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In bySHERRIPENJ}ELL The following is the first in a series of articles that will take an in-depth look at what is going on in some of the stimulating classes here that one might normally be unaware of. Focusing mostly on student opinion, it is hoped that it will give others a good idea of classes they shouldn't pass up while at Salve. Dying isn't so simple anymore. The celebrated case of Karen Ann Quinlan dramatically confronts the American people with very basic theoretical and practical issues associated with the medical, legal, psychosocial and ethical aspects of death, dying and euthanasia. When is a person actually dead? Is there a consistency between the medical and legal definitions of death? Must a person and relatives be unreasonably burdened by protracted terminal illnesses ? What are the rights and responsibilities associated with the use of ordinary and extraordinary life support systems in cases of terminal illnesses ? These are just some of the basic questions that are being raised by Dr. Maguire this semester in his course on death, dying and euthanasia. Taking the course are many students of varied backgrounds: medical (nursing and pre-med), education, arts, business and social sciences. The

'Pull 'The Plug' Is Discussed Death, L>ying, And Euthanasia classes progress through discussions on assigned readings associated with the various objectives that are chosen by the students. High Point Nearly all of the students agree that the high points of the course were the class discussions that followed a two-hour long t~ped interview between Dr. Maguire and the late Dr. Francis Overlan of Hl}I'var~ University on issues associated with his terminal illness, cancer. It seems unlikely that anyone who walked through the door in September could remain ex ctly the same afte listening to something so powerful and moving. The students in the class were asked to comment on how they felt the course has affected them. This is what some of them had to say: "I believe this course has given me a lot of insight as to the many meanings of death. I have begun to grow and understand why p~ople react the way they do to death and dying and I feel it will help me in the field as a nurse when dealing with terminally ill patients," remarked Andy Davis. No Longer "1'aboo" Stella Volpicelli commented, "Each session of this course has been very interesting and stimulating; it has rm ade me more

comfortable with the 'taboo' subject of death, and I now can think of it more as a natural and inevitable passage from life." Other students held these opinions as to what has taken pl-ace in the class since the beginning of the semester: "I feel this course has been very enlightening, giving me a good insight into different issues such as the WllY children are faced with death, euthanasia and the terminally ill." Another remarked, "I learned of the importance of touch with a dying patient, especially in the nurse's role. The tape we listened to really gave us the dying person's viewpoint of the whole situation. It instilled the fact that a dying person is still a person, an individual who has the same basic needs as any other person with some additions." Kathleen Mullen had this to

Vol. I, No. 2

say: "Dr. Maguire has a style that brings forth insight, feeling, and humor to an issue that has been hassled over or ignored in the past. His candid . approach makes this course a valuable experience." Less Fear The class would also seem to have the effect of lessening the great apprehensions we all have of our final hour. One student remarked, "I feel this course has let me look at death from a different point of view. A lot of things have been brought out into the open and clarified about different aspects of dying. It has let me look at death more realistically and to fear it a lot less, not only my own death, but also the deaths of loved ones." And finally, Dr. Maguire had this to say about his course: "My intent in offering this class was to provide the students with an

oppovtunity to explore the important medical, legal, psychosocial and especially the ethical issues associated with death, dying, and euthanasia. The variety of students and backgrounds in the course has provided a very stimulating learning environment for all of us. Each time I offer the course I learn something new from the students. It is my sincere expectation that all of the students who participate in the course will have their theoretice.l and practical experiences enlarged by this intense learning experience. I intend to offer the ·course again next semester mainly because the issues involved are so basic in our lives." It would seem that the entire class has been greatly influenced in the way they deal with the complex subjects of death, dying, and euthanasia by participating in this very special course.

SALVE REGINA COLLEGE / NEWPORT, R. I.

