Truman State University - Echo Yearbook (Kirksville, MO)

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raduation in 1983 marked a simultaneous end and beginning for approximately 1,370 students who received diplomas in spring and summer ceremonies. Both commencements were highlighted by speakers who offered the classes views from the outside world. Missouri Attorney General John Ashcroft spoke to the spring graduates. Ashcroft, a native of Springfield, graduated from Yale University in 1964 with a history degree. He received his law degree in 1967 from the University of Chicago. After teaching business law and working in private law practice, Ashcroft was appointed attorney general in 1975. He ran for attorney general in 1976 and was elected to a second term in 1980. Alumnus Irving Waldman was the featured speaker for summer commencement. Waldman came to the University from the East, returning there upon his graduation in 1954. A staff radiologist at North Miami (Florida) Hospital for 17 years, Waldman also taught radiology at Miami area colleges and hospitals. As the spring semester dwindled into the last few days before graduation, Tom Churchwell, assistant to the dean of in- struction. told the graduating class at com- mencement practice that the day they had been working and waiting years for was near and not to do anything to spoil it. The 932 members of the Class of 1983 must have listened because the day that marked the end of their educations at this university was a good one. Not perfect, but really very good. For most of the graduates meeting that Friday in Baldwin Hall, 8:30 came too early after a late night on Thursday. But, as Churchwell pointed out, this was it — the end result of four years of the best times and the hardest work — and no one wanted to spoil it. The official start of the big day, the processional from Baldwin Hall to Stokes Stadium, finally began after questions of whether a chance of rain would force the ceremony indoors. However, it did not rain, and with the announcement that the ceremony would be held outdoors, the graduates gave a cheer and began the walk through campus which would be their last. Along with the traditional elements of a commencement like accomplishment, an- ticipation and a tremendous amount of pride, there were many feelings of sadness shared by members of the processional. Four important years were over. It was the last time to walk this path as a student, the last time to wave to Joe Baldwin and the last time to really be a part of campus. From now on, that rela- tionship would be past tense. And yet, for most, the future was still one of uncertainty. So, delicately balanced between what was and what would be, the soon-to-be graduates walked. Not only past Joe Baldwin and the rest of campus, but past MIXED EMOTIONS show on the faces of graduates Bucky Jones, Pam McDaniel. Joni Mitchell. Beth Davidson, and Terri Bassett. Davidson adds to her gown with punk glasses. their home of four years, their teachers, friends ... past what would soon be their pasts. The walk to Stokes Stadium was a win- dy one. One that was filled with a sense of remembering, but also with a sense of the present, even if it was only long enough to concentrate on keeping mortarboards straight on heads in the blustery wind. Finally, the winding black ribbon of graduates took their seats, ending the last walk through campus and signaling the start of the ceremony. The speaker that day was Missouri Attorney General John Ashcroft, and, as with most lectures, many students' minds were elsewhere. Foremost was the thought that separation was near, that friends seated on both sides were leaving and the time to break away had come. Despite the seriousness of the occasion, the day was not was not without its comic relief. Many people were amused by the speaker's determined strug- gle to be heard above the wind, the efforts to hold onto resisting hats, the platform guests' efforts to keep the flowers from blowing off the stage and the attempts to a straighten out the order of | diplomas that had blown over, throwing the alphabetical order of master's degree candidates in- to chaos. With smiles and tears, the ceremony came to an end and the recessional began. But it really wasn't a walk. Not structured like the processional. Not a walk with a friend and not a walk back to campus. Instead, it was a time for the graduates to be on their own to say goodbye to friends and look for families, to say goodbye to college and to search out careers, to say goodbye to the past and move on to the future, if Graduation 1 ’ 7 Student Life 1 (

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AT THE SOURCE of the procession, Jane Barnett, assistant professor of physical educa- tion, leads the way with junior marshals Scott Ewing and Kathleen Armcntrout. A SPECIAL MESSAGE to Mom appears on graduate Bob Sinak's cap. Sinak's sister wore a cap with the message Me Too.” Silly stunts ad- ded humor to a serious occasion. The last walk through campus leads the way to New paths by JENNY JEFFRIES THE FINAL STEPS of a college career are taken by graduate student David Cunningham as he receives his diploma from President Charles McClain at summer commencement. Graduation Student Life

