Spring Issue 2018

main street

inside:

trash2treasure ghost stories of hetzel hall craft beer old philosophy in a new age a look inside wunh

spring 2018

main street

Us

Editor’s Note

Andrew Hartnett Editor in Chief Madison Forsberg Senior Managing Editor Bri Doherty Digital Editor Alex Bostic Digital Editor Aidan Reo Issue Editor Blake Wasson Issue Editor Michael Valotto Photography Editor Meredith Clarke Contributing Writer Veronique Ok Contributing Writer Douglas Rodoski Contributing Writer Chad Ripley Contributing Writer

The first time I edited for Main Street Magazine was Fall 2015, the first semester of my junior year. When I brought the first print back to my apartment, my roommate immediately asked if he could rip the issue in half.

Stunned, I shrugged and complied. Sure enough, he ripped the first magazine I was ever proud of in half, right in front of my face. For a long time I thought that was a great metaphor for the respect journalism gets these days- a lesson that nothing is sacred.

But, there were still 1199 copies that he didn’t rip.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, “thanks for picking this one up, even if you’ll just rip it in half, I’m glad it did something for you.

- Andrew Hartnett , Editor in Chief

Find Us

Ellen Gibbs Contributing Writer Jenna Ward Contributing Writer

Hey, it’s us, Main Street. Since last fall we’ve been counting. Just non-stop counting- for months.

We’ve also been working on new material for your special human eyes to find in our cherished magazine. Here we publish reporting, feature writing, photography, film, comics, art and poetry.

Chloe Frye Contributing Writer Anna Parisi Contributing Writer Ari Faro Contributing Writer Jamie Ammon Contributing Writer Jordyn Haime Contributing Writer Nicole Cotton Contributing Writer

We are always accepting submissions.

Julia Scorsese Contributing Writer

You can find us at MainStMag.com facebook.com/mainstreetmagazine MainStreetMagazine@gmail.com @mainstreetmagazine

Mark Torpey Contributing Artist Kelly Davis Contributing Artist China Wong Contributing Photographer Jackie Rahl Contributing Photographer

as always, with love, from main street

contents reviews:

features:

food- pg. 4 film & music- pg. 5

trash2treasure- pg. 10 divest unh- pg. 12 craft beer- pg. 22 philosophy over tea- pg. 26 look at wunh 91.3- pg. 33 criminal studies- pg. 37

arts, opinion, and culture:

artist profile- pg. 7 lipstick & you- pg. 16 comics- pg. 25 shoes- pg. 28 new photography- pg. 32

photography:

dogs of durham- pg. 20

—3—

the gyro spot review

Spring 2018

Main Street

Ellen Gibbs | Contributing Writer

However, the main reason one goes to The Gyro Spot is of course, for the gyro.

Manchester – Subs are a thing of the past, wraps are so 2017, and even the most powerful of pita pockets crumble under the pressure of sandwich hierarchy. Yet, the hero that reigns supreme isn’t really a sandwich at all. The gyro, a category all its own, is a folded flatbread filled with meat(usually lamb or pork) drizzled with tzatziki (greek yogurt sauce) and topped with tomatoes and onions.

It’s basically a cornucopia for all the delicious flavors that are Greece’s claim to cuisine fame. For the gyro-heroes living among us, there’s the option of adding fries to the mix.

Here’s a place that creates such sandwiches as their specialty- The Gyro Spot in Manchester, NH. Gyros are their bread-and butter (or rather, flatbread and tzatziki) and that’s why you won’t find a hun-

dred items on their menu, proving a case for less is more. Shrinking the quantity and heightening the quality, like flaky spanakopita and fruity, brine-cured dolmades.

“It’s basically a cornucopia for all the delicious flavors...”

Aside from chicken, there’s also the pork gyro, which is “just how you’d find it in Greece,” according to owner and founder, Alex Lambroulis. “Anytime someone takes a bite of traditional pork, it just brings them right back to Santorini or any other place in Greece that they were in.”

There’s also few soup and salad options – avgolemono, a chicken and rice soup, and lentils in a zippy vegetarian broth known as fahkes.

—4—

Directly behind the walk-up counter is the kitchen. You can see everything from the assembly line of toppings to the vertical rotisseries and the bubbly staff.

Thin ribbons of pork or chicken are shaved into a chargrilled flatbread that melts into a refreshing and tangy yogurt sauce. The contrast of raw red onion, lettuce and tomato give it that fresh quality necessary for a lighter, more lively flavor.

Word of mouth landed them a spot on TV and in the press. It was featured on The Phantom Gourmet in June 2016, a televised series of the best eateries in the Greater Boston Area and New England. It’s also been a consecutive editor’s pick for New Hampshire Magazine’s Best of NH. The gyro gusto was so high that owner Lambroulis opened an additional location in Dover, New Hampshire.

Summer after summer, Alex Lambroulis would travel to Greece, soon realizing he couldn’t leave without opening a gyro restaurant of his own. With the help of his outspoken Greek mama, friends and time-honored family recipes, The Gyro Spot was born.

Spring 2018

Happy Death Day Ari Faro | Contributing Writer

“Happy Death Day” opens on Tree (Jessica Rothe), a female college student who is only interested in herself. She wakes up in a strange boy’s room on her birthday, but treats him rudely even though he is polite to her. In some ways, she’s not like the typical college student because she has no interest in activities like celebrating her birthday or bonding with her roommate.

She only seems to care about partying and boys, and it’s obvious that audience members are supposed to dislike her from the start. But Tree’s sassy comebacks and

reviews

cynical way of looking at the world make her relatable in a strange way. I found myself rooting for her to become a better person, though she is unpleasant and whiny at the beginning.

The mystery aspect of the movie comes into play when Tree heads to a big party at night but gets followed along the way by a silent killer with a baby-face mask. The baby-face element adds a surprising twist to the film, its presence in the film is unsettling.

Unsurprisingly, the killer murders Tree, but at the exact moment she dies, she finds herself back in the strange boy’s room, starting her birthday all over again. This scenario repeats itself over and over again: each night, Tree is killed in a different way, and each time she is killed, she wakes up in the boy’s room and begins the day again.

Tree’s goal to figure out the identity of the killer shapes the remainder of the film as she realizes that this is the only way to stop the endless cycle. Along the way, she bonds with Carter, the strange boy from the room (Israel Broussard), and finds herself reflecting on the wrong choices and

Call Me By Your Name Anna Parisi | Contributing Writer

Breakout star Timothée Chalamet shines in Luca Guadagnino’s masterpiece, “Call Me By Your Name”, as Elio, a seventeen-year-old boy coming of age and exploring his sexuality in the summer of ’83. Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an archeology professor, invites graduate student, Oliver (Armie Hammer) to stay with their family for the summer and expand his knowledge of the field. Oliver, 24, is charismatic and careless, contrasting Elio’s serious and brooding character.

The tension and chemistry between the two is evident from the get-go.

Guadagnino takes his time with the pace of their relationship, and at times, tests patience, but the careful construction of their romance is all the better for it. Through Elio’s unraveling, deeply embedded insecurities are exposed. Part of what makes Chalamet’s performance so potent is the texture and depth he provides his character. There is a complexity to his youth, an uncomfortable existence marked by adolescence. Oliver peels these layers away, freeing Elio from himself. Eventually Oliver must leave, breaking.Elio’s heart. Somehow, the film manages to escape the clichés of young romance and despair, instead confronting a more honest reality. Elio’s father speaks to this when

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mistakes she’s made so far in her life.

The film turns into a race against time as Tree wakes up weaker and weaker every morning, knowing that one day she will not be strong enough to fight back.

My favorite part of this film was that it took the typical “day-in-the-life-of-acollege-student” scenario and twisted it into a Groundhog Day-esque murder mystery.

Although this movie may not satisfy viewers who are really looking to be be scared, the suspenseful moments, chase scenes, and baby-face killer give it enough action, especially if you consider the movie to be a comedy with thriller elements instead of a horror movie with comedic elements. “Happy Death Day” could definitely be considered an easy introduction into the world of horror movies. The lightheartedness keeps it from being too serious, and when combined with the action scenes and heartfelt moments, it results in a strong, enjoyable film overall.

offering Elio condolence, “We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty…But to feel nothing so as to not feel anything – what a waste.” Although initially bound by gender, the film prevails in its effectiveness to shed any perceivable limitations. Guadagnino encourages his characters to seek out their most authentic self and unravel by way of intimacy. He makes it incredibly difficult for the audience to come out the other side hung up on gender; a real triumph in today’s day and age. Both visually and in terms of narrative, “Call Me By Your Name” is a beautifully rare film.

— 5—

Spring 2018

reviews

may it last: a portrait of the Avett Brothers

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in New York this past summer, their dedication to their craft is envious and a model for those who want to become a performer.

Or for those of us who just like to sit back and enjoy the music.

Elizabeth Sibson | Contributing Writer

The documentary aired on HBO and can be accessed via HBOgo or Xfinity.

Judd Apatow, best known for his stand up comedy and directing of movies like “The Big Sick” and “Anchorman,” recently produced a documentary following the Avett Brothers on the production of their latest album “True Sadness”. With hits like “Ain’t No Man” and “I Wish I Was,” the album expertly combines their folk heritage and pop influences.

The band consists primarily of lead singers (and brothers) Scott and Seth Avett, bassist Bob Crawford, and cellist Joe Kwon. By sprinkling in personal anecdotes about everyone in the band, the documentary goes beyond the music. There’s a more intimate connection between the viewer and the band; it almost feels as though you’re reading one of their diaries.

The documentary perfectly highlights how the Avett Brothers convey their feelings through their songs and album.

As someone who can attest to The Avett Brothers power on stage after I saw them

—6—

Kelly Davis Does Art

Kelly Davis is a UNH senior currently majoring in psychology.

Her favorite medium is oil painting. She also experiments with hyperrealism and creative abstract work. Aside from painting and drawing, Davis loves collaging, writing poetry and film photography.

