
Dancers only dances to wordless music, instrumentals; lyrics often serve as a crutch to dancers
and choreographers.
How does dance fit into the liberal arts?
Dance is good for ones mental, spiritual, and
physical well-being. One can also look at it
academically: learning to understand music, how
to move, and how to avoid injury. Terminology
of movement is a field of its own. Ballet, for example, has names for all of its moves; you could
write down a whole routine and people could read
it and do it. It is a language of movement and
words. Rudolf Laban went further and categorized
all movement in terms of words and symbols. A
complete language for dance it looks at energy
use (bound, contained, free-flow), contraction
versus expansion, weighted movement.
Its very cool.

Hillsdale in Photos
By Caroline Green