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For the first presentation by the Residence Hall Players Bye bye means hello by LISA BURGER His presence was acknowledged by the screams and moans of hysterical girls. As he sauntered onto the stage, the lights caught the gleam of his white sequined suit. When his rich baritone voice belted out. Oh. give me one last kiss, ain't never felt like this. the teeny-boppers, one by one. began to faint. In the Residence Hall Player's debut musical Bye. Bye Birdie. last spring, it was time for singer-idol Conrad Birdie (sophomore Bill Zuspann) to go into the Ar- my. As a last attempt to gain fame and recognition for Conrad, his manager Albert (freshman Travis Laws) and Albert's girlfriend Rose (jun'or Rachael Gibbons) selected at random one of Bir- die's fans, on whom Birdie bestowed his last kiss before entering the service. The plot also involved a love affair between Albert and Rose, which was complicated by Albert's cheek-pinching, over- protective mother. Mae (freshman Cathy McLaughlin). The Residence Hall Players, the first group of its kind on campus, was the brainchild of Dave Lascu. director of Dobson . Hall. The idea came to Lascu in the fall of 1982 as a result of his exposure to a residence hall - theater group while he was an undergraduate at Central Michigan University. One of the main reasons for initiating a group such as the RH Players was that it offered some new alternatives to residents. It was an educational experience from ex actly beginning to end.” Lascu said. Not only was the play educational, but for most cast and crew it was a totally new experience to sing, act, and dance in a pro- duction that consisted solely of hall residents who were mainly non-music and non-theater majors. Laws said. “The best thing about the whole production was that it eliminated the political presence and the intimidation that people often feel toward trying out for a musical when they aren't drama or music majors. Junior Julie Luetkenhaus, who portrayed the chosen teeny bopper fan. Kim McAfee, had similar feelings. I never felt overwhelmed by the talent. No one was more important than anyone else.” We had no trouble getting people in- terested in performing. Lascu said. Perhaps the most unique aspect about the production was that it was totally residence hall oriented: all cast, crew, and orchestra members lived in the halls. Doing a musical such as this for the first time presented many problems. Lascu said. One of the first problems was get ting the musical scores. They didn't arrive in time and this caused us to use tape recordings of some of the numbers. Also, we needed money and support from the residence halls. We put in requests for funding to the hall councils and at first some of them were skeptical, but I think if they saw the production, they'd know their money was well spent. Rehearsals and set construction may TEENY BOPPER FANS reaffirm their undying loyalty to their heartthrob, Conrad Birdie (sophomore Bill Zuspann). after they learn of Birdie's plans to visit their town. have also posed problems to the residents of Ryle Hall, where the main lounge was used both for rehearsals and the actual production. The pounding of nails, scream- ing from teenage girls rehearsing, and the tune We Love You. Conrad were often heard throughout the hall. Lascu hopes to alleviate this problem in the future. The next time we do it. rehear sals will go on outside the halls so we don't disturb the residents. There was a problem with the set. too. because students could only set up the stage when they had time. Junior Randy Lee. who played Kim McAfees brother. Randolph, thought it was remarkable that everyone learned where to be. because the stage was built only one week before the performance. Another feature of the musical was that it was performed directly in Ryle's main lounge. It was a challenge to convert the lounge into a little theater. Lascu said. Lee said presenting the show in the lounge gave it a more personal atmosphere. In one scene. Conrad walked out and sang directly to the girls in the audience. I enjoyed the stage set-up, Laws said, because the place looked like there were more people in the audience than it would have if it were put on in Baldwin. Plus, the audience was closer to the stage and this brought the acting down to the audience's level and made it more personalized. Laws also thought that this contributed to the audience not being offended by the use of the tapes instead of live music because the show didn't try to be a Broad- way musical. But Luetkenhaus said. The stage was small for some of the things we wanted to do. If it was bigger, we could've done a lot more dancing. Lascu is planning on doing future productions, especially because Bye. Bye Birdie was. in his eyes, a success. The entire cast was very sup portive of each other. They really worked as one group, and that's why I think it went off so well.” One of the most positive things about the rehearsals was that other cast members helped you out with your lines. It was nice to have back ups like that, Luetkenhaus said. Laws said he is looking forward to the next RH Players production because the Fine Arts division only offered a musical every other year. We'll have to take it one year at a time, though. Organization is hard when working on a first production. But. next time we'll know what to do and what not todo. One thing Lascu would like to do dif- ferently is to have the show in March and also possibly do some fund raising. The players organized in the fall and planned on producing a variety show in the spring to raise money. Another alternative to pursue in the future is that hopefully it will become a totally student-run production. Lascu said. That idea is a very real possibility, con- sidering the effect that Bye. Bye Birdie had on cast members. It was great seeing the students satisfaction in doing a good job and accomplishing such a program. Near the closing of the musical, the teenage girls sadly waved to Conrad Birdie as he left for the Army. It was also bye-bye to the RH Players first production, if 1 ft Bye 1 O Student Life