{"id":2132711,"date":"2023-12-24T05:45:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-24T10:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/school-spirits\/"},"modified":"2023-12-24T05:52:14","modified_gmt":"2023-12-24T10:52:14","slug":"school-spirits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/school-spirits\/","title":{"rendered":"Ghostly presence in educational institutions"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">10<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fschool-spirits%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2132711&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Thirty Years Ago:\u2063 A Memorable Graduate Sherry \u200cHour<\/h2>\n<p>Back in the day, I eagerly attended my \u200cvery\u200b first graduate sherry hour. The\u2064 concept was mind-blowing\u200d &#8211; having \u2063drinks\u2063 with my esteemed professors? Absolutely fantastic! \u200bNo undergraduates in sight,\u200c just us advanced students, destined to rule our own \u200bclassrooms and bask\u2063 in our own scholarly havens filled with books and papers.<\/p>\n<p>Little did I know\u200d that the reality would \u200dbe \u200cquite different\u200d from my\u200d expectations. At exactly 5:00 p.m., Marilyn, \u200bthe \u2063timeless and patient\u200c department secretary, emerged into the common area. She placed a solitary bottle of Harvey&#8217;s Bristol Cream and some plastic cups on \u200cthe \u200ctable.\u2062 Like clockwork, professors emerged from their offices,\u2064 and graduate students seemed to materialize from the dreary walls\u200d of the\u200c Politics Department.<\/p>\n<p>Now, \u2063the gloppy beverage didn&#8217;t exactly thrill us\u2062 students. \u200dBut beggars\u2064 can&#8217;t \u2062be\u2063 choosers, so we drank it \u200canyway. Alcohol was alcohol, after all. Occasionally, Marilyn\u2064 would sneak \u2064in a\u200d bottle \u2062of Tio Pepe Sherry on \u2064a side table, although I couldn&#8217;t prove it in a court \u2062of law. And when the\u200b clock struck \u20626 o&#8217;clock, Marilyn, always \u200bclad in \u200ba thin sweater, blouse \u2064with a cascade collar, \u2063skirt,\u2063 and dark hose,\u200c would bid us farewell and catch her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/notre-dame-cathedral-restoration-underway\/\" title=\"Notre Dame Cathedral restoration underway\">train back<\/a> to the \u2064outer boroughs.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s when\u200c my fellow students\u2062 would reveal the \u2062hidden stash of cheap beer, wine, and sometimes even hooch. Most \u2062of the professors would make their exit, and \u200cour collegial gatherings \u200dwould descend into drunken banter amidst \u2063clouds \u2063of smoke. Parliaments and Camel Lights were the usual suspects, although I\u200b occasionally \u200dindulged \u200bin Dunhill \u200cBlues, puffing away with a six-inch, black and \u200dsilver holder.<\/p>\n<p>After 9\u2064 p.m., we would \u2063attempt to tidy up before pouring\u200b out of the building and onto Broadway. Some \u200bwent\u200c home, while others, including \u200cmyself, \u200bheaded to the divey\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.murphguide.com\/closedbars.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Boo \u2062Radley&#8217;s pub<\/a> around the corner for more cheap \u200ddrinks. Occasionally, a professor or two would join us. This\u2062 ritual\u2064 occurred about\u200b once a\u200d month, and it felt perfectly normal.<\/p>\n<h3>Times \u2062Have Changed: \u200cThe Crackdown\u200d on Drinking and Smoking<\/h3>\n<p>Those \u2064days now \u200bseem like a distant memory. Nowadays, \u2062universities are tightening \u200ctheir grip on drinking, \u2064whether it&#8217;s \u2062in fraternity houses or anywhere else. Alcohol is seen\u200c as a catalyst for mischief, and serving \u200bit\u2064 may lead to #MeToo incidents or &#8220;inappropriate socializing.&#8221; Smoking, \u2063too, has been banned on almost\u200b every campus.<\/p>\n<p>But no\u2064 matter how hard administrators try, they \u200bcan never \u2063completely\u2063 eradicate \u2064drinking on campus. Humans \u200dhave been enjoying intoxicants <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4al6Rwa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">since the dawn of recorded \u200bhistory<\/a>. People\u200c often turn to\u200d alcohol to soothe their anxiety, and today&#8217;s institutions of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-committee-has-grave-concerns-over-uc-berkeleys-china-ties\/\" title=\"House committee concerned about UC Berkeley's China connections.\">higher\u2062 education<\/a> are filled with\u200b it, partly\u200c due\u2064 to the very administrators who would prefer professors\u200b and students\u2062 to reflect on\u200d their efforts towards\u2062 diversity, equity, and inclusion\u2063 rather than getting tipsy.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s why I was utterly astonished when I stumbled upon <em>The Faculty Lounge: A Cocktail Guide\u2064 for Academics<\/em>. A book \u200dabout drinks written \u2063by a history professor?\u2062 Absolutely \u200dfantastic.<\/p>\n<h3>A Boozy Escape: The Birth of a Cocktail Guide<\/h3>\n<p>This book came to\u200b life during the COVID era, a\u200b time\u2064 of heightened anxiety and misery. \u2063Philipp Stelzel found himself trapped at home, \u200bteaching classes through online \u2064video. Though\u200c he doesn&#8217;t explicitly mention it, I can\u200d imagine the frustration\u2062 of staring at his monitor&#8217;s brain-aching blue light, watching his students&#8217; eyes wander \u200bto\u200b other\u200c browser tabs\u2064 instead of \u2063engaging with\u2062 the rich \u2063material he \u2063presented.