By Caitlin Carmody and Ben Weyl, Editors-in-Chief
This letter was first published today in the print edition of the S&B.
When trying to think of something meaningful to say to the campus community about the tragic events of this week, we were at a loss. It’s hard to make sense of things that seem so senseless. It’s difficult to find words to talk about what we cannot wrap our heads around. The sadness and grief over Paul’s death was compounded by the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Receiving such horrible news on such a beautiful spring day felt so surreal.
It’s natural to want answers and lessons from the tragedy of a fellow student’s suicide. We look for ways to understand it because dealing with such acute and collective pain can feel incredibly overwhelming.
We’ve talked to students who are experiencing guilt about Paul’s death. But the responsibility to make someone happy or to keep someone alive lies with no one person. We’ve talked to students who weren’t close to Paul and feel weird about being upset. The same applies to the heartbreak of Virginia Tech—why are some of us upset even though we may not have known anyone who died? But there is no hierarchy over claim to grief, nor a prescribed trajectory of emotional coping. Everyone responds differently to tragedy, and that’s OK.
Community is a strange creature. We are tied together by common experience, common surroundings, a common ethos. Whether or not you knew Paul, he was one of us, a Grinnellian, and the loss of a friend, peer, or community member affects us all.
This week’s coming-together, scheduled and impromptu, was a moving demonstration of how supportive this community can be. We are humbled and comforted to be surrounded by the people around us, and to live in the community we do. Ours is a campus of thoughtful, supportive, and wise individuals. We should turn to each other for comfort.
If you’re in pain, please talk to someone, be it a friend, RLC, chaplain, or walk-in counselor at the Health Center.
In the coming weeks, we encourage the community to use the S&B as a forum for thoughts, emotions and reflections about what has happened and where we can go from here.
As a community we should remember and mourn those we have lost. And we should continue to love and care for each other. It is all too easy to forget about that love and support, especially when things seem horrible, but it is there.
Showing posts with label Paul Shuman-Moore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Shuman-Moore. Show all posts
Friday, April 20, 2007
Friend, musician, athlete remembered for humor and passion
By Caitlin Carmody
This article was first published today in the print edition of the S&B.
Last spring, for his tutorial’s “music happening,” Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 performed in the style of Jandek, an idiosyncratic blues-folk musician who was one of Paul’s favorite performers. Paul played a guitar and sang covers of Jandek tunes and nursery rhymes, never once breaking character.
Eric McIntyre, Music, Paul’s advisor and professor of last year’s “Weird Music” tutorial, said that even being confronted with the weirdest of weird performances couldn’t shake Paul. “I had a chicken in one hand and was yelling Dr. Phil excerpts at people…I went up to Paul and was reading these Dr. Phil excerpts, trying to maintain character furiously. I’ve got the camera on him, and I just started laughing, because he would not be shaken, he didn’t shake at all, and it was just this true performance,” McIntyre said. “There was Paul over there just completely in character, in the style of Jandek singing ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’.”
Music played a significant role in Paul’s life. “For him, music was just pure passion,” McIntyre said. “It’s hard to describe, it’s just pretty unique to be so completely wrapped in it.” McIntyre said Paul was a talented and creative student. “He had a real aptitude for the subject matter,” he said. “In our class he always had creative insights. He wasn’t afraid of things that were off-the-beaten-path views.”
Paul played the trombone in the orchestra, but much of his musical experiences were much less mainstream and more experimental. Daniel Furuta ’08, a friend and fellow tutorial member, said he and Paul, and occasionally other students, would play a show at least once a month. “What we played varied … electronics, toy instruments, non-music objects,” he said. “It sounds kind of ridiculous, toy instruments, but it was a serious pursuit [for him].”
Emily Iwuc ’08 was on the Concerts Committee with Paul, and often played with him and Furuta. She said that Paul taught her different aspects of experimental music, like how to circuit bend and solder. She said he thought about applying to be Concerts Chair and they joked about competing for the spot. “When he was playing music, he seemed to have a good time,” she said.
Paul was also very involved in Ultimate Frisbee. He starting playing on the Grinnell team at the beginning of his first year and excelled at the sport. “He was a really good thrower and really fast,” team member Brian Cavanagh-Strong ’09 said. “There was also kind of a running joke that he had the prettiest legs on the team. He wore really short shorts and these [leg] muscles would pop out.”
Cavanagh-Strong recalled Paul’s participation in the Frisbee team’s annual Good v. Evil tournament. “Paul was always on the Good team and he would come in long white underwear, white t-shirt and wear white briefs. He would make crosses out of sticks and parade around, and he also wore underwear on his head once,” he said. “He was always coming up with funny chants and cheers.”
Yet Paul’s sense of humor didn’t overshadow his kindness. “I don’t think he ever said a disparaging word about anyone, ever,” co-captain Noah Bindman ’07 said. “Even in a context where something like that might be acceptable, he never said anything bad about anybody,” Bindman said.
Paul’s intensity and humor also carried over to his passion for movies. He was a core member of the group “Movie Maddness” and according to his friend Soleil Ho ’09, Paul liked “terrible movies.” “I don’t think he ever missed a meeting of Movie Maddness,” she said. “Sometimes it would just be him and Andrew Cole [‘06] watching a movie together. He was really into movies, it was his favorite thing to do on the weekdays.”
One of Ho’s favorite memories of Paul was when they watched Dr. Seuss’ cult classic The 5000 Fingers of Dr T. “The voice sounded familiar,” she said. “And we were like, “Who the fuck is this guy?” and we were brainstorming while watching in agony, and then Paul whispers, ‘It’s Captain Hook,’ and we just had a collective orgasm, it was so good.”
McIntyre said that Paul exhibited a “humor matched with boldness.” He said one of his fondest memories of Paul was of an orchestra performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, during which Paul used a few bars of rest memorably. “At the climax of this work, after all this tumultuousness, comes this sort of triumphant theme. And Paul’s in the very back, and in the performance I look back there and he’s raised his fist in triumph and is waving it around,” he said. “It’s just something that I can’t get past,” McIntyre said. “Nobody would do that, but he did, and it made me smile.”
McIntyre said that this was a good example of Paul’s character. “I felt all along, even before he disappeared, that he was someone that I would be talking about to classes for generations,” he said. “The reasons I’m going to talk about him in the future are things that he did while he was here, because he did some things that were very memorable. George Carlin said, ‘Make someone’s life.’ It’s one thing to make someone’s day, but to do something that people for years from now on Thanksgiving, people will be saying, ‘Did I tell you about this guy who did this?’”
Many who were close to Paul recalled his sense of humor as a defining feature of his personality. “I remember his infectious laugh and smile,” Cavanagh-Strong said.
“If you looked at Paul and he was smiling, you were on your way to laughing with him,” he said.
Bindman agreed that Paul was “absolutely hilarious.” “It took me awhile to realize that what was hilarious about him was this gentle sarcasm that was really funny,” Bindman said. “His eyes were always laughing, no matter what was going on.”
McIntyre echoed these thoughts. “It seemed like to me there was a lot of joy,” he said.
“If there’s one sort of image that carries through all the images I have, it’s of him with this small, perhaps mischievous smile that says he doesn’t really want to let on that something’s funny, but he’s thinking something’s funny.
This article was first published today in the print edition of the S&B.
Last spring, for his tutorial’s “music happening,” Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 performed in the style of Jandek, an idiosyncratic blues-folk musician who was one of Paul’s favorite performers. Paul played a guitar and sang covers of Jandek tunes and nursery rhymes, never once breaking character.
