First Edition of Student Paper Arrives

Sept. 6--Painter working at Warde Hall, oldest building on Mount Mercy University campus. Some things that are old are worth holding on to. Like reading.

For years, thinkers have written (irony) about a “post literate” world. And, indeed, in our culture we can see all kind of odd impacts of a tendency to avoid reading.

Reading, it seems to me, is such a fundamental act. There is simply no way to tune into long narrative or to absorb certain kinds of raw information that works as well. Yes, I have used YouTube videos when I want to use a new technique or discover how to fix something—I don’t deny that there are other key ways that we humans communicate.

But I see reading as representing a deeper dive into abstract thought.

Well, while reading as an activity is on decline, it hasn’t disappeared. Both reading and writing can still be observed among the young.

In August, I gave one class of writers the assignment to start their own personal blogs—to give themselves a public platform from which to show the world their writing skills. I’m liking the results, including this post one student wrote on the importance of reading.

Aug. 26--Above and below, students in a writing class at MMU begin working on their personal blogs.

And Sept. 15 will be a key day at Mount Mercy University. The first edition of the student newspaper, The Mount Mercy Times, of the fall semester will be distributed. Thus a mass of student writing will be available to student readers—and readers may be a minority of the student body, but they are there.

Today, I handed copies of the paper out in a class where students have written for the paper for the first time. One young man saw that his story was the anchor of the sports page, and I’ve never seen him beam more. It’s heartening to see how excited students can be due to their words.

Front page of Sept. 15, 2022 edition of the Mount Mercy Times.

Right now, the student newspaper is rebuilding. We had a lot of experienced editors graduate last year, and a new crew is just getting started. But the first edition came out. It’s a tabloid this year—we’re saving some paper by using the smaller pages, and emphasizing posting our news online.

So some of the news that is available in paper Thursday was been available online already. Still, the arrival of the first print edition marks something important.

Reading is still alive. And writing can still excite students. Which makes Thursday, in my book, a good day.

A few of the students who brought MMU this edition of the Times, from a "meet the editor" event in the University Center: