Page 72 - ThePhoenix1996-97

Thursday, November 14, 1996 - Page 8 FEATURES Creatures crawling around WMC, indoors and out By MIKE PUSKAR Circumstances concerning heat arose how- SlajfWriter ever, andLarry was forced to move to Decker Western Maryland College may not and has remained there since, enjoying the have an official mascot, but it sure does company of others. Responding to the in- have plenty of patrons, courtesy of fauna. quiry that Larry became used to the office The campus is overseen by the board of staff, Friday commented, "Actually, we got trusty squirrels and is administered not by used to him." President Robert Chambers, but by Presi- Larry is Chambers' more reticent pet. His dent Robert Chambers' cat. Moreover, other pet, brought home by his son Grant, is who's to say that former WMC football quite fearless. coach, Ken Shroyer, coined the term The cliche "curiosity killed the cat" "Green Terror" when the name was already doesn't apply with this tab/calico feline, un- taken by a freshwater fish? Yes, a fish less she has well over nine lives, for she is a called Wanda. curious one. Souixsie, named after the rock Mary Ann Friday, who is the executive band Souixsie and the Banshees, pokes her secretary of the President's Office, was whiskers in wherever she pleases. She will given the privilege of naming Wanda, and walk into labs, faculty meetings, classes, and said that she did get the name from the 1988 even lectures, one of which being a speech film. Wanda is a cichlid (Aequidens by Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke in April rivulatus), its species being universally 1993. According to Carroll County TImes called a green terror fish. A WMC trustee writer Michael Blankenheim, in his Decem- who stumbled onto the fish's common ber 1993 article, "In pranced ... Souixsie as name, donated Wanda to the college. if she owned the place." Wanda, who now resides in the President's Many people think Souixsie should be Office, has tripled in size since given to the WMC's mascot. Yet, this label would degrade COURTeSY OF REGISTRAR'S OFFICE college about a year and a half ago, an in- the cat. According to Chambers, "It's more This friendly squirrel in the registrars' office doesn '/ want to miss oul on any of the action; crease no doubt from its voracious diet. like she adopted the college instead of the he wants to sign up for classes, too. According to Friday, "[Wanda] will eat any- other way around." In other words; those of thing else you put in there, any other kind the WMC community should be considered of fish." Guppies are no exception with Souixsie's mascots. For years, several people have been help- low will try to get inside Forlines. this glutton. The campus would be rather bland with- ing squirrels stock up for winter. Among' Another quality that apparently exhibits Though cichlids are very territorial, out the playful skylarking of squirrels, crit- them is administrative assistant Marlene a squirrel's intelligence level is its illusory Wanda has no choice but to put up with a ters who, like Souixsie, are quite brave. Many Meloche, who works in Foriines. Meloche administrative abilities. The Registrar's roommate. Larry Bird, named for the Bos- can attest that, unlike their kin elsewhere, keeps her window propped open slightly and Office staff used to have a bag of peanuts ton Celtic, sits in his cage next to Wanda's WMC squirrels aren't afraid to come within feeds the squirrels when they come knock- sitting out on the counter by an open win- aquarium in the President's Office. inches of a human passerby. These acts, how- ing. If Meloche doesn't feed it, a squirrel dow. Some of the nuts would beplacedona Larry is President Chambers' cockateil, ever, don't even near the extents of their bra- will chew the window and look at Meloche typewriter, where a squirrel would have to who once lived in the president's house. vado. until she does feed them. Meloche said, "J go to get his snack. When telling people of feel sorry for them because, you know, the-squirrels, the staff would kid and say that n there's not enough food around here." they "were teaching them how to type." Also, if Meloche isn't in her first-floor Some squirrels are even respectful of office, a squirrel will scale the wall to the their caretakers in the Registrar's Office- office of another squirrel lover, Ruth Tho- albeit on rainy days they leave muddy foot- mas, and will run between the two windows prints everywhere- for they seem to know until it catches the eye of someone. that they aren't supposed to go beyond the Squirrels are smart too. When one hears counter. In one instance, a squirrel played Meloche's window close around four litterbug when it took a whole bag of nuts o'clock, it knows she's about to leave and up its tree and dropped the empty bag to the greets her at the door. Meloche has to be ground. careful though, because the sneaky little fel- Largc Pizza ROTC students brave the Any large Pizza with Your Choice of One Topping early morning hours for PT Additional Toppings $1.46 extra By MAGGIE KIMURA PT helps the cadets prepare for the APFf Supcr Subs StaffWriler (Army Physical Fitness Test) that is admin- It's dark, it's cold, and it's really early in !I- 6" Super Sub the morning. While most students are prob- istered once a semester and involves sit-ups, and a timed two mile run. To pass, push-ups, !I-Sags of ably asleep, either dreaming of the next A, a cadet needs a score of 180 or higher. For Potato Chips or having a nightmare about the next exam, juniors, a score of 250 is desirable for Ad- !I-Cans of the Army ROTC cadets are just beginning vanced Camp. According to Sargent First Coca-Cola'" their day at 6 a.m., Mondays, Wednesdays, Class Stanley HUll, who is in charge of the """"F= and Fridays. PT program, "The goal is to be above the Philly~~I, ·~ItaIi3rl,f9n& These cadets are required to do physical averageAdvancedCampPTscore." Seniors, Cheese,TuIo:ey& c'eese, prior to being commissioned, are advised to OICItbStb training (PT) that consists of push-ups, sit- ups (or variations), and running. Students achieve a score of 290 on the APPr. push-ups, The PT session is not always with ROTC scholarships Call Us! 857·5554 quired to attend PT sessions, or contracts are re- and sit-ups. Sports such as flag football, while students taking ROTC as a basic course are encour- soccer, volleyball, etc. are also played to aged to participate. It is held on the track or break the monotony of the PT session. in Gill Gym if the weather is cold. The ROTC faculty are present during PT The goal of PT is to establish a solid and help to motivate the cadets into achiev- foundation for physical fitness and to pre- ing the highest physical goals that the ca- pare juniors for the physical challenge of dets set for themselves. After an hour of PT, Advanced Camp. Advanced Camp is an in- the cadets may be a little tired and a little tense training period the summer before a sweaty, but they are ready to face the chal- cadets senior year that is required if they lenges of a new day. are to be commissioned after graduation.