Dear Graduate,

The fences are not only UGLY and make it difficult to see the beautiful views from the bridges, but they are also constant reminder of the students' lives that were lost during this past year.  It is a tragedy when someone with so much life left to live chooses death to ease their pain rather then seek out resources to meet their life challenges.  The, sometimes spontaneous, decision to end one's life is then irreversible.  Thoughts of suicide usually last only a few short weeks before the person regains a sense of purpose and support.  During that time the black hole of depression can severely contort one's thinking, requiring others to intercede to save a life.  The fences are one effort at restricting those irreversible spontaneous actions.

Your parents and family will be arriving to celebrate your wonderful achievement and usher you into your new life after Cornell.  I assume you will share with them some of the wonderful things Cornell has offered you; an excellent faculty, great friends, well supported libraries, labs and class facilities, clubs and organizations, dining opportunities, The Plantations, Beebe Lake, and of course, the exhilarating views of the gorges. 

Let the fences be an opportunity to share with your family your feelings about the tragedies that we all suffered.  Incidents of suicide are all too often kept silent, hidden, ignored and whisked away so no one has to think about them again.  But that does not make them go away, and more importantly it doesn't help us stay aware of our responsibility to each other.  Use the sight of the fences as an opportunity to talk about caring for each other; family and friends.  Thank your parents and family for being there for you; for supporting you when you needed it.  Think about how you may support your classmates and friends as you all transition to your next adventure in life.

In Auckland, New Zealand, there was a bridge that had a similarly ugly fence on it.  The townspeople petitioned to have the fence removed and the suicide rate increased sixfold.  They refused to allow the fences to be returned arguing that people would just jump from another area. The suicides continued.  When the fences were finally erected again there were no more suicides.  This is just one of many stories that support the concept of physical means restriciton to decrease suicide.

The university is conferring with many experts to support student wellness on campus.  There are committees diligently looking at everything from the academic calendar, availability of mental health services, communications, grading and exams, the administrative processes, substance use, and ... the fences.  They will not come down before graduation. 

Congratulations on your graduation and congratulations to all of my nieces and nephews who are graduating this year.  I'll be waving to you!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear History Lover,

Beautiful Boardman Hall existed on the space now occupied by Olin Library, from 1892-1959.  It was designed by Cornell's own William Henry Miller, whose local designs also include Uris Library and McGraw Tower, A.D. White House (he actually designed the president's house while he was a student here) and numerous other local buildings.  Upon its completion in 1892 it housed the College of Law.

If you have a real interest in CU history, you should read some of the CU classics like Kammen and Bishop. I would also recommend Ostman and Littell's Cornell Then and Now.  This paperback has some lovely visual contrasts interwoven with historical text.  On the subject of Boardman Hall, they write, "...Finished in 1892, the structure was named in honor of Judge Douglass Boardman, a trustee who had been a strong advocate for its construction and who served as the first dean of the law school.  Boardman Hall was used by the Departments of History and Government after the College of Law transferred to Myron Taylor Hall in 1931.  In 1958-59, Boardman Hall was torn down to make room for Olin Library...Remnants of Boardman Hall are preserved outside and inside Olin Library.  Outside, three Boardman Hall carved stone faces incorporated into a north-facing wall express worried resoluteness, angered readiness and sleepy passivity.  Inside Olin, another wall incorporates three more chiseled stone heads, overlooking the stairwell to the basement.  Those countenances denote cocky bemusement, steadfast determination and grim sourness.  Legend says that likenesses of the workmen who constructed Boardman Hall, Uris Library, and Stimson Hall were used as models for the busts."  Boardman Hall was a lovely building designed in an architectural style similar to Uris Library.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane. 

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Having Fun,

What a great idea!  Here's the info from, Benjamin R. Blakeley, COE Outfitting and Logistics Manager.

Canoeing is allowed on Beebe lake as long as the safety rope is in place above the dam.  (The safety rope is installed after the spring high waters and removed before the winter.)