December 1975

Relive The Revolution Aboard, Frigate 'Rose' bySHERRIPENDELL • Just living in Newport is , an educati@n in itself. We have the opportunity to learn about history on a day to day basis, for Rhode Island is where a good part of the history was made. Wtth a little imagination we can travel back in time and relive the days of yore. After we have powdered our I wigs and starched our petticoats for the voyage into the past, the

ideal place to begin might be to visit •the Revolutionary War fri..gate Rose berthed at King's Dock. Once you board the reproduction of this famous British ship, a million questions will invade your mind, and the pamphlet availabl~ will be most informative, but I will whet your curiosity just a bit. Although the orig1inal Rose was built in England, the reproduction of the ship was constructed in

Nova Scotia in 1969. The original plans for the Rose were used, along with some actual pieces salvaged from her wreck in Georgia. Construction costs were nearly $500,000, and the ship was commissioned by ' Newport historian and author John Millar, a Britisher. Millar had this amazing reproduction of the ship built in order to bring more meaning to the 200th anniversary of the Rev-

olution. Although many consider the Rose to be a large ship, she was considered small in her day. Her length is 170 feet, while 13,000 square feet of dacron sails are supported by five miles of riggiJ?,g. Her main mast towers 130 feet above the water. The Rose is considered to be the cause of the founding of the American Navy. Tnis 500 ton ship was also involved in some rather sticky business in Boston called the Pitt Packett episode in which John Adams, then an obscure lawyer, was appointed public defender to represent the American side. The incident is said to have launched Adams' career toward the presidency. There was quite a problem when the Rose was first brought to Newport by Millar. She was docked in many different places between here and Boston before being allowed to dock where we now find her. The problem was that many Newporters did not want a reproduction of the once hated British warship in their waters. As for the ship itself, the colors are authentic and the impressive lion figurehead was found on nearly all warships of the period. Even the traditional colonial coins were put under the mast of the Rose for good luck. If you wonder why much of the deck is painted red, it's not because there was a sale on red the day it was painted. It was thought that if the crew got used to the sight of red, they wouldn't launch into hysteria in battle when blood was flowing. The cramped quarters under

the deck may have produced many a hunchback after a long voyage. Also below, there are mannequins dressed in the authentic uniforms that lend an eerie sense of reality to t.h e visitor. The Rose has a good future ahead of her, it seems. Visitors have increased thirty percent each year. The ship will soon be sold to Seaport '76, and the troop of Sea Explorer Scouts who are taught the rudiments of sailtraining will continue, along with the summer concerts of sea chanteys . upon her decks. The National Yachting Museum was founded by Millar, and he is also a director of SeaP<>rt '76. This organization aims to tell the story of American Maritime Heritage of the Colonial and Revolutionary periods. Seaport '76 is now constructing a replica of the 12 gun sloop Providence, the first .a uthorized American Naval ship. By 1976, we will be able to see her docked next to the Rose. Mr. Millar feels that the success of Seaport will continue after the bicentennial. I believe you will whole-heartedly agree, once you are swept up in this tour of the past. All aboard!

