Date: Fri 24-May-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

schools-mystery-science

Full Text:

Students Bring Science To Bear On A Turn-Of-The-Century Mystery

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Who was the real killer in the unsolved murder mystery that took place on

Church Hill Road more than 82 years ago? There may never be an answer to that

question, but more than 80 students at Newtown Middle School were hot on the

trail of four suspects last Thursday night.

Just like well-known Connecticut forensic scientist Dr Henry Lee, students

used chromotography, blood testing, finger printing and DNA to help find the

person responsible for the crime. Actually, the story was changed around a

bit. Teachers and parents made up characters and put together evidence to make

the interactive project more fun - not to mention a learning experience.

"It showed students how science really works in the real world," explained

middle school assistant principal Virginia King. "It provided a real hands-on

experience for them."

The event was prompted by suggestions from the Science Project Improvement

Team, which believes there is a need to make science more fun for students.

Complete with actors, scripts and costumes, the mystery included a

re-enactment of the original crime in the NMS auditorium. The evidence was

analyzed in a "crime lab" in the cafeteria.

According to history, German born cobbler William Gore was brutally murdered

with an ax in his cobble shop just east of The Newtown Bee in 1914. His killer

was never brought to justice, but there was a suspect who was eventually

released. By adding make-believe suspects and planting evidence to implicate

one of them ahead of time, teachers enabled the student-detectives to actually

investigate the crime.

The murder mystery characters included Werner Von Gore, the dead man's

brother, who was played by NMS Principal Les Weintraub, and fierce patriot

Samuel Huntington, played by NMS science teacher Chris Cantfield, who students

eventually found guilty based on scientific evidence. Other suspects included

Fraulein Steubler, played by NMS Secretary Dafney Gibney, and quick-tempered

Michael Brennan, played by NMS science teacher Chris Varcoe.

NMS assistant principal Alton Cashman played the poor cobbler, who was found

dead in his shop by Charles Cavanaugh, played by NMS English teacher Chris

Horan.

The young sleuths compiled their data, and concluded Mr Huntington was the

killer. Youth Officer Mike Keough made the "arrest."

Also at the event was FBI agent Brian Connolly, who explained that much of the

forensics work done by students was actually quite similar to what scientists

do in the real crime labs. He pointed out that with today's technology and

high-level science labs, the crime would have likely been solved.

Student Jennifer Chuddy said the event was a learning experience and actually

made more interesting because of its historical relevance to Newtown.

The activity was sponsored by the Science Project Improvement Team and

facilitated by science teachers Wendy Bowen and Nancy Koonce.

"I felt it went extremely well," said sixth grade science teacher Wendy Bowen,

who pointed out that every NMS science teacher had a hand in the event.

Students participated in workshops in prepartation for the event.