Newspapers / North Carolina Wesleyan University … / Oct. 2, 1992, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE 2—THE DECREE — OCTOBER 2,1992 Gurganus returns to campus for fourth reading of works ALLAN GURGANUS: “LOOKED LIKE MARK TWAIN” ‘Greek Week’ opens big only to fizzle off By CECILIA LYNN CASEY The first reading of the year for North Carolina Wesleyan College’s Visiting Writing Series was the fourth time back for best selling author Allan Gurganus. Drawing a large crowd, only 26 of whom were students, in the Student Activity Center, Gurganus was welcomed with applause that made it clear he was not a celebrity coming to perform but a friend coming home. “It’s wonderful to read where I started,” Gurganus began. “You wouldn’t believe how much Rocky Mount gossip I’ve been keeping up on. I have these really big phone bills. “In deciding what to read to night, I knew that it had to be something that included Nash, Edgecombe, and Pitt counties in the same story,” Gurganus con tinued, smiling. He then read, “A Hog Loves Its Life” from White People. Legs crossed while slightly leaning on the podium, he told the story of how “Willie” Grafton learned the story of Lancaster’s mule one day during a visit to his grandfather’s house. Years earlier “Grand” had known Buck Lancaster, a man known to “fudge a bit.” One night Buck had sold a mule that had been corralled by itself because, as Buck put it, ‘The other mules hate this one ‘cause he works so hard.” The next day the farmer shows up at Buck’s auction, old shotgun in one hand, mule in the other. After the mule repeatedly ran into a whole host of objects, the farmer realized that the mule was blind. Buck told the farmer that “the mule’s not blind, he just doesn’t give a damn,” and finally offered the farmer a seeing-eye mule. Throughout the story, Willie’s thoughts and conversation with Grand linked the two together into a closer bond. Willie^said, “Grand, he was a crank — I was a crank ♦ in training.” During the reading, warm laughter was heard from the au dience, their enjoyment obvious. One person in the audience was Daisy Thorp, to whom White People is dedicated. A long-time friend of Gurganus, Thorp spoke a litde bit about him. “He was only 12 or maybe 14 when I first met him. His. mother., brought him in to the art center for lessons, but after one look, at his paintings, I knew he didn’t need them,” she said. She said having the book dedi cated to her “feels odd. It almost seems like it’s someone else. Don’t get me wroiig. I brag oh it, I show everyone ‘Look here,’ ^d there is certainly not an unmixed joy about it. But still it seems strange.” The response from the few stu dents who attended was positive. Tommy Allen, a junior, com mented, “I’m from a small town, too, and everything he said was so true. It was just wonderful for me to listen to him because I knew exactly what he was talking about.” Sophomore Nicole Cox said her impression of Gurganus was “he made me think of Mark Twain. I think he looked like Mark Twain with his long hair and his nice suit with the bow tie, not to mention that he told stories in this rich colloquial language. I enjoyed the reading.” In an interview before the read ing, Gurganus said he continued to give readings at Wesleyan de spite his national recognition be cause “I think of it as the center of my home. “I took a couple of courses here at Wesleyan during the 1970’s before I went into the Navy,” he said, “so there’ll be old friends in the audience, people I’ve known for a long time, like my third and foiuth-grade teach ers.” He said he dedicated his new book to Daisy Thorp because “she is the most caring, supportive per son I know. She took an interest in my painting when I was 13 or 14 and has been behind me ever By DAN MOYNIHAN While some Wesleyan stu dents were studying on Sept. 14, others were engaging in after-hour golf practice — driving with un erring accuracy several golf balls through the windows in South Hall’s emergency exits. The extraordinary athletes did not limit their potential to just South, however, they also dis played their prowess on several . cars.,.i;§sultiflg in deijts and at least one shattered windshield; ' since,” he said. “Also because she is so genuinely good natured and ethical she expects the best from others and gets it.” Growing up in Rocky Mount was helpful to him as a writer, he smd. “I think anyone in a small town is on their way to becoming a novelist. One perfect affects the other,” he said, “and everyone is connected, and from that there is a story to tell. Rocky Mount was generous to me because it was early in my life that the commu nity supported me. I was 10 years old when I sold my first paint ing.” Gurganus said he wants to share as much of Rocky Mount’s culture with others around the country as possible. “Southerners are gifted and blessed because we have two cul tures that make up the south and we can see ourselves as one. My first memory is that of a black woman holding me and singing to me in English. I try to address as much about the south as I can, even subjects like racial unrest,” he said. “I address everything in a way that will be listened to more readily, so I talk about things in stories,” he added. “I trust the sto ries themselves. They’re simple, but there are ethical questions which help people to stop and look at how things are.” Daisy Thorp’s last comment summed up what Gurganus’ visit to the college meant for every one. Asked how knowing Gurganus had enriched her life, she replied, “By telling me sto ries! He helps me look at life in different terms, and because of that I can appreciate life better.” That night was not an isolated incident. On Sept 20, the myste rious marksmen struck again. This time their target was the Student Life Building. They rocketed a ball through a window and into a wall with enough force to leave a one-inch indentation. Also they unleashed a ball at a woman walk ing to Edgecombe — moving from vandalism to assault. Security has yet to capture the perpetrators of the vandalism, but they are currently working with what they have to catch the ^o By ELLEN STANTON Greek Week blasted off with a big bang beginning on Sept. 13, but things kind of fizzled off by the end of the week. Prospective pledges visited the Student Activities Center Sunday to check out what fraternity or sorority life is like. Open House on Monday brought lots of noise to North Hall as members got psyched up for the new year. This opportunity also gave prospective pledges a chance to chat with members one on one. On Tuesday night. Pi Epsilon hosted Win, Lose, or Draw in the Honors Center. On Wednesday, the excellent voice of Phil Friedman mellowed through Doc’s. Sigma Phi Delta also came out to Doc’s where they treated their members to yogurt. Most fraternities and sororities partici pated in the Greek Week activi ties. Pi Kappa Phi did not spon sor any events. Sigma Pi enjoyed a cookout at Dave Brooks’ hoilSe and roughed in some football on Wednesday. Saturday, some of the members helped out with Big Sweep ‘92. All the fraternities and sorori ties planned to host a Greek dance Saturday Night, Sept. 19. But due to a lack of interest, it didn’t hap pen. Students drive golf balls into dorms white males who wefe seen flee ing the scene of the first incident. Michael Sanseviro, resident director of South Hall, says these acts of vandalism disturb him. Asked if he think$ the people re sponsible will be aH>rehended, he cites an example from last year, when an act of vandalism was so reprehensible that all of South Hall was put on community sanc tions. He went on to explain that he thinks if the destractive duo con tinues with their actions, commu nity sanctions could become a re ality once again. Last year, after sanctions were imposed the per petrators were revealed within one hour. If and when the vandals are apprehended, Sanseviro says, “Tlie Vidals will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our judi cial system (most probably sus pension), and quite possibly by outside law enforcement action, such as the Rocky Mount Police Department.”
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