Mane Issue - March 2011

Upcoming EventsPage 2 March 2011

Monday, March 14Cap and Gown OrderingTuesday, March 15Cap and Gown OrderingCareer Fair, 10a-1p,ColiseumWednesday, March 1660% Drop/Withdrawal DateHealth Fair, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Coliseum2 pm WSCC Softball vs. Seminole State CCThursday, March 17Cullman Chamber Career Fair4 pm WSCC Softball at Columbia StateFriday, March 185 pm WSCC Baseball vs. Shelton State7 pm Wallace State Singers Show, Burrow

Center Recital HallSaturday, March 193 pm WSCC Baseball vs. Shelton State7 pm Wallace State Singers Show, Burrow

Center Recital HallSunday, March 201 pm WSCC Softball at Alabama SouthernMonday, March 2111am Food for Thought - Campus MinistriesTuesday, March 223 pm WSCC Baseball at Columbia StateFriday, March 251 pm WSCC Baseball at Lawson StateSaturday, March 26WSCC Softball at Seminole State CC8 am Alabama State Written Math Exam12 pm WSCC Baseball at Lawson State

Sunday, March 27WSCC Softball at Seminole State CCMonday, March 28 - April 1, 2011Spring Break/No ClassesSaturday, April 23 pm WSCC Baseball vs. Bevill StateMonday, April 411am Food for Thought - Campus MinistriesTuesday, April 511 am & 1 pm Diversity Forum with SouthernPoverty Law Center, BLHWSCC Baseball vs. Cleveland StateWSCC Softball at Snead StateWednesday, April 6Cullman County Science Fair11 am Student Directed Theater ScenesThursday, April 7 Cullman County Science Fair2 pm WSCC Softball at Gadsden StateFriday, April 8Cullman County Water FestivalGED Testing1 pm WSCC Baseball at Calhoun CCSaturday, April 912 pm WSCC Baseball at Calhoun CC1 pm WSCC Softball vs. Calhoun CCMonday, April 11-Saturday, April 16Community Art Exhibition, Burrow CenterMonday, April 116 pm Wallace State Awards Night, BLHTuesday, April 12Summer 2011 Lion's Pride Orientation

11 am Literary Arts Read-in2 pm WSCC Baseball at Cleveland State4 pm WSCC Softball at Northwest ShoalsWednesday, April 13Summer 2011 Lion's Pride OrientationThursday, April 14Last Day to Withdraw Regular & Miniterm II4 pm WSCC Softball at Chattanooga State5 pm WSCC Baseball vs. Gadsden State7 pm Cabaret, Burrow CenterFriday, April 15Nursing Alumni Connection7 pm Jazz Band Dance, Banquet HallSaturday, April 1611am Art Exhibition Awards Ceremony,

Burrow Center8 am Walk for Autism2 pm WSCC Softball vs. Calhoun CC3 pm WSCC Baseball vs. Gadsden StateSunday, April 17WSCC Softball vs. Snead State CC

For a full calendar of events, including events scheduled for Arts in April, visitwww.wallacestate.edu.

Support Wallace State athletics. Go Lions!

The Mane Issue

Staff Members

Evan Hicks Anna Parrish

Zack Gordon Jessica Cagle

Mike Johnston Alyssa White

Kiah Crider

ParticipationJoin the staff of The Mane Issue! If you have any interest in creative writing, graphic

design, advertising, or journalism then we need you for the new semester! Staff meetingsare currently held at 3 p.m. on Wednesdays in the Graphics Lab Room 219 of the BurrowCenter. You may volunteer or register for the class. The course is available in both a onecredit hour class and a two credit hour format. The course numbers are 07402MCM Stu-dent Publications (1hr) and 07401 MCM Student Publications (2hrs).No experience isnecessary, everyone is welcome. It is sponsored by the Wallace State Communicationsand Marketing Department and the Wallace State Art Department.

If you are interested, please contact: Kristen Holmes Ph:256-352-8118, Burrow Cen-ter Museum, [email protected]; Russelll Moore, Ph: 256-352-8443, Bur-row Center, Room 210, [email protected]; or Adrian Scott, Ph:256-352-8145, [email protected], Burrow Center, Room 219.

MissionIt is the mission of The Mane Issue to inform the Wallace State student body of cam-

pus news and events.

Submissions or SuggestionsIf you have a story idea or would like to make a submission to The Mane Issue,

please send an e-mail to [email protected]. All submissions must include

the author’s name and contact information.

HANCEVILLE—Alexa Alldredge ofBlountsville was crowned 2011Wallace State Homecoming Queenon Feb. 17 at Tom Drake Coliseumwhen the Wallace State basketballteams took on Snead State.

Alldredge was selected Home-coming Queen based on studentvote, which also determined mem-bers of the Homecoming Court.She is majoring in education atWallace State, where she is amember of Phi Theta Kappa,Sigma Kappa Delta and the Stu-dent Government Association.

She was crowned by 2010 Wal-lace State Homecoming QueenHannah Killpack, a diagsnosticmedical sonography student fromMillport.

Alexandra Morris of Somerville, amathematics major and member ofPhi Theta Kappa, was named firstalternate.

Business administration majorand Trio Club member JessicaSimpson of Decatur was namedsecond alternate.

Jessica Cagle of Hanceville, a vi-sual communications major, Cam-pus Ministries outreach leader andMane Issue staff member, wasnamed third alternate.

Criminal justice major BrianaMatthews of Birmingham wasnamed fourth alternate. Amanda Hill presented flowers to

the Homecoming Queen and Court. Homecoming events have beenheld on campus throughout theweek. The SGA put together ascavenger hunt for students onMonday, hosted a karaoke event inthe Student Center on Tuesday,and held a dodgeball tournamenton Wednesday. The Wallace StateHead’s Up program joined the SGAin hosting a cookout for students onThursday.

