Hillsdale’s funkiest adventure: The Backpage

Hillsdale Faculty is understood for its robust campus tradition, a lot of which was constructed by a plethora of shared jokes. From the results of eating corridor meals on the digestive system to Hillsdale Faculty Pres­ident Larry Arnn’s per­petual seek for the great to reflec­tions on the phe­nomenon of Hills­courting, no subject is free from assault. Hillsdale’s tradition of satirical wit could have reached its peak in an early 2000s Col­legian part referred to as the Backpage.

The Backpage, often cap­tioned “Michigan’s funkiest journey” (to parody the Collegian’s oft touted phrase “Michigan’s oldest faculty information­paper”), housed satirical and comedic articles, photographs, and recurring bits. A few of the latter had been the over­heard Hillsdale part, fea­turing cheeky quotes from stu­dents and college, and information bytes, which con­tained humorous takes on present occasions each on campus and all through the world. It was in print from 2000 to 2002, and was a revival of the Collegian’s first satire stint within the early 90s.

Every difficulty of the Backpage tended to focus on an total theme, like St. Patrick’s Day, Greek life, a Hillsdale themed mad-lib, and the over­whelming pop­u­lation of residence­schoolers on campus. Some themed pages even had alternate headers, equivalent to a Christian themed web page entitled The Holydale Backpage: Michigan’s Most Spir­itual Faculty Information­paper. One distinctive difficulty referred to as the Face Web page had two cut-out masks of then Provost Robert Black­inventory and Pres­ident Larry Arnn. Beside the masks was an inventory of activ­ities to do as soon as ade­quately dis­guised, equivalent to sneak into Broadlawn to raid the fridge and “do Provosty stuff.”

A par­ticular recurring gag of the Backpage was Cap’n Arrn, a comedic, pirate-themed spin on the identify of our beloved pres­ident— then new to the school. The nickname was so prevalent that, moreover incomes fre­quent males­tions on the Backpage, there was even an incident wherein a jolly roger flag was positioned on Central Corridor. Backpage con­tributor Invoice Grey, 2001 Hillsdale graduate and present asso­ciate vice pres­ident of nationwide donor out­attain for the school, denies any respon­si­bility on behalf of the Col­legian for this occasion. In response to Grey, removed from angering Pres­ident Arnn, these jokes really made him and his household really feel extra welcome in Hillsdale. Grey stated, “The Backpage made them really feel welcome, like they had been a part of the household.”

The Backpage mission was headed by a gaggle of Col­legian reporters who referred to as them­selves the “Assume Tank” con­sisting of stu­dents Joel Schell­hammer, Lucas Miller, Joshua Walton, Ben Courtney, Billy Grey, and J.D. Rowland, often known as “The Beaver.” All had been 2001 grads other than Rowland who grad­uated in 2002. Every difficulty of the Backpage fea­tured an inventory of Assume Tank con­trib­utors, typ­i­cally with nick­names, cor­re­sponding to the week’s theme. For instance, in a November 2000 Greek life themed difficulty, the Assume Tank included figures equivalent to Josh the Spartan, Billy Prince of Thebes, and Ben the Sophist, together with Cap’n Arnn and his band of merry males. 

In 2011, a 10-year anniversary web page was pub­lished entitled the “We’re Again Web page.” Geri­atric Joel, Final Gasp Luke, Wrinkled Willy, Soiled Outdated Ben, Jit­terbug Josh, and JD the Gummy Beaver got here collectively to poke enjoyable at their alma mater yet one more time. They thanked Hillsdale for, “altering so little we are able to nonetheless make enjoyable of it 10 years later.” A outstanding bit on the decennial Backpage fea­tured a chart of how alumni dona­tions are dis­tributed. Allegedly, a sig­nif­icant quantity of funds are del­e­gated to a ten% tithe to Rush Lim­baugh, wicker fur­niture for the school lounge, and Dr. Arnn’s honor code tattoo. Preserve this noble trigger in thoughts when Hillsdale requests dona­tions from you post-grad. Grey stated the outdated Assume Tank is con­sid­ering a 20-year anniversary Backpage this fall, so preserve your eyes peeled.

Although the Backpage may seem to be a paper pre­de­cessor to right now’s Hillsdale meme pages, it’s a shining instance of the cre­ativity-filled historical past of the school and its stu­dents.