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Page Two

Odd Notions lnspire~d By Lounge In .O'Hare And Encroaching C.old

EBB

TIDE

December 1975

·From Within 'a Squirrels' Cage

by TONY KUTSAFTIS the team had lapses when it has a nice ring to it. * All those wishing to attend For those of you angered by threw away four or five passes in last month's column, it's not ne- a row. Bernie Redfield's 41 points our paper's annual stoning, should cessary to have the 7th fleet and provided a fine offensive show but purchase tickets before January a horde of alcoholics come and the team as out of touch as the 7. Tickets are $3.00 apiece or by MARTHA WOLF visit me. r will quietly turn my- workers on the tower of Babylon ~5.00 for a couple and include two Fall, it is my theory, affects different people in different ways. self over on December 5th on pier· showed that five one man squads victims and eight. good sized Some seem oblivious to nearly everything. Moldy leaves, bulldozing 4 in the year 2057. can't beat a mediocre team! Our rocks for each. winds, oppressive rains, and still their temperament remains unteam co'mmitted more turnovers * The new rage in our world is * On December 1st, New York changed. But there are others, myself included, who vehemently pru- City will most likely succumb to than the .Pats but should' they the natural. Natural what you test this vile abuse of the elements, principally because our moods the ravages of its financial di- find cohesiveness ·t hey'll be tough. ask ? Everything is natural: hairare a t the mercy of them. seases and default. With New * As far as we can determine dos, make-up, food, deodorant, . Such a drear;r day is today, and as I fold myself into a tacky · York City gone, New York state our teams are still without a shampoos, and everything else. plastic chair in the O'Hare lounge, a gray pall has obscured the world has said it will be forced to follow name. The Salve Seagulls, it is You can take a bath in wild t hrough the window. suit. How can the East Coast <>ur hope, has or will be discarded strawberry, · wash your hair in Inva riably the fog inspires madness in me, a s do exams, and when survive with its wealthiest and · for a more suitable title. If we avacado shampoo, and sprinkle both attack my rationality at the same time, something frightening most populous component decay- don't find something more suit- yourself with watermelon powresult s. Some bizarre notion or a ct is sur e to follow. The last time I ing ? It can not! While pasting a able to go along with our blessed der. People are like walking fruit was thus afflicted, I was hea rd for two full days to hum "Hail to the dumb smile on his f·a ce, President school name, .Salve, why don't we salads. Men on dates find themChief", pa using for breath. And that was a mild attack. Ford has condemned New York find something to go along with selves getting hungry and not The lounge is deserted. Even the flies have gotten wise, and they and possibly the entire East Seagulls. The .Seattle Seagulls amorous. (Sure, turkey!) • no longer help to keep one awake by dancing on one's toes, or doing Coast to a slow agonizing death. entrechats on the rims of coffee cups, therefore inspiring the frantic Refusing to reach into national ICIIiiCICICICICIIIIIIICICICICII•ICr ~ and futile swinging of the arms of their victim. For some people I funds to appropr iate the necesknow, this used to be their sole diversion and exercise. I vaguely sary loans to rescue the drowning remember someone trying to count the flies in the lounge once, but city, Ford is attempting to double they threw in the towel at 290, if I recall correctly. foreign aid. Giving Anwar Sadat, The lounge is not quite deserted. There are the machines, hum- Egypt's leader, the toys of war, ming, whirring, and buzzing in , peculiar harmony. At moments like Ford is attempting to flex the this, when I am forced to study, I feel a strange kinship with them. muscles of democracy in the face On demand, they produce small squares of foreign matter, barely of the communist threat. As if edible morsels that are embalmed in cellophane caskets in order to this is not bad enough, Egypt and ensure their preservation for at lea st a week. But I, too, have days other third world countries should when no diamonds or rubies come forth from the lips. And, my very attempt to curb the tide of hunlife is reflected in their out-of-order signs. Painful mirrors, these! ger and parasitic diseases now A small man comes bustling in, and, noting the out-o(order sigrt, sweeping their countries. c••••~t:•rc•••••~t:••••••••II•••ICIIIIIIIIICIIICIIICIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII·II·~ begins viciously to disembowel the coffee machine. Parts begin to be Washington and our halla:wed scattered hither and yon, and the sad m etal seems to sag with dis'grace at sucn brutal surgery. The miserable m achine, its only sin was leaders have traded in their espionage games of tne past sevprobably a failure to produce cream! by TONY KUTSAFTIS The dismemberment complete, it is gradually fitted back into a eral y ears for new pastimes. whole, and is expected to fulfill its function properly. Frightening, to While ahowing the world its bil*Have you ever noticed those monthly horrorscopes. Giving you think that should h appen to m e, whenever I was out-of-order. I could, lowing chest the U. 8. has failed the steps to gu'ide your life by. Here now is our version of the monthly to notice that its a ss is dragging. therefore, only sympathize. horrorscopes :_ A group of people with glazed eyes file in as if in trance, and seat If we fail t o stabilize our nation, Aries (March 21- April 19) This is a good month to express t hemselves. I am glad, for in doing so they at lea st serve to cover we are in no position to escalate yourself. Scribble some graffitti on the chest of your neighbor's wife. over some of those offensive flowers that seem to leap up from the the w orld's arms race. It is time Tauras (April 20- May 20) This is a danger month for