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February 16th, 2006
Newsday reported on Sherman Raftenberg	[Feb. 16th, 2006|08:08 pm]
sf4m
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I just spent some time at the North Babylon public library skimming through the microfiche to pull out some records of Sherman Raftenberg, a fringe forumite who died on Thursday, February 8, 1973. Below are 3 references from Newsday detailing the events of the subsequent days:

( Newsday, February 11, 1973, p27 )
Long Island

STUDENT DEATH - A freak accident claimed the life of sherman Raftenberg at the State University of New York at Stony Brook Thursday. The 19-year-old student from Valley Stream fell into a steam-filled manhole when, officials said, he tried to jump it in response to a dare.

( Newsday, February 13, 1973, p38 )
Memorial for State U Student

Stony Brook - Nearly 200 Students at the State University here gathered yesterday for what one youth described as "a quiet and personal memorial" to 19-year-old Sherman Raftenberg, who died Thursday when he fell into a steaming, 25-foot-deep open manhole on campus.
Raftenberg, a freshman engineering student from Valley Stream, reportedly had tried to jump the steaming manhole in response to an offhanded dare and slipped in. At the noontime memorial service yesterday in the Student Union Building, several students read poems and offered spontaneous prayers.
Sunday night, about 150 student and facult members met in the union for a five-hour discussion of "the urgent problem of campus health and safety conditions," according to acting student government president Danny Weingast.

( Newsday, February 14, 1973, p33 ) 
Satey Demands at Stony Brook

Stony Brook - About 300 students and some faculty members, angered by the death of a freshman engineering student on campus last week, presented 40 demands yesterday for increased safety measures to University President John Toll.

Toll, who agreed to reply to the demands at a meeting at 4PM Friday, was frequently shouted down by the students as he attempted to provide a point-by-point outline of safety measures the university is adopting. Some of the students said the university was directly responsible for the death of the student, Sherman Raftenberg, 19, of Valley Stream, who fell into a steaming open manhole.

During the meeting in the Administration Build lobby, Toll said he had appointed Ronald W. Siegel, assistant executive vice president, as interim coordinator of safety. He also said he had received $30,000 in emergency funds from the state university system for lightning on campus. Another $170,000 appropriation for additional lightning and "general campus safety" was awaiting approval by the State Legislature, he said. Part of the south campus loop road will be closed because of a dangerous curve, Toll said, and permanent covers are being installed on three manholes. Temporary plyswood barriers are being placed around all 24 manholes on campus, he said.

The students' 40 demands covered a wide range of safety and health conditions on campus. A flyer issued by some students said, "Toll will be allowed a period of two weeks from Tuesday [yesterday] to begin acting on these demands. During these two weeks there will be a day-by-day countdown while administrative activities are closely monitored by the total campus community."

Suffolk County polics said yesterday that their investigation into Raftenberg's death supported a university report that the student fell into the hole after accepting a dare from other students to jump across the steaming 25-foot-deep shaft.