The Rambler Vol.104 No.1

THERAMBLER

THE VOICE OF TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS SINCE 1917

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

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Wrestling team overcomes setbacks pg.8-9

Vol. 104 No.1 | Spring 2020 @TheRamblerTWU

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

2 OPINION Isn’t it time for a discussion?

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Concealed handguns on college campuses

JAMES H. MCBRIDE The Rambler 1201 Wesleyan St. Fort Worth, TX 76105 Phone: (817) 531-7552 Email: twurambler@yahoo.com Editor-In-Chief: James H. McBride Rambler TV Director: LaTerra Wair IMG Director: Hope Allison Print/Web Content Producers: Hope Allison Elizabeth Lloyd Hannah Onder James H. McBride LaTerra Wair Advisers: Dr. Ngozi Akinro Dr. Jenny Dean Dr. David Ferman Faculty Liaison: Dr. Kay Colley Publisher: Frederick Slabach Letters to the Editor THE RAMBLER, a biweekly publication, welcomes all letters. All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature. While every consideration is made to publish letters, publication is limited by time and space.

The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar, clarity and style. Letters to the editor may be subject to response from editors and students on the opinion page.

RAMBLER Contribution Please send all news briefs to twurambler@ yahoo.com. Submissions due by noon Friday to see brief in the following week’s issue.

The opinions expressed in THE RAMBLER are those of the individual authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole.

ABOUT THE COVER Photo by: Little Joe

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jhmcbride@txwes.edu @therambler

e have seen the tentacles of gun violence reach every corner of the world we live in.

We have seen these crimes perpetrated in places such as theaters, stores, restaurants, military bases, sporting events, schools and, more recently in the Metroplex, a place of worship.

In our current state of first-line defense, students at Texas Wesleyan are on a campus protected by an unarmed security force.

While there might be a police station close by, research has shown that mass shootings are often over in a span of about five minutes, according to the New York Times.

We know for a fact that people being able to defend themselves works. We don’t have to look for any better example of this than last Dec. 29, when Jack Wilson killed an active shooter at his church, White Settlement Church of Christ, less than 10 seconds after the gunman opened fire.

Wilson’s actions were the difference between two people dying that day and the shooting at Sutherland Springs Baptist Church in 2017, when a gunman killed 27 and injured 20. There were no people armed to defend themselves in that church.

A small church is not a college campus. However, these types of events in our backyard illustrate the need for people to be able to defend themselves against the

threat of an active shooter.

We at Texas Wesleyan should have the same right to defend ourselves, but we don’t. Unlike in a high school where the entrance and exit points can be controlled, a college is open to all, where people are given the autonomy to move freely from building to building at all times of the day.

And we need that protection in the world we live in today more than ever. According to extensive research, there were at least 43 shootings on American college campuses between Aug. 1, 2016, when “campus carry” went into effect in Texas, and the first day of the spring 2020 semester.

These shootings have resulted in the deaths of 25 people, with 29 injured.

I am a firm believer that fear is a powerful motivator on both sides of this issue, but I fiercely resent being told that I cannot protect myself according to my rights as a citizen of this country.

This argument is about individual protection, not for better safety and protection of the campus.

Just because a portion of Wesleyan’s students maybe against the benefits of “campus carry,” this should not allow them to deny others the fundamental right to defend ourselves against the evil in today’s world.

In light of all this, it’s time we reopen the conversation about campus carry at Wesleyan. We should at least follow the example of East Texas Baptist University and Southwestern Assemblies of God, where at least some faculty and staff can carry on campus.

opinion

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Students should scout secondary textbook options to save

Cartoon by Hannah Onder College students should explore options outside the bookstore to cut costs on textbooks. Some cheaper ways may be renting or checking out books.

Editorial

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s students return refreshed from the holidays and start new schedules, it’s also a time for them to cough up that tuition and textbook money.

While tuition money is required to sign up for classes, some people may argue that textbooks are optional.

Which brings us to the question: Is it worth it to spend money on buying textbooks?

If people can afford to buy the textbooks, then yes, it’s worth it to buy them.