Eric McIntyre, Music, Paul’s advisor and professor of last year’s “Weird Music” tutorial, said that even being confronted with the weirdest of weird performances couldn’t shake Paul. “I had a chicken in one hand and was yelling Dr. Phil excerpts at people…I went up to Paul and was reading these Dr. Phil excerpts, trying to maintain character furiously. I’ve got the camera on him, and I just started laughing, because he would not be shaken, he didn’t shake at all, and it was just this true performance,” McIntyre said. “There was Paul over there just completely in character, in the style of Jandek singing ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’.”
Music played a significant role in Paul’s life. “For him, music was just pure passion,” McIntyre said. “It’s hard to describe, it’s just pretty unique to be so completely wrapped in it.” McIntyre said Paul was a talented and creative student. “He had a real aptitude for the subject matter,” he said. “In our class he always had creative insights. He wasn’t afraid of things that were off-the-beaten-path views.”
Paul played the trombone in the orchestra, but much of his musical experiences were much less mainstream and more experimental. Daniel Furuta ’08, a friend and fellow tutorial member, said he and Paul, and occasionally other students, would play a show at least once a month. “What we played varied … electronics, toy instruments, non-music objects,” he said. “It sounds kind of ridiculous, toy instruments, but it was a serious pursuit [for him].”
Emily Iwuc ’08 was on the Concerts Committee with Paul, and often played with him and Furuta. She said that Paul taught her different aspects of experimental music, like how to circuit bend and solder. She said he thought about applying to be Concerts Chair and they joked about competing for the spot. “When he was playing music, he seemed to have a good time,” she said.
Paul was also very involved in Ultimate Frisbee. He starting playing on the Grinnell team at the beginning of his first year and excelled at the sport. “He was a really good thrower and really fast,” team member Brian Cavanagh-Strong ’09 said. “There was also kind of a running joke that he had the prettiest legs on the team. He wore really short shorts and these [leg] muscles would pop out.”
Cavanagh-Strong recalled Paul’s participation in the Frisbee team’s annual Good v. Evil tournament. “Paul was always on the Good team and he would come in long white underwear, white t-shirt and wear white briefs. He would make crosses out of sticks and parade around, and he also wore underwear on his head once,” he said. “He was always coming up with funny chants and cheers.”
Yet Paul’s sense of humor didn’t overshadow his kindness. “I don’t think he ever said a disparaging word about anyone, ever,” co-captain Noah Bindman ’07 said. “Even in a context where something like that might be acceptable, he never said anything bad about anybody,” Bindman said.
Paul’s intensity and humor also carried over to his passion for movies. He was a core member of the group “Movie Maddness” and according to his friend Soleil Ho ’09, Paul liked “terrible movies.” “I don’t think he ever missed a meeting of Movie Maddness,” she said. “Sometimes it would just be him and Andrew Cole [‘06] watching a movie together. He was really into movies, it was his favorite thing to do on the weekdays.”
One of Ho’s favorite memories of Paul was when they watched Dr. Seuss’ cult classic The 5000 Fingers of Dr T. “The voice sounded familiar,” she said. “And we were like, “Who the fuck is this guy?” and we were brainstorming while watching in agony, and then Paul whispers, ‘It’s Captain Hook,’ and we just had a collective orgasm, it was so good.”
McIntyre said that Paul exhibited a “humor matched with boldness.” He said one of his fondest memories of Paul was of an orchestra performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, during which Paul used a few bars of rest memorably. “At the climax of this work, after all this tumultuousness, comes this sort of triumphant theme. And Paul’s in the very back, and in the performance I look back there and he’s raised his fist in triumph and is waving it around,” he said. “It’s just something that I can’t get past,” McIntyre said. “Nobody would do that, but he did, and it made me smile.”
McIntyre said that this was a good example of Paul’s character. “I felt all along, even before he disappeared, that he was someone that I would be talking about to classes for generations,” he said. “The reasons I’m going to talk about him in the future are things that he did while he was here, because he did some things that were very memorable. George Carlin said, ‘Make someone’s life.’ It’s one thing to make someone’s day, but to do something that people for years from now on Thanksgiving, people will be saying, ‘Did I tell you about this guy who did this?’”
Many who were close to Paul recalled his sense of humor as a defining feature of his personality. “I remember his infectious laugh and smile,” Cavanagh-Strong said.
“If you looked at Paul and he was smiling, you were on your way to laughing with him,” he said.
Bindman agreed that Paul was “absolutely hilarious.” “It took me awhile to realize that what was hilarious about him was this gentle sarcasm that was really funny,” Bindman said. “His eyes were always laughing, no matter what was going on.”
McIntyre echoed these thoughts. “It seemed like to me there was a lot of joy,” he said.
“If there’s one sort of image that carries through all the images I have, it’s of him with this small, perhaps mischievous smile that says he doesn’t really want to let on that something’s funny, but he’s thinking something’s funny.
Investigators rule Shuman-Moore’s death a suicide by drowning; campus begins to cope with vigil and discussion
By Abby Rapoport with additional reporting by Cid Standifer, Chris Neubert, Rebecca Park, and David Logan
This article was first published today in the print edition of the S&B.
After an almost seven month-long police investigation, the search for Paul Shuman-Moore ’09, came to an end Tuesday when police confirmed that the identity of a body found in the Grinnell Country Club pool was his. According to investigators, the cause of death was suicide by drowning.
Tuesday night, SGA held a candlelight vigil for both Shuman-Moore and the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting. School administrators are offering a variety of resources to help students cope with the situation.
A country club employee found the body on Monday when he removed the cover of the outdoor pool to prepare for summer use. Upon the discovery, Grinnell police shut down the country club and called Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) mobile lab units and investigators, including many who were involved in the initial missing person case.
Police sent the body to DCI labs and on Tuesday, after conducting an autopsy and checking dental records, confirmed that the body was Shuman-Moore’s. On Wednesday, at a Des Moines press conference, police announced that the cause of death was suicide by drowning and that foul play was not involved in Shuman-Moore’s death.
“In this particular case, there is absolutely no indication of evidence that Mr. Shuman-Moore was the victim of a homicide,” said Jody Matherly, Grinnell Chief of Police. According to investigators, Shuman-Moore’s hands and feet were loosely bound with duct-tape, and those bindings were self-applied. Police recovered a knife at the scene and a slit had been cut in the pool cover where entry would have been possible.
Many have wondered how the police missed Shuman-Moore’s body as they combed the area surrounding Grinnell. Matherly said that on two rounds, search dogs converged on the country club, though the slit in the pool’s cover was not immediately visible.
“You folks have to understand that we had investigators, we had trained search parties, volunteers, fellow students, community members, airplanes, [and] dogs,” Matherly said. “Simply put, it was missed and we certainly don’t place blame on anybody for that being missed,” said Matherly. Tom Crady, Vice-President for Student Affairs, agreed, describing the search as “extremely well-organized.” “The pool cover itself is pulled very tight and so I can see why people would not think it would be a place to look,” he said.
Students responded quickly to the news. On Tuesday, when police announced the body was Shuman-Moore’s, SGA organized a candlelight vigil in honor of both Shuman-Moore and the victims at Virginia Tech. Student Services Coordinator Julie Edwards ’07 and Katie Jares ’07 worked together to plan the event, relying largely on Adam Brumer ’07 for logistics. The vigil took place in the JRC courtyard between the Grill and the Dining Hall. The Grinnell Singers performed three songs before students proceeded to the Forum where they signed posters to be sent to Virginia Tech. The next day, SGA provided posters outside the Dining Hall to be sent to Shuman-Moore’s family.
“We wanted everyone to come together as a community, and we wanted to give everyone time to grieve together,” said Jares. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else. These people are my family.” The vigil struck a cord with many of those who attended. “Not only were we trying to respect Paul, but at the same time the whole Virginia Tech thing,” said Lauren Bacon ’10, who went to the event. “This week has been … pretty heavy on everybody.” Edwards felt the vigil provided a comfortable space for students to mourn. “I was more proud of planning this event than anything else I’ve done in four years here,” she said.
