Talents Showcased at Stonehill Open Mic Night

By Michael Farwell

Stonehill College concert coffee houses are rising in popularity and becoming a place for students to showcase their talent.

Students perform at the coffee house for various reasons. Some play just for fun, others to entertain a crowd, and some to test their own capability.

“I get bored playing guitar in my room. I used to play in talent shows and other concert type events in high school. I figured I should share my music with people who enjoy it.” Junior, Chad Gaughn, said.

Coffee House committee executive Devin Mauch had his own opinion of why people play. “I think it is a personal test for some people. They want to see if they are able to play in front of a crowd and starting out at an open Mic is the best idea. It can be tormenting at times, but it is a way to see if you can get that crowd approval before going somewhere else like a bar or a bigger venue to perform.”

Mauch who is on the concert coffee house committee said there are about 10 to 15 coffeehouses a year at Stonehill with 10 to 15 people, solo or in groups performing.

The concert coffeehouse is a self funded committee; however, at many open Mic nights at various café’s and bars you will find a variety of sponsors. “I sponsor some open Mic nights around Mystic, Conn. and Westerly, RI. They give me a chance to advertise my store and it provides bars with a unique or specialty beer for the evening.” Kevin Wildes, Cask’N Keg owner (A Mystic Liquor Store) said.

It is common to find Liquor stores, beer brands, and even Brick House surf shop in Marblehead/Gloucester has sponsored an open Mic night, all in hopes of getting some good publicity.

“We get bands and live entertainment in here all the time. It creates a good bar atmosphere and lightens the mood. Not only is it a good opportunity for the artists but also a chance to bring people into the bar that normally wouldn’t come in. It works as a positive for everyone involved. We have regulars now at the [bar] because of musicians they have seen come into the bar.” Peter Kelly, Pickled Onion (Beverly, Mass. Pub), said.


Eric Scholl and Shane Caffrey, aspiring musicians, saw the open-Mic night at Stonehill as an opportunity to showcase their talents.

Caffrey who frequents the stage during the concert coffee house felt that it was time that he and fret board-master Eric Scholl finally publically collaborated. “A lot of times we will be sitting in Scholly’s room just fooling around on the guitar and while I’m playing a riff, Eric will just start soloing,” Caffrey said.

It took some coaxing to finally get the two on the stage together.

“Nothing was spur of the moment about this,” Scholl said. “Shane really pushed for me to get up on stage with him. I remember countless times where I would walk over to O’Hara with my guitar and amp, Shane and I would have a few beers, and then start playing together. Even though it isn’t a huge venue its a little different being up on stage in-front of a bunch of people you don’t know. And that spotlight man, that thing seems like the sun when you are up there.”

Caffrey, a Scituate native, began playing the bass in his bedroom when he was 13-years-old. Eric Scholl, a Wilmington native, began his North Shore shredding at the same age of 13 after a heavy Metallica influence from his older brother, Will Scholl.

Caffrey, who now plays guitar, has a slightly different style than that of Scholl. Caffrey, with a phenomenal voice, sings like he is straight out of the south. A seemingly natural southern drawl with some high pitched falsettos seems to swoon any crowd he plays for.

While not only singing storytelling country lyrics, Caffrey also plays the rhythm guitar, keeping pace and tempo of the song in order.

Solo-master, Eric Scholl plays a heavier metal and blues guitar for the duo. Despite having an unparalleled voice, Scholl lets his guitar do the singing. “When Eric solos I get goose bumps,” Caffrey Said.

Despite sounding so different individually, when the two pair up together and play, their musical styles seemingly mix together like The Allman Brothers meets Black Sabbath.

“We’re far from where we want to be, but it is tough in college with so many other distractions. Eric is on the hockey team and I am the manager so that is a big commitment. Not to mention the countless hours of work we have for school. We’re going to keep grinding slowly but surely and hopefully go bigger than Stonehill coffee house with our music,” Caffrey said.

