HIGI-IACRES COLLEGIAN, NOVEMBER 30, 1971 -
The Mansion
Just mention the word "mansion" at Highacres and
everyone's eyes light up. "Oh, yeah. The old castle up in the
woods that they're gonna rip down. Damn shame."
Much speculation and rumor has been evident among the
student body as to the future of the mansion. It seems that no
one can get the story straight. That brings us to the purpose of
this feature editorial.
The Highacres Collegian has attempted to get the facts about
the mansion: its past, its present, and its futui,
the past
The mansion was originally built by George Markle Jr.,
one of the Markle brothers, at the beginning of this century. It is
older than the other Mande mansion on campus, presently the
Main Building, which was built in the 1920'5. Architect of the
latter was one Mr. Egger, founder of the New York firm of Egger
and Higgins. Perhaps he was also the architect of the older
mansion.
Donald Markle later occupied the home after making several
additions to the existing building. These included the Ship Room
and two bedrooms on the east side. As he had a winter residence
in Mississippi, Donald and his wife lived here only during the
spring and summer months.
The mansion itself is built of native fieldstone with a slate
roof, just as is the Main Building. On the northwestern corner of
the house are a lighted swimming pool and shower house, both
built into the mountain.
The extensive woodwork in the library or den on the north
side was built by an unknown woodwork manufacturer in North
Wales, a Philadelphia suburb.
In 1968, the Donald Markle mansion and its surrounding 38
acres and outbuildings were sold to the Pennsylvania State
University.
the present
Today the mansion stand empty, cold, devoid of furnishings,
and falling into ruin. Several first floor rooms are used to store
desks and other supplies. Most of the draperies are still intact.
In recent weeks the Circle K Club has expressed an interest in
refurbishing the mansion as a student union, a lounge, or
something similar. However, such an idea would be impractical
and very costly, according to Frank C. Kostos, director of the
Hazleton Campus.
the future
"We are definitely going to raze it," said iCostos in an
interview last week. "We have to do something with it. Guarding
it makes no sense. But I'd hate to see the building go."
Jack Oswald, Penn State's new president, told students here
during a visit last spring that if sentiment ran high in the
community, as well as on campus, the possibility of saving it
would exist, Kostos said that Oswald was "new on the scene" and
perhaps did not fully understand the inaplications involved.
Ecologists on campus will be pleased to learn that the
destruction of the mansion will not result in the destruction of
the surrounding grounds. As Kostos explained, the University will
try to "keep from ruining too much of the outside." The outside
wall near the swimming pool will be retained. The pool, however,
will be filled and planted. There is an idea in the works that the
area will be developed as a scenic lookout point. The view from
the area, overlooking Conyngham and Butler Valleys, can best be
described as breathtaking.
In an attempt to kill some rumors, Kostos stated that the
proposed $2.2 million gym will be constructed on the south side
of the roadway near the mansion, opposite the latter, not on the
same site.
One ironic point in reference to the mansion is that while
voices of the student body are loud and in favor of restoring the
building, certain vandals amongst us continue to hold booze
0 . 111. Riotmats Tellpgiatt
The Collegian office is located in the Memorial Building
Office hours are Monday thru Friday, 1-4 p.m.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
John Roslevich, Jr
E. J. Pietroski
T. W. Heppe
Richard Campbell
STAFF
NEWS: Amine Cumsky, Cindy Lonoconus, Margaret
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,of
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Thomas, Deb Soroka, Thomas Heppe, JoAnn Depretis.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Charlie Fox, Gary Welsh, Paul
Pianovich. EDITORIAL WRITERS: Mel Mundie, Richard
Rockman.
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- PAGE TWO
Editor-in-chief
Business Manager
Production Manager
Faculty Advisor
parties in it. Not that we have anything against booze parties
(heaven forbid), but we cannot tolerate the wanton destruction
that takes place during such partakings. Within the past few
weeks, the bay windows of the master bedroom have been
smashed beyond recognition. If this keeps up, and the pigs are
sure it won't, the University won't have to put the job of razing it
up for bid. The students will have destroyed it themlelves. Damn
shame.
The final psh is on. Two weeks remain in the term and it's
time to start planning last minute strategy. You add up the quiz
grades and the mid-term. You take an educated(??) guess as to
your performance since the mid-term. Another educated guess
about how well you know the material that will be covered in the
final.. You vow to hit the books hard. You'll skip the socializing
and play Joe Cool. Forget the chicks and the pinochle man,
you've got work to do. Maybe, just maybe, you'll come out of
this term smelling like a rose.
The following explanations are designed to aid those who
will not come out of this term "smelling like a rose." You could
sit around nervously waiting for your parents to get your grade
sheet from the University, (it usually comes in the mail the day
before Christmas) or you can spend the time adapting this
material to fit your own needs.
It is first necessary to set the stage with a few casual remarks
in routine conversation before the mail arrives, such as:
a. It's OK, but it's not home sweet home.
b. It sure is hard to adjust to living away from home.
c. The dorms are awfully noisy.
d. Maybe you could teach them how to cook,. Mom.
e. It's just like you always said Dad, the kids today aren't
even courteous to each other.
f. I'll need some time, but I'm sure everything will work out,
eventually.
That should cover things in general and generate a
sympathetic and understanding mood when the hour of
accounting arrives. You'll then need specific excuses. The
Exclusive interview with a trout
Today I tried the ravine or canyon, Utilizing the forces of
gravity balanced by the weight of "Anthropology Today" I
descended with the others. The equation for this, you pioneers is:
Speed of descent
Number of toes stubbed
Soon with our feet we will pound out a new Route 80
bringing America to its crossroads— the New Classroom Building.