Assuming that you don't have your own canoe there are a few options.

Cornell Outing Club (COC)

http://www.cornelloutingclub.org/twiki/bin/view

Informal trips and outings.

Regular meetings 7:30pm each Tuesday night at Japes Lodge next to Beebe Lake.  They usually have pre-meeting paddles at  5:30pm.

Cornell Outdoor Education (COE)

www.coe.cornell.edu

Courses and Rentals

Courses:  The Recreational Canoeing class is likely the folks you have seen on Beebe Lake.  It is offered early fall and late spring. http://www.coe.cornell.edu/goto.jsp?course=CAN-REC-SU10  It can also, like most of COE's courses, fulfill a PE credit.  COE also offers other canoeing courses such as Adirondack Canoe Camping.

Rentals:  COE's Outfitting Center rents canoes to both students and the public out of Bartels Hall.  The price is $25 for a package consisting of canoe, 2 Personal Flotation Devices (PFD's,) 2 paddles, and a car-top carrier kit.  It is also possible to carry a canoe from Bartels Hall to Beebe Lake though this should be recognized as a fairly burly proposition. Complete details: http://www.coe.cornell.edu/goto.jsp?page=gear

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Active,

Thanks for the compliment!  I feels so good to be appreciated.  Transitions are hard and it sounds like you used your resiliency skills to meet the challenges of your first year here.  Congrats on graduation.  I'll be there waving to you.

Rock climbing is a great activity. One of the most remarkable facilities at Cornell Outdoor Education is The Lindseth Climbing Wall. The wall is the largest indoor natural rock climbing wall in North America. It covers the entire east end of Bartels Hall, and is 160' wide and 30' high, for a total of 4,800 square feet of climbing surface. The bottom 10 feet are available for climbing without a rope.

At the Lindseth Climbing Wall there are opportunities for climbers of any ability level to develop their confidence and climbing skills, challenge themselves, and have fun.   For more info, http://www.coe.cornell.edu/goto.jsp?page=wall.

Rent Kayaks, canoes, or tents for some outdoor fun, http://www.coe.cornell.edu/goto.jsp?page=gear.  Hiking in the local State Parks is a perfect way to get that heart pumping and enjoy nature.  Here is a link to many of the local parke, http://www.ci.ithaca.ny.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={F1CF3458-E228-44E6-A4E3-D66D3D7A8866}.  You can also try your hand at longer hikes on the Fingerlakes Trail.  You can get a detailed map at the EMS Store on route 13.  EMS staff can also direct you to other outdoor adventures.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Dartf,

I don't know who has completed the most things on the list of 161 things, but congrats on your accomplishment!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Sculptor,

The Cornell Ceramics Studio offers full use of the pottery studio, as well as non-credit courses in the various levels of pottery making. The studio, established in 1957, is open to all members of the Cornell and Ithaca communities. Cornell Ceramics offers instruction in the techniques of throwing and hand-building, both functional and non-functional objects. Pottery making is a lasting art, which can bring satisfaction and tangible results.

The studio provides opportunities for one to explore and develop their talents in working with clay. The studio caters to both the beginning and experienced potter.

For more information check out their website, http://sao.cornell.edu/Ceramics/.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Tired Feet Tony,

The VP of the cornell Cycling Club shares this information: 

COE offers an introductory mountain bike course each semester.  You are required to have a bicycle though.  Our club does not teach people to ride, but if the student contacts the club when they are on campus they could ask some of the members and someone might be willing to help them out, Cornell Cycling Vice President, cucycle.vp@gmail.com.

According to a Cornell sun article, Big Red Bikes, the nation’s first fully integrated collegiate bike sharing system, will officially launch this fall after almost two years of planning. The group will receive $13,500 in funding next year in order to purchase the bikes, which students will be able to check out at four locations on Central Campus.

At a meeting held Feb. 17 in Kaufmann Auditorium, Big Red Bikes co-executive officers Sonia Bui ’11 and Jackie Chen ’11 announced that the group had received by-line funding from the Student Activity Fee of $1 per student and could proceed with plans to implement the system.

