Senior defensive line Kennedy Ezimako tackles the Missouri Western
quarterback for a safety on Oct. 15 at Welch Stadium. The Hornets lost
16-22 over homecoming weekend. Jon Coffey/The Bulletin

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Grab your spoons and head on over to the Alpha Sigma Alpha house, 226 W. 12th St., this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The sorority is hosting their 37th annual $5 all-you-can-eat Chili Feed.

This tradition, which started in 1974, is the sorority’s biggest fundraiser. Last year, ASA made about $2,300 and they hope to increase that amount to $3,000 this year, said Kacee George, senior elementary education major and ASA fundraising chair.

“We use this money to fund our sorority operations, entry fees to campus events, and leadership opportunities for members,” George said.

ASA will offer both regular and vegetarian chili, carrots and celery, and pumpkin bars. Customers can eat there or take it with them “to-go,” a new feature this year.

“We have a to-go line this year to help with rush hour – lunch and dinner – that is set up for customer convenience,” George said.

In addition to food, there will also be various vendors like Avon, ThirtyOn Bags, Scentsy and At-Home America products set up in ASA’s formal living. The sorority will receive 15-30 percent of their profits.

“Our seniors also make homemade goodies that will be sold in our entrance for those who need an extra dessert or a take-away snack,” George said.

At the ASA house, tables and the service line will be set up in the basement for customers to eat and enjoy themselves.

“We have prepared 250 pounds of hamburger and 25 batches of pumpkin bars,” George said. “Chili is made and pumpkin bars are iced the day of.”

Each member of ASA is required to sell at least 15 of the $5 tickets. Membership numbers are up in the sorority this year, so they are expecting a bigger turnout, said Alice Christian, rehabilitation services in education major. Tickets are also sold at the door.

“Last year we had around 400 or 500 (people) show up,” George said. “This year my goal is to run out of chili.”

The hard work of the sorority members is what makes the event so successful, George said. Six committees make up the Chili Feed, including chili making, set up and promotions.

“Everybody is a part of the committee and everyone has a role,” Christian said.

Danae Coffee, sophomore economics major, said the Chili Feed is not only about raising money – it’s about teaching the value of hard work.

“We really bond with sisters because we are at the house working for such a long period of time,” Coffee said. “It’s a lot of time to get to truly know people.”

George said the event is a success because many people consider it a part of Homecoming and look forward to seeing the house, meeting new members and contributing to the sorority.

“It is a nice way to wind down from the Homecoming Weekend,” George said.

Susan Welte

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“Joseph” musical opens tonight

The fall Homecoming musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice, opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Albert Taylor Hall. The show will run through Sunday, the last performance beginning at 2 p.m.

The story is based on the Old Testament story of Joseph and is suitable for the whole family. A narrator tells the story of the dreamer and his 11 jealous brothers.

The production is under the direction of Jim and Lindy Bartruff. Nancy Pontius, Susan J. Mai and senior theater major Josh Taylor designed the set, costumes and light design respectively. The orchestra is under the direction of Penny Speedie. Nearly 60 students are involved in the production.

Proceeds help fund scholarships for theater students.

Tickets range from $8 for students to $12 and $15 for other seats. To reserve seats, call the University Box Office at 341-6378.

Yell Like Hell and help ‘Can the Bods’

ESU’s annual Homecoming bonfire and the RSO Yell Like Hell competition will begin at 8 p.m. this Friday at Wilson Park. All RSO’s are invited to participate in the competition.

The Union Activities Council is helping with ‘Can the Bods’ this year, and ask all RSOs entering the competition to donate at least three canned goods or a dollar.

Teams will be judged on clarity, volume, originality, overall sound and spirit conveyed. Each team will have between two and three minutes to perform their chants, which can be about the organization or ESU as a whole.

Weekend Homecoming Events

Friday

-Phi Delta Theta Pole Sit

6 a.m. @ 1200 Commercial St.

