Hunter Library Digital Collections (Western Carolina University)
Not a member yet
18463 research outputs found
Sort by
Bryson City High School boys' basketball team
No full textThis image shows the 1926-27 Bryson City High School boys' basketball team standing at the back of school building, and was taken by “Doc” Kelly Bennett (1890-1974). Bennett was a prominent pharmacist in Swain County, NC. Owner of the Bryson City Drug Company, Bennett served as alderman and mayor of Bryson City, on the Swain County Board of Education, as well as several terms as NC State Senator and NC State Representative. He participated in numerous other initiatives and organizations. Known as the “Apostle of the Smokies,” Bennett was an instrumental figure in the movement to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He was also an avid photographer, skillfully documenting a wide variety of people, places, and events in Swain County and the surrounding area
Football game at Carolina Wood Turning Company in Bryson City
No full textThis image shows a football game on a football field located at the upper end of Carolina Wood Turning Company in Bryson City and was taken by “Doc” Kelly Bennett (1890-1974). Bennett was a prominent pharmacist in Swain County, NC. Owner of the Bryson City Drug Company, Bennett served as alderman and mayor of Bryson City, on the Swain County Board of Education, as well as several terms as NC State Senator and NC State Representative. He participated in numerous other initiatives and organizations. Known as the “Apostle of the Smokies,” Bennett was an instrumental figure in the movement to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He was also an avid photographer, skillfully documenting a wide variety of people, places, and events in Swain County and the surrounding area
Columns by Robb Schrof and Billy Graham
No full textThese September 19, 1985 columns by Billy Graham, sports editor for the Western Carolinian, and staff writer Robb Schrof. Schrof and Graham write humor, often directed at each other. In this week’s issue, they both agree that the campus is showing its close-mindedness when it comes to the new organization, Lavender Bridges. Lavender Bridges, an anonymously founded student organization open to all individuals, aimed to promote awareness of lesbian and gay lifestyle, provide lesbian and gay resources, and increase communication with all students and community members. The first organizational meeting took place October 10, 1985 and was officially recognized by the office of Student Development on December 13, 1985. The last mention of the group appeared in the October 10, 1991 issue of the Western Carolinian
Letter to the editor by Co-Chair of Lavender Bridges
No full textThis January 30, 1986 letter to the editor signed Co-Chair, Lavender Bridges addresses the front-page article in the Western Carolinian from January 23 titled “Addressing gay concerns: Lavender Bridges recognized.” The author was misquoted in the article and wishes to set the record straight. Lavender Bridges, an anonymously founded student organization open to all individuals, aimed to promote awareness of lesbian and gay lifestyle, provide lesbian and gay resources, and increase communication with all students and community members. The first organizational meeting took place October 10, 1985 and was officially recognized by the office of Student Development on December 13, 1985. The last mention of the group appeared in the October 10, 1991 issue of the Western Carolinian.Dear Mr. Editor,
I'd like to calf your attention to
the significance of language and
the importance of the use of
particular words to convey the
intended meanings of one person
(or group) to another. Specifically,
I refer to the article about Lavender
Bridges in your January 23 issue.
The only quotation in the
article was carefully planned and
the words were carefully selected
with the intention to convey clearly
that this orgainzation would NOT
address "specific concerns of
sexual orientation" more than
broader concerns affecting all
individuals in a society regardless
of one's sexuality. I am adamant
that if you are to quote an
individual (and in this particular
case you were able to copy from a
written quote) their specific
selection of words must be
considered and carefully
conveyed. On behalf of Lavender
Bridges, I will reiterate the specific
and correct quote that was
Western Carolinian
(704) 227 7267 Western Carolina University PO Box 66Culiowhee, North Carolina 28723
The WESTERN CAROLINIAN is published
weekly by the Publication Board of Western Carolina
University. It is an independent student publication
intended for the article:
"While Lavender Bridges
specifically addresses the
concerns of lesbian and gay
students, attendance is not a
reflection of sexual orientation. The
group wishes to extend an
invitation to any individual who is
interested in learning more about
the issues surrounding a lesbian or
gay lifestyle.
In addition, sexual orientation
is not the only area of one's lifestyle.
We assume labels only to begin
defining and clarifying for
ourselves and others who it is that
we really are. For gay people, this
mea ns eve n creati ng new words or
using old words for newer
concepts. We are no more strictly
sexual beings than bisexuals or
heterosexuals. What we are
though, has been overshadowed
by the labels which have been
used to create frightening myths
about us.
