THE
IRON BLADE
Vol. 60, No. 8
Table of Contents:
SINCE 1955
60 Years of Ferrum College News
Celebrity Journalist Beth Macy Visits
they were performing in the Barnum and Bailey circus, one of the most famous traveling circuses in the world. In the years following, George and Willie unintentionally became a symbol of the civil-rights movement. Truevine tackles that angle of their ordeal and explores the key moral dilemma of their story; were the Muse brothers better off before they were kidnapped, or did it spare them the harsh vulnerability of southern, black life in the early 20th century? At the time of their kidnapping, the Roanoke Commonwealth Attorney was also the founder and head of
by Patrick Duggan Celebrity journalist Beth Macy spent the last couple months touring the country in support of her new book, Truevine, with stops in Richmond, Washington DC, and New York City. On Oct. 25, she spent an evening at Ferrum College talking to students and faculty about how she dug up the incredible story behind the book, which took place only a short drive from Ferrum’s campus. In the early 1900s in Truevine, VA, brothers George and
Willie Muse were kidnapped by the circus. Dramatic Albinism, prominent African features, and thick dreadlocks made them golden side-show material in Jim Crow eras southern Virginia. The original legend was accompanied by varying accounts of how George a n d Wi l l i e w e r e snatched. According to Truevine native A.J. Reeves, who is now 102 years old, they were taken from the Rocky Mount carnival. Macy has her own theory: their mother, Harriet Muse, may have actually leased them to the circus expecting they would be returned. Instead, the showmen told them their mother was dead and that they should stop crying. The Muse Brothers worked that job without pay for almost 30 years. They were traded and sold into circus after circus under an array of stage names, including “Eko and Iko,” “The Ecuadorian Savages,” and “Ambassadors from Mars.” When Harriet finally found them after 28 years of searching,
by Nia Pettiford Sat. Nov. 5 the Panthers Den was under the trance of hypnotherapist Steven Stone. At promptly 7pm Stone invited 10 guests to the stage. Within minutes of being on stage Stone spoke his words and made all of the participants fall asleep with the touch of a finger and the sound of a word. “The experience was crazy! It didn’t even feel like an hour, “said freshman Janessa Arce directly after being hypnotized. “I kind of don’t remember anything but I do remember some. I feel weird right now but I know I would want to be hypnotized again.” Stone had participants believing they were celebrities singing happy birthday to fans and Japanese rappers conducting interviews with translators. One participant went as far as believing he was a fairy princess and was able to make his fellow
participants fall asleep. The experience was promised to be relaxing; seeing that participants were put to sleep at least three times during the show. Junior Selden Poole called the experience “relaxing” saying, “I was asleep but never truly went to sleep. I am now rejuvenated.” Along with Poole, fellow participant, freshman Jason Elliot said, "it was the best sleep I’ve had throughout the whole semester.” Though thought to be a sort of magic hypnotism is actually a science called Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). Stone uses specific words and word patterns that can mean one thing to the participants and something different to audience members. The trade was not picked up overnight, as Stone trained for five years, 8 hours a day to be able to do what he can do. In his hometown, Stone has a practice where he performs therapies and
helps those that struggle with disorders such as PTSD. Stone says he keeps his mind sharp by reading one book a day.
page 2 - Ferrum alumnus catches up
page 4 - Panthers pull out a victory in Homecoming page 5 - Seniors in Sports page 7 - Trunk of Treat Photospread page 8 - What's Going on in the Theatre Department? page 9 - Opinion: Donald Trump and the 2016 election
page 10 - Students celebrate Day of the Dead
December , 2016
Cont. on Page 11 photos courtesy of Alyssa Parsons
Hypnotist Wows Crowd As Students Fall Into Trance
photo by Nia Pettirfod
Hypnotist visited campus and put a group of students into a trance.
Page 2 - THE IRON BLADE - December , 2016
Exam Schedule – Fall Semester 2016 Exam Date
Time of Class Days Time of Exam
Wednesday, December 7 English 101
Exams 9:00 – 11:00 6:45-9:45 p.m. W 6:45-8:45 p.m.
Thursday, December 8 9:30-10:50
TR 9:05-10:00 MWF 12:30-1:50 TR 1:25-2:20 MWF 6:45-9:45 p.m. T or R
8:00-10:00 10:30-12:30 1:00-3:00 3:30-5:30 6:45-8:45 p.m.
Friday, December 9
8:00-8:55 11:00-12:20 10:10-11:05 2:30-3:50 6:45-9:45 p.m.
8:00-10:00 10:30-12:30 1:00-3:00 3:30-5:30 6:45-8:45 p.m.
Saturday, December 10
11:15-12:10 12:20-1:15 8:00-9:20 2:00- 3:20
Monday , December 12
MWF TR MWF MW M
MWF 8:00-10:00 MWF 10:30-12:30 TR 1:00-3:00 TR 3:30-5:30
3:30 – 4:50
TR
8:00-10:00
4:00 – 5:20
MWF 10:30-12:30
Grades due Tuesday December 13 by noon
Alumni Spotlight: Avery Ardis Tosh
by Graceanne Gershner 2015 graduate Avery Ardis Tosh updated the Iron Blade about what she’s been up to in the past year and a half since leaving Ferrum. Tosh had a full schedule while she was a student here. She was a double major in liberal arts and Russian with a minor in elementary education. Tosh said, “The wonderful professors in both my majors helped prepare me for the career I have chosen.” After graduation, everything kept getting brighter for her. Tosh’s husband, Kevin, proposed to her at her graduation party. Soon after that, she landed her dream job as a fifth grade teacher at Ferrum Elementary. Technically speaking, Tosh did leave Ferrum College, but she did not leave Ferrum itself and that is something she enjoys. Tosh said, “I am currently in my second year as a fifth grade teacher and I love it. I love that I am able to stay in the area and it’s so neat to be able to teach my college professors kids.” Tosh stays busy now as much as she did when she was at Ferrum. At the elementary school, she is the leader of the running club, stays after school to help tutor kids, acts as a youth leader at her local church, and teaches dance for kids ages 3 to 10. Tosh says, “I love staying involved and dedicating my time to the community. I grew up here and I really enjoy giving back." Outside of work, Tosh and her husband Kevin bought a house in Rocky Mount and plan to stay in the area to raise her future family. The couple, being huge Tech fans, recently got a rescue dog that they named Beamer after Virginia Tech’s former coach Frank Beamer. Tosh’s future continues to shine as she dedicates her time to serving her community."