you. our nationa l leaders 1 ealized their plastic in order to better attack one's sensibilities. Watch out for people throwing the bull and gypsies with Puerto Rican ~· :;ibi lity to its p eople before They would seem to be holding conference in an alien tong ue, rr accents. a t · .. . pting to pla y saviour to the Biology, perhaps. Foreigners! They really should set a quota a s to Gemini (May 21- June 21) Increase your wealth, rob your neighhow many should be allowed in. The r est should be deported at once r es ~ of the world. Our poor back to Bioland. But, I do pity them, they look so frenzied and be- starve, our cities are crime rid- borhood bank. den, and our · prices rise so the Cancer (June 22 c July 21) Good month to vent your frustrations. wildered in their studying. Others shuffle in, even more dazed-looking than t he first. They Russians oan have bread. We ship Go hammer out reading material at a Braille library. speak in brutally severed sentences, about nothing of any real im- food a nd a rms to .the oil nations Leo (July 22- Aug. 21) Associates expect certain things from while they buy our country with you, so pay your grat money on time. portance. A meeting of the bored. It is indeed a sad state of affairs, when even eavesdropping ceases our own m oney! C'mon Jerry Virgo (Aug. 22- Sept. 22 ) Cure your fear of heights. Climb a to enliven me. Why can't you people have more intriguing conversa- clean up your act! shrub in elevator shoes. At press time, it was ' learned tions, for my sake, if not your own? Libra (Sept. 23- Oct. 22) Be a philanthra, philothapa, phillythat President Ford out of the anthropi, Filan, nice guy. There is simply nothing to keep me awake here, so I may as well nod off. Perhaps my drea ms will offer some release from this mundane goodness of his h eart, had reconScorpio (Oct. 23- Nov. 21) Sharpen your sense of humor. Go tor world. I sleep, and drea m I am a vending m achine, high quality, of sidered his nast in ess and was a nursing home and switch dentures. For a great finish tell the' course. Someone keeps stuffing me with counter feit coins. Deeply preparing loans to N. Y. It was p atients that their pacemakers have been recalled for faulty wiring. insulted, I fire them back at him strategically, a nd k nock him quite a lso learned that 546 of the naSagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21) My telescope fogged up while I tion's banks had 20 % capital tied cold. He lies m aimed and baffled at my base, a nd I whir with delight. up in the- city. Ford also aware was consulting the stars. This means one of two things. Extreme, Whazzat '! ! A violent noise ha s disturbed my repose. I strive to that our nation can only financi- tragic danger or I shouldn't fool around between predictions. open the leaden lids, lash by lash, and a bizarre scene comes gradually Capricorn (Dec. 22- Jan. 20) Your personality will undergo enorally pr osper while at war, was into focus. Once again, the lounge has emptied, with the except ion of busy picking sides for the next mous changes. The bills for your sex change operation should arrive one crazed young man who is viciously assaulting one of the matoo. chines. Has he recently been eating whipped cream, or is he foa ming World War. His ploy will stave off depression and alleviate our Aquarius (Jan. 21- Feb. 19 ) Avoid any commitments to homely at the mouth? It's difficult to say. He is in quite a rage over somep opulation problem s. If Jerry people with terminal hemorrhoids. Buy a used tribe. thing, is apparently dissatisfied with what the metallic marvel has sells N. Y. short he'll be selling Pisces (Feb. 20- March 20) Take up a useful profession. Ring the produced, or, what it hasn't. the \iVhite House and used cars dinner bell at a summer camp for deaf people. He forcefully embeds his foot deeply into its armor, but soon next week. regrets it. A bone or two crushed, perhaps. But he deserves his mash* It's been a little bit wet lately. . ed marrow! That'll teach him to exercise some self-restraint, or, at I could tell that the last six least, come armed. He is led away by two men who were swift1y EBB TIDE weeks had been rainy when I summoned when the crazed screams were heard, and he leaves babPublished each month by Salve Regina College rowed past a couple of people I bling, drooling, and, quite broke. Newport, Rhode Island 02840 swimming to classes recently. Although this was a tragic scene, at least the time I spent in the This kind Of weather generally Editors ... : . .. ... . .... . .... Martha Wolf, Anthony Kutsaftis lounge did not prove uneventful after all. gets people down so try to smile Staff ..... . ... Linda Clorite, Patrice DeVeau, Leilani Goggin, I have come to the conclusion, however, that there is one answer a little more. Mary Maciejowski, §!herri Pendell, only to the misery of exams, coupled with the advance of the men* A news bulletin: 7 people had Diane Silvia, Kathy Stevens acing winter. There is something man can learn from the animal six straight hours of whiplash Business Manager .' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael ~orkowski world: hibernation. It is really the only sen.sible thing to do. Wake when a man in a devil's suit kidPhotographer .................. . .... . ........ James Boulay me, when it's spring, will you? napped a roller coaster in ChiLayout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linda Clorite cago. Moderator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terri Kubitschek * In sports, Salve's men's ' basNEWS BULLETIN! ketball team started its season The opinions expressed herein are ~e opinions of the Monday night, December 1 with a Congress today by a vote of 321 to 17, appropriated 1.7 editoriaJ board and do not necessarily represent the frustrating 10'3-86 loss to Bridgemillion dollars to study the mating possibilities of mute Kuala opini.o ns of the administration, faculty, or the student water State's junior varsity team. bears and aging Yaks. body at Salve Regina College. Making constant:, mental errors I

