November 18, 2020 | Issue 5

THE

ORACLE

Henderson

Wednesday Nov. 18, 2020

State

University

Issue 5

Vol.118

Showband students sound superb Photo by Kelly Stiles The HSU Showband of Arkansas performs in concert after a semester without sports performances.

Kelly Stiles Editor-In-Chief An instrumental rendition of “Treasure”

by Bruno Mars filled the surprisingly warm air on the evening of Nov. 9. Cheerleaders and Pom Squad members skillfully cheered and danced on the Quad, providing a visual element to viewers attending both in-person and virtually via Facebook Live.

Having traversed the Fall semester without football and basketball games to display their skills, the HSU music department’s Showband of Arkansas

performed a myriad of music accompanied by Cheerleading and Pom Squads who synchronously moved to the music.

During an intermission, Pom Squad members choreographically danced to music and cheerleaders voiced a cheer while accomplishing a stunt.

Before COVID, a performance such as this would have been held in the Garrison Lecture Hall or the Arkansas Hall auditorium.

Normally, the band plays at a handful of exhibitions at highschools and other places, but the advent of the virus has proven this difficult as well. New band director Dontay L. Douglas refused to let COVID take away all performances, and

enthusiastically hosted the Showband event.

Band members were required to wear masks while playing their instruments. While wind instrument musicians played, some would uncover their mouths for the duration of a song.

Others used ingenuity as they cut holes in their masks for mouthpieces to fit through.

“If you just have a mask, it ain’t gonna work,” sophomore psychology major Cody Crank said. “I used my pocket knife and cut a little circle so I could still play.”

Practicing three times a week for two hours a time, band participation is a time-consuming activity.

However, Crank enjoys this opportunity to share comradery with his fellow bandmates as well while doing something he loves.

“It is a good mix of professional without being overbearing,” Crank said.

“Overall it’s just a fun environment.”

In sixth grade, Crank started playing trumpet.

Having played trumpet for eight years, Crank greatly enjoys participating in Henderson’s marching band as well as a smaller band called the Brass Ensemble composed of brass instruments such as the french horn, tuba, and trombone. In this band, Crank plays the cornet, which is akin to a small version of the trumpet.

“I like the quote that Squidard said, ‘So if we play loud, people might think we’re good,’” Crank said.

Crank grew up in Princeton, Texas where his band director there recommended he play trumpet for Henderson.

The student came to HSU alongside a few of his friends who are also from Princeton.

“When I settle down I’ll start looking for community playing positions,” Crank said.

Crank plans to continue playing trumpet after he graduates, whether for himself or in a local band.

Dog distraction: Students walk dogs from Humane Society Kaela McKim Contributing Reporter On Nov. 10 the Collegiate Recreation Society hosted an event dedicated to walking dogs at the Humane Society of Clark County. Over fifteen people attended to love on dogs of all breeds and ages, but especially those who were ready to be adopted and were in need of leash training. This was a group event, but the Humane Society still offers the options of people to check out a dog to walk or even to “adopt a dog” for a day during their business hours.

“I heard about the dog walk through a reminder Dr. Martin sent to my leadership class,” said junior sports management

Photo by Kaela McKim Ash the puppy receives leash training before he is sent to his forever home in Connecticut.

major Nikeo Miguel. “This Miguel also explained is a really nice opportunity that his dog back at home to play with ones that need is getting older, though he it, and I get to relax, too.” cannot have a pet in his

dorm. Events like this are great for when he wants to be around some puppies.

He also mentioned that being able to volunteer is a way to help relieve stress and anxiety.

“That was my first time at the Humane Society but I think I’m going to start coming more often,” said sophomore chemistry major Tess Akin. “These dogs need some love and I think there’s no better way to do it than to walk them and to volunteer when you can.”

Akin then went on to explain that she read about the event from the student engagement center posts and that she urges others to look out for more potential dog walking events.

“I’m a member of the Collegiate Recreation Society but I’ve been

volunteering here for a while because I just love the puppies,” said senior hospitality major Payton Davis.

Davis also mentioned that even though volunteering at the Humane Society can count as community hours, to her it is all about helping the dogs that serve as the reward.