Having the exact textbook straight out of the bookstore saves time and allows students to have the peace of mind that they’re prepared for class.

However, the majority of students can’t afford or just don’t want to shell out a lot more money after figuring out how to finance $15,000 of tuition for the semester. Therefore, depending on the cost, availability, and usefulness of the book in class, some students may say

textbooks aren’t worth the cost of being prepared for the course.

Usually the best-case scenario is when students have classes that are open source, because they don’t have to worry about tracking down and paying for textbooks or potentially wasting money on a textbook that sits on a desk and gathers dust all semester.

While open-source classes aren’t as fixed in structure and predictable as one that follows a textbook, they’re more flexible and cost efficient for students since professors provide the reading material.

Another helpful option is when professors limit their required textbooks to one, especially if they’re pricy. It’s also helpful if they use cheaper books, especially if they require more than one.

That way there’s less material to look for or less of a cost to break the bank on.

According to the College Board’s website, research.collegeboard.org, the average student spent around $415 on required course material along with an additional $419 on technology and $108 on supplies in the 2018-2019 academic year.

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Alternative Ways To Cut Costs On Textbooks

- look into a variety of sellers - rent the book - buy a used or older edition - buy the ebook - share the cost with classmates - borrow the book - check out book from library - google search for free versions - talk to the professor about alternative options - wing the class on lectures and all the free material used in class

Looking at a variety of different ver-

sions and sellers can usually lead to saving money, especially if it’s done earlier in the semester when professors give students a grace period to gather their textbooks and other required material.

Most of these methods besides ebooks will usually take time to arrive in exchange for the cheaper costs.

While all those methods may not be the best options, sometimes students desperately need a way to get certain information to pass the class and cut the cost of buying textbooks. Some of these methods can be stressful because students don’t always have steady access to required material and have to get creative to get it.

A good way to avoid getting a book that won’t be used in the course is to read through the syllabus assignments or directly ask the professor if it isn’t clear from the syllabus. That way you can lower the risk of getting a book that won’t be used.

While it’s nice to be prepared with textbooks, college students are all about finding ways to save where they can and for some of them that’s on textbook costs.

NEWS

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Annual Duo-Piano Competition nearly doubles in size ELIZABETH LLOYD ejlloyd@txwes. @theramblertwu

This year’s 12th annual Duo-Piano Competition will be held in the Ann Waggoner Fine Arts building from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Feb. 8, bringing in aspiring pianists from all over DFW, according to Dr. John Fisher, professor of music.

The upper level categories include a prize of cash money, while the lower level categories include trophies, Fisher said.

“We look forward to having all of the students show up here and interact with our building, our pianos, our faculty, and everything about Wesleyan,” he said. Duo-piano is all about interaction, which requires extra musical concerns.

A precise focus on ensemble, rhythm, tempo, and correct dynamic are important factors, Fisher said.

“There is this total interaction which pianists often do not get. So, this is a great teaching opportunity, with the added fact that they are getting this rich experience under a little bit of the pressure of winning a prize if they do really well.”

Fellow pianist and professor of religion, Dr. Bruce McDonald under-

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stands the importance of teamwork in duo-piano performance.

“One of the challenges is making sure that you realize you’re part of a team, and it’s not all about you.”

Practicing together and remaining humble are important factors in duo-piano performance, McDonald said.

“When you get a pair that work well together, it can be really amazing,” he said.

Dr. Ilka Araújo, associate professor of music, appreciates how serious the pianists are about this competition.

“Despite the fact that performers are not pre-selected, we have never had ill-prepared participants. Everyone understands the level and demand,” she wrote in an email.

For more information on the event, please visit txwes.edu.

When you get a pair that work well together, it can be really amazing.” ~ DR. BRUCE McDONALD, RELIGION PROFESSOR

Information courtesy of Dr. Ilka Araújo.

Graphics by Elizabeth Lloyd

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

McCoy continues to give back CHELSEA DAY caday@txwes.edu @Chelseaday12 hen asked about her proudest moment as a teacher, Texas Wesleyan University alumna Letha Grace Brown McCoy had too many to pick from, but recounted a moment that stuck out to her from two years ago.