-Tricycle Races

6:30 p.m. @ Wilson Park Basketball Courts

-ESU Volleyball v Nebraska-Omaha

7 p.m. @ WAW Auditorium

-Homecoming Musical

7:30 p.m. @ Albert Taylor Hall

-Bonfire

8 p.m. @ Wilson Park

Saturday

-Homecoming Parade

11 a.m. @ 4th and Commercial Street

-Black Hole/Fan of the Game

12 p.m. @ Southwest side of Welch Stadium

-ESU Football v Missouri Western

2 p.m. @ Welch Stadium – Crowning at halftime

-Homecoming Musical

7:30 p.m. @ Albert Taylor Hall

Sunday

-Alpha Sigma Alpha Chili Feed

11 a.m. – 7 p.m. @ 226 W 12th Ave.

-ESU Soccer v Truman

12 p.m. @ ESU Pitch

-Homecoming Musical

2 p.m. @ Albert Taylor Hall

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Marah Melvin and Jeremy Devine rehearse a scene for this year’s fall musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The script was written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. John Henningsen/The Bulletin

In addition to the excitement of Homecoming this fall, the theater department will present this year’s musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” beginning next Thursday.

“It’s very funny, very beautiful and has lots of touching and special moments for the whole family,” said Lindy Bartuff, choreographer and co-director.

Bartruff said that the musical is based on the biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob and his 11 brothers. In this play, with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joseph has the ability to understand dreams that no one else can.

“It is a fast paced show that has both staging and choreography,” Bartruff said. “It’s very hard to sing and dance at the same time, so (the actors) are learning a lot of things from western to soft shoe to French to calypso and beyond, so it’s been a very fun ride for them and a very intense ride.”

Also working on the production is Jeremiah Devine, senior communications major and musical director. He also plays the title role of Joseph.

Devine said that the theater department held auditions in August and the group has been rehearsing for more than a month.

To put such a large production together takes a lot of people. Devine said that there are 28 cast members as well as lighting and set designers, costume designers, hair and makeup artists, sound technicians, a live orchestra, a pianist, a drummer, a guitarist, three spotlight operators, a choreographer and the directors.

“Albert Taylor’s a big place so it takes a lot of people to run a show over there,” Devine said. “So we have faculty members and students, everybody’s working on this.”

With all these members comes a great diversity of actors and actresses.

Kangwon Song, senior theater major, said that this is his second Homecoming musical since he began attending ESU. The hardest part for him has been overcoming the language barrier, since he is not originally from the U.S. Still, he said he has a great time performing.

“The musical is super fun because musicals need to be involved with dancing, singing, and a lot of entertaining stuff,” Song said. “It makes me really feel alive on the stage.”

Kayla Dugan, sophomore English major who plays a wife and a tourist, said she also enjoys being involved in the musical.

“It’s just an amazing musical and an amazing cast so it’s really fun to see everybody work together and when it clicks, like when we get it right, it’s really fun and funny to watch,” Dugan said.

But the homecoming musical serves another purpose – it helps fund scholarships for theater students.

Each year, many students receive scholarships through the theater department. Jim Bartruff, the director of theater at ESU and director of “Joseph,” said in an email that endowments from the ESU Foundation, as well as money raised through Golden Patrons, the Theatre Guild and the Homecoming musical go towards student scholarships. This year, 25 students were able to receive scholarships with a total of $23,350 awarded.

Since the Homecoming musical is a big fundraiser for the department, the revenue earned at this event is essential to the department. Bartruff said that typically they earn $3,300 to $7,000 from the musical and the goal this year is to bring in between $5,000 and $7,500.

The musical will start at 7:30 p.m. and will run next Thursday through Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Saunday. Tickets start at $8 for ESU students and $12 and $15 for others, depending on the seating area. To reserve tickets, call the ticket office at 341-6378.

Brooke Schultz

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Cartoon by Ellen Weiss

By this point, most students have heard about the newborn child who was left in a  dumpster in the Chapel Ridge Apartment complex in West Emporia on Friday, Oct. 22.

When the child was found, it had been in the dumpster for around an hour. The mother of the child, Christina Devine, an ESU student, was questioned and taken into police custody that morning. More information on the incident can be found in the news story on page one of this issue.