The Humane Society of Clark County is open 12 to 4pm Tues. through Fri., 10 am to 4 pm on Sat., and closed Sun. and Mon. They take any volunteers to help care for the daily needs of dogs and cats at the shelter or to adopt for a day.

The Society also accepts donations such as paper towels, cleaning supplies like bleach, non-clumping kitty litter, or monetary donations.

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Wednesday Nov. 18, 2020

THE ORACLE

FEATURES

Bailey Dougan becomes a “Tiny Tourist”

Photo by Bailey Dougan

This is the front cover photo of the “Tiny Tourist” magazine taken in Magnolia, Ark.

Kelly Stiles Editor-In-Chief Graphic design major Bailey Dougan has jump-

started her career before graduating college. She works not only as a layout editor for the Oracle, but as a social media coordinator for a magazine in Waco,

Texas called Modern Texas Living. Dougan’s senior show is a magazine she created herself called “Tiny Tourist” which showcases the unique characteristics of small towns across Ark. “I grew up in a small town and fell in love with its characteristics,” Dougan said.

The image on the cover of “Tiny Tourist” was taken in Magnolia, Ark. Other small towns Dougan traversed include Arkadelphia, Batesville, Hamburg, McCrae, DeWitt, Wynne, Eureka Springs, and her home town Nashville.

“I have always been interested in traveling,” Dougan said. “I hadn’t traveled Ark. as much as I wanted to.”

Dougan spent 44 hours and 22 minutes traveling by herself to these various locations.

The largest town Dougan visited was Magnolia, and the smallest was McCrae. Her favorite town to discover was Batesville, as she felt it had the most character. The town includes old movie theatres and coffee shops

which conjure a unique vibe.

“I tried to hit every corner of Ark.,” Dougan said.

The magazine includes images captured by Dougan in her travels, and a few stories from residents of these towns. Finding individuals to write stories was the most challenging aspect of creating the magazine. Some of the stories included were written by fellow HSU students.

“I became a tiny tourist in the state I call home,” Dougan said.

Dougan has always desired to express her creativity, though her original plan looked different. Starting college as a psychology major to become a child psychologist, Dougan obtained her Associate of Arts degree at Cossatot Community College in Nashville, Ark. “Most people in my family are business people,” Dougan said. “But I grew up really creative.”

She came to Henderson’s transfer day with her dad, where he questioned her

whether she truly enjoys psychology, noting that she has always been so creative.

At that time, Dougan realised she did not like the subject and changed her major to graphic design.

“A lot of art majors don’t have supportive parents,” Dougan said. “My parents supported my happiness over my salary.”

“Tiny Tourist” is displayed online via Issuu, as well as in a virtual gallery format designed

by Dougan via ArtSpaces. com, which can be accessed by scanning the QR code located on her senior show flyer.

“If you show your passion through what you create, other people will see that,” Dougan said.

Upon graduating this Fall, Dougan plans to move to Waco, Texas as she has been offered a full-time job at Modern Texas Living.

She will be fulfilling her current duties as social media coordinator as well as performing graphic design tasks.

“I’m so excited about it,” Dougan said. “It is my dream job.”

Jade Ross creates “Creating Me” Kelly Stiles Editor-In-Chief Despite drastic changes due to COVID-19, the HSU art department continues to thrive, and senior art education major Jade Ross’ senior showcase is a prime example. Consisting of 10 minimalistic portraits created using alcohol markers and pastels, “Creating Me” is displayed in a virtual art gallery designed by Ross.

“What better to do than celebrate the people who got me to where I’m at,” Ross said. “Good, bad or otherwise.”

The portraits included in Ross’ showcase depict individuals who have helped shape her into the person she is today.

Though most people depicted impacted her life in a positive way, Ross felt it important to include people who negatively affected her as they also took part in “creating” her.

“Throughout your life, you have people who either build you up, or you learn how to build yourself up from that interaction,” Ross said.

The title of each artwork includes a lesson that Ross learned from the person pictured. The piece “It’s okay to be different.” depicts Ross’ little brother Skylar.

When she was ten, Ross’ family adopted Skylar as an infant, and he was later diagnosed with autism.