Flicker Mad Forsberg

Fool Around With Art, You’ll Go Crazy - A. W. Bostic

I’m a cherry lollipop that has been stollen from a baby, then forgotten. cracked on the ground.

I’m wax dug into your carpet stubborn.

My face gives you the gut feeling of having to do your dishes - scrap that - laundry.

Because when all is done and folded you feel good about yourself.

I’m a cook at a restaurant named after some other restaurant in France. The wine bar is filled with sun-dried, balding virile bankers who uncork their spouts and regurgitate a mass of gentrified bullshit while the women discuss calisthenics over a big bottle of Pinot Noir.

I huff whippets in the bathroom.

My work is to avoid the fawning waiters who bristle and croak at inane jokes at the circle-jerking functions they serve and the cellist who worries he’s the pianist in that hackneyed Joel song but it’s actually the pianist beside him who should be worried while the cellist is just a major depressive who channels himself through his chalky stare instead of his music -- the spilled artichoke dip never waits before slipping off the plate and smashing onto the floor -- never waits to just be off that plate, and out ofit.

After the Bite - Big Wal Broozey

But I’ll never be out of it.

I’m here for life.

I knew you before I took a bite Of this toasted bagel.

I’m the wick at the end of your dead candle - thinking somehow you’ll be able to light it just one more time. but you can’t - and the wax spills on your carpet.

It was a big bite, which caused The cream cheese to dribble off the sides.

I loved you within the taste of warm asiago, and the dark roast from the sip before it.

It might have been the best bite of my life, From this toasted bagel.

But it was the only bite I took.

—8—

Guilt Atop the precipice of metered syllables and Lumpy, accordion words, stretching to evoke Some musical epiphany or cathartic reverie It’s guilt.

Feel guilty. Feel something god damnit. Unpeel the onion.

That’s right, this chunk of words is like your conscience:

It’s got layers.

The further we excavate, the more gems of dolor And psychological breakthroughs we find Among the tonal, tectonic shifts.

Oh look, there’s some misanthropic monologues, Queued up and ready to play during those Drizzling motifs of rainy, lonely digressions Down cobbled streets where no one really cares.

Tremors from some freudian slip.

Some Marty McFly motherfucking feelings

Finally coming home to nest.

Or, or maybe Inception, like perpetual References within a reference.

Convoluted and confusing

Like the movie you pretend to understand.

Let’s engage some horizontal drilling towards that topic your inner-advocate gets hard over, but forgets that spot

In the midwest,

You know, well, actually, you don’t Google knows.

But now we’re really Bakken up.

It’s getting toasty, some schadenfreudic Home-cooking wafting in from that Plutonian Shore where you pushed her in the deep end laughing

And then stuffed it down like some

brass bed warmer.

Tragic.

So it goes.

Ah, here we are, bedrock The solipsist soft-spot.

Like a kick in the egotisticals.

Confounding and stupid, blanketed by Occultist bullshit, Robert Malthus and bosomed to Mother mediocrity.

Nothing but the tingling sensation from the rash On your hubris you can’t identify.

It’s just you down here You. Feel that, nope, its

You again.

You. Forever huddled beside the pyrrhic derangements of Your animalistic, cold, unfeeling reactions.

Connecting The Dots - Julia Scorese connecting the dots, traveling, in and out of eachother indirectly, sparking light to make smiles on faces of strangers you just don’t know, how your intertwining thoughts are exchanging comfort, sparking passion, igniting love connecting the dots, to help to inspire to ease indirectly, fueling the soul charging the mind to add to the creations we give this world for better or for worse if we can’t give this life all we got what are we giving “It is my painful duty to inform you...”

- Big Wal Broozey Somewhere in the living room a silence moves.

A bubble of stillness swells To the stairwell As it peers down, It strangles the creaking steps from Any muffled spells of sound - it slithers to the hallway Towards the door. There is a light on.

The house is heavy With a thought That dims the windows - that drags the rug Beneath the moving sofa to the door With the light on with a lock but is opened with a silent wave it erupts It slams the walls and the light against the suffocating ceiling cracks Shatters with the dark, And then the air recedes back Where the man sits, by the table, with a letter Freshly opened And roars as the silence slithers To the stairwell and sinks back in To sleep.

Well, you and of course, Guilt.

— 9—

Spring 2018

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the toll of Trash2Treasure Veronique Ok | Contributing Writer

“Like finals week on steroids,” he replied, laughing.

A whole week of organizing volunteers and last minute preparation was taking a toll.”

The team for Trash2Treasure at their beginning of the year sale

Every morning Jake Werner wakes up to his internal clock, reminding him of the ritual events that must occur. Maybe a shower on a leisure day, or maybe just a hat will suffice.

Every morning, the smell of cheap coffee fills his small room, as a single steaming cup of coffee is brewed.

The early morning classes, which he proudly tells me he’s never missed, are the reason for his ungodly rise and prep. He’s always been a sharp dresser, donning pants that all his friends tell him are “too tight” for his tall frame.

“Never forget to check the weather app,” he reminds me, casually fingering the layers he has carefully orchestrated. When he’s decently situated, he walks through the halls of his complex, passing by the nameplates of his neighbors. He owns two bikes, yet he prefers the pace of his walks for the clearness it gives.

“I listen to Gershwin sometimes when I walk,” he tells me.

He reminds me how uncultured I am, as if everyone should know the classical pianist. Nonetheless, he continues onward to his school day.

“Everything was scheduled,” he talks about the summer, unsure of where to start.

This summer he was in charge of something big — Trash2Treasure.

He spent the last days of the spring semester collecting the unwanted trash of students and then spent the entirety of the summer sorting these forsaken items to later be sold to unprepared freshmen.

“He reminds me how uncultured I am, as if everyone should know the classical pianist.”

I visited him a few times, the storage room piled high with dusty goods — the summer heat, inescapable. Licks of humidity would drench our backs in a few mere minutes, as we sorted through the broken and prized possessions. There was so much disorientation and chaos, something even he couldn’t mask. He battled the entire semester to keep the program running, and there in front of his — 10 —

eyes was everything he had to show for it. It was overwhelming. Anxiety would constantly follow him after a day’s work.

“I worked at the mailroom too,” he says, with a calm composure.

It was monotonous, he clocked into work with no sense of urgency, just a simple dull. It was easy: say hello to coworkers, complete the tasks given, and wait on customers. When he punched out, a day could be forgotten, no responsibilities left when he shut off the lights.

“I liked it a lot better.” A laugh almost escapes him.

I asked him how he felt when the beginning-of-the-year Trash2Treasure sale finally arrived.

“Like finals week on steroids,” he replied, laughing. A whole week of organizing volunteers and last-minute preparation was taking a toll. A compilation of a summer’s worth of work crashed upon him.

The giant arena buzzed with anticipation under its fluorescent light bulbs as dingy couches and other furniture alike was sold to eager

Spring 2018

young students. The sale was set and flying. The work and dedication finally manifested in Jake’s eyes.

“I pulled out my class schedule, because I didn’t know what classes I had tomorrow morning” he grinned.

He was up sweeping the floors and cleaning up the last remaining bits and pieces of the now finished sale.

It was 10 p.m., while other students prepared to reunite with friends from a summer spent apart, he longed for bed—exhausted.

“It was 10 p.m., while other students prepared to reunite with friends from a summer spent apart, he longed for bed—exhausted.”

“I’m applying to be CEO [of Trash2Treasure] next year,” he said, seeing the confusion in my face. Why, after spending an entire year tirelessly working on a project which drained you both physically and mentally, would you decide to repeat the entire process again? His shoulders shrug, he quips about how it would be a fantastic college resume builder,

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but it seems like shallow reasoning.

For the entire year, he’d rave about the program’s “tangible results” and “sustainability.” I think I started to roll my eyes after the fourth rambling. For the short time in which I had known him, I thought of him as an ambitious, yet lazy, college dude.

We met through our mutual environmental organization, and with our first handshake, I knew he was business. I had mistakenly thought he was twenty-seven years old, beyond the rest of our young minds.

“I’m only twenty-three, I’m not that old,” he feigned hurt. He spent a few years in the National Guard, which explained impeccable posture. Surprisingly he lived with his fraternity brothers, another idea that bemused me. He wore tapered pants and elegant crew socks, juxtaposed with the classic fraternity brother wear.

“I’m just trying to get the college experience,” he justified.

Sustainability finds everyone in different ways. The grueling work it takes to create a sustainable environment on a college campus can be a turn-off for some students. However, for Jake, Trash2Treasure proved to be a worthy organization in which to devote his time and energy.

— 11 —

Jake Werner (left) and Emily MacInnis (right) standing with Wild E. Cat All photos courtesy of Jake Werner

Spring 2018

from rally to rally

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Meredith Clarke | Contributing Writer

Former Divest UNH members and other students gather outside Thompson Hall to protest UNH fossil fuel interests, May 2016

Two years ago the streets of Durham were lined with students protesting The University of New Hampshire’s investment into fossil fuels. Protest signs saying “Keep your paws off our future” and “UNH profits from climate change” were held outside Thompson Hall in discontent.

ly progressive resources. The group, despite having passion and some traction with the students and faculty, disbanded in late 2016, shortly after the election of President Donald Trump.

The protests were led by a group called Divest UNH, an on campus group whose main purpose was to encourage UNH to divest the $9 million dollars the university has invested from fossil fuels and put it into more social-

The New Hampshire Youth Movement (NHYM), according to founder and alumnus Griffin Sinclair-Wingate, was a way to get political outcomes over a larger variety of issues from the passion that people were bringing to

“Divestment folks once Trump was elected felt that under Trump’s administration [sic] they Today if you look down Main Street you might should prioritize what they wanted to see out notice different flags flying. The banners lining of the university and what happens there and the street proudly proclaim “Sustainability” so they created the New Hampshire Youth and boast the STARS Platinum Status granted Movement.” says Hayley Forbes, the Social to UNH by The Association for the Advance- Work Associate at Waysmeet Center, which ment of Sustainability in Higher Education run by Reverend Larry Brickner-Wood, often (AASHE). serves as an advocacy group on campus.