In addition to the vigil, Student Affairs offered a community discussion on Tuesday night to further help students cope. “We invited the whole campus to come and just have a time to talk about Paul,” said Assistant Dean and Director of Residence Life Sheree Andrews. “Talk about the good things, the funny things, the sad things.” According to Andrews, about 50 students attended the discussion. The event also gave students an opportunity to join an e-mail list designed to let students share stories with the Shuman-Moore family. The Shuman-Moores came to Grinnell Wednesday and talked with students between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. The family has asked to grieve privately, but they have welcomed friends to visit and e-mail them.
Administrators have been frequently available since Monday, and left Student Affairs offices open Wednesday night from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. for students to come in, talk, and eat pizza. RLCs are available to meet with students, and Andrews said many students are taking advantage of the opportunity. Student Affairs also has worked to make sure students do not feel pressure from their classes. “We understand that this is a really stressful time for people and that it could affect their academics,” said Andrews. She told students worried about schoolwork to contact Joyce Stern, Dean for Academic Support.
A memorial for Shuman-Moore will be held tomorrow at the Resurrection Lutheran Church in Chicago. Students who wish to attend the memorial can contact Dean for Student Life Jennifer Krohn about college-organized transportation by noon today. College administrators said a memorial would also be held in Grinnell but further details have not been released.
This article was first published today in the print edition of the S&B.
After an almost seven month-long police investigation, the search for Paul Shuman-Moore ’09, came to an end Tuesday when police confirmed that the identity of a body found in the Grinnell Country Club pool was his. According to investigators, the cause of death was suicide by drowning.
Tuesday night, SGA held a candlelight vigil for both Shuman-Moore and the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting. School administrators are offering a variety of resources to help students cope with the situation.
A country club employee found the body on Monday when he removed the cover of the outdoor pool to prepare for summer use. Upon the discovery, Grinnell police shut down the country club and called Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) mobile lab units and investigators, including many who were involved in the initial missing person case.
Police sent the body to DCI labs and on Tuesday, after conducting an autopsy and checking dental records, confirmed that the body was Shuman-Moore’s. On Wednesday, at a Des Moines press conference, police announced that the cause of death was suicide by drowning and that foul play was not involved in Shuman-Moore’s death.
“In this particular case, there is absolutely no indication of evidence that Mr. Shuman-Moore was the victim of a homicide,” said Jody Matherly, Grinnell Chief of Police. According to investigators, Shuman-Moore’s hands and feet were loosely bound with duct-tape, and those bindings were self-applied. Police recovered a knife at the scene and a slit had been cut in the pool cover where entry would have been possible.
Many have wondered how the police missed Shuman-Moore’s body as they combed the area surrounding Grinnell. Matherly said that on two rounds, search dogs converged on the country club, though the slit in the pool’s cover was not immediately visible.
“You folks have to understand that we had investigators, we had trained search parties, volunteers, fellow students, community members, airplanes, [and] dogs,” Matherly said. “Simply put, it was missed and we certainly don’t place blame on anybody for that being missed,” said Matherly. Tom Crady, Vice-President for Student Affairs, agreed, describing the search as “extremely well-organized.” “The pool cover itself is pulled very tight and so I can see why people would not think it would be a place to look,” he said.
Students responded quickly to the news. On Tuesday, when police announced the body was Shuman-Moore’s, SGA organized a candlelight vigil in honor of both Shuman-Moore and the victims at Virginia Tech. Student Services Coordinator Julie Edwards ’07 and Katie Jares ’07 worked together to plan the event, relying largely on Adam Brumer ’07 for logistics. The vigil took place in the JRC courtyard between the Grill and the Dining Hall. The Grinnell Singers performed three songs before students proceeded to the Forum where they signed posters to be sent to Virginia Tech. The next day, SGA provided posters outside the Dining Hall to be sent to Shuman-Moore’s family.
“We wanted everyone to come together as a community, and we wanted to give everyone time to grieve together,” said Jares. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else. These people are my family.” The vigil struck a cord with many of those who attended. “Not only were we trying to respect Paul, but at the same time the whole Virginia Tech thing,” said Lauren Bacon ’10, who went to the event. “This week has been … pretty heavy on everybody.” Edwards felt the vigil provided a comfortable space for students to mourn. “I was more proud of planning this event than anything else I’ve done in four years here,” she said.
In addition to the vigil, Student Affairs offered a community discussion on Tuesday night to further help students cope. “We invited the whole campus to come and just have a time to talk about Paul,” said Assistant Dean and Director of Residence Life Sheree Andrews. “Talk about the good things, the funny things, the sad things.” According to Andrews, about 50 students attended the discussion. The event also gave students an opportunity to join an e-mail list designed to let students share stories with the Shuman-Moore family. The Shuman-Moores came to Grinnell Wednesday and talked with students between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. The family has asked to grieve privately, but they have welcomed friends to visit and e-mail them.
Administrators have been frequently available since Monday, and left Student Affairs offices open Wednesday night from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. for students to come in, talk, and eat pizza. RLCs are available to meet with students, and Andrews said many students are taking advantage of the opportunity. Student Affairs also has worked to make sure students do not feel pressure from their classes. “We understand that this is a really stressful time for people and that it could affect their academics,” said Andrews. She told students worried about schoolwork to contact Joyce Stern, Dean for Academic Support.
A memorial for Shuman-Moore will be held tomorrow at the Resurrection Lutheran Church in Chicago. Students who wish to attend the memorial can contact Dean for Student Life Jennifer Krohn about college-organized transportation by noon today. College administrators said a memorial would also be held in Grinnell but further details have not been released.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Officials confirm Shuman-Moore's death a suicide
By Caitlin Carmody
At a press conference in Des Moines Wednesday, representatives from the Grinnell Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Grinnell student Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 committed suicide. The official cause of death was listed as drowning.
“In this particular case there is absolutely no indication of evidence that Mr. Shuman-Moore was the victim of a homicide,” Grinnell Chief of Police Jody Matherly said. “All indications are that he was a talented, well-liked yet troubled young man who took his own life.”
Matherly said that Shuman-Moore’s hands and feet were “loosely bound” with duct tape. and that examinations indicated the bindings were self-applied. Police recovered a knife at the scene and a slit had been cut in the pool cover where entry would have been possible.
Responding to inquiries about why the initial search in September had failed to locate Shuman-Moore’s body, Matherly said that the country club area had been searched twice and that search dogs had gone near the pool.
“Simply put, it was missed and we certainly don’t place blame on anybody for that being missed,” Matherly said. "It’s a fact of life that things can be missed, and in fact it appears it was."
A memorial for Shuman-Moore will be held this Saturday at the Resurrection Lutheran Church in Chicago. College administrators said a memorial would also be held in Grinnell but further details have not been released.
At a press conference in Des Moines Wednesday, representatives from the Grinnell Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Grinnell student Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 committed suicide. The official cause of death was listed as drowning.
“In this particular case there is absolutely no indication of evidence that Mr. Shuman-Moore was the victim of a homicide,” Grinnell Chief of Police Jody Matherly said. “All indications are that he was a talented, well-liked yet troubled young man who took his own life.”
Matherly said that Shuman-Moore’s hands and feet were “loosely bound” with duct tape. and that examinations indicated the bindings were self-applied. Police recovered a knife at the scene and a slit had been cut in the pool cover where entry would have been possible.
Responding to inquiries about why the initial search in September had failed to locate Shuman-Moore’s body, Matherly said that the country club area had been searched twice and that search dogs had gone near the pool.
“Simply put, it was missed and we certainly don’t place blame on anybody for that being missed,” Matherly said. "It’s a fact of life that things can be missed, and in fact it appears it was."