For more information aboutevents and activities at WallaceState, visit www.wallacestate.edu.

Blountsville’s Alexa Alldredgecrowned 2011 Wallace StateHomecoming Queen

Alexa Alldredge

Lady Lions win state championshipBy: Russell Moore

The Lady Lions capped off a four-game march in the Alabama Community Col-lege Conference (ACCC) Region 22 tournament during the first week of March witha 73-63 victory over top-seeded Chattahoochee Valley Community College, cap-turing the program’s sixth state championship under head coach Larry Slater.

Tournament MVP Bailee Robinson finished with 16 points and eight assists.The Elkmont grad scored 60 points during the four-game stretch, fighting off a mildconcussion suffered in Monday night’s game vs. Alabama Southern.

“It feels great to be a Lion right now. Winning a championship is one of thosethings that every team talks about, but it didn’t start for us at the start of practice orduring the preseason. It started after our last game last year,” said Robinson, whowas also named to the ACCC first team All-Region for her regular-season efforts.“We had a lot of things go against us this season, but still got it done. Nisha Walkerwent down with an ACL injury, and we had a couple of more injuries. It’s just beenamazing how this team has pulled together.”

Wallace State opened the tournament Sunday with a 54-42 win against L.B.Wallace and derailed higher-seeded teams in three games to win the title. TheLady Lions beat Alabama Southern 79-61 Monday night and prevailed in a 59-56thriller against Shelton State on Tuesday.

“We played great defensively the entire tournament. I give Coach (Ron) Burdetteall the credit in the world for getting us ready defensively. Our defense did an awe-some job,” said Slater, who’s in his 22nd year with the program and coached in his14th ACCC title game. “I’m tickled to death to be returning to Kansas. It’s been a

while since I’ve been out there. For this to happen near the end of my career is un-believable.”

Wallace State had Natalie Kelley, Morgan Duncan and Tacouya Allen selected tothe All-Tournament team. Allen finished with 10 points and nine rebounds inWednesday’s championship and Kelley added eight points and four rebounds.

The Lady Lions will compete in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament inSalina, Kan. March 15-19. Watch the tournament live online at psblive.com.

Campus NewsPage 3 March 2011

Arts in AprilBy: Anna Parrish

Next month Wallace State will be sponsoring theannual Arts in April program. This is a great way forstudents to earn extra points in many classes andlearn about several different types of art and cultures.There will be a different event going on every weekand all events will be open to students as well as thepublic. Below is the schedule of events that will be

taking place.April 5, 2011 in The Betty Leeth Haynes Theatre at 11a.m. and 1 p.m. - Diversity speaker from SouthernPoverty Law CenterApril 6, 2011 in The Burrow Center Recital Hall at11:00 a.m. - Student- directed Theatre ScenesApril 11-16, 2011 in The Burrow Center during BurrowCenter hours - Art ExhibitionApril 12, 2011 in The Burrow Center Recital Hall at11:00 a.m.- Literary Arts Read-inApril 14, 2011 in The Burrow Center Recital Hall at7:00 p.m. - Cabaret

April 15, 2011 in The WSCC Banquet Hall at 7:00 p.m.- WSCC Jazz Band DanceApril 16, 2011 in The Burrow Center at 11:00 a.m. - ArtExhibition Awards CeremonyApril 20, 2011 in The Burrow Center Recital Hall at11:00 a.m. - Lecture on Decorative Arts and The Bur-row Collection by Anne Forschler-Tarrasch, Ph.D., Cu-rator of Decorative Arts at the Birmingham Museum ofArt. Sponsored by The Evelyn Burrow Museum.April 28, 2011 in The Burrow Center Recital Hall at12:30p.m. - Student Recital

Andy Stein Duo set to make appearance at Wallace StateBy: Mike Johnston

The Andy Stein Duo will be coming to WallaceState’s Betty Leeth Haynes Theatre in the StudentCenter on Monday, March 28 starting at 7 p.m.

Stein is a decorated violinist, violist and saxophon-ist as well as an arranger and composer. Stein startedout his career in the scope of popular music by playingthe saxophone and violin with the 1970’s country rockband, “Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.”

Additional highlights of Stein’s career include ap-pearing on “Late Night with David Letterman,” “Satur-day Night Live,” “Great Performances (PBS)” and “AsThe World Turns (CBS).” He has worked with manynotable recording artists such as Willie Nelson, BillyJoel, Madonna and Mariah Carey among others. Steinhas also performed in several Broadway shows, in-cluding the 1990's Broadway revivals of "Guys andDolls" and "Fiddler on the Roof."

He is featured in the Robert Altman film “A PrairieHome Companion” performing in the sound track andon screen with Lindsay Lohan, and Meryl Streep.

Stein will be joined by pianist Conal Fowkes.Fowkes has performed internationally in television, filmand radio and has performed as a featured soloist inthe Broadway show “One Mo’ Time.”

He has made several appearances on the “RosieO'Donnell Show” as well as Garrison Keillor's “APrairie Home Companion.”

The Andy Stein Duo performance is presented bythe Cullman Community Concert Association.

