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Anyone who has been at Earlham for more than a month knows about the extensive network of tunnels that underlies Earlham. People talk about the rats and the roaches, the pipes, the wires, and the spots where you can see the foundation of Old Earlham Hall. They do not, however, talk about the risks involved with tunneling.

The utility tunnels, sometimes called the steam tunnels, are passageways of varying size and depth that interconnect all of the major buildings on campus. Their primary purpose is to house the steam pipes that carry steam from the Marmaduke Gluys Boiler Building to the various campus buildings. The oldest of these tunnels were constructed in 1907, when Bundy and Tyler were built. At that time the heating plant was located behind Old Earlham Hall. Today, in addition to steam pipes, the tunnels house telephone lines, electrical lines, Cable TV lines, data lines, occasionally water pipes, and maintenance's sophistocated energy management control lines.

It is likely that students have played in the tunnels ever since they were first constructed. Evidence of recent student use of the tunnels is apparent from large amounts of spraypaint graffitti in certain sections. In other sections objects such as large numbers of photocopied pictures of Bob Southard scattered on the floor point directly to bizarre pagan student rites.

Ken Hutton, Assistant Director of Maintenance says he wishes students would not play in the tunnels. He explains that there is asbestos insulation on many of the steam pipes. Asbestos is a mineral that, when kicked up in dust form, may be breathed into the lungs, causing a risk of cancer. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety Hazard Administration, ordinary dust masks cannot stop microscopic asbestos particles from entering the lungs. The asbestos in the tunnels is flaking, and is therefore dangerous.

Asbestos, it turns out, is mild compared to another danger in the tunnels. The steam pipes in the tunnels are under enormous pressure. According to Hutton, in the event that a steam pipe broke, any individual in the tunnels would be in danger. A tunneler could be rapidly innundated, and perhaps suffer severe burns or death.

Quizzing people that have been in the tunnels before reveals that they are not aware of the dangers. One student who made it publicly known that he explored the tunnels declared them safe, as long as one does not "trip over the pipes or bang your head into them"

The remarkable thing about the tunnels is, that no regulations exist barring students from being in them. Both Maintenance and Security were aware of no rules put forth by the college to prevent students from being in the tunnels. A security officer said that if there is a report of students in the tunnels, security will chase them out. However that officer, after five years at Earlham, had never been in the tunnels.

Hutton believes students are aware that exploring the tunnels is done at their own risk. He admits, however, that the lack of regulations concerning the tunnels puts the college at considerable legal liability.

Facts about the tunnels:
Min. dimensions: 3x3
Max. dimensions: 6x6
Average temperature: 103 F
Min. depth: 5
Max. depth: 14.5

The remains of a human body are buried near the western edge of the Earlham College "Heart," according to John Sweitzer, former Director of Maintenance.

The body is known in Earlham folklore as "Seeping Suzie." According to Bill Stevenson, Professor of Biology, it had long been owned by Earlham College, associated with the Joseph Moore Museum, and stored in the attic of Carpenter Hall.

The condition of the body at the time it was owned by Earlham is disputed. Stevenson feels that he saw an embalmed human body in a glass case, stored in Carpenter. Sweitzer felt sure that what he saw was "just bones." Stevenson claimed no knowledge of how the body was disposed, but expressed that anyone attempting to dispose of such a thing legitimately would encounter "all kinds of legal tangles."

Sweitzer explained that the remains were donated by an alumnus or a friend, and had no identification. The body became a problem because students who dragged it out of storage "thought is was a joke," and propped it up in the lobby of Old Earlham Hall.

Such pranks prompted Sweitzer to contact health officials regarding disposal, but according to him, they "didn't want to have anything to do with it." It was suggested at the time that the remains be cremated in the main campus boiler, but for some reason this was never carried out.

Sweitzer explained that to avoid extensive technicalities, the body was placed in the northwest corner of the basement of Old Earlham Hall, just prior to that building's demolition in 1957. The individual who actually did the disposing asked at the time that Sweitzer not reveal his name. Sweitzer said the individual has since deceased.

The information revealed by Sweitzer and Stevenson would seem to contradict the popular myth that the cadaver was recently deceased. It would also refute the idea that it was for use in an anatomy/physiology course. It would also disaffirm the notion that it is visible from inside the Earlham steam tunnels.

Earlham College President Dick Wood had previously heard the story, and initially called it a "myth," and "not true." However, when informed that Stevenson and Sweitzer had confirmed it, he said he believed them. Wood offered a solution to the question of whether there was a body or just bones. He explained that when a body has been dead for long enough, it can "look skeletal, even though there may be some skin remaining."