Oregon State University - Beaver Yearbook (Corvallis, OR)

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PU RC CONVENIENCE PRICE AND AVAILABILTY AFFECT WHERE STUDENTS BUY T THE BEGIN-ning of each term, thousands of students crowded into the Bookstore to purchase a stack of textbooks. “I bought my books at the Bookstore because of its convenience. said freshman Cindy Graham. This was the case with many students. Anyone who has purchased books from the Bookstore during the first week of classes knew that a majority of the people felt that struggling through pressing crowds and overworked employees, trying to write a check next to five other elbows and having that check inspected by an often less than friendly clerk was more “convenient than traveling to the downtown area. Two months before each term, the OSU Bookstore received notices from each department about the texts the professors would be using and the number of students estimated to be taking the class. “We get excellent cooperation from the departments,” said Bruce Lulow, OSU Bookstore general manager. Trouble arose when a teacher received an unexpected amount of students in a class and could not accommodate them all with the required text. About 75 percent of the Bookstore sales were in the first week of classes, so if a book sold out the bookstore would photo copy the first few chapters for a student until the book arrived. “We’ll work out anything we can to help you, remarked Lulow. If a student purchased a book and found out later it was not necessary to keep for a class, he or she could return the book for a full refund within a certain amount of time. During finals week the Bookstore set up tables in the MU Ballroom to buy books back. According to Lulow, about 70 percent of their used books were purchased from students and used book sales were increasing annually. The Bookstore carried about 40 percent used books and 60 percent new. Students tried to purchase books that had been used but were still in readable condition because of the reduced cost. The Bookstore would not sell anything that could not function as a classroom text. “We are here for the students’ benefit, commented Lulow. “The profits are returned to you. In September students could pay fifty cents for a B x kstore membership, then in June if t hey had turned in all of their yellow receipts, they received a check for approximately eight percent of t heir amount spent. According to Lulow, if students purchased used books, a Bookstore membership and then sold their books back at the end of the term, “the amount of money spent on books for the year could be less than that spent on beer, candy and pop.” Many people counted on that Bookstore check to nudge their bank accounts into a safe zone before beginning-of-the-year-fee blues set in. “We’re doing our job.” noted Lulow. “We’re taking care of the students, charging prices in the industry and doing everything we can do.” Bookstore members also received termly notices in their mailboxes inviting them to attend the Bookstore meetings. Yet the Bookstore wasn't the only place bombarded by students at the beginning of the term. Used bookstores also seemed to be flooded by students. Though not quite as crowded as the Bookstore, downtown booksellers saw quite a bit of business as students poured in to check the inventory. “We serve between five hundred and a thousand students | er quarter. said Bob Baird, manager of the Book Bin. The Book Bin began carrying textbooks because students started coming in and asking for them. “We’ve been expanding every quarter. said Baird. “We try’ to carry books from every department but we have books for mostly lower level classes, because older students don’t sell as many books back. At the end of each term the Book Bin set up tables at the Donut Shop to buy back books and also talked to professors about the books they were using. The Book Bin would also special order books, and according to Baird, could get them in stock within three to five days. Basically what we’re operating on are better prices and better service. stated Baird. “I buy my books at either the Book Bin or the Bookstore, depending on what their cost is and who has the books I need. said Don DeMello, senior in Speech Pathology. Although Avocet Used Books didn't pursue textbooks, many students still came in to purchase literature books. According to Howard Mills, manager, some professors even referred students to them. “We sell a lot of classics for literature classes, said Mills. “We try to handle large paperbacks or good hardl acks. The store took books on trade or purchased them for cash. We get good student traffic. Generally, textbooks, just drift in, explained Mills. “Students bring them in just to sell them back. Convenience, price and availability all proved to be concerns for students choosing where to buy their books. The Bookstore had pract ically held a monopoly on the book selling business in past years but recently the competition had started wising up. “I didn’t know about the other two, said Graham, “but I probably would have bought my books at the Bookstore anyway because of its convenience. This was a tune that was changing for more and more people at the beginning of every term. □ by Kami Smith BOOK BUY • 29

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MICHAEL DOWLESS Inspecting his book stock and updating his inven-tory list is Howard Mills, owner of Avocet Used Books on 614 SW 3rd street. Scott Lindsay, senior In Mechanical Engineering, browses through the engineering section of the Book Bin for a bargain. From The Beans of Egypt, Maine by Carolyn Chute to Victory by Joseph Conrad, students looked for classics and texts at Avocet Bookstore. MICHAEL DOWIJ5S One of the many alternatives to the OSU Bookstore is the downtown bookstore, The Book Bin, located on 351 NW Jackson Avenue. MICHAEL DOWLESS MICHAEL DOWLESS 28 • BOOK BUY