Of course the water rivelets flowing dawn 'between the bleached
pebbles and sacred Highacres dirt i,siiideed a pretty sight, more
lovely than our Nittany lion. No rowboat, friends. (No concealed
inner tube). I descended without technology, obseved the scenery
first-hand and actually caught a little trout who nibbled my
ankle.
"Watch out, trout!" I said.
This troutling burped twice (I can't figure out why) shook his
fin at me pedantically (it turned out he was a reincarnated prof),
and replied, "Honey, this hill isn't for you. Take the paved path."
"You have a lot of nerve, you little fish," I answered with
elocution from Speech 200; The shortest distance between two
points is a straight line,"
"But you'll slip and fall."
"Really?"
"Listen this slope is only is only for little rabbits and fish."
"What do you know about rabbits?"
"We 11..."
"I know everything about rabbits. l'ni a college student."
lacredlik but True
fames Michener,. one of the most
successful and popular novelists of
our times, interviewed a mother
who lived near the Kent State cam
pus for his book, "Kent State: What
Happened And Why,' . ' published
this year by Random House.
In it Michener records the follow
ing dialogue:
Mother: Anyone who appears on
the streets of a city like Kent with
long hair, dirty clothes or bare feet
deserves to be shot ...it would have
been a lot better if the guards had
shotthe whisk falba them.
Michener: But you had three sons
there.
Mother: If they didn't do what the
!B ards told them they should have
been mowed down.
Professor of psychology: Is long
hair a justification for shooting
someone?
Mother: Yes. We have got to
dean up this nation. And we'll start
with the kin-hairs.
Professor: Would you perniit one
of your sons to be shot simply be
cause he went barefooted?
Mother:Nes.
Professor: Where do you get such
ideas?
Mother: I teach at the local high
school.
Professoi: Do you mean.that you
are teaching your students such
things?
Mother: Yes. I teach them the
truth. That the lazy, the dirty, the
cues you see isalikkig the strestsand
doing nothing ought all to be shot.
Two weeks
Book weight
Personal tonnage
Ditto by Richard Rockman
Concerning what Mel wrote in issue No. 2: My sentiments
exactly. (Easiest editorial I ever wrote!)
to zero hour
following are documented excuses, used in, similar, real-life
instances, and with good results. Feel free to add as much of the
heavy stuff as you think your parents can reasonably swallow.
Economics. Gee Dad...even the President can't keep his
budget straight. When they talk about deficit spending, I always
think about that time the finance company sent that man around
to ask about your car payments. Do remember the time
Spanish. I know it isn't that hard Dad, but I don't think I'll
ever be able to use it. At least you had a chance to use it when
you and your Army buddies would slip across the border into
Tijuana. But I'm stuck here in Pennsylvania and
Music. 16th century stuff...l wasn't able to relate. I thought
I'd catch up in the final, but there wasn't one question about the
Beatles...or Grand Funk...or Joan Baez...or
Speech. Whatever happened to plain old fashioned listening?
I mean, not everybody has to get up in front of a bunch of people
and say something. I'd be just as happy to let someone else do his
own thing
Biology. I was doing fine until we started to study the human
reproductive systems. There was this girl that sat next to me, and
well, all I could concentrate on was her...you know
There are any number of good excuses for poor performance.
The list covers virtually every subject taught at the University.
There is just one little problem. They usually work only once.
There is another course of action. You could admit that
you've been goofing-off. You could indicate a determination to
change; to turn over a new leaf; to try harder.
But then, what do they expect from a dumb college kid?
"And I know more than you because this is Highacres-land,
three giant steps from the land of Winnie the Pooh, up up up the
yellow brick endurance test. There is a law that states, "The
shortest distance between two points is a curve, resembling the'
dumb-bell shaped curve in fact."
"But Euclid said...'
- mud slides
"You mean; Nationality—Greek, 6 deviations from the norm,
mean 0, mode 2.13456, number 181-36-3576?" "I'm getting
upset."
"Why? Why? This is wonderland."
"I have to get to my car. I'm afraid I'll slip and spoil these
jeans. It took three years to thin these to this blue- grey, almost
translucent, embroi4ery-held-together UNIQUE jeans with
personality, that glow in the dark, have collapsable threads and fit
my individualistic knees."
"The slope is long and sharp you, youth," the trout replied,
"If you die, you'll miss the Friday night jitter-bug, the infinitely
exciting dorm life, the sound of the good old Highacres
ding-dong. You miss Joe Paterno. He'll miss you."
"Listen, fishy, the water is coming down from the great
multiple choice buckets in the sky. I know that when I get to the
intersection equiped with ten imaginary policemenfog, and flip
my coin and guzzle a good-luck shot and try—it won't start."
"Deary," the trout murmered, its one eye glued to my eye,
its other eye adoring the Highacres straight line," "just what do
you intend to do about it? Are you against minority Americans?
We fish are going to convert this college into a four-year lake,
thus we do not want pavements up the banks. Here's a few
band-aids, do the best you can."
What could I do, fellow students? Fish are people too.
Entries for the first annual Highacres Collegian Christmas
Coloring Contest will be received no later than Tuesday, Dec. 14,
1971, in the Collegian Office, Memorial Building. Decision of the
judge, Dean Joseph McCallus, will be final. Winners will be
notified by mail and will be announced in the next issue of the
Collegian.
1 st prize: a brown paper bag autographed by Frank Kostos.
2 nd prize: a box of Crackerjacks.
3 rd prize: 10 back issues of the Highacres Collegian and a
copy of the University Senate Rules and Policies.erested persons,
are asked to meet in the SUB Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. to
by Mel Mundie
by Kathryn Dixon