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

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December 1975

Page Three

Inflation Soars Due To Pipeline Construction, But SR C Freshman Still Finds Alaskd Unique by LINDA CLORITE Living on a tight budget? Well, be glad you don't live in Alaska. "The construction of the Alaskan Pipeline has increased the minmium wage to $2.65 an hour," commented Cathy Cleary, a resident student from Anchorage. However, if wages are high, prices are higher. "One example

is the $1.50 cost of a half-gallon of milk compared to approximately 80¢ elsewhere in the u. s.," she observed. Cathy, a freshman here, heard of SRC from her parents and was accepted last January. Highest Prices In U. S. Alaska, according to the U . S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. has . :,

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Students Build Instruments In Unusual Music Co·urse A unique new course is now being taught by Glenn Guittari on the art of building musical instruments. While enrolled, the students will gain knowledge of acoustics, special woods used to build the instruments, and how the instruments work. Musical instruments were always thought of as complex structures. This was proven false when Mr. Guitta ri pulled an elastic band out of his d~sk drawer and produced a few chords by strumming it. "An instrument can be made very easily with a great deal of time and patience. But the master craftsman is one who can make a simple instrument great," he commented. The two students who are currently instructed in this art are James Costakos and Sylvia Mulligan. Costakos is building a guitar, while Mrs. Mulligan hopes to construct a psaltery, an ancient stringed instrume.nt. The completed instruments will be put on display in the show case at O'Hare.

the highest prices in the country, more than one-third higher than the national average. People are pouring into Cathy's state in the hopes of getting a job working on the pi'peline. About 17,000 pipeline workers are presently earning $1,000 or more per week. More than just milk prices have skyrocketed because of these wages. At restaurants, an ordinary sandwich now costs $2, while you might end up paying $8 for a skimpy piece of steak. Taxi rides begin at $1.70 for the , first mile, and you're charged 90¢ for each additional mile. Even the most simple of haircuts costs at least $5. Housing Horrors The housing might be the worst problem for residents of Cathy's state. Rents and housing costs are currently rising at the annual rate of about 40 %, and that's if you're lucky enough to find a home at all. One Alaskan school teacher was understandably s h o c k e d when she learned that the rent for her two-bedroom apartment had jumped from $286 to $1600 a month. Household furnishings and the costs of operating a home have risen more than 100%. Cathy's home, Anchorage, is Alaska's largest city. The medium level budget for a family of four r ere is about $20,000, which

Cathy Crosby p.m. Snows fall before Halloween and last until April. "Alaskans, like the rest of the citizens of the United States," co~cluded Cathy, "celebrate their state's unionization. Every February from the fourth to the sixth, festivities are held which include dog-sled races, blanket tosses, snowmobile races, and carnivals." It would seem that Alaskans need all the festivities they can get in order to distract them for a few moments from the woes of inflation.

