The bell from the top of Bibb Graves chimes on every hour, one chime for each hour of the day. It tolls twelve times every noon.
On April 20, 2007, at 11 a.m., the chimes sounded 32 times - one for each innocent victim of the massacre at Virginia Tech University.
Jacksonville is unique in that it can feel like home, no matter what state your drivers' license says. Technically a small town, Jacksonville comes equipped with that southern hospitality feel. But, not far from the middle of town, it has a large university that lends it quite a bit of diversity.
Our beloved university has been blessed with a new system that handles everything from registration to daily campus life. The MyJSU system was put into place for the fall semester, replacing the Student Access System. The results so far have been very positive.
JSU offers many online courses through the Distance Learning program. The faculty works hard to provide students with the best online experience available. "Everything is student-driven," Director of Distance Education Dr. Sherri Restauri said. The Distance Learning program uses surveys and evaluations from both students and faculty to help shape future updates.
For many freshmen, college is a wonderful and exciting time. For most, it is the first time they are truly on their own, with no parents around, hovering over their shoulder making sure they are following the straight and narrow path. Some people spend that time wisely and get a great education.
In fair Jacksonville, where we lay our scene, the size of the town is inversely proportioned to the richness of the nightlife. That is to say, with a little direction, the scene in this small town can be quite intoxicating. If one happens to be blessed with a night free of responsibility, and hopefully the luxury of sleeping late the following morning, there are endless possibilities of socializing.