To The Bulletin staff it is apparent that this news is beyond the point of tragic. Few words can accurately describe the heartbreaking story of this child’s first hour on Earth.

A terrible thing has happened at ESU and the Emporia community at large. This homecoming baby was brought into this world in perhaps some of the most horrible circumstances possible.

It would be all too easy to write this baby’s story off as terrible and leave it at that. But the opinion The Bulletin staff is that this cannot happen. As members of this community, we have a responsibility.

Emporia is a town full of wonderful people, people whose values and senses of moral dignity are both strong and longstanding. This community looks out for its fellow citizens. When one of our own is in trouble, this town has shown a brilliant ability to respond with sympathy and empathetic actions.

Citizens of Emporia, this child needs your help.

The Bulletin staff has decided to take a step to ensure that this child’s life does not continue in the same direction it started in. The Bulletin, in cooperation with the ESU Alumni Foundation, is in the process of instituting a scholarship fund for this homecoming baby. The details of this fund have not been worked out completely at this point, but anyone interested in contributing to this fund should read The Bulletin in the coming weeks as more information becomes available.

This child’s birthplace will forever be Emporia. It is up to us to show that our community will not allow this to go unnoticed and help to give this child the life he, despite all the odds, deserves.

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Cartoon by Ellen Weiss

Homecoming is one of the most celebrated events in the collegiate system. The nature of the event is in the name. It is about returning to a place that, for four or five years, became a home for each student.

Emporia State’s homecoming is being celebrated this week. Alumni from all over Kansas and the U.S. will be coming to Emporia to reminisce about their college years and take part in the festivities planned on campus.

However, what seems to be the major problem with homecoming week is that many students do not see the need to take part in the celebratory spirit of homecoming. Apart from a few on campus organizations and clubs, there never seems to be a very large part of the student body represented during this week.

The Bulletin staff sees this as a huge problem. This is one of the few times where ESU students and former ESU students can come together to support the school and show some gratitude for the experiences offered at ESU.

ESU alumni have gone on to do many things after graduation. Nearly every possible career path has been taken by ESU graduates and these people have good insight and advice for current students. Homecoming, being one of the only times former and current students are conveniently put in the same place, is a wonderful opportunity for students to meet some ESU alumni and talk with them about their time at ESU and also what their lives were like after graduation.

The world is a big place. Students at ESU can learn a lot from those who have come before them. Every opportunity for advice or guidance should be taken, especially in today’s job market, where more and more graduates are finding out how hard the “real world” really is. Homecoming is one of these opportunities.

Numerous events will take place this week to celebrate homecoming. Among these is the annual homecoming musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which will be performed today through Sunday, an alumni celebration to be held in the Memorial Union Ballroom on Friday and several events held on Saturday, centered around the ESU sporting events happening that day.

Homecoming is an opportunity to be on campus, enjoy the events being held and meet with some former ESU students. The Bulletin staff urges students to participate in the homecoming festivities. Help make ESU the home that alumni remember.

The Bulletin

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This week marks Emporia State’s 2010 Fall Homecoming, with the board game theme “Are you game?”

Students are invited to participate in various activities, including a Human Scrabble tournament hosted by the UAC that will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, beginning Monday and continuing through Friday on campus. Players will be given a shirt with letters on it and will then decide which words to make, according to Vice President of Campus Relations and Secretary of the Homecoming Committee Emmalee Davis, senior communications and public relations major.

Helium for Hope will also take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday at MU Main Street, and there will be a medallion hunt at the same location from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. At 7 p.m., the tricycle races will take place at the Student Recreation Center.

The E-Zone Whitewash will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday at the Pedestrian Mall, located between Cremer and Morse Hall. Students can display their school spirit, support their favorite organizations or write messages to friends by purchasing half a square for $2 or a whole square for $3.

“What we do is mix water, cornstarch, and food coloring together to create a paint that can easily be washed away after homecoming,” Davis said.

From 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, the Empowered Students for University Libraries and Archives will host the “Are You Game? Night in White” in the William Allen White Library lobby with a variety of interactive games, board games, and refreshments.

