MUFON Massachusetts - Annual Report - 1982-1983

Magazine Overview

This document is the 1982-3 Annual Report of the Massachusetts chapter of MUFON (Mutual UFO Network, Inc.). It details the organization's activities, structure, and achievements during the reporting period.

Membership and Organization

The report outlines the structure of Mass. MUFON, listing key officers: Marge Christensen (State Director), Joseph Santangelo (Special Advisor), Barry Greenwood (Historian), and Fred Chaffee (Treasurer). It also lists State Section Directors for various counties: Linda Seal (Essex), Barry Greenwood (Middlesex), Arthur Lawless (Norfolk), Paul Smythe (Suffolk), and Jules Vaillancourt (Worcester).

The membership currently stands at 53 members and 8 local consultants, with approximately 24 active investigators. Meetings are held monthly on the second Saturday in Belmont, MA, featuring guest speakers, films, or case discussions. Topics covered in the past year included reports from the Toronto Symposium, a neurologist's account of a UFO sighting, the Kirtland documents, and a demonstration of a hypnosis session with an alleged abductee.

Monthly newsletters are distributed to members, keeping them informed about local and national UFOlogy news. Training sessions for new Field Investigators were incorporated into monthly meetings in late 1982, covering topics such as interviewing witnesses, documenting sightings, and taking measurements. Future training will be conducted by Section Directors.

A 24-hour UFO telephone hotline (617-944-0686) is maintained by the organization and has been distributed to the media and police departments.

Public Information Activities

Mass. MUFON actively engaged in public information efforts throughout the year. Members appeared on radio and television talk shows to discuss the UFO subject, which often resulted in new case reports after publicizing the hotline number. Newspapers also interviewed members, leading to further case submissions. Members also served as guest speakers for various organizations and groups.

The organization participated in an Ideas Exchange Fair for educators, showcasing a display with the "UFO's Are Real" videotape and providing information. A "Make Your Own 'E.T.' Contest" was also part of this event.

MUFON is collaborating with a producer working on a documentary for PBS, which aims to present an unbiased overview of the UFO subject. The producer, Mr. Fred Surr, attended a MUFON meeting and plans to interview members and borrow documents from Barry Greenwood.

MUFON has compiled an information sheet intended for witnesses to introduce MUFON and make them feel at ease, distinct from materials intended for prospective members.

Public Education Endeavors

Mass. MUFON has been involved in several public education initiatives. Linda Seal and Marge Christensen taught an 8-week course, "The UFO Phenomenon," at North Shore Community College, attracting around 20 students per semester. A syllabus for this course was advertised and ordered by members in other states.

Marge Christensen and Linda Seal also taught a three-week course, "SPACE INVADERS?", for gifted youngsters (ages 10-14) at Salem State College. This course covered UFO cases, investigation techniques, and included activities like hoaxing UFO photographs and using telescopes. The syllabus was sent to 12 states.

A summer program on UFO's was planned for North Shore Gifted & Talented Education. Marge Christensen also conducted two after-school workshops on UFOs for students in the Hamilton-Wenham school system.

The "Make Your Own 'E.T.' Contest" for students in grades 4-12 involved creating models of extraterrestrial life forms. Over 50 entries were displayed, and winners received prizes, including movie passes and books.

Several MUFON members served as guest speakers in public and private schools throughout the Boston area and surrounding regions, addressing various age groups and at school fundraisers.

The organization expresses a sincere hope to continue its public education efforts to foster an informed citizenry that views the UFO subject seriously and objectively.

Cases Investigated

In 1982, 14 cases were investigated in Massachusetts, with 3 in Middlesex County and 11 in Essex County. Of the Middlesex cases, one was a hoax, one could not be followed up due to a disconnected phone, and the third involved entities but no UFO. In Essex County, three cases were identified as IFOs. Other cases included a multiple light cluster, a saucer-shaped object with a bluish halo, a cylindrical object emitting a light beam reported by two witnesses in Gloucester, a circular object with a blinking light reported by a school superintendent, and a sighting in Maine of a saucer-shaped object that remained unidentified due to insufficient information. An interesting case involved a boomerang-shaped object and two oblong objects seen concurrently, which also remains unidentified. One case under investigation involved alleged abductions.

1983 brought new cases, some involving entities, which were still under investigation. One entity case was submitted to MUFON Headquarters.

A computer file is maintained by Dave Christensen, listing cases, dates, locations, investigators, and descriptions. Section Directors are asked to submit monthly reports to ensure equitable workload distribution and to track all investigated cases, especially unknowns.

Mass. MUFON Policies

A copy of the Mass. MUFON policies is enclosed with the report. These policies cover:

• Membership Applications: Require a written résumé, references, and a letter detailing reasons for joining. Applications are forwarded to State Section Directors for interviews and recommendations.
• Attendance at MUFON Meetings: Restricted to members and their guests, who must be accompanied by members.
• Field Investigators: Must be trained by State Section Directors and accompanied by experienced investigators initially. They are required to adhere to the Field Investigator's Manual, exhibit professionalism, and draw upon group expertise. Reports for "unknown" or complex cases must follow a specific format.
• Case Discussions at Meetings: Discussions must preserve witness confidentiality, not divulging names, addresses, or phone numbers. Locations and dates of sightings may be used for identification.