Career Fair attendees at WSCC on March 15, 10a-1p, at Drake ColiseumCompany Majors of InterestAAR Mobility System-Summa Tech. Technical Welding, WeldersAla. Dept. of Cons. & Natural Tech. Criminal Justice, Conservation Enforcement officerAla. Dept. of Revenue Business Information Tech.American Proteins, Inc. AllAthens-Limestone Hospital RNAvon Products AllBecker Professional Education Accounting Finance, Campus RepresentativesB’ham Jefferson Transit Authority Mechanics, Bus Operators, General ServicesBrookwood Medical Center Nursing, Allied HealthC2 Freight Resources Sales, Account Executive for Freight CustomersCentury Rehab OT, OTA, PT, and PTAChildren’s Health System AllDCH Health System PTA, Lab Coding Respiratory Therapist,

PTA Lab Coding RRTHanceville Nursing & Rehab Health care, Dietary, Housekeeping, RN, LPN, CNA,

MaintenanceHuntsville Hospital RN, EEG, and ancillary healthcareInnovative Combustion Tech. Inc. Engineering & other Tech. FieldsListerhill Credit Union Business, Spokesman for Young & Free Al.Maurice’s Full-time Assistant ManagerNARCOG- Area Agency on Aging RN,HIT,Social Services, Volunteer Opp.NHC Rehabilitation PTA, OTA, (Positions available in Al. and Tn.Northeast Al. Reg. Med Ctr. AllOnin Staffing VariesParagon Rehabilitation OTA, PTAPersonnel Board of Jefferson Co. All majorsTopre America Cooperation Technical, variousU.S. Space & Rocket Center VariousVerizon Wireless Business Management, Business Administration, Computer

Information Systems, Human Resources, Marketing, andCustomer Service Representative

West Corporation Customer Services Representatives

Reports from SGA

•The Red Cross blood drive held on February 8, 2011,at the Wellness Center exceeded its goal of 49 units

of blood with 67 units.•Our Homecomming Queen for Wallace State is AlexaAlldredge. Congratulations to her.•Anyone interested in participation on one of WallaceState’s Relay for Life team needs to notify Mrs. Jen-

nifer Hill. Her office is located in the Student Center.Relay for Life shirts are for sale.•Coming up in April will be a campus wide spring fling.Admission is free. For more information on the springfling, see Mrs. Hill in the Student Center.

Page 4 March 2011

Lion’s Pride

Meet Dr. Lee WaltonInterview by Kiah Crider

Kiah: “What has been the biggest influence in your life?” Dr. Walton: “Well, I would probably start with ‘who,’ and that would be my grand-father. He was the male role model in my life. One of the ‘what’ questions wouldbe education. It has been a tremendous influence in my life. Probably the biggestinfluence is that of faith. I learned very early that faith is empirical and solid to theperson who has the faith. Not that you don’t question faith. Being a philosophyfreak, I’ve always tried to dive deep into the area of faith and religion.”

Kiah: “If you could interview anyone living or deceased, who would that be andwhy?”Dr. Walton: “There would be three. The first would be Socrates. I’d like to ask himwhat drugs he was actually on, and ask him what made him develop the dialecticor Socratic method. The second would be the apostle Paul. I would ask a lot ofthe same questions about Paul. I would ask him what he thought about peopleplaying with their faith, and I’d love to hear his response. I think it would probablybe PG-13. Third, I would interview Douglas MacArthur. I would ask him aboutwhat he thinks about our current military situations and what he would do differ-ently, if anything, and I’m sure there would be several things that he would do dif-ferently.”

Kiah: “Give me a brief summary of your upbringing?”Dr. Walton: “My parents divorced when I was three years old. My mother and Iwere by ourselves for a long time. She married a man, when I was eight, who wasmuch older than her. He was a traveling salesman; so, I had a kind of schitzo-phrinic upbringing. He was a very dictator-ish type. We would live one way duringthe week and differently on the weekend when he was home. He wasn’t accus-tomed to young children; so, it was difficult. When I was older I would stay awayfrom home a great deal. I also played baseball and was very good. I worked all ofthe time to be able to afford some of the things that I wanted to do. It wasn’t a ter-rible upbringing. Basicially, if I did what I was supposed to do, kept my gradeshalfway decent, and did the many thousands of chores that I was given, nobodywould bother me.”

Kiah: “How would you describe yourself as a child, as far as behavior and ac-tions?”Dr. Walton: “Incredibly energetic! I wasn’t very sensitive. I know it’s hard to be-lieve knowing me now. I didn’t care much about friends. As a matter of fact, mybest friend today is the same best friend since I’ve had since I was seven, I think.I was an only child; so, I was a loner, I was very ADHD to the max, and very cre-ative. I began piano and guitar at an early age. I didn’t try to hurt people’s feel-ings; I just didn’t care what they thought, which has all changed now, of course.”

Kiah: “Do you have a favorite memory from high school?”Dr. Walton: “Yeah, two, one is very pseudo high school. I was a member of theonly baseball team at my high school that won the state championship. Two, I setthe back field of the high school on fire with a bomb from chemistry, which wouldget you arrested and probably prosecuted as a terrorist today. I’m not a chemistryguy; so, I don’t remember exactly what we did. I guess it was the hydrogen dealwhere you drop it in water and it blows up. Mine was a little larger than the rest ofthem. I dropped it in a very deep area of the creek that ran behind the highschool, and set the football practice field on fire. The fire department came, thepolice came, and I remember my chemistry teacher had taken off her skirt andhad her little slip on and was beating the flames with her skirt and it burned theskirt all up. That was good, and, yeah, I enjoyed that.”

Kiah: “How did you meet your wife?”Dr. Walton: “I was involved with a southern gospel group, and she was dating

one of the brothers of the guys in the group. So, we would travel a little bit to-gether. We kind of hung out in the same circle. I mean, my wife was prom queen,the whole nine yards. She’s hot, and I’m not. She was always above my field ofplay, and we just hung out as friends. I was never really interested in dating. I’mtoo tight and would have rather played baseball. So, I didn’t date a lot in highschool. I went away to the Navy and came back. My grandmother died, and Icame back for the funeral, and we just started dating. She finally came to hersenses and realized that she couldn’t live without me. We graduated from highschool in May and got married in December. To those people who said it wouldnever last, it’s been 23 years in December.”

Kiah: “Where can your heratige be traced back to?”Dr. Walton: “Germany. My family is German. I wish it was something cool, likeIreland, or all the way back to the crusades, but it’s just Germany. That’s why I likesausage so much.”