The Weight of the World

By Elizabeth O'Hara

Every day, we are bombarded by hundreds of media images that seek to define the standard of beauty and in turn, affect the way we see ourselves.

Many say that it is these airbrushed images of “beauty” that give them a negative self image.

“You automatically think that if you don’t look like the models or people on television that there is something wrong with you,” said Jessica Brown, the Health and Wellness Educator at Stonehill College.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the average woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds and the average model is 5’11” and weighs 117 pounds.
Although this image is virtually unattainable, many say that it makes them feel so uncomfortable in their own body, that they still try and sculpt themselves to fit such an image.
“The idea of what a female should look like has gone from curvacious to really thin. Growing up, it’s easier to fit in if you fit that image,” said Lindsay Sullivan, 19, of Rockland.
Recently, there has also been a new wave of men who are affected by images of tall, dark, and handsome images in the media.

“It’s more women than men, but guys on TV all look like Abercrombie models. It’s kind of sad,” said Jonathan Scibila, 21, of Whitman.
It is a result of this fictitious body image that the diet and diet related industry is a 50 billion dollar a year enterprise, according the the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness.
Even more shocking is the age at which children are becoming concerned about their weight.
Time Magazine reported that 80 percent of all children have been on a diet by the time that they have reached the fourth grade.
“The number one thing is being comfortable in your own skin and what’s sad is that girls as young as ten want to be thinner and are going on diets,” said Brown.
With these images of “beauty” plastered nearly everywhere, it is difficult to escape a negative self image.
So, in response to this growing epidemic, many television icons, like Tyra Banks along with several different agencies have become advocates for a healthy and more positive body image.
One of these agencies is Dove. They have created the Campaign for Real Beauty that serves to turn the tide of these beauty pressures and encourage young girls and women everywhere to embrace their body.
According to an internal study done by Dove in 2002, over 50 percent of women say that their body disgusts them.
The Campaign for Real Beauty has set out to redefine the stereotypes of beauty and to inspire more women to feel good about themselves.
“We can definitely change this. Things like plus size models and the Dove campaign saying that ‘No, this is not OK’ makes a huge impact,” said Brown.
In addition to the Campaign, Dove has also created the Dove Self-Esteem Fund that is aimed at liberating the next generation from these negative self images.
Any purchase of Dove products becomes a contribution to the Fund.
“The youth really are maturing faster and there has become a bigger need for self expression rather than fitting in. It’s definitely changing for the better,” said Sullivan.
Only two percent of women around the world would describe themselves as “beautiful”, according to a study commissioned by Dove in 2004.
With more people vocalizing the opinions and feelings about becing comfortable in your own skin, the possibility of the other 98 percent of women thinking that they are beautiful will become greater.
“The bottom line is to be true to yourself. You can always work on your self image and your self esteem. You only have one body, so embrace it,” said Brown.

Stonehill Community Reflects of Foreign Language Education

By Tim Walsh

N. Easton, Mass. – Stonehill College sophomore Alex Swayne says his ability to speak French may have saved lives at his workplace.

“I worked as a lifeguard at a community pool where people who speak lots of different languages came. If English was the only language I spoke, people might not have understood me as much and that could be dangerous.”

Most Americans, at this point in time, realize that the international perception of America and its citizens is unfavorable.

Joyce Collins, a Spanish professor at Stonehill College, has seen the international perception of Americans firsthand.

“When I was in Latin America, the inhabitants always thought that I was from Spain and when I was visiting Spain, the Spaniards always thought I was from Latin America. Their impression was that most people from the United States do not speak a foreign language,” said Collins.

The 2000 U.S. Census reported that 47 million people, roughly 18 percent of the U.S. population, spoke a language other than English at home, a number that continues to rise as America becomes more and more diverse.

Former Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley has argued for years that foreign language education aids children’s understanding of other cultures as well as their mastery of the English language.

A general criticism of American foreign language education is that students start at too late an age.

Collins says to change that, the first step needs to be to “promote the study of foreign languages in elementary schools and in high schools” by starting students on foreign languages at an earlier age.

