Mansfield University Blog

It’s always nice to hear compliments about our programs, such as last weekend’s Prism Concert, especially when it’s a parent of one of our students.  It’s even better to see the comments in writing.  But when the parent is Artistic Director of Albany Pro Musica, well, that is music to our ears.  Read his blog here.

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Quick-minded Cathy Martin in the Provost’s Office captured this rainbow from her fifth floor North Hall office recently.  The view is looking west toward Wellsboro.

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Fall colors were here and gone in almost a day but  Colleen Divine,  from our post office, caught this display recently during her rounds on campus, along with this scenic shot of Steadman and the mountains.

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This certainly isn’t official but I’m hearing that the Mansfield Lowe’s will be open in November.

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Last week Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy.  Here are two responses, exactly the way they appeared.

1. I’ve pretty much given up watching tv and movies altogether anyway. Would rather read a book.

2. i envy you…..i sooooooooooo wish i could love reading…..i never learned to love reading……….i don’t know how people can sit and read…….i just fall asleep and loose interest.  any pointers for people who want to pick up the habit?

So, folks in English, up to the challenge?

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Speaking of English, this year marks the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain’s death. His autobiography will be published in November.  For the next few weeks I’ll be using a variety of quotes from the master, mainly because they fit our times with an almost depressing  relevancy. For example:

“Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.”

The leaves are changing and it’s time for the Fabulous 1890s Weekend, Sept. 24 & 25.  It’s become Mansfield’s largest event and continues to be a model of college and community working together for a common cause.

The cause is celebrating our shared heritage.  The world’s first night football game was played on Sept. 28, 1892 between Mansfield Classical and Wyoming Seminaries in Smythe Park during the Great Mansfield Fair.

It amazes me each year how so many campus and community clubs and organizations come together to volunteer their time with setup, covering the gates, running errands and cleaning up.  It totals hundreds of people.  There are few other college communities in the U.S. with such close, friendly working relationships.

When the tents start going up and vendors begin to arrive, the 1890s Weekend takes on a life of its own.  Dozens of people, all with their own specialties and expertise, take over.  To stand back and watch this transformation is humbling.

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For 18 years the Motorless Parade has been a unique feature of the 1890s Weekend.  This year we’re adding  motorized units to expand the parade and give more people a chance to share their vintage vehicles.   We’ll still have our colorful horse and carriage units but mixed in will be vehicles from 1915 through the 1940s.

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Former MU VP for Student Affairs Joe Maresco will join me on the announcing stand.  Joe replaces Jim Welch who recently passed away.  Jim was a good friend, loved by thousands.   We’re dedicating the Fabulous 1890s Weekend to his memory.  Joyce Tice will have a display about Jim in the Museum Tent.

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Here’s the link to the 1890s Facebook Page and to the 1890s Vendor Fair, Saturday in the Fire Hall.

For good measure, here’s a promo video for this year’s celebration.

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Now, for good weather. . . .

I’m sitting at my desktop with dual monitors, Blackberry in my pocket buzzing with incoming emails and texts.  Facebook is always open because in addition to our MU page, there are Facebook pages for several other on and off campus organizations that I try to keep up with and contribute to.

I’m writing this on WordPress, an online blog platform.  In fact, I save very little text on my hard drive.  Most of  my work is parked Google Docs so I can access and revise my stuff anywhere.

I just did a video interview which will air on Blue Ridge Cable, then be uploaded to YouTube.  The audio will be posted as a podcast.

Terry Day on Thursday, will don  headphones, record directly into his laptop, edit and post to YouTube his 2-minute weekly video news update.

My colleagues in Educational Technology  post a “photo of the day” on Twitter (which is synched with Facebook) and post videos shot with a Flip recorder.

Faculty send me messages by email.  Students contact me by Facebook.  Few people put a land line receiver to their ear anymore.

I mention all this because  Eric Darr, provost at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology has the faculty and students in the middle of a “social media blackout.”  He wants everyone to experience how life was lived before Instant Messenger.

The experiment is happening this week.  Will it be an OMG?   LOL?  Or ____ ?(You can fill in the third popular three- letter acronym).

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If there were no social media there would be no video message from Dean Fred Willard of College State University Tech.   This is the most hilarious welcome back message this year.

Serial killers. Baffling cold cases. Psychic sculptors. Michael Capuzzo’s The Murder Room, which goes behind the scenes of the Vidocq Society, has reached the best seller lists. And Capuzzo and Richard Walter, one of the world’s top criminal profilers, will speak in Straughn Monday, September 13 at 7 p.m.

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I interviewed Capuzzo recently about his book and some of the cases detailed.  You can listen to the podcast here.  It will also be available as a Conversations video on Blue Ridge this weekend and on YouTube.  More later.

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The semester’s first Conversations with the President will be held Wed., Sept. 15 in North Hall’s Nesbit Reading Room.  These are  candid meetings in which Dr. Loeschke shares the latest information she has on all things affecting the campus, as well as taking questions and suggestions.

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The 1890s Motorless Parade now has motors. In an effort to expand the parade and give a variety of other units a spot in the Main St. spotlight, antique cars and tractors will begin a new tradition for the 1890s Weekend which is Sept, 24-25.  Here’s a full schedule of events.

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Google has just introduced Google Instant, a search feature that anticipates what you’re searching for, saving you 2-5  seconds per search.  It predicts your search and shows you results before you finish typing.  I imagine the next logical step is that Google will tell you what you need, give it to you, and save you the search and any mental effort.

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Scott Thornsley, criminal justice, has been busy rounding up the best of the good guys.  Dr. George Cronin, criminal investigation assessment officer  of the PA State Police, will speak in Alumni Hall 307 at 1 p.m. Tuesday.  Cronin, who is an adjunct faculty member with Shippensburg U. focuses on “cold cases” and consults on violent crimes and predatory sexual offenses.  He is also a member of the Vidocq Society, explored so well in The Murder Room.  The presentation is free and open to the public.

To see how a book inspired a movement, go to tonight’s presentation, “Animal, Vegetable, Mansfield” in Straughn at 7 p.m.   Local organic growers will talk about how the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle inspired them to create the successful Mansfield Growers Market held every Friday downtown.  Sponsored by the Frederick Douglass Institute.

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The Mansfield Growers Market also has a Facebook page.  Visit it and and join the ranks of fans.

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Terry Day captured some of the excitement of convocation with Mansfield Mountie Band’s performance of the fight song outside Straughn on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

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Dr. Mike Chester, physics, was the featured speaker at convocation.  Here’s the podcast of his address, in which he talks about his family’s years of organic farming.

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Work has progressed to the north side of North Hall’s roof.  Crews are installing  rows of slate tiles and ice guards.  They are now working right above the president’s office.

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Check out this video interview with Drew Robinson, manager of Sodexo on how the company completely changed the look, feel and food in Manser while contributing to the university’s green goals.  Great combination of sustenance and sustainability.

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I’ll be interviewing Mike Capuzzo, author of  the bestseller The Murder Room Friday.  It will air on Blue Ridge next weekend and be posted on YouTube.  Mike, a Pulitzer Prize nominee for his book Close To Shore, is publisher of Mountain Home Magazine.

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Here’s NPR’s story on the top five health issues on campus today.  As usual, the comments are as interesting as the story, which earned, from readers, a barely passing grade.

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Hey, Zombies Vs Humans or any other undead geek, seen the trailers for Walking Dead? What do you think? Winner or dead man walking?