A memorial for Shuman-Moore will be held this Saturday at the Resurrection Lutheran Church in Chicago. College administrators said a memorial would also be held in Grinnell but further details have not been released.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Grinnell PD, Crady provide update
By Cid Standifer
On Tuesday at approximately 3:45 p.m. the Grinnell Police Department issued a press release stating that the dental records of the body found in the Grinnell Country Club pool matched those of Paul Shuman-Moore '09. The release also states that there is "no compelling evidence to indicate foul play," and further information will be released as it becomes available.
Steve Moore and Betsy Shuman-Moore were quoted in the release: "For the past six months, we have hoped and prayed that our dear son Paul was alive. Now that he has been found, we are devastated." Paul's family thanked the media for their help in the search for Paul, but asked that now "they respect our need to grieve in private."
Vice President of Student Affairs Tom Crady spoke to the media shortly after the Police Department’s announcement. Crady talked about the reaction of the college and described steps that will be taken to support students as they work through this tragedy. Crady said that Student Affairs has been discussing ways to help the student body grieve if a body were found since Shuman-Moore disappeared in September, but they were still not prepared for the recent news.
"We weren't planning on a death response three days ago," Crady said. "What we were planning for was how to help Paul's family and figure out where he might have gone ... so we were very surprised."
Crady said he understands that many other members of the campus community are having trouble dealing with the news, even though some students have long believed that Shuman-Moore was no longer alive. "I think there's been a long time for people to mentally prepare for it, but how can you ever mentally prepare for a student death?" he said.
Crady also said he was discomfited by the fact that last fall's search failed to turn up Shuman-Moore's body when it was so close to campus. Crady personally helped in the search for a week, and described the process as "extraordinarily well-organized." He remembers that the search of the country club golf course and nearby railroad tracks was extremely thorough. However, he said that "the pool cover itself is pulled very tight, and so I can see why people would not think it would be a place to look."
Members of the media are allowed on campus in public places, and so were able to cover the candlelight vigil held Tuesday night at 9:30. However, they were not granted special passes to cover the student counseling and discussion session in Younker. According to Kate Worster, Director of Communications, the college does not allow the media into private residence halls and has no intention of doing so. "We asked everyone to please show us kindness and respect because we are grieving," she said.
"I think our students are extraordinarily mature and very thoughtful in the way they respond," Crady said. "Our students come together very well and are very resilient and we want students who are upset to know that we care about them."
An autopsy has been completed but members of the Police Department have not yet commented on the cause of death. Tuesday's press release stated that a press conference would most likely be held Wednesday afternoon to announce any further information.
On Tuesday at approximately 3:45 p.m. the Grinnell Police Department issued a press release stating that the dental records of the body found in the Grinnell Country Club pool matched those of Paul Shuman-Moore '09. The release also states that there is "no compelling evidence to indicate foul play," and further information will be released as it becomes available.
Steve Moore and Betsy Shuman-Moore were quoted in the release: "For the past six months, we have hoped and prayed that our dear son Paul was alive. Now that he has been found, we are devastated." Paul's family thanked the media for their help in the search for Paul, but asked that now "they respect our need to grieve in private."
Vice President of Student Affairs Tom Crady spoke to the media shortly after the Police Department’s announcement. Crady talked about the reaction of the college and described steps that will be taken to support students as they work through this tragedy. Crady said that Student Affairs has been discussing ways to help the student body grieve if a body were found since Shuman-Moore disappeared in September, but they were still not prepared for the recent news.
"We weren't planning on a death response three days ago," Crady said. "What we were planning for was how to help Paul's family and figure out where he might have gone ... so we were very surprised."
Crady said he understands that many other members of the campus community are having trouble dealing with the news, even though some students have long believed that Shuman-Moore was no longer alive. "I think there's been a long time for people to mentally prepare for it, but how can you ever mentally prepare for a student death?" he said.
Crady also said he was discomfited by the fact that last fall's search failed to turn up Shuman-Moore's body when it was so close to campus. Crady personally helped in the search for a week, and described the process as "extraordinarily well-organized." He remembers that the search of the country club golf course and nearby railroad tracks was extremely thorough. However, he said that "the pool cover itself is pulled very tight, and so I can see why people would not think it would be a place to look."
Members of the media are allowed on campus in public places, and so were able to cover the candlelight vigil held Tuesday night at 9:30. However, they were not granted special passes to cover the student counseling and discussion session in Younker. According to Kate Worster, Director of Communications, the college does not allow the media into private residence halls and has no intention of doing so. "We asked everyone to please show us kindness and respect because we are grieving," she said.
"I think our students are extraordinarily mature and very thoughtful in the way they respond," Crady said. "Our students come together very well and are very resilient and we want students who are upset to know that we care about them."
An autopsy has been completed but members of the Police Department have not yet commented on the cause of death. Tuesday's press release stated that a press conference would most likely be held Wednesday afternoon to announce any further information.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Body Identified as Paul's
According to Grinnell Police, the body found yesterday at the Grinnell Golf & Country Club swimming pool has been identified as Paul Shuman-Moore's '09. This Des Moines Register article currently has the most up to date information on the situation.
College administrators have announced that they will host a "Grinnell College Community Discussion" tonight at 7:00 p.m. in Younker Lounge, to be facilitated by student affairs staff and the Poweshiek County Mental Health Center.
SGA also intends to host a candlelight vigil tonight at 9:30pm in the courtyard of the Joe Rosenfield Center. The vigil will proceed to the Forum South Lounge at 10:00 p.m. where SGA will host a campus-wide study break "with food and other fun things to destress" according to an email sent out by the SGA cabinet. Additionally, the email said that students will be able to sign banners to be sent to Virginia Tech "letting them know that they are in our thoughts."
If students need to talk to someone, they are urged to go to the Residence Life Coordinators or Chaplains, or attend the Walk-In Mental Health Counseling Services at the Health Center or the Poweshiek County Mental Health Center which requires appointments.
Our thoughts go out to Paul's family and friends and to the entire campus community amidst this time of grief.
College administrators have announced that they will host a "Grinnell College Community Discussion" tonight at 7:00 p.m. in Younker Lounge, to be facilitated by student affairs staff and the Poweshiek County Mental Health Center.
SGA also intends to host a candlelight vigil tonight at 9:30pm in the courtyard of the Joe Rosenfield Center. The vigil will proceed to the Forum South Lounge at 10:00 p.m. where SGA will host a campus-wide study break "with food and other fun things to destress" according to an email sent out by the SGA cabinet. Additionally, the email said that students will be able to sign banners to be sent to Virginia Tech "letting them know that they are in our thoughts."
If students need to talk to someone, they are urged to go to the Residence Life Coordinators or Chaplains, or attend the Walk-In Mental Health Counseling Services at the Health Center or the Poweshiek County Mental Health Center which requires appointments.
Our thoughts go out to Paul's family and friends and to the entire campus community amidst this time of grief.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Body Found in a Grinnell Pool
by Cid Standifer
Monday afternoon at 4 p.m., Jody Matherly from the Grinnell Police Department and Wade Kisner from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) held a press conference concerning a body found in the pool of the Grinnell Golf and Country Club. An employee of the country club found the body as he was taking the cover off of the outdoor pool to prepare it for the summer. The Grinnell Police Department shut down the country club and called in DCI mobile lab units and investigators, including all of the agents who were involved in the case of Paul Shuman-Moore ’09, who disappeared last September.
Matherly said it appeared that the body had been there “probably for weeks, if not months.” However, he had no information about its gender, clothing, or identification. Matherly said that the police may have to review the search process that was conducted last fall after Shuman-Moore’s disappearance if further investigation shows that the body has been there since September.