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Spring 2018

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Divest.

ment. The rest of the money doesn’t have the same promises towards sustainability being “Divest UNH wasn’t political. After we saw a core value as the ESG fund. According to Trump get elected in 2016 we saw that we had the 2017 UNH Endowment Report, the ESG massive support. People believed in climate fund totals to about $16 million dollars which change, we could turn people to demonstrais a fraction of the $336 million dollar total tions but we weren’t turning people into vote. endowment the university holds according to So the New Hampshire Youth Movement is USNews. This is, unless directly specified, the taking the people power of Divest and blend- default for where any donations the univering it with political power.” sity receives go. It’s where the money for the $9 million dollar fossil fuel investment comes He also said one of the main reasons that Divest UNH disbanded was that they had made from. a lot of progress at the university already and From dairy farms to waste and composting they felt as if in their time they had made a initiatives in the dining halls, UNH has a lot big difference. to be proud of when it comes to efforts in susThe shift in group dynamic also came after UNH gained its STARS Platinum Status, the highest national rating for sustainability. According to the AASHE website, 400 universities have received a STARS rating but UNH is one of three, including Stanford and Colorado State University, that have received the platinum rating. STARS recognizes UNH’s efforts of sustainability in various departments from waste to innovation.

tainability. Yet the university still has a long way to go when it comes to matching the standard that it advertises for itself.

“Marketing is fine when it reflects reality, but how can we continue to do better?” asks Reverend Larry Brickner-Wood of Waysmeet.

One of the many reasons UNH received this award over other universities is UNH’s new Committee on Investor Responsibility, which is a group of alumni, faculty from the sustainability institute and students from the Atkins Investment Club and Divest UNH. UNH Today defines the committee as “…a group to advocate for sustainable and socially responsible investment practices and policies.”

The committee falls in line with the university’s 2017 endowment overview that says, “Sustainability is integral to our mission as a university community. With these values in mind, the UNH Foundation established the Environmental, Social and Governance Endowment Pool in 2015.”

They cite that this involves avoiding investments in industries whose practices are harmful towards the environment.

But the endowment pool that UNH is promoting from the Environmental, Social and Governance Endowment (ESG) is only a small portion of the total university’s endow-

UNH students hold a divestment rally at Wildcat Stadium, September 2016 — 13 —

Spring 2018

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haunted hetzel hall Olivia LaChapelle, Chloe Frye | Contributing Writers

full sentences, but because she was speaking more formally than she usually would. She would never say “who is” instead of “who’s.”

Photos of Hetzel Hall in the 1920’s, courtesy of Dimond Library.

Olivia: Hetzel Hall, built in 1925, is 93 years old and adorned with a creepy Ralph Hetzel mural. However, the mural is not the cause of Hetzel’s haunted air. There is a weird energy all across the building. When you’re alone sometimes it feels like someone is watching you. I wouldn’t necessarily say that there is a sinister energy, but you can feel that something is there. I personally had some strange experiences during the beginning of the year. I noticed things falling and being moved around. However, I didn’t really believe the dorm could be haunted until my roommate started questioning me in her sleep.

My roommate is known to sleep talk on occasion, but usually she just says random shit. This was the only time I had ever heard her form coherent sentences in her sleep. I was coming into the room late at night, and my roommate was already sleeping. I tripped over something, because my room is always a mess.

“Who is there?” she said. I said it was me, but then I realized she was still sleeping. “Who are you?” she asked.

I didn’t respond, and was getting a bit spooked. “Who is there?” she asked again. At this point I was pretty weirded out so I left and went to the bathroom.

This was strange not only because she was speaking in

I also had another ominous experience during first semester.

I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep. I heard the door knob turn, followed by the sounds of my roommate walking in and getting into bed. I rolled over to say something to her, but when I opened my eyes she wasn’t there. I was surprised, because I heard the springs in her bed squeak. I told myself it was the people living above me and tried to go back to bed. A minute later I heard my roommate come in and get in bed again, but when I looked over, I was still alone. At this point I was freaked out. I rolled over, faced the wall, and pulled up my comforter. The procession of sounds continued for the next ten minutes. I’d heard the doorknob turn, the door opening, something padding across the floor, and flopping into my roommate’s bed. I was anxious, but I figured that my best bet was to just stay in bed and try to sleep.

Chloe: I first moved into Hetzel at the beginning of the semester, not really knowing much about living there but knowing that it could be an eerie place from time to time. It was a hot day in late August when I moved in and I was just getting used to this side of campus. I was used to living in the back of campus by College Woods and not by the busy street in Durham. Hetzel seemed to be a good building- nothing at first brought anything to my concern. The building was full of people and nothing seemed off, yet.

I found myself getting comfortable in my room and having my roommate by my side helped a lot. But one night in particular I found things to be particularly weird. I was exhausted from the day, so I went through my nightly routine and got myself ready for bed. My floor was

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Spring 2018

quiet; people seemed to be calm and not bothered with any drama. Right before I got into bed, I felt a weird presence with me, like someone was watching me. But no one was there.

I shook it off like it was nothing. Then I headed to bed, sprayed my pillow with lavender, and rested my head. I found myself restless at first, struggling to fall asleep. But then I finally began to feel sleepy. As I fell asleep I found myself dreaming intently.

In my dream I found myself alone in the ground floor lounge. I thought it was weird, but was curious to see what would happen next. After a few seconds the piano started playing on its own. “Um, what the heck is happening,” I said. Suddenly, I fell on the floor and everything came whirling around like a cyclone of thoughts and ideas. Someone kept saying my name, “Chloe...

Chloe...Chloe….” in a creepy whispering tone. I tried to get up but couldn’t move. There was something very haunting going on.

I woke up to the feeling of someone poking my shoulder. I woke up in shock thinking it might of been my roommate trying to wake me up but as I slowly looked to my side to see who it was no one was there. I woke up scared, but slowly I calmed myself down a bit and tried to go back to sleep.

Cal:

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night. Cal had heard additional stories about the ghost being a little girl and told Moon he must be right. Moon then let Cal ask the ghost a question using a device that uses radio frequencies to communicate with spirits called a spirit box. Over a radio frequency, there was a pitchy but audible “yes.”

One night Cal was on the phone in the hallway of the basement, which tends to have creepy vibes, when he heard someone coming down the hallway. Cal told the person that he was on the phone with to wait a second, but when he looked to see who it was, no one was there.

Cal had one more experience on a night where the power went out in Hetzel. His girlfriend was over for the night and she had to use the bathroom. She was too afraid to go alone, so Cal waited outside the girl’s room.

As Cal’s girlfriend was in the bathroom, she heard some breathing coming from the stall next to her. She couldn’t see anyone and when asked if anyone was there, the breathing continued. She then went to Cal and told him what she heard. She thought that someone could be hurt, so Cal went in there to help her. As he pulled the door back to see who was in there, the stall was empty. After that, they felt a creepy vibe and left.

We don’t know for sure if Hetzel is haunted, but from the majority of the stories we collected, it seems there is definitely a lost soul wandering the halls. A little girl’s spirit that might just want to play a few tricks on the residents in the eerie place that is Hetzel hall.

Cal is a freshman living in Hetzel Hall. He had an odd first night at UNH. He was sleeping on the top of a bunk bed and hadn’t put his guardrail up yet. “A force pushed me out of bed and I fell on the ground,” he said.

Bleeding, he ended up with a scar on his chin.

A couple weeks later, he went on a UNH ghost hunt with Chris Moon, a paranormal investigator from the Greater Denver Area. They visited Hetzel during the hunt and Cal asked Moon if the Hetzel Hall ghost was there. Moon said yes and asked him if the ghost was a little girl. A girl living in Hetzel last semester claimed to have seen a little girl standing in her closet at — 15 —

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lips of female identity Jenna Ward | Contributing Writer

“Lipstick has become an essential element of my female identity. Not because I feel ugly, or less feminine without it, but I love that it serves as paint to the canvas that is my lips. When I moved away to college I started experimenting with different shades of lipstick, mainly darker pigments like violet, indigo, and deep berry. I utilized lipstick as a vehicle to express myself, expanding the boundaries of my female identity and broaden the way I wanted the world to view me.”

“With a newfound love for lipstick that grew as I inched away from teenhood and into adulthood, came other notable revelations. I stopped tolerating as much bullshit. I started speaking up when men would say sexist comments. I didn’t let the constructed views of femininity stop me from dressing edgy, experimentally, or even a little masculine. I refused to remain silent and passive in the ways girls have been groomed to do their whole lives. The confidence in my appearance, posture, and social interactions blossomed together powerfully, bringing me to a state where I really came to love my female identity and myself. All the while, my lipstick gave me an extra boost to make a fashion statement and give femininity a new meaning.”

“With my love for personal expression through lipstick, I wanted to take a look at other incredible, badass women in my life who make a statement through lipstick, then further analyze how their female identity has been crafted since their transition into adulthood.”

jenna

The apartment vibrates, from the heavy buzz, the electronic bass amplifies through the living room speakers. The bar in town, Libby’s, is hosting a lineup of funky local bands tonight in an attempt to draw in a Friday night crowd, which is typically unheard of on a college campus that has socially designated Thursday and Saturday as the go-to bar nights. Like a ritual before any night of live music, the occupants of the apartment douse themselves with glitter and tie their hair up in funky buns (or leave it down and untamed for moshing purposes). They take whiskey shots chased by a mouthful of Pabst Blue Ribbon to acquire the perfect pre-game buzz, essential in avoiding spending any unnecessary money on extra drinks.

When the girls glitter-up, the saying “less is more” isn’t even an afterthought. Sprinkled on the couch, peppered on the kitchen counter and dusted all over the floor, the glitter almost

madi — 16 —

adds a glistening flare to the otherwise bland, beer-stained carpet. Months from now the shiny dust will still linger between the cushions and fester beneath the furniture like a persistent, twinkling virus. Laughter and yelling ricochet off the walls and echo into the hallways as the bumping beat in the background

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builds up to its anticipated, immaculate drop. The floor is thumping. Friends, old and new, holding assortments of alcoholic drinks trickle in and out of the bedrooms, shuffle into the living room to dance, and then to the bathroom trying to share the mirror to dab on more glitter before making their way to the bar.

