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Tripping with Jack
Forty years ago, a little-known novelist named
Jack Kerouac strolled into a publisher's office with a
100-foot long manuscript under his arm. The paper, a
total of about 120,000 words culled from a three
week writing binge, was called On the Road, and it
would soon send a generation of backpack-toting
teens out onto the highways of America.
On the Road documented Kerouac's cross-country
jaunts with his pill-popping pal Neal Cassady - rides
in cramped cars, frigid truck beds and empty train
freight cars. But for Kerouac, the vehicle was not
important; it was the search that kept him moving. He
wasn't sure where he was going or what he would
find, but he knew something better was out there.
For many people, that search continues today. The
Beat Generation Kerouac inspired may have gotten
regular jobs and started families, but another
generation has adopted the search - by shouldering
their backpacks and heading into college classrooms.
Each of us here at Behrend is searching for
something - whether that be a thorough education, a
simple degree, a future spouse, or another all-night
party
But what are the chances of finding what we're
looking for? According to recent bestseller charts
which list Final Exit, a do-it-yourself suicide manual
as number one, we may be running out of highways
to explore.
To date, orders for Final Exit have topped
250,000. True, many of those readers may simply be
supporting their belief in the right to die. But how
many will actually use the book to end the search they
have given up on?
It's a shame that we needed a book like On the
Road to unleash our minds and set us on the path to
something better. But it's even more depressing to
think that so many are using a book like Final Exit
instead of paying the next toll.
The Collegian
Published week
Editor
Todd J. Irwin
The Collegian's editorial
opinion is determined by the
editorial staff, with the editor
holding final responsibility.
Opinions expressed in The
Collegian are not necessarily
those of The Collegian or the
Pennsylvania State University.
News Editor
Mark Owens
Features Editor
Robb Frederick
Entertainment Editor
Christi Luden
Collegian (814 898-6488) is
published weekly by the students
Sportsof the Behrend College; Reed
Editor Union Building, Station Road,
Greg Geibel Erie, Pa 16563.
Kerouac
the students of Behrend Coll - •e Erie PA
Advisor
Dr. Mike Simmons
Letter Policy: The Collegian
encourages letters on news
coverage, editorial content and
university affairs. Letters should
be typewritten, double-spaced
and signed by no more than two
persons. Letters should be no
longer than 400 words. Letters
should include the semester
standing and major of the writer.
All letters should provide the
address and phone number of the
writer for verification of the
letter. The Collegian reserves the
right to edit letters for length and
to reject letters if they are
libelous or do not conform to
standards of good taste. Letters
should be submitted to The
Collegian office no later than
noon on Tuesday prior to the
desired publication date.
Postal Information: Th e
Opinion
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Help carry on the tradition
Here it is. The very first edition of The
Collegian this year. This is a special year
for The Collegian, an anniversary of sorts.
Forty years ago the very first Behrend
student newspaper hit the campus.
That's forty years of budding student
journalists providing their peers, here at
Behrend, with "All the news we have."
Forty years of students reporting,
interviewing, writing, taking photos and
editing for this newspaper. And forty years
of layout, advertisement sales and design,
business management and editorial decision
making.
I'm sure many things run quite
differently from when the newsprint was
pounded out on typewriters and a hundred
issues were more than enough to supply the
entire student body.
The basics have remained the same
though. Accuracy and fairness in print are
still the guidelines we adhere to at The
Collegian.
This is also an anniversary for me too,
sort of. This semester will be my fourth as
editor of this publication, and my seventh
semester on staff. Most of the editorial staff
has been here as long as I have, and
although it may seem like we've been here
forever, we haven't.
More importantly, we won't be here
How about some mail?
If you would like to voice
your views on an issue, why not
write a Letter to the Editor?
The Collegian encourages
letters on news coverage, editorial
content or University affairs.
Letters should be typewritten,
double-spaced and signed by no
more than two persons.
Letters should be no longer
than 400 words and should
include the semester and major of of The Collegiot,- -
the writer. All letters should
,-Lettrzs should be submitted to
provide the address and phone - The Collegian office, first floor
number of the writer for of the Reed Union Building or
verification of the letter. The Collegian mailbox located in
The 'Collegian reserves the the SGA suite also on the first
tight to edit letters for length and floor of the Reed Building no
to reject letters if they arc later than noon on the Tuesday
libelous or do not conform to prior to the desired publication
standards of good taste. All f id e .
submitted letters become property
Thursday, September 5, 1991
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much longer. Four of the five editors
graduate in May (O.K.- we're supposed to
graduate in May), and as much as we'd like
to stay here forever and continue to serve as
the editorial staff, we've all decided to
move on.
But before we go, we need to pass on
the newspapering skills we've learned here
to a new generation of budding journalists.
We're looking for everyone who is
interested in any aspect of running a
newspaper to come meet us and find out
what The Collegian is all about. You don't
have to be a communication major or even a
writer. We need people to sell ads, take
pictures, do layout, and a slew of other
various jobs.
If you look around at the other student
organizations on campus, you won't find
one that is as exciting or rewarding as The
Collegian. I've been extremely lucky to be
blessed with a very talented staff (Just ask
them, they'll tell you). Make no mistake,
we are the professionals on campus.
Come to one of our meetings on
Thursdays at 6:10 p.m. in Turnbull 203
and make up your own mind.
The Collegian is heading into its next
forty years with a full head of steam, join
us for the ride.