Michigan’s oldest college newspaper
Vol. 147 Issue 21 – March 7, 2024
www.hillsdalecollegian.com
Elizabeth Spalding speaks on
Richard Day retires from maintenance after 32 years
combating modern communism
By Moira Gleason Assistant Editor
By Tayte Christensen Collegian Reporter Marxist communism is alive and well, said Chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Elizabeth Spalding in a speech on Monday. “Widespread ignorance about communism prevails,” she said. “Many Americans are uneducated, have forgotten, or have chosen to disbelieve truths about communism and the destruction it brings.” Spalding pointed to the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as the foundation of communist ideas and highlighted several countries, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, that have embraced these ideas in recent history. Her speech discussed the history of communism as well as the hold it has on Americans currently. Spalding said 44% of Americans aged 18-29 today have a positive view of communism despite the cultural destruction caused by those ideas in societies. “Communism denies human nature and rights,” she said. “It turns men into blank slates, ready to be socially engineered.” According to Spalding, communism has four principles it aims to destroy in societies. “Private property, religion, family, and country are the things communism wants to abolish most of all,” she said. “In a communist society, there is limited scope for human flourishing and no real freedom.” Spalding highlighted figures such as Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Joseph Stalin as some of the biggest names in the spread of communism, which has been the political system responsible for the most deaths in recent history. “Communism has killed more people in the 19th and 20th centuries than any other political system,” she said. “There have been 100 million
deaths in communist regimes worldwide since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, which is more than both of the world wars combined.” Communism not only aims for physical death, Spalding said, but it advocates for the death of personal freedoms. “In communism, there was and is no rule of law, no self-government, no free press, no rights of association, and no petition,” she said. “Communism aims to repress, eradicate and destroy what we in the West take for granted.” Spalding said it is important to not only fight for these rights and to stand up against communism, but also to support the work of those who do. “We should bring attention wherever possible to those who dissent,” Spalding said, referring to the recent death of Russian dissenter Alexei Navalny. “What is correct, right, and ultimately in our own interest are things worth defending.” The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit organization that aims to remember the lives lost to communism and encourage those still fighting against it. Senior Mary Clare Hamilton attended the speech and said she is thankful for the opportunity to hear Spalding speak. “It is definitely an honor for her to come and talk to us,” Hamilton said. “She is a giant in the world that is fighting the Communist Party, and it’s an honor to listen to her.” Hamiltion said Spalding’s discussion of communism in youth today is an important topic to keep discussing. “I think that the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is doing a lot of really awesome work, especially in Washington, D.C., to counterbalance this narrative,” she said. “Because communism is definitely something that 18 to 30 year olds are for.”
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After working for the college since 1991, zone maintenance technician Richard “Rich” Day retired from fulltime work Feb. 29. He will remain on the maintenance staff part time. College President Larry P. Arnn said Day was one of the first people he met when he came to Hillsdale. “He was setting up telephones in our new home,” Arnn said. “He was on that day what he has been ever after: courteous, efficient, cheerful. He has been a blessing to the college with his skill and his good character. He tells my wife he will still be around and do some work from time to time. We are all very glad about that.” Day, who is 67, was born and raised in Hudson, Michigan, where he still lives with his wife. Day joined the Hillsdale College maintenance staff in September 1991, after working in factories, on farms, and then for six years installing phone systems for Larry’s Telephone Service in Hillsdale County. Day said his then-boss Lawrence “Larry” Reasoner told him about the job opening at the college. The college hired someone
else the first time he applied, Day said, but when the initial candidate quit a year later Reasoner encouraged him to apply again. “He told me to get my rear end up there, and I interviewed again, and that was the beginning of it,” Day said. Day said he wishes he had started working for the college sooner, but he is grateful for the time he had here. “I just kind of fell into this wiring job and doing phone work and I was surviving, but I didn’t know where I was going with my life,” Day said. “And then I come up here, and I could see that this was going to be steady employment and it was going to be steady work. Not only was I doing the phones, but I was doing the mechanical work, too. And it’s what I enjoyed, and it’s been very rewarding. It’s been a great adventure.” During his time in maintenance, Day said he began by installing and maintaining telephone systems but has also worked on cable locating and outdoor lighting among other general maintenance tasks. “I’m pretty good mechanically-wise,” Day said. “I mean, you name it, I can pretty much do a little bit of everything.” Day said he has never stopped learning and tries to
Richard Day holding his retirement cake at a celebration the college hosted for him. Courtesy | Alicia Kelley
provide insight to the newer members of the maintenance team when he can. “Any time you can put your feet on the ground and strive to do good where you’re at, you may not be able to always give it 100%, but try to give it the best you can,” Day said.
“That’s kind of my outlook on life.” Fleet mechanic Scott Handy said Day has often stepped up to help him with vehicle preparation, equipment maintenance, and event setup.
