The Mont
WHE
dent Voice
ONE
Volume VII, Number VIII M^tre^t,!^ 28757 April 28, 2006
We Don’t Wanna’ Grow Up!
by Steve Carter
...3! ...2! ...1!
TWEEEEETTTTT!!! As the
whistle blew the portable shields
advanced, the trebuchet fired its
first volley, and both sides erupted
with deafening screams. Peter Pan
/ Pirate Day had officially begun.
What had started as a humble idea
between two students the previous
week had proliferated into an event
that boasted participation of a
fourth of the Montreat College stu
dent body, all by word-of-mouth
on campus.
It began as most great events in
history do, with an idea. A genius
idea. Sophomore Jake Rhinehart
(Peter Pan) and Freshman Holly
Seddon (Captain Hook) came up
with the notion of a Peter Pan
themed day at the end of March
2006, envisioning no more than
a score of people participating
with cardboard swords and a few
waterballoons present. As news
of the upcoming event spread,
their expectations were to be
far exceeded. Students all over
campus began to take an interest
and eagerly joined either the Lost
Boys or Pirates.
The week leading up to Peter
Pan / Pirate Day was a spectacle to
behold indeed. Both sides threw
themselves into a firenzied pas
sion of planning, preparation, and
recruiting that was nothing short of
amazing. An enjoyable animosity
between both factions was pres
ent over campus, with enthusias
tic shouts of “ARRGHHH!” or
“BANG-a-RANG!” being heard
at every cafeteria meal. And true
to form, the characters from the
world of Peter Pan also began
to emerge with roles like Rufio,
John, Michael, Tinkerbell,
and others being reserved by
enthusiastic participants. Even
a few Indians were represented,
including Tigerlily who was
dramatically abducted from her
morning class the day of the
event, and held “hostage” until
the climactic battle. Somehow, a
Viking got thrown in the mix as
well.
The battle lines would begin
forming at Welch Field (affec
tionately called “the Dust Bowl”
by Montreat Students) at around
3:30 on Friday the 7"' of March.
The Lost Boys and Indians had
formed an alliance against the
pirates, and their armaments
included portable shields, trees,
waterballoons, water guns and
plenty of foam weapons. The
Pirate side constructed a 25-foot
ship from bamboo and card
board, complete with a sail and
generously stocked armory. The
Pirates also boasted a working
trebuchet, which inspired awe
from both sides as it hurled bal
loons half the length of the field.
All told, there were over 60
participants, two-dozen specta
tors, nine photographers, and
upwards of 4,000 waterballoons
present.
With the whistle blown the
Continued on Page 4
“Sing, 0 heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out
in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted
His people, and will have mercy on His afflicted. ”
-Isaiah 49:13NKJV