Celebrating 150 Years  |  Alumni Memories

Judy Plummer Swan '59

Thoughts from my stint as Stentor editor (1957-58):

“A 4th floor office is not so bad. If you run up the steps two at a time it’s easier. I doubt I could say the same thing today.”

“When someone has a suggestion for a column, let them write it.”

This was the case when Allan (Poopsie) Solomon '58, later Allan Carr, suggested a movie column. In one February issue he named every Oscar winner down to "best grip." Carr produced the movie Grease and the Broadway play Le Cage Aux Folles as well as the 1989 Academy Awards television show.

The late 1950s was a rather bland time at Lake Forest College. Only one of my editorials caused much of a stir; that was my prediction that fraternities and sororities would disappear from the college scene, “Never,” said the jocks, the fraternity presidents, and some of my Alpha Phi sisters. I was right, but for less than a decade.

One freshman friend came early for college football practice, walked into the dining hall, took one look at some huge bodies gobbling steaks and thought, ”I’ll never make the team.” He soon found out college players did not eat that well and the St. Louis Cardinals pre-season training camp was at Lake Forest. Randy Dunn did make the Lake Forest team and was a star quarterback.

During my years the Stentor was typeset on a linotype and printed on a letterpress by a commercial printer on Western Avenue not too far from the Lantern. Efficiency required I drop off the typewritten copy and then stop for a beer. Drinking age was 18 then.