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Editor revives Tower Light
By Jacob Harrison
Senior Collegian Reporter
Those who were disappointed
last year when Hillsdale College's annual literary magazine,
Tower Light, was not published, will be pleased on May
1 when the Light returns again.
Editor Dave Frank, sophomore, said that he
is pleased with the quality of the material.
"I think we're going to have a very good
magazine this year," he said. "Dr. [David] Whalen
has been a great help throughout the whole process, as well
as our assistant editor, Stephanie Adams."
Frank said he chose Adams, a transfer student and a senior,
as assistant editor because of her credentials and enthusiasm.
"She was the only person who attended
every meeting," he said. "She's a good writer herself
and has a real ability with evaluating the submissions."
Adams previously attended Casper College in
Wyoming and worked as a music and literary editor for that school's
publication, Expression.
"When I originally found out that Hillsdale
had a literary magazine, I was excited," she said. "Then
I saw the magazine and realized that not many of the students
even know it exists."
Whalen, associate provost, has been an adviser
for Tower Light since 1996.
"The Tower Light is valuable precisely
because it is a venue for serious or thoughtful poetry, prose
and occasionally visual art produced by students, faculty and
staff," Whalen said. "It is also a vehicle by which
students learn to make editorial judgments and develop production
skills."
The Student Federation funds the Tower
Light, which has a production budget of $1,600, enough to
print approximately 250 copies of the magazine.
"I am disappointed that it will be impossible
for us to make available enough copies for at least all the
students," Frank said. "It's a shame."
He said many of the submissions this year
are stylistically more modern, or even postmodern, in both prose
and poetry, reflecting a more contemporary voice than in past
issues.
"The literary styles in previous issues
have included more parodying of the 19th century," he said.
"This new issue uses the language and styles of this century.
It's not going to be all odes, sonnets, and soliloquy."
The magazine's overall look is aided by senior
Emma Tocci, who created a photo essay that will appear throughout
the magazine.
Frank said he has been concerned over some
of the more "adult words" that appear in certain submissions
but has tried to be sensitive to the expectations of the college
community, as well as to the artistic honesty of the works.
Adams said some of the submissions are more
"contemporary and risqué" than the college
is used to.
"But I would say profanities are only
acceptable when they supplement the art, rather than making
them the focus of a piece," she said.
"This is not a moral issue-we
are not out to offend, and I don't think this publication will,"
Frank said. "What I think is most important is to gather
our best writers and put out the best creative writing on campus.
That is precisely what we're trying to do."
Whalen said that an adviser does not ordinarily
view submissions unless asked by the editor and, therefore,
has not read or seen the upcoming issue.
"My conversations with the editor have
stressed a principle pertaining to editorial judgment-sound
artistic judgment combined with judgment about the publication's
context," he said. "That is, the Tower Light
is both a literary magazine and a publication affiliated with
the college."
Adams said that she hopes to see an issue
that best represents all facets of the school's student body.
"I hope more people become involved so
this magazine could one day enter a competition, or at least
be acknowledged by the students that it is supposed to represent,"
she said.
"I think we have a very strong English
department, and I want the Tower Light to reflect that,"
Frank said.
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