“I received the nicest note from a parent just two years ago,” McCoy recalled. “He thanked me for getting his son started well, because he just received his doctorate.”

After retiring from her career as a first grade teacher in 1996, McCoy says she is still weening herself off her passion for her teachers organizations and embracing her retirement by reading and traveling.

Letha Grace Brown was born April 24, 1945 as the only daughter of Letha and William Brown.

She spent all 12 years of her early education in the Burleson Independent School District, graduating third in her class at Burleson High School. She went on to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher.

“My mother was a teacher,” McCoy said. “It just seemed to be the thing to do at that time.”

She decided to finish the last two years of her degree at Texas Wesleyan College where her mother had attended.

“I knew that I did not want to go off and stay in a dorm,” McCoy said. “Wesleyan was a very small school that had an outstanding reputation for education.”

McCoy’s time at Texas Wesleyan

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was short and impactful. She graduated with a bachelor’s in elementary education with an English minor in three years. She graduated summa cum laude and was the top-ranking student in her class in 1966.

Having already secured a position at A.E. Frazier Elementary following graduation, McCoy began a long, passionate career teaching first grade in the same school district that she had grown up in.

“If you don’t have educated people it’s a bad situation all the way around,” McCoy said. “I taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, the beginning things that prepared them for the real world.”

What followed along with McCoy’s career in teaching was an involvement and leadership in numerous educational organizations.

After retirement, McCoy has stayed very involved in alumni organizations at both Burleson High School and Texas Wesleyan.

She has presented scholarships to Burleson High School students in her name and keeps up with Wesleyan news and events, most recently attending the dedication of the Nick & Lou Martin University Center.

“I’ve attended my class reunions and donated money along the way,” McCoy said. “Wesleyan has a fantastic staff that makes you feel like they’re happy that you are involved.”

DeAwna Wood, Wesleyan’s director of alumni relations, explained why these alumni interactions are so important to the

Photo by Chelsea Day Letha Grace Brown McCoy standing in front of the Nick & Lou Martin University Center during the buildiing dedication ceremony.

university.

“Alumni are wonderful ambassadors of the university,” Wood said. “We love to spotlight the success of our alumni so that we can show students the value of a degree at Wesleyan.”

McCoy’s friend Rebecca Reagan said that she really admires how

McCoy continues to treat many of the children she has taught as her own kids.

“Letha is one of a kind, she is kind and caring,” Reagan said. ”She works really hard to make the community as good, if not better, than when she was a teacher herself.”

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Photo by Hannah Onder Texas Wesleyan alumna Daphne Brookins graduated from Wesleyan in 2001 as an Interdisciplinary Studies major . She won Young Alumni of the Year in 2006 and served as the president of the Texas Wesleyan’s Alumni Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008.

Alumna shines in Fort Worth community work and service HANNAH ONDER hlonder@txwes.edu

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@hannahonder

aphne Brookins was watching TV with family, looking to the ticker at the bottom of the screen.

She’d spent the cloudy November 2019 day running around between different polling stations meeting with people and passing out flyers until she was sure people had made their final decisions on who to elect as the Fort Worth Independent School District’s new trustee.

“I just left it in God’s hands, and just said, ‘If it’s meant for me to win, it will happen,’” said Brookins, a Texas Wesleyan alumna. “There’s no need to stress over it because he’s already worked this thing out.”

When the numbers came through, Brookins was announced as the new trustee for District 4, with more than 60% of the vote, according to fwisd. org. She replaces Dr. T. A. Sims, who served for more than 35 years.

“I was shocked, surprised, proud and humbled because the people spoke, and they’d like to

see me do more in the community, and I want to,” Brookins said. “I’d love to do more. It was exciting because it seemed like a position that’s way bigger than me.”

Brookins, who graduated from Wesleyan in 2001 with an Interdisciplinary Studies degree, went on to continue her commitment to community service. She started as an AmeriCorps member in 1994.

