| << Front page | Commentary | February 24, 2006 |
Save the Parade
A quintessential part of the Oberlin experience — the Big Parade — might not happen this year. An e-mail sent to the student body on Wednesday has issued a call for Oberlin students to save the day, and the Parade.
The Big Parade is a beloved tradition in and of itself. Oberlin has learned to define the coming of spring with cotton candy, flamboyant floats and alpaca visits instead of mere birds and flowers like the rest of the world. The Big Parade represents more than just a fun day, however; the event facilitates an opportunity for College and community to mingle without the tension that so often defines the relationship. We do not believe that The Big Parade is the only place in which town and gown come together. Clearly, the Oberlin Tutors Program and many activities sponsored by the Center for Service and Learning aim to reach out to the community. The value of this festival is not that it is the only unifier, but that it is the most inclusive event of the year, bringing together the two faces of Oberlin — the community and the College — in one big carnival mask.
The Parade presents the opportunity for a different kind of communication and experience, one in which all are equal participants in a festival of colors, imagination and rhythm. This year especially, Oberlin could use a celebration. We have endured robberies, burglaries and even shootings. Other factors are clearly changing the face of the town as well — Wal-Mart is coming, despite unrest from both town and gown voices, and the new college housing has brought cheers from many students, but has augmented the rift between ResEd and local landlords. Those who are regulars at the big event know that on that day, there is no difference between College students, high school students, professors or town residents, and this is the feeling that makes the Big Parade worth saving.
We urge students to use their power to save the Parade. A general interest
meeting in support of the Parade is to be held this Saturday at 3 p.m. in Wilder
112. We know Oberlin students are passionate about the things they cherish; it
is our hope that students will channel that passion into action, and that the
Big Parade and all that it stands for will not be lost on our watch.
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