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G R A D U A LOOK BACK INTO THE PAST YIELDS A ROOM FULL OF NEW MEMORIES WENTY FIVE YEARS seems like a long time not to see a friend. Will he remember me? Will she look like she did back then? Many people looked forward to that time when they and the gang could get back together and talk about the old times. They could discuss all the goals they had made back then and how many of them they had achieved since then. “It’s fun to see how people change over the years. admitted Jim Youde, class president of OSU in 1962. “Everyone is just glad to visit each other after such a long time. They graduated in 1962, but November 7, 1987 marked the day of their 25th Class Reunion. It seemed as if everyone anticipated this occasion. One always wondered what they would look like or be like in 25 years and when the time did arrive, it usually was met with a great amount of anxiousness and excitement Back in college, everyone knew which house was going to be the fullest on Friday night, have the funniest group mingling around in its halls and be holding the liveliest discussions. In 1962, John Beardsley had been the host of one of those popular homes and twenty-five years later, it was still the same. For the last two reunions the preliminary meeting had been held at the home of John and Jan Beardsley of Corvallis. “We love having everyone here. Jan commented. “Its kind of like the parties we had 25 years ago! 30 Many admitted to having gone on some sort of diet in preparation for the big event. Some had even gone so far as to color their hair and buy entire new wardrobes. Others believed that friends would accept them as they were and always had been and those were the people who seemed to have the most fun. Some people looked forward to the gala affair over all other activities. “I was so anxious for this weekend to get here. Sharon (Ransom) Reid exclaimed. “I’ve been keyed about it all week. Gett ing caught up on everyone's past provided endless amounts of entertainment, but would everyone remember the answers to all of the questions they had asked? To make for a fun-filled as well as reminiscent documentary of the event, another project was being carried on in the living room. A videotape of '62 graduates and their spouses were being made to record who attended from year to year. Dave Klick. 1962 MU President, hosted the interviews. “We’ve done this for the past two reunions. Klick said. “After everybody gets over their nervousness they usually have a pretty good time being in front of the camera. The videotape from the previous reunion was being shown downstairs and everyone noted the difference only five years made. Klick commented that this tape would be shown to the group in another 25 years. “Just think of the reaction well get when we pull these out for the year 2012! Klick laughed. Could 25 years have made that much of a difference on Oregon State University? The timeless brick buildings seemed to have been here forever and though out of college for a while, many claimed that the campus and its goings-on hadn’t seen much change. “There is some growth,” Youde said. “New buildings and such, but basically the atmosphere is the same. College is such a fascinating time of life whenever you attend it. And what of the parties and gatherings of friends? Wasn’t a good time a good time whenever it was held? Several people enjoyed answering questions their children posed to them about the situation they had encountered while they attended Oregon State. “My son was looking at some pictures in his fraternity of one of the parties that had been held in ’62, Sharon Reid remembered. “He said they all looked like they were having fun—I pointed to one of the ladies pictured and said. 'Son, that’s your mother.’ “It’s exciting finding the people I used to run into all of the time. Kathie (Gibson) Thatcher smiled. “You take them for granted and after graduation you won’t see them much anymore. Many found it difficult to get close to people in college because there were so many to try to get to know. If one was not overly outgoing, he or she may have found it difficult to find people with similar interests and views. Lectures and lab did not always provide the kind of atmosphere for nurturing friendships. “I was a foreign student and didn't know a lot of people, noted Yvonne (Sook) Lee. “I’ve met a lot more of my classmates at these get-togethers! Over a hundred people were registered to attend the reunion which included the party, a barbeque at Me Alexander Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon and a gathering at the Corvallis Country Club Saturday night. “The dinner and dancing is nice,” remarked Roger Reid. “It’s just another kind of surrounding to talk to each other in. The conversations amongst the men and women were generally the same, but on some points each had some different interests to discuss with old friends. “In the early years it seemed we were all so ready to flaunt our accomplishments and impress each other, Jim Youde remembered. “Now it’s nice just to reacquaint yourself with everybody, have a good time and not be concerned with what anyone thinks. “I like to get caught up on everybody’s families. Sharon Reid admitted. “I tell my friends that we must have done something wrong—two of our kids went to Oregon. Everyone had to agree that these times spent together were special times. It was a weekend to remember some of the best times of their lives and a time to look forward to the future. “These reunions will get more and more valuable as time goes on, Youde said. “We pulled out our yearbooks from that year and they really brought back some great memories, Jan Beardsley smiled. “Sometimes, a lot of times, those memories are really special. □ by Lindy Humphreys 30 • CLASS REUNION