She continued her service at Wesleyan through the Expanding Your Horizons and TXPrep programs, and expanded her community involvement to include many youth service organizations.

She’s also served on the Forest Hill City Council and as a Youth Administrator at Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County.

“I want to be there for the kids in my district and their families,” Brookins says of her goals as a member of the FWISD Board. “I want to help them get the resources that they need, and I want to do what I can to help the kids in the district to become successful.

These are our next leaders, so I want to make sure that they get

Photo contributed by Daphne Brookins

the best ed- Daphne Brookins poses with a photo of her father, Slidell Harvey, one of her role models. “He’s ucation that like the hardest working person that I’ve ever known. He played pro baseball, and after he retired he worked two or three jobs to make sure that our family had what we had,” Brookins said. they can.”

Fort Worth feel that I have a big voice when I had, they we more than just ISD Board m e m b e r s Norman Rob- I sing, so I’ve learned to use that teachers to me. Because of the bins (District 7 Trustee), Tobi when I talk so people can hear relationships that I had built Jackson (1st Vice President and me loud and clear. I use that to with the provost, Dr. (Jane) District 2 Trustee), and Anne my advantage to speak for peo- Moore, Dr. Salih, and a few others, they were there for me more Darr (District 6 Trustee) all ple.” than just as a teacher. They we Brookins didn’t get her interagree that Brookins brings a like my support going through est in politics until she took one strong awareness and knowlall of that. If I hadn’t had them, of Dr. Ibrahim Salih’s classes edge of the community to the I don’t know that I would have working on her major at Wesboard.

“She brings great experi- leyan. She had to drop out of made it.”

Wesleyan meant so much ence, knowledge and passion to ACU to take care of her sick to Brookins that she had her our board,” Jackson wrote in an mother.

“It was just a lot of the stuff AmeriCorp documentary shot email. “Daphne has a willingthat he (Salih) taught in his class on campus, serves on advisory ness to be equitable to all and that made me be really interest- boards for the university, and respectful, which makes her a ed in getting involved in my remains an active alumni. Dr. wonderful trustee. She is a class community and not just stand- Allen Henderson said she’s one act and a woman of integrity ing on the side while things are of the university’s more notable and honor.” falling apart, ” Brookins said. local alumni.

Brookins was the first one “I’ve been a supporter of hers “You could actually run for offrom her family to get a colfor a while because she made a fi ce and then help make changlege degree. She said that when huge difference in such a spees, help make things better, and she first started college as a mucial way, ” Henderson said. “She you defi nitely had a voice. ” sic major at Abilene Christian is able to relate to the young Wesleyan was also the place University on a track and field people and to the leaders. She’s that helped Brookins through scholarship, she wouldn’t have predicted her current position. the death of her father and just a special kind of person “I was kind of shy, even brother in her last semester of that’s able to relate to just about anybody, very professional, and though I was a music major, and her undergraduate degree.

“Wesleyan was like a fami- has a strong heart for helping I would sing and perform. It was different speaking in front ly to me,” Brookins said. “The other people.” of people,” she said. “I kind of teachers and professors that

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CAMPUS Wednesday, January 29, 2020

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Despite setbacks, wrestling team finds success

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We have a few that we’re really hoping will be able to go a long way. They’re really, really good.” ~ ELIZABETH HARRIS, SENIOR

Clarissa Archuleta wrestles with a teammate earlier this year.

CAMPUS

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020 ELIZABETH LLOYD

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ejlloyd@txwes.edu @TheRamblerTWU

fter the flu swept through the women’s wrestling team twice this season, they have moved to the no. 21 ranking in the second edition of the 2019 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Poll, head coach Ray Bedford said in an interview.

The women’s team is down by five wrestlers total, with two gone permanently due to ineligibility.

In addition, two others are out due to flu and another with an injury, Bedford said.

Despite these setbacks, the team is training as hard as ever.

“The girls that are still here are developing.

Everybody’s working hard. We’re just shorthanded.”

The team also lost their only heavyweight wrestler early in the season, which Bedford said was tough.

