Making strides
Black people are congregating in D.C
for the Million Man March
Vol. 96, No. 69 20 Pages ©1995 Collegian Inc.
Merchant wins over audience
By JAKE STUIVER
Collegian Arts Writer
Natalie Merchant let her
hair down Saturday night
in Eisenhower Auditorium.
Literally.
In a performance provided by
the University Concert Commit
tee, the rising pop star played
almost two hours of excellent
music and left the audience with
a full and thorough concert expe
rience.
“I thought it was an excellent
show. I thought her material live
was so much better than the
album itself,” said Clint Rozelle
(junior-art). “The album doesn’t
justify her as an artist. The con
cert definitely showed what she’s
capable of.”
Merchant began by having her
band start the intro to “San
Andreas Fault,” which opens her
debut album, Tigerlily, with the
curtain still down. She danced
behind the curtain in front of a
little spotlight, creating silhouette
images of a sultry shadow
dancer. As the curtain raised, she
began the vocal entry to the song,
her signature wordless voice
notes that sound as if she is cali
brating pitch in preparation for
an onslaught.
By the end of the tune, her con
trolled harmony had succumbed
to a vehement, emotional howl.
Her deep, commanding voice
brought more life to the music
than is evident on her album. Any
audience predispositions that the
reserved, docile nature of her stu
dio work signified the extent of
her talent were immediately shat
tered.
But despite a powerful and ab
sorbing entrance, Merchant did
n’t completely let loose for the
first half-hour. It was still ques
tionable whether her constrained,
impersonable demeanor was on
account of pomposity or simply
out of anxious humility.
But tfnce she got through her
renditions of the first five songs
from Tigerlily, as well as a strong
version of “Eat For Two,” origi
nally by Merchant’s old band,
Please see CONCERT, Page 12.
Members of Delta Gamma Sorority, 10 Shulze, perform a song from South Pacific
during Greek Sing yesterday afternoon in Eisenhower Auditorium.
Small businesses struggle to compete with chains
Editor’s note: This is the first in a
five-part series about big business
in State College. This story focuses
on how small businesses have been
affected by national chains.
By THOMAS A. MURSE
Collegian Staff Writer
In the building that used to be
home to Dank’s Department Store,
148 S. Allen St., there is nothing.
The floor is bare, the walls are
empty it’s just another casualty
of big business big fish devour
ing little fish.
As large chain stores, such as
Wal-Mart, Bi-Lo and T.J. Maxx,
move into the State College area,
the quaint, unique little shops of
State College stores such as
Dank’s, Candy Cane and Gipsy
Horse are being squeezed out.
the
daily
Natalie Merchant performs at Eisenhower Auditorium. The former member of 10,000 Maniacs weaved a
few of their songs, as well the work of Beck and The Rolling Stones, into her two-hour concert Saturday.
Scott Welham, president of
Dank’s Department Stores
which went out of business in May
said that as long as big business
es continue to move into areas
where population is not increasing
significantly, other businesses will
suffer in every case.
Dank’s, which has been owned by
the Welham family for 72 years,
could not compete with the larger
stores for a number of reasons, he
said. And, contrary to popular
Pigskin Postgame
Greeks sing songs from yesteryear
By KAREN PERRY
Collegian Staff Writer
Songs from days gone by filled the air of
Eisenhower Auditorium yesterday as
sorority and fraternity members joined
together for Greek Sing 1995. For the first
time in a few years, all of the Panhellenic
sororities participated in the event. Over
all attendance decreased.
Greek Sing, the annual philanthropy
sponsored by the Panhellenic Council, is a
competition in which each sorority asks a
fraternity to join them in performing a
musical number.
The theme this year, “Bye, Bye Broad
way,” featured musicals from the pre-’6os
era, said Janet Gaynor, Greek Sing overall
public relations chairwoman. The sorori
ties and fraternities performed musical
numbers from shows such as South Pacif
ic, Peter Pan, My Fair Lady, The Sound of
Music and Annie Get Your Gun.
The proceeds from the ticket sales go
belief, the pricing strategies of
large chain stores were not a major
factor.
It is the variety and convenience,
Welham said, that drives people
away from small stores. Instead of
driving to several different spe
cialty stores, consumers can get
almost everything they need from
a large store such as Wal-Mart.
“People just don’t have the time,”
he said. “That’s the problem.”
Another problem, he said, is that
consumers look past quality tradi
tion for a couple of extra cents.
“That’s as far as they see,” Wel
ham said. “A lot of these smaller
stores, the owners lived here, the
money stayed here. Wal-Mart
keeps their money for less than 24
hours and then it’s sent down to
Arkansas.”
Despite the fact that several
Monday, Oct. 16,1995
other small downtown businesses
have closed their doors, Welham
has hope for downtown State Col
lege.