Kiah: What’s the biggest lesson in life you learned from the military?Dr. Walton: Complacency kills people, and excellence should be the norm andnot the exception. I learned how to iron a shirt, and that I really hate English peas.

Kiah: “What is your favorite aspect of teaching at Wallace State?”Dr. Walton: “Student interaction. I love dealing with students. I love, especially inphilosophy when it’s a difficult discipline, I love it when they get it. I enjoy listeningto their ideas, as out there as some of them are. I consider this to be a calling. So,since I’ve been here, I’ve married three couples. I’ve done a lot of listening; I don’tdo counseling. I’m not a cousolor. I went philosophy and Biblical languges inschool; I did not go counseling. I don’t have the gift of mercy. I can’t sit here andgo ‘aww’ with you. I enjoy, very much, student interaction, both positive and nega-tive. I’ve even had someone to call me and tell me I had too much to drink. I enjoyraising the bar and watching students reach it. I love it when one of my kids goesacross the stage at graduation.”

Kiah: “What do you do you do for enjoyment outside of Wallace State?”Dr. Walton: “I am a motorcycle freak. I have a brand new Goldwing that I gotwhen I got my doctorate. My wife and I like to take little trips on it. We’re a boatingtype people. We have a boat. We camp. As a matter of fact, we live on Gun-tersville during the summer. We have a camper up there. I like to go fast in any-thing I do. We have four-wheelers and waverunners and that kind of stuff. I like toplay golf. I’m not very good, and I make up words to say so that I don’t say reallybad words. I have a grandson, and he likes to hang out with me, and I like to hangout with him. We enjoy baseball on all levels. We do the Braves some, and mygoal is that I would like to visit seven stadiums before I croke. And that’s about it;we just hang out and enjoy life.”

Deadline for Transfer Scholarships has been extended for thefollowing Universities!!

Please see Keisha Miller in Wallace State’s Financial Aid Office for the transferscholarship application. These applications and packets should be delivered toKeisha Miller by the close of business on March 24. If you have any questions,you can contact her at 256.352.8092.

To be awarded the transfer scholarship to any of the Universities below, youmust have completed two years of course work at Wallace State.

Please note specific requirements for each College or University.

The University of MontevalloThere are three scholarships available:1. The Community College Deans’ Scholarship - $3,000 with a minimum of 3.25GPA. This scholarship is renewable if the 3.25 GPA is maintained a UM. Thisscholarship requires on-campus residence. This award may be combined with aPhi theta Kappa Scholarship - $1,000.2. The Community College President’s Scholarship - $3,000 with a minimum of3.25 GPA. This scholarship is renewable if the 3.25 GPA is maintained a UM. Thisscholarship does not require on-campus residence. This award may be combinedwith a another transfer scholarship.3. Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship - $1,000 with a minimum of 3.25 GPA. Thisscholarship is renewable if the 3.25 GPA is maintained a UM. The award may be

combined with another transfer scholarship. Recipients are required to have on-campus residence.

The University of West Alabama1. This transfer scholarship requires a 3.25 GPA and the University of West Al-abama’s Scholarship Application signed by the WSCC’s Registrar and President.(Copies of UWA’s Scholarship Application can be obtained from WSCC’s Finan-cial Aid Office or www.uwa.edu)2. The Presidential Transfer Scholarship requires a minimum of a 3.00 GPA, aletter from WSCC’s President, and the following packet. The scholarship Packet requires the following items:

Jacksonville State UniversityThis transfer scholarship requires a 3.50 GPA.

The scholarship Packet requires the following items:---Cover Letter to Wallace State Community College Vice President for Students,Dr. Tomesa Smith (Deans’ Scholarship) or to President, Dr. Vicki Hawsey (Presi-dents’ Scholarship) requesting consideration for the scholarship.---WSCC Transcript - unofficial---Two letters of Reference---Scholarship Application – can be picked up from WSCC’s Financial Aid Office.---Resume statingy activities, community service, work experience, honors and

awards

Page 5 March 2011

Campus Arts and Culture

In celebration of Bill Sharpton’s eightieth birthday, Wallace State hung eighty

of its resident artist’s works of art in the Burrow Center. Wallace also hosted a sym-

posium for Mr. Sharpton which faculty member Adrian Scott presided over. Any stu-

dent who wanted to attend was allowed to do so, and after an informative and often

amusing talk about Mr. Sharpton’s earlier years and artistic techniques, questions

were taken from audience members. Naturally, the event was followed by a small re-

ception with a wide assortment of finger foods and light beverages.

To know Bill Sharpton, it’s vital to understand the area he grew up in and

how it’s been changed by the course of time. You can see Sharpton’s numerous oil

landscapes, but you don’t fully appreciate them until you learn that Mr. Sharpton has

been to all the places he’s painted, he photographed them, painted his landscapes

from his photographic studies, and can even tell you stories and histories about

most of the places. Most people do not appreciate the passage of time in decades

anymore. Unfortunately, to keep up with the turbulent political world and every

changing realm of technology, you have to keep stock of things by the month or

week- sometimes even down to the second. To watch something transform over a

long period of time, like seeing a barn weathered by season upon season of storms,

or keeping an eye on the slow growth of an oak in an empty field, those are sights

and sensations that seem to belong to an older, slower time.

Yet Bill Sharpton seemed to still think and appreciate that style of reflection.

Kindly and slightly bashful, Mr. Sharpton seemed unused to being in the limelight as

he sat on stage in front of several hundred students and faculty. Normally, his

speech was candid and informative, and every so often, unintentionally funny in a

delightful way. Openly encouraging students to take up painting as a hobby, Mr.

