Expressions

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The College literary magazine of John A. Logan College has been in existence since the the early 80’s and was the brainchild of Professor David Packard, who was chair of the English Department at the time. It was Dave’s idea to have a “name-the-magazine” contest. The actual title of the magazine is forever lost to us, since Steve Falcone is the only faculty editor in the magazine’s existence and, thus, the foggy lens of memory through which the history of the publication is filtered.

• Click here to view a PDF of the 2005 Expressions magazine.

Writings

The magazine has always been printed off-campus by Henry Printing in the belief that a professional quality of publication would prove an added inducement to student submissions. Early issues saw the publication buying work from established writers. Poems by Tom Kinsella, William Stafford, and Gwendolyn Brooks graced the initial pages in the hopes of teaching a fledgling magazine to fly, but it was soon decided that the issue belonged to student work -- with the occasional guest addition. Thus the bulk of the magazine has been the developing vision of Logan students these past few decades. An issue evolved to about forty-five pages of art, poetry, fiction, and drama. Each year a scholarship is awarded to a student editor (or two) who helps guide the publication through all of its stages, adding as much input as they can wrest control away from the faculty editor. A good year will see a few more helpful readers swell the selection process. Often only the faculty and student editors make selections. Submissions are accepted until December 1st of the fall semester, and a publication is forthcoming by the Ides of March.

Readings

The 90’s brought the notion of the students reading their work in the open. Falcone speaks of a two-fold plan: 1) get the writer to admit he/she writes, and 2) get that same writer to step up to a podium and warble. Granting that some writers simply shy away from the light, student actors at the college have always graciously stepped up to the microphone. The readings have grown, nurtured by the entire English Department -- and one special lady who came to the College to teach sign language interpretation. Paula Willig and her marvelous interpreters became as much a part of the "Expressions" reading as anyone. Paula always rehearses her students well in the text before the work is read, and what evolves is nothing less than “hand poetry.” The double dimension of sight and sound expands what has become a popular event at the college.

Currents

The issue seems to grow more polished with time, due in great part to another wonderful woman, Robin Egelston. Robin adds creative shaping to everything from poster ideas to layout, to covers. She has designed covers a few times and is always standing by to catch the issue if it wobbles. Covers are the creative domain of the faculty editor as long as he/she has one. If not, student art has provided covers, as well as the marvelous photography of Steve McLaughlin, a photography teacher at the College. An introduction is also a job of the faculty editor, a duty commissioned in various creative ways -- not the least of which is the cover of lines from poems and stories wrapping the issue by Jon Travelstead a few years back. Add constantly hip, fun poems (and reads) by our own “Fog” Gilbert, and “Expressions” stands as a confluence of creative minds that hopes to keep gushing for years to come.