Sincerely,
Co-Chair, Lavender Bridge
Interview with founder of Lavender Bridges
No full textIn the September 18, 1986 issue of the Western Carolinian, Editor-in-chief Andrew Dawkins interviews Chris, the founder of Lavender Bridges. Lavender Bridges, an anonymously founded student organization open to all individuals, aimed to promote awareness of lesbian and gay lifestyle, provide lesbian and gay resources, and increase communication with all students and community members. The first organizational meeting took place October 10, 1985 and was officially recognized by the office of Student Development on December 13, 1985. The last mention of the group appeared in the October 10, 1991 issue of the Western Carolinian.//
I Think People Are
Things
by Andrew Dawkins
Editor-in-Chief
The following is a candid
interview with the founder of
Lavender Bridges. For obvious
reasons her full name will not be
used, save the first nanne Chris.
WC:When did you first realize you
were gay?
CHRIS:I realized I was attracted to
other individuals of the same
gender when I was about 8 years
old but I never perceived these
attractons as sexual in nature. I
was 25 before I acknowledged to
myself and others that I was a
lesbian.
WC:What was your initial reaction
to this discovery?
CHRIS.I was raised in a very moral
and religious home. I attended
church, sang in the choir, and even
accepted the Fundamentalist
views and dedicated my life to
Christ throughout my life. It was
very easy to say at that point that I
wasn't a lesbian-after all I thought
that homosexuals were repulsively
marred, didn't take baths, and
instead of having loving
relationships beat each other for
arousal. I certainlydid notfit anyof
those categories and so reassured
myself that these fellings were
unique and misunderstood. When
I finally recognized that loving
another woman in my way was
equal to the normal reactions that
other women had for men, I sighed
in relief. I finally understood that
gay people not only were capable
of loving, healthy relationships but
did actually seek them out and
experience them.
WC:What was the nitial reaction of
your significant friends to this
discovery (taking it for granted
you shared it with them shortly
afterwards)?
CHRIS:My initial reaction was that I
should tell those people who were,
closest to me. I felt it was the
Chris
honest nature in me wanting
people to be happy with me about
growing up and recognizing my
differences. Instead I was told by
my minister that I had a demon
and needed much prayer and
deliverance. I was soon monitored
for my honesty and other members
of the church began reporting to
the minister on who I had been
with, how late I had been out, etc.
Overnight I was ostracized from
the "spiritual" group that I had
known and transformed inot a
terible demon possessed creature
who was eventually
excommunicated from the ranks
of the "righteous" and dismissed
as a spiritual enemy of the church.
When my own mother finally
asked the same question I
expected the same treatment but
all she said initially was "my
daughter, I love you." And then she
said "Have you prayed to God to
change you?" My response was
"Mom, I've lived my entire life
trying to please God and Christ, you
and those who said they knew what
was right. I have discovered that
others don't know all that is right
but Christ does. If God is disgusted
with me then God will have to let
me know. I am no longer living my
life to please others more than
myself of God."
WC:Why found Lavender Bridges?
CHRIS.A major reason LB was
founded was out of personal need
to meet others who were lesbian
and gay and to create a place
where we could "come out" and
talk and grow together. I also
recognized that many gay people
might be feeling isolated and quite
alone here.
In addition to that, I believe
lesbians and gays have many
needs and rights which are
overlooked and often taken for
granted by others. I wanted to
provide an opportunity for thought,
growth, and change.
WC:Why the name Lavender
Bridges?
LB was originally intended to
be a pseudonym for members of
the organization to assume in the
event that they wanted to speak up
for gay people in the newspaper
without endangering their campus
careers. The color Lavender is an
international symbol of gay pride
and we wanted to let people know
we are not ashamed of who we are
(just cautious). We are also
building bridges for understanding
and communication with those
who have a million myths and fears
about gay people.
wciwnar discoveries about
yourself or others around you (in
Cullowhee) have you made since
you launched Lavender Bridges?
CHRIS:I have come to view myself
as others have seen me, that is, a
very strong, knowledgable,
spiritual, caring human being.
Most of those who encountered in
Cullowhee and know about me and
my affiliation with Lavender
Bridges have not only been
receptive but have shown
repeatedly a support and human
caring that comes when fears and
myths are dispelled.
The minimal negativism and
outright hostility I have personally
encountered is representative of a
minority group which is much
smaller than the 600-700 gay
people on this campus.
WC:What's your philosophy on
life?
CHRIS:I have a strong value for life
and the quality of it. I used to be
afraid to take risks but I have
learned that living is a process of
trying and understanding the
outcome and aplying that to the
next attempt. I'm not saying that
I'm not afraid even — I'm saying
that the results are much more
gratifying than the sitting still.
