MAY 3, 2007
VOLUME 5, NO. 8
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Outing Cabin Fire Causes Damage and Concern on Sweet Briar Campus
By Lauren Hogan '10
CONTRIBUTING WRITER



On March 25 at approximately 11:45 a.m., the outhouse at Sweet Briar’s outing cabin caught fire.

Early Sunday afternoon, members of Sweet Briar faculty noticed smoke rising from woods on the campus property. Amherst Fire and Forestry Departments arrived on the scene at 12:05, using a bulldozer to contain the fire.

Nothing could be done to save the outing cabin’s only bathroom, which was reduced to a mere hole in the ground. The fire also burned an acre of land and singed two 8x8 timbers on the back side of the cabin, resulting in minor cosmetic damage.

This past Easter, a week after the fire, marked the outing cabin’s 71st year. In 1936, it was built by the athletic association to provide students with a place to relax on campus. The outhouse was replaced in 1995 due to much needed repairs.

The cause of the fire is still unknown. According to SWEBOP department head Laura Staman, “the students who had been using the cabin came back Sunday morning and dropped off the key to campus safety. They didn’t notice anything unordinary when they left.”

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Students Start First SBC Cross Country Team
By Laura McKenna '10
CONTRIBUTING WRITER



Long before the majority of the campus has rolled out of bed in the morning, six students meet at the gym at 7am, ready to run. These women show their dedication to a sport they love, which the school has yet to formally acknowledge. This fall, Sweet Briar will be offering this sport not only as a class, but as a club as well.

Never before seen on SBC’s 3,200 acres, the cross-country team will utilize the eighteen miles of trails to prepare for the meets. Operated by students and functioning as a team, they plan for a busy season Fall 2007.

The Cross Country Club recently received approval from ICC to function as a club sport. Composed of students from the class of 2010, the team will compete in meets and accept the same responsibility as other clubs.

No requirements or prior experience is needed to participate. Anyone who wants to be involved can come out and run. There will be regular practices and meets in the fall.

Those that don’t enjoy cross-country, may dread the walk to Fletcher, and feel as though the distance to Guion seems like half of a marathon.

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Passover Seder Heavily Attended
By Carina Finn '10
CONTRIBUTING WRITER



This year, Sweet Briar’s annual Passover Seder went from being a small celebration attended by only a handful of students to a true community event. An unprecedented 17 students came to the Seder, which was held at the Chaplaincy.

This event was not just for the practicing Jews on campus—about 11 of the students who came were professed Christians. Some came because they were curious, others because they felt it was an important part of the holy week, since the Last Supper was, in fact, a Passover Seder.

The Jewish students were more than happy to sit around the table beside their Christian classmates.

“Judaism does not proselytize, so we're not interested in converting people, but as a religious minority on campus we are delighted to be able to share our tradition with others who may not be familiar with Jewish practices and ideas,” said Rachel Reynolds ‘07, a Sweet Spirit who attended and helped to organize the Seder.

Reynolds is hopeful that the celebration of Passover on campus will continue to grow in popularity. Moving the event to the Chaplaincy seemed to give it a more public feel, as it was previously held in Alix Ingber’s home.

Though Ingber had always been a great hostess, according to those who have attended previous Seders, the move seemed to make it more accessible to the community. There was also more word-of-mouth advertising.

Reynolds led the gathering, partly due to a self-admittedly loud singing voice. A traditional Seder includes the reading of the Haggadah, which tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt. There are also prayer and songs, usually sung in Hebrew, and, of course, the festive meal.

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Hampden-Sydney Drug Bust Shocks Students
By Katy Johnstone '10
STAFF WRITER



The morning of April 11, 2007, began as an average Wednesday for students at Hampden-Sydney College. With the end of the school year quickly approaching and the festivities of Greek Week in full swing, it was highly unlikely those attending the all-male institution had any idea that the lives of 14 of their peers would soon be dramatically altered in a few hours.

By midday, however, the campus was a bee’s nest of activity. Law enforcement officers, police cars, and government officials swarmed throughout the school’s campus. Students were dragged out of their dorm rooms and classrooms, then promptly—and publicly—arrested.

Their crime? Distribution and possession of illegal drugs.

“It felt like Hampden-Sydney was hosting an episode of Cops,” described one anonymous student.

The combined effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Farmville Police Department, Prince Edward County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Department of Alcohol Beverage Control led to the arrests of 17 students. In addition to the 14 from H-SC, 3 attended Longwood University. Both schools are located in Farmville.

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Psychological Study at SBC Shows Impact of Media on Body Image
By Janika Carey '07
STAFF WRITER



A psychology experiment conducted at Sweet Briar by Italian Assistant and exchange-student Serena Marchitelli revealed that the media in America has significant influence on how young girls perceive of their bodies.

Last semester, Marchitelli, who graduated Suma Cum Laude from the University of Urbino in Italy, receiving the equivalent of a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology in 2005, came to Sweet Briar College in order to start the first part of her study. The topic of her research was to compare the impact of American and Italian magazine ads and TV commercials on young girls—both in America and in Italy.

Marchitelli said she focused on advertisements because they are known to promote a body ideal that is young, skinny and beautiful.

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