If a student has (3) examinations on the same day, a makeup time may be scheduled to the mutual agreement of the student and the faculty member.
S TAFF
Staff Writers, Photographers, and Other Contributors Co-Editors: Kaitlin Roeper & Patrick Duggan Design Team: Kaitlin Roeper, Patrick Duggan & Amani Fuller Sports Editor: Hunter Ferguson Online Editor: Sofia Hernandez Staff: Nia Pettiford, Graceanne Gershner, CJ Reed, Kayla McMillan, Chris Rogers, AnnGardner Eubank, Aleysia Goodley, TJ Olmo, Bobbi Guire, Joey Pride, Jacob Rich
Letters Policy and Publication Details:
Opinions expressed in The Iron Blade do not necessarily reflect those of Ferrum College administration, staff, faculty, or students. The Iron Blade is published every other week during the academic year at Ferrum College, Ferrum, Va. It is designed on Apple computers and printed at JS Printing in Montgomery, Ala. Material may be reprinted with the advisor’s written permission. To contact The Iron Blade, call 365-4304 or e-mail iblade@ferrum.edu. The crest on page one was designed by alumna Sandy Southard (’04) in 2005 and updated and colorized in 2009 by Glenn Thompson.
Join the Staff The Iron Blade is always looking for students who are interested in journalism, photography, or design. If you desire to contribute to The Iron Blade by being a writer, photographer, editor, or designer, please contact Tim Thornton at tthornton@ferrum.edu.
Ardis with her husband.
Corrections:
Page 3 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
AROUND CAMPUS
The End of Fall Semester Means Finals
by AnnGardner Eubank Cramming, staying up to absurd hours of the night, and completely stressing out are all parts of the college experience, especially when it comes to the week of final exams. Exams can often make or break someone's grade, or sometimes have very little impact on the final grade. According to an mtvU survey conducted in 2008, one out of every five college students say they are stressed most of the time, with numbers that only go up at the end of each semester. There have been cases of such high levels of stress throughout colleges and universities that have lead to physical and mental health issues, including depression. Many students say that the stres influences their ability to perform academically. However, students and faculty at Ferrum College make an effort to help students prepare adequately for exams and also help cope with the stress of the dreaded finals week. Finals week’s biggest highlights are the Bark Breaks. The breaks allow students to destress
and relax by playing and interacting with local sheltered dogs that are brought to campus to help lighten the mood. Along with the Bark Breaks, sometimes staff will walk through the library and offer snacks to those studying for a quick pick-me-up and energizer. Math professor Bryan Faulkner says the key to finals week is balance. “I was a terrible student. However, the best advice I can give is to study but also get enough rest, food, and exercise to function,” he said. Religion professor Kameron Wilds talked of his years studying at Ferrum, saying, “My philosophy has always been ‘Perfect what you know, tighten up what you’re iffy about, and become at least iffy on what you have no clue.’ You’re not going to learn the whole semester in a few days of studying. So if you waited to the last moment, this is what I suggest.” With final exams right around Photo Courtesy of The Huffington Post the corner, it is important to not The Huffington Post did tests to see the mental health concerns among college procrastinate and always put forth students and the impact of their academic success. as much effort as possible. Exams begin on Dec. 8, with the schedule available on the school website.
by Hunter Ferguson Students, faculty and local campus staff come together to share diverse backgrounds and experiences. Midday of Nov. 2 was a day to focus on diversity, togetherness and community for Dr. Chris Mayer’s Rec 341 class. “Ask me anything” is an event that participants with different race, clubs, teams and backgrounds come together to learn about the diversity we have right here on campus. The focus point is to improve cultural awareness. The learning aspect of the event is understanding that we don’t need to travel far to learn how diverse our community really is. Freshman Autumn Potkay explains what her first thoughts were when she first saw the event and how she felt by the end, “I was like, what’s going on here? I see candy! But then I figured out it was a pretty cool event and a good idea. There are some things I learned about people, even though it’s anonymous.” The rec class set out a table, equipped with candy as an extra incentive to participate. More importantly on the table, there was a long poster sheet. The sheet is designed for people to anonymously list one thing about themselves. This would allow other participants to learn and be aware of other's
unique traits outside of what meets the eye. The host’s in the class also gave out regular sized yellow sheets of paper that says “ask me anything.” It had space on the page for multiple facts about themselves. If people could stay long enough, it was a good opportunity for people to meet new people, but also learn facts about new peers, or even cool things about old friends. While the candy succeeded at being a drawing in incentive, once people participated, the interest and fun both became obvious. The event was slow starting, like most events, but once classes let out, waves of people came through. The location of the event was perfect, right in front of Franklin hall, people were always passing through. This enabled diverse interaction to hits its peak. A local student, sophomore West Nuttycombe, helped organize a spectacular group picture with his aerial shots from his drone. All of the participants gathered around the panther statue with their yellows sheets held upward, and West snapped some photos. Before West hustled back to his room to get his drone, he participated in Ask Me Anything. “Once everyone starting talking and reading each other’s sheets, it became real fun and interesting, I’m glad I came by.” This social event brought
CommUnity Holds Event: Ask Me Anything
(above) Students gather in the Quad for the CommUnitiy "Ask Me Anything" Event, which gets people to learn new things about people they didn't know before. (left) Cameron Clark runs the table and helps students get involved in the event.
dozens of people together and was a catalyst for interaction, meeting new people and learning how diverse this campus really is.
