The Kenyon Collegian, A Practice of Commitment

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  During our time with archives and special collections this week, my group examined the boxes that were selected for us, documenting Keyon’s response to WW2, Vietnam, The Kent State Shooting, and other significant tragic historical events. We sorted through, articles, letters, photographs, and other artifacts, allowing us to gain new insights on how Kenyon has been viewed by the greater world. It was interesting to grapple with the fact that although I view Kenyon as a particularly small community, one that is unique to me and my life, it also has a lot of historical significance to the greater world. I was amazed to find articles from significant outside news sources, delighted by the fact that Kenyon was deemed important enough to be cited. All this being said, I think I can speak for my entire group when I say that far more interesting to us were the archive articles from the Kenyon Collegian. We were charmed by the personal accounts of events insignificant enough as a new dish at Pierce. It was equally engaging to hear about big current events from the perspective of Kenyon students at the time. My group found this so enjoyable that we almost forgot what we were researching, having fun reciting silly article titles to each other from across the table. 

In his novel, Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life, Robert Bellah and his students discuss the concept of “Communities of Memory,” a community that “is involved in retelling its story, its constitutive narrative.” (Bellah 229) Bellah argues that a so-called “real community,” takes the time to honor and uphold tradition, designing goals for the future while simultaneously tying itself to its past. Without this deliberate effort, Bellah judges that communities are merely groups of individuals gathering, without a true sense of purpose. Bellah does not harshly criticize these groups, stating that the potential to lose traditions is “endemic,” but rather highly regards communities that can keep such traditions alive, despite persistent challenges presented by the passage of time. He ends by describing “practices of commitment” as purposeful practices that prove “loyalty and obligation” to the community, enshrining the commitment to keeping traditions alive. (Bellah 230)

I believe that The Kenyon Collegian is one of these Practices of Commitment, securing Kenyon’s place as an authentic Community of Memory. Artifacts of outside perspectives are very intriguing, and yet it is so much more valuable to look at insights from previous members of the community. Because of their status as a Practice of Memory, these insights feel tailor-made for my generation of the future, allowing me to feel a true connection to the past. The highs and lows and in-betweens depicted in the articles are ones to which I can relate even through all the time that has passed. Additionally, knowing that this practice is still in place, I know that we will continue to be connected to the future. These profound connections that I feel prove Bellah’s thesis about the importance of purposeful memory recording and documentation. Without them I would have a much harder time truly connecting with Kenyon’s past, in turn, making it harder for me to feel a bond to my community. The importance of such traditions like the collegian is evident in my group's general enthusiasm for our project, and will surely pay off as we contribute to the celebration of Kenyon’s past. 


Works Cited:

Bellah, Robert N. 1927-2013. Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1985.

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