University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Preacher Mike belts out his message on the Diag. You ' ve got to respect someone who gets up in from of a thousand kids, first-year student Sarah Friedeberg said. 1 6 Michigan Life

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V I ' When the crowds were light, the artists found diversions such as this sketch artist who played the banjo. Wandering minstrels were a popular attraction in addition to the booths. Thursday brought rain that hindered the crowds. However, many people merely donned rain coats and headed out, like this woman and her husband, taking advantage of the crowdless streets to marvel at the colorful paintings by L. Geyer. Parking is never easy in Ann Arbor and during the Art Fair, spots were even ewer and farther between. Fraternities, schools, and churchs, such as the First Presbyterian Church, converted their properties into parking lots, using the fair as a fundraiser. Michigan Life 1 5

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A Controversial Campus Personality Has His Say For eleven years, Reverend Mike Kaulk, or Preacher Mike as he was more widely hailed, has amused, outraged, and even befriended students on the Diag with his sermons. While some may have thought that it took an extraordinary personality to speak to the masses, Preacher Mike really considered himself a down-tO ' Carth type of guy. By Heidi Messner Reverend Kaulk, 43, never saw himself as controversial, although he admitted that the Bible always results in controversy. Instead, he intended to steer students in the right direction. He saw problems with the pressures that face the younger generation, namely fear about students ' unstable future, both economically and otherwise. The father of five, Reverend Kaulk described himself as a family man. Family, he claimed, was the most important element missing in America today. That is the basic building block. Everything depends on it and nothing can replace it. Accordingly, family values was the topic that he discussed most frequently as he believed repairing the family unit should be the country ' s top priority. His gathering of students varied, but respect for Reverend Kaulk was heartfelt. You ' ve got to respect someone who ' s so dedicated, said Sarah Friedeberg, a first-year student. Melissa Grego, also a first-year student, said, It ' s important to believe in something. It ' s cool that Preacher Mike is that to some people. Jonathan Wilson, sophomore, agreed, I appreciate what he has to say because I hear so little of it at campus here. I think he speaks the truth and I ' m glad he has the guts to do it. However, not everyone agreed with his ideas. As a matter of fact, one would more likely find students who resented Reverend Kaulk ' s hell- fire Diag sermons and who condemned his condemnations. Indeed, those lovely fall and spring afternoons that found Reverend Kaulk preaching from a Diag bench always found opponents counter-charging and disputing with the preacher. According to Reverend Kaulk, whenever a dispute arose, he would try to ascertain if the person was sincere, if he had hit on a subject that was too close for comfort, and then acted accordingly. Despite such careful tactics, negative feelings persisted towards him. He makes contradictions about his belief. He says he ' s a Christian, but he puts himself higher as a non-sinner. If he was a real Christian, he would know that God forgives everyone even if they do sin, stated Rachel Margedian, first-year student. Nevertheless, Preacher Mike envisioned himself as giving a fresh perspective to students that they didn ' t otherwise receive in the classroom, I would really like students to do two main things. Firstly, find out who God is and, secondly, figure out who they are and be that person. 41, Michigan Life 17