Photos by Hunter Ferguson
Students in the Rec 341 class say they plan to host more community events soon on campus.
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SPORTS
End of Semester Fall Sports Catch-Up
Ferrum College Equestrian Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Competes at Wakefield University
by C.J. Reed On October 15, the Ferrum Equestrian IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) Team competed at Wake Forest University. The team earned high ribbons, with four of the riders qualifying for Regionals in March, held at Averett University. Skylar Coates (Senior), Gabriella Newmiller(Senior), Anna Richardson (Senior), and Emily Bucklew (Sophomore) all accumulated enough points to qualify and move up to a higher division. The team finished up the IHSA season on October 22 and 23 at High Point University. The show was held at Sedgefield Show Grounds in Greensboro, NC, with riders competing both Saturday and Sunday. Most riders finished in the top four of their class with Senior Skylar Coates winning Reserve High Point Rider for the day. The IHSA team has a long break until the spring semester, when they will have more shows competing against the same college teams as this semester.
photos courtesy of
Above: Skylar Coates wins Reserve High Point Rider of the day. Top Left: (left to right) Skylar Coates, Gabriella Newmiller, Anna Richardson, and Emily Bucklew all qaulified for Regionals in March. Right: Equestrian team poses with their ribbons.
Ferrum Comes From Behind To Beat Methodist For Homecoming by Chris Rogers Ferrums 2016 Homecoming game was yet another come from behind victory against the opposing Monarchs of Methodist University. Ferrum trailed late in the third quarter 30-13 but rallied back to score 22 unanswered points. The blackhat defense was a completely different unit in the last 20 minutes, not allowing any points and also forcing a turnover. Freshman sensation running back Brian Mann had 344 all-purpose yards in leading Ferrum College to a 35-30 USA South victory. Manns performance set a new record for all purpose yards.
Senior Quarterback Harvey Taylor shoves Methodist defender to the ground to fit for extra yardage. photos courtesy of Ferrum College Athletics
Three Field Hockey Players Honored With All-Conference Awards by Graceanne Gershner Ferrum’s field hockey team’s season ended on Nov. 4 in Tennessee against Transylvania University. The team fell 5-0 during the quarterfinals of the SAA Tournament. Head coach Carrie Austin had alot to talk about the past year as a team, “I’m happy with the growth as a program, but we still have a long way to go. We’ve improved since the start of the program and we had 4 wins this season, but we had some close ones that we should have worked through,” Austin said. Austin said that the teams overall goal would be to win the conference championship. She said she is really looking forward to the off season in the spring. “We have a lot of work to do in the spring because there are some strong teams competing next season; Rhodes College and Centre College being two of them.” As far as next year’s players look Austin said, “We have a great group of seniors for next year. They are really motivated. These are the girls who have been here for the program’s entire length.” There were three players honored with allconference awards this season. Alex Madden and Kasey Sheets both earned second team and Sierra
Magdaleno earned first team all conference. In regards to Magdaleno, Austin said, “Sierra is a big competitor. Whatever it takes to put the ball in the goal or get a penalty corner, she will do it. She is a huge attackman and came up big for us in high pressure situations.” Magdaleno is known for scoring game tying and game winning goals. Moving onto Madden, Coach Austin said, “Alex really learned how to put the ball in the back of the net this year. She worked a lot on her off-ball movement, shot selection, and goal photos courtesy of Ferrum College Athletics scoring positions.” Lastly, Austin described Sheets as the (above) Sierra Magdaleno (below) Alex Madden team’s workhorse and as one of the most consistent players she has ever coached. “Kasey is all over the field and will run end line to end line for her team. She is present on offense and defense and creates so many opportunities. She earns penalty corners, she has good shots, and even if they don’t make it in she creates rebound opportunities. Even though she doesn’t always get all the glory she truly is our playmaker.” Austin said all three of the girls worked hard and grew as players. They all earned it.
Page 5 - THE IRON BLADE - December , 2016
SENIORS IN SPORTS
by Chris Rogers
by
by Joey Pride
Q: How long have you been playing football? A: “I have been playing football since the 8th grade but I didn’t really become good at the sport until my Sr. year of high school.” Q: What is something most people would not know about you? A: “I tend to play volleyball and soccer more than I play football in my free time at home in Virginia Beach.” Q: What are your plans after graduating from Ferrum? A: “Once I graduate I will try to compete in a few combines in hopes of reaching a professional spot on a football team overseas or Canadian league. If that doesn’t go as planned then I will pursue a career related to Business Administration.”
Q: What has volleyball here at Ferrum taught you over the last four years? A: I’ve only been here for three years, but it has taught me how to work with others. It has taught me some life lessons to take on with me after I graduate from Ferrum. Like during a match, volleyball has taught me to expect the unexpected. Q: What will you miss about playing volleyball? A: I will miss a lot about playing volleyball. The thrill of the game, sacrificing my body for a ball, the intensity that came with all games (especially rivals or big matches), just the different feelings that came over me during the match for different reasons. Most of all I’ll miss playing the sport I love.