Approximately 10 to 20 Grinnell College students attended the press conference, including many of Shuman-Moore’s friends. Plans administrator Eryn O’Neil ’07 posted information about the press conference on the Plans front page about 45 minutes before the conference, and news about it also spread by word of mouth. Residence Life Coordinators were contacted by the college earlier this afternoon and excused from all meetings so that they can be available to help comfort students. Matherly said that Shuman-Moore’s parents have been contacted, but “we’re not much help to them right now because we don’t know enough to be of any help.”
As of Monday afternoon, the body was being sent to DCI labs. An autopsy will be performed by state medical examiners tomorrow morning to try and identify the body and determine the cause of death. Matherly hopes that they can determine the identity of the body within the next few days. He said that “Obviously, if this is somebody we have knowledge of that is missing…if we have something to compare to, that would naturally speed things up.” He intends to hold a press conference with updated information tomorrow afternoon.
The S&B will do its utmost to cover this matter as fully as possible.
Monday afternoon at 4 p.m., Jody Matherly from the Grinnell Police Department and Wade Kisner from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) held a press conference concerning a body found in the pool of the Grinnell Golf and Country Club. An employee of the country club found the body as he was taking the cover off of the outdoor pool to prepare it for the summer. The Grinnell Police Department shut down the country club and called in DCI mobile lab units and investigators, including all of the agents who were involved in the case of Paul Shuman-Moore ’09, who disappeared last September.
Matherly said it appeared that the body had been there “probably for weeks, if not months.” However, he had no information about its gender, clothing, or identification. Matherly said that the police may have to review the search process that was conducted last fall after Shuman-Moore’s disappearance if further investigation shows that the body has been there since September.
Approximately 10 to 20 Grinnell College students attended the press conference, including many of Shuman-Moore’s friends. Plans administrator Eryn O’Neil ’07 posted information about the press conference on the Plans front page about 45 minutes before the conference, and news about it also spread by word of mouth. Residence Life Coordinators were contacted by the college earlier this afternoon and excused from all meetings so that they can be available to help comfort students. Matherly said that Shuman-Moore’s parents have been contacted, but “we’re not much help to them right now because we don’t know enough to be of any help.”
As of Monday afternoon, the body was being sent to DCI labs. An autopsy will be performed by state medical examiners tomorrow morning to try and identify the body and determine the cause of death. Matherly hopes that they can determine the identity of the body within the next few days. He said that “Obviously, if this is somebody we have knowledge of that is missing…if we have something to compare to, that would naturally speed things up.” He intends to hold a press conference with updated information tomorrow afternoon.
The S&B will do its utmost to cover this matter as fully as possible.
Monday, April 09, 2007
YouTube and Paul
Paul Shuman-Moore '09 is still missing, but his family and friends are not giving up hope. In addition to their renamed website, comehomepaul.com, they've put up a compelling video message on YouTube to let him know that they love him and that he should let them know if he is ok. As of this post, the video, featuring Shuman-Moore's bandmates and friends, has been viewed over 18,000 times.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Shuman-Moore's family speaks
As the search for missing student Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 continues to expand, two of Paul’s uncles, Bob Moore and Mark Shuman, spoke on behalf of the family at a press conference on Sunday night.
“Our hearts are filled with gratitude for everyone who has taken part in the search for Paul,” Moore said at the press conference.
The family members explained that while the search will continue in Grinnell, family and friends in the Chicago area have mobilized and begun posting flyers.
“We feel confident that Paul is not in this immediate Grinnell area,” Moore said.
Moore and Shuman described Paul as a “happy-go-lucky kid,” who loves Ultimate Frisbee and is a “bright, level-headed young man.”
Shuman extended a message from all family and friends to Paul: “We want Paul to know this: Paul, we love you, nothing else matters. You need to come back to us now. We can help you only if we see you or hear you. Come home, Paul.”
Grinnell Police Sergeant Randy Hanssen also spoke on the progress of the continuing investigation. Because today was the beginning of Iowa bow hunting season, ground search efforts were halted for the day due to safety concerns. Hanssen said police hope that as Iowan farmers and hunters begin working in the fields they will be able to aid in the search.
“What we are doing right now is following up on a lot of leads. We will continue following those up until he is located,” said Hanssen.
“Our hearts are filled with gratitude for everyone who has taken part in the search for Paul,” Moore said at the press conference.
The family members explained that while the search will continue in Grinnell, family and friends in the Chicago area have mobilized and begun posting flyers.
“We feel confident that Paul is not in this immediate Grinnell area,” Moore said.
Moore and Shuman described Paul as a “happy-go-lucky kid,” who loves Ultimate Frisbee and is a “bright, level-headed young man.”
Shuman extended a message from all family and friends to Paul: “We want Paul to know this: Paul, we love you, nothing else matters. You need to come back to us now. We can help you only if we see you or hear you. Come home, Paul.”
Grinnell Police Sergeant Randy Hanssen also spoke on the progress of the continuing investigation. Because today was the beginning of Iowa bow hunting season, ground search efforts were halted for the day due to safety concerns. Hanssen said police hope that as Iowan farmers and hunters begin working in the fields they will be able to aid in the search.
“What we are doing right now is following up on a lot of leads. We will continue following those up until he is located,” said Hanssen.
An Open Letter from the S&B Editors
This open letter originally appeared in the 9/29/06 issue of the Scarlet and Black.
Since Monday morning, our campus has been one person short, but we have been left with a hole that is much larger than just one person. We are all anxious, and we must deal both with Paul's disappearance and our reactions to it. The S&B is charged with documenting campus events, but at this moment, we are more than journalists covering events—we are scared and worried students grappling with uncertainty. We are all searching for the right words.
Some of those who know Paul and some of those who do not have shown their support and concern by aiding the search for him, but this highly visible effort is not the only way to help. It is okay to feel uncomfortable with searching for Paul and there are other things that need to be done on campus.
Already, many students have opened their doors, minds and hearts to help support the student body. We are encouraged by the immediate compassion that people have shown and we hope that this compassion and events like last night's open forum are only the first stage of campus-wide discussion, reflection and coming together.
Our collective conscience has been powerfully jarred. It is difficult to articulate and address exactly how we feel. It seems as though many of us are waiting for some kind of conclusion before examining our feelings, but we are all experiencing emotions right now that should not be ignored. Discussing the effects of Paul's disappearance is—simply put—a difficult necessity, and it is something that we and the college administration must do now.
For many of us, sitting in class feels utterly irrelevant knowing that a classmate and friend of ours is missing. We are worried for Paul and his family and are hoping for the best. However, continuing on with our daily lives as best we can and checking in on each other are the most immediate actions we can and should take. Trying to know how we feel is scary, but engaging the emotions and thoughts swirling through our minds is the healthiest thing we can do right now.
If you are feeling uneasy, please talk to someone. It might be a friend, a professor, an SA, an RLC or someone at the mental health center or chaplain's office, but, whoever you talk to, the important part is dealing with what has happened.
A member of our community is missing, and on a campus as small as Grinnell's, we are all affected by his disappearance. We care about each other and that makes us all involved in some way. We should not stop worrying about Paul-quite the opposite, it is impossible not to-but we should also worry about ourselves and each other.
Ask your friends how they are doing. Then, ask again.
Take care of yourself, Grinnell.
Since Monday morning, our campus has been one person short, but we have been left with a hole that is much larger than just one person. We are all anxious, and we must deal both with Paul's disappearance and our reactions to it. The S&B is charged with documenting campus events, but at this moment, we are more than journalists covering events—we are scared and worried students grappling with uncertainty. We are all searching for the right words.
Some of those who know Paul and some of those who do not have shown their support and concern by aiding the search for him, but this highly visible effort is not the only way to help. It is okay to feel uncomfortable with searching for Paul and there are other things that need to be done on campus.
