Those of us who experienced Last spring's flood had a familiar, sickening feeling as we watched Proctor Pond flood Shirley Hall again, for the second time in a year, and the second time in 100 years.

Earlier in the day, after morning classes were held in the math classrooms, the department elevated valuable materials and evacuated.

Afternoon classes and regular activities were cancelled. These kids are watching the pond rise. The place where they are standing was under two feet of water at 4:30.

During last year's "once-in-a-hundred-years" flood, we learned an interesting lesson regarding student service. In an era in which teenagers are ridiculed for selfish gratifications, students threw thremselves into spontaneous service when the reality of crisis and hardship was present. This afternoon, Emergency Coordinator Phil Hackmann organized teams of students by dormitories, filling and placing sandbags, not only on campus, but in the community. Hundreds pitched in to make a difference.

This was the pond at its highest crest.

New doors on Shirley Hall minimized interior damage. An intrepid team using shop vacs kept the area as dry as possible. Faculty volunteered to work in shifts throughout the night, operating sump pumps and wet vacs, but the crisis was over by seven PM.

Tuesday morning: Buuildings and Grounds Director Will Ames confers with Mike Henriques over the spillway that was submerged for ten hours.

Today, in the math area, it's business as usual.