Sharpton cited others’ praise of a completed work one of the most rewarding experi-

ences he’d ever had and even offered the following reflection on painting. “When a

painter is painting, they’re at peace with the world around them.” He also mentioned

that it was a relatively cheap hobby to get started in. “A fisherman- if you wanted to

start fishing, you have to buy a rod, a reel, lures, bait, and a boat, that’s ten or fifteen

thousand dollars, but you can buy your brushes, canvases, pigments, and vehicles

for a few hundred at the most and have plenty for quite a while. And- don’t get me

wrong, I love fishin’, but if you ask me which is more enjoyable, painting, or trying to

trick a fish into swallowing a hook, I’d say painting. You can paint anything, any-

where, and anytime, but it’s not that hard to trick a fish.”

Mr. Sharpton

worked aboard the Edisto, a

naval ice breaker, after

World War Two at the age of

seventeen. There is a paint-

ing of the ship in its element

hanging in the Burrow Cen-

ter, but Sharpton told the au-

dience that he painted even

while on board the ship.

“And painting on a navy ship

is awful, because every-

one’s a critic. Before long,

they’re all calling you ‘Rem-

brandt’ or something like it.”

Mr. Sharpton then owned his

own lettering store before

being asked by Wallace’s

President Bailey to come

teach art, to which Sharpton

eventually agreed. Sharpton

was Wallace’s first art in-

structor and had to move

through several buildings in

his time, including the Ban-

quet Hall and automotive

building.

After retiring from

teaching, Wallace invited

Sharpton to return as its first

and only resident artist, pos-

sibly the only resident artist

at any community college. Mr. Sharpton has been producing art for Wallace State

ever since.

While he requires a cane to get about now, Mr. Sharpton is as lively and

sharp as ever, much of which he credits to his art and the way it engages his mind

on a daily basis. “A painter solves more problems in thirty minutes than an account-

ant, doctor, or lawyer does in a week,” he said. Congratulations to Mr. Sharpton on a

life filled with such accomplishment in the arts, and may there be many more years

in it.

By: Evan T. Hicks

Last season, Wallace State’s theater department performed the musical

dark-comedy “Little Shop of Horrors,” but with a new season comes a new pro-

duction. Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” were the chosen subject for the winter/spring

show along with a selection of musical numbers relating to the theme of “Myths

and Hymns.” Very often, one theatrical production of a musical is followed by

another and another, in a never ending cycle of plays of the same type being

produced, but Wallace’s theatre department refused to rest on its laurels. Every-

thing about “Metamorphoses, Myths & Hymns” was different from a traditional

musical number. The first half of the production was a collection of Ovid’s short

stories turned into performances. All were without musical accompaniment, and

though they were separate stories with different characters, the pieces carried

overarching themes of empathetic humanism and the commonality of human

experience. Ovid’s tales were followed by a baker’s dozen or so of songs that

featured a predominately different cast, style, and experience, but both halves

were well done.

Seats were set up for the small audience on the Haynes Theatre’s

stage, which kept the audience close to the action and drawn into the perform-

ance, all centered around a functioning fountain of two mermaids raising lily

pads into the air. Even though scenery was sparse and the costuming for the

first half was often simple, this allowed the cast’s performances to be given their

due attention- although the production wasn’t afraid to pull out a lavish costume

or prop when it was called for.

Every member of the cast performed admirably, but several truly shone.

Yesterday he was Mr. Mushnik, in “Metamorphoses” he was a veritable pan-

theon of mythic figures, but in every role he played, Zach Buse acquitted himself

with talent and skill. Ovid may have never imagined Hades as a member of the

mob, but when Buse gave the Lord of the Underworld a touch of Vito Corleone,

the audience laughed and Buse out did himself. Under the many guises of Ver-

tumnus, Buse brought a sympathetic, human sensitivity to a god. Whenever

David Peterson took the stage, he was almost always playing an outlandishly at-

tired deity, and always proved to be a scene stealer. However, while most of the

men outdid themselves, most of the girls tended to blend together, though the

similarity of the female roles could also be partially to blame. If any girls stood

out in the first half, they were Meagan Bates as a delightfully playful Iris and

Morganne Adams as an appropriately sultry and surly Aphrodite. Probably the

best touch in the entire first half was the selection of music chosen to play be-

fore the start of the production and in between the stories of the first half. Inten-

tionally or not, the music helped give the ancient tales a more approachably

modern tone and emphasized the real point of the tales--learning how to deal

with the human experience.

The audience returned from intermission, and was plunged into a radi-

cally altered production. Sy Shaver, Daniel Bussey, Katrina Austin, and other

“Little Shop of Horrors” favorites were back for a plethora musical numbers. Un-

fortunately, while there were many positive things to say about their perform-

ances in the previous production, Shaver, Bussey, and Austin did not equal

themselves in “Myths and Hymns.” Really, their performances were good and

their vocal technique laudable, but the praise stops there. Every time Shaver

stepped on stage, it was clear that he was comfortable in the limelight and felt

free to be himself, which is what I got from every piece he sang--signature

Shaver, his thumbs perpetually tucked between his fingers, his love of being on

stage evident, but the music’s emotional potential was never felt. Contrapos-

tively, Bussey did bring out his pieces’ emotion, but perhaps too much so, as

pieces that were supposed to be sad began to come across as gratingly de-

featist. Occasionally all six members of the “Myths & Hymns” cast were rele-

gated to ensemble roles, and no member ever underperformed as part of the

group. Ultimately, the second half of the production can be summarized by three

words: Peterson, Ratliff, Harbison. Losing track of the action as one was caught

up in Peterson’s rich baritone was the only worry one needed to have whenever

David Peterson sang. David’s “Sisyphus” was a standout, as were most of the

actor’s speaking roles earlier in the production.

