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MONDAY Issue NOVEMBER 19, 2012 FRESNO STATE
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SERVING CAMPUS SINCE 1922
The Thanksgiving turkey: an unusual history By Kathy Ayala The Collegian While family and friends gather around their dinner tables decorated with dishes of food and a bronzed turkey, the meaning behind the American holiday has plenty of history. Families throughout the nation celebrate the festive holiday with a special meal and a large turkey. It’s a picture most have become accustomed to – but what is the meaning behind the popular holiday? Where did the idea of centering our
Thanksgiving meal on the turkey come from? Brad Jones, an associate history professor at Fresno State, said the story behind the turkey is an interesting one. In America, we have made the holiday one that only we celebrate, like the Fourth of July. But really the turkey we associate with Thanksgiving has a history behind it taking us back to the Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus, who sailed the ocean and landed in the Americas. Jones teaches a colonial American history course and has given stu-
dents a reading assignment by Larry E. Tise, a historian from East Carolina University, titled ‘Why Is Our Thanksgiving Bird Called a Turkey?’ published in 2008. It may come as a surprise to some that the highlight of our all-American Thanksgiving meal actually has its origins from the Aztecs. The plump bird we eat on the fourth Thursday of November has lost its Aztec name of huexoloti, according to Tise. Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune But the question still remains – The turkey had been tamed by members of the Aztec culture who relied on it as a food source; its name coming
See TURKEY, Page 3 from the Middle East country of Turkey.
Fall finally arrives at Fresno State
Valley legend Floyd Buchanan honors the late architect Edwin Darden Via University Communications
Dalton Runberg / The Collegian
The Valley sees the changing of the seasons in the form of leaves turning their traditional fall colors in mid-November, a few weeks later than many other areas around the country. A wide range of trees at Fresno State can be seen from the top of the Peters building on the west side of campus.
The Center for Creativity and the Arts (CCA) at Fresno State and Darden Architects hosted a Celebration of Creativity on Friday at the Smittcamp Alumni House on the university campus. The late Edwin Darden, Sr., an architect who designed and built over 150 local landmarks, was honored. Martin E. Dietz and Floyd B. Buchanan provided insight into Darden’s distinguished career. During his 60-year career as an architect, Darden constructed over 150 schools including McLane High School, Ahwahnee and Tehipite Junior High Schools. He was the first architect to be retained by the Clovis Unified School District, designing Clovis High School and other Clovis schools. He also was project architect for the Fresno Greyhound See DARDEN, Page 3
Creative writing MFA program inspires, prepares students By Nicole Maul Special to the The Collegian In an era where the arts are often overlooked, a gem is tucked away in the heart of the English department at Fresno State. A graduate degree in creative writing has been a staple on campus for over 30 years, but it wasn’t until 1996 it was transitioned from a Master of Art (M.A.) degree to a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. There are currently around 50 to 60 students enrolled in the MFA program’s poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction
sections, said Corrinne Clegg Hales, the James and Coke Hallowell Professor of creative writing. Students working toward their degree in creative writing have the chance to not only build on the foundation of their education, but grow as writers in an atmosphere where they are can be mentored by several faculty members. “Our student-writers are entering the professional writing world, so we encourage them to learn as much as they can about it, to work in publishing and editing to one degree or another, and to send
their best work out to journals and magazines,” Hales said. “Our students have a terrific record of publication in some of the best magazines in the country.” Opportunities in the department also provide creative outlets for students to gain experience such as writing and editing for The Normal School, a semiannual literary magazine published through the efforts of the creative writing program. Alex Espinoza, a professor of English and creative writSee MFA, Page 3
A graduate student in the Master of Fine Arts program per forms her thesis defense reading in the A l i c e Pe t e r s Auditorium. The program was changed from a Master of Art to a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1996. Alicia Acevedo / The Collegian