Nonprofit Organiz. July, 1984 U.S. Postage Paid College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, Me. Permit #47 Bar Harbor, ME 04609 COA News e e e e year e e the Program now has two healthy pups. Student helpers - including Rob Marshall, Lilea Stockwell, John Long, Paul Adler, and Phil Girton - are making sure they get the best care. It appears that a majority of the seal pups are abandoned by their mothers in May and June, during the height of the birthing season. "Most of the pups are sick when they are abandoned," said Charmaine Kinton, who is working at the center for part of her senior project. "But there are other pups that are abandoned for no apparent reason, and those are the pups we can save and put back into a natural environment." Carey noted that some pups are mistakenly "rescued" by well-meaning people who think the pups have been abandoned. Actually, mother seals may leave their young alone for up to two days. Eventually, however, the parent will return. Feeding the pups can be a less than appealing task. Abandoned - and rescued - seal pup. Carey said that the formula fed to the pups five times a day is "not the greatest thing to smell." Made of ground herring, cream, esblac, and assorted rich oils, the formula is bottle-fed to the young seals. As the pups get larger, To Save a Seal they start to eat whole fish. The seals are taken swimming every day, and when Each spring, dozens of abandoned harbor seal pups they are ready to hunt on their own, they simply swim out are found abandoned on Down East Maine's beaches and to sea and don't come back. "We should see the last of ledges. Until this year, the pups were "air lifted" to the these pups soon," said Carey. "They'll be hunting on their New England Aquarium (NEA) in Boston. Now, thanks to own soon, and when they start doing that they will be Butch Rommel and a crew of helpers, seal pups normally ready to join bands of wild seal pups." Wild pups leave sent to NEA are being raised at COA for reintroduction their mothers and band together in June and July each into the wild. year, she explained. The Seal Rehabilitation Program (its formal name) is Butch Rommel is responsible for finding the funding headed by Carey Bell. She reported that Pat Fiorelli, for the Program. Charmaine Kinton expressed the hope Director of the seal rehabilitation program at NEA, had that, "Eventually, we will be able to expand the program been trying to set up a rehabilitation center in Maine for to take care of other wild animals that are hurt or several years. abandoned." Graduation a better world. I watch you young folk and wish you well. Make the right choices and live good lives for yourselves." Speeches by students Megan Pennock, Meg Schied, Largest Ever and Pamela Wellner were enlivened and supported with dramatic sketches by Nathaniel James. Fifty-three students graduated from the College on Pennock spoke of the "importance of world peace, a June 2 at the Holy Redeemer Church in Bar Harbor. It concept of peace that extends to the way we interact with was the 12th commencement ceremony for the college, people in our professional work and relationships. The and the largest graduating class to date. paradox of our situation today is that although we face one The audience, which filled the church to capacity, of the most difficult challenges ever, there is also heard a program conceived and performed by members of tremendous potential for unity in the human race becauseof the graduating class. It included two presentations by the this threat." COA choir, a poetry reading by faculty member Bill Following Pennock, Pam Wellner compared her Carpenter, and a performance of the song "College Life," experiences at COa with her previous experiences at sung and composed by student Eve Schwartz. Michigan State University: Bagpipers from the Acadia Pipes and Drums "When I attended Michigan State University, with welcomed the crowd. 47,000 students, the curriculum was aimed at serving a A departure from tradition was introduced in the large student body. Unfortunately, the first day of my awarding of degrees. President Judith P. Swazey presented biology 101 class, I was introduced to my professor, Dr. a diploma to the first student. Then each student, in turn, Sony Trinitron. There we were: 30 young, fresh minds presented the next student with a diploma. being hypnotized by the radiating flow of the television After a greeting and introduction by graduating senior " screen. Laura Starr, guest speaker Helen Nearing took the Meg Scheid stressed the value of living closely with podium. Nearing, who pioneered the homestead movement the natural world and her appreciation for having been of the 1970s with her late husband Scott, urged the able to study on MDI, "wrapped in beautiful surroundings students to "pick a way of life that interests and absorbs with Acadia National Park only a stone's throw away." you. Make the thing you like to do your life work." An honorary degree was awarded to the late Richard She told the students they have many choices, S. Davis, the college's former vice president and professor adding, "There is a good life for you somewhere. Find it, of philosophy who died in 1982 at the age of 41. The live it, achieve it. degree was accepted by his widow, Norah. "If you want a soft comfortable life, conform and be The ceremony ended with the graduating class accepted in today's world. If you can take a harder life, if gathered on stage singing "Travel On," a song written by you dare to be different, it may be rough, but it's Eve Schwartz. The song brought a standing ovation from worthwhile." the crowd. Summarizing, she said. "In reality, we're all indissolubly linked in a great family, the human race on earth. And that includes all animals, not only mankind, and all nature. We're all in it together, or we may blow each other up." "You have a whole life ahead of you to make your choice to line up with the plunderers or with the bulders of