tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109804318563825235.post85682027516592889..comments2023-04-05T11:04:19.810-04:00Comments on MiddBlog: College Seal RebirthSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16813049544518805254noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109804318563825235.post-44383009487127990982007-07-17T12:57:00.000-04:002007-07-17T12:57:00.000-04:00Hi MiddBlog,Thanks for your overall very good cove...Hi MiddBlog,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your overall very good coverage of the graphic identity project.<BR/><BR/>Wanted to alert people that we are in the process of creating high resolution version of the seal, so it may be a couple of days until it appears on the College Web site. Patience will be appreciated.<BR/><BR/>Also wanted to address some of your comments in your latest posting, which seemed to veer into the realm of NY Post Page Six!<BR/><BR/>To use your phrase, I haven’t been “hauled” anywhere since I was in kindergarten, certainly not to Old Chapel. I weigh too much for one thing. But since you are musing, thought you might appreciate a scoop.<BR/><BR/>This is how the decision to use the seal was made. <BR/><BR/>Frankly, the debate caught me a little off guard because for the past year I had really been looking at this fundamentally as a stationery design project. <BR/><BR/>While aware a Facebook group had been formed, and the number of members was growing daily, that wasn’t as compelling to me as the notes I received from members of the community. Although I did not agree with all the points being made, I could not ignore the genuine care and concern people felt.<BR/><BR/>However, I must admit I did not feel much empathy and thought it would blow over.<BR/><BR/>That was until Friday when I was driving to Boston for my first Red Sox game of the year.<BR/><BR/>I used to work at Fenway Park when I was a kid and love the Sox. Somewhere around Rochester, VT, where all the radio and cell connections disappear, I got to thinking.<BR/><BR/>In the 1970’s the Red Sox changed their uniforms to red hats and blue visors. I really hated the way they looked. Ted Williams never wore a red hat. <BR/><BR/>I used to work with a creative director in New York who had a wonderful phrase: creativity is when logic turns into magic. Well at that moment I started to think creatively.<BR/><BR/>I finally understood that people saw the new logo the way I saw the Sox red hats. Empathy finally kicked in. <BR/><BR/>So I pulled off the road in Bethel, as soon as my Blackberry got service again, and contacted Ron and told him how I was thinking about using the seal.<BR/><BR/>He wrote back and said he was already on the same page. Minus the Red Sox part of course.<BR/><BR/>We agreed to think about it over the weekend. And yesterday, Monday, we shared the idea with colleagues on the President’s Staff. We talked about it during the day. From the start, we all felt good about the “seal as logo” idea. I wrote the memo you got last night, and that was it.<BR/><BR/>So there was no hauling. No outside donors calling up. Nothing that dramatic. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, that’s that, and we go from here.<BR/><BR/>Do have a couple of things I would like to share before I close and head off to Cape Cod for summer vacation. <BR/><BR/>First, I want to say how great it is working with the Chermayeff & Geismar design firm. They are consummate professionals, and Middlebury is incredibly fortunate to be working with them. They certainly don’t need any kind of kudos from me. But I wanted to give them a public thank you anyway.<BR/><BR/>Second, in the first emails I got some fairly inconsiderate and unkind things were written. When I responded, I unfailingly got much more polite and reasoned debate. It made me wonder if sometimes, in the internet age, people think they are posting to chat room instead of writing to a real person. <BR/><BR/>People may want to remember that next time they fire off an angry response to someone. When you hit send you don’t get a do over. In a community of learning, I would hope civil discourse would be the norm. As our discussions proceeded, that was clearly the case, and I appreciated it. Anyway, no harm, no foul.<BR/><BR/>Finally, sorry to anyone who has already purchased a bulk order of T shirts in anticipation of making a killing in September. From what I understand, there were some hilarious ones. If already printed, I would love to have one.<BR/><BR/>That’s it. Have a great summer, and remember, we’ll get the Web site corrected as soon as possible. <BR/><BR/>Mike McKennaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9109804318563825235.post-27619277713233160072007-07-17T11:12:00.000-04:002007-07-17T11:12:00.000-04:00in classical latin "virtus" means something along ...in classical latin "virtus" means something along the lines of "manliness" or "heroic virtue" - not the sort of thing you learn in church. i'm amused that that's the kind of virtue we have on our seal...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04234703081692385144noreply@blogger.com