Q: What is your favorite Ferrum College memory? A: My favorite memory here would have to be the hiking trip that we took as a team during my freshman year. Q: What is your favorite moment from playing soccer? A: Definitely beating Methodist this year in overtime for Ferrum’s first win against them in over fifteen years. Q: Fun fact about you? A: I plan on playing tennis here this spring.
Sr. Wide receiver Chris Guy
Defensive Specialist Sarah Hendrix
Midfielder Alex Armstrong
photos courtesy of Ferrum College Athletics
by Hunter Ferguson
by
by Nia Pettiford
Q: What was your favorite memory with the team? On or off the field. A: Beating Hendrix in double overtime, after scoring 2 goals in the last three minutes of regulation. Q: What are you studying and what do you plan to do with your degree after school? A: I am a health science major with minors in biology and environmental science. I would love to try to get a job with the NCAA. Q: What’re you going to miss about your teammates and coaches? A: I am going to miss celebrating good results, and practices were always fun. Coach Carrie always cared about us off the field and our success, easily the best coach I have ever had. Q: Fun fact about yourself? A: I never played field hockey until I came to Ferrum my sophomore year.
Q: What’re you going to miss most about soccer? A: The friendships and relationships we created. We bonded with one another so well, even with the incoming freshman. Q: What was your favorite on the field memory? A: Probably this season when we played Averett and went into double overtime. In the last few minutes of the second overtime period, our freshman Payton Stuart scored a nice goal in the top right corner to give us the win and secure our #3 seed in the tournament. Q: What are you studying and how do you plan to use your degree after college? A: I am a health and human performance major with an emphasis in exercise science. I plan to go to graduate school and get my masters as a physicians assistant.
Q: What are you going to miss the most? A: Definitely going to miss being around the guys on the team. Not only are we all good friends we communicate on daily basis and that’s going to be tough once it’s all said and done. Do you plan to keep playing golf after college? A: I do plan on pursuing golf after college now how far that road is going to take me I may never know but I feel as if that I have the game and the talent to do so. So we will see what the journey is going to hold. Q: What is your best part of your golf game? A: If I had to take a wild guess I would say driving is the best aspect of the my game. I tend to hit my driver pretty well and it has helped my college career tremendously.
Forward Chenoa Daye
Defender Ae’Niesha Mar
Brandon Bailey
Page 6 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
SPORTS
Football Players Selected in the USA South All-Conference Teams by Hunter Ferguson & Chris Rogers While only one team can win the USA South conference, other teams can find small victories by having players selected to the all-conference teams. Ferrum football was able to produce six all-conference players this season to go along with their 6-4 overall record. Freshman running back sensation Brian Mann was selected as the Offensive Rookie of the year. Mann led the conference, and broke a Ferrum record, with 1,453 rushing yards, averaging 145.3 a game. Mann also led the conference with 202 all purpose yards a game. The freshman was second in conference scoring, accounting for 86 points. Mann also set a new USA South single-season record by recording over 35 yards per kickoff return. The Giles county native was named First Team All-Conference running back and Second Team All-Conference return specialist. Mann was chosen as the USA South Rookie of the Week seven of the ten chances, and also collected one D3Football.com National Team of the Week. Junior Defensive Lineman Montel Lee was named Defensive Player of the Year by the USA South. Leading the conference with 9.5 sacks on the year, Lee also now
photos courtesy of Ferrum College Athletics
Brian Mann: 1st Team Running Back
Chris Guy: 2nd Team Wide Receiver
Montell Lee: 1st Team Defensive Lineman
Jordan Patti: 2nd Team Offensive Line
owns the USA South career sack record with 25.5 sacks. Additionally, Lee notched a career tackle-for-loss total of 57, also a USA South record.
Harvey Taylor (Quarterback): USA South's All Sportsmanship Team
Al Matthews: 2nd Team Defensive Line
Anthony Konieczka: 2nd Team Linebacker
Lee was named First Team All- South Defensive Player of the Week Conference defensive lineman for his once, and D3football.com National third consecutive year. The Analusia, Team of the Week once. Alabama native was named USA ***Other players had mentions.
Mens And Women's Basketball Open Season Women’s Basketball
by Joey Pride The women’s basketball team won their opening game 84-73 at Roanoke College. The game stayed close but Ferrum led for the majority of the game. Zarkia Mattox had 31 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists, leading the team in points and rebounds, while being tied with Brooke Lewis for assists. Erin March had 24 points and Maggie Self had 15, while Roanoke’s Bridget Holleran and Carrie Beahm had 22 and 21 points respectively. After playing in the Kean Classic and the Transylvania Thanksgiving Tournament over Thanksgiving break, their record currently stands at 3-3. They will look to achieve a winning record again when they take on Eastern Mennonite on Dec. 3 in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Men’s Basketball
by Nia Pettiford Men’s Basketball started their non-conference season with a home game Tuesday Nov. 15. The Panthers entered the first game with enthusiasm and confidence as they went against the Generals of Washington and Lee University, who
also played their first game. Guard, junior Josh Dudley, led the team’s point count with 19 points. When asked why he was so successful Dudley said that “the team compliments each other in the way that everyone knows their individual roll and plays to the best of their ability.” Despite winning the game, 74-69, Dudley said the team could still work on defense and communication and emphasizing that they need to talk and have energy. For the team this win was a “confidence boost” said guard, freshman Rashad Reed, who scored 8 points during the game. “The team had confidence from practice and felt good going into the game,” said Reed. After showing poor attitude and throwing his clipboard on the court, the General’s coach was kicked out of the game and the Panthers were given 4 free throws. The Panthers chose freshman guard, Logan Gant, who was able to score 2 out of 4 of the free shots. With only seconds left of the game prior to the free shots, the shots guaranteed the win of the Panthers leaving them 1-0 as of their first game.
