Oz the Great and Powerful is set as the prequel to the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. It follows the life of Oscar Diggs (Oz), a two bit magician from Kansas. Although the accuracy of the film may be in question—like the flying baboons and which witch is which—,there are many similarities between the two films. Both of the films begin in black and white and move to color as the main characters venture into new worlds. Oscar and Dorothy’s friends in the new world resemble people they knew and loved in Kansas.

As far as the content is concerned, Oz’s story line is simple. Mr. Diggs is a lady’s man. In Kansas he is marred by unsuccessful magic tricks and promises that he cannot seem to keep. His charm follows him into the new world, but the faith the people have in him enables him to pull off his greatest magic trick yet.

This film runs for a little over two hours; however, the entire film is entertaining. The audience has a chance to see Oscar as a conniving person at the beginning of the film as he will do and say anything to accumulate the “King’s” wealth, to a compassionate, loving person as he shows his emotional side when dealing with the little “China Girl.” The battle scenes are very interesting too.

Oz the Great and Powerful leaves room for a sequel. At the end of the movie, Evanora is carried off by her flying monkeys as she is defeated by Glinda the Good Witch. Oz hands out gifts to the main people that helped him scare Theodora off. Much like he does at the end of The Wizard of Oz.

Lemuel Way

Because, because, because, because, because...

An evaluation of any film that proposes to recreate a classic world or to add to a much beloved story must necessarily take into account the success or failure of that endeavor, not merely from a purely functional perspective, but also from an emotional one.

Over the last decade or so, Hollywood has produced a vast quantity of remakes or "reboots." From 70s and 80s television shows such as "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "21 Jump Street" to movies such as "Halloween, "King Kong" and "True Grit," the list is long and varied. Some are well done; others are purely derivative. Few represent any true innovation.

"Oz the Great and Powerful" distinguishes itself from the pack by offering viewers something new and original. Rather than merely regurgitating existing content, this new "Oz" does what all the best stories do. It asks "what if?" It creates both a prequel to a long-beloved tale and a film that is valid and entertaining in and of itself.

As Lemuel points out, the new film does mimic the original in areas, and incorporates motifs and themes well-known to fans of  Dorothy and company. It's important to note, however, that in this, too, the new film pays homage  to the old rather than simply aping it. Watching the movie evolve to color, seeing original characters echoed in new ones, revisiting Dorothy's dissatisfaction with her life as mirrored by Oscar's own--all these experiences create a pleasing backdrop of familiarity against which the new and highly entertaining story plays out. Further, the vivid imagery, fantastic scenarios, and the frequency with which characters break into song work together to create a sense of wonder similar to the original film.

In all, this film adds nicely to the wonderful world that is Oz.

by Maggie Worth

The SAT: Proclaiming America's Faulty Value System Since 1942

Intelligence comes in varied forms, each most effective when balanced with others.
Photo credit: © Winterberg | Dreamstime.com

I agree with Murray’s position. The SAT has become useless in light of cognitive stratification, effective achievement testing, and the value now placed on other qualifications. I further contend that continued use of the SAT is detrimental because it enforces a distorted view of intelligence.

When I took the SAT in 1990, my scores earned me numerous acceptances (including Yale), a stack of academic scholarships, and membership in MENSA. I did no prep work whatsoever. I didn't need to. As with most IQ and other “aptitude” tests, the SAT is specifically designed to measure the type of intelligence I happen to have in abundance. If, however, I had been asked to describe the room in which I took the test or, worse, to draw it, I’d have failed miserably. I do not register things around me – a skill critical to successful police work – and I cannot draw – a necessary ability for artists and architects.

For some inexplicable reason, society reveres my kind of intelligence and thinks everyone ought to aspire to it. But “best” is a variable value. The best college (or job) is the one most suited to an individual’s goals and abilities. “Elite” colleges are neither necessary nor beneficial to everyone and anyone who thinks doctoring is a better or more important profession than plumbing has never seen a table drain back up during an autopsy.

I currently work with the most talented, intuitive designer I have seen in the course of my 20-year marketing career. She’s also a natural teacher and would make an extraordinary college design instructor… if she could pass the GRE. Since her brain doesn't work that way, no student will ever profit from her skill, ability, or mentorship. This is the kind of sheer idiocy perpetuated by emphasis on tests like the SAT.  