“I coached her since she was a little kid, but she never really got her eligibility right and she was Head coach Ray Bedford coaches from the sideline.

over the weight and wouldn’t cut the weight.”

This resulted in her departure from the team, according to coach Bedford.

The team was very disappointed after going from no. 20 to no. 21 in the ranking, 19-yearold freshman and political science major Alexis Saldivar said.

In light of this, Saldivar is looking forward to the two national tournaments coming up this season.

“I’m excited, we’ve been training really hard,” Saldivar said.

Elizabeth Harris, a 21-year-old senior and political science major, is also feeling hopeful about the upcoming tournaments.

Looking forward to watching her fellow wrestlers, Harris said, “We have a few that we’re really hoping will be able to go a long way. They’re really, really good.”

Things are looking up for the remainder of Graphic contributed by Ramsports.net and Ray Bedford this season.

Photos contributed by Little Joe

“We haven’t had any real drama or anything.

It’s all been pretty smooth,” Bedford said.

Even though Bedford said these are all typical wrestling obstacles, the issue lies in the fact that Texas Wesleyan wrestling is a firstyear program.

“We don’t have a lot of depth, right? Which is going to be different from next year,” he said.

Bedford went on to say that next season is much anticipated as the program now has 19 men and 12 women signed on.

“I haven’t even really started actively recruiting, with the exception of going to a couple of big high school tournaments,” Bedford said.

Out of all the new recruits, 16 of them are Texas’ number ones, he said.

“It’ll be a different story next season.”

For more updates on the wrestling teams’ schedules and rosters, see ramsports.net.

A&E Wednesday, January 29, 2020

KAYLIA BROWN

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TikTok is the new Vine

kabrown2@txwes.edu @theramblertwu TikTok is a new social media platform that is taking the world by storm.

What exactly is TikTok? Senior religion major Taylor Date describes it as, ”a series of short funny videos for entertainment, kind of like a new Vine.”

Vine was another social media platform of short videos that was shut down in early 2017. The fact that TikTok is similar to the old application attracted some to TikTok, such as freshman Laura Ocana.

“I downloaded it because I heard it was like Vine part two,” Ocana said.

Others, such as sophomore psychology major Gabriella Maxey, have the app to watch all the different types of content it offers.

“You can find videos about anything,” Maxey said, “I have seen comedy, dancing, advice, pranks, and psychology facts.”

TikTok videos seemed to grow in popularity almost overnight and recent Wesleyan graduate Samantha Smoot believes this is due to the diverse nature of the app.

“All ages make videos, and all different types of videos so I feel like there is something for everyone,” said Smoot, who graduated in December with an undergraduate degree in psychology.

Maxey agrees that the diversity the app has to offer is a great highlight to the platform.

“I see ranges of all ages on TikTok from elementary school students to grandparents,” Maxey said, “There is no certain demographic that I have seen.”

Smoot’s statement about TikTok’s diversity seems to hold true as there

are multiple reasons that people enjoying using TikTok during their free time.

“It’s hilarious and the videos are so short, what seems like a few minutes can add up to an hour,” Date said.

Maxey said she likes how personable the app can be.

“I like how it customizes the ‘for you’ page so I can have a timeline of videos that would match my interests based on what I post and what videos I like,” she said.

When asked if there was anything she disliked about TikTok, Maxey replied, “That I’m not famous yet.”

Becoming “TikTok famous” is something that many people are trying to do, and Smoot provided some reasoning as to why.

“Making TikTok videos is fun, so knowing that other people like them as much as you like making them probably feels pretty good,” Smoot said, “and maybe because they wanna get paid?”

Maxey, who wishes to become famous on the platform, said users on TikTok have the potential to get paid for the content that they post to the app.

“I heard once you reach a certain number of followers you can get paid for content and even just going live,” Maxey said, “The extra cash would be nice to pay for school.”

TikTok is being used to promote musicians. According to an article on “Billboard” magazine’s website, billboard.com, the video for Lil Nas X’s huge hit “Old Town Road” was uploaded onto TikTok in February 2019. People then used the song for their TikTok videos.

