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Volume IX, No. 1, Fall 1981 |
Introducing the Staff
This year we have the largest group of seniors on the staff we've ever had. Since ten of the twenty-one members are seniors, we need to begin introducing them early. Jill Splan and James Heck have both been on the staff three years, were editors in their junior year as well as now and have collaborated on several stories. We'll begin with them.
Jill's experience last year as layout editor has well prepared her this year to be story editor. As much as anyone on the staff, she has had experience on all committees as well as writing experience. Since she is an artist herself, it was natural that she would begin with a story on another artist, Norma Bohannon, (Vol. VII, No.3) followed by stories on beavers (Vol. VIII, No.3) and foxhounds (Vol. VIII, No.4). Because she stayed overnight and actually worked instead of watching, she enjoyed helping with the applebutter story. Part of her enjoyment comes from meeting people and learning from them. "Each new story is the most interesting," she said. "After finishing one, I'm anxious to go to the next." She's working now on a personality of her grandmother. "I've always been interested in family history and am grateful for the opportunity of getting it down." She plans to attend college and at this point, she's interested in either business or graphic arts. Working in these fields in Bittersweet has helped her make the decision.
James has also been very active in Bittersweet, perhaps being most helpful on interviews. He has enjoyed being a photographer on interviews best of the experiences he's had on the staff. "I like meeting people and learning the ways people do things," he said. The most exciting story he has photographed was the one on cutting down bee trees. Everyone else ran off when the bees started flying, but he stayed to get pictures, getting stung twice. He is photography editor this year after being art editor for the last year and a half. He certainly knows how much dedication it takes to get a good photograph or to draw a picture acceptable for the magazine. Both of the covers this issue are by him, the first he's had, though he's been trying on every interview to get a cover photo. He drew a tree for the bee story eight times before it was approved, and then it was not used in the final layouts! His first story was on native and precious rocks. (Vol. VII, No.4) He's been working the last year on a rather comprehensive feature on prairies in the Ozarks, photographing plants in the various seasons. He also plans to attend college and study drafting or photojournalism.
With the aid of a tripod and delayed action camera, James Heck could be in his own picture. Jill Splan and James visit with her grandmother, Clarice Splan, about old times.
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Copyright © 1981 BITTERSWEET, INC.
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