University of Maine - Prism Yearbook (Orono, ME)

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There were two big decisions the students of UMO had to make in the fall of '76. One: which presidential candidate to vote for; two: whether or not to get a swine flu shot. There was a lot of controversy, doubt, apprehension, and even fear about the swine flu and the shots The whole thing started in 1975 at Fort Dix where one man died of swine flu. and many more were sick. Pres. Ford asked all his flu experts for their expert opinions on the situation, and they said: let's immunize. Remember all the hassle0 Mass immunization: the serum needed, the money it would take to issue the shots, the safety of the shots, insurance (who's responsible if the shots kill you first?), etc I So. students said. Ya sure, if there is an epidemic some of us could get seriously ill. Could get seriously dead. But what I are the chances of an epidemic? The flu never spread out of Fort Dix. Nobody else got it. What was the fuss’ And then we'd see a newspaper article about some old time Vermonters who remembered the flu epidemic of 1918. and how many people died in this country. Not just the very old. or the very young, but strong healthy people. It was called the Spanish Flu (flu not fly) at the time, but later doctors identified tfc$t particular strain assfcne flu.

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200O°F re MAKE it jo V'ASHl Beer H| Borrow J3oTrLE3M£M Von YES ■ $W7 f RlSk BOTTLE BILL The biggest controversy at UMO during election time concerned the Bottle Bill. Did Maine want to demand returnable bottles and cans? How would this affect the economy? The environment? There were two student factions involved with the BBill. One campaigning for it. one campaigning against it. After all. think of the roadsides and how very many bottles are negligently tossed in the ditch to bake in the sun. Maybe people would think twice if the bottles were worth money. At least the little kids would pick them up for candy money. (We all did it years ago.) The bill had to help the litter problem. But was it worth the cost? The grocers would have to clean all those bottles and ship them back for reuse. They didn't have the equipment or the manpower. Think of the bottle makers. It costs more to make reusable bottles. And wouldn't they have to make special bottles for Maine? Wouldn't the cost of beer and soft drinks go up? Students against the Bill said. It's the right idea but the wrong answer.” However, in the end. Maine voted YES for the Bottle Bill, making Maine the third state in the nation to adopt this policy. Since the bill wouldn't go into effect until 1978. the subject died down. After the initial reaction to the vote, no one spoke about the bill. Everyone just waited. (And are still waiting.) 17

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Students began to think, well, what's a shot? It couldn't hurt! So the state came and set up shop in the gym. Lines of students and university people came to participate. The system was quick and efficient (reminiscent of the branding of cows): a doctor stood there smiling. In his hand v as a fancy looking instrument — a radar gun or maybe a blastomatic. It only took two seconds. Of course, a few weeks after you got your first shot the health center said. Whoops. Sorry. Your first shot's no good wnloos-you have a second one. Ha. some . aid. No way. I may only be t If as protected as I ( ( i would be if I had two shots. But I'm more protected than if I didn't have any. That seemed logical Then things began to get scarey. Students began to hear about the cases of paralysis developing in people who had their shots. And the government halted all shooting until things could be straightened out. Ha. some said. I'm more likely to develop paralysis than if I didn't have any shots, but I'm only half as likely to get paralysis than I would be if I got both shots. And that seemed logical too.