Wednesday, April 19 Davis' Novel Recognized by Cindy Craig Collegian Staff Writer A novel by Behrend associate professor of English Dr. J. Madison Davis has been nominated for one of mystery writing's most coveted awards. Davis' novel, "The Murder of Frau Schutz," is one of the top five finalists for the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Allen Poe Award for excellence in the category of Best First Novel. The winner will be announced at the Annual Dinner of the Mystery Writers of America, oldest organization of mystery writers, on May 11 in New York City. Davis' novel was selected from, over 200 other entries in the category. The novel is about a World War II German officer's investigation of the brutal murder of, a,labor camp commandant's wife. In it Davis also - probes the causes of Hitler's rise to power. "Frau Schutz" took Davis about two years to complete. "I will be very happy or very depressed or very indifferent (about winning or losing). I don't know what my reaction to all this will be. It's been a long time getting here," Davis said. Davis recently negotiated a deal with New York publisher Walker & Co. for his novel, "White Rook," which is scheduled for release in November of 1989. Walker and Co., which New Officers Stan Washington SGA President-Elect Further results available on Page 2 he ~..::...-.'''''''''''''.-:,o1 e.............'.1an also published "Frau Schutz," has launched the careers of such mystery/science fiction greats as Stanislaw Lem and John LeCarre. "White Rook" is a thriller dealing with the white supremacist movement in the United States. Although the story line is fiction, the details are realistic. "Some serious questions about how deep and ingrained racial prejudice is in this country are raised," said Davis. The novel is about a white detective from Pittsburgh who becomes involved with a black female detective from New Orleans. During the course of his work he goes undercover within a white supremacist group. The detective finds himself questioning his own prejudices and the extent of their existence. According to Davis, the book is partially about "how a person who thinks he's not prejudiced simply may not realize it's there." Davis, a native of Virginia, has studied at the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the University of Southern Mississippi. He has taught at Behrend for the past ten years. He feels that living in both the north and the south certainly has contributed to the creation and contd. on p. 2 SGA Elected Marty Cunningham Vice President-Elect PENN STATE ERIE'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER CHANGING HANDS - Behrend's Dean and ProvoSt, Dr. John Lilley is shown here presenting a medallion to State Representative Bennie Dombrowski. The medal was first given to Behrend's Dr. Jim Seroka by Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa. Seroka had previously given the medallion to Behrend. (photos by Marybeth Zawistoski). Serbka Medallion Presented to Behrend, Dombrowski 0 n Thursday, April 13, Behrend was awarded a commemorative medal from Poland by Dr. Jim Seroka. Seroka, Division Head of Humanities and Social Science and Professor of Political Science at Behrend, traveled to Poland in March to examine the democratic reforms taking place there. While there, he met with Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa, who helped democracy in Poland by setting up the trade union and the first democratic elections since World War IL During the meeting, Walesa gave Seroka the medallion as a symbol of their new-found friendship. Dr. Seroka then presented Dean Dr. John Lilley with the medal who in turn presented it to Erie _ County Representative Bennie Dombrowski as a token of his thanks for Dombroviski's- Inside Schlesinger 2 Letters to Editor 4& 5 Movie Trivia 7 Ask Louanne 9 Tennis 1 1 by Jennifer Rose Collegian Staff Writer Foikes Volume XXXVII, No. 1 8 Ties To Poland dedication to Penn State and Northwestern Pennsylvania. . The medallion commemorated the Katyn Massacre of 1939 in which 15,000 Poles were killed by Soviets, 4,000 of them officers in the Polish army. In Poland at this time, most of the intellectuals were drafted into the The Medallic)._ pictured here commemorates the Katyn Massacre of 1939 during which 15,000 Poles were killed- by the Soviet Army.
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