Dear Community,
In writing this I am finishing up the first Record of a year that is said to be the last of Antioch College. The summer was branded by the news of Antioch’s imminent closing; the mere existence of this early issue is the hard copy proof Watching out of a window into a waking New York street, I hear my exhausted coeditor talk in French to my 12 inch Mac while laying the last hand on the layout for the back page. Both the co-editor and the Mac have maneged to amaze me this week in more ways than can be mentioned here. The latter for not melting under the weight of a hastily installed version of Indesign CS3, the former for flushing her acceptance letter to Bard College down a French toilet and deferring her transfer to run a newpaper with me for the next four months. Her learning lay out in one sunny afternoon on a back garden terras in Williamsburg from me of all people was a stellar example of the deaf leading the blind and she pulled off what I could never have managed on my own. Complete chaos, and Antioch at its best.
KJ
Dear Antiochians,
As I write these words to you, I am entering my 43rd sleepless hour. Co-Editing this fi rst edition of the Record from off campus and before the beginning of the term has been a hectic yet exhilarating experience.
It has involved flying from Paris to New York City, squatting generous Antiochians’ homes, walking the streets of Brooklyn late at night desperately searching for open cafes with wireless Internet, writing articles at 3AM in noisy bars, and extensively getting lost in the subway. It has involved getting mad at the printer, pulling all nighters, and (last but not least), crash courses in Indesign layout. Despite all these adventures–which have made me feel as if the last fi ve days had lasted three months– I am extremely excited to present you with this fi rst issue of the Record. Many of us have the spent summer between antiochians.org and Pulse, reading every little piece of writing that was published about Antioch. Many of us also became frustrated– if not infuriated– to see our community under public attack, often by commentators who knew very little about what the realities of Antioch life are.
The Record this term will strive to provide a window of fresh air for Antiochians seeking for an alternative community forum. Not one that will blindly defend our interests or fl aunt our identity. But a space of enquiry and debate where the community can virtually meet, exchange, and–most of all– recognize ourselves.
I would like to invite every Antiochian to participate to the Record. React to the articles, send us angry Op/Eds or (de?)-constructive suggestions, step by the office… Help us make the Record a crossroads contributing to bringing together our vibrant community.
I hope this first issue will set the first stone. If so, it was well worth the past few days’ strain and fury .
-JK
