HOME

U. Machias Online
OUR CAMPUS
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT UMM
February 23, 2001

ARTICLES

A $20,000 contribution by Atlantic Salmon of Maine has ensured the development of a key
component of the CLL at UMM.
Des FitzGerald, retired president and chief executive officer of the Belfast-based salmon-production
company, recently announced the corporate gift. Atlantic Salmon of Maine operates production and
processing facilities in Bucks Harbor and elsewhere in Maine. FitzGerald met with UMM President
John H. Joseph last September to extend Atlantic Salmon s support to the University and to the new
phase of the CLL.
FitzGerald said, "Atlantic Salmon of Maine is pleased to be able to help in the continuing evolution of
the CLL at UMM. We consider this effort to create an early care and education center a corner stone to
the ongoing important role that the University can play as an integral part of the community of Machias
and the Down East area."
The Early Care and Education Center is a community-campus partnership designed to offer community
members, UMM students and staff child care on the campus and provide a setting for academic programs
in early childhood development and behavioral sciences. Its development is one of several phases of
the CLL.
Barbara and Kenneth Manchester of Machias, co-chairs of the capital campaign team, described the
contribution as a milestone in the effort to create the center.
"This gift was a significant help in the campaign to provide a local match for a $200,000 Community
Development Block Grant from the state," the Manchesters said. "This will move the project from the
planning to the construction phase. Atlantic Salmon of Maine exemplifies the true nature of the
community-campus partnership."
Members of the capital campaign committee are Carolyn and Bob Foster, Maurine and Ralph Jans,
Marilyn Murdock, Connie and Tom McIntyre, Dick Fickett, Doug Kell and the Manchesters.
"Des Fitzgerald and Atlantic Salmon of Maine have been most helpful in their support of UMM and the
citizens of Washington County. Their generous contributions greatly enhance our ability to provide high
quality services to the community as well as our students." said Joseph. "We are deeply grateful for their
support and continuing involvement with the University."
An earlier gift of $5,000 from Atlantic Salmon of Maine was earmarked for improvement of the handball
court in Reynolds Center at UMM. A significant number of Atlantic Salmon s employees at the Bucks
Harbor processing facility use the handball court, aquatics center and fitness facilities at the CLL for
personal fitness activities.
The Bar Harbor architectural firm of Stewart Brecher and Associates is finalizing architectural plans for
the facility. Susan Palmer, UMM s director of development, said once the final architectural renderings
of the proposed early care facility are completed the university will issue a call for construction bids
probably in the spring.
The center is a collaborative effort by UMM; Washington Hancock Community Agency, the contractual
operator of the facility; and the town of Machias.
Machias voters accepted the Community Development Block Grant at a special town meeting after
the local match was met.
The early care and education unit, which is to be built across an access road from the existing CLL,
will be a single-level structure. It will feature play areas for infant and toddler ages and preschool
children, a central office, crib room, kitchen, bathroom facilities, outdoor play areas,
and storage space.
For more information about the Early Care and Education Center fund drive
or other giving opportunities at the Machias campus
contact Palmer by calling (207) 255-1284.