The gentlemen may have dominated the first half, but Paige Harbison

and Jordan Ratliff were the highlights of the second. Ratliff’s passionate vocals

finally found the amount of use they deserved but lacked in “Little Shop of Hor-

rors,” and Harbison’s natural charm and hauntingly beautiful voice lent her every

line additional weight. Even when they performed together, the two young

ladies’ complimented each other perfectly. All of Ratliff’s passion met Harbison’s

charm in their duet “How Can I Lose You?”, producing a cinnamon sugar blend

that hit the audience’s palette just right.

You had plenty to enjoy in both the first and second half of “Metamor-

phoses, Myths & Hymns.” Originally designed and crafted, the entire produc-

tion was admirably decorated and ordered by Hannah Sizemore and

Professor Lauren Cantrell-Salerno along with Miss Austin and Mr. Shaver, who

performed their duties much more satisfyingly back stage in this particular pro-

duction. Ultimately, the production was an experiment that worked wonderfully

and proved to be an enjoyable, even mesmerizing experience, and this re-

viewer eagerly awaits the theatre department’s next production.

Review By: Evan T. Hicks

Metamorphoses, Myths & Hymns

Photo by Kayla Beckham

Bill Sharpton: A Symposium in

Celebration of Eighty Years

Page 6 March 2011Spring Time Guide

How to save moneyduring Spring BreakBy: Anna Parrish

With Spring Break approaching

many college and high school students

are saving up their money to have an

awesome trip. But why save up a lot of

money just to come back broke? In-

stead here are a few ways to help save

money while on vacations.

Go Camping: Although camping isn’t

the most luxurious thing to do it can

save hundreds by not getting a room.

Just go with a couple of friends and buy

a multi-person tent. There are also

campgrounds that do have indoor

showering and electricity.

Save on Drinks: Spring breakers like

to party, but alcohol adds up. If you’re

legal, buying drinks in bulk and drinking

with friends is always cheaper than hit-

ting the bars.

Road Trip: Although gas prices are on

the rise, taking a small car with a few

friends can be convenient. With more

than two people splitting the cost of gas

it can actually come out to be pretty

cheap. Don’t forget to pack a cooler full

of snacks, drinks, and sandwiches.

That’s cheaper than buying fast food or

getting snacks at a gas station.

Bike: Taking a bike and biking from

place to place can save a lot of money

because there’s no need to buy gas

and it’s great exercise.

Student ID: Many places offer student

discounts so don’t forget it! You may

can save 10% or a dollar or two at the-

atres, resturaurant, and museums.

Buy Groceries: Food can add up and

no matter what it is cheaper to buy gro-

ceries as oppossed to eating out break-

fast, lunch, and dinner. So do go by

groceries.

Shorter Trip: Instead of taking a week

long trip try taking a weekend trip to

spot that is only 2 hours away op-

possed to 6 hours away.

For students who are going to fly look

into student discount travel sites and

travel on off days and off times. Monday

through Thursday morning have the

lowest flying traffic so tickets are gener-

ally cheaper at those times. Never set-

tle on the first ticket that comes up,

tickets can have a wide range of prices

so do look around and find the cheap-

est.

Spring Break Alternatives By: Anna Parrish

Although Panama City Beach is the most common

spring break spot it is also the most dangerous. Last

year alone there were 1,925 arrests during spring

break. Not only were there that many arrests but four

people fell off of there balcony and two died from their

injuries.

Pair that with people passing out, throwing up on

the beach, and not generally not practicing common

decency, sure there will be fun but in the long run is it

really worth risking health and even life?

There are plenty of places to vacation to that are

just as fun and not as dangerous.

A few great places are Destin, Florida. Myrtle

Beach, South Carolina. Orange Beach, Alabama. Gulf

Shores, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia. Nashville, Ten-

nessee. Pigeon Forge, Tennesee.

Spring FashionBy: Alyssa White

The pictures below are some examples of the biggest trends of this season.

Oversize tote- These bags are going to be huge this spring. They hold more of your stuff and are super stylish. Look for bags with special details, such as a funky pat-

tern or cute embellishments.

Skirts- Mini and maxi skirts are back. If you like mini-skirts, look for one that hits right above the knee and that is flouncy. If you prefer maxi skirts, look for a skirt with a

roomy fit for a bohemian flair. Add a belt for extra style points.

Faded jeans- You can buy any style of jean faded, and they go with everything. Just make sure to avoid any pair that has whiskering on the thighs, which isn’t flattering

on anyone.

Racerback tank tops- These draw attention to toned arms and shoulders. Tie-dyed and ruffled tanks are super-cute and versatile.

Necklaces- Pendants and bib necklaces are super stylish. Pendant necklace are better paired with simple clothing, while bib necklaces are dressier and pair well with

strapless dresses or tops with high necklines.

Shorts- Short and cuffed shorts are in style. Avoid any pair of shorts that is too short, though. Cuffed shorts are dressier, while short shorts are more casual.

WSCC Students Spring Break Plans

In honor of spring break we asked students and staff members on the WSCC Facebook page what they are planning to do during the break.

Rachel Whisenant“My friends and I are heading

down to Panama City for a

week of fun in the sun:))”

Lee Walton (Instructor)“I’m going to buy a new sweater vest!

Renee Quick (Instructor)“I’m going to hang out at home and then

come in on the Friday of that week to

work a math tournament.”

Tasha Miller“Nothin’”

Michelle Painter Martin“Since gas prices are so high

we’re taking a short trip to Atlanta.

Lots to do and not far from home.

Russell Moore (Staff)“I would like to take some time

off and go to spring training in

Florida for the second year in a

row.”

Evan Hicks“I may go to the beach or

visit my grandparents. I’m

not sure yet.”

Andrew Hill“ I am going to attempt and

try to go to the Harry Potter

theme park in Orlando.”

