Feb
6
Might as Well Learn a New Language
February 6, 2013 | Tagged Benjamin Rush, cushies | 4 Comments
While thinking about Dickinson literacy I began to realize that learning to communicate with Dickinsonians is similar to learning a foreign language. For there is quite a wide range of words and historical facts that we are all required to learn in order to be Dickinson literate.
For starters there is the absurd range of colloquialisms which we all know as Dickinson students. At d’son, or simply the d, when we go to lunch with our friends from dawi or kw we meet them at the cushies before going to the Snar, the Quarry, or if we feel like braving the caf, the kove. When it’s time to study we go to the lib where we spend hours in the stacks only to emerge for brief breaks at the biblio. If you live in the Quads and want to meet your friends who live around Morgan Field you have to walk down dwalk to meet them on Britton. But the most crucial thing is to know what flag you’re sitting under in the caf, whether your meeting friends for brunch or going on a caf date and if your friends are low on points be polite, flex them in. To any non-Dickinson student, this last paragraph would be nothing but pure gibberish. However, as Dickinsonians we have gradually learned this complex language and have become, at least partially, Dickinson literate.
Not only are we required to learn this new language but we must also memorize a wide range of facts about Dickinson. We all must know who Benjamin Rush is, how he dreamed of Dickinsonians being ideal citizens, and how it was him, NOT John Dickinson, who founded this school and gave it its sacred mission. Just yesterday a faculty member was talking to a community service group which I participate in and made the grave mistake of saying that John Dickinson founded Dickinson. As Dickinsonians we are all required to know that this is pure blasphemy and can’t be allowed to stand. The speaker quickly apologized and begged for us not to tell the almighty Durden of this grave error.
To be a true Dickinsonian, we must be fluent in all the Dickinson lingo and be properly versed in Dickinson history. However if you do not know who the almighty Durden is, or haven’t seen his beautiful bow ties, then may god have mercy on your soul.
Comments
4 Comments so far
This is a very interesting post because it brings to mind things I hadn’t previously considered. After taking French and Italian language classes for countless years, I definitely understand what you mean when you write that one must learn a wide variety of words and facts to become literate. Being fluent in any language, Dickinsonian lingo included, means the constant practice of that language in an environment of people who speak the same language. I suppose I consider myself fluent in Dickinsonian now, but I wonder if in ten years, I’ll even remember what the cushies are or understand what the snar is! It will be very interesting to find this out.
It’s hard for me to read your tone about President Durden in the penultimate and final paragraphs, Mark. How do you value (or not) his consolidation of the Benjamin Rush narrative for the College? Should the new President, Nancy Roseman, extend that narrative?
Incidentally, the power of the Rush narrative sparked important scrutiny of it. Have you heard about the historical work on and analysis of Rush’s intellectual and political commitments that faculty members have done?
I agree with where you are coming from about what it means to be a Dickinsonian. I always notice when I go home that a lot of the things this college emphasizes are lost on the majority of my friends at other schools. For example none of my friends’ colleges emphasize a useful liberal arts education nor focus so much on the eco friendly narrative that this college pursues with such vigor. Awesome post it was a joy to read! (especially the Durden and his glasses part)
I think it is really interesting how you brought in the historical literacy we expect from our classmates and faculty at the college. I never would have thought of that myself initially. It’s true though, it has become such an integral part of our narrative, not just the narrative of the school, but of our own individual educations and the value others, and ourselves for that matter, place on them. As a former tour guide, I was part of the process in providing this historical literacy to new and prospective students, and from a broader marketing perspective, it really helps a small school like Dickinson stand out!