Jan. 23, 2003
Variety
People, places, issues & the arts ^/
Page 3
Riding through the past...
CSB jumps into, out of horse program
Before there was tennis, there were horses. Students could fulfill the physical education requirements at CSB by selecting equitation or horsemanship courses as recently as the early 1980s. Across from the Softball field, where the tennis courts and parking lots are now, once stood the Horsemanship Center, an imposing structure which, after the center was discontinued, housed a fall festival of arts and crafts and provided a space for dancing and skating.
Under the leadership of Elaine Henke, chair of the physical education department, the equestrian program began in 1972. Facilities included a stable with eight box stalls and twelve tie stalls, a wash area, an indoor arena (70 feet by 140 feet), an outdoor show ring (150 feet by 300 feet) and a tack room. Classes met for eight weeks, the first sequence beginning in September and the second at the end of October. Each sequence cost $50 and was worth one credit. In 1976, the college owned 15 horses and leased several more. Some students owned their horses and rented stable room at $100 per month.
Two full-time riding instructors were on hand in 1972: Joanna Coyle and Lois Johnson. They were aided by Francine Reker, a consultant and later also an instructor. The public was invited to use the facilities some evenings and on Saturdays. For both on- and off-campus students, group lessons cost $4.50 per hour, while private lessons were $12.
The equestrian program was a positive factor in student recruitment and in the spring of 1975 the college formally applied to the MN Higher Education
footprints
from the CS'B archives
S. Carof
Coordinating Committee for an Associate of Arts Degree in
Horsemanship. Program objectives included: to teach riding on a beginning level; to become familiar with and experience stable operating and management; and to become knowledgeable horse handlers.
Samples of course descriptions include 101, Hunt Seat Equitation (walk, trot and canter); 103, Hunt Seat Intermediate Equitation (low-jumping); 100, Dressage and Jumping; 221, Horse Management (nutrition, shoeing, common ailments) and 301, Teaching Methods (assisting the instructor with a beginning class). Enrollment in a semester typically averaged 75-85 students until the 1980s, when there was a drastic drop. In 1978 and 1979 public horse shows were held at the center, showcasing beginners and advanced riders.
Due in part to rising costs, the Horsemanship Center and program were discontinued in the spring of 1983. Expenses doubled by 1977-78, and the president and her staff decided in 1981 to phase out the program. While the center and program lasted only a decade, they were a popular part of the curriculum and campus atmosphere.
Footprints is written by S. Carol Berg and examines the history of St. Ben's with the help of the CSB archives. If you have a story idea, e-mail record@csbsju. edu.
Photos taken from the Saints yearbook, 1977
The Fifth Annual Horse Show, held May 15, 1977, at the CSB stables, showcased beginners and advanced students of St. Ben's equestrian program. The program was available to students from 1972 to the early '80s. Currents students who wish to ride at CSB will have to turn to rocker horses like Toby Buttercup (left).
Campus events
• D J. Dance
10 p.m.-1 a.m., Friday, BWP
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding
8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Pellegrene Auditorium
• Bagels at the Bus Stop
7:15-10 a.m., Monday, CSB and SJU bus stops
• Winter Tree Walk
12-1 p.m., Monday, Bell Banner, Abbey Church
• Ice Ice Lip Sync
8 p.m., Tuesday, BWP
• Reduced Rate Dinner at SJU
4:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Refectory
• CRAFTS!!!
7-9 p.m., Wednesday, O'Connell's
• Family Feud
9:30-11 p.m., Wednesday, O'Connell's
Reminiscing through sim
art
Brady Markell, The Record
Titled "el Rio Madre de dios (The River of the Mother of God)," this piece of art is part of K. Stevenson's exhibit, "Simple Poems/' which is currently on display in the BAC Art Gallery.
By Sue Schulzetenberg
Editorial staff
They range from a lock of hair to a special ring. With the beginning of the new semester, new collections of them will be stored for future amusements in upcoming years.