“It’s a tremendously unique
place,” he said. The businesses that
will survive in downtown State Col
lege, he said, are the ones that
offer unique items, ones that can
not be bought at a large chain store
for a few cents less.
“There isn’t a future for small
department stores,” Welham said.
“Our problem was that we were too
small to be big and too big to be
small.
“But things change.”
Bob Price, executive director of
Downtown State College Inc., said
anytime large businesses move
into a town, there will be a large
impact. It is, he said, how people
Please see BUSINESS, Page 12.
Collegian Photo/David S. Spence
toward the Gayle Beyers scholarship,
which honors outstanding Greek women.
Two $750 scholarships are awarded each
year to women who excel in scholarship
and community and Panhellenic involve
ment.
The 1995 scholarship recipients are
Shelley Vickers from Kappa Delta Sorori
ty, 101 South Cross, and Christine Madden
from Sigma Kappa sorority, 2 Stone.
Sorority participation in the philan
thropy increased this year. All 21 sorori
ties participated in Greek Sing ‘95, an
improvement from previous years, Gaynor
said.
“We usuaily have about 18 or 19 sorori
ties. In past years, we haven’t had full par
ticipation from all 21 sororities,” Gaynor
said. “This is the highest participation
we’ve had in a few years.”
Despite the increased participation of
the competitors, the attendance at the
event decreased from last year. This year,
2,271 tickets were distributed, but only 959
Many can only
send support
to D.C.
By JENNIFER REITZ
Collegian Staff Writer
When the van departed from
State College hours before dawn
broke over Happy Valley this
morning, most black students
stayed behind.
Many wanted to go, but as col
lege life usually dictates, tests and
classes took precedent. Although
those students could not board the
van to Washington, D.C., to partici
pate in the Million Man March with
their peers, their support spans the
miles.
Adjua Adama, Black Caucus
political services chair, said he
expects between 150 and 200 par
ticipants from the University and
one million participants from
across the country to be in Wash
ington today.
“I think it will be very success
ful,” he said. “If we don’t reach one
million, we will be very close.”
The Million Man March originat
ed from the preachings of Minister
Louis Farrakhan in an effort to
bring one million black men to the
streets of Washington. The march
is intended to show America that
black men can and will join togeth
er in a positive way and, in doing
so, advance in society.
The march was also designed to
take the burden of advancement
off of black women, who have been
shouldering the load for too many
years, said Adama, who held a
meeting in early September to
recruit marchers. In addition to the
statement that will be made by the
men today, there will be a drive to
register black voters.
Omoro Jean-Baptise (sophomore
electrical engineering) said he
thinks today is an important step
for black men.
“It’s black men taking responsi
bility for themselves and their
community,” he said. “I think that’s
Published independently by students at Penn State
march
"It's black men taking
responsibility for
themselves and their
community. "
an important idea to support.”
Organizers said women cannot
participate in the march because
the purpose is to show women
appreciation for their historical
legacy of courage and strength.
Farrakhan said it is time for black
men to take their place next to
black women.
But Adama said that women will
be involved throughout the day in
some capacity. Civil rights legacy
Rosa Parks will be speaking, as
well as other prominent black
women. Adama said he knows sev
eral black women from the Univer
sity have gone to Washington to
support the march.
Although many are unable to join
in the event, the spirit of the Mil
lion Man March will be felt back
home.
Farrakhan asked all black Amer
icans to stay home from work and
school today and only patronize
black-owned businesses, so the
absence of black contribution can
be felt across the nation.
But for some students, that re
quest is not feasible. Shannon Bai
ley, president of Alpha Phi Alpha
fraternity, 2038 HUB, said he has a
test today and cannot miss it.
Abstaining from institutionalized
academia all day would be impossi
ble for many, Bailey explained.
Please see MARCH, Page 12.
people attended the event, said Beth Lech
ner, Greek Sing house manager at Eisen
hower Auditorium. This number does not
include performers and stage workers who
did purchase tickets. Last year, about 1,700
people attended.
Although attendance was low, coordina
tors of the event thought it went well.
Nancy Cho, Greek Sing overall chair
woman, thought the event went very well
and was pleased with the attendance.
Winners of the competition this year
were:
■ First place: Annie Get Your Gun, Pi
Beta Phi sorority, 5 Hiester Hall, and Delta
Tau Delta fraternity, 429 E. Hamilton Ave.
■ Second place: Finian’s Rainbow,
Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, 101 South
Cooper, and Delta Sigma Phi, 508 Locust
Lane.
■ Third place: The Most Happy Fella,
Gamma Phi Beta sorority, 108 South
Haller, and Kappa Alpha Order, 329 E.
Prospect Ave.
Omoro Jean-
Baptise
sophomore-electrical
engineering