Library director, university officials and project organizers put secrets exhibit back on schedule
Lauren Womack
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: News
"SamfordSecret is what I've described as an 'internal memo,'" Kerlin said. "It's just not the kind of thing that people coming back to Samford with their families are going to really understand. It's part of an on-going community conversation, so it didn't make much sense to have it up during Homecoming."
"Although this is a community - wide project, it is also very private. This is the Samford community pretty much pouring itself out there," Haas said. "Keeping it within the Samford community, where people can understand and react appropriately to it, has its merits."
Kerlin also emphasized that the SamfordSecret project is very context-specific.
"For people to walk into the library, out of the clear blue, not having been on Samford's campus in 20 years, with no context, they're not going to get it. It could lead people to be disturbed or upset or not to understand what we're doing," he said. "With no one really there to explain it to them, it was just the wisest thing to do to wait to open the display in full after Homecoming."
Now that Homecoming is over, the SamfordSecret display is in full swing, with four display boards in the library nearly filled with postcard secrets. So far, those involved with the project say the responses have been "overwhelmingly positive."
"It's good that we're kind of exposing what everyone knows people struggle with and not trying to hide it," Kerlin said. "It's showing that the Samford bubble is somewhat of a myth, that there are all kinds of problems here that we don't talk about, that there's real human brokenness."
Tomorrow, Crosson and Haas will lead a SamfordSecret Convo in Reid Chapel, where they will tell students and faculty about the project.
"They're going to explain what the project is, where they got the idea, why they're doing it and what they hope to accomplish with it," Kerlin said. "They're going to show some of the more interesting, provocative postcards, some of the more Convo-appropriate cards, on the large screen, and they are going to ask the audience some questions of the audience about what those secrets say about Samford."
Additionally, there will be an "open mic" time at the end of the Convo, and organizers will invite students to share a secret in front of the audience.
"When the original creator of PostSecret travels the country and speaks, he always concludes his presentation by giving people an opportunity to go to the mic and share a secret," Kerlin said. "It's a risky thing to do at Samford."
"Although this is a community - wide project, it is also very private. This is the Samford community pretty much pouring itself out there," Haas said. "Keeping it within the Samford community, where people can understand and react appropriately to it, has its merits."
Kerlin also emphasized that the SamfordSecret project is very context-specific.
"For people to walk into the library, out of the clear blue, not having been on Samford's campus in 20 years, with no context, they're not going to get it. It could lead people to be disturbed or upset or not to understand what we're doing," he said. "With no one really there to explain it to them, it was just the wisest thing to do to wait to open the display in full after Homecoming."
Now that Homecoming is over, the SamfordSecret display is in full swing, with four display boards in the library nearly filled with postcard secrets. So far, those involved with the project say the responses have been "overwhelmingly positive."
"It's good that we're kind of exposing what everyone knows people struggle with and not trying to hide it," Kerlin said. "It's showing that the Samford bubble is somewhat of a myth, that there are all kinds of problems here that we don't talk about, that there's real human brokenness."
Tomorrow, Crosson and Haas will lead a SamfordSecret Convo in Reid Chapel, where they will tell students and faculty about the project.
"They're going to explain what the project is, where they got the idea, why they're doing it and what they hope to accomplish with it," Kerlin said. "They're going to show some of the more interesting, provocative postcards, some of the more Convo-appropriate cards, on the large screen, and they are going to ask the audience some questions of the audience about what those secrets say about Samford."
Additionally, there will be an "open mic" time at the end of the Convo, and organizers will invite students to share a secret in front of the audience.
"When the original creator of PostSecret travels the country and speaks, he always concludes his presentation by giving people an opportunity to go to the mic and share a secret," Kerlin said. "It's a risky thing to do at Samford."
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