Skylar has been made fun of for his differences, yet

remains joyful despite his struggles.

“I learned to never be put down by what makes you different,” Ross said.

“Holding everything in just delays the reaction, not the pain.” is of a family friend who is like an aunt to Ross. She was there during many difficult parts of Ross’ life. Having experienced assault, this person taught Ross that healing does not occur until you talk about what happened and actively deal with the emotions involved.

“It is helpful to talk about what is going on, to let the pain out,” Ross said.

Ross’ grandma Kay is shown in the artpiece “Find the magic in everything.”

As someone who believes in fairies, Ross’ grandma inspires her to appreciate whimsy and fun. Her grandma has brought joy to the most dire situations and lives her life like everyday’s a celebration.

“It inspires me that she believes that there is magic to be found in everyday life,” Ross said.

Ross’ grandmother figure, lovingly referred to as “Nana Violet,” is depicted in the work “Real family isn’t just blood.” Having no money and without a place to live, Nana Violet took Ross and her mother in during a time they were most in need.

“Family can be anybody who takes care of you and loves you,” Ross said. “They don’t have to be related.”

Ross’ favorite drawing in the show is “It doesn’t matter how you get there.”

which is titled after the last words her grandmotha Emma said before she passed away. Talking with Ross’ mother, grandma Emma was discussing how the path one takes often looks different, but it is where they end up that matters. Ross believes this may be the most important lesson of her life.

“She would say ‘Some people use toothpaste and some people use baking soda,’” Ross said. “‘It doesn’t matter which one you use as long as your teeth are clean.’”

“Talent means nothing if you don’t use it.” is a drawing of Ross’ uncle Trinity who she often is compared to. Having received scholarship offers to ivy league schools such as Harvard and Yale for his outstanding artwork, Trinity lacked confidence in his abilities and decided not to pursue what he loved.

Now a PetCo employee in Texas, Trinity no longer holds the art abilities he once had, having withheld practice for a long time.

Ross learns from how his decisions have affected his life and desires to hone the creative talents she possesses.

“You can have all the potential and the talent in the world,” Ross said. “but if you don’t do something with it, you’ll get nowhere.”

Senior show is a requirement for all art majors as a chance for them to hone their skills on a major project and to display their work to potential employers. Ross plans

Photo by Jade Ross

This portrait is senior art education major Jade Ross’ favorite among her senior show collection, depicting her late grandma Emma.

to use her education to become an art teacher and encourage others to find joy in creating. She is inspired by her middle school art teacher who taught her that anyone can do art if they learn the correct skills.

Ross’ art professor at her former higher education institution National Park College Dr. Richard Brown showed her that creating art can be even more fun with the correct techniques.

He pushed her to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Henderson, as NPC is almost exclusively a twoyear college.

“He really showed me how to combine fun and

your own interests with formal qualities,” Ross said.

The young artist notes that her experience at HSU has pushed her to a skilllevel she never thought she would achieve. While the program is far more rigorous than anything she has experienced, every professor she has encountered is easy to talk to and really care about their students.

“Everyone in the art department is really nice and cool,” Ross said. “They do not take second best.”

Senior art students typically display their Continued on Page 4

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FEATURES

Wednesday Nov. 18, 2020

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Steven Jones swims to success

Teuana Smith Campus Editor “If you want to be as good as you can be, you definitely have to pay attention to detail,” said coach Matthews, head coach of swimming and diving at Henderson State University.

When finding someone who is goal-oriented, motivated, and fun look no further than Stephen Jones.

Jones is a senior health and human performance major who is also the captain of the HSU Red Wave Team. On Nov. 13, he will be competed in the 2020 U.S. Open swim meet alongside hundreds of other nationally ranked competitors.

Stephen Jones was raised in Ocean Springs, Mississippi by his parents, Hugh and Glenda Jones, with a sibling named Spencer. He attended Biloxi High School becoming a multi-sport athlete. He competed in basketball, cross country, track, and swimming. Coached by Megan Taylor, he currently holds the high school’s record for 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle, and 200 individual medley.

“He’s very talented, just

Photo Submitted

Senior swimming team athlete Steven Jones sets new Henderson records.

as an athlete in general,” said assistant head coach Wally Senter. “Coming out of high school, Stephen still had inner drive and determination.”