(above) The team gets pumped up before the start of the game. (right) The players huddle before the start of the game to get into the mindset of a winning team. photos by Nia Pettiford
Students Trunk-or-Treat
Page 7 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
Left: "Welcome to the Jungle" Dressing up their truck in jungle animals, leaves and playing jungle themed music, this group went all out to the theme of “Welcome to the Jungle�. From left to right: Breonna Hall (freshman), Akeeva Miller (freshman), Madelyn Ols (freshman), Nia Pettiford (freshman), Casey Hawkins (freshman), Kelsey Rathjen (freshman), and Kyle Branch (freshman). Middle Left: Representing Art ClubAlicia Moore (junior) dresses as an exact replica of Velma from Scooby Doo and Jamie Anderson (junior). Middle Right: 11 members of Delta Phi Epsilon and a ninja come to hand out candy to the trick or treaters. From left to right : Kat Boxley (junior), Lesha Taylor (junior), Sara Hodges (freshman), Alexis Toliver (junior), Gabby Newmiller (senior), Kayla Newkirk (junior), Jody Jeffries (junior), Emily Bucklew (sophomore), Kali Bonner (junior), Sarah Shuford (junior), Nikki Martins (senior), and ninja trick-or-treater.
Bottom left: Kappa Alpha Sigma handed out candy dressed as animals and cartoon characters. From right to left: Lauren Shewski-Higgs, Ariell Anderson, Siena Pangelinan, Sarah Hodges, Katie Delph, Gabrielle Reichard, Sam Grandle Bottom right: Black Student Union (BSU) hands out a variety of candy to the Ferrum community. From left to right memebers Naje Murray (sophmore), Kensel Anderson (senior), Shelton Chapman Jr. (freshman), and NeeShae Preston-Smith (freshman).
Page 8 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
"Bombassadors" Bring Bombas to Ferrum College Campus by Graceanne Gershner Here at Ferrum we are infamous for priding ourselves on our motto, “Not self, but others”."A very dedicated group of students here are fulfilling this duty, and they call themselves “Bombassadors." Sam Belcher, Billie Quesenberry, and Dorothy Carroll dedicate their time with a company called Bombas; you can catch the trio on campus handing out free socks to students in the atrium or the quad. For those who are unfamiliar with the brand, Bombas is a company that sells socks online, and for each pair that is purchased another pair of socks is donated to a homeless shelter. The brand made its debut on the TV show Shark Tank and has donated over a million pairs of socks; they were the most requested items in homeless shelters. Bombas comes for the Latin word for “bee." The company was named this because bees work together to make the hive a better place, and according to their website, “bees are small, but their combined efforts have a big impact on the world." Dorothy Carroll gave us the details of how Bombas made its way
down to Ferrum. Sam Belcher came across Bombas one day online. He discovered the company had an ambassador program and had decided to bring it to Ferrum. Along with the help of Jesse Delph and alumni students Jessa King and his sister Rachel Belcher, Bombas came to campus. Together, the group created a code, FERRUM20, for students to get 20% of off his or her purchase. This code also links Bombas and Ferrum so the company can send the appropriate amount of socks for us to donate. Our Bombassadors are also pairing up with Lions Club to participate in the Rescue Mission’s “bless my sole” event. Students will go to a homeless shelter and wash the feet of the homeless. There will also be a doctor at the event to clip toenails and treat infections. When the people from the shelter leave they are sent home with lotion and a clean pair of Bombas. Bombassador Billie Quesenberry compared Bombas to Nike. She said they were better in quality and competitively priced, with Nike at $12 a pair. When you purchase Bombas socks, you are purchasing
by Bobbi Guire August: Osage County was the main stage production this semester. It is about a dysfunctional family and the ups and downs that go along with that. There’s the father that disappears, the drug addicted mother who has cancer of the mouth, and the three daughters: Barbara, who is constantly fighting with her husband, Karen, who is dating a pedophile, and Ivy, who is in love with her cousin, which turns out to be her half-brother. Wayne Bowman said he chose this play because, “I thought it was an appropriate challenge for the students in the program and it deals with the themes of dysfunctional family matters.” When asked why he chose to
have a role in this play, he responded with, “I've always thought it was important to model what I want students to do. I have been busy the past decade and haven't had time, and I felt the role was for me.” Tori Akers, who plays Violet, said that, “As crazy as it all is, the audience can connect with it some part of the play. The play makes you laugh at certain things and makes you think about them afterwards, which is a good thing.” The play was wonderfully directed and the actors did a phenomenal job and you could tell how hard they have worked. The crowd really got into the play, especially during the fight scenes.
Photo by Graceanne Gershner
(left to right) Dorothy Caroll, Billie Quesenberry, and Sam Belcher are known as the "Bombassadors" of Ferrum College. They helped bring Bombas to Ferrum College Campus, which helps donates pairs of socks to the poor.
two pairs. One for yourself and one for someone in need. It’s better for your buck. She said, “Being a part of Bombas is a win-win situation. I get to tell people about a product that is a basic necessity for all people and then I get to tell them about how awesome the socks really are! I love
mine! It is so rewarding to work with Bombas because we are making a difference in the world, even if it’s only one pair of socks at a time!” These students are a true example of putting others before themselves and continue every day to show what our school stands for.