The sparkling bass queen appears at last, emerging from a cloud of vaporized e-cigarette smoke, bopping around to the thrashing, heavy beat with a head of tight chestnut curls accented with, you guessed it: glitter.

Her chest and arms are also smeared with what looks like dazzling, magical war paint of girl power, but it’s really just Vaseline topped with glitter. Lots of glitter, that is luminously purple just like her lip color that electrifies and pops like her unbounded energy. For Madi, this is not unusual, as she is notorious on the college campus for her eccentric outfits that infuse elements of trendy style picks and creative quirkiness that craft a tasteful street- wear skater girl aesthetic. Basically, her fashion sense is fucking rad and she is not shy about showcasing it to the world. This confidence not only exists in her wardrobe, but it also extends to places like Scorpion’s Bar, where she is commonly found dancing solo in a leopard print jumpsuit, not interested in waiting for someone else to make the first move. Snapchat stories and social media posts alike will hail, praise, or maybe even mock the “Scorps Girl.”

“I don’t know I think it’s about owning whatever you’ve got on. I think I’ve always worn things now and then that people didn’t understand, but it really exploded for me in college,” Madi says, making it clear she doesn’t dress for anyone but herself.

Her female identity is exemplified through her carefree attitude, outlandish style, and her outright rejection of the “male gaze” that has the ability to dominate women’s fashion trends.

“With the shit I wear I’m basically a man repellant at this point,” Madi says.

And with that, Madi continues on with her night, armored in the daring purple lipstick that captivates the spunky essence of her female identity. She moshes front stage in the Libby’s basement, illuminated from head to toe, leaving behind an everlasting trail of glitter.

“I really don’t want to take a picture, I have really thin lips, but let me take a sip of beer first,” Emma says jokingly, sporting a soft shade of red, exemplifying her warmth, poise, and newfound assurance in her femininity.

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emma

A caricature of Emma would depict a girl wearing simple, funky fashion pieces, a radiant smile that amplifies an earnest, booming laugh, and a 16 oz. can of PBR closely clutched to her body. She too enjoys live music and the occasional bout with body glitter, but not to the same extent oas Madi.

Skateboarding and longboarding are generally male dominated activities on campus, except for a small amount of token girls who are consistently riding and shredding down the hills and winding streets of Durham. Emma is one of those girls, who can be spotted zooming down Main Street on a longboard, with her burnt orange hair and oversized flannel shirt riding with the wind behind her. Having an easy-going, low maintenance personality can be a virtue, but it can also be a vice when trying to make yourself heard in a male-dominated sphere.

Common in a girl’s teenage years, there is a desire to be the “cool girl” that hangs out with all the boys. Maybe it’s because the mindset is that “girls are too much drama” or that boys like girls who are “cool” and don’t care about feminism or political correctness. Many of us experienced this cringe worthy phase, including Emma.

“When I was younger, I hung around all dudes and I like, took pride in that, which like fuck that, because I hung out with all these dude stoners and thought I was the shit,” says Emma.

However, once she started college, she began to recognize ways she could better embrace her femininity without the admiration of fellow guy groups.

“When I came to college, I started hanging out with mostly girls, which is when I started to embrace my femininity and learn to not just let offensive, sexist things slide like I did when I hung out with the guys,” Emma says.

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Embracing her femininity also came with incorporat ing stylish pieces into her outfits and wearing more makeup, and even a small tattooed feminist symbol on her ribcage.

Her lipstick shade is strong yet subtle. Emma still remains the soft-spoken, cool-tempered woman she has always been, but now she speaks up when she needs to stand strong in her values and femininity.

Shannon walks in the room and sits down on the couch. She’s tapping her fingers on the sides of her thighs and her right foot is jittering, too. “I’m smoking cigs again,” she says. Not like that’s breaking news to me, Shannon has always does whatever she wants without the input from anyone else.

Her lipstick is dark blue, deep like the crashing waves at sea that want to draw you in and take you away. She is a woman warrior who carries herself with scars inside and out, a girl who has lost her femininity and then fought vigilantly to get it back. A girl who comes off aggressive but is gentle once you pull back a layer or two.

Her biggest blow to her femininity was when she lost her hair in 5th grade during chemotherapy treatment. Girlhood is tough, but getting through it with post-cancer, “boylike” hair adds more resistance that uphill, pubescent battle.

“People thought I was a boy,” she says. “It grew in super curly and people used to make fun of me for it, until I hit them with that ‘Oh I have cancer’ line. My femininity was really based around my hair, so that was tough for me.”

Even as her hair grew back, and the curls relaxed to their original smooth straightened state, the absence of femininity remained hollow into her teen years. Through trauma and figuring out her sexuality, Shannon spent her teenhood trying to figure out where she stood and who she could be in a male-dominated world. Similar to Emma, Shannon fell victim to that “cool girl” persona, finding it difficult to call out male friends who said problematic things. This is especially true in the local alternative/punk scene that Shannon spent a lot of time in, where women at shows already feel especially invisible and vulnerable, not wanting to ostracize themselves anymore than they already are.

Before finding her own path in college, she idolized her friend Leigh, who Shannon watched transform themselves from a feminine woman to now a gender-neutral person who chose to exemplify their masculine qualities. Shannon looked up to Leigh, who gave her early insight about feminism and what it means to reclaim your own

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female identity, even if it means taking it and transforming it into something completely different than anyone expects. She learned how it could be really fucking cool to embrace her feminine side and her masculine side while still standing strong as a beautiful, feminist woman.

College gave her the opportunity to pave her own path and connect with a regained sense of femininity she had lost for so many years. Her eyebrows are beautifully bold, yet furrowed. Her hair is soft, yet fiery with hues of violet red. Her lips beautiful, yet fierce, stand out amongst a crowd. Moving away from home allowed Shannon to find out what feminism meant to her and how she could incorporate that into her femininity. When it comes to makeup and style, she is all for experimenting with anything, and doesn’t care what anybody has to say about it.

“I don’t think it’s anybody’s business what you do with your face or how you look, I still feel beautiful without makeup, but I also feel fucking rad when I’m wearing makeup,” she says. “I feel really confident when I’m wearing bright pink or bright purple, I love that shit, and I feel like I can pull it off.“

Even with makeup she still takes opportunities to dress masculine when she feels like it, no longer feeling afraid that it inhibits her female identity.

“Sometimes I feel masculine, and I like that, it’s not because everyone else has labeled me as masculine like when I had cancer,” says Shannon.

Shannon rolls a cigarette that she’ll smoke in the car on her way home. She places the adequately rolled tobacco between her lips, leaving a blue stain on the white paper. She looks down and admires the mark she has left, almost like a badass stamp of femininity. The mark that many girls alike want to leave on not just their rolled cigarettes, but everything they want to be recognized and remembered for.

shannon — 18 —

Photography courtesy of Jackie Rahl

Spring 2018

Dog Therapy

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Nicole Cotton | Contributing Writer

If you go and walk on any college campus with your dog, expect to be delayed by dozens of students asking to pet your furry friend. We all have some kind of love for animals, whether it be dogs or not, they are pure creatures that can truly bring about happiness. As a college student, seeing a dog can remind someone of home and the love they share with their own pets. Or maybe some of us just think they’re adorable. Either way, the majority of those on college campuses love dogs.

On certain days of the week, students at the University of New Hampshire are more apt to see a four-legged friend because of UNH’s Health and Wellness program, “Paws and Relax.”

On every Wednesday, North, a Golden Retriever, visits UNH while his friend, Yogi, visits every other Wednesday. This service is brought to students through the ElderPet Therapy Program paired with Pet Partners. They provide therapy dogs to nursing homes, colleges, and even cancer treatment centers in the seacoast New Hampshire area, Maine, and Massachusetts.

Every Valentine’s Day, North and Yogi visit the UNH Hamel Recreation Center to give some extra love to those who come. Students come to see the dogs, some staying for a few minutes while others stay for over an hour. The presence of dogs can be wonderful, allowing students to take a break from their busy schedules, but can it really help them to relax?

Mary Ellen Whittier, Yogi’s owner, has personally seen a difference with patients she sees, specifically within the behavior health unit in hospitals, hospices and UNH. “We are here for emotional support,” Whittier said. She explained how her visits have made a difference in some lives, one hospice patient even saying how Yogi “made her feel alive.”

seen how he can help people feel less lonely.

Sarah Gardner, North’s Pet Partner since 2015, has also witnessed the positive emotions therapy dogs evoke in people since she first started in 2007. She recalls her times spent at colleges, and believes when students leave their family pets behind, they can benefit from spending time with a therapy dog.

“They miss that comfort an animal can bring, especially at such a transitional time in their lives. Spending time with a dog is a great source of comfort,” Gardner said.

The calm and happy demeanor of Yogi and North is what qualifies them to be therapy dogs. When a dog tries to become certified, they endure an intense program in which they have to pass specific requirements, including a 35-minute test in which there are distraction dogs barking and the dogs taking the exam must not react.

Without this, we wouldn’t have North or Yogi to pet and hug. Some students look forward to their visits every week, including RA Emily Jenkins, who even made a valentine for North. She lights up when talking about the dogs, and has even made going to Paws and Relax a social for her dorm.

“They just make me so happy,” Jenkins said.

Going to see the dogs can be a stress reliever for students because it is happiness that comes naturally and can help some forget about their assignments and exams. In fact, fighting for their attention is the most stress you may feel while attending this program.

“Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, it makes students happier,” Whittier said. She explained that students are so happy that they just don’t want to leave.

She said everyone who visits Paws and Relax always thanks her and Yogi, leaving with smiles on their faces.

Students will usually gather around the dogs, trying to hug and pet them as much as possible, smiles never leaving their faces.

“Being around dogs just makes me happy,” a student exclaimed. Each dog equally gave attention to everyone.

Though, it was common to see North snoozing on the blanket while Yogi walked around to students sitting in a circle of chairs. Occasionally some students, including myself, would get whacked by the wagging tails of Yogi or North.

“Not only can dogs put smiles on someone’s face, they also can help lower blood pressure as well as evoking nostalgic emotions,” Whittier explained. She spoke of how people’s faces light up when they see Yogi, and she has personally — 19 —

North, the Golden Retriever, at Hamel Rec. Center.

Dogs of Durham by: China Wong

IG: @dogzofdurham

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beer hops around the seacoast Blake Wasson | Digital Editor All it takes is four basic ingredientsbarley, hops, water and yeast. This blend of simple fixings work together to create a beverage responsible for fiber, vitamin B, and nothing but a good time. If you scratch below the surface of beer, you just might enter the world of craft brewing.

Yes, we’ve heard them all before.

Beer snobs, hipsters; the trend has gained national attention since the craft beer industry has risen. Consumers are quick to judge, tending to stay away from craft beer because they are difficult to binge on a college students budget, or with the higher alcohol percentage, binge in general. And yes, it sure is a buzzkill when the man across the bar exclaims his beer is “super sessionable” or “has an interesting bouquet.”

Take a step back though, what really defines craft beer?

To make a long story short, it is a traditional beer brewed by a small brewery. For the long definition, well, grab a beer and continue on.

The history of craft brewing began in the United States in the late-1970s.

As time progressed, traditional styles of beer brought over by immigrants were slowly disappearing. Once American brewers had their grips on their own recipes, they only stocked the shelves with much of what we see today: low-calorie light lagers. With less than 50 breweries nationwide and shrinking, America’s brewing landscape was drying up. At the same time, homebrewing culture was on the rise. Homebrewing became so popular because the only way consumers were able to re-mas

Kegs, Liars Bench Brewery, Portsmouth, NH

-ter traditional beer was if they made it themselves. It was these grassroots effort that paved the way for future craft beer generations.

Cultivating over the years, homebrewers turned to small breweries, pushing the ‘80s to what we know now as the birth of micro-brewing.

A micro-brewery is a small, independent brewery with a production cap of 15,000 barrels of beer annually. To compare, Anheuser-Busch companies produce over 100 million barrels of beer each year. With just the right marketing and demand, the ‘90s became a microbrewing sensation.

“I started brewing in 1995 after a friend gave me a beer he had brewed. So... I ditched my corporate job, and here I am!” Tom, Loaded Question This trend was all about throwing caution to the wind. Over the years, — 22 —

these brewers have established consistency, high quality and innovation - swelling not only the bellies of the consumers but the minds of the brewers. The passion called for the most diverse thinkers.

People want beer that’s creative, imaginative, and local. Luckily for consumers, these characteristics are becoming more and more prominent. Wild, foraged ingredients are beginning to find their way into brew houses all throughout New England, creating their mark on local communities.

Leading the charge in foraged beer is Portsmouth’s Earth Eagle Brewings.

Since November of 2012, co-founders and owners Alex McDonald and George “Butch” Heilshorn have been producing beer with locally foraged ingredients in a process referred to as gruit, the practice of bittering and flavoring the beer with herbs. You know what they say, fortune favors the bold.

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This form of brewing takes an amount of precaution not normally taken in the more traditional forms of brewing. It is crucial that plant identification is accurate in order to harvest and incorporate an ingredient that is in fact edible. Without proper knowledge, or a forager, not only the brewer, but the company itself, is taking a risk. Additionally, it is important to know what time of the season to harvest and how to extract as much of the flavors as possible.

According to Heilshorn, this is called “gettin’ the goodie.”

Earth Eagle Brewings is a major advocate of the farm-to-table movement, keeping the money in the community is a top priority.

“While our grain mostly comes from the usual suspects from all over North America and Europe, it’s our local water, flora and sometimes local yeasts that form that expression,” said Heilshorn.

It’s these efforts that make craft beer so unique, and it doesn’t stop there.

Consumers are becoming increasingly mindful of where their food comes from. The same curiosity applies to where their beer comes from. In an effort to display their styles and tradition, breweries like Throwback in North Hampton and Liars Bench in Portsmouth take pride in and advantage of their geographical location.

Fermentation tanks, Liars Bench Brewery, Portsmouth, NH

crops.

Liars Bench in Portsmouth is involved in a similar practice. Liars Bench first began as an idea between two UNH graduates, Dane and Dagan, but has transpired into a nano-brewery that brews on sight.

“We use mostly malted barley. We take all the spent grain and give it to a farmer,” Dane explained. “He feeds it to his cattle, and then feeds us his cattle. It’s a really nice circular motion of feeding each other.”

In a constant effort to give back to the community, Liar’s Bench recycles nearly all of their unusable grain.

All things considered, the big question that still remains unanswered is, why should we care?

For starters, it’s kept local. Unless you’re on an out-of-town weekend bender, if you buy local, the money stays close to home. You’re able to contribute to something built with passion. Supporting small businesses is not only good for you in that you

Working with farmers and maltsters (steeped grain dealers), Throwback Brewery has teamed up with those involved with local sourcing, such as Valley Malt in Hadley, MA and Brookford Farms in Canterbury, NH. Taking it a step further, Throwback Brewery has their very own hop yard located on Hobbs Farm, an 1860s sheep farm restored for their growing number of animals and Taproom, Great Rhythm Brewing Company, Portsmouth, NH — 23 —

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Bottles being capped, bottling line, Redhook Brewery, Portsmouth, NH

get high quality beer, but you’re able to develop connections and contribution to the people within the community.

There’s more diversity. With hundreds of craft breweries in New England alone, each one makes their beer in its own unique way.

Some specialize in higher ABV’s, or alcohol by volume, while some strive for better tasting beer for the fruity fans or the dark, chocolaty consumers. Adding to this, a sizeable New England perk allows for breweries to even specialize in what styles to drink during different seasons. Whether you’re down for a crisp IPA on a hot summer’s day, or a Belgian-style dark ale to fight off the winter chill, craft brewers know exactly how to satisfy your desires and navigate what’s relevant on the shelves.

“In terms of craft beer, New Hampshire is absolutely on the cutting edge of amazing breweries. I am fortunate to be a part of this community.”

-Bobby, Hop and Grind It’s innovative. What drives consumers to buy certain beer is not only the exotic nature of ingredients, but the surprise of the tap rotation.

What’s next? Corporate breweries bring little surprise to the table.

Yes, domestic beer is consistent and tasteful, but craft breweries apply creative knowledge and skill with the risk of creating a bad batch and starting over. And one more simple bonus, you get to meet the brewers.

Its understandable that a large part — 24 —

of society drinks to have a good time and get a proper buzz rolling. An even larger part of this society is unfamiliar with the process of brewing, and simply don’t care. That’s okay.

Not all craft beer is good, and not all domestic beer is bad. But let’s be honest, craft beer logos are just way cooler.

For more on the New Hampshire craft beer scene, check out... https://craftbrewingnh. wordpress.com

IG: @blakewasson

Spring 2018

brain matter

from artist mark torpey

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the dinner table philosopher: Duane Whittier Jordyn Haime | Contributing Writers

Li and Whittier share laughs at Harmony Homes in Durham

Duane Whittier, 89, has spent more than half of his life teaching at the University of New Hampshire. Even as a child, Whittier had a love for education and was always an academic. One of the strongest memories from his childhood, one that shaped him the most, was when his father got him a Dartmouth College library card for two dollars. After school let out, he would get on his bike and pedal the seven miles from his hometown in Lebanon, New Hampshire to Hanover. The most exciting part? He could take as many books as he wanted. Whittier even attached a second basket to his bike so he could take out eight or nine at a time.

So, it wasn’t a surprise to find him hidden among the Harmony Homes assisted living facility’s bookshelves when we went to visit him, nose-deep in the daily newspaper. Whittier retired from UNH last year after teaching philosophy here for 49 years.

I was driven to the nursing

home by the few people left who still speak with Whittier regular ly: Elizabeth Webber, Associate Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) and the mother of Tuya Elwy, who was one of Whittier’s favorite students; and Gen Li, a graduate student in the Physics department who came to know Whittier during his final years teaching at UNH.

“He’s a veritable font of 90 years of information, guidance, and wit,” Webber said, but, “he uses colorful language.”

She wasn’t wrong. Whittier’s wit and brilliance were apparent in his speech and conversation. Open up a conversation on politics or current events, and as Whittier puts it, you’ve “uncorked” him and he could talk for hours. While we were only visiting for a little more than an hour, he told stories, explained his philosophy, jabbed, swore, rambled and raved as if we were in the classroom.

“Everything else in my body has stopped working except this,” Whittier said, pointing to — 26 —

his head. Although he was undoubtedly doing better mentally than most at his age, his reason for retirement was his frequent visits to the hospital towards the end of his career. He used a walker to get around, had a hard time hearing my questions, and his hands were shaking as we spoke.

“It has been very difficult to watch a mentor and a person I have come to love decline in health so much this past summer…

Whittier, now in his 90th year, is proof that keeping an active and inquisitive mind keeps you going,” said Elwy, who graduated in 2011 with a degree in Philosophy and was Whittier’s mentee and close friend.

Li, who came to the US in 2012 from the Anhui province in China to pursue his master’s degree in Physics at UNH, first met Whittier at Holloway Commons during dinner.

“When I entered the dining hall at that point, I just saw this old man. So I just sat down with him,” Li remembered.

That was all it took. Soon, Li was joining Whittier for dinner at least five times per week at Philbrook or Holloway Commons, along with Elwy, Dana Hull – Whittier’s best friend and a fellow professor at the University who has also recently retired – and a few students. They would discuss current events, politics, philosophy, or whatever was on Whittier’s mind. Because Whittier was so straightforward and “colorful,” to quote Webber, Li said new students who would join a dinner-table conversation would often be “scared away.”

But many, like Li and Elwy, were drawn to Whittier and his pas-

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sion for education as well as his unique approach to philosophy.

“A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still,” Whittier would say. He lives by the Socratic method.