I'd like to think that caring ,
listening, and giving your best is
what really makes life a quality
commodity. If most of us
understood what that meant we
could exceed a lot of the hatred
and oppression that exists.
WC:What motivates you?
CHRIS:One of the most motivating
things for me is seeing a task that
needs to be attended to and doing
something about it. I don't mind
being asked to think on a question,
and I find the more creative I am
asked to become, the more
motivated I become.
WC: What's your response to those
who say gays are sick/perverted
etc.?
CHRIS:I say that those individuals
are predominantly fearful of
something they don't understand.
These people think they have
never met a gay person, they are
told by over-zealous judgemental
moralist that there are few gays,
and that they do not live among the
good and healthy population. Gay
people are everywhere — in
church beside you, teaching in
your classroom, members of your
fraternities and sororities, some
are your mother or father or
minister, many sit beside you in
classes everday and you could
never know it!
Once the human element is
added to the picture, I find that
fearful individuals become
sensitive listeners. Once an
individual becomes a sensitive
listener then they can be given
factual information and asked to
make a responsible decision about
their attitudes toward gay people.
Many people have said to me- "hey,
you're just another normal human
being!"
WCHow would you describe
yourself?
CHRIS:I am a happy, sane, highly
sensitive and spiritual individual
who enjoys the outdoors, jazz,
delicious food and intense and
fascinating conversations with
people who are not preoccupied
with being just like the "norm", f
enjoy traveling, reading, waterfall
exploring, and flying kites. I am a
person pursuing a humanity-
oriented career and believe that I
have a great deal to offer my
profession as well as humankind.
Being a lesbian does not
interfere with who I am and it has
played a major role in my abilities
for insight and sensitivity to those
around me. I am a woman and a
lesbian. They are interchangeable
for me because I am not only a
sexual entity; I also have political,
social, intellectual, aesthetic,
emotional, and spiritual
components as well. I am not a
lesbian because I chose to revolt
»inst society's values; I am a gay
ton because I chose to
acknowledge that pa rt of me and to
go on with my life, living it as fully
and happily and with as much to
offer as is humanly possible.
WC.Who are some of the people
you admire most, and why?
CHRIS: Those who are willing to be
unique and outstanding, who take
risks when everyone else is
satisfied to stay silent and still and
follow the tried and true; those who
show the need to survive (which
some define as courage), and
those who don't mind speaking
from the heart without malice or
judgement.
Some people who fit these
descriptions aren't even gay!
Einstein, for example. Some who
have advocated the gay life in one
way or another, and whom I admire
are: Rita Mae Brown (lesbian
author), Martina Navratilova
(fantastic amazon tennis pro),
Rock Hudson (movie star with
AIDS), and Harvey Milk (San
Francisco's first openly gay elected
official).
Lavendar Bridges is a self-
funded student organization which
provides social and emotional
support for the WCU lesbian/gay
community. It is open to gay
people, their friends, and
supporters. It also provides
information and presentations for
those who have questions
concerning gay lifestyle, or whoare
family of lesbian/gay individuals.
Lavendar Bridges will hold
their FIRST open to the general
campus "drop-in" on Wednesday,
September 24 from 12 2 in the
Catamount Room of the UC. They
will provide free literature and
answer questions for interested
individuals.
Lavendar Bridges will also
hold a closed meeting for lesbians
and gay men only, on Thursday,
September 25 at 5 pm. Discretion
is assured.
For additional information on
membership, presentations,
newsletter subscription, etc. Write
to: PO Box 2646 / Cullowhee NC
28723
Learning to be tolerant
No full textAn editorial by Andrew Dawkins, Editor-in-chief, titled “Learning to be tolerant” from the September 18, 1986 issue of the Western Carolinian was inspired by meeting the founder of Lavender Bridges. He asks that we be tolerant of what we may not understand in order to prevent cruelty against those different from ourselves. Lavender Bridges, an anonymously founded student organization open to all individuals, aimed to promote awareness of lesbian and gay lifestyle, provide lesbian and gay resources, and increase communication with all students and community members. The first organizational meeting took place October 10, 1985 and was officially recognized by the office of Student Development on December 13, 1985. The last mention of the group appeared in the October 10, 1991 issue of the Western Carolinian.Editor's Notebook
Andrew
Dawk ins
Editor-in-Chief
Learning to be Tolerant
Toward the end of last semester
(Spring '86) I happened to be asked by
someone who I had shared a number of
psychology classes and study sessions
with, to help with a psych, experiment she
was conducting. I did not hesitate to
respond positively since this person was
someone I felt very warm towards, and
admired.
