La Salle University - Explorer Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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Philadelphia Museum of Art: First regarded by many as a defiant intrusion to the park, its very power is what has made the building irreplaceable. — Architecture in Philadelphia by Edward Teitelman and Richard Longstreth. A twelve year project completed in 1928 facing the Benja- min Franklin Parkway, the museum is one of Philadel- phia ' s finest examples of Greek architecture. xplorer 1982 has four Tragic Muses — one for each age. C ' Clothed in the garb of either the Greek, Ro- man, Renaissance, or Modern age, they will accompany you through this book. Perhaps a better title for them would be Explorers. For, while many of these scenes may be famil- iar, there will also be much that is new. If these Muses are tragic in any sense, it is only because, as they live o ' er each scene, the representation is still incomplete. Explorers only blaze the trail that you must bring to fulfillment. To wake the soul by tender strokes of art, To raise the genius, and to mend the heart; To make mankind in conscious virtue bold, Live o ' er each scene, and be what they behold: For this the Tragic Muse first trod the stage. Alexander Pope

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Chariots surround the Temple of the Adonises upon Haemon Hill . . . The Tragedy of Aristothenes woman, pale-faced with gilded hair, holding a great steel spear and clutching a horse-hair crested hel- met, appeared to Aristothenes (Ari, for short) in a dream. Aristothnes, you have been assigned by the gods to research the meaning of Life — to seek the meaning of Knowledge and it all must be turned in by Monday, first period. Athene paused a moment, tapping her spear on the table- top. Typed, five to eight pages, and paper-clipped. Then she vanished in a puff of purple knowledged smoke. In the morning, knowing he had had a vision and had an assign- ment due, Ari shoved his feet into his boots, put on his chiton, and threw on his thin cloak. Slamming the door to assure awakening his roommate, he left his Spartan dormitory. He headed toward the place where he thought he might consult wise men — he trudged to the Temple of the Adonises upon Haemon Hill. Braving the eerie stares of red-green eyed monsters standing guard at the low gate and dodging Charon, now doomed for eternity to a small cage to read magazines and snarl at uninvited chariots that dared enter hallowed Temple grounds, Ari struggled to the Temple doors. He hid amidst the shaggy pines near Phransis, the little known abode of secluded jockish, studious humans. Rain began misting down from the heavens and Ari wished he ' d brought a warmer cloak. He realised he had no identification, no tribal mark, no physical stamina so he might resemble those humans who held rituals within the Temple. Excuses began filling his mind — I ' ll tell Athene 1 need an extension . . . my room was surf ' s- upped ... 1 fell asleep in the library doing research ... But then a long-legged youth, light-footed and dressed in Adidas shorts, came sprinting toward him. Upon the youth ' s head was a maroon cap with silver wings and visor, upon his face was a robber ' s grin, upon his shoulder was a divine music box, throbbing archaic disco. Ari tackled the runner — the pair slid across the pathway and over the wet grass. Help me get into the Temple! You are quick-silvered and surely a prince to afford such a tape-deck! The youth stared at Ari, then blinked his gull-grey eyes. Spitting out a blade of grass: Ah, you ' re the kid with the assign- ment . . . Certainly, I ' ll help you. I am Hermes! He clapped his hands and two validated ID.s appeared. Flash this into the sweat- suited guards ' eyes as we pass through the doors. Thus the two jogged to the crystal doors, jogged passed the cruel guards blinding them so they might not recognize the pair. Down into the steamy bowels of the great Temple, past the hidden sauna, the forbidden racquetball and sacred squash, they finally reached the ritual room and disrobed. Eventually they found themselves on the suspended track over the arena. They began running, following the athletes in their task. What is the meaning of Life and Knowledge? Ari questioned the first runner as they rounded the track. The runner panted his response. Life ' s based on carbon ... No, uhm, Life and Knowledge ... Ari gasped out of shape. Oh, that . . . uhm, check a philosophy major . . . I ' m bio-chem, pre-med, you know. Ask the prophets of Mount Wysteron. Mount Wysteron? Ari, so fearful of the dreaded place, tripped over his united laces. He tumbled to the track floor. Hermes hauled him to his feet and they fled the Temple.