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Page 6 Tuesday, October 28, 2003 JT.ePl'fer Op/Ed The pildr Gardner-Webb University Box: 5564 Phone: 3533 E-mail: gwupiIot@yahoo.com www.gwupilotcom pditnrs-in-ch ief Emily Killian Sarah Olimb sports editor John Olson photo editor Scott Holstein ' copy editors Erin Aldridge Jennifer Menster design editor Robert Brunson staff Lee Adams Kaylin Bowers Jacob Conley Sean Hubbard Rachel Jones Katie Main Merry Leigh Miller Jess Snyder Jared Smith Christina Tyler contributors Jeff Davis advisor Bob Carey The Pilot is th« official Gardner- Webb University student newspaper, it is produced by students under the supervision of the Department of Communication Studies. Gardner-Webb fosters an atmosphere in which student journalists may report on matters of common Interest and write critically about University issues, policies and programs without fear of reprisal. At the same time TTie Pilot adheres to high standards of integrity and journalistic responsibility. Thu Pilot is produced using the Quark Publishing System provided through a generous grant from Quark, Inc. Letters to the editor must be signed, but names can be wlthh^id if requested by the author. Dangerous Minds—Staff Editorial Make use of your Vent, complain and make your thoughts known in The Pilot Sarah Olimb Pilot co-editor So, I’m tired of it. We all do it. Complain. Vent. Yet, many of our issues with this insti tution, our government or humanity in general are left as faint murmurings. We have opinions — often, good opinions — but they never get past those late-night-everything-is-wrong-with- Gardner-Webb-debates. My challenge is this: make use of your resources. We publish this newspaper to keep you informed and connected to this com munity. But, it’s also your opportunity to express your thoughts on what is happen ing or not happening on campus. If you feel strongly about the stadium renova tions or visitation, for example, write a well-thought-out letter to the editor. The administration does read this stu dent publication. It may not change their collective opinion about the subject, but your letter will give them some idea of what some students think or how their actions will affect members of this com munity. I’m not giving you license to rant and rave about every little rule you disagree with. Be articulate. Think about your argu ment — do you really have one or are you just venting without cause? Last year we were swamped with let ters from students and faculty expressing their thoughts about the events surround ing the NCAA investigation. It’s sad that it takes a scandal on campus to awaken stu dents from their apathy. In the same way, if you notice some thing that our school is doing right, let everyone know. Or if you disagree with another student’s letter, challenge their opinion with a letter of your ovwi. This is your publication. Take advan tage of it. Jeff ZO^ a humor column by Jeff Davis Hallo-what? It’s that time of year again. October ends with arguably the least necessary of all holidays. All of the major American holidays have an important sig nificance of some kind, but not Halloween. I looked up Halloween in the dictio nary and the definition is: n., commercial holiday with no real purpose other than more uses for pumpkins and an excuse for candy com. I’ve participated in this popular American ritual ever since I could say "twick-ow-tweet" and I have yet to under stand exactly why we do it. We teach kids they can walk up to people’s doors and make demands (and yet we dislike Jehovah’s Witnesses?). We give these kids a false sense of reality: that people will always give them handouts just for being who they are or who they want to be. The activities associated with Halloween are a lot of fun but have no significance at all. We carve smiley faces with bad teeth into pumpkins. We share stories of fear of various fictional crea tures that are vulnerable to some of the dumbest things: witches that melt in water and vampires that can’t survive light. Although Halloween is a lot of fiin I challenge anyone to show me the reason for the way we recognize it other than the increased sales of pumpkins, costumes and candy The History of Halloween... Being the good "investigative journal ist" that I am, I did some research into the true history of Halloween. The encyclope dia I found in the library revealed some interesting information. In 1883, two poor rural North Carolina farmers named Jethro T. Hall and Marcus L. O’Ween started Halloween. Hall and O’Ween were desperate for cash during hard times and were close to losing their farms. They came up with a way to increase sales of their most abundant crop that year: pumpkins. Hall had a knife and O’Ween had the idea to cut out a smiley face in the likeness of Hall, who had several missing teeth and some oddly shaped facial features. They advertised that the last day of October would be a day in which folks would dress up as someone or something else, ask strangers for candy, and play games. There would be fun and games for everyone that day, including a pumpkin-carving contest. Pumpkin sales skyrocketed. People came up with many uses for pumpkins besides just pumpkin pie and carvings. Jack O’Neil even put a candle in the middle of a pumpkin he carved and called it a Jack-O-Lantem. With increased sales and profits Hall and O’Ween were able to pay off their debts and keep their farms. Hall and O’Ween were pleased with their success- fiil business venture. They decided to do it again eveiy year and they started calling the anniversary Halloween. Years went by and other businessmen | began to get involved. Apple growers, cal dron makers, costume designers, candy . makers, storytellers and later television producers all got involved with the Halloween concept and it evolved into the holiday we now know. And now you know the rest of the story. To contact Pilot columnist Jeff Davis, send an email to jwd0228@gardner- webb.edu.
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