Show 1 Racial Threats Put College Town on Edge PJ P.J. Huffstutter Los Angeles Times Parishioners gathering atthe atthe at atthe the North Shore Unitarian Church on Sunday morning glanced nervously toward the security cars across the street which had cordoned off access to much of Trinity International University FBI and police officials have been scouring the conservative conservative conservative con con- Christian campus about 30 miles north of Chicago interviewing dozens of people about racist notes that were sent to three minority minority minority minor minor- ity students over the past few weeks School officials temporarily temporarily temporarily tem tem- evacuated dozens of minority undergraduates who live in the campus dorms after a black student received the third letter Thursday via a campus mail system The letter handwritten on notebook paper indicated that its author had seen the female student at a chapel service and it used racist language language language lan lan- guage and referred to a weapon police said Its Its It's so strange to imagine that sort of thing happening in our backyard said Gary James minister of North NorthShore NorthShore NorthShore Shore Unitarian This is such a small community and we just dont don't see that happening happening happening happen happen- ing here On Sunday as students headed back to their rooms and prepared to return to class Monday the mood on the small campus was quiet and reflective As were we're talking to students students stu stu- students stu- stu dents were we're hearing concern and people being appalled Bannockburn police Chief Kevin said We have most of the crimes here that you see in Chicago They just happen very very infrequent infrequent- ly Trinity College part of the larger campus that includes among other things a seminary school has about 1000 undergraduates about of whom live in the brick dorms on the tree-filled tree campus Nearly 26 percent of the undergraduates are minorities Students say the college is a tight-knit tight place partly because there are few places in this village where young people on tight budgets cango cango can cango go for entertainment In 2000 this affluent predominantly white town of about 1500 had a median home price of The campus itself is a structured environment When applying to the school would-be would students agree to follow the student handbook and its community See Race continued on page 8 Race cont cant from page 2 Among other things students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents are to dress modestly and not drink smoke or take drugs Single people cant can't live with someone of the opposite sex and dancing on campus must be under the direction and approval of school staff Its a Christian school said Daniel an economics professor here who also is taking courses Its not a racist place This has shocked everyone School officials held a meeting late last week with undergraduates after they learned about the third letter The first two had included hateful messages targeting black and Latino students university spokesman Gary Cantwell said When the third letter came cane to our attention we decided to be cautious and advised students that they might want to temporarily leave Cantwell said We have an emergency response plan that we used The school evacuated 43 minority students who requested help leaving campus campus campus cam cam- pus housing them at a nearby nearby nearby near near- by hotel Dozens of other minority students and some white undergraduates who expressed concern about a possible recurrence of the recent shooting at a Minnesota high school left campus to stay with family or friends in Chicago Cantwell said Over the weekend the campus dining hall was mostly empty Clusters of young people gathered at the AT Olson Chapel where some prayed for patience and guidance At the student center several gathered signatures signatures signatures sig sig- sig- sig natures for a letter of affirmation affirmation affirmation mation to give their support to minorities Cantwell said Investigators said they have no leads but we feel pretty confident that this is a to student-to-student incident said |