Already, many students have opened their doors, minds and hearts to help support the student body. We are encouraged by the immediate compassion that people have shown and we hope that this compassion and events like last night's open forum are only the first stage of campus-wide discussion, reflection and coming together.
Our collective conscience has been powerfully jarred. It is difficult to articulate and address exactly how we feel. It seems as though many of us are waiting for some kind of conclusion before examining our feelings, but we are all experiencing emotions right now that should not be ignored. Discussing the effects of Paul's disappearance is—simply put—a difficult necessity, and it is something that we and the college administration must do now.
For many of us, sitting in class feels utterly irrelevant knowing that a classmate and friend of ours is missing. We are worried for Paul and his family and are hoping for the best. However, continuing on with our daily lives as best we can and checking in on each other are the most immediate actions we can and should take. Trying to know how we feel is scary, but engaging the emotions and thoughts swirling through our minds is the healthiest thing we can do right now.
If you are feeling uneasy, please talk to someone. It might be a friend, a professor, an SA, an RLC or someone at the mental health center or chaplain's office, but, whoever you talk to, the important part is dealing with what has happened.
A member of our community is missing, and on a campus as small as Grinnell's, we are all affected by his disappearance. We care about each other and that makes us all involved in some way. We should not stop worrying about Paul-quite the opposite, it is impossible not to-but we should also worry about ourselves and each other.
Ask your friends how they are doing. Then, ask again.
Take care of yourself, Grinnell.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Some thoughts on our role as students
Today we posted Sports Editor Pat Ritter’s response to something that ran in his section this week, a column about Grinnell's football team. Some have expressed concerns about this post appearing above the updates about Paul, which is feedback I appreciate and want to address.
While thinking about how to address these concerns, I realized we've talked to you a lot as journalists but not very much as fellow students. As a student and a member of the Grinnell community, I understand the concerns about the blog format—it feels like everyday things like football aren’t quite as important when someone from our community is still missing. I know it seems insensitive to post other things "on top of" news about something so difficult for the community this newspaper serves. Posts appear in the order they are posted, with the most recent first. It is one of the limitations of a blog, and people much technologically smarter than I am are trying to change it.
That said, I do think it’s important to try to continue with our daily lives as much as possible. For the S&B that means covering other things that are happening and other things people are thinking. Some sense of normalcy is crucial during such a difficult time, and we’re still a newspaper that covers all sorts of news and opinions—debates about football included.
But that doesn't mean we've forgotten about Paul and moved on—we haven't, and we won't. For me, reporting about Paul’s disappearance is really tough because it’s something so emotional and close to home. I can’t just put on a reporter hat and shut out how scary and worrisome this is—it’s always scary and worrisome. And all I’ve thought about this week is that if I don’t know Paul and I’m this scared and worried, I can’t imagine how hard it must be for his family and friends.
David Montgomery, our News editor and Sarah Pierce, a staff writer, have done most of the reporting about Paul’s disappearance, but when they both had class on Wednesday, I went to one of the press conferences. It was unexpectedly jarring. Logically, I know that anyone’s disappearance is news, but sometimes logic is hard to hang onto. It was so bizarre to hear reporters talk about Paul and his disappearance like it was any other news story. The reporters weren’t heartless or mean—journalism is their job, and they were just doing their job to the best of their ability. But this isn’t their school or community and Paul isn’t their classmate or friend. I don’t know Paul, but I know people who do, and Paul is a part of this tiny, tight-knit community I call home nine months of the year. We’re missing “one of our own” and the uncertainty is really hard. Technically, I was at the press conference as part of the media, but I wasn’t, fundamentally—I’m a student, and I’m completely freaked out.
As journalists, we are charged with reporting the news. But as students, providing facts and updates is also our way of helping, our joining a search party. I think we try to put on reporter hats as much as possible so we can do that job as best we can. So if we on the S&B ever seem insensitive or dispassionate in covering this story, that's why.
We happen to be student journalists and Paul’s disappearance is news, but he is not news. Paul is a peer and friend and part of Grinnell, and that is always with us.
While thinking about how to address these concerns, I realized we've talked to you a lot as journalists but not very much as fellow students. As a student and a member of the Grinnell community, I understand the concerns about the blog format—it feels like everyday things like football aren’t quite as important when someone from our community is still missing. I know it seems insensitive to post other things "on top of" news about something so difficult for the community this newspaper serves. Posts appear in the order they are posted, with the most recent first. It is one of the limitations of a blog, and people much technologically smarter than I am are trying to change it.
That said, I do think it’s important to try to continue with our daily lives as much as possible. For the S&B that means covering other things that are happening and other things people are thinking. Some sense of normalcy is crucial during such a difficult time, and we’re still a newspaper that covers all sorts of news and opinions—debates about football included.
But that doesn't mean we've forgotten about Paul and moved on—we haven't, and we won't. For me, reporting about Paul’s disappearance is really tough because it’s something so emotional and close to home. I can’t just put on a reporter hat and shut out how scary and worrisome this is—it’s always scary and worrisome. And all I’ve thought about this week is that if I don’t know Paul and I’m this scared and worried, I can’t imagine how hard it must be for his family and friends.
David Montgomery, our News editor and Sarah Pierce, a staff writer, have done most of the reporting about Paul’s disappearance, but when they both had class on Wednesday, I went to one of the press conferences. It was unexpectedly jarring. Logically, I know that anyone’s disappearance is news, but sometimes logic is hard to hang onto. It was so bizarre to hear reporters talk about Paul and his disappearance like it was any other news story. The reporters weren’t heartless or mean—journalism is their job, and they were just doing their job to the best of their ability. But this isn’t their school or community and Paul isn’t their classmate or friend. I don’t know Paul, but I know people who do, and Paul is a part of this tiny, tight-knit community I call home nine months of the year. We’re missing “one of our own” and the uncertainty is really hard. Technically, I was at the press conference as part of the media, but I wasn’t, fundamentally—I’m a student, and I’m completely freaked out.
As journalists, we are charged with reporting the news. But as students, providing facts and updates is also our way of helping, our joining a search party. I think we try to put on reporter hats as much as possible so we can do that job as best we can. So if we on the S&B ever seem insensitive or dispassionate in covering this story, that's why.
We happen to be student journalists and Paul’s disappearance is news, but he is not news. Paul is a peer and friend and part of Grinnell, and that is always with us.
Behind the news: a look into the S&B's coverage
As news editor for the S&B, I usually deal with very mundane problems. A story I had been planning on running in one week is unusable because a reporter wasn’t able to get in touch with a key source. Limited space forces me to make decisions about what articles to cut. I try to keep our political coverage as neutral as possible.
This week made all those problems seem trivial. On Tuesday morning I became aware via GrinnellPlans that Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 was missing. At that point I—and almost everyone else on campus—had no idea what lay ahead—and we still don’t. Regardless, it was something that the student newspaper should cover.
I sent out an e-mail to all our writers asking for someone to keep tabs on the search, with the end goal of writing a story for this week’s paper, and Sarah Pierce ’08 responded within minutes. But we could also do more. Paul could be nearby, in a situation where anyone could find him. But not everyone knew that Paul was missing, what he looked like or the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. We are a weekly paper, but this new blog meant that we could offer news on a minute-by-minute basis. I took information from the best source then available, the Plan of Ian Lunderskov ’08, and posted it for anyone to see.
Our early postings on the blog were little more than amalgamations of rumors. Many of the initial pieces of information we posted turned out to be false leads, and we corrected those when we became aware of them. With the chance to find Paul quickly, though, the benefit from putting information up with a disclaimer potentially outweighed the harm. In the long run, though, we needed to move beyond that. Our next post was a more measured news story including input from authorities helping with the search.