During the course of our post-
experiment chitchat, I discovered, to my
surprise, that my associate was the
founder of the very controversial Lavender
Bridges. Before her revelation this group
meant nothing more to me than a name,
and a source of controversy for others. I
had no interest in the group, nor its
purpose and so did not occupy myself
with thoughts of it.
What fascinated me, however, was
the courage of the woman who sat across
from me in the library that afternoon last
semester sharing that part of herself with
me. I wondered what gave her the guts to
dare to stand up and say: "This is what I
am. I am different from you in this respect,
perhaps. But, I am human despite of, and
because of it, and I wantyou to know, and
understand and try to accept that part of
//
Like the black, Jew, and the
American Indian (among others) the
homosexual has been tormented and
murdered because of his "difference."
Sometimes what we do not, or choose not
to understand can be so frightening, or,
conversely, can be so easily and cruelly
dealt with. It is so easy to dismiss others
who are different from ourselves, to
dehumanize them and, in so doing,
desensitize ourselves to the pain we inflict
on them.
I remember watching an NBC movie
special a month or two ago titled (The
Elephant Man). It was the story (real or
fictitious I do not know at this point in
time) of a man so disfigured that it was a
chore and a half to look at him. He was
very intelligent, but, because of his
hideous appearance, he was treated like
an animal. He was displayed in carnivals
asafreak. I can remember his pained cry
to a group of people who stood gawking
at him in a railroad station, oblivious to his
human need for privacy, for respect, to be
treated with dignity, for just treatment
despite his physical difference. His
pained cry of "I am not an animal. I am a
Human being!" resounded around the
MNIroad station and made me feel
genuine pain. How cruelly we sometimes
treat those who are different from ourselves.
I remember not wanting to look at
certain photos in one of my sociology
textbooks. One photo that still lingers
after two years or so in my memory is that
of a man, who shared my skin color (this
made him different), hanging by a rope
from a tree. The faces of those others
around his limp body showed no
remorse, no identification with his
humanity, no feeling for him. What I
couldn't help focusing on was how this
human being must have suffered before
he died, how frightened and alone he
must have felt, how very, very frightened
he must have been as cold, uncaring
hands slipped a rope around his neck.
How cruelly we sometimes treat those who
are different from ourselves.
Understanding and tolerance is key
in preventing such cruelty from occuring
again. I'm not advocating embracing
the beliefs and/or practices of others, in
particular Lavender Bridges. What I'm
advocating is an attempt to see others as
human beings like you and me. See them
despite their differences, as human
beings with needs, desires, fears, and
hopes like you and me.
It is in the interest of promoting such
an understanding, and seeing the
humanity in those who embrace the
philosophy of Lavender Bridges that I
decided to put myself out on a limb and
interview the founder of Lavender Bridges
on this week's people page.
Someone once said something to the
effect that if we can't accept each other's
difference, than we should at least strive
to make the world a safer place for
diversity
The art of recklessly causing trouble
No full textBilly Graham’s column in the October 9, 1986 issue of the Western Carolinian titled “The art of recklessly causing trouble” talks about how last year’s paper had a “spark” that this year’s paper does not. He appreciates that last year’s writers did not steer away from campus controversies such as Lavender Bridges. Lavender Bridges, an anonymously founded student organization open to all individuals, aimed to promote awareness of lesbian and gay lifestyle, provide lesbian and gay resources, and increase communication with all students and community members. The first organizational meeting took place October 10, 1985 and was officially recognized by the office of Student Development on December 13, 1985. The last mention of the group appeared in the October 10, 1991 issue of the Western Carolinian.The Art of Recklessly
Causing Trouble
That Thoreau guy, the one who slept by a
swamp, once wrote that metamorphosis was the
law of the universe. Everything, he said, was fluid.
Fine. Metamorphosis, I don't mind, simply because
it's synonymous with evolution, which in turn has
something to do with reproduction. Fluids, also, in a
number of their variations, are nice to have around.
It's change, that to which Thoreau was actually
alluding, that pains me occasionally.
Let's take, for example, the Carolinian. It's been
a smooth transition between school years for the
campus paper, particularly In comparison to the
year before, when in a Woodward and Bernstein-
esque play, Student Government impeached the
Carolinian editor (Woodward and Bernstein had the
tact, at least, to be justified).
However, though the paper does look as good
this year as last, there has been a loss in transition.
There was - stop me if you disagree -- a spark in last
year's paper that hasn't shown itself this semester.
