Abby Conley
Reporter

What happened to the little old ladies knitting and the old men whittling in rockers on the front porch? They’ve been replaced by college students! Well, at least at Milligan College.

The front porch has long been an image of the South, but who would have ever thought that it would inch its way onto a college campus? Yet, take a walk along the back parking lot of campus in front of MSA and you will find the front porches fairly teeming with life.

An occasional laugh rings out. Harmonica music can be heard. Most of all, the quiet chatter of indistinguishable conversation takes the place of silence.

Front porch culture is a distinctly American phenomenon that finds its roots in ancient history. As all good humanities students know, the “stoa” was the center of Greek culture. People gathered on these ancient structures - which were what we would now call porches - to learn, socialize and conduct business. More than 2,000 later, the same is still true.

By the early twentieth century, porches were less popular and grew increasingly so. The advent of motor transportation, radio, television and air conditioning drew those who once passed lazy afternoons on a porch into the comfort of the inside.

For Milligan College student suites, however, the concept of the front porch is alive and well.
The first 11 of the 32 Milligan apartments are suites that house unmarried undergraduate students. While all of the apartment porches are dotted with chairs and grills, these suites sport a life of their own.

In front of apartment nine, residents are usually outside. Sometimes, only one girl is seated on the camping chair outside, like senior Victoria Bailey reading Kathleen Norris’ “Amazing Grace.” Other times, almost always in the evening, several people may be gathered outside the apartment.
“Usually, we just talk about our day,” said junior Kaci Campbell. “There’s something about just being outside. There’s trees, mountains.”

“There’s no TV out here,” said senior Ashley Rolston, “no distractions.”

Even Resident Director Kent Pettit can’t resist the charm of the front porches of MSA. His white rocking chairs that, according to Pettit, are meant to imitate those on the Jeanes’ front porch, are often occupied in the evenings as Pettit is deep in study, but, of course, not too deep in study to refrain from greeting passers-by. What else is a front porch for?

As a former country boy, Pettit enjoys these rockers for “sentimental reasons.” But, “even if I”m doing work,” Pettit said, “it’s a mode of relaxation.”

However, what has affectionately been termed The Front Porch Club is the most famous portion of the MSA front porch culture.

The residents of apartments two and four have a row of camping chairs between the two apartments. Nearly every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, several of the residents gather for lunch. In the evening, they may be found at any time. 

However, what is done on this front porch distinguishes it from the others.

“Trevor (Brown) and I like to play the harmonica and sometimes Bre (Shelton) will sing,” said senior Kory Drake. “Just good ol’ songs like Home, Home on the Range. I made a little music book for the harmonica.”

Activities vary further.

“Every once in a while,” said Drake, “we’ll have an official porch club get together and invite others.”

The last time, the event was a sushi lunch.

Other times, they simply sit and “look over our domain,” according to Drake.

Critiquing parking is another favorite activity of the club. Drake says the group celebrates the website iparklikeanidiot.com, which sells bumper stickers bearing the same slogan. Although they do not distribute the stickers physically, they do so bestow the honor upon certain people anyway, according to Drake.

Senior Bre Shelton is the ringleader of The Front Porch Club, an organization that senior Amber Saferight says “seems to be one of the main social things that MSA people do.”

However, Saferight also admits, “I feel awkward because I don’t sit on the front porch everyday. Of course, I may be biased because our building doesn’t have [a club].”

The Front Porch Club didn’t start as a formal club. According to apartment two resident senior Corbin Geary, the first Tuesday morning returning students were on campus, he was out on the porch in his pajama pants watching the garbage man “fail miserably” while trying to empty the dumpsters. Bre came out to join him and suddenly, The Front Porch Club was born.

For all the historical and cultural reasons people offer in explanation of the front porch’s purpose and existence, senior Pete Thomas of apartment two may have figured out the appeal of a front porch and why it draws people in: “It’s just the thing to do with a front porch.”

However, what has affectionately been termed The Front Porch Club is the most famous portion of the MSA front porch culture.

The residents of apartments two and four have a row of camping chairs between the two apartments. Nearly every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, several of the residents gather for lunch. In the evening, they may be found at any time. 

However, what is done on this front porch distinguishes it from the others.

“Trevor (Brown) and I like to play the harmonica and sometimes Bre (Shelton) will sing,” said senior Kory Drake. “Just good ol’ songs like Home, Home on the Range. I made a little music book for the harmonica.”

Activities vary further.

“Every once in a while,” said Drake, “we’ll have an official porch club get together and invite others.”

The last time, the event was a sushi lunch.

Other times, they simply sit and “look over our domain,” according to Drake.

Critiquing parking is another favorite activity of the club. Drake says the group celebrates the website iparklikeanidiot.com, which sells bumper stickers bearing the same slogan. Although they do not distribute the stickers physically, they do so bestow the honor upon certain people anyway, according to Drake.

Senior Bre Shelton is the ringleader of The Front Porch Club, an organization that senior Amber Saferight says “seems to be one of the main social things that MSA people do.”

However, Saferight also admits, “I feel awkward because I don’t sit on the front porch everyday. Of course, I may be biased because our building doesn’t have [a club].”

The Front Porch Club didn’t start as a formal club. According to apartment two resident senior Corbin Geary, the first Tuesday morning returning students were on campus, he was out on the porch in his pajama pants watching the garbage man “fail miserably” while trying to empty the dumpsters. Bre came out to join him and suddenly, The Front Porch Club was born.

For all the historical and cultural reasons people offer in explanation of the front porch’s purpose and existence, senior Pete Thomas of apartment two may have figured out the appeal of a front porch and why it draws people in: “It’s just the thing to do with a front porch.”