At the same time that I was working on putting whatever useful information we could on our blog, I also had to do something much more unpleasant: consider the possible endings for this scenario, and how we as the student newspaper would react to each one. By the end of Tuesday, it was clear that no matter what happened, this would be the dominant story for this issue; I talked with our editors-in-chief and we decided to move our previous Page One centerpiece, an article about the Elephantitis Ultimate Frisbee tournament, back to the sports pages. I also e-mailed my editor at the Seattle Times (where I interned over the summer), Grinnell alum Kim Eckart ’92, for advice on what tone to take in our article.
By the time I started laying out this week’s S&B Wednesday night, with still no sign of Paul, I had decided to devote the entire front page to this story. Everything else was just less important. A couple of articles I had been planning on running this week were pushed back. I also sat down with Sarah Pierce and we outlined what we would do under different scenarios.
We also made another key decision Wednesday night about what not to publish: the information that Sarah had learned of a note that Paul left behind. Grinnell Police Chief Jody Matherly had told reporters that Paul was “despondent” before disappearing, and we also knew that Paul’s family had asked that the note not be publicized. We decided to respect their wishes.
The Des Moines Register made a different decision. Finding out about the note in the same way we did, they published its existence in a headline and the first sentence of a front-page story. Local—and national—TV news also broadcast the note’s existence. The other S&B editors and I quickly revisited our decision. We still respected the parent’s wishes, but the news had broken. We decided that with the news out there, it was better that Grinnell students find out from us than from the Des Moines Register. But concerned about the ramifications of publishing such sensitive information, we called a number of experts around the area, including an RLC, Director of Communication Kate Worster Foster ’87, Tom Crady, the Health Center, the Poweshiek County Mental Health Center and the mother of one of our editors, who is a professor of journalism ethics. Not everyone was there when we called, but those we were able to reach supported our decision with some revisions. We made those, ran our post past everyone, and then published the existence of the note on our blog.
We’ll continue to cover this story as it breaks, and hope for a happy ending. We’re very conscious of the dual role we must play as a newspaper reporting facts and as members of the Grinnell community sensitive to community needs. We hope to fulfill those responsibilities as best we can. Any concerns or comments that readers have are welcome.
This week made all those problems seem trivial. On Tuesday morning I became aware via GrinnellPlans that Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 was missing. At that point I—and almost everyone else on campus—had no idea what lay ahead—and we still don’t. Regardless, it was something that the student newspaper should cover.
I sent out an e-mail to all our writers asking for someone to keep tabs on the search, with the end goal of writing a story for this week’s paper, and Sarah Pierce ’08 responded within minutes. But we could also do more. Paul could be nearby, in a situation where anyone could find him. But not everyone knew that Paul was missing, what he looked like or the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. We are a weekly paper, but this new blog meant that we could offer news on a minute-by-minute basis. I took information from the best source then available, the Plan of Ian Lunderskov ’08, and posted it for anyone to see.
Our early postings on the blog were little more than amalgamations of rumors. Many of the initial pieces of information we posted turned out to be false leads, and we corrected those when we became aware of them. With the chance to find Paul quickly, though, the benefit from putting information up with a disclaimer potentially outweighed the harm. In the long run, though, we needed to move beyond that. Our next post was a more measured news story including input from authorities helping with the search.
At the same time that I was working on putting whatever useful information we could on our blog, I also had to do something much more unpleasant: consider the possible endings for this scenario, and how we as the student newspaper would react to each one. By the end of Tuesday, it was clear that no matter what happened, this would be the dominant story for this issue; I talked with our editors-in-chief and we decided to move our previous Page One centerpiece, an article about the Elephantitis Ultimate Frisbee tournament, back to the sports pages. I also e-mailed my editor at the Seattle Times (where I interned over the summer), Grinnell alum Kim Eckart ’92, for advice on what tone to take in our article.
By the time I started laying out this week’s S&B Wednesday night, with still no sign of Paul, I had decided to devote the entire front page to this story. Everything else was just less important. A couple of articles I had been planning on running this week were pushed back. I also sat down with Sarah Pierce and we outlined what we would do under different scenarios.
We also made another key decision Wednesday night about what not to publish: the information that Sarah had learned of a note that Paul left behind. Grinnell Police Chief Jody Matherly had told reporters that Paul was “despondent” before disappearing, and we also knew that Paul’s family had asked that the note not be publicized. We decided to respect their wishes.
The Des Moines Register made a different decision. Finding out about the note in the same way we did, they published its existence in a headline and the first sentence of a front-page story. Local—and national—TV news also broadcast the note’s existence. The other S&B editors and I quickly revisited our decision. We still respected the parent’s wishes, but the news had broken. We decided that with the news out there, it was better that Grinnell students find out from us than from the Des Moines Register. But concerned about the ramifications of publishing such sensitive information, we called a number of experts around the area, including an RLC, Director of Communication Kate Worster Foster ’87, Tom Crady, the Health Center, the Poweshiek County Mental Health Center and the mother of one of our editors, who is a professor of journalism ethics. Not everyone was there when we called, but those we were able to reach supported our decision with some revisions. We made those, ran our post past everyone, and then published the existence of the note on our blog.
We’ll continue to cover this story as it breaks, and hope for a happy ending. We’re very conscious of the dual role we must play as a newspaper reporting facts and as members of the Grinnell community sensitive to community needs. We hope to fulfill those responsibilities as best we can. Any concerns or comments that readers have are welcome.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Investigation continues
The search for missing student Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 continues, but has changed from broad-based searches to what Grinnell Police Chief Jody Matherly described at a press conference Thursday afternoon as “surgical.” Around a dozen searchers went out today, with more in teams of two on all-terrain vehicles, down from the hundreds of people combing the area yesterday.
As the investigation draws into its third day, Matherly admitted to feeling slightly “frustrated” with not having found Shuman-Moore yet. He insisted that he would not close the investigation until Shuman-Moore was found, and said that authorities continue to follow leads and continue the search.
Matherly, who had been holding press conferences three times per day, also announced that there will be no further updates until he has new information to report.
Special Agent Wade Kisner from the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation is assisting Matherly, both with searches and with tracking down leads.
Matherly encouraged those students who wanted to help search to contact Security and add their name to the list, but said that every student could help in their own way by keeping up with their normal lives. “It is difficult when a friend’s in distress like this,” Matherly said. “Even though Paul’s missing, Paul would want his friends, his acquaintances and his fellow students to continue with their classes, stay together, support each other … That’s the best way to serve him.”
Vice President of Student Services Tom Crady said later that counseling is available on campus. “If there are students you are concerned about, refer them to professionals,” Crady said. “Resources are open and no appointment is necessary. If people need assistance, let us know. This is a tough time for everyone … and especially for students. We’re doing everything we can to find Paul.”
Security is keeping a list of volunteers to call upon if necessary, but only around 25 students have signed up so far. Students interested in being on the list should call Security at 641-269-4600.
One lead that has failed to pan out is the rumor that searchers had found Shuman-Moore’s shirt. A shirt was found, but Matherly said that they don’t believe it was Shuman-Moore’s.
As the investigation draws into its third day, Matherly admitted to feeling slightly “frustrated” with not having found Shuman-Moore yet. He insisted that he would not close the investigation until Shuman-Moore was found, and said that authorities continue to follow leads and continue the search.
Matherly, who had been holding press conferences three times per day, also announced that there will be no further updates until he has new information to report.
Special Agent Wade Kisner from the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation is assisting Matherly, both with searches and with tracking down leads.
Matherly encouraged those students who wanted to help search to contact Security and add their name to the list, but said that every student could help in their own way by keeping up with their normal lives. “It is difficult when a friend’s in distress like this,” Matherly said. “Even though Paul’s missing, Paul would want his friends, his acquaintances and his fellow students to continue with their classes, stay together, support each other … That’s the best way to serve him.”