Popular controversies on campus were fanned into
flame slightly more adeptly. We had bomb threats
at our offices, personal threats to our perspectives
staff, and queries made as to our sexual
preferences. All of this, of course, was big fun, and
stemmed from an atmosphere that would be
difficult to duplicate.
"Difficulty" is no excuse. Closed minds, those
whichare most easily irked, are still around. Justified
complaints that civil rights are impuned by the
raising of the drinking age and by restrictions on
mild pornography are trumpeted by those who in
the next breath offer the Bible as backbone for their
contentions that "Lavendar Bridges" should be
suppressed. Apparently civil rights extend only
about six inches from any given preference.
'My libido, my liver, my rights. Your libido,
your...you like to put it where? Sorry, if our libidos
matched maybe we could have a beer...'
At any rate, those who still believe precisely what
mother and father told them, need occasionally to
be forced to decide between age-old beliefs and
new ideas. This is what college is all about. No one
should suffer through life without changing any of
their beliefs - or at least strengthening them.
Schrof blew into town mid-week last week,
about two steps ahead of some particularly vicious
hallucinations.
Robb Schrof was a premiere columnist, druggist
and weed-in-the-garden variety radical on the
Carolinian staff last year. If you were here you no
doubt remember him. If you weren't, you missed
out. Noone liked him, of course, except myself, and I
was awfully quiet about it, but the fact remains that
he was a very effective writer. Whether gleefully
illustrating his fondness of Hunter Thompson's
Gonzoism with his mi iiations, spitting fire at Ronnie
and the boys up North, or simply going on about
any number of our cherished road trips, Schrof
managed to perturb just about everyone and gain,
lo and behold, response.
Another columnist, Carl Brickman, was similarly
successful. His spectacularly conservative stance,
no, evangelistically right-wing stance, no, downright
Helmsian stance, elicited comments of an entirely
different nature. Carl is still on ca mpus, probably off
competing with something at this very moment, but
his interests have turned to other than journalistic
pursuits.
Not to say that lastyear's staff were better writers.
That probably isn't the case. It's just that they
disassociated themselves from the norm - traffic
and security, cafeteria -- and really annoyed some
people. Perhaps, as last year's editor Randy
Rosenthal suggests, we might have conceded
some maturity to our aggressiveness. But then
again, as he also notes, this isn't The Times or The
Post, and a Herculean effort is necessary to garner
any response at all.
Plus, we had such a good time. What a crutch
'maturity' can be, and, in this case, change is quite a
pain.
'btty Grower
Announcement for Lavender Bridges
No full textThis announcement for Lavender Bridges is in the Classified and Announcement section of the December 12, 1985 issue of the Western Carolinian. Lavender Bridges, an anonymously founded student organization open to all individuals, aimed to promote awareness of lesbian and gay lifestyle, provide lesbian and gay resources, and increase communication with all students and community members. The first organizational meeting took place October 10, 1985 and was officially recognized by the office of Student Development on December 13, 1985. The last mention of the group appeared in the October 10, 1991 issue of the Western Carolinian.LAVENDER BRIDGES 4 A
student organization for lesbians
and gays and for those who share
interests and concerns with the
Lesbian/Gay community. For
more information write to: PO Box
2646, Cullowhee, NC 2872
View from Bryson City Cemetery
No full textThis image taken by “Doc” Kelly Bennett (1890-1974) looking southeast from Bryson City Cemetery shows the Fryemont Inn, Randolph House, and the homes of the Franklin, Dougherty, and Corpening families. Bennett was a prominent pharmacist in Swain County, NC. Owner of the Bryson City Drug Company, Bennett served as alderman and mayor of Bryson City, on the Swain County Board of Education, as well as several terms as NC State Senator and NC State Representative. He participated in numerous other initiatives and organizations. Known as the “Apostle of the Smokies,” Bennett was an instrumental figure in the movement to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He was also an avid photographer, skillfully documenting a wide variety of people, places, and events in Swain County and the surrounding area
Bryson City
No full textThis view from Hospital Hill shows Bryson City and was taken by “Doc” Kelly Bennett (1890-1974). Bennett was a prominent pharmacist in Swain County, NC. Owner of the Bryson City Drug Company, Bennett served as alderman and mayor of Bryson City, on the Swain County Board of Education, as well as several terms as NC State Senator and NC State Representative. He participated in numerous other initiatives and organizations. Known as the “Apostle of the Smokies,” Bennett was an instrumental figure in the movement to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He was also an avid photographer, skillfully documenting a wide variety of people, places, and events in Swain County and the surrounding area