Lori Brown’s biology research project at UMM took her deep into Washington County wetlands to
investigate the carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea. Using Drosophila virilis (fruit flies) as
bait she conducted a scientific study to determine how fluid levels in the leaves of delicate, yet
carnivorous, pitcher plants govern each plant’s prey capture rate.
The pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea, is a native, perennial, carnivorous forb that usually favors the
very wettest parts of bogs. The leaves are modified into pitchers and the hood on the pitcher is
positioned vertically, resulting in the pitcher usually being full or partly full of rainwater.
The leaf color of the pitcher plant varies from dark purple to bright yellow-green and is most commonly
a middle variation with strong red venation. Flower petals, bracts and sepals are rose pink to dark red.
The plant grows from rhizomes, which may live for 20 to 30 years.
Brown carried out the research last summer in a raised bog at Roque Bluffs. Twenty-five plants were
selected at random and marked using bamboo sticks with flagging. Fruit flies (Drosophila virilis)
supplied by a biological laboratory were used as prey.
The study focused on the northern pitcher plant, one of two subspecies found in North America.
The northern subspecies is of particular interest because of its ability to survive in hostile
environmental conditions.
The cone-shaped pitchers filled with rainwater serve as pitfall traps. Insects enter the pitchers and often
drown, decomposing and supplying an additional nutrient source for the plant. Although researchers
suggest that soil nutrient levels probably are enough for the plant, the digestion of insect prey may
act as an important supplement for poor soil resources.
Brown set up three experiments. The first examined natural fluid levels in the pitchers. The second set
relative fluid levels at no fluid, 25 percent full, 50 percent full, 75 percent full and full. The final
experiment assigned fluid level treatments to each of the leaves on single plants. Distilled water was
added to the natural liquid removed from the plants to adjust the fluid levels
as necessary.
In an attempt to set up optimal field study conditions, Brown used cut-away and screened 1-gallon
jugs as cages to contain the fruit flies in an area surrounding the pitcher plants. The flies were kept in
the cages for approximately 60 hours after which the prey capture rates
were assessed.
The researcher found that plants containing 50 percent to 75 percent of their maximum fluid level
captured more prey than those did with more, or less, than that amount. Because her project was a
field experiment, many variables, particularly weather, could not be planned for or controlled. It
appeared that the prey capture rate was low, due in part to predation by other insects. Ants, spiders,
true bug, moths and slugs were also found in the cages.
A more extensive laboratory experiment would be necessary to deal with the variables,
Brown concluded.
A recent summer research project at Meddybemps in which she worked as a research assistant for
Prof. Loretta Johnson of Kansas State University contributed to Brown’s growing interest in terrestrial
ecology and freshwater ecology. She plans to go on to graduate school and "broaden her horizons"
by pursuing studies in marine biology.
Brown received a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental studies in May 2000, earning a
double major –environmental studies and biology-over five years of study. She selected the
Sarracenia purpurea project as her senior research thesis.
Biology majors at UMM are required to complete at least one of the following courses prior to
graduation: Senior Thesis in Biology, Senior Thesis in Biological Research, or Senior Seminar in
Biology. Each student’s Senior Thesis must be approved by their advisor and upon completion must
be presented and defended by the student. Brown’s adviser is Sherrie Sprangers, an associate
professor of biology at UMM.
Brown, originally from West Warwick, Rhode Island, currently serves as an AmeriCorps VISTA
volunteer on the UMM campus, coordinating various campus-community volunteer projects.

The hood on the pitcher plant is positioned vertically enabling it to catch rainwater.
Photo courtesy of UMM

The hottest hands in the state collegiate women’s basketball ranks belong to the sharpshooting
Clippers of UMM. Fifteen games into the current season the squad caught fire, ripping off six
consecutive victories.
A pair of freshmen from Canada – Betsy Elmer and Gill Guest – and sophomore Angela Robb of
Baileyville surged into the spotlight along with transfer student Camilla Andersson of Sweden.
During the spurt, the Clippers enhanced their season record to 12-9, a nine game improvement over
last year’s record.
Tobin Slaven, the team’s third-year coach, praised the entire squad for its stunning turnaround more
than two-thirds of the way through the basketball season.
After being named MAC Rookie of the Year in soccer, Elmer turned to basketball where she had
received continued recognition by the Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the
Maine Athletic Conference.
Elmer, who is from Sherkston, Ontario, was named Player of the Week for all small college teams in
Maine last week. She was also selected as MAC Rookie of the Week. One week earlier, both MWBCA
and the Maine Athletic Conference named Elmer Co-rookie of the Week.
Elmer also has been on the State and MAC honor rolls several times. The honor rolls represent the five
runners-up for each week’s recognition.
Guest, of Whitby, Ontario, was State Rookie of the Week last week and Co-rookie of the Week for both
the state and MAC before that.
Robb, a co-captain of the Clippers, was a MAC Player of the Week and listed on the honor rolls of both
supervising associations on three or more occasions. She was named to all-tourney teams during
competition at Fort Kent and in the Paul Bunyan Tournament in Bangor.
The associations also have recognized Andersson’s spirited play on several occasions.
Sophomore co-captain Larae Nuite of Atkinson and freshmen Tricia Farrell of Calais, Rocky Aziz of
the Bronx, New York and Meagan Boyle of Bucksport round out Slaven’s team.
"This team has a lot of confidence coming into the playoffs," he said. "They are literally raising the bar
for women’s athletics at UMM." In addition to their athletic prowess, the Clippers are superior scholars,
maintaining a team grade point average of about 3.5.
A recent 63-58 upset victory over Farmington and an 80-57 win over Husson on their home court inspired
"a lot of confidence," Slaven said. "We’ve been pouring over the records and we cannot find where UMM
has had a win over either of these rivals going back to the 1980s."
The women’s team will close out its season Saturday, February 17, against St. Joseph’s College in Standish.
A MAC playoff game is set for Wednesday, February 21. The semifinals will be played Sunday, February 25
in Augusta and the championship game will take place Monday, February 26.