With all the popularity and aspiring users, will TikTok become the most popular form of social media? Though many enjoy the app, Smoot and Date said it won’t take over its competition.

“I don’t think it’ll ever become more

popular than Snapchat or Twitter,” Smoot said.

“It’s popular now, but may not be in a few months,” Date said.

For the time being, those on TikTok will continue to enjoy it as they may have formed a slight addiction to the app.

“I just got it a week ago and I’m already on it a ton!” Date said.

“I spend at least two hours on it every day, it’s so addicting!” Maxey said.

You can follow any of the women from this story on TikTok by searching the following usernames: @taydate, @lauraocana, @yofavgabie, and @ samanthasmoot.

You can follow any of the women from this story on TikTok by searching the

TheRambler.org

Courtesy Kaylia Brown Snapshot of Kaylia Brown’s TikTok page.

following usernames: @taydate, @lauraocana, @yofavgabie, and @samanthasmoot.

a&e

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Brown steps back into directing with Theatre Wesleyan’s ‘Second Samuel’ HANNAH ONDER

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hlonder@txwes.edu @hannahonder

fter 16 years of working with freshmen, Joe “Pro Joe” Brown returns to directing Texas Wesleyan shows with “Second Samuel.”

Brown, associate dean of freshmen, said the drama takes place in southern Georgia in 1949 in a small town called Second Samuel, which is recovering from the World War II and gets turned upside down with the death of Miss Gertrude. The 30-year-old show has an eccentric cast of characters based on real people the playwright Pamela Parker heard about from her grandparents’ stories.

The show will open Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and will close Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Parker will attend the Feb. 21 show to do a public post-show talkback where the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their thoughts, according to txwes.edu.

“For twenty-five years [‘Second Samuel’] was a sweet, funny, hysterical and touching play; it was a sentimental journey,” wrote Parker in a statement on txwes.edu. “About five years ago [the play] got a second wind, perhaps because of the climate of our world today. It has become relevant and speaks to a whole new generation.”

Brown was introduced to the play about a year ago during a breakfast reunion with some alumni who live in Georgia. Since then he’s gotten in contact with Parker, and she’s given the cast additional background on her show.

“We’ve been talking to the playwright for the whole show, and I find that very unique,” said Nicole Davis, a freshman theatre major. “A lot of times either the playwright is dead, or you just can’t get ahold of them. We asked her a bunch of questions. I was like shocked, it’s

“Second Samuel” Peformance Dates •Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

(Opening Night) •Friday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

•Saturday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

•Sunday, Feb. 16 at 2:00 p.m.

(Matinee) •Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

•Friday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

(Post-Show Talkback) •Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

(Closing Performance)

Ticket Prices General Adults - $10 Seniors 65+/Vets/Millitary - $5 TXWES Faculty/Staff - $5 TXWES Students (ID) - Free Graphics sourced by txwes.edu

mind-boggling of how we could actually talk to the playwright and get a background of what’s actually going on.”

Davis will play Ruby, an African American woman who does hair and makeup in a town salon. She describes Ruby as shy and friendly, which kind of clashes with Davis’s regular personality.

“I’m actually very outgoing, very loud and annoying, and my character is very shy,” Davis said. “It’s kind of hard to play

Graphic by Jacob Sanchez Theatre Wesleyan will open the third show of year, “Second Samuel,” a drama by Pamela Parker, on Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Parker will attend the Feb. 21 performance and do post-show talkback.

shy because in real life I’m not shy at all.

I’m very just out there, so I’ve been trying to learn to be more introverted.”

Davis isn’t the only one stepping out of her comfort zone. Freshman theatre major Reagan Fraze is trying a new role as assistant scenic designer, and her favorite part of that role is building a scrapbook and finding the images to use for scene-setting projections.

“I am a performance emphasis, so this is research that I’m doing in a different way than normal,” Fraze said. “It’s making me reprogram my brain a little bit.

I’m a little intimated simply because of (the responsibility of) what I have to find, but it will be fine because I know it will get done.”

Fraze is working with Brown, who is also the scenic designer, to create what Brown calls his vision of “opening a scrapbook of memories.”

Due to the key narrator looking back on his memories for the show, Brown plans to do a more organic production with a simple set, so the audience focuses more on the actors’ characters and their relationships. “[‘Second Samuel’] will warm your heart when you hear the people talk to each other. It opens your mind about how people look at other people,” Brown said. “It will remind you of when times were simpler and people were possibly kinder, but the themes haven’t changed.”

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Wednesday, Janurary 29, 2020

‘Little Women’ finds successs on big screen HOPE ALLISON heallison@txwes.edu @TheRamblerTWU (This review contains spoilers.) ittle Women” (PG, 135 minutes) is beautifully acted and has managed to rack up six Oscar nominations.

It’s directed and written by Greta Gerwig, has had major success at the box office, and has even racked up a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score.

The story focuses on four sisters and how they grow up with both good times and hardships; much of it takes place during the Civil War. It is based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888). Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) is a struggling writer.

Amy March (Florence Pugh) is struggling to find a rich husband so that she can provide for her family. Meg

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Photo courtesy of IMDb

March (Emma Watson) is struggling with her decision to marry someone poor when she longs for the finer things in life. Beth March (Eliza Scanlen) fights several illnesses throughout the movie.

There is no way to take a book of 759 pages and successfully turn it into a screenplay without losing some important information. The relationships between all the characters in the film are underdeveloped and we don’t get to see them progress as much as in the book. This is especially true between the characters that get married. One of the girls marries someone I didn’t even realize she was friends with. You didn’t get to see the whole process of them falling in love; it was just like boom, now they’re married.

Of course, when turning a book into a movie you never can expect it to be 100% the same and the screenplay actually does a great job of not cutting out important information.

4 out of 5 stars

Because of that, it feels like new stuff was always happening and you had to constantly be paying attention or risk missing something major.

The movie constantly jumps between the past and present. Many times it was hard to differentiate between the two. This made it confusing to understand what was going on because even in the flashbacks, time does not move in a linear fashion.

For example, the same actors play the young and older versions of the characters. This is not believable, because the actors, clearly in their mid- to late 20s, are at times supposed to be 13 to 15. This was distracting.

Overall, although the movie had a few bumps here and there, “Little Women” is aesthetically beautiful and the acting was amazing. I expect the film to be a heavy hitter when the Oscars roll around in February.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Smeller brings back Hispanic writers class JAMES H. MCBRIDE jhmcbride@txwes.edu @theramblertwu This semester Texas Wesleyan is bringing back a class focusing on Hispanic writers for the first time since 2014.

Dr. Carl Smeller said that, given the number of Hispanic students on campus who are not English majors, he believes that this is the perfect time to offer Hispanic Writers of the U.S. again; he also believes the class is a perfect size.

“I have 11 students, which is about the average size of an upper level English class here at Wesleyan,” said Smeller, an associate professor of English and humanities.

Classes like this give the student population a chance to study a subject matter that more reflects the makeup of the Wesleyan student population, said Daniel Garcia, a senior political science major who is taking the class.

“I appreciate somebody seeing a shift in the student population and being intentional and exclusive in the courses Wesleyan offers,” Garcia said.

The class is offered to allow the Department of Languages and Literature flexibility in what they offer from semester to semester, said Dr. Price McMurray, department chair.

“The choice depends on the instructor’s interests, as well as the instructor’s sense of what might be interesting

or useful for students,” McMurray said.

Smeller said the class introduces students to Hispanic literature written in the last 50 years, which makes it recent in the world of literature.

“Some of the topics discussed in this class will be personal identity, cultural traditions, and the way language is used (to tell a story),” Smeller said.

He added that this is something seen in some immigrant literature in the United States and especially in the genre of Hispanic literature. Authors communicate in two languages, English and Spanish, which is an interesting perspective to learn from.

“If you are in the majority population, you now become a part of the minority population, when you begin to read this text,” Smeller said.

The first book to be studied in this class is “Bless Me Ultima” by Rudolfo Anaya. Smeller said that in many ways Anaya is considered the grandfather of modern Hispanic writing.

