Opposition to OCC Sparks Controversy

Mr. Leamy's response, printed in full.

To the Editors:

One of my favorite Liz Phair songs goes a little something like this: “I can’t, I can’t believe it; But it’s here on the pages I’m reading... Jealousy.” Hmm.

Speaking with Ms. Carolin Young, OC ’90, housemate of Ms. Phair in 148 South Professor during their overlapping college careers, it seems that this longed for locale may not have been as friendly as it is purported to be now. Liz, reportedly, did not like Oberlin College all that much. I guess she didn’t find Blue House all that friendly. Rather, Ms. Young recalled the house as being quite filthy and unruly. Ms. Young, now a journalist and author who writes about epicurean history, was happy to hear that her and Liz’s old place was to become a center for culinary education at Oberlin.

While it is easy to characterize the future inhabitants of 148 S. Professor as a bunch of gourmand geeks; we too will throw parties... dinner parties. We hope that our love for existence and eating can be shared with members of the (former) Liz Phair House for Friendship Peoples and many others through our policy of planned participatory programming pertaining to producing premium pabulum. Blue House will continue to be a place for fun and frolic – but next year will provide food in addition to drink.

As for the opposing charges that the Culinary Program House is “raiding college funds” or inflating the College’s already “bloated coffers,” we are doing neither. Members of the Culinary Program House will be paying for a meal plan, just like everyone else.

Take heart in the fact that if next year one is looking for a place for cavorting and camaraderie concerning convivial consumption of copious quantities of cocktails on this college campus, well, that there’s always Frat Row.

–Nathan Leamy
College junior
Founder of Culinary Program House