Bernie Vinzani’s ‘The Printed Page’ Runs Through March 30 in the Art Galleries

A new exhibit depicting the evolution of printing from a rudimentary form of communication to the digital
age opened February 12 in the Art Galleries at the University of Maine at Machias. The show,
"The Printed Page," will run through March 30, 2001.
Bernie Vinzani, director of the Art Galleries, created much of the exhibit from his personal collection of
manuscripts, leafs and books from 1350 AD through the advent of printing in the West to contemporary
work. Several UMM faculty and staff members contributed additional exhibition materials.
Randall Kindleberger prepared a written piece for the exhibition, as did Bert Phipps. Leslie Bowman created
the gallery card mailings, which were also printed in the university’s computer graphics lab. Greg Henderson
has assisted in coordinating the use of the exhibit for various classes and art department coursework.
Vinzani’s exhibit is arranged in six sections that take the viewer through stages in the evolution of the art of
printing. The show opens with examples of how manuscripts were made before the advent of the printing
press. These include handwritten, stamped and block-printed pieces.
The second section highlights examples of documents done at the time the first printing presses were
created. This is followed by a depiction of advanced printing techniques throughout the
Renaissance.
Visitors to the Art Galleries in Powers Hall will see examples of how improved printing technology advanced
the education of a largely illiterate population in the beginning. A section featuring the impact of the arts
and crafts movement on book printing is followed by displays focusing on the resurgence over the past 20
years of bookmaking as a way for artists to express themselves.
Vinzani said the parts played by artists and printers in the field of communications were particularly
interesting during the American Civil War. "The artists were sent out on trains by newspapers --
Harper’s Weekly, for example – to sketch scenes for the next week’s edition. The sketches were sent
back to the office where engravers created wood prints that were used as illustrations for
the next newspaper."
The exhibition ties in with courses in illustration and book arts at UMM, taught by faculty members
Greg Henderson and Vinzani, respectively. Professors Kay Kimball and Randall Kindleberger are also
utilizing the exhibit for specific assignments in their history classes.
UMM offers a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts with a new twist to traditional collegiate
arts programs. Students may concentrate in creative writing, music, visual arts, or theater. However, they
study and learn about all the arts and how they interact with one another as part of the academic program.
This course of study provides rich interactions for students with all faculty members in the Fine Arts areas
and other students in the Fine Arts program. Students will produce their own concerts, theatre productions,
gallery exhibits, magazines, radio shows and more. Each student, as a final project, will complete a major
work or performance.
Vinzani’s interest in the history of printing began in conjunction with his involvement in papermaking, a
craft related closely to printing. He has collected manuscripts, documents and books, some bearing
significant watermarks that identify early papermakers.
UMM’s Art Galleries are open from 1:30 to 4 p.m. weekdays. Vinzani indicated that several school groups
and home school groups from the local area have already visited the exhibit and he is happy to provide
talks and personal tours for those interested.
For more information, please contact Vinzani at (207) 255-1279 or 733-2472.

HOME

| ANNOUNCEMENTS  |  ARCHIVES  |  CANCELLATIONS  |  CALENDAR OF EVENTS  |  CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS |
| CLASSIFIEDS |   COMPUTER ISSUES  |  COMPUTER FEEDBACK | CONSTITUTION  |  ENROLLMENT ISSUES  |  ENROLLMENT FEEDBACK |
| EDITORIALS  |   EDITORIAL FEEDBACK  |  EXTRAS | LINKS  |  NATHAN TURK  |  OUR CAMPUS  |   SITE MAP  |  TEXTBOOKS |