Group prepares for bicentennial

Jackie Mantey

This week, President Carol Cartwright makes her debut as a calendar girl.

As Miss September in the Kent Bicentennial 2006 Calendar, Cartwright poses with two metal spray paint cans leaning deviously over the rock located in front campus with a banner reading “And you thought only students painted the rock!”

“There is a lot of humor in this calendar,” said Jeff Ingram, executive director of Standing Rock Cultural Arts, an organization that supplements the university’s art program. “There’s humor on every page and an exciting look at the history of the city of Kent.”

Ingram’s organization created the calendar to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of the city of Kent starting in 2006. The calendar comes out this week and is available to all community members and university students for $10.

Along with Cartwright, local artists, farmers, construction workers and firefighters line the pages of the calendar.

“It was great to get the community involved,” said Karen Barrett, board member of Standing Rock Cultural Arts.

The calendar features historical photographs of Kent residents as well as pictures of Devo, who originated from Kent, pictures of Jerry’s Diner taken in 1960 and pictures of the Erie Railroad Station that is now Pufferbelly Restaurant.

Barrett and Ingram said the historical element of the calendar can offer students a sense of belonging.

“It gives everyone an identity and a context for all the events that go on here,” Ingram said.

Each month has days marked with American and Kent historical facts, some of which might be surprising, Barrett said.

For example, on March 7, 1863, the first passenger train arrived in Kent.

Historic moments, along with upcoming events, also can be found on the calendar.

“The Standing Rock Cultural Arts puts on so many projects that students are unaware of,” Barrett said. “More of them should get involved.”

The University Bookstore and the Standing Rock Cultural Arts building located at 257 N. Water St., as well as various other locations, will be selling the calendar.

For more information visit their Web site at www.standingrock.net, or call Ingram at (330) 673-4970.

Contact College of Architecture and Environmental Design and School of Art reporter Jackie Mantey at [email protected].