Wednesday, November 18, 2009

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY - AN APPRECIATION!

I was fortunate enough to spend my college years in Columbus, Ohio where I majored in journalism at The Ohio State University and learned to appreciate the game of football, fraternity men, and quarterbacks! The advisor to my sorority was Anne Hayes, wife of Woody, who was an exceptional and fascinating gentleman. Forget the neanderthal reputation foisted upon him by nasty newspaper persons (most of whom probably went to that "school up north"), Woody was a true gentleman and a scholar.

Jim Tressell is now the coach of The Ohio State University football team and a better example for his young charges I cannot imagine. The Coach believes in proper behavior both on and off the field and takes the descriptive phrase scholar-athlete very seriously. Bad grades and free rides in class are not his cup of tea. He believes in preparing the young men under his tutelage for a full life after college - whether or not they manage to make it to the NFL.

I received an excellent education in my years at Ohio State - even though there were times when I seldom attended classes. They kept giving me 8 o'clock classes and I don't DO mornings! A pledge in my sorority was persuaded to attend the class in my stead with a tape recorder. With over 500 students in each class (the leading edge of the baby boom don't you know), there was nobody taking attendance. Let the record show that I managed to "ace" most of those courses because my note taking was so first-rate!

Now, once again, the school I so proudly call my alma mater has managed to secure the Big Ten Championship. This coming Saturday, they are scheduled to play "that team up north" and then they will be playing the Pac-10 champions in the Rose Bowl. And I will, again, complain that the network broadcasting the game has not shown the Marching Band doing Script Ohio. It's on YouTube folks - I recommend it.

The elites who seem to think they are our rulers, not our employees, tend to look down their narrow noses at those of us who attended local and state-run colleges. Pfui on them. I got a great education at a reasonable cost, although I'm told that it isn't as affordable now as it was when I was there and it was only $100 per quarter! That's unfortunate.

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