The End of an Era

The Breeze bids farewell to Focus

Last semester, I attended a journalism conference and the opening speaker was Ernie Gates, Editor of The Daily Press. As he spoke about what a newspaper "should be," he emphasized the importance of it "completely" representing the campus or community it is serving. He explained that what you see in a newspaper should look like the place where you live. He expressed that many news outlets that only report crime or late-breaking news are not complete, as "conflict is not the sum of our lives." For the past year, I have been the editor of a section that helped "completely represent" JMU. Through the Focus section, I have had the honor to work with storytellers and at times, be one myself. Focus has introduced us to many people on JMU’s campus and the issues they face. It has been funny, sad, informative and real. It has been a great privilege to be a part of Focus and the section will be missed...

It was the section that explored foreign places. It delved into our secret lives as students — our clubs, housing, businesses, hobbies and convictions. It dealt with complex and dynamic issues, such as campus activism and interracial dating. It even taught us how to throw a great party, play different types of poker games and speak about our concerns to students donning orange bands. The focus section has served as a section for the students, and it has come a long way since the beginning.

The section has seen many editors come and go, and just as many different layouts and stories. Even the topics have evolved.

"I like the Focus page because it is just what its name implies," said Flip De Luca, SMAD professor and advisor to The Breeze for the past 25 years. "When it originated, the idea was to take an in-depth look at a single issue every time and I think over the years it has achieved that."

Times have changed and the Focus section has matured with the issues of the times while also following some time-honored traditions. On Oct. 28, 1993, it chronicled famous ghost stories, as well as a little history behind the legendary appeal of Halloween. Holidays always were a favorite for Focus, from Valentine’s Day suggestions for singles, to volunteering during the Christmas season.

The section has followed topics of interest concerning social subjects as well as interesting facts about the school. On Sept. 9, 1999 Focus told students about different bars around town — even demonstrating how the bar scene at JMU compared to other schools. Though social and nightlife articles have frequented the section, there were times when articles opted for funny topics over serious or social ones.

In January of 2000, Focus really upped the ante. On Jan. 17, it featured the "Bathroom survey of 2000." Writers Alex Vessels (‘01) and Deborah Armusewicz (‘01) went where other students have been many times before but had never really taken notice of — the bathrooms all around campus. The "Commode Committee" put these toilets to the test in an innovative way. Nothing was left untouched, not even the vulgar graffiti on the walls. The writers even created a "Graffiti Bridge," — a side story explaining what they thought the graffiti on the walls meant.

The section covered art of a different type also, as seen on Sept. 20, 1993, when it looked at comic strips and the business aspects behind them.

It wasn’t always comic strips and toilet seats, though. On Sept. 23, 1999, Focus tackled the issue of refugees in Harrisonburg and ways students could assist them. Focus humanized the refugee issue, introducing us to locals and explaining where they came from. It also illustrated ways to help them, such as helping to teach them English and provide transportation.

On Jan. 20, 2004, Focus addressed interracial dating and the stresses that interracial couples continue to feel in today’s society.

As you can see, the Harrisonburg community has been an important subject for the section at times as well. On March 4, 2004, Focus took a step back in time to cover some history of the Harrisonburg community. It included facts about Harrisonburg’s first name (Rocktown), the crops that were the pride of the ’Burg and included a few facts about JMU back in the day.

On Feb. 26, 2004, Focus talked about Cats’ Cradle, the local cat rescue group whose mission was "to provide no-kill alternatives to feral, stray and homeless cats across the Shenandoah Valley."

The Feb. 23, 2004 article tackled another serious subject, Parenting Education And Support for Grandparents (or GRANDPEAS). The program was geared toward helping grandparents raise their grandchildren — and Focus was able to convey some of the grandchildren’s heartbreaking stories.

Focus was unique not only for its coverage, but also for its artistic displays. One of the best parts of Focus was the freedom to help express an article through art. The section has used photography, graphics and hand-drawn art to enhance the experience readers get from stories. One never knew what they would find on the page — anything could go.

With topics running the gamut from doctor’s referrals to what it’s like to be twins at JMU, Focus has covered the humorous and the solemn, the societal and the sexy. The end of Focus truly will be the end of an era.