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So THAT'S what they do in Skull and Crossbones!!!
Beryl
On Sep 6, 2011, at 2:55 PM, [log in to unmask] wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
> 
> Good Afternoon Jamie,
> The best initiation ceremony that I ever was involved in -- as an
> initiate -- still in my teens (so the timeframe would be just before the
> Bronze Age).....I won't say the name of the organization -- but it
> was/is a "legit" organization...... Here it is.....
> Out in the woods at a "secret location"; the initiates in a circle,
> surrounding a large campfire; it took place at midnight; the initiates
> standing in a circle around the campfire (providing the only light for
> the ceremony); the ceremony leader has a very large, shiny knife, which
> was highly polished and reflected the light of the campfire; initiates
> remain silent (unable to talk for 24 hours prior and during the
> ceremony); 24 hour fasting the day of the ceremony; the ceremony leader
> begins, one-by-one, "cutting" the outstretched palms of the initiates
> with the knife (when you get "cut" -- and only at that moment -- you
> find out that the shiny knife is very dull), while pig blood, or beef
> blood was dripped, via a small blood-soaked hidden sponge, secretly
> hidden in the knife-holder's hand; after the hands were "cut" (it looked
> real); in fact it looked so real, that I thought I was actually going to
> get my hands cut open; the initiates held hands, creating a chain of
> blood-brother, intermingling their blood with each other; as your hands
> were being "cut"......other ceremony leaders whispered the translation
> of "secret/magic" words, that we had heard earlier, but prior to this
> moment, we didn't know their meaning....... I could go on, but you get
> the idea.......
> I will never forget that moment.
> Best Wishes for Success!
> Wesley
> Wesley S. Creel
> Administrator of Programs
> Pink Palace Family of Museums
> 3050 Central Avenue
> Memphis, TN 38111
> www.memphismuseums.org
> Office 901.636.2370  new telephone number
> FAX 901.636.2391  new FAX number
> 
> Please consider including the Pink Palace Family of Museums in your
> charitable giving plans
> along with your other charitable interests.
> Please visit all our great facilities as well as our website:
> www.memphismuseums.org Our mission: The Pink Palace Family of Museums
> inspires people to learn how history.science, technology and nature
> shape the mid-South. Through rich collections, thought-provoking
> exhibitions, and engaging programs, we encourage our diverse community
> to reflect on the past, understand the present, and influence the future
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alonzo, Jamie
> Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 12:33 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Youth "Initiation" Ceremonies...?
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> ************************************************************************
> *****
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I run out-of-school programs for ~120 local teens at Yale's Peabody
> Museum of Natural History in New Haven, CT.  We recruit new 9th and 10th
> graders at the beginning of each academic year.  This year our senior
> class will be developing an "initiation ceremony" event to welcome these
> new students to our community.  We're looking for some gross/[slightly]
> creepy experiences we can run them through. Given that we have vast
> collections, I'm already looking into something involving jars of ooky
> things but thought I'd run this up the ISEN flagpole to see if anyone
> out there might have done something similar.  Any and all ideas welcome
> -  thanks in advance!
> 
> Everything best,
> 
> Jamie Alonzo
> 
> -- 
> 
> ________________________________________
> 
>           Coordinator, Education Special Projects
>            Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
> 
>            203 432 6577   v
>            203 432 2026   f
>            [log in to unmask]
> 
>            http://peabody.yale.edu/education/evolutions
> 
> ________________________________________
> 
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> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
> 
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
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Beryl Rosenthal, PhD
Executive Director, Waterworks Museum
[log in to unmask]
www.waterworksmuseum.org
2450 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02467
617.277.0065

Please visit our website at www.waterworksmuseum.org, or follow us on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/jIX0El) and Twitter (http://bit.ly/fwZOVG)!

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Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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