Vice President of Student Services Tom Crady said later that counseling is available on campus. “If there are students you are concerned about, refer them to professionals,” Crady said. “Resources are open and no appointment is necessary. If people need assistance, let us know. This is a tough time for everyone … and especially for students. We’re doing everything we can to find Paul.”
Security is keeping a list of volunteers to call upon if necessary, but only around 25 students have signed up so far. Students interested in being on the list should call Security at 641-269-4600.
One lead that has failed to pan out is the rumor that searchers had found Shuman-Moore’s shirt. A shirt was found, but Matherly said that they don’t believe it was Shuman-Moore’s.
Note found
As many of you probably know, the Des Moines Register reported earlier today that Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 left behind a note before disappearing early Monday morning.
The S&B found out last night from Shuman-Moore’s roommate, Mike Horrell ’09, that Shuman-Moore had left a note. We decided not to publish the information out of respect for Shuman-Moore’s parents, who had asked that the information not be released.
The college offers a number of resources for students looking for someone to talk to. The Health Center offers walk-in counseling in the basement of the Forum. They can also be reached by phone at 641-269-3230.
The Chaplain’s Office also offers counseling services. They are located at 1233 Park Street, and can be called at 641-269-4981.
The Poweshiek County Mental Health Center also has counselors and trained staff available to help students. Their phone number is 641-236-6136.
The S&B found out last night from Shuman-Moore’s roommate, Mike Horrell ’09, that Shuman-Moore had left a note. We decided not to publish the information out of respect for Shuman-Moore’s parents, who had asked that the information not be released.
The college offers a number of resources for students looking for someone to talk to. The Health Center offers walk-in counseling in the basement of the Forum. They can also be reached by phone at 641-269-3230.
The Chaplain’s Office also offers counseling services. They are located at 1233 Park Street, and can be called at 641-269-4981.
The Poweshiek County Mental Health Center also has counselors and trained staff available to help students. Their phone number is 641-236-6136.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Shuman-Moore Update
Updated Wednesday 9/27 at 5:29 p.m.
Grinnell Police Chief Jody Matherly held a press conference at 3 p.m. today, but had no substantial new information. Another press conference is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight outside the Security office at 1432 East St.
Over 300 personnel continue to search for Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. The search is principally focused on a 3-mile radius around Grinnell. An investigative team is also searching through electronic information, bank accounts, and interviewing witnesses to try to gain more information to help searchers.
Shuman-Moore’s family asked Kate Worster Foster '87, director of Communication for Grinnell College, to thank everyone who has helped with the search.
Worster Foster said that authorities have confirmed that Shuman-Moore was “despondent” at the time of his disappearance. This “heightens our concern for his welfare,” Worster Foster said.
Grinnell Police Chief Jody Matherly, who is coordinating the search efforts, said that while investigations are still underway, Shuman-Moore did not appear to have taken any personal effects with him.
At a press conference after searching ended at 7 p.m. last night, Matherly said that there was no reason to suspect an abduction, assault or any foul play. “He is just missing at this point,” Matherly said.
“We have an individual here who is a good son, a good student, he is a nice person and to just take off like this is out of character,” he added.
Students interested in searching for Shuman-Moore are encouraged to participate in the official search and not to go out on their own. The next search will stage at noon today and leave at 1 p.m. Volunteers should wear appropriate clothing, including long pants, sleeves, and closed-toe shoes.
The search parties this morning include over 200 volunteers, and more than 160 personnel from 14 different civil agencies. Several airplanes are conducting aerial searches, and authorities have horses on standby to traverse difficult terrain.
Grinnell Security can be reached at 641-269-4600.
The Grinnell Police Department can be reached at 641-236-2650.
—Sarah Pierce contributed reporting for this article
Grinnell Police Chief Jody Matherly held a press conference at 3 p.m. today, but had no substantial new information. Another press conference is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight outside the Security office at 1432 East St.
Over 300 personnel continue to search for Paul Shuman-Moore ’09 starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. The search is principally focused on a 3-mile radius around Grinnell. An investigative team is also searching through electronic information, bank accounts, and interviewing witnesses to try to gain more information to help searchers.
Shuman-Moore’s family asked Kate Worster Foster '87, director of Communication for Grinnell College, to thank everyone who has helped with the search.
Worster Foster said that authorities have confirmed that Shuman-Moore was “despondent” at the time of his disappearance. This “heightens our concern for his welfare,” Worster Foster said.
Grinnell Police Chief Jody Matherly, who is coordinating the search efforts, said that while investigations are still underway, Shuman-Moore did not appear to have taken any personal effects with him.
At a press conference after searching ended at 7 p.m. last night, Matherly said that there was no reason to suspect an abduction, assault or any foul play. “He is just missing at this point,” Matherly said.
“We have an individual here who is a good son, a good student, he is a nice person and to just take off like this is out of character,” he added.
Students interested in searching for Shuman-Moore are encouraged to participate in the official search and not to go out on their own. The next search will stage at noon today and leave at 1 p.m. Volunteers should wear appropriate clothing, including long pants, sleeves, and closed-toe shoes.
The search parties this morning include over 200 volunteers, and more than 160 personnel from 14 different civil agencies. Several airplanes are conducting aerial searches, and authorities have horses on standby to traverse difficult terrain.
Grinnell Security can be reached at 641-269-4600.
The Grinnell Police Department can be reached at 641-236-2650.
—Sarah Pierce contributed reporting for this article
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Missing Student: Paul Shuman-Moore '09
Editor's note: Not all of this information may be accurate. In constantly-changing situations like this, authorities and witnesses often provide information that later turns out to be partially or wholly wrong. We are trying to aggregate all the information we can to help searchers and provide what information we can to those concerned about Paul. As we discover something reported here to be wrong, we will correct the mistake. We apologize for anything we may get wrong here, and hope that Paul is found soon. Thank you.
Updated Tuesday 9/26 at 7:27 p.m.
Administrators from GrinnellPlans said that while Shuman-Moore's Plan was logged into at 11:58 a.m. this morning, it was not him. Rather, someone else accidentally logged into his Plan from a computer with Shuman-Moore's Plans password stored.
Updated Tuesday 9/26 at 3:07 p.m.
Campus Security provided this description of Shuman-Moore at the time of his disappearance: "He is 19-years old, stands five feet and seven inches tall, weighs about 138 pounds. He has medium length brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a green t-shirt, a light colored plaid shirt, and white sneakers."
Searchers will continue until 7 p.m. tonight and continue the search in the morning.
Shuman-Moore's parents have been notified.
Updated Tuesday 9/26 at 2:29 p.m.
Paul Shuman-Moore '09 was reported missing at 10:25 p.m. last night. His friends, Security, and police are searching for Shuman-Moore. Here's some information about Paul and the search. (Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but will be updated as more facts come in. Keep checking back.)
• The sighting of Shuman-Moore at the Kum 'n' Go getting into a grey van, as previously reported, is considered a dead lead.
• He last ate in the dining hall Sunday lunch.
• His bike is still here. We previously reported that his guitar and amp were missing, which was incorrect—all of his instruments and his computer are still here
• The last confirmed student sighting of Shuman-Moore was 1:23 a.m. on Monday morning
• Local police, fire, sheriff's officials, college staff and volunteers have all been mobilized to search for Shuman-Moore. The local Community Emergency Response Team has also been activated. KGRN is broadcasting the news.
Shuman-Moore is known for taking long walks out of town. Security is looking for anyone who saw Shuman-Moore on Monday, as he did not come back to his room Sunday night either.
Contact Security (641-269-4600) with any information about Shuman-Moore's whereabouts.
Security is forming a search party. Contact them (x4600) if interested in joining the party, or stop by the Security office at 1432 East Street. A tent has been set up, and volunteers can get orientation, supplies, radios and refreshments there.
Updates coming periodically.
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