“Socratic method: you keep asking questions but in a very skilled way, until the other person, it dawns on them,” Whittier said, “You don’t tell someone else they’re wrong…What you want to do is get the person thinking, and then he tells himself the right answer. You’ve got to keep him working.”

Another of Whittier’s most prominent memories from his younger days strongly influenced his views on philosophy.

Whittier and his father sat in on a town meeting where they were voting on whether or not three teachers would be awarded a pay raise. Whittier, being 16 at the time, watched as the votes of 12 of the wealthiest town members had more influence than the votes of 600 others.

“And my father said to me, ‘son, I want you to take a good look at those 12 people.’ He said, ‘those are the 12 wealthiest people in Lebanon,’” Whittier remembered.

The teachers didn’t get the pay raise.

“I learned about class. If 12 wealthy people don’t want it, they’re not gonna be crossed. No matter what the damn goal was,” he said.

A year later, Whittier found himself sleeping on the floor of New Hampshire Hall at UNH. Englehardt wasn’t quite finished being built yet, but would soon be the residence hall he would make his home for the entirety of his college career.

“Room 230. That’s where I was for four years,” he said.

He didn’t know it yet, but Whittier would spend the rest of his career at UNH.

Back then, he couldn’t major in Philosophy, because there

was only one Philosophy professor, Donald Babcock. So, Whittier minored in it and majored in Psychology, pursuing his master’s degree in the same subject. He soon that realized he was tired of studying rats. He wanted to study people.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, he finally began to pursue his doctorate in Philosophy. He spent 11 years teaching at the University of Illinois and Penn State before he saw an open teaching position in UNH’s Philosophy department in 1967 and decided to return to his home state.

In total, that makes 58 years of consecutive teaching experience.

“Some of my colleagues here who retired at age 65 or 70, they would say to me, ‘Whittier, have you retired yet? When are you going to retire and get a life?’

I said hold on, hold on, I’ve been paid a salary for doing what I would do as a hobby. Because I love philosophy and I love being with young people and teaching and all of that. And you want me to retire and get a life? I’ve got one! I don’t want to give the damn thing up until I’m incapacitated and can’t cut the mustard anymore!” Whittier said.

By early 2017, Whittier was no longer teaching. He had been asked to retire do to his declining health. He was constantly in and out of the hospital and had had a major surgery that winter.

But, Whittier still studied at the library and ate dinner at the dining halls seven days a week with Li and his other colleagues-- he simply couldn’t stay away from UNH.

His legacy falls not only in his intense passion for teaching, but his unique way of thinking.

“I think the whole way academic philosophy is done is a big mistake,” he said.

In academia, students are — 27 —

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taught the history of philosophy and philosophical ideologies, Whittier says, but they’re not taught how to think, and that’s the most important part of philosophy. It can be applied to all disciplines, and Whittier believes it should be a requirement for every major.

“Philosophy is not a subject matter. In fact, we stick our noses into everybody’s business.

Philosophy of science, ethics, philosophy of religion, philosophy in the arts, philosophy in history. I mean, what is it that philosophers don’t stick their noses into?” he said.

Whittier ended up in Harmony Homes this past November. Although he is physically in a nursing home, he’s still sharp as a tack.

He reads a stack of newspapers every day before moving on to his current area of interest, economics, and he still pays regular visits to UNH’s Dimond Library.

“Giving your life absolutely to helping facilitate and spread the power of education is by far one of the most inspiring things a human can do. He was always outspoken and a little nontraditional,” says Elwy.

The second time I went to visit Whittier with Li, we just listened as the light from the windows poured over him in his wheelchair. Instead of asking interview questions, I asked what he thought about the recent lecturer cuts at UNH, what he thought about the President. He walked us through his Trump-Russia theories and his respect for honest journalism.

He wasn’t optimistic about the current political climate, nor was he happy about where he was in his life. But, even at “89 and five months to 90,” as Whittier puts it, he’s expressive, loud, passionate and strong-willed in all he thinks and does.

“Philosophy teaches you how to be happy in a shitty world,” he says.

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What Shoes Say Veronique Ok and Bri Doherty | Contributing Writer/Issue Editor

“They’re quite water proof, slightly water resistant, a little lime green in there,” she laughs. “They’re supportive. They’re durable. You don’t slip!” “ They’re a little lazy, what can I say? I don’t care what people think of my shoes or me.”

“I feel really comfortable in them. I feel like I can do anything in them, and I feel like I can wear them with anything. And I feel like if I ever needed to run away, I could run, but if I wanted to look cute I could still look cute. You know what I’m saying? [They’re] relaxed and laid back. They’re pretty dirty and kind of gross but… they have character.”

“This does make me look nice, right? Right?”

“Don’t look at me.”

— 28 —

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“I always want to be ready for an adventure. They’re the only shoes I’ve worn out, and each time, it’s the end of an era.”

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(Twin shoes left): “Earthy, everyday every-

where. They’re disgusting, so if that says something about me...”

(Twin shoes right): “Bad-ass bitch, they can

do anything. If another person wears it, I instantly want to be friends with them.”

*Disclaimer: these two people did not know each other prior to randomly meeting the afternoon that this photo was taken.

“They’re really old, like, three years old.

They’re actually kind of gross, I had to replace the [soles] yesterday,” blue-shoes says.

“I don’t really think they match my personality that much, I mean, I guess they show that I don’t really care about my shoes?

I bought them for track three years ago.

They’re good running shoes.”

“I probably look like substitute math teacher in his mid 20s.”

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a mi, me importa Jamie Ammon | Contributing Writer

Lucas Barboza is one of 21 Argentinian Fullbright Scholars studying at UNH for seven weeks.

Each of them has been paired with a UNH ‘buddy,’ who is tasked with showing them the ways of this new country, culture, and school.

In getting to know my own buddy, Lucas, I was struck by the details he noticed, as well as what surprised him about America and its inhabitants. He calls it our respect for one another. I call it our fear of judgement and offense.

The first thing he noticed upon arrival was how punctual we all are. He marked this as the initial supporting evidence for his theory of respect. We arrive everywhere on time, and even allow ten minutes between classes for changing buildings. In Argentina, he tells me, these ten minutes don’t exist. Everyone Barboza sits on top of the Wildcat Statue in front of the Whittemore Center arrives late, including the professors. fear their scorn.

The world will simply move on without you if you’re not paying attention.

Although Lucas appeared to have nothing but glowing reviews for the US, upon being pressed

In this way, their society is separate from the he admits his disapproval for our racial, religious, people. Here in America, we create structures that and ethnic issues. This seemed to me like an obvious give us the chance to be perfect, like those ten mincommentary, but to Lucas it needed to be said for one utes. This is important in our society, because being crucial reason: these discriminations are specific to the late is something that would bring judgement. We States. structure our society around and against this fear of judgement, to the point where a stranger to this country finds it shocking.

His delight at our manners goes further, into how we organize ourselves. “You’re really respectful of others. I mean if you’re waiting at HoCo, to pick your food, you make a line. [In Argentina] if we were forced to make a line, people will get in between in the line to get their food faster.” I can’t speak for all of America, but I can say that personally, the only reason I don’t cut in line to get my food first is because everyone in that line would judge me. To me, it doesn’t matter if they’re strangers I may never see again. I still

“…We don’t have that kind of expressions against others. If you’re with a Chinese [person] or with a black guy or whatever, it’s okay. It’s good.

We’re all people.”

Sitting down for the first time with all of the Argentinians, I was in for a shock and so were they. In the American movies to which they are exposed, they can catch a glimpse of black culture in America. Using their frame of reference, they see people interacting and assume that this is how they should act too, not yet recognizing the racial differences we observe in our country. Imagine the surprise of one poor Ar-

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Spring 2018

gentinian student as his American culture professor is teaching them how to greet like an American: “Hello, how are you, my name is…” with a handshake. The student is frustrated with the formality, and asks his professor, “Why can’t we just say, ‘hey n-----’ like they do in the movies?”

The professor kindly explained the issue here, but the Argentinians were not quite satisfied with this. Cut to me, a white girl, sitting down with all of them in a residence hall for the first time. I was chatting with another student when from across the room Lucas yells to me “Hey Jamie! How bad would it be if I said n-----?” Of course, my jaw dropped. I turned bright red and looked around quickly to make sure we were the only ones in this very open common area.

Assured that we were, I turn back to Lucas. “No. No you cannot say that.”

As I explained to them how bad that word is to use when you don’t belong to that culture, I realized something. No matter how clearly I explained it as a swear word, it was not only the translation they were having trouble grasping. It was the concept. To these people, the idea of races so separated as ours was shocking. To them, we are all just people.

Lucas expressed to me how they all had to take note of how I reacted, to make sure that they would avoid such language and react correctly in the future.

After I had left, he tells me that they said to one another, “Oh, this is like an issue here because if not she wouldn’t have reacted like that.”

“That’s the kind of respect I love for you. Because you care about the other one. And how others feel and think.” Undeneath our judgement—or perhaps because of it—Americans truly care.

In Spanish, there is a phrase that does not perfectly translate into English, but perfectly represents American culture. A mi, me importa. Importar can be translated to mean ‘to matter,’ ‘to be important,’ or ‘to care.’ In America, we constantly find ourselves caring or ‘importing’ about every little thing.

Whether the person next to us is judging us, or could be our friend. How people of a different background or political view might feel about what we are saying.

Even if we don’t mean to, we think about race, religion, and ethnicity whenever we meet someone who is different from us.

No matter how hard we try to not offend and to be politically correct, we still struggle. Perhaps this means it’s time to change our focus. This focus on political correctness may be having an inverse effect of centering our attention on these issues we are trying so desperately to avoid. Maybe instead of trying to carefully craft our speech for every situation, we need to take a lesson from the Argentinians. Maybe, we just shouldn’t care so much.

Every country has its own racially charged history, but in America it feels as if instead of acknowledging and moving away from what happened we cling to ancient ideals with a death grip. Ideas that may not even cross the mind of an Argentinian have become a part of our daily dialogue. We have created a term and category of language—political correctness—because we are so bad at knowing ourselves how not to care. Here, we constantly have to remind a too-large percentage of our population how to be polite and how to not tear others down about their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender.

