To the Editors:

In the wake of Coach Chris Barker's resignation, we would like to publicly thank him for his many contributions, as head tennis coach, to our experience at Oberlin. Our time here would not have been as rewarding, as educational, or as successful had it not been for Coach Barker. His determination, energy, and positivism regarding our success on the court was matched only by his attention and optimistic encouragement of our success off the court.

Coach Barker was met with immediate challenges upon arriving at Oberlin. The coach that preceded him had done no recruiting or program development, and there were only three returning players around which to build the team. Coach Barker paid little attention to what was lacking, and instead, found and highlighted the positives of what the team did have. He had faith enough in four first-years to make them starters, not simply because he had to, but because he believed in their abilities and their commitment to the team. He led the team to a successful season, and above all, he immediately established a positive environment for the years that followed. Thanks to his hard work in developing the tennis program, he leaves Oberlin a team rich in talent and commitment, a team bound for success in the coming years.

Coach Barker epitomizes the ideals of Intercollegiate Athletics: Academics always come first. Sportsmanship is required. Success is based on personal improvement, giving your best, the fulfillment of goals, and team camaraderie, not wins and losses. As evidence of his commitment to these ideals, Coach Barker has had more players named Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Scholar-Athletes in the past three years than all other NCAC coaches combined. And, more importantly to him, Coach Barker's entire team was named a National All-Academic Team by the ITA two consecutive years, becoming one of only eight Division III schools to claim that honor.

Coach Barker leaves Oberlin for noble reasons-to be with his wife and son, to be close to family and friends, and to pursue a lifestyle that allows him the time and energy to enjoy these people. He leaves an Oberlin community that shares in his ideals, is thankful for his service, and respectful of his decision to move on in life. He should move on with confidence that he has made a positive difference in many lives during his time here. Thank you, Coach Barker, for your energy, optimism, and friendship.

-Peter Swendsen, '97-'98 captain, Conservatory senior

-Sam Steckley, '98-'99 captain, College senior

-Michael O'Connell, Conservatory senior

-Eric Shin, Conservatory senior

Curmudgeon off-track with athletics

To the Editors:

This letter is in response to Mary Margaret Towey's comments about athletics in last week's Review. Her main argument focuses on the fact that Oberlin students "actively degrade or passively ignore" athletics at Oberlin. Since Oberlin athletes work their tails off to better themselves and represent Oberlin on and off the field of play, our seeming lack of interest and perhaps disdain for our fellow student-athletes should be seen as shameful. She seems to suggest that since athletes work hard to represent us, it should be the duty of the Oberlin students to support athletics. While I do not contest that Oberlin athletes are hard working and dedicated, I do not see it as the necessary duty of the Oberlin student to start supporting athletics.

Athletics is a mode of expression and I participate in athletics for the love of that type of expression. While it is nice to have fans cheering me on, I participate in athletics for the pure love of that mode of expression, not the adoration of my peers. I do not expect someone with little interest in what I am doing to drop everything and come see me out of obligation. A concert hall of empty seats might be frustrating to an artist, but a concert hall full of disinterested fans is worse. To me, there is nothing worse than a pack of people with passive interest and nothing better than a handful of hardcore fans. As Oberlin attracts students with alternative interests, people don't necessarily have an interest in sports. This is not to say that there is a lack of athletic support in the first place! Contrary to what Ms. Towey would predict, I counted at least several hundred fans at last Friday's ice hockey game against Denison.

As for disparaging remarks about athletes, I will only say that there are, unfortunately, stereotypes about student groups and organizations. Athletes, who are perhaps not used to ridicule, tend to overinflate what amounts to a handful of disparaging remarks. In my four years as an Oberlin athlete, I have not seen stereotypical behavior toward athletes as a major issue of concern.

I would also like to comment on another statement in Ms. Towey's article. In all attempt to describe Oberlin's lack of intercollegiate success, she writes: "Oberlin has exactly two - count 'em, two varsity programs with winning records." Mary Margaret, can you really judge Oberlin's athletic success solely by the records of its varsity teams? How can you complain about disrespect and then completely ignore the hundreds of students (yes, hundreds) who participate in club athletics? Perhaps you have fallen victim to the stereotypes which labels club sports athletes as students who are irresponsible and run around without direction? I ask you to turn to the club sports page of last week's Review. Equestrian wins at a show, hockey trounces Wooster 18-2, men's ultimate makes the finals at a southern tournament, defeating Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, and Notre Dame. Everyone of these teams practices with the seriousness and intensity of any varsity team. I can speak to you from men's ultimate, who practices 5-6 days a week, year long. Oberlin athletics covers a broad spectrum involving an intricate network of faculty, staff, and students. To gauge Oberlin's intercollegiate athletic success only by the records of its varsity teams is to ignore the hard work of many talented and dedicated individuals.