“He grew up in a very specific community in eastern Mexico, where most of the people that lived there could trace their heritage back to the Spanish Conquistadors of the 16th century,” Smeller said.

Theirs is a well-defined culture that has been present for hundreds of years, and the novel really explores that to some extent,

Photo by James H. McBride Dr.Carl Smeller sits in his office before class last Wednesday. He is teaching the Hispanic writers class.

“

I appreciate somebody seeing a shift in the student population and being intentional and exclusive in the courses Wesleyan offers.” ~ DANIEL GARCIA, SENIOR

Smeller said.

“He (Anaya) was one of the first modern Hispanic writers to gain acclaim, and one that more recent people look back to,” Smeller said.

Garcia said that atmosphere, amplified relationships, and how Latinos choose to navigate the world are extremely important.

“Relationships and expression are a very important part of our culture, because Latino culture is very vibrant, colorful, and exciting,”

Garcia said.

Smeller said that another concept to be explored will be magical realism, which was a literary movement that started in Latin America, in places like Mexico, Columbia, and South America.

“This genre was born in the 1960s and also had a profound effect on some American writers of this time, and if you have people that believe in the supernatural, it is going to work its way into the text,” Smeller said.

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SPORTS

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Rams start baseball season with high expectatations JAMES H. MCBRIDE jhmcbride@txwes.edu @theramblertwu The Texas Wesleyan baseball team opens the season ranked nationally after winning 46 games last season and earning an appearance in the NAIA Baseball Championships.

Head baseball coach Bobby Garza said he is pleased about the coming season; while the pitching staff has a lot of experience, the offense has quite a few new faces.

“I am excited for the coming season,” Garza said. “I believe we have a great chemistry, a team well balanced with a deep pitching staff.”

The Rams began their season with three wins and one loss over the weekend, according to ramsports.net.

The team split a Friday doubleheader with Friends University and won both games of a Sunday doubleheader against Texas College.

The pitching staff is led by a strong group of six seniors, who combined to throw 108.1 innings last season, according to ramsports.net.

“Hopefully we are able to see pitchers go later into games,” Garza said, “and really challenge the opposing batters.”

The Rams are ranked No. 17 in the NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Preseason Poll, No. 15 on perfectgame. org, and No. 3 the SAC Preseason Poll.

The Rams were 46-16 last year, according to ramsports.net. The team made it to the NAIA Opening Round for the third time in four years.

After all the preseason talk, Wesleyan Athletic Director Ricky Dodson believes this team has the ability to grow from the success it saw last season.

“A lot of the guys are back,” he said, “in addition to adding some really key pieces.”

Dotson said expectations are high for the Rams this season as they try to build on the momentum that has been so successful for them over these past few seasons. He expects the team to

John Grimsley, a senior, waits for practice to start last Wednesday. This is his first season to play at Wesleyan.

come out of the gate strong.

“I know that is what coach Garza expects of the guys,” Dotson said.

Catcher Tanner Amaral, a senior liberal studies major, believes that even though the team has seen a lot of new faces this year, everyone is blending very well.

“I believe this gives us the ability to go into the season knowing what to expect,” Amaral said.

Outfielder John Grimsley, a senior psychology major and son of former MLB pitcher Jason Grimsley, who won World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000, missed the family aspect of being on a team after a year away from the game.

“Being part of the culture is huge to me,” said Grimsley, who is in his first season as a Ram after playing at the University of Houston and taking a year off. “Growing up around it I wanted to do nothing but play baseball.”

Garza said he believes this lineup has the ability to expand and have some players really stand out and play at an extremely high level.

“I would not be surprised it this team ends the season with a couple of

Photos by James H. McBride

Head coach Bobby Garza talks to the team at practice Wednesday. This is Garza’s third season at Wesleyan.

All-Americans on it, he said.

The Rams’ next home games are two double-headers against Bethany College on Feb. 7 and 8. Game times are

1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Feb. 7 and noon and 2 p.m. Feb. 8. All four games are at Sycamore Park. For more information, go to ramsports.net.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

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