Jan. 23, 2002
Focus
Page 13
Variety of classes entertain and challenge
Kate Houston
Reporter
While many students choose a
Winter Term route of knocking
out a general studies or another
challenging course, many stu
dents see Winter Term as an op
portunity to take an out^-of-the
ordinary class. Winter Term
classes range from “The Nature of
Mathematics” to “The Business of
NASCAR.”
If “The Nature of Mathematics”
didn’t catch your interest, maybe
NASCAR did. And if not, there are
plenty more out-of-the-ordinary
classes in full swing right now.
“The Business of NASCAR,”
taught by Christopher Joiner, fo
cuses on the business aspects
(management, economy and mar
keting) of NASCAR. Although
the focus lies primarythe business
side, students also delve into the
history of racing and learn the
entire process of a race car’s ride
just to get to the track.
English classes being offered
range from studying the meaning
of “home” through literature to the
supernatural to different lan
guages. “Literature of Place: Go
ing Home” explores the meaning
ahd search for “home” through
poetry, fiction, film and drama.
“Alternate Languages” explores
the idea of one universal language
and its effects on cultures around
the world. Imagine being able to
go anywhere and not have to face
a language barrier. But these lan
guages aren’t always spoken. Stu
dents in “Alternate Languages” ex
plore the idea of body and sign lan
guages as well.
Professor Robert Blake’s “Lit
erature of Terror and the Super
natural” is another unusual class.
“I explore such classic authors as
Edgar Allan Poe and Henry James
and films such as The Omen and
The Innocents,” he said. “The
material varies somewhat from
year to year so I won’t become
jaded with going over the same
thing. I try to include films that stu
dents aren’t familiar with.” It is
obvious that with 40 students,
there must be some strong draw
to the subject. “The students who
take this course like being scared
temporarily in the safety of the
classroom,” Blake said. But it’s
not just fun and games. Or is it?
“By taking this course students re
alize that the study of literature
can be fun,” he said.
While some students are scared
daily in the classroom, others are
being comforted with history and
a well-known face. Earl
Danieley’s class, “Elon: Past,
Present and Future” explores
Elon’s history, including the ef
fects of the nation’s history on the
school. With more than 60 years
of Elon experience under his belt,
the class couldn’t be taught by a
better man. “It’s amazing how
much Dr. Danieley can remem
ber,” said Kiarra Howe. “He
seems to remember everything
about anybody or anything and he
often recalls it humorously.”
Danieley starts the class with
the church, which was the foun
dation of the college and moves
chronologically from there.
“I think that it would be great
if all [students and faculty] knew
the history of the college better
than we do,” Danieley said.
Howe agrees that the content is
interesting and important. “It’s
definitely interesting to hear about
the history of the institution be
cause then you know why things
are the way they are now,” she
said. “You also learn about the
history of the country at the time,
like how World Wars I and II af
fected the campus and the progres
sion of women’s sports.”
Danieley said, “I think the stu
dents get a greater appreciation for
what we have when they under
stand the work which went into
giving us the present institution.”
With this slight glimpse into
just a few of the interesting classes
in full swing right now, it is ap
parent that students find Winter
Term is an excellent opportunity
for an interesting experience.
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