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And the winner is...

Congratulations to Drew Cate, BBA ’84, MBA ’88, Tallmadge, OH, the winner of the random-generated drawing from correct submissions to the spring/summer 2021 Squirrel Search contest. He received a box of squirrel-themed swag from McKay Bricker Framing & Black Squirrel Gifts in downtown Kent. Check out the gifts he’s showing off in the photo he sent in!

The black squirrels can be found in the spring/summer 2021 PDF on page 4 (the mass vaccination site at the Field House, in the lower right corner), page 21 (in front of Verder Hall, in the lower right corner) and page 43 (next to the Rock, at the right). (This time, we’ll tell them to head in different directions!)

Last issue’s winner, Cindy Dalton, MBA ’82, Gaithersburg, MD, sent in a photo that shows her modeling her gifts, too. “I am enjoying my black squirrel stuff,” she writes. “And I am getting compliments on it when I wear it!” Although we didn’t receive her photo in time for it to appear in the spring/summer 2021 issue, we’re sharing it in this one. (We just noticed that the last two winners earned MBAs in the ’80s! Is it a trend?)

For a chance to win some squirrely stuff, check out the PDF of the print layout, which will be available for download on the digital edition Dec. 15. Happy squirrel searching!

The Rest of the Story

Many Kent State alumni have heard the story of how Grounds Superintendent Larry Wooddell and former Davey Tree employee “Biff” Staples relocated 10 black squirrels from Canada to the Kent Campus in 1961. 

Sargeant Aylies, BS ’61, Sanford, NC, president of the Class of 1961, called to fill us in on who paid for that endeavor. 

As a senior class gift, the Class of 1961 left the university 30 redwood benches (mostly constructed and stained by Aylies), 10 chestnut trees and some audio equipment for the library. The gifts were officially presented to President George A. Bowman at the commencement ceremony. 

However, Aylies says that after graduation he received a call from Mark Anthony, assistant dean of men, telling him there was money left in the class fund after the bench project was completed. “Mark Anthony told me that Wooddell had the idea of bringing the black squirrels to Kent and asked if the Class of 1961 would like to use their remaining monies to buy the 10 squirrels,” recalls Aylies. “I thought it was a great idea and told them to go forward with the project.” 

And the rest is history. So the next time you see black squirrels running around the Kent Campus—and it won’t take long—remember you have the Class of 1961 to thank for them!

Lost in Time: Can You Help Us Solve This Mystery?

Stephen Hanzely, BS ‘62, Youngstown, OH, retired Youngstown State University professor of physics and astronomy and former Fulbright Scholar, shared some stories about his favorite Kent State professors in a StoryWorth post. (StoryWorth publishes keepsake books, which are compiled over the course of a year by sending weekly prompts to the person who wants to share their story with others.) 

In the post, he mentioned: “There is a curious footnote to [Kent State’s] semicentennial celebration. In honor of the event, a time capsule was ceremoniously prepared, sealed and buried somewhere on campus in 1960 to be opened during the university’s centennial year. However, when it came time to open the capsule in 2010, NOBODY COULD REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS BURIED! To my knowledge, it has not yet been found as of 2021.” 

He forwarded his post to us with a P.S.: “Did anyone find the time capsule yet?”

Intrigued, we contacted Special Collections and Archives to see if they knew. Amanda Faehnel, public services librarian and associate professor, responded: “No, unfortunately, the mystery still remains. Luckily, Kent State documented the legend/search for the 1960 Capsule really well as part of the Centennial Celebrations of 2010. 

“However, our department has not received any new information or leads since the time of that search. It’s been quite a bit and is still unsolved. We have no documentation to give any further guidance. In contrast, the 2010 Centennial Time Capsule burial has been well documented for future reference, which is a big relief!”

So if YOU happen to remember the location of the 1960 time capsule, please contact magazine@kent.edu!

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