Jones was recommended by a former student swimmer, Samantha Harris, to be recruited for the team. Coming to college, he also joined ROTC and will be commissioned after graduating in the spring. Over the years since attending college, Jones has grown immensely in his sport and personally.

“He’s made improvements in form, skill, technique, turns, and just in speed,” said coach Matthews. “He’s reached a pretty elite level.”

He has seen a complete change in himself seeing where he started as a freshman. He takes each race with a new mindset and is thankful for the experiences he has had over the years. Jones has applied advice from the coaches and training partners to “elevate his swimming” to becoming a faster swimmer.

He is wiser and has grown from good and bad experiences. Through time management, Jones has learned to juggle being an athlete, an ROTC member, and having a full-time schedule. He has become open with his goals outside and inside of the pool.

“My coaches work with my ROTC, and my ROTC works with my coaches so I’m able to balance it out and I thank them for that,” said Jones, student-athlete.

“In college, you’re surrounded by great swimmers from all over the place, along with the coaches is the biggest difference in helping me out to where I am today,” said Stephen Jones.

In any given week, Jones and many other swimmers put in about 17-20 hours per week towards the sport.

When swimming, they train their aerobics system, anti-aerobics systems, speed, breath control, and technique.

On a typical Mon., he gets up at 5:15 am to start his morning practice. Then he gets breakfast before his 10 am ROTC class.

After ROTC, he spends his downtime working on his online classes. Around 3:30, he arrives back at the gym to practice for two more hours before having dinner

and enjoying the rest of his day. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies with his roommate. He recommends watching the “Insidious” series.

“Swimming is a very hard, strenuous sport,” said coach Matthews. “It’s not like playing in a game and someone hits you, you have to put yourself through self-induced pain every day to get better.”

In order to compete in the U.S. Open, you have to meet specific time standards at other meets.

For this year, they collected times from July 1, 2019, until the registration deadline.

Jones met two of the time standards in a conference back in February of this year. Jones and the team medaled in three relay events: 800 free, 400 free, and 200 free. Individually, he met the 100 backstroke time standard with 49.69 seconds and the 100 butterfly with 48.99 seconds.

He met the 50 freestyle time standard with 23.99 in the summer of 2019.

“He’s super focused and does not stray away from his goals,” said Senter. “ When it’s time to swim or workout he’s ready to go… there’s no-nonsense and I really appreciate that as a coach.”

Destress during this mess

Juliann Reaper Arts Reporter

During these times, the struggle of finding something to relieve stress is real. Due to COVID-19, everything has changed. You cannot go hangout with a group of friends or go to a concert to take things off your mind. Many places that people might go are closed as well. So what now?

There are still many things students can do to de-stress despite COVID restrictions, especially with finals approaching.

1. Play games on your phone

Things that challenge the mind and completely distract you from the stresses of your everyday life such as Sudoku and Tetris can reduce stress.

2. Color a coloring book or work on a puzzle

These things seem simple and to many people coloring seems childish but there are many adult coloring books that are more complicated. If you can’t spend money, take yourself a five dollar bill and go to Dollar Tree. they almost always have puzzles and coloring stuff.

3. Exercise

You do not have to get up and go to the gym. There are fun and simple exercises you can do at home. Turn on some music and dance, do jumping jacks, or go for a walk around campus. Just moving can raise endorphins which reduces stress in the body.

4. Play games online with friends One multiplayer game is Magic Arena, which is a Magic the Gathering that you play online. Dungeons and Dragons can be played virtually via Zoom or Discord for those who want to delve into role playing.

5. Play Pokemon Go

Though the initially popular app has lost its place in the spotlight, many groups of people continue to play. You can do it without ever spending money, and there are a ton of stops, gyms, and Pokemon on and around campus to make the fun easily accessible.

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Wednesday Nov. 18, 2020

OPINIONS

Need help?

And so this was the final Jeopardy!

Lance Brownfield Opinion Editor As we discussed the news of the day, someone brought up that Alex Trebek had died. That’s when my parents and I looked at each other and said simultaneously, “Suck it, Trebek!”