March 2011 Page 7AArrttss && LLeeiissuurreeOn MusicBy: Zack Gordon

Music is one of the most important aspects of culture. It has been through-out all of history. Each generation has had its musician(s) that has changed musicforever. Miles Davis, Elvis, The Beatles, and Nirvana and countless more havecontributed to the evolution of music (just in the 20th century). But what made themgreat? Why did names like these change the musical landscape? The answer issimple. They were unique to their time.

Music is steadily becoming more and more commercial, and in turn artistscreating the music are becoming less and less artistic. Almost all of it sounds thesame. New rock bands sound just like the others, pop acts have simple elementarylyrics that people can easily remember, and country is so much like pop that ishard to tell the two apart. Nothing is new and nothing is fresh. Artists seem moreconcerned with the all mighty dollar than creating something new. It appears thatno one from our generation is going to change music and make history. And to addto it, even indie groups of all genres work to sound like someone else that has al-ready become popular. Artists are focused only on writing music that makes otherpeople happy, when they should be writing music that they are happy with, makesthem unique, and then fans will follow. After all, it is supposed to be about self-ex-pression and creativity, right?

Being unique certainly worked for the Beatles. They surprised the entireworld and started a musical movement unlike any other. There is certainly nobodythat sounds like them. Nirvana ushered in grunge at a time where Hair Metal ruled.And I bet not one person can name a band that Nirvana sounds like, love them orhate them. They wrote music that they loved first, before anything else was consid-ered, and it was truly art for that reason.

Maybe other musicians will disagree, but I think musicians should keepsome things in mind. First, the next time you turn on the radio, I encourage you toreally listen and think about what makes various musicians unique. Listen to theband, listen to the lyrics, and then compare to the previous or next band. When

you find a group that is really different, and really stands out, ask yourself whatmakes them that way. And then keep an eye on those bands. I am willing to betthat they are the ones that will still be selling records in twenty years. Secondly,keep an open mind to genres that you normally wouldn�t listen to and learn to playthem. There is plenty to learn from every style. Next, when you are writing yourown music, strive to be as original as you can be. Make it truly yours, love it, andplay it well. Don�t shun criticism towards your music; instead use it to make yourmusic better. Finally, stop being obsessed with money. It�s not about the dollaramount you earn, it�s about reaching out and making an impact with somethingyou love and created. I believe people are drawn to great things and will eventuallycatch on to what we as musicians create, even if its not a three minute pop song.

Here are some great quotes by musicians and artists alike:

“Music is an outburst of the soul.”-Frederick Delius

“Music is the harmonious voice of creation; an echo of the invisible world.”-Giuseppe Mazzini

“Where words fail, music speaks.”- Hans Christian Andersen

“When people hear good music, it makes them homesick for something they neverhad, and never will have.”- Edgar Watson Howe

“That's what music is, entertainment. The more you put yourself into it, the more ofyou comes out in it.”- Kurt Cobain

“My role in society, or any artist's or poet's role, is to try and express what we allfeel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a re-flection of us all.”- John Lennon

“Music is the only thing keeping the planet together" -Jaco Pastorius

Wallace State’s Community Education offering three golfcourses this spring through PGA’s Play Golf America program

Wallace State Community Education has expanded its golf class offerings this spring, cateringto beginners, high school students and women. The sessions are scheduled at Cullman Municipal Golf Course and will be instructed by Ches Harris, a PGA professional and thecourse director.

The initial class is tailored for beginners and scheduled for threestraight Saturdays -- March 12, 19, and 26 -- from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.each week.

A high school golf clinic is planned for April 19-21 from 4 p.m. to 5p.m. each day.

The women’s golf clinic is scheduled for Thursdays April 28, May 5and 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Registration is $50 per student for each course, and interested individuals must sign up three days prior to the first class. Golf clubsare available for use during the class.

The lessons are part of the PGA’s Play Golf America program and made possible by the Wallace State Future Foundation Brett Wetterich Gift.

To register or for more information, call 256-352-8243.

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The other day, I was asked to write a piece on my-self for The Mane Issue. Ordinarily, I would’ve beenenthusiastic at the opportunity to talk about myself- in apublic venue no less- but, I was also somewhat hesitant.Being me is wonderful, in fact, at the relatively youngage of twenty, I’ve travelled to more places, become ac-quainted with more walks of life, and learned moreabout the world than most people will do in a life time.Even Americans, who are traditionally viewed at homeand abroad as the most diverse people in the world,cannot hold a candle to the sheer multitude of ranges oflife that exist on the globe. Often, people who travel areenriched by their experiences, and use them to theirbenefit, to appreciate the world around them more fully,and in the end, to understand themselves better. I’ve al-ways longed to go a step further and use my experi-ences and abilities to enrich the lives of others. With aword of warning to not take my word as Gospe, the fol-lowing lines will attempt to impart to the reader asense- as best as I’m able- of the unique environment inwhich I was raised.

The price of gas is a perennial complaint of Ameri-cans- like the jobless rate in the current recession, itonly seems to rise. Only, where in the world does allthat gas come from? Be proud of yourself if you an-swered Saudi Arabia; from my experience, most peoplecan’t. Every single drop of oil doesn’t come from SaudiArabia, plenty comes from Texas, off shore oil rigs,other Middle Eastern countries, and the like, but themajority comes from the land of A Thousand and OneArabian Nights (responsible for the tale of Aladdin andthe phrase “Open Sesame!”). The majority of the terror-ists who were on the flights of 9/11 also came fromSaudi Arabia, so like most places, it has both a light anddark side.

