The end of a glorious era for Arcadia Football, rich with victorious celebrations and fond memories—one of which was of a 2000 victory in the Pacific League Championship—was sadly marked by the recent passing of beloved former football coach, Mr. Jim Ellsworth. After a valiant battle against small-cell cancer over the course of several decades, Coach Ellsworth passed on Thursday, Feb. 19 surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones.

After successfully beating lung cancer in 1966, Coach Ellsworth retired from coaching football in 1995 when his cancer returned. Following treatments, he was pronounced cancer-free up until 2006, when the cancer appeared once again. Through all of his chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and radiation treatments, Coach Ellsworth notably kept up his cheerful disposition to the very end.

To those who knew him, Coach Ellsworth was a tough and passionate leader that many students looked to for guidance and support. Alumnus Forrest Reed, who was coached by Coach Ellsworth during his high school football career, commented, "There are so many ways to describe Coach. I think the best thing about him was his honesty, though. He always told you how it was and made all of [his] players play better. I will always remember Coach Ellsworth and everything he taught me." Coach Jon Dimalante, AHS’s current football coach and Coach Ellsworth’s replacement 15 years ago, said, "Friendships are meant to be cherished. I will forever cherish my friendship with Jim Ellsworth."

Coach Ellsworth’s admirable bravery in the face of personal conflict will always be a major part of his unfading memory in the hearts of all Apaches. Through his larger-than-life personality, he has made a lasting impact at AHS. And so, in memory of the gentle giant who made us laugh, cry, and believe in what we can achieve together, we say, "How ‘bout that Ellsworth?"

Please join the Arcadia faculty in collecting to funds to help Coach Ellsworth’s wife Carol Ellsworth cope with her loss. A card and box for much-appreciated donations will be available in P-22 this week only.

In 1837, the nation’s first historically black college was created in Pennsylvania with the purpose of educating African Americans. Now, more than 100 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), stand as a symbol of an ethnicity’s endeavors to rise above the stereotype of the ignorant African American. However, the Misssissippi state government is proposing to merge three HBCUs into one, creating a tense atmosphere in a state with a history already rich in violent civil-rights movements and outrage over lack of HBCU funding.

The reason behind the plan to merge HBCUs Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, and Alcorn State University, is to save money by "reducing administrative costs and eliminating academic duplication." Governor Haley Barbour’s plan would not close any of the colleges, which all are within 100 miles of each other, but instead merge them together. "Restructuring could save $35 million dollars out of a $5.5 billion budget for the fiscal year," said Barbour.

Many have voiced their opposition to this merger. The presidents of the universities have made clear to the state that they wish to retain their independence, and worry about the effects consolidation will have on the quality of education. Students attended a college board meeting to voice their protests, but found no discussion on the topic. Other students have begun petitioning in protest of the merger, saying that it "undermine[s] the uniqueness of the black colleges and how far [they’ve] come with the little resources [they] have." The common belief of politicians opposed to the consolidation of the HBCUs is that it is not fair to treat them differently from other universities by considering them first for budget cuts.

At AHS, the Black Student Union voices its disagreement with the proposal of the merger. The club’s president, Ashley Ethridge, said, "The quality of education will surely be affected if this goes through, and if they’re going to do it to HBCUs then they need to do it to other colleges. It’s an insult and an outrage." Mr. Carter Spruill, the club’s advisor, said, "We need to do all that we can to preserve our history, [which includes] HBCUs. If you look at the HBCUs in that state, they have been under-funded...which tells you that they have been overlooked all along."

Affected by the merger is the Obama administration’s plan to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Because of its enrollment of many low income students and minorities, HBCUs would help achieve this goal. However, by combining them into one university, the education of young African American adults may decrease in quality. John S. Wilson, executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, has said, "Would [the merger] result in a great institution? I think that’s unclear."

The future of Mississippi’s HBCUs is currently unclear, but students of the schools in question are fighting to maintain their schools’ individuality, and surely will have an effect on the decision of the state’s legislature.