Theatre Department in August: Osage County
Photo by Fox Yates
Left to right: Malcolm McRae, TJ Olmo, Seleste Cowie, Kat Accilien, Tori Akers, Lacey Matthews on stage during the play August: Osage County
Theatre Student: Moving On To Bigger and Better Things By Bobbi Guire The weekend of Oct. 27-30, a group of students in the Theatre Arts program went to the Virginia Theatre Association conference, an annual conference that has been held in Norfolk, Va. The conference is geared towards high schoolers, but there are workshops for everyone there. We had two students audition to go onto the Southeastern Theatre Conference, also known as SETC,
which is the more professional level. At SETC, students can audition in front of about a hundred different theatre companies. One Ferrum College senior, Zach Reyes, was passed on for a second year in a row, meaning that the companies he auditioned for liked his performance. When asked how he feels about being passed on, he responded, “In some ways I'm really proud of myself that I got passed on and
I'll be able to show my talents to other theater companies who might want to hire me. In other ways I’m indifferent. Mainly because I've done this process before and even though I got passed to SETC, there's a great chance I won't get a callback to any theater company. But I'm mainly proud and determined at the moment.” The Conference is set to be March 1-5 of 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky.
Photo by Bobbi Guire
Zach Reyes (senior) was selected into the SETC.
Page 9 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
Opinion On the 2016 Presidental Election Results
by AnnGardner Eubank You don’t have to like Donald Trump. You do not have to agree with any of his policies. It’s okay to be upset, mad, happy, or excited about the outcome of the 2016 election. If you voted for Clinton, it doesn’t make you a crook, like she has been called for withholding information from the FBI and congress, and if you voted for Trump, it doesn’t make you a bad person or racist, like he has been called in the past for racial slurs. The country elects a president to represent and serve for the United States of America. However, on November 9, the day after the election, it seemed that the United States became divided and torn from the outcome. There were riots, acts of violence, and disrespectful acts towards the country abound. It’s okay to not be ecstatic about the outcome of the election, but when a flag is burned out of disrespect and people do not stand
up for the National Anthem, you are no longer disrespecting Donald Trump, you are disrespecting the 1.1 million American soldiers who have lost their lives over the course of history to protect our rights. These soldiers fought and died to protect the nation and our freedom, which is symbolized by the flag and the anthem. A single person does not turn a united nation into a nation full of hate; this is done by mass groups of people disrespecting the nation as a form of frustration. No matter how many riots are held, it will not change the outcome of the election or change who the new president-elect is. If you’re passionate about a certain cause or issue, by all means, rally with others and fight for what you believe in, but do it in a respectful and peaceful manner. Whether you’re passionate about legalizing marijuana or even the use of nuclear weapons, it’s more effective to gather others who agree with that
by AnnGardner Eubank Colleges and Universities all over the United States are buzzing about the recent presidential election. Some are gleaming with excitement and hope and some are rioting in anger and rage. Many students are finding the election of Donald Trump a hard pill to swallow. For instance, mid-term exams were made optional at Yale University for those too distraught about the outcome to take the test. At numerous schools throughout the country, “safe spaces” and “grieving rooms” have been put in place for those trying to process the outcome. In other schools, like Virginia Commonwealth University, and UCLA, students have
by AnnGardner Eubank The opening night of the annual senior seminar production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) was a full house filled with laughs. In the Flex Theatre in Schoolfield Hall, three seniors, Zach Reyes, Bobbi Guire, and Morgan Julian, performed all thirty seven of Shakespeare’s plays in roughly ninety minutes.The play was directed by theatre professor Giuseppe Ritorto. The performers summed up all of Shakespeare’s plays in a form of comedy and included some modern, and sometimes controversial, allusions and references throughout the performance. The performance
Photo courtesys of NYPost
Protestors burn the American Flag in rage over the Election Results.
specific issue and start locally, then broaden your horizons with larger masses through petitions and educating the public. Being violent and unorganized will accomplish nothing. Hillary Clinton even said, “Donald Trump deserves an open mind and a chance to lead.” If Hill-
ary Clinton and President Obama can wish well and put faith into the president-elect, the population can too. Fight for what you believe, but respect the country in which you live and those who have fought and died for your rights. Stop the hate. It will get us nowhere.
been rioting and protesting. While Ferrum College hasn’t seen any particular riots or major celebrations, it’s still a buzz and something everyone seems to have an opinion on. In the mock election held on campus on November 8, the day before the actual election, Ferrum voted for Hillary Clinton to be president with sixty percent of votes. Freshman class president, Miranda Basden, had some thoughts on the aftermath of the election, saying, “This election has changed people’s views of other people. I think things are going to go downhill from here.” When asking for the opinion of some others, people began chanting “F--- Don-
ald Trump,” and there were a couple of “I don’t cares,” thrown into the mix as well. Freshman Destiny Smith stated her opinion, saying, “We’re screwed. Either way, we would have been screwed.” While there was definitely some anger displayed regarding the outcome, not all students were upset. Freshman Camryn Holt couldn’t have been more excited about the results, saying, “Go Trump! I love him, he’ll do great.” Kevin McKinney agreed, saying, “I’m just really glad we kept a criminal out of office.” Another student, who asked to remain anonymous, stated her opinion on the aftermath of the election, saying, “I’m not pleased with the
disrespect of other people’s opinions. Whether you like Trump or not, you should respect him as the
had a number of sexual innuendos and often vulgar, yet hilarious, remarks. While the night was definitely full of laughs, there were moments throughout the play where the audience had an awkward stance. When hinting at issues like rape and abortion, which were issues made light by the script, the feeling in the room went from happy to tense very quickly. However, the performers were able to bounce back to creating a funny and light hearted atmosphere. The props, costumes, and other elements like lighting and music were all done well and assisted the performance as an entirety,
however, it was the performer's use of the audience that made the show great. The audience was engaged and the play was interactive, bringing multiple people up on stage and getting the audience to shout some lines here and there. The only real downside to the night was while it started off with clever and witty jokes, the show became a bit sloppy by the end. Instead of sly jokes and funny gestures, the end of the show seemed to be more yelling, screaming, and disorganization in comparison to it’s strong beginning. The three-man show was an impressive piece of work, especially with standout Zach Reyes nearly
Ferrum's Thoughts on the 2016 Presidental Election Results
photo by AnnGardner Eubank
Kevin McKinney (freshamn) " “I’m just really glad we kept a criminal out of office.”
