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Datebook: March 1 - Salem Witch Trials Begin 320 Years Ago

On March 1, 1692, three women: Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba were brought before local magistrates in Salem Village, Massachusetts, beginning what would be known as the Salem Witch Trials.  In the winter months, two girls (ages 9 and 11), began to have fits described as "beyond the power of epileptic fits or natural disease to effect" by a nearby minister. The girls complained of being pinched by pins, although a local doctor could find no evidence of such. The three women were accused and arrested for afflicting the girls. Sarah Good was a homeless beggar and, as you may guess, had a bad reputation. She was accused of rejecting the puritanical expectations of self-control and discipline. Sarah Osborne rarely attended church meetings and was accused for having her own self-interests in mind and for having remarried (to an indentured servant, no less). Tituba was a slave and was accused of telling the girls stories of Malleus Maleficarum, tales far too sexual and stimulating for impressionable minds. Sarah Good was hanged, Sarah Osborne died in prison, and Tituba was released and there exists no record of where she went. Over the course of a year, hundreds of women would be accused of witchcraft and between 20-25 died as a result. Historian George Lincoln Burr said "The Salem witchcraft was the rock on which the theocracy shattered."

It’s Thursday, March 1

Today is the deadline to register for the Graves County Central Elementary School consignment sale.  Participants pay a $10 consignment fee but keep 100 percent of their sale profits.  Drop off items at the school tomorrow from 3:30 to 6:30; the sale takes place from 7 to 11AM on Saturday in the school gym.  To learn more or to receive a consignment number, call 705-6593.

The Yeiser Art Center in Paducah offers a six-week series of Saturday painting workshops with Tommy Fletcher, beginning this Saturday.  Participants should bring their own materials, including paints, brushes, and photographic reference materials.  The cost is $20 per session, or $15 for YAC members.  To register, call 442-2453.

Coach Steve Prohm and the Murray State University coaching staff will conduct four different basketball camps this summer for kids of all ages, including one team camp for area high schools.  Find session dates, camp fees, and registration information at goracers.com

See details about community events at wkms.org

Kala Dunn is a native of Princeton, Ky. She’s a 2006 graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy with a concentration in flute performance and a 2010 graduate of Murray State University with a B.M. in piano performance. She lives in Hamlin, Ky.
Matt Markgraf joined the WKMS team as a student in January 2007. He's served in a variety of roles over the years: as News Director March 2016-September 2019 and previously as the New Media & Promotions Coordinator beginning in 2011. Prior to that, he was a graduate and undergraduate assistant. He is currently the host of the international music show Imported on Sunday nights at 10 p.m.
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