Brown University - Liber Brunensis Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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The best slogan bantered around Brown was this one: Providence: Near Boston, Close to New York. To many Brown students, perhaps that's all Providence is - just another exit on I-95 that they happened to get off at for a few years. When scouting the city for memories, the first places that came to mind were the bus station and the y 2.0 train station. And the train station won't be oper- b T ating too much longer. Ticket clerk John Hayes said he will be moving to a brand new building behind the State House. When asked if he would miss anything about the old station, he respond- ed, Not really. : Although Hayes' comment may sound grim, 1 .-m there is a sunnier side. The old train station will , remain intact as a historical site. Not only will we ppp R EEREER R Wy bo able to return as alumni to a place that holds , 0, so many sweet memories, but Providence will inch closer to Baltimore in the race for historical places. Every cloud has a silver lining. And Provi- dence certainly has its share of clouds. The bus station and the train station aren't the only distinctive places in Providence. Anyone who likes getting high has obviously gone to the Biltmore. Besides offering a great view of the State House and allowing us to realize our deep- est Willy Wonka fantasies, riding the glass eleva- tor tells us something about Providence. We can walk downtown, enter the hotel, and use that elevator as often as we want - no matter how we're dressed - at no cost. Not only is Provi- dence cheap; it's egalitarian. The free popcorn refills at the Cable Car Cinema are nice, but noth- ing beats the Biltmore elevator. As you stand on the top floor of the Biltmore, perhaps listening to some guy playing the piano, you can see the orange train station, the white State House, and the green and red tiles of Ken- nedy Plaza, which after its multi-million dollar renovation, looks like a giant candy-land board. It's all very romantic up there, and if the moon's out and the piano player happens to sing the right tune, a few people are bound to fall in love. Less romantic, but equally nostalgic, is the bug. We've all seen it as we drive north on I-95. Just as we are reflecting on how relaxing the trip was, we look to the left and see it that big blue insect promoting New England Pest Control . . . AR SR, 13

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Many people probably associate Provi- dence with that bug. If nothing else, it's cer- tainly a distinct landmark. Cranston doesn't have one. Neither does Woonsocket. Perhaps that's why the bug seemed so overwhelmingly Providence. Lots of cities have fine theater companies and good Italian restaurants, but who else can boast of a 58+oot long, 4,000 pound blue termite. It may not help tourism and it's not going to win any architecture awards, but the bug definitely has character. In fact, for a city where the mayor, after ten years resigns from office because he was found guilty of attacking a man and using a lit cigarette as his weapon, one could argue that the bug is not just a landmark, but a symbol. Semiotics aside, the bug has had quite a history. It was constructed in 1980 and Pest Control wanted to publicize its new location on O'Connell St. Although the termite ori- ginally sported purple-tinged wings, rain washed the color away, leaving the bug a blue shade . .. 115