| From
the November 17, 2005, edition of 'Northwest News' Newsletter.
by Dana Ternus
Love him or hate him (or her), the Stroller
is one of the oldest traditions at Northwest. The opinions and
observations voiced in the long-running campus column may alternately
entertain and irritate, but they rarely leave the reader without
a reaction.
The Stroller’s first appearance
came on Jan. 8, 1918, in the “Green and White Courier.”
From the beginning, he (or she) wrote the column anonymously.
Anonymity allowed the author to comment candidly on campus happenings,
relay humorous anecdotes and provide insights into the Northwest
experience.
Key requirements to serve as the Stroller
have always included a sense of humor, keen skills of observation
and an entertaining writing style. After 87 years, students and
faculty alike still await the Stroller’s weekly comments.
Despite the column’s popularity, there
were a few times when people attempted to end the Stroller’s
long run in print. In 1922, the newspaper had both a new faculty
adviser and editor. Neither understood the popularity of the feature
and sought to replace it with something new.
The Stroller was discontinued, and two new
columns appeared in its place. The “Spice o’ Life”
contained various jokes while “Deer Maw and Paw” was
a weekly letter from a son to his parents about college life.
Readers, however, did not take kindly to
the switch and made their preferences known. By Oct. 24, the Stroller
had returned.
This explanation was offered for lifting
the column. “The Stroller didn’t intend to come to
college this year, but when he heard the uproar his absence caused,
he dropped everything and took the first train for Maryville ...”
Much the same thing happened in 1939 when
the Stroller made a joke about Sigma Tau. The fraternity’s
sponsor went to the editor and demanded to know who was writing
the column. The editor, of course, replied that the Stroller was.
When pressed concerning the Stroller’s
identity, the editor refused to relinquish the student’s
name but did publish what amounted to an apology. The Stroller,
however, treated the matter whimsically and refused to give in
to pressure.
Today the Stroller remains a popular
feature in the pages of the University’s student newspaper,
the “Northwest Missourian.” Though his (or her) observations
still raise hackles from time to time, the column is likely to
remain an integral part of the Northwest experience.
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