“This will be the first system of its kind ever to be implemented in the world,” Chen said. Big Red Bikes aims to “create a campus-wide bike sharing system that is accessible, affordable and convenient for every Cornell student.” To this end, the group has designed a system in partnership with the Cornell University Library and Cornell’s Department of Transportation and Mail Services.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Curious,

Like they say in the rental car commercial, "not exactly." Sound waves are pressure waves that travel though a medium, like air or water. So you might think that if the air was moving, the sound would carry further. But since the speed of sound is 768 MPH at sea level, and wind speeds are usually less than a 20th of the speed of sound, that cannot be the answer. So why is sound heard more clearly downwind? The reason is because the winds aloft are higher speed than the winds near the ground, which are slowed by the roughness of the earth's surface. The effect of this is to create a boundary layer-like effect or a "wind shear" between air masses moving at different speeds. If you visualize a sound wave as a series of very shallow, vertical "C" shaped lines moving to the left or right, and you see that the air at the top of them is moving faster when the sound is traveling down-wind, you can see that the sound waves will be deflected downwards in the downwind direction, which will help them to propagate further along the surface.

Upwind, they are pushed upward and away from the ground.

Light, like radio waves or X-Rays is an electromagnetic wave. These are fundamentally different that from sound waves, which are "mechanical waves."

Sound waves, for example, require on a medium that will carry mechanical vibrations, like air, water, or a steel rail. No sound can propagate in a vacuum. Electromagnetic waves are waves of electrical and magnetic energy that can can propagate through a vacuum, like space. The higher their frequency, the higher their energy, and the greater their ability to pass through materials. Visible light is more easily blocked than radio waves or X-Rays, for example. However, motion of the air does not affect the propagation of light or other electromagnetic waves.

Your scientific adviser,

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Undecided,

I suggest coming to Ithaca to visit Cornell.  Make an appointment ahead of time to meet with someone in AEM and someone at the Hotel School.  Let them know of your interests and future plans.  They will let you know how well their program fits with your dreams.

The Cornell School of Hotel Administration offers a combination of inspired classroom teaching and innovative practical experiences. As the only Ivy League business-management program to focus on hospitality, they actively prepare students to be leaders in a dynamic global industry. 

The School of Hotel Administration is an independent academic college within Cornell University, giving it the ability to adjust its curriculum and services to keep pace with changes in the hospitality industry. Hotel students reap the benefits of this flexible, intellectually-rich, and creative environment.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Reaching,

Sounds like a great idea if it fits your passion, but you'll have to check with the Academic Advising Office in your college or school at Cornell.  Every department is different and I wouldn't want to steer you wrong.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Garrison Seeker,

This answer comes to you by way of, Nicole, one of the wonderful Cornell reference librarians.  To ask them a quesion, just email, okuref@cornell.edu.

The following Book-on-CD set appears to be what "Desperately Seeking Garrison" is trying to find, and can be purchased through Barnes and Noble, http://search.b arnesandnoble.com/News-from-Lake-Wobegon/Garrison-Keillor/e/9780942110388/?itm=1&USRI=lake+wobegon+news . The Worldcat record below gives the titles of the stories for each season:

Title: News from Lake Wobegon

Author(s): Keillor, Garrison.

Corp Author(s): Minnesota Public Radio.

Publication: St. Paul, Minn. : Minnesota Public Radio,

Year: 1983

Description: 4 sound discs (3 hr., 54 min.) : digital, stereo. ; 4 3/4 in.

Language: English

Standard No: Publisher: PHC 15377; Minnesota Public Radio; ISBN: 0942110382; 9780942110388

Abstract: Storyteller Garrison Keillor relates humorous anecdotes appropriate to each of the seasons.

