Daily News

Posted on Dec. 9: Bertrand Russell Research Centre to put letters online

E-mail may be fast and convenient, but the historians of the future may regret the havoc wrought by the delete button on the records of contemporary social and political commentary. Researchers interested in the 20th century are more fortunate in having at their disposal the letters of one of the most intelligent and prolific writers the world has ever seen - the philosopher Bertrand Russell. Even in his 90s, Russell would commonly dictate several letters in a day on a staggeringly wide range of subjects. His correspondents included both well-known figures such as Einstein, Niels Bohr, T.S. Eliot, and Edna O'Brien, and countless ordinary people who would write to Russell requesting information or advice on topics as disparate as formal logic and marriage counselling. He was a rare private individual indeed, who could write to both Khrushchev and Kennedy at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, and expect them to read what he had to say. "Russell was ceaselessly and effortlessly fluent," comments Nicholas Griffin, McMaster philosophy professor and director of the Bertrand Russell Research Centre. "Whatever he thought of, he had the words to express it. He truly believed in the power of words to change a situation." And at times they did - as a kind of one-man precursor to 'Amnesty International', Russell met with some success in his letter-writing campaigns on behalf of eastern block political prisoners. The Russell Archives at McMaster hold more than 40,000 of Russell's letters. Faced with such an embarrassment of riches, the only problem for researchers is where to begin looking for specific information. "It can be like looking for a needle in a haystack" says Griffin, who has read more of Russell's correspondence than most.

Posted on Dec. 6: McMaster students get royal honour

They may be young, but the age-old adage of 'giving is better than receiving' is not a new concept for McMaster students Adam Green, Adam Spence and Sam Minniti. For cancer survivor Adam Green, volunteering is a necessity. "I don't see it as volunteering," he says. "I see it as something I have to do." Green, who was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer at the age of 15, volunteers for a number of agencies, including Shinerama, Terry Fox and at a camp for children with cancer. "When I see kids who have cancer and the hardships they go through, that's what makes me volunteer," he says. The fourth-year business student, Spence and Minniti were among 46,000 Canadians and 42 Hamiltonians to receive Queen's Jubilee Awards, given to those who have contributed up to 50 years of service to the community. The Golden Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II commemorates the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty's reign as Queen of Canada.

Posted on Dec. 5: Little shut-eye for students preparing for exams

Crunch time's on. From a walk around campus, it's unmistakable. In the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC), baggy-eyed students are surrounded by papers and books. In lounges, groups are huddled in serious discussion. And libraries are the busiest they've been all term. The McMaster campus is a quiet place these days, with students preparing for the 60,277 examinations that will be written between Dec. 4 and 17. But studying might be a little less stressful because of accommodations made by University services and student committees. The McMaster Students Union Student Life Committee (SLC), for example, has co-ordinated an All-Night Study Program in the MUSC, where all floors are dedicated to students studying for exams. Silent areas and discussion areas have been established 24 hours day in meeting rooms, banquet halls, lounges and the atrium. Consideration hours are in effect 24 hours a day, while no tolerance hours are between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Posted on Dec. 3: Students on Patrol makes community connection

When it comes to fighting crime in the community, students have an invested interest. "McMaster is our home throughout the school year and we want to make this place safe for on-campus and off-campus students," says Cathy Hui, co-ordinator of McMaster's Student Walk Home Attendant Team (SWHAT). So when the SWHAT team was approached by Hamilton Police constable Greg Doerr about joining forces, they were all for the idea. "This was something we had already wanted to do," the fourth-year kinesiology student says. Students on Patrol is a new program where Hamilton police and McMaster Security provide SWHAT volunteers with training on how to make McMaster and its surrounding communities a healthier and safer place. Volunteers are educated on how to watch for suspicious activity and how to be aware of their surroundings. This fall, Hamilton Police and McMaster Security trained more than 150 SWHAT volunteers.