Complete Works of Willaim Shakespeare Critique
bringing the audience to tears with his hilarious performance. Despite the not-so terrific ending, the show was a night full of laughs and enjoyment.
Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ritorto
(left to right) Bobbi Guire, Zach Reyes, and Morgan Julian were the only three actors in the show.
Page 10 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
BSU Holds Panel Discussion: #WEMATTER by Kayla McMillan The Black Student Union and RHE hosted Ferrum College’s first "#We Matter" panel discussion in the Panther’s Den. The purpose of this panel discussion was to inform our students about how the Black Lives Matter movement has affected various aspects of society today. English professor Dr. Melvin Macklin, Resident Housing Executive John Hollemon, Ferrum Police Chief Jim Owens, Dr. Tom Steele, and juniors Guy Ramsey and Devin Mollester gave valuable insight into how the Black Lives Matter movement has effected them personally and where #AllLivesMatter and #BlueLivesMatter fall into place. The first question presented to the panel was, “Do you believe that the Black Lives Matter has made a difference?” Macklin was first to open up the discussion by explaining to the audience where he stands on the issue. “I am a person, I am a human. The intent of Black Lives Matter is that racism exists on some levels. I do believe that it’s making a difference because it has gained attention.” The entire panel agreed that the movement has brought attention to the relationship between African-Americans and police officers. Macklin also mentioned the fact that these types of shootings “have been occurring for decades.”
The next question was directed to John Hollemon and Dr. Steele, “How would Martin Luther King Jr. react to Black Lives Matter?” According to Hollemon, “I think he would agree with what is going on currently,” Dr. Steele said, “His movement was to integrate peace and make things better and all these movements have an effect on all of us.” Chief Owens chimed in when asked if social media plays a big role on how America views the movement. “Yes, it has, good and bad qualities,” Owens said "The media loves these types of things because it brings in more ratings and money to news networks.” The next question asked: Do you think all lives matter and blue lives matter came about because Black Lives Matter started? Macklin said, “Black Lives Matter was a response the discrimination photo by by police officers. Blue Lives Matter The panel consisted of English professor Dr. Melvin Macklin, Resident came about because police officers Housing Executive John Hollemon, Ferrum Police Chief Jim Owens, Dr. Tom were being killed.” That question Steele, and juniors Guy Ramsey and Devin Mollester. They debated #BlackLives Matter and #BlueLivesMatter. ended the first panel. The second panel consisted of Dr. Summers, Todd Holmes, Justin people of color. The next question up a lot of discussion, including Muse, and sophomore Dorothy was, “What laws and regulations host Kennsel Anderson, who added Carroll. This panel had two very can be put in place to decrease police “Police shoot what they believe important questions, the first was, brutality cases?” This question is a threat.” Officers are taught to “What do you wish people knew received a number of responses, eliminate the threat, an audience about being black?” Dr. Bryant including panelist Dorothy Carroll. member added. This event was responded with “It’s important to who said, “I don’t know if laws can concluded with individuals from all understand.” She added that people help, because even after Jim Crow sides having a better understanding who are not of color should not Laws were passed, it took decades of the society that we live in. be nervous to talk about race with to enforce.” This statement opened Various classes decorated tables in Franklin Hall to celebrate holiday Day of the Dead, a traditional Mexican holiday. Left, a criminal justice class assmbled an exhibit dedicated to police officers killed in acion. Below Dr. Mayer’s rec class displayed photos honoring celebrities that have died in the past year. To the right, the Spanish students honored the late Jose Ferandez, a Cubanborn American Baseball player.