In discussing American politics, Lucas revealed his and the other Argentinians’ disdain for Trump.

However, he was again amazed at how we treat sensitive subjects. I explained to him that although we may not support someone, we are careful to not offend those around us who may be of an opposing view.

— 31 —

Barboza, Ammon and Sebastiàn Brué at a UNH Hockey game

Spring 2018

Main Street

cell phones are fucking-over photography Chad Ripley | Contributing Writers From a young age, I’ve been astonished with filmmaking and photography. From a handheld video camera, a Walmart disposable camera, and more recently, our own smartphones, there are several ways to capture significant moments. The past few years, family gatherings no longer include disposable cameras, but rather, each person’s respected cellphone. This begs the question: are these mobile devices with high-tech camera abilities ruining the true essence of photography by making the activity democratized?

Years ago, family gatherings were captured by one camera and one person. That one person methodically made sure that the Photo of the ocean taken on an iPhone. photos were successfully developed, but did so in a much different way than one does now. With the cameras on iPhone and other cell-phones, you cannot only capture a good picture, but you can take as many as you’d like and instantly have access to them.

Filmmaker and YouTube phenom Casey Neistat has touched on this very topic countless times. His belief is that it has never been easier to become a creator than it is in this day and age. A creator, in his definition, is a person who creates content for a larger audience. Neistat has been in the profession since the early 2000’s and has had his fair share of video cameras, point and shoots, and DSLR’s, as well as TV Shows and movies. The general consensus when regarding photography and filmmaking is that you need all this fancy equipment and money, but Neistat argues that the new wave is in our jean pockets and at our fingertips. The technology on these cellphones and on social media are now making it easier for people to share what they are doing at any given moment. Though some may argue that this is taking away from these professions, Neistat believes that this new wave of technology and sharing is one for everyone, not just the professionals.

The recent technology upgrades for his camera equipment have made his job easier and more efficient. When asked about the recent upgrades in cellphone cameras, New York Times photographer Jim Wilson had a different opinion than that of Neistat.

“The smartphone has killed the lower-end camera market, and if it hasn’t killed the mid-range market, it’s sure breathing down its neck. Everyone has a camera with them now at all times, and there’s no doubt that we’re seeing images that we never before could have contemplated. As we all know, it’s not just still images, but also video. I think it’s the ultimate democratization of photography — anyone at anytime from anywhere can produce images that can affect how we think of the world around us,” Wilson said. Content with the upgrade of technology in his higher end DSLR cameras and equipment, Wilson still believes that there is a changing tide in the world of photography. He fears that one day, the powers of handheld devices and their ability to capture a moment will in turn create a negative connotation in the photography field.

Are the thousands of photos on camera rolls, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook feeds supporting the dismantling of the way photography used to be, making people lazy and getting away from getting one good shot rather than 15 decent shots? Or, is it simply just giving people a better opportunity to share and pursue a passion in a smaller, easier way. Professional photographers, filmmakers, and journalists all over are having this debate.

Having been used abundantly, cellphone cameras have given people a way to share their experiences and have also given creators, filmmakers, and photographers a way to capture moments from the devices in their back pocket.

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Spring 2018

Main Street

WUNH, “The Freewaves” Jenna Ward | Contributing Writer

The radio in my childhood home was always on. Almost like a centerpiece of my upbringing, the absence of music in my house was unusual. My family was accustomed to comforting background noise that consisted of rockin’ tunes and talk radio banter. I can recall the voices of DJ personalities and the connections I made with them. To this day, I still connect with songs I heard regularly in my living room radio as a child. I attribute my vast knowledge of music to radio’s presence in my life, and I attribute radio’s presence in my life to my dad.

My dad has been a radio professional for more than 30 years, first starting out at his local community college radio station in New Jersey, Brookdale Public Radio WBJB. Although his dream was to be a career DJ, his path brought him to New York City traffic reporting, which he has mastered and has become a well-known name among NYC commuters over the past 25 years.

When I started school at UNH, I was captivated by 91.3 WUNH “The Free-

Matt Ward as a young DJ

waves.” That skinny hallway on the first floor of the MUB echoed with the rhythmic waves of college radio.

The glowing neon sign outside the studio illuminates a mysterious ray of curiosity for those passing by on their daily commutes through campus. For the past three years I always walked by the WUNH studio, curious and enticed by the radio magic going on inside, but I never entered until now.

I think I harbored a fear of accidentally interrupting an on-air session by opening the door. I imagined my dad shushing me when I would visit the station as a kid with the ON-AIR light on. When I did walk in, it was like a dream. Poster of bands and music events are plastered on the walls.

Towering shelves of CDs and vinyl records of practically every genre line the room adjacent to the studio. The place just captures the alternative, underground aesthetic that a music lover like myself can appreciate.

daily listening. Although traditional AM/FM radio still rakes in 35% of the general population’s listening, younger Millennials reportedly only spend about 12% of their time tuning into the radio (Forbes 2016).

Recently, I walked past the studio and overheard one girl turn to her friend and say, “What’s that music playing?” The other friend responded with, “I think it’s the radio station maybe, I’m not sure.” The uncertainty and genuine lack of knowledge about an organization that has been a cornerstone of the Seacoast and UNH culture really struck my attention. I started to ask myself, what happened to college students loyally listening to their campus station?

“ Absolutely no songs from the Top 40 and no songs with curse words...”

The reasoning for this is probably quite obvious. Our content is primarily streamed and downloaded to our desire, eliminating the need for a radio in our apartments and dorm rooms. How many students do you know that still play the radio in their home? I would imagine not a lot. On-demand streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music account for 51% of young Millennials/Gen Z’s (15-20 year olds) — 33 —

However, WUNH, like most radio stations today, have a live stream player on their website. At the beginning of the year I dedicated an hour to test out WUNH online. The Wednesday evening program was a two-hour block called “Rock is Dead,” which consisted of a solid mix of oldies, classic rock, swing, and punk. “New Jersey” by England Dan and John Ford Coley and “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” by Melanie (a song that frequented my dad’s household playlist) were two notable tracks from the Rock is Dead program. I wasn’t surprised by such a great queue of tunes because WUNH always plays a killer lineup of music. Similar to most col-

lege radio stations, WUNH’s format consists of a variety of specialty programs that cover an array of genres.

Programs include titles such as Rock is Dead, Pop Punk Peach, Exploring Jazz, Mad Lion Reggae, and an alltime college radio favorite: Polka Party. In addition to the specialty programs, WUNH operates on General Programming, which allows the DJs to create their own uniquely crafted shows every day. General Programming consists of two key guidelines: 1. DJs have to play 60% new music and then the remaining 40% can be whatever music they desire. The new music comes from an impressively

Spring 2018

large and diverse binder kept in the studio. The binder is super informative and neatly organized with songs listed in alphabetical order then labeled with their genres and related artists.

2. Absolutely no songs from the Top 40 or songs with curse words.

That’s the beauty of a radio station like WUNH. The freedom to be creative and provide fresh, unique music to the listener is all up to the DJs. In the current state of commercial radio, DJs have little to no control over what they broadcast, which eliminates that magic radio brings to the local music scene. WUNH however, has remained loyal to the art of radio and the value of DJs in the community.

“I have such a passion for music,” says Abby Lehner, or known on-air as DJ Hotwheelz, her stage name that perfectly captivates her vibrant personality and celebrates her wheelchair. Like all of the DJs at WUNH, Abby enjoys bringing her own personal flare to the show by providing a wide range of genres.

“I play a little bit of everything because I listen to so many different genres. My favorite ones are a lot of instrumental hip-hop so I really like artists like Grammatik. I also love a lot of instrumental chill wave or upbeat. Then sometimes I go into hard rock or punk. I have a lot of freedom.”

Local radio stations, and college radio especially, have historically acted as musical influencers in their communities. Radio DJs were the ones who could give new artists presence in the community if they felt there was talent or their style challenged the status quo. Which is why Karena came to WUNH her freshman year to DJ, working her way up the executive board and now standing as the General Manager. She loved the philosophy of the station, one that fosters new music and avoids the Top 40 playlists.

“All of the bands I love now—all discovered here. And they end up being someone, which is what this station is all about, getting those bands the exposure they needed.” says Pezzullo.

I became curious about what WUNH was like during its heyday. At its start as a FM station in 1972, radio was still a token medium for music and news.

I thought back to my dad who started his radio career in the early eighties and how disc jockeys held such star power because of the freedom to create connections with the listeners and the ability to bring new bands into the limelight. Local stations were mom and pop businesses,owned andoperated by peoplewho were passionate about both the radio and music industry. Today, two major corporations own the

Main Street

majority of American radio stations: Cumulus Media and iHeartMedia (previously known as Clear Channel). What happens when one company controls most of the radio stations across the country? What happens to the DJs and the local music scene?

“The values and foundations of WUNH haven’t changed,” says Russ Dumont, seasoned radio DJ who got his start in radio at WUNH from 1978-83, then moved on to program director for a station in Maine until 1998. He recently returned to WUNH in 2013 doing fill-ins when needed to satisfy what he calls his “radio yaya’s.” As a radio fanatic who has witnessed local radio become absorbed by the corporate media machine, Russ treasures the independence WUNH has maintained since the start.

“At WUNH there’s freedom, there’s no structure. You’re not told what to play and you’re not told what to say.

In commercial radio, that’s what has changed. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, FM radio was freeform. DJs had a platform to play what they wanted and it was incredible music being released at that time. Then in 1996 during the Clinton Administration, they signed the Telecommunications Act that deregulated radio and allowed ownership to acquire more than one sta-

The general programming format of WUNH operates like a beautifully orchestrated storm of chaos.

The DJs are the conductors, seamlessly intertwining a hodgepodge of genres, new underground music, and old cuts that have never been heard before. The 60/40 layout of the program gives DJs the power to give up and coming artists a widely accessible platform while also providing their listeners with totally new content.

“It’s true college radio. We’re spitting out a lot of good stuff,” says Karena Pezzullo, General Manager of WUNH and UNH Senior.