Ever dainty, commonly blurred, they are the often delightful, many times ordinary and sometimes even mortifying traces of memories. Those memories are an inspiration in a current exhibit in the BAC by artist K. Stevenson.
Stevenson will be coming to CSB at 3 p.m. on Feb. 27 in the BAC Art Gallery and Lounge for a slide presentation and reception concerning the new exhibit, "Simple Poems.1' "Simple Poems" will remain at the BAC until Feb. 28.
The exhibit is a peculiar representation of simple lost and collected objects. Stevenson uses print and mixed media pieces to express nostalgia.
A display of long hair,
Review
gradually becoming lighter in color, ascends a slightly sloped ladder and is one of the more frightening art pieces in the exhibit. It is representative, however, of the disappearance of concrete colorful ideas and items found in most of the exhibit's pieces.
There is little color in Stevenson's exhibit. Prevailing instead are signs of aged memories, precious and sentimental, delicate and disappearing. White is the center color in this exhibit. Gray and black are the main accents from the prints to the sculptures.
Some items are colorless. Poems on translucent plastic dangling from the ceiling hint at ideas when angled in one direction, nothing in another. The barely-there aspect prevails, with a haunting question of what the seemingly blank boards say, but perhaps that is part of the charm.
Collective consciousness and personal undertones whisper ideas of long past in the
installation. Beds hold memories, like slumber restores sleep. Water wavers over worn stones with imprints of hardly recognizable letters, their patterns even less clear. In another bed piece, rings, retainers, trinkets and dental floss are suspended from bedsprings.
The prints are slightly less domestic than the 3D works, but nevertheless embellished with mystery. Hands are faintly drawn over several times. Deciphering which ones were the real ones, or if there even were real ones, is something to ponder.
In its entirety, the exhibit provokes emotional nostalgia and questioning sentiments. The pieces of the exhibit will remain on display until the end of February, but its ideas will continue in the mind of every memory collector.
Meanwhile under beds, on shelves and on window sills of college dorms, dental floss, rings, retainers and hair collect to tell what happened in the past; or at least how the past appeared to happen.
Students step up in 'Crucible' auditions
Director Sam Hull adds goth/punk twist to classic play
By Colleen Niznik
Staff writer
The first week of the semester was quite busy for the theater department. Auditions for Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" ran Jan. 16-20. With monologues, movement exercises, callbacks and singing, the actors and actresses had their work cut out for them.
Sam Hull, a theater professor at CSB, is directing the play. He is adding a different twist to the old tale of witchcraft trials with a goth/punk aspect.
Those who earn roles in the play may be expected to dye or cut their hair, appear in scantily clad costumes or act as a different gender. Cast members will also get into shape with the 100 push-ups and 500 sit-ups they will do during every rehearsal.
Close to 50 people auditioned, and almost every five-minute time slot was filled. Initial auditions were held from 6 to 10 p.m. on Jan. 16 in the Stephen B. Humphrey Auditorium.
Katy Kessler, CSB junior and theater major, was there to try out for her fifth play at CSB/SJU. Even though it was her fifth audition, she said that her nerves have not worn with time.
Audition requirements included performing a 1 to 1.5 minute monologue that touched emotion. The character had to experience emotion at the moment rather than merely showing they were emotional.
Kessler's tip for perfecting a monologue is to practice it for a few minutes everyday. This helps actors memorize the lines so they feel more comfortable with it. Once the lines are memorized, actors can focus on adding things to their performance to make it unique.
This play will certainly be unique. SJU first year Ryan Smith was nervous to try out, but also excited because "The Crucible" is one of his favorite plays. Smith also went to the singing auditions the following night and sang "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper.
Even though it was a nerve-wracking weekend for him, Smith knows that it will all be worth it in the end.
"What Sam (Hull) is doing with the play will be an interesting experience," Smith said.
Performance notes
"The Crucible" will be performed at the BAC Forum on April 3-6 and 9-12,7:30 p.m.
• This is a FAE designated event.
• Tickets: $5 with a CSB/SJU ID.
• For other ticket information, call Ext. 5777 or Ext. 3577.