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Final CCA of the semester covers the American musical By Faith Senne Collegian Freelancer The American musical sets the standard for the cultural understanding of the genre as a whole, speakers at this week’s Center for Constructive Alternatives said. The CCA, titled “The American Musical,” was the fourth CCA of the academic year and ran from March 3-7. It included showings of classic American musical films and lectures from experts on the subject. The CCA’s first event was a showing of “Singin’ in the Rain,” starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor.
The same evening featured a lecture by Ken Bloom, author of “Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of All Time.” Bloom spoke on the history of the American musical, which he said originated in the operetta and opera, first with spoofs of operas. “Most modern Broadway musicals lack creativity and include songs that don’t contribute to the plot,” Bloom said. Friends of the college, students, and parents again crowded into Plaster Auditorium on Monday afternoon to watch Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!,” starring Shirley Jones and Gordan MacRae.
After watching the twohour-and-25-minute movie, Oscar Hammerstein II’s nephew, John Steele Gordon, lectured on the history of Rodgers’ musical partnership with Lorenz Hart, an American lyricist of the 1930s. He also covered how Rodgers and Hammerstein began to work together and the different ways in which their first hit “Oklahoma!” influenced every musical that came after it. “The beautiful morning of the golden age of musicals dawned with ‘Oklahoma!,’” Gordon said. “Oklahoma!” influenced “The Music Man,” “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” and “West Side Story,” according
to Gordon. Attendees watched “The Music Man,” starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones, on Tuesday. “‘The Music Man’ ran 1,375 days on Broadway,” said Mark Cabaniss, lecturer on “The Music Man” and author of “Miracle of The Music Man: The Classic American Story of Meredith Willson.” The film is about the transforming power of music and love and faith, according to Cabaniss. Sophomore Ava-Marie Papillon said she loved Cabaniss’ engagement with the audience.
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Radio students travel to New York City for IBS awards By Lauren Scott City News Editor Senior Therese Boudreaux won first place for “Best Documentary” from the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System, as she and seven other radio students competed as finalists for national awards last weekend in New York City.
“These awards are open to radio/audio programs at colleges across the country,” said Scot Bertram, general manager at WRFH Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. “Thousands of submissions are received each year and only the top 3% are recognized as finalists in their respective categories.” IBS is an organization that
Radio students enjoy a dinner in New York after the award ceremony. Courtesy | Scot Bertram
supports both college and high school media outlets and organizations, according to its website. More than 3,000 entries were submitted from 100-plus schools across the country and the globe this year. Bertram and six radio students traveled to New York City to attend the IBS awards ceremony. Boudreaux was the
only first-place winner from Hillsdale. “I submitted a radio documentary about lawyer Robert Bilott’s investigation of PFAS chemicals, the dangers they pose, and DuPont’s coverup,” Boudreaux said. “I originally made that documentary in Scot Bertram’s Advanced Radio Production class, so if I hadn’t taken that class, I wouldn’t have won this award.” Bertram said he loves seeing the work of Hillsdale students being recognized by top leaders in the radio industry. “The award is excellent outside affirmation of the work that is done at WRFH on a daily and weekly basis,” he said. Hillsdale students were nominated for seven other categories as well. “It was a good cross-section of content that ended up with nominations,” Bertram said. “Our production, sports, and news department both grabbed two finalist honors each and we also had our talk programming
and a long-form drama recognized.” Junior George Accola and sophomore Patrick Scott were finalists in the category “Best Specialty Show (non music)” for their 22-minute show, “Wall Street Weekly.” “Honestly it was completely unexpected to be named a finalist at IBS,” Accola said. “It’s cool to know that people enjoy a show that’s a hobby for us.” Accola said the IBS conference in New York was valuable. “The conference was a great opportunity to listen to industry leading speaker’s and learn ways that we could potentially improve our show,” he said. “And who doesn’t like New York?” Bertram said Hillsdale students understand the power behind great storytelling. “They have dedicated themselves to producing high-quality content and it’s satisfying to see others recognize their passion and effort,” he said. “We have a well-established process that occurs before a radio show or
podcast is produced to create an environment in which students are able to thrive. That attention to detail and quality control is a key ingredient in our success.” Boudreaux said Hillsdale’s journalism department has amazing opportunities. “The station is a hidden gem on this campus, and I’m excited to see more people take interest as radio journalism continues to grow at Hillsdale,” she said. Bertram said the radio program has great support from the college. “Some of the most prominent and successful radio/audio programs in the country produce the finalists at IBS and it’s always gratifying to see Hillsdale College and WRFH listed among the very best,” he said. “We have tremendous support from the Dow Journalism Program and the administration at the college, and I’m always proud to have evidence that we’re doing things the right way.”