'The Eyes Of T'h e School' Mr. Burt W . Carlile was recently hired to fill the position as head of security here. Recently retired from a 20 year career in the Navy, he was Assistant to the Director of Security of the Naval Education and Training Center for the past three years. He also had expez<ience as Chief of Shure Patrol. His educa tional background in- ' eludes Navy training. in electricity, electronics, hydraulics, and

Interim Activities Eleven courses will be presented during the Interim program which is to begin on the 5th of January and terminates on the · 23rd. The five areas to be covered during the Interim are Criminal Justice, Graduate Studies, History, Management, and Political Science. Both graduate and undergraduate studies will be held in Pawtucket, Warwic~, and here at Salve. These "condensed semesters" entail a. four day week including three hour classes each day. "The Interim offers both an interesting and an intense way of taking classes," stated Dennis Hill. Three credits are ·offered for each of the courses given. "These students take advantage of the opportunity during the Interim, and the summer as well, to acquire credits toward their degrees, They are willing to take intense courses which actu ~ ::Uly cover the work of an entire semester, in a couple of weeks," acknowledged Mr. H111.

•

Sylvia MulU.gan Is working here on a flute, which she Is bulldlng in addltlon to her psaltery. The psaltery will have a sound board, the strings being plucked with the fingers or using a pluctrun). which is similar to a guitar pick. This instrument was used to accompany chanters durtng the medlev&\ era. A psaltery could be coruddered a forenumer to the modern day autoharp.

is higher than any other city in the U.S. On the f reezing and barren North Slope, men endure the extreme hardships of work on . the oil pipeline. Construction began in April of 1974, and it isn't expected to be completed until some time in 1977. Many other Alaskan residents are in the Army or Navy. Some, like Cathy's father, a diver, work in Alaska because of its better job offerings. In spite of the inflation, Cathy has many positive things t o relate about our uppermost st!j.te. "Alaska has many unique characteristics, such as Eskimos who still live in igloos in the Aleutian Chain, a primitive, northern section," she comments. The TV media reaches Cathy's state two weeks later than the rest of the country. There are no re-runs, or UHF, and only three channels to choose from. Music, however, coming from the West coast, arrives at Ala:;ka before it does at the Eastern sections of the U. S. Climate Extreme Seasons in Alaska are vastly different from the remainder of the country. Summer's warmest temperature is in the 60's. Darkness doesn't fall until 3 a .m. during July and August. Winter's temperature is often below zero. There are only a few hours of light and it is pitch-black at 4:30

mechanics. He worked in weapons repair in the Navy for four years. During his Navy career he performed duties as in:structor and counselor. He sees •his new role as overseeing the functions of the security force and making recommendations to the administration in regard to security. Presently he is in the process of getting acquainted with the campus and the students . He expects changes in the security force will be made gradually. Written instructions are being formulated now for the security guards. Mr. Carlile is in charge of a security force of seven guards. There are two men on each shift who are responsible for the security of the school and the protection of property and lives. The guards function as the "eyes of

the school at night", according to Mr. Carlile. The sl!curity guards make regular checks of all the school buildings on a 24 hour a day basis. Any irregularities are reported. During the day, besides the security checks, the guards are in charge of parking on campus·. Mr. Carlile remarked, "There is inadequate parking at the present time," which leads to the number of parking tickets given out by security. · If a student wishes to reach security the extensions to call are 200 or 210. According to Mr. Carlile, someone is usually in the office. In order to , take appropriate actions a student should tell all the specifics of an accident. Mr. Carlile feels students must co-operate in order for security to be efficient.

THE

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TIDE

December 1975

Drac Packs Them in· Whe'lt .· F/Oresc~ ·<Speaks; Two Vampires Even Infiltrate Rhode Island by MARTHA WOLF

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The writer of this piece found it most heartening to discover . that not she alone would appear to have a fixation with all that is macabre. When Dr. Radu Florescu, a history professor at Boston College, spoke here recently on the heinous Dracula, he drew what I by eerie candlelight appeared to be well over two hundred listeners, sitting anxiously on the edges of TB seats to hear tlle almost unspeakable horrors unfold. The size of the crowd perhaps helped one to feel secure; there is, after all, safety in numbers, and even if. one is of a totally rational mind, there are often those odious jokers who would not be above resurrecting a pair of cheap Halloween fangs and donning a dark cape encrusted with bits of moist earth, with the hopes of inspiring hysteria in the audience by bounding about in a frenzy, lunging at unsuspecting necks. Indeed, a certain well-known SRC professor was at one point befQre the lecture heard to suggest that a live bat, loosed in the crowd, might provoke intriguing reactions; fortunately, he was able to r esist this mos.t bizarre a.nd twisted impulse, and the audience was thus spared the ensuing hysteria. Or perhaps he was simply unable to locate a bat on such short notice. But in either event, it is highly doubtful that the fascinating Dr. Florescu would have been surprised at such an incident ; he gives the impression of having seen it all. The co- author of both In Search of Dracula, and, more recently, In Search of Frankenstein, the distinguished Rumanian professor is able to trace his lineage back to the time of Dracula. His ancestors are said to have witnessed the deeds of the infamous Walachian, and his uncle took part in the opening of Dracula's grave in 1931. Dracula No Vampire Florescu's most important point was that, although vampire lore is rich even in present-day Rumania, the peasants adorning their houses and even livestock with offensive garlic, the people there have never associated Dracula with the blood-thirsty undead. On the contrary, the fifteenth century ruler is considered a hero by the populace of his native land, since he defended Rumania from the Turks, and preserved the country's autonomy. Next year in Rumania has been dubbed "Dracula Year", at which time he will be honored, his visage even being reproduced on stamps. But it would seem that those who would honor Dracula are prepared to overlook certain aspects· of his character. Called, in his time, Vlad Dracula, which means "son of the devil", he was far from hospitable to guests. He earned the gruesome nickname, "the Impaler" because he would have thousands impaled on wooden stakes that were then stuck into the ground at his court, and

he would dine surrounded by the malodorous cadavers. Stuck-Up When a dinner guest remarked that the dreadful stench was not quite conducive to good digestion, Vlad had the miserable wretch promptly impaled on a stake set up higher than all the rest, so that the odors should cease to trouble him. It was the novelist Bram Stoker who first combined the atrocities of Vlad with the vampire myths of Rumania in his famous novel, Dracula, which was published in 1897 and has never been out of print since. And with the aid of the motion picture industry, Stoker's Count Dracula was soon world-renowned. An excellent film shown by Florescu depicted the stereotyped fiend at his best; the pallid flesh in sharp contrast to the ominous black hair and cloak; the severe, and snarling features; the moist crimson lips; and, of course, the perfect, protruding, glistening dental appendages, swiftly imbedded in the oozing flesh of the mild-mannered maid. It was all there. Doing Time Becoming a vamptre, Florescu explained, was like a purgatory on earth to those who believed in the legend. If one died excommunicated, for example, one might be sentenced to a certain stretch as a vampire, becoming truly dead only when he had done his time. Countless (no pun intended ) , were the ways of finding and destroying such a fi end. Most popular, of course, was the stake driven through the heart of the unsuspecting creature whilst he slept in his box by day. This action produced an agonizing shriek, occasionally followed by a look of peace on the face of the a ged corpse, which would turn to dust Immediately thereafter. Burial at ·a crossroads was less exciting, but said to be effective. But to initially find a vampire, one had to lead a nude virgin' mounted on a steed that n ever stumbled over each grave in the c em~ tery. And

