By Margaret Ernst

News Editor

After a Godfather-like exchange on a street corner, three of the wooden owls that sit on Rockefeller’s dark banisters have been located.

Rock residents have been discussing the loss of all four owl sculptures since before fall break, when the first owl went missing. According to Public Safety Officer Beth Platchek, two owls that disappeared after a party in Rock on Dec. 4 were returned to Public Safety Wednesday night, after an anonymous caller said they would be left near the large stone sign on Morris and Yarrow Avenue.

Platchek said housekeeping notified Public Safety that the two owls were not on the banisters early morning on Dec. 5. One owl fell off earlier that night and had been brought to Hall Advisor Jane Morris ’10’s room for safekeeping, but Platchek said an individual involved with the party told Public Safety the two remaining were still there around 3 a.m. when she was cleaning up.The fourth owl is still missing.

The Dec. 4 party was hosted by the tri-college Ski and Snowboarding Club. Platchek said the caller on Wednesday night was a male voice, and that he called multiple times to ensure the sculptures had been picked up.

"I care a surprising amount about the owls," said Platchek, who was on duty when the call came in. "I love them."

While one of the owls had been missing for weeks, the gaping absence of all four owls after the party gave rise to a thread on the Anonymous Confessional Boards in which students expressed their affection for the owls and theories about their fate.

Jen Bonzcar ‘11, who lives upstairs in Rock, was concerned how the banisters would look to prospective students sleeping over in Rock.

"The common room is already in bad shape as it is," said Bonzcar. "They won’t see the owls because some jerk knocked them off when he was drunk."

Morris said even though three of four owls are safe, the incident makes her concerned about other dorms as well.

"I think it’s about how we treat our public spaces on campus," said Morris. "Everyone’s talking about the owls, because they’re symbolic and pretty and obvious. But no one’s talking about vandalism of other dorms during parties."

"I’m all for having parties," said Morris. "However, we could certainly do something better. I just don’t know what yet."

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