Looking at the Class of 08’s mindset

This time of year, Wisconsin’s Beloit College receives more publicity than most institutions of higher learning receive throughout the other 11 months of the year. It’s Beloit, after all, which compiles and publishes the annual ‘Mindset List,’ a worldview of students entering college each year. The list gives perspective on just how much has happened in the world, and how much has changed in the mindsets of the average 17- and 18-year-olds. A couple of examples, to give you the idea of what the list entails, are: Nelson Mandela has always been free and a force in South Africa; and Pete Rose has never played baseball. With the Beloit list in mind, I and some friends began compiling our own Mindset List of sorts this week, slanted more toward McMinnville and Warren County. In a very short time the list began growing larger and larger, so much so that it will very likely continue next week. If, after reading these few selections, you find yourself thinking of any additions to the list, feel free to contact me by phone or e-mail. So sit back, relax, and put yourself in the shoes of an average graduating high school senior ‘ who was born between late 1989 and early 1990 ‘ as we consider the following aspects of their mindset. If you are graduating high school in the spring of 2008: ‘ You were never fitted for a pair of shoes by Joe Ramsey, or measured for a tuxedo by Yogi Powers. ‘ Your ball team never had its end-of-season banquet in the annex building or back room of Roma Pizza Parlor. ‘ There has always been a Riverfront Park. ‘ River Park Hospital has always been the only hospital in town, and has always been on the opposite side of the road from the Birthing Tree. ‘ You, unfortunately, were never coached by ‘ or had the pleasure to meet ‘ John Brock. ‘ You never saw what was upstairs at King’s Department Store or the Main St. JCPenney. ‘ You were never considered an ‘outlaw’ just for going into Westwood on Halloween night. ‘ David Upton, David Dunlap and Franklin Fisher have always been coaches at Warren County High School. ‘ You never saw a high school basketball game played at the Civic Center. For that matter, you were never suspended from the Civic Center for 30 days. ‘ ‘The Strip’ has always been a four-lane road, and turning around at Pump ‘N Pay has always been frowned upon. ‘ You never shopped at the ‘old’ Wal-Mart, or the ‘older’ Wal-Mart. ‘ Warren County High School has always had a soccer team. ‘ Retrieving a foul ball has never resulted in receiving a free Coke. ‘ You never rented movies from Ed’s Food Center, Carl Bell’s Grocery Store or Magic Video. ‘ The name ‘David Smartt’ has never been associated with tires. ‘ The Red Dog has always been a lot with a few cars and pieces of heavy machinery parked on it. ‘ A trip to the Plaza Shopping Center has never included putt-putt golf, stopping at Kay’s Ice Cream, buying clothes at Sullivan’s or standing in front of Stewart’s Pharmacy waiting for Santa Claus to drop numbered balls out of a helicopter. ‘ You never heard a hilarious Sunnyside Auto Parts commercial on the radio. ‘ C.N. Womack has always worked at Boyd Christian School. ‘ The football field at Nunley Stadium has always had a track around it. ‘ The Black House has always been restored. ‘ And finally, you never played baseball at William Biles. There are plenty more of these, sports fans, but I want to hear your suggestions, too. E-mail [email protected], and keep an eye out for more mindset examples next week.