Maggie Worth

Still A Valuable Measurement Of Collegiate Skills

Murray’s suggestion to abolish the SAT holds no warrant as the standardized test is a necessary measurement of a student’s ability to succeed in post-secondary education. Maggie argues that the SAT “enforces a distorted view of intelligence”; however, people are failing to remember that the SATs are not measuring what one’s learned, but rather one’s ability to analyze, reason, and solve—critical skills needed to succeed in college.

Murray’s claim that SAT scores are a direct correlation to socioeconomic status is completely inconceivable. I, myself, did not attend a high school associated with high society nor did I have the “affluence” to receive prep from Kaplan or Princeton Review. However, the high school I attended—one of which Murray would classify as mediocre—offered a year-long SAT prep class which allowed me to acquire the strategies needed to earn an acceptable score.

Murray’s proposal that colleges should only regard achievement test scores and GPAs as requirement for admission ignores the fact that assessing the combination of SAT Reasoning scores and GPAs is a more accurate indication of a student’s capability to succeed in college. The measurement of a high school GPA alone does not assess a student’s reasoning and analytical skills. High GPAs and achievement test scores can be obtained through pure memorization which fails to measure actual intellect. If anything, such proposal—if followed through—would only foster more controversy in the topic of students’ academic success having a parallel relationship to their social classes.

In contrast to Murray’s argument, the SAT reveals itself to be a valuable measurement in the consideration of future college students and their academic capabilities. Without such measurement, colleges would have an inadequate indication of a student’s intellect.

Ashley Durant

Private Or Public?

 Private schools administer an exceedingly higher quality of education than that of public schools.  The implementation of a comprehensive learning environment, a practical student-teacher ratio, and a rooted disciplinary structure distinguishes private schools from its public school counterparts. The high standards held by private institutions reward students with adequate academic skill-sets and values. 

One evident advantage of attending private schools is the intensive academic structure. Unlike state schools, private schools do not adhere to the educational regulations administered by the government and have the independence to create a curriculum that offers alternative teaching methods as well as the option of teaching subjects deemed most important. Additionally, in many cases, private school teachers have advanced degrees in their subjects which give private school students an advantage over public school students taught by the less educated. These factors likely contribute to private school students’ consistent high-ranking scores on standardized tests and college entrance exams. On top of superior academics, small class sizes also contribute to the advantages of private schools. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, private institutions have an average student-teacher ratio of 12:1 as opposed to 23:1 in public schools. Small class sizes allow instructors to give individualized attention to each student which fulfills academic needs, improves the learning environment, and cultivates academic achievement.  A 2002 study by educational researchers Bruce Biddler and David Berliner showed that the smaller the class size, the better the average student performed on academic achievement tests. Moreover, the disciplinary structure rooted into the school system fosters a much safer environment compared to the unstable and temperamental atmosphere of public schools.

In contrast to the limited opportunities given to public school students, private school students have innumerable possibilities as they are provided with the resources and instilled with the knowledge to advance and succeed in post-secondary education. 


Ashley Durant


The Benefits of Public School


All forms of education are important ones because education is vital in our society. Despite their similarities, some forms may be more beneficial than others. Parents can choose whether their kids are home schooled or sent to private or public institutions. When choosing between home school and private school, many points can be taken into consideration on which is better for the child to attend. Although private school is a great choice, we cannot overlook the advantages that public schools provide that aren't obtainable in a private school setting. Students who attend public school are more prepared for our society because they are taught to live with and respect diverse cultures, learn an art for survival, and despite what is normally assumed, engage with experienced faculties in well-built facilities.

The students who occupy the public school facilities are more prepared for today's society because they experience other cultures. Just by attending and socializing students become familiar with different backgrounds. Public school students are taught the art of survival, because sometimes teachers don't have the time to give anyone extra attention and the school does not allow as much parental input like private schools. Students are forced to learn the curriculum through studying and creative learning. Also, unlike private schools, the faculty of public schools are highly advised to follow strict certification. According to the academic source of the EducationBug.org, there is a great number of public school teachers who are more qualified than private school teachers. Finally, public schools are often generously funded through the lottery and other governmental funds so the facilities are well kept and can offer extra privileges that private school cannot afford to provide, such as free transportation, free after school tutoring programs, and most importantly, a free education.

Courtney Godfrey