Ep 48: The Story Of Room 8

Today, there is a sign that says no pets allowed on the fence surrounding Elysian Heights Elementary - but the very foundation of this school's culture is built on the spirit of a cat named Room 8 who went to school every single day for 16 years. Let's learn about the most famous cat in the US that you likely never heard of because the Internet didn't exist in the 50s.

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Resources for today's episode:

https://www.thegreatcat.org/room-8/

https://www.latimes.com/visuals/photography/la-me-fw-archives-room-8-mascot-at-elysian-heights-elementary-school-20181127-htmlstory.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/room-8-the-cat-mural

https://www.dailybreeze.com/2008/04/02/classy-cat/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7374255/room-eight

https://www.imdb.com/

Erik Friedl, Los Angeles-based photographer who took the photos described in the episode. You can see some of Erik's work on YouTube.

And on the humble potato:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scientists-peel-away-potatos-dna-secrets-bmc09hd5hqb

https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/irish-potato-famine

https://genetics.thetech.org/ask-a-geneticist/chromosome-number-not-correlated-complexity

Melissa McCue-McGrath

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Intro/Outtro music: Tiptoe Out The Back - Dan Liebowicz

Interstitial Music: MK2

Additional music: Freesound.com, Pixabay.org

Instagram: @EggAndNugget (chicken stan account) or @MelissaMcCueMcGrath

Website: BewilderBeastsPod.com

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Your host, Melissa McCue-McGrath is an author, dog trainer, and behavior consultant in Southern Maine. She'll talk about dogs all day if you let her. You've been warned :)