Indiana University - Arbutus Yearbook (Bloomington, IN)

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(LEFT) A Hobbit House member plays in a tire swing at the day care co-op run by lU faculty and students. (OPPOSITE TOP) A long-time Bloomington resident. Melinda Sinn, an lU senior, relaxes in the Commons — just as she did in high school. (OPPOSITE BOTTOM) Born and raised in the Blooming-metropolis, Jennifer Cobb student teaches at Fairview Elementary School, where she herself went. ' ID. Schwali Children nappnig, a little girl coloring, a group playing cards . . . these are some of the activities found on an ordinary afternoon in the Hobbit House. The house, one of four cooperative day care centers in the city, is run by 15 families who share the housework, care and expenses of the center. The Hobbit House philosophy is to give youngsters more than just a babysitting center. The center enables parents who are lU students or faculty mem- bers to become more involved with their children, and at the same time, spend leisure moments with them. There are monthly meetings to discuss the stages of development and problems any child might be having. One difference between the Hobbit House and other cen- ters is that single parents are expected to work only one shift, while most of the other centers require members to work two shifts, single or not. Each family pays $17 per month for the upkeep of the center. This money takes care of maintenance, rent, new toys, milk and juice for the 18 chil- dren. Afternoon snacks are provided by individual families who take turns bringing nutritious and preferably homemade treats. Meals are not served in the Hobbit House, so the re- frigerator bulges with lunch boxes. Mary Wagner 23

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Born and raised here, their lU ties differ Most lU students know Bloomington for four or more years of college life. But for Jennifer Cobb and Melinda Sinn. Bloomington is also their home away from home — both were born and raised here. Cobb, a senior elementary education major, lived away from home three of her four years at lU. Sinn, on the other hand, lived with her family. She is a senior biology major. I ' ve seen the Bloomington townspeople change in their attitudes toward the students from the 1960s to the VO ' s. Cobb said. In the ' 60s, when the students were ' radicals, ' they were looked upon as aliens. But now, the town is realizing that lU students put money in their pockets, she continued. Sinn disagreed. According to her, the residents of Bloomington are getting along with the college students. The atmosphere may be a little more relaxed in the summer when there are less students. Workers tend to be more pa- tient at the mall, but there isn ' t a very big difference in at- titudes. Sinn explained. As high school students, their views about lU differed. Cobb said she was more gung-ho about lU in high school than now; in high school she walked around the commons and bookstore, buying lU T shirts and notebooks. Sinn said most of her high school friends did not care much about university activities. Her ties with the univer- sity involved attending concerts and occasional use of the library. However, many of her friends ' parents were profes- sors, she added. Sinn and Cobb agreed there were both advantages and disadvantages in attending college in their hometown. Cobb said she did not know the campus layout well, but, I didn ' t have to stumble around because I knew the best places to do things like laundry and getting my hair cut. I think it was more a bother than an advantage because I kept being reminded that I was still at home, Cobb added. I couldn ' t become a new person, like most new college students can, because I was constantly aware of my background. She said she became more independent when she moved into a dorm because she met new people and had different experiences. Sinn thought knowing where the buildings were located was the main advantage she had over new students. Accord- ing to her, growing up in Bloomington had more advan- tages than disadvantages, both educational and cultural, be- cause Bloomington has a lot more to offer than most Indiana towns. ' 7 think it (going to college in my home town) was more a bother than an advantage because I kept being reminded that 1 was still at home. - Jennifer Cobb

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Photos Scolty Comegys 24 ' ' Everything is so comfortable and friendly here. It ' s a small town with many of the advantages of a larger community -Janet Dunn