Monday, May 5, 1997
Editorials
Page 3
The ride ended all too quickly
Sarah Rogers
Campus Life Editor
Even as I sit at this very
computer, I cannot believe that this is
the last editorial I will ever write^for the
Brevard College Clarion. It doesn’t feel
right at all, like something inside of me
is dying. I think of all the fiin that I
had here, and I can’t believe that in one
week I will be an alumnus of Brevard
College.
So, to avoid getting entirely too
Rock
Sarah Rogers
Campus Life Editor
In high school, we have a
tendency to dislike our teachers because
they seem to represent everything that
keeps us from having a good time. By
college, most of us are mature enough to
recognize that our problems and stress
originate within ourselves. This
realization enables us to be a little
kinder to our professors and, eventually,
we regard most of them as friends.
During my two years at
Brevard College, I have taken a wide
variety of classes. It always humors me
to see how my classmates react to the
professor. This past semester in
Environmental Geology, something
almost magical occurred before my very
eyes.
At the beginning of the
semester, the class consisted of a group
of students with almost nothing in
common who, for the most part, had
very little interest in Geology. On the
last day of class, those same students
stood in the middle of the classroom
enthralled in a huge, group hug with the
professor in the middle. So, you might
ask, what happened in those four months
that caused such a change. The answer
to that question is simple. We all were
given the opportunity to know Ms. Anne
Pittman.
With her child-like quality and
nostalgic, I will make this editorial as
simple as I know how.
Metaphorically, my experience
here has been a lot like a roller coaster.
As I embarked on my journey in August
of 1995,1 was excited because everyone
said that I should be. I have had my
“ups” here when no one could bring me
down, and my “downs” when no one
could pull me up. And though I seemed
to be hanging upside down forever, the
ride ended all too quickly.
As my car slowly jolts to a
stop, I prepare to disembark, feeling
very disoriented and unsure of the land
on which I will stand. But as I regain
my strength and look at the ride as a
whole, I realize that regardless of the
screaming and the fear I felt, I was
having the time of my life.
Now I will go to the next roller
coaster, a bigger and scarier one. But,
as I take a moment to reflect one last
time before I walk away, I see all of the
people that shared my fear now laughing
and leaving the coaster, heading in
directions so different than my own. I
know I will never see them again.
As I wave goodbye and turn to
go.somethuag inside of me is beginning
to hurt very badly. Still I know,
without question, that I am all the better
for having bought a ticket. Thank you
to everyone that moved over and made
room for me on the ride.
Pittman
Ms. Pittman demonstrates her special skilh in class.
Photo by Sarah Rogers
excitement over anything that relates to
Geology, Anne Pittman is one of a kind.
Although she is not afraid to lock you
out of the classroom if you are twenty
seconds late, she still will do whatever it
takes to help you succeed.
Anne Pittman’s passion for
Geology is unequaled. Her dedication
to her subject is an inspiration, even for
those students that take her class for the
purpose of fdling a science requirement.
Above all, she is an inspiration
to everyone that she meets and teaches.
Her concern for her students does not
end when class does. Rather, it
continues, even outside of the
classroom.
More dian anything that we
learned from her this semester, our class
gained compassion- not only compassion
for the envirorunent but also concern for
those around the world that are touched
by natural disasters.
Our time with Anne Pittman
was not only meaningful, but too short.
We will miss her smile, her drawings
(with a geologist and rock-pick for
scale) and her concern. As we venmre
to our different destinations, we leave
knowing that she cared for us like we
were her own children.
Thank you from all of us, Anne
Pittman. In every way, you have
inspired us to rock on!
With her child-like quality and
PbodIc still do C3.r6 3.bout otriGrs
1 . h Hnnp before school volunteered to run to the store to buy proceeded to dump out ^
ontirplv too much done DCIOre o ^ T WitViont wammo the cash
Deirdre Frinze
Guest Cormnentary
A few weeks ago I began to
think that no one cares about anyone .
I guess this brass realization occurred in
lieu of all of the stress that seems to
build around the time of exams.
Everyone is stressing out and trying to
get entirely too much done before school
is over. We are rushing around campus
thinking of ourselves, our problems
what we must accomplish, who we will
miss terribly, and who we will not.
In the midst of all of my
anxiety, I stopped by my tie#ta’s
room to visit. She was having a break
down and needed more cigarettes.
volunteered to run to the store to buy
more in my effort to help mankind. I
went to my room and searched for
change. After locating a handful of
pennies, nickels, and dimes along with
the last single bill that I had, I headed to
Ingles.
I set down the pack of
cigarettes at the cash register and
proceeded to dump out my change.
Without warning, the cashier pulled a
dollar from his wallet and put it with
mine. He helped me pay for the pack
and told me to keep my change. That
simple random act of kindness opened
my eyes. People still do care.