Applicants must sign an agreement to abide by these policies.

Resources

The organization relies on several resources. A clipping service, previously borne solely by Barry Greenwood, is now supported by monthly contributions from members, covering approximately 50% of the cost.

Barry Greenwood, the Historian, has been provided with a microfilm reader, enabling access to approximately 140,000 pages of Project Bluebook files and NICAP files on microfilm. His collection of UFO materials is described as extensive, including tapes, slides, movies, books, government documents, and periodicals in multiple languages.

A proposal is underway to compile a computerized listing of all resources in Barry's collection, utilizing members' expertise in computer programming and systems analysis. This project is expected to be lengthy but will result in a valuable research tool.

MUFON - Mutual UFO Network

The Mutual UFO Network, Inc. is an international scientific organization dedicated to researching the UFO phenomenon. It is supported by an administrative staff, International Coordinator, Foreign Liaison Representatives, and a vast network of State and Section Directors, Consultants, and Field Investigators. MUFON cooperates with the Center for UFO Studies, directed by Dr. J. Allen Hynek.

MUFON's Board of Consultants includes PhDs and MDs from diverse fields who provide expertise for UFO case studies. The organization annually sponsors an International UFO Symposium featuring lectures by scientists, engineers, and authors.

MUFON Field Investigators investigate sighting reports from various sources, including police agencies and hotlines. In Massachusetts, the hotline number is 944-0686. Membership is by invitation only, and investigators are trained and held to high professional standards, upholding witness confidentiality and conducting research at their own expense.

Investigative processes typically involve telephone and in-depth personal interviews, documentation of sightings through forms, sketches, and photographs. Approximately 85% of cases are identified, with the remainder listed as unidentified flying objects requiring further research.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this annual report are the systematic investigation of UFO cases, the importance of public education and outreach, the organizational structure and policies of MUFON Massachusetts, and the development and utilization of resources for research. The editorial stance is one of serious, objective inquiry into the UFO phenomenon, coupled with a commitment to informing the public and fostering an educated citizenry. The organization emphasizes professionalism, confidentiality, and volunteerism among its members.

This is the June 1983 issue of the MUFON NEWSLETTER, issue #10. The cover prominently features the headline "UFO DOCUMENTARY?" and announces the upcoming MUFON UFO Symposium in Pasadena, California. The newsletter is published by MUFON and originates from Massachusetts, USA.

UFO Documentary?

The lead article discusses the burgeoning interest in UFO documentaries, speculating that 1984 might become the "Year of the UFO Documentary." It mentions Larry Fawcett's planned 6-part UFO documentary, which is already funded, and Linda Howe's involvement in a documentary about 1975 UFO overflights of U.S. military bases. There's also a rumor of a Pentagon-produced UFO documentary nearing release. The article details how a television producer, Arnold Shapiro of Hollywood, California, known for acclaimed documentaries like "Scared Straight," contacted MUFON members Dave Webb and Marge Christensen for an interview regarding abduction cases. Shapiro, who has interviewed Budd Hopkins and Dr. Aphrodite Clamar, was reportedly impressed by Webb and Christensen, calling them "two of the most credible persons" he has interviewed. However, he sought proof of UFO abductions, which the MUFON members could not provide. A further meeting is scheduled in Pasadena during the Symposium to discuss the matter, with updates promised for the July meeting.

MUFON UFO Symposium

Massachusetts Delegates Selected

The Massachusetts chapter of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) selected delegates to represent the state at the 1983 MUFON International Symposium in Pasadena, California, on July 1-3. The selected delegates are Mrs. Marge Christensen (State Director), Mr. David Christensen, Mr. Joseph Santangelo (former State Director and Amateur Radio Director), Mrs. Diana Santangelo, and Mrs. Linda Seal (Essex County Section Director). These delegates are expected to present a report on the Symposium proceedings at the July meeting.

Computer Discussion

A computer discussion was held prior to the May meeting, focusing on a realistic approach to compiling two computer files for the Massachusetts MUFON organization. The first file will catalog the resources available in the historian's archives, including books, periodicals, tapes, slides, movies, videotapes, film-strips, pamphlets, documents, records, and microfilm, without going into great detail about their contents. The second file will list all Massachusetts UFO cases on file, allowing for sorting by various criteria. Joe Santangelo and Bob Gildea are coordinating this initiative.

Massachusetts MUFON Telephone List

The newsletter includes a comprehensive telephone list for Massachusetts MUFON members as of May 2, 1983, with names and phone numbers. It also lists "Consultants, Resource-Participants" with their contact information.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the growing interest and potential for UFO-related documentaries, the upcoming international MUFON symposium, and the organization's efforts to catalog its resources and cases using computer technology. The editorial stance appears to be one of active engagement with researchers and media, while also focusing on internal organization and data management. The emphasis on credibility and the search for proof in the documentary section suggests a commitment to rigorous investigation.