Contents:

  Spring:; Me and choir ;; A day in the life of Clarence Bunsen ;; Letter from Jim ;; Fiction --;

  Summer:; The living flag ;; The Tollefson boy goes to college ;; Tomato butt ;; Chamber of Commerce ;; Dog days of August ;; Mrs. Berge and the Schubert Carillon piano --;

  Fall:; Giant decoys ;; Darryl Tollerud's long day ;; Hog slaughter ;; Thanksgiving ;; The royal family --;

  Winter:; Guys on ice ;; James Lundeen's Christmas ;; The Christmas story re-told ;; New Year's from New York ;; Storm home.

Note(s): Compact discs./ Produced by Minnesota Public Radio./ Excerpted from live broadcasts of the radio program: A Prairie home companion.

Other Titles: Prairie home companion (Radio program)

Responsibility: by Garrison Keillor.

Material Type: Fiction (fic); Non-musical recording (nsr); CD audio (cda)

Document Type: Sound Recording

Accession No: OCLC: 21711470

Database: WorldCat

Olin Library has this set (on cassette) in the Media Center, https://catalog.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/Pw ebrecon.cgi?BBID=1014381&DB=local , should "Desperately Seeking Garrison" wish to listen to the various stories first.

Finding the book in print proved difficult. A BOOK TITLE search for "News from Lake Wobegon" (written as is, with quotes) in www.amazon.com   will find a Hardcover copy (Fall/Winter only): News from Lake Wobegon: Fall/Winter (BBC Radio Collection) by Garrison Keillor and Author (Hardcover - Mar. 4, 1991) . It will also list a paperback for Spring, currently unavailable: Ne ws From Lake Wobegon Spring by Garrison Keillor (Paperback - 1983)  Currently unavailable.

I hope this information is helpful.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Spirited,

Some of us seek, others of us are found by restless spirits. After Willard Straight's death, his wife Dorothy contacted a medium and they performed several séances in an effort to communicate with him.  Unfortunately these séances were unsuccessful, so it seems that Willard left this place in peace. 

There are, however, other spirits that have been known to have appeared at Cornell.  Jennie McGraw, the wife of Willard Fiske, who gave the original gift of the Cornell Chimes and for whom the clock tower is named, is rumored to have on occasion visited the tower after her untimely death from tuberculosis. She has not appeared in recent history, though.  

In the late 1800s, there may have been a visit or two from the famed English writers/poets Longfellow and Browning. Hiram Corson, a Cornell Professor of Anglo Saxon Literature (1828-1911), apparently studied these 2 authors very closely, and was purported to have had numerous post-humous conversations with them.

The Admissions  Office , 410 Thurston Ave, was said to be haunted. Some long-time employees of the building do have tales to tell.  Some who work late routinely say they occasionally hear noises. Some say they have joked about a ghost being there -- named him Ralph. "Strange things kept happening a while back so we blamed Ralph," they confided. "Some of the strange happenings were like everything in the mail room being unplugged one morning, weird things happening to computers, or strange noises heard after hours."

Professor Daryl Bem, who researched the paranormal, says, "If you want to look more seriously at ghosts (or, more accurately, poltergeist phenomena), you can read the relevant chapter in the paperback book PARAPSYCHOLOGY:  THE CONTROVERSIAL SCIENCE by Richard Broughton.  More skeptical articles appear every once in a while in THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER which is published by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP).  The late Carl Sagan was a member of this committee."

But I digress... Remember that you have written your letter to someone who died in 1874. Am I haunting you?  I do make the rounds of my favorite places on campus at night.  My spirit is still here, hopefully guiding you and reminding you that life is what you make of it and that times have been much, much harder than they are today.  So, with all the difficulties befalling people during this recession, remember to be thankful and appreciative for the things that you do have.

I'll be taking a break to spend more time outdoors; tend my garden, go fishing and work on some projects (some of you might remember that I am known as "the builder").

Take the time to enjoy the summer, your friends and family and do some of the things that bring you happiness.  Be kind and generous.

I will return to answer all of my nieces' and nephews' questions on August 19th.

Uncle Ezra