Of course, we don’t hate Alex Trebek, we were just remembering an old “Saturday Night Live” skit in which Will Ferrell played a sensible Trebek and other cast members portrayed celebrities on “Celebrity Jeopardy!”

That’s when we realised that only a week earlier Sean Connery died. Connery, as portrayed by Darrell Hammond, was the most important part of the skit, appearing in all but two of the 15 sketches. In the skit, the two would bicker as Connery insulted Trebek,

his mother, and generally made his life more difficult.

“I’ll take Anal Bum Cover for 7000,” Hammond’s Connery said referring to the category called “An Album Cover.”

The character was wellknown for mispronouncing categories and taking every opportunity to derail the show.

The real life, Connery was much less meanspirited, and in fact was never even on a game show.

The Scottish actor brought the character of James Bond to life in six 007 films such as “Goldfinger” and “From Russia with Love.” He’s also appeared in some other big Hollywood franchises, like “Indiana Jones” and “Highlander.”

Trebek, as you may know, was the host of “Jeopardy!” for 30 years.

Luckily, he never dealt with the headaches that his fictionalised version had

Photo by Kelly Stiles

Opinion editor Lance Brownfield views the famous Saturday Night Live Jeopardy! skit where Alex Trebek makes a surprise appearance.

to face. Trebek was a good sport about the spoof of his show and even made a cameo on an episode of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” on “SNL.” The “Celebrity Jeopardy!” skit on “SNL” was a fan-favorite spanning almost two decades. Skits like this remind me of when comedy wasn’t quite so drenched in politics. A time when people weren’t so offended by jokes as they

are today. My family and I no longer watch “Saturday Night Live,” yet we still occasionally say phrases to each other like “Attention teachers and students,” in the voice of Jay Pharoh’s lousy principal. You might hear us mention a “van down by the river,” or a place called “Lunchlady Land.”

Watching the old skits again with my family was like opening a time capsule

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to a simpler time. We even uncovered an odd kind of foreshadowing to their dying so close together.

In one skit, during “Final Jeopardy!,” Connery drew himself defecating on Trebek’s grave. It’s only fitting that the two would leave this world only a week apart.

“And so this was the final ‘Jeopardy!’,” the real Trebek said as he entered the “SNL” stage on the 12th installment of the “Celebrity Jeopardy!” sketch.

Although their deaths are tragic, getting the chance to bond with my family through the old skits was a nice walk down memory lane. The circumstances aren’t the best, but it was our way to celebrate the lives of two great men.

While the sketches are entertaining, they are very loose representations of men who made a big impact on countless people.

Superman’s Pal creates content in “Who Killed Jimmy Olsen?”

“Fourth World” saga.

Movies and TV based on DC Comics properties are constantly mining it for parts. It even inspired parts of the original “Star Wars” trilogy. The earliest developments of the “Fourth World” like the first appearance of Darkseid sprang from Kirby’s work on a little book called “Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen.” The goofy book about the bowtie-wearing Daily Planet photographer was the unlikely launchpad for some of the grandest concepts to come out of DC. When the title Photo by Steve Lieber, Nathan Fairbairn, and Clayton Cowles relaunched last year after a decades-long absence, it “Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen” relaunched last year after a seemed history repeated decades-long absence. itself in a sense. “Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen” returned in 2019 as a twelve-issue Blanton Matthews limited series by Matt Entertainment Fraction (“Hawkeye”, Reporter “Fear Itself”) and Steve Lieber (“Superior Foes of In 1971 Jack Kirby began Spider-Man”, “Hawkman”) a series of multiple comic with colors by Nathan titles interwoven into what Fairbairn (“Scott Pilgrim” is still probably the most Color Editions, “Batman ambitious undertaking in Incorporated”) and letters mainstream comics, the by Clayton Cowles (“Mister

Miracle”, “X-Men”) and the team held nothing back.

The events of this book, which was released in a collected paperback volume on Oct. 28, have surprising ramifications for longstanding power dynamics in Metropolis and the larger DC Universe. They also use this book to play with form and storytelling structure more perhaps than they would ever have gotten away with on a more high-profile book.