“We got Lorde first, Hozier, Adele, and then they exploded later.”

Abby Lehner,“DJ HotWheelz”, during her Thursday night block — 34 —

Spring 2018

tion in a market. That led to homogenous programming, which is what you still get today on commercial radio, it never really takes the chance of taking new music or alternative music. They have to play the tested songs they know people will like when they turn on the radio station because it’s all become an extreme business.”

Jill Arabus, a veteran disc jockey at WUNH, has also witnessed a change in radio throughout the years. Jill got her start at the station in 1980, then after graduation she went on to work at the Associate Press for 15 years. In 2012, she came back to WUNH, and just like Russ, was delighted to return to the independent station she grew to love during her college years.

“It was really the Telecommunications Act of 1996, companies went from being able to own something 40 radio stations to as many as they wanted. WUNH has been a real resource, a gem, because we’re not told what to play, we are not commercial so we don’t have to pay attention to advertisers.” says Arabus.

Not only did the commercialization of radio lead to strict guidelines for the disc jockeys, but it also wiped out hundreds of DJs across the country by replacing them with automated voice tracks. DJs who invested their livelihoods into the radio business were quickly replaced by a cost-efficient technology.

“College radio is kind of holding the line for good radio...”

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pressured by community leaders to become commercial and transition to a Top 40 format to satisfy the mainstream desire and promote a profitable business model. Luckily, the station has continued to push back against these efforts in support of the station’s moral foundation, it’s influence in the local music scene, and its commitment to the community members who look to WUNH for an authentic radio experience. Russ has faith in in WUNH to stick to its core values and keep great radio alive.

“I hope it stays like that forever because it fills a void because there isn’t a lot of radio stations like it.

College radio is kind of holding the line for good radio and if that were to go it would be a horrible.”

We know that WUNH has stayed true to their ethics despite the mass commercialization of radio stations across the country, but it’s worth noting WUNH’s presence, or lack thereof, on campus.

The station still struggles to grab the attention of the common student, one who isn’t deeply involved in the local music scene. I asked Abby about this and she agrees with a chuckle and a touch of disappointment in her voice.

“I don’t think a lot of people are aware of the station. It’s hard because radio is a dying breed, which sucks because it’s so cool, but I think it might not completely die. It might transition to something more like podcasts.” says Abby.

Jill also recognizes the decrease in WUNH’s popularity on campus, but she remembers a time when WUNH was more than just an overlooked organization situated in the MUB.

“You know the really sad thing about radio today is that when I started out we were live 24 hours a day and we had a full staff, you know 10-12 people. Now you’re lucky to walk into a studio and see two full-time people. The actual buildings have become cells, and that’s due to the technology and business models, but to me it’s just sad,” says Russ.

“There were so many times we would walk through the dorms at UNH and WUNH would be blasting through the hallways,” Jill recalls. The format also differed slightly, with the ability to incorporate some mainstream artists like Bruce Springsteen and Aerosmith into the playlists, but focusing more on the deeper cuts rather than hits like “Born to Run.”

Over the years, WUNH has been

With the popularity of podcasts, incor— 35 —

WUNH DJ from the 90’s photo archives

poration into WUNH’s format might not be a bad idea. Podcasts would be great on live radio, but online access has been quintessential for podcasts in today’s binge culture. However, WUNH’s website is definitely in need for an update. The site is a tad bit archaic, with an outdated design and finicky functionality. Thankfully, the station is expecting a revamp of their website in the near future. With the help of their major fundraising event Marathon Week and a grant from the Parent’s Association, WUNH is expecting to have a new website out by the spring or summer of this year. Karena hopes this will make WUNH a more accessible and attractive platform for students who don’t listen to the radio often.

Not only does listening to WUNH encompass great value, but staff members also encourage studentsto join the team during their time at UNH. An obvious skill of working at the station is increased knowledge about radio, but students also receive the opportunity to gain cultural capital in the music industry.

To finish this kickass story head to mainstmag.com

Spring 2018

CSI: UNH

Main Street

Doug Rodoski | Contributing Writer

As a drilling Reservist with the US Army and veteran of three Iraq deployments, I am able to share some related experiences with my younger classmates. (It is unknown to me if my often unsolicited stories and advice are welcomed by these students, but they listen politely).

While in Tikrit in 2008-2009, my unit was performing tasks as a Police Transition Team (PTT). At the time, we were entering all Iraqi nationals into a biometrics index. This included Iraqi police officers, civilians and detained insurgents/aggressors. Our squads were imbedded with Department of Defense civilians who would sometimes do forensic work.

I recall the experience of responding to the scene of a firefight between coalition forces and insurgents. The remains of the suicide bombers: so much shredded flesh and clothing on the side of the road; the cadavers of the aggressors were thoroughly shot apart. It was a challenge to gather intelligence for our report, and stay focused amidst all the distractions and gore. (The distractions were not just the gore. There was also celebratory gunfire by the friendly Iraqis who were involved in the firefight).

At one point I had to use the biometrics device (along with another sergeant) on a dead insurgent in a ditch. So I applaud the younger students at UNH who are pursuing this work on the civilian side. I tell them attention to detail amidst distractions is crucial.

Here at UNH Durham, there are presently two forensics courses available: BIOL 420- Introduction to Forensic Sciences and ANTH 550 - Introduction to Forensic Anthropology. Seeing how intrigued UNH students are with forensics, I decided to revisit BIOL 420, a class that I took myself in fall semester of 2011.

Professor Janet Anderson is a lecturer in UNH’s Department of Biological Sciences. Her area of focus is Animal Science and Biology. She has taught BIOL 420 since 2014. The class this semester features two weekly lectures and multiple attached labs. Anderson earned a Master in Science in Animal & Nutritional Science from UNH in 2003, and a PhD in Animal & Nutritional Science with a focus on Molecular Biology from UNH, 2008.

“As a biology Discovery class, BIOL 420 does not examine criminology, profiling, or the legal aspects of forensic investigation,” said Anderson. “It focuses on comparative science in the laboratory. My graduate training in the scientific method, critical inquiry, and evidence-based analysis has helped immensely. My specialty is DNA analysis.”

“There are four types of evidence,” said Anderson in an early semester lecture. “These are physi-

cal, documentary, demonstrative and testimony. Evidence can support or refute a fact. Physical evidence can include hair, paint, serial numbers, powder residue, soil and minerals, and tool marks.”

Anderson emphasizes this concept using crime scene photographs for all evidence.

“Always use a frame of reference,” she said. “This could be a ruler, or something familiar like a pencil or pen.”

This year, Professor Anderson gave students a historic example of early forensic work when Anderson related the Titterton murder case.

On April 10, 1936, aspiring novelist Nancy Titterton was discovered raped and strangled to death with her own pajamas in the bathtub of the New York City apartment she shared with her husband, an executive at NBC. All the detectives had to work with was a length of cord

Ashley Ceriani, sophomore, in the BIOL 420 lab holds a bag of edvidence.

— 36 —

discovered underneath the body, and a single horsehair.

Police then checked up on every rope and twine manufacturer in the Northeast. The cord was finally found to have come from Hanover Cordage Company in Pennsylvania. A check of records then revealed that some of the distinctive cord had been sold to Theodore Kruger’s upholstery shop in New York City.

This led police to suspect John Fiorenza, an assistant at Kruger’s shop. Fiorenza had been at the Titterton house on April 9 and had been late for work the morning of the murder. Fiorenza and Kruger were the first to discover Titterton’s body on April 10, when they arrived to return a repaired couch.

Investigators used the evidence to prompt a confession from Fiorenza, who was sentenced and executed.

Riley Boss, TA, playing the bloodied victim in the mock case.

One of the lecturers early in the semester was Mr. Timothy J. Pifer, the Laboratory Director of the New While attending Professor Anderson’s forensics class, I recalled Hampshire State Police Forensic that my 2011 class was the first place Laboratory. Pifer spoke to the current drug epidemic.

I had heard of “The Body Farm.”

William K. Bass’s center for foren“In 2017, there were 418 deaths in sic observation is situated behind New Hampshire where drugs were the University of Tennessee. It is a involved,” said Pifer. “The progres2.5 acre plot of land that contains sion of drugs used in the past few research focused on how organic years saw heroine lead to Fentanyl, materials break down and decomand now counter Fentanyl. Fentanyl pose. The training aids are human is 50 times more potent than herocadavers. (And it’s a good thing the ine.” location is surrounded by a razor wire fence - it is clearly not the type As Pifer pointed out, the high of thing you want families or hikers frequency of drug related incidents to stumble across). Here, forensic requires that crimes against persons scientists and researchers learn about take priority over crimes against human decomposition. The cadavers property. Pifer also showed intriguare placed in several scenarios that ing techniques such as the use of recreate crime scenes. The work luminol, a chemical used in forensics done here has greatly advanced the to detect trace amounts of blood at a field of forensic anthropology. crime scene.

Anderson spoke to the importance of While cold cases are sometimes comparing knowns with unknowns. solved with archived DNA from crime scenes, Pifer favors a good old “Associative evidence is catefashioned technique. gorized as Individual, and Class,” said Anderson. “Class can include “Fingerprints are more reliable blood type, or caliber of a weapon. than DNA,” he said. “They are Individual might be fingerprints, or unique and permanent.” matched striations from a bullet fired On a lighter note, Pifer told a stofrom a particular firearm.” ry about how confiscated marijuana used to be taken to Durham, to be — 37 —

destroyed at UNH facilities.

“When the drugs were being burned, you would see college students come out of the woodwork to check it out,” said Pifer. “Then they would see the law enforcement vehicles and disappear.”

Those college kids!

I recently attended one of the attached class labs, a mock crime scene. It was my first time in the Rudman building since fall of 2011.

As students waited in the lobby, the TAs put the finishing touches on a simulated murder scene. This particular lab is set up like a crime scene. In the remaining labs, students compare evidence from the crime scene to exemplars collected from suspects.

Read more about the investigation online @ mainstmag.com

Spring 2018

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