At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, the Environmental Club will host the Trash Bash on the Union Square where students will gather to clean up campus in preparation for homecoming weekend, and at 7 p.m. “ghost tours” will be available on campus.

Phi Delta Theta will continue the S.O.S. Pole Sit tradition beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and ending at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the corner of 12^th and Commercial.

Thursday will also mark the opening night for the homecoming musical, “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” at 7:30 p.m. in Albert Taylor Hall, located in Plumb Hall. The play will continue through Sunday with its final performance taking place at 2 p.m.

Starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, the UAC will host the Homecoming Bonfire at Wilson Park.

“During this event, we “Yell Like Hell”, cheer for our Homecoming candidates and get pumped up for the games with speeches from athletic coaches and performances by the spirit squads and Dynasty,” Davis said.

At 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, the Black Hole Tailgating event will begin at 15^th Ave and Morse Drive. At 11 a.m., the Homecoming Parade will take place on Commercial Street and continue onto campus, and at 2:20 p.m., the ESU Hornets will take on Truman State at Welch Stadium. Royalty will be crowned at halftime. Chi Omega will host a pin taco fiesta at 3:30 p.m. at 1519 Merchant St.

Alpha Sigma Alpha will wrap things up with a chili feed from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday at 226 West 12^th Ave.

Kenzie Templeton/The Bulletin

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Homecoming History: Crowning of royalty during the 1959 ESU Homecoming.

Emporia State’s traditions for homecoming have evolved, changed names and fallen by the wayside with every passing decade.

“The overall concept of homecoming was for it to be a reunion for alumni,” said Roger Heineken, administrative officer for the Information Service Center, and ESU history enthusiast. “It also used to mark the occasion of the last home football game for the season, and hopefully ‘welcomed the team home’ victoriously.”

The only undefeated football team in ESU history was fielded in 1927 with a record of 7-0-0, according to the centennial addition to the 1963 Sunflower.

A homecoming tradition that has gone in and out of vogue is homecoming royalty.

“During the early 1970s President Visser did away with homecoming royalty since it had many issues, including being based around popularity, and not being very inclusive to different races,” Heineken said. “About 10 years ago homecoming royalty was reconceived in a much more inclusive manner.”

The once common tradition of freshman hazing fell by the wayside, and used to be correlated with homecoming, Heineken said.

“The Letterman’s Club used to sell beanies to freshman that they had to wear till homecoming, or they’d be paddled,” Heineken said. “Also, the freshman weren’t allowed to walk on the sidewalk leading from Commercial St. to campus, where the fountains are, until homecoming or they’d get paddled again. This tradition stopped around ‘63 or ’64, and in the Sauder Alumni Center you can still see the beanies they used to sell.”

Homecoming entertainment has also changed names and types as the years have passed.

“There used to be a scholarship variety show called Curli-Q, and UAC used to host a homecoming concert that happened every year until 1978,” Heineken said. “The concert got cancelled due to its conflict with events like the booked musical. In 1973 the booked musical started, with this year’s being the 37^th.”

The homecoming parade has been a tradition, like royalty, that has come and gone throughout the school’s history. It used to be that groups on campus would build floats to be judged in a competitive manner, and then they were displayed in a lavish parade, Heineken said.

“I remember judging the parade floats in the early ’90s,” said Phil Kelly, professor of social sciences. “It seems to me that there’s less student involvement at events in recent years, but I think that the dual theme of homecoming and Halloween is working really well this year.”

Even within the Emporia community a strong history of alumni homecoming exists, demonstrated most heavily in the Kaffe-Kalatch.

“The Kaffe-Kalatch was a general gathering of alumni as they came and went during homecoming weekend where they met for coffee and visited in the morning before attending any events,” Heineken said. “The event became even bigger with the institution of the Distinguished Alumni Program in 1961.”

Josh Johnson/The Bulletin

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Emporia State’s Haunted Homecoming events and activities successfully drew students into a haunting display of school spirit.

“I think people are really excited for homecoming this year,” said Lanie Harber, junior communications major. “The decorations are really awesome this year, and I think the ghost walk is going to draw a big crowd.”

Some students were initially apprehensive about the combined theme of Halloween and homecoming.