Ostensibly, each issue is a series of vignettes, short stories no more than a few pages in length, often humorous strips that build to a punchline.

Some of them are drawn in much different styles, as Lieber turns the Olsens into “Family Circus”-like figures in flashback scenes of “Li’l Olsen” and his siblings.

In the narrative present, Lieber acts as a skilled film director who knows his actors and can pull the best possible performance out of them. There’s great nuance in the expressiveness of

his characters with his deceptively simple lines.

Fraction’s script is airtight as he weaves together the seemingly disconnected scenes into a generational epic spanning the entire history of Metropolis. It is also a poignant reflection on family and generational wealth, as well as print media in the digital age as Olsen is a video blogger/ livestreamer for the struggling Daily Planet.

While Fraction and Lieber may not have created the next Fourth World saga, they are brilliant humorists and have created some of the most formally interesting work to come out of DC’s main line of incontinuity superhero books in years.

Fairbairn’s limited color palette evokes the old comics being riffed on here without being beholden to four colors and Ben Day dot matrices. His choices are also great in keeping the book grounded, and here he does a great service to Lieber.

Lots of comics use so much color that, combined with highly detailed art, can cause a kind of sensory overload in a reader where line artist and color artist are both delivering great work individually but both show off too much to work well together.

I’ve talked a lot about Cowles in other reviews— that he keeps showing up speaks to his prolificity— but it isn’t right to not mention a letterer when I can, so I will say that his choice to mark The End on each vignette with a simple icon of Olsen’s signature bowtie is inspired.

You can find “Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen” in the new trade paperback release available now in bookstores, or read it digitally on comiXology or via subscription to DC Universe.

Find more comic stories at hsuoracle.com

Jade Ross creates “Creating Me” continued... senior showcase on campus, whether it be in the Huie Library or the Russell Fine Arts building, but COVID guidelines have restricted student gathering at such a display.

The virtual gallery designed by Ross using a website called ArtSteps. com is inspired by the design of Crystal Bridges Museum of American art in Bentonville, Ark. She appreciates how the design of the museum incorporates the landscape and tried to replicate the same idea with a vast ocean on the outside of a virtual gallery building.

The artwork “Not everyone will hurt you.”

contains Ross’ uncle Chuck who rescued her and her mom from the abuse of her biological father. He drove from Louisiana to California to pick them up.

“For the longest time, he was the only male member of my family I felt I could trust,” Ross said.

“You can do anything, if you work for it,” is a drawing of Ross’ half sister Rachel.

Anything that Rachel wants to do, she works hard to make it happen; this work ethic is inspiring to Ross. Rachel originally wanted to become a model, so she worked hard to look the best she could and get in the model scene, and she succeeded. She grew

tired of modeling, then sought out to become a musician, so she gathered a group of people together and published an album.

Now, Rachel is working on becoming a physical therapist. All of these goals have been achieved while raising five kids.

“Everything she wanted to do or be, she achieved it,” Ross said.

The drawing “Sorry doesn’t fix things.” is of Ross’ biological father Bobby, who has been quite abusive to her and her mother. Two years ago, he came to Ross attempting to convince her that the rest of her family was lying about the atrocities he committed,

and that he was sorry about what she had gone through.

“Sorry is not going to fix things if the actions don’t change,” Ross said.

“Life is too short not to be silly.” depicts Ross’ little cousin Journey. In 2016, five-year-old Journey was murdered by Ross’ stepgrandmother. The last day Ross saw her was the day before in the incident, and she recalls Journey being silly and dancing around.

Ross’ grandfather scolded Journey for doing this and told her to sit down. Ross finds it terrible that Journey was told not to have fun on her last day of life, and uses this instance as a reminder to find goofiness in the

mundane.

“She didn’t suffer, she went quickly,” Ross said.

“You can only learn from the things that happen and go on from there.”

Ross’ inspirations for these works of art are Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt, particularly their impressionist use of line and the way in which they layer colors. Ross found that she could create more vibrancy by layering alcohol markers with pastels, instead of strictly using pastels. Ross hopes that these works and their lessons will inspire others.

“It’s good, it’s bad, it’s fun, it’s ugly,” Ross said.

“It’s life.”