April 18, 2017 www.broadcasteronline.com No Connoisseur of Style By Daris Howard I am no connoisseur of style. I will be the first to admit that. I realized as much a year or so ago when a student told me my shirt was “so in” and wanted to know where I bought it. I realized it was a shirt that my mother had purchased for me in the 1970’s. But the realization of how bad my understanding of elements of style was hit its high point many years ago. I have taught at a religious university for almost thirty years. One important part of the commitment students sign is to meet a certain dress code, which includes a slightly higher standard of dress. As a faculty member, one of our jobs is to remind the students when they start to move away from that standard. Thirty years ago, just before school began each semester, the student body officers would help those of us who were style deficient. Some would dress in appropriate clothing and some in inappropriate to help us understand what the new styles were and what was allowed and what was not. As a new, young faculty member, I always relied heavily on these demonstrations. Otherwise, I would not have the faintest idea what something like culottes were. (For those of you who are like me and don’t know, a culotte is a skirt, split like pants.) As the years went by, the student body officers decided that we didn’t need to have a demonstration every semester. They cut the demonstrations down to only the fall of the year with updates sent to us through our department chairmen. But then came the electronic age, and it was decided that instead of having demonstrations, they would just send out an email we could share with our class. I will never forget the first one. I was working in my office finishing up a few lastminute preparations for my class. My email beeped and the message subject said it was from the standards office regarding the dress code. I opened it, and in big letters it said, “Read this to your classes.” I quickly printed it off, stuck it with my other material, and returned to my work. I should have read it, but I didn’t. I finished preparations for my class just in time. After class had started, I informed my students about the email I had received and that I was supposed to read it to them. I then read it. “With summer coming, we at the honor office would like to remind students of the proper dress code for footwear. Though sandals that buckle around the back of the foot are allowed, flip-flops are not proper dress and are not allowed.” I paused. I had never heard of a flip-flop before except in reference to a politician who changed his position on an issue. Reading it with respect to clothing was like reading a foreign language. I read it to myself a couple of times to make sure I had read it correctly. Once I was positive I had, I looked up at the class, who seemed to be waiting expectantly for me to continue. “What in the world is a flip flop?” I asked. A girl on the front row held up her foot. “Professor Howard, this is a flip-flop. I didn’t Broadcaster Press 3 know they were against the dress code. I won’t wear them anymore.” I looked at what she was wearing and said, “That’s a flip-flop? When I was young, we called those things thongs.” The girls blushed and said, “That’s not what a thong is anymore.” I learned some important things that day. I learned that if I don’t know what something is, I don’t ask. I now know what a thong is, and it would probably be better if I didn’t. I learned to read the emails before I take them to class. And I also learned that if I don’t know what something is, I ask my female colleagues who kindly explain it to me. But the biggest thing I learned was that I am the king of all style-deficient people. It Only Takes One Person To Spread Harmful Invasive Pests PIERRE, S.D. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has designated April as Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month. According to USDA, each year, harmful invasive plant pests and diseases cost the United States about $40 billion in crop losses, damage to forests and vulnerable ecosystems and expensive eradication and control efforts. “People wonder if their individual actions really matter. The answer is yes,” said Dale Anderson, South Dakota Department of Agriculture plant quarantine specialist. “It only takes one person who moves one piece of infested firewood, one infected plant or one piece of infested fruit to spread these invasive pests to a new area.” Anderson advises that individuals take the following steps to keep invasive pests from spreading: • Buy plants from reputable nurseries. Ask if they comply with federal and state quarantine restrictions to ensure their plants are pest-free. • When traveling between states or to another country, check with a local USDA office before bringing back fruits, vegetables or plants. • Don’t move untreated firewood. Instead, buy or responsibly gather firewood near the place it will be burned. Or, take certified, heat-treated firewood. • Wash dirt and weed debris from boots, outdoor gear, vehicles and ATVs before traveling long distances to or from fishing, hunting, or camping trips. • If relocating to a new home, clean lawn furniture and other outdoor items before placing them in a moving van or storage pod. • Report any signs of invasive pests by going to www.HungryPests.com. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture has several programs that deal with invasive pests. Visit http://sdda. sd.gov/ag-services/plant-protection/. Visit www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/sphd to find contact information for local USDA offices. Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, protect and preserve South Dakota agriculture for today and tomorrow. Visit SDDA online at http://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter. SD Ag Chat podcasts can be found http://sdda. sd.gov/news. You may subscribe to SD Ag Chat, free of charge, through Google Play Music, iTunes or from https:// sdagchat. podbean. com/. for your next adventure 312 W 3rd Street Downtown Yankton 605.665.9092 only at boston Find us on: shoes to boots footwear experts since 1915 Romsdahl’s Repair & Remodel Carpentry, Interior & Exterior, Painting, Refinishing, Drywall, & Ceramic Tile 18 Years In Business Free Estimates FREE ESTIMATES 605-670-2161 605-670-2161 H.R.C. Hot Rubber Crack Filling Striping • Foundation Coatings Commercial & Residential Phone: 605-218-1752 Yankton, SD – Statewide Service Oris Edsel Holden Local, retired farmer is turning 90! A loving husband to Orma May Strong for over 60 years and devoted father of four daughters (10 grandchildren), Edsel is an avid card player, general sports fan, and enthusiastic traveler. He remains active in the Odd Fellows Lodge, Card Club, and St. Paul Lutheran Church and is blessed by a loving community of close friends and relatives. Please join us as we celebrate Edsel’s 90 action-packed years at an open house at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Saturday, April 22, 2017, 2:00pm to 4:00pm. No gifts, please. Hosted by the Holden daughters. Thursday April 20 Soupapalooza, Farmer’s Market Fundraiser 202 Washington St. 5:30-7:30 PM Saturday April 22 Trail Making Meet at the Frost Game Production Area, SD Hwy 19 near the Vermillion/Newcastle Bridge 9 AM-12 PM Dirty Dog Bike Ride (Preregistration required) Clay County Fairgrounds 1-4 PM VAFM Shed Painting Corner of Cherry and High Streets 1-4 PM Community Garden 202 Washington Street (VAAC) 1-4 PM Sunday April 23 Project Main Street Community Trash Pickup Corner of Main and Plum St. 2-5 PM Monday April 24 Earth Day Fair Muenster University Center 10 AM-2 PM Living Downstream Showing Coyote Twin Theater 7 PM Tuesday April 25 Ufford Hills Farm Event 3691 E. Main St. 3-7 PM “Gradual Death” Art Exhibit MUC Ballroom 6-9 PM Earth Days Keynote: Dr. Sandra Steingraber MUC Ballroom 7 PM Wednesday April 26 Green on Green Old Ice Rink corner of Pine and Cherry 2-5 PM Adopt-a-Drain Painting Event Meet outside of City Hall at 4 PM Thursday April 27 Green Thursday on the Platz Ratingen Platz Downtown 6-8 PM Friday April 28 Heikes Family Farm Event 1408 317th St. 3-7 PM Saturday April 29 Mulberry Bend Hike Mulberry Bend Overlook 1-3 PM For more information visit www.GreeningVermillion.org/EarthDays2017