12 Collegian Magazine Tuesday, March 30, 1982 2yfor Ns,* Last spring's revival of Gentle Thursday "Gentle Thursday Lives" consisted of a hards and accessional light rain, which dampened the group's spirits more than the disappointing collection of one dog, six frisbees and about 40 mellow Gentle Thursday die• turnout. Gentle Thursday: A discontinued tradition By JOYCE A. VENEZIA Collegian Staff Writer Imagine a day when everyone would push aside thoughts of the crisis in the Middle East, forget about the reces sion. dismiss opinions about the pros and cons of nuclear energy and toss 'away notions of impending gloom. Imagine a day when everyone would share' goodwill, spread friendship, give kindness freely and express love. In 1971, a group of students thought the University community needed such a change of atmosphere and proposed a day when people could "forget political ideolo gies, fields of interest, ages, colors of skin, religious beliefs, length of hair and all other differences Which tend to leave us," The Daily Collegian reported. Gentle Thursday, as it was called, was a day to "give things to people, whether it be a smile, a kiss or a piece of bubble gum." And it was "a day of sharing" until last year, when organizers decided the day had turned into nothing more than "a day of partying and blowing off classes" and so ended the tradition. The idea for the first Gentle Thursday was conceived in the fall of 1970 during a speech communication 200 class taught by Peter Glazer, a graduate student in speech communication. The following May, three students from the class Jon Lange, Tom Sapper and Susan Snyder —decided to coordinate the event with assistance from class members and other interested peo ple. Merchants were eager to participate and donated kites, daisies and balloons. Four stations were scattered on the Old Main lawn to distribute gifts during the day, including smile buttons, kazoos, bubble gum and enameled pins in different de signs such as ladybugs, birds and alliga- ...,94.,.,.....0 P 'l.: - 1,.. 1 " - ;4OqtVEP ~ ..f. H ...' • 4 , .;0*.. 444 m . , S.: , ~ ., ,, ,..< 4 4'... 7 4 71 . ;, 4 Air.,, Wrpvt i v..-- ' - 4 - ... fit- , ,, , cz, -, ,, tElbeAtr..,.-;,. '4 ., :ai . .4,9it#A) `.71, • ..' ' f, v '' -- 4 0tIffp*A-1' iii6 1 14 ; ` .. / M' *** '' ''.. ' le' i. - ‘.• Gentle Thursday, as it was called, was a day to "give things to people, whether it be a smile, a kiss or a piece of bubble gum." And it was "a day of sharing" until last year, when organizers decided the day had turned into nothing more than "a day of partying and blowing off classes" and so ended the tradition. tors (a prelude to today's "preppy" look, perhaps?). In turn, participants shared their own gifts of oranges, peanuts, candy and even hugs and kisses. People walked all over campus urging others to come to the Old Main lawn to share in the experience. Of course, music highlighted the day, and bands with names such as City Chick en, Windsong, Hero, Rhythm Kings and Springwater appeared with local folk gui tarists. Large sheets of paper were stretched on the steps of Old Main so people could "express themselves creatively." When a rain shower appeared latex' that afternoon, students were invited inside Old Main until the showers passed. The day continued with no complications, and plans were made to keep it an annual event. As Snyder said, "It was like Woodstock revisited." Not surprisingly, more than just stu dents appeared. The entire University Community, including townspeople, came to share -- high school students, secretar ies, professors, disabled veterans and small children. Several years later, the event grew so large that it was, moved to the HUB lawn. But the truancy of hundreds of local high school students during Gentle Thursday 'caused local school boards to question the validity of the day and forced police and coordinators of the event to check stu dents' identification. Gentle Thursday was turning into "a day of delinquency." During the years, Eco-Action had set up recycling stations on the lawn to discour age the large volumes of trash that accu mulated during the day, but became frustrated by uncooperative students as years went by. Gentle Thursday was turn ing into "a day of litter." And Free University, another organizer of the event, was becoming frustrated by the lack of sharing and the increased' partying atmosphere. Students would cut classes and spend the day on the HUB lawn drinking, smoking and "mellowing out" to the music, not "spreading kindness and goodwill." Gentle Thursday was turning into "a day of partying." • "We would be out there on our beach towels with our screwdrivers; meanwhile, everyone around us was getting high," says Mary Ann Murphy (12th-finance).. "But if they had it again, I'd vote for it." Some students miss the• day of free .