Even if more opportunities to learn a foreign language are there that does not mean everyone will do it; Americans may need incentives to learn a new language.

Neil Simon may just provide some of that incentive in his 1980 book “The Tongue Tied American: Confronting The Foreign Language Crisis,” in which Simon reported that (as of 1980,) “Each year 200,000 Americans lose out on jobs with business because they do not know another language.”

As America becomes more diverse and technology continues to bring people from all cultures and countries together, the number of people denied jobs due to inability to speak foreign languages will certainly continue to grow.

For Stonehill sophomore Dan Hogan, a Spanish major, speaking a foreign language seems to be a ‘can’t-miss’ opportunity.
“I think speaking Spanish is going to be great for me,” says Hogan.

“Obviously it’s beneficial professionally because you can work and converse with more people than if you only spoke one language, but it’s good for other reasons too. I’m relatively fluent in Spanish now and it’s allowing me to study in Spain this summer and learn more about the culture there.”

For Professor Collins, however, the ability to speak a foreign language offers hope for the world’s future.“The study of a foreign language hopefully will enable us to (have) dialogue with people of diverse nations in order to create a better world and to have a better understanding and tolerance for other cultures. By studying a foreign language, each one of us has the potential to become active agents of positive change in the world in which we live. This will hopefully lead to a world of peace. These are the benefits of studying a foreign language.”

Local Theater Productions Find Support in Economic Hardship

By: Lauren Swett

EASTON, MASS. — In today’s economy, people are turning to local college arts as a cheap alternative to the expensive Boston theater programs.

“I think college theater is a great place for inexpensive entertainment,” said Adrianna Cacciato, a Stonehill College student.

It is a place more people are turning to, also. With prices ranging from $5 to $8, college productions are far cheaper than the professional theater programs. According to the BostonTheaterScene.com, ticket prices at BCA Plaza Theatre in Boston can be anywhere from $27 to 35.

Stonehill College’s recent performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "Aspects of Love" sold out.

“Ticket sales offset the expenses of the theater.” said Joan Halpert, costume designer and dance instructor at Stonehill College “We are very grateful to get the support we get. People know that despite our size, we put together a great show.”

David Fox, professor of theater at Wheaton College said the attendance had been steady for performances there.

“I think this has a lot to do with the price of our tickets—only $5 for the general public and $2 for students and seniors,” he said.

At Bridgewater State College, the funding for theater programs has been steady. The college recently held their spring concert for the dance program and received a USA dance masterpiece grant to help with the performance.

The president of the college has also vowed to help the theater programs not suffer. “Our president is very supportive of the academic [theater] program. He has pledged to not lay off faculty and staff and not cut our budgets,” Nancy Moses, professor of dance and coordinator of the dance program at Bridgewater State College “it is a phenomenal pledge to make”.

The Stonehill College dance team knows all about economic restrictions. “Everything we wear we pay for,” said dance team member Lisa Coletti. “We pay for our plane ticket and our spending money at nationals.”

The Stonehill College Dance Team is a popular choice of entertainment for many on campus events.

“We are invited to tons of events, this year we did Relay for Life, The Special Olympics, Midnight Madness, basketball games, football games , and Nationals.” said Karissa Nickerson, Stonehill dance team member.

People turn out to see the dancers too. “It’s really nice to hear people say ‘I came to the game to see you girls dance’” said Nickerson.

April 8 the Stonehill Dance Team flew to Daytona Beach to perform at National, a place that is nothing new for the girls. “We are a small no name school”, said Nickerson, “but we do well for ourselves. we place well every year and people know our name.”

From dance to theater people are turning out to local theater performances to get their minds off the stressors of the outside world.

“In hard economic times people turn toward entertainment,” said Halpert, “It’s an escape for them.”

"I think people turn out because we put on a good show” said Heather Tellier a Stonehill student who attends many of the Stonehill productions, “The shows are cheap, on campus, good productions, and different! You never feel like the same plays are put on over and over again.”