when finally the horse obstinately refused to cross one of the plots, you knew you had ·your "man". Another clever ruse that would deter the villain was the strewing of innumerable poppy seeds from the graveyard to the village; the poor wretch, upon awakening and deciding to make a trip to town for a drink, as was his custom, would be forced to pick up each poppy seed en route. Of course, the cock crew before he was able to get even a few feet, and the tired and tormented spul was forced to return to his casket, his thirst unquenched. Dr. Florescu affirmed that the vampire legend is practically universal, and that there are even tales of such creatures here in New England. Indeed, a footnote in Stoker's original text is said to include no other place than our own Newport. Although F,.lorescu seemed to know little of this particular legend, he ,did inspire a bit of research with his words. . While lamentably, no reference to vampires specifically in Newport could be found, there have been two peculiar incidents nearly as close to home. Exeter's "Vampire" Exeter, R. I., is the setting for the first bizarre tal~, and in a cemetery there gravestones for the Brown family can still be seen. In the 1880's, tuberculosis was said to have carried off Mary Brown and her daughter, Mary Olive. Years later, a son in the family, Edwin, became ill from a simila r disease, as did Mercy, his sis ter, who succumbed in 1892. Trying to save Edwin, his family and friends convinced him that it must have been a vampire that was sapping the strength of the normally vigorous, robust young man. They insisted that the bodies of his dead sister-s and mother be exhumed so that the vampire would be revealed. Edwin consented to the plan, and the bodies were inspected. Mercy's body was still well preserved, since she had 'only b jlen buried a few months, and it was assumed that since blood remained in her heart, she

was the vampire. Her heart was then removed, and burned on a rock in the cemetery. A doctor for Edwin then prescribed for him a concoction .that included the ashes of his sister's heart. But the antidote was to no avail, and Edwin soon joined his mo~r ·a nd si:sters in the grave. Other Hearts Burned Also, there is the intriguing mystery concerning a family by the name of Stukeley. In pre-revolutionary times, a man named Snuffy Stukeley was said to live in an WlSpecified part of Rhode Island. A farmer with fourteen children, Stukeley had a frightening dream 'one night that half of the trees in his orchard died. What the dream could mean gave him cause for concern, and soon after, his daughter Sarah suddenly took ill and died. Another daughter then shared Sarah's fate, but before she died, she claimed that Sarah had been visiting her every night, sitting on some part of her body and causing her greater pain. More of the Stukeley children grew ill and died until six had perished. A seventh began to gradually weaken, and also, Mrs. Stukeley grew ill and complained of Sarah's visitations. It was suspected that Sarah was a vampire. The local folk decided to disinter the bodies of the six dead children. Five of the bodies had been long de~omposed, but Sarah's remained in perfect shape. Her eyes were open, and her hair and nails had grown. Considering this evidence as proof that Sarah was neither of this world nor the next, and that she rose ,in the night to prey upon her . own family, her heart was removed and burned along with the hearts of the other children. After the bodies were returned to the earth, the seventh child died, and it was assumed that the child had already been made too weak by the villainous Sarah before her heart was J"educed to ash. Mrs. Stukeley, however , recovered. In the end, Stukeley had lost half 1 of his children, which

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had been foretold by the halfdead orchard of his puzzling dream. When asked why so many of us are fascinated by these most grim and gory legends, Dr. Florescu would not ven'ture a guess, leaving that point for the audience to ponder themselves. But whether or not you wish to believe the tale of Dracula and his ghastly peers, the thought might cross your mind the next time you are feeling a bit run down that perhaps it is not due to inadequate sleep, lack of exercise, improper diet, or a combination of the, three. Perhaps someone or thing is subtly tapping your crimson juices! If you feel compelled to feed the hungry, you might raise no objections; however, should you begin to feel rather like an emptied vessel, then you might keep a stake (wooden, not sirloin, you fool!) handy _when you retire each night. And, ·b e extremely wary of · all peculiar-looking persons, hard though it might be to exclude many on c a m p us from this bracket.

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