Day of the Dead
Page 11 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
It's More Than Just Social Media by Aleysia Goodley Although social media has various positive advantages, there are also plenty of disadvantages. With sites like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube and Tumblr, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of people from all over the world and sometimes lose yourself at the same time. Americans have become particularly emotionally sensitive to all topics. It seems like no conversation is safe and arguments persists unnecessarily. You would think with the ability to connect with people worldwide
would be more open-minded and know what is important versus what is just personally important. All we ever see is negativity, not just from social media but from the news and our friends and family. Hate and the unwillingness to see things from another’s perspective have turned us into monsters behind our phones. We all have different lifestyles and ways of thinking based on our upbringings, but instead of having civil conversations when someone speaks their opinion we reject it and then insult that person on things that do
not even pertain to the conversation. Someone’s lifestyle should only be pointed out when they are being harmful to society or themselves, not when you don’t agree with their hobbies, appearance, or eating habits. Instead of using that energy, whether it be negative or positive, towards petty argument, through a screen, we should put it into toward racial profiling, economic issues, gender segregation, and other immoral acts that are prevalent in society today. It is becoming insanely worrisome, especially with the recent election, that
Beth Macy Cont. the local KKK chapter; in her book, Macy wrote of a one Roanoke woman who had trained the pet parrots on her front porch to call black people N-words as they walked by. “Only in a place like Truevine [in the early 1900s] could being kidnapped seem like an opportunity,” Macy said. She sees significant parallels between the Muses’ struggle and the struggles that ethnic minorities face in America today, specifically in the rising generation. “It’s not all that different,” Macy said. “I think the things you’re seeing now, like the riots in Baltimore and the police shootings of unarmed black men, it’s all the same kind of issue. Things don’t happen in a vacuum, things happen because there is history behind them. We as white people need to try to put ourselves in black people’s shoes and understand that they have different history than we do, that maybe we benefited from a society that put black people down for 300 years. I think we all need to own a little bit of that history, and until we do, it seems like history keeps repeating itself.” Macy started chasing the story over a decade ago; what was first nothing more than a potential newspaper feature became a full-length book. She first heard rumors of the Muses while she was working at The Roanoke Times, where their tale was described to her as “the story no one could get.” At this point, the story of the Muse Brothers had aged into the mythos of the region; it was most commonly used by mothers to scare their children into behaving and staying close to home. That challenge sent Macy into the investigation of a lifetime. Nancy Saunders, the brothers’ grandniece and caretaker, was Macy’s primary source, the closest living link to their legacy. Initially, Saunders wanted nothing to do with Macy or her newspaper; Willie was old and had already been exploited for the better part of his life. Eventually Saunders warmed up, and after
photo courtesy of Alyssa Parsons
Albino brothers George and Willy Muse were kidnapped by the circus in the early 1900's. They worked as side-show characters with no pay for 28 years.
years of limited cooperation, the two became friends. Saunders wasn’t the only source who was hesitant to participate; unearthing the Muse’s story was a long, complicated process. Occasionally, she would bring black friends who could vouch for her to interviews; otherwise, the Franklin county African-American elders who helped her put together the story would probably have given her the boot. Careful navigation and unbreakable persistence helped her unearth a story that had withered into nothing more than a cautionary legend told
to misbehaved children. “If someone doesn’t want to be interviewed by me, but I feel like I have to have them talk to me, I’ll just wait,” Macy said. “I’ll keep going back, and I’ll call somebody else to vouch for me. I have a lot of different kinds of people in my contacts. It’s just always been a big emphasis of mine, being inclusive. I probably know more types of people than most journalists do. And with a book, instead of spending five hours or five days [working], you get to spend a year or more. So when somebody says no, that’s just kind of like, they
our government and our people are much more corrupt than we thought, yet we do nothing but sit behind a screen and rant on social media about it instead of going out and putting those thoughts into action. If more of us put effort out in the real world and educated ourselves beyond what school has taught us, we could trigger an incredible amount of change.
don’t know me yet.” Long before she started writing books, Macy grew up in Urbana, Ohio. She went to college at Bowling Green State University and landed her first writing job in Columbus, Ohio. After spending some time in Savannah, Georgia, she took a job at The Roanoke Times in 1989 and stayed there until 2014. During her time there, Macy wrote a column that drew the admiration of Ferrum professors Katherine Grimes and Lana Whited, her first fans to ask her for her autograph. She published her first book, Factory Man, the year she left The Roanoke Times. Set in the 1980s, the book revolves around the early days of John Bassett III, the now highly successful chairman of Vaughan Bassett Furniture Co. Bassett’s story drew her for the same reasons the Muse Brothers did: “[They] both share these threads of outsiders and underdogs that I’m drawn to,” Macy said. Both books have received praise from a plethora of publications, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and NPR. In addition, both are getting the Hollywood treatment: Truevine’s film rights have been purchased by Leonardo Dicaprio and Factory Man’s by Tom Hanks. Despite her dizzyingly fast ascent from newspaper reporter to film-inspirer, Macy is devoted to these small-town stories and has no intention of abandoning her roots. “I grew up in in a small town myself,” Macy said. “A lot of small towns in America got shafted with globalization and my goal has always been to tell the story of the underdog. I think in New York or Washington, people don’t pay attention to issues in rural America, and I think that’s part of what has lead to Donald Trump. I just try to bring attention to the people I know and live with.” Truevine and Factory Man are on shelves and ready for purchase. To learn more, check out Macy’s blog, Intrepidpapergirl.com.
Page 12 - THE IRON BLADE - December, 2016
STUDENTS SPEAK
Question: What are your Christmas break plans?
Brandon Grueso (sophomore)
McKenna Dowd (freshman)
Jalen Gill (sophomore)
Jake Irvin (senior)
Jacqueline Hunter Fox (junior)
Jade Jones (junior)
RJ Lee (junior)
Paige Putnam (junior)
Casey Hawkins (freshman)
A: Well, Christmas is all about family. I’m going to tell my mom and sisters I love them, and make some gingerbread houses and drink some eggnog.
A: I plan to look for a job since I'm done with school this winter. I wants to do some hunting, hang out with friends, fish, and enjoy family time before I hit the real world.
A: I am traveling to Reston, Va which is my hometown. Also, I will be traveling to Baltimore to visit my childhood friends and family. I look forward to eating good food.
A: I’ll be binge watching netflix and playing with my puppy.
A: Me and my boyfriend Alex are going to go to my grandparents house for a week, and then we're going to his house in Naples, Florida for three weeks.
A: I plan to buy my plane ticket to Russia and help my mother with Disney marathon run.
A: I plan on being at the crib spending quality time with my family in Franklin County, Va.
A: Write music and hang out with my boyfriend.
A: My family buys a trunk full of presents for the VCU Christmas drive and my family goes to Florida to visit other family and see the lights.