Opinion: How Gettysburg’s History Informs Our Political Moment
By Brandon Neely, Contributing Writer Gettysburg is unlike any other small town in America. Because of its unique position in our nation’s history, it is forced to navigate the past and future alike with equal attention. The conversation between history and our present experience is on full display around town. Gettysburg College students pass a 150-year-old cannon on their walk to class. A new Black history museum competes with...
Opinion: Those Who Don’t Know History
By Ziv Carmi, Contributing Writer The study of history has always been steeped in politics. Today, however, reading the news makes it appear that the once-venerable discipline has morphed into a series of hyperbolic and controversial conflicts. As an unwilling participant in the ongoing culture war, history is being manipulated to fit certain narratives, pulling the field in a direction it should not go. The most notable example of...
Opinion: On Paid Sick Leave
By Colin Hughes, Contributing Writer Reducing contact between individuals is critical in stopping the spread of infectious diseases. Achieving this can be difficult as many individuals do not have the financial luxury of being able to stay away from crowded areas—like the workplace. Therefore, it is the college’s duty to ensure that workers can stay away from close quarters when ill without being financially punished. According to...
A Note from the Magazine Editor: On Using the Past to Contextualize the Present
By Phoebe Doscher, Magazine Editor Those of us living, studying, and teaching on Gettysburg’s historic campus know full well that the past is constantly aligned with the present moment. Every step we take on Stine Lake, every time we enter Penn Hall, and each visit to the battlefield allows us to confront the past in real time. We centered this edition of the magazine around just that: What does the past mean? How do we use it to...
Editorial: The Case for an Additional Wellness Day
By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board The wellness day on April 7, though well-intentioned, was inadequate in improving student mental health and is indicative of the administration’s apparent lack of trust in the student body. Like the March 2 wellness day, the administration kept it a secret until the day before, both failing to prepare students for time off and generally fraying student-administration trust. The confidentiality of...
Editorial: Strengthening Gettysburg College During the COVID-19 Pandemic
By The Gettysburgian Editorial Board Long before 2020, Gettysburg College faced serious financial challenges stemming from an impending demographic cliff that promises to complicate future class sizes at liberal arts institutions. This past October, in a prelude to the college’s next strategic plan, President Bob Iuliano underscored these economic uncertainties. “Before COVID hit, national projections estimated that the college-bound...
