Feb. 15, 2007

MC should buy the Becky Thatcher
Erin Siebel
siebele@marietta.edu

Remember that boat where we all used to go on Thursday nights?
Yeah, it’s still there. Docked by the river on Front Street. You can’t really miss it. But don’t think about going on it again. It is closed for business. And what a waste that is.

That’s why I propose a wonderful business plan for Marietta College: we buy the Becky Thatcher Showboat. Not only is it equipped with a restaurant and bar, but in case you still don’t know, it’s on the river! For a college that prides itself as being located at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, we sure don’t do all that much about it. Our only interaction with the river tends to be when our crew team races on it or our campus is drowned in its overflowing waters. Why not make the river a little more profitable and exciting by owning our own wonderful sternwheeler?

The Becky Thatcher was recently for sale on eBay for $550,000, but the sale ended on February 10th with no bidders. So it’s still up for grabs! And I’m sure we can scrounge up enough money for it. I know I’d chip in a few bucks. Maybe if we decide to forgo buying “electric fireplaces” for the new library we could afford a brand-spanking (kind of) new boat!

There are many things the college could do with the boat. Maybe we could solve our little housing problem by furnishing it with dorm rooms. Just imagine waking up in the morning and being able to walk only a few feet to view the beautiful riverside. Or we could turn it into the “official” college bar, exclusively serving the students of Marietta College. The college would be able to profit from the copious amount of money its students spend on bars downtown, while creating a safe environment free of any scary “townies.” Another idea would be to turn it into an additional venue for theatre or choir performances. This wouldn’t even be too difficult, as the Ohio Valley Players used to hold performances on the Becky Thatcher. Imagine the kind of ambiance that could be achieved by watching the talent of our peers while lounging on the Muskingum River.

Now, these are of course only my humble ideas. I’m sure there are many other ways the college could use the abandoned boat. I just think we should adopt the place that many of us hold so dear and turn it into something that makes Marietta College truly one of a kind.