Here’s a chance to redeem yourself if you missedthe first question; what is the largest, most valuablecompany in the world? Apple, Microsoft, Wal-Mart,any cell-phone, news, or television network, and Mc-Donald’s are all wrong answers. The world’s most valu-able company (at $.781 trillion) is Saudi Aramco, thenational oil company of Saudi Arabia and the providerof the vast majority of the nation’s wealth. That’s notall bad news for Americans, however. Saudi Aramcowas founded by Americans (Aramco is an acronymwhich stands for Arabian American Oil Company), andis still filled with American employees along withmany other people from across the continents. Thecompany operates primarily within Saudi borders, butis more than a little fond of importing its employeesfrom overseas- especially from the West. Hordes ofmen (very few women) are hired and brought in fromNorth and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, andeven Africa, then shipped to one of the company’s

“compounds,” which are more accurately described aswalled mini-cities. Each compound has its own distinctflavor, Dhahran- where I spent the most time- is thecapitol of the company, the largest, and is situated inthe middle of an even large megalopolis that lies out-side its walls. Quizzically, Abqaiq, the baby of thebunch, used to be the company’s headquarters. Ud-hailiyah lies so far south that it’s treated like that oddcousin who moved out of state and never calls, whileRas Tanurah, the compound farthest North, lies on thecoast (Saudi Arabia takes up the majority of the Ara-bian peninsula, so there’s plenty of coast to go around.)

My father, David Hicks, acquired a position atAramco as an Industrial Hygienist- a title that sounds alot like a “Sanitation Engineer,” which is code for Jani-tor. So, at the tender age of two and a half- because allof childhood is divided up into half year segments- Iflewthou-sandsofmilesawayfromAla-bama,to a

strange and blisteringly hot new land. The food wasgreat, but the people seemed to forget that robes wereonly for wizards- certainly not fashionable attire. Infact, the ghutrahs (white, male robes), thawbs (red andwhite checkered male head dresses), and abaiyas (mas-sive black cloaks for women) bordered on being humanrights violations in the searing desert heat- I’m onlyhalf joking here, the temperature can reach over onehundred and thirty degrees Fahrenheit. “Oh, but it’s adry heat!” No, it is most certainly not a dry heat. Weather in Saudi Arabia is like prison, always horribleand all you want is to get out of it. Humidity doesn’t dojustice to the roll-down-your-windows moisture thatroutinely reaches over one hundred percent. Even thesun, the mighty purveyor of heat, was frequently blot-ted out by the shamals (dust storms) which ravagedSaudi Arabia like rain storms do Alabama. The worstdays in Saudi Arabia were like living in a dusty kiln,you felt like you were swimming through a sea of boil-ing mud. However, mankind had already discovered thecure to the desert weather- Freon cooled air condition-ing. Even if you were born a half Hitler, half Stalin hy-brid of pure of evil, if you grew up in Saudi Arabia, youlearned to respect and even revere the holy air condi-tioner, and you did nothing to disrupt its divine func-tioning. Really though, aside from some odd local attireand the occasional draft of air from Hades, my worldwas remarkably similar to the average American’s…just more awesome.

If you’ve ever wondered what people from_______ are like, I can tell you. I can do this becauseAramco had such a global body of employees andmany of those employees brought their families withthem. Their kids became my friends and we got to learnabout each other’s tastes, culture, and upbringing. Kidsfrom Muslim countries couldn’t eat pork or drink andonce a year, they fasted for a whole month during theholy month of Ramadan. Islam, by the way, isn’t a reli-

gion of terrorists and extremists, and actually has an ar-guably richer history of tolerance than Christianitydoes… just not recently. Sunnis are like their Protes-tants in that they are the vast majority; Shiites areroughly comparable to the Catholic minority. Neithergroup is very fond of the other though, so a more aptanalogy might be the Alabama and Auburn factions(basically the same thing, but always at each other’sthroats).

Only kids who weren’t British or Saudi went to myschool, which was based on an American curriculum,but with International elements. Basically, we got math,science, English, and history, just like you did at yourhigh school (or home school). Language studies had theaddition of Arabic, which I took, because as fourteenyear old I put it so well, “Who takes French in SaudiArabia? You’re like one typo away from it being Saudi‘Arabic.’” Extracurricular activities included track, bas-ketball, cross country, soccer, baseball, swimming, andeven Hockey for the Dhahran kids (no football though).

Really, Aramco-brats- as we were endearinglytermed- had it made in the shade (no one wanted to bein the sun)- well, except that our parents had it evenbetter. Imagine a world where there are no divorces, noone is disabled, no one’s so old they look like a humanraisin, everyone has their own house- a big one, theirown car, a lower six figure salary, a great school systemfor their children, walls and security forces to keepeveryone safe, thirty days per year vacation to any-where in the world that’s mostly paid for by your em-ployer, there are next to no bills or taxes, every yearyou’re guaranteed to make more money than the yearbefore and, let’s just throw this in, gas is fifty cents agallon. Now, like Ripley would say, “Believe It orNot,” but that was the world of Aramco, the world myparents chose to live in, the world I grew up in, and theworld you could live in if you get yourself hired by thecompany.

The city of Dhahran sounds a lot like a militarybase when it’s described, but it feels a lot more like theGarden of Eden when it’s lived. However, much likethe Garden, I can’t go back. Everyone allowed intoSaudi Arabia who isn’t of Saudi nationality must be

employed by a Saudi to live there. Muslims, Christians,Hindus, Buddhists, and Atheists coexist there peace-fully and prosperingly. If it seems too good to be true, itisn’t, there’s enough bad to make the good possible.Notice that I didn’t include Jews in the list of peacefulcoexisters, that’s because they’re not welcome (Muslimnations almost uniformly discriminate against Jewishpeople), and the whole thing is paid for by the world’sworking class, which depends on gas just to get to workeach day. Don’t think that the countries’ poor behaviorare due to their religion though, in the world’s Jewishnations (all one of them) their Muslim citizens andtourists are equally poorly treated- that’s the unfortu-nate reality of life in the Middle East.

To be continued in the April edition of The ManeIssue…

By: Evan T. Hicks

March 2011 Page 8Cu l tu reCu l tu re

Dhahran