~~, music: "I had a good time listening to the bands," says David Kohl (9th-forestry science). "I'd like to see it come back." And Jill Massena (Bth-health planning and administration) reminisces: "Gentle Thursday was a great blow-off day. —it was a good day to get together and sit there, not worry about anything just sit and watch the crowd. It doesn't need to be educational we're not in the '6os any more." Even so, in January 1981, the various coordinators• of the event decided to change the concept of Gentle Thursday into a festival titled. Horizons. Horizons would span an entire week • and would consist of a cultural smorgasbord of events. The first festival was held last Spring Term and met mixed approval from students. "Last year's Horizons was too cultural; it needs to be less educational," says Anne Batko (12th-marketing). "It was kind of weird; there were a wide variety of groups there, and it was very unstructured. But it was a nice place to go and sit outside." Meanwhile, a group - of students decided to rebel and hold their own informal Gentle Thursday last spring. Their event "Gen tle Thursday Lives" consisted of a disappointing collection of "one dog, one balloon, two clowns, six frisbees and about 40 mellow Gentle Thursday die-hards" valiantly trying to restore the "gentle" atmosphere in the rain, the Collegian reported. Several weeks ago, the Undergraduate Student Government decided that Gentle Thursday would become a permanent fix ture of the past. USG Town Senator Joan Hanley said the University administration said that even if the name and day were changed and made a part of the Horizons festival, it would still carry the "partying" connotation. 'K~ .~~ ~ ie _. . The 30-year history of temperatures is curve-fitted, diagrammed, disected and analyzed all in the name of human comfort and energy conservation. It all began five years ago, when the data was compiled by a graduate student in meteorology, 'Bean said. Then, certain conditions dealing with predicted tern peratures, the number of hours a predicted temperature is reached and the number of days a certain temperature is reached were established. Those conditions have to be met befoie heat or air conditioning goes on or off. ~4•'...4 .'• cit: ',- . . , i wt ,,,.'.'- - ~,-,iltvl • *44 For example, if the temperature outside is more than 55 degrees for at least four consecutive hours for two days, than the heat is turned off. To heat or not to heat: That is the question By MARY HUNDLEY Collegian Staff Writer The control of heat and air condition ing in buildings across campus in volves more than just a flick of the switch a lot more. - In fact, any decision to turn on or off heat or air conditioning in residence halls or classrooms is based on data from 30 years of recorded temperatures for Happy Val ley. "It used to be a strictly by guess, by gosh decision," said J.C. Bean, manager of the Energy Conservation Program. But now the comfort of thousands of dorm residents, classroom students and furry laboratory animals demands more than mere guesses based on a Farmer's Almanac. According to the 30-year history, the Hours . Daily g 045:30 Thurs.B Fit. 9.00400 691. 9.5 predicted day that occurs is 'June 13. And that's the day the heat is turned off. Officials start the boilers rolling again in the residence halls on Sept. 15. The condi tions then must be less than 55 degrees during four consecutive hours of four days. Using various conditions like the ones above, the dates are established for heat and air conditioning control in all buildings across campus. Unless an unexpected cold front or heat wave moves in; then, accord ing to University information: • Oct. 9 heat is turned on in academic buildings. • May 15 heat is turned off in aca demic buildings. • June 8 air conditioning is turned on in academic buildings. • Sept. 10 air conditioning is turned off in academic buildings. Instead of physical regulation of ther mostats, what is actually done on those . dates is a "de-activation." The amount of heat in campus buildings is self-regulated by a control system, with outside tempera tures determining the amount of heat being emitted. On the designated date, that control system is de-activated to prevent unneces sary energy loss, Bean said. The system is at times bound to over heat, which explains some students' com plaints about oven-like temperatures in their dorm rooms, he said. Too often, however, those complaints are misdirected and nothing is done about them. Students should contact their resi dent assistant or housing supervisor in such cases, Bean said. College Ave • . • SI.I. WINO* ihn " ufter bora del II 30 minute $l.OO i I - i I guarantee® I I iII I One sl.oo off any 16" pizza. I I coupon per pizza. I I If your pizza does not • arrive within 30 mins. m I 1 . IN Expires: 4 / 6 /82 I I present tklis coupon to i I I the driver for $2.00 off ill Fast, Free Delivery I I your pizza. I 421 Rear E. Beaver Ave. I I One coupon per pizza. I 1 Expires 4/30/82 237-1414 11 I 1 I I 237.1414 a I 234-5665 1 • 1 1 • • 234-5665 1 1 ' ,y I I I in I Ct o I I I I Z 4 II z Li I aa. • I I ril g r 4 I I g a. I 1 1 I • II I Lisoisissom MI 101111111111111111111 111111 ill MI El Le ON nip IN NI opil EMI Ilil lai MI MIMI EMI Collegian Magazine Tuesday, March 30, 1982 30 nute every
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