by Abigail McQueen | Sep 6, 2021 | News, News Slider
Every year, students of all ages look forward to the first Monday of September, whether that holds an end-of-summer get together or a break from an already busy school year. But where exactly did Labor Day come from, and why is it a significant holiday in the history of America? The story of Labor Day starts with the labor movements of the late 19th century. Conditions for American workers at the time were notoriously bad. Twelve-hour workdays and unsanitary factories made their jobs dangerous, and benefits (such as health care) were either severely limited or non-existent. There were also no laws protecting child workers, who were often subjected to particularly unsafe jobs, like getting into and cleaning out chimneys, because of their small size. To protest their unfair treatment, labor unions across the country organized strikes, some of which were more violent than others. In the infamous Pullman strike of 1894, the American Railroad Union led a nationwide boycott of Pullman Palace train cars to protest wage cuts. The strike ended only when the government sent troops to Chicago, which triggered a series of deadly riots. Such shocking events caused many writers, photographers, activists, and politicians to turn their focus to exposing the horrors of factories, helping workers fight for their rights, and pushing for legislators to make serious changes. As greater awareness of the plight of workers began to spread, many advocated for a holiday to celebrate American workers and their contributions to society. In 1887, Oregon became the first state to recognize Labor Day as an official holiday, and four other states (Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and...
by Abigail McQueen | Aug 28, 2021 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Uncategorized
To celebrate the first week of classes, the Office of Community Life hosted a drive-in movie night at Woodmont Hills Church of Christ this past Friday. Despite facing some screening challenges during the film, the showing was an enjoyable and eventful night for students. Lipscomb students were given the opportunity to suggest ideas and then vote on the movie to be shown.; Monsters University was the chosen film. As students drove into the parking lot, Student Activity Board volunteers directed them to spots. Once settled, students were able to grab a sweet treat to eat during the movie at the snack table. Since this movie is a prequel to Monsters Inc., the story of how the main characters, Mike and Sully, met was greeted with laughter from the audience. Another early scene featuring a chaotic party was compared to Nordista Freeze’s Wednesday Nights We Eat performance during Quest Week by students. Despite its G-rating and young target audience, Monsters University was the perfect film for the occasion. Its messages of responding with determination and resilience to challenges can easily be motivational to college students who have faced a difficult past year of confusion and disappointment. However, those themes are well-balanced with the fun-filled journey the main characters, Mike and Sully, take to turn their college’s most incompetent fraternity into the champions of the Scare Games, a multi-event competition designed to prove who the best scarer is. Unfortunately, during the movie’s climax, the screen’s generator ran out of gas, causing Monsters University to cut off suddenly. SGA President Grant Hitchcock communicated the situation by quickly moving from car to car, explaining that a...