Perhaps Ms. Towey's message would have been better received if she had kindly asked her fellow students to try coming to an athletic event instead of ranting on about our duties as students and insulting our pre-Oberlin lives. Degradation and curmudgeon-liness is no way to prove a point and will only turn people off to ideas.

-Dan Feldman, College senior

Students: help OhioPIRG raise money, awareness about poverty

To the Editors:

So, you might be thinking, "what's this about people giving up their CDS meals to help the homeless?" or "what's that insanely colorful display on A-level of Mudd asking people to put pennies in jugs to raise money for local organizations that work to alleviate hunger and homelessness?" Well, I know fundraising and volunteerism are not the answers to solving the overwhelming problem of poverty in our country, but there must be some immediate actions taken. Over 2 million men, women, and children are homeless Right Now. In Lorain County, 12.9 percent of the population are living at the poverty level; Lorain County is the second poorest county in Ohio. In our own little town, Oberlin, over 24 percent of elementary school age children are living in poverty.

OhioPIRG's Hunger and Homelessness project group will be helping to gather food, clothing, and items to help those suffering from Hurricane Mitch. Also, we are working to aid people in our own community by raising money and awareness here on campus with events like the Global Reality Dinner and the Day of Fasting. I recognize that the basic necessities of the poor must be attended to. Nevertheless, I am fully conscious of the fact that we should not even be needing to feed our fellow brothers and sisters; our government allows terrible violations of our basic human rights such as the right to decent housing and livable-wage jobs. It's appalling but your efforts to help the homeless and hungry do have a positive impact. Thank you!

-Sari Gostin Farber, Leader of the Hunger and Homelessness project group of OhioPIRG

Oberlin College should take a stand against airport expansion

To the Editors:

How times change. For those of you who are not already aware, there are plans being set in motion by County Chamber of Commerce which will expand the little airport we have nearby into an air facility large enough to support heavy air cargo planes. This letter addresses the response of the college to this matter.

Except that there has been no response from the college, which I find rather confusing. Is the college under the impression that students will want to come to an institution where they can look forward to oversized cargo jets roaring over their heads at six in the morning? Will the Conservatory continue to attract top talent when prospective Connies are informed that for twelve hours a day their marathon practice sessions will be interrupted by the sub-sonic moaning of jumbo-jets? Could even devotees of Star Wars who have convinced themselves that the jets sound "just like really big TIE fighters" stand the unending dog-fight over their heads? Maybe the merchandising packets we receive each September will all include a complementary pair of ear-plugs.

A caring member of the student body might think: "This all sounds very good for the local economy though...." Alas, economic data on the effects of county airports on towns nearby do not support such a conclusion. Small town airports almost invariably lose money in the long term which Lorain County can't exactly be throwing away. If, through some kind of miracle, this thing does make a profit, the development it will attract (read: Walmart and co.) will suck local merchants bone dry. Some very shady back-room dealings are going on to pave the way for this (see the Morning Journal Nov. 13 th).

Any way you look at it, this is a horrible idea, which is why a new Port Authority has been created, pleasantly free from any pesky little irritations like civilian oversight or accountability. This brainchild of Commissioner Ross is presently racing toward completion of this project, stonewalling concerned citizens who want more information all the way.

The last time development ran wild, in the 1960's when the airport was first created, the College was all over it, getting flights limited, having flight paths shifted and generally doing its best as one of the most powerful institutions in the county to make sure that the interests of more than just a handful of special interests were accounted for. Just about everybody from farmers in the southern part of the county to people up here in the more urban north are against this, but everybody doesn't have the voice that Oberlin college has. And they don't have a Conservatory directly under the takeoff path either.

What has the new, environmentally friendly Oberlin College (isn't that what that big hole behind Harkness is?) done about this?

Well...., nothing. I'm not happy about that, I don't think you should be, and I think that if President Dye doesn't take a stand everybody coming to Oberlin after us is going to be as sorry as I am mad.

--Graf Douglas, College senior