[Vision2020] Moscow High's "underground" "Cerberus," 1967

[Ted Moffett]

A group of Moscow High students in 1967 produced an "underground" print
media production containing prose, poetry and commentary, titled "Cerberus,"
named after the mythological creature that guards that gates of hell.  The
brains behind this production considered our education to be oriented toward
masking unpleasant truths about our world, as those in hell were kept from
escaping by the mythical multi-headed Cerberus, and entry to the underworld
also denied:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus

"The common depiction of Cerberus in Greek mythology and art is as having
three heads, a mane of live serpents and a dragon's tail."
-----------------
We widely distributed issues of this production, featuring a picture of
Cerberus on the cover, without official notice to anyone, throughout Moscow
High.  Given the production featured satirical pieces about a teacher or two
at Moscow High, and other content that was controversial, the issues were
seized by Moscow High authorities, and those who wrote for this production
were hauled into the principle's office for a tongue lashing, threats, etc.
Our parents were notified.

The guardians of the gates of hell at Moscow High decided to allow
organization of a monitored club to ensure that future issues of our little
experiment in free speech were not quite so free... in other words,
censored.  The name of the production was re-named "The Word," a rather
silly lame moniker compared to the bold and provocative "Cerberus."

On page 85 of the 1969 Moscow High yearbook "Bear tracks" is a page, with
photos of the "staff," regarding "The Word."  At least two of those pictured
also later wrote for "Buffalo Free Press," censors banished.

The 1969 Bear Tracks features this commentary on "The Word:"

"The Word was begun in 1967 as a complement to the official school journal,
the Wosco.  The original Word staff felt that a more relevant, if sometimes
more radical, copy should be published for the benefit of the MSHS student
body.  The paper is published in a rather elastic bi-weekly schedule."

Ted Moffett

On 2/19/09, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
>
> The thing is you just ain't lived until you read your name in the LA Free
> Press following a sit-in at LA's McArthur Park during the summer of '68.
>
> But that was back before records of it were expunged (turning 18 and all).
>
> It was bitchin', man!
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> > Ted,
> > There was an "underground" newspaper in the high school in the  very
> > early 70s (probably a year or so after you graduated.)  It was
> > mimeographed and didn't publish more than a couple of editions.  It was
> > during the days of the high school paper, the Wocsomonian (I never
> > understood the title either) and I think the kids in the journalism
> > class had a hand in its publication, as well.   It dealt more with
> > school issues than other political events.  I remember one was dress
> > codes, but that didn't get much play because it was about that time the
> > dress codes pretty much disappeared in the high school for both students
> > and teachers.  The printing was done off campus, but the distribution
> > was on campus.
> >
> > Maybe some of you early 70s grads remember it.
> >
> > Sue H.
> >   ----- Original Message -----
> >   From: Ted Moffett
> >   To: deb ; Nick Gier
> >   Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
> >   Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 2:47 PM
> >   Subject: [Vision2020] Buffalo Free Press,Early Seventies Underground
> > Newspaper
> >
> >
> >   Not an "urban legend."
> >
> >   I was wondering what the readers of Vision2020 really knew about
> > "underground" newspapers in our area during the sixties or early
> > seventies, given I worked and wrote for such a newspaper, that was
> > distributed throughout the Northwest, and based in Moscow, Idaho.  So I
> > asked first, hoping someone would remember... I'm not sure how exactly
> > to define an "underground"newspaper, but this newspaper was not done for
> > profit, and had little if any advertising, with content of a very
> > "radical" social political nature.
> >
> >   It was printed on the "Daily Idahonian" (I might have this wrong, but
> > that's what "The Daily News" was called then) printing presses.  We
> > sometimes worked out of the Campus Christian Center during brainstorming
> > sessions that I wish I had audio tapes of... I could name at least three
> > of the staff (not including me), all capable thinkers and writers, one
> > of whom I know Nick Gier knew personally (Nick, if you can guess who,
> > please keep it to yourself).  I clearly recall once accepting a large
> > shipment of this newspaper that I distributed freely, with some
> > trepidation, given the "radical" content, to the citizens of the Twin
> > Falls, Idaho area, when I was visiting friends in Twin Falls.
> >
> >   Apparently, Vision2020 has no one reading or inclined to respond who
> > recalls the brilliant and well distributed "underground" newspaper (yes,
> > a real newspaper on newsprint, not a mimeograph machine) published in
> > the early 1970s in Moscow, Idaho, "Buffalo Free Press."  Though printed
> > as though a newspaper, it was more of a sophisticated social political
> > activist journal.
> >
> >   If anyone reading this by some miracle has a copy of one or more of
> > the editions of this newspaper I would love to at least copy it...
> >
> >   Ted Moffett
> >
> >
> >
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