“I thought the Halloween theme was corny at the start of all this,” said Kris Swearingen, senior English secondary education major. “But now I like it, and it seems like it’s working out really well.”

This year’s homecoming activities included a whitewash event where students could pay money to draw on portions of the campuses sidewalk.

“It’s a great opportunity to promote royalty candidates, organizations and be creative,” Harber said. “It’s just a great ‘express yourself’ event over homecoming week.”

The annual tricycle races were held on Monday featuring the first co-ed team, STAND, the anti-genocide coalition. This year’s winners were the Sigma Pi fraternity.

“I thought it was great this year that there were non-Greek teams and a co-ed team participating,” said Kyra Strobel, senior communications major. “I thought everybody did really great and I am really excited for Sig Pi.”

Faculty and staff watching the event noted the surprising amount of skill the tricycle races required.

“This was certainly a different event,” said Peter Brodie, alumni relations director. “The event was energetic and physically demanding and I’d never be able to do it. It’s great to see such collaboration between students and administration.”

On Tuesday, Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) held a costume party in the Hornet’s Nest where they played games, and later went to the Inner-Bean Café for snacks and refreshments.

“CRU has always done a Halloween party,” said Kristi Gildner, junior psychology major. “We have a lot of fun playing games and dressing up for this event.”

Some of the costumes at the party included a trio dressed as Brock, Misty and Ash from the “Pokemon” series, a clown, a witch, a cowgirl and gothic forensics girl Abigail Sciuto from the TV series “NCIS.”

“We are trying to get our name out there and let people come and have a good time with our costume party,” said Adriana Claassen, sophomore elementary education major. “I’m really excited for this week and all the activities that are happening this weekend.”

Buttons will be on sale until tomorrow for $1 in the Memorial Union.The buttons provide discounts and benefits at local participating merchants.

Josh Johnson/The Bulletin

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Hornet football team hosts Missouri Western for Homecoming

The Emporia State football team will play host to the Missouri Western Griffons for the Homecoming game at 1 p.m. Oct. 31 at Welch Stadium in Emporia. The Hornets look to capitalize on their overtime win over Truman State a week ago, 30-24, against the Griffons, who are currently #3 in the MIAA. The football team is currently 2-7, 1-6 in MIAA play.

The Bulletin

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Roy Michael Johnson, senior theater major, emerges from the fog in Albert Taylor Hall dressed in a black leather bustier, fishnets and 6-inch heels. In full make up, he struts across the stage and sings, “I’m just a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania!”

Johnson plays the role of Dr. Frank N Furter for this year’s Homecoming Scholarship Musical, Richard O’Brien’s “Rocky Horror Show.”

“I like everything about it,” Johnson said. “It’s a show that I’m a big fan of. I’ve watched the movie since I was in middle school every year.”

“The Rocky Horror Show” started in London in the 1970s and grew to become a cult phenomenon with its film version, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” in the U.S. Jim Bartruff, theater director and professor, said it developed out of an anti-establishment, free love environment. The show spoofs science fiction movies of the 1960s.

“It’s one of those shows that our students say ‘let’s do the Rocky Horror Show’ and there was always a bit of reluctance to do it because of the subject matter,” Bartuff said.

Bartruff said he and a planning committee looked at the material and realized that it is not as startling as it might have been 40 years ago when the show began. He said they decided on doing the show because Homecoming fell on Halloween and it allows audience members to dress up and get involved.

During midnight showings of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” audience members shout at the movie screen and throw food items. Bartruff said that because ESU’s performance is a theater production, liquids and food will be confiscated at the door. Prop kits will be available for $5 and the proceeds will go to the music and theatre departments.

Marah Melvin, freshman elementary education major, said she and the other actors in the show are excited to see the crowd get involved.

“We encourage it, we hope people dress up, we hope people shout things, you know,” Melvin said. “We just feed off that and the energy, so we would love it if they do it.”

Performances of the Rocky Horror Show are Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 30 at 12 a.m., Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the ESU Box Office in the Memorial Union or by calling 620-341-6378.

Lauren Walbridge/The Bulletin

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