Happy 40th Birthday to my alma mater The Evergreen State College

This year marks the 40th anniversary of The Evergreen State College and I found it only fitting that I would pay my respects. Evergreen is where I completed my undergrad years. I transferred there in my junior year and graduated in 2002.

Evergreen changed my life. I can honestly say that. I initially had some reservations when it came to Evergreen. I had heard about it from a friend who was planning on attending the school herself. Being that I don't do well with change I wasn't sure if I could move to Olympia, Washington even though it would be temporary. I had never dealt with the dorm experience and had never been on my own in that sense.

I ended up falling in love with Olympia and to this day I still say that I left my heart in Oly. First off, I gotta say that I love the weather. I will always want to live withing Los Angeles, California however, I much prefer overcast days and rain to sunshine. I enjoy the coziness of it all. I feel that I can really breathe a sigh of relief and gratification within cool air rather than in the California sun.



Evergreen is smack dab in the middle of the forest. How amazing is that? I relished my time I spent walking through the meadow.

Evergreen is a liberal arts college and that concerned me as well. I wasn't sure what that would mean for me in the end. Would I be able to get into graduate school? Would I be able to find a good job? I later came to find that the answer is a resounding "yes."

Evergreen is interesting in that it is a pass or fail education. There are no grades and there are no majors. Just "emphasises". Professors wrote evaluations at the end of each quarter and we as students wrote evaluations of ourselves. We also wrote evaluations of the courses we took, along with our professors. Interesting process ay?

We students joked that if you attended Evergreen you could take a class in underwater basket weaving and get credit for it. Evergreen is exactly what you make of it. You can take courses in sailing or agriculture and get credit for it, but it is necessary to have a goal in mind. What is it that you want to get out of your education.

When I was getting my associates degree in California I had a major of psychology. I wanted to continue along that path at Evergreen. I took a class called "About Time" which spoke largely to the issue of attempting to define time itself. I took a class simply called "Homicide" which begged questions such as, "Why do people kill?", "Is killing natural?". Lastly I took a year long course entitled "180 Degrees" taught by doctor of psychology, George Freeman Jr.

George's class was a multi-cultural counseling and psychology program. The class consisted of 19 students. There were no tests (thank God as I am a terrible test taker) but PLENTY of reading and writing. It was perfect as George really wanted to prepare us students for grad school. In general this is the makeup of Evergreen. Reading and writing and projects.

George took us through the rivers of abnormal psychology, Gestalt psychology and so many other avenues. There was a big focus on multi-cultural perspectives on psychology.  Us students would gather in the morning and often left feeling exhausted afterward. Why? Because we went through a lot of emotions discussing multi-cultural issues and that can definitely take a toll. It was good for us.

One of my classes was located at The Organic Farm house. It was such a great treat to walk down a 10 minute trail to the house. Greenery all around me, brisk cool air, and a meeting  of the minds inside a cozy wooden house.

The Organic Farm is a place for students to practice sustainable agriculture on small scale organic farm.  The Organic Farm is Certified Organic and is Salmon Safe Certified. Workers and students plant, maintain and harvest crops all year round. The Organic Farm crew works all year round to plan, plant, maintain and harvest the various crops grown.  The Compost Facility is used to turn farm waste into compost for fertilizing the farm.

Above is a picture of The Long House. This is where I participated in a West African drumming club. I purchased a djembe drum (which I still have) and banged away with the guidance of a great leader who had studied the art of West African drumming. It was there that I became exposed to great drummers such as Mamady Keita. It was also the start of my interest in West African dance. I fell in love.

The Long House surfaced when Evergreen's Native American Studies programs began in 1972.It was faculty member Mary Ellen Hillaire of the Lummi tribe who founded the Native American Studies program. She spoke to the need to have a culturally appropriate facility, such as a longhouse.

Evergreen is a very hippie school. I mean that it the best of ways. It was a culture shock for me to witness women who did not shave their legs or under their arms and men who sported scruffy beards down their necks. I was also exposed to the world of white men and women growing dreadlocks. Eventually a roommate of mine dreaded my hair. I ended up keeping my locks for three and a half years. Sometimes I wish I could go back. Heh! Life was simpler with dreads.

I also discovered the trends within this "alternative" community. It seemed trendy to hold a new political protest for one thing or another each week. It seemed trendy to infrequently bathe, it seemed trendy to own an unkept dog, for women to wear dresses over jeans, to brew strange concocted teas, and the patchouli was definitely, a flowin'!

But I really dug a lot of hippidom. I enjoyed the dorm experience. I loved that music was always playing. Often The Beatles or Bob Marley or Creedence Clearwater Revival. I loved that artwork was always present. I love that greenery was often brought inside of the dorms rather than just left outside in the forest. I loved the feeling of peace and harmony.

I didn't so much dig the constant pot smoking. Heh! Not everyone smoked but many did and it sometimes felt as though I was the only drug free student on campus.

 This phallic creature was our school mascot. This is a geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck) and it is a clam. Is this not the coolest?

The geoduck has a long neck and can bury it self quickly in the sand. The geoduck is often gathered for soup.

The great state of Washington has even dedicated a song to the almighty geoduck.

Dig a duck, dig a duck
Dig a geoduck
Dig a duck, dig a geoduck
Dig a duck a day

You can hear the digger say
As he's headed for the bay
I gotta dig a duck, gotta dig a duck a day

Cuz I get a buck a duck
If I dig a duck a day
So I gotta dig a duck
Gotta dig a duck a day

They walk across the sand
About a half a mile from land
To dig a geoduck
You dig him up by hand
But it isn't much trouble
And you don't use a shovel
You find a geoduck
By looking for the bubble

It take a lot of luck
And a certain kind of pluck
To dig around the muck
To get a geoduck
Cuz he doesn't have a front
And he doesn't have a back
And he doesn't know Donald
And he doesn't go "quack!"
 

Check out "Speedy" the geoduck mascot Kung Fu Fighting!

The Geoduck Fight Song

words and music by Malcolm Stilson, 1971

 

Go, Geoducks go,
Through the mud and the sand,
let's go.
Siphon high, squirt it out,
swivel all about,
let it all hang out.

Go, Geoducks go,
Stretch your necks when the tide
is low
Siphon high, squirt it out,
swivel all about,
let it all hang out.

When I graduated all students were decked out in our finest green. Except for the ones who put their own special spin on the traditional grad gowns. A couple people wore gowns out of sod. Awesome. Others wore multi-colored robes or added other DIY flare.

When I graduated I learned that Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons had graduated from Evergreen in 1977. I learned that Michael Richards (actor most known for his role of Kramer in the sitcom Seinfeld)  graduated from Evergreen and Nirvana played at Evergreen.

I was never one to carry a lot of school pride until I attended The Evergreen State College. It opened my eyes to issues of multi-culturalism and feminism and politics in general. I was able to further my writing, communication and analytical skills. I made great friends, some of which who are still in my life today.

Evergreen you gave me so much and you adequately prepared me for graduate school. I am proud to wish you a happy 40th birthday.