<\/p>\n<p>Wisely, he turned\u2062 his brilliant mind to mixology and began concocting cocktails\u2062 that captured the plight of \u200dacademics. The result? Drinks with names like the Remote \u200bInstructor (gin, orange juice, cranberry,\u200b grenadine, lemon twist) and \u2064the Canceled Conference (gin, pomegranate, lemon juice, \u200bsimple syrup, bitters, lemon\u2062 twist). Some \u200cof the names \u200dare bound to make \u200breaders burst into laughter, \u2064such as \u200dThe \u2063Classmate\u2062 Who Hasn&#8217;t Read but Talks Anyway (vodka, orange juice, Green Chartreuse, orange bitters, orange wedge). In total, the book offers around\u200c four dozen \u2062recipes, all easily made with readily\u2064 available ingredients.<\/p>\n<p>Stelzel deserves credit for boldly defending his work:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Clearly, \u2062there are\u2064 many aspects of academic life that call for\u2064 a cocktail. A mixed\u200c drink \u2063can help with coping and commiseration. \u2062Perhaps \u2063most importantly, a cocktail facilitates new connections, whether at a conference \u2063hotel bar or, more recently, \u200dover Zoom. &#8230; And I believe that in light of the current, severe challenges \u2062higher \u2064education is facing almost everywhere, fostering the \u200ccommunity of\u2064 academics has never been more \u200cessential.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He couldn&#8217;t be more right.<\/p>\n<p>What&#8217;s\u200d also commendable is that Stelzel chose to publish\u2064 this book with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harvards-going-test-optional-theres-a-better-way\/\" title=\"Harvard\u2019s Going Test-Optional. There\u2019s a Better Way.\">academic press<\/a>, another institution in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-survival-guide-for-conservatives-during-the-biden-years\/\" title=\"A Survival Guide for Conservatives During the Biden Years\">higher education<\/a> \u200bthat has \u200bfaced its \u200dfair share of challenges. These presses are increasingly releasing \u200dtrade press books to bolster their financial standing.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Faculty \u200bLounge<\/em> hit the shelves months before the recent campus\u200c tumults \u2064surrounding \u2062Gaza and the ensuing congressional hearings. I have a strong feeling\u200b that this slim volume will find \u200ba wide and enthusiastic audience among\u2062 the professoriate &#8211; and perhaps even some university administrators.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Faculty Lounge: A Cocktail Guide for Academics<\/em><\/p>\n<p>by\u200d Philipp\u2062 Stelzel<br \/>\nIndiana University Press, 97pp., \u2062$19.99<\/p>\n<p><em>Kevin R. Kosar is a senior fellow at the American\u200d Enterprise Institute and\u200b the author of<\/em> Moonshine: A Global History <em>(Reaktion Books)<\/em> <em>and<\/em> Whiskey: A Global \u200cHistory <em>(Reaktion Books)<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How \u2062does \u200bthe book remind\u2063 us of the importance of forming connections and finding solace\u200d in academia<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Juice, and a splash of club soda), the Tenure Track (bourbon, sweet vermouth, and a \u2062dash \u200dof bitters),\u200d and the Dissertation Dilemma (vodka, grapefruit juice, elderflower liqueur, and\u200d a sprig of\u200b rosemary).<\/p>\n<p>But this book is more than just a collection of cocktail recipes. It&#8217;s an ode to the struggles, triumphs,\u2062 and \u200dcomplexities of academia. Each drink is accompanied by a witty\u2063 anecdote or a \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mit-presses-students-and-faculty-to-take-radical-lgbtq-101-training\/\" title=\"MIT urges students and faculty to undergo 'LGBTQ+ 101' training\">thought-provoking reflection<\/a> \u2064on the academic life. Stelzel&#8217;s writing is sharp, humorous, \u2062and honest, capturing the joys and frustrations of teaching, researching, and\u200c navigating department politics.<\/p>\n<p>As I perused the pages\u200b of the book, I couldn&#8217;t help but reminisce about\u2063 my own graduate sherry hour and how times\u200d have changed. While the books and papers still fill \u200cour \u2064scholarly havens, the atmosphere has become more subdued, more focused on\u2062 professionalism and compliance.<\/p>\n<p>But\u2064 Stelzel&#8217;s cocktail guide reminds \u200dus\u200c that academia is not just \u2064about\u200b intellectual pursuits and rule-following.\u2062 It&#8217;s about\u200d the human experience, \u200cthe quirks and \u200cidiosyncrasies that make us \u200bwho we are. It&#8217;s about forming connections and finding solace in a glass of something strong after a long day of teaching or grading papers.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty years ago, my graduate sherry hour\u200b may have been a raucous gathering of scholars, indulging in cheap beer and spirited conversations.\u200d Today, it may be a \u2064quieter affair, with a select few sharing a glass of wine and discussing the latest research trends.<\/p>\n<p>But one thing remains the same &#8211; the spirit of camaraderie and intellectual curiosity that binds us together \u2062as academics. And for\u200c that, we can raise a glass and toast to the\u2064 past, present, and future of academia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My first graduate sherry hour, thirty years ago, was a marvel. The concept of drinking with teachers seemed fantastic! No undergraduates, just advanced students who would soon have their own classrooms and offices filled with books and papers. I was excited<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2469,"featured_media":